Mark hates the smell of cut grass. It itches at his nose and leaves a bitter taste in the back of his throat. It’s one of the reasons why he never took interest in ball games. That, and his stamina was his least redeeming quality.

That being said, Mark's really not sure why he agreed to a football match on one of the hottest days of the year so far. The regret starts dripping along with the glistening sweat on his temples. They hadn’t even started their match and he wanted to forfeit.

Mark takes a deep breath and squints, trying to find Jinyoung among the huddled group of football players. He gives up after the sun momentarily blinds him for a moment, and turns to look at the archers hall. It was an awkward sight from where he was, in the middle of the football pitch. The hall looked so dark and small in the distance, a deep shadow encasing the rangers post.

The archery team had just been ready to pack up and leave for the day when Jinyoung, the football teams co-captain, had called out to them, challenging them to a match. Mark wasn’t really sure what he was getting off at, they all knew they had no chance, but the small gleam in the freshmens eyes made refusing his offer hard. Besides he’d already promised Jinyoung to a match one day.

Also it wasn’t like Mark had no hope, he knew Taehyung used to play baseball in his middle school as the ace, so he had hope in someone not losing their breath in the first ten minutes of the game. As well as the fact that Sooyoung does long jumps as an extra curricular. Mark had decided to stay on defence in goalie, where running wasn’t more of an option to blocking.

“You going to be okay in there?” A voice comes from the left, and Mark has to shield his eyes to actually make out Jaebums features.

“Better in here, then out there,” Mark scoffs back.

“Be careful not to injure your hands,” Jaebum laughs. “Jinyoung is aggressive in offence.”

“What are you even doing here?” Mark sighs and tightens the gloves Jinyoung had gave him.

“When am I not here for the interesting stuff?”

“You better be careful then, you’re counter attacking Jackson,” Mark suggests, a small smirk on his lips when he see’s Jaebum still a little.

He brushes it off with an audacious laugh, “Well, what is a little challenge?”

“A little?” Mark chuckles. “This team made it to nationals, remember?”

Jaebum doesn’t have much of a response for that, and Mark feels almost accomplished for getting him to stop talking. Then again, he isn’t really sure if stressing out a team member right before a game against hardcore football players was a good idea.

It doesn't really matter at this point, because just then, the referee blows at the whistle. Jinyoung saunters to the middle to meet Taehyung head on, and Mark can’t see well, but he knows he’s got a whimsical smile on when he places the football on the ground.

“We’ll go easy on you, okay?” Jinyoung shouts, and Mark knows that’s especially for him.

“If this was a sports anime you’d probably be gritting your teeth, fire pouring out your body as you say something like ‘We’ll see about that!’” Jaebum says low but aggressively, his hands clenched into fists aiming for the sky.

“You’re really bored of real life, aren’t you?”

“Yup,” Jaebum replies quickly, popping at the ‘p’. “Ever since you and Jinyoung got together, things have been incredibly dull. No drama, no tears, no frustration, no long talks about what a problem you are.” He sighs and Mark turns to find him pinching the bridge of his nose.

The whistle blows for a second time, quickly echoed by the sound of rubber being kicked. The sun is hitting hard on the pitch, drowning it out and everyone on it into nothing but a white blur. Mark's moderately worried he won’t see the ball coming until it slaps him right in the face.

“But you know,” Jaebum continues talking, despite having stopped listening to him for a while now. “You guys really don’t need to hold back around us...or when we’re not there.”

Mark groans, “What has Jinyoung been telling you?”

Jaebum puts his hands up in the air, throwing his eyes back and forth from the middle of the pitch to Mark. “The boy is hot blooded, in his youth, and in need of some series rubbing, okay? Not his fault, it’s all very healthy.”

“Does he actually tell you any of this willingly?” Mark asks. “Or do you have some ploy in getting him to talk?”

“Let’s just say Jinyoung’s pretty...loose when he’s drunk, or half asleep,” Jaebum laughs loudly, his hands on his hips.

Mark rolls his eyes, the movement cut short when he hears a familiar laugh being too close for comfort. “Jinyoungs on his way.” Mark warns, and crouches ready for the ball.

Mark's managed to adjust his eyes to the light one way or another. He’s focused entirely on the ball, watching it roll between studded trainers and old tattered ones. Watching their feets, Mark's almost embarrassed by the difference in agility. And being on the opposite side of the field, Mark realises that Jinyoung’s free and unpredictable play was almost frightening.

There was something about the way Jinyoung moved; loose but precise. As if he knew where he was going but had no real plan on how to get there. Driven totally by instinct, he dances around the defense laughing, until he meets eyes with Mark. And it’s a different smile. And Mark knows now of all times isn’t when his heart should be making flips because he knows that even if Jinyoung is distracted a little, he can still beat Mark's twice over.

“Mark,” Jinyoung waves, hopping a little with the ball. “I missed you.” He laughs and Mark doesn’t realise just how close Jinyoung is until he throws a leg in the air, and shoots the ball straight past him and into the net.

A whistle goes, and Mark's frozen still in his place. He watches with unblinking eyes as Jinyoung skips towards him, a large smile on his lips. “Oooo, I think I quite like that face,” He says and goes to peck Mark quickly on the lips before bending down to pick up the ball.

Mark's face twitches into a scowl when Jinyoung hands him the ball, and blows him another kiss. He’s laughing as he heads back to his spot, and now Mark finds himself gritting his teeth with a competitive fury he’d never felt before.

He places the football on the ground and takes a few steps back. Mark has watched enough football games to think he knows how to kick a ball far. He takes a deep breath and goes several steps back, wriggling out his leg. He think he hears Jackson laugh. It only makes Mark's determination stronger when he runs up to the ball, flinging his hands out to balance himself when he places his left foot besides the ball, and throws his right leg back. As he breathes out, he kicks the ball with the point of his foot, and sends it flying across the pitch.

There’s several tiny gasps that follow the ball as it flies past centre and lands by Taehyung’s feet with a soft crunch. There’s a tiny moment before everyone remembers they are in the middle of a match and break out into sprints.

“You’re not very good at anything but archery,” Jaebum says from the side.

Mark's actually offended considering what a good kick he thought that was. “What-”

“But,” He continues, his face drowned out by the light. “Your ability to pick things up quickly scares the out of me.”

Mark furrows his eyebrows together, “What are you talking-”

There’s the sudden sound of the ball being kicked followed quickly by the swish of the net, and the cheers tell Mark they’d scored. He laughs a little when he see’s Jaebums victory pose. “See, told you this game would be interesting,” Jaebum chuckles and throws Mark a sly grin.

It’s four goals to the opposing team, and two goals to Mark’s team when Jackson finally get close enough to the goal to show off. “Can’t have Jinyoung steal the show now can I?” He hollers, and he seems casual up until he drives past centre, and suddenly there’s a terrifying gleam to his eyes.

“You’re not the only one that wants to show off,” Jaebum says quietly before sprinting towards Jackson.

Mark doesn’t really believe just how fast Jaebum is until he’s slid in front of Jackson, and by the look on Jackson’s face, he hadn’t expected him to appear either. Mark would love to focus more on his position in goal, but he’s never really seen Jaebum do any sort of sport. He hadn’t even joined a club so Mark figured he just didn’t have the interest or agility for it. But watching him, block all of Jacksons chances to get passed probably meant Mark was wrong.

Jackson, obviously, reaches his limit, and if he was going easy on them before, he wasn’t anymore. He swivels the ball around his leg to head towards the left, Jaebum follows, only for Jackson to kick the ball quickly to Yugyeom, and run past Jaebum.

“It’s too early for an amateur to stop me,” Jackson calls back at Jaebum as Yugyeom kicks the ball towards him. It’s pretty much open for him to score so Mark crouches, eyeing Jacksons leg movement to get a feel of where he’s gonna kick.

There’s no real aim when Jackson kicks the ball, it’s a quick and aggressive kick, so it spins harshly against the grass. Mark knows he won’t be able to catch it with his feet, and even if he did, it’d rebound itself into the net anyway. He remembers a game where Jinyoung took a similar shot and searches his brain for the goalies counter move.

He doesn’t really think about it, when the ball swivels past the penalty line, Mark throws his body to the ground. He shuts his eyes tight when he see’s the ball just an inch away, and blindly opens his hands to hug the ball when it slams against his stomach. Mark taps at the ball in his hands, cracking an eye open to confirm, and there it was in dull black and white - Mark had saved the ball.

He let’s out a breath he was holding and goes to sit up, letting the ball roll away from him. It isn’t a while later till he feels something else come hurtling at him, only it had arms and an irritating voice. “Mark!” Jaebum calls out and flies for a brief second before landing right on top of Mark. “Well done, that’s my baby!” Jaebum cheers and goes to kiss Mark on the lips, then on the cheek.

“Get off of me!” Mark grimaces, but he doesn’t have to push Jaebum off much before someone goes to grab him by the collar.

“, I’m suffocating!” Jaebum wheezes, one hand grabbing at his collar, the other waving aimlessly at the air.

“Good,” Jinyoung says in response. “Maybe that’ll teach you to lay off other people’s target of affection.” He’s got his tight smile on, and Mark bites his lip.

“That was a really bad pun-” Jaebum comments, but it only earns him a tighter grip on his collar. “I mean yes sir, sorry sir, please let me breathe sir.”

He flings Jaebum to the side and heads over towards Mark, holding out a palm, “You pick up things pretty fast, huh?.” He says as Mark goes to take his hand, Jinyoung pulls him up, but Mark feels wobbly on his leg and slips a little.

It’s a tiny pang, but Mark feels it. He’s pulled something wrong in his ankle.

Jinyoung see’s his face and looks down at his twisted foot and scowls, “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

Mark's a little mesmerized by the head that bobs by his leg, it’s bright blonde almost blinding him when the sun reflects off the strands. He wants to take a hand a play with the doctors hair but he thinks that’d be more than a little rude.

“Is your hair real?” Mark asks off the bat, and the doctor-going-on-puberty looks up at Mark.

“Is your hair real?” He throws back, laughing a little. He’s got a cute baby face, and Mark wonders for a moment who let an elementary student inside the university. It was a cruel joke, so he kept it to himself, although he could tell Jinyoung was thinking the same thing.

Mark looks up at his own red hair and bites his lip.

“Well, there’s no swelling,” The doctor continues, tightening up on the bandage he’d spent care putting on. “And it should be fine to walk on, but rest for two days and it’ll all be good.” He says with a smile and pats lightly on Mark's ankle.

Mark smiles back, “Thank you, Doctor…” He squints to read the name tag. “Doctor...Buu-wah-kool?”

“Kunpimook Bhuwakul,” The doctor laughs. “You don’t have to be so polite, I’m probably younger than you and I’m only a medical student.” He humbly scratches the back of his neck.

“Ah, you’re an international student?” Jinyoung interjects and goes to sit beside Mark on the bed, his shoulder pressing up against Mark's.

“Yeah from Thailand, I managed to get scholarship here last year.” He smiles again, wide and all teeth, and Mark really can’t stop looking at his face. Jinyoung slides a hand onto his thigh, and pats the space.

“A scholarship, here?” Mark repeats.

“That’s big, the university only offers five scholarships a year - what miracle did you perform?” Jinyoung cuts in.

“I just studied really hard,” Kunpimook shyly chuckles again. “I can be pretty stubborn about the things I want.” He says bashfully.

Jinyoung suddenly throws himself into a fit of laughter, and Mark feels a little uncomfortable, because he’s never heard such a strained noise come out of Jinyoungs mouth before. “Well, would you look at the time!” Jinyoung claps. “I’m sure you’re really busy, Doctor-”

“Kunpimook, please,” He corrects, and goes to grab Mark's hands. “Mark and Jinyoung right? Nice to meet you both, and I hope your leg gets better.” He says smiling and pats the back of Mark's hand. Jinyoung’s still laughing uncomfortably, a hand patting Mark’s shoulder possessively, pushing him towards the exit.

“Thanks again,” Mark smiles and waves. “Talk to you another time?”

“Yeah sure,” Kunpimook nods, and waves them off.

Jinyoung lets out a sigh the second they’re out of the medical centre, a look of absolute frustration is evident on his face. Mark has to bite his lip from laughing and goes to limp quickly to catch up to him.

“What are you grumpy for?” Mark asks, bumping shoulders.

There’s a pout on Jinyoung’s face when he says, “Nothing.”

Mark scrunches up his face, his giddiness a little hard to hide. “Are you jealous Jinyoung?”

“No!” Jinyoung snaps at Mark and turns on his heels to go faster.

Mark knows he’s heading to his dorm room so he leisurely follows behind, enjoying the sun a little. Jinyoung, surprisingly, was short tempered - he only knew how to hide it well. And Mark had mastered in deciphering it, purely because over the past two months they had been together Jinyoung was prone to jealousy on more than...several occasions.

There’s something a little different this time however, he thinks when Mark enters Jinyoung’s room. Jinyoung may be short tempered, but he’s quick in cooling off. Mark hadn’t really expected Jinyoung’s back when he entered the room.

“You’re here?” Jinyoung calls out, lying on his bed, a finger tracing patterns into the wall before him. “Thought you went to your room or something.”

“Nope, I was following you here.” Mark trudges to the end of Jinyoung’s room, and finds Yugyeoms bed made up before him. “Limping remember?”

“Ah…sorry,” Jinyoung says lowly.

Mark furrows his eyebrows, his head turned to the side to stare at Jingyoun’s back. “Jinyoung, are you mad about something?”

There’s a pause, “Not really.”

Mark bites his lips and fumbles with his thumbs. He wasn’t good at being persistent, but Jinyoung was a person that demanded his walls to be broken down. And there it was again, deep down in the pits of Mark's stomach, the anxiety that’d slowly bubble. He tries to swallow it down, and think, think that if Mark can’t use his words, what can he do?

He sighs quietly and flops onto the bedside behind Jinyoung and turns to face his back. Jinyoung’s shoulders were a lot broader than they seemed when he was standing, or when he shakes them playfully. Mark thinks of his pouts and smiles a little, thinks of his whiny tone that seems mind-numbing on most days, but wistfully adorable right about now.

The more Mark looks at his back, all hunched and sad-looking, the more Mark realises just how uncertain Jinyoung is. Constant reassurance was a weekly occurrence, ones Jinyoung tended to respond to as a joke, but know behind that smile Jinyoung was trying to mend together his own insecurity. Mark doesn’t know what to say though, he never really does.

Mark blinks, and slowly takes a finger to Jinyoung’s back. He traces the lines he’s only ever drawn on the back of his eyelids and feels an increasing buzzing at the tip of his finger. “What are you writing?” Jinyoung asks, his voice rough, and nothing Mark is usually used to.

“Your name.” Mark responds, his words a little muffled by the pillow, and his cheeks a little hot. “You were writing ‘Mark’ that time weren’t you?” Mark doesn’t know where the thought suddenly came from, he’d almost forgotten about that night.

“No…” Jinyoung responds. “They were in Korean characters.”

Mark shrinks his hands back, it makes Jinyoung shuffle and turn around. Mark watches him, his eyes tracing the way his shoulders shrink into the cushion, how his palm settles into the side of his face, and how his eyelashes curtain his eyes perfectly when he blinks and looks up at Mark. Mark wonders if there’s ever going to be a time where he get’s used to it; the idea of Jinyoung being this close to touch, the fact that Jinyoung was just as real as the hand that goes to brush at the ends of Jinyoung’s bangs.

“What were you saying?” Mark asks in a whisper, he doesn’t know why but he feels like if he raises his voice he’ll break this very thin layer of glass between them.

Mark puts his hand down beside himself and knows Jinyoung’s eyes are watching his every movement. There’s suddenly a scowl back on his face.

“I don’t want to tell you,” Jinyoung says finally and goes to shut his eyes.

Mark blinks several times, a little shocked by the response. What could he have possibly done now, if he’d done nothing? “Jinyoung…” He calls out and tugs on Jinyoung’s sleeve by the very ends of the seams.

Jinyoung cracks an eye open to look at Mark's hands, and then looks back up. “I’ll tell you if you kiss me.” He offers, and it bewilders Mark a little because Jinyoung wasn’t the type to ask, he’d just do it. Even if the amount of times he did was minimal.

Mark on the other hand was hesitant, a crooked frown on his lips. He didn’t need to know now, but something told him that Jinyoung’s request had nothing to do with Mark’s question.

Mark breathes in, and inches closer to Jinyoung. His eyes are dancing on the exposed skin of Jinyoung’s collarbones, the bones finally defined and momentarily mesmerising Mark until he faintly feels Jinyoung’s breath brushing against his ear. Mark closes his eyes for a moment and in another gulp of air, his hands involuntarily shaking. He was meant to get used to it, the touching, the skin, the heat, but there’s some things, Mark thinks, he’d probably never get used to.

He looks up at Jinyoung, to find him staring, his eyes glazed over with thoughts Mark can’t read, and it frightens him a little. But it’s not what he’s not saying that scares Mark, it’s that fact Jinyoung could say anything, anything at all, and it could break Mark. He’s never really believed Jinyoung was here, two months and all Mark was certain of was his lack of control.

What was he going to do when he kissed Jinyoung? Continue? And then what? him just like his dreams keep vividly telling him it’s the one thing he really wants right now. Could Mark control himself though, was there a ‘stop’, or was his nightmares just a cruel joke foreshadowing reality? That maybe Mark can’t control his need just as much as his emotions, and everything could falter like sand and the gaps between your fingertips.

Or maybe, he was just worrying? It wasn’t as if Jinyoung was helpless, it’s not like he didn’t have enough power to knock some sense into Mark. If anything at least Jinyoung had more power in his legs then in the entirety of Mark’s body. So what was he really afraid of?

He looks up at Jinyoung again and feel his heart squeeze a little when they meet eyes. Jinyoung doesn’t look impatient, but neither expectant either, as if he were simply analysing what Mark was going to do next. It irritates Mark a little, so he slides his palm against Jinyoung’s collar bones, feel them press into his hands as he cups the back of Jinyoung’s neck. Mark’s trembling though, all too aware of the heat of his flesh, the softness of his skin that makes Mark want to nibble at. There was something tempting about the thought of tainting perfection.

Mark wants to snort at the thought but he’s already titling his head up, his eyes tracing Jinyoung’s still lips. He really wasn’t going to make any effort into it this time. Maybe he was testing Mark? The thought angers Mark enough to quickly press his lips against Jinyoung’s. And it’s gone the second Mark tastes the same heat and softness on the tip of his tongue, and there’s the fear again, in the pit of his stomach, threatening to overflow.

He shrinks back quickly, the warmth leaving his lips just as quickly as it came. He doesn’t look at Jinyoung as he tucks his head into himself and mumbles, “Now tell me.” Just so the subject can change, just so Mark didn’t have to think about how much he wanted to slide his tongue past Jinyoung’s lips.

Suddenly, Mark feels Jinyoung’s fingers crawl up Mark’s neck, past his chin and around his cheeks. He digs his fingernails into Mark’s flesh, pushing him to look up at him. Mark feels a little sick when he see’s the anger in his face. “Do you hate the idea of touching me that badly?” He whispers before forcing his lips on Mark.

Mark doesn’t really register the pain in his cheeks, or Jinyoung’s trembling lips, all he thinks is , not again. He presses his palms against Jinyoung’s chest and pushes him back, but Jinyoung’s stubbornness takes lead stage. He tries to speak against Jinyoung’s lips, but he’s already having trouble breathing.

He notices Mark struggling though, and with knitted eyebrows, Jinyoung pulls back and wipes his lips with the back of his hand. “Sorry, I just-” Jinyoung begins but Mark is quick to throw his hands at Jinyoung’s mouth.

“Mis...understanding,” Mark wheezes with eyes shut.

“What?” Jinyoung blinks.

“Misunderstanding,” Mark repeats and gulps.

Jinyoung sits up then, and tucks his knees in. Mark's looking at his back again, his shoulders balled up around his knees. Mark realises they’re doing nothing but going in circles, and sighs. Jinyoung hears it and his shoulders seem to fall deeper into himself. Mark really doesn’t know what to say.

“I don’t get it,” Jinyoung whispers, his words muffled by his jeans. He huffs and turns his head, leaning against his knees to look back at Mark. Who has an arm draped over his head, he’s staring from underneath the shadow of his arm and waits for Jinyoung to speak. “So, you do like being touched by me?”

Mark snorts, it’s an ugly sound that puffs out of his nose, and he pushes himself up to mirror Jinyoung’s position. “Of course I do.”

Jinyoung raises an eyebrow, “Don’t ‘of course’ me. You look so...reluctant all the time.”

Mark huffs, and looks down at his hands, before taking one and patting Jinyoung’s head with it. It’s the simple thing like soft hair tickling at his fingertips that finally cracks a small smile on Mark’s face, and in that instant Jinyoung brightens up quickly. Jinyoung goes to grab Mark's hand into his own and takes it towards his lips, pressing kisses onto the tips of his fingers, down towards the lines etched into his palm.

“You’re shaking,” Jinyoung murmurs against Mark's wrist, purposefully kissing at the faint white scars going across Mark's wrist.

Mark gulps, and presses his other arm tightly between his thighs, breathing heavily between the gaps in his knees. “Let go…” Mark whispers rather unconvincingly. He can feel Jinyoung’s smile against his skin, and it makes him tremble.

“I really can’t read you,” Jinyoung says and nibbles a little at the side of Mark’s wrist. “You seem to be enjoying this though.”

“Jinyoung…” Mark shakily says, tightening the death grip his legs have on his arm. “Jinyoung, stop-”

He feels Jinyoung press his tongue against the side of his wrist, his plump lips pressing downwards with a soft kiss, as he feverishly on the skin. Mark his lips, a sudden image of Jinyoung’s lips circling his makes Mark snatch his arm back quickly.

Jinyoung bites at his bottom lip, and looks up at Mark. Mark can tell he’s using every single constraint in his body from jumping to conclusions so he waits for Mark's response. “It’s not that I don’t like it…” Mark shakingly breathes. “I just like it too much.”

“You do realize that sounds like a seriously stupid reason to avoid these type of situations, right?” Jinyoung chuckles softly, and Mark feels his own smile peeking out of the edges.

Mark takes both his hands and presses them between his legs, the space between his thighs growing hotter the more Mark let’s the images in his mind run wild.

“Can I ask you a question? And you have to reply honestly.” Jinyoung says.

“Of course,” Mark only wishes they were honest with each other more often.

Jinyoung doesn’t look at him when he speaks, instead he leans his chin on his knees and looks ahead at Yugyeom’s girl group posters. “Do you regret it?” He asks quickly, the words tumbling out of his lips like it was an accident.

“Regret what…?”

Jinyoung leans against his cheek to look at Mark, a small frown on his face. “This.” He whispers, and Mark feels Jinyoung’s fingers tickle up Mark’s wrist until they slide into his hands and interlock.

Mark straightens up as his question really clicks in his mind, and feels a little baffled. Regretting this was the last thing Mark had ever thought of the past few months. Jinyoung could leave right then and there and although Mark trembles at the thought, he’d never believe he could regret it. “O-Of course not,” Mark replies hurriedly, there’s that small spark of anger inside him again. “Why would you say that?” He asks, his tone accusatory.

“Because,” Jinyoung straightens up too, his body twisted to face Mark directly. “While I’m in bed to the thought you, you’re probably sleeping blissfully dreaming about some Youngjae guy. Every time I kiss you or touch you, it’s like I’m the only one thinking about doing...those kind of stuff. That or maybe Jaebum’s right and you really don’t get boners-”

“I do get boners!” Mark snaps, and Jinyoung blinks back surprised. “I’m sorry, it’s just- you really should stop talking to Jaebum, I beg you.” Mark grumbles, and takes a hand to ruffle at his hair, hiding behind his bangs because he really doesn’t want to show Jinyoung what kind of face he’s making.

Jinyoung isn’t having any of it though. He’s quick in grabbing Mark by the face, brushing his hair away. “Maybe you’re right about the Jaebum thing, but this isn’t what it’s about. I’m constantly worried because I can’t see girls the way I used to see them, and I am most certainly not looking at guys the way I see you. So, it scares me, okay? When I’m totally okay with just you, but you- you have a freaking entourage of people waiting.” Jinyoung lips quiver as he bumps their forehead together. “I’m scared you’re going to leave me.”

Mark begins to wonder if this is alright, if their relationship is going to be a huge circle of misunderstandings and unsaid words. “How could you say that…” Mark whispers and goes to rest his face in the hollow of Jinyoung’s neck. He kisses him softly, lips brushing very lightly against his delicate skin. Mark dreams sometimes of kissing him so hard he bruises, of biting him so hard, he tears. But humans aren’t that fragile.

Mark takes his hands and presses it against Jinyoung’s shoulder, pushing him lightly back into the pillow. Still sitting beside him he leans his body to look over Jinyoung, and bends down slowly. They’re close enough for Mark’s hair to tickle at Jinyoung’s face. Mark’s hands are shaking, but even still he takes a hand to the side of Jinyoung’s face, and goes to at the ends of his eyes. Jinyoung squeezes his right eye shut at the touch, and it makes him look so unbelievably cute Mark can’t help but crack a smile. He was just like a cat.

“What are you laughing about?” Jinyoung murmurs into Mark’s palm, eye’s closed.

“Just the thought of leaving someone so...adorable is rather ridiculous,” Mark laughs softly, and Jinyoung opens his eyes to look up at him again.

“Adorable? Me?” Jinyoung an eyebrow. “You sure you’re talking to the right person?”

Mark smiles widely then, his eyes lost a little as his lips curve into his cheeks. “Yeah.”

Jinyoung blushes rather heavily in response and is quick in hiding his face with his palms. “Ah jesus, I’m weak against that smile - foul play!” He groans into his hands, and kicks at his legs a little.

Mark sighs and goes to grab Jinyoung by his wrists, pulling them apart so he can see the awkward pout on his face. Mark can’t say it doesn’t arouse him, seeing Jinyoung below him, flushed and breathing heavily. So he bends down and places his lips against Jinyoung one more time, firmer and with far more resolve to do it right. Or at least not wimp out in a flash.

He kisses him once, like a peck, then again, but this time, he trails his tongue against Jinyoung’s bottom lip. He feels enthralled by the way Jinyoung’s lip trembles from beneath him and goes to nibble at the pink flesh. Jinyoung blindly clutches at his chest, and presses himself up harder against Mark. Mark swallows down nothing and goes to bite at Jinyoung’s lip, pressing his side to the parting of Jinyoung’s lips. Who, is all too happy, to open up and invite him.

There’s a gap between them for a moment, a small gap filled with nothing but their warm pants and silent begs for more. Their eyes meet, and Mark swallows again, his adam’s-apple bobbing up and down against his throat. Mark let’s his eyes trail down to Jinyoung’s parted lips, and feels his jeans grow a little tighter. He let’s a shaky breath out, before he bends down to kiss Jinyoung again, slowly slipping his tongue past Jinyoung’s lips. It’s warm and wet, and….hot, and Mark really can’t find anything romantic about something that feels so .

Jinyoung gasps between their lips, and Mark’s about to pull back before Jinyoung wraps his arms around his neck and pulls him down towards him. There’s a smile on his lips, and Mark opens his eyes to find Jinyoung eyes crinkled at the edges, and is baffled by how he can still smile in a moment like this.

“What’s wrong with you?” Mark asks breathlessly, looking down at Jinyoung’s face with his own crooked smile.

“Oh, sorry,” Jinyoung mumbles, grabbing his cheeks in hopes to force his smile to go down. “I’m just a little happy right now.”

“We’ve kissed before?”

“I know, but…” Jinyoung bites at his lip. “It’s the...first time time, you know, you kinda initiated since the library.” He clears his throat in hopes to hide his embarrassment, but his cheeks still glow a bright red.

Mark sits back and wipes at his lip, a gleam of saliva on his thumb. He his lips before going to take one of Jinyoung’s knees and spread it apart from the other. Mark goes to hover over Jinyoung again and kisses his forehead, trailing his lips down his temple. “It’s not that I didn’t want to,” He murmurs against Jinyoung’s jaw. “It’s just that...I was afraid, a little bit.”

“Of what?” Jinyoung asks breathlessly.

“I wouldn’t be able to control myself,” He replies slowly, his lips dipping into the bridge of Jinyoung’s nose, until he pecks the tip. “I think about...this more than you think. It just...ends up going badly in my head so I don’t have much of an opportunity to get off at the image.” He says and moves across Jinyoung’s cheek to kiss the point of his jaw.

“Badly?” Jinyoung asks, but Mark hears him, almost feels him, gulp, and he knows he’s waiting for more.

“Mmmm,” Mark goes to take Jinyoung’s earlobe between his teeth and gently tugs on it. He kisses the space behind his ear before levelling back to meet Jinyoung’s eyes. “I don’t want to hurt you,” Mark murmurs against Jinyoung’s lips, not really kissing, but simply finding comfort in feeling Jinyoung’s skin against his own.

It makes Jinyoung smile, “You do know I’m stronger than you, right Mark?”

Mark smiles back, “Yeah, but I think my level in feelings kind of knock yours right out of the park.”

“That’s not fair, you clearly haven’t got a clue,” Jinyoung scowls and takes a hand to Mark’s neck, his fingers leaving burns down Mark’s throat. “You keep talking...whilst here I am, a little more than excited,” He mumbles, and then raises his hips to grind his crotch against Mark’s.

Mark goes to grab at the cushion beside Jinyoung’s head, his eyes shut as he digs his nails into the feathers. Jinyoung’s rubbing himself against Mark, rocking his hips at an ungodly slow pace, and Mark’s having trouble simply breathing. Jinyoung grabs at his neck again and brings him down to at his lips, and Mark doesn’t really think when he pushes his tongue against Jinyoung’s. Mark let’s himself go a little, roaming Jinyoung’s mouth, feeling his tongue slipping around and against Jinyoung’s, and it’s making such a thick sound. Mark doesn’t have time to feel embarrassed though, not with how hard he’s growing by the seconds, and it’s almost frightening to feel how easily the chains fall off.

They both gasp for air when Mark pulls back, his mouth open and beating red mirroring Jinyoung’s own. “Is it really okay?” Mark asks, and Jinyoung let’s out a sigh.

“You’re really asking me that right now?” Jinyoung groans, staring at Mark kneeling between his legs.

Mark’s hiding behind his bangs again but there’s a small smirk on his face Jinyoung can’t really miss. He lets his hands crawl under Jinyoung’s shirt, rubbing the soft skin with his thumb. He feels Jinyoung’s soft abs against his palm, and drags his fingers down the dents leading into his boxers. He bends down then, and kisses Jinyoung’s navel, going to leave butterfly kisses up his stomach. With one swift movement, he slides Jinyoung’s shirt completely off and tosses it on the ground.

He goes to kiss at the base of Jinyoung’s throat, feeling the soft vibrations through his skin. He bites a little at the skin, hard and pressing his tongue against his flesh. Mark can’t help but rub his own hidden against Jinyoung’s when he hears him moan lowly. Taking his tongue, he gives Jinyoung’s a flick and smiles against his chest when Jinyoung moans his name.

“Mark…” He calls out again, out of breath. “You too…” He begs almost, tugging on the ends of Mark’s t-shirt. Mark leans back up straight to lift his shirt off over his head, shivering a little at the exposure. Jinyoung goes to trace lines in Mark’s chest, scalding Mark’s skin with every faint brush of his finger. Mark thinks Jinyoung says something under his breath, but he doesn’t catch it either way.

He gulps as he takes his hand to Jinyoung’s crotch, his bulge tight against his jeans, and Mark takes his time in unhooking Jinyoung’s belt. “Can I…?”

“Mark, please. I’m getting pretty impatient here,” Jinyoung tries to laugh but his breath is shaky, his hips rocking in the air with anticipation.

Mark his lips and goes to Jinyoung’s jeans slowly, his own hands trembling as he shuffles Jinyoung’s jeans down a little. He watches Jinyoung’s straighten enough to peak out from the waistband of his boxers. “You’re really , huh?” Mark mumbles, a smile on his lips.

Jinyoung glares up at him, but it breaks the second mark touches the tip of his . He let’s out a hiss as Mark rubs his finger lightly against the small slit at the top. Mark takes a deep breath, his heart running rampant as he watches Jinyoung gasp, leaning to the side, eyes closed. There’s precum clinging to Mark’s finger when he removes it, and Jinyoung whimpers a little in response.

“How cute,” Mark mutters, staring down at Jinyoung who has his hips ed in the air, and his face biting into the pillow.

Jinyoung tries his second time in glaring and manages to speak through his heavy breathes, “Mark, I swear if you keep playing around...I’ll do it my-” Mark stops him mid speech and goes to tug on his boxers, completely exposing Jinyoung’s .

He his lips and stares down at Jinyoung for a moment; his body trembling a little, his eyes half closed, and his mouth left open. Mark felt overwhelmed all of sudden; feelings of wanting to destroy and love all at the same time hit him like a bullet train. He let’s out a tiny gasp and takes his hands to his own jeans, fumbling at the zip.

“Are you nervous?” Jinyoung murmurs, taking his own hands to help Mark pull his zipper down.

Mark sighs and sinks lower into the bed, watching Jinyoung has he ped and Mark’s jeans. He can feel himself twitching over Jinyoung’s hands being so close to his , images fly again and Mark think’s he feels himself precum. He curses and Jinyoung looks up at him curiously.

“I’m just-” Mark gulps, his breath so heavy it doesn’t let any words through.

“It’s fine Mark, we’ll do it together,” Jinyoung says with a of his lips and suddenly Mark is too. Jinyoung stares at his for a moment, not secret about staring at all. “Making fun of me when you’re pretty right now, aren’t you?”

Mark puts a hand on Jinyoung’s shoulder and let’s out a weak laugh, “‘Pretty’...what an understatement.”

“Mark...come closer,” Jinyoung asks then, putting a hand over the one Mark had on his shoulder. Mark swallows down his saliva, looking up at Jinyoung with nervous blinks, and then down at Jinyoung’s thighs; lean and strong. He wanted to bite them, and sleep on them, contradictory needs that seem to overwhelm him in the moment.

“-!” Mark suddenly curses when he feels Jinyoung take a hand to his . He looks down to find Jinyoung pressing a finger into the tip of it and then sliding it down towards his balls. “Jinyoung, what are you-”

“You can’t wait anymore either right?” Jinyoung hoarsely says and shuffles closer. Close enough that their breaths mix, their legs tangle up into each other, and their lips are but one sweet word from a kiss.

Mark closes his eyes and gulps, shuffling closer. He opens his eyes to meet with Jinyoung’s and watches closely as he takes his own and presses it against Jinyoung’s. He feels another drip of pre slide down his when he see’s Jinyoung gasp suddenly, his eyes snapping shut, and his mouth open a little, in short breaths. “It’s hot.” Mark gulps and wraps a hand round both their .

“-” Jinyoung hisses under his breath, his hands digging holes into Mark’s shoulder. “.” He says again and rocks his hips into Mark. Mark takes his hands towards Jinyoung’s hips and brings him closer so that their chests touch, so that there’s no space between them Mark can slip through.

They feel the heat rolling off their lower halves. The slick sound of their glistening their and sliding between Mark’s hand fills the room along with their tiny gasps and moans. Mark feels a certain type of high every time Jinyoung moans his name into his ear, and he thinks he’s about to but manages to control it.

“Jinyoung,” Mark whispers in Jinyoung’s ears, biting at his ear lobe. “Faster.”

“ Mark,” Jinyoung gnaws at Mark’s collar. “Don’t do that, I’m not going to come before you.”

Mark let’s out a tiny snort and looks at Jinyoung.

“I can be pretty stubborn, remember?” Jinyoung murmurs into Mark’s neck, up the length and biting at the side. Jinyoung presses his harder against Mark, squeezing their hands together tight with his own hand.

“-” Mark gasps and goes to grab at the duvet beside him, his balls throbbing with wanted release. Jinyoung groans into his ear again, loud, and s his hips against Mark. Mark takes in a shaky breath and growls a little, throwing Jinyoung back into the bed where he towers over him.

“What are you-” Mark doesn’t give Jinyoung time to talk as he brings up the pace of his hips. The thick sound of their rubbing together intensifies as Mark rocks his hips with force, feeling his balls glide up and down.

“Ah- Mark-…” Jinyoung whimpers, biting his lip and hiding underneath his arms. Mark doesn’t let him hide, grabbing his wrist and pulling them back down, he bends down to kiss Jinyoung with open eyes. There was something about how Jinyoung moaned into Mark’s mouth that turned Mark on. He tries to go faster, the bed making impossible squeaking sounds and soft thumps as it bumps into the desk behind it.

When Mark breaks the kiss, Jinyoung gasps loudly. “I want to come, ugh.”

“Then come.” Mark breathed, begging for the same.

“No, you first,” Jinyoung stubbornly huffs.

“This isn’t a competition,” Mark rolls his eyes but flicks the top of Jinyoung’s anyway.

“Idiot, I know….I just- ah- I just want to ...when I see your face, when-” Jinyoung takes a deep breath. “When you .”

It was an adorable request, and honestly, Mark didn’t know how much longer he could hold on.

He sighs as he pulls Jinyoung into his lap, “Rock your hips for me then.”

Jinyoung gives him a look but obliges anyway, lifting his legs around Mark so he can pace himself. He goes slowly first, their heads meeting with every slow , their pre soaking the small space of bed underneath them. Jinyoung wraps a hand around both their , rubbing his thumb at their tips as he took another hand to squeeze Mark’s balls. Mark moans loudly, biting his lips and digging his hands into the side of the mattress. Jinyoung watches his face closely, his mouth slightly open as he slides his hand up and down, up and down.

“Jinyoung,” Mark moans and throws his head back. “It’s coming, more...faster…”

Jinyoung continues, tightening his grip and pressing his hips harder against him. “Mark…” He suddenly calls out. Mark gasps and cracks an eye open, trying so hard to focus on Jinyoung then the feeling of needing to all over the two of them. “I love you.” He says.

Mark’s eyes snap open. “What-” He gasps a little, and cums. Mark let’s out a huge breath and looks down to find white liquid dripping down both their abs and shivers at the sight, thinking it’d take more than just that to feel fully satisfied. Then he remembers what Jinyoung said.

“Jinyoung-” Mark calls out but Jinyoung stops him and kisses him.

“I love you.” He repeats into Mark’s mouth. Mark, on the other hand, get’s hard all over again as Jinyoung continues to rock his hips against Mark, and it isn’t long until he cums. Mark shivers under Jinyoung’s grip when he fills Jinyoung’s on his lower stomach. They both stare down at their mess before Jinyoung looks up again.

Mark meets his eyes, his heart thumping louder and harder, stronger than ever before. Jinyoung’s words ring in his head, “I know you probably don’t feel-” Mark slaps a hand on Jinyoung’s mouth.

With a shaky breath, Mark scrutinizes his eyes shut, his heart pumping so fast it hurt. Everything hurt. Jinyoung made him hurt in ways he didn’t know was possible. He made him feel sick, a good sick. He made him feel as heavy as the earth and as light as feather. How is it possible? That he- “-love you.”

Jinyoung gulps, “What did you say?” Mark looks up at him with sudden shock, biting his lip. Jinyoung looks up at him too, his eyes hopeful, and a little watery.

Mark looks down, using the stained duvet to clean the off of Jinyoung’s chest. “I love you.” He says lowly and quickly, his heart in his throat. Jinyoung slaps both his hands on Mark’s cheeks and forces him to look up.

“Say it again.” Jinyoung has a wide smile on, showing off his teeth. “Say it again!” He jumps and pushes Mark back, throwing himself over him. “Say it again.”

“Jinyoung, please,” Mark whines, pressing the heel of his palms into his eyes. “I’m still really hard, okay?”

Jinyoung looks down, then looks back up with a smirk. “I’ll you off if you say it again.”

“Why does that sound so cheap!?”

Jinyoung shrugs, “I know you mean it. And something tells me you’re looking forward to it.” He raises his eyebrows suggestively and nods to Mark’s standing .

“For sake,” Mark groans into the pillow. “Iloveyou.” He says quickly and almost inaudible.

“Doesn’t count, I need to hear it.”

“That wasn’t a rule.”

“I just created it.”

Mark gives him an awkward pout but he can hardly deny the wide grin on Jinyoung’s face, “I love you.” He says it quietly but says it with conviction. He says it with months and months of heavy weight, of feelings thrown to the side, and pain that pricked his lungs. He said it, and he meant it. And Jinyoung’s loud laugh means he was pretty satisfied with it.

“I love you too.” Jinyoung chuckles, and bends to kiss Mark on his lips. “Now I’ll your .”

Mark nods, “Much obliged.”

They both snort, and then Mark pauses. "Wait, you still didn't tell me what you wrote on my back, back then?"

Jinyoung's face drops, "I don't want to say it."

"Why not?"

"It's freaking embarassing." Jinyoung pouts and rolls to the side. Mark blinks at the dents his spine makes into his back. He takes a finger and traces it down, feeling Jinyoung shiver under him. "Stop that."

"Tell me."

"No."

"Tell me."

"I said no!"

"Tell me."

Mark pokes his back, and Jinyoung turns around to glare. "Love." He snaps. "I ing wrote 'love' okay?" He grumbles and turns around to face the wall again.

Mark's eyebrows knit together, "You've been in love with me that long?"

Jinyoung pauses and then sighs, "No...but I entertained the thought a lot, okay?"

Mark grins then and goes to slide a hand around Jinyoun's waist. "Get your hand off me." He demands, but Mark kisses Jinyoung on his neck. Jinyoung turns around to glare at him again but his lips quiver and it breaks out into a laugh. It doesn't take long for Mark to join in too.

They laugh without constraint. Their bodies pressed against each other, their arms knotted together, their skin burning, and everything is warm and the moment is icky and everything too sweet. But bliss doesn’t last, so why not revel in the moment?