Chapter Text
fuck you and you, and you
i hate your friends and they hate me too
i’m through, i’m through, i’m through
this that hot girl bummer anthem
turn it up and throw a tantrum
Summer had always been Donghyuck’s favourite season. He loved the heat that blanketed his body and kissed his skin, how the light would shine off every surface, but most of all he loved the atmosphere. Everyone was happy in summer, maybe it had something to do with the long days but the parties were better, the mood was always high, they just seemed to have more fun.
That’s why it was such a surprise that this summer was fucking terrible.
Time that would usually be spent with his friends was instead spent alone, binging shows he’d seen a thousand times before, going to the store just for something to do.
This, he blamed entirely on romance.
Donghyuck wanted to love so badly. He craved the feeling, was so full of love that it was spilling from him, overflowing into everything he did, a million scenarios swirling through his head every day, imagining himself laying in bed with someone, giggling away at nothing, kisses so soft it makes their head spin and others so hard they bruise, sitting in a comfortable silence as his eyes traced their skin, taking in and appreciating and loving every detail about them. He had other daydreams, a hundred dates and a thousand clichés, thoughts of long walks, of kissing in the rain, of over the top declarations of love, but most of his fantasies lied there in bed, a space saved just for them, where they could share the most intimate secrets and experiences. Donghyuck yearned for someone to love, but relationships had brought him nothing but pain and disaster, so instead he watched romance movies and dreamed - but his friends didn’t share his sentiment.
Ever since last summer - a time Donghyuck actually enjoyed - everyone had gotten into a relationship, leaving Donghyuck to be left with the options of third (or fifth or ninth) wheeling or watching The Kissing Booth for the fourteenth time. Don’t get him wrong, Donghyuck loved watching Elle and Noah sneaking around but it was getting seriously old.
It was fine, really, until recently. It wasn’t as bad being surrounded by couples when he wasn’t the only single one, but now Mark has a girlfriend and that has really disrupted the little balance Donghyuck had in his life.
Mark and Donghyuck had been friends pretty much forever, or really only since they were 14, but Donghyuck didn’t really remember life before Mark so he considered it forever anyway. They were what their friends described as “like super close,” which had always made Donghyuck laugh because they didn’t even know the half of it. There weren’t enough words to describe what they had - Donghyuck would say best friends, Mark would say soulmates, the others would say gay as hell - but they didn’t need to, because they both knew that what they had was something special, and that was good enough for them.
They were affectionate with each other, always had been, were always touching somehow whether it was an arm around a shoulder or hands brushing together from how close they walked or unexpected hugs, so it wasn’t unusual that they were cuddled up to each other on a Friday night watching Netflix, thighs pressing together with Donghyuck’s head on Mark’s shoulder and Mark’s arm around his waist. They're watching Riverdale - something which they both despised yet couldn’t help watching - and Donghyuck groans loudly, burying his face in Mark’s neck as it cuts to a dark shot of Archie in the gym.
“Cheryl needs more screen time,” he mutters, feeling Mark’s body shake as he laughs.
“I’m your dad’s brother,” they both gasp, but before either could say anything the sound of the front door opening turns their attention from the screen.
“Mina?” she enters with a bright smile which instantly drops as soon as she sees Donghyuck. “What are you doing here?”
“I missed you,” she says with a pout, still side eyeing Donghyuck as Mark walks over to her.
“I told you I’m busy tonight,” he gestures to Donghyuck. “Movie night.”
“What, so,” she glances at the screen. “Betty killing Jughead is more important than me?”
They once again gasp in sync, looking over at the TV where Archie was standing over Jughead’s body.
“Betty killed Jughead?” Mark repeats, locking eyes with Donghyuck.
“Now that’s a fucking twist.”
“So it is more important than me?” Mark turns back to her.
“Mina, no, but, come on, you know I always spend Fridays with Hyuck.”
Donghyuck, sensing a fight, gestures towards his room.
“I’m gonna go.”
“Yeah,” Mina agrees, sending a dark look his way. “I think you should.”
Donghyuck sighs. He loves Mark, he’d do anything for him, but Donghyuck was anything but patient, and he’d had enough of whatever this thing with Mina was.
“Okay, Mina. I’ve been nice, more than nice, but you clearly have a problem with me so what is it?” she looks at Mark incredulously, like it's obvious and Donghyuck is stupid.
“My problem?” she steps closer. “My problem is that you’re always fucking here, Donghyuck. You’re always touching and cuddling and talking and interrupting and I can’t get five minutes alone with my boyfriend because of you, Donghyuck, why are you always here?”
Donghyuck scoffs, throwing his hands up in disbelief.
“I fucking live here! Where do you expect me to go, want me to just go and sit in the streets so I don’t ruin your time in my apartment?” at this point they're shouting, and Mark looks like a deer in headlights, not knowing what to do or how to stop them, just looking between them as they argue.
“I don’t know, how about you go out once in a while? Go to a party, get a boyfriend, any friends since you don’t seem to have any,” Donghyuck laughs loudly.
“Me? I need other friends? You’re here every day like clockwork why don’t you try hanging out with other people instead of spending every second of the day with Mark and give him some room to fucking breathe.”
Mina opens her mouth then closes it again, shaking her head.
“Fuck you, Donghyuck,” and with that she leaves, slamming the door and taking all of the noise with her.
They stand in silence for a while before Mark turns around, staring at Donghyuck, eyes wide and mouth dropped open.
“She started it!”