Work Text:
Jaemin looked sadly at the untouched dinner he had left the night before on the counter for Mark to eat once he got home. It had been like this for a couple of weeks.
Mark, who used to leave the house after Jaemin, now left extra early and got home at the crack of dawn. Jaemin hadn’t seen him in four days
Jaemin was devastated. He couldn’t understand what had happened. When did it come to this point.
They had been living together for a year now, being in a relationship for five. Moving in together was natural, easy. Mark had always been an overworker, always spending extra time at the studio even when people told him to go home. So, moving in just made sense. They had gotten a pretty decent apartment, comfortable, in which they made a little studio for Mark so that he could work from home.
Their routine was simple. Jaemin would leave first since he had to be at the kindergarten early, Mark only waking up an hour after he left. The younger would be back at home by five pm and would make them something to eat together when Mark arrived home. They would eat, talk, watch movies and sometimes, when Mark was busier, they’d just stay together in their little home studio, both doing their own things, just enjoying their company.
It worked for them. And Jaemin couldn’t be happier with his life.
Until things changed.
Mark started staying until later at work. Which wasn’t exactly something weird, sometimes he had more work that had to be done at the studio, so he would spend a couple of days getting home later, but then things would be back to normal. But this time they didn’t.
As weeks passed, the older just started staying longer and longer at work, to the point where he’d get home when Jaemin was already in bed. And then started leaving earlier than Jaemin, saying ‘I just have a lot of work to do’ when the younger would ask him what was going on.
In reality, Jaemin hadn’t properly seen his boyfriend in a week, and it was getting tiring.
‘I think hyung’s breaking up with me.’ Jaemin said after a long time of just staying in silence.
‘What?’ Chenle asked after minutes of all of them just staring at him in pure shock.
They had planned to all go have dinner at this new Chinese restaurant that had opened. Of course, Mark was too busy to go.
‘I thought everything was going well between you guys?’ Donghyuck asked.
‘And everything was going well until- until they weren’t a-and… I don’t know…’ Jaemin said, feeling tears brimming his eyes.
‘Hey, it’s okay baby. Why do you think that?’ Renjun said, moving to sit next to him and wrapping a comforting arm around his frame.
‘I just… I’ve barely seen Mark lately… He’s always so busy and he stays at work from early in the morning till the crack of dawn, and I thought things would go back to normal, that he just had more work, but he just started spending even more time at the studio and then…’ Jaemin explained all in one go, almost hyperventilating.
‘Breath Nana, it’s okay, what happened then?’ Jeno comforted him.
‘Last week it made 1 year that we moved in together and… I know it’s silly, but I really wanted to celebrate…’
‘It’s not silly hyung, it’s a big deal and it’s definitely worth of a celebration.’ Jisung said and Jaemin gave him a sad smile.
‘So I tried to call him to say that we should celebrate but he wouldn’t pick up my calls, so I just sent him a text asking him to come home early because I would make a celebratory dinner and we could watch some movies and spend the night together…’ Jaemin explained, feeling a tear slip down his cheek. ‘I went home early, cleaned the house, made his favorite dish a-and just waited, and waited, and waited and he just never came he-‘
‘Oh baby I’m sorry’ Renjun said, pulling a sobbing Jaemin into his chest.
‘He came home after midnight and got in bed next to me, gave me a kiss on the cheek and- he didn’t even tell me anything. Didn’t apologize, didn’t send me a text he just-… didn’t care…’ the younger said onto his friend’s chest, probably getting snot all over his sweater. ‘I just don’t understand what I did wrong…’
‘Jaemin look at me.’ Renjun said moving his face so they were staring at each other. ‘You didn’t do anything wrong you hear me? You’re the kindest, most caring person ever and you love Mark with everything in you, so don’t you dare say that this is your fault.’
‘Nana, I don’t know why Hyung’s being this way, but he loves you too okay? So much, anyone can see that. I don’t know what’s going on but I’m gonna have to have a talk with him because who dares make my baby cry’ Donghyuck said, pulling him from Renjun’s arms into his own.
‘Yeah, hyung beat his ass!’ Jisung screamed making Jaemin let out a giggle.
‘Everything’s gonna be okay hyung, I’m sure…’ Chenle said and Jaemin somehow felt a little bit at peace after that.
Jaemin got home feeling tired and only wanting to go to bed and sleep, his face puffy and eyes red from crying so much. After that conversation they had started to change the subject, wanting to make him get his mind out of Mark and, at least for a night, make him happy again.
As he opened the door, he noticed the lights on, meaning Mark was probably home already. Weird, he thought, he’s home early.
‘Jaem is that you?’ Mark screamed from the kitchen. He heard Mark get up, probably to go to the front door to see him. ‘How was the dinn- What’s wrong?’
Mark had a concerned look on his face. Eyes roaming all over Jaemin trying to see if anything had happened or if he was hurt.
‘Were you crying? What happened baby?’ Mark asked, getting closer to Jaemin and reaching out to hold his arms.
Jaemin took a step back.
‘Jaem… what?’
‘Hyung just get over it.’ He said fiercely. The older looked confused.
‘What are you talking about?’ Mark asked, once again trying to reach out, making Jaemin give one more step back, his back hitting the front door. Mark looked hurt.
‘Just stop playing games with me, stop trying to make my hurting last, just do it.’ He could feel the tears rolling down his face. He hated how sensitive he was.
‘Baby I-…I don’t understand I-‘
‘Just break up with me!’ Jaemin finally screamed. Mark looked shocked, mouth opening and closing without saying anything.
‘…what are you saying…?’ the older looked hurt, sad.
‘This is what you wanted right hyung? So just get on with it, just say the words so we can continue our separate paths.’ Jaemin said, tears streaming down his face, slowly sliding down the door until he was sitting on the floor, face on his knees while sobbing.
‘Jaemin, no, I’d never break up with you, I love you so much, you’re the love of my life!’ Mark said hurriedly, now also crying, getting on his knees in front of him. ‘Why would you think that?’
‘Because you’ve been letting me down for the past two months!’ Jaemin screams. ‘You’re never home, you don’t answer my calls or my texts, I barely see you! Fuck, I prepared your favorite dinner to celebrate us living together for a year and you didn’t even have the nerve to send me a text saying that you wouldn’t be able to come!’
‘Jaem I-‘
‘You’ve been hurting me hyung so just get over it and end it….’ Jaemin says weakly, laying his head back on his knees, waiting for Mark to say something, but he doesn’t. They stay there for a few seconds until Jaemin hears a choked sob coming out of Mark.
‘Jaeminnie… I’m sorry. Fuck, I’m so so sorry, Hyung’s sorry baby…’ Mark says in between sobs, Jaemin looking surprised at him, he had never seen the older crying like this. ‘I was trying to do this for you but I ended up hurting you so much in the process and I just…’
‘What? W-what are you talking about?’ Jaemin asks confused, watching Mark get up to get something.
‘I didn’t plan it to be this way but…’ Mark says when he returns, in his hand a small box.
‘Hyung…’
‘I was going to ask if you wanted to go on a walk near the river, we could get some ice cream and sit on a bench with a pretty view and then I’d ask you, but I guess I ruined everything before I even got the chance to.’ Mark says, finally opening the little box to reveal a beautiful ring with a pink stone on it.
‘Mark… I-‘ Jaemin can’t even form a sentence, shocked, feeling tears on his eyes again.
‘I’m sorry Jaem, I’m so, so sorry… I was so focused on getting this that I didn’t even think about how I was neglecting you… I was hurting you for weeks and didn’t even realize.’
‘I-I don’t understand…’ Jaemin said still confused.
‘We’ve talked about marriage before, remember? How we both wanted it? And so after we moved in together… everything was so good, fuck, I had never felt this happy before, Jaem. So a couple of months ago, I thought about this and it just felt right. But I had already spent a lot of money with the apartment, and I wanted to give you the prettiest ring ever, so I decided to start taking more projects, every single work I was offered I’d just accept it because I thought that way, I’d get the money faster. But then it got too much, I didn’t have time for anything, I was missing deadlines, and I could never be with you anymore… but I always thought that at least I’d get to propose to you, and it’d be alright… I didn’t even realize how I was making you feel.’ Mark says reaching out for Jaemin’s hands. ‘I’m so sorry baby, I was so caught up on all of this… I didn’t even celebrate with you… I’m so sorry, I understand if you’re mad at me, you should be.’
‘I’m not mad at you hyung.’ Jaemin says which makes Mark look at him confused.
‘You’re not?’
‘I’m sad, hurt. You really had me believing this was the end you know? I just kept thinking about what I could’ve done that made this happen.’
‘Nothing baby, you didn’t do anything this is all my fault.’ Mark says hurriedly to which the younger answers with a small chuckle.
‘Of course I didn’t… now I know it had to be my silly, perfectionist boyfriend who’d overwork himself in order to please other people.’ Jaemin scowled lightly. ‘Have you been taking care of yourself bub? I’ve barely seen you lately which means there was no one there to remind you to eat well and go to sleep at time. Have you been eating anything other than cup noodles?’
‘Uh… well…’ Mark starts, visibly flushed, making Jaemin laugh softly.
‘You didn’t have to do any of this, Hyung. I love you so much, I don’t need a fancy occasion and a perfect ring, I just need you. You could’ve literally asked me to marry you, with no ring or anything, while we were eating a frozen pizza and I’d still say yes.’ Jaemin says, cupping the older’s cheeks, staring at his shiny, attentive eyes.
‘Does… Does this mean you’ll marry me?’ Mark asks shily.
‘Of course I will silly, you won’t ever get rid of me.’ He says with the biggest smile on his face. ‘But don’t ever do something like this again okay?’
‘I would never. I’m genuinely so sorry baby, I love you so much.’
Jaemin looks fondly at Mark, he had missed this face, he had missing hugging him and talking with him. He moves his hands to his neck and finally, finally, slots their lips together. They move slowly, cautiously, almost as if savoring the moment.
‘I’ll make you the happiest man ever Jaem, I promise.’ Marks says after parting, pressing their foreheads together.
‘You already do, hyung.’ Jaemin answers truthfully, leaning in again for a quick peck. ‘Put the ring on me?’
Mark opens the box once again, taking the ring and putting it on the younger’s finger.
‘It’s beautiful, Mark, thank you.’ Jaemin says kissing him once again. ‘Still wanna go on that walk?’
‘Yea let me just get my stuff.’ Mark says going to get his wallet. ‘But you didn’t tell me, how was the dinner?’
‘It was good… but you might not want to talk to renjun for a while.’
‘What do you mean?’
Day of the wedding
‘Look, I don’t give a fuck that you guys are married now. If you ever make Jaem cry again I’ll end you.’ Renjun says pointing a finger at a scared Mark while Jaemin just giggles.
Yea, they’ll definitely be alright.