Chapter Text
We’re all born and we all die. It's the circle of life. Donghyuck knew this. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t slightly bitter when he found out his life was going to be cut short. Or maybe this was all the time he was given and it wasn’t cut short at all.
A year.
That's about how much time Donghyuck had to live before his body shuts down on him. But he wouldn't sit around crying about it. That wouldn’t add years to his life.
What he could do though, was spend the rest of his life doing the things he’s always wanted to try. And why not drag around your best friend to help you complete this list?
Mark was the first person to know after Donghyuck got the news; he was the only person that needed to know anyways. Donghyuck’s parents had passed away when he was 10, and he had no other close friends.
“Hey, Mark! Um, funny story you see, I’m dying!” Donghyuck told him. He had been feeling unlike himself for a while and when it was long enough to concern him—knowing for sure it wasn’t the essay he was writing for a class—Mark took him to the hospital and they ran some tests.
He got back some shitty results; so much for never failing a test—you win some you lose some. And he certainly was about to lose.
The doctors weren’t sure what it was—this disease that was eating away at his body and attacking his organs—but based on its rapid growth they estimated he’d have about a year. Donghyuck had symptoms in common with other diseases but because this one was rare there was no cure for it.
Mark didn’t know how to respond, he literally stood there saying nothing for 94 secs—Donghyuck counted in his head—then he engulfed Donghyuck in a hug for, like, ever. Donghyuck couldn’t time this though. It was solely based on feel, and their longest hug to date.
That night Donghyuck slept over at Mark's apartment. Well, he didn’t do much sleeping, his brain was too preoccupied with the fact he was dying. So he made a bucket list. (with a close enough look you can even see his tear stains!)
A few days later he showed Mark the list. Convincing Mark to help Donghyuck with his list was harder than a lot of things on the bucket list.
“I need you to help me complete this—it’s a list of things I wanna do before I die ”
“And you want me to help? ...It says 'have sex.'”
“Well, obviously I’m not gonna have sex with you, idiot! but because I'm leaving you in this hell hole I'll allow you to add some suggestions to make it up to you. Sorry I have a shitty body!” Donghyuck said with jazz hands.
“Wait, you want us to get married?” Mark questioned.
#5 get married (no objections this has to be you Mark.)
“It’s till death does us part—It won’t even be that long,” Donghyuck shrugged.
But hey, he agreed to help donghyuck with the list!
But they did #1 and #2 first.
#1 drop out of university/ Mark takes a gap year.
Check.
Donghyuck couldn’t convince Mark to drop out fully so he took a gap year.
“That environment is so toxic!” Donghyuk complained.
“You just don't like your architecture teacher, Huyck”
“That bitch will laugh when he finds out I’m dead.”
#2 move in with Mark so he can become my personal caregiver!!!
Check.
❦ ✵ ❦
“Zip it up all the way and put on a hat,” Mark instructed.
“Okay, mom.”
“I’m serious, Donghuyck.”
“Me too,” Donghycuk spoke, mirroring Mark’s furrowed brows. He zipped his jacket up to his chin, cursing when it nipped him then threw a beanie over his brown hair making sure to cover his ears.
“Gloves,” Mark ordered, handing them to Donghyuck. He took them without a fuss because Canadian weather was truly a bitch. (Unpredictable too, it was so sunny yesterday. What the hell, February?)
Today they were going to knock tattoos off their bucket list.
#12 tattoos? (M) LET'S MAKE THEM MATCHING !!! (D)
This was Mark’s idea. He's always wanted one but just never but it never went farther than a simple desire. So Donghyuck thought it would be good to start here and force Mark to finally follow through, he wouldn’t do it once Donghyuck was gone (there would be no one to force him).
They got into Mark’s—fancy!—car and once Mark turned it on, Donghyuck’s first move was adjusting the heat. His second, grabbing the aux. Mark was not allowed to handle the tunes in this car, Donghyuck had decided.
His driving music was… lacklustre. Who doesn’t listen to window-shuddering music as they drive? Mark. That’s who and that’s why he’s strictly prohibited from deciding songs. (Unless he consults—or begs—Donghyuck first. Swiftly moving on.)
The traffic was horrendous but nothing less was expected from downtown. Mark drove calmly through the streets, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of the song. He had zero road rage, which was more than Donghyuk could say and he was the passenger. Donghyuck admired the way Mark drove. He felt safe. He always felt safe around Mark (though he would never admit those words out loud because ew.) It’s why he stuck around him from the day they met in middle school. Donghyuck was like the crazy lightning and Mark the pole that would ground him.
He was his best friend, his greatest support system.
Entering the tattoo shop Donghyuck examined the crowded walls. It was filled with tattoo designs, some looking rather scary (is that three morphed heads with swords coming out the eye sockets?) but most were pretty impressive. When booking their appointments Donghyuck decided they would pick each other’s designs and wouldn’t know what it was till it was inked on.
“You never keep things simple, huh?
“Simple and Donghyuck don’t mix well, Marky”
Then Donghyuck was carded. Probably because he looked like a preschooler in his puffy jacket and pom-pom beanie, puffy red cheeks and all. (Thanks a lot, Mark.)
“Wanna get something to eat?” Mark asked as they exited the shop.
“I thought you’d never asked.”
❦ ✵ ❦
Donghyuck spent the next two weeks deciding on a design for the tattoo he was drawing for Mark. Because tattoos were forever and he wasn't, he wanted something that would rip Mark’s heart out every time he saw it. Donghyuck wanted to see those waterworks (joking!).
Mark was still brainstorming ideas too, which was good because his first idea…was bad.
A few days ago Mark went up to Donghyuck and asked him his opinion on a phrase:
“Hey, I have a question about your tattoo. Do you think ‘this too shall pass.’ is bad?—”
“Because this too shall pass?” Donghyuck said, wide-eyed motioning to his body.
“Er- no... I was just thinking it may be too cheesy, Hyuck,” Mark said meekly.
“Oh, well yeah. It kinda is,” Donghyuck shrugged simply then went back to his task.
❦ ✵ ❦
Appointment day! Donghyuck was excited but also nervous. He had finally sketched Mark’s tattoo. And at first, he was excited at the fact that Mark might cry because of it, but now he has thoughts floating around his head that it’s stupid, and Mark would think so too.
Not to mention he was also getting tatted too and depending on where it was it would hurt, he had no idea where Mark wanted it.
Throughout last week Donghyuck caught Mark examining his body multiple times with a sketchbook in hand, it had him squirming. where the hell was Mark gonna put it?
Donghyuck tried to seduce it out of him—Note: The person needs to find you remotely attractive for this to work!—and every single time Mark would shoo him out of his bedroom. He’s diabolical.
“Mark! Let's go, you can’t back out now. We’ve already booked the appointment.”
“I’m not backing out…I'm mentally preparing myself.” Mark replied, appearing from his bedroom. “Knowing you, you’ve put it in the most painful place possible.”
Donghyuck lifted his hands to his chest, jacket swishing against itself in the process. “I’m shocked you think so lowly of me.”
Mark sighed, shaking his head. Then put on his outdoor gear.
❦ ✵ ❦
Inside the tattoo parlour, Donghyuck’s leg shook vigorously as they waited for their tattoo. Mark placed a hand on Donghyuck’s thigh. “You nervous?”
“Yes.” Obviously. He was about to be stabbed with a needle a billion times for a tattoo he didn’t even know the design of. “You're nervous too.”
Mark has a tell. When he’s nervous he nibbles on his bottom lip. It’s cute. Mark carries himself in a way that makes him look mature and knowledgeable about whatever he’s doing. But when he bits his lip he has this childlike nervousness that makes Donghyuck wanna smother him with hugs and tell him how cute he looks.
But Mark would probably find that patronizing and he’d also shoo Donghyuck away before he could lay an arm on him.
“Yeah…I always chicken out when it comes to tattoos—”
“I know.”
“BUT,” Mark emphasized, ignoring Donghyuck’s snide remark. “I’m more nervous you won’t like the one I sketched for you.”
“With the number of hours you spent working on it, I’m sure it’ll look good.”
[A few hours later.]
Donghyuck hasn’t seen his tattoo yet but the pain alone could make him cry—or commit murder, so Mark sleep with one eye open.—it was above his hip so there was some skin there (making it less painful) but it still hurt a little.
Mark entered the waiting room a couple of minutes later, his tattoo finally being down.
“I hate you.”
“What you already saw it? Was it that bad?” A small frown appeared on his lips.
“No, I haven't seen it. But the sheer pain it caused makes me hate you. My hip, Mark?”
“It’s above your hip, I thought I’d be better than on the bone.”
“You're unbelievable,” Donghyuck scoffed, grabbing his wrist and dragging him to the nearest washroom. He won’t forgive or forget anytime soon, but for now, he wanted to see what his tattoo looked like.
In the bathroom, Donghyuck lifted his shirt slightly so he could see the tattoo in the mirror. His jaw dropped. The tattoo read “Still I Rise” in a font similar to cursive slightly above his left hip.
It’s beautiful.
“Wow, it’s in your handwriting too…” Donghyuck marvelled over the design.
“…our middle school?” Mark questioned sadly, holding up his phone towards Donghyuck. He had googled the coordinates from his tattoo placed on his left forearm.
“It's where we first met, dummy.”
“I know.”
At the age of 11, Donghyuck moved to Canada during the fall and started grade 6 that same September. Mark was a grade above but because he knew a little Korean, Donghyuck would gravitate toward him a lot when he could. Mark was very kind, understanding and patient and before Donghyuck knew it they were inseparable.
“I still remember your cute broken English, when you introduced yourself,” Mark reminisced.
“And now I speak English better than you.” Donghyuck teased.
“Be serious for a second, Hyuck.”
“I chose it because I want you to always remember…” He tried to be serious but that just didn’t feel right. “Where you met the most amazing person on earth.”
“Dude, you were almost serious.”
“I know. That was scary.”
Donghyuck can’t quite pinpoint why he didn’t just say “me” but he didn’t want to dwell on it. That was too angsty for a tattoo shop bathroom.
“Do you like it?” please don’t think it’s stupid, Donghyuck thought.
Mark nodded. “I know you won’t say it, but I can tell you put a lot of thought into this…”
“I’m walking away.”
“What, no hug?”
“You never offer those,” Donghyuck eyed him suspiciously. The last time Mark hugged Donghyuck without the latter having to beg was when the former found out about Donghyuck’s diagnosis.
“Times are changing.”
Then Mark engulfed Donghyuck in a hug. The only way to describe it would be warm. Then Donghyuck wrapped his arms around Mark too.
#12 tattoos? (M) LET'S MAKE THEM MATCHING!!! (D)
Check.
They aren’t matching but they were meaningful. That’s what matters most. (Also Mark finally got his first tattoo yay!)