Brought To Light
Pairing: Mark Tuan x reader
Genre: Friends to lovers, fluff
Rating: (PG13)
Word count: 3,177
Summary: On a friends weekend to an AirBnB in the woods for a scary movie marathon you end up getting much, much closer to your best friend than you thought possible.
You stare up at the part-creepy part-charming AirBnB in front of you. ‘This is a terrible idea, Mark.’
Your best friend slings an arm over your shoulder and grins at the ancient Victorian mansion with pride. ‘No way. This is going to be perfect.’
As if it can sense your unease the wind kicks up, swirling the late Autumn leaves around your ankles. ‘We’re all going to die, guaranteed.’
Mark strides forward and you wrap your arms around yourself in the chill. Lifting a brick on the railing he finds a key. ‘You’ll see,’ he says with a grin.
The sound of car doors slamming makes you turn. ‘Hell yes! This is awesome,’ Jackson yells, stoked as always.
You sigh and hitch your duffle bag over your shoulder and follow Mark up the creaking steps. The rest of the group files in around you. When he first proposed the idea of a weekend getaway to binge spooky movies and party in the woods, you were, admittedly, drunk. It sounded like a fantastic idea. Mostly because you’ve been in love with him since, oh, forever.
But now that you’re here, you can feel the distance. To the left is the long, tree-covered lane that lead you to this old house. To the right is a private beach. Even if it wasn’t October it wouldn’t be an appealing place to swim. It’s all jagged rocks and aggressive waves.
‘Fantastic,’ you say to yourself.
Things go surprisingly fine for most of the evening, despite being inside what feels like Amityville Horror house. You all pick rooms. Jackson and Bambam draw the shortest straws and have to share. Fortunately, or unfortunately given your enormous crush on your best friend, the two of you end up in side-by-side rooms in the attic with a bathroom in between.
The owners really did a wonderful job updating the house to rent it out. Enormous flat screen TV, comfortable couches, huge kitchen, modern appliances, and nice decor. From the inside it doesn’t scream ‘you’re going to be woken up by someone with a chainsaw.’
You all make pizzas and settle in for Paranormal Activity. Bambam sprawls out on one of the beanbag chairs on the floor, followed by Yugyeom on the other. While they’re arguing JB claims the plush recliner on the far side of the room by the windows. Jackson lays across the entire sofa with a wink and Youngjae shoves him off, screaming dramatically. Jinyoung rolls his eyes and sits on one end, calmly eating his pizza while the chaos unfolds.
Mark shakes his head and laughs, leaning against the wall that divides the kitchen from the living room. He catches your eyes and shrugs in amusement. A lock of his hair falls across his forehead and you wish you could reach across the room and brush it out of the way. It would be harmless, you think, to make him sit next to you on the couch. You’re always together, anyway. And he’s a huge scaredy cat, so he always clings to you during horror movies.
But just as you’re sitting on the far end, Jackson and Youngjae resolve their fight and sit down next to you. You sigh, watching Mark move to the only open space between Jackson and Jinyoung. He gives you a look and pouts. You might be imagining it, but you would swear that he’s sad about it too, and not in a teasing way.
He chooses the movie and you shove a slice into your mouth to take a big bite. Of course he’s sad. You’re his best friend, that’s all. It doesn’t mean anything.
The sun sets somewhere between Get Out and A Quiet Place.
The massive bags of popcorn are made and consumed. Youngjae’s stash of Junior Mints is discovered and he reluctantly shares with the rest of the group. He sprawls out on the thick ivory carpet after, hugging a pillow to his chest and complaining of a stomach ache.
JB falls asleep and doesn’t wake up even when Jackson screams his head off when the first monster appears to threaten John Krasinski and Emily Blunt. He jumps on top of Bambam, clinging to him and nearly popping the beanbag chair.
You look across the now empty expanse of couch between you and Mark at the exact same moment he does. You definitely don’t miss the interest in his look this time and awkwardly push your hair behind your ear, turning away so he won’t see your blush.
Before you can think about moving closer to him or somehowkindofmaybe asking if he wants to move next to you, he takes care of that for you. He cradles the large bowl of popcorn in one arm and slides stealthily into the spot Youngjae had occupied. He gives you a small shy smile in the flickering light from the TV.
You should look away. You should break eye contact, immediately. You should stop having ridiculous thoughts about closing the distance and kissing him. But you don't, and Mark doesn't either. Heat blooms in your chest and you bite your lip to stop from giving him a giddy look.
Luckily, Yugyeom's stomach growls loudly and everyone pauses the movie and starts making their way into the kitchen to pull out the beers and packs of sushi you got from the store and piled into the fridge. Mark laughs quietly to himself and stands up. As always, he holds out a hand to help you up. His fingers normally slip from yours as soon as you're on your feet. Normally, he'd release you and step back before following the group.
Outside the wind picks up, slapping branches from the enormous trees on the back yard against the floor to ceiling windows. The rain starts a moment later, loud and demanding, but still you don't look away from the emotion in Mark's eyes that you can't read. Or maybe you’re just too afraid to let yourself consider what it might mean.
You want to blame it on the house, or on the horror movies, or on the playful atmosphere of the night. But there's no way you can reconcile your sarcastic best friend with the man who keeps you close, who looks down at your lips for a fraction of a second. It's disconcerting in the way seeing a shooting star is thrilling - an unexpected event that knocks you off your center and makes you believe in miracles.
He holds you to him in the empty room for a beat before turning and guiding you into the kitchen. It's only when the two of you round the corner that he removes his hand from yours. You excuse yourself to the bathroom while the guys divvy up the chopsticks and argue about who gets the sashimi.
You can still feel Mark's eyes on you as you shut the door. Leaning forward, you rest your hands on the vanity and groan at your reflection. Not only is your blush incredibly obvious but there's a piece of popcorn in your hair from when Bambam started trying to see how many he could throw onto JB before he woke up. The answer was 27.
With shaking hands you fix your hair and smooth a finger under your eyes to remove any mascara that's strayed over the course of the long day. You straighten your shirt and blow out a big breath, laughing to yourself quietly. You wonder when you started to be so affected by him.
Always, if you're being honest.
Since the first time you met in ninth grade Biology, you've been friends. Just friends, unfortunately. He never saw you as anything other than a buddy. Someone to play Super Smash Bros with and go to late night Marvel movies and study for exams over bowls of his dad's famous kimchi stew. Your friend groups merged and became a Frankengroup of ten, including Amelia and Bree who had a concert downtown they couldn't miss tonight.
You've always been... just friends. Even in college when you were in Seattle and he stayed in LA, you kept in touch. You'd always thought that the feelings were one-sided and that was that. You've dated and had a boyfriend for the first year after you moved back to California. It wasn't like you were waiting for him or anything, but the question of 'what if?' has always lingered in the back of your mind.
And now he's looking at you like he wants more. You wet your hands and press them to your feverish neck and tell yourself you're imagining things.
'Don't read into this,' you whisper to yourself sternly in the mirror.
By the time you emerge they've all re-settled on the couches. Mark is where he was when you all got up, guarding an empty spot on the end of the couch next to him. He raises a brow when he sees you hesitate and looks to the spot before looking back at you, as if to dare you to try and sit somewhere else and avoid him.
JB and Jinyoung are debating between Hush and Midsommar and you weave your way around everyone on the floor and sit defiantly next to Mark. He grins, smug, and hands you a plate and some chopsticks. Eventually they settle on Hush and start the next movie.
When you're both finished he gathers your plates and sets them on the floor, safely out of reach of Youngjae's screaming and flailing limbs. Then, as though it were the most natural thing in the world, he puts an arm around your shoulders. You blink, determined to keep your eyes on the screen. It's too much for your imagination to handle in the moment and you freeze.
'Are you okay? he whispers against your ear in a low voice. 'Is this alright?'
You shake yourself and tell yourself to just enjoy whatever touchy mood has come over him. Why not store up moments like these to remember later on when you're back to being just friends? You nod and follow his lead, tucking your legs up on the couch next to you and leaning more firmly against him. He sighs and relaxes, his arm sliding down to rest gently on your waist.
It's after ten when the credits roll and your eyes are definitely starting to droop from sleepiness. Given the loud snoring from the opposite end of the couch you gather that this time Jinyoung is the one who's fallen asleep. Jackson and Bambam fight over the remote and you groan at the noise, burrowing farther into Mark's chest. You'd swear his hand runs along your hair, but before you have time to examine it further the lights in the house abruptly go out.
The kitchen goes dark along with the lights on the porch and the TV displaying the Netflix menu.
'Oh my god, we're going to die!' Youngjae screams loudly.
‘Calm down,’ JB sighs.
There's a lot of scuffling and groans as people bump into each other before JB finally locates his phone and turns on the flashlight. It swings towards Yugyeom, Youngjae, and Jackson tangled on the floor, over to Jinyoung who lifts a hand against the light, to Bambam who is somehow clutching an umbrella by the door and looking ready to attack.
When JB stands the light flashes across you and Mark and suddenly you’re wide awake. You press your hand to his thigh for balance and try to stand before the guys can see how close the two of you got during the movie. You end up tumbling to the floor. Thankfully the beanbag Bambam vacated softens your fall and you press your hand to your chest and laugh.
More of the guys locate their phones and turn on the flashlights. JB wipes a tired hand down his face and mumbles about looking for the breaker box. Yugyeom and Bambam hold onto each other as though they expect an axe murder to leap out. They scramble after Jinyoung when he says he’s going to check as well.
Youngjae and Jackson sit on the floor with their backs to the couch. ‘We’ll stay here, you know, just in case it comes back on,’ Jackson says with a nervous smile.
You roll your eyes and reach for Mark’s hand, not letting yourself think twice about it. ‘We’re going to go look for some candles.’
He twines his fingers with yours, grasping so his warm palm presses firmly. You hear Yugyeom whining from the attached garage and shake your head.
‘I think he might die of fright before anything else,’ Mark laughs. His voice is close behind you as you feel your way up the stairs in the dim light from his phone.
‘I know, right?’
It feels good to laugh with him. This, at least, is familiar ground. Whatever you were hoping to figure out up here away from the group - that is far less easy to handle.
You find some candles easily on the ledges of the oversized tub in the bathroom you share with Mark. Thankfully, you’d remembered correctly seeing some when unpacking your toiletries. Otherwise he might think you just wanted to get him alone. That would be crazy, right?
A lighter sits on the floating shelves above the toilet and you carefully arrange the candles on the sink and light them. With one hand. Since for some reason the two of you can’t stop touching each other.
When a warm glow fills the space he turns off the light on his phone and slides it into his back pocket. Even the distant noise from your friends isn’t enough to disturb the quiet at the top of the house. He stands close enough that you can feel his breath against your face.
Distracted by the way the candlelight plays with his deep brown irises you forget to feel nervous. It’s almost as if the two of you have always been like this. He always holds your hand. The two of you have always been together, unable to stop looking at each other like your eyes hold the answer to a thousand questions. When he kisses you your eyes always flutter close as you wait for his lips on yours.
Wait - his lips? You open your eyes just as his mouth grazes yours. He pulls back at your surprise.
‘Shit, sorry, I -’ he runs his free hand through his hair and huffs out a laugh. ‘I don’t know what I was thinking.’
You recognize the uncertainty and fierce delight in his eyes because they mirror the feelings in your heart. ‘No, don’t. It’s fine, really.’ Even though your voice is high with nerves your words are steady and sure.
Tightening your grip you lean forward and briefly press your lips to his. It’s not a proper kiss, not by far, but it’s an invitation. You stand strong, composed of reckless hope and a wanting for him that feels explosive in your chest. He pauses, adorably confused.
His brows come together and he presses his lips together in an endearing smile. ‘Do you… want me to kiss you? We’re - I mean - ‘ he laughs. ‘We’re best friends, I don’t want to ruin anything.’
You come closer, fitting your body against his. With your free hand you feel his heartbeat, pressing your palm to his clothed chest. The rhythm is frantic beneath your fingers and you clench the fabric in your fist. He wants you, just as much as you’ve always wanted him.
‘I’m sorry,’ you tease, swallowing a grin. ‘Were you not clear about what I just did? Should I do it again?’
Relief washes over him, turning the vulnerability in his eyes into something much warmer and more determined. ‘I think you should. You know, just for science.’
You laugh, tipping your head back. When you look back to him his arm goes around your waist, holding you close against him. He drops his head and seals his mouth over yours. Though you both tease each other normally, the kiss between you is soft and new.
Someday you might grip his hair and push him against the sink to taste his neck. But for now the two of you stand, holding each other in the middle of the candlelit bathroom. Your clasped hands are trapped between your chests and you know he feels your heart racing for him as well.
The triumphant yelling that comes thundering up the stairs along with the sound of hurried feet lets you know something has changed. It reaches your kiss-drunk mind slowly, as though you were underwater. It would be fair to say you’re drowning in the sensation of Mark’s tongue along yours and honestly you can’t be bothered by the outside world.
But then -
‘OH SHIT, WHAT?!’
‘No friggin’ way!’
Someone wolf whistles and you would bet it was Bambam.
You pull back, blinking in the overhead lights, to see the collected group of guys hilariously crammed into the small landing at the top of the stairs. They all gape at you and Mark. His arm around your waist, your hand fisted in his shirt that’s now tugged almost clear off one shoulder. Your hands and his lips red from kissing and oh god.
Mark looks as alarmed as you feel at having your entire friend group know how you feel about him. And before you’d even talked about anything or decided on what the hell this means. You start to panic He doesn’t look at your friends. Instead, Mark lifts the hand around your waist and tucks your hair behind your ear, smiling slightly.
‘I thought you’d never do it. Good job.’ This from JB who calmly leans against the wall, smothering a yawn.
‘What’s he talking about?’ Youngjae asks.
JB starts to answer, a smug twist to his lips. But Mark cuts him off. ‘I finally shot my shot.’
‘Took you long enough,’ Jackson says with a laugh.
Bambam throws up his hands. ‘God, I swear this took five years off my life, I need snacks. Let’s leave them alone guys.’
He heads off down the stairs and one by one the rest of the guys go after him until you and Mark are alone once more. In the stark light overhead you wonder if this is all some horrible prank.
‘By shooting your shot you mean… you like me too?’
Mark bends against, holding you close and kissing you firmly on the lips. ‘Yes, I do. Have for a long ass time,’ he says against your mouth.
‘But I’ve liked you forever, too.’
He releases your hand to grip your hips. You react on instinct, throwing your arms around his neck. Your face goes into the warmth of his neck and you can’t help but grin.
‘That is excellent news,’ he says. You can feel the ghost of his smile against the skin of your shoulder. ‘Because I’d prefer it if my girlfriend was into me.’
You snort and bite a his neck gently. ‘God I can’t believe my boyfriend is such a dork.’
