Van Gogh's Fifteen Sunflowers

by moleatwork

Summary:

"Excuse me, no taking pictures of the artwork."

He flushes and quickly lowers his phone to meet the security guard's eyes, "I'm sorry- i wasn't … I was just taking a selfie, I'm sorry", he sputters.

The guy smiles, "Oh I know," he says with a wink.

or

The one where Mark works at an art museum and Donghyuck loses his mind

Notes:

this has been in my drafts since february rip

enjoy <3

just a heads up, there's a small nsfw reference at the end so uhh yeah

"...This painting really catches the artist's anger, paired with his agony. It describes the ups and downs of living a life in simplicity and…"

Donghyuck is bored out of his mind. He's been listening to the guide's endless tirades about each and every stupid painting this museum has to offer for what felt like hours now.

The small crowd shuffles over to the next painting that hangs just a few inches away from the previous one. Donghyuck inwardly groans. That's it - he's going to grow old in this goddamn museum.

He throws an annoyed look at Renjun. His best friend, the platonic love of his life, the one person he'd do anything for. Like going to a stupid art museum in the middle of June.

"Please, Hyuckie, i really don't want to go alone," he had begged, practically on his knees. Throwing his best puppy eyes at Donghyuck he added, "I'll do the dishes for a whole month, I promise." And who was Donghyuck to reject such a generous offer?

He definitely should've been someone else because now he is trapped in this endless cycle of color on canvas, confusing shapes and the monotone voice of a museum guide that's at least 100 years old. Donghyuck isn't one to judge but all of the people that are here volunteeringly need a good, healthy dose of television injected.

He throws another glance at Renjun but his best friend is fully invested in the painting in front of him. His eyes are sparkling as he looks at … the green blob and practically hangs on the guide's lips as he rambles on about the artist's passion for nature or whatever. Donghyuck wants to go home.

As they move onto the next room, he tries to nudge Renjun again to tell him just that but as he looks at him he sees the excitement written all over his face. He knows Renjun would go home with him if he asked him, yet he just can't ruin his best friend's day. He also doesn't want to deal with a moping Renjun for the rest of the week.

So he swallows the bitter pill and instead whispers, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom."

Renjun nods and whispers back, "but don't take too long, next up is the Recreation of Urban Life," as if Donghyuck cares.

He plucks himself from the group and makes his way back through the wide corridors framed with paintings and artists no one gives a shit about - except his nerd friend and all the other weird people here.

Donghyuck sighs as he passes the green blob for the third time. Now he's lost. Great. The least he can do is wait here for Renjun to pick him up like a child at the daycare center. He doubts Renjun will notice his disappearance anytime soon though, with the way he soaked up everything he can get here like a dry sponge.

Donghyuck sighs again, as he sits down on one of the plush benches and pulls out his phone. He checks his socials and answers a few text messages from Jaemin who sympathetically sends him a few heart emojis "for emotional support", as he says.

He opens his camera to send back a sad faced selfie to let Jaemin know his true suffering when a voice in front of him makes him freeze in action, "Excuse me, no taking pictures of the artwork."

Donghyuck looks up. In front of him stands a guy, not older than him, he guesses. His big eyes sparkle in the dimmed overhead lights and his shiny black hair falls gracefully over his forehead. Damn, Donghyuck thinks. Next, his gaze falls on the bright yellow Security tag on his vest. He flushes and quickly lowers his phone to meet the security guard's eyes, "I'm sorry- i wasn't … I was just taking a selfie, I'm sorry.", he sputters.

The guy smiles, "Oh I know," he says with a wink. Donghyuck blushes in an even deeper red, his mouth hangs open and he can't think of a smart response. The guy is cute, very, very cute and Donghyuck can't even think straight anymore (literally).

He has to say something to not make this awkward and maybe strike up the conversation a bit more, "uhm-", he starts. Very intelligent, Donghyuck. Luckily, the security guard's smile doesn't let up and Donghyuck gains a bit more confidence.

"So I can't take a picture of you then?"

And, hell yes, that was more like the Donghyuck he knows.

The security guard lets out the most adorable giggle Donghyuck has ever heard in his entire life. It sounds like thousands of pure angels singing in his head, white doves rise to the sky in a flurry of soft feathers and the heavens open up to the brightest of lights and- "Donghyuck!"

He whips his head to the side at Renjun's voice. His tiny friend stands with his hands in his hips in the general direction of which their group went earlier. "I told you to not take too long, where have you been? You missed all of the interesting stuff." Donghyuck really doubts that but he holds his tongue.

"I have to agree with him," the security guard chimes in, "you definitely missed all the interesting stuff. For example the Recreation of Urban Life."

Besides them, Renjun gasps. "I know right?", he whisper-yells in perfect museum etiquette. Donghyuck rolls his eyes.

"Wait," Renjun says, noticing the tag on the guy's vest, "you're not in trouble, are you?" He looks at Donghyuck with a frown already etched on his face.

Donghyuck just tried to tell him that No, he wasn't in trouble, he just got lost in this stupid museum, when the security guy answers for him, "Oh, not really, he was just taking pictures of the artwork and i reminded him of our rules here." Renjun looks like he wants to strangle Donghyuck right then and there.

"You did what? Hyuck, that is literally museum 101, top 10 things to not do at a museum, how can you do the single most important thing to not do at an art museum?" Donghyuck is sure that's a bit too dramatic.

"I didn't actually-" he starts to defend himself but Renjun cuts him off again by bowing in a perfect 90 degree angle to the security guard, "I apologize for my friend, it's not going to happen again."

Now the security guard looks a bit overwhelmed, too. Hah, Donghyuck thinks, serves him right. "I- it's... fine-," he says with an awkward pat on Renjun's shoulder.

At that, Renjun straightens up again and snatches Donghyuck's wrist. "We're going home, I really can't take you anywhere," he mutters. Like a little child that is getting scolded, Donghyuck pouts. He had just started to enjoy himself.

And it definitely wasn't because of the security guards nice face or his nice hair or his very nice smile.

As Renjun drags him out of the museum the same way he had dragged him in, he throws a look back and sees the security guard giving him a little wave. Donghyuck tries to wave back as much as he can with Renjun still leading the way, but ultimately fails and almost walks into a wall. He sees the security guard giggle again and oh well, he might actually be interested in art now.

🎨

"Do you want to go to the museum?" he asks Renjun a few days later. His friend looks at him like he's grown at least two more heads.

"What museum?"

"Oh, you know the art museum? The one we went to last time?"

Renjun squints at him for a long time. If Donghyuck hadn't known him for half his life, he'd be intimidated now. But so, he just stares back.

"Why?", Renjun asks, eventually.

Donghyuck just shrugs, "you know, because of art and stuff." Renjun is still squinting like a tiny snake. Donghyuck needs to come up with something to not sound entirely suspicious, "I never got to see the uhm," fuck, "the Resseraction of Turbans?" he tries.

"Do you mean the Recreation of Urban Life?"

Ah, that's the bitch. Donghyuck nods eagerly.

Renjun goes from snake-mode back to normal Renjun-mode and shrugs. "Alright." Donghyuck shrieks happily and presses a wet kiss to the other's cheek. "Thank you, Injunnie." Renjun just groans.

"Does that mean I don't have to do the dishes anymore?", he asks when they're pushing open the big entrance doors of the museum. "Nope," Donghyuck pops the 'p' beautifully.

Next to him Renjun frowns, "I hate you."

Donghyuck knows he doesn't when he makes a beeline straight to one of the paintings Donghyuck had to listen to its endless meanings on their way back the first time they were here.

"I'm going to the Restoration of Turbans," Donghyuck halfheartedly says, but Renjun is not even listening anymore so he just strays away.

He makes his way through the long corridors, turns corners and gets lost again. Like, completely lost this time. He stands in a hallway that looks like a construction site with orange blinking headlights and one of those dirty paint carpets that look like multiple cats vomited on it.

He sighs and turns around again, walking back where he just came from. If he passes the green blob again he'll punch someone.

He doesn't pass the green blob, however he definitely walked in circles. Frustrated he leans between two paintings to let his tired feet rest at least a bit. The corridor is empty, save for an older couple enraptured in one of those ancient statues that don't really look like anything. "Are you breaking our rules again?"

Donghyuck almost suffers a heart attack when the person he's been desperately looking for suddenly appears right in front of him. Maybe that was his super power. This or being the most beautiful human alive with the most beautiful eyes and the most beautiful voice and- Donghyuck realizes he's staring.

"Not really," he finally says, desperately willing the heat on his face away, "I was just looking at this." He turns around to look at what he's referring to and is met with an empty picture frame. This possibly couldn't get any worse.

The security guy nods as if deep in thoughts, "I see, it's truly an interesting piece. The artist actually took two years to finish it." He looks at Donghyuck and Donghyuck is sure he's looking back at him like he's crazy.

"You're kidding, right?" he asks. There's no way this is an actual art piece someone paid actual money for. The guy breaks out in a fit of giggles and Donghyuck dies a good death on the inside. "I'm fucking with you, it's just an empty frame," he says between breathless gasps, "you should've seen your face, oh my god."

Donghyuck blushes a deep red and wishes to disappear for good. But it's also really fucking cute and if this is what it takes to hear more of this guy's laughter, he'll gladly humiliate himself anytime. He's sure the guy won't kinkshame him.

"I'm Mark by the way," the security guard - Mark, heavenly Mark - says after he recovered from his laughing fit. His eyes are still crinkled into little crescents and his smile blinds Donghyuck so much, he almost has to blink. "I'm Donghyuck," he returns, just a beat too slow.

Mark smile widens ever further and he holds one of his hands, that are usually neatly clasped behind his back, out for Donghyuck to take, "It's very nice to meet you, Donghyuck," he shakes his hand, "I take that you're a fan of art?" Donghyuck nods dumbly. He really isn't but Mark doesn't need to know that or else he'll find out the real reason Donghyuck came back to the museum in the first place.

"Would you want me to show you around a bit?" Mark asks and Donghyuck is all too eager to agree. He might as well spend his day around stupid art and Mark.

And so they trail off, Mark talking and Donghyuck hanging off his lips like a starving man. Admittedly it is way more fun walking around the museum with Mark than with Renjun - apologies - or the 100 year old tour guide. Mainly because Mark is talking less about the weird passions (or fetishes, if you ask Donghyuck) the artist had while making the painting, and more about everything surrounding it.

Donghyuck learns that the fifth painting in the seventh corridor is actually upside down but noone noticed yet, that the statue right at the entrance was made in the 1800s and that the frame of the painting next to the second floor bathroom is made of real gold and therefore very heavy. The last thing Mark had told with a wince and a rub to his poor back.

"And this one," Mark says, pointing at a portrait of a pouty lady with a pug, "is actually stolen."

Donghyuck gasps playfully.

"No way."

"Yes, way!", Mark blesses him with another giggle. Donghyuck would steal every painting in the world for him. "Well, not exactly stolen, more like a lost and found thing I guess," he adds.

They sit down on one of the plush benches and Donghyuck motions him to continue and Mark does. He tells him the story of how the director of the museum, a Mister Moon, walked by a landfill one day and almost suffered a stroke as he saw the painting. He recovered it during a break-in-mission in the dead of night and brought it back here, where it turned out to be a real Spaghetti … or something.

Donghyuck is sure he missed at least half the story by getting lost in Mark's eyes and his voice. It was too damn hard not to though, when this man's face was literally sculpted by God himself. Donghyuck could put him right next to the greek statues on the third floor and no one would even suspect a thing. Maybe they would, with Mark still being fully clothed - oh god did he just accidentally imagine him naked? That was rude, Donghyuck, don't do that, he scolds himself. But it's too late and he's already blushing.

Mark asks something and Donghyuck just nods, not even having heard the question.

Mark raises his eyebrows in an amused manner, "You didn't hear a thing I just said, did you?"

Donghyuck freezes for a second, scrambling to find something to say, but he eventually just sighs, "Not really, I'm sorry," he pouts, "It's not my fault though, you're just really pretty."

Oh no. He didn't just say that out loud.

Mark blushes a deep red and, yes, he definitely said that out loud. Before he can panic and come up with a super not true bullshit excuse Mark stutters out a, "uhm- well, thank you then," and Donghyuck takes that as a good sign. He really needs to upgrade his brain-to-mouth-filter soon.

Before the situation can escalate even further (either Donghyuck or Mark running away), Renjun materializes before them. "I've been looking for you for ten minutes now, I need to go home," he says and Donghyuck has never been more thankful for him. He scrambles to get up from the bench and says a quick goodbye to Mark.

"See you around," the other says with a smile, his face still red. This definitely won't be the last time Donghyuck visits the museum.

Indeed, he goes back there eleven times during the next two weeks. On the fifth day Renjun stops tagging around ("Did you actually go insane?", he had asked, "not even I am that interested in seeing the same exhibition seven times." Donghyuck had just shrugged.)

On the tenth day the lady at the reception counter had given him a weird look while sliding him his ticket over the table. "You must be very passionate about art, kid," she had said. Donghyuck had nodded eagerly. He was, in fact, very passionate about the art that was their security guard's face, his laugh and his everything. But she didn't need to know that. He receives his eleventh ticket with a discount.

Mark and Donghyuck spend their days walking through the museum. They had started drifting over various topics away from the exhibitions a few days ago and now talk about anything and everything. Donghyuck tells him about college, Renjun ("My friend, best friend, we're friends," he had said, explicitly), and his pet fish that died when he was in 7th grade.

And if Donghyuck cried over Tony Shark - may he rest in peace - a bit and if Mark patted his back and Donghyuck got butterflies all over, then that's between them and the paintings.

He also got to know quite a bit about Mark himself, mainly about his roommate Johnny, his secret passion for music and his favorite bed sheets.

If Donghyuck wasn't in love already, he was definitely falling. Hard.

So obviously he complained to Renjun about it.

"He's so stupidly perfect, have you seen him?", he whines, burying his face in his pillow. His emotional support friend sits at his desk and hums absently. "I have, it's the reason you dragged me to the museum five times in a row. I can't believe I thought you actually cared about art," he huffs.

Donghyuck is offended. Of course he cares about art. The thoroughly perfect art piece that is Mark the security guard. He tells Renjun just that and earns a look of utter disgust, "he's a boy, Hyuck, they're useless." and leaves Donghyuck to scream into his pillow.

On his fifteenth trip to the museum Donghyuck can't bear it any longer. He's going to ask Mark out. The worst that could happen is Mark saying 'No' and Donghyuck not even coming near the museum within 60 miles for the rest of his life. He hasn't seen Mark outside of those halls anyway, maybe he lives there.

They meet up at that entrance - Mark has been waiting for him ever since day nine - and walk up the stairs. There's a new banner hung up but before Donghyuck can fully read it, Mark has already dragged him further.

"I have to show you something," he says, voice sparkling with excitement. It's as contagious as his laughter and Donghyuck can't suppress a grin.

"What is it?", he asks.

"I wasn't going to spoil it but," Mark pauses for dramatic effect, "we have a real Van Gogh!" After Donghyuck's rather dimmed expression he adds, "isn't that amazing?"

You see, Donghyuck has zero knowledge on any kind of art (apart from everything Mark told him) whatsoever but he guesses it has to be a pretty big deal if Mark gets so excited about it, which is adorable, by the way. Donghyuck could look at him forever.

He realizes a tad bit too late that he hadn't given a response yet when Mark's eyes flit over his face, insecurity making itself present right between the stars they were holding. "Wow," he finally says with as much enthusiasm as he can manage, "Wow- Mark, that's amazing, please tell me you'll show it to me?"

He cringed on the inside at his words that definitely didn't sound genuine enough. But as Mark's face lights up again, he guesses it had been as good as it needed to be.

He felt a bit bad about lying to Mark like that - even if it was just a tiny, white lie. But before he can dwell on the thought any longer, sweet Mark had already dragged him past a group of third graders and up the big stairs.

They turn a corner and enter an empty corridor. The entrance is still sealed with a chain but Mark opens it nonchalantly. He probably has special permission anyways.

Sometimes, during their time together, Donghyuck completely forgot that Mark actually worked here. To him, they had seemed like mere friends taking a stroll through their local art museum and having fun. And sometimes, just sometimes, if Donghyuck let himself dream, it almost felt like a date already.

Therefore it shouldn't be that hard to ask Mark out for real, right?

With his plan - not really a plan yet - manifesting in his mind, he follows Mark to one of the paintings right in the middle of the room. To be fair, the piece was really pretty. It showed a bunch of yellow sunflowers in a vase. Finally, an actual motive Donghyuck could get behind.

"You know," Mark whispers next to him, his voice laced with awe and gaze fixated on the flowers, "Van Gogh is one of my favorite artists. He never had it easy, was never good enough for himself, failed at jobs and relationships. His life was tragic and rather sad and yet," he pauses and looks at Donghyuck, "his art is full of beauty."

Donghyuck can't do anything but stare back.

They're so close together, their shoulders brush in the briefest of motion and yet it was enough for Donghyuck's poor heart to go crazy. He even feared Mark might hear the erratic beating against his chest that thumbed loudly in his own ears.

Before Mark can lean closer, Donghyuck breaks their eye contact to look at the sunflowers again. He notices Mark tensing up beside him and feels like crying. But he needs to come clean, now or never. So, he inhales deeply before saying, "I have a confession to make."

Mark lets out a nervous laugh, "Well, then that makes two of us." Donghyuck ignores the fluttering in his stomach at all the possible things this might imply and shakes his head, "Me first," he says.

Still averting his gaze, he turns to Mark again. "I kind of lied to you," he confesses, "I'm not really an art expert or whatever- I don't even like art, I'm sorry if this kind of ruins it."

It's silent for a few seconds and Donghyuck lifts his eyes in fear - only to be met with a very amused Mark, trying really hard to suppress his grin. At Donghyuck's bewildered expression his giggles finally burst out of him. Donghyuck can feel his ears turn bright red.

It's humiliating and again, he kind of likes it - he should really look into this as soon as possible. But right now, he is too occupied with whatever Mark is doing (kind of how he's been for the past few weeks).

"Oh, oh-," Mark gasps out between hiccups, "did you want me to act surprised?"

Donghyuck pouts, "well, yeah, kind of?" he has to admit, he's kind of offended. The whole time he was under the impression he had mastered the role of playing the art nerd. He even copied some of Renjun's questionable art nerd behavior.

After Mark had finally caught his breath again, he blesses Donghyuck with another one of his blinding smiles, "No offense but it was obvious from the very beginning." Donghyuck takes full offense. "Noone who's really into art would be this uninterested in a real Van Gogh." And that makes sense at least.

"But why are you telling me this now?"

Donghyuck's breath catches in his throat and he almost chokes on it. There it was, the golden opportunity.

It should be simple, really.

The amount of times Donghyuck was so close to just spilling the whole contents of his heart out to Mark during their little not-dates were close to a million. But right now his tongue is stuck to the roof of his mouth.

All the times he's rehearsed this exact moment in front of his bedroom mirror, getting caught and laughed at by Renjun, are suddenly like they never existed.

He is sure he likes Mark - a lot - but could he be sure Mark likes him back? He probably just sees them as friends and Donghyuck would make the whole situation unnecessarily awkward.

He swallows hard and looks back at the painting. Mark is right, the sunflowers are pretty. "Just because," he hears himself say eventually. Mark quietly hums somewhere next to him. Somehow, Donghyuck feels bad - whether because he lied to Mark or still didn't at least attempt to ask him to get some food together…as friends.

His never-ending train of thoughts of what could've been and could be, gets interrupted abruptly when Mark's pinky lightly brushes against his. It was a feather-light touch, barely there, and yet it makes Donghyuck's heart do somersaults.

He is pretty sure he suffers at least three heart attacks simultaneously when Mark links their fingers together in a gentle, yet firm grip. Donghyuck can't move - he can't even breathe properly and his face is so hot he might actually catch on fire. Mark's face is also red and although it's faint and he's not meeting Donghyuck's eyes he can feel the nervous energy radiating off the other's tense shoulders.

"Is it my turn now?", he asks, his voice cracking slightly and Donghyuck has no idea what he's talking about. They're looking at each other again, even if Donghyuck can't quite meet his eyes and stares at his eyebrows instead. They look incredibly soft, his brain remarks helpfully and Donghyuck blushes even more. Mark looks at him expectantly and his eyes flit all over the other's face.

Donghyuck clears his throat in an awfully awkward way, "uhm- your what?" he says.

Mark laughs nervously and Donghyuck can feel his hands grow sweaty.

"My turn for the confession," Mark says, his hand coming up to sheepishly scratch his check, his left hand still intertwined with Donghyuck's.

"Donghyuck," he starts, "we've hung out for a while now..."

Oh god.

"...and I was wondering…"

Oh god.

"...if you maybe wanted togooutwithmesometimes?"

"Huh?"

Mark draws in a long, shaky breath. His face could be compared to a tomato now but Donghyuck doesn't even have it in him to make fun of him. It feels like his whole world zeroed down to Mark's lips and that's words that finally pass them, "If you want to go out," Donghyuck doesn't react, his smile frozen in place. "with me?", Mark adds, his tone unsure.

And suddenly, Donghyuck's heart stops. Stupid Mark. How dare he; stealing his breath, his heart and now his line. Donghyuck can't believe it. All this stress about the perfect wording and now he just has to just reply with a simple yes.

"Yurgh," he gargles out around his very own heart that had definitely climbed up his throat during the past two seconds. He really wants to slap himself.

Perfect Mark just laughs again, right next to him and Donghyuck forgets about everything he's ever done in his entire life.

"I'll take that as a yes?", Mark asks, the initial nervousness seeming to seep out of his body.

Donghyuck nods his head so fast it almost hurts. He's not sure he has any more brain cells left to damage anyways.

Mark is fully turned to him now, his face so close Donghyuck can count the stars in his eyes. "That's good," Mark whispers against his lips. Oh god, Donghyuck's brain manages to spit out before shutting off completely.

And then they're kissing in front of the Van Gogh.

Mark's lips on his. Mark's perfect, smooth, beautiful lips on Donghyuck's.

Donghyuck can't help but sigh into the kiss and completely melt against the body pressed against his. There's angels singing in his ears, lights and all the cliché fireworks exploding behind his eyelids and his hands tingle where they're buried in Mark's soft hair. Mark's own hands are crumbling the fabric of Donghyuck's nicest shirt at his waist and Donghyuck swears he can feel them shake against his sides. It makes him smile into the kiss a little, knowing Mark is just as much a nervous wreck as he is.

He's been imagining the whole thing a little bit more than he'd like to admit and yet it was unable to even come close to this - Mark gently tracing his tongue over Donghyuck's bottom lip, his labored breath in his ears and his heart beating right against his own.

He could stay like this for ever and ever and ever and- "Mark! Can you- woah."

Donghyuck gasps when Mark breaks the kiss and whips his head around so fast Donghyuck can hear his bones crack a little. He winces and his eyes flit over to their source of interruption (it shall be damned). One of Mark's colleagues - Yuta, if Donghyuck remembers correctly, he doubts anyone else in this building has platinum blond hair and multiple face piercings, but then again this is an art museum - is standing in the hallway entry.

His expression changes from surprised to confused and eventually settles on an amused grin.

"I was going to ask you if you could help me unpack the rest of the banners but I guess you're occupied," he says. Mark is still panting slightly but scrambles for words nonetheless.

His voice comes out cracked anyway, "Uhm- yeah dude no problem I can totally- totally help you, just," he looks at Donghyuck for a split second, "give me a second?" His hands never left Donghyuck's waist, his brain supplies helpfully and he swallows hard.

"It's not-," Donghyuck starts but gets interrupted by Yuta (again): "Don't worry about it, lover boy, you can keep him for as long as you want, I got it." He winks at them before turning the corner and then he's out of sight. After sharing a wide-eyed glace, they break out into breathless giggles.

"Oh my god," Mark wheezes out, "I'm so sorry."

They're still awfully close and Donghyuck can feel his breath softly hitting his face. It smells like watermelon and Donghyuck might as well get addicted right then and there. He's definitely starting to lose his mind.

"So," Mark starts again, fingers trailing over Donghyuck's waist to his hands to take them in his own, "where do you want to go?" Donghyuck makes a confused sound, his brain still feeling like a very well blended smoothie. "Like right now?" he asks. "Don't you have things to do here?"

Mark groans as if he'd completely forgotten he has an actual job at the museum they're currently at. He softly knocks his forehead against Donghyuck's, making him giggle. "My shift ends in an hour," he says. "After that, we can go."

Wherever that was, Donghyuck was going insane first for sure. The way Mark's eyes still twinkle like thousands upon thousands of little stars and the cherry red of his lips, shiny with spit - Donghyuck's spit - and it should be gross but it's really fucking hot … to Donghyuck anyway.

He can't help but steal another kiss, just a short touch of their lips, before straightening the other's collar and (regretfully) taking a step back.

"If you-", Mark's voice breaks in an adorable way and Donghyuck lets out a breathless giggle. Watching Mark blush was fun, flattering even, although he was 99.99% sure his face wasn't doing that great either.

"Uh", Mark tries again, "if you want to, like, wait here that would be super great, yeah. I'll see if I can get off sooner?" Donghyuck just nods, heart beating on a four-four time and way too fast for his poor brain to keep up with.

It's starting to sink in now.

He just kissed Mark.

Lovely, adorable, sexy security guy Mark.

And that's where his brain decides to shut off for at least the next thirty minutes or so.

Reality is slowly starting to set in again when Donghyuck finds himself looking at the pretty sunflower painting once more.

He has to admit, this Van Gogh guy had a stunning way of guiding the brush across numerous canvases. Donghyuck had spent the last fourty-three minutes and twenty-seven seconds (not that he had counted or anything) strolling through the still empty exhibition, reading himself into the fascinating, yet sad story of the artist.

He gets it now, why Mark likes him so much. Again, Mark. Not that he had ever left his mind during the past month but Donghyuck just can't help himself to always letting his thoughts wander back to him. It's like he had built a nest inside Donghyuck's brain - neatly arranged branches and leaves and all, tiny bird-Mark right in the middle with a yellow tinged beak and-

Yup, Donghyuck is pretty sure he is going insane.

Before that, however, he goes back to the big arch in the wall that separates the exhibition wing from the rest of the museum Donghyuck got to know … and actually enjoy … over the past few weeks.

There's a small queue waiting behind the red satin cordon and Donghyuck blushes when he spots Yuta at the very beginning stating some general rules loudly over the buzzing of the crowd. Right when Donghyuck thought he managed to sneak past him he hears "and last and final Rule, no kissing of our security guards, it could distract them from their job." There are a few rather confused chuckles in the crowd and Donghyuck barely catches the wink Yuta sends him with a smirk before burying his face in his hands and shuffling past the people to the stairs.

Yuta yells a "Mark's at the register" as a final goodbye and Donghyuck wants to die.

Truth to be told, Mark is waiting at the entrance, bag slung over his shoulder and in casual clothes - and god does he look good like this, Donghyuck is salivating (internally).

Mark stretches his hand out for Donghyuck to take and this is kind of like the most romantic gesture anyone has ever done for him, thank you very much. Mark's eyes crinkle into little half-moons as he smiles and says "ready to go?"

"Whenever and wherever you want to," Donghyuck squeaks out. Mark just giggles. Donghyuck thanks the heavens.

🎨

"So … how was it?" Renjun asks later over dinner. Donghyuck takes a popsicle out of their freezer and bites into it. Chewing, he takes a second to answer "i sucked his dick in the backseat of his car" and watches with unmatched satisfaction how Renjun chokes on his noodles. He'll tell him about his second-date-plans with the hottest and cutest security guard in the world later.

Maybe art isn't so bad after all (but Renjun doesn't need to know that).

Notes:

tysm for reading!! <3

comments and kudos appreciated, as well as constructive criticism (◍•ᴗ•◍)