Chapter Text
The members of got7 are practicing for their next comeback. Their choreography once again involves complicated tricks meant for Mark and Jackson. The rest of the members are going through the main points of the dance, while Jackson and Mark have been separated to focus on their martial arts tricking.
Jackson is taking a break on the side-lines, watching as Mark goes through the most dangerous and difficult tricks with their choreographer. Jackson is sitting on the side-lines, admiring his hyung whiles he is twisting his body in the most difficult angles. Jackson knows he should be up there with Mark, practicing, but he also knows that he won’t ever have the same flexibility that Mark has. He doesn’t mind though, he has his very own skills. Some of which he knows Mark often wishes he has.
For example it does bother Mark every so often that he is’t as good with words as Jackson. Jackson also knows exactly how grateful Mark often is when Jackson speaks up for him, because he is simply too shy or Mark doesn’t know which words to use. And Jackson is more than willing to do so for his best friend. Honestly he and Mark are not as opposite as people seem to think.
Yes Mark might be quiet and shy where Jackson is anything but, but when it comes down to it they are both extremely kind people who care deeply for the people around them. They both show is but in slightly different ways, Jackson will try to make them laugh when someone is sad, whilst Mark is always there to just listen. The members of Got7 are extremely grateful for both of them.
Jackson gets up from his break to continue his practice, much like all the members of Got7. When the choreographer calls it a day, Jaebum tells everyone to stay back. The members thank the choreographer for his hard work and wish him a good night.
“We need to go over the choreography a couple more times to make it perfect, and then we can go home.” Jaebum insist. Nobody dares to complain. Everybody knows how much of an extra burden it is for Jaebum to keep both the members and JYP-nim happy. After going through the choreography 3 times successfully Jaebum allows them to go home. Whilst everyone is quietly (everybody is exhausted by a full day of schedules) packing their things, Mark is standing in-front of the stereo rewinding to the part where he has to preform martial arts tricking.
Jackson is watching him form the corner of his eye, whilst holding up an exhausted BamBam. When everyone is ready to go, Mark has situated himself in the middle of the room, seemingly ready to continue his training.
“Mark-hyung?” Jinyoung asks quietly, looking over at Jaebum for some assistance. Jackson wonders who they are still trying to kid with this act that they aren’t madly in love with one another.
“Mark-hyung are you coming to the dorm?” Jaebum asks.
“Not yet. I want to practice some parts with which I still have difficulty with.” Mark smiles at the members. They all seem to accept this answer for a valid one.
Somewhere at the back of Jackson’s head a voice is telling him that they once agreed on never letting someone practice martial arts on their own, on risk of falling or injuring themselves. Jackson however is too tired to heed this warning as valid. He nods to Mark and turns to leave the practice room with the rest of the members.
“Don’t stay too long, you need the rest for schedules tomorrow.” Jaebum warns.
“Eat something before you go to bed tonight please.” That is Jinyoung, ever the worrying mom. Mark nods and smiles at both his members, quietly assuring them that he will be fine.
They leave the practice room and get into the car. Jackson is feeling a bit unnerved, but he blames it on the lack of sleep/food/free time. They arrive at the dorm. Jaebum and Jackson are trying to work together to get their giant maknae and their second youngest one out of the van and into the building. Yugyeom is absolutely exhausted and is leaning heavenly on both his hyungs shoulders. BamBam is still plastered to Jackson’s other side, with his head on Jackson’s shoulder.
They finally manage to get the maknaes up to their dorm. Jinyoung has already taken his shower and is preparing some food for the members. The moment the last 4 are through the door, BamBam makes a move to start helping Jinyoung in the kitchen, Yugyeom collapses on the sofa with the help of Jackson and Jaebum moves for the shower. Jaebum is encountered with a closed door and he hears the shower running. Youngjae. Jaebum knocks on the door and yells at Youngjae to hurry the fuck up.
Jackson is in more luck as he has to share his bathroom with Mark and Jinyoung, who lucky are currently not here to claim the shower before him. When they first moved in he only had to share his bathroom with Mark-hyung, but after getting sick and tired of the mess the maknaes left behind every time they took a shower, he had asked Mark if it was okay if he joined in on their shower. Mark of course said yes immediately, ever one to turn down an opportunity to help someone is if he was in the situation to help them. Jinyoung knew this of course and kind of took advantage of Mark’s kindness. Jinyoung knew that if he would have gone to Jackson he would never hear the end of it and would most likely be called on in the future to cash in the ‘favour’ he still owned Jackson. To be honest Jackson still tried to use this excuse once, only to be quietly be called out on it by Mark who was feeling quite sassy and sure of himself that particular day.
Jackson smiled to himself a little bid when he remembered that moment.
Mark had spoken up for himself and hadn’t backed down immediately afterwards. Jackson had been a bid shocked if he were honest with himself. At that moment in time he had felt a little bid betrayed by Mark, he had always been there for him, why did he decide to turn on him? He had gotten upset at Mark later that evening in the safety of their room. Mark hadn’t said anything to defend himself then.
That night Jackson could swear he had heard Mark cry, but he was being a drama-queen and hadn’t asked if anything was wrong. The day after that Jackson had managed to keep his distance for a total of 1 hour, which was spent in separate cars on the way to the salon. Jackson had never felt right to keep away from Mark too long.
It wasn’t till later that day that Jackson realized that the reason why Mark had spoken up against him was because he was the only person Mark felt comfortable enough with to do so. And when Jackson had gotten upset with him Mark had been scared to lose him. Mark had thought that he had pushed it too far with Jackson and had damaged or maybe even lost the best friendship he had ever had.
Jackson knows this now because when he asked about this the look of pain in Mark’s eyes had been so deep and he had seemed so scared that Jackson didn’t need to hear the answer. That night had been the first time that Mark had crawled into Jackson’s bed to sleep next to him, normally it was Jackson who crawled into Mark’s bed when he was sad or missing his family.
Whilst remembering this, the water had turned cold in the shower and Jackson got out, silently thanking the gods that Mark wouldn’t be home for a while because he hated having to shower with cold water.
Jackson got into his sleeping gear and walked down to see what they would be having for dinner. All the while the unnerved feeling he had since leaving the JYP-building hadn’t left, and it was beginning to make him uncomfortable.
After eating a quick and quiet dinner everyone went to bed exhausted.
Mark still hadn’t come home.