double, double, toil and trouble

"Why didn't you tell me about the salamander?" Donghyuck asks, currently on his knees as he peers under the legs of the tables dotted about the kitchen- muttering apologies to the elves he's obstructing.

With a huff, Jaemin sighs as he straightens his back, shaking his head as he shuffles on his hands and knees, trying to get visuals under a cabinet, "Jeno trusted me to keep it a secret."

"Best friends are exempt from promises like that, you know?"

"What about when you and Mark were keeping your relationship a secret?" Jaemin questions back, having no luck under this cabinet either. He pulls himself up onto his feet, looking down at his friend, who turns to face him, "I know we haven't really had a chance to talk about your relationship and the Howler and your parents..."

At the mention of recent events, Donghyuck also gets up from his knees, sending a soft look towards his friend, silently telling him that it's alright.

"I just want you to know that I'm here for you, whatever you need."

"Thank you", Donghyuck replies, and he means it; he does. But he never liked talking about his feelings or about any personal problems, probably due to the years he spent under his parent's ruling, "But it seems like you were going through a little something of your own"

At the mention of this little treasure hunt, Jaemin just returns Donghyuck smile. Whatever was going on with him, he'd always have time for Donghyuck.

"I love Jeno, but I love you more."

"Of course you do, but... wait" Donghyuck stops dead in his tracks, his eyes as wide as Jaemin's at what he's just said, "You love him?"

Cheeks stained a deep pink, Jaemin drops his gaze from Donghyuck's, taking a moment to sift through his mind and order his thoughts.

"I didn't mean it like... I... I mean, it's still early days, right?" He asks the question more to himself than to anyone else in the room.

However, before Donghyuck could say anything, a blissed-out expression falls onto Jaemin's face as his eyes light up, he's practically glowing, "But Hyuck, these past couple of weeks have just been so good, I've been so happy, he's just so... he's so... right for me, you know? I feel so alive around him, I feel so happy that I swear sometimes my heart might explode."

Seeing his friend this happy, Donghyuck can't help but beam. He understood that feeling, feeling so unbelievably happy that you question if it's possible to die from happiness. With every sense on overload, you feel like you're floating, falling and flying all at once. It's miraculous. And when he looks at Mark, even now, he feels exactly the same sensation.

"If it makes you feel any better, I think he's just as smitten with you as you are with him."

Though, at that, Jaemin lets out a small sigh as he turns from Donghyuck, his eyes scanning the kitchen floors as if he might happen to catch a glimpse of a tail or something useful, "I doubt it."