Blue {DoTae} | complete

Forty: A new era

I can't believe some random gay dude is stealing the spotlight from taeyong

Why is he even on the album? I want to hear more of Taeyong's voice

I can't wait!

I might give this album a skip tbh

Guys don't be so mean!!! Taeyong's boyfriend seems so sweet and adorable, and this means a lot to Taeyong so shut up, stop complaining and support him ffs

Doyoung wakes up at the crack of dawn. He doesn't care about his measly three hours of sleep as he checks his phone. Today is going to be a long, exciting day so it would have been nice to wake up feeling refreshed, but Doyoung still rolls out of bed within a minute of opening his eyes. He reasons that there's no point staying in bed when he has Taeyong's birthday to prepare for. At least that would tear him away from the harsh comments from people on social media. There are even articles drabbling on about what is to be expected from the album, and Doyoung sighs at the sight of the pointless headlines. They're not even making a point, just finding ways to criticise things.

He shuffles downstairs and has to flick the kitchen lights on before rummaging through the cupboards for some cereal as a quick breakfast. He isn't sure he wants to eat, though. His stomach is knotted in every possible pattern, the anxiety already insurmountable, and he worries over his lip until it begins to bleed, the sharp taste of blood turning the air in his lungs to stone.

Yestoday is being released at three this afternoon. Glancing at the illuminated digits on the front of the oven, he immediately counts the remaining ten and a half hours and shivers. That's less than twelve. Less than a day. It's today.

Doyoung pushes his cereal around in his bowl. The whir of the heating and the hum of the fridge pierce his ears, seeming to be louder at this time of day when the house is still resting. His eyelids are sticky when he blinks heavily.

"It'll be fine." Doyoung mutters. His soggy cereal doesn't seem to agree. He winces when he spoons some into his mouth and no crunchiness remains in the tasteless cardboard. "It'll be fine."

He eats in silence, then his breaths join the droning choir of the kitchen appliances when he rubs his hands over his face and into the corners of his eyes.

"People are going to love the album. They haven't listened to it yet so they can't have an opinion on it, and they'll all love it when it's released tomorrow." Doyoung continues.

Only ten minutes have flickered across the clock by the time he creeps back upstairs. The bell of Bongshik's collar tinkles when she stirs awake in her bed and insists on following him into his room while he gets dressed. Doyoung misses the warmth of his thick pyjamas as soon as he steps into a pair of jeans, so he throws on a comfortable jumper that he reckons he'll regret choosing once the heat of July and stress approaches.

Doyoung can't believe it's already July. Over half of the year has whizzed by, but for once he doesn't mourn those months. It doesn't feel like the time has slipped out of his numb fingers and trickled sorrowfully down the drain like it usually does, because those months have been the best of his life. They would have been the worst months of his life if he hadn't met Taeyong.

The idol's birthday has been deemed the highlight of the year since Doyoung came across his music, but this one is going to be extra special. Flipping his phone around in his hands, he finds himself resorting to twitter again. He doesn't want to wake his boyfriend up because he knows the schedules don't start until the afternoon, so it's a rare opportunity for a lie in. Taeyong deserves the rest.

People are already wishing him a happy birthday online, Doyoung's phone screen filling with sweet messages and edits when he types the name into the search bar. He's never made any edits himself, always lying low in the fandom, but admires the fans' talent for such a thing and recalls the time he would scroll through an entire feed of such videos in the early hours of the morning. Birds chirp outside his window as he makes his bed so he can lay back down. Bongshik positions herself in a fluffy ball by his feet.