Fine {DoTae} | complete

Fourteen

The morning arrives like a storm. Doyoung doesn't properly sleep, taunted by worry for Taeyong and worry for the next leg of the tour, and each time he opens his eyes the incoming dread is heavier, approaching faster, ready to tear through anything in its way. They're in the eye, caged in by the tension of the upcoming concert with no way out except to face it head-on. Taeyong is just as restless, and they whisper through the darkness when their hearts meet, until they find solace in each other and finally drift off.

Doyoung wakes up feeling like he hasn't slept at all. The alarm rattles his bones and he stares at the ceiling for a minute, totally disorientated. He hears Taeyong move around the room, already up. It takes another minute for the ringing in his ears to quiet, for him to be able to sit up and not want to pass out again. He's hungry, is the next thought.

"Good morning," Taeyong greets with a smile that only feels like a practice for the concert later; it's bright and the dark circles somehow vanish, overpowered by the shimmer in his orbs. His eyelids still droop. "Are you ready to go?"

Doyoung grunts, the words swallowed by the itch in his throat. He tries again. "Good morning."

Stepping into clean tracksuits that smell of an unrecognisable laundry powder, Doyoung hopes it really will be a good morning. A good day, in fact. A good concert for Taeyong. He snatches some of Taeyong's perfume by rubbing his nose against his neck in the final moments of intimacy they have, then Hyunseok comes knocking and they file out of the hotel.

The sun has barely scratched the horizon. Birds chirp in the trees and Doyoung tries to enjoy their tunes even as the wind is bitter. Taeyong photographs the streaks of orange in the sky. He motions for Doyoung to join in, and he snaps a picture of them both to add to the collection before they climb into the van and are given the debriefing of the day's schedule.

"So... you want us to... to film a vlog together?" Doyoung asks. The van falls silent when he speaks and he winces, swallows hard and twists his fingers.

"Yes," Minjeong says with an overenthusiastic nod. "Show fans the behind the scenes of the concert."

Doyoung looks at Taeyong, then out the window when Taeyong doesn't have much to offer except an exasperated sigh. Sometimes, Doyoung dislikes the way Taeyong gives in so easily to what he's been told to do. But Doyoung is on thin ice.

"I literally just posted to tell fans to leave me alone," Doyoung says. His voice fills the van better this time but is still weak in comparison to the rumble of the engine and the laugh Minjeong lets out. Doyoung narrows his eyes at her. He flashes with anger, not caring for a dangerous second if he were to lose his temper.

"That doesn't mean fans can't enjoy cute content of you together." Minjeong's decision is final, because they arrive at the venue and the tasks are immediately dished out.

For once, Doyoung doesn't have to do the general housekeeping tasks and is instead handed a camera and shooed towards Taeyong's dressing room. Taeyong marvels at the huge entrance lobby, at the screens with his face scattered around, the merch shop that's already set up, then he makes sure to bow to each member of staff they cross on the way backstage. There are so many conversations at once, some in Korean, some in English, and Doyoung can't follow any of it.

"What are we meant to film, exactly?" Doyoung presses a few buttons on the camera, then lets Taeyong take it from him to make sure it's focussed.

Taeyong sits in the makeup chair. There are already a few makeup bags and cans of hairspray decorating the table, but the staff are nowhere to be found. The room feels too big for the two of them even though Doyoung knows it won't feel big enough by the evening. Taeyong has performed in America before but this is his biggest tour, with many more fans and bigger venues and songs more powerful than ever. Doyoung wants everything to go smoothly.