GLOW-UP

24 | kiss and tell

the party next door had only been going for an hour or two and doyoung was already completely and utterly done with the noise bleeding through his walls.

he was trying to work on his romeo and juliet essay, but that was proving very difficult when the only thing going through his head were the screeched lyrics to monster mash. there was another rowdy yell which made him jump, and another pencil nib crack in his annotated copy of the script.

right. that was it.

doyoung got to his feet from where he was lying on his front on the living room carpet, angrily shoved on his fluffy bunny slippers, and stormed out of his apartment to knock on jaehyun's door.

"get back here, markie, i've already told you i don't want you to drink," said a voice on the other side of the door.

"that's not fair!" another voice objected, "i'm an adult now, i can do what i want."

"god, i just don't want you to get hurt or do something you'll regret. i'm trying to look out for you-"

"i don't need you ruining my fun all the time, hyung!"

feeling uncomfortable listening in to what should have been a private argument, doyoung knocked a little louder, wriggling his toes awkwardly in his slippers as he waited.

"just open the door already, markie, someone's knocking."

"stop having a go at me already, phonny, god."

the door swung open and a very sour looking mark lee (aka where's wally) stood inside, shouldered by the smaller ten (who was dressed as a cat in all black with cat ears and whiskers drawn with eyeliner), who had a hand on mark's shoulder and was pursing his lips.

"uhm... can i speak to jaehyun?" doyoung asked, trying to put on a bold front and make it sound like a demand, when in reality it was obvious he was on edge.

"sure," ten said through a deep exhale of exhaustion (because arguing with mark lee was fucking exhausting since the baby in question would never listen) and yelled into the house, "jaehyun! get your ass out here!"

doyoung chewed on his lower lip as they waited, shivering in the cool almost-november late night breeze that ghosted down the corridor, seeping through his skin. he started giving himself a mental pep talk leading up to the moment jaehyun would appear in the doorway. doyoung would be brave - play the part of an angry neighbour (which he was, though he was specifically an angry neighbour who was very frustrated at his extremely hot neighbour) - and tell it to jaehyun as it was.

"it's getting pretty loud... could you turn your music down please?"

no, doyoung frowned. he could do better than that. saying those words would make him sound so weak and pleading. he had to show jaehyun the sass; say it like a demand rather than a question. kim doyoung could do sass.

"some people are trying to sleep or study, jung jaehyun, so turn your music down or i'll turn it down for you."

but when jaehyun finally appeared in the doorway with that stupid, stupid grin on his face, doyoung just melted on the spot. he didn't seem to be particularly dressed up for halloween, but the tank top that showed off his arms was enough to make doyoung gape at him.

"oh, hey, doyoung!" jaehyun's face radiated a sort of tired yet happy energy, like all of his stress and worries could be released through this one night. "do you wanna come in?"

come on, doyoung, stand your ground. say what you came here to say!

"o-okay."

okay. that's the best you can do?!