jaeyong ✧ skindeep

Eleven

Taeyong placed his last folded shirt into his backpack and zipped it up. While Jaehyun was not present in the room, he checked the 'Dulcolax' box that had been in the front pocket of the backpack. It caused him to be disappointed as only one aluminum sheet with the pink tablets was left.

A voice came from downstairs causing Taeyong to jump.

"Taeyong," Jaehyun's soothing voice called. Taeyong shoved the metallic sheet back into his backpack and went downstairs without question.

While walking down the steps, he noticed Jaehyun washing his hands and two dinner plates across from each other on the marble kitchen island. Jaehyun noticed the older at the edge of the stairs,"Dinner's ready."

Taeyong approached the island, hesitantly seating himself across from the younger,"You can cook?"

"A little." He replied dryly.

Taeyong picked up the chopsticks beside the plate. He glanced up at Jaehyun who was too busy silently eating at the other end to notice.

Taeyong placed his hand down, the steel chopsticks held between his them and pointer finger,"Are your parents even fine with me staying here?"

Jaehyun tore away the piece of meat he had in his mouth and quickly chewed and swallowed,"I didn't bother asking them. They're too busy to come home and even if they said something against it, I wouldn't care. I'm the one taking care of you, it shouldn't be a problem for someone who's barely ever home."

Taeyong took a sip of water,"No wonder so many girls at school like him."

"You're not hungry?" Jaehyun questioned while referring to Taeyong's untouched plate.

"Oh no." Taeyong began to eat his plate. At first he was fine until his thoughts began to repeat "weight" after every bite. He drank a gulp of water after every two bites until the plate was completely empty.

Jaehyun removed the empty plate from Taeyong and placed it in the sink. Taeyong falsely smiled through the feeling of disgust and depression evading him. He clawed into his own thigh, thoughtlessly looking past Jaehyun he spoke,"Thank you for the food. Uh, I need to use the bathroom really quick."

Taeyong excused himself as Jaehyun began to wash the dishes. Figuring he was a time limit, especially one where the risk of being caught was greater, he didn't hesitate to lock himself in the bathroom and quickly stimulate his gag reflex.

~~~~

He walked down the stairs to Jaehyun who had just finished cleaning the dishes, an unnoticeable red mark and teeth marks on his middle knuckle on his right hand.

Jaehyun turned towards the latter, a towel drying his hands simultaneously,"Hm, Taeyong, I was thinking after school tomorrow we can go get you new clothes. Since all of it's back at that house."

Taeyong held his hands up,"No, you don't have to do that."

"It's fine. I rather spend the money my parents sent on someone else."

"They send you money?"

"To pay for bills, food and school tuition mainly. I don't use the water and electricity too much so the bills stay relatively low and some money is left over."

Taeyong sat on the round leather seat under the island, his nails scratched against the cotton of his sweatpants,"I still don't get why you're doing any of this. You could have just ignored it and kept things the way they were."

Jaehyun leaned onto the marble, his palm set under his chin,"I wanted to. Plus, you have no idea how lonely and boring it can get being here."

"Why does this sound like something out of a romance novel?"

"I guess I can understand it to that extent, but still." After years of being verbally and physically abused, maybe it just never occurred to Taeyong that people can be the polar opposite.

Jaehyun stretched out his arms, releasing a sigh as his spine cracked,"Just face it, Taeyong. People are gonna like you and want to help you."

Taeyong bored into Jaehyun's eyes. The words he was hearing was perhaps something he never imagined was be directed at him.

Jaehyun removed the orange apron from his body "Anyways, I'm going to the gym."

Taeyong spun on the chair, his body following Jaehyun's as he walked,"You go this late?"

"Homework and basketball practice takes up most of time after school so night is really the only time I can go."

He flatly replied,"Oh."

"If you're not fine with being alone right now, I'll stay."

"No, no, it's fine. I didn't really know what to reply with."

Jaehyun covered his growing smile with his palm and exited up the stairs temporarily.

~~~~

"I'll be back in no more than two hours. You're sure you're fine with me leaving?"

Taeyong silently nodded in response, watching Jaehyun walk down the driveway and drive off in his black car.

Taeyong waited for about five minutes before grabbing spare cash from inside his backpack and leaving the house. He walked around the nearby areas till he reached a familiar pharmacy.

The raven haired entered the pharmacy. He wandered around until he reached the isle where the laxatives were and quickly grabbed the one-hundred count box of 'Dulcolax' tablets and went to the register. After quickly paying, Taeyong rushed back to Jaehyun's house which eventually proved to be more of a challenge as he was not used to the route.

~~~~

Jaehyun pulled into the driveway, his body cold with dried sweat and his muscles tired. He stepped out of his car, a towel, his phone and a half empty glass water bottle in his arms. He jangled his keys with his opposite hand until the house key was in between his fingers. He thrusted the key into the lock and opened the door.

Jaehyun was greeted with a dark first floor. He set down his water bottle along with his towel and set his keys on the kitchen island before traveling upstairs to where he expected Taeyong to be.

Jaehyun turned at his doorframe to see Taeyong immersed in the music coming from his phone while he thoughtlessly finished his homework.

Jaehyun leaned against the door, his voice rupturing the quiet tune of the music,"Did my absence bore you?"

Taeyong snapped his head to the area Jaehyun's voice emitted from,"It was okay."

"You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, just tired I guess."

Jaehyun walked past Taeyong to his dresser. He opened one of them, pulling out clean clothes,"I'm gonna take a shower; feel free to pass out on my bed if you want."

Taeyong just hummed in response as he watched Jaehyun excuse himself to the bathroom.

Jaehyun later walked out of the bathroom, water from his hair dripping down his neck and rolling down his back. Rather than seeing Taeyong asleep on his bed as he expected, the older had fallen asleep doing his homework. Jaehyun sat across from his sleeping counterpart, a soft grin forming on his lips.

~~~~