jaeyong ✧ skindeep

Forty-two

Taeyong moved past the people crowding the hall in his apartment. As someone has figured to throw a party, music was loudly booming through the apartment story and the hallways stayed slightly overflowing with either sober or drunk college students. There was practically no in-between.

Taeyong walked into his apartment, locking the door behind him. He sighed over the nuisance which was the music and yells emitting from the other rooms. He walked over to the border of their door frame, his eyes drifting the Jaehyun's figure which was quietly asleep on the bed.

Taeyong moved towards the edge of the bed, his torso turning towards Jaehyun, the rest of his body following. His chin rested on Jaehyun's chest while lips couldn't resist a delicate smile. His fingers daintily rested over his chest, feeling the soft beat of his heartbeat.

Jaehyun's eyes fluttered open at the comforting touch, he beamed once his eyes landed on Taeyong. He ran his fingers over Taeyong's raven locks.

Taeyong rolled over on the bed, allowing Jaehyun to sit up. Jaehyun ran his fingers through his coffee-colored locks,"I think I'll go jogging in a little bit," he looked over at Taeyong mid-sentence,"Do you wanna come?"

Taeyong pulled his knees against his chest,"No, I think I'm fine."

"Okay," Jaehyun ruffled Taeyong's hair, then kissed his temple before removing himself from the bed.

Jaehyun shuffled through his drawers, not noticing Taeyong's fixation on his body as he slipped his shirt off. Nor did he notice Taeyong's preoccupation on his legs when his jeans were slipped off.

Once he finished changing, Jaehyun turned back towards the bed as he ruffled his hair,"Have you seen my Airpods anywhere?"

"Uh, I think they're on the kitchen counter."

Jaehyun walked out of the doorway, disappearing from Taeyong's sight as he entered the kitchen and shortly declared,"Found them."

Taeyong moved off the bed, walking out of the bedroom and into the kitchen to see Jaehyun busily tying his running shoes. Afterwards, he dusted off his shorts and leaned towards Taeyong,"I'll be right back."

Taeyong hummed in response. The brunette pecked Taeyong's lips, then walked to the front door where he exited the apartment.

Taeyong crossed his arms over his chest, walking towards the door. He quietly opened it, assuring himself Jaehyun had left before closing it once again. Quickly, he turned himself back to the kitchen and began to scavenge through the refrigerator and pantry, pulling out basically whatever.

He grabbed a tall glass of warm water and endlessly began eating. Though, fairly soon, his demeanor became anxious and uncomfortable.

Without putting anything back, Taeyong traveled to the bathroom, forgetting to close the door. He lifted up the toilet seat, sliding one finger into the back of his throat while his opposite hand pushed against his stomach.

He continued gagging himself as saliva ran and dripped down his arm and back of his hand, eventually getting a minimal portion up with the noticeable accompaniment of blood.

~~~~

Jaehyun moved through the crowd of people flooding the hallways of the apartment. He ran his slender fingers through his hair, wiping the sweat off of his forehead. He thrusted the key into the silver lock, turning the cold knob and opening the door.

Upon walking through the ajar door, his eyes first landed on the left out bags left out on the counter. He dropped his keys on the counter, removed the Airpods from his ears and put them back in their case.

After hearing few questionable noises from the back of the apartment, in an unknowingly curious manner, Jaehyun walked to the hallway which parted the bathroom and bedroom. His senses drifted to the sound of Taeyong in the bathroom and the sight of his body crouched over the toilet.

His tightly clutched the door frame,"Taeyong?"

Taeyong roughly fliched, his first instinct to close the lid of the toilet,"J-Jaehyun," he cleared his throat,"You're back early."

The brunette's eyes moved to Taeyong's lips and eyes, to his hand only half his behind his body, then to the tissues scattered by the toilet. His hands covered his mouth, almost instantaneously connecting the dots, as if he didn't want to believe it.

Jaehyun began to approach the latter, pulling him into a hug by the end of the sentence,"Taeyong, baby, no."

"Jaehyun-," he attempted to retort but was cut off.

Jaehyun said in a slight assertive but also soft tone,"Let me see your right hand."

Taeyong moved out his hand only for Jaehyun to softly tug on his wrist. The younger's examined the red blotch amd teeth marks currently on Taeyong's hand.

"Move so I can see the toilet."

Taeyong hesitated in guilt,"Jaehyun, wait-"

"Taeyong, please."

The raven-haired boy dug his nails into his skin as he moved away from the porcelain toilet and watched Jaehyun only slightly open and close the lid, easily spotting the blood.

"How long-," Jaehyun stammered,"How long have you been doing this?"

Taeyong faintly cleared his throat, his eyes remained fixated to the side,"Nine years."

Though he ultimately expected to be yelled at or hit, Taeyong was met with a sharp , tight hug. Behind the hug, the feeling of warm spots falling on his shirt was felt, and only then did Taeyong realize Jaehyun was silently crying.

His tears streamed heavily. Even more in the past than when he was injured from basketball. He hugged Taeyong tighter, every feeling of guilt of obliviousness tied to it.

Taeyong's eyes began to well up in contrition, his arms ever so slightly grasping onto Jaehyun's body and his nails daintily pushing into the latter's tanned skin.

Jaehyun slightly pulled back, his arms grasped on either of Taeyong's arms. He forced the boy's body to face the mirror.

"What do you see?"

Taeyong diverted his eyes away from his reflection onto the floor then trailed up Jaehyun's body.

Jaehyun began,"I see someone that is perfect and beautiful in every way."

~~~~