dazed.
@cvtaemin
jongin had been exhausted since the party, but its an emotional exhaustion. sure, he chased it with something physical, with too much booze or just a few too many hours spent on the training grounds or the track, wearing himself down until all he can feel is the ache of muscles. he has kept himself exhausted because it had been easier not to think that way, easier to ignore how thoroughly taemin was avoiding him.
he hadn't even heard him through the wall.
it's one of the crueler things taemin has done to him, lately, fucking around with hyungwon loud enough, mean enough, near enough that it would filter into jongin's room, invade his privacy, steal away his breath. it left him feeling leaden and exhausted, broken down and aching. he ignored it the best he could, made excuses to be elsewhere when he heard the other's steps cross from the apartment on the left to the right. he made a habit of going to yoongi's to get hammered, of stumbling downstairs to sehun's room to fall away with him, tangled together to absolve one another of the reminder of their own shortcomings.
the afternoon sun was warm on his cheeks as he made his way to the belltower, pushed open the little door at the bottom of the staircase to ascend the rickety steps. small, high windows cast a quiet, sleepy slant of light that illuminated floating dust particles, hanging in still air. by the time he made it to the top of the stairs, to the quiet attic space with the low sloped ceiling and worn, white washed wood floors, he knew he would find someone there. the smell of pot lingered heavy in the air, the edge of something sickly sweet, some magical spin on the simple herb no doubt. he was sort of hoping it would be someone willing to share, a hope that contorted like his heart in his chest, which began to somersault wildly as he examined the figure before, sighing quiet.
"tae, hey." he offered, swallowed hard and lingered at the top of the stairs, effectively blocking his exit as he ducked his head slight, fingers combing through his bangs. "spare a hit?"