Jaebum counts the minutes according to the rise and fall of Jinyoung’s chest. It’s the way he starts his morning, eyes gazing over the milky skin he’s often come to bruise in shades of muddy purple and rose red.

He deems it lovely, a work of art that can only be seen as such by him. He likes to pretend that his kisses are the cure that makes them disappear in a week’s time, something that Jinyoung wishes would be faster. He laughs, amused.

‘They are the cause and the cure,’ Jaebum stated, back when they only had to worry about their manager catching them, back when things were simpler. When they were 5 members less and only thought of themselves. They shared more gazes back then too because it wasn’t as hard to hide. Now they barely looked at each other except in the confines of Jinyoung’s room. It’s much easier since he’s alone in this room, much more private. Intimate.

Jinyoung mutters something when Jaebum’s fingers linger too long over his stomach. He stares at him as the younger’s eyes start to flutter open, squinting as they get used to the light leaking through the curtains. Jaebum doesn’t speak, just uses his lips on his skin as his good morning greeting. Jinyoung is use to this, just as he’s used to glancing down and seeing an array of colors on his body.

It had to grow on him, the bruising. He wasn’t the type to particularly like his milky skin ruined, especially when they had just debuted and their outfits were fitted for the summer.

‘You try finding five bottles of concealer without getting spotted in public’, he argued while layering his neck with said concealer in the bathroom.

But Jaebum insisted on keeping the pattern going, and so Jinyoung turned the other cheek. It would be a lie to say he didn’t like it sometimes, feeling his skin bruise as hands roam his body under the covers. It was sensual, exciting, and it didn’t hurt much. So it was fine.

And now, he didn’t mind too much either. As the blond haired repainted the once fading marks into fresh new ones, trails of saliva connected each one like a constellation. Jinyoung breathed quickly and softly, letting JB have his way. This was the way they woke up day after day, in each other's arms: bruising and being bruised.

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My god I didn't know how to end this, and I apologize for that wack ending (and overall story hA). I'm scum ;; Hopefully I'll write better while staying up at 1 am and drunk on apple juice.

Thank you for reading~