The moments where sleep decided to grace Jonghyun with its presence were few and far between.

That’s why, no matter how badly he longed for it, no matter how desperately his desires begged, Taemin wouldn’t risk waking him. In the back of his mind he wished that, somehow, this moment of peace would give back all the rest Jonghyun had missed out on. He couldn’t help but hope, even though he knew it was impossible. One good nights’ sleep could never make up for years of failure.

Even so, when Taemin’s heavy eyes gazed upon his sleeping face, he couldn’t control the pull on his heart. The soft light of the moon was creeping through their window, spilling across Jonghyun’s face, dowsing it in shades of blue and white. It accentuated the dips and curves of his features, darkness filling the ridges and light ghosting the peaks. The small imperfections - the scar on his eyelid, the crookedness of his nose, the spot on his chin he forgot to shave - could never stifle the brilliance he radiated. Jonghyun wasn’t beautiful in spite of them, he was beautiful because of them. 

He was beautiful, simple as that.

Taemin yearned to reach his hand out and trace the shape of his brow, the bridge of his nose, the shell of his ear, the eyelashes resting upon his cheeks. He wanted to commit every part of him to memory, so that even when they were apart, all Taemin had to do was recall this moment, recall the warmth of his skin against his, and remember the feeling coursing through his veins right now.

He looked down to where Jonghyun’s lips were parted, slow breaths slipping through, and the ache in his heart grew that much stronger. The selfish part of him wished Jonghyun were awake so Taemin could press their lips together, and feel how soft and gentle they would be, as if Jonghyun were conveying his thoughts through his movements. He wished he could stare into his dark eyes, feel them encompass him in Jonghyun’s gaze, leaving his body heated. He wished he could hear him whisper praises in his soothing voice, and sweet nothings that would seep into his heart, leaving it full and content.

However, Taemin’s love for Jonghyun outweighed his selfish desires by far.

And so, Taemin let his eyelids shut, content to spend one more night in his sleeping lover’s embrace.