Title: Blinded [4/8]
Author: ixjaydee
Pairing: OnTae (Onew/Taemin), side!JongHo
Genre: Romance
Rating: PG - 13
Summary: “You’re pretty clumsy for someone who can see."
Disclaimer: There are three things that are certain in life: Taxes, death, and that I don’t own SHINee.
AN;; No notes. Just stuff happens here and I’m like OMG I FEEL TERRIBLE. But then things are okay. I guess. Why do I feel like this story is going so slowly? o-o
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The Fourth Sketch - In Black and White
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Jinki woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking. He didn’t remember the last time he had breakfast in the morning. He groaned as he stretched on the couch, freezing for a moment as he tried to remember where he was.
“Good morning Jinki,” Taemin called cheerily from the kitchen. Jinki sat up in alarm and turned towards the kitchen. “You cook?”
“I do. It’s quite simple really. Key wouldn’t let me cook alone for the longest time. But now he just arranges everything in a certain order so I can tell what is what, and where everything is.” Jinki scratched the back of his head as he got up, paddling towards the kitchen.
His hair stuck up in weird directions, but he didn’t really care about that. “But he still makes me wear my glasses, just in case something goes flying at my face.” Jinki smiled at the other boy in the kitchen. He must cook often, since he was flying around the kitchen without having any trouble.
“Is there anything I can help you with?” Taemin smiled and shook his head. “No. Just sit there and wait for an amazing breakfast.”
“Do you mind if I freshen myself up?”
“Go ahead. The bathroom is the first door on the right in front of Key’s room.” Taemin heard the chair at the kitchen table screech as Jinki got up to go washing his face.
Taemin listened to the crackling of the bacon in the pan. He could smell the meat being cooked, and poked at the strips with a pair of chopsticks to make sure they were crispy before taking them off the pan and placing them on a plate on the table.
By the time Jinki was back, there were pancakes, hash browns, eggs and bacon waiting for him with a glass of orange juice. Jinki laughed and smiled, walking over to Taemin who was already sitting and waiting for him at the table. He squeezed his shoulders and planted a kiss on top of his head.
“This looks and smells wonderful. But your kitchen doesn’t look so hot...” Jinki looked at all the things scattered around the kitchen and smiled slightly.
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Key will get it. He won’t let me clean by myself. And even I’ll admit it’s a bit hard.”
“I’ll clean it up for you later. But this food is just calling to me right now.” Taemin laughed as Jinki pulled a chair out and sat down to eat.
--
“I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. For a person who can see, you’re pretty clumsy.” Jinki sighed and mumbled something as Taemin led him to the first aid kit in his room. Jinki somehow managed to cut his finger with a knife he was holding. In the same hand.
“I don’t know sometimes. It’s like the world is against me. Or was against me. They did bring me something wonderful though.” Taemin raised an eyebrow and was about to say something until he felt a soft kiss on his forehead. His words turned into a smile as a blush formed on his cheeks.
“Now then. How do I open this?”
--
Key came home later that morning, freaking out about the first aid kit until Jinki calmed him down enough to tell him that it was him who needed it, and not Taemin. The three of them talked a little bit about school until Jinki noticed the time.
“Oh man. I’ve gotta go. I need to go home and change and head up to school to work on some things.” This time, Key didn’t force Taemin into Jinki’s company because he needed to talk to him about some things.
He watched out of the corner of his eye as the two bid goodbye to each other at the door. He couldn’t stop himself from smiling at the sweet, innocent kiss they had before Jinki left. Taemin closed and locked the door, sighing happily to himself.
“Taemin. Let’s talk about some stuff.” Taemin’s head automatically turned towards Key, eyebrows furrowed. “What kind of stuff?” He asked warily as he made his way over to the couch, sinking into the cushions next to his brother.
“You’re going to have to tell him eventually. You know what right? I’m not going to wake up at odd hours of the morning to cover up your face every time you decide for him that he wants to stay over. Also, I’m going to talk to you about that too. You know... the birds and the bees.”
“Oh god Key. You’re going to give me the talk? THE talk?”
“Well, I do need to educate you on this matter.”
“I’d really rather not know.”
“It’s better you’re prepared in case something happens. You know, the innocent kisses turned full blown make out session turned-”
“OKAY. I get it. Just give me a few minutes to mentally prepare myself.” Key was aware that Taemin tried to dodge the subject of his face. He’d let that slide for now. Sooner or later, Jinki was going to find out. He already suspected something.
“You know he already suspects something about your face.” Taemin turned pale. “What do you mean?”
“Remember when I told you about that picture he drew of you?” Taemin nodded slowly. “I remember he said something weird. He said that something was missing.” Taemin sat there without a word.
“He said something was missing from the drawing. I don’t know what kind of weird super artistic human he is, but he suspects something Taemin. You’ll have to show him eventually.” Taemin gulped. Was this something he was ready for?
“Better sooner than later. Before you get too attached to him.”
--
Weeks passed by, and Taemin seemed to be quieter than usual around Jinki. He seemed to smile less, and even his playing sounded a little bit off. Jinki was worried, asking him if he felt well, if he was sick, or if something was bothering him.
But he always got that same sad smile from Taemin with an “I’m okay. I’ve just got a lot on my mind right now.”
The gigantic piece of stone in his studio was starting to take a shape. It wasn’t a discernable shape to anyone besides Jinki, who could see the picture in the stone better than anything right in front of him.
He finished his piece for his woodworking class while listening to Taemin play one afternoon. Taemin’s head was reeling from the smell of paint in the room. “Jinki. Are you painting something? It smells awful...” Jinki stood up alarmed and started to open up the windows. The wind brought in some chilly air to help rid the smell in the room.
He saw Taemin shiver a little bit and shrugged off his jacket before placing it on his shoulders. “Thanks Jinki...” Jinki sighed again as Taemin got that distant look on his face. He got the feeling Taemin wasn’t really there with him at that moment. He always felt like he was there.
“What did you make?”
“It’s for my woodworking class. Wood is a little bit easier to work with than stone, which is why I finished it a little bit faster. The paint is still drying though so I can’t show it to you yet.” Taemin nodded and stared down at the keys of the piano. There was another awkward silence spanning between the two of them.
“Is something wrong Taemin?” Jinki finally asked. “You’ve been really distant lately and... less cheerful.” Jinki sighed again as he heard the same answer. He was really starting to get sick of it, but he wasn’t about to force an answer out of him when he didn’t want to talk about it.
“I’m going to go clean myself up for a bit before my hands are stained black and white forever. Are you going to be okay here by yourself?” Taemin laughed and nodded. “Of course. It’s not like I can go anywhere.” Jinki shook his head and sighed before leaving for the bathroom.
--
Jinki knew something was wrong when he heard the keys smashing randomly on the piano. He ran down the hallway to the room where Taemin was, and saw Jonghyun and Minho pulling a group of girls off of Taemin.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?! What the fuck possessed you to attack a blind kid?! Seriously?! Get the fuck out of here before I report you all and have you expelled! DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME?!” Jonghyun roared at the girls. They all stood back meekly, except for one who noticed Jinki come through the door.
“Look! Look oppa! See! He’s not perfect! His face is ugly! He was lying to you this whole time! You shouldn’t love him.”
“Get. Out. NOW.” Jinki hardly ever got angry. But when he did, he was dangerous. He strode across the room and bent over Taemin, who was covering his face and shaking slightly. “Taemin... Taemin. Are you okay?”
“Don’t... don’t...” Jinki turned back to see them still in the room. “Did you not hear me? I said GET OUT!” The girls whimpered slightly and pushed each other out of the way to get out of the room.
“Taemin, it’s okay. They’re gone. Are you okay? Stop covering your face and let me see what they did to you. Taemin.” Taemin shook his head defiantly on the floor. They vaguely heard Jonghyun and Minho say something about reporting and left the two alone.
Jinki grabbed at Taemin’s hands. He resisted though, pressing them firmly across his face. “Taemin. Whatever it is, it’s not going to make me love you any less okay? I promise.” Taemin sniffed and let out a sigh. His hands were trembling as he brought them away from his face.
Jinki’s head tilted to the side as he examined Taemin’s face. “I’m hideous, aren’t I?” He whispered. Across his eyes were dozens of scarred white lines going in all directions. There were two lines of scars across his left cheek, one going towards his ear, and one extending from his eye all the way down into his neck.
It looked like someone had tried to slice his eyes out. Jinki reached out and stroked Taemin’s cheek with his thumb before planting a kiss on both of his closed eyes, his cheeks, his nose, then his mouth. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. You still look gorgeous to me.”
“Don’t. Don’t just say that just because you pity-”
“I’m not saying it just because I pity you.” Taemin felt Jinki’s cold fingers trace the scars over his eyes. He felt a finger trail down to his neck before Jinki moved his hands to cup his face. “I knew something was missing...” he said softly with a smile.
“What? What do you mean?” Jinki titled his head again, trying to explain the feeling in words.
“When I first met you, I didn’t think much of it. Your face was smooth and flawless. But after I looked at it on paper... there was just something missing. It seemed... kind of empty? If you understand what I’m saying... but now...”
Jinki smiled again and pressed another gentle kiss to Taemin’s lips, pressing their foreheads together. “You don’t have to tell me how you got these right now... I’d like to know someday. But I want you to know, you’re even more beautiful than you were before.”
--
Key went on a rampage. No one was spared from his wrath when he found out about what happened with Taemin.
“Key, it’s not his fault-” But Key wouldn’t listen to any reason. He just knew there were low lives that attacked an innocent blind child, and Jinki wasn’t there to save him. “I don’t think you should see Jinki anymore. Clearly it’s dangerous and-”
“Key. I will not stop seeing Jinki. And you need to shut up and listen.” Key’s mouth opened and closed wordlessly at Taemin before he let out an angry breath. “It wasn’t his fault. Those girl were crazy! I heard them come in asking about him, and I said that he was in the bathroom, then they said something about how they couldn’t let me take Jinki away from them or something then attacked me. I don’t even know how they knew about me.”
Key fidgeted. Taemin sensed something was wrong. “Key. Do you know anything about this?”
“Well I... Well. Some girls in the beginner theatre class asked me about stage makeup. And so I might’ve casually mentioned you and...” Taemin rolled his eyes. “So it was your fault.”
“I don’t like how you’re blaming me for this.”
“I don’t like how you’re blaming everyone else!” Taemin buried his face into Jinki’s arm as he sat there and tried to occupy himself with something while the two brothers argued. “Well. He knows now. So what are you going to do?”
“Same thing as always.” Key looked over at Jinki who had that lost in thought look on his face again as he stared out into the darkness. “You don’t mind that he looks like that? That his face isn’t completely flawless?” Jinki snapped out of his thoughts as his eyes settled on Key.
“Why would I mind? If anything, it completes the picture and gives me... a sense of inspiration. He still looks flawless in my eyes.” Key sat back in his seat and sighed. Jinki was a saint in disguise.
--
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