Work Text:
the fresh musk of nicotine hits minho in the face as soon as he slides the door to his balcony open. it lets him know what type of night it is. he bites back a dreary sigh,
the glass door creeps shut behind him. he moves to lean against the railing. it isn't too hard to spot his usual companion.
he was slumped against the railing of the opposite balcony across the alley way. shoulders drooped, head hung low, limbs trembling, and the faint glow from the cherry of a cigarette dangling between shaking fingers. if minho looked hard enough, he'd see the fresh tear tracks staining his cheeks. he'd even see the faint bruise blooming along the corner of his mouth.
most nights they spend together are always loud and boisterous. minho always finds himself looking forward to the nights they spend on their balconies together. there's always music playing, laughter heard, and smiles to be shared with one another. it's like their own personal little safe haven.
their nights together have long since changed once jisung's boyfriend moved in with him.
there is no more music, there is no laughter to be shared, and there are no traces of a smile. there are only tears, the smell of nicotine, and jisung's silent pleas for minho to not say anything.
so minho does the only thing he knows how to do; he stays silent and he sits with jisung each and every night he's on the balcony.
he offers a listening ear if jisung even needs it. it's not like it matters because jisung never speaks on nights like this. the only thing minho ever gets to listen to is the cries that rake through the other's body.
but minho doesn't say anything.
he doesn't voice the fact that he thinks jisung deserves so much better. the one and only time he ever did it sent him into hysterics and minho had to spend the rest of the night calming him down as best as he could
he doesn't mention that sometimes he catches glimpses of them arguing through the open curtain to their balcony door. he can't say that if he strains hard enough when his balcony door is open, he can hear them too.
it's not like he's trying to be nosy. he definitely isn't trying to make jisung feel bad either. he just...tries to keep a lookout to make sure jisung is okay.
well, as okay as he could be.
minho says none of these things. he says nothing at all.
instead he sits out on his balcony in solidarity with jisung. he watches as he smokes cigarette after cigarette. he bites his tongue as the younger wipes at his tear soaked face. and he waits, he waits for the day that jisung will finally say something.
he waits to finally be able to figure out how he can help him. he knows he will continue to wait for a very long time too. he's okay with that.
for now he will just pretend that they're two old friends spending time together and reminiscing on the good days.
he will continue to pretend that jisung is just six feet apart from him.
whenever minho knows that he is actually galaxies away.