Bloodline ✦ Nomin

14

Jeno pushes open the door to his and Jaemin's apartment, wriggling the knot of his tie down to loosen it as he enters inside.

"Jeno?" he hears Jaemin chime from the kitchen.

"Yeah, I'm home," he answers with a sigh as he shuts the door behind him and locks it.

"I just started fixing dinner. I didn't expect you to be home yet."

Jeno kicks off his shoes beside the door and lets out a deep sigh.

"Yeah, my boss decided to let me go home an hour early since I didn't seem well," Jeno drones as he drags his feet. He passes the tv and heads directly for the bedroom.

"Are you not feeling well?" Jaemin hastily inquires as he pauses in the middle of chopping something up.

"No, I'm fine. Just a little tired is all," he admits as he places his hand on the doorknob.

"Wait! Don't go in there yet!" Jaemin cries out just as Jeno turns the knob and is already in the motion of opening the door.

Jeno momentarily freezes in place. Light from the living room floods into their bedroom, revealing a trail of rose petals leading to the bed with a plethora of them scattered all over the neatly made black silk sheets. It appears as if Jaemin had started attempting to arrange them into a heart with the petals spreading outward from it, but he had seemingly stopped halfway through. Jeno assumes it was most likely due to realizing he was a bit late starting dinner. He also notices several unlit candles scattered about, almost as if Jaemin had yet to find the perfect placing for them.

Jeno slowly shuts the door, hearing Jaemin sigh loudly.

"That was meant to be a surprise. I didn't get to finish it just yet," he pouts as he continues cutting up an onion.

Jeno feels his stomach sink like a brick to the bottom of an ocean. He hesitantly approaches Jaemin in the kitchen and gently wraps his arms around him from behind.

"I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to–"

"It's okay," Jaemin cuts him off as he pauses once more, "Just pretend to be surprised when I take you in there, later. Can you do that?"

The innocent plea in his voice makes Jeno feel even worse about ruining it.

"Of course," he murmurs softly as he rests his head on Jaemin's shoulder, "But I have to ask...did you intend to be wearing my just my shirt and underwear when I came home, or did you not have time to get dressed, either?"

He gently glides his fingertips up the sides of Jaemin's thighs and over his hip bones. Upon reaching the hem of the shirt, Jeno's wandering hands creep beneath it. He keeps a light touch as he feels the warm skin of Jaemin's stomach.

"I'm cooking," Jaemin whines, pointing the knife at the pot of water that had not yet started to boil. It wasn't even simmering yet.

Jeno removes one of his hands from Jaemin and turns the knob of the stove off.

"Jeno," Jaemin whines, "Can't this wait until I finish setting up my surprise? You know...after dinner?"

Jeno presses a soft kiss to Jaemin's neck.

"Who said we can't do it then, too?" he speaks in a low voice, causing Jaemin to laugh breathily.

"Are you serious?"

Jeno reaches his hand up and delicately brushes his thumb along Jaemin's jaw. He then proceeds to drag it along his bottom lip ever so slowly. He can feel Jaemin open his mouth slightly, his hot breath ghosting Jeno's thumb.