Bloodline ✦ Nomin

37

Jeno twirls a piece of Jaemin's hair around his fingers gently and makes sure not to accidentally pull it. The soft morning light graces Jaemin's flawless face as he snoozes on, completely unaware of the heartbreak he was about to face later that day. After a long night of anxious thoughts and silent tears, Jeno no longer feared his own pain. His dread now lies in the inconceivable suffering Jaemin was just hours from experiencing due to his selfish, reckless actions.

Jeno stops playing with his hair and rests his hand against Jaemin's cheek. He glides his thumb against the smooth skin as he resists the urge to kiss his forehead. Jaemin suddenly reaches up and grabs Jeno's hand. He moves it away and interlaces their fingers together as a soft smile forms on his lips. He slowly opens his tired eyes to look at Jeno.

"Morning," he whispers.

"Morning," Jeno barely manages to get out before Jaemin leans in and gently kisses him.

Jaemin is the first to pull back, but he scoots slightly closer to Jeno to close what little distance they had between their bodies. He then lazily entangles
their legs together before letting out a content hum.

"I love you," Jeno murmurs, wanting to get a head start on telling Jaemin as many times as possible before he could never utter those words again.

This whole thing felt agonizing. He was slowly inching towards an inevitable end with no hope in sight, but he did this to himself. There was no one else to blame. No one else to claim forced his hand. He made his decision, and now Jisung was trying to fix his mess as per usual. Unfortunately, it won't just hurt Jeno this time. Their ship was sinking with no sign of land, and Jeno sabotaged the lifeboat that could've at least spared Jaemin. He damned them both to sink together in a sea of suffering and heartbreak, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

"I love you more," Jaemin beams at him, planting another gentle kiss against his lips.

Of course he does. Clearly so, even without the spell placed on him. Jaemin would've never done this. He makes mistakes, not catastrophic fuck ups that hurt Jeno in the process. And Jeno can blame it on his skewed moral compass all he wants, but like Jisung said, it will never make the things he's done okay.

"What do you wanna do today?" Jeno asks in a hushed voice.

"Be with you," Jaemin answers without hesitation.

"Other than that," Jeno smiles despite holding back the urge to cry. There were going to be more than enough tears to be shed later. He didn't want to waste anymore time crying now when he could be savoring his last few hours with Jaemin.

"Other than that," he prompts him, "Did you want to go somewhere? It can be anywhere. I'll take you wherever you want."

Jaemin narrows his eyes and hums as he considers this offer. In a very quick, fluid manner, Jaemin manages to roll Jeno onto his back and gets himself up to straddle his lap. Jeno places his hands just barely above Jaemin's knees and mindlessly rubs circles into the exposed skin. Jaemin leans down and attaches his lips to Jeno's with his face in his hands. It's a very sweet, slow kiss; one which was laced with so much love that it makes Jeno's heart ache. Part of him wishes this whole thing was an awful nightmare and he could wake up from any second to find the two of them back home. No spells. No headaches. None of it.

But this was real. This was the reality that he created for them, and no matter how much he regrets it, Jeno can never take back what he's done.

"You're so pretty, baby," Jeno whispers between kisses, "The most beautiful thing I've ever seen."

Jaemin's hands move from Jeno's face, trailing slowly down his chest. As soon as they reach his lower abdomen, Jeno breaks the kiss and takes them in his own. Though Jaemin pouts and lets out a whimper, Jeno doesn't pay it any mind. He makes a point to gaze directly into his eyes and maintain it as he speaks.