Mortal Masks

Chapter Twelve

"You should get started on your presentation..." Jaemin mumbles into his phone, sleepily rubbing at his eyes as he tries to burry his face into his pillow.

Although it was almost midday, Jaemin kept himself burrowed under his duvet, trying to chase the blissful warmth and comfort that had accompanied his sleep. Rather than shadowed figures, burning lungs and aching legs, Jaemin's dreams last night had been full of soft touches and brown eyes.

It had been his best night's sleep since he arrived, and he wished with everything in him that when the sun fell again tonight and the burnt oranges hues of the sky set the clouds ablaze in a farewell greeting, he would find such solace again.

The voice on the other end mumbles a tired comment about Jaemin's deeper voice, to which he blushes at, before the other converser addresses their previous conversation topic of their literature project with a deep sigh and lazily slurred words that fills Jaemin with no hope the boy will stick to the deadline provided, "It's not until Monday."

"It's Saturday today", Jaemin points out, but the other boy just chuckles.

"Exactly, I still have plenty of time", Jeno declares, and Jaemin shakes his head, "Why didn't you want to video call?"

Jaemin closes his eyes, the ends of his lips upturning into a smile so wide his cheeks ache momentarily, "We saw each other yesterday, and well, I've just woken up..."

"So?" Jeno prompts, which has Jaemin whispering something about his messy hair and pyjamas, "What if I wanted to see you again?"

Jaemin makes a sound as he tries to squish his face into his pillow once more, his following words hushed and yet Jeno manages to hear them clearly, "One date in, and you're already like this..."

"'One date in'," The football player parrots, something hopeful in his voice as he asks, "Does that mean you'd be willing to give me another?"

Jaemin holds back for a moment, trying to stop himself from answering immediately. In his act, he hums indecisively down the line, "Hmm, I'll think about it."

But Jaemin knows that Jeno is aware of just how possible that second date is, "Sounds promising."

"You should go and do your work", He whines, trying to bring the focus back to Jeno's workload, "My dad wouldn't want me dating a troublemaker."

"Dating? And mentioning me to your dad?" Jeno pipes up, and Jaemin's smile widens impossibly, "Yeah, that is promising. I like where this is going"

"Oh, shut up you... you... flirt," Jaemin protests, resulting in Jeno's deep laugh ringing in his ear, soothing Jaemin's mind and body as he relaxes against his bedsheets, heart humming from the attention, "Get started on your presentation. It takes up more time than you think."

"Fine", He caves, his gentle laugh still pouring through the phone as Jaemin presses the device closer to his ear, desperately trying to savour the sound before it fades away completely, "I wouldn't want to make a bad impression on your dad."

With his cheeks still red, Jaemin grins as he's whispering down the line, his shyness present in full force, "I'll see you on Monday."

"Yeah, I'll see you then", Jeno agrees, albeit reluctantly, as he waits a few moments until he's speaking his goodbye, trying to draw out the syllables as much as he can, "Bye, Jaemin..."

And Jaemin can't help but bite his lip in an attempt to stop himself from grinning as he's muttering his own farewell as quietly as he can, almost as if he's trying to justify that if Jeno doesn't hear him, then their conversation won't end. He's the one who decided to draw their discussion to an end in favour of Jeno's academics, and yet he can't bring himself to hang up quite yet.