dazed and confused - norenmin

eighteen

renjun

renjun was now lying on the sand,
face tilted skyward to catch the sun
and eyes closed as he listened on the soothing susurration of the waves.
suddenly he sensed a presence beside him, and, turning his head,
saw jaemin stretching out contentedly next to him.
the younger boy caught his gaze,
and smiled happily, reaching out a hand to intertwine with renjun's own.

renjun was transfixed by his beauty,
and with a feeling of awe he took in all of jaemin's perfect features,
focusing especially on his rosy lips,
which formed a pout as he spoke.
renjun suddenly felt the urge to paint jaemin, to capture this moment on a canvas to look at time and time again.
he usually painted landscapes,
finding the serenity of nature preferable, but now here was jaemin,
with the wind brushing through his hair, his skin kissed by the sun,
and his bright sparkling eyes.
he was both belonged to the scene and stood out, in a way that captivated renjun.

he realised that jaemin's lips were again pouting as he addressed renjun,

"you know...
i'm really happy you're here,
like really really happy.

if i'm being honest,
when jeno first told me about you,
i didn't want you to come.
i was jealous.
and scared.
i've only ever had jeno,
and i couldn't bear the thought that you might take him away."

jaemin took a shaky breath.

"ever since i was young,
jeno...he's been my only friend.

i was worried that you'd be like the people at my old school,
who..."

"every day they would..."

"w-why did they want to hurt me so much?"

tears began to stream down the younger boy's face, and his body shook as he curled into himself.
he didn't let go of renjun's hand,
and renjun held on to it like a lifeline.
when jaemin began to weep renjun didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around him, enclosing the boy in the warmth and love of his embrace.
he held jaemin tightly, who held back yet tighter, slowly calming down as renjun reassured him with both his touch and his words.

"hey, hey minnie, it's okay.
they're not gonna hurt you anymore.
i'm here, okay?

i'm always here for you."

jaemin softened into his embrace and rested his head in the crook of the older boy's neck, where the last lingering tears fled into renjun's skin and were lost from sight.
renjun relaxed too, and letting his eyes close he simply savoured the moment, the feeling of the sun, sky, sea, and the boy in his arms.
he slowly shifted until his lips brushed against the delicate curve of the younger boy's ear,
feeling the shudder coursing through jaemin at the contact.

"do you want to go for a swim?"

jaemin blinked up at him through eyelashes still glittering with the traces of tears, then sat up, fingers drifting from renjun's chest to his own face, where he rubbed his eyes resolutely before turning back to the older boy.

renjun was still lying on the sand, motionless as he took in the golden boy above him. jaemin leaned down,
resting an arm on either side of renjun's face, and held eye contact as their breath mingled.
he smirked slightly as he brought his face yet closer,
then at the last moment adjusted his trajectory so that his parted lips hovered over renjun's ear.
now it was jaemin's turn to whisper,
sending vibrations down the older boy's spine.