Apocalypse ✦ Nomin

24

⊱ ───── { Jaemin } ───── ⊰

"Despite my better judgement, I'll have to listen to Taeyong and continue to train you," Chenle says flatly, "He specifically stated that he wants you to try and determine how far this mind-reading ability goes. Now, start getting into your meditative state." Chenle then shuts his eyes and takes a slow, deep breath. Jaemin reluctantly does the same.

"Try and take a moment to allow yourself to concentrate on me. Not my voice, but me," Chenle instructs.

Jaemin tries to think of him. He starts with envisioning his face in his mind, but then tries to step back and focus on his general being. He does not think of Chenle as a person, but more as a sort of blur that gives off an aura. He spends several minutes doing this, but nothing comes to him.

"Can you hear anything? See anything?" Chenle inquires softly.

"No..." Jaemin answers quietly.

"Then...try to focus on Jeno, now," the man mumbles disappointedly with a sigh.

Jaemin's brain changes direction like he had flipped a switch. It was as if he had barely turned the dial to a familiar radio station, and the audio comes in as clear as day.

No. There's no way he would ever go that far.

Jaemin furrows his brow, feeling especially perplexed by this internal debate Jeno was clearly having with himself.

But it's just a dream. Anything was bound to happen. Clearly I'm just too...lonely. Yeah, lonely. I just want physical touch and not getting it from Jaemin, anymore has me dreaming about it.

Jaemin's eyes fly open as he tries not to choke on his own saliva.

"What just happened? Are you okay?" Chenle asks frantically as he stares at Jaemin with wide eyes.

"F-fine," Jaemin lies as he has a hard time wrapping his head around what Jeno had thought.

Was it possible that they had the same dream? Was it the same dream? Was it a dream? What did Jeno mean that he would never go that far? Did he mean something in terms of harming him? Pushing him away? He had no idea, and it unsettles him. If he has truly been talking with Jeno in his dreams, then...

"What was he thinking?" Chenle presses.

"I...I don't..." Jaemin stammers out, unable to properly determine how to explain that he has been dreaming of meeting with Jeno, and he has a hunch that perhaps Jeno is having the same dreams. That he kissed him under the impression it was nothing more than something his brain was coming up with as a coping mechanism for Jeno's actions and sudden departure? Did he really wish for Chenle to know?

Before Chenle can try to force Jaemin to answer, he grumbles to himself.

"I'm sorry, I have to check on something. Mark will be in here to escort you out in just a minute," Chenle explains before vanishing in a flash of light.

Suddenly, the door to the training room flies open, revealing the black haired man on the other side.

"Chenle called?" he asks as his eyes dart around the room for a sign of the other angel.

"He just left...how did you get here so-"

"What happened? Did you get hurt? Did someone take him?" Mark questions in a panicked tone.

"No, he just needed you to escort me back to my room," Jaemin answers, "Or...could I visit Renjun?"

"Absolutely not," Mark denies, "He's still being evaluated for his psyche after your last visit. I mean, cutting your arm open? Really?"

"It was the fastest way to prove a point," Jaemin insists defensively.

"You fucking terrorized the poor guy!" Mark exclaims, "Just come with me, and I'll have you in your room until I can see if visiting Renjun is possible and when."

"Thanks," Jaemin mumbles as he gets up onto his feet, "And...can I ask if you're almost done checking out what's up with my ring? I really want it back."

"No. Taeyong is still examining it," Mark shakes his head, "We know it's been tampered with by a demon, but we don't know what for."

"Jeno created it to alert him when demons were around me. He did it so he could protect me back on Earth," Jaemin blurts out, going out on a limb and testing if perhaps what Jeno had said in their dream was true, "Test it out. You'll see."

Jaemin expresses confidence externally, but internally, his certainty wavers. He isn't certain that the dream was real, much less one he could trust with providing information like that, but he does so, anyway.

Mark raises his brow and stares intently at Jaemin for a moment.

"I...guess we could check for that," he confirms, "Just give me a day and I'll get back to you on it. Is that okay?"

"Yes," Jaemin hastily confirms.

"Alright, then," Mark agrees, "Anything else you need to ask me before we head off?"

The thought of the dream pops into Jaemin's brain, but he instantly chooses not to bring it up. No, it was a safe space for him and only him. It was a space he did not understand, nor know if it was entirely safe, but Jeno was there. He wanted nothing more than to share that time and space with Jeno and Jeno alone. The second Mark or Chenle or Taeyong found out it could possibly be a connection between the two of them, they would surely either intrude on it or try to stop them completely to avoid Jeno trying anything.

"Nope. All good," Jaemin assures him.

"Then let's go," Mark nods to the left before turning on his heel and walking out of the room.