Chapter Text
Present
When they arrived at Jeno’s dorm he was met with a tiny grumpy looking guy. He was sprawled on the couch in a white sweatshirt while slicing an apple with a pocketknife. He was honestly the most terrifying person he had ever seen. Jeno had left him in the living room with the scary guy, he assumed was Renjun, and went to go shower. They had sat in silence until Jeno showed back up twenty minutes later. Jaemin had contemplated running away the entire time, but was stopped when Jeno came back. He wore grey sweatpants and was pulling on a band tshirt when he walked in, flashing Jaemin a great view of his toned stomach.
“So what did you want to talk about?” Jaemin tried to distract from his blush with the question. Jeno seemed to not notice, but he secretly thought it was cute. Renjun just grunted and rolled over on the couch distracted by his phone.
Jeno through himself on the couch and immediately threw himself into a story from when he was in high school. Everything seemed normal for the majority of the story. He believed everything until Jeno got the the part about being in the club he had concluded he was lying.
Past
Jeno was never the kid to start fights. He was always mistaken for a bad boy because of how he looked. Messy hair, ripped jeans, leather jacket, sarcastic with dry sense of humor, and the star basketball player. Basic bad boy. Except Jeno loved theater and dancing. He was in dance class at school and creative writing. Poetry and lyrics were magically created from his pen. He had a large, secret, love borderline obsession with cats and action movies. People believed what they wanted to about Jeno, never the truth. They ignored what they didn’t want to know and created their own truths.
Lie #1: Jeno was a little bit of a hoe and spent every weekend or night with a new girl.
Fact: Jeno has never done anything remotely sexual in his life.
Lie #2: Jeno did drugs to be cool.
Fact: Jeno was able to do enough dumb stuff without help so he never tried.
Lie #3 (Probably the biggest): Jeno was straight.
Fact: Jeno was very gay. Sure he saw the pretty girls at school who threw themselves at him, but he was far more interested in the shy dance student who was a very cute guy.
He never thought he would ever find himself in the situation to seem like the guy his school made him out to be. Yet, he found himself drunk and high in a random underground club making out with a girl pressed against a wall. All memory was fuzzy and faded from the alcohol. He remembers something bad happening, evident from the pain in his jaw and the bruise forming around his eye. Even busted up the girls still threw themselves at him. It had him sick.
The fact he was pressing a short girl with purple hair up against a wall made his sicker. Sure, she was pretty but not his type. She was too small and delicate feeling. She felt plushie like a doll and she smelled sickly sweet covered in a fake cotton candy scented perfume. Jeno only did this to forget what happened earlier. He hoped to get lost in the moment, only finding himself more turned off and annoyed though.
They were interrupted when he was pulled roughly on the shoulder by a strong hand. He just remembers seeing the furious face of Suho and hearing muffled yells. There was a sharp hot pain in side then everything went black. He fell forward on to his knees landing on his face. Everything was sounding more and more distant until there was suddenly nothing.
However, as Jeno describe the end, where he had gotten stabbed by a drunk guy in the club, tears welled up in his eyes and he looked to emotional to be lying. “Dying feeling like everything is getting slowly ripped away from you. The hot burning heat turns into a cold ache then nothing. You start to forget little things, like your favorite color, then major things, like your name. Then there is nothing and it is all over.” These words would haunt Jaemin forever. Jeno was crying into the fabric of his shirt, the tough bad boy of SM University crying because he had just describe what it felt like to die.
“You died?” Jaemin felt like passing out. He had no idea what was going on.
“At least sound sorry or something. That was hard to tell you, little brat.” Renjun finally spoke up. His voice was hard and cold sending shivers down Jaemins spine.
“Sorry I just don’t understand. How?”
“I’m honestly not sure how we got chosen, but we have this tattoo on our collar bone.” Jeno pulled back the collar of his shirt to reveal small black writing. It was simple Continuous was all it said. “Basically we were born with these. How we die determines whether we represent good or evil in our next life. Basically I’m the embodiment of temptation, but I hold my previous personality which doesn’t necessarily fit. Renjun and I got our fates swapped so we got partnered up to even everything out. Normally a person just gets one conscience and they do both, but we are kinda special.” Jeno threw a glance at Renjun in hopes he would continue.
Renjun pulled at his sweatshirt to reveal a matching tattoo on his collarbone. “I’m supposed to represent the good in life. Whenever you’re around me you have the urge to do everything good and clean in life. How I lived my previous life kinda makes it seem wrong though.” Jaemin was extremely confused. He stared at the space between Jeno and Renjun with his mouth hanging open. His breathing was shallow and his mind swam.
“Huh?” Was all he managed to get out.
“Basically we’re your conscience Jaemin. I’m temptation and Renjun is purity. We are supposed to guide you in life.” Jeno’s voice was calming and smooth enveloping Jaemin in a sense of warmth and security. It felt all wrong yet so right when he looked into Jeno’s eyes.
“Why did you show up just recently? I could have used so much help in the past! I was an idiot!”
“Very true.” Renjun snickered.
“Shut it. Basically we had strict orders to not interfere with you until it was absolutely necessary. And well you almost died so I had to.”
“Why?”
“You don’t need to know right now. Do you understand everything?”
“Yeah, but why?”
“No more questions!” Renjun demanded pointing his knife with an apple slice at the end towards Jaemin. He suddenly had no desire to ask more or know anything else about the situation. He felt a slight headache coming on from the back of his head like he had been hit. Jaemin turned his head towards Jeno with an innocent look in his eyes only to be made with a furious glint in the others eyes. He felt fear flash through him before he realized it was not aimed at him but towards Renjun.
“Renjun,” he hissed “don’t do that it will mess with his head.”
“Mess with my head? What does that mean?”
“Nothing impossible. Do you want to go get coffee?” Coffee was Jaemins guilty pleasure. He never needed an excuse or to be persuaded to go get some. Yet he’s never felt so compelled to go with him now. He looked so innocent, damp hair falling into his face, warm brown eyes, and soft smile playing on his lips. Despite his outward appearances Jaemin felt a darker side tempting him to throw reason to the wind. With his sharp features, shirt pulled tight across his wide shoulders and muscular arms, and the fact that he smelled amazing Jaemin decided yet again it would be hard to be around him.
Jeno took him too his favorite little cafe. It was called Night Owl and it was only open from 7pm to 3am. It was cozy. There were private booths, bean bag chairs, and fuzzy blankets everywhere. The building was only lit by soft fairy lights and there was calming music playing in the background. Jaemin decided this place was officially his favorite spot. All the stress and pressure he was under magically disappeared here. He was about to go order when Jeno caught his wrist, turning him back to face him.
“Go grab a table in the back. The one with the chairs on the floor and the canopy overhead with the twinkle lights. It’s my favorite. I’ll order.” His soft smile made Jaemins heart beat rapidly.
“You don’t even know what I want.” Jaemin sounded like a toddler who didn’t win a fight but he didn’t like others doing stuff for him. It made him feel guilty.
“Trust me. I know more about you than you think. It’s not creepy I swear. Now go sit down.” He knew he had lost this and went to find where Jeno wanted to sit.
The area was in the back corner. It was decorated to look like a romantic outdoor patio. There were flowing curtains hanging and twinkling fairy lights hung around the ceiling. There were dozens of large pillows and cushions covering the floor along with fuzzy blankets. There was a small low sitting table in the center. There was a tv with video game consoles set up and comics in a tub. Jaemin was shocked everything was so beautiful and comfortable looking. What he didn’t understand was why was the area set up like this. Wouldn’t couples take advantage of this?
“Hey Nana.” Jeno showed up brushing past Jaemin and flopping down onto the cushions.
“Uh- Yeah,” Jaemin was partly distracted by Jeno who was cuddling into the blankets and pillows making himself look like a little kitten. “You look like a cat.” He honestly didn’t realize he said that out loud lout until Jeno started laughing his wonder laugh.
He patted a spot next to him when he started to calm down and motioned for Jaemin to join him. “Come here.”
“Sounds threatening.” He cocked and eyebrow challenging.
“Oh my lord, Nana. You are THE most stubborn person I have ever met.” Jaemin giggled and sat down next to Jeno.
“You only just met me today. You’re in no play to judge.”
“Rude. But what about all of last night and this morning when we talked? Every time you’ve heard that little voice in your head tempting you to do something dumb? Does that not count?”
“I... uh- I honestly thought I was going crazy or hallucinating. I still don’t really understand what happened. Like how did you even get into my dorm?” Jaemin play with the blankets while looking at his hand the entire time he talked. Afraid to actually look at Jeno whole confessing everything.
“Oh! That- oh look our food...” Jeno was interrupted by a short man with dark hair, who he thought was Ten. He put down two cups of light steamy liquid and various plates of desserts before leaving with a wink.
“Okay first I thought we were getting coffee. Second resume the confession of breaking into my dorm.” Jaemin stared disappointedly at the cup of tea.
“You need to cut back on the coffee it’s unhealthy to drink so much. Also the vanilla tea will help you relax. Secondly I didn’t break in. The door was unlocked.”
“Vanilla tea? Why exactly?”
“Vanilla tea for the vanilla boy.” Jaemin gasped at his statement. He wasn’t offended but he never suspected Jeno to say something like that. Jeno raised his eyebrows at Jaemin before they both burst into laughter.
“Wait- the door was definitely locked though.” Jaemin narrowed his eyes questioningly.
“Okay fine. Drink the tea then I tell you.” Jaemin didn’t answer and began eating. He honestly wasn’t even sure he wanted an answer. Instead he focused on trying all the desserts in front of him.
A while later Jeno turned to look toward Jaemin, who was found to be cuddled in a pile of blankets and pillows. He looked so small and delicate making his heart race and his pupils dilate. “You satisfied with your snack?”
“Yes. Now spit out the truth before I whack you.” Jaemin yawned a little and cuddled further into his blankets.
“Okay. So basically as your guiding consciousness comes with some... abilities. For instance I can summon you to wherever I am, become invisible, and kinda show up wherever I want.”
“Mhm. Seems reasonable. Anything else Superman?”
“I-uh.... Yes?”
“Continue.” Jaemin looked up at him with his big doe like eyes and Jeno felt like he was melting.
“Well... We are like kinda linked mentally. I can basically read your thoughts and influence what you think. Also I can make whatever I want appear, within reasonable cause. That’s kinda it.”
“Huh.... So I’m like your puppet?”
“Oh God! No! I can only do this to help you.”
“You said you were basically my temptation, right?”
“Yeah.” Jeno shifted awkwardly. He never imagined having this conversation with Jaemin, especially while he was curled up looking so tiny. He made Jeno want to risk it all.
“What does that mean...?”
“I- well- I’m basically the voice that tells you to do bad things or give into something alluring. I’m honestly not that bad.”
“What if I like bad?” Jaemin sat up and leaned closer to Jeno. His hair was messy from laying down and he had a sleepy look look on his face. Which contrasted greatly to the smirk that dance on his lips and mischief in his eyes. Jeno was at a loss for words looking at his plump pink lips. After a moment Jaemin started talking slowly again. “So you being temptation is what is making me want to kiss you right now?”
“I-uh-That’s attraction?...” Jeno breathes out shakily. Nervousness was pulsing through his veins. Before either of them know it the plushness first the pillows and blankets below them disappeared. The twinkle of the soft lights were replaced by darkness lit by a small lamp and they toppled onto the ground. Jeno cushioning Jaemins fall.
“What the hell?” Jaemin sat up immediately looking confused. “Are we in my dorm room?” He glanced over towards Jeno looking for answers and was met with a sheepish look as he backed into the couch.
“Sorry I do that when I’m- Um- nervous.” Jaemin couldn’t help but to laugh lightly at the cute guilty look on his face.
“You just, I don’t know, teleport when you get nervous?”
“Uh- sometimes?”
“Why?” Jaemin pushes hoping to find an answer that wouldn’t make him sad.
“You were very close and-“
“Kiss me.” Jaemin pulled Jeno closer by the fabric of his shirt. Their noses touching and Jeno’s hot breath on his neck. Heat radiated of the older boy. A giddy feeling building up in pit of Jaemins stomach in anticipation of what was going to happen. Jeno slowly raised one hand to cup Jaemin’s face while the other fell to his hip pulling him closer. The bodies were flush against each other. The only thing heard was shaky breaths and their heart beats. When Jeno’s hands touch Jaemin burned, so good and he craved more. He clutched his shirt tighter, Jeno getting the hint closing the remaining space between him and Jaemin.