Lee Jeno Drabble - Tumblr Posts

i’m bored out of my miiind but i know damn well that i’ve got homework piling up in my laptop… welp! i come with a non-idol!jeno x college!reader.
warning/s: heavy angst :(, jeno kinda being an ass, reader gets scolded by their prof because of low grades.
i love you, so — ljn.
in which love has taught you that letting go is part of the journey.
—
being in love with lee jeno was easy. with his beautiful smile and heart of gold, falling for him felt inevitable. you both had been high school sweethearts, your schoolmates gushed over the two of you—watching as you both pined over the other for months.
“just ask him out, y/n!” your best friend siwoo encourages, her cheeks puffing with the sweet tea that was served along with your lunch in the cramped cafeteria. you felt your face burn at the thought. jeno was assigned as your seatmate in chemistry the previous year and he was once again placed next to you in your trigonometry class that year.
siwoo smiles at the pink covering your cheeks, her hand coming up to shove you by your shoulders. “you’re such a whipped fool! he obviously is too, so what’s stopping you?”
you falter at her question, thinking about the amount of girls who also noticed jeno’s amazing personality and bright expressions. jeno certainly was not lacking in terms of admirers and he knew that. but each and everytime, he’d accept the various girls’ chocolates and gifts with a small smile on his face—hushed whispers of gentle rejections and apologies would leave his lips time and time again. you didn’t feel like having your heart bruised in that way, your feelings for him were pure—raw. you were only 16, and with jeno being your first major crush in a long time, you certainly weren’t ready for that kind of heartbreak.
but, to jeno, you were the one girl he was actually hoping to approach him. it wasn’t like he didn’t want to do it on his own, more like he was too scared to. sure, he had a lot of admirers in his grade and even in the ones above him, but none of them really had his heart racing, the thought of grasping your hand in his was the only thing that consumed his thoughts when you both would be diligently writing notes for the classes you shared together, trigonometry especially.
so as the year drew to a close—jeno works up the courage to ask you out. his friends sniggering nearby, his normally pale cheeks were bright pink as his hand reached up to scratch at the back of his neck nervously. you were thoroughly amused at the sight, lee jeno who was usually very composed and organized was standing in front of you stuttering and stumbling over his words.
“h-hi y/n! um—i was just uh wondering if you were um… free this friday? or anytime really!” he’d internally cringe, the invitation not coming across as comfortable or fluid as he wanted it to be. “hey! uh yeah i’m free friday after school… what’s got you asking that though?”
you smile at him and he nearly doubles over from the amount of butterflies fluttering in his stomach.
“then um…would you mind going out on a date with me? on friday. after school.” he smiles, the nervousness clear in his eyes as you stare at him—momentarily stunned. to you, he looked absolutely adorable, one hand on the strap of his backpack and the other sitting on the back of his neck. your eyes catch the heads of na jaemin and mark lee peaking from the end of the hall, their eyes curious and excited—their cheeks tinting after being caught.
with a smile, you agree. not just to your first date at this mall jeno takes you to that friday, but to the next date at the movies, another at the library, and another at this run down cafe you both soon decide to be your regular date spot.
where it all goes wrong, you wouldn’t know. people often ask you what happened and truthfully, you couldn’t give them a proper explanation. not to your worried best friend once she sees the redness of your eyes and puffiness of your cheeks, not to your worried parents when they see just how much you’ve lost weight.
they didn’t understand why suddenly the frames of you and jeno around your room were taken down and locked away in a taped cardboard box. your heart clenched at the emptiness of your room walls, your skin already missing the feeling of the charm bracelet he had gifted you just as you both had graduated from high school.
when college had rolled around, you were scared. and so was he, but that feeling quickly dissipated as you enjoyed your summer together—laughing with your hands swinging between the two of you, crying at the saddest movies while cuddled up in the other’s arms, and rejoicing when you discovered you were accepted into the same college. life seemed to be going smoothly, your heart only growing to love the beautiful boy.
“i’ll call you, yeah? i have a long day but i shouldn’t be back at my dorm later than six.” he promised as he pressed a kiss to your cheek, running towards huang renjun—one of his long time best friends since high school. they waved at you as you both went your separate ways.
true to his word, jeno did call. he always did. it was his way of making sure you were okay and despite not being able to stay in each other’s arms at night—seeing your face and hearing your voice was all he needed for a good night’s sleep and a wonderful morning as he opens is phone to a sweet ‘good morning :)’ from you.
but the days had gotten rough. jeno slowly stops calling, but you understand, college wasn’t an easy thing—and to demand calls from your boyfriend would never be something you could put onto him. so, you continue on with your days. smiling and laughing with your classmates as you stress over the upcoming finals.
the first fight was very subtle. his change of behavior confused you, jeno was straightforward, so if something was wrong he would’ve told you by now. and when your schedule permits—you’re knocking at his door with your hand tightly gripping the strap of your bag.
“oh. hey y/n!” renjun smiles, ushering you in as he yells for jeno, the boy had just come out of the shower—his wet hair and slightly wet jeans say as much, and his eyes shine with surprise seeing you standing in the middle of their dorm.
“jeno.” you breathe, your lips tugging into a small smile st the sight of your boyfriend. he returns the smile, renjun silently excuses himself to give the both of you your own time.
you watch us as he awkwardly takes his seat on his bed, “i just wanted to check up on you. you uh—haven’t been calling lately so…”
jeno swallows, his hand reaching to scratch the back of his neck as he mumbles his reply.
“yeah. finals have been kind of rough, you know?” you not in agreement. the tests have been killing you as well, you wouldn’t deny that. but you couldn’t help but feel the awkward tension in the small room as a weird silence engulfs the two of you.
“so uh—why else are you here, y/n?” jeno’s question roots you to your spot near his door. you didn’t know why the simple question hurt you, but your heart ached all the same.
“um… no reason, i guess. i just missed you..?” you mumbled, rubbing your arm as you watched jeno’s eyes widen in surprise.
“oh… i’m sorry, y/n.” he sighs slightly, prompting you to come closer and wrap his arms around you.
you wouldn’t see him much even after that day, after cuddling in his arms and exchanging stories until renjun comes back from wherever he had wandered off too.
“have you seen your grades ms. y/l/n?! they’re awful! how can you expect to stay in this school when your grades are as horrid as these!” your proeffesor shouts, papers scattering as he slams yours onto his table. you were standing in front of him, your head hanging low as your heart pounds against your chest.
“get out. i expect to see improvement or else i’m dropping you from my class.” you bow in respect, murmuring a small applogy before rushing out of the suffocating room.
the world seems to be spinning, your mind wanting nothing more than to see jeno. the tears gathering in your eyes sting as you try your hardest not to cry. you’re shaking as you pull out your phone, your fingers immediately going to open up your chat with your boyfriend.
you: hey. are you free?
your message is simple, and jeno reads it almost immediately. you watch as the small chat bubble bounces in the corner of your screen—and his response comes quick.
loml ljn: i’m busy. maybe another time? sorry.
of course. he was busy. it seemed he was always busy, too busy to call, too busy to talk. but you understood. it was hard and you knew that, but sometimes the world pushes you too hard.
you: even just for a call? i need you jeno :(
you breathe out shakily. feeling your heart start to race as the grip you had on your phone tightens.
loml ljn: i’m studying, y/n. i’m so sorry babe. can i call you next time?
sighing to yourself, you decide not to reply any further and opt to walk towards the small cafe sitting in the midst of your campus. the smell of coffee wafts into your nose as the happy server greets you brightly from behind the counter.
you place your order of an iced caramel macchiato before trudging towards the empty table further into the cafe. your mind was rushing as you take out your phone and plugging in your earohones to listen to any kind of music that would calm the racing heart in your chest.
one fight slowly turns to two. then three, then four, then—you lose count. you were physically tired of defending the boy simply because ‘school is hard. i get it’. but you didn’t. you didn’t understand why he had suddenly grown irritable when you would send him a simple ‘hi’ over chat. you didn’t understand why he suddenly found you to be the most annoying thing in the planet.
“will you stop dropping by?” jeno’s irritated voice pierces through you as he roughly opens the door to his dorm. his hair was disheveled—like he had just rolled out of bed. you felt bad, but you pushed yourself to stand your ground.
his eyes travel towards the plastic bag hanging from your fingers, “jeno, i just wanted to talk.”
he scoffs, “and i don’t. ‘kay? i’ll see you next time, y/n.”
his cold tone snaps something in you, pushing your foot between his door and the wall, preventing the boy from closing it fully.
“i’m tired, jeno. what’s going on?” you breathe exasperatedly, you could only take so much. your heart hurt at the growing distance between you two. what happened?
“nothing! will you stop being pushy?!” jeno growls, his eyes narrowing into slits as they glare straight at you. you flinch, which goes unnoticed by the boy, so you choose to ignore it too.
your heart pounds, watching your boyfriend grow increasingly more angry with you. but no. you needed answers and you needed them now.
“why can’t you tell me what’s going on? there’s obviously something bothering you. jeno, i love you! so—“
“and i don’t!”
the world seems to slow around you. the silence that follows his confession is deafening. his chest is rising and falling, the anger rolling off him in waves. his eyes stare coldly into yours, and you feel your heart break when you can’t seem to find any sort of remorse in his eyes.
“what?” your whisper is small, broken. but the teenage boy doesn’t seem to care.
“i don’t love you. not anymore. you’ve become so needy! so clingy, so—“
your sniffle cuts him off. you weren’t one to cry easily—or he didn’t know you to easily cry. the only times he’s ever seen you cry was over the notebook one summer ago. he watches as the tears fall from your eyes—you struggle to breathe as you drop the plastic bag from your hands. a pack of both of your favorite ice cream spills from it as you bring your hands to cover your mouth.
“how long have you felt this way?” you whisper, your eyes already starting to redden. he feels a twinge of guilt in his chest as he sighs deeply.
“…about a month.”
nodding, you turn away from him. your nails digging into the palms of your hands as you slip the charm bracelet that hands from your wrist.
“y-y/n. wait—!”
“let me go, jeno.” your soft whisper surprises him, the grip he had on your wrist loosens as you drop the bracelet onto the table he and renjun had next to his dorm’s door. he lets you leave, watching silently as you close his door.
you had no idea how everything had spiralled out of control. you didn’t know, was it your fault? certainly not..? your heart ached the further you got from jeno’s dorm, the tears seemed neverending even as you lay in your bed—mind racing even as you fell asleep with your hands clutching the blanket around your body and dried tears on your cheeks.
how had it come to this? you didn’t know. and you probably never would.
—
w.c 0.8k | fluff

[ 3:38am ] around the twenty-fifth minute of attempting to calm your heartbeat back into a normal pace, you feel that staring at the wall of the bedroom has started to become overly boring, considering it hadn’t been very exciting initially. unfortunately, it wasn't doing a great job of clearing your mind either. you let out a defeated sigh into the dead bedroom air when you glance at the time, noticing it almost couldn’t be farther from morning. your head falls frustratedly into the plush of the pillow you clutch against your chest.
just then you feel jeno shift around in the sheets, and you let your eyes find him. his lips part in a gentle snore, head tilted to the side with an arm draped above it between the headboard and his tousled black hair. his position on his back allows you to see his chest rise and fall with his docile breathing; he looks so peaceful that your heart swells. you don’t want to disturb him, but you’ve exhausted your options. the cup of tea you’d made in hopes of relief grows cold on your bedside table, and every time you close your eyes you feel dizzy.
so you lay back from your crisscrossed position, shuffling a little closer to your snoozing boyfriend.
“jeno,” you breathe. nothing.
“jenooo,” you whisper again, a little louder this time, tapping softly on his chest. jeno’s lips just close in a ‘hm’ sound, the hand that’s not tangled in his bed head sliding up from his stomach to bump your hand. your nose scrunches up in a silent laugh.
you press a feathery kiss to his jaw in a gentle attempt to wake him. his eyebrows draw together and he groans sleepily as you gradually pull him from his slumber.
“are you awake?” you tease. a lazy smile pulls on jeno’s lips as he reaches up to rub his eye, and he chuckles.
“mmno, fast asleep,” he answers hoarsely. you let your head fall, resting in the crook of jeno’s neck, wrapping your arms around your boyfriend’s waist to squeeze him in a hug. jeno hums, running his fingers up and down your side under the hem of your shirt.
jeno turns his head to look at you, his sweet, sleepy eyes meeting your puffy ones. when he notices that you’ve been crying, he brings his hand up to run his thumb across your cheek. you lean into his touch.
“what's wrong, baby?”
a twinge of embarrassment pricks at you, and you swallow. “bad dream. m’sorry,” you mutter against his skin.
“don’t be sorry, pretty girl. you know you can always wake me up if you need me,” he gives you a drowsy smile, pressing a kiss to your pouty lips. “tell me about it, get it off your chest.”
jeno pulls the blanket up and rests it atop the both of you, your two bodies snuggling into one. his hands dip under to lightly trace shapes into your back, head heavy on his pillow and his eyelids droopy. you rest your head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat, steady and rhythmic like a metronome. it puts you a little more at ease.
jeno listens to every word as you describe what had happened in your dream; every odd plotline that made no sense when taken from snippets in your head and put into a somewhat cohesive sentence, but he hummed every so often to let you know he was following along.
“i know it sounds stupid, but it just-“ you gulp, feeling a bit nervous saying that a silly dream made you so uneasy.
“its not stupid,” jeno stops you. “a dream like that would freak me out, too.” his arms snake tighter around your waist to pull you in closer to him. “but im right here. nothing can hurt you as long as i love you.” his calming voice is muffled by your hair as he peppers kisses along your forehead. “and i’ll love you forever.”
a moment of quiet passes. not the aching, strangling quiet from after you’d first woken up, but a much more peaceful type of quiet.
“i think i’m dreaming now,” jeno muses after a while. you blink up at him, confused.
“there’s an angel right in front of me,” a drowsy grin pulls on jeno’s lips.
you can’t help the small blush that blooms on your cheeks, and you smirk.
“are you flirting with me?”
“me? flirting? with an angel? i could never,” jeno feigns innocence, all the while his smile says otherwise.
“go back to bed,” you roll your eyes, pushing jeno’s face away graciously. he just chuckles into your palm, pressing a sweet kiss to it.
“you first,” jeno hums happily, letting you nuzzle back into him. soon enough, jeno’s warmth lulls you back to sleep once again, his words still in your mind keeping the bad dreams at bay.
and again. » ljn



genre | angst with fluffy ending, jeno x reader, college au
word count | 2.7k
summary | you hadn’t seen jeno since you had broken up, but a new year’s party brings you back together again, physically and emotionally
warnings | argument, small mention of past relationship issues and insecurity, light swearing, teeniest alcohol mention, flashback where jeno is a dick to reader, one female pet name (pretty girl) but i think its pretty gn aside from that

tonight marks roughly one year.
it’s been an entire twelve months since the big fight that had ultimately caused the downfall of one of the most fawned over relationships on campus. in one year, you’d surprisingly- impressively, even- managed to avoid talking to him or seeing him in person at all.
which really, was your biggest motive for desperately wanting to skip out on the party tonight. you knew jeno would be there, despite the numerous attempts by all of your friends of trying to convince you otherwise. but you knew that you couldn’t bail on everyone who hadn’t seen you since you arrived back from visiting home. not to mention, everyone was going to be there. it’s new years eve, and no one misses the new years party. so you just had to swallow your pride and attend.
the fact that it was the very same party that drove you apart the year prior, however, is another major reason you’d rather just stay home.
even as you sat in your best friend’s car, you weighed your options.
“do we really have to go?”
“are you really asking me that when we’re already half way there?” ningning asks, but its less of a question and more of a statement. “i can drop you off on the street if you really want me to,” she jabs.
you groan, your head falling against the headrest and your hands sliding down your face.
“who’s to say he’s even gonna be there anyway?” karina asks from the backseat.
“stop giving me hope, everyone is going to be there.” you sulk, crossing your arms and sinking down in the passenger seat.
“then what are the chances you'll even run into him? more people more distractions, right?” giselle consoles. she had a valid point, but even the slimmest chance made you want to rip your hair out.
ningning parallel parks her car on the side of the residential road, and the house party practically lights up the entire night sky. your girlfriends chatter excitedly as their heels clack on the sidewalk, all the while you’re hoping, praying that karina and giselle are right.
but as fate would have it, not even three footsteps in the door, you spot him. and unfortunately, your presence doesn’t go unnoticed either.
jeno is stood by the fireplace, deep in conversation, but sees you almost immediately upon your arrival, like the universe was on a timer, counting down to the exact second that your eyes would meet again, not a moment too soon or too late. his lips are parted like he stopped mid sentence, and you stand dumbfounded in the doorway, staring stupidly at him as people shove past you to enter.
renjun taps jeno’s shoulder from beside him, most likely trying to bring his attention back, but jeno’s eyes never leave yours, and you see him mouth your name in response to his confused friend, making your heart flip. renjun follows his eyes, adding to the unwanted attention that’s been placed on you. jeno then suddenly takes a few steps toward you, squeezing through the dense crowd, but before you think it through, you scurry off in the other direction.
“y/n, will you stop pouting about it already?”
you enter your apartment with jeno trailing behind you, your mood extremely sour as you open the door and let it slam against the wall.
“i’m not pouting, jeno. i’m upset, do you not get that?”
“you’re so dramatic,” jeno scoffs. he kicks off his shoes and drops his jacket over the back of your couch, so nonchalant about the whole situation that it makes you even angrier.
“she was all over you!” you cry out in desperation. you’ve repeated this what seemed like a hundred times already, but no matter what you said jeno wouldn’t even attempt to understand.
or maybe, he just didn't care.
“you couldn't even bother to just tell her to stop!”
jeno rolls his eyes. “i told you, y/n, i did tell her to stop. she wouldn’t listen.”
“then that's when you walk away, jeno. push her off of you, ignore her, anything! actions speak louder than words.” your arms flail wildly as you speak. “why do i even have to explain something like this to you? i’ve told you about what’s happened to me before and-“
he’s not even looking at you.
“are you listening?! do you even give a shit about how i feel right now?”
“not when you’re acting like this, y/n.” he drones, tapping away at his phone screen. “maybe if you’d just calm down and acted a little less crazy i’d be more inclined.”
all you feel is red. red from the sting of tears muddling your line of vision. red from the prick of your nails digging into your palms as they grip into fists at your sides. red for the old wound he’s just slashed open.
your voice is low and calm when you speak again.
“get the fuck out of here, jeno.”
only then does he decide to look at you.
“babe-” the smallest hint of guilt crosses his eyes, but he’s burned the bridge already. he reaches a hand out toward you, but you step back as if he’s venomous.
“get out!” you screech, not even caring that it rattles the walls. jeno flinches back. with a huff, he grabs his things and stomps out the door, slamming it behind him.
against all odds, everywhere you look, he’s there.
you see him when you’re seated by the tv watching a tipsy group of freshman struggle to get through a round of a dancing game; he’s sitting on the opposite end of the couch, laughing when they stumble.
and again, when you’re outside soaking in the fresh air; he’s got the attention of everyone lounging in the hot tub, telling them stories behind the constellations visible from the deck.
and again, when you’re reaching into the fridge for another drink; he’s pouring shots for swooning girls at the kitchen island.
always suspiciously close, yet just far enough away.
you initially thought it to be just an unfortunate coincidence, but the house was much too big and had too many other places to be. he’s attracting way too much attention to himself in such ways that it’s impossible for him not to be pining for yours in particular.
enough is enough. you decide that if jeno wants a show, you’ll give him a show.
the basement is the one place left in the house where you hadn’t seen him. its a cozy little space, with sports banners and posters of swimsuit clad models cluttering the walls, and along with the pair of couches there's a large pool table. you watch as your friend jaemin stands beside it, twirling his pool cue in his hands, laughing at something haechan had said. you swirl the liquid around in your red solo cup, an idea brewing in your mind.
right on time, you see jeno descend the staircase. you stand, walking over to jaemin.
“help me with something,” you whisper into his ear. he gives you a curious look, but when your eyes flick over to jeno, jaemin understands immediately and gives you a subtle nod.
it’s no secret to you- or to anyone, really- that jeno is watching you. you can feel his eyes on you, burning your skin as you grab the cue from jaemin’s hand and lean over the bright green table to shoot a striped ball into a pocket. jaemin gives you a charming smile, complimenting your technique. his bubblegum hair reminds you of the color jeno’s was before the breakup. it’s never bothered you before, but your heart involuntarily twists at the thought.
you hum, rounding the table to stand right beside your pink haired friend, scanning for the right ball to shoot in next. you lift your cue to point at the number ten ball, turning to jaemin, tilting your head.
“i don’t think i can get this one on my own, do you mind helping me out?” you ask smoothly, dragging your fingers up his arm. your friend picks up quickly, smirking down at your innocently pouty expression.
“sure thing, pretty,” jaemin hums with faux flirtation. he does a flawless job of dragging his hands along all of the parts your body that were jeno’s favorites, and you can almost feel his stare burn hotter. you not-so-subtly bite down a grin as jaemin leans over you, breathing heavily down your neck as he guides the cue through your arms, shooting the ball directly into a pocket.
after watching from the corner for a while, jeno begins to make his way towards you, telling you that he’s had enough of staying arms length away.
“you’re not subtle,” jeno says bluntly. its directed at you, but he’s glaring at jaemin.
you scowl, casually chalking up the tip of the cue you hold. “a bit narcissistic to think this is about you, don’t you think?” you hadn't expected those to be the first words you’d spoken to him in a year.
“do you mind?” jaemin interjects, his hand resting on your hip. “we’re in the middle of something.”
the tension in the room rises.
“well, whenever you’re finished,” jeno spits through his teeth. he shifts his eyes down toward you then, his gaze just a little bit softer. “i’d be really grateful if you’d meet me outside. i wanna talk to you, if you’ll let me.” and with that he’s gone.
after serious contemplation, you do decide meet him outside, despite a very sensible voice in your head telling you not to. as soon as you slide open the glass door and step out onto the grass, he’s leaning against the side of the house, closer to you than he’s been all night- all year. this close up view of him makes your heart flutter more than you’d ever be willing to admit in the moment. his hair is a shade of brown you’ve never seen on him, but his eyes glimmer just the same as they always have when he looks at you.
“long time no see, baby,” he greets you, the corner of his mouth tipped up in a small somber looking smile.
“that’s not my name.”
“it used to be,” he replies. you roll your eyes.
“what do you want, jeno?” it’s harder to say his name out loud than you thought it would be.
“i know you’ve been thinking about it, too,” he says softly, a very sharp contrast from the vibe he’s been presenting to other partygoers the entire night. the bass thumping upstairs is synched with your heartbeat. you still can’t bring yourself to look directly at him. “there’s no other reason you’d pull a stunt like that. jaemin is handsome, sure, but he’s not your type.” you fold your arms, slumping a bit. you hate that he’s right; that you haven’t changed enough during the time that’s passed and he can still read you like an open book.
“doesn’t feel so good, does it?”
jeno swallows, his head bowing forward to fix his eyes on his feet.
“i wanted to say i’m sorry.”
you turn to look at him then, your brows raised. “isn’t it a little late for that?”
“you blocked my number,” he says; you’d almost forgotten you had, in fact, blocked him on just about everything. “i couldn’t get a hold of you in person, either.
but i didn’t know what to say even if i could. there’s no excuse for what i said to you, and an ‘i’m sorry’ doesnt cut it.”
the look jeno is giving you is so genuine that its hard to breathe. all of a sudden your facade begins to crumble. “i can’t- i’m not doing this, not right now,” you tell him dolefully, turning around to slip back into the house, but he catches your elbow; his grip is soft, unthreatening, unmalicious.
“please, please just listen to me, i’m begging you.” when you turn around he’s on his knees, looking up at you with a pleading look on his face and your hand is clasped between both of his own. you despise how he looks so beautiful in the dim moonlight.
“jeno.” you blink your tears away. “don’t beg for me, please.”
he tugs lightly on your wrist, and reluctantly you sink down to kneel in front of him on the grass.
“i haven’t had a full night’s sleep in a year. every time i dream, its about you. believe me y/n i've tried so hard to let it go but the things i said to you still haunt me.”
his eyes flicker across yours, glistening with tears of his own, searching for something he can grab onto. the floodgates holding your emotions in begin to crack at a rate that’s too quick for you to keep up with. “you, you knew how i felt, about things like that,” your voice stutters, your lip quivers. “you knew, and, and you still-“ you choke on a sob.
“i know. y/n i’m so sorry,” he gingerly lifts a hand to your face, pausing for a moment, but when you don’t lean away or swat at him, his thumb brushes your cheek to wipe a tear away that’s just fallen from your lashes, tenderly tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear. “thinking about how i made you feel that night makes me so disgusted with myself. i never ever wanted to hurt you, but the fact is that i did and i can’t forgive myself for that.”
a moment of quiet passes between you. you wipe at your face with the sleeve of your sweater over and over but your tears don’t stop and the runaway drops fall onto your bare knees.
“do you remember when we won king and queen of prom court in high school?”
his sudden question puzzles you. you look up at him, and you see the real jeno. your jeno, soft and simple and so full of love.
“we went out for ice cream after the dance. it was the first night i told you i loved you.
and again, when we went to your sister's wedding together. you accidentally spilled red wine on my favorite white dress shirt. you were trying so hard not to cry, but i told you it didn’t matter, because i loved you.
and again, when we took your little brother and his friends out to that laser tag place for his birthday. we played one on one, and when you asked me why i let you win, i told you it was because i loved you.
and again, when you broke your wrist falling off the old tire swing in your front yard. you asked me why i came over every night to feed you dinner, even though you didn’t need the help, and i told you it’s because i loved you.”
“what are you doing?” you cut him off before he can continue any further, your voice small and trembling.
“i’m telling you that i still love you.”
he scoots forward on the ground, his body now so close to yours that you can feel his warmth. “i know i don’t deserve it, but all i’m asking for is another chance to love you right, the way you deserve to be loved.” his fingers cling tightly to your hand he still holds as he speaks.
“i don't know where you stand, so you’ve got all the power in your hands right now. stay here with me, and i’ll know we’re on the same page. turn around, and i’ll leave you alone, and you won’t see me again. it’s your choice, and i won’t judge you either way. your word is the final word.”
you feel heavy. his sweet words and the smell of his familiar cologne are intoxicating, but you do know you have the ability to get up and walk away right now if you want to.
but… do you want to?
the painful racing of your heart reminds you that no matter what, no matter how long you’ve been apart, you love jeno. you always have you and always will.
you raise a hesitant arm, placing your shaking hand lightly on his shoulder, and he draws in a breath. your fingers dance upward, contemplating, lips parted slightly with hazy breaths. cupping his jaw, you lean upward, brushing your lips against his in the lightest kiss, testing the waters.
you ignite. suddenly you’re full of such a serene feeling of home, a feeling you hadn’t realized had been absent from your life from the second you pushed him out of it. all the memories you’d tried so hard to keep at bay come rushing back with the image of a soft and smiley jeno; one who’s never had anything but love for you. jeno sees your eyes light up, and he smiles dreamily at you. in an instant, you’ve never been more sure of anything.
you press yourself up against him, pulling him down into your lips, and he wraps you up in his arms. even though the house is filled with the sounds and heat of other people, it’s only you and jeno in the entire world. you pull away when you can’t control your cries anymore, burying your face in his neck instead.
“i’m sorry,” your voice wobbles as you let out the words, but jeno sweetly hushes you, rocking you back and forth in time with the rhythm of the muffled music.
“no apologies from you, pretty girl. none of this is your fault.” you feel the weight of the world lifted from your shoulders. he presses a gentle kiss to your temple, resting his chin on top of your head.
“i love you,” he reassures you. and he does again, and again, and again.
paranoia » njm + ljn



‼️currently being edited and rewritten!! i didn’t really like the pacing so i’m revamping it, check back soon‼️
genre | smut (mdni!!) jaemin x afab!reader x jeno
word count | 3k
summary | an innocent game of paranoia with your friends while on a ski trip makes you realize that maybe you never knew you wanted to fuck your boyfriend jaemin’s best friend. and maybe, your boyfriend is okay with that.
warnings | smut, swearing, alcohol consumption, threesome, unprotected sex but he pulls out, established relationship with jaemin, jeno is shy and a little bit of a perv ig?, dom!jaem sub!jen basically, cuckolding, lots of pet names from jaemin he’s a sweetie pie
a.n | this fic was purely self indulgent lmaoo, when i would go on choir ski trips in high school we would always play paranoia in the hot tub at the resort (no nomin threesome though unfortunately ugh unfair) and my bestie and i had major brainrot one day a few years later and uhh this was born!
also if anyone doesn’t know what paranoia is, basically you get a group of friends and sit in a circle, one person whispers a “who in the group is most likely to” type question to the person next to them so the rest of the group doesn’t hear it, and then they answer it out loud. if the person who asked wins rock paper scissors the other person has to reveal what the question was, but if they lose then the question remains a secret (i added the caveat that if you lose and you really don’t want to tell you can take a shot as a safety)

“ooohhh,” haechan muses, his hand scratching at his chin. he glances around the circle of his friends surrounding him in the hot tub, eyeing everyone very intently and contemplating the question ningning had just whispered in his ear.
“probably renjun,” he answers after some thought.
“renjun??” ningning gapes. “my money was totally on mark.”
“shut up! you’ll give it away!” haechan hisses.
the pair turn to each other and present their fists. after three slaps to their hands, ninging lets out a ‘ha!’ when her two fingers snip at haechan’s open palm.
without missing a beat, haechan reaches into the middle of the circle, snatching one of the pre-prepared shots sitting in a slot in a little yellow floaty.
“you loser!” ningning yells. “was it not you who said you’re a pussy if you chicken out when i took a shot?”
“cry about it.” haechan throws the shot back down his throat and tosses the little plastic cup behind him to clatter on the wet tile. suddenly ningning grabs haechan by his shoulders and in one swift motion his head is completely underwater. his arm holds his fruity blue cocktail high in the air so as to not spill it, but it still sloshes around as he flails, frantic bubbles rising up to the surface. jisung reaches forward and grabs the floaty to pull it away from the chaos and keep the shots from dancing across the water.
haechan resurfaces when ningning lets him go, coughing dramatically and wiping the water away from his eyes. “my drink! my drink!” he sputters.
you giggle at the antics of your drunken friends, but its difficult to give them your full attention when jaemin is pressed against your left side. his right hand glides across your thigh under the hot water, dangerously close to the bottom of your white bikini.
he’s paying no mind to the game. his nose is pressed against your neck, his breath feeling cold against your skin in comparison to the hot air around you. you swat at his hand when his thumb brushes against the fabric between your thighs; jaemin has never been one to shy away from public affection, especially when he’s tipsy, so you’re the one tasked with keeping him under control. you find that it's hard to care that much though, considering that even before the game began you were already three shots deep. jaemin just chuckles, lifting his free hand to brush your wet hair from your shoulder and places a hot kiss behind your ear.
you turn to look over at him, your head tilting back and to the side so your lips brush lightly against his own as you move. it's snowing, the night sky completely clouded over, but the heat from the hot tub makes the puffy white flakes dissolve in the air before they can touch the water, and they fizzle away as you watch them land in his hair. jaemin catches his bottom lip between his teeth, a dazed and loving smile matching the way his glossy eyes look at you in the winter air. you lean forward just a bit to meet him in a kiss. he sighs happily, leaning in closer to deepen it.
the game has made its way down the circle and someone grabs your attention by telling jaemin that it’s his turn. he chases your lips when you pull away, your face flushed upon remembering you aren’t alone, all the while he seems unphased.
without looking away from you he hums in thought, watching as the condensation clinging to your skin rolls down your chest. he brings a hand up to cup your ear and whispers his question.
“who’s most likely to fuck you better than me?”
even in the steamy air, the blush that rises to your face is unmistakable. your eyes widen, making a devilish smile appear on his lips.
“ohhh look at her face!” karina says coyly. “must have been a spicy question!”
you’re too stunned to speak. you’d never been conscious of it, but apparently you knew the answer to this question before even being presented with it.
your eyes then flicker over to scan your group of friends; everyone’s eyes are on you and all of a sudden you feel like you’re a second from overheating.
“you’ve gotta answer, baby. its part of the game,” jaemin teases, snapping you out of your thoughts. the smirk playing his features is mischievous; his hand slyly finds its way between your legs again, and when his fingers slip under the band of your swimsuit and press roughly against you, you blurt out your answer without being able to stop yourself.
“jeno!”
its clear everyone was under the impression that the question presented to you was intimate, and a series of surprised and boisterous hoots and hollers erupt all around you. jeno laughs nervously from a few spots down the circle, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck. you swallow hard. it's too late now to wonder if you should have just kept your mouth shut.
jaemin pulls your attention back to him. your eyes are apprehensive when they meet his; he immediately takes notice of your change in demeanor, and he gives you a sweet, reassuring smile. when you smack your hands down in sync, he waits just a second to see your fist still clenched, and he slips two fingers out of his to let you win.
“that’s cheating!!” haechan whines from across the hot tub. “you saw her play!”
jaemin just presses a soft kiss to your wet cheek and drapes his arm around your shoulders. “cry about it.”

the next morning, you wake up to the sounds and smells of breakfast being made. through the dehydration and dull headache of your small hangover, what you’d said the night prior runs rampant in your head.
you feel a strange sense of guilt gnawing at you. jaemin acted no differently than normal following your confession, but you can't shake the feeling that you’d upset him. it was his best friend's name you’d said after all, so you aren’t quite sure why he hasn't at least brought it up again.
the dream you’d just awoken from involving said best friend didn't help settle your nerves either.
you shuffle out of the sheets and walk into the kitchen of the small condo you and your boyfriend are sharing for the weekend. you take a seat on one of the barstools surrounding the kitchen island, tapping your fingers on the marble countertop as you watch jaemin from behind him. he hums to himself, dropping ingredients into a sizzling pan.
“jaem?” you start. he spins around, and he grins at you.
“good morning, my love,” he greets you, crossing the space and leaning down to kiss you.
“are you mad at me?”
in retrospect, it's a stupid question; he hadn’t given any indication that he was upset with you at all, but your worried conscience outweighs your common sense.
jaemin’s smile falls, a look of confusion replacing it. “of course not, baby, why would i be?”
“because of last night,” you mutter, your shoulders slumped.
jaemin takes a seat on a stool across from you and pauses to think. “i don’t remember you doing anything last night to make me upset, babydoll.”
“i mean, like, what i said in the hot tub.”
he blinks at you. after a second, his face lights up in realization. “what, about jeno?”
you nod, lowering your head in shame. jaemin chuckles, placing a warm hand under your jaw to bring your eyes back up. his thumb brushes against your burning skin.
“baby, why would i be mad about that? i asked you the question in the first place.”
“because he's your best friend.”
“so? as his best friend, i know better than most that he’s attractive,” he jokes. you’re honestly confused as to why he's so casual about it.
“i um- i had a dream about him last night.”
when he lifts a brow and tilts his head, you reach up to tightly squeeze his hand that still lays on your face and scramble to clarify. “but it didn't mean anything jaem, i promise! please don’t be mad, please, i really would never do anything like that-“
“baby, shh, its okay,” he cups your face in his hands, squishing your cheeks together. heavy, anxious breathing fills your chest. “i love you and i trust you, i promise i’m not upset with you, sweetheart.”
a sigh falls, your worries dissolving into the warm air. jaemin presses a kiss to your forehead. an idea seems to pop into his head just then, and he smirks.
“besides, there's no one i'd rather share my girl with than my best friend anyway.”
heat rushes up your neck again. “share?”
“well yeah, if you’re comfortable with that. i’d love to help my pretty baby bring that dream to life for a night.”

there's snow piling on the sill just outside the bedroom window, but jeno’s forehead still glimmers with a light sheen of sweat in the soft glow of the bedside lamp.
as you and the girls were on the slopes earlier in the day, jaemin pulled jeno aside to talk to him once he knew you were on board with his idea. jaemin had always known jeno thought you were pretty, it was in the way he looked at you and spoke a little softer to you than most. but it didn't bother jaemin; after all, who could really blame him? jaemin had fallen in love with you for a reason.
needless to say though, jaemin’s proposal left jeno completely shocked. he really tried to hide his crush on you so as to not upset anyone; losing his best friend over it wasn't worth the risk and he saw how in love you were, he would feel like a monster if he did anything to ruin that. so learning about your little crush on him made his heart flutter in his chest.
he would have to be an insane man to decline this offer.
so now, you kneel in front of him on yours and jaemin’s bed, your bare knees digging into the plush of the mattress. you’d just showered after your long day of skiing, and the lingering scent of vanilla has jeno reeling already.
“are you nervous?” you ask him. your shorts are riding up, disappearing behind the hem of your thin white tshirt. your hair is still damp, and the wetness seeps through the fabric, making the top of your chest slightly more visible.
jeno gives a hesitant nod, a quiet laugh slipping through his shy smile.
“me too,” you admit, matching his timid demeanor.
jaemin catches your eye from his spot by the window, the ice clinking in his frosted glass as he stands between the sheer curtains.
“she's a good girl, jen. she’ll do what you tell her, right baby?”
you turn back towards jeno and give him an innocent nod. jeno feels embarrassed by how hard he already is just from your sweet doe eyes and the way you puff your lips up in a little pout. you lean forward on your knees, your fingers gripping the sheets. your elbows push your chest forward and jeno has to remind himself he doesn't have to force his gaze away this time.
“tell me what you want, nono,” you coo. jeno swallows hard.
“show me what happened in your dream.”
you obey immediately, crawling forward and situating yourself on his lap. your fingers trace ever so delicately up his abdomen and chest; you can feel how his muscles are tense under his shirt, but when you dip down to press warm, feathery kisses to the side of his neck, the strain fades away almost instantly. you grip his shoulders and rock yourself against him. his fingers dig into your hips and he shudders at the soft, slow friction.
jaemin watches you intently, leaning his weight on his arm against the perch of the window, and he lifts his glass to take a sip. this brand new view of you absolutely captivates him; you look so.. so pretty it makes him twitch in his sweat pants.
with your lips still attached to jeno’s neck your hands find their way down his waistband. you tug at the elastic of his basketball shorts, reaching in to palm him over his boxers, eliciting a low groan that vibrates against your lips. his head falls back and his eyes flutter closed.
pulling away you scoot back enough to pull the fabric away from his waist, watching as his cock springs up and out of his shorts. you keep your gaze locked with his as you grab him by the base and drag your hand slowly up the shaft. jeno whimpers as you pump your fist up and down, squeezing every time your fingers reach the tip.
you lift yourself up and stand on your knees that sit on either side of jeno’s lap, your chest almost pressing against his face as you use his shoulders for balance. he has to suppress the moan that rises in this throat when you shove your shorts and panties off your legs and sink down onto him without warning.
your wet hair sways in front of your face as you bounce slowly up and down on him, adjusting to his length. you’re so warm and soft and you grip around him so well that jeno feels delirious; he might not be able to last long.
your lips suddenly mesh with his and he feels like he's on cloud nine. jeno’s tongue flicks into your mouth and he feels you dig your nails into the back of his neck, tugging at his hair. you whimper into his mouth as jeno kisses you like his life depends on it.
suddenly your hair is tangled in jaemin’s grip and your head is yanked back, your lips pulling away from jeno’s with a wet smack and a loud cry is ripped from your throat. your head falls back onto jaemin’s shoulder and an earth shattering whine echoes through the room. jeno feels embarrassed by the heavy groan he can't help but let out, until jaemin looks at him with a knowing smirk.
“you like that, jen? she’s very vocal.” jaemin’s free hand reaches up to squeeze the base of your neck. “isn’t that right, baby girl? you make such pretty noises when you feel good, yeah?” you nod, reaching a shaky arm up and behind you to scratch at jaemin’s shoulder. you let out a trembling whimper.
“you wanna show jen how good i can make you feel, huh?”
your swollen lips press together; a strangled ‘mhm’ is all you can manage.
jaemin then pulls your hips towards him, a sticky wet sound making you blush as jeno slips out of your folds. the empty feeling doesn't linger for long, however. jaemin replaces him immediately, slamming his hips up into you and hitting the spot that makes you crumble every time.
your face looks so beautiful to jeno in this moment, scrunched up in pleasure. jaemin’s hand still grips your hair to tilt your head back as he rams into you, his face buried in your neck leaving messy purple bruises across your skin.
jeno thinks he might just cum untouched from the sight.
one of your hands reaches out to grip jeno’s cock again in an attempt to aid him in just that, but jaemin is fucking into you so mercilessly that you can’t manage to keep up a steady pace. so jeno grips your hand in his, guiding your arm up and down. tears begin to spill through your lashes and you see stars behind your closed eyes. jeno kisses up your jaw on the side opposite jaemin, making his way up to lock his lips with your own once again.
“ah, a-ahh hah.” you begin to babble and whine and your kiss becomes sloppy. jeno knows you’re close. he begins to pump faster to reach the height you’re at, and as you clench around jaemin’s cock and scream out through your orgasm your head falls forward to rest on jeno’s shoulder. with a humiliatingly loud moan jeno cums with you, sticky thick ropes shooting out and painting your thighs a milky white.
jaemin rides you through your orgasm, and when you start to whine from overstimulation, he pulls out and let’s you fall back on his chest. your vision is blurry, your breath is labored. in jaemin’s warm arms you decide that staying completely conscious would be entirely too difficult, so you allow yourself to drift off.

later that night, you lay in bed between both jaemin and jeno, your exhausted body having been cleaned up and taken care of by the pair of boys. jeno is out cold behind you, snuggled up into your back and snoring softly.
jaemin is settled in front of you. your arms wrap around his neck as you kiss him, pressed up against his bare chest. his fingers trace along your side as he hums on your lips, moving slowly and tenderly along with you.
he grabs your chin softly in his fingers, pulling away from the kiss gently. you smile dreamily as his thumb brushes your bottom lip.
“did your dream come true, baby?” he asks, his voice breathy.
you sigh. “it was even better.”
“better?”
“of course, you were there.”
its rare that you fluster jaemin, but his eyes light up at your words and you swear you see him blush in the dim light. he grins at you, leaning down to connect your lips again.
“wait,” you say suddenly, stopping him. though its only been a short while your memory is foggy, and you realize you don't remember jaemin reaching his own high. “jaem, did you not-“
somehow, jaemin reads your mind. “don't worry about that, baby girl. i wanted you to feel good tonight.”
“noo jaem that’s not fair to you,” you whine, beginning to slide your hand down, but he catches it.
“we’ll wake jeno up if you do that, baby,” he whispers. you glace over your shoulder, noticing how jeno is basically spooning you, his face buried in the fabric of your sweatshirt between your shoulders and his arms circling your waist.
you smirk, turning back around.
“why not let him help, then?”
fall from grace » ljn



genre | angel!jeno x human!reader; fluff, slight angst at the very end
word count | 2.3k
summary | your guardian angel has always blurred the line he’s never supposed to cross, and one night he unintentionally takes that leap into territory he’s not meant to be in
a.n | this will most likely have a part two! (pt2 will be much more angsty, and possibly smutty i haven’t decided yet) also if you see something extremely similar to this on ao3 no you don’t (i wrote this as a nomin fic a few years ago and posted it there but dreamscape angel propaganda made me want to revamp it and post it again)

he hadn’t expected to end up here. or, at least that’s what he tried to convince himself. he really wasn’t supposed to be here. none of this was ever supposed to happen.
but, how could he not fall in love with you?
the way that you snort when you laugh a little too hard at something you know isn’t really that funny. the pout that cutely displays on your lips when you give something your full focus. the little noises you make in your sleep when you’re dreaming. the way that you almost always trip on the crack in the sidewalk right outside your apartment building, despite living there long enough to be mindful of it.
jeno thinks about it more and more day by day; not that he even pays mind to the passage of time anymore. there was no way out, he was doomed from the start.
but, instead of the lighthearted feeling that would normally come hand in hand with love, jeno feels a weight. in any other circumstance he’d likely be considered a stalker by the way he knows every little thing about you, but that’s his obligation. jeno’s sole task is to watch over you, to keep you safe, to make you his number one priority above all else.
you aren’t supposed to know. you’re supposed to be blissfully unaware of jeno’s existence and his presence in your life, as well as any others like him.
and jeno was never supposed to fall in love.
lately- and he couldn’t tell if it was on purpose- jeno had become admittedly sloppy with keeping a safe enough space between you and him. he knows it’s no excuse, and he knows the consequences of the risk he’s taking, but the pull is just too strong. his one responsibility is to protect you, but what was the point of that if he couldn’t make you comfortable and happy? if he couldn’t love you in the way only he knows you deserve to be? he’s just fulfilling his duties, right?
how unfair, he thinks. how unfair it is that he’s forced to be so close to you, yet just far enough away that you’ll never even know.
jeno stands on your balcony, three floors up, three hours past midnight.
there’s only a wall separating you from him, and though there is the perk that you can't exactly feel his presence like you might with another human, there stands the possibility of you finding him all the same. he’s more than aware of how dangerous this is for him, to have this little of a distance between you; a relationship between a human and their guardian is never allowed to be physical or emotional in any way. he asks himself how far he is from crossing that line, how close he is from falling off of that tight rope. realistically he already has, but he finds it difficult to care.
ironically, jeno wonders if he’s been cursed or blessed. maybe both, he thinks- blessed with the fact he’s always with the human he loves oh so deeply; cursed with the fact that though he knows just how to make you smile, that smile will never really be for him.
he’s willing, though- more than willing to take that chance, despite the better part of himself advising against it (or that had been the better part of him, long long ago). if he just gets to see your surprised, sleepy little smile early the next morning when you step out to check on your favorite flowers and notice they’ve bloomed way ahead of schedule, then to jeno, its worth it.
as jeno tends to the soft peach colored petals, you sit inside, your legs tucked under you on the kitchen counter, sipping peach flavored tea and watching old cartoons on your computer. you couldn’t sleep, and tossing and turning in bed was finally out of the question after a few too many hours of dreamless silence.
your bare feet make a soft thud on the kitchen tiles when you uncross your legs and leap from the counter, making your way to grab more honey for your tea. the sound makes jeno glance up from the petals sitting between his fingers. this signals to him that you’re now on the move and that he should go, but again, the voice in his head is muted when it comes to you.
jeno takes another bud in his hands and watches as it spreads open right before his eyes at his touch. he rearranges the flowers and stems and pats down the soil as if to make it look a bit more lively, and with this, he decides he should depart before you have the chance to notice he’s here. he turns, preparing to hop the banister, but he bumps the patio table, sending an unused pot of dry dirt falling to the ground. it shatters into large shards of clay that scatter across the wood, and jeno stills.
you almost drop the glass jar at the unexpected calamity, adrenaline shooting through your body like a shockwave. a heavy spoonful of honey is frozen in the air as you hold it above your mug; it drizzles down the side of the ceramic and makes a sticky puddle on your counter. a few moments of painfully eerie silence pass and you try your best to catch your breath.
jeno stoops down to clean the mess he’s made, making certain to be as silent and quick as possible before you arrive to investigate. after your mind has time to form a theory that doesn’t involve something you’d seen in a horror film, you come to the hopeful conclusion that it must have been the wind knocking around your gardening supplies. for your peace of mind, you round the counter to pull open the curtain draped glass doors.
what you see makes you think that maybe you had fallen asleep earlier after all.
jeno looks up, stunned, frigid, crouched down with his hands full of rocks and clay and dirt. he can only imagine how he appears to you in this moment; he must look like he’s just been caught committing a crime- and it likely would be in any other set of means.
millions of worries should be swarming his head, but the only thing on his mind right now is you. your tangled hair, your fluffy pajama pants, your eyes twinkling in the moonlight and looking at him with wonder- not toward him or past him, but directly at him. it was something he’d never had the pleasure of witnessing.
your urge to cry out is suppressed by the peculiar calm feeling that settles over you the moment your eyes lock with jeno’s. even in the shadows the strange boy’s eyes seem to shine, and any thought of ill intent is sent away as quickly as it came. your brain has no time to question the unusual level headedness you feel before you start to connect the dots.
weirdly, you recognize him, but your mind blanks when you try recalling from where. though, you really figured that you’d remember something like this if you’d seen it before. it takes jeno standing, letting the soft starlight paint his nervous face and his shimmering wings for you to be able to connect him to any sort of a tangible memory.
you’d never actually known his name, or from where he came, but you did know of him.
the boy you’d spotted leaving the cafe after the barista had told you that your coffee was already paid for on the morning you were running late for your psychology lecture. the boy you’d seen scanning shelves in the campus library when you saw your favorite novel sat next to your course work upon returning from the counter to ask if they had it in yet. the boy you’d seen walking down the pavement when you’d whipped your tipsy head around after being yanked back by your hoodie just before you stepped into the street, a blaring car horn and a rush of wind whisking your hair up as all you could do was stare at his figure as he strolled away from you.
other instances that you’d had no concrete explanations for began to surface in your mind the longer you studied him. the closed window and extra blanket the night you’d accidentally fallen asleep before a severe thunderstorm. the carton of fresh milk in your fridge you could’ve sworn you’d forgotten to pick up from the market. your favorite white sweater miraculously being completely unharmed after a pink sock snuck its way into the wash.
you knew all of these occurrences and the same boy being present could be purely coincidental, but something about that was just too hard to believe. you always meant to approach him when you saw him in your day to day life, but the courage to make the move and close the distance between you never arose.
‘what an angel,’ you’d always said to yourself when you’d see him. you never would’ve guessed you were right.
when jeno finally snaps out of his trance, remembering the predicament he’s gotten himself into, he turns to really leave before he lands himself in any more trouble. he spreads his huge white wings, the ones that had always been hidden when you were near, and flaps them once to lift himself into the air. a gust of chilled wind flutters your pajamas and pulls the breath from your lungs as you gawk at him.
you try to speak, to tell him not to go, but your voice won’t come out. before jeno can get too far, and before you can think of something less hazardous, you run forward and hoist yourself up on the railing to grab jeno’s ankle in an attempt to stop him from fleeing. at that same moment jeno flaps his wings again, not thinking that the sudden weight on his leg could be you, and as a result you’re pulled from the rail and out into the open, three stories above solid ground.
a strangled yelp jumps from your throat as you dangle in peril. jeno’s head snaps down, and his eyes widen as they meet your figure, clinging to him and flailing wildly. your grip rapidly begins to slip from jeno’s body. your mind races around the realization that this could very well be the end; in an instant you feel the cold night wind rushing up around you, whisking your hair towards the sky, blurring the buildings and skyline together and your breath is caught in your lungs as all you can do is fall.
just as soon as it happened, you collapse into jeno’s open arms with an ‘oomph’ when he catches you before you can meet any harm. you immediately wrap your entire body around him and squeeze your eyes shut, letting out a trembling and fearful cry into his neck. hot tears threaten to spill down your cheeks and the height makes you lightheaded. you’re shivering as jeno lifts you both up to the balcony once again.
it’s bittersweet for jeno to see you this close. you’re so stunningly beautiful, more so than jeno could have ever imagined. your eyes finally open to meet jeno’s when you feel yourself safely sitting on your balcony, curled up under jeno’s kneeling figure. they glisten with tears and your soft face appears to glow in the moonlight. jeno’s heart grows wings of its own to soar through his chest; he may be the angel, but you are angelic.
a very nervous laugh bubbles out of you, your face blooming with a deep red at the sudden realization of your very close proximity to one another, and the embarrassment of the stunt you’d just pulled. one of your arms still drapes around the back of jeno’s neck, the other hand pressed to his chest, revealing jeno’s rapid heartbeat that matches that of yours. jeno’s arms are still wrapped around your waist. he never wants to let go.
“i-mh,” you stutter a bit, and gulp. “i’m sorry,” a sheepish smile pulls at your lips. your voice is much breathier than you’d wanted it to come out.
jeno’s features are sharp, but his expression is soft. tufts of his silvery white hair flit around in the crisp breeze and he looks at you, admires you, his gentle eyes flickering across your face like he’s committing you to memory. his fingers comb gingerly through your windswept hair, pushing it away from your flushed neck and tucking it behind your ear.
his eyes suddenly shift down when your hand meets his jaw, the tips of your fingers ghosting over his cheek. his skin tingles under your timid touch.
you’ve never seen anything like him.
“you’re.. so pretty.”
“thank you,” jeno breathes out through a dazed smile. as you relax a bit, jeno feels your fingers brush delicately against the indents you had made on his shoulders; your grip is softer now, but no less fervent.
“i’m jeno,” he tells you. your eyes meet his again. his heart skips a beat when you cup his face fully, your thumb smoothing over the expanse of his cheek; its warm under your touch.
“thank you, jeno.”
a short beat of time passes, and in a sudden surge of bravery, you lean forward to connect your lips in a kiss. jeno’s heart stops then, his feathers standing and his eyes wide, utterly overwhelmed with the cordial feeling of the one he loves so suddenly embracing him.
jeno decides to throw all caution to the wind. he wastes no time in sliding his hands up your neck to cradle both sides of your jaw, turning his head to let the kiss deepen. his eyes flutter closed and his wings relax, and the sigh he lets out sends hot air onto the peaks of your blushing face, making you melt into his hold. you can’t tell if the warmth that spreads through your body as your lips move in perfect sync is from jeno’s celestial form, but you’ve never felt such a rush from just a single kiss.
but it’s not otherworldly, because jeno feels it, too.
all of a sudden jeno feels the crushing sense of his time running short. he reluctantly pulls away from the kiss; you chase his lips as he leans back.
“i’m sorry, i’m not supposed to be here.”
your fingers grip his shoulders again. a wave of sadness crashes over him when he sees the somber look in your eyes.
“don’t go,” you whimper. jeno’s heart throbs. he would consider it a moment of weakness, only that's all he ever felt when it came to you. he kisses you once more, quick this time, and he feels himself ready to break.
“i’ll come back. i promise.”
with that, he’s gone.
you didn’t end up sleeping that night.
the tea in the mug that hangs loosely in your grip has gone cold by now. you sit in the same spot on your balcony, staring longingly up at the star speckled night sky.