Matching Key (JoongNine AU)

Code X

Joong

"Joong, wake up", the sweet voice called for me to be awake. I smiled without opening my eyes and just held him tighter. I snuggled with my face to inhale the scent on his skin.

"Joong, we will be late again!", he said trying to fend off my light kisses on his neck.

"Who caused me to be addicted to this, hmm? You shouldn't have started if you can't take all of me".

"And you mister, started off frozen and now too mellow, sticking to me too much liked a shadow". I stopped kissing his jaw and pushed myself up to look at him, so gorgeous, even just awaken and rumpled.

"The other pair would be jealous, have they known the pleasure in small details such as this; sleeping in each other's embrace, waking up together, getting  morning kisses. Now, I wonder how come the Enforcer never taught me this before?"

"Don't tell them, Joong. I believed, as long as we are silent, nothing would befall us", he said and caressing my cheeks. His eyes looked dim.

"If this is wrong, then why does my whole being responded to you? They made a key, for what then?"

"Control. Without a key, they can't control the selection. Other keys don't have the mind of their own, except me..."

"Is that why you liked to provoke me so?", I teased him, but also worried when listening to his words.

"Not to provoke. To enlighten. We are not supposed to go backwards. The survival of the foetus; it is an old world wrongful way, of terrorising others with aggression. Now, they wanted to control everything, by selecting whom they wanted only, in the hope of making a perfect, peaceful world. But, this is not a way to live, Joong. This world, is dead".

"Stop, please. Your words; I'll talk with them later, to better understand". He pulled me down and hugged me tight, "No!. If you do, everything will end". I didn't understand, but I returned his tight hug in double.

"Joong...please, wake up, I can't breathe, you are crushing me with your hold, urghhh, Joong...". I was suddenly aware of my stiffened muscles, and the weight on top of me. I loosened my hold, but accidentally pushed Nine away when I sat up in shock. Immediately, I switched on the whole bedroom lights after hearing the painful grunts, and saw Nine who was kneeling near the bed and rubbing his back that had hit the floor hard.

I inhaled in shock and went down from the bed to rub his back too. "Sorry, Nine, so sorry. I...didn't know what just happened...sorry. This must hurt...".

Nine was hissing, and shut his eyes for a minute to contain the pain. When the initial pressure had lessened; the swift pain reduced; only then, he slowly took calming breaths. I carried him onto the bed and asked him to lay on his front, so that, I could massage his back till the pain vanished.

"I'm sorry...It seems, I am a walking disaster to you...", I said and sighed heavily.

"Are you having a bad dream, Joong?. Your hold was crushing...".

"Will you judge, if I tell you what it is?"

"Judged? Why?".

"I...dream of you. No, let me correct it, I dream of us".

"Fighting? Is that why your body was so stiff?"

"Ermm, not fighting...we were, urmm, lovers". I could hear even if a pin drop right now, because, Nine was silent while holding his breath, and taking his time to say his words.

"Well, might be, because we sleep holding each other. Sometimes dream is a continuation of what happened, or sometimes it is just random, liked a fantasy world or something. Yes...err, that must be the cause...".

"Alright, maybe, that's just it...", I agreed, just to ease the awkwardness and to stop the need to give further explanation. This was because, it happened just liked that buzz again. Something about the skin connection, causing this buzz in my head. Maybe, it was Nine's face that moved to the crook of my neck; or my face that was buried in his hair; whatever close contact that had caused that buzz, was really out of my control. It happened, when it happened.

Why did Nine exist in Another Earth, was beyond my knowledge. Why did that buzz keep messing with my head, was also, a mystery. Is this part of the Hunters' play? But, they could only read me when I connected with Nine's mind and feeling. This, couldn't be from him, because he doesn't exist in Another Earth.

"Is the pain still there?", I asked Nine again after massaging him for some time. Silence. "Nine?", I called again softly, but still, no response. I turned around to the other side of the bed, and saw that he had fallen back to sleep. He must be really tired, both physically and emotionally. I caressed his bangs that was covering his eyes, carefully, to smoothen it a little and then covering him with a blanket. Again, I smiled, without meaning to.

I covered the floor with some extra towels that I brought, wore three layers of clothes to warm myself up, switched off the light and laid down again to sleep on the floor. I wanted to let him sleep comfortably till morning; he needed the rest.

I wanted to trust my instinct, that told me, it was not a dream but a memory. But, how could a memory be there when you never even experienced them? I looked at my tattoo that glowed brightly in the darkened room. How long could I retain this glow? Seems liked, it fades faster than I predicted. I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes again, replaying the sweet and bitter scene that I saw in my mind just now. Had I ever done that? Was that...love?

I didn't know how long it took for me to finally fall asleep, but the next time I opened my eyes, the room was already basked with light that seeped in between the slightly ajar curtain, and I was covered with the thick blanket taken from the rumpled bed.

Nine had already left for work. I sat up and stretched my stiffened muscles. When I stood up, I saw that a note was left on the table.

[I won't give you money, you have to work to earn it. If you're awake already, then, come down to the beach].

I was glad that he's alright, and back to being his determine self. Seemed liked, he's giving me a chance to earn my stay, not to push me away. I took my towel, washed up, and prepared to face a battle of will, for another day.