Matching Key (JoongNine AU)

Code XIX

Joong

"There, the bed is ready. Sleep tight, you must be tired coming here directly after working outside of the city... ", I said, after plumping the pillows and putting a fresh blanket on the bed.

"Where will you sleep?".

"On the sofa at the living room. It's alright, sometimes I slept there too while watching the movie", I said and about to go out. But, Nine grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

"We'd done this before, sharing a bed smaller than this too, and nothing happened...", he said, in a rush.

"Sleep here? Together?", I was a bit confused, and asked to confirm. Nine nodded. "Won't you feel uncomfortable, Nine?". I could see him gulped a few times, his eyes were assessing and his words, one that he suddenly found the courage to speak out, left me to be the one in silence, "I missed it, sleeping while being held...by you. It was warm, and I felt...protected".

"Nine...", I hesitated...Should this continue? It will lead to nowhere.

"Just a hug, nothing more...", his eyes were pleading. A hug. That should be alright. I relented.

I put out the light and climbed in. Immediately, Nine inched closer as well. My arms naturally embraced him, and he rested his head comfortably on my chest.

"Did something happen at work? Is that why you needed a hug", I asked, curious of this request.

"No. Nothing bad happened at work".

"Then?".

"I suddenly realised, that your time here won't be long", his voice was a bit quiet.

"Oh, is that why you asked to stay overnight? To spend more time with me? Now, do you agree to what I said before, that you're already into me since back then, at that hotel?", I teased him, just to ease his somber feeling a bit.

"Yes. I think, you're right, Chen",he answered without an ounce of hesitation, when it was supposed to be a tease. I could feel that my heart was thumping madly again, but I stayed silent. He eased himself from my hold, turned on the bedside lamp, and put his palm on my chest. I waited for what he wanted to do, next.

"Sorry, I said just a hug. But, now, I wanted something more. Can I kiss you?".

"I won't feel the same as you do, Nine. It will hurt you. I am defective".

"I don't believe that it couldn't be overcome, Chen. You just might need the right stimulation, since you never have anyone besides you too, so it is never done. This heart under my palm, is beating so hard right now. Just so you know, mine beats just as fast".

"It is that way, because my body is ready for an unknown threat; a defensive state; don't assume otherwise, please... ".

"That's a logical thinking. It may work that way in your world, but here, when you reacted this way with someone, there're so many other possibilities other than threat...".

He held my face and bent down to kiss my lips gently, "How could a kiss be a threat, hmm? Does it hurt you?", he bent down again and putting more pressure into the kiss, "Does it make you want to push me, or pull me in?", he kissed again and this time licking the creased in between for an in, and took a swoop inside with his tongue, that caused me to inhale sharply, sensitive nerves, suddenly stimulated, "Does that make you feel sick, or hunger for more?".

"What are you trying to do Nine? Forcing the buzz to happen? Is that what this is? I told you, I can't control when or how it happen, so you should stop...", I said, holding his arms a bit tight, trying to become the sane voice between the two of us.

"No. You assumed wrongly. If you do see something more from this that could help to find the answer to your task, then great. But, this is nothing more, than just my humble want, Chen, for no reason, at all..".

"Are you drunk? We did have wine just now...", I delayed again.

"My tolerance is quite good, so no".

"Have you done this with anyone else before?"

"Kissing? No, just you. You stole my first kiss, and all my kisses till now is still only from you. Damn, you're harder to break than what I'd imagined!".

That word, caused me to turn us around and trapped him under, "What did you just say? Did you...really imagining, doing this... with me?".

"Liked you said, that you couldn't control the buzz; so does attraction, Chen. Key or not; I felt everything; not just a damn heartless thing...", his voice cracked, he was...frustrated.

"He did too, Nine...", suddenly, something ticked on my mind, and, an unsettled feeling, started to creep in.

"What?"

"My key, in that memory, felt everything too..."

"I don't understand, what do you mean?". 

In the dimmed light, I could see, another line lost it's glow. Now it's only four.

"Forgive me, Nine, but I think I better sleep outside...don't overthink, just sleep, alright? I'm sorry... ", I kissed his temple, pushed away and went out of the bedroom.

I sat on the floor, leaning my back on the sofa. It seemed liked, the buzz was not a memory, but a time in the future. It was not another Nine, but this Nine....in Another Earth. Then, am I the cause of Nine's pain? No! Rather than doing that, I would choose not to exist, at all.

Time was running out. I needed to put the pieces together, fast, or else, Nine would cease to exist, too.