Upon A Time (JoongNine AU)

Upon Shortage Of Air

Nine

The documents for my travel had been arranged. So, a new journey would start. In a month time, I would be under a tight training and programmed schedule, and be cut off from knowledge of the outside world. Secluded, focus and also, isolated. Joong was also busy, with his study and filming for a new project under his belt.

I took a deep breath, as once again, my heart was divided. I knew, whatever was said at the swimming pool, was just Joong in his laidback playful nature, suggesting something outrageous to tease me. Although, under that young face was an adult Joong, I still felt uncomfortably shy, thinking of how to go about it, to test his theory this time. We kissed, a lot in a year, but still never exceeded the limit, till we go mindless. But, my time, to be here, and to help him as I'd promised, was getting tighter.

There's only one way. To just find the courage, and act on it. I slammed my face on the pillows, and groaned...thinking of it alone, already causing my heart to pump erratically. The sudden knocks on the door, caused me to jump up from the bed, and took a few deep breaths, before opening the door, and saw the person who'd already messaged me to not sleep early as he was on the way to my room.

After closing the door, and dropping his sling bag on the table, Joong turned to look at me, and laughed quietly, causing me to be confused. "Nine...did you just finish doing cardio? Your face is flushed", and I jumped a little when his fingertips reached for the pulse at my neck, "Oh? So fast? But, you are not sweating, though...", he lower his hand and and held mine, next, "ah, so cold...your palm...are you not feeling well?", he asked with concern lacing his voice, and the worried look he gave my way. I shook my head, and sat at the edge of the bed.

"Why do you need to see me this late, Joong? Aren't you tired, you got a filming schedule today, right?", I asked, my voice was a bit hoarse. Suddenly, my throat felt dry after all that exasperated groaning done under the pillows. He just smiled and came closer.

"You're hiding something from me. Your eyes can't look at me directly, your throat is dry and the flush is still apparent. Tell me the truth, you're watching something spicy, when I suddenly arrived, right? Eyyy, naughty, Nine", he said as he pinched both my cheeks that puffed up as I was pouting. I shook my head, huffed in a bit of annoyance and swatted his hands away.

"You're the one with a corrupt mind! I was not! Just...I was thinking about a major problem, err, very important...and get frustrated, because there's no easy way to solve it".

Joong sat at my side and turned me to look at him, "Share them with me, maybe I could help. Is it your training? The dance instructor was hard on you again?". I shook my head.
"Then, is it about Mae? You're worried about leaving her for months? Don't worry, as long as I am here, I will check on her from time to time". I shook my head again. Joong tilted his head, and gave me a thorough look. I nervously looked back at him.

Slowly he came closer and angled his head, so that his lips could fit with mine. He wanted to kiss, and usually I just smiled and readily kissed him back. But, since this was just after all that mess that I was thinking about, the closeness felt supercharged, causing me to close my eyes and clenched the fabric at the side of my pants tight, to not let him see how nervous I was. I could feel the warm breaths on my skin...but it stopped there, and then there's nothing else. I could sense he was pulling back, thus, I opened my eyes back, and saw him smiling in satisfaction.

"Oh o...now, I'm curious, Nine, how far your mind had ventured into; to be so...flushed...just thinking about...us", he whispered, with half opened, smouldering eyes, that screamed...danger.

My mouth wanted to quip back that I didn't, but before anything made sense, he just immediately pushed me down to my back on the bed...and gave me, a rainfall of kisses. Before I could take the next breath, a deeper kiss was given, and then another, with an added swipe of wet tongue that explore and command at the same time.

This felt liked losing consciousness and gain back life at the same time. Drowning. The feeling was the same, as being submerged under water, holding my breath, and slowly letting go of air too. Suffocated, but yet couldn't help to want more with each second that passed. With the release of the last air that I could spare, I had to turn my head to the side, and took a huge gush of air back into my lungs. I could hear Joong's heavy breathing too, as his lips traveled along the side of my neck. With a final kiss at the corner of my partly open lips that was still gasping endlessly, he turned and lay down at my side, and held my hand in between us. After a while, our breathing were getting steady.

I pushed myself up and partly turned, supporting my self on one arm, and the other one held his jaw firmly, "You came here, just to show me how it's done?", I asked firmly, but the slight curve of a supressed smirk at the corner of his lips, was too tempting, that I almost falter and gave him a peck, instead of a reprimand.

"Hmm, not purposely to show you how it's done, just that, after two weeks of not seeing you, the first thing that I thought of when there's a gap in between of my schedule, was to run here, kiss till our lips crack, and then cuddle till the morning comes. But, what a surprise to find you already kind of 'in the mood', so, Nine...a hungry man who saw food being presented in front of him...err...just got to eat", he said and smiled.

I moved closer, my lips was just an inch away from his, "Our kisses all this time, were already delightful, and I liked them very much, but damn, now I realized, how tight you held yourself, for a whole year, since you had to pretend to be younger... Tsk.. Tsk, if only you'd kissed me liked this from earlier on, I would prefer this bold ones, more...", I bent down and kissed him deeply, again, couldn't keep my hunger as well, as I'd missed him so much, too . Oh no! Bad move, bad, bad move, Nine!, I scolded myself, as I could feel his hand started to go under my shirt, tracing my spine slowly up and back down. The shiver that ran all over me, caused me to bite an unexpected moan from escaping, and immediately pulled away from continuing.

"But Joong, I'm sorry...we can't. For tomorrow, I have a progress assessment. So, how to dance well, with a sore body, hmm?", I said, "Let's just cuddle, alright?", and laughed when he grunted in frustration.

"Don't think you can escape easily, next time...", he warned me, sleepily, embraced me tight, as he softly nuzzling my whole face liked a moody cat. Not long after, the soft snores, lulled me to sleep too.