toxic | nct dream

43. taste the sun

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She could hear his heartbeat with her cheek pressed up against his chest. Its thumping sound continued its flutter-y pace, the erratic pulse showcasing his excitement.

Or maybe it was nerves?

Either way the man was on cloud 9.

One hand running up and down from between her shoulder blades to the small of her back, tracing along the center line in a soothing manner. The other caressing the back of her head.

With the slight bend of his knees, he rested his head on top of hers and let out a long-withheld sigh.

"You came back to me," he mumbled in disbelief.

What the fuck is going on?  Xia questioned, unsure of how to respond to... well, whatever was going on.

The way he was holding her was the same way he held her that night: calm, in a warm embrace.

She felt her eyes begin to shut as her own heartbeat eased to a slow pattern.

Her hands hovered over his sides, then over to the back of his shoulders. Pulling away from him was the sensible option but she wasn't feeling very sensible at the moment.

Jisung reached for her forearms and brought them to his front, taking a small step back just to get a good view of her.

There was a look of amazement on his face, a lightness in his eyes that danced around the almost humid-like room.

His gaze swept over her features as if he were a soldier coming home from battle and seeing the love of his life for the first time since the war began.

Like she was his colorful beauty in a world of sepia tones.

There was something tried and true about his disposition — a fate or destiny at play — that Xia couldn't wrap her head around.

His long slender fingers carefully circled around her wrists and rested her hands on his chest.

For a few seconds they stood there feeling the revitalizing energy course between the two of them, staring into each other's eyes.

"You changed your hair," Jisung stated in his deep voice. This time clear for her to hear.

His fingertips go to gently twist a lock of her shoulder-length hair before tucking it behind her ear.

"It looks so good."

"You cut yours," she commented breathlessly.

There wasn't much else Xia could do apart from stare up at him in her stunned silence.

He lifted an arm up to reach the back of his neck, a bashful smile making its way onto his face. He tried to babble out some sort of excuse but the girl couldn't pay attention.

Why is he so...? She couldn't finish the thought.

There was a tight sensation in her chest while taking in the soft expression on his face. His eyes sweet and enticing. His hair a perfect mess. His lips...

Good lord.

Slightly parted with the hint of a smile, they were ripe for the taking. Like a cool glass of water in the middle of the desert. Perhaps only a mirage but she was ready to dive in anyway.

That growing sense of neediness came to its peak when she took a glance of his large hand covering hers.

There certainly was no way she could look at his hands the same way after that night, not without feeling that rush of heat quickly make its way to in between her legs.

She might as well be considered a lost cause.

After staring down at her for a couple more uninterrupted seconds — adoring her awestruck countenance — he let out a low breath, eyebrows pulling together in a stupefied expression.

Jisung reached out to tenderly hold her face, fingers tangled in her hair and thumbs gently rubbing along her cheekbones.

"You are so beautiful," he said softly. No trace of uncertainty or manipulation to be found. "You're even more beautiful than I remembered."

Xia audibly gulped.

He meant it.

She knew he meant it.

She could tell when people were lying and he wasn't.

No one was that good at pretending.

Unconsciously her hands made their way up to his shoulders.

His eyes glanced down at her lips.

Hers at his.

He started to lean down.

For so long she had been hiding from the storm surrounding her, from the dark clouds. Now she could see a sliver of sunlight peeking through.

She wanted to taste the sun again.

Feel it against her skin.

He was cautious, not presumptuous. Taking his time.

Time. She had spent so much time inside, taking shelter from the storm. With Chenle.

Jisung scanned her face for any reservations, then shut his eyes once they were only inches apart.

Chenle. He was the fireplace that had kept her warm all this time.

She closed her eyes.

Chenle. The one who protected her from the elements.

The tips of their noses brushed past each other.

Chenle. Her future husband.

Chenle. Chenle. Chenle.

CHENLE!

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cont.