Homeless ➹ 2jae [✓]

- 06 -

For the most part, the boys' dynamic was the same every day and every night. An awkward tension stood between Jaebum and Youngjae, Jinyoung still looked uncomfortable around Jaebum, and the room was often quiet when all three of them were in it at the same time. However, there was a night where the three of them were in the room, along with Jackson and Mark. None of them really knew the latter; He was something along the lines of Jackson's plus one.

"Ohh, this is Mark?" Jaebum asked, looking at the skinny guy standing next to him. "I should've guessed he was your roommate," he laughed, inviting them in.

"Ah, Jackson told me all of your names... You're Jaebum, right?" Mark asked, centered on Jaebum, who nodded. "Alright, and you're Jinyoung..."

"Yup!" Jinyoung exclaimed.

"Shoot, Young... Youngbae?" He looked at the quiet one sitting on his bed, face buried in Jinyoung's textbook. Youngjae's throat felt tight as he tried to get out an answer, but it sounded like a whisper. "Sorry?"

"Youngjae," Jaebum corrected, looking to Youngjae give Mark a small grin. He didn't notice Jinyoung's sneering at him.

"Ohh, okay." Mark looked around the room, soon finding a spot to sit with Jackson, as the rest found places of their own. Jinyoung sat on the bunk with Youngjae, Jaebum sat on his own bed, and Jackson sat in Jinyoung's desk chair, Mark sitting on the floor between his legs.

For the hour the small group was together, Youngjae was quiet, staying hidden behind the book. He would tune in every now and again to hear what they were talking about, ranging subjects from complaining about professors to talking about movies.

A voice that he noticed, more than the others, was Jaebum's. Even trying to focus on the book, he couldn't help but be distracted by Jaebum's little counter arguments and opinions coming from under the bed. He smiled a little to himself every time Jaebum laughed, simply because he enjoyed the sound. He didn't think much of it, though. He tended to be like this.

-:-:-:-

"Alright, we should get back before that dorm lady comes," Jackson began. "She scares meeeee!" The rest laughed as he exited the room.

"I'll see you guys later," Mark said. "Youngjae, maybe we can talk next time!" he yelled with a friendly grin, waving at the younger one. Youngjae nodded and gave a small wave back. The door closed, and the heavy atmosphere died down a little, a new feeling setting in quickly. The loud conversation was gone, and it suddenly felt like the same silence returned.

Just before they all suffocated from the awkward and heavy tension, Jaebum interrupted it, saying, "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Ah- Let me use the restroom first," Jinyoung announced, walking into the bathroom. Once again, Jaebum and Youngjae were left alone, although Youngjae wasn't paying attention. It was Jaebum who couldn't look away from his concentration face while he read. Something about the brown-haired boy seemed mysterious, almost. He could tell that there was something much more complex, and personal, that he couldn't ask about.

Even so, he stared at the younger while he stood up and slid the loose t-shirt off his body. Jaebum was used to undressing wherever he pleased, so it took him by surprise when Youngjae looked up at him and quickly averted his gaze back down to the thick book in his lap.

"Youngjae?" he asked, trying to understand what the problem was. "Something wrong?" He looked, with a sympathetic gaze, at the head that shook violently. Holding his shirt in his hands, he walked over to the bed and rested his arms on the metal bar that Youngjae was using to rest his feet.

Between the two of them, the air grew thick, and time was thrown at them from every direction. Neither of them said a word, and neither of them had any particular thoughts at that moment. They only knew what they could see: A shirtless Jaebum standing in front of a, very obviously, timid Youngjae. As the moment dragged on, Youngjae felt a beating in his chest and heat around his neck, but he only knew what he could see: An attractive man, shirtless, with messy hair and a pleading look on his face.

"Hey, look at me?" Youngjae's eyes slowly averted from the small black text, then quickly jolting to Jaebum's left shoulder. He didn't feel comfortable looking anywhere else. He didn't think he'd be able to look him in the eyes. Unexpectedly, however, Jaebum's pointer finger was pressed against the younger's cheek, forcing them to exchange a glance. "You good?" Quickly nodding again, Youngjae's cheek was released from Jaebum's finger, and Jinyoung was out of the bathroom.

"I'm too tired," he yawned, stretching as Jaebum went in to take his shower. "Youngjae, I'm going to sleep."

"Oh, let me turn off the--"

"No, no, keep it on. You're still reading, and... Jaebum might need it." Youngjae chuckled, a little confused about why Jinyoung said their new roommate's name with a sort of distaste. He didn't think there was anything to dislike about Jaebum, but maybe that was just him. Youngjae stepped off the bed, and onto the floor, since he wasn't sleepy enough yet.

With Jinyoung asleep, and Jaebum in the shower, Youngjae was alone and listening to the sounds of the shower through the door. There wasn't much for him to do other than to sit and listen to the faint humming of Jaebum's voice. He grinned, recognizing the song, and continued to stare at the empty wall in front of him. Youngjae zoned out a little, looking deep into the paint, noticing the detail in the walls. The sound of the water soothed his mind.

Although it felt like a few seconds, it was about ten minutes later when Jaebum walked out. He'd put on a fresh pair of shorts to sleep in, but he was still shirtless, with a towel hanging around his neck. His hair still dripped, but his skin looked smoother after he'd come out of the bathroom, which heat began to escape from.

Youngjae's eyes unintentionally followed Jaebum's legs as they walked over to his bag. He watched the arch of the older one's back, and how his stomach rolled over his shorts a little as he searched for a shirt. Youngjae thought that he'd seen a clean shirt on top of Jaebum's bed, but didn't say anything. He imagined that he'd be fine saying, "Your shirt is over there," but, in the back of his mind, the thought of a shirtless Jaebum lingered.

After a minute, their eyes met again, and Youngjae felt hot. Jaebum chuckled, playing with the end of the towel in his slender fingers, but kept his eyes on Youngjae. He noticed the shyer one's reddening cheeks and young face, unable to contain his silent laughter. "W-what's so funny?" Youngjae asked quietly, looking away from Jaebum once he realized where his eyes were.

Jaebum giggled, "No, it's nothing." He walked over to his bed, hanging the towel on the bar at the foot, and said to himself, "Oh, there it is."

"You have to be laughing at something, right?" Youngjae looked up at Jaebum, whose shirt was halfway on his body, exposing his slight abs as he stretched to put it on. This caught him by surprise, and he was only blushing more. He mentally scolded himself for letting himself become so flustered over somebody he barely knew. He didn't want to come off like every six-pack enticed him, but there was something about Jaebum he didn't quite understand.

"Hm... Maybe. I'll tell you tomorrow if I think of something," Jaebum smiled, climbing into bed. "It's late. Aren't you tired?" He yawned, and Youngjae involuntarily followed, shaking his head, pulling another chuckle out of Jaebum.

"No, but I'll go to sleep." Youngjae stood up and turned off the lights. He climbed over Jinyoung into the bed, and covered himself with the blankets, holding them close to him as he snuggled up with the wall. "Goodnight, Jaebum."

"Sleep well."

-:-:-:-

a/n: *chanting quietly* 2jae2jae2jae2jae...

lol this is only the beginning ;)

stay tuned~