twelve hours » jaeseong

[twelve hours]

Jaeyoon felt like he had known Inseong and Youngbin his whole life by the end of the night. All he could really remember was their inability to stop laughing and the distracting golden streaks dancing around Youngbin, always reaching for Inseong.

And Jaeyoon's gaze always reaching for Inseong.

Also, his back had itched the whole night. Whenever he was happy, it was hard to keep his wings hidden. Because in Coelum, usually he was only happy when he was flying.

But the next morning, he remembered his mission. One of the carriers had visited to inform him of his mission beginning, but Jaeyoon had no idea who they were. It was kind of awkward, really; the gangling boy had stared at him with so much admiration and Jaeyoon hadn't even bothered to learn his name because all carriers were too alike.

But he soon put that out of his mind after the carrier disappeared, clumsily dissipating back to Coelum.

He had a job to do. He was cocky, too; he didn't foresee any problems with this particular mission. But Jaeyoon wasn't a prophet.

His twelve hours had started.

The clock read one p.m. and he scrambled for the case file, lying carelessly on the coffee table, its contents spilling out.

Inseong and Youngbin were off work right now, so he decided that he would spend time with them.

No doubt he could've finished this mission in less than an hour; he had enough information to easily visualize their love and tweak Inseong's so his heartstrings matched up with the right kind of love.

Simple.

But Jaeyoon didn't want the case to be over. He liked Inseong and Youngbin and found that the mortal world wasn't so dull when they were around.

Besides, he had twelve hours to complete the mission. Not to be cliche, but what could go wrong?

So with the utmost confidence, Jaeyoon found their apartment and knocked on the door. Youngbin answered, smiling, because they had talked about hanging out last night and Jaeyoon had followed through.

He was allowed inside, and tried not to be obvious as he searched for Inseong.

"Inseong's in the shower, but he should be done soon," Youngbin said, adopting that kind of misty tone Jaeyoon knew he used when he talked about Inseong. It bothered him a little.

"You want some water?" Youngbin asked, demonstrating that curious selfless quality he never seemed to run out of. Jaeyoon nodded and smiled as Youngbin ran to the kitchen. Youngbin returned and started talking about what they did last night and Jaeyoon took a giant gulp of water.

Just then, Inseong walked into the living room. He was shirtless, and a towel hung low and loose on his hips.

Jaeyoon choked on his water as it exploded from his mouth.

"Jaeyoon! I didn't know you were here, oh shit, why do you keep choking?" Inseong yelled, then ran over and slapped Jaeyoon on the back, more harmful than helpful. But Jaeyoon's coughing eventually subsided, turning to laughter.

"I'll try not to choke every time I see you," he snorted, and soon all three of them were laughing and Jaeyoon loved that pure moment. He wished he could hold onto it and take it home, where no one ever laughed with him like this.

He wondered, for the first time, if maybe mortals really were superior to amorini. He had only known Youngbin and Jaeyoon for a handful of hours, and he felt a deep appreciation for both of them.

Maybe it was because the mortal world amplified his feelings. But he had never felt this way before, not even on special cases like this one where he resigned himself to contact.

Maybe it was just because when he was with them, something clicked. He didn't know what it was, but it certainly felt right in a wrong kind of way.

"Inseong, go put on some clothes," Youngbin said after their laughter had died down. However, this statement elicited some leftover giggles from Jaeyoon, and Inseong's renewed laughter followed him out of the room.

Jaeyoon didn't notice how that click felt less stable after Inseong left the room. He was too wrapped up in the way Inseong's body made him understand Eros.

Eros had been Agape's counterpart; where Agape was all purity and unconditional, Eros was unrestrained passion and danger waiting in the wings. He was banished to hell after Agape realized how out of control Eros was; he left Coelum in shambles even after he disappeared.

It was a lot like Lucifer falling from heaven.

And Jaeyoon's mind resembled Coelum during Eros's era. He didn't like it one bit, even though he had liked Inseong's contrast of hard muscles and soft curves.

Then Inseong reappeared, fully clothed.

"What should we do?" Youngbin asked. Inseong sat next to Jaeyoon on the couch, their arms brushing. Youngbin noticed this with confusion. He didn't seem to think anything of it, though.

"I don't know, it's your world," Jaeyoon replied carelessly. Then he realized what he had said and swore mentally. "I mean, I'm still kind of new to this area, even though I've been here for a few years."

Nice save, moron, he thought. But the other boys' faces cleared, suspended confusion lifting.

"Remember that bowling alley where we first hung out?" Youngbin asked, becoming absorbed in Inseong even as he asked the question. His face lit up as Inseong nodded. A wispy golden streak swirled around Youngbin, meandering over to Inseong lazily. However, it vanished a few feet from Inseong.

Jaeyoon couldn't bring himself to be worried; he knew that for the golden streaks to be this unrestrained, the love behind them must've been dazzlingly strong. Almost entering what would've been Eros's territory.

"Have you ever been bowling, Jaeyoon?" Inseong asked. His own name in the other boy's mouth made him think of Coelum.

"No, is it hard?" He asked. Youngbin and Inseong both laughed, and Jaeyoon's lips quirked up, too, joining a joke whose punchline he didn't understand.

"If you're Inseong, it is," Youngbin snorted. Inseong sprang off the couch to attack Youngbin where he sat with a pillow. At this, Jaeyoon did laugh.

"Even if you are bad, you'll probably be better than me," Inseong giggled. It was so effortlessly beautiful. "I'm like your safety blanket."

Jaeyoon snorted. "All right," he said, "let's go."

"Youngbin's driving," Inseong said quickly and Youngbin groaned, even though he was smiling (he was always smiling). Jaeyoon sensed an inside joke and felt a little bitter.

He had never experienced that giddy feeling associated with inside jokes. But Inseong and Youngbin both dragged him out the door by his hands and he felt hopeful.

That hope was dangerous.