new heroes // jaeyong

𝑾𝑬 𝑨𝑳𝑳 𝑳𝑰𝑽𝑬 𝑭𝑶𝑹 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑫𝑨𝒀

˗ˏˋ♡ˎˊ˗

"I'll make sure he'll be okay because I am Limitless."

Those simple yet catastrophically powerful words tumble from Taeyong's pinked lips before he could really think about the consequence. His autumn eyes widen, mirroring Jaemin's own walnut ones as Taeyong's words hit him like a ton of bricks. His irises look like marbles, round and dark, glinting small flecks of light scattered around the dilated pupil. His mouth falls open in shock, jaw slack. He opens and closes his agape mouth, mimicking a fish. No sounds emit from his lips, and the silence blanketed them like a thick layer of snow.

Taeyong casts his gaze to the ground, toeing at it as the air escapes his lungs in soft breaths. It stays silent for a good minute or so, the new information still sinking in, processing in Jaemin's brain. Taeyong raises his eyes; he's still looking at Taeyong.

"Well?" Taeyong asks, now slightly impatient.

"You're...you can't be..." he manages to get out, voice quiet. Taeyong rolls his eyes, crossing his arms across his chest, ribs aching in response.

"I, Lee Taeyong, am the AB Limitless." Taeyong flicks his fingertips, red floating around the tips of his fingers. The very same red engulfs Jaemin's left hand, and Taeyong beckons him closer using his fingers. The telekinesis tugs his arm forwards, stumbling into Taeyong.

"But you look so normal..." he chokes out, gathering himself and standing straight. Taeyong shrugs, leaning against the door of the bathroom.

"Jeno, without his mask on, looks normal too, right?" Taeyong asks, and at the mention of his ex's name, his eyes widen slightly. He hesitates for a few moments, but then slowly nods. "So why am I any different?"

He finally looks me in the eye, lips once again agape. "Y-you're not any different, hyung!" He then backtracks, "...w-well, you are 'cause you're an AB but a good one, you're not like Jen—Jeno, and w-well I—"

Taeyong shakes his head, grinning slightly at Jaemin's blabbering mess. "You're adorable, Jaemin. You haven't changed a bit since I last saw you."

Jaemin smiles a little, toying with his fingers. "Uhm...hyung?" He asks softly, voice wavering. He looks nervous again, averting his gaze. "I...can I stay with you?" Taeyong blinks dumbly, not really understanding what on earth Jaemin meant by "stay".

"What do you mean?" Taeyong voices his thoughts aloud, and he shyly looks away.

"I...I'm worried that Jeno will attack me again, or the police will come after me again and..." he swallows, his breath shuddering. "I don't really want to be alone anymore. Not while I'm dealing with him."

Taeyong tilts his head to one side, frowning sadly at him. Jaemin reminds Taeyong of a kicked puppy—big eyes and big heart, loves anything that shows one ounce of interest towards it, and will continue to love even when it is kicked into the ground. It was sad, honestly, and not in a pathetic way. Jaemin was only young, yet he's gone through so much because of the faults of another person. It's not fair. Not one bit.

Jaemin gazes at me with such pain-filled eyes it hurts Taeyong's soul. "I don't want to hurt anymore, hyung," he says softly. "But I don't want him to hurt anymore either. My parents don't understand—they don't fully know what's going on, they're never home." He pauses, and hesitates, "I want to save him but he hurts me so much..."

"It's okay Nana," Taeyong shushes gently, his voice low and as soft as silk, remembering the nickname Jaemin used to go by when he worked at the cafe. "You can stay with me. You'll be safe with me."

Jaemin perks up at the nickname, sniffling and exhaling shakily, then, "You promise?"

Taeyong's eyes widen at those two little words the younger uttered. He hesitates briefly, but in the end, "I promise." Taeyong says.