Shapeshifter!Jaemin: Growing Pains Chapter 6
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Warning: there is some horror aspect about potential murder so please be aware!
I know it's been such a while but exam season really killed me, I'll try and be as consistent as possible from this point onwards till the next exams! -Stroni
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That same creepy smile tainted your mind, your vision, your everything. You couldn't escape it. You tried to yell out but were silenced. You couldn't tell if this was dream or reality, it was so surreal but you couldn't actually see anything besides that murderous smile.
Murderous.
The smile continued to expand, or was it getting closer? You tried to move back, far away as you could from this thing. However as it got closer all you saw was a young boy, though his smirk alone was enough to rid of his innocence.
"Pick a hand!" He cooed, both arms behind his back, "left? Or right?"
You shook your head, the only movement your body allowed you to do. It must have been the wrong answer as he took one more step closer.
"Pick a hand!" He repeated, "left? Or right?" There was something sinister in his voice, you willed yourself to say no but your mouth moved for you, "left." You hadn't wanted to say that, you hadn't even told yourself to say that.
"Ding Ding Ding!" He cheered, slowly revealing the object in his left hand. "You chose...death by knife! You could've chosen death by suffocation but that would've been so boring."
Your eyes widened, still you couldn't scream for help or try to defend yourself in any way as the boy crept gradually towards you, a sharp blade in hand. As the light from the moon shone through the window and hit his face you thought he seemed familiar. Maybe...was he? Surely not, he was taken from Ry but-
You were violently shaken awake, the young boy faded but not before mouthing "next time".
"Y/N! Y/N! Please be okay...Y/N!" Your eyes slowly fluttered open.
"Where's the boy?" You asked Jaemin, the one who'd woken you up, frantically as you shot up from your bed.
"W-what boy? Y/N you shouldn't move so fast you have a fever and everythin-"
"I need to see Ry, is she having a vision? Someone needs to check on her now."
"Who's Ry, the woman from yesterday? You're not going anywhere near here Y/N, what if she tries to kill you?" Jaemin scowled, walking around the bed to your side.
"I feel like she just did..." You mumbled, recalling what had just happened.
Jaemin froze beside you, his breathing ragged. The amount of control is was taking him to not crash into the other room and kill Ry was obvious, you tried to calm him by forcing innocent thoughts into his mind.
"Y/N..." He eventually whispered as his head dropped into your shoulder, "don't leave me, I've only just got you, you can't leave me now."
Gently wrapping your arms around him you kissed the top of his head which rested on your shoulder, instinctively his arms wrapped around your waist and pulled you closer to his chest. You stayed like this for a while, the only background noise being Donghyuk's light snores and the both of your in sync breathing.
Gradually you pulled away, lifting Jaemin's chin with your index finger to make him lock eyes with you.
"Listen Jae," you stated somewhat confident, "If I am going to die," he winced and tried to look away but instead you put two hands against either cheek to keep him in place, "I can't sit around and wait for it to happen. That boy, whether it was a dream or not, it was Ry's son and he was going to kill me. I need to talk to Ry."
Jaemin let out an airy laugh, his hair flopping down over his face as he looked down towards the floor, breaking eye contact with you. "You're so mature Y/N...once this all goes away- and you come out of it alive, I hope to see that goofy side of you again. I want that wide, toothy smile that always cheered us up. Your natural cuteness and happy aura," he paused in reminiscence. Already your eyes were brimming with tears, had anyone ever said something so heart warming to you before? "Don't get me wrong, I love your serious side too! But I know the true you, the child in you, is dying to come out. I'll wait patiently for that day too."
He locked eyes with you once again, they too were brimmed with tears threatening to make a run for it down his cheeks. This look alone was persuasion enough.
"Fine, I won't go," you mumbled against his ear. "I've just contacted Taeyong, he'll check on her for me."
You didn't have to glance down to see the big smile that had grown on Jaemin's face as he grasped you even tighter. "Thank you Y/N," they were simple words but they were laced with sweet sincerity, a warmth that truly felt like you were home...home.
You loosened your grip around his torso causing him to look up in confusion, instead of complaining of the loss of you he saw your alternative plans.
"Are you sure, Y/N?" He looked on warily as you shuffled across the bed to make room for him. "I don't want to rush you into anything, don't feel pressured with everything that's going on right now, we can still take it slo-"
"Just get in the damn bed Jae," you tapped the empty space next to you with a laugh, his blush could light up the room, a bright red contrasting against the darkness around you, if it wasn't for the moonlight streaming through the gap in the curtains it would have been swallowed by the night. You were glad it wasn't.
Hesitantly he rose to his feet, shuffling his butt onto the edge of the bed before laying down in one, slow motion after taking a deep breath. You're so cute you thought to yourself, internally giggling to avoid embarrassing him anymore. He froze in place, a small gap between you two. You wanted to close the space, to hold him against you and just fall asleep in his arms without the feeling of fear crossing your mind once. He had the same idea apparently.
It didn't take him long to adjust, your fast beating heart sounded loud and clear in his ears making him realise you felt the exact same ad he did. He took one more soothing breath before choosing to go down the cliché route of things. Pretending to yawn he stretched both arms into the air, his left arm fell to his side whereas his right gently folded around your shoulder and pulled you closer into his chest. It was cheesy, corny, the whole lot, but nonetheless it was enough for you to feel heat coursing through your veins.
Silence followed for a while, a long, comfortable silence. He played with your hair as you wrote your name on his chest, neither of you needed to break the silence, yet your inner guardian side wanted to use this opportunity to find out more about him...to dig a little deeper.
"Jaemin?" He almost didn't answer, slightly taken aback by hearing his full name leave your mouth instead of the usual nickname.
"Y-yh?"
"Tell me about yourself." It was blunt but got straight to the point, it was enough to do the job.
He seemed reluctant to say anything. It seemed like he didn't quite understand what you wanted to hear, what the correct answer was to your question.
"What do you want to know?" He eventually asked after several minutes had passed.
Biting the corner of your lip tried to think about a reasonable way to drop, what could be a massive bomb, onto him. "Hmm...tell me about your...past?"
He froze yet again, you were right, touchy subject. "Can't you just- look in my head? I don't want to talk about it." His voice went quiet, no longer as cheery as it was before.
"I could," you started, pouting slightly that you plan A hadn't worked. "But I think it'll be better that you speak about it. I am your guardian after all."
He paused again, staring straight ahead without blinking. "My past, huh?" You nodded, resuming to write your name with your finger against his chest as well as little heart symbols and the initials of his members.
"I was the only child between my parents, we were a happy little family in our village. My mum always wanted to give me a little sibling...but there were complications," he willed himself not to cry already as his story only just began. "My dad was apart of the front line, he'd be the first to spot the danger but there was always a chance he'd be the last to leave it too... that happened to my best friend. His dad and mine were also close, but my dad couldn't save him...he changed after that."
"My dad refused to come home after patrol. No one knew if it was because he was looking for something to kill him or he didn't want his family to get destroyed like his best friend did. Mine never spoke to me after the incident. Some blamed my father, some blamed the whole squad but others left it to fate. It was enough to say that there was a rift in our village." You began to write the words 'family' and 'friends' into his chest, taking out key memories to help you keep track of the story.
"Me and my mother hadn't seen him in over a week. He hadn't come home for meals or even to just say hello...I was thinking the worst had happened to him but my mother stayed strong, for me but also herself. Until one day, he came back, it would be the last time I'd ever see him and my mother again," a stray tear rolled down his cheek until more followed, unintentionally you began to cry too, feeling all the pain that he was at that moment.
His free hand patted your head and he forced a laugh, "don't you cry Y/N~"
You sniffled and lifted your head up so you could lock eyes. "But you're crying Jae, you're hurting, you've been hurting for so long but decided against talking about it. You've allowed yourself to suffer...wallowing in your own demons, I want your demons too. I want to make you feel better, together we can heal."
His eyes broke from yours and returned to staring hard at the wall. It was quiet again but this one was thick, there was a light tension in the air due to the heavy topic you had brought up. Maybe it was too soon to drop this onto him. You had refused so many times before to go into Jaemin's head but in this moment you wanted to so bad- but he looked back at you.
"You're amazing," he smiled, genuinely. "I'm glad fate lead me to you. When this mess is all over, we can talk it all out, right now I want to focus on you though. Can you do that?" You thought your guardian side would object but instead it begged you to tell him that you would do literally anything for him, anything that would keep him happy and by your side.
"I can do that Jae," you smiled, placing a small kiss on his nose.
His eyes widened in shock to your sudden skinship but soon enough he regained his composure, a small smirk plastered his face and his left hand reached up to cup your cheek. "Let's sleep Y/N," he cooed, his hot breath panning on your face. Placing a gentle kiss to your forehead he brought you down to settle on his chest, his natural warmth radiated through you like a hot water bottle. You didn't bother to try and hide how flustered you were, Jaemin could already tell by your throbbing heart.
He began to hum a soft tune, something told you that it was one which was important to him, one he'd carried with him for a while.
"Y/N?" He broke out of his song to call your name, you mumbled a quiet 'yes' in reply. "How did you know...something was wrong with Ry?"
You pursed your lips, it wasn't something that came with being a guardian seeker- you just kind of had a hunch. "Initiative I guess...why?"
"Taeyong contacted me telepathically, he said Ry had had a moment again but she's under control now thanks to him and Taeil," you nodded into his chest, I hope she's okay you thought, knowing if you said it out loud Jaemin would say some sarcastic comment like 'I don't'.
"Taeil has taken a liking to her...I wonder- nevermind," Jaemin stopped mid speech, hearing your light snores echoing through his ears, he'd rather not wake you up, it had been a long day.
"Goodnight Y/N," he mumbled as he pressed another kiss to your forehead before turning to face Donghyuk's bed next to yours, "rest well Hyuk...I'm so so sorry." He willed himself not to cry again, deciding it was best to get some shut eye he cuddled into you, feeling absolute bliss.
***
"SOMEONE GET THE CAMERA! Curse this stupid cast, SOMEONE GET MY DAMN CAMERA I SWEAR!" You eyes shot open at the sound of Hyuk's yelling, everything seemed frantic, what the heck was going on?
"Great now you've woken her up Donghyuk," Jaemin sighed from beside you, lifting you gently off of his chest and nestling you into the pillow.
Hyuk groaned in defeat, "Jisung watch when I'm healed, why are you so slow?"
Jisung slumped into the room panting, "it's not my fault you hide your camera in places only you know."
"There's a reason for that! I got so much dirt on you guys, I can't risk them being deleted!"
You yawned in the midst of their argument, whatever their argument was about....what was it about?
"Why are you upset about a camera?" You asked, rubbing your tired eyes.
Hyuk was about to talk but Jaemin answered for him, "he wanted to take a picture of us, since we were cuddling."
"Oh," you let everything click into place and soon enough it made sense. "Like you and Hyuk were cuddling before?"
Both boys froze, Jisung just burst out laughing almost collapsing as he double over. Hyuk deeply sighed before sending the younger to get him Mark and Ireum, seeking some other form of company.
"So are you guys together or what?" He broke the silence, you knew he was curious about it, the question was ringing in your mind load and clear as soon as you awoke.
"Don't push it Donghyuk," Jaemin snapped.
"What? It's the least you could do after you nearly killed me yesterday."
"Yh, want me to do it again?" You tugged his shirt sleeve to calm him down, you knew he was in a sensitive mood with everything that has happened but Hyuk was only joking, maybe it was a low blow though.
There was a light knock on the door and soon after Ireum and Mark entered the room. "Hey Hyuk, how you doing?" Mark asked, doing what they could of their handshake. Ireum took a seat on the bottom of your bed, flashing her regular smile.
"It's a good thing Jaemin's weak, it could've been my last hour," Hyuk faked tears and held Mark's hand against his chest.
"Don't kill him...don't kill him..." Jaemin grumbled audibly to himself, taking your hand in his own.
"Oh yh you guys, you were mates?" Mark asked genuinely shocked, you had thought it was obvious, even Ireum seemed to frown at him.
"Mark...seriously?" She questioned, one eyebrow cocked up.
"Yh! Wait you knew? Why didn't you tell me?" He pointed at her accusingly as though he had just been betrayed.
Ireum threw her hands up in the air in disbelief, "literally everyone knew!"
The three of you nodded in unison, confirming that everyone did in fact know. Jaemin wasn't very good at hiding it, you weren't either to be honest.
"Then why did no one talk about it? I'm new to this supernatural thing how was I to know!" He genuinely didn't understand, you shifted your eyes to focus on Jaemin's shoulder to prevent yourself from laughing.
"Mark I'm human and I knew! Gosh you really are clueless babe," for some reason you smiled warmly, the sound of Ireum using the word babe reminded you that they too were soulmates, like you and Jaemin. They were definitely made for each other, it was so easy to see the adoration in their eyes when they'd look at each other. Even now when they're playfully arguing, love is laced into every word like a toxic drug, it was addictive and would simply make you want to spend every single second of the day, of your life, with each other. That was one drug you wouldn't mind being high on, especially if it meant Jaemin. Only if it meant Jaemin.
As if reading your mind he looked over at you, his warm eyes already showing signs of the side effects that followed this intoxicating pill. If you looked at yourself right now you were sure you were the same. Everything about him was perfect to you, his nose, his lips, his eyes, how his hair flopped perfectly into place and his jaw bone jutted out in two straight, sharp lines. This was the feeling.
The feeling that fate had just locked into place.
The feeling of acceptance.