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It wasn't long before Mark arrived, and Renjun was bubbling over from anticipation.

When the doorbell actually rang, he thought he had gone crazy, and Jeno had to answer it when the oldest rushed to the sink for a glass of water.

He doesn't even like him anymore, the brunette thought, opening the door and finding a shorter but adorable looking teen waiting. His hair was dyed blonde, and he had big eyes.

"Mark?" Jeno enquired, and the older nodded with a smile, mouthing 'Renjun's friend' and suddenly reminding the younger that he couldn't hear.

"Oh shit, yeah," he gasped, then smacked his own forehead, "Sorry, that was rude. I'm Jeno, Renjun's friend as well."

He bowed slightly but had two arms pushed over his shoulder from behind him, the sign language saying 'boyfriend'.

"This would be Jaemin," the brunette chuckled awkwardly, not even needing to look at the youngest to know who it was.

Mark chuckled, signing back to a curious Jaemin, "I know. Renjun has told me all about you both."

Jaemin frowned, heart racing at the thought that he Chinese had already explained to his ex-crush who he was with now.

"It's nice to meet you," Mark continued.

Even Jeno could understand that one, trying his best to say "You too," though apparently getting it a little wrong and making Mark laugh.

Jeno blushed, smiling softly and stepping aside to let the teen inside. The shorter wandered through the slight hall, arriving in the kitchen and living area, since both were connected. He whistled in an impressed manner, looking to the right to see Renjun tightly clutching a glass of water and staring back at him.

"Mark?" He muttered out, almost dropping the drink entirely.

The older grinned, running over to him and enveloping him in a tight and caring hug. "Long time no see," he whispered hoarsely into the Chinese's ear, the words sounding a little wrong, but Renjun knew what he meant. Mark only ever trusted him with his voice. It used to be a source of such pride for the younger, but now that he had met Jaemin, who also opened up to speech with him, and Jeno who was reluctant to talk to him as well, something felt a little different.

In truth, and he'd never admit this to his boyfriends, Renjun was seeking approval from Mark, needing him to see the new arrivals in his life. He wanted the older to tell him 'you've done well' and be proud. The blonde had always felt so guilty and apologetic....never returning the feelings to his best friend who meant the world to him.

Pulling away, Renjun smiled excitedly, relaxing now that he had seen him, and knowing Mark had officially met his lovers.

"I cooked," he said slowly, watching as the older's eyes read his lips as always. He was very good at it, and sometimes he could get through half a conversation without anyone realising he was deaf.

Jeno sat down on the couch, yanking Jaemin down with him who was still extremely sceptical about their guest. Anyone who had made Renjun upset was his enemy.

Mark and Renjun stuck together like glue as they too sat on the other double sofa, getting comfortable to settle into conversation.

"We're going to need to translate," Renjun signed, and Jaemin scoffed.

"I'll do it. You focus on translating for Mark."

"I can lip read well," the oldest pointed out, but earned himself an arched brow from the other blonde.

"Can I join in here?" Jeno enquired, "Or I can go and make tea if I'm in the way. It's probably annoying having to constantly stop and trans-"

"I'm going to explain for you," Jaemin interrupted proudly, "Don't worry."

The older nodded in agreement, sitting back and enjoying watching the three have their quiet conversation. He always found Renjun an Jaemin's 'chats' fascinating to see.

...........

As time went by, Mark actually got quite 'talkative'. He was explaining all sorts of stories from when he and Renjun were little, making his best friend blush and hit his shoulder in protest here and there.

Jeno didn't mind at all, seeing a side to the older that he never had before. Jaemin, however, was holding back every urge to drop subtle-unsubtle hints about their relationship.

How Renjun loved them now.

Jeno could see his growing attitude, even observing his body language shift as he signed.

Please don't say something stupid or mean....he begged to himself, not able to understand the language and not being able to step in if Jaemin stepped out of line.

Renjun, though, was enjoying the reactions he was drawing out of his youngest boyfriend. He wasn't blind to how jealous he was getting, but he was almost feeding from the attention. Nobody had ever felt strongly about him like that.

"Renjun used to ask to sleep with me all the time," Mark chuckled fondly, remembering when they were seven or eight, He didn't want to go home when his parents returned."

Jaemin smiled snidely, "Is that so? Well Renjun sleeps with us as well. And once, he and Jeno-"

"Drinks!" Jeno called a little too enthusiastically. He did not like how Jaemin's eyes were narrowing at all, as he signed intensely.

I need to talk to him....he eventually decided internally.

Jumping up, he apologised briefly to Renjun and Mark while grabbing Jaemin's arm. He pulled the younger up as well, explaining that he needed help retrieving the glasses.

Once they were both in the kitchen and out of earshot of Renjun and too far for Mark to lip read.

Jeno roughly pinned Jaemin to the wall beside the fridge, "What is going on?"

"Hm?"

"Don't act dumb. I may not understand sign language, but I'm not blind. I can tell you're getting dangerously close to saying something all three of us would regret."

"Like what?"

"Like...." Jeno thought frustratedly, shaking his head, "Like that night between you and Renjun, or me and Renjun when I....y'know, or the the day in the bathroom, or something! Special and private memories you'd use to make Mark jealous. I know what game you're playing."

The younger scowled, "You're always taking Renjun's side! Why can't you stand by me for once and see that Mark is a threat?"

"Because he isn't," the older was growing increasingly agitated, "He doesn't like Renjun like that, and Renjun has us. No loopholes!"

Jaemin wasn't having it. He tried to push past the brunette and return to the others, though Jeno slammed him back against the wall, having a new idea.

His finger trailed along the younger's jaw teasingly as he muttered, "You're pushing my buttons...."

Jaemin only smirked, not nearly naive enough to fall for Jeno's fake seduction. The day Jeno could lie would be the day Jaemin became a nun. "Do I push them better than he does?"

The older groaned, "Are you seriously still jealous of Renjun?"

"Little bit....."

"Ugh, then what can I do? What do you want me to do to make you not tease Mark?"

The blonde gasped, an interested smile tugging at his lips, "Anything?"

"Not sex."

"You're no fun."

"And you're too obvious. Now choose fast, 'cause those two are gonna get suspicious."

Jaemin tilted his head to the side to think, envisioning all the wonderful ideas that involved Jeno.

"The school trip is coming up. Let us pay for you to go."

The older frowned, wondering where that had come from out of nowhere. He had actually forgotten about it ever since informing the principal that he couldn't attend.

"Jaemin, that's expensive...."

"So? Renjun and I can split it, and if you feel too guilty, you can add something small to the cost from your job's money. Deal?"

"But-"

"It's that or sex," he teased with a snicker.

"I liked it better when you couldn't talk!" Jeno pouted, flicking his forehead, "But fine."

Yay!"

"Help me with these drinks."

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