Jeno didn't know what was wrong with him. It was the morning after they had gotten home and Jaemin was making food for him while Jeno watched, as he normally did, but these thoughts and ideas kept appearing in his mind.

He finally put aside his racing heart and decided to act upon them.

He got off the counter and walked over to Jaemin who was cutting fruit at the counter. He slowly slid his hands around the younger's waist, ignoring the dull sting in his shoulder, and burying his face into the other's neck as they slowly swayed back and forth.

Jaemin tensed a bit when he felt Jeno's hot breath on his neck. He then felt the olders hands moving up and down his waist, rubbing his side gently as he began to hum softly. Jaemin continued cutting the small fruits and smiled a bit.

"What are you up to baby?" He asked. Jeno smiled against his skin.

"Loving you.." He muttered. He opened his mouth and latched his lips onto Jaemin's neck, sucking the skin softly. The younger let out a slight moan and his breath hitched. He set down the knife he was holding onto the counter and grabbed Jeno's hands that were wrapped around him, not pulling them off or pushing him away, just holding his hands. He threw his head back a bit and bit his lip as Jeno slowly pulled away and admired the purplish-pink mark he had made. He smiled gently and moved his face down to make another mark, this time on the younger's shoulder. Jaemin muffled a moan as Jeno found a spot that made pleasure shoot through him in waves.

"N-Nono.."

"Hmm....."

Jaemin tried to find the right words, but he couldn't. He wanted to say it was wrong, but it technically wasn't, right? They were both old enough and everything happening was consensual, so for once, Jaemin spoke the first thing that came to mind.

"M-more.." Jeno smiled as Jaemin barely managed to get out the word between soft moans. He slipped his hands under Jaemin's shirt and heard the younger sigh before turning around to face Jeno. The older saw something in his eyes that he hadn't seen before- the love was still there, standing tall and proud, but next to it was a haze of lust as he leaned forward and began to kiss him slowly. Or at least, it was slow, until Jaemin sped it up. He slid his tongue into the olders mouth to taste and feel every part as the older moaned softly into the kiss. Jeno's hands were still under Jaemin's shirt and he was feeling every inch of his torso, ignoring the sting in his shoulder as he did.

He still couldn't explain it.

Why doing something so wrong felt so right.

Jeno pulled away slowly and leaned his forehead on Jaemin's to catch his breath. Jaemin chuckled softly and wrapped his arms around the boy's torso before slowly rubbing circles on Jeno's back.

"Is that what you wanted baby?" Jaemin asked curiously.

Jeno nodded.

"Did my Nono like that?" He asked, his voice low.

Jeno nodded.

The older pulled away and rested his head on Jaemin's chest as a deep blush crept onto his face.

"Let's do that again sometime Nana..."

The rest of the time that Jaemin was cooking, Jeno remained behind him with his arms wrapped around Jaemin's waist. He would occasionally pepper Jaemin's neck with soft feather-like kisses anytime he saw the need and he would leave his head rested on the youngers shoulder as he watched what the other was doing.

"Are you making strawberry cake?" Jeno eventually asked, his voice small.

"Mhm, Just for my Nono." Jeno giggled at the response as Jaemin mixed together the ingredients for the batter.

Jeno's giggle faded and a serious expression appeared on his face. He turned his head and admired Jaemin's beautiful side profile. The way Jaemin's eyes always remained trained on the ingredients as he cooked and the amount of attention he paid to every little detail was all somehow evident in his face. Jaemin chuckled.

"Jen, if you keep staring at me like that my face will melt like honey.." Jeno blushed a bit but kept his gaze fixed on Jaemin.

"Nana.."

"Hmm?"

"I love you so much.."

"I love you too baby."

And no matter what they did, it was always filled with love.

🍰

Two knocks on the door.

Jaemin looked out of the back window and furrowed his brows. It was raining really hard outside. Who in the world would be out in this?

And that's when it came back.

The burning paranoia in his mind.

He looked at Jeno who he had convinced to sit at the table while he cut some cake for them and saw how the older had frozen in fear, his eyes wide.

Knock knock

"Nono you stay here, alright? I'm gonna go see who that is." Jeno shook his head.

"No Nana! He might h-hurt you a-and Nono c-can't.. I-I can't...." Jeno whispered as tears fell down his face. Jaemin walked over to him and crouched down to hug him-

Knock knock knock knock

"Nono I'll be right back, okay baby?" He whispered hurriedly. He stood up and crept into the entryway, grabbing a bat from the closet and hiding it behind his back as he slowly opened the door.

He didn't know what to do or how to feel about the figure before him. His normally fluffy, light hair was flat and pressed against his forehead from the rain. His clothing was soaked and he was shivering as all he was wearing was a dark t-shirt despite the freezing rain. Jaemin could tell he had been crying by the puffiness of his eyes as the stream of tears mixed with the ever pouring rain. But what hurt the most was the pleading and desperate look in his eyes as he stood outside.

"H-Haechan.."

The older sniffled.

"H-has Renjun b-been here recently?" He managed to ask. His voice was hoarse and rough as if he had been screaming for hours and his arms had obvious bruises on them. When Haechan saw that that's where Jaemin's attention was trained he folded his arms. Jaemin reached out instinctively to take him into a hug but Haechan flinched away, fear igniting in his eyes and he drew in a shaky breath as Jaemin looked at him with concern.

"Haechan-"

"Just, a-answer the question.. Has Renjun b-been here?"

"Haechan please just come inside you need to-"

"Has Renjun been here."

"You're freezing you're gonna-"

"JUST FUCKING ANSWER ME NA JAEMIN!!" Haechan yelled. More tears fell down his face as his anger faded to hurt and when Jaemin shook his head 'no' the boy slid down to his knees, loud sobs escaping his small body as it shook on the ground. Jaemin crouched down and got Haechan to stand before pulling him inside and bringing him to the living room. Jeno watched with wide eyes from the kitchen table before following them into the living room and watching Jaemin carefully sit the boy on the couch.

"Hyung, what's wrong with Hyuckie?" Jaemin turned to look at Jeno and sighed.

"I'm not sure Jen.. Would you go get some warm dry clothes for him though? I'm gonna make him some hot chocolate and we can all watch movies together tonight, alright?" Jeno nodded and ran off to go get clothes. Jaemin sighed and looked at Haechan who sat bent over crying into his hands.

"Haechan what happened?" A long heavy silence fell in the air around them and Jaemin frowned as he realized the older didn't want to explain himself anytime soon. He gently put his arm around Haechan's shoulder and the boy curled into him, more sobs escaping him as he did.

"He's gone..." Haechan whispered. Jaemin furrowed his brows.

"Who's gone?" He asked gently as he rubbed small circles on Haechan's back.

"Renjun.. He's just- gone." Haechan managed. "He felt so bad.. He wouldn't stop apologizing for everything. I thought he might come here after what he said last night..."

"What did he say?"

Haechan sighed and closed his eyes as he recited what he had heard the night before.

"He said 'im so sorry Jeno. Can you ever forgive me? Because really, you shouldn't."

"What did Renjun hyung do wrong?" Both males turned at the soft and small voice of Jeno as he rounded the corner holding a pink hoodie, grey sweatpants, and his cat Bongshik in one hand while a blanket was draped over his bad shoulder. Jaemin smiled.

"Nothing baby.. Do me a favor and take care of Haechanie while I go make him some hot chocolate okay?" Jeno nodded and watched as Jaemin walked past him. He then walked over and sat beside Haechan, handing the younger the clothes and watching as he walked off to the bathroom so he could change. He came back in the pink hoodie that smelled like Jeno and the gray sweatpants that smelled like fresh laundry. Jeno smiled and pat the couch space beside him.

"Come lay down. We'll cuddle and watch TV and when Nana gets back he can join us." Jeno said as he grabbed the TV remote and turned it on, flipping to a random channel and flashing a warm smile to Haechan. The younger smiled back as best he could and walked over, sitting beside Jeno. The boy cuddled into him and Haechan felt a genuine smile form on his face as he looked down at Jeno.

This poor boy had been through so much and somehow he could still smile. He didn't deserve to be caught up in any of this. He didn't deserve to feel the pain of losing his parents. He deserved happiness...

He felt a tear fall down his face and he ran a hand through Jeno's soft hair delicately with a smile.

Jeno looked up and saw that he had begun to cry again.

"What is it Hyuckie?" Haechan shook his head and continued to run his hand through the olders dark locks.

"You're so strong, baby.. You're so strong...

Don't ever let this
harsh world
change that.."

← t b c →