Jeno watches slightly perplexed as Jaemin gently moves himself out of Baekhyun's embrace, he's wearing a genuine smile on his face as he gently intertwines their fingers by their side. He reaches over with his free hand and gently takes Chanyeol's fingers into his grip, Jeno tries to hide his smile.

"We're going to go have breakfast in the kitchen!" Jaemin announces to the room, excitement practically bubbling over in a fit of vibrating limbs.

Neither Baekhyun nor Chanyeol were given an opportunity to speak before Jaemin started to pull them along behind him as he began his march towards the kitchen. Jeno couldn't help but laugh as the owner of the house glanced around the room, eyes wide with fright.

Before Jeno could even begin to comprehend what was happening, a harsh iron grip appeared against his wrist forcing him along after them. Chanyeol's palm was large and warm against his cool skin, but his grip bordered on crushing. If he didn't ease up soon, Jeno was certain that his wrist would become dislocated at best.

Jeno tries to send a glance of help towards the other housemates in the living-room, but none of them offer to assist him. Instead they simply send him on with amused expressions on their faces and cheeky innocent waves accompanying them.

Mark shines the brightest among them, waving his hand encouragingly as he appears quite content to know that he was essentially sending his best friend off to the torture chamber. Jeno makes a mental note to break a rib the next time they're in close proximity to each other.

"Jaemin," Chanyeol tries to halt them in their march towards the kitchen, stumbling over his own feet as Jaemin continues to drag him along. "We need to fix the window in the living-room, it's mid-afternoon, I would like to get it done before dark-"

"It's a really bad idea to have a gaping hole in one of our living-room walls, the house would be much safer if it had all of its walls intact." Jeno tries to assist the taller, speaking to Jaemin with a soft smile on his lips despite the overwhelming pain in his wrist. "It will be a really quick job-"

"Sehun already said that he has it covered." Jaemin explains with a bright smile on his lips, one that Jeno could tell was aimed to get them to shut up.

Chanyeol's head falls between his shoulders and Jeno quietly mourns the loss of blood pressure in his fingertips. Jaemin resumes his walk, giggling alongside Baekhyun as he informs him of his morning routine.

Jeno uses his free hand to yank against Chanyeol's t-shirt. The elder werewolf almost goes completely off balance as he's pulled in two opposite directions. However, he's able to balance him out just in the nick of time. "Why the hell am I suddenly involved in this? I thought that they would value some privacy alone, right now-"

"Did it seem like I had much choice in the matter?" Chanyeol speaks through gritted teeth, eyes flashing bright red. He gestures towards the harsh grip that Jaemin's fingers had on his wrist, making Jeno lightly groan. His pain was bearable, but Chanyeol looked like he was close to crying. "I'm not letting you get away with bringing him here, so if I'm being forced to suffer here, so are you."

"Why does anyone need to suffer here?" Jeno snaps back, taking the hint to speak quietly so as to not draw the two reuniting friends from their excited conversation. "Isn't this supposed to be seen as a celebratory time right now? Jaemin's no longer captured and Baekhyun has finally managed to find time to come and see him, right? So why are you acting like I just caused world war three-"

"Because you don't know Baekhyun-"

"Kyungsoo made waffles!" Jaemin's loud squeal cuts right through their conversation as both of them stumble over the threshold of the kitchen.

Chanyeol groans in quiet bliss as Jaemin releases the hold on his wrist, out of instinct he in turns releases the hold he had on Jeno's arm making the human finally breathe a little easier. The two of them remain by the doorway, gently tending to their injuries with hissed breaths and gentle hands.

"Hyung, have you eaten yet?" Jaemin wonders, glancing at Chanyeol from over his shoulder.

Jeno gently slaps a hand against Chanyeol's torso, forcing the werewolf to snap back into reality and lift his gaze up from his wrist.

"No." He announces, not entirely certain what the question had been.

Jaemin smiles at his response, holding out a plate with barely concealed excitement. Chanyeol fills the gap between them and takes the plate from his hold with a small pained smile on his lips as he joins the small line behind Jaemin.

Kyungsoo had organized the leftover food from breakfast into silver platters that he had laid out in a buffet-style manner on the marble countertop just next to the fridge.

Jeno came to stand just behind Chanyeol, having gathered a plate for himself. His mouth filled with saliva at the sight of all of the delicious food laid out before him. There was a whole platter dedicated to diced fruit, breakfast meats and of course Kyungsoo's famous waffles.

Jaemin begins at the front of the line, selecting his desired amount of waffles before passing the fork along to Chanyeol who selects his favourite among the options. Jeno had already found the three that he desired so he made quick work of placing them down onto his plate. Once he was finished, he passed the form behind him to Baekhyun who politely declined.

At his obvious refusal, Jaemin slips out from in front of Chanyeol. His brows are furrowed in concern, observing as Baekhyun gently sets the fork back into the waffle platter without having taken any for himself.

"Hyung, you're not dieting right now are you? It's important that you eat all of your meals."

"I'm just not a lover of waffles, if I'm being honest..." Baekhyun tries to offer a smile, but Jeno can tell that it was being forced. Like the waffles were physically affecting the newcomer by being in the general vicinity.

"Here." Chanyeol holds out a plastic scoop filled with a bunch of freshly cut fruit from the next platter over.

Jeno can't help but take notice that a majority of the fruit being offered were strawberries. Baekhyun obediently holds out his plate and Chanyeol gently shakes the scoop, the two of them watching as the strawberries tumble out onto the plate. Baekhyun maneuvers his hand around the rim of the plate to prevent them from spilling over the edge.

When they finally separate, Chanyeol observes the choice of syrups available next to the fridge, while Baekhyun moves on to the meat platter to grab a few slices of bacon. Jeno can't help but notice how each of them try to hide their blushes.

Baekhyun's cheekbones are coated in a faint dusting of a champagne pink hue while the tip of Chanyeol's ears carry a similar shade.

Jeno decides that it's probably best for everyone if he continues to ignore the two elder men, turning his attention to the fruit platter. He takes note to leave behind a small cluster of strawberries, just in case.

He's the next one to sit himself down at the table after Jaemin, who smiles sweetly at him as he approaches. The hybrid motions towards the seat right by his side, Jeno slipping into the chair without complaint - figuring that Jaemin simply wished to face Baekhyun while they communicated over breakfast.

It wasn't until Jeno notices that the two elder werewolves hesitate to return to the table, that he realizes that Jaemin's motives might be a little deeper than he had previously thought. It humors him to see Chanyeol so obviously uncomfortable and out of his depth.

For a man who has previously expressed nothing but confidence and authority, he now looked like a simple shift in the wind would be enough to have him sprinting for the hills. It was a drastic change, though it would be one that Jeno wouldn't dare to draw attention to.

It's Chanyeol who takes the first step, choosing to sit opposite Jeno at the edge of the table. He slides into his seat without a word, his eyes remain glued to his plate as he takes a forkful of batter into his mouth.

Baekhyun takes a little longer, eventually coming to sit by his side, choosing the seat right next to Chanyeol but also immediately opposite Jaemin. He is smiling, all big and rectangular in shape. There's something about the way that his chin jolts, like he's purposely stopping himself from saying something important.

They linger in silence after that.

Jaemin suspects that everyone is just too focused on eating to begin conversation, but Jeno knows better. He's been in situations like this before. As an introvert, Jeno has figured out how to read people and develop a greater understanding of their body languages.

Chanyeol's shoulders are square which make him appear larger, he does this because he's unsure how else to be seen in this exact moment. His jaw is a little tense as he chews his food which indicates that there is a deeper frustration that he's trying to conceal. His brown eyes are unmoving from his plate, a clear distinction that he wishes to be anywhere else in the entire world right now. Jeno knows that he won't be the one to start the conversation.

Baekhyun on the other hand was interesting to observe, at least in Jeno's opinion. His shoulders were square, just like Chanyeol's, but they were also hunkered inward, close, making him appear smaller than Jeno knows him to be. His body is still and straight as he chews on a strawberry, a clear sign of obvious discomfort. His dark brown eyes flicker around the room, lingering on the window at the opposite end of the table, the backdoor behind him, and of course, the main door leading back into the front entryway. He is secretly examining his environment, keeping himself alert for all potential points of attack.

There is a level of awkwardness in the air that separates him from Chanyeol, something that Jeno has seen only once before.

When he was dealing with Mark and Renjun.

Chanyeol and Baekhyun's upper torsos were facing away from each other, which would indicate to an untrained eye that they had a certain level of dislike for each other. However, that being said, their lower bodies - their stomachs, hips and legs - were almost touching just beneath the curve of the table.

This was a classic indication of two people possessing a deeper connection with one another that they didn't want other people to become aware of.

Mark and Renjun had been in the exact same position a few weeks before they had officially broken the news to him, though Jeno didn't have the heart at the time to tell them that he had been suspecting their hidden romance for quite some time.

He hadn't said anything about it then, so he was definitely not going to say anything about it now, at least with Jaemin still in the room.

"Baekhyun-hyung, I'm so sorry that I was the one to text you using Chanyeol's phone." Jeno began, smiling politely across the table at the werewolf who pulled his gaze from around the room to settle on him. "Jaemin explained to me a long time ago that he saw you both as fillers for his parents. When he was taken I was worried that you wouldn't be told about the situation, so I took it upon myself to message you in the hopes that we might be able to save him ourselves. I learned from Mark that some parents would rather learn about the situation as soon as possible, to prepare themselves in case something doesn't go right... But I understand that my actions might have brought forward some tension, that wasn't my intention. So, I want to apologize now for my actions."

Baekhyun sat with Jeno's words for a little while, weighing them up as he finally took a proper look at him. Jeno spoons a piece of melon into his mouth while he waits, never once allowing the smile to slip from his lips. He can feel Chanyeol staring at him from across the table, but he ignores it, keeping his eyes on Baekhyun the entire time the silence continues.

"Please don't apologise," Baekhyun begins, pausing to gather the correct words. "I was grateful for the text message. You're right, I would have rather known as soon as possible rather than have heard about it after-the-fact. I was bust at the initial time of the text message, but when I did glance at it later, I left as soon as I could. Thank you for making that decision and informing me."

"I would have told you," Chanyeol explains, unwilling to raise his gaze from his plate. "but I didn't know exactly where you were. I didn't know if it would be like last time, when you were in a completely different continent. I'm sorry that I wasn't the one to do it."

"We have a lot of learning to do," Baekhyun nods, but refuses to turn his gaze left. "I need to be more accommodating to your texts."

"And I need to be able to send the message, regardless of my own hesitations."

"Now you're both really starting to act like my parents." Jaemin giggles, his head coming to gently rest against Jeno's shoulder.

The two of them watch as Baekhyun and Chanyeol pale at the accusation, cheeks burning with embarrassment. Chanyeol turns his gaze back down to his breakfast plate while Baekhyun's eyes fall on an empty couch further down the table.

Jeno uses their distraction to his advantage, gently placing his hand down on Jaemin's. He struggles to hide his smile in the hybrid's pink hair as Jaemin drags their interlocked hands to his lap, where his thumb gently draws invisible circles into the back of Jeno's palm.

He nuzzles his nose along the expanse of Jeno's neck before settling back down again.

"I'm sorry that I've been an awful parental figure to you." Baekhyun speaks despite the blush still burning bright on his cheeks. "I was afraid that if I allowed myself time to miss you, I would misstep.. get caught... I couldn't let them think that you were no longer with me. I can't let Chase realize that we're no longer together."

"I know hyung." Jaemin reaches his free hand out, past his plate. Baekhyun's fingers met his in the centre of the table. "I don't resent you for leaving me behind. I understand why you did it, I'm just upset that you never tried to check in-"

"I did, I do." Baekhyun blurts, eyes widening when he realizes his own misstep. He smiles sadly, clearing his throat before continuing. "I text Chanyeol all the time to make sure that you're alright. He's never changed his number in all the time I've known him so I was able to memorize it so I would never break the one connection that I had with you. I knew that if I spoke with you directly.. It would make me want to come back here..." His words catch in his throat, but he continues on, ignoring the emotion building in his chest. "and I couldn't let that happen. So Chanyeol became my one source of contact."

There was something else that he was holding back, something else that he wanted to say because his chin jolted yet again. He doesn't get given the opportunity to speak his thoughts aloud, because Chanyeol takes over.

"He's been checking in on you every chance that he gets Jaemin. I just never let you know about it because I didn't want to upset you. I know how much it hurt you when he left you here that day," Chanyeol's eyes lose their focus, his mind no doubt bringing forward a hidden memory that he gets lost in for a moment. "I didn't want to hurt you anymore than you already were. I thought that if I told you, all that work you were doing to put behind you would be ruined. We've made a lot of decisions about your life without your input and for that I think I speak for the both of us when I say that we apologise. We will try to be more accommodating about your wishes going forward."

"But that's the problem." Jaemin's grip on Jeno's hand grows a little more intense, his head rising from Jeno's shoulder to look at both of the elder wolves clearly. "You both think that you know what's best for me, you-" he looks at Baekhyun. "by leaving me here and never once contacting me directly, and you-" he turns to Chanyeol. "too scared to admit that he's been asking about me. I know that the both of you have been looking out for me, and I love you both so much for that... but it's been so lonely. I've been drifting between a limbo state between not knowing where I'm supposed to belong and wishing desperately for a home."

"Please..." Baekhyun begs, touch gentle as he rubs along the back of Jaemin's palm. "Let us make it up to you. Whatever you want, whatever you need... If you truly see us as your parents, then..." Baekhyun sends a cautious glance at Chanyeol, who has yet to meet his eye. "then let us apologise for discussing your life without your input, for leaving you to struggle about this whole thing by yourself."

"I want a family dinner." Jaemin announces, tumbling against the back of his seat. His shoulders release the tension weighing them down, as his hold on Jeno's hand releases from the harsh grip into a lighter, gentler touch. "Just us, in each other's presence."

"I'm not much of a cook." Baekhyun admits, hiding a laugh. He tries to look over at Chanyeol who immediately shifts his gaze back to Jaemin. Jeno tries to hide a smile.

"I could try whipping something up?"

"No." Jaemin shakes his head.

Jeno shifts in his seat, feeling a little uncomfortable being present for such a private, intimate conversation. Yet Jaemin's hold on his hand keeps him anchored to his seat. The hybrid is using him as a pillar of support, for strength to speak his heart's desires.

For that, Jeno remains.

Despite the obvious discomfort, despite the fact that he did not deserve to be involved in this discussion, he stays because Jaemin needs him, because Jaemin wants him there. It makes Jeno's heart swell.

"I want a family dinner, like the ones we see on TV but better. I want a dinner where we have to get dressed up and go out to a restaurant where we can complain about our lives and enjoy not only the food, but each other's presence. I want a family dinner outside this house, in a restaurant like any other normal person. I want to be considered normal for just one day, one evening where I don't have to be a hunted hybrid. I want my parents to take me to dinner and tell me that they love me, that nothing has changed in the two years that I've been on house-arrest."

Jeno is initially overjoyed by Jaemin's strength to announce his hidden desires. However, even he has some hesitations regarding the demands.

He isn't all that surprised to see a wave of worry flash across the elders' faces. Chanyeol sits up straighter. Baekhyun's eyes are unmoving, waiting for Chanyeol to say something. Even Jeno feels cautious to fulfill Jaemin's wish, this was a dangerous ask.

Going outside the territory was always going to be a risk that they would have to discuss, but Jeno never expected that conversation to come so soon, much less right now when Baekhyun had just arrived. It was too early.

"Jaemin..." Jeno uses his hold on Jaemin's hand to gently pull the hybrid's attention from the opposite side of the table. The pinkette immediately smiles when his eyes linger on Jeno's face. "You know that I'll help you in any way that I can but this... Are you sure that this is what you want? It's still really early to go outside after all of the invaders."

"I'm sure." Jaemin giggles, eyes sparkling. "I've been thinking about this for awhile, I know exactly what I want."

Chanyeol falls against the back of his seat, eyes narrowed but his lips struggle to contain a smile. Jeno meets his gaze, shrugging his shoulders.

He tried.

Baekhyun looks confused by the quiet exchange, eyes lingering on the werewolf by his side before turning his attention back to Jaemin. "Sweetheart, I'm all for using Chanyeol's funds for delicious food, but... outside the territory our scent will easily be recognized, Not just yours, but mine as well. We have no way of knowing if any of Chase's minions have decided to set up shop locally."

"I'm sure that Jaemin has already given this some thought." Chanyeol explains, allowing a small smirk to slip onto his lips. "You heard him, he's been thinking about this for a while." He leans closer, elbows on the table. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm already asking for the moon, why not ask for the stars while I'm at it?" Jaemin grins mischievously, his fingers flexing against Jeno's hold.

"You get that from his side of the family." Chanyeol chuckles, crossing his arms against his chest as he returns to his earlier position against the back of the chair.

"What does that have to do with any of this?" Baekhyun sounds defensive, eyes narrowed as he glares at Chanyeol who only tosses him a quick glance.

"Our scents will be covered when we go outside the territory." Jaemin explains.

"With what?" Baekhyun genuinely seems confused, brows furrowing.

"Jeno's already agreed to scent me whenever I need it and I'm sure that Chanyeol-hyung wouldn't mind doing it for you."

"Scent-" Baekhyun gapes, eyes so wide that Jeno fears they may pop from his head. Chanyeol on the other hand doesn't seem to think that his reaction was necessary, since he continues to observe Jaemin with a small faint smirk on his lips.

"And why exactly would I be willing to do that?" He wonders.

"Because you want me to be happy." Jaemin challenges, grinning from ear-to-ear. "And I'll be happy if my wish is granted."

"Should I be expecting any other surprises from you this evening, or will dinner be your only wish?" Chanyeol questions, brow raising.

"Shall we make an entire night of it?" Jaemin teases, leaning forward against the table. Jeno watches as his lips curl higher. "I have always wanted to go to the cinema."

"Surely neither of you are being serious...?" Baekhyun laughs awkwardly, wide eyes fluttering from Chanyeol to Jaemin. When neither of them appear to want to end their staring contest, Baekhyun turns his gaze to Jeno who offers him a small sympathetic smile.

"They're both serious." He informs the newcomer. "Jaemin doesn't often ask for anything outside of the bare necessities, I suspect that he's been waiting to be given this type of opportunity."

Jeno is able to recall that day, a few weeks ago now, when himself and Jaemin were taking a break from one another. They hadn't spoken most of the day after Jaemin's panic attack in Jeno's bedroom that morning. He had skipped down the front porch steps in a pink sweater and white socks to give Chanyeol a list of materials that he needed from the store.

Chanyeol had been quite adamant on making sure that Jaemin didn't require anything else. Now, however, it seems like the tables have been turned and Jaemin who had only ever asked for the bare necessities, was now demanding the entire universe. Much to Baekhyun's veiled horror.

"You don't even know what films are playing." Chanyeol informs the room, taking Jeno out of his memory and snapping Baekhyun out of his surprised stupor.

Jaemin drew closer to the table, his stomach pressing against the edge. "The cinema in Honeydew is known for reshowing Disney classics right, might I suggest we do that?"

"You may suggest it all you want, that doesn't mean that I will agree to it."

"Since I've been here, how many days have I ventured off the territory?" Jaemin wonders, hand squeezing Jeno's for strength. Jeno doesn't know if he's giving it, but Jaemin continues. "Once," he admits when Chanyeol's words turn into silence. "And that wasn't exactly my fault. For your apology, I want an entire evening outside the boundary complete with entertainment and food, now Jeno already offered me his help, so will you do the same?"

"Jaemin," Baekhyun cuts through their conversation, voice harsh but eyes soft. "I understand that this is a wish you've had for a long time but... this is a lot to ask for. While Jeno might be more than happy to lend you his scent, the same cannot be said for Chanyeol. You know this, scenting someone is intimate, sacred. It's purposely giving someone a piece of yourself. I can't ask Chanyeol to offer himself up like that simply because you want us to go outside together, it's too great of a request."

"Oh I can assure you that I have no problem with it," Chanyeol announces much to Baekhyun's shocked surprise. "I just wanted to make sure that this is in fact the wish you want granted. You only get one so make it count-"

"This is it." Jaemin buckles down, smiling happily. "You both want to apologise, this is how you do it."

"Then it's settled," Chanyeol picks up his fork and places a slice of kiwi into his mouth. "shall we say six o'clock? That should give me enough time to make the reservation and check the film times."

Jeno glances at the clock on the wall behind him. They had just over five hours to go, guess he should probably think about skipping lunch so he could have room for all this free food.

"Has everyone gone mad?!" Baekhyun whispers quietly, wide eyes still locked on his breakfast plate.

________________

"So, you're going on a double-date with Jaemin and his parents?" Mark announces, smiling coyly as Jeno rummages through his closet in the hope of finding something nice to wear for Jaemin's fancy-dress theme.

"Please stop wording it like that." Jeno groans, visually shivering at the idea of it. "That just sounds ridiculous."

"This entire evening sounds ridiculous," Mark echoes from Jeno's desk. His best friend still wouldn't let him get anywhere near his bed. Mark was claiming Jeno had favorites, Jeno ignores him. "Why exactly are you involved in this anyway? Surely they would have wanted private time together, you know, you catch up and what-not?"

"Hey I've been thinking the same thing," Jeno shrugs his shoulders, falling to his knees in front of the closest. He had barely had a chance to unpack his bags yet, let alone find anything suitable amongst the clothing choices. "But Jaemin asked and I wasn't exactly in a position to say no to this. He needs my scent if he wants to go outside the territory."

"I suppose we should be celebrating that he even wants to leave after everything that happened last night."

"That's another reason why I don't want to let him out of my sight." Jeno huffs, determining that there wasn't anything suitable in his possession. "Why am I even bothering to try and find something that I know isn't there? I don't have any nice clothes."

"Of course you do-" Mark glances at all of the options in front of him before throwing his nose up at them all. "-n't. That is really tragic."

"I don't do social gatherings, why the hell would I have anything interesting to wear? I never left our dormitory, I've never been to a party, let alone a fancy dinner!"

"Surely there has to be something in here..." Mark manages to pull himself out of Jeno's desk chair long enough to scan the articles of clothing on hand. He hymns and hums to himself for a moment before straightening back up. "You, my friend, are royally screwed."

Jeno hands his head between his shoulders, groaning so loud that it almost drowns out the faint knock on his bedroom door. Like the gentleman that his mother always wished that he would become, Mark leaves his best friend in the middle of his breakdown to tend to his door. He smiles in relief when he sees Suho standing behind it with a soft smile on his lips.

"I was told that I might be of some assistance?"

Mark leads him inside with a warm smile on his lips. "See dude, I told you that God would send you a fairy godmother-"

"Well actually Chanyeol figured that you might need some help finding something suited for the evening. I was instructed to give my assistance."

"Universe, God, Chanyeol, Fairy god-mother." Mark waves them all off with a flick of his wrist. "Same thing."

"I think your religion literally states otherwise." Jeno deadpans from the floor, gazing up at Suho with a relieved expression on his face. "Thank you so much for your help. I am severely out of my depth with this one."

"Dinner with the in-laws," Suho nods like he understands. "It's a pretty difficult hurdle to cross but hey, at least you've already met one of them!"

"You are not helping." Jeno whines, eyes closing in quiet frustration. Had Mark's single brain cell magically transported to other people tonight? "I'm just going to tell Jaemin that I can't do this-"

"You are not!" Mark gasps, throwing himself against Jeno's bedroom door.

Jeno narrows his eyes into a scary glare that has his best friend chuckling nervously.

"Look, we both know that you're more than capable of throwing me away with ease, but stop for a second and think about this alright? You're doing this whole thing for Jaemin, because you love him. Right?"

Jeno's muscles immediately relax, the fight draining from his system as he gently nods his head.

"Then you will be able to get through one grueling evening. You're in need of some social interaction anyway and it is Jaemin's first time outside the boundary willingly in just over two years right?" Suho manages to pull his head up from his search to nod his head. "He wants you there, otherwise you wouldn't have been invited. Clearly you mean just as much to him as he does to you, he could have easily asked Chanyeol to scent him, right? After all, didn't Jaemin say that he views him as his father? Aren't parents supposed to be the ones to scent their young?"

Mark's words make Jeno's breath catch in his throat.

He was right.

Chanyeol had explained that a wolf's first scent comes from their parents to indicate to other wolves that the cub was being cared for. While he and Baekhyun weren't exactly Jaemin's blood relations, they clearly meant enough to him for him to classify them with such a renowned title.

But Mark's words did carry some weight.

If that is the case and parents were able to scent their young, then why hasn't Chanyeol offered to scent Jaemin before? Why had he been so relaxed letting Jeno do it?

"You do have a brilliant selection of clothing." Suho's voice pulls Jeno out of his train of thought, snapping him back into reality like a slap to the face. In his hands he carries a simple cream outfit consisting of pieces of clothing that Jeno had absolutely no recognition actually possessing.

Still, the elder holds them out with a bright smile on his lips. "Well?" He wonders, vibrating in excitement as he gestures towards Jeno's ensuite bathroom. "Aren't you going to try it on?"

________________

Jeno meets Chanyeol at the bottom of the stairs after finishing up the last few touches to his hair.

Suho had suggested that he try a different approach to his usual bangs-covering his forehead look. It was too much too fast in Jeno's opinion, so he allowed a few strands of hair to fall for his own personal comfort.

Chanyeol seems to have also decided to wear white, settling on a suit shirt and a pair of tanned coloured trousers that went well with the dark brown dress shoes that he had matched with the look. He appeared formal but comfortable, a perfect outfit for a restaurant evening followed by a night at the movies.

"Have they come down yet?" Jeno wonders, glancing up the staircase.

"No," Chanyeol gives him a quick once-over. "so take a breath."

Jeno follows through with the advice, drawing an overwhelming amount of air into his lungs before gently forcing it through a small gap in his lips. He lets his shoulders fall on either side of his head, his hands shaking themselves free of the nerves that vibrate relentlessly beneath his skin.

"I don't usually do this." He explains, feeling a nervous ramble coming on. "I usually stay at home by myself. I'm a home-body, I don't do social events or interactions, much less with someone I've never even met before-"

"You don't have to worry about Baekhyun." Chanyeol explains, gently nudging his shoulder against Jeno's, in the hope of relieving some tension.

Instead, Jeno feels whiplash set into his neck.

He can distinctly recall Chanyeol alluding to the fact that Baekhyun was to be seen as an enemy in disguise when Jeno had asked why he had been acting as if Jeno messaging him had caused world war three.

Before he could speak his mind, movement on the staircase halted all conversation.

Jeno raises his gaze to the top of the staircase where Jaemin stands with a bright smile on his lips. He and Baekhyun were holding hands as they came down the stairs sporting matching black outfits.

Jeno tries to hide his snicker, especially once he realises that himself and Chanyeol were wearing the complete opposite shade; white.

The tallest on the other hand seemed to break before Jeno could, quietly laughing into the palm of his hand as Jeno nudges him in the ribs. Chanyeol releases a pained hiss before fixing his face to hold a smile when Jaemin's gaze falls on him.

Jeno manages to escape a hit back, slipping out from beside Chanyeol to come to a halt by the banister where he extends his hand for Jaemin. The hybrid blushes at the gesture, letting go of Baekhyun's fingers to gently place his fingers against Jeno's palm.

"You look beautiful tonight." He whispers, guiding Jaemin down the final step. Jaemin blushes at the compliment, squeezing his hold on Jeno's hand.

"Thank you." He manages. "You look really handsome yourself."

"Oh this?" Jeno gestures to his outfit.

A white tank top covering his chest while a cream formal shirt hangs perfectly against his shoulders and wraps tight around his waist. Suho had recommended that he wear white trousers which -in his words- would tie the entire outfit together.

"Suho's doing. I had absolutely no idea that I even owned any of this."

His honesty makes Jaemin giggle.

He blushes when Jeno takes a step back, still holding onto his hand as he guides Jaemin into a gentle spin at the base of the stairs.

The hybrid is wearing a similar black formal shirt, however, it is only his arms that are seen through the fabric, and a pair of formal black trousers. His bright pink hair has been tossed to expose his forehead, though not completely.

If Jeno didn't know any better, he would have suspected that they had dressed in exactly the same outfit, just in different colours.

Jaemin spun back against his chest, giggling quietly into the space between them before taking a gentle step back. Jeno allows him to vacate the space, though he's happy that their hands remain linked.

It gives him an opportunity to cast his eyes to Baekhyun who still lingers on the final step of the staircase, a little unsure. He's wearing a black t-shirt beneath a black denim shirt, black jeans and black combat boots.

Surprisingly the outfit actually looks quite formal though Jeno quickly realises that it is highly likely that it is all Baekhyun possesses as he hadn't arrived with a bag through Chanyeol's living-room window.

"Are you ready?" Chanyeol questions.

He surprises everyone by offering out his own hand for Baekhyun to take. The newcomer stares down at it in complete surprise, his mouth opening to say something.

He clearly seems to think it over in his head because his jaw slams closed before his lips can reveal his words. He tries for a smile and manages to curl his lips up just enough to make it look like one.

Baekhyun allows Chanyeol to take his hand and sweep him off the final step of the staircase. His breath catches in his throat when his feet plant back down on the solid ground.

Jaemin cuddles against Jeno's side, smiling contently as his head gently comes to rest against the curve of Jeno's shoulder. "So where are we going for dinner?"

Chanyeol finally manages to pull his eyes away from Baekhyun long enough to glance at his adopted son with a genuine smile. "A restaurant in the locality, not too far away from here."

"And our movie?"

"There is a showing of Beauty and the Beast at eight, will that be to your liking?"

"Absolutely!" Jaemin practically vibrates against Jeno's arm, speaking the word around a radiant smile. "Shall we head back then?"

"Not quite yet." The taller halts him in his step.

Jeno gently pulls him back. "I haven't scented you yet."

Jaemin's cheeks burn in embarrassment. "Ah," he sighs, looking down at his shoes. "I forgot about that bit."

"I didn't think that you would want a hoodie this time." Jeno chuckles. "So, I figured that maybe you could take my blood again? It seemed to work really well the last time, I even rolled up my sleeves since I figured that the wrist might be easier to hide than if you bite my neck-"

"You've drank from him before?" Baekhyun shrieks.

Chanyeol uses the hold he has on Baekhyun's hand to keep him against his chest as he tries to make a dash across the short distance separating them.

"I'm pretty sure I already told you about that when we were getting dressed." Jaemin huffs, rolling his eyes before smiling as he turns back to Jeno. "Thank you, I think that would be a great idea-"

"Not so fast you two." Chanyeol interrupts, struggling to keep Baekhyun contained within his grasp. "Blood drinking is not how we are going to start this evening off. If Jaemin finds himself needing some blood later on in the evening then by all means, have at it... But for right now, I'm going to show you the proper way you scent someone."

"But I'm not a werewolf." Jeno feels like a broken record having to remind everyone around him that he doesn't actually know what type of supernatural creature he is.

Chanyeol seems to feel his frustrations from across the space, offering him a small faint smile before he finally eases up his hold on Baekhyun who grumbles something under his breath that goes unheard from Jeno (obviously), but not the others who each send him a small glare.

"Oh fine," Baekhyun huffs, crossing his arms over his chest. "Use me as a diagram sure, have at it."

"You don't need to be a werewolf to do this, I just never explained it to you before because I didn't exactly know what to think of you two doing this in my presence but clearly the universe seems to like proving me wrong lately." Chanyeol sighs, dropping his hold on Baekhyun's shoulders to his waist. The newcomer seems to shift uncomfortably beneath the new grip, but he doesn't vocalize it. In fact he even throws them both a glance from over his shoulder.

"Mirror him you two, I'm only going to let him do this to me once." Baekhyun grits his teeth.

Jaemin falls into position against him, hands resting against Jeno's shoulders, while Jeno's arms come to wrap around Jaemin's wrist.

"Lean your head back." Chanyeol glares down at the smaller in his arms. They try to hide their laughter at Baekhyun's obvious eye roll. He follows through with the action, grumbling his frustrations beneath his breath. "There is a section of skin at the base of the neck," Chanyeol lectures, running his index finger along the mentioned scope of skin on Baekhyun's neck. Jeno glances down at Jaemin's neck which is bared for him. "Just above the collarbone. If you follow it the whole way up you'll come just beneath the lobe of the ear." Jeno doesn't touch, letting his eyes follow the line. "Those two spots are where our scent gets produced the strongest, you can choose to focus on one but I would recommend tending to both since it would extend the period of time for your scent to remain."

"What do I do?" Jeno wonders like the perfect student, glancing up from both of the spots on Jaemin's neck. His eyes meet Chanyeol's dark orbs. They flash red as his lips move down to Baekhyun's neck.

Jaemin watches as Baekhyun flinches at the feel of Chanyeol's lips against his skin, the plush of the muscles appearing from no-where, without warning. Baekhyun slumps in his grip, his head falling back a little more to accommodate Chanyeol's lips better. But it's easy to see even with the distance. Chanyeol presses a deep kiss against the base of Baekhyun's neck before gently running his lips along the skin to circle the space beneath Baekhyun's ear. Though quiet, Baekhyun's soft gasp is easy to hear over the silence.

A vibration of familiarity jolts through Jeno's veins, his breath stalling in his throat. A memory drags itself to the forefront of Jeno's mind, relighting a hunger that possessed him the day the invaders stood on the driveway.

Jaemin had just finished drawing Jeno's blood from his neck, his head tossed back against the wall of Jeno's bedroom to accommodate Jeno's lips as they ran along the length of Jaemin's neck in the hope of marking him up with bruises.

Jaemin's hold on his hand grew tighter, cheeks painted with pale pink as their gazes met. Jeno immediately recognizes the familiarity sparkle in his orbs. Neither of them speak about their previous encounter, though Jaemin makes a note to approach that topic later on, when they're alone and away from his parents.

Jeno takes a deep breath before following through with the actions Chanyeol had highlighted. He presses his lips against the sharp indent of Jaemin's collarbone, a delicate lick of his tongue going unnoticed to anyone other than Jaemin who manages to hide his moan behind a gasp.

The heat between them burns forcing Jeno to quicken his movements, his nose trailing along the line up to Jaemin's ear where his lips stop and linger. His breathing comes in waves before he presses down even harder, another gentle lick making a shiver slither down Jaemin's spine.

He's back on his feet and righted before he can even begin to process what happened. He can feel his cheeks burn beneath the embarrassment, but he isn't alone.

Baekhyun stands away from Chanyeol, a hand to his chest with a bright pink dusting on top of his cheekbones. He offers out a hand and Jaemin rushes to him, together they leave through the front door, smelling other people on their skin.

Chanyeol and Jeno share a glance before they too come to the front door, laboured breathing keeping them calm beneath the fire burning deep.

"It makes sense now." He announces once he's certain that Jaemin and Baekhyun had gotten into the car. Chanyeol glances up from the key in his hand, brow risen. "Why you're hesitant around him? I thought that you hated him when you told me that I didn't know him, earlier this afternoon. But then you told me that I wasn't supposed to worry about him before they came down the stairs. He's not a bad person. You weren't telling me to be cautious of him, you were telling me to stay away from him because he means something to you, something that you can't tell anyone."

"Our history goes back to when we were your age." Chanyeol doesn't bother to deny Jeno's words, instead he simply smiles like he's glad that Jeno was able to see past the smoke and mirrors. "Do you remember when I told you that you're a lot like me when I was your age?" Jeno nods his head, swallowing the tension in his throat. "I meant it."

"You guys-"

"Aren't together." Chanyeol shakes his head, placing the key into the lock of the door. "But it's not by choice." He twists it in the lock, the click of the locking mechanism falling into place echoing in Jeno's ears.