Universe | NCT Dream One-Shots

Runaway

Title: Runaway
Pairing(s): Renhyuck
⚠️ PG-13; Angst (kind of .-.)

"Oh it could take a bit of time to heal this
It’s been a long day,
Thumb on side of the roadway."

*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*✭˚･ﾟ✧*･ﾟ*

Donghyuck woke up from the sound of a cannon being launched and explode in the distance. His hand quickly groped around and realized the right side of his bed was empty. Eyes widened, Donghyuck darted his attention to the clock.

3.19 AM.

He got rid of the duvet that covered his lower body part and got up. The cannon sound disappeared, it changed into the sound of chaos. Donghyuck walked to the living room, shivering a little from the cold air that hit his bare chest.

A guy sat on the couch, hugging himself. It made him look smaller and more fragile than he already did. His eyes were plastered on the tv screen, showing an action movie about politics.

"Renjun-ah." Donghyuck flopped down next to the guy, pulling him into his arm. "Renjun-ah, how long have you been sitting here?"

Renjun shrugged, but he leaned his head under Donghyuck's chin. Even though Renjun was three months older, he didn't mind the informal language Donghyuck used.

"Is it another nightmare?" Donghyuck asked softly.

"No." Renjun shook his head. "I'm confused."

"What are you confused about?"

Donghyuck waited until Renjun was ready to speak.

"M-my father texted me... A week ago."

Donghyuck could feel the smaller guy's shoulder tensed up. So, Donghyuck started to carress him to ease the tension.

"What did he say?" Donghyuck lowered his voice, careful not to trigger Renjun.

"He asked me when will I come home."

If Donghyuck's position was switched with Renjun's, he wouldn't want to go home for eternity. Renjun's father was an alcoholic and abusive man. He cheated on Renjun's mother while she was having a baby inside her belly. Five months into her pregnancy, he came home late and Renjun's mother got beaten up to the point where she lost her baby and she almost died.

Renjun immediately called the ambulance, taking his mother to the hospital alone. Having his hands got gripped by his mother along the way, having to wait on the hallway when the doctor tried to save her. His little sister  couldn't make it. His mother survived but she was damaged inside.

Three months after the incident, the doctor suggested for Mrs. Huang to be put into an asylum. Renjun didn't agree, but his father quickly approved it. The house became such a nightmare for Renjun he ran away.

Donghyuck passed him on the streets a few times, also found him curling in the park benches at night. Sleeping, covered with newspapers as blanket. Donghyuck's brother, Mark, was the one who brought Renjun to his apartment.

They had been living together ever since. Thankfully, Renjun wasn't a mannerless, homeless dude like what Donghyuck expected him to be. In fact, Renjun was a polite and organized person, Donghyuck didn't mind having him as a roommate.

None of them went to university. Renjun couldn't afford it and Donghyuck simply just wanted to give affordable English lesson to the neighbors' kids while trying to work on his novel. It made their lives easier that way.

"Will you go back?" Donghyuck asked again. He thought Renjun wouldn't hear him, because the volume of the tv was quite loud.

"I don't think so." Renjun sighed. "I mean, he's my dad but he... he tore our family apart. I feel bad for my mom, I want to get her out of that bloody place. She doesn't belong there. I want us to be a whole family again. I missed my family. I don't know if it's impossible to be what we used to be. Donghyuck, I'm confused."