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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𝗮𝗿𝗺'𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵; norenminWhere stories live. Discover now