Beautiful time (Noren)

8

"I hope you don't mind? I just thought that with Nal not here you might be upset, so I thought I'd feed you and keep you company." He says, feeling Jeno watch him from behind.
"I mean, I hope I'm not overstepping or anything." He hears footsteps and turns slowly, only to be engulfed in Jeno' warm embrace.
"Thank you." He whispers.
"You have to be the kindest person I know and I appreciate you so much." He says softly. Renjun melts, his strong arms around him give him a sense of safety and warmth he has never felt. In all honesty Renjun could have stayed there all day but of course all good things come to an end. Jeno backs away with a slightly awkward smile and goes to sit by the table.
"So you didn't have fun at your friends house?" Renjun shrugs.
"I mean it was ok, there was one person there that made me uncomfortable but it was fun otherwise." Jeno frowns.
"In what way?" He asks with an edge to his voice making Renjun smile.
"It's nothing. It's ok." Jeno relaxes a little.
"So what's wrong with Nal? Nothing serious I hope?" Jeno shakes his head.
"She has a respiratory infection and the vet wants to keep her away from the other two, she may stay two nights." Renjun makes a sad face.
"That poor baby, when you see her give her a hug for me." He says making Jeno soft again.
"I will." He smiles and stands.
"Do you need help?" Renjun shakes his head.
"No, you go find us a movie to watch and cuddle with soul and Bongsik while you wait." Jeno's smile stretches across his face making his eyes all but disappear and Renjun wants to kiss his cheek so badly, but turns to cook to avoid a disaster.
After another twenty minutes he brings the food in. It's only a simple soybean soup but Jeno is excited none the less. They sit on the floor by the coffee table and Jeno starts the movie.
"It's not scary is it? I live alone and I'll have nightmares." He says a little nervous.
"No, I picked the new spider man, no way home movie. I hope you haven't seen it yet?" He kind of asks.
"I haven't, I've been wanting to, but I haven't gotten around to it." He smiles and starts eating as the opening credits start, Jeno follows suit and starts eating.
"Mm, this is amazing. I didn't know you could cook too?" Renjun gives him a lopsided frown.
"Too? As in I can do what, and cook too, like suck at sports?" Jeno laughs and nudges him with his arm.
"You are an amazing artist." He points to the wall where he hung his picture of the cats.
"You had it framed?" Renjun asks, staring at it.
"Of course, I wasn't lying. It's beautiful, and it has my babies on it. I wanted to protect it." He smiles watching Renjun looking stunned.
"Wow. Thank you, it looks really nice like that." Renjun says softly. Jeno just smiles and nudges him again.

When Renjun wakes up, lifting his head slowly off of Jeno's shoulder he blushes.
"I'm sorry." He says quietly. Jeno just smiles and shakes his head.
"No problem, you missed a good movie though." Renjun stands up from his spot on the floor, Jeno still leaning on the couch, looking up at him.
"I have to pee, when I get done I'll wash the dishes." He quickly walks out so Jeno gathers their dishes to start washing them.
"Hey, I said I was going to wash them." Renjun pouts. Jeno rolls his eyes and turns back around.
"Stop, you've done so much. You cooked, let me wash these." He sits with a small pout and watches, his arms still bare, still catching his eyes.
"In all this time we've spent together we haven't really talked, you know? Like can I know more about you?" Jeno smiles softly but doesn't let it show.
"Like what, what would you want to know about me?" Renjun hums in thought.
"I don't know, family? Past relationships, friendly or romantic? Whatever." Jeno sighs as he finishes the last dish.
"I'm sorry if I'm being pushy or something? If you don't want me to know anything, just tell me and I will leave it alone." Renjun says, feeling like maybe Jeno doesn't want a deeper relationship with him, maybe he only sees him as someone he's teaching a sport and a burden.
"Come." Jeno says holding his hand out for Renjun. He pulls him gently down the hallway and points to a picture of him as a child and a lovely woman who looks to be his mom.
"This is my mom, she is sweet and smart and funny, or at least she used to be. Lately we haven't spoken much. Every time I talk to her she asks me the same question, getting the same answer then we argue and hang up." He looks at Renjun who is frowning.
"She doesn't approve of my lifestyle." He says shrugging.
"She doesn't like you being a policeman?" He asks softly.
"Well, she's not too fond of that either, but no. She doesn't approve of me being gay." Renjun's frown deepens.
"She's homophobic?" He asks incredulously.
"I don't know if I would call her homophobic per say, she always asks me when I'm going to quit fooling around and marry a woman and give her grand babies." Renjun looks down sadly.
"Oh." He says getting a far away look in his eyes before walking back to the couch, wiping at his eyes.
"My mom died when I was young, my dad had left us long before and around my sixth birthday she was diagnosed with cancer. I was adopted by a  Korean couple and brought here. They were great, for most of the time but they are homophobic and no longer speak to me since around the time I started college." He's full on crying so Jeno holds him and rubs his back.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring down the mood or anything." He says while sniffling.
"It's ok, I'm sorry about your mom though. I bet she would love you despite it all." Renjun smiles into Jeno's chest and nods.
"I think you are right. I also think that if there is a chance to keep a good relationship with your mom, you should." Jeno sighs, still rubbing his back.
"I try, I give her chances and she always ends up saying something and I don't want to ignore her but I can't handle it sometimes you know?" Renjun nods and backs out of his arms.
"If we want to talk depressing? My first love." He sighs and wonders if he's truly ready to speak about this with Renjun but figures he might as well.
"We started as friends, by our junior year in high school we were dating, the it gay couple in our school. After high school when I was in police academy and he was in college we lived in a little apartment in the middle. We were in love, at least I was. But you know how first loves go, most of the time they end and you find your real love later in life. It doesn't mean it hurt any less when I walked into our apartment and caught him having sex with his classmate. He broke my trust, my heart, among other things." Renjun's eyes get big.
"Fuck, that's awful. I don't understand why? Like you are the total package. Your attractive, smart, funny, cute, and over all an amazing person." Jeno can't hide his blush.
"Are you over him? Like if he walked through that door right now, would you go to him?" Without hesitation Jeno answers.
"Hell no. I've been over him for a long time. That was over three years ago. I mean don't get me wrong, he gave me a whole lot of fucking trust issues and regrets but I'm completely done with that chapter of my life." Renjun slaps his back with very little force.
"Good. He doesn't deserve you." Jeno smiles genuinely and pinches Renjun's cheek.
"Ok, your turn. Tell me about your first love?" Renjun bites his lip.
"Mine isn't as tragic, just lame if you ask me. I met a Chinese boy in high school, he was older than me, like a lot older but he was a little behind because he didn't speak any Korean at the time so he had struggled in school. I started tutoring him and one day we kissed. I was already planning our marriage after that night." Jeno chuckles.
"We started seeing each other in secret and like for the most part that was ok but there comes a point when you just have to live your truth and you can't hide forever. He wasn't ready for that so I said goodbye and haven't seen anyone since then." He laughs.
"I know my love life is really sad but thanks to my parents, trust issues." He says before pursing his lips.
Jeno nods.
"Yeah, it is sad but mine isn't any better so who am I to judge?" They both chuckle.
After a while of sitting in silence Renjun lays down on the floor, on his stomach and starts petting Bongsik. Jeno watches fondly.
"Do you miss your sister? Huh? Me too." He kisses the cats head and gets back onto his feet.
"I should probably go now. Call if you need anything, and don't forget to give Nal a hug for me." He walks over and gives a small hug to soul who is sitting in the window sill minding her own business.
Jeno stands.
"Let me drive you?" Renjun starts to protest but Jeno won't take no for an answer, which of course he doesn't plan to tell Renjun that it's because he wants to spend more time with him.

"If you don't feel like playing tomorrow, I'll understand." Renjun says as he unbuckles in front of his building. Jeno gets out again and opens his door for him. He quickly pulls him into his arms again.
"Thank you for tonight, it really means everything and the food was so good. You can cook for me whenever." Renjun chuckles.
"Goodnight." He says before leaning up on his tip toes and kissing Jeno's cheek.
"Goodnight." Jeno says softly, letting him go.