Little Dreamies

Pushing Limits 2

Jaemin leaned against the doorway to his,Jeno and Haechan's room.

"Your stinking up the room" Jaemin joked. Jeno frowned at him.

"How so?" Jeno worried. Jaemin rolled his eyes.

"Dad's pissed at you and I don't blame him. What the hell were you thinking, saying that stuff to him?" Jaemin crossed his arms. Jeno didn't say anything.

"After everything he did for us? That's how you treat him" Jaemin snapped.

"No one asked him to!" Jeno argued. Jaemin had enough. He didn't know why his best friend and brother was being like this.

"Your right. No one asked him to. He didn't have to adopt us. He could have just taken care of us to eighteen and then wiped his hands of us and been free of that responsibility. He chose to give up his everyday life when he was twenty-three to raise a bunch of kids that weren't even his. Most people would be out having fun or just settling down and he was taking care of seven kids. I don't know about you but I think that alone deserves our respect" Jaemin lectured then turned and left. He didn't feel like arguing with Jeno any longer. The older boy watched him go, feeling guilty. He had known that what he said was wrong but he didn't feel like admitting it. Part of him still believed that Taeyong needed to just mind his own business and leave Jeno alone. Throughout the day, his brothers came in and out, telling him how much he had messed up. Jeno tried not to let it bother him, telling himself that they just didn't understand. They hadn't seen the comments, hadn't heard the whispers at school.

 But they had. The only ones who didn't hear it was Chenle and Jisung but that was only because Jaemin was still in middle school with them and made sure his brothers didn't hear the whispers and taunts. When he graduated, he would tell Chenle to protect Jisung. Their baby brother was too fragile to hear what kids at school thought of them. 

Worst of all though was when Mark came into the room and just stood there, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He didn't say anything for a while and Jeno tried to ignore him. 

"I'm half tempted to put you over my knee myself before dad can even get to you" Mark stated. Jeno turned red quickly. Mark had never spanked any of them, except that one time when they all got drunk and Jaemin jumped into a pool off the roof of a hotel. Although, Jeno was sure that if Taeyong just asked, Mark would do it. Luckily, Taeyong never asked. 

"You wouldn't" Jeno wanted so badly to believe that but he knew it wasn't true. Mark would.

"Try me" Mark responded. Jeno shut up. He didn't want to push Mark into actually doing that. Mark stood there for a while longer, looking disappointed before he sighed and sat down next to Jeno.

"Why?" Mark wondered. That was the only thing he didn't understand; why Jeno said those things was a complete mystery to him.

"You don't hear what they say. The things they call us" Jeno stated. 

"You think I've never been bullied? That I don't know what they said when we were adopted. I went to high school too Jeno. Don't forget that" Mark pointed out. Jeno hadn't forgotten but that seemed so long ago. 

"I don't really give a shit what those snotty nosed kids think. What I do care about is that you, my little brother, are no better than them. You became a bully the second you said those things to the man who raised us. If your bothered by what kids say than how do you think dad feels hearing that from his son?" Mark scolded. Jeno curled in on himself, Mark's words like a knife to his heart. Jeno knew it only hurt because Mark was right. He was no better than the kids that made fun of him. 

"You better apologize because if you don't, little brother or not, I will end you. If you don't apologize, you and I are going to have to fight and trust me, you will lose" Mark got up and left. Jeno was scared. That was the first time he had ever been scared of Mark. That was only because Mark was completely serious. He loved his brothers but he was not going to let Taeyong be disrespected by anyone. Knowing this, Jeno went to find his adopted dad and deliver the most sincere, formal apology he could. 

"I forgave you the moment you said it. I know you didn't mean it and you were just repeating things you've heard" Taeyong was no idiot. He knew that his kids were made fun of and it was his fault. They wouldn't say it but he knew. He had figured it out when Renjun, his strongest fighter and quickest to anger, came home with a black eye and bruised knuckles. Taeyong asked the school and even though they didn't tell him anything, they didn't have to. 

"I'm a bully" Jeno muttered to himself. Taeyong lifted his head so Jeno would look at him.

"You are not a bully. You were angry and while that does not condone your actions, it separates you from bullies" Taeyong explained. Jeno didn't believe him one bit. 

"Listen to me, young man. Bullies are people who go out of their way to hurt others. You spoke without thinking and you made a mistake but we will deal with it and I know you will try harder to control your words next time. Your an amazing kid, Lee Jeno. Don't forget it" Taeyong kissed Jeno's forehead, bringing tears to the kid's eyes. 

"But your still in trouble. I am tempted to wash your mouth out. You think that's fair?" Taeyong asked, tricking Jeno. How the rest of their conversation, and Jeno's punishment, went depended entirely on how Jeno answered. 

"Yes" Jeno hated it but he had to agree. That was more than fair. He would cut his own tongue out if it meant he would never say those things again. Taeyong wasn't really surprised. He had seen it in Jeno's eyes that he was sorry. 

"But I won't. Because I know you will be more mindful and that's enough" Taeyong motioned Jeno over to him, tucking the kid under his arm. 

SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK SMACK

"If you ever speak to me or your mother like that again, I will make this feel like a walk in the park. Is that clear, young man?" Taeyong stood Jeno back up, looking at him.

"I understand. I won't do it again" Jeno promised. 

"I know. And I will talk to the school and Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung's principal about making sure those kids stop teasing you" Taeyong could see the surprise in Jeno's eyes, clearly not expecting Taeyong to know about what his boys faced at school. 

"But your still grounded. Mostly because you stayed out past curfew and ignored your mother and I when we called you" Taeyong added. 

"Haha, yeah. I guess that was stupid" Jeno laughed nervously. Taeyong nodded in agreement and motioned for Jeno to go on to his room, beginning his grounding. Jeno was aware he would be bored in a few hours but he was just glad that he didn't feel a crushing guilt anymore. And per usual, his brothers were right there, sneaking into his room like they all did every time one of them was grounded. The best thing ever was Jeno knowing that his family wasn't mad at him. 

____________________________________________
Mark-18
Renjun-17
Jeno-16
Haechan-15
Jaemin-14
Chenle-13
Jisung-12