Betrothed (NoRen)

22

When Renjun enters Jeno's apartment he is floored. The entryway is as big as his whole kitchen and the living room is about the size of his whole apartment.
"Wow, this is really nice." He says in awe. Jeno smiles softly.
"I guess." He shrugs. Renjun scoffs.
"What? Yeah it's a nice place but it's, also really big and really lonely. I got it thinking I needed to have this status symbol, you know? Like I'm rich so I need to prove it but over the years I realized that the bigger the place is the more lonely I feel." Renjun looks at him warmly.
"I'm sorry, I just assumed rich people were always happy because you never have to worry about paying your bills on time or having enough to eat. I guess i never thought about that part." Jeno smiles and opens his arms for a hug, which the other melts into immediately.
"It's ok, besides even having you here one night makes this place a little more homey. And who knows? Maybe one day, you will move in here with me? If you decide you like me enough that is." Renjun giggles.
"The problem isn't if, it's that I already do and I haven't known you that long." Jeno kisses his lips softly.

"Come on, you should eat something, we can talk more over dinner, I'm sure you have lots of questions." Renjun nods.
"Can i Cook something for you?" Renjun asks softly.
"I would like that a lot. If you can find enough ingredients, have at it. I'll go shower quick, then I'll watch you cook."

Renjun shoos him out of the kitchen and begins looking through his stuff. He finds a steak thawed in the fridge and some veggies and thinks maybe a salad topped with steak strips would be good. He finds a small mini grill in the cabinet to cook the meat on and gets to work. He seasons the meat and places it on the hot grill and starts chopping the veggies.
He checks the meat after a few minutes and pulls it off and sets it on the cutting board to rest. He doesn't hear Jeno sneak up behind him, he only feels his arms wrap around him and his head tuck into his neck.
"It smells delicious." Renjun chuckles.
"I hope it is. I haven't cooked steak for a long time." Jeno kisses his neck softly and pulls away to give him room to finish.

Jeno stares at him. The fact that this beautiful, perfect person is in his life and cooking in his big lonely apartment for the two of them makes his heart swell. He wishes desperately that someday this could be their life. That they could eat all their meals together. When Renjun catches his stare he blushes.
"You don't have to literally watch me." He says softly.
"But you are so pretty when you do that." Renjun raises a brow, but says nothing.
"Fine, I'll go set the table." Renjun smiles.
"That would be nice."

After plating everything up Renjun walks to where Jeno is in the dining room. He almost gasps at how pretty it is. He set two spots across from each other on one end of a huge table and lit candles and dimmed the lights. He used cloth napkins and nice silverware. He has a chilled bottle of wine and crystal glasses.
"It's beautiful." Renjun says in a whisper.
"I thought it could be like a little date. I hope it's ok?" He asks softly.
"It's perfect." Renjun sets the plates down and goes to one of the chairs but before he can sit, he is met with a kiss on the lips before Jeno pulls his chair out. Renjun's heart does little flips in his chest.

"For someone who doesn't date much, you sure no how to make a person feel special." Renjun says softly.
"You are special and I've watched a lot of dramas, so." Renjun giggles.
"That's Cute. I do too though. I always thought they were so unrealistic, like they meet, fall in love and live happily ever after. Maybe it's not so unrealistic after all?" Jeno shakes his head.
"With the right person it can be very real." Renjun looks away shyly.

As Jeno sits staring at his beautiful prince eating Renjun gets annoyed and grabs his fork and pokes some food on it before shoving it in his mouth, gently of course.
"So how did I do?" Jeno hums and swallows his bite.
"It's amazing really." Renjun smiles proudly.
"Good, now eat and quit watching me." He says before sticking his tongue out childishly. Jeno laughs and continues to eat.

"Ok now for the questions.
First off, if you are a vampire, which you obviously are because you drank my blood, why doesn't the sun hurt you?" Jeno smiles.
"While vampires themselves are not a myth, some of the legends about them are. I Can be in the sun, i can't get a tan but it won't kill me. Yes a wooden stake through the heart would kill me but really anything that pierces my heart would do it. I got lucky that Chanyeol missed and hit my stomach." Renjun winces.
"Don't talk about that. I can't bear the thought." Jeno reaches across the table and touches his hand.
"Sorry, I'll try not to bring him up in front of you." Renjun nods.
"Back to the topic at hand. How old are you? Is it true that you live really long lives?" Jeno nods.
"Im 429." Renjun gasps.
"Should I get you a Walker old man?" He asks making Jeno laugh.

Jeno continues answering questions throughout dinner and Renjun is full of them.
"So how did you turn into one? Or were you born this way?" Jeno hums as he stands with his plate and offers to take his.
"Many years ago, in my village I grew up in with my parents." Renjun smiles remembering this conversation.
"A group of vampires came in and killed all the adults, well older ones anyway. They raped women and children, and turned us young men so we could join their army." Renjun's jaw drops as he follows Jeno to the kitchen.
"So that's how your parents died? I'm so sorry." Jeno shrugs.
"I know it was literally ages ago but it still plays through my mind from time to time. I remember every detail, down to what we ate that night. My parents were celebrating because my dad had finally sold some of his wood working to a merchant in the next village. They actually bought meat that day. Not the ground up or left over scraps they would usually get from the butcher, but actual meat. I remember thinking it was the best meal I'd ever eaten. I was working for that butcher so when they came in and purchased it I was shocked. We all got together, Mark, Taeyong, my parents and I, and we ate like kings. It was amazing.
Then soon after someone knocked on the door and my dad unknowingly invited them in. He was always kind to everyone, even strangers." He says with a fond smile.
"They killed him right in front of us. Then they came in and attacked us all. We were defenseless to their strength." Renjun notices the tears run down his cheek and walks up and embraces him tightly.

Jeno clears his throat and leads him to the living room again.
"You see that painting up there? Do you recognize anyone?" Renjun stares at the very old painting in awe.
"It's a family portrait. Your mother was beautiful." Jeno smiles softly.
"She really was." Renjun hugs him again.
"I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories." Jeno squeezes him tighter.
"You would have learned it eventually anyway so why not tonight?" Renjun smiles and leads him to the couch. He decides it's a good time for a cuddle and Jeno would never disagree with that.
It lasts for quite a while until Renjun's phone rings.
"Why is Mark calling me?" Jeno just shrugs and tells him to answer.

"Mark?" He questions.
"Renjun i need your help, it's Haechan." He says shakily.