Betrothed (NoRen)

31

"Haechanie? Baby? Are you ok?" Mark asks as they walk through his door. They decided to stay at Haechan's place since Doyoung and Taeyong are occupying his. Haechan was quiet the whole ride here.
"I'm, I don't know?" Like why doesn't this bother Renjun? Why does he seem so chill with the fact that Taeyong just turned someone into a vampire? Like I don't get it?" Mark sighs, a darkness filling his heart, he feels like he's drowning, suffocating in it.
He takes Haechan's hands in his own and kisses the knuckles on each one.
"That's acceptance. He's fully accepted us and he understands that this is how things work for us and he's ok with it." He takes a deep breath.
"Obviously, you still haven't, who knows if you ever will, really? I love you Haechanie with my whole being but I think we should take a break, for your own sake." Haechan frowns as tears Pool in his eyes before spilling over rapidly.

"But I do love you, I really do. I don't want you to leave me." He cries.
"I could never leave you. I'll always be here." He points to his heart.
"You love the idea of me, you love me as a man. You need to fully understand me and my lifestyle, and then it needs to be ok.
All of it.
If not, then you will never be able to fully love me and accept me for who I am." Haechan wraps his arms around his neck and weeps onto his shoulder. Mark just let's him have this. He's trying to be the strong one, trying to be the one to keep it together for Haechan's sake but he's quickly losing his resolve.
He pulls away and Haechan holds on tighter.
"No." He whispers.
"Don't leave me tonight? Please?" Mark smiles softly and kisses his forehead.
"I wouldn't dream of it. Let's get you to bed though, ok?" Haechan nods and quietly leads him up the stairs.

Not much is said, there really is nothing that can be said at this point.
Haechan crawls in to bed first and rolls to his side and sobs. Mark sits on the edge of the bed. Furiously wiping the tears that run down his face.
When he can collect himself he curls up behind him and holds him. He fits in his arms so perfectly. It feels so right, so warm, so meant to be. He kisses the back of his neck as Haechan Can feel his tears there.

He knows he's hurting Mark, knows that all he needs to do to fix this is just get over his judgements and fears of what his life entails.
Mark and his brothers, and he's sure countless others live their lives peacefully this way, why can't he just accept it?

The next day Haechan is numb. He says good bye to Mark and watches him drive away slowly.
He sits for hours just waiting, for what he doesn't know.
He finally gets an idea and calls the one person he can count on.
"Hi Renjunie, I heard of a really excellent party and want you to come with me." He says excitedly.
"Haechanie, I dont know if that's a good idea and I already told Jeno I'd stay the weekend." He huffs.
"Can't you just go with Mark?" He fights back tears and squeezes his fist together.
"He doesn't like this kind of party anyway. Never mind." He says dejected.
"I'll stay home." He says before hanging up and getting ready to go anyway.

Renjun frowns.
"Something is wrong. Haechan doesn't sound ok. Can you call Mark?" Jeno nods, a frown of his own forming.
Renjun tries calling Haechan back but he doesn't respond.

"Hey, Mark? Are you with Haechan?" Jeno asks. He hears Mark sniffle.
"He's, uh, he's home. That's where he was when I left anyway, why?" Jeno doesn't really know.
"Junie, come here and talk to Mark please?" He goes over quickly from where he was pacing, worry evident on him.
"He sounded different, sad. He asked me to go to a party and I said no, so he said never mind but he won't answer me now, and I'm scared he went alone. Why aren't you with him?" Mark doesn't even know where to start.
"Renjun, we are taking a break. For now, we are not a couple so I left him home." Renjun wipes his eyes.
"Fuck! You broke him? How? I thought this whole betrothed thing was real? I thought you would love him forever?"

"It is real and I will never stop loving him. But I can't force him into a lifestyle he doesn't understand, a lifestyle he is terrified of because of my feelings. You think this doesn't hurt me? Fuck, I can't breath most of the time. It hurts so much." Both Renjun and Mark are sobbing while Jeno is stone faced, taking it all in.
"Come on Junie, let's go check on him ok? We will figure this out." Renjun gets off the phone and emotionlessly grabs his jacket.

The car ride is quiet and not nearly fast enough in his opinion.
"Are you ok Renjun?" He only gets a nod at first.
"I'm just worried. He doesn't always think straight when he's upset." Jeno nods with pursed lips.
"He was so happy? Just yesterday we were talking about our boyfriends and how lucky we are. It just doesn't make sense." Jeno takes his hand and kisses it.
"Just support him, love him, be there for him. Hopefully he will come around but, yesterday was a lot for all of us." Renjun nods.
"Thank you for helping me." Renjun says softly.
"Of course, you know I wouldn't make you do this alone." Renjun smiles softly and squeezes his hand.
"I love you." Renjun says as he leans on his shoulder.
"I love you, prince."

When they don't find him home Jeno has to use everything in his power to keep Renjun from having a complete meltdown.
"He's going to be fine." Renjun scowls at him.
"Giselle, he was dancing with Mark. She knows his face and she is still out there ready to harm one of us." Jeno sighs.
"I know, i know." Jeno says knowing he needs to call both his brothers and neither would actually be worth a fuck in this situation.

Calling them was indeed useless, well mostly. Taeyong is refusing to leave Doyoung's side and Mark is heading out to look but he is a complete wreck and Jeno can only hope he is smart about it.

"Ok, when he's sad, where is his go to spot?" Renjun tries to think but he's having trouble clearing his mind. Jeno takes both his hands.
"Breathe. Slow deep breaths." He listens and is able to calm himself a little.
"Uh, well, like he said before. A party would probably be the first option. It's always his friend from work that helps him find parties, Johnny? Yeah, Johnny." Jeno nods.
"Do you know his last name?" Renjun frowns.
"No but he has a boyfriend named Ten?" Jeno smiles.
"I guess it really is a small world." Jeno chuckles at the look of confusion on Renjun's face.
"Im guessing Haechan doesn't know that him and Ten are also vampires?" Renjun's jaw drops.
"Holy shit.'
"I'll call Johnny and see if he's heard anything." Renjun nods and chews his nails.

When he gets off the phone he grabs Renjun's hand and pulls him toward the door.
"He said there are two big parties tonight and him and Ten will search one while we search the other." Renjun pecks his cheek.

"Don't worry baby, we'll find him." Jeno says full of determination.