Betrothed (NoRen)

44

"Ok, I brought him here, now what?" Jeno asks.
"Now, give him some blood so he can get better." Renjun says making Jaemin chuckle.
"Why, Renjun? Why do you want to help me so much when I disrespected you? I'm an awful monster. You should just cast me aside like I deserve." Renjun shakes his head.
"I want you strong and in your right mind when you apologize to Jeno." The two both frown.
"Just do it. Have I given you any reason not to trust me?" Renjun asks Jeno with a smile. He shakes his head no and goes to get the blood.

When he comes back Renjun is in the kitchen making tea while Jaemin is just sitting on the couch with his head back and eyes closed.
"Here, drink it." He says. Jaemin shakes his head.
"What if I don't?" He asks.
"Renjun will kill us both." Jaemin chuckles and nods just as Renjun reappears. He sets three cups of tea on the table and waits.
Jaemin reluctantly drinks the blood offered. It hits him almost immediately, leaving him wanting more. Jeno understands this and slips a business card across the table to him. He raises his brows and reads it slowly.
"It's a blood bank that people donate for vampires like us. Go to them and you can purchase a supply." He smiles and nods.
"Thank you." He says quietly. Renjun smiles and kisses Jeno's cheek. He's so proud of this little act of kindness.

"After you apologized to Renjun, you promised to leave us alone. He swore to me that you could be believed but yet you seemed to have followed us yet again. Explain." Jaemin purses his lips.
"It may sound unbelievable but I can show you proof. Tonight was pure coincidence.
After coming out of hiding I was determined to find you. I had seen magazine and newspaper articles about your company. I was, am so proud of you guys for what you have accomplished. Did you ever read those Renjun? There was even one once about the handsome eligible bachelor brothers." Jeno rolls his eyes.
"I stayed away from reading about super rich people, it always made me feel even more poor." Renjun says. Jeno squeezes his hand.

"Anyway, when I got to the city a while back I noticed a for sale sign in the window of that place and I had used the money I had saved up over the years to buy it. I was there tonight checking on an issue in the kitchen." Jeno frowns but nods.
"Jeno, I can never apologize enough to you for my behavior that day, but worse, my behavior toward Renjun. He didn't deserve the way I treated him, and even after that." He pauses as he wells up and takes a deep breath.
"Even after that, you have shown me such care and kindness, none of which I deserve, but you still do." He says to Renjun.

"Why did you do it then?" Jeno asks sternly.
"I was desperate. For my whole miserable life I regretted not leaving with you that night. It haunted me every minute of everyday. When I was finally free to find you I knew you would hate me so I stupidly thought, if I could appeal to that little crush you had on me in the village, I hoped you could forgive me. When I got here and seen this precious person standing in the doorway in his sleep wear, looking comfortable enough to tell me he probably lived with you or at least stayed over frequently, I panicked. I knew my plan wouldn't work if he was here. I couldn't try to appeal to your heart if the owner of your heart was sitting next to you." He pauses and looks at Renjun.
"I promise you, I never was planning to actually hurt you. I only needed to scare you away. I still feel terrible to this day, and will forever." Renjun gives a half smile.

"Jeno, I know I don't deserve forgiveness for what I did but I would like you to know just how sorry I am." Jeno doesn't speak, he only nods. Jaemin sips his tea then sits up as he is getting ready to leave.
"Thank you again for your kindness, and your hospitality." He starts to stand but Renjun stops him.
"Why were you in hiding? Did you do something illegal?" He shakes his head no.
"The opposite actually. When I first stayed with those bandits, I felt like I had a sense of home. This big family that would take care of me. I was so wrong. It only took a few weeks to realize I let my family leave without me that day." He says looking at Jeno.
"At first they took my lack of participation in their bad deeds as me being squeamish. I got away with that for only a year. Then they made me go out on their so called hunts for new recruits. I was able to blend in and hide so that they thought I was participating but after a few months they caught on. I was beaten daily for a long while until one day I managed to escape.
They hunted me and as I lay with a spear pressed to my heart I was willing to accept my fate, it was better than joining them again. But they brought me back. I was locked in a cell for years. When they asked if I was ready to joint them I still refused. I was hoping hard everyday that I would be sentenced to death." Renjun wipes his eyes.
"That's awful." He nods.
"Finally they held a trial, I was ready to die but they offered an out. They said to run away, if they ever found me, any one of them had the right and the ability to kill me. They give me til the thirty first of December 2023. I didn't know if I could do it but again, anything was better than being there. I spent decades working small jobs on farms or as a ranch hand. Some didn't even pay, they only offered room and board but that was all I needed. I always kept a low profile and would hunt animals in the woods at night to feed. After ten years I would leave the town or area all together so that no one could tell I wasn't aging. It was difficult but I made it." The room is silent. Jeno sits stoically as Renjun continues to silently cry for his hardships.

"Thank you for this." Jeno says.
"And I accept your apology." He says showing no emotion. Jaemin cries as he stands and walks toward the door.
"That's more than I could ever ask for. I will go now. I promise you, I will stay out of your life. I won't ever bother you again." Jeno nods but speaks up before the door closes.
"Just live diligently." He nods again and closes the door.

Jeno silently cleans up their tea cups as Renjun locks up and shuts off the lights. They don't speak as they ready themselves for bed.
Jeno lays there holding his love tightly as he weeps.
"I'm sorry, is it bad that I feel sad for him? He was my best friend, to think of all the years of hardships he endured breaks my heart." Renjun gets to his knees and engulfs Jeno in a warm hug.
"Never apologize for feeling this way. It shows your humanity."
They lay silently for a while, the only sound being Jeno's sniffles.
"You know how much I love and trust you Jeno. I'm ok with you forgiving him, I'm even ok with you befriending him. Of course that is completely up to you but you have my blessing." Jeno squeezes him tighter.
"I love you baby. So much." Renjun nods and whispers back.
"I love you."