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It was strange.
The way things were different now, but in a slightly better way than before.
Jaemin was getting so much better now. Occasionally asking Jeno to watch a drama with him with real words, or responding to Renjun when the oldest asked what they wanted for dinner.
Jeno was so relaxed now, with each of them being open books. The oldest and youngest still chanced their arms at attempting to seduce him, that hadn't changed. But things between the blonde and the Chinese were different now as well.
Renjun made a resolve the night of their conversation in the bathroom. He didn't want to be so weak anymore, especially with them. So if he was going to fight for what he wanted, then he'd have to be stronger.
So as the three sat around the table doing homework, Jeno tried his best to help Jaemin who was struggling with the teacher's methods of educating while Renjun tried to recall what they were doing from when he was in second year.
"No," Jeno sighed, scratching his head a little frustratedly and looking from his own copy book to Jaemin's in order to follow where the younger was coming from, but not seeing his logic. "Where did you get the Y from?"
"Here," the blonde mumbled, the short word weak on his tongue. The small phrases he was managing to use were still airy and forced, but by no means hard to understand.
Jeno followed his finger and frowned, "You know, there is no Y in this question, right? I don't even know where you found it."
"Book."
"Don't give me that shit," Jeno laughed, "Look. There's a C, not a Y. You've mixed something up."
"I don't think he even knows what subject he's doing," Renjun scoffed, picking up the text book and rolling his eyes, "This is algebra. Stop using geometry formulas." He lightly slapped the blonde's hand, "Had I known you were this shit at maths, I would've helped you sooner. Why didn't you say anything?"
Jaemin pouted, shrugging and yanking his book back. Jeno took a long breath to regain his train of thought and looked up at the clock. "Woah, it's dinner time. We've been doing this for three hours."
The other two looked up at it as well, and Jaemin cheered quietly, throwing all his stuff to the end of the table and getting up to trail to the kitchen.
"Oh god...." Renjun sighed, "I forgot it was his turn to cook."
"He's getting better...."
"He's ignoring the recipes! Throwing all the contents of the fridge into a pan and stirring is not cooking!"
"Shhh," Jaemin hushed, pulling a pot from a low cupboard and sliding it onto the stove. "Cook."
"No offence," Jeno commented with a small smile to seem less mean, "But you really do suck, Jaemin. Want me to help?"
The younger shook his head with a grumpy look, pouring some water into the metal utensil.
"Well, I tried," the older sighed, facing Renjun again who was gazing at him fondly. "What?"
"Nothing," the Chinese chuckled, starting to pack his books away.
"No, tell me. You were smiling."
"I just like your patience, is all. The way you take everything in your stride, like it'll all get better the longer you wait."
Jeno nodded softly, "When you've been raised with nothing, then you expect nothing. Patience was all I had to go on."
"True."
"Ah!" The youngest squealed from the kitchen, making Jeno stand up quickly with Renjun.
"What happened?" The brunette enquired, running over to see Jaemin sucking on his finger and wincing.
"You burned yourself?" Renjun gasped, quickly scurrying away to grab the first aid kit that resided elsewhere within their apartment.
Jeno took the younger's hand, inspecting his red and blistered index finger. "What happened? Did you spill hot water on it?"
Jaemin nodded, trying to take his hand back, though having it yanked by someone else towards the island.
Renjun opened the deep green box and pulled out the burn ointment. It was a cream like paste. Jaemin watched curiously as the oldest glided his hands over the injury, making sure to envelope it in the necessary treatment.
"You have to be careful, okay?" He sighed, grabbing the bandage and cutting a small piece of just to cover the finger. "We'll see how it is tomorrow. You might've burned your fingerprint off. It's dangerous."
Jaemin nodded quietly, watching as the other focused on his hand. Jeno too enjoyed the sight of the Chinese doting on them again, always acting like they were nuisances but bending over backwards to help them in the end.
"Thank you," the blonde hoarsely murmured, making Renjun smile up at him.
"It's fine. To really thank me, please stop cooking."
"No."
"Ugh."
Jeno started to snicker, pulling Renjun away from the kitchen, the only area he called 'home', and telling him to watch some television.
Jaemin, however, didn't get off lightly. "Alright," Jeno stretched out his arms, pulling an apron off the hook beside the microwave and tying it around his waist. "I'm not letting you potentially make more mistakes with that sore hand. But I know Renjun would take over if I let him help. Ready to go?"
"Not trust me," Jaemin huffed, tugging at Jeno's apron to tell him to remove it.
"Ah ah," the older scolded, pulling the blonde over to the pot he had set up. "Start cooking. I'll get you what you want."
The younger sighed, looking down at his bandaged finger and trying not to let the little smile he could feel playing at his lips show.
"You're being creepy," Jeno called, tossing him a packet of noodles. "Stick those in first thing."
"Yes," Jaemin responded, glancing over the counter at Renjun who wasn't watching television, but was sitting on the sofa backwards, his arms hanging boredly over the back rest as he gazed longingly at the pair.
Jaemin felt frustrated sometimes, constantly remembering how Renjun didn't believe him when he tried to admit his feelings. The way he himself was sorting out the meaning behind all of this, why he appeared to like two boys, but having one of them shut it down as 'confusion'.
Jeno wandered over and ruffled his hair softly. "What are you thinking about?"
The other looked up at him from the packet in his hands, shrugging. "Him."
Jeno seemed to understand what he meant, and as well felt bad that Renjun was terminating the possibility that Jaemin had a different way of loving. A way where multiple people could be involved.
"Talk to him tonight," the older suggested quietly, making sure the oldest couldn't hear. "You're both sleeping together tonight anyway, right?"
"Mmm," the younger hummed, nodding at the idea and smiling.
