in with the New

Jackson: It's Time

Jackson cannot believe what he's just heard. What he's just seen. He just wanted to talk to Jaebeom. He knows he was being unreasonable when he got mad, just for him moving into Mark's room and wanted to say he was sorry, but good god, he was not prepared.

He should have seen the signs, connected the dots, really, Mark was furious with Jaebeom over whatever, but still let him live in his room, that had to mean something. But Jackson had been ignoring them, waving them away as just good friends, best friends. He should have known better.

What he should not have done, was stay, hidden around the bend of their front entrance to listen as Mark moaned out Jaebeom's name. Well—not Jaebeom in full, but Jae, breathless and whiny and Jackson really should have known just from that. Who else does Jaebeom let call him Jae? Not a living soul.

He hadn't meant to listen, but all at once in the realization that his crush on Mark was fruitless, he had collapsed, slid down the parting wall, hand over his mouth, wanting to cry. But he didn't cry, he just listened. Listened as Jaebeom told Mark he loved him, and as Mark tried to reply through an orgasm. How long had this been going on? Probably longer than Jackson can guess.

He feels like an idiot. He told Jaebeom about his crush, of course he did, why wouldn't he? And it's not like he was subtle about it either, Mark had to know. Or maybe he didn't. It never seemed like he did—or maybe he did but never did anything because he didn't even like Jackson like that. It seems like the more likely option.

Was Jaebeom just making fun of him? This whole time, watching Jackson crush on Mark and laughing knowing he was crawling into Mark's bed every night. They probably laughed about it together, laughed at how dumb he looked.

Jackson shakes his head vigorously, hearing Mark's door shut—rattle because it's loose on its hinges—and knowing it would be safe to come out of hiding.

He shouldn't think that way about his friends. Really, he's not special, everyone who knows Mark has a crush on him, everyone who sees him passing by on the street has a crush on him. Hell, Jackson wouldn't be surprised if he had a whole fan club at this point.

He has to laugh—quietly—at himself for his foolishness, now that the initial shock has eddied away. Jaebeom wouldn't do that, they are friends. But he should have told Jackson about their relationship, I mean, how did he stand it? Everyday, hearing people talk about Mark like they did, talk about his boyfriend like they did. Or did he kind of like that? Was he proud to be dating Mark, even secretly?

More importantly, is Mark proud to be dating Jaebeom? He couldn't be right? Or would he have to be? Jaebeom, an ex-con, a murderer and a liar. Well, Jackson didn't know any of this until he managed to get the information out of Youngjae and Yugyeom who got it from Jaebeom, but he knows that Mark knows, especially now. It's almost disappointing. How did someone like Mark end up with someone like Jaebeom?

All the questions he doesn't have answers to and one big one he needs an answer to: should he tell them he knows?

He sneaks up the stairs and into his room, trying his best to avoid the creaky step and make as little noise as possible as he closes the door to his bedroom. They don't need to know he's home just yet and he would rather hide up here than simply leave now.

Maybe he'll ask about it tonight, if he sees them, or maybe he'll wait. He isn't sure, but one things for sure, Jackson needs a nap, suddenly exhausted. He has to tell someone. There is just no way he can keep it to himself.

Jinyoung comes home that night and Jackson immediately corners him in their room. He decided he should tell Jinyoung, maybe not Jaebeom or Mark, but he needs someone to talk to and what better person than the guy who has been crushing on Jaebeom for almost as long as Jackson has been crushing on Mark?

Jinyoung looks exhausted though, and Jackson briefly wondered if he should wait until Jinyoung has taken a nap, or maybe try to wake up early and talk to him then. He pushes that thought away quick, knowing there is no way in hell that's happening, his body would simply not allow it.

"Jaebeom and Mark are dating, I think they have been for years"

"...what?" It doesn't even seem like Jinyoung is processing the words and Jackson can't blame him, its unbelievable.

"I caught them fucking in the kitchen today, can you believe that?"

Jinyoung sits down, hand over his mouth as he looks up at Jackson, his expression unreadable. Is he upset? Because Jackson is kind of upset. He feels like an idiot.

"That's..." Jinyoung trails off, dragging his hand from his mouth, down his chin and dropping it into his lap. "Jaebeom and Mark, that's... I should've known"

"Well I was completely blindsided" His shock is completely gone at this point and now he's just upset, upset that Jaebeom wouldn't tell him, and upset that he would just let Jackson talk to him about his crush like he didn't mind.

"What did they say after you caught them?"

"Well, I didn't stop them, I just saw it and hid, and so yeah..."

"So you just watched in secret?"

"No!" Although that is basically what he did, he wasn't being creepy, he was just surprised. Jinyoung doesn't like he really believes him, and it seems for a moment that he might even tease him for it, but instead he sighs deeply.

"Right well, what are you going to say? Do we even confront them? I mean, why would they hide that from us?"

"I really don't know" Jackson says, looking at the ground, he hasn't thought that far. If Jaebeom and Mark don't come right out and announce it at some point, should they say something? And shouldn't Jinyoung be more upset? He came to him because he expected him to be in the same boat. "Wait, hold up, aren't you upset, like at all? You've liked Jaebeom for years"

"It's my own fault, I never did anything about it, and we had one awkward moment and I just stopped talking to him, of course he wouldn't like me"

"Awkward moment?"

"Might as well tell you, he found out I'm a stripper, saved me from getting raped in a back alley and I just... stopped talking to him"

Jackson straight collapses down onto his bed, their knees nearly bumping. He can't believe what he's just heard. This is too many surprises for one day, too many reveals, so if Jinyoung could just take that back, and tell him again tomorrow, that would be great.

That aside though, of course Jaebeom saved him. It feels like that's all Jaebeom ever does. He saved Jackson just by being around everyday, treating him like family, now he's saved Jinyoung. He's sure he saved Yugyeom from whoever that guy was because one day, Yugyeom was just that much more confident in himself, and that much closer to Jaebeom and Jackson remembers following around Jaebeom with that same look.

"He's really a good guy, huh?" Jackson says, but he's annoyed by the admission. He doesn't want to admit it. He doesn't want Jaebeom to be good, he wants him to be horrible so at least he can justify his anger, but he isn't and so he can't. Can't be mad at him for not saying anything and can't even think that he was making fun of him anymore, because Jaebeom just isn't like that.

"Annoyingly so" Jinyoung agrees, as he sucks his bottom lip.

"I hate him"

"Me too"

He knows that Jinyoung doesn't mean that, because even as he said it, he didn't mean it. He couldn't hate him. It's making him feel horrible and like maybe, enough is enough. He needs to know shit about his roommates and they need to talk about it. He wants to hear the story of his conviction from Jaebeom, he needs to know why Jinyoung is stripping, and he needs to know why Yugyeom left home and yeah, he needs to tell them he owns the house.

Jackson sighs, and Jinyoung looks up at him like he already knows the words that are going to come out of his mouth, and maybe he's afraid of them.

"Jinyoung, I think we need to have another family meeting"