Chapter Text
“Hyung, your ears are red.”
“Just eat your food, Mark.” His hair was too short to cover his ears, but Jaehyun tried to smooth it down overtop with his left hand anyway.
Mark frowned at that, but ate another spoonful of rice, protests left unsaid. Beside him, Renjun halfheartedly attempted to hide a smirk. Even Doyoung gave him a knowing look as he placed a spoon and chopsticks for Sicheng on the table before returning to the kitchen.
Jaehyun sighed. Today of all days, his home had to be filled with people who weren’t even his family.
“What?” he asked.
Renjun opened his eyes wide, feigning innocence. “I didn’t say anything.”
“But you were thinking something.”
“Nothing but support, hyung.” Renjun grinned, taking another piece of beef to put into a still sulking Mark’s bowl.
“Really?” Jaehyun responded with a voice full of suspicion, then watched the pair across from him with interest. “How did you two become a thing, anyway?” It had been quite a while since they got together, but Jaehyun never got the chance to ask them for the story. He hadn’t expected his little brother to get a boyfriend before he did, honestly... no offence to Mark.
“I asked him out ‘cause I didn’t think he would,” Renjun said.
“Renjun,” Mark whined.
“What? If you don’t like it, maybe you should have asked first.” He huffed.
“It makes sense, seeing as Mark's a big coward, but you don’t seem like the type to make the first move?” Jaehyun interjected before they could get too off track, ignoring Mark's indignant 'hey!' along the way.
“Actually, I was expecting to get turned down.” Renjun fiddled with his chopsticks. “I figured it would take me a long time to get over someone like Mark hyung, so I wanted to get a headstart on it.”
“No one in their right mind would reject you,” Mark mumbled, flushing and ducking his head down.
“Hm?” Renjun cupped a hand around his ear and leaned closer. “Sorry, what was that? I couldn’t catch that.”
“You can hear me just fine.” Mark shoved his arm.
Renjun laughed, smoothing down part of Mark’s bedhead. “You’re so cute, why are you even embarrassed?”
Jaehyun smiled at their back and forth until Renjun’s sparkling eyes met his once more, briefly.
“Just so you know,” he said casually, turning his back to his food, “Sicheng hyung won’t ask first like me.”
Renjun sipped his soup calmly as Jaehyun choked.
“I didn’t ask with that sort of intention...” he answered as smooth as he could, but he could already feel his ears becoming even warmer than before, betraying him.
“Mhm... Oh good morning, hyung.” Someone coming to the table caught Renjun’s attention.
“Good morning,” Sicheng greeted the whole table, shaking his hands to dry them. “Jaehyun, are you okay? You look a little red.”
“Fine,” Jaehyun managed. He must have looked like he was on fire for Sicheng to notice straight away. Jaehyun certainly felt like it, actually.
“That’s what I said too, but you—” Mark started.
“Mark, shut up,” Jaehyun hissed.
Renjun comforted his boyfriend who pouted at the difference in treatment, stroking his back. “Don’t take it too hard. Jaehyun hyung is just sensitive right now, try to understand him more.”
“Sensitive about what?” Sicheng asked, sitting down.
Renjun avoided both Sicheng and Jaehyun’s gazes, curious and accusing respectively, by continuing to pat Mark. When an answer from him was not forthcoming, Sicheng turned to Jaehyun.
“Spices,” Jaehyun blurted the first thing that came to mind. “To spices. The fish is quite spicy today. That’s why I’m red.”
“Really?” Taeyong said from behind him, and Jaehyun closed his eyes. Of course his brother had to walk in just at that moment.
“If it’s spicy for you, then it must be way too spicy,” Taeyong continued, handing Sicheng the bowl of rice he brought for him, and nabbed Jaehyun’s chopsticks to give the dish a taste.
He frowned, chewing. “Hm? I think it’s alri—”
“Wow! This soup is really good, don’t you think, Mark hyung?” Renjun suddenly interrupted. Taeyong looked like he was trying not to be too pleased.
“Um, what?” Mark jolted as there was a thump from beneath the table. “I mean, yeah! It’s delicious, haha...”
“Did you get any yet?” Renjun asked, looking over at Sicheng.
He shook his head in response. “Can I have some?” He posed this towards Taeyong, but Jaehyun stood up.
“I’ll get it for you!” Jaehyun knew an escape route when he saw one. He put his hands on Taeyong’s shoulders and spun him around, marching him back to the kitchen. “Hyung, I think I hear Doyoung hyung calling you.”
“I don’t hear anything?” Taeyong tilted his head, walking ahead on his own volition after a moment. “Hey Doyoung, Jaehyun says the fish is spicy, is it spicy?”
“Honey, leave the kids alone...”
“What does that have to do with spicy fish?”
“Read the mood please, you dolt.”
“Dolt?! What happened to honey!”
Jaehun ladled the soup out as the two continued to bicker and quickly peeked through the doorway to see if Sicheng had been thoroughly distracted from past events before returning to the table.