The next couple of days were surprisingly quiet outside of the longer and more tiring training sessions. Everyone was on edge, and Renjun could feel a strange tension that seemed to flow and embroider itself into everyone. The only people that Renjun could feel less of that tension was Jaemin, Chenle and Taeyong.
Jeno seemed to be distancing himself from the older boy, and he didn't fail to see him doing the same to Jaemin as well.
He remembered how just yesterday Jeno had made the excuse of his elongated trainings to not join the two for lunch.
Although it hurt Renjun, he still slept next to them when it was time to go to bed.
Renjun didn't know if it was just him being clingy, but Renjun found himself awake in the early hours of the morning, watching as the soft light would pour into the room as it shone on Jeno's face.
He would lightly trace his features, smiling softly at the younger when he would smile in his sleep at the ticklish actions.
It made Renjun's heart swell with happiness.
This had happened the past couple of mornings, although Jaemin may have caught him this morning, and would not stop teasing him.
The younger might of let it slip that he wanted the older to do the same to him, so here he was.
Sitting on a hill not too far the training areas, Jaemin's head resting in his lap as he lightly traced the younger's face who hadn't finished eating yet.
Jaemin was smiling ear to ear at the older, looking up at him with his sandwich in his hands, and offered a bite to the older.
Renjun smiled softly in adoration at the caring younger but also softly shook head 'no.'
"I already ate silly," he said as Jaemin pouted, before looking at his sandwich, preparing to take another bite.
The weather must've been hitting more of an autumn mood, the breeze flowing in the warm rays of the afternoon sun.
"Injoon-ah," Jaemin said, still looking at his sandwich as he was finishing a bite.
"You've realized that about Jeno, right?"
Renjun's heart sank. Of course he realized what the other boy was doing, and he hated that Jaemin figured it out, hoping to distract the younger from those revelations.
Renjun wasn't surprised though, answering the youngers with a barely audible hum, as he dragged his fingers through the locks of Jaemin's hair. Jaemin was basically Jeno's other half, the two knowing each other for so long.
Jaemin zoned out as he was looking at the nearly finished sandwich that he no longer felt like eating.
The fingers on his scalp creating a calm ambience between the two as they were laying there.
We didn't say anything more, not really wanting nor needing too. This was our relaxation time and we both knew what the other was thinking.
Their calm time with each other was soon ruined by the yell of Yuta, collecting them to continue to their training for the day.
Jaemin pouted at the last few bites he had left of his sandwich, before coming to a conclusion and shrugged to himself before sitting up from Renjun's lap, stretching as he did.
Renjun had been watching the boy, and laughed softly at the younger's actions before standing up himself.
They walked back to the training area, Jaemin turning to their spot while pouting sadly that they had to leave way too soon in his mind, before turning back around to sulk a little more.
Renjun didn't look at the younger, but wrapped his arm on his shoulder, or at least as best as he could considering their height difference, in his own act of comfort.
Jaemin smiled a little at it, but his thoughts went back to Jeno, who was worrying him more than he usually does.
As Jaemin walked with those thoughts, Yuta was waiting for them with Donghyuck, who was actively messing with the oldest, before cracking a wide smile as he tried to get Yuta to laugh.
Renjun smiled at his hyperactive friend, walking closer to the two.
"Donghyuck, I think you've tortured Yuta-hyung enough for now," Renjun said, smiling at the other two, arm still around the slightly amused Jaemin at his side.
"There's no such thing as torturing Yuta-hyung too much," Donghyuck responded, clutching onto Yuta's arm, smiling innocently up at the older.
Yuta playfully grimaced at the younger, before facing Renjun.
"Remind me to never have children," he said, tone almost serious.
Donghyuck pouted, before brightening at a thought.
"Then I'll be your kid!" he said, hoping to irk the older and annoy him further.
Yuta gave him a look, "Don't make me give you extra training after this session is over."
Donghyuck's eyes widened at the eldest's words, and immediately let go of Yuta's arm, bowing curtly. He, no matter what, did not want any more training to do.
Yuta laughed, his smile brightening the mood, before he shook his head.
"Come on you goofs," he said, heading back to their training area, "let's wrap this up well."
Renjun finished his training with thoughts of how to approach Jeno the whole time.
They needed to sort out what exactly what was happening with the boy, and hopefully end up with him not trying to avoid him anymore.
But the main challenge was getting the boy willingly alone so they could talk.
Jeno mainly kept to Jaehyun's side, and typically Taeyong's as well, just so that if he ever had an outburst, they'd be there.
Renjun tried to think of the ways to get the boy's attention after their training was over.
Jeno's training usually finished an hour after their own, but today he was allowed to leave at the same time as the others, but with what Renjun knew of Jeno, the younger would only continue to train.
As much as he wanted to interrupt the younger's training, he felt like he'd be offending Jeno's time, and so he came up with the conclusion to leave Jeno's training time alone, and would simply wait for the younger that night before they went to sleep.
Usually Renjun would be asleep before Jeno went to bed, but Renjun was determined to stay up just for him.
These plans were slowly developing as he finished up training for the day, and he furrowed his brows in concentration and determination as he helped clean up equipment.
Jaemin couldn't help but to notice the older's silence, before standing beside Renjun and placing a hand on his shoulder, successfully making him flinch.
"What's going on in that head?" Jaemin asked, softly poking the side of Renjun's head, not breaking eye contact.
Renjun's cheeks had a dusty pink hue, before answering.
"I'm going to try and talk with Jeno tonight to see what's up," his soothing voice rang through Jaemin's ears, almost distracting the younger from what Renjun had actually said.
His eyes widened a fraction, before thinking about it himself, and nodding in approval.
"That sounds like a great idea," he said, smiling a little brighter at Renjun. Renjun returned the smile, before picking up the rest of the equipment, and leading the other back to the main building.
The walk was silent, holding hands as they trekked, no need for words between the two.
They made it back to the building, and quickly went to their room to get cleaned up before their dinner would be finished.
The night went surprisingly quickly, no one really taking notice of Renjun's silence, since he was normally quiet. The others presumed that it was him possibly going over a review in his M.C.M. mind, but Renjun just liked listening to the conversations around him.
But they did see Jaemin's silence.
It wasn't like the younger to sit at the dining room table and silently eat his vegetables. Usually he's either teasing Donghyuck or helping Donghyuck tease someone else. He was never this quiet at the table, and even Jeno picked up on the younger boy's quiet behavior.
No one addressed the younger, who only moved to hold hands with Renjun under the table.
The elder knew that Jaemin was a but antsy to finally approach Jeno, but they needed to do it, because Jeno was not going to be left out.
Slower than they would have wanted it, it was finally bedtime.
Jaemin and Renjun lingered behind the rest of the 'Dream' members, knowing that Jeno wasn't going to coming as soon as they were.
They still didn't need to say anything, being there for each other was enough for both of them.
They waited until they knew for sure that the rest of the other boys were asleep, before slinking out into the hallway to wait for Jeno's later return.
They waited for what seemed to be hours,until faint but heavy steps on metal rang lowly in their ears.
They both perked up from the drowsy haze that had started to slowly fall over them, waiting for the third boy to finally approach their door.
. . .
Jeno had gone back to the training area after dinner.
He hadn't quite perfected his endurance, so he allowed himself to return to the dirt clearing for the third time that day.
Thoughts were rushing through his mind, hsi muscles flexing again as he repeated the kick he had been working on. His past experience in fighting coming back, the extra work making the boy stealthy and dangerous.
Dangerous.
His insecure thoughts rushed to Jaemin and Renjun during dinner.
He wasn't sure what, but there was something off.
The distracting thoughts caused Jeno to trip over after landing on his foot wrongly.
Jeno sighed as the dirt clung to his sweaty face, before brushing it off.
He was silent when he made his way back to the main building. That's what he's been recently.
Silent.
It hurt him to try and ignore Renjun and Jaemin, but he had to. He had no way of knowing what he was capable of, and he didn't want to be near the others when he was still figuring out how to control himself before something would happen to one of them.
Which he never wants to happen, because it would tear him apart.
These thoughts seemed to echo in his head as he took a shower on the first floor, almost impatient to finally sleep.
As much as he was scared to share the bed with the rest of the boys, he never wanted to miss the early morning traces of his face from Renjun. It never failed to calm him, and Jeno always listened to Renjun telling him that he would be there for him. And that would always make the younger boy's heart swell.
He slowly trudged up the metal stairs, his legs feeling like anchors, but he continued anyways.
He shook his wet hair, hoping it would help air dry it.
That was until he had finally made it to his hallway, only to be greeted with the sight of Jaemin and Renjun sitting outside the dorm room.
Jeno tilted his head slightly, wondering why they were right there.
He saw the two boys' faces light up as he made it closer to where they were.
He stood in front of the two, arms outstretched for the both of them.
They both looked at each other, sharing a silent message, before a tired Renjun and smiling Jaemin took ahold of my hand, one for each, and lifted them to their feet.
"What are you guys doing out here?" Jeno asked, his voice meeting the other twos' ears for the first time in a while.
"Waiting for you, of course," Jaemin answered slyly, nudging the older's shoulder.
Jeno looked apologetic before Renjun immediately told him to stop.
"This is not your fault," he told Jeno, "We chose to stay up. Because we have to talk about something very important."
Jeno was slightly confused as to what was important.
"What do we have to talk about?"
"Us."
. . .
They had settled on staying outside the dorm, making sure to keep calm to not wake anyone up.
"Jeno," Renjun's voice wasn't exactly unheard to Jeno's ears, but Jeno was too into his thoughts to answer properly so instead he let out a questioning hum.
"Why are you acting like this? You haven't been talking to us, you've been ignoring us, hell, completely avoiding us. Why can't you tell us what's up?" Renjun asked, gently holding Jeno's hand.
"I-I'm scared."
Jaemin's eyes widened at the older boy's answer and shaking physique.
"Of what?"
Just a little more and Jeno will break.
"This."
"About what about it?"
Jeno couldn't take it, so he looked the oldest of the three in the eyes.
"I don't want to hurt you guys. You mean the world to me," he answered, eyes watering slightly.
Renjun and Jaemin shared one more look at each other, before enveloping Jeno in a hug as he tried to stop his shaking breathing.
"Don't worry Jeno, you'll never hurt us."