7llin' in the Dream

Camera Free [Part 1]:  Someone, besides us...

Chapter Seventeen

-

  
  Jaemin had delivered a kicking and yelling Renjun to the top floor where Haechan had wrapped his legs and arms around him, and Jaemin had put a hand over his mouth.  "Renjunnie," Jaemin began.  "One love of my life-"
  "It's getting weird," Haechan said.  "It's really not helping the situation.  Plus he's trying to hurt my nether regions."
  Renjun mumbled his objection, that he hadn't tried to do anything of the sort, and rolled his eyes.  The tension in him meant true attempted violence later though.
  Jaemin had ignored them, typing something on his phone.  He held it for Renjun to read:  "We want someone else to know what's going on."
  Renjun scanned it quickly and looked questioningly at him.
  He typed:  "Please just read everything before you say anything."
  His abrupt mumbling could only mean, "How would I say anything?  Haechan has his stupid body wrapped around me and your stupid hand is on my mouth."  Of course, the word stupid is the edit that Jaemin's brain replaced a vulgar word starting with "F", 'cuz Renjunnie's vocabulary can get quite colorful when he's even a little frustrated.  Imagine him truly angry.  *Eyebrow wiggle.
  He typed:  "Deal?"
  After a glare, and when he realized he wasn't going to cave, another eye-roll, he nodded.
  The next texts were essentially informing him about Chenle's fast-approaching, going to be an abrupt and violent transition.  How Jeno's drops of blood had guaranteed it to be that way.  And worst of all, how they wanted to keep it a secret, at least for just today.
  His desperate expression convinced Jaemin to let go of his mouth.  He did so only after making him promise, through text, that he wouldn't speak and would use his own phone to text his messages.  So, they did that.  The three of them, side-by-side, their texts once again becoming ferocious.
  Renjun had said things like:  "I'm the one who came up with the idea that Jeno should give Chenle.  It's my fault."  And, "Chenle needs to know about this so that he can prepare mentally for this."
  Jaemin typed:  "But we don't know if it's going to happen today or tomorrow.  He'll be scared for no reason.  Just let him enjoy himself for a day."
  At this, Haechan added, "Yeah, he feels good for the first time in a while.  Just let him enjoy the day.  Just a day."
  Renjun opened his mouth and Jaemin quickly covered it.  He pushed at it, but couldn't budge him.  He mumbled something and Jaemin narrowed his eyes.  He rolled his eyes and typed, "I'm not going to yell.  I'm just frustrated.  You can't just hold people hostage to keep a secret.  That's kidnapping."
  Haechan expressed his amusement with a high-pitched giggle and a squeeze that threatened to break his ribs.  Well, if he were human.  Which he wasn't.  Renjun struggled harder than he had previously and since they were mostly freshly fed, he only ended up exhausted.
  Jaemin thought of Jeno and sighed.  He straightened Renjun's hair and typed, "I don't want Jeno to blame himself for this either.  I know he will.  Even though it wasn't his idea.  And I don't want you to blame yourself either.  Even though I know you will too."
  Renjun took his hand and squeezed it.  He opened his mouth and remembered not to speak, quickly closing it.  He typed:  "I understand why you want to keep this all a secret.  I do, but IT'S WRONG!  You know it is."
  "It's disrespectful to keep secrets.  You know this too.  Why are you so desperate to keep this secret?  He needs to deal with this.  Prepare for this mentally.  Vacation be damned.  He's going to be angry if he finds out you kept the secret - after he transitions.  Jaemin, what's going on?"

-

  Jisung rubbed his chest where Chenle had hit him.  "What was that for," he demanded.
  Chenle hefted the basketball high and said, "I should throw this at you too.  I tried to wake you up last night and you literally sleep like the dead."
  "What-  You really tried to wake me up?"
  "Yes, you bonehead.  I-"  He looked around nervously, shook his head, and then continued, "I started coughing up blood last night and I thought maybe I needed to be fed from.  But I couldn't get you to wake up."  By the time he told him the rest of the story Jisung was horrified.
  "Wha-  Why-  I can't believe-"  He gripped his hair and stared unseeing at the ground.  "I'm such a horrible friend.  I'm a terrible vampire.  I can't even hear you when you need my help.  Chenle, you should hate me.  I hate me."
  Chenle bounced the ball at his feet and the sound pinged around his brain until he looked at him.  "Are you done being dramatic now?"
  "Chenle, this isn't a joke.  It's serious."
  He turned away from him making an obnoxious "Bah" sound.  "Life is serious and yet we do all kinds of things to keep it light-hearted... or something like that."  He aimed for the net and released the ball.  It bounced off the rim and shot wildly to the left.  He sighed and said, "We really need to work on our communication Jisung."
  "Not just me and you, but all of us.  We can't keep secrets like this.  Dangerous secrets that could cost someone their life, because no one else knows to look out for a problem."
  Jisung massaged where he'd been pulling his hair, then his temples.  Sometimes being friends with Chenle tested every bit of his patience.  "Why..."  Chenle faced him.  "Why didn't you tell me about all of this before?"
  "Because I was terrified.  I'm-  I'm still terrified.  I don't know what's going to happen next.  Well, I kind of do, but I haven't experienced it before so I don't know what it's going to be like.  I feel like if I'd just been honest from the beginning it wouldn't have been as difficult as it's been."
  "But-  But I just couldn't... help it.  I've never been so afraid that I literally had no control over my actions before."  By the end, he'd been whispering and wringing his hands.
  He had no idea how to reply.  Should he reply?  He rubbed his stomach and looked at his shoes.

-

Haechan blew out a breath after he read Renjun's message and said:  "That took forever.  Are you writing a book or something?"  Which ended with Renjun trying to elbow him in the face, and stomping on his bare feet, which... didn't... do... anything... because... vampire.  He just laughed.
  Renjun typed:  "I can't keep this secret.  I don't believe in it.  We should all call him in here now and tell him the truth, and Jeno too and get it all out of the way.  It's only right."  And he spoke loudly, "Haechan, if you don't let go of me, I swear to all things deadly, I will make your life a living hell for the next year and you'll be dreaming of going back to this moment and wishing you'd never made skin-to-skin contact with me."
  Haechan said, "y."
  "What are you guys doing," Mark's voice floated up the stairs.
  Jaemin sighed.  Renjun couldn't be convinced.  He stood up and put his phone in his pocket.
  Mark stopped at the top of the stairs, smiling.  "I wanted to talk with you and figure out what we need to get at the grocery store this time.  We don't have to put on a big show, as much as we all love good food.  You know they make us budget when it's not for the cameras."
  He widened his eyes and breathed a sigh of relief.  "And as much as I love cooking, yesterday was exhausting.  I cooked for how long and it'll probably make a ten-minute appearance through the whole show?"
  "It was good though," Haechan said.
  Renjun nodded and said, "It was.  We don't need anything fancy.  Jaemin, you need a rest.  I can go shopping for you.  I can even cook-"
  He blew out an abrupt breath and said, "Now, we both know better than letting you cook.  And I need to go to the store to see the ingredients.  I don't have time to sit down and just come up with a list for you all to follow."
  Pointing at him, Mark asked, "So you're coming to the store with me?  Renjun?"
  Jaemin tensed, knowing that if Renjun stayed he'd probably tell Chenle the secret about his transition, and then he'd have to deal with the aftermath when he got back.  It felt cowardly and avoidable.  If he just spoke up now it wouldn't be as bad.
  Renjun shook his head.  "I'm going to stay here.  Jaemin, I'll wait until you come back before I say anything... about... what we were talking about."
  He blinked.  "What, really," he asked, surprised.
  "Yeah.  We'll all... ya know, talk about it... together.  Deal?"
  So he wasn't going to rat him out and he was going to make it possible to not feel even worse about the situation if he left.  He gave a tired smile and said, "Thank you, Renjun.  I just-"
  "Later," Renjun said quickly and Jaemin remembered that Mark could hear them.  He nodded, clapped his hands, and said to Mark, "Meat, noodles, vegetables, something-something healthy.  I need more garlic."  He headed for the stairs.  "What would you like to add?"
  Mark laughed, his attention successfully redirected.

-

"Are you hungry," Chenle asked.
  Confused, Jisung looked at him.  "What?"
  "You and Haechan both have a habit of rubbing your stomachs when you're..."  He did air quotes as he said, "...hungry.  Or..."  More air quotes, "...thirsty.  Do you need to feed?"
  It'd been what?  Two or three days since he'd fed?  Even though a vampire's thirst didn't register like human hunger did, in the stomach, he still focused on it.  His body felt a little weak, his senses a little sharper, like his hunting instincts were preparing to find prey.  Never a good sign.
  "Yeah," he began regretfully.  "I think I am.  Which means-"
  "Which means you have to ask Renjun to let you feed from him," he said grinning.  "See, there's another truth that needs to be told.  You could just tell him why you hesitate to feed off him.  You think he's pretty and-"  He shivered.  "Okay, now I've made it weird.  I don't particularly have a hyung kink, so..."  He shrugged.
  Jisung looked around frantically and back.  "Don't say stuff like that out loud.  God."  He covered his face and took deep breaths.  His face burned in humiliation.
  He didn't have a hyung kink and Chenle knew that.  Why did fate choose him to be his best friend?  It sent him all the way from China to exactly where he was to make his life a living hell each and every day.  "I really hate you sometimes," he said, his words muffled by his hands.
  "See?  You can't even admit it to yourself that you find him attractive," Chenle said.
  "Hate... you."
  He snickered.  "Why don't you just tell him."
  "Yeah, that'll never happen in a million years," he said, jerking up to glare at him.  "Why would I do that?  Exactly what would that accomplish?  And you need to tell Jeno why you freaked out on him last night.  You need to apologize."  Where had that come from?
  Chenle's smile didn't leave, but it did shrink a little.
  "Speaking of truths-"  If Chenle didn't kill him now for calling him out on his crap, he'd do it later.  He could live with that because enough was enough.
  "I know," Chenle said, surprising him.  "I planned on apologizing.  I just haven't done it yet.  I feel panicky when I think about it.  Just because... of..."
  He stared at the ground and shook his head.  "I'm still scared.  I need to tell him that."  He rubbed his chest over his heart and took in shaky breaths.  "It's getting harder to breathe."
  "Chenle, I'm sorry.  I shouldn't have brought it up," Jisung said stepping towards him.
  He held a hand up to halt him.  "I'm fine.  Just minor panic.  Nothing new.  If I..."
  He took in a long inhale and let it out painfully slow.  "If I talk to him you... have to tell Renjun that he has to wear a shirt when you feed."
  "What?  But... it's not that big of a deal," Jisung insisted.  "It's easier without a shirt.  Less mess and less of a risk of someone finding a blood-stained shirt."
  He gripped him by the shoulders and looked him straight in the eyes.  "Jisung, it's okay to insist on things being done in a way that makes you feel comfortable.  You deserve to be comfortable while you feed.  It's just... the rest of your life.  Your very long long... long... long... longlonglong life."
  "Let go," he said, removing his hands from his shoulders.  Chenle just giggled.  "And Jeno's just a nice vampire who was trying to help and you took your anger out on him."
  Chenle groaned and smacked a hand onto his forehead.  "I know," he wailed.  "Fine.  Deal.  You speak your truth and I'll speak mine.  I'll just pour my heart and soul out."
  "All my blood, sweat, and tears too while I'm at it.  Is that okay?  Does that sound good to you?"
  Jisung rolled his eyes.  "Why are you like this?  Deal."  Great.  Just great.
  If he didn't follow through - and he knew Chenle would - he'd never let him live it down.

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~ Demitria_Teague (Author)

[Read CH18 the NEWEST CHAPTER - Click HERE]