Birds of a Feather | '00 Liners

Chapter Seventeen

Because Donghyuck was stubborn and never backed out of a challenge (sometimes), he kept up with his Jeno-filled agenda with little regard for the second pair of sprouts snuggled underneath his current ones.

But he was never good at keeping secrets, so the inevitable did eventually happen.

"You've been acting weird lately."

He and Renjun were preening one another's wings, a time-consuming, tedious task made fun when in good company. Donghyuck was currently doing Renjun's wings, handling the navy feathers with delicate hands and immense concentration. It was good practice for when he had to do his own at home.

He was moving on from the first wing to the other when Renjun announced his suspicion.

"Like, the avoiding-you kind of weird, or the coming-back-from-Jeju weird?" Donghyuck asked.

Renjun released a quiet hum. "Avoiding-me kind of weird," he said after a moment. "Because you are definitely avoiding something right now."

"How observant of you." Donghyuck repositioned a clump of stray feathers. "You should take better care of these things, you know."

"Don't try to change the subject, Hyuck."

Donghyuck hummed and ruffled the feathers he had just fixed. "Don't be mean to me. I have complete control over whether your wings look good or not."

"You do that, and we'll see what'll happen to yours once I get my hands on them."

Donghyuck sighed and fell back on his palms, craning his neck upward to gaze at the cream ceiling of Renjun's home. "Promise me you won't get mad at me when I tell you what's up?"

Renjun crawled toward him, lying flat on his stomach. "I'm not promising you anything if you're gonna keep being a cryptic prick."

"Love you, too, Injoong." Donghyuck heaved a breath, gaze still trained to the ceiling. "I think...Jaemin's in love with Jeno."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Renjun, please." Donghyuck could see the tips of Renjun's wings rise in mock surrender. "No, but, like, did you see how uncomfortable he was when I was grilling him about who his wings grew for? It was like he was desperately trying to keep it a secret. Almost like he knew for a fact that if his feelings were revealed, he'd instantly get rejected."

Renjun sighed, and Donghyuck felt him drop his head onto his lap. "You intimidated him, Hyuck," he spoke, voice soft and wise. "Of course he was gonna freak. He probably didn't want to tell Jeno yet. Not everyone likes being outed in front of the love of their life."

"Interesting."

Renjun released another sigh and cupped Donghyuck's cheeks, forced him to meet his gaze. "Was that all you wanted to talk about?" Renjun asked, eyes wide and imploring.

Donghyuck allowed himself a moment to feel the gentle caress of Renjun's hands along his cheeks, steady and calm in their hold. Indulged in the image of Renjun's face gazing up at him with the sweetest of looks, soft and patient. So unlike his usual self. All because Donghyuck was hiding a dirty little secret underneath his shirt.

Donghyuck blinked and set his gaze on the bridge of Renjun's nose. "What would you say if I told you..." His anxiety was getting to him, adrenaline running high and closing up his throat, swelling up his tongue.

"If you told me...?" Renjun encouraged.

Donghyuck swallowed down the bile in his throat. "...That I was in love with Jeno?"

He felt Renjun's hands still against his cheeks, a slight tremor running through his entire body. Donghyuck flitted his gaze to Renjun's eyes, expectantly awaiting whatever answer Renjun had in store for him.

Pupils compact, eyes dilated, Renjun looked...shocked.

Which was better than hurt or betrayed, so Donghyuck felt relief flood his chest.

"Is that why..." Renjun started. "Is that why you've been hanging out with him so much?"

Donghyuck felt a pin-prick of heat nip at his ears. "Well, I started doing that because I knew Jaemin had been avoiding him." He shrugged, awkward and unsure. "So I just, dunno, wanted to offer him some company."

Renjun heaved himself from Donghyuck's lap and turned to face him with a scrutinizing stare. "You do realize Jaemin's been avoiding all of us, right?"

Donghyuck startled. "What? Why?"

"Because you tried to out him, genius."

Donghyuck felt indignation swell on his tongue but allowed it to simmer down because there really was no use in denying the obvious.

"It's been, what? A week, right?" Donghyuck asked, waving his hand around flippantly. "Don't you think we should hold an intervention or something?"

Renjun fixed him with an incredulous stare. "Do you think you're in any position to do that, though? Because I'm pretty sure Jaemin wouldn't want any comfort from a guy who's also in love with Jeno."

Donghyuck bristled and felt heat swell within his cheeks. "It's not like he'll know!"

"Those wings are gonna sprout sooner or later, Hyuck. What are you gonna do then?"

"Well, obviously, I'm not gonna do anything—!" Donghyuck paused and allowed his gaze to linger on Renjun's impassive, borderline tranquil expression. "Hey, wait a minute," Donghyuck said, lips tugging down into a frown. "Are you...not upset about this?"

Renjun blinked, face filling in with apparent surprise. The who, me? kind of look. "What?" he asked, tilting his head imploringly. "Am I upset because you're in love with Jeno?"

Donghyuck waved his hands around wildly, eventually motioning them toward Renjun. "Yeah?" he squeaked.

A gentle smile broke out across Renjun's face. "Of course not," he said with a snort. "You can love whoever and as many people as you want." He dragged himself to Donghyuck's side and threw an arm around his shoulders, squeezing his neck for a brief moment as he flexed his bicep. "As long as you still love me, of course. I didn't grow wings for you just for you to ignore me."

Donghyuck released a laugh, a mixture of bewildered and relief. "What, so you're just chill with poly?"

Renjun scooted himself further back, tucked his legs around Donghyuck's torso as he began preening his wings. "Well, I mean, Jeno and Jaemin are our friends. Our closest friends." Donghyuck felt Renjun's deft fingers curl and shuffle a clump of feathers around. "So I don't really find it surprising that you've fallen for one of them. They're kinda hot, y'know."

Donghyuck sputtered out another startled laugh. "Wow, Renjun. Have you fallen for one of them?"

He felt Renjun's hands pause.

A beat passed between them.

"...Both," Renjun muttered.

Donghyuck laughed. "Where are your wings, babe?"

"I haven't had the chance to grow them out. Because you're hogging Jeno and Jaemin's...disassociating."

Donghyuck peered over his shoulder, curious. "Have the sprouts grown out yet?"

Renjun's gaze was steadfast on the task before him, ignoring Donghyuck's imploring gaze. "Just the tips. Not enough to hurt if I just bandage them."

Donghyuck turned forward, humming to himself. "You should let them grow out properly."

"Jeno's moping around in his house when you're not around and Jaemin's M.I.A. outside of school." Donghyuck felt Renjun pull himself away, apparently finished with his work. Felt his arm meld against his, his head lolling onto his shoulder. "What do you suggest I do?"

"We could always kidnap them after school lets out."

"That's stupid."

A beat passed.

"Let's do it."