Birds of a Feather | '00 Liners

Chapter Twenty-Six

Christmas was...a holiday. That happened.

Renjun knew that his family knew he wasn't in the jolliest of spirits that year. So they let him be after insisting he joined them for the festive dinner.

Renjun laid in his bed on Christmas Eve, gazing out his window with a heavy heart. Renjun woke up on Christmas Day, feeling about as well as he had last night. Though, he couldn't tell if it was because of Jaemin's recent revelation or because his own sprouts were aching in the winter weather.

When his misery finally got to the rest of his family, they kicked him out of the house with the parting words of "go be grumpy somewhere else." So, Renjun did exactly that.

"Hey, Jeno," Renjun greeted, waving his hand in casual greeting.

Jeno rose a brow as surprise bloomed across his sleep-puffed face in slow rolls. "Oh, Renjun," he finally greeted. "What're you doing here?"

"Family kicked me out for being too angsty, and Donghyuck's back in Jeju for the holidays."

Jeno hummed in understanding before stepping out of the doorway and yawning open the door. "Well, if you're staying over, just know that my parents worked the night-shift, and they're still sleeping. So you're gonna have to be quiet."

Renjun gave a mock salute as he stepped into the house. "Roger that."

Slipping on the spare pair of slippers, Renjun listened as Jeno shut the door behind them before turning toward him. "Got anything good—"

Renjun's lips clasped close in wild confusion as he gazed at the large pair of wings perched atop Jeno's back.

"I've got a couple more growing underneath these ones," Jeno said simply. "These are yours, by the way."

Renjun closed and opened his mouth, flabbergasted. Before realizing that any reaction short of logical would be too loud and risk rousing Jeno's parents awake.

"Sorry, yours were the last to grow for me," he said.

"Ouch."

A beat passed.

"Wanna play Mario Kart?" Jeno offered.

"Hell yeah."

Christmas was certainly a holiday.