The beach house

9

It's midnight when their house is woken up with a banging on the door. Well Taeil is, the other two are sleeping like logs.
"What's going on?" Taeil asks when he opens the door to a frantic Renjun.
"Is Jeno here? Please tell me he's here? I'm so worried, I don't know what to do." He pulls him in the door quickly.
"Explain." He says calmly.
"He got mad at me earlier, like way earlier and rightfully so b-but. I was going to apologize when he got home and he hasn't came home and his phone is in his room and I'm afraid he could be hurt." Taeil nods.
"Ok, calm down, I'll go ask Taeyong." He nods frantically and tells him to hurry.

"Hey, Tae, is Jeno in here?" He sits up groggily and feels his bed.
"No, why?" Taeil sighs. He knows Taeyong will go into protective mode right away because that's who he is.
"Apparently he's missing." Taeyong immediately gets out of bed.
"Renjun is here. You can talk to him." He nods as he throws on his clothes.
"I'm sorry." Renjun says as he sobs in his hands.
"I'm so fucking sorry." Taeyong shushes him and much to his surprise pulls him into his arms.
"Don't worry, we'll find him. Can you tell me what happened?" Renjun nods as he backs away and looks shamefully at the floor.
"I said something that upset him and he left. He didn't take his phone and I've been waiting for him all day to apologize and maybe he's fine but I'm so worried." Taeyong nods and sighs.
"Open your phone." He does so right away and Taeyong puts his number in.
"You go home and cuddle with your boyfriend, wait there in case he comes back and let me know if he does." He nods and wipes his fat tears.
"I'm so sorry, for everything." Taeyong shakes his head.
"Don't worry about that right now." He nods again and walks out.

"Do you need our help?" Taeil asks.
"I'll call you if I need you, I think I know where to check." He practically runs out the door. He's sure he knows where he is and he's scared of what he might be contemplating. He runs up the board walk and by the time he gets there he can hear Jeno laughing.
"You think this is funny? I was fucking terrified." Jeno shrugs and only then Taeyong notices he is sitting with his legs dangling over while holding on to the railing. He sits right behind him and wraps his arms around his waist. He clings tightly and kisses his neck.

"This is really unsafe you know? You could fall so easy." He says softly against his ear.
"I'm sorry for scaring you." Taeyong hums.
"Tell me what happened?" Jeno sighs.
"Renjun called you a slut, basically." Taeyong frowns and purses his lips.
"He saw you laying on the couch with Yuta and said that you slept with me after only knowing me a day and now you are trying to get into his pants." Taeyong shakes his head.
"See, he's an asshole." Jeno chuckles.

"I'm not sure which part is more infuriating? First he calls you slutty, which is bad enough but then I figure if you are I am too. But then the way he worded it made it seem like I couldn't take care of myself, like I'm this fucking helpless person who couldn't fight off your advances." Taeyong laughs.
"He cares about you Jeno, it's obvious. He wouldn't have been crying in our house tonight if he didn't. He has a fucked up way of dealing with his jealousy but he worries because he cares." Jeno nods.

"I think you and him need to have a heart to heart, fuck it, bring Jaemin in on it too. Tell them how you feel, then they can talk it over and if it goes badly? My friends and I will take you in." Jeno chuckles.
"Maybe I should." Taeyong whispers a yay and stands to pull him further back onto the pier.
Taeyong ends up pushing him home because even though he says he doesn't need any help, he knows that Jeno has been out all day and is probably exhausted.

As soon as they walk up the door flies open and a teary eyed Renjun runs out and sits right on his lap and hugs his neck.
"I'm so, so sorry for what I said. Please don't ever scare me like that again?" Jeno nods and kisses his cheek. He looks up to Taeyong and stands and hugs him as well.
"Thank you. I Don't deserve your kindness at all." Taeyong purses his lips.
"What I did was for him." He says sternly. Renjun nods and smiles knowingly.
"He really appreciates the hug you gave me when I was scared." Renjun says, making Jeno giggle.
"I really do." He says making the others smile.
"Junie, can you give us a minute?" He looks at the both of them and nods with a small smile before going in to Jaemin's waiting arms.

"Thanks Tae, for everything. I just want you to know that I was planning to come home. I lost track of time yeah, but I wasn't planning to die or anything." Taeyong hugs him.
"That's good to know, I think he, wait they, might need to hear that?" He questions pointing to Renjun and Jaemin waiting for him. He chuckles.
"Talk to them, take a chance." Jeno nods.
"I will. Good night." Taeyong says good night and turns to leave but hears a soft hey, behind him. He's quite surprised to see Doyoung standing there.

"Can I walk you home?" He asks softly. Taeyong smiles and accepts. Doyoung gently puts his hand on the small of his back as they walk.
"Thank you. Renjun told us how kind you were to him, even with what he's been going through, what he's been saying? You could have knocked him on his ass at any point." Taeyong's laugh pierces through the dark in the most beautiful way.
"I've wanted to a few times but I can see where he's coming from too. It must be hard when you have a boyfriend and love your best friend too." Doyoung sucks his bottom lip into his mouth.
"It's that obvious huh?" He laughs again.
"Yeah."

They stop on the deck outside Taeyong's house. Doyoung leans on the railing, so Taeyong does the same next to him.
"So what brings you guys to the beach house? Have you come every summer?" Taeyong asks as he closes his eyes to feel the lovely night breeze.
"No, our parents passed away six months ago and we are here to celebrate them and decide if we want to keep it." Taeyong doesn't hesitate to turn and hug Doyoung and after the initial shock wears off he melts into it.
"I'm so sorry. If there is anything we can do for you?" He says softly.
"We? As in Boyfriend?" Taeyong chokes and has to step back.
"What? No. I meant me or the guys silly. I'm as single as they come." Doyoung looks down, feeling dumb.
"Shit sorry, you told me already. I've just had a lot on my mind lately." Taeyong smiles and pats his shoulder.
"It's fine, I totally get it." He hugs him once more and kisses his cheek.
"Come for dinner tomorrow, the little asshole scares me a little, you can protect me." He says with a coy smile. Doyoung chuckles.
"By little asshole, you mean my brother Renjun?" Taeyong's jaw drops.
"What? You don't have a brother?" He questions.
"And this is evidence that we didn't know each other that well in school." Doyoung laughs at his cute face as he starts to walk away.
"Hey." Taeyong says making him stop in his tracks.
"Maybe we can make up for that now?" Doyoung's smile splits his face.
"Maybe." Taeyong waves and watches him go before going in and waking Taeil on the couch to let him know everything is ok.
He can't wait for tomorrow to come.