They all sat down crowding the table, engulfing the kings feast that Irene had prepared. She looked at them as they all sighed in content. She moved around the table adding more to their plates and ensuring they had enough to eat. Mark looked at her "Irene sit and eat as well, you must be starving." She nodded sitting next to Jackson as that was the only space left, he picked up her plate adding food to it as she watched him. He placed the plate down in front of her giving her a small smile and signalling for her to start. She noticed how he waited for her to start before starting himself whilst the others devoured her food. She smiled back at him signalling him to eat too. He blinked at her telling her not to worry and to just eat. The surrounding members watched the exchange, mouths slightly ajar at the way they communicated with out the need for words. She began eating, Jackson following shortly after.

They began talking again as a group laughing and joking. Yeri piped up "You know we should do like a group interview together on weekly idol or something...could you imagine how hectic it would be." They laughed, "More like complete chaos." Said Bambam. Irene laughed before saying "we should just write a joint album." Everyone stood silent as she said that, turning to her interested. "Please elaborate." Said Jinyoung smirking slightly "I mean maybe we should do an album, we can have two joint songs with all of us and then mini songs in between, like between two of us or like a smaller group." They looked at her mouths dropping, "shit we should do that." JB said . "Could you imagine the reaction..." continued Mark, the girls nodding in agreement. Irene continued "we can make our own music videos and stuff like that... but if we are gonna do this then it's going to take awhile." They nodded in agreement, Jackson picking up "But it will be fun, something different and it might prove that not everything is bad between JYP and SM, the tension between fans might fizzle out too." Irene smiled at him nodding "That can be our driving statement when we ask them." After that conversation they went back to laughing and joking, teasing each other non stop. The sound of laughter making the house feel alive every awakening second that the girls were present. Irene picked up her dishes , moving to take everyone's but they quickly said no as she walked into the kitchen followed by them all. "Irene it's fine, you cooked for us you don't need to wash them as well." Said Mark, the other boys nodding in agreement. "I want to though...so what you gonna do Marky." She said laughing. He laughed with her picking her up, swinging her around causing her to scream and hit him. "PUT ME DOWN." She shouted as the others laughed. "Geez Irene... no need to kill my hearing." She huffed as Wendy fist bumped Mark causing Irene's eyes to narrow into slits. "You are a betrayer." She said trying hard to fight the smile that threatened to break. They burst out laughing as Irene finally recovered saying. "It's my mess... let me clean. Out all of you." Yugeom laughed "she did tell us that it's her kitchen. This is her territory." They nodded but made sure that Irene knew that they would be cooking next time, to which she agreed. They poured out, Irene pulling gloves on. She started washing as she heard his voice "Let me help." Wanting to decline she was about to say no, but decided against it. He put matching gloves on and began to wash with her. Irene applying soap and Jackson rinsing them. She felt his eyes on her as she smiled up at him. Smiling back he started a light hearted conversation, playfully teasing her as she in annoyance splashed water on him. His eyes shone as he spoke "You started a war Irene." She stuck her tongue out "Come and get me then." She smirked, making him laugh as he threw a load of water at her causing her to squeal like a child. They both went back and forth... the others watching with smiles on their faces, Joy recording the whole ordeal and sending it to them all on their Jackrene group chat. They walked away soon after, letting the two enjoy their moment. Irene was panting, looking at him with the biggest smile he had ever seen. "Maybe we should actually wash the dishes instead of each other." He said. She blushed at his comment but agreed nonetheless and they both continued with their system working in sync. They laughed whilst speaking the easiness of their conversation returning bit by bit, piece by piece, the playful teasing and playing adding to the spice of their relationship. As they finished off Jackson splashed her with a major amount of water, she laughed moving to take out the seaweed soup, but she was too busy laughing and spilled most of it on her top. She looked at herself screaming causing Jackson to turn abruptly. He laughed but seeing her glare he made it out like he was coughing, he moved to push the bowl back and clean the spillage as everyone crowded to see what the commotion was. They started laughing but Jackson quickly told them to stop with the vigorous shaking of his head and hand going to his neck in a cutting motion. They stopped as she turned to Jackson who immediately rubbed the back of his neck. She sighed. "Well that's fucking great." She face palmed herself as she tired to wipe it off, making it worse in the process. "It's ok... come with me I'll give you something to change into" said Jackson. She nodded as the two walked out the kitchen.

He led her to his room opening the door and letting her in. She looked around standing in front of the mirror attempting to sort out her hair. He walked into his walk in wardrobe, coming out seconds later with a black hoodie in his hands. He handed it to her, before leaving for her to change. She peeled the top off and pulled the fabric over her head as it settled on her skin. Team Wang was read on the front in a smaller font to the large one on the back, with his number 28 on it. She smiled inhaling his scent from the hoodie. She dropped it slightly as he walked back in. He looked at her in a sense of shock; she made his clothes look so good, it was far too big for her but it looked amazing on her body. She looked like his. And that's exactly what he wanted. He felt himself tense. She was still smiling though, "we are matching." She said giggling, causing him to smile at her child like behaviour that only came out with him. He laughed with her. "Yeah we are." She pulled him by his hand in front of the mirror taking out her phone. "Pose Mr." He laughed again, as they had their own mini photo shoot. His hands resting on her waist as she made sure to capture the #teamwang for both of them. After what felt like twenty shots she walked and sat on the edge of his bed, smiling at her phone.

And that's when suddenly the atmosphere changed. They had been putting this moment off but now they were both alone. Just them. No intrusions. Nothing. Jackson sighed his hands becoming callous as he sat down besides her maintaining a respectable distance. "We need to talk." He started. He watched her whole body tense, her frame upright as she looked at the floor playing with her hands. "We've put this off long enough Irene..." she knew. But she was apprehensive. She could feel her heart thundering as he spoke. She expected it. But she wasn't prepared for it. Her eyes closed in attempts to calm her racing heart and grasp onto her peace. She could hear him inhale. She caused him so much pain. And she was still hurting him. She hated herself for it. Silence was the only thing heard. The tension becoming unbearable; "I know there's things we need to talk about, Nothing a few words can't hurt... And now I need you, And you need me too, Don't leave me..." he sung lowly watching her every move. She closed her eyes as he sung her lyrics. Her lyrics for him. She hastily tried to move away, only for him to catch her wrist in his strong hand. "I've already heard your words Irene... stop running from it." She felt him tug her back narrowly missing his lap, she fell right next to him. "You know we need to talk about this, so why do you keep trying to run away from this." She sat in silence, she could feel his patience running thin. He stood up pacing slightly, taking deep breaths as he held his forehead. "Godamnit, Irene..." he looked back at her pinning her with his gaze. "You don't get to do this... you don't get to walk into my life, then walk straight back out the next second... you don't get the fucking right to write music about me but run every time I confront you about your feelings... news flash... I know, I've watched your interviews, I've listened to the album, hell I've even watched the music videos and your still going to try and run from this." He breathed deeply his eyes blazing with a fire "it's been two years... fucking two years and I've wanted nothing more but to have you in my life, every single second, every single breath was for you and I don't think you understand that. I'm not angry about that, about the fact that I've immersed myself in work to try and halt the thoughts of you even if it's for an hour. I'm pissed that you just won't let me all the way in. I-" he stopped himself, he looked at her, her eyes lining with tears. She knew she needed to say something...anything. She needed to reach out before she damaged him further. "I'm sorry..." he heard her faintly whisper, her eyes moving from the floor to his with an abundance of guilt he had never seen. "I'm not good at this-" she took a deep breath, his eyes casting to her hands which trembled, his own gaze softening, "what I did that night... the way I ran from you, I hated it. But whether you see this now or later Jackson... I did the right thing. I pushed you away because I know nothing can come from us, we-". "Bullshit." He seethed, cutting her off, he shook his head. "The fact of the matter is...Is that your not willing to take a chance... you said it yourself in those songs, so why can't you say it to me... I'm standing right in front of you, the words...you have them Irene, use them." She shook her own head, finally standing looking at him "you don't understand-" "well then help me to." He shouted back, she flinched slightly. She had done it. She was winding him up the wrong way. He sighed trying to calm himself down, he knew he would have grabbed his friends attention downstairs. And he knew what she was trying to do;she was trying to piss him off to the point he would walk away. From her. From them. He sighed again. Waiting. It had been silent for the past three minutes. He just looked at her as fidgeted under his gaze. She then walked up to him, he could see her visibly shake, his gaze forced to soften again. "I'm scared." She whispered. She looked back up to him, fresh tears paving down her face. "I'm scared." She said again, slightly louder this time. His hand found her waist pulling her to crash into his chest as her sobs broke out. Jackson stroked her hair, feeling his own tear slip from his eye, he wiped it away, his hand resting on her head. "It's okay Babygirl." He whispered back to her. Once he felt her calm down he moved her to his bed, crouching down and taking her hands in him. "It's okay to be scared...that's the best thing about love. But you need to take a chance... we will take this slow but only if you want to. We can start small, by building up a friendship and then you can decide what you want. How does that sound?" She looked at him "I'm sorry." His heart broke at her feeble voice, "Babygirl you have nothing to be sorry for okay? If your scared... I'll chase the fear away." He offered her a smile and he was beyond happy to see her return it. He sat up slightly, drying her tears and kissing her forehead. She smiled softly, the two deciding it was time to rejoin their family. They walked out, Irene interlocking their fingers. He looked at her in shock but smiled at the way their hands fit together. She pulled him along as they rejoined them, all of them flabbergasted by the scene playing out in front of them. Wendy was the first to ask. "So..... what happened." Jackson and Irene smiled at each other both replying "Friends." Irene continuing "Best Friends..." their faces dropped as they looked at each other confused. "We should head home..." "No." said all the boys at once. "It's too late... 2 AM.." started Mark, Bambam picked up "it's not safe to drive back at this hour." JB nodded before continuing "just stay the night...you guys can drive back at a more godly hour." The girls began pleading with Irene who caved shortly after, agreeing.

Mark and Wendy went off to his room, followed by Bambam and Yeri, Jinyoung and Suelgi and JB and Joy. The other two boys headed off to their own rooms complaining that they wished there were seven members of Red Velvet. Irene laughed as she was taken back to Jackson's room. He got her another change of clothes. A shirt and shorts that had gotten too small for him. He insisted that he'd sleep on the couch but Irene refused saying the bed was big enough for both of them. He took his shirt off and changed into black joggers. Her eyes trailed to his abs, as she felt her mouth go dry. She watched as he turned his back to her, his broad shoulders highlighted for her, his back tensing slightly. "Irene..." he called. She hadn't acknowledged he was talking until he practically screamed her name causing him to laugh, "see something you like Babygirl?" She blushed hiding her face in his duvet as she screamed slightly. She was caught ogling him and she felt humiliated to hear him laugh. He pulled the duvet away from her face, his body and face hovering near hers. "It's all yours if you want Babygirl." He smirked, winking at her causing her face to becoming redder, she hit him with the pillow, before turning off the lamp next to her and hugging the pillow, Jackson laughed at her child antics before flipping the other light off too. His arm found her waist pulling her into his warmth. She turned the other way snuggling into his bare chest. The two falling asleep Instantly.

Wendy and Mark who had walked past and witnessed the entire ordeal, looked confused. "Just friends... friends don't act like that though." Said Wendy as she huffed at what the heck was going on. "Why can't they just get together..." she said sighing. "They are perfect for each other...why won't they let themselves be happy.... this is so frustrating." She held her head. "We need a new plan. I don't know we need something. For gods sake I'm gonna kill these two.-" Mark cut her off with his lips. "Shhhhhhh we got this, but how about we make up for lost time too." Wendy blushed as Mark carried her back to his room.

Within twenty minutes the house lay silent. Hearts beating as one.
Lovers united. But for how long?

TBC

-Authors Note
Hey guys hope you enjoy this update.
Let me know what you think in the comment section below. Lots of love.