Jongin hurried inside the cramped apartment, his cut lip bursting open painfully as he smiled excitedly. He wasn’t able to see properly out his left eye, but he heard the comforting noise of hands rifling through his cupboards, looking for his first aid kit.

The old door creaked as it closed behind the man, a muddied bag falling by its base.

"Kyungsoo…” Jongin said softly, affection swimming in his eyes.

"What the hell Jongin?” The said man walked from the bathroom to the main room, his eyes ablaze. “I have a job, y’know. Do you want to get me fired? I had to leave a very important meeting for this.”

The small but mighty man stalked across the tiny room, a Pororo lunchbox in his hand.

"Kyungsoo…”

"Sit.”

Jongin obeyed immediately, looking forward to seeing the soft Kyungsoo that always proceeded the angry one.

"Why did you put the supplies in this childish merchandise…!” Kyungsoo sighed, fiddling with the clasp. He took out a bottle of dettol and a packet of cotton pads with a frown. However, the fire in his eyes soon extinguished as he looked back up at the happily wounded man before him and he began to administer the liquid to the bleeding areas.

"You said you liked penguins.” Jongin responded bluntly, hissing slightly at the first sting of alcohol on his mouth.

Kyungsoo’s hand traced Jongin’s jaw gently as he dabbed at his injury.

"I meant real ones.”

"It was only four thousand won.”

The shorter didn’t respond, silently attending to the other’s cuts and bruises. Jongin, too, was more than happy to spend the time gazing at the person before him. He was the luckiest person in the world to be looked after by someone as amazing as the elder.

"Was it the same people?” Kyungsoo asked as he finished helping the other, his cold hand still placed on the taller’s warm cheek. “The ones who hang around outside the store?”

"They waited for my shift to finish.”

"Oh, Jongin.”

Kyungsoo stared at the earnest eyes of the younger sadly. He didn’t deserve this, he never had.

"It’s okay, hyung, I get to see you.”

At this, Kyungsoo could no longer watch the sincerity pool in the other’s gaze. He stood up and moved to the kitchenette. The distressed man opened the banged up fridge, one of the only appliances in the prison of an apartment, finding almost nothing inside. There was still a small portion of leftovers of what Kyungsoo had made last week, when he was last there.

The microwave barely warmed the food, but it wasn’t too bad, considering the fridge barely cooled it in the first place. Kyungsoo placed the congealed meal onto the only plate, and wondered if it was unethical to serve this to the younger, knowing he’d eat the whole thing with no complaint.

He sighed again.

"I get to see you, hyung, so it’s okay.” Jongin rephrased, able to tell that the older of the two seemed unhappy. He was often upset recently, come to think of it, though Jongin found himself more elated each and every time he saw the other.

"It’s really not…” whispered Kyungsoo, his eyes still focussed on the blob of inedible mush that should just be thrown out. But what else is there, Kyungsoo thought to himself.

A question that had been plaguing him for too long.

"They’re the same as the ones who made fun of my learning disability in school. It’s okay, hyung, I’m used to it. And the pain is nothing compared to the joy of getting to see you every time it happens.”

"How can you say that?” Kyungsoo asked, finally turning to the young man who was such a child compared to the elder. “Most people never have to see their Guardian. You shouldn’t have to!”

Jongin, who still sat in the peeling armchair, was surprised. Did Kyungsoo not want to see him?

"Don’t misunderstand.” Kyungsoo begged, seeing the glassy expression grow on the other’s face. “I just want the best for you, and a job at a supermarket and a hobby of being brutally beaten behind said supermarket is far from it.”

Jongin looked away. He wanted to leave. But unless he squeezed into the bathroom, there was nowhere to hide.

"You’re ashamed of me.”

"No. No, Jongin, I-”

"You’re not even human, and yet you’re embarrased to be near me. I’m a burden.” Jongin spoke with a kind of clarity, an honesty that broke the other’s heart. “You can leave me.”

"How dare you say that!” Kyungsoo spoke firmly, walking back to kneel right in front of the cashier. “You are not an embarrasment, nor a burden. I’m not going anywhere, okay? Never say that again.”

Finally tears fell as Jongin looked guiltily at his lap, not even bothered that crying made his already puffy eye ache and his cut lip sting from the salt as it dripped down his nose. But like always, Kyungsoo was there. He wiped the other’s face clean with another cotton pad with a reasurring hand on the human’s knee.

"I care so much about you Jongin, I just wished you cared about yourself too.”

The taller immediately wrapped his arms around the angel’s waist. Kyungsoo always made him feel better, no matter what.

"You should sleep, it’ll heal your injuries faster.” The Guardian suggested, seeing the haze of tiredness creep into the other.

"Then you’ll leave faster.” Jongin yawned. “You’re only here when I’m hurt.”

Kyunsoo easily pried the human’s arms from around him, collecting the thin blanket from Jongin’s single bed and draping it over his seated form.

"I’m always here, Jongin. You just can’t always see me.”

"I don’t want you to go.” Jongin pouted, reaching to pull the angel into his lap.

Kyungsoo squeaked in shock, before settling into the embrace. He knew he was incapable of refusing the younger. The shorter began threading his fingers through Jongin’s long fringe, an action he knew would lull the other to sleep in no time.

"I love taking care of you, Jongin.” Kyungsoo began, knowing his time with his protectee was running out. “But I need you to take care of yourself, too.”

Jongin inhaled the sweet smell of his angel, a secure veil enveloping him as gentle hands rubbed his scalp. He fell asleep with the feeling of solid safety in his embrace.

But he awoke to nothing more than cold arms and an empty space.