Whatever response he'd been expecting, it wasn't what he got. Jongin stared at Joonmyun as he spoke, eyes wide and features almost unbelieving, before he looked down and smiled softly. "Thank you, Joonmyun. But it's harder than you think... I don't know if I'd be able to keep control of him if I let him through..."

 

Shaking his head, he shuffled back and dropped down on the bed more. "You should try and get some rest. I don't mind you sharing the bed... Don't worry, tonight won't be anything like last night. I won't need to be sedated, and Kai shouldn't... break through at all. So you can sleep; I'll watch over you, and Taemin should be awake soon."

 

He rubbed his forehead gently, and he looked up carefully. "No arguing. You look exhausted..."

---

 

Of course it wouldn't be simple or easy, because nothing ever was anymore. Joonmyun had tried, though, and that's what mattered to him; he'd tried, and he knew that he could try again later if he wanted, if it really bothered him. He knew -- even if he didn't know Jongin all that much -- that he could control Kai if he really tried, if Joonmyun were there with him; he'd helped calm Kai before, and chances were that he could do it again. 

 

Not now, though. He was too tired and Jongin was right; he should rest. With another deep breath, Joonmyun pushed himself out of the chair and over to the edge of the bed, lazily climbing over Jongin's legs -- because, god, he was tired -- and settling down next to the boy. 

 

"See you in a few hours," Joonmyun murmured through a yawn. It didn't take long for sleep to take him, and he didn't even fight it as the weightless darkness pulled him under. 

---

 

Maybe there was some truth to joonmyuns' words, maybe kai did want to come out for a reason - maybe now more than ever that joonmyun was here and the threat of yoochun was close enough that jongin could smell the disgusting man no matter where he was - but it wasn't as simple as that. he needed to know that kai wouldn't hurt joonmyun, even if the wolf promised he woudn't, and there was still the issue of not scaring the poor boy if he did. that was the last thing he wanted to do.

 

"sleep well," he whispered, rolling over onto his other side to watch joonmyun settle into the pillows and blankets, watching with a small smile as he drifted away almost instantly.

 

After a few minutes of making sure the elder was asleep, jongin leaned forward and gently brushed a lock of hair out of his face, before tugging the sheets up over him. once he was done, he settled back down as well, lying on his side facing towards joonmyun as he closed his eyes and buried his face into the pillows. he wasn't as tired as he thought he was, but the ache in his body and the slight fever was enough to drag him back under, and if taemin desperately needed anything, he could wake him up any time.