Not a Fair Game
The Howling - Part II: The Curse of the Full Moon
A/N: Hey guys! Just wanted to make a quick note here saying that updates might be slow over the next few days. I -- helloimej -- am sick, so it's harder for me to think of my half of this and actually do replies. I hope you'll all understand. Love you, guys! <3
Despite being surrounded by beautiful flowers that could quite easily burn and scar his skin and send him into a coma if he ingested too many, Jongin was in a startling good mood. Even if he'd been incapacitated the night before, he was feeling good, as if he hadn't been unconscious and fighting with his inner wolf, as if Joonmyun's presence, his energy, his happiness, was affecting Jongin.
"It's not a fair game anyway," Jongin called back as he heard Joonmyun's laughter and sweet voice, and he chuckled as he caught the elder's scent again and turned to move down another path. "I can smell you."
If Joonmyun wanted him to hurry, so be it. For a moment his wolfish nature emerged, as he delved deeper into the gardens and into the game. A soft growl, excited and ready to 'hunt', left Jongin, and he glanced around carefully before suddenly ducking down one path and twisting down a second. Joonmyun was close, and if he moved fast enough, the elder wouldn't notice him.
The younger's smile grew when Joonmyun's scent got stronger, and he tore down one last path before he stumbled to a stop, narrowly avoiding the huge wolfsbane plant that he almost tumbled into - that would've been painful - and as it was he fell into another plant and was rewarded with scalding burns from the wrist of one arm to the elbow. Hissing a little in pain, he kept moving, and finally snuck up on Joonmyun. Grinnng to himself, he ducked low and leapt forward, arms wrapping around the elder's waist from behind despite the burning pain down his left arm, and he chuckled softly.
"Found you."
Of course, Jongin could smell him; Joonmyun knew that, but it still didn't stop him from laughing as he wound his way through the maze of the garden. Eventually, he slowed, taking careful steps as he scanned what was around him, bare feet suddenly burning in protest. Joonmyun ignored the pain, though, and paid rapt attention to his surroundings, a slight fear nesting in his mind.
Jongin wouldn't hurt him, but Joonmyun didn't know what all was out here, if anything lived in the garden aside from the blants, bugs, and probably the ocassional rodent. It was quite, too, an almost unsettling quiet, and then-- A loud yelp escaped the elder's mouth as a pair of arms wrapped around his waist, holding him, trapping him, and Joonmyun began to panic, but then he heard Jonging's voice and everything was okay again. Or, so he'd like to think.
"Oh." Joonmyun froze when he caught sight of the burn marks on Jongin's arm, whipping out of the boy's grip and turning to face him as he grabbed his hand. " What did you do? Did you fall into the wolfsbane? Aish, what are we going to do? Sunny's gone and I only have basic first aid knowledge." The elder's words slipped off his tongue so rapidly that it was amazing that he even understood himself, and only when he stopped did he realize how fast he'd spoken and a blush tinted his cheeks.
Muttering an apology, Joonmyun let Jongin's hand go, but his concern for the boy remained, and he wondered how his burns were going to be cared for with Sunny gone. He himself knew the basics, enough to make the burns stop and then patch them up so they didn't get infected. Though, Jongin did heal fast than humans, but Joonmyun didn't know if the wolfsbane countered that healing process.
Jongin took a moment - it was all he got, really - to enjoy the way Joonmyun's heart picked up, thrumming against the younger's fingers before the elder was pulling out of his grasp, gripping his wrist and carefully examining the burns running up the forearm. His smile faded, and he carefully pulled his hand out of Joonmyun's grip, drpping the arm to his side, half hiding it behind his back as he gave him a careful look.
"it's okay, don't worry about it," he muttered, eyes dropping as he sighed softly. Way to ruin the mood, Kim Jongin. Get injured, and turn a good afternoon to a pity session with the guy you like trying to work out the best way to offer first aid.
Wait...
Like? Jongin's heart skipped a beat, and he swallowed harshly, fingers trembling a little as he slowly looked back up at the elder male. Before he could say anything, he sniffed - mainly to clear his nose before he sneezed - but when a strange scent, strange and familiar, hit him, he froze, before his eyes widened and he stepped towards Joonmyun.
"yah! Are you hurt? Did you get hurt somewhere? I can smell blood. Where's it com--" he trailed off, his teeth dragging over his bottom lip as Kai's protective nature kicked in, and he took a careful step back before breathing out. "I'm sorry, I just... I can smell your blood. It's not a lot, but... it's... there.."
What the hell was wrong with him? Rubbing the back of his head with his burn free hand, he let his eyes scour Joonmyun's form, before lowering his gaze to the elder's bare feet.
Joonmyun's lower lip jutted out in a slight pout as he watched Jongin tuck his arm behind his back; the elder was unsatisfied with the answer he'd been given, but who was he to argue when he didn't know what Jongin could and couldn't handle. So, he let it go, though he'd keep it in mind incase more problems arose later.
Jongin's sudden outburst, after the few long moments of silence, startled Joonmyun, and he took a step back as the boy moved towards him. His eyes were wide as looked up at the younger boy, heart beating rapidly at the questions that were being thrown at him. It wasn't that he was afraid, because he knew that Jongin -- and Kai -- wouldn't hurt him, but it was the full moon, and after witnessing Kai's strength the night before, he wasn't as sure anymore.
At the mention of blood and being hurt, Joonmyun's feet gave a confirmative throb, and he picked one up to examine it. Sure enough, a small line of blood trickled across the middle of the ball of his foot. It wasn't much, but he knew that Jongin would make a fuss over it. Still, he could try to play it off.
"It's not that bad," he said calmly, putting his foot back on the ground and giving Jongin the most convincing smile he could. "Just a scratch; I'll be okay." He wasn't worried about himself, though; it was Jongin he needed to keep an eye on.
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