No Gonna Lie
The Howling - Part III: Imprinting
Joonmyun had the overwhelming urge to reach out, to comfort Jongin in some way and tell him that everything was alright -- even though it really wasn't -- but he refrained. Instead, he rose to his feet and gave the younger boy one last look -- god, he looked awful, but it was expected -- before stepping into the other room to give him his privacy.
After checking the lock on the door, Joonmyun set about stripping his clothes; they weren't that dirty, but he still felt grimy in them. So, he tossed them in the hamper and crossed over to the dresser where he pulled out a pair on sweats and a plain white shirt, noting that they did, in fact need to have clothes washed. He couldn't help but wonder how much of the clothes had blood stains and how much would come out, especially after sitting for as long as some probably have.
Pushing the thoughts aside, Joonmyun redressed himself before curling up on the end of the bed to wait for Jongin. He wasn't sleepy, but the past thirty minutes or so had exhausted him mentally and emotionally, and all that sounded good at the moment was curling up and watching a movie. There was still dinner to be made though, but even if the elder didn't feel like it anymore, he still felt compelled to at least clean up the mess they'd made.
He waited for a moment, listening to how Joonmyun moved around the room, heard the cabinet shelves open and close, and then heard the faint squeak of the bed springs before he crossed to the shower and turned it on, not even waiting for the water to heat up before he stepped under the icy spray. He closed his eyes, ignoring the bite of cold against his skin as he let the water washa way the blood and flour, giving himself a quick rinse off before he turned off the water and reached for a towel.
Carefully he dried himself off and tugged on a clean pair of boxers and sweats. After glancing at himself briefly in the mirror, he stepped out of the room, eyes shifting to Joonmyun before he crossed to the cabinet to pull out a white wifebeater.
"You okay?" he asked, turning to face the elder as he tuged the shirt on, running his fingers through his wet bangs once he was done to push them off his face. "If you like, i can go clean up the kitchen; o-or...even attempt to make something edible for dinner?"
He couldn't guarantee he'd be any good - but maybe he'd been lying /just/ a little when he said he couldn't cook anything - and he didn't want Joonmyun to feel overwhelmed when it looked like the elder simply wanted to curl up.
"I'm not going to lie and say I'm okay," Joonmyun murmured as he uncurled himself and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. "But I'm alive, and I think that's what really matters." Not the complete truth, because while being alive was the most important, it certainly wasn't all that mattered, but Joonmyun didn't want Jongin to worry more than he knew he already was.
He thought for a long moment about whether or not he'd be able to properly make something for dinner when he didn't have the same energy anymore. After a minute or so, Joonmyun glanced up at Jongin, expression defeated and tone just the same. "I'm not really all that hungry, but I think a sandwich would be good, and maybe a couple cookies. And if you're going to clean up, then I'll help; I made part of the mess, anyway."
Leaving his mess for others to clean wasn't something he did or had ever done, but he never turned down help. He especially wouldn't turn down Jongin's help, not just because the boy had taken part in making the mess, but because he would offer protection while they cleaned.
Jongin nodded slightly, teeth sinking into his lower lip as if the pain from aggravating the cut there would stop him from saying anything further. He really wanted to tell Joonmyun to just stay in bed, to stay somewhere safe... to offer to clean up everything and make him something, but if the elder wanted to come... then he was fine with it.
"Arasseo..." he murmured softly, looking away as he crossed to the door before unbolting it. "Come on then... We should get to the kitchen before Sunny emerges from her sleep - she's always so grumpy right after the full moon. And you don't want to see an angry Sunny if she found her kitchen in a mess."
It was a joke to try and lighten the situation, and he glanced back at Joonmyun before smiling a little. "I can make a sandwich pretty good; it doesn't require cooking, therefore I'm not at risk of burning things to a crispy mass of charcoal..."
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