Jongin really doesn't want to go back into college. Kyungsoo had gone while he was in hospital, and it hadn't been a good time for him. He hadn't been able to concentrate on his work, and now both of them had a lot of work to catch up on. The teachers here were famed for being strict. Jongin wouldn't be granted much leniency for injury, even if he'd been off for over a month. Technically he should've been doing work while he was in hospital. How he was supposed to have acquired this work, however, was beyond him.

He'd spoken to most of his friends via facebook, and they'd all welcomed him back to civilisation with open arms and unconcealed worry. Not many people knew what the cover story for his absence was, let alone the result of it. Only Sehun had actually been into the hospital with him, and that had been just under a month ago, when it had still had bandages all over it.

Jongin was still worried about people's reactions to it; Kyungsoo had barely even noticed it, or so he claimed, but normal humans aren't so tolerant to deformations in the same way.

Though the worst part of the injury had definitely been having to relearn how to play on the Xbox with only three working fingers on one hand. The controller kept slipping out of his grip, unless he stretched his hand out uncomfortably. Holding cutlery, texting, showering and everything he would consider normal or easy, now presented a bit of a challenge. Never ending complaints every time he tries, so he Kyungsoo feeds him, and makes him do other things instead. Other things that don't necessarily require the use of both hands. They end up soiling their underwear a few times.

Until his mother started checking on them what felt like every twenty minutes, to make sure they weren't doing anything. Jongin endeavours to spend as much time as possible at Kyungsoo's house instead of his, even though the curfew is the same.

Jongin finds it slightly hilarious that they get more privacy in a house where all the members of the family can hear everything their doing at any time.

Jongin sighs, and holds Kyungsoo's hand tighter. Kyungsoo nudges him with his shoulder in retaliation, never able let him win at anything. Ever.

They had come here together- Kyungsoo had gone to Jongin's house early in the morning to pick him up, and held his hand the whole way here. His bad hand. Jongin hasn't said anything, but Kyungsoo knows how much he still hates it, and he's covering it so people don't stare. He won't mind as much with his friends, especially Sehun who's already seen it.

The bus hadn't been too bad, some people from college recognised him and did that nod thing you do when you either want to be cool, or don't want to say hi.

And now they're standing outside of front doors, Jongin dithering, and Kyungsoo doing his best to persuade him to go in. Kyungsoo leans against the wall and pulls Jongin to him, so he's pressed up close, in a reverse of the classical couple position.

“Jongin just go in. I'll be with you, and no-one's gonna say anything. You have nothing to worry about, I'll protect you,” he promises, standing on tiptoes to kiss him.

His words also leave an undeniable feeling of guilt, that makes him want to curl up into a ball and assure him he'll be fine on his own. He should be fine on his own. Only he won't because he's useless, defenceless, and slow and pathetic and the list goes on and on.

What it boils down to is that he's human. Suddenly, becoming a wolf doesn't seem like such a bad idea, though he knows it's virtually impossible now. He wishes he were stronger, so that he could defend himself better, and he wouldn't need to rely on Kyungsoo and everyone else so much.

Kyungsoo must surely know he feels this way, and instantly he feels guilty for even thinking about it. It can't be easy on his end either. He's the next alpha, theoretically. Thinking about it, Jongin wonders if his parent really truly supported this. Surely they would want to have grandchildren?

“Kyungsoo? Don't you need to have children? To carry on the line or whatever?” Kyungsoo looks at him sharply, after his mumbled confession of insecurity, and softens when he sees the confused frown on his face,

“No,” he affirms, rubbing tiny circles into his waist under his shirt, “It's not necessary. If I don't have children we'll just choose someone else. My family weren't always in charge. Me and Canlie would have had to fight it out eventually anyway.” Jongin is now even more impressed with Kyungsoo's dad's stoic strength. He had quite literally fought for his position.

People around them are giving them interested looks as they walk past, and Jongin knows he can't put it off much longer. He's going to have to go inside at some point, and face everyone.

“You ready?” Kyungsoo asks, eyebrows raised, and tilts his head to the right in the direction of college. Jongin shakes his head, and looks at the floor. He wedges his bad hand in between the wall and Kyungsoo's back, underneath his hoody and careens forward so his forehead is touching Kyungsoo's shoulder.

“I don't wanna go in, don't make me.” he pleads, words muffled and barely distinguishable.

“Do I ing need to carry you?” Kyungsoo laughs slightly,

“Yes,” Jongin replies, thinking it a joke, but squawks when Kyungsoo locks his hands under his and hefts him off the ground. Reflexively, he flings his arms around Kyungsoo's neck and holds on so he doesn't fall to the ground and smash his head open, “Kyungsoo! I was joking!” he exclaims, wrapping his legs around his waist and clinging in a mix of fear and embarrassment, hiding his m hand in Kyungsoo's hood and the other grasping his neck,

“Yeah? Well I wasn't,” he jerks him up with a huff, so he can get a better grip on him since he was slipping,

“No...” he whines, curling up so he doesn't have to look at everyone's judgemental faces as Kyungsoo carries him like a baby, “put me down,”

“Nope,” he sings, inexplicably pleased with these results. Jongin isn't looking, so the only sign he gets that shows they've gone inside is the change in volume. He still doesn't look up, instead wriggling and squirming to get down and save himself further mortification in the face of his friends, who he hasn't seen in way too long.

“Kyungsoo, let me down, oh my god,” he tries to sound like he's serious, but he just sounds like one of those girls who act like they hate attention but secretly love it. He doesn't know when he turned into one of those sorts of people, but he doesn't like it.

He used to not care about anything except computer games before Kyungsoo came along. Now look at him.

This is a good thing, right?

A huge chorus of “Jongin!” alerts him to the fact that they're in the canteen now, and he looks up to see everyone getting out of their seats to crowd around him. Kyungsoo puts him down gently- finally- and stands back while Kevin, Sehun and everyone else group hug him, making as much noise as possible and attracting the unwanted attention of virtually everyone in the room, even teachers.

Jongin blushes, uncharacteristically. Luckily nobody has noticed his hand yet, too busy cheering and generally being loud and pleased to see him after so long. Jongin is pleased to see them too, especially Sehun, who stays even after everyone else has sat back down again, watching him expectantly, to give him an extra hug and then hit him,

“Who told you to take so long to recover? Dickhead,” he grumbles, and Jongin smiles warmly, because that just means he missed him. Sehun doesn't show affection very well at the best of times,

“Sorry, Sehun. At least I'm here now,” he proclaims, his former embarrassment and self-consciousness diminishing now that nobody seems to be outwardly disgusted or anything,

“Whatever,” Sehun scoffs, and sits down. Kyungsoo ushers Jongin forward with his hand dangerously close to his for a school situation such as this, and parks him on a chair next to Kevin and opposite Sehun, who glares at him, then promptly sits on his lap. He takes Jongin's hand and laces their fingers together, the palm of Kyungsoo's pressed against the back of Jongin's, and pushes it into his front pocket

“So,” Kevin says, resting his chin on his open palm in arrogant superiority, “where've you been?”

“He had an accident, I already ing told you guys that,” Kyungsoo butts in and answers for him, miffed.

“Yeah, but that was all you told us,” he gripes, “even Sehun wouldn't say anything,”

“That's 'cos he didn't want me to!” Sehun defends himself, “if he doesn't want to tell you what happened, just it up and get over it, douchebag,”

“Screw you,”

“Nope,”

“I hate you,”

“Good, the feelings mutual” Jongin laughed loudly for the first time in a while; god he had missed this. He'd smiled plenty with Kyungsoo in the two days they’d had before re-joining school, but not really laughed, not like this. It was perhaps the atmosphere, Jongin thought.

Now everything thing felt right.

-

updating slightly early  cos this and the next one are basically fluff -_- mehhehe so that'll be here sunday or something idk

also if ur into taoris ill be posting a oneshot thingy for them soon here ( ˘ ³˘)♥ so if u want, subscriiiibe wooo

also comment because that makes u a nice person (◍•ᴗ•◍)❤