Authors note: Sorry I didn't have time to proofread for any typos so I'm sorry about that!

Pro·tect

prəˈtekt/

keep safe from harm or injury.

. Mark leans against the irregular wooden door, yelling and shouts can be heard from within the walls.

“What’s wrong Mark?” Jinyoung whispers to Mark, voice shallow and wary.

“The adults are awake.” Mark curses, “they must have realised that we were missing. If we get caught…”

Mark sighs as he leans against the wall, there’s gotta be some way.

“There you are!” Mark’s shoulders tense up and Jinyoung jumps in fright, his mouth in pain from biting his tongue.

A sole woman stands there- brown hair tied tightly in a bun, a magenta dress cloaks her perfectly. “Seola!” Mark relaxes as he hurries over to her.

“My God, why did you two go out?” Seola fusses over them as she quickly brushes them down. “Everyone is awake, they’re searching all over for you two, heck they even sent out some men out to the ruins.”

Seola frowns deeply at Mark, “do you know how much trouble you boys are in? I can’t protect you forever Mark.”

“What should we do Seola?” Mark bites down on his lip, he had to protect Jinyoung.

“I can get you inside without being seen, but I can’t predict what they’ll do when they find you back inside.” Seola says gravely. “Wait here.”

Seola disappears round a corner of the orphanage and the pair wait patiently for her. “Hey, Mark…” Jinyoung whispers, “do you think they’ll hurt us?”

Jinyoung looks down nervously. “What…” Mark exclaims, “We’ll be fine Jinyoung… I’ll prot-”

“Found you!” Mark’s heart falls. The voice isn’t Seola’s. “You two brats are going to get it.” The man marches over to them and pulls them both by the hand, his thick hands grasping tightly onto their thin wrists.

Jinyoung cries out in pain as the man tightens his grip. “Stop it!” Mark screams at the man, stop hurting him!

“Seola look at them, I told you we should have gotten rid of Mark the moment he came to our orphanage. We even took in this freak of a child. He’s already learning from Mark!” A tall man lectures Seola firmly, the young woman can only look down at the ground in guilt.

The room is dark and separated from all the other rooms in the orphanage, but Mark knew this place all too well. The punishment room.

“Seola you may leave, we’ll just have to punish them for their actions.” The man sighs, his hand opens the door for her to leave.

No one dared to hurt or go against Seola. Seola was the owner’s daughter, she was supposed to take over the orphanage but a man came and bought the orphanage when her father died. Of course, not even the the new owner could tell her what to do.

“Mark, I know it was your idea.” The man growls. “You little freak of a child.” The man takes a step forward and lands a punch on Mark’s cheek with enough force to send the boy stumbling backward.

“M-Mark!” Jinyoung cries as he turns to help stabilize him. Mark wipes the blood off his lips as he staggers slightly.

“Jinyo-”

The man kicks Jinyoung’s turned back, the unsuspecting boy falls forward into Mark’s arms. Jinyoung whimpers as his bones cry aloud.

“You little .” The man rips Jinyoung off Mark and lands another punch on him. This time, on his stomach. Mark coughs violently as though his insides are torn apart and he falls backwards onto the ground.

The man leans backwards and catches his breath. The room is silent and Jinyoung’s whimpers echo through the room. “What a crybaby you are.”

The strides over to Jinyoung and picks him up by the collar. Jinyoung squirms in the man’s hold, until finally biting down on the man’s hand.

“Augh!” He flings Jinyoung into the wall hard, punching him before his body can fall down to the floor. Jinyoung cries and tears stream down his face. Mark watches helplessly, clutching his stomach tightly.

I… I have to do something.

Mark bites down on his lip, shoving the pain in stomach down further into his conscious.  

I have to protect Jinyoung!

Mark runs forward with a loud yell and tackles the man down. “What the !” The man yells loudly as he shields himself from Mark’s flying punches. “You !”

It only takes a few seconds before the man is in control and holding up Mark’s body by the neck; suffocated cries escape Mark’s lips.

“You, take the other back to his room, lock him up.” The man growls to the man that had been standing at the doorway.

“Yes Sir.” The man drags Jinyoung out of the room, all the while Jinyoung yells and struggles to reach Mark’s side.

“Mark! Mark!!!” Jinyoung yells, his throat dry, still gasping for air. Mark! Jinyoung can’t see him anymore, all that’s left is the nightmarish picture left in his head. The man’s hand on Mark’s neck, his cries, nothing.

*click* The door locks behind him and Jinyoung is left alone in the room. He falls down to his knees, his body battered whilst tears fall down from his dull eyes.

Mark...

Jinyoung painfully lowers himself to the floor, the coldness of the stone floor consoling his throbbing wounds. His head rests against the floor, his body curls up into a ball, awaiting the only person that could relieve his worries.

Mark… please be safe.

Minutes pass and Jinyoung feels his conscious slipping. His wounds had grown numb, his whole body in fact had slowly lost its feeling and was slowly drifting around. Fragments of the nightmare replay themselves, rendering Jinyoung’s mental state useless. Every part of him yearns constantly for Mark.

*click*

Jinyoung’s system springs up and he scrambles onto his feet-- his wounds begin to pulse as blood courses through his body.The door flies open and a body is pushed in before immedia