The sky was already teased with the gold glow of approaching sunset when Ren returned home. He absent-mindedly looked at his black nails embellished with stars and other symbols, admiring Jisook's work. He regretted not spending more time with her. She was such an uplifting person to be around, always full of cheer and goodwill. She could really light up any room she was in, a world apart from Seungah's ladylike grace and biting sarcasm or Woori's overbearing but affectionate motherly ways.

Of course everyone was of fundamental importance to his group of friends in their own way, even Aron, but Jisook didn't feature a big enough role. He realised he often neglected her in favour of his male friends when there was no real reason to.

He wondered if he should have told her about what exactly happened to Mouse, and the other events of that night. He hadn't told anyone so far, besides Minhyun, not wanting to worry his friends. But what value is a friend you don't feel comfortable sharing your times of distress with?

He shook the thought off his mind. I'll tell her when there's something to tell, I'll tell all of them. This was just a one-off occurrence.

While entering the courtyard, he made a decision to meet with Jisook more regularly, whether things went back to the halcyon days or distress lingered, that shouldn't have to matter. Happily munching on one of the cookies they had baked together he strolled through the hall and ascended the stairs, not glancing twice at the poster inquiring into the dog Hoi-Hoi's whereabouts.

He opened the door and then awkwardly tried to remove his shoes without putting down his paper bag of cookies or Mouse's travel basket, kicking at his heels fruitlessly. When the sound of the door shutting behind him travelled into the room beyond it was met with a short anticipatory silence and then Baekho's voice.

"Ren?" he asked, with a curiously excited inflection in his tone.

"Evenin'," replied Ren to his quick approaching footsteps without looking of from his shoes. Successfully kicking the first one into what would more or less be described as a stack of everyone's shoes he froze when he saw a familiar pair of sneakers that had not been there before.

He looked up quickly just in time to meet eyes with Baekho who had the smile of someone about to deliver good news.

"Ren," he began.

"JR is back," Ren finished for him. Before any rational thought could occur he grinned happily, to match Baekho's shining smile. A rush of emotions washed over him all at once; relief, happiness, the release from a guilt he didn't even realise he felt and then, when everything evened out, anger.

He smile fell and he frowned. "Where is he?" he said, his voice cold.

Baekho was visibly startled, "In... his room."

Not bothering to give his other shoe its appropriate place rather than just kicking off in whatever direction, he shoved Mouse's cage into Baekho's arms and marched over to the bedroom at the farthest end of the apartment, throwing the cookies on the living room table along the way. He didn't offer the civility of knocking and was just thankful the door was unlocked as he burst into the room. It was dark and for a moment he couldn't orient himself, but then he d for the light switch and saw JR lying face-down on his bed.

"Where the hell have you been?!"

JR moaned irritably and pulled a pillow over his head.

"So loud..." his muffled voice came from under the pillow, "Go away."

"JR I'm serious! Do you have any idea how worried we were? What the hell took you so long?" He yanked the pillow from his friend's hands and gave him a shove to roll him over. JR looked at him bleary-eyed and utterly unamused. Dark circles under his eyes suggested he was heavily sleep-deprived.

"Oh God, turn off that light. It's so bright."

"Where were you?"

"I don't know, man. I just-God. My head is killing me."

Ren's eyes widened. He couldn't believe this. After all this time to find JR at home, no damaged done besides tiredness, a headache and an aversion to bright lights and loud noises.

"Are you hung over?! While we were freaking out and fearing for your life you were out getting drunk?"

"I. don't. know. How many times do I need to tell you? I don't remember, where I was, okay?" he groaned and put his hands in front of his face.

Ren took a deep breath and bit down a few of the less noble things he wanted to say.

"In case you were wondering, in your absence, Mouse almost died, we almost died and we jumped to the -obviously totally overly dramatic conclusion- that you were dead as well. But apparently, our concern was misplaced and you were off selfishly making us worry without letting anyone know where you were. Next time, I won't stop to think about you."

JR lowered his hands and sat up, looking at him with an expression that may have been guilt but could just as well have been self-pity.

It had better be guilt, Ren thought.

"I'm sorry, what?" the comment seemed to have genuinely knocked some sense into him, but Ren had already left and slammed the door behind him, leaving JR sitting sadly staring at his hands, not knowing what to say or do.

When Ren came back into the living room he found Baekho investigating the bag of peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies.

"That was harsh," he commented, as if he was pointing out something that wasn't entirely obvious already.

"You don't have to tell me, I feel terrible about it okay? But I'm upset." Sighing, Ren sat down at the kitchen table.

Baekho critically selected the cookie that seemed better than all the others after his careful scrutiny. "These are fresh?" He didn't seem sure himself whether that was a question or an announcement.

"Yes, I baked them with Jisook. it was sort of a whim,” he smiled lightly when thinking back at it. “She said she'd bought a cute apron and wanted an excuse to wear it."

"I see." Baekho smiled to himself as he took a bite. Ren frowned and hit the other boy over the back of the head. He'd known him long enough to know what his absent looks signified.

"Stop imagining me in an apron, I didn't even wear one."

"Missed chance, that is."

Ren snorted a biting laugh. "How long has JR been here?" he asked.

"He was here when I got home this afternoon. I tried to talk to him, I was psyched to see he was okay, but he didn't want to see me."

Ren shook his head, lost in thought. "This is unlike him. All of this. He's never been this short with us before, or gone off without letting people know. Or even gotten drunk beyond his control for that matter."

"I know."

"Doesn't it worry you?"

"Not as much as the possibility of him being eaten alive."
“But-”
“Let it go, Ren,” Baekho waved the half-eaten cookie in his direction to emphasise his point. “Just be glad he's okay”

"He's such a jerk, though."

"A live jerk," Baekho declared solemnly.

Unable to suppress a smile, Ren got up from the table and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm calling it a night. Remind me to apologise to JR in the morning." He heard something crack when he rolled his shoulders, and took that as a sure sign that he was due to go to sleep.

"I'll be turning in too, just gotta," Baekho paused and looked around to see where their cat had ran off to now. It seemed odd that he'd be out and about while in the middle of recovery, "feed Mouse his dinner..." he finished uncertainly as he entered the darkened living room.

When he spotted the small shadow on the ground in front of the window he smiled and knelt down the the animal.

"What are you staring at, silly boy? Don't think you'll be eating any more pigeons any time soon. Those days are behind you until you get better" He didn't see the flicker of movement outside the window, the creature ducking out of sight and away from the cat's watchful stare as soon as the human boy entered the picture.

If Mouse had had a more human chain of thoughts, he may have wondered why the Lurkers were watching their house. Instead, he merely felt intruded upon his territory, and as the only protector of the home he shared with the three humans he vowed to stare off any intruders. And as Baekho picked him up to return him to his basket in the kitchen, he continued his vigilant watch of the creatures outside, which he knew would not leave there any time soon.

Mouse didn't care. In his world, time and more staring was all it took to chase off outsiders, and time was all he had.

Author's Note: I've not really had the most time on my hands lately, nor will I have so in the coming few weeks. I know you don't care, so I won't bother anyone with the details of more important things I have to do, but I do sincerely apologise for the belated update (even more so than usual) and will pre-emptively apologise for the next one, which my spidey-senses tell me will keep us all waiting for a while. And my spidey-senses have never let me down so far, so yeah.