TARGET || HEEJAKE

13

The bloody cloth fell to the floor and he was met with stings when Heeseung pressed the wet cotton ball to his injury. He hissed, squeezing his eyes shut to the shot of irritation, and halted mid air when he realized he was going to grab the other's wrist and yank it away. The sting was gone and he opened his eyes, only to meet with the same fate, again. When Heeseung threw the cotton ball in the bin and it landed perfectly, Jake was relieved.

"I'm not the perfect nurse you know." His voice sounded nervous while he finally put on fresh, soft bandages to wrap it up.

"I didn't mean to-" Heeseung shook his head and Jake paused. "Sorry."

"I really thought you'd take days to wake up after that fall." Heeseung informed, in the softest of tones. "I'm glad I was wrong."

It was quite early in the morning and the sunlight was pristine. But it wasn't the reason Jake felt warmth spreading through his chest. In fact, he was quite disappointed to find that Heeseung made him feel better, especially when his hands cupped a part of his face to pull on the bandage or when his knuckles brushed against his forehead while putting the cloth in place. Now, the cut on Heeseung's finger seemed like his fault.

But he had nursed Jake through the injury and he must have some manners left to thank him for it. And he would, of course, thank Heeseung, but it wouldn't just count for the time he spent tending to Jake's head. And the thought of it was revolting. Like when teenagers wanted to confess to their highschool crush, because of the fear of getting their heart broken.

And he didn't thank him. He just stared at his determined face with eyes slightly red and watery while he worked up the bandage, tied it firmly and packed the first aid stuff in the shoebox, pushing it into the shoe rack. He laughed at that and earned a silly one from the other. He thought about it, whether he had ever wanted to listen to something on repeat, it'd be that silly laughter. 

Jungwon.

No. That was the worst that could have happened.

He didn't want to get killed by the only person he placed his entire trust in. Not by whom he called his brother even though they were never related by blood. Not by the one person he most truly loved.

Yeong-su had out himself this time and Jake could feel the rage and fear building inside his stomach, mixing so he couldn't tell if he was angry or afraid. But all Jungwon did was smile, big and bright, even when his surrondings contrasted him he looked like a star.

"Jake-hyung!"

The one and only thing he wanted to do was to run to his brother and squeeze the shit out of his, and ugly cry before Jungwon could. He always cried when Jake went home, saying that he was thankful that Jake was alive, and the elder would soothe him and tease him at the same time. How ironic that Jungwon was the one who was going to close him.

He clenched his hands and tried to calm the tremble in his gut. And he ran. He ran, legs wobbly and blood rushing through his veins. He ran past the fountain near the entrance. He didn't stop at the hostel gate and took off to the stairs. He heard Jungwon calling him from behind, meaning he was already inside the hostel, somehow it worsened Jake altogether.

He leaned on the wall and halted, breathed. The call grew closer and clearer until it was right down the long flight of stairs he had climbed. Jungwon looked up to him. And the face he made, it looked disappointed yet there was longing in his eyes. Jake leaned his back on the wall and looked down at the boy and tried to smile, but it never came, instead his lips cast a thin line in the attempt.

"You ran?!" Jungwon exclaimed.

His cat eyes widened all the way and Jake burst out laughing. How good it felt to hear from the real Jungwon again, not on calls or through office doors. Just through thin air.

"Yes." Jake calmed. Jungwon raised an eyebrow.

"It's been a bad day, I guess. No questions. Please." Jake shook his head, while Jungwon listened, lips parted like he wanted to say something.

"Bad day? You? Who are you? Where is Jake-hyung? What have you done to him?" Jungwon climbed one stair at a time, head jotted up and eyes squinted like he was speculating, but his grin gave away the act.

"He's been possessed. You'll meet him when you tell me why you're here, Yang Jungwon." Jake nodded.

Jungwon grinned and blurted. "To set you up. with that hot guy. Oh, his name is Heeseung, isn't it?"

He noticed Jake look away, eyes trying to find a stable spot to rest on. For a moment, he almost thought of Heeseung. Almost. Thankfully, Jungwon jumped in front of him again. "I knew it!"

"Ok, sidekick. We're done for today." Jake started for the next flight of stairs, shrugging and shaking his head nervously. "Have a goodnight."

"Hey! Wait!" Jungwon called while jumping up behind him. "I'm not a sidekick!"

Jake felt him lunge for his shoulders and winced when the younger's nail pricked his shoulder. He shrugged his hands off and smirked, while Jungwon walked alongside him. They reached the next level and Jake turned to the pouty Jungwon while smirking, "Sidekick is too good for you, isnt it?"

Jungwon almost flew for him, landing him with blows while he laughed it off Jungwon's funny face. In fact, he id get hit a few times. He felt dizzier with each step he took back. Now it was just playful, and God, he didn't even know if Jungwon was allowed to openly showcase such affection, but it wasn't bad afterall.

They circled the same spot over and over, Jungwon attacking and Jake trying to tease him through it while he felt like stopping, and sleeping. He felt sleepy. And it shocked him, but he wasn't in the right state to yet acknowledge the fact that he grew wobblier with each step. And the next thing he knew, he dodged another attack and felt his conscious slip away.

He didn't even feel the empty pit of his stomach while he fell down the flight of stairs, or hear when Jungwon shouted for help on realizing what he had done, or see the bright blob of white that raced down the stairs.

His eyes were already closed and he was falling. The last thing he felt was a soft tug on his right leg and a sizzle up his spine. 

⇿

Short update.

I've recently read a horror hjk fic on ao3 and I am obssessed with how good it it. The world building is so so good. It is the best fic I've read in a while. 

Also, the leg injury was inspired from Kaz Brekker because I loved SoC. Don't worry, Jake won't need a cane. ;)

Happy reading, my heejake nation~