Feathers and Carnations

Chapter Nine

Jisung woke up in pain. Like lethal claws had latched into his shoulder, it felt impossible to move without feeling the sharp ache that echoed through his body. He let out an involuntary groan as he rubbed his eyes. I officially hate being stabbed. Wincing, he slowly turned over. He paused when his eyes landed on the sleeping man next to him. Minho's head was just barely turned away, but Jisung could clearly see hurt written into his expression. He flinched in his sleep, and his breathing became shaky.

Concern bloomed in Jisung's chest. Ignoring the pain radiating from his wound, he ran his hand into Minho's hair. He didn't know how to comfort someone having a nightmare. Was he supposed to wake him up? Would it be better to leave him alone? With soft, gentle movements, he continued stroking his fingers through Minho's hair. "It's okay," he murmured. "You're okay."

Minho's breathing evened out ever so slightly. Jisung took that as a good sign and continued. After what felt like several minutes, Minho took in a sharp breath, and his eyes groggily opened. Their eyes met. Minho's suddenly brimmed with tears.

"Are you okay?" Jisung whispered.

Minho abruptly sat up, turning his head away. "Yeah, of course."

No, you're not. Jisung moved before he could think. He sat up and gently turned Minho's head to face him. His cheeks were now streaked with tears. Jisung wiped the tears away with his thumbs. "You don't have to be okay."

Minho stared at him, several emotions coloring his eyes at once. Jisung brushed away another escaped tear.

"I don't deserve to be comforted by you."

"Everyone deserves comfort," Jisung countered quietly. "You can tell me to stop, or you can hug me. Your choice." He smiled softly, opening his arms in invitation.

Minho shook his head. "You really know how to break someone down." He made a motion, granting permission.

Not wanting to twist his injured shoulder, Jisung moved in front of Minho and hovered over his lap. "Is this okay?"

Minho nodded silently. Jisung gently sat on his lap, his legs resting on the bed around Minho's hips, and pulled him into a tentative embrace. Minho melted into his touch, wrapping his arms around Jisung's waist and resting his forehead on his uninjured shoulder.

Dim sunlight slowly lit the windows, filling the quiet room with a soft, pale light that caressed its way in. It was a cool morning, but neither Jisung nor Minho noticed in their warm embrace.

Jisung wasn't normally the hugging type, but as he sat there soaking in the moment, it somehow felt right. It was as if their arms were molded to each other's bodies. For a moment, he allowed his mind to slow down, to stop over-thinking. Right now, he was just hugging Minho; not a rival mafia boss, not a machine. Just Minho.

"I think you might be crazy," Minho suddenly whispered, releasing a breathy laugh.

Jisung cracked a smile. "Why do you say that?"

"I'm a psycho that sliced you up on our first meeting and then kidnapped you, and now you're hugging me and wiping away my tears."

For a second, Jisung went quiet, unsure of how to react. His first instinct was to push away and pretend this never happened. But another instinct that was just as strong told him to hold on tighter. He followed neither,  and remained still as he was. He was questioning himself all over the place, wondering if he was truly beginning to understand and sympathize with Minho or if the knowledge that they shared a past was influencing his feelings. Instead of voicing these concerns, he joked, "Maybe I just have Stockholm Syndrome."