Feathers and Carnations

Chapter Eleven

"Jisung!"

Jisung jumped, causing the pan he was holding to wobble and spill food all over the stove. "Damn, Minho!" he hissed, setting the pan aside to try and clean the mess before it burned.

Minho stood braced in the entrance of the kitchen, eyes wide and hair wild. "You- I thought you left, I thought you were gone!"

I should be, but apparently I'm stupid so I'm still here.

"I decided this place isn't so bad," he answered instead, scraping the bad food into a trash can. "I hope you're hungry, I've made plenty of food." Jisung finally met the eyes staring at him.

Minho was statue still. "You stayed?"

Jisung raised an eyebrow down at himself. "I think so?"

"You had the chance to run and you... didn't take it?"

"I..." Jisung fought a mini, internal battle. "I couldn't."

Minho blinked several times and shoved his hand into his hair, processing everything. Then he seemed to refocus. "Wait, your body literally stopped working, what the hell are you doing on your feet?"

Jisung flinched awkwardly as he resumed cooking. "I'm okay, Minho. I got a little dizzy in the shower, but I'm really fine."

"'I'm fine' says the dead man." Minho strode across the kitchen and took the pan from Jisung. "I'm putting you back on bed rest."

Jisung straightened up defensively. "No. I've been up and moving for twelve hours now, I think I'm just fine."

Minho's brow creased and he glanced out the windows lit with evening sun, then back at Jisung. "How long?"

"Twelve hours."

His eyes widened. "How long was I asleep?!"

"Since I first woke up and unhooked myself, about fourteen hours." Jisung took the pan back. "You needed it, don't look so shocked."

"You didn't kill me or escape."

"Death changes a person." Jisung smirked at his own joke and turned the stove off.

"I'm calling Soo. She needs to make sure you're really okay, and if you're not, we're hooking you back up to those machines and waiting for your full recovery." Minho made to leave the kitchen.

Jisung caught his sleeve. "You can do that after we eat. I'm not letting the food get cold until we've both had our fill." He motioned to the small table at the far end of the kitchen, which was nestled in a rounded corner of windows. "Sit."

Minho stared at the man now plating the food. "Who are you? Where's bratty Jisung?"

"I'm not bratty."

"Yes you are."

"You sound like a twelve year-old."

Minho's smile was slowly growing. "You did say I flirt like one, so I guess I'm at least consistent."

Jisung pointed at him with the spoon, dripping sauce onto the counter. "That doesn't mean you can call me bratty. What a childish insult."

"Who said we were talking about it in childish terms?"

The words died on Jisung's tongue as his mouth dropped open. Minho's tone and expression were far beyond suggestive. "Get your mind out of the gutter before Seungmin spawns and makes this awkward."

"Oh, Seungmin won't save you this time, Jisung," Minho hummed lowly, stepping closer as his smile morphed into a devious smirk. "He's on vacation."

Jisung stepped back to make up for the steps Minho was taking toward him. "I didn't realize you were such a pervert," he teased, moving around the other side of the kitchen island.