Safety Inn: Routine - [2/2]
~~
“Yah, Jinyoung, you’ve got another order to make.”
“Yah, Jinyoung.”
“Park Jinyoung!”
Jaebum’s eyebrow twitched when he still got no response. The TV was running, but as usual, the two figures curled up on the couch together were fast asleep. It was pretty much a given that whenever these two settled down to watch a movie, cuddling would soon become the first priority.
Jinyoung was in his half-shifted form, almost completely settled on Mark’s lap with his tail hanging out over the side of couch. Mark had his head resting on Jinyoung’s shoulder and Jinyoung had his head resting on top of Mark’s, his ears twitching slightly in sleep.
No, wait. His ears only twitched like that when he was pretending to be asleep.
“YAH! I KNOW YOU’RE AWAKE!”
At this last outburst, it was Mark who finally stirred, slowly blinking awake to look up at a fuming Jaebum.
“Jinyoungie,” Mark nudged Jinyoung gently, reaching a hand up to muss his hair. “You’ve got an order to make.”
It was only now that Jinyoung opened his eyes, putting on quite the act as he pretended to just wake up.
“Hmm?” he mumbled, not even sparing Jaebum a single glance as he turned to bury his face in Mark’s shoulder.
Mark only laughed, flicking Jinyoung’s ear affectionately while Jinyoung sighed, shifting back to full human form.
“I thought I already finished my last order for the night,” Jinyoung said sulkily, still refusing to move from where he was comfortably settled against Mark.
“A guest just arrived late, you’ve got one more to go,” Jaebum said stonily. It was only now that Jinyoung looked up at him, scowling.
“I don’t wanna.”
“You have to.”
“I’m tired.”
Jaebum looked ready to burst a vein, and Mark finally decided to intervene.
“Hey, Jinyoung, it’s just one order, we can come back to the movie when you’re done, kay?” Mark said placatingly, amusement dancing in his eyes at the way Jaebum’s eyes darkened.
In Jaebum’s mind at least, movie time pretty much equated to cuddling time. Their TV was crappy as heck, and they never had any cable signal. The best they could do was rewatch the few old movies they owned over and over, which more often than not lead them to sleep.
Jinyoung, however, seemed to take satisfaction in Jaebum’s obvious annoyance.
“Okay…” he said reluctantly, finally standing to snag the now-crumpled order from Jaebum’s tightly clenched fist. To make his final statement, he dropped a kiss on Mark’s cheek before finally heading out to the kitchen.
Jaebum growled, moving into half-shift without even realizing, claws unsheathing and his dark black tail swishing agitatedly behind him.
“Woah, calm down there,” Mark soothed, but the amusement was evident in his voice. “You know he’s just doing that get a rise out of you.”
“Well then, he’s succeeded,” Jaebum snarled, but still regained control and shifted back. “And if you know that already then there’s absolutely no need for you to go along with his antics.”
“He’s just upset you haven’t been spending time with him recently, you know, and who am I to deny him affection?” Mark said, and Jaebum deflated a bit. “And we all know the inn hasn’t even been that busy recently.”
“I know.” Jaebum only looked defeated now, and fatigued. “But he won’t even let me get close to him now, what am I supposed to do?”
Mark rolled his eyes.
“He’s your boyfriend, idiot. Chase him down. He’s the sly fox, but you’re the panther, aren’t you?”
At this, Jaebum’s expression cleared slightly, but then he frowned again.
“But I’m supposed to check up on Jackson in the stables, apparently Bei’s been acting up again.”
“Leave that to me.” Mark stood up, stretching with his arms above his head. “I’ve got it.”
Before Jaebum even had time to respond, a red-tailed hawk now stood in Mark’s place. With one final stern look at Jaebum, it took off, circling the room once before heading up the chimney and outside.
“Showoff,” Jaebum muttered under his breath.
~~
When Jaebum finally wandered into the kitchen, Jinyoung was already busy at work. The kitchen, to any outsider, would’ve looked like a total disaster zone, but those who knew better knew that Jinyoung had his own very strict method to his madness.
“Do you need help?” Jaebum finally asked, almost tentative as he edged up to Jinyoung, reaching out for him carefully.
“No. Don’t touch anything,” was Jinyoung’s cold response.
Jaebum nodded, surprisingly meek as he retracted his arms. Jinyoung continued to work in silence while Jaebum stood back and watched, uncharacteristically patient.
It was when the lasagne (with extra cheese, of course) was finally in the oven that Jinyoung turned to look at Jaebum, arms crossed with a stern look on his face.
“So?”
Jaebum floundered for a minute under Jinyoung’s withering stare, before finally wilting.
“I’ll… do the dishes,” he finally said resignedly.
Jinyoung grinned.
“That’s more like it.”
~~
Mark was shivering by the time he reached the barn, shifting back to human form and re-dressing as quickly as possible. And good thing for his speed, too, because Jackson wouldn’t have been able to hold on for much longer.
“HEY THAT’S NOT VERY NICE!”
When Mark climbed down from the loft Jackson had just been tossed into a bale of hay, looking absolutely pitiful with straw sticking out from his hair every which way.
“Having some trouble there?” Mark commented and Jackson’s eyes immediately lit up, scrambling up to launch himself at his newly arrived savior.
“MAAAAAAAARK.”
Luckily, Mark was only too familiar with Jackson’s over-enthusiasm, allowing him to brace himself sufficiently before being tackled to the ground
“Woah, down boy, down,” Mark laughed good-naturedly while Jackson only whined, kicking his feet in protest.
“Hey, I’m only twenty-five percent dog! I’m three-fourths wolf, you know!”
“Yes, yes, of course, that’s why you’re Wang Puppy,” Mark only laughed, not taking Jackson’s following growl seriously at all. The next second, he nimbly dodged the headbutt Jackson had aimed at his stomach in retaliation. “How about acting like a human while you are one?”
“Oh as if you’re any better! Are you here to help me or not?” Jackson raised an eyebrow challengingly, finally sitting up but not yet getting off of Mark.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
Sufficiently pleased, Jackson nodded, finally standing and extending a hand to help pull Mark up.
“I don’t know why she’s been so rough today, but she’s just not cooperating at all. I’ve been spending the past hour trying to get her back into her stall.”
Now down to business, Jackson turned serious, genuine concern in his eyes as he led Mark down to where one of their horses, Bei, was still pawing at the ground agitatedly.
The seven of them at Safety Inn owned two horses total. That is, two real horses, both non-shifters. They had a younger stallion, JJ, dark grey and incredibly laid back, and of course, the aforementioned Bei, an old, stubborn, speckled beige mare. They really made it possible for them to run this inn, allowing them to haul back supplies from their monthly trips to town. Cars were a luxury only available for the wealthiest in the largest of cities. Even though their inn was situated on a rather well-traveled road, they were lucky enough to have basic electricity, plumbing, and heating.
“Here, watch.”
Jackson left Mark standing a few feet away, and began to approach Bei alone. She let him near, but as soon as he tried to lead her towards her stall, she began to resist, neighing loudly and tossing her head, refusing to move even a step closer.
“See?” Jackson said, stepping away frustratedly. “She even kicked me before! I don’t know what’s up with her!”
“She almost seems to be in pain…” Mark observed, brow furrowed.
“Really?” Jackson let out a quiet gasp, suddenly remembering something. He bent down, prompting Bei to lift her leg and let him examine her hooves.
It was on her right foreleg that Jackson finally discovered the problem.
“This little bugger was it!” Jackson declared triumphantly when he managed to dislodge the small pebble caught in Bei’s hoof. “Finally!”
Bei seemed to agree with the way she snorted and tossed her head, stalking into her stall without anyone leading her.
“That’s my girl,” Jackson said fondly, swinging the door shut before once again launching himself at Mark.
“Maaaaaaaaark you’re a genius!”
“Of course,” Mark just managed to say before being cut off by Jackson’s fervent lips on his own.
~~
When Mark and Jackson finally got back inside, everyone else was already settled in the back room. Youngjae appeared to be fast asleep, fully shifted in rabbit form and snuggled up in the crook of Bambam’s arm, who in turn was leaning comfortably back into Yugyeom.
Mark was also pleased to see Jinyoung and Jaebum had reconciled on the couch, both half-shifted, Jinyoung laying comfortably in Jaebum’s arms and their tails wrapped around each other.
“Movie timeeeeeeee,” Jackson announced loudly as he dragged Mark over to the easy chair, slipping into half-shift as he plopped down first, tail wagging excitedly as he pulled Mark down to sit as well.
“About time, I was starting to think Bei had finally trampled you,” Jaebum drawled, earning a snicker from Yugyeom and a shout of protest from Jackson.
“As if! She’d trample you first, if anything! Bei loves me most! The most!” Jackson emphasized.
“Let’s just start,” Jinyoung said impatiently, elbowing Jaebum in the ribs before he could start up a shouting contest with Jackson. God knew they already had enough of those on a regular basis.
“Okay, okay,” Jaebum was quick to relent, not wanting to antagonize Jinyoung so soon after he’d earned his forgiveness. He dropped a quick kiss on Jinyoung’s temple as way of appeasement, just in case, before finally pressing play on the remote.
Jackson fist-pumped the air in victory, only to be smacked on the back of the head by Mark.
And within half an hour’s time, they all joined Youngjae in dreamland, one by one.
A/N: Do drop me a comment if you enjoyed!