My Boyfriend is a Part-Time Tiger

[andersenmom]

Fandom: Speed, VIXX, 2NE1 (with cameos from various other groups, I think)
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Warnings: Not in this part, but there is abuse and other not-so-nice things happening. I don't think any of it is explicit. Be careful.
Previous Chapters: One, Two


The tournament had given JongKook a whole new level of anxiety. They'd taken SeJoon away in the morning, and he hadn't returned until late that night - or so he guessed; time held little relevance here, and if someone didn't tell him, he'd miss lunch or dinner or both - and SeJoon had been so exhausted that it had taken a couple of days before he could shift back to human. Unable to really communicate, or at least unable to understand SeJoon if he said something, JongKook did the best he could to make sure SeJoon stayed healthy. At least during that time he had a chance to rest, because no one trained, as far as JongKook could tell. The pit remained silent, and the door to it stood open when he went down to the medics.

The first time he went down to the medics to restock, he realized just how easy SeJoon had gotten off. Tigers in various stages of injury lay all around the room, and the medics asked him not to take too much until they knew exactly what they had left. JongKook agreed.

So he went down every day, to make sure he kept up with things - especially after the training started up again - and it seemed odd that some of the worst injured tigers seemed to migrate to the edges of the rooms. And then disappeared. He had no idea what happened to them, if anything had, but he could guess.

He tried not to think about it. He could not let that happen to SeJoon.

The training seemed to get worse and harder, and SeJoon no longer had the energy he used to. Even the cat naps JongKook teased him about didn't help. It worried JongKook, and it worried him more that somehow SeJoon would pick up on it.

"Is it normal?" he asked, filling up his bag down with the medics. "Should he be drooping like that?"

"Is he eating okay? Drinking?"

"Yes. Or at least as much as I can make sure of it," JongKook said. "I don't know, is there a way to get Dongil to back off, let him rest?"

The guard took his arm, and JongKook pulled himself free. "I'm trying to keep my boyfriend alive," he snapped, and looked back at the medics. "Is there?"

"I don't know. Maybe if you ask."

The guard took his arm again, harder this time, and JongKook knew he'd pushed his luck too far. He turned away, meekly, and quietly followed the guard, keeping his head down and keeping up to not cause any more trouble.

It wasn't easy, but it was enough. Or so it seemed. JongKook quietly put his supplies away, checking to make sure he had everything he wanted. No way to make sure he got everything - they wouldn't let him take any meds or sutures, because of what he could do against the guards with it, or so they said - but as far as he could tell, he had everything stocked up. It was worth it.

He hadn't even finished by the time SeJoon returned, and the white tiger sank down on the bed, looking exhausted. JongKook stopped his inventory and went to check on the tiger, to make sure he hadn't been hurt too badly, to make sure he had no new injuries. He didn't find anything, and made sure that the bandages he had put on that morning were still doing their job.

It made him want to cry, but he could tell that SeJoon was still awake, so he didn't, laying down next to the tiger. "Sleep,” he said, and closed his eyes. That way, he could let the tears fall in silence without SeJoon knowing it happened.

The next day, he left to get something for lunch, and stopped dead when he came face to face with Dongil. "I should be training the White Tiger, but I need to talk to you."

JongKook drew back, not caring how weak it made him look. The familiar look of disgust crossed Dongil's face. "About?"

"Stop bugging the medics about me easing up on him. It's not going to happen. He needs to be up to snuff for the next tournament."

"If he's exhausted, he can't do anything," JongKook protested.

Dongil grabbed his arm and yanked him close. "You keep asking, you won't have him around long at all. Keep quiet, and things will go better for him. Got it?"

Unable to get away, JongKook nodded, hiding his grimace at the stench of the man’s breath. What else could he do?

And it did get better. The sessions got shorter, the workouts less intense. And yet. Nothing seemed to help. JongKook did what he could to keep SeJoon’s spirits up, and nothing helped. He couldn't keep from crying sometimes, at least waiting until SeJoon slept so that he wouldn't know.

He wanted to scream at them that it wasn't helping, that it wasn't working, and they needed to just let him go, let SeJoon go back to the real world, to getting his own food, etc. They didn't understand what he needed. Or, probably more correct, they didn't care. JongKook sighed in frustration. He had no way of knowing how to get that changed, either. He probably couldn't.

Helpless did not suit him.

Things continued to get worse, and eventually, SeJoon stayed in his tiger form just to conserve energy. JongKook tried to make sure SeJoon knew how much he didn't blame him, how much he supported him. He didn't know how much SeJoon could tell him, didn't know how much what he said got through to SeJoon.

They knew there was another tournament, something bigger than the last, probably because the way Dongil pushed. At least JongKook knew it, and he was pretty sure the tiger understood, too. How could he not?

One… sometime, he thought it might have been night, Dongil came in. Behind him, JongKook could see that two others stood there, ready with something. He slowly sat up. "What's going on?" he asked. "He's pretty exhausted, and he needs the sleep."

Dongil smiled, and JongKook tried not to shrink back at it. "Oh, he'll be fine," he said. "He'll get plenty of rest for now." He lunged forward and grabbed JongKook, pulling him off the mattress.

SeJoon surged up, his ears pinned back, his teeth showing in a snarl. He looked fine, even though JongKook could see that he didn't feel all that well. "Come on, White Tiger," Dongil said, and backed out of the cell, taking JongKook with him. SeJoon followed, still growling as he stepped.

In the hallway, Dongil stopped next to a large crate. "Get in," he told SeJoon.

SeJoon snarled at him.

"Get in," Dongil repeated, without rancor, and twisted JongKook's arm until he cried out in pain. "He's coming with you," Dongil said in a bored tone when SeJoon still didn't move. "Get in there."

SeJoon hesitated, then he slunk into the crate. Dongil let JongKook go, but just long enough to get him into the crate as well.

It took them a few moments to settle down, curled up together under the blanket they'd supplied, with just enough light from a small light in the corner. At least they had a mattress to lay on, no matter how musty it smelled, and a cursory look at the cupboard on the back wall showed water and food for them both. Something, at least.

The door opened shortly, and an unfamiliar man looked in. He said nothing, but his hand waved, and SeJoon rubbed his ear on the mattress with an irritated whine. JongKook didn't see anything else, his eyes suddenly so heavy he couldn't keep them open. He put his head down, and fell asleep.

When he woke, slowly and far too reluctantly, it was to bright sunlight that nearly blinded him. A familiar face looked in at him. "Awake?" his guard snapped.

"Something like that," JongKook said, rubbing his eyes. "Why?"

"Bathroom break."

JongKook pressed SeJoon's head gently, trying to let him know it was okay, and crawled out of the crate. He stood up and stretched, looking around, but it all blurred, too bright for him to get his eyes to focus. He hadn't seen the sun in a long time.

"This way," his guard growled, and he started off. JongKook followed, wincing at the cold against his bare feet. The facilities were nicer than anything he'd had recently, but he didn't take his time. He wanted to get back to SeJoon.

The bright light still didn't help, and he had to wonder if that were part of the spell they'd cast on them the night before. What else could it have been, to make them fall asleep so fast? But at least he could definitely find his way back to the crate. When he crawled in, though, it was empty.

JongKook turned around, starting to get out again. "Where is SeJoon?" he demanded.

The guard watched him impassively. "You get back in there. He's in the quarters inside the arena, getting ready for the fights he's here for," he said, sounding bored and more than a little disgusted. "You didn't expect them to leave him out here."

"Why can't I…."

The guard smacked him, and JongKook shifted so that the blow meant for his face landed on his shoulder. It still knocked him back into the crate, far enough for the man to shut the door. JongKook heard him lock it. "You can't get out, and you can't be heard. Just relax."

JongKook stared at the door, incredulous. "Relax?" he asked. "I can't believe it."

He actually could. He tried to get comfortable, but he couldn't, too worried about SeJoon. Even worse, he could hear something going on, but he couldn't make out anything to tell him where he was or who was fighting. Not that he cared about anyone else - didn't know if Dongil and Han had brought more that SeJoon - but he would have liked to know when SeJoon fought.

He didn't eat, had a little water, until he realized that if he didn't eat and they had a chance to run, he wouldn't be able to. He forced down something that could have been a decent sandwich at some point, and drank as much water as he could. He even dozed a little, making sure he could still hear when he woke up more often than he might have with SeJoon there. Still, it gave him some time to relax, if not much, and he did a further examination of the cupboard. It included, he discovered, a well-stocked first aid kit. Knowing what he did, he figured SeJoon wouldn't come back unscathed, and he hoped they'd kept the bandages on he'd put on before they left. He needed those, especially if he was going to win.

The sun finally went down, the light that leaked into the crate more of a false light, something a little more familiar. He couldn't manage much more than to try to make himself comfortable, and it wasn't easy. It ate at him, not knowing anything. He really couldn't hear, didn't know, hoped that SeJoon would be okay.

The crate finally opened, and JongKook sat up, heart leaping in his throat. Instead of SeJoon, the guard gestured him out. "Bathroom break and stretch," he said.

JongKook nodded and crawled out, following meekly. A roar of the crowd meant no one would hear him if he tried to yell for help, and from the way the guard stood next to him, he'd just get a blow that would hurt more than he wanted to feel. He returned, feeling less cramped - at least a little - and settled in to wait again. He took another inventory of the kit they'd sent, to make sure he knew what they had, and wished they'd let him have the needle and thread, because what if….

That was a useless way to think, and he started to lay out the stuff he thought he'd need but hoped he wouldn't. SeJoon had gotten so run down, though, that he just didn't believe he could do it, could get through a fight without some major injuries. It didn't help that they'd set him up to get targeted, and JongKook wanted to just….

The crate opened again, cutting off JongKook's thoughts, and he looked up to see SeJoon limp into the crate. He sank down next to JongKook and sniffed him over, one large paw on his leg when he would have gotten up to try to check SeJoon over.

"Nothing happened," JongKook told him, trying not to cry from sheer relief that SeJoon was still there and still moving. "I'm fine."

SeJoon whined softly, and relaxed. JongKook got out water and some of the food they'd sent for him, and while SeJoon ate, he went over the white tiger to see where he had new injuries. He had to use all they'd supplied him with, wrapping old injuries and grumbling under his breath at the appearance of a new cut with stitches. He made sure it was clean and wrapped it as well as he could. He checked the food and water, refilled the water bowl, and looked at the crate door. It was still shut. He had no idea if they'd do the same thing, but he'd insist they wait until SeJoon had eaten and he'd made sure his boyfriend was taken care of as much as he could manage with what they'd given him.

Not that he had anything more than that back at the cell, but still. The movement, the moving, of the crate, had him worried. He didn't check SeJoon when they'd arrived, but he hadn't had time to. They hadn't given him the time.

SeJoon finally looked at him, the food gone, the water gone as well. JongKook put everything back away, and then got the blanket and covered them both as he lay down next to SeJoon. "I hope it wasn't bad," JongKook said, and SeJoon licked his neck. JongKook snorted softly. "I know. It's always bad."

The crate opened again, and that same man - the sorcerer - waved at them. JongKook lay still and let the spell wash over him, noting SeJoon rubbing his ear again. At least they had the chance to make themselves comfortable.

Something had happened at the fight out in the other place, something that SeJoon couldn't tell JongKook. He did, however, make it clear to the rest of the people. He refused to fight. This brought Dongil into their cell every day, dragging JongKook out to do something to make SeJoon perform. It hurt, everything, but watching his boyfriend slump and his health drop was enough to make JongKook not protest it. He didn't let SeJoon see how often he cried, waiting to let the pain and tears out while the white tiger slept in his typical cat naps. It was just part of his life, and he grew to hate Dongil, more than anyone else he'd ever hated.

They prepared for another tournament, JongKook could tell. He wanted to scream at them, tell them they were killing SeJoon, but he figured they wouldn't care about that, either. He had no idea what was going on in the arena, and honestly didn't want to know; he just wanted them out of there, living somewhere in peace and just… not here. Sometimes - and this scared him - he wondered if it would be better to have them all dead. Or, at least, the two of them. Anything to stop this torture.

Because torture it was. Each day, Dongil came up with some new way to get SeJoon to do what he wanted. He was incredibly inventive, managing to cause pain without bleeding and sometimes even without significant bruising. That didn't matter too much, because JongKook already had bruises everywhere. JongKook took the time to try to hide the pain from SeJoon, but he didn't know how well he did. He figured that if SeJoon hadn't been exhausted, he wouldn't have managed as well as he did.

Finally the day came, and even though he knew it was useless, he tried to get the men to leave SeJoon there. He couldn't do much, but he did keep getting in the way, refusing to stay down when they pushed him away and threatened him. His own guard had to step in and punch him in the stomach, his disgusted expression making it clear how he felt. It took JongKook too long to recover. By the time he could sit up, they'd gotten SeJoon out of the cell and locked it. JongKook could hear SeJoon's protesting roars fade, and they finally disappeared.

It took a while before JongKook sat up, and he sighed and leaned against the wall. Slowly, the pain faded to the dull ache he'd gotten used to, and he got up to pace. He rarely got any other exercise, so he used it to keep in some sort of shape. He had to. Besides, otherwise he would go crazy. He also spent some time taking inventory of his supplies, something he did more than once, just to make sure. He hoped he had enough to cover whatever would go wrong today.

He'd stopped to eat and drink and try to sleep when the door slammed open. JongKook jerked upright, scrambling to his feet when he saw Dongil storm in, looking more furious than he'd ever seen. "He will fight," Dongil snarled, looking almost like his tiger alter-ego. "He will, no matter what we have to do to make it happen." He grabbed JongKook and dragged him out of the cell and down the ramp to the ground floor. JongKook didn't fight him, but only because Dongil held his arm in such a way that he'd break it if JongKook tried too hard to fight him. As it was, he thought it might break, and it almost distracted him from the doorway that opened up in the wall as they grew nearer. JongKook had never seen this, didn't even know it existed, but as they traveled down it, in the same dimness as he lived the rest of his life in, he began to hear shouting. Eventually, the shouting he heard resolved into boos. He must have reacted, because Dongil turned to look at him, still scowling so hard that he looked ferocious. "Those boos are for the White Tiger," he said. "He refuses to fight. You are going to fix that."

"How?" JongKook asked, and then the door opened, and the light blinded him again. Dongil didn't seem to care; he let JongKook's arm go, and then shoved him into the arena.

It went silent. JongKook rubbed his eyes, wiping tears out of them, and looked around. SeJoon leaned against the wall, looking tired and worn out. Across from him, pacing until he appeared, another tiger turned to look at him. It snarled, then roared and lunged.

SeJoon moved incredibly fast, crashing into the orange tiger before it could reach JongKook. "No, SeJoon!" he screamed, and ran for the two tigers, trying to get in close enough to stop the fight. Over him, he barely registered the roar of the crowd.

Before he reached the tigers, SeJoon had the other one pinned and it gave up, submitting with ill grace. SeJoon backed off and sat down. JongKook stripped off his shirt, pressing it to the wounds in SeJoon's side that stained his white fur pink, and then red. "Come on, we have to get out of here," he whispered, and carefully and gently urged his partner out of the arena and back into the dark.

The medics took over, laying SeJoon on a low gurney, checking him over superficially and stitching him up. JongKook watched, hands clenched in fists at his sides, trying to keep from sobbing in frustration and helplessness. They turned SeJoon over to him, still on the rolling table. Only then did JongKook realize that the guard had followed him through the tunnel as he followed JongKook back through and up to their cell. He wouldn't help, so JongKook dismissed his presence as utterly pointless. With words and gentle hands, JongKook got SeJoon off the table and into their cell, then on the bed. With the light on - still, so no one had been in there - he looked over SeJoon again, careful to make sure he got everything, every little scrape, any bump he didn't know. SeJoon whined a couple of times, but didn't snap at him, no matter that it had to have hurt.

Finally, JongKook finished, and he put the materials away, haphazardly because he didn't need them in any sort of order. He had to restock anyway, and seriously. Then he made sure SeJoon was comfortable, and lay down next to him, with SeJoon between him and the wall. SeJoon licked his neck, snuffling his face and shoulder and chest in an attempt to make sure JongKook was okay, and it nearly made him cry again. He just couldn't take it, couldn't deal with any of it.

The door opened, and he looked up to see one of the medics come in. "I'm just going to give him a little pain killer," he said to JongKook. "I think he'll sleep better with it."

JongKook looked at SeJoon, who looked back. "Okay," he said, and backed up out of the way enough to let the man give SeJoon a shot. It seemed to help almost immediately, as SeJoon relaxed. "Thank you," he added, and curled up around the sleeping tiger. He dozed off, but didn't really expect to sleep much, not with SeJoon so injured, so he woke up when the door to their cell opened again. He slowly sat up, keeping a hand on SeJoon's head - even though he really didn't have to - and focused on Mr. Han, who he hadn't seen in a long time.

"He put on a good show," Mr. Han said.

"He's not supposed to put on a good show," JongKook protested. "He's supposed to go out and find his own life and live his own life, not bleed out in the sand."

Mr. Han smiled. "Poetic."

"You almost killed him," JongKook said, desperate to make this man understand and care. "You can't fight him like that. He needs time to recover."

Mr. Han looked at them, tilting his head as he watched them. JongKook looked back at him, desperate and not afraid to show it. "Yes, he does need time to recover," Mr. Han said at last. "You are right. So I'll let him rest until he can make the fight a good one."

JongKook nodded, trying oddly enough not to show how much that relieved him. "Thank you," he said.

Mr. Han gave him a mocking bow, and left. JongKook lay back down, curling around SeJoon again, and had nearly drifted off to sleep when something made him sit up again. He turned to stare at the door, aching to ask, but he couldn't.

It had sounded too much like Mr. Han expected SeJoon to die in that fight, and if he died, what… No.

JongKook lay down again. He wouldn't think about that. He wouldn't consider that, because he just couldn't think about SeJoon dying without thinking about how much of his sanity he wouldn't have any more. And he needed all his abilities to keep from freaking out so badly that they'd have to keep him drugged or something worse.

Taewoon snatched up his phone and dialed, watching Yoohwan, who still looked like he wanted to throw up. "I need to talk to you," he said when Hakyeon answered.

"Not here. Where?"

Taewoon named a cafe, and Hakyeon agreed. "Five minutes," he said, and hung up.

Yoohwan swallowed. "Five minutes isn't going to be enough time," he said, his voice strangled. He sounded like he might throw up, given the right incentive.

"For either of us, but we'll get there as fast as we can. Come on." Taewoon took his arm and pulled him along after him toward the bus stop.

Hakyeon didn't look too happy when he arrived, not much longer after they'd gotten there. "What is so important?" he demanded. Yoohwan took a deep breath, and Hakyeon looked closer at him. "Are you okay?"

"Not really, no," Yoohwan said. "I went to the fights last night. You were right, by the way. Shin is with Park. The White Tiger wouldn't fight, and after a while, someone shoved Shin into the arena."

Hakyeon stared at him. "Into… the arena?"

"Yes. Right in." Yoohwan held out his phone, hands still shaking, and Hakyeon took it, playing the video cued up.

Taewoon watched him turn a shade of green usually reserved for dryads. "He's… he could have died."

"The worst part was that some of them liked it."

Hakyeon looked up, his stunned and disgusted expression echoing Yoohwan's tone of voice. "Liked it?"

Yoohwan nodded, starting to look green himself. "Yeah. They, um, wondered why no one had done that before."

Hakyeon stared at him, then went back to the video. "Can I have this? I mean, I'll get the phone back to you, but can I take it right now?"

"Yes," Yoohwan said. "Let me know when you're done with it."

Hakyeon nodded. "I hope," he said, getting to his feet, "that this will make things easier. Oh." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card. "Call him. He can help."

"The sorcerer?" Taewoon asked, taking the card.

"Yes. He's off his last case finally, and I think he can really help with this."

"There was enough magic that even the humans could feel it," Yoohwan said. "Having a sorcerer will help."

"Good." Hakyeon nodded at them and left.

"Are you feeling any better?" Taewoon asked as he and Yoohwan got up to leave.

"Some," Yoohwan said. "Its was just… I feel bad for that kid. Really bad."

Taewoon nodded. "Yeah. Listen. I want you to think about who you saw there, people you might have known, people you think we can get on this. See if you can make a list of them or something, give us a place to start. I'm going to call…" He looked at the card Hakyeon had given him. "Jungwoo, and see if he's willing to help us."

"It's not much." Yoohwan said as they boarded the bus.

"It's better than nothing," Taewoon said, and Yoohwan agreed.

They met Jungwoo in their own apartment the next morning. He hadn't wanted to meet them in his, which Taewoon could understand, to some extent. It came as a surprise, although maybe it shouldn't have, to find him dressed in slacks, a button up shirt, and shoes with no socks. He didn't look like the average sorcerer. On the other hand, robes and what not would probably make him stick out on the bus.

"How can I help you?" Jungwoo asked when they'd gotten themselves all settled down.

Taewoon took a deep breath. "For the last six months or so, were-tigers have gone missing, and a couple have turned up dead in various areas around the city and the country. We've discovered, we think, where they go and what is happening to them."

"They're being forced to fight, although I'm not sure how," Yoohwan said, picking up the narrative. "A Mr. Han has been hosting fights in Seoul for a while now, and he's got himself a stable - so to speak - of were-tiger fighters. We think this is where some of the tigers have gone. Those we've found, the bodies, look like they've been through at least one fight, in many cases more, and haven't had the chance to heal well between."

Jungwoo scowled. "I haven't heard a thing about this," he said. "Why not?"

"Hakyeon didn't want you in on this while you had that other case going, he didn't want to mess them both up. Also," Taewoon added in frustration, "I can't explain why Hakyeon's superior was dragging his feet until now."

"The other case is done," Jungwoo said, his voice tight with anger. "What else changed?"

Taewoon looked at Yoohwan, who shook his head. Taewoon nodded and turned back to Jungwoo. "Last night, at the fights, they involved humans. A human. One of the tigers that disappeared had a boyfriend, and he also disappeared. We found out they're together, and at least for them, the boyfriend is being held to make the tiger fight. The tiger apparently refused, and they threw the human into the arena as incentive. It worked."

JungWoon stared at them. "They...." He seemed unable to form any words, then his expression hardened. "How can I help?"

"There were spells everywhere," Yoohwan said. "On some of the tigers, on the place, and around in some of the areas. Some were basic 'no-go' spells. Those we could probably break, but there's a major spell near the arena, down where the tigers are. I know we need to get through that, but I don't know anyone who could do it. I believe - and I'm not the only one - that is the way to where Han is keeping his stable of tigers."

Jungwoo nodded. "I see," he said. "What exactly do you plan on doing?"

"That's just it," Taewoon said. "We know some of the layout, but mostly we know too little. And," he added, "we've never worked with a sorcerer before. Can we brainstorm ideas?"

Jungwoo looked pleased. "Absolutely," he said, and leaned forward. "What can you tell me about the setup you noticed?"

Taewoon had never had a chance to work with a sorcerer before, so he watched Jungwoo with an intensity that Jungwoo didn't mind or didn't notice. He tried to listen in without listening in, getting a look from Yoohwan that said he was failing.

But all he heard was a coordination of those up top with those going in. And then they went in, winding down the broad ramps to the bottom where the pit was. They didn't find anyone in any of the rooms on the way down, and the cells were as empty, where they (or so Taewoon guessed) kept the tigers on the day of the tournament. It was so strange to have it echo around him like that, too.

At the bottom, he realized somewhat belatedly that Jungwoo hummed. Taewoon could feel the magic from him ghosting over his skin. He didn't know what that would do, but he didn't have to understand. If he got the chance, he would ask Jungwoo later. Hopefully he got the chance.

"There's a door here," Jungwoo said, pointing at a blank wall.

"I can feel the "don't come here" spell," Yoohwan agreed.

Taewoon look at his partner. "You can tell it?" he asked.

Yoohwan nodded. "Yes," he said. "I knew it was here before."

"Let's get it open and see where it goes," Hakyeon said, his voice low and intense.

Jungwoo started to actually sing, a melody that sounded somehow cajoling. Within moments, the wall shimmered and a tunnel appeared. Behind them, from Hakyeon's team, he heard a low gasp. Apparently he wasn't the only one who didn't know much about working with a sorcerer.

The police moved forward, lights out and guns up, taking the lead. Taewoon stuck next to Jungwoo, not distracting him, listening to the low hum next to him. He glanced back to see Yoohwan's grin at him - an understanding smile, with some interest in it. So Yoohwan thought it might be a good match, too. Nice to be on the same page.

They reached the other end of the tunnel, looking just as much like a blank wall, and Hakyeon turned to Jungwoo. "What do you think?" he asked.

"Give me a minute." Jungwoo sang something, a completely different tune, and then nodded at Hakyeon. "They've got the entrance upstairs, blocked so people can't get out."

"Get ready," Hakyeon said, and they all tensed, guns up and ready for anything. Taewoon and Yoohwan stepped to the side to get out of their way.

They stepped out of the tunnel to watch the men flow up a ramp much like the one they'd just come down on the other end of the tunnel, three men pressed against the wall, obviously not with them. Around them, Taewoon could see a few tigers, most of them unmoving and looking like they'd been through a battle. He stared at them, not sure even what to think, and then pulled out his phone. Jungwoo had assured him his phone would work down here, and he found it so. "Chaerin, we need you. Come down here. I don't know how many of these tigers are even alive, and I don't want to get too close to them right now. They're all injured."

"We're on our way down, as soon as they catch the people coming out the top. How many are you looking at?"

Taewoon counted. "I think this is the infirmary," he said. "There are 7 here. I don't know how many more we'll find."

"We're on our way down," she said, and hung up.

That conversation remained the only bright spot in what followed. He moved slowly up the ramp, checking into the cells they found, all of them so basic and with barely any amenities at all. Water, a toilet, bed, dresser... nothing more than that. The tigers were in various stages of distress, most of them too exhausted even to get up. One or two were able to shift, and Hakyeon's men spoke to them, getting as much information as they could.

Chaerin ran past with a bunch of others, heading toward the infirmary, all of them with gurneys, and he barely had a chance to even recognize her before she was gone, her voice echoing up the ramp.

The noise broke through JongKook's apathy - drug induced - and he tried to care enough to wake up and figure it out. It sounded like they were getting people - were-tigers, really - ready to travel. He could hear tigers roaring, moving around, things that just didn't sound like merely dinner. People shouted, more than usually hung around, and doors opened and clanged shut. Everything echoed, and JongKook couldn't tell if it was because of the sedative or because he was actually awake for the beginning of a travel day.

He'd nearly hit the medic who’d come in to check on SeJoon earlier. SeJoon had barely stirred when he’d finally come to, and JongKook’s heart had nearly stopped at the look in his eyes. The medic hadn't had any kind of answer for him, and they'd finally held him down and sedated him before giving SeJoon another shot to ease his pain and put him to sleep.

JongKook knew Han had promised that they wouldn't take SeJoon, but he didn't know how much he could trust the man. He knew better than to think they'd let SeJoon recover all the way. There was just no way. No way at all.

When the door opened, he pushed himself up and tried to block SeJoon from the man in the doorway. He couldn't focus his eyes, the darkness making it harder to see. "You can't have him," he said, and realized that he wasn't speaking very clearly. "You promised. You promised."

The man in the doorway, someone he didn't recognize, but that didn't surprise him too much, hesitated. "I made no promise," he said.

JongKook shrank back, clumsily pulling the blanket up over SeJoon. "They promised."

"What did they promise?" the man asked, his words kind, gentle, something JongKook hadn't heard from anyone in a long time.

"They said he wouldn't have to fight until he's better, that he'd have time to recover before they made him fight." He knew he sounded desperate, but he'd stopped caring.

"I see," the man said, and stepped closer. "As far as I am concerned, he will never have to fight again. Do you think he'd like to be free, to never have to fight again?"

JongKook stared at him, his sight blurring. "I… yes, he would, we both would," he said, his voice shaking in disbelief. He couldn't believe it at all, couldn't believe that he'd just said that.

"Let me find someone to look at him, and at you," the man said.

"I don't matter. He's hurt, and they can't make him better," JongKook said, but the man had gone - and left the door open.

JongKook lay down, curling around SeJoon again, more in shock than he had been after one of Dongil's more creative ways to get SeJoon to fight. He didn't know if he dared hope, didn't know if he wanted to even try, because he didn't think he could take it if that hope was stolen from him.

Minutes later, a woman came in with a bright light, and she crouched down next to them, looking at him with kind eyes. "Hi," she said. "You said your friend was hurt?"

"Yes," JongKook said warily. He didn't sit up, didn't dare get out of the way, because if she wasn't….

"I'd like to take a look at him," she said. "My name is Lee Chaerin, and I have some experience with were-tigers. I'd like to see how your tiger is."

"You know? You can help?" JongKook scrambled awkwardly out of the way, leaning against the wall next to SeJoon's head. "I tried to help, but they don't have much and I'm not really any kind of a vet…."

She shook her head, looking over SeJoon's bandages and injuries. "You've done a good job," she said, her hands gentle on SeJoon's side. "He's in better shape than some of the tigers that didn't have someone to care for them. Can you tell me what they've done for him?"

JongKook swallowed. "I know that every time he fought, every time he practiced, even, they took his bandages off. I guess that makes some sense, but it made it hard for him to recover from injuries."

Chaerin nodded. "Is he sleeping?"

"Drugged. Painkillers," JongKook said, no longer trying to keep his desperation hidden. "I don't think they have anything to fight off infection, so I've been trying to help, but it's only cold water and I don't know how well the soap actually works."

She nodded absently. "Can you help me turn him over?"

JongKook did so, watching her as she went over every one of SeJoon's injuries - a lot like he did, only with much more skill. "At least they did the stitches right," she muttered under her breath.

When she finished, she looked at him. "I'm going to get someone in here to look at you, because you look like you could use some care as well," she said, and smiled, patting his knee. "How long has it been since he's changed to human?"

JongKook shrugged. "I have no way of counting days here," he said. "It's been awhile since he's had the energy to do it, though. It's been… a long time. I don't even know…."

Her hand on his knee tightened. "Okay," she said. "That's what I wanted to know. I'm going to send someone in to look at you, and then we're going to get you and him out of here."

"We can stay together, though, right?" JongKook asked.

"I wouldn't dream of keeping you apart," Chaerin told him, and stood up. "You stay right there, make sure he stays warm and safe."

JongKook nodded and busied himself with covering SeJoon again. He could pretend that his eyes didn't swim with tears he didn't dare let fall, half afraid that this was just another cruel joke, that it would break him if it were, because he couldn't help feeling hopeful, feeling like there was a possibility he could see the sun again.

A man came in, in an EMT uniform, and carefully checked him over. "You don't eat much," he said. "Do you."

"They don't give me much," JongKook said. "Everything was for the tigers, and if I could get him to eat more… he was fighting." He rested his hand on SeJoon's head, where he could feel him breathing.

"Not much sleep, either," the EMT went on, making notes. He continued as he checked JongKook over, making sure he got everything, every bruise and sprain, and when he left, he returned almost immediately to drape a warmed blanket over JongKook. "Keep this on," he said. "The cold is hard on everyone."

JongKook curled into the blanket, trying to figure out what this all was, but then the woman returned with a gurney for SeJoon, and she and another man helped get him on it, without hurting him. JongKook scrambled to his feet and followed as they pushed SeJoon up the ramp and out a door he knew he hadn't seen the one time he'd managed to escape, and into an ambulance. JongKook followed, and the woman - Chaerin, right, she had a name and he had to remember it - helped him into the back with SeJoon.

Inside, the EMT got him to lay down, and gave him an IV. "I'll just leave it in until we get there," he said when JongKook protested. "Chaerin said not to separate you two, and I think she's probably right. I wouldn't want to face an angry tiger when someone he's expecting isn't there after all."

JongKook relaxed, a little, but not enough to sleep. "They drugged me," he said after a minute. "Because I wanted to hurt them for not doing better for him." He petted SeJoon's ears, trying to keep his voice from trembling. "I just knew they wouldn't do enough and he'd die, and I don't want that."

The EMT nodded. "That explains some," he said. "I don't know what or when, but I figure you'll feel better soon."

He sounded doubtful, but JongKook ignored it. "As long as he gets better, too," he said.

The bag was nearly empty by the time they arrived at the hospital. The EMT detached JongKook as soon as he sat up to follow SeJoon in. “Let that be,” he said when JongKook picked at the tape holding the needle in his arm. “You’ll need more than we just gave you.”

JongKook shrugged and went after SeJoon, staggering more than he expected. The EMT caught up to him and steadied him, walking him after SeJoon. They got into what looked like an ER before JongKook realized he was in a veterinary hospital. Chaerin had already started an IV on SeJoon and now looked him over with an attention to detail JongKook could appreciate. “While I check him over,” she said, pausing long enough to glance at JongKook, “someone will check on you.”

“Who?” JongKook asked.

“We are,” a cheerful voice said. Two business-like women descended on him, got him laying down on a bed in the same room, attached another IV, and began an extensive exam. JongKook let them, too tired to fight it, and watched Chaerin with SeJoon. The way she treated his partner made the tension ease in JongKook.

He didn’t know how long he lay there, and couldn’t say he even cared. Eventually, Chaerin finished going over SeJoon and moved them both to a second room. She and a man who’d helped her got SeJoon onto a large bed on the floor - a pet bed, probably - and then helped JongKook to lay down next to him. “Be careful of his IV and yours,” Chaerin told him. “We’ll be in to check on you and him. Sleep as much as you can.” She lay a blanket over them, then turned the light off as she left, closing the door as well.

JongKook lay an arm over SeJoon, snuggled against his back, and gave in. He sobbed out his fears, his relief, and everything else he felt. He fell asleep as soon as the worst was over.

Taewoon stood in the door of the arena, looking out over the sands. He could see blood on them, but he didn't know how fresh.

Yoohwan and Hakyeon had gotten him some numbers, and he still waited for more. Most of the cells had tigers, but some of them were in such bad shape that he didn't know if they'd survive. Two, at least, had died from a lack of care, and they might lose three more. Three lay in the infirmary, already cold. He could hear the police talking to the were-tigers who could shift, trying to get people to look at them.

He stepped out of the doorway and started up the ramp. He didn't know if they'd caught any of the people who worked there, he hadn't talked to anyone up top.

He caught sight of a half-familiar figure, and sped up, coming to a stop next to a young woman who gave orders to some of the other vets there; they scattered, and Chaerin turned to look at him. Her smile made him smile, but her's fell almost immediately. Not because of him, he hoped. "These poor things," she said. "Half of them might never recover fully; I think their health is broken. I hope it's not the case, and I'll fight it, but…." She trailed off. "This is the closest I've come to hell in a long time."

"I'm glad you're here," Taewoon said.

Chaerin sighed. "I don't know how many of them we'll even save," she said. "This is the last bunch, going to my hospital, though." Her teeth clenched. "Those idiots couldn't have done worse blindfolded," she said, gesturing toward the medical area. "They had nothing to prevent infection. There's only one tiger I know will really make it, and only that because he had help."

"Human?" Taewoon asked.

"Yes. Terrified and protective, and probably seconds away from collapse, but he tried to make sure his friend didn't get hurt worse."

"Did you get his name?"

Chaerin shook her head. "I was too worried about them. They're both exhausted, drugged, and malnourished, if what the EMT said was right, and I'm pretty sure it was."

"Drugged?"

"The tiger with pain killers, and I'm not sure why the man was, but I'm sure I can find out."

Taewoon nodded and patted her shoulder. "Let me know if you lose any more, and who they are if you can find it out. Hopefully this guy kept some kind of records, but I doubt it." He had to wonder how many of these tigers who'd died would just… vanish because no one knew who they were.

"I'll let you know," Chaerin said, and headed up the ramp for the front door.

"Let me know, too?" Hakyeon said, and Taewoon turned to look at him, surprised. He hadn't even heard the detective come up. "About the tigers. Who died, if any more die, I mean."

"I will," Taewoon said. "What for?"

Hakyeon grimaced and looked around. "Building a case," he said, keeping his voice down. "If my superior had moved before this, we might have saved more of them." He hesitated. "Any actions you take might be best to leave me out so I can't tell them what's going on. Just… get me any results having to do with this."

Taewoon nodded. "I can do that. And I'll have some information for LeeTeuk, probably." He grimaced, and Hakyeon flashed an understanding smile. "I just need to know where to start."

Hakyeon nodded and turned away, going back to his notes and wrapping things up. Taewoon went to find Yoohwan and Jungwoo, both of them his responsibility. He found them in the arena, Jungwoo humming something under his breath.

"There were a lot of injuries here, but no one died in here," he said after a moment, without turning around. "And this is where they found out why they woke up in a cage."

"How can you tell?"

"The pain and fear and horror - and loss of hope, despair - is strongest here. It's one thing to fight for your life, but here, they just trained. A few probably didn't mind it, didn't have to be locked in, but most of them did." He turned around. "Now what?"

"We find out if they caught the people responsible for this," Taewoon said. "Come on, we can find that out."

"And if we didn't?" Yoohwan asked.

"We find out who it was, and where they might have gone, and wait until we can take them out," Taewoon said.

"Count me in," Jungwoo said.

"I'll do that," Taewoon said, and wondered if he'd just started something he would thoroughly enjoy doing - and if he’d found people he could definitely work with.

A half-familiar rumble through his chest woke JongKook, and he lay there for a moment, trying to remember where he was. Aside from being warm - he couldn't remember the last time he really felt warm - he could feel SeJoon rumbling a warning, and that woke him up all the way. Shoving the blankets off, he sat up and tried to assess SeJoon's condition, hands running over his head, neck, and side. He'd seen what the woman could do, how she'd taken so much care, but now, awake and not drugged and not panicked, he could appreciate it.

He could also appreciate how bad the medics in the pit had been. He found the IV in SeJoon, attached to a bag that looked as full as it had when he went to sleep, so someone had changed it. He realized he'd gotten a change of whatever it was as well. SeJoon's low growl didn't stop, and JongKook looked around to try to see what it was that his boyfriend was growling at.

"Excuse me."

Jongkook slowly turned around. In the doorway stood a man, probably a cop and definitely the first non-medical person JongKook had seen since he’d gotten there. Another man stood behind him, looking terrified. "Yes?" JongKook asked

"My name is Detective Cha Hakyeon," the man in the doorway said. "I'd like to talk to you and your tiger."

JongKook rubbed SeJoon's head, and SeJoon's growl trailed off into a whine. "It's okay," JongKook said. "It's okay." He looked up. "Come over here, where we can see you," he said.

"Thank you," the detective said. "My associate here is going to record everything. Chaerin said the tiger is unable to shift?"

"Yes, that is true," JongKook said warily.

"I'll need to be able to see both of them," the other man said, but he didn't sound too sure of anything.

"I'll leave it to you to find a place, and we won't start until you're ready," the detective said.

It took a short time, but eventually, the detective sat on the floor against the wall, his friend (so far unnamed) to one side, aiming a camera and a recorder in their direction. JongKook had settled down with SeJoon's head in his lap, petting the tiger and keeping him calm. He seemed relaxed enough, and even, occasionally, caught JongKook's hand with his tongue.

The detective looked at JongKook with a serious expression. "First thing I need to know is your name, and his if you know it."

"Shin JongKook, and this is Park SeJoon," JongKook said.

Hakyeon smiled. "I'm glad to finally meet you," he said. "I'll get your family called so they can meet you here - or someone will. I know your parents are pretty upset. You don't have anyone to tell?" he asked SeJoon, who snorted at him.

"His roommate," JongKook said. "He's the one who reported SeJoon missing."

"I'll let him know, then," Hakyeon said. "As I said, I'm Detective Cha Hakyeon, just call me Hakyeon for now, and that is LeeTeuk. He's in charge of records and is making sure everything we find out is recorded. Mostly, he's there to make sure everything is running okay."

JongKook nodded. "I'm fine with that," he said.

Hakyeon nodded and opened his notebook. "I think the most important thing is to find out what exactly happened to you. I'll need to talk to SeJoon another time, to find out his story - when he's able to shift back to human form - so I'll focus on you mostly today."

JongKook nodded again. "Basically," he said slowly, "I woke up at some point - the last thing I remember before that was getting home from work and changing to go see if I could find SeJoon - with my hands bound behind me but not gagged. It sort of scared me with that, though, because that meant they didn't care if I yelled. So I did, and this man came in. He introduced himself as Mr. Han."

Hakyeon held up a hand to stop him. "Can you pick him out of a line up or a picture?"

"Yes," JongKook said. "I… think so. It was pretty dark most of the time. I can tell you his voice - I mean, I could pick him out if he talked to me."

"That's good enough," Hakyeon said, "thank you. It was dark?"

"Yes," JongKook said. "Dim, more like, not a lot of lights, so I suspect a lot of the guards were were-folk as well, able to see better than I could. It was probably cheaper that way, too."

SeJoon snorted again, and JongKook smiled. "We had a light in our cell, and we used is as much as we needed to, but it really wasn't enough to make sure I caught all his injuries. I did my best, but…." He trailed off, and SeJoon whined and licked his hand again.

"Mr. Han came in," Hakyeon said after a moment, letting him relax a little. JongKook appreciated that. "And what?"

JongKook took a deep breath. "He told me I was in his fighting stable, and I mentioned that I wasn't much of a fighter. He told me I was there to make sure one of his fighters fought, not to fight myself. I had no idea what he meant," he added slowly. "At the time, I had no idea SeJoon was a were-tiger. So when he threw shoved me into the arena with two tigers, I sort of panicked."

Hakyeon nodded. "One was SeJoon?"

"Yes. The other tiger lunged at me, and SeJoon took him down and then, while I was trying to get out, shifted and helped me out of the rope and explained what was going on. Or, at least, that he was a were-tiger. He apologized for making it necessary for them to kidnap me."

"He didn't want to fight."

"That's what he told me," JongKook said.

LeeTeuk held up a hand, mouth open, and then shook his head and waved them on. Hakyeon caught the movement as well, and nodded. "Right. I do have to ask that you only tell me what you know, not what you inferred or figured out."

JongKook nodded. "So… what they did to make him fight, what they trained him with and on? But he told me himself he didn't want to be there. A lot of times."

"Good." Hakyeon looked over his notes. "SeJoon told you why he was there, and apologized for you being there."

"It wasn't his fault," JongKook said. "I tried to get him to believe me about that." He shivered and petted SeJoon's head again. "He took us back to the cell, and explained about him being the white tiger in the arena. After which I fainted."

"A shock, then?"

"Well, not so much that he was, but that everyone down there was, I was like the only human - fully human, I guess, he's still human - in the "stable"." He shrugged. "The next day - or so I guess, because they never really had clocks and no sunlight - after they'd taken SeJoon out, Han came and showed me around. Where to take SeJoon for medical treatment, where to get food for myself."

"Did he ever make you watch the fights?"

"Yes," JongKook said. "Although I never actually saw any of them. He had me in an observation room, but I didn't watch if I could help it. I could see how much SeJoon didn't want to be there."

The questions and descriptions went on. Hakyeon asked him about his regular day, the traveling, what had happened, and JongKook willingly supplied him with names when he knew them, giving descriptions the best he knew how.

In the middle of describing the trip out of town - or wherever the crate had taken them - Chaerin came in with a slab of meat and set it in a metal bowl on the other side of the room from LeeTeuk.

SeJoon got to his feet, and JongKook fell silent, watching him walk - limp - across the floor to the bowl. He noticed Chaerin's attention, too, her slight frown showing that she didn't like the way he moved any more than JongKook did. JongKook waited until SeJoon had started to eat before turning back to Hakyeon and continuing the story.

They took a short break for lunch, during which both the detective and LeeTeuk stepped out of the room. JongKook ate, and then helped SeJoon get settled again, laying down to sleep. He checked over SeJoon again, running a hand over his legs to make sure he hadn't done himself any damage, but nothing felt swollen or hot or anything. Nothing looked sore, nothing looked like it had gotten worse over the last while, and JongKook started to think maybe they really were going to be okay.

A discreet knock on the door brought Hakyeon and LeeTeuk back in, and they settled down in the same places as before. Hakyeon checked his notes as he settled down against the wall. "Okay, tell me about this tournament that took place three nights ago. The one you were thrown into."

JongKook sighed, his hands gentle on SeJoon's head. "It started like any normal one, except I'd been protesting them driving him into the ground," he started. "So the guard who came to get him had to… use some amount of force to get him out of the cell. He hit me," he added at Hakyeon's look.

It all came back, that horrible panic, that fear that something would happen because he couldn't keep them from taking SeJoon. He still didn't believe that Dongil wouldn't show up and still somehow manage it, somehow get SeJoon killed, everything still too new and too unbelievable. He kept talking, kept telling the story in an automatic tone, anything to get this out so they'd go away.

"Chaerin said you were drugged," Hakyeon said when he wound down, finishing with their arrival at the hospital.

"Yes," JongKook said. "They patched him up and sent him back to the cell, and then showed up later to give him pain killers. But he wasn't getting any better, and I…" He felt his face flush. "I wasn't exactly logical or sane, and I sort of got mad and attacked them the next morning because they didn't have anything that would really help him get better. I don't know if they were at fault or what, but I didn't care. They had to sedate me to give SeJoon more of the pain killers."

Hakyeon nodded. "Which explains why everything seemed so blurry."

"Yes," JongKook said. "I don't know how much time passed, but it all felt really remote, and even now, I'm not sure it's not a dream."

"What's not a dream?"

"This whole rescue, everything," JongKook said. "I feel like I'm still just… waiting for everything to come down on our heads, somehow."

"That will pass," Hakyeon said. "I think I'm about done here. I'll talk to you again later, if I think of anything else I need to know, and check in with you occasionally to see when we can talk to SeJoon." Hakyeon got to his feet. "Thank you for your time and willingness to talk to us."

JongKook nodded, and watched dully as they packed up their equipment and left. Worn out and too tired to sit up any more, he lay down next to SeJoon and tried to sleep.

The conversation had brought up too much, though, and he just dozed, in and out, as his mind worked through it all.

"Why is my son in a vet hospital?" It took him some time to realize he knew who that was, and he slowly sat up. He kept his hand on SeJoon, so he'd know everything was okay and that he had no reason to wake up, and stared at the door.

It opened, and Chaerin ushered in JongKook's parents. They stared at him, their eyes going between him and SeJoon, and then JongKook got up, made sure the blanket covered SeJoon completely, and went to meet them. Halfway there, his mother broke out of her astonishment and met him, giving him a hug that made his ribs creak.

She backed off immediately. "Didn't they ever feed you?" she asked.

JongKook shrugged. "It wasn't their priority, I guess," he said, and hugged her again. "I'm so glad to see you."

She hugged him back, gentler this time, and his father joined them, just hanging on for a while. Eventually, though, JongKook had to sit down, and they all pulled up chairs in a circle. "We put your things in storage," his mother said after a minute, her hand on JongKook's knee. "We'll give you the keys when you come home."

JongKook nodded. "Thanks," he said.

"Are you going to explain that?" His father gestured to SeJoon.

"Um. Yeah," JongKook said. "That's SeJoon. He's my boyfriend."

His parents stared at him in utter silence. He watched them, watched as they looked at SeJoon again, then back at him. "How?" his mother asked.

"He's not always a tiger,"JongKook said. "He's normally human, most of the time, but he's exhausted and injured, and he just… can't. At the moment."

"A were-tiger?" his father asked. "That's… not something I would have expected."

"I didn't either," JongKook admitted. "I didn't actually know until I was kidnapped. He was kidnapped first."

His mother's eyes lit up. "The underground fight thing," she said, and his father nodded his understanding. "You were caught in that?"

"Well, he was," JongKook said. "I… was sort of a casualty of it. Of the people trying to make money off him." He glanced back to check on SeJoon.

"They used you to control him?" his father asked.

"And him to control me," JongKook said. "It was… not something I'd want to do again."

"I'd hope not," his mother said tersely. "What are you going to do now?"

JongKook shook his head. "I don't know. I haven't… actually gotten my head around being out of there yet."

"I can understand…." His father trailed off, and they both stared behind him.

JongKook turned to see what they stared at, and smiled. SeJoon padded over, looking less stiff than he had when he'd lain down. He snuffled at JongKook, checking him over, and then rested his head on on JongKook's knee. JongKook petted him, hands running over the stitches in the side of his neck to check on them, but they seemed clean. He bent down to check the wrap on SeJoon's front leg, and started in surprise at his mother's indrawn gasp. He checked the bandage, and sat up. "He won't hurt me," he said, smiling at them. SeJoon snorted softly and rested his head on JongKook's knee again.

"You're very… familiar with him," his father said.

"I've been his vet for… since I got there," JongKook said. "I took care of him, and he took care of me."

His parents looked at him, then exchanged a look. "We'd like you to come stay with us, until you can get back on your feet," his mother said. "And your friend, too, although they don't actually allow pets in our building." She gave a short laugh. "He's welcome to stay, when he can be human shaped again."

The tears that filled JongKook's eyes took him by complete surprise. "Thank you," he said, his voice quavering. "I…I'd like that." He glanced down at SeJoon. "We'd both like that."

"They said not to take too much time," his father said, sounding no more steady than JongKook felt. "You need sleep. Just keep in touch. We'll come back tomorrow to visit."

"And to get used to your boyfriend," his mother said, without hesitation in her words. "I can't wait to meet him and talk to him, and have him talk back to me." She sounded flustered.

JongKook couldn't blame her. "I can't wait to have you meet him, either," he said. They hugged, and both his parents carefully touched SeJoon on the top of his head.

Then they left, and JongKook nudged SeJoon back to the bed, infinitely more comfortable than the mattress in their cell, even if it was smaller. SeJoon sank down with a huff, sounding tired, and JongKook arranged the blanket around them. He lay pressed against SeJoon, listening to the tiger breath until he fell asleep, and then cried himself to sleep again, still in disbelief and shock at the whole idea.