CHARADES (Namjin.)

CHAPTER EIGHT.

Pale, pale, he is pale.

His lips are chapped, and his eyes are lifeless. His hand on mine is cold, and so is the wound on his side. My hands are coated in... blood. His blood?  I scream as I realise the mess I am kneeling on, and he is lying on. His own blood.

look at me, look at me Namjoon. Please don't go, stay with me please. Please...

Jin.

Jin.

"Jin."

I jolt up in cold sweat from my sleep, turning to my lie on my back in the process. I am hot, but incredibly shaking. My heart is beating erratically, and I can't shake off the feeling of having my hands smeared in blood, his blood. "Jin, are you ok?"

Namjoon asks from beside me, and I realise he is the reason I woke up in the first place. He is still lying stiff on his back, his head turned my direction, eyes set in worry. "Am sorry did I wake you?" I ask through a dry throat, trying to keep my unsteady breathing unnoticed. "No, I was awake." He answers rushed, his eyes never leaving my direction. "Did you need anything?" I ask him, taking deep breaths before looking at him. He might have wanted something for him to be awake, but his eyes are trained on me, almost like he can see through my facade.

"No, I am fine." He answers finally, and I let out a breath lying back on the bed, facing the ceiling as well. I am relieved I woke up from up that, it felt so real, so daunting. Just thinking about it I can feel my throat clog up, and my eyes well up with tears. Few more moments in that dream and I would have lost my mind, just like I would have lost Namjoon. It sounds so natural in my head, like he is mine, and mine only, and losing him would devastate me.

I know it would.

"Jin?" Namjoon calls after a bit of silence, and I know he is going to ask, what do I say? what do I do?
"Are you alright. You were calling for me in your sleep." I am not surprised I did that, I remember it vividly, and how horrifying it was, how could I not call out to him, for him. "I was?" I ask anyway, I am not sure how I can explain this to him, knowing well he is not teasing, and I can't make this into some joke.

"Was it a nightmare, is it from the other night?" He pretty much captures everything in that sentence, but I don't know if I want to share this with him, he is already sick, and knowing Namjoon this past few days, he would probably worry if I told him. Somehow he looks out for me like nobody else has, he worries about me, and my safety even when he doesn't have to. I am still in the process of thinking what to tell him when he stretches out a hand to me.

It lands on my stomach, and he squeezes me gently, fingers caressing over the hoodie. "Hey, I am here with you, alright. You don't have to be scared anymore." He says, almost whispers. I can feel his gaze on the side of my head, and I know his eyes are gentle right now. It's a small gesture, but it calms me to no end, it reminds me that he is here with me right now, and not out there on a bloody pavement. Maybe sleeping together wasn't the worst option after all.

After a thorough discussion of the sleeping arrangement, testing the couch, and checking the alleged dusty bedroom, I decided that sleeping together would be the most convenient option. It was easier to help out Namjoon if he needed anything, which was the reason I was here to begin with.

But of course some ground rules were laid, by me, which included no funny business, like touching, to which Namjoon had accused me of thinking sexual things as always but obviously wasn't the case since I was just taking precaution as always. I ended up lodging a fluffy pillow between us, to protect his injured side, in case I got too close to him in my sleep, and to keep his perverted but pretty hands away from me, not that Namjoon could have done anything in his state, seeing as he was still lying on his back.