The Devil In You

Hurt

Suggested listening: Nine Inch Nails - Hurt

Hwoarang was at Jin's side, soaking his face from the sweat and tears, listening to his faint breath, making sure he was actually still breathing.

-Doctor, can you leave us alone? I think you've done enough for today. And for some time.

-As you wish. But I suggest you don't move Mr. Kazama from there, he's still too weak and unstable.

-For how long?

-Let's say, a day. That should stabilise him enough to bring him back home. You can come back tomorrow to pick him up.

-You're crazier than I thought. Do you really think I would leave him here alone, with you around? I'm staying here tonight. Find me a beanbag, I'll be fine.

-As you wish. If you need me, I'll be in Lab 3 with my specimens.

-I wouldn't enter that lab even if it was atomic-proofed and they nuked us. Now really, leave us alone.

Dr. Bosconovitch slowly left the premise, and Hwoarang and Jin were finally left alone. It took two hours to Jin to say his first words.

-Hwoarang... I... you...

-Sshhh. Don't strain yourself. You're still weak. Bosconovitch says it will take a day for you to be strong enough to even come home. We'll have to make do here for today. Talk just to tell me if you need anything to comfort you, and I'll bring it to you. You must still be in terrible pain. My heart aches for you, Jin, seeing you like this. But don't worry. I got you.

He kissed his forehead, tousling his still wet hair with a hand.

-Water...

-Coming.

Hwoarang took a glass of water, and gently lifting Jin's neck and head he made him drink. He was so thirsty he drank the whole glass in a few seconds.

-Easy, tiger, you don't want to drown after all your efforts here. Want more? Are you hungry too?

-No.

-Okay. I'll just sit next to you, when you want something, just tell me. I won't leave.

He took Jin's hand in his own, and Jin did his best to squeeze it, with the little strength he had. Hwoarang smiled. "A will as hard as steel. He reminds me of someone". The Korean didn't exactly know how much time had passed, because strangely enough, the doctor had no clocks in that laboratory. "That freak". At a certain point, though, Jin finally spoke with more clarity and strength in his voice.

-Hwoarang... you didn't want me... to do this. But you're here... anyway. Thanks.

-What am I, five? Of course I'm here. You're my stupid boyfriend who does stupid stuff, I get to clean up the mess. And I thought it would be you saying this to me all the time. I guess relationships do change people, uh?

Jin smiled, evidently through the pain. -I'm the... reckless one now. Give me your... boots now, I earned them.

-My ass. You'll have my boots when I'm dead. You know, die with your boots on and all that stuff. Good luck with the rigor mortis.

They both laughed, but Jin coughed, and he coughed up a little bit of blood.

-Okay, tell me that's normal and I shouldn't freak, because I'm about to freak out.

-I just underwent a blood division procedure... I think it's safe to say... it's normal.

-Wait a second. Your tattoo! Lose your shirt, I can only see the point of it.

With some difficulties, they were able to free Jin's left arm from the shirt and they both were in awe from what they saw.

-The tattoo... has faded! If only a little bit, but... it has faded! Jin, does that mean...?

-That the Devil Gene is a little weaker than it used to be. The procedure... worked.

Hwoarang was speechless. As much as he had been and still was against Jin getting under those radiations... they actually seemed to have worked. He knew that means Jin would have been even more dead set on finishing the remaining sets of procedures, but he was really worried about his body not being able to resist the pain. What if every time it was worse? What if next time, Jin ended up dead? He would surely talk about it to him once they got home, but he knew it wouldn't be a pleasant discussion, nor an easy one. He tried not to think about that for the moment being, but to listen to their growling tummies instead.

-I see there's a little kitchen here, but I don't know what to doc keeps in the cupboards. I'll do my best, but don't expect anything gourmet.

-I'll adapt, Hwoarang, don't worry.

Their dinner, in the end, were some spicy noodles, which Jin couldn't even eat alone, much to the entertainment of the Korean, who fed him talking about planes arriving in the airport and such. Jin was not amused.

After dinner, the Japanese had regained some more of his strength, even though he still felt beaten and tired.

-Hwoarang?

-What? Still hungry?

-No, I... wanted to talk. About this.

-Jin, listen, can we please wait until you're a hundred percent, okay? You're tired, I can see it, and it's a huge discussion awaiting us, I don't think this is the right moment to do that.

-But it is. Because I still feel it. Tomorrow I'll be alright and I will tell you that I can do that, that I will do that, because I want to get rid of the Devil. But today... after what I endured... Hwoarang, I have never felt so much pain all at once in all my body in my whole life. It was tremendous, I still tremble remembering it. I admit to fear all that pain.

-But then... stop it. You had one session, don't follow with more! No one is forcing you, you can stop at any time! Jin, you don't have to suffer that much if you don't want to!

-But Hwoarang... I don't want to be a monster. I will turn into a monster, he will take hold of me one day. I can't. I can't.

Jin was crying, clearly broken in two by two impossible solutions to the same, old problem: Devil Jin.