Reflection

Four

The mouse didn't come that night, but Namjoon had waited none-the-less, the comfort of the small animals presence a soothing balm on his fractured soul that he didn't realize he needed until it was gone. He stayed up the entire night, his keen eyes searching through the darkened grounds outside his cage, hoping any moment to see the beady eyes of his friend. Yet, he never came. His head dropped along his shoulders, the collar digging into his neck the only thing keeping him upright - they had tied him up tightly since he had just fed - and his eyes were heavy, lack of sleep making him feel light and floaty.

Footfalls started to come towards him from his right and he tried to lift his head to see who it was but he was too tired to do so, the person smelled familiar but just as they approached he fell into a dreamless sleep. Before he went under however, he swore he could hear a faint voice telling him something. Telling him, "Sorry," as the swiped the hair that had fallen into his face to the side with gentle fingers. Later on, when he awoke, the moon was high in the sky and he had slept the day away. No one had been around to visit him, his Master choosing to leave him to stew away in his cage alone and in isolation, and his friend the mouse still wasn't there. Having nothing better to do, Namjoon went back to sleep...

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He woke up unable to breathe, the air from his lungs being stolen from him as he was sprayed harshly with a hose. They didn't even bother to wake him up, just sprayed him and his cage down in order to rid him and it of the grime and excrement that had piled up since the last time it had unable to breathe, the air from his lungs being stolen from him as he was sprayed harshly with a hose. They didn't even bother to wake him up, just sprayed him and his cage down in order to rid him and it of the grime and excrement that had piled up since the last time it had been cleaned. It was twice a week that they did this, and it was twice a week that he was woken this way. Catching his breath in deep lungfuls, Namjoon shivered and squirmed as the person behind the hose laughed at his drenched and startled state. Angry bile rose from his stomach and up to his throat and for a second his eyes changed to a complete black, his pupils swallowing the whites of his irises as he stared at the man spraying him down, teeth extending and body rippling from the want to transform. He felt like a cat on the verge of pouncing. The man must have noticed because he sent a kick towards Namjoon's cage and sprayed him directly in the face again. "I wouldn't try anything if I were you demon. Boss man might not like it if you do." He laughed once more and sprung forward another kick but this time Namjoon was ready. He sunk his now extended claws into the man's calf and was about to really dig in, the human already flailing and shrieking from within his grasp, when a booming voice yelled out towards him.

"Put him down Namjoon, you know the rules." His Master was coming towards him in long strides, "And you, didn't anyone teach you not to antagonize things that can kill you?" With reluctance Namjoon let the man go, the man moving away frantically from his cage with a crazed look in his eyes as he cussed and raved about how they should 'Put the Monster' down. "Why would I do that? This here Monster is the only reason we are winning at the moment, or have you forgotten? Speaking of which, I need to have a moment with my prized Monster here for a bit, so scram."

The guy didn't hesitate to leave, just as intimidated by Namjoon's Master as everyone else in the household was. Didn't even spare Namjoon another glance as he stumbled away, his injured leg leaving a trail of blood dripping from him with every step. Taking a seat in front of him, his Master pulled out a cigar from his pocket and lit it up. His large hands resting along his knees as he stared Namjoon down and puffed out rings towards him, the smell of tobacco harsh and overpowering.

"I've heard something interesting from a little birdie lately, it's made me start to think." He puffed out a few more rings and tapped the ashes to the ground. "Wanted to pick your brain, what little there is of one in that useless head of yours, and confirm something."

Namjoon didn't answer, just watched as his Master continued to inhale his cigar until it finally died out and he tossed it towards the trees. "I'll keep it short and sweet for you. Have you been betraying me?"

"What-" Namjoon was stunned and confused, "I would never-"

"You see, that's a lie and we both know it. I don't like lies," His voice became dangerous, "You didn't kill that bastard the week before when I brought him to you, and my men have not only spotted him but an associate of his scrounging around the property. Now, you see, I have their picture right here," He pulled out a folded up picture from his pocket and opened them before shoving it inside the cage for him to see. The picture was of Taehyung, smiling a large boxy grin with one of his arms around another mans shoulders. A man who was smiling a large bunny grin with wide doe eyes and Namjoon recognized him instantly. Beside him, was a beautiful woman whose small hand was linked with the doe eyed mans larger one. The woman... was his sister... "Now I know you have been sneaking around on your missions to check in on that sister of yours, keeping tabs. Never mentioned anything because you always watched like a pervert from the shadows. But now, I have reason to believe that you and her are planning something with these two. There anything you would like to explain to me?"

"Master please, I have no idea what's going on, I haven't met that man till the other day. Something was keeping me from killing him no matter how much I wanted to. It feels like some sort of sorcery that has been taken a hold of me. But I know my sister, she is innocent. She would never betray you. These men must have tricked her. Please, please believe me." Fear clawed at Namjoon's heart as he looked at the picture and clutched at it with shaking hands.

"See, I would love to believe you, but I'm having a little trouble considering you didn't kill that fucker when we had him. Now, are you going to to tell me the truth? Or... Am I going to have to pay that sister of yours a visit and get the answers from her?"

The chain around his neck snapped as Namjoon was suddenly half transformed with his head pressed against the ground as he bowed towards his Master. His voice a growling wail as he spoke, "PLEASE! Don't hurt her. Please, don't hurt her. Those men have to be using her in some way, she would never betray you! I would never betray you! Whatever those two are planning I can guarantee that she has nothing to do with it, in all these years neither of us have abandoned your side, she has no reason to now. Not with all you have given her... Please..." His eyes were wide and wild in desperation as he looked up at his Master.

"She will still need to be punished, it's not acceptable for her to be hanging around that sort while under my care." Hope flared in Namjoon's chest at those words.

"What ever punishment awaits her I will gladly take, no matter what it is."

"That's what I like to hear pet," He patted Namjoon's head like a dog, "She will need to still be punished though. It's time she learned that she can't always depend on you to fight her battles. But, if you insist. You can take the whip instead, she needs something a little more mental anyways." Namjoon's heart dropped and he felt like he was going to be sick as his Master stood up and left with the fleeting words of, "See you in a few hours pet," as he went back inside his mansion.

No one came to fix the chain around Namjoon's neck, and no one came to make sure that he didn't escape. He was alone, the picture of Taehyung, his sister and the man she loved clutched in his trembling hands. The only thought in his mind being 'What had you done'. Tears pooled at his eyes, and not for the first time did he wish that God would kill him.