prettier than flowers (jookyun) [✔]

4

"jooheon?"

the boy in front of changkyun struggled to speak with only grunts and haggard breathing coming out of his mouth.

changkyun didn't know what to do. on one hand he obviously wanted to help the boy in front of him yet it was risky. what if the people who jooheon had fought with came rushing in? changkyun was hesitant. he knew what his parents would tell him to do in this situation. leave.

changkyun let a soft sigh out of his mouth as he looked at jooheon who looked like he was on the verge of fainting. 

"p-please"

changkyun looked down at jooheon who was close to collapsing, making his decision.

"urgh, fine", changkyun muttered on impulse. he didn't know if he was going to regret this later on but right now he knew what he had to do.

changkyun practically carried jooheon to the small room for the employees. there was a small couch and though jooheon's legs hung from it, it would do.

jooheon's breathing had rapidly increased as grunts escaped his mouth as changkyun had pretty much half carried half dragged him across the shop. changkyun had prayed that his breathing would come back to normal and when it finally did, he heaved a sigh of relief.

"oh right"

changkyun quickly went to find the first-aid kit that they always had. working with sharp tools and flowers as well as heavy objects made them have an extensive array of first-aid kits.

rushing back to the chair next to jooheon, changkyun opened the box that was on his lap. he got out the disinfectant and started to dab it on the cotton swabs in the box. 

"this might hurt a little", changkyun mumbled as he cautiously bought the swab next to the cuts near jooheon's eye.

jooheon hissed as the swab came in contact with the cut. he breathed out slowly and changkyun continued disinfecting all the cuts on jooheon's face. 

"what about...what about your body?" changkyun asked.

jooheon grunted as he slowly lifted up his shirt to reveal a cut, making changkyun gasp.

"just here", jooheojn said while gritting his teeth.

changkyun stared at the cut that was around the length of his hand. luckily it was not too deep and changkyun started cleaning the wound before he finished by giving it a dressing.

changkyun stood up abruptly as he left the small room. jooheon just stared at the leaving boy before he gathered the strength in him to get up. jooheon knew it was already a lot for the smaller boy to let him stay in the shop and even help him clean his wounds. jooheon knew it was time for him to leave and so he slowly put his feet down onto the floor, gasping and grunting when the pain from all the already forming bruises and cuts started hurting even more from his movements.

"hey i- hey! what are you doing?! get back on the couch", changkyun rushed as he returned back to the room to see jooheon doubling over in pain.

changkyun rushed back to his chair as he gently pushed jooheon back onto the couch. 

"here. take these", changkyun said as he handed jooheon a few antibiotics he had gotten from the shop's counter.

changkyun watched as jooheon stared at the pills in his hand for a long time before he sighed. changkyun used his right arm to prop jooheon up a bit before he handed jooheon a glass of water.

"i swear, i'm not trying to poison you or something", changkyun said in a sarcastic tone.

jooheon chuckled a bit despite all the pain he felt and he took the pills swallowing them without the water.

"you don't need the water?", changkyun asked and jooheon just shook his head, "here just drink some, your body probably needs some hydration anyway".

jooheon looked at the small boy and the look of concern in his eyes made his heart go a little soft. he nodded before he bought the cup to his mouth.

"urgh", jooheon grunted as the cup made the cut on his lip split more.

"oh my gosh!", changkyun said as he quickly cupped jooheon's face to see the damage the cup had done.

changkyun's warm hands cupped jooheon's cheeks and changkyun leaned in close so that he could see the cut on jooheon's lip. jooheon froze as soon as he felt a pair of hands on his face and he could only stare at the boy in front of him.

changkyun sighed slighty before he mumbled, "it might take a while for this to heal".

changkyun looked up only to realise just how close they were. they stared at each other in that position for 10 seconds before changkyun could register what was happening. their eye contact was broken when changkyun looked away before he started to back away.

without knowing what he was doing, jooheon reached out his hurt arm as he grabbed changkyun's wrist that was no longer on his face. changkyun looked up at jooheon, confused as to what was happening.

"wha-"

but before changkyun could even ask for an explanation as to what was happening, jooheon interrupted him.

"then make it heal faster"