It's five in the morning and it's raining cats and dogs.

The raindrops are angrily hitting the roof of the old cottage, sending quite a noise to the sleeping figure against the wooden floor. The small haven is made of bamboo and iron. It smells like rotten wood but with a trace of peppermint and lemon grass. It's dark outside but a hint of sunshine is hiding behind the trees from the horizon. 

Kim Jongin rests his head against the closed door of the cottage as he watches his prey.

Yes. He ought to call him that, anyway. A prey. Do Kyungsoo is supposed to be his prey after all. He's supposed to be someone he have to kill. Someone who should be dead by now. Someone he wasn't supposed to save from dying. 

Do Kyungsoo stirred from his sleep and that's when Jongin realized he needs to wash his wounds again. So he crawled to one side of the cottage, retrieving his wet shirt and a pail of water. He had found this cottage four years ago, when he tried to run from the pack. 

Jongin didn't want to be this. He cannot accept the monster that he is. 

He slowly lifted Kyungsoo's hand and wiped the shirt over his wound, removing the streaks of dirt that clung from the cottage floor. He wasn't able to get a mat because when he visits here, he sleeps in his wolf form. Who needs a mat anyway? 

Jongin reached for the hem of Kyungsoo's shirt. Then paused. 

He bit his lip, shaking his head. "I don't think he has a wound under his shirt." he muttered to himself. Then he withdrew his hand, wiping it against his damp pants. "Yes. No wounds, Kim Jongin. No wounds." 

Jongin eyed Kyungsoo's body for a while before traveling his gaze to his sleeping face. 

'Just imagine yourself as the most beautiful painting. And you're being paraded in a place full of frustrated artists who couldn't have you. Who wouldn't turn their heads to look?' 

He wonders if Kyungsoo did what he told him that day. To look into the mirror and stare at his face. Kim Jongin has been doing that for some years now, behind bushes and trees, away from his sight and knowing. He wonders if Kyungsoo even got the tiniest bit of idea of the fact that for him, Kyungsoo would always be beyond perfect. 

Jongin reached for his face and traced the bruise that appeared beside his lips. It's something between blue and purple and Kim Jongin wants to murder them again. He wants to torture them like he did with Yoon Hanjeon. He wants them to beg like that asshole did. He wants them to crawl on their broken hands and legs. He wants them to suffer before his eyes. He wants to make them feel every pain they caused his love. 

Love. Yes. That's it. 

Because no matter how he denies it, Do Kyungsoo is the prey of his love. 

Jongin brushes the shirt against Kyungsoo's wounded lip, wiping the blood away. He wiped it against the angry scratches on his cheek and arm, things that stirs the beast in him and causes him to be evil once again. Kyungsoo's milky white skin started to appear under the mud and blood. He removed the remaining dirt on him and soon enough, he's cleaned. 

Kim Jongin sighed as he slowly reached for Kyungsoo's hair. 

"Loving you is really a task." he said with a small smile on his lips. "A hard... painful-to-the-bone kind of task." he grinned, shaking his head. "And I don't know why I never get tired." 

He continued running his fingers against Kyungsoo's hair, occasionally twisting them around his fingers and watching them slide smoothly. His hair is so black and beautiful. 

When Jongin's fingers dropped to Kyungsoo's cheek, the latter leaned into his touch, looking for the warmth. The rain is sending chilly breeze into the cottage and the bamboo walls provided them little protection. Do Kyungsoo stirred. 

And then his jet black eyes fluttered open. 

Kim Jongin stopped, looking down at Kyungsoo with that stone-hard expression, his jaw fixed. He mentally braced himself for what Kyungsoo might do or say. He might scream. Run away. Push him back. 

He needs to be prepared about Kyungsoo getting afraid of him. 

But when Kyungsoo's surprised eyes dropped on him, he didn't expect the words that left his lips. 

"It's cold." he muttered as he let out a shaky breath. 

Kim Jongin realized he's holding his breath so he slowly let it go. "I know." he whispered. "It's raining outside." 

Kyungsoo looked around the small cottage, frown evident on his forehead. "Where am I?" he asked as he stared at Jongin's face again. Jongin is about to think Kyungsoo doesn't remember anything that happened. 

Because hell, he doesn't look afraid at all. 

"A cottage." Jongin murmured, watching Kyungsoo intently. "I couldn't send you home looking like that. So I took you here." 

Kyungsoo slowly nodded as his frown vanished. "It's cold." he whispered again as he squeezed his eyes shut and rolled to his side, curling himself like a fetus and his back to Jongin. He started to shake and then shiver uncontrollably. 

Jongin helplessly looked around as he placed his warm hand on Kyungsoo's arm, caressing it gently. "Kyungsoo..." 

"You're warm." Kyungsoo breathed between a grin and another shiver. "Thank you." 

"Is it okay if I'll keep you warm?" Jongin finally asked, he felt his own face heating up. Great. A werewolf is blushing. Great. Just great, Kim Jongin.

Kyungsoo let out a weak grin. "Course it is." He muttered, eyes still close. He's feeling really cold now and he's not like Jongin who could basically stay in Antarctica for centuries even without anything on. 

"I could hug you now but..." Jongin hesitated. "I don't think the warmth would be enough." 

The smaller rolled to his other side so he could look at Jongin. Even with all the wounds and bruises, Kyungsoo could still take his breath away. He could still make him fall for him so easily. 

"What are you suggesting?" Kyungsoo whispered as he looked up at Jongin. This time, he's trying hard not to look at Kim Jongin's bare chest or abs. He's feeling quite embarrassed to see him naked waist up and he doesn't think it'll help diminish the awkwardness. 

Kim Jongin bit his lip, frowning. "You might freak out." he muttered, eyeing Kyungsoo. 

With that, Kyungsoo got the idea. He looked down and smiled weakly. 

"I don't want to freeze to death." He whispered. 

Kim Jongin let out a breath. "Then don't look." 

Do Kyungsoo rolled back, closing his eyes. He hugged himself tighter as another cold breeze washed through him through the gaps on the walls. It's still quite dark like it's afternoon but he's pretty sure it's far earlier than that. 

"Come here." A voice whispered against his ear. It's that voice carried by the wind and into his mind, like some unknown spirit talking right beside him. Kyungsoo slowly pulled himself up and he turned to look. 

A giant werewolf is lying beside him, heads up and red eyes staring right into him. His brown fur sways through the breeze and Kyungsoo can't help but give a small smile. "Woah." he breathed as he started to crawl towards him. 

Jongin let out a grunt. "Don't sound like I just performed magic or something." He said which made the smaller laugh quietly. 

When he reached the wolf, Kyungsoo slowly ran his hand over his thick fur. He immediately felt the warmth like Jongin just emerged from a hot bath. He settled between it's legs and Jongin gently draped his tail over Kyungsoo like a blanket. The smaller giggled as he rested his head on Jongin's body and all the cold left him. He feels warm. Really, really warm. 

"You're really beautiful." Kyungsoo whispered. 

Jongin tilted his head so he could look at Kyungsoo. "Stop referring to yourself." he muttered instead. 

Kyungsoo laughed but it's weak and fragile. "Now..." he started as he tries to breath normally again. "Tell me everything." 

Jongin hesitated. "Everything, huh?" 

"Yes." Kyungsoo said with a nod. "Everything." 

And for once, Kim Jongin does not have any idea where to begin.