Chapter Text
The mall is so crowded. It’s the weekend, meaning kids are out of school and a large portion of working adults have the two weekend days off. Jisung and Hyunjin had finally managed to scrape together a bit of extra cash to finally buy Jeongin and Seungmin new clothes.
When the four of them had fled from their old pack, it had been so sudden and unplanned that there were few personal belongings that made it out of the pack territory with them. Hyunjin and Jisung had at least packed a few backpacks with emergency items, but Jeongin and Seungmin had been plucked away from the field where they had been chasing each other just near the edge of their territory.
Jisung hadn’t initially planned on bringing anyone else besides Hyunjin with him. As soon as he had learned what the elders in the pack had been planning, he could only think of Hyunjin and his safety.
He had run across the entire pack land to reach Hyunjin who had been helping out a few older ladies in the kitchen that day. There was no time to waste as Jisung barreled them out and towards their shared common space they both slept in with a few other wolves. Jisung instructed Hyunjin to pack up a few emergency items in a bag while he listened out for any wandering wolves.
As he explained the situation to Hyunjin, his heartbeat only quickened, his mind was racing and his hands were frantic as he shoved clothes, first aid, and other miscellaneous products in a bag. The safe where he kept his savings from the various competitions, birthdays, and holidays over the years was also securely tucked into his bag.
Jisung’s biggest initial worry had been that Hyunjin might not follow him along, fortunately, it was no problem.
They had packed up in less than 20 minutes and made sure to take a few more obscure routes out of their territory so as to not get caught by anyone else. They ran for what must’ve been half an hour before nearing the edge of their territory, to safety. They’d cross over and travel for a few days until they found a road and hopefully hitched a ride into the city.
It was all going according to plan until two sets of laughter rang out from their side. Hyunjin stopped running immediately, causing Jisung to crash into his back. To their side were two pups Jisung vaguely remembered seeing around the dinner hall occasionally. They were only a few years younger than Jisung himself, but the happiness and smiling faces had etched into his heart the moment they stopped running and focused their attention over on them.
There was still time to keep running, dash into the treeline, and start on their future. But then one of the pups, Jeongin, Jisung thinks to himself as images of last year's winter festival talent show popped up in his mind, looks over at the two of them. His face is laced with confusion, and in no less than a second Hyunjin is turning to face Jisung, grabbing his arms and staring at him intently as he asks if they can save them too.
There’s a lot of uncertainty and limited options in their future, and Jisung knows just how difficult it’ll be for the two of them, let alone four people, to find any type of footing in the city when they’ve grown up in a nature pack their entire lives.
But then Jisung thinks about the events bound to happen in the following days, the fear and terror the pups would go under while realizing that the two wolves they had seen running away hadn’t bothered to save them as well.
Jisung didn’t hesitate to agree.
The pups, Seungmin and Jeongin, had agreed to come along a lot easier than expected. There was no time to turn back and grab more things, so they’d have to work off what supplies had been packed away. Jeongin had surely seemed more apprehensive when Hyunjin had scrambled over to them and rambled out a more watered-down and curved approach to what should happen if they chose to stay with the pack.
Seungmin however had held eye contact with them the entire time, his eyes seemingly scanning over their each and every move until he nodded his head and agreed to flee with them. Jeongin lasted not even a minute later, unwilling to leave Seungmin’s side no matter what.
With that, the four of them crossed the treeline, keeping up a solid pace for the next few hours that the sun was up. They wanted as much distance between the territory and their location as possible.
Two days after leaving, the entirety of their old pack would pass in a fire spread throughout their land that had been orchestrated by the elders at the top of the hierarchy.
Five days after leaving, the four wolves would check into the cheapest motel they could find in the city. This would become their home for the next six months.
Their first week in the motel was a bit awkward. Hyunjin and Jisung had gone out to look for work immediately, leaving Jeongin and Seungmin in the room with nothing to do. They hadn’t necessarily been told to stay put, but they also hadn’t been told they could leave and explore the place a bit.
It was obvious the place they were at wasn’t in the greatest area, and some of the regulars around here hadn’t looked the most approachable. Jeongin and Seungmin weren’t children, but they were still pups, and in the eyes of the law and people who had presented, pups were always a tier beneath everyone else.
They couldn’t work and were required to stay dependent on a presented wolf who was at least 27 years of age. Hyunjin and Jisung were 25. It certainly hadn’t bothered either of them, but the law glared at them right in the face. They’d have to be cautious if they wanted to stick together.
And at that, Seungmin, despite being the first one to accept Hyunjin and Jisung’s offer, was skeptical of the whole thing. They hadn’t necessarily told them what catastrophic event was supposed to hit their old pack, only that they’d be better off if they went with them. The initial trek out into the city wasn’t much too long, but the air of unknown that followed them around was suffocating.
Hyunjin and Jisung were hiding something from them, probably in an effort to protect them, so to speak, but Seungmin wasn’t a fan of it regardless. He was only three years younger than the two betas, and felt that it was only right to be included in on the conversations they whispered seeing as how he trusted them with not only his, but Jeongin’s life as well.
By the time they did make it into the city and found a motel, Seungmin was determined to figure out what was really going on. The betas would go out job hunting during the day, and by the time they came back, Jeongin was always asleep. Seungmin was as well, except not truly, as he had taken to staying up late in order to listen in on their conversations.
It didn’t take long for Seungmin to piece together the story. The elders from their old pack had burned the land, and everyone inside of it down.
Seungmin hated them at first. Ripping him away from his family and friends, not being honest about what they knew was coming. Seungmin could’ve warned his family, they could’ve saved dozens of innocent people. He was so angry at them that he had become snappy when they were around.
They had boughten them food, granted it was nothing special and full of fat, but it was food nonetheless. Jeongin would inspect each corner of their room during the day while Seungmin would mope off in the corner. Hyunjin and Jisung would return, fake smiles plastered on and Jeongin would greet them happily. It angered Seungmin to see, but he knew he couldn’t tell Jeongin his discovery.
Seungmin would do anything for Jeongin.
Growing up, Jeongin hadn’t had his own family. His dad passed away after falling ill during the winter, and his mother went not long after due to a broken heart. Jeongin was only 5 then, and in most cases like his, he would’ve wound up under the guidance of the pack elders.
However, Seungmin, 7 years old at the time, had clung onto Jeongin once when he had gone out to run around and chase a few butterflies. He tugged him home to his mother that night and she agreed to let him stay in their home.
Jeongin was a younger brother, but also Seungmin’s best friend, and he would do anything to stay with him, keep him alive and not lose his smile.
It was only then that Seungmin understood why Hyunjin and Jisung had done what they did. If Seungmin had gone back to warn others, panic would spread, and there’s no telling what the elders might’ve done to the pack in that instance. It’s likely they’d sniff around until they discovered who started the rumor, trace it all back to Seungmin, and kill him off in the case Hyunjin and Jisung had already fled.
And then Jeongin would be alone and probably killed off too as he would’ve also told numerous people. Seungmin just couldn’t have that. He wept for his family, but he still had Jeongin, and despite his initial grudges, Seungmin couldn’t hate Hyunjin or Jisung for allowing him to keep living with him. Being able to make him laugh and smile each day was a gift Seungmin couldn’t live without.
When Jisung came back with his job offer, they all celebrated. It was only minimum pay, and the hours would be long, but there should be steady money coming in, theoretically keeping them all under a roof with a bed. At the least.
Hyunjin found his job soon after, and within a few days, they had both started up with their new routines.
Hyunjin left early in the mornings when everyone else was still fast asleep and the sun was down. Jisung would wake up with him, but he only left later on around 10 in the morning. They’d portion out some dry cereal for breakfast, and occasionally a granola bar or slice of bread. The motel had no fridge to use, so they only kept water to drink.
Hyunjin would come back around 4 in the afternoon, and Jisung later on after 9 in the evening.
This became their mostly fixed schedule. Occasionally one of them would go in for an extra shift on the days they did have off, just to bring in extra money. Sometimes they’d work so late that Jeongin would fall asleep for bed before either returned and wake up after they had already left again the next morning.
Saturday was the only day during the week that both Hyunjin and Jisung had off. They usually spent it cuddled inside their motel room, the single king bed only just barely holding all four of them at once. It was fortunate that Jeongin and Seungmin were fine with sharing the bed and had no qualms about cuddling up to sleep each night.
They had been on their own for nearly three months at this point. Time passed by faster than any of them could imagine.
They only just had enough to pay for a week's worth of nights in the motel when they first arrived, but the front clerk had seemed to give them some good grace as she allowed them to continue their stay while the two older betas worked. Their first two paychecks had immediately gone to pay for their room, as well as some food and other necessities. They managed to snag some free hand-me-down donation clothes from the homeless shelter but were limited in how many they could keep.
The first month was spent adjusting to everything. Hyunjin and Jisung both working, only making minimum wage and just barely scraping by each week after paying for their hotel and food. Unfortunately, the tight budgeting made it so Jeongin and Seungmin were mostly left mindlessly bored. Although Hyunjin had managed to snag a free deck of cards that had been returned for missing a few cards at his job in the convenience store.
During their days off, Wednesdays and Saturdays for Jisung, Saturdays and Sundays for Hyunjin, they’d make sure to spend as much time bonding with the two younger pups as possible. Hyunjin could tell the uproot had affected them a lot, no longer could they run freely in the open land without a care, they couldn’t indulge in as much food as they pleased and there had been no time to say bye to any friends of theirs.
Hyunjin spent many nights staying up later than everyone else, thinking and planning what he could possibly do to get them out of their situation and into a more comfortable life as quickly as possible. He’d work himself up into a fit each time, eventually becoming loud enough that Jisung would stir awake and haul him back into bed. They’d cuddle up, and Jisung would pet Hyunjin’s hair, no words spoken so as to not wake the pups, but the action telling enough.
Money was tight, but every once in a while Hyunjin or Jisung would manage to grab an extra shift, bringing in a little bit of extra money. They’d made a habit to set that aside, tucking it away so they could surprise the pups with a proper meal or clothes sometime in the future.
That’s what led them to the mall.
It was a Saturday, both Hyunjin and Jisung had the day off and had finally set aside enough money to take the pups out for some fast food and new clothes. It had been too long since any of them had new clothes, not just hand-me-downs.
Seungmin practically wore the same three outfits, switching out each day to at least bring something different to his routine. When they had first settled down, Jisung and Hyunjin only had 8 shirts and three bottoms between them. Jeongin and Seungmin had the clothes off their backs, and eventually 3 new sets of hand-me-downs from the donations. Seungmin had given Jeongin one of his own outfits then, claiming it was because it’d fit him better, but both Hyunjin and Jisung knew it was more than just that.
Seungmin was only two years older than Jeongin, and three years younger than Hyunjin and Jisung. He was fiercely protective of Jeongin, unwilling to let his smile fall even despite their living situation. Hyunjin and Jisung had bonded with the pups relatively easily, but even then, there was no match for the bond the two pups had with one another.
If Seungmin thought something was a good idea, Jeongin would agree, if Jeongin begged to play another round of cards or asked to hear a story, Seungmin wouldn’t hesitate to agree. Jisung hopes that Seungmin too could find that same comfort in Hyunjin and Jisung soon if he’d just let them in more.
As it was, Seungmin was always giving Jeongin extra portions of food when he wasn’t looking. It was always under the guise that he had been too full, which nobody truly bought into as they were all constantly hungry from the lack of food they kept stocked. Even Jeongin, who, more often than not, ended up with extra bits of food from everyone else, was still considerably underweight from where he had been a few months prior.
That morning when they had woken up, Jisung and Hyunjin both snagged one of the pups to scent heavily as they’d be out in a public place for the first time in months. Even back in their old territory, before it had been burned down, everyone knew everybody else inhabiting the territory. You might not have known them as personally as family, but everyone was at the least, vaguely familiar.
The mall was packed to the brim with absolute strangers. Nobody knew anybody outside of their own circles, and that was mildly terrifying to Hyunjin.
Before fleeing for their lives, Hyunjin had stuck to Jisung, a few of the elder ladies, and occasionally one of the cooks as he helped out in the kitchen more often than not. For so long, he had been viewed as someone cold, someone who was unable to show affection and care openly.
Deep down, Hyunjin knew it wasn’t true. Jisung told him it wasn’t true continuously during late-night strolls and lunch meet-ups where he could see Hyunjin had received another comment that got to his head. For so long, Hyunjin could only agree on a surface level.
Here, with Seungmin and Jeongin under his care, Hyunjin had grown into what Jisung called a motherly figure but Hyunjin called a nurturing figure. It went without saying that, even if they hadn’t been close before, the four of them were essentially their own rag-tag pack whether they liked it or not. Hyunjin was technically the oldest, only a few months apart from Jisung, who still presented first anyways, but the role didn’t slip past him.
He’d leave for work shifts before the sun rose, slipping out of bed and tucking in the thin blankets around everyone else before getting ready. Jisung would rouse by the time Hyunjin was ready to slip out the door, and Hyunjin would make sure to hand him a cup of dry cereal for breakfast. They’d hug as a goodbye, and Hyunjin would kiss each pup on the head before rushing out the door.
He’d work all day long, tiring himself out and wandering what the pups were up to back at home. He’d wonder if they had finally gotten fed up with them both and fled for good, or if someone had broken in and harmed them, or perhaps if they harbored secret feelings of disgust for him.
When Hyunjin got off work, he’d rush back home as his shifts ended earlier than Jisung’s. Often times the pups would be sucked into a card game or reading through the hotel’s pamphlets and making a story out of the information. Hyunjin would give them both a good glance over before freshening up in the shower. Fortunately, the motel, although cheap, provided miniature bottles of necessary shower products. It was one less thing to worry about buying.
Later on, Hyunjin would make a cup of ramen, split it between the two pups, and listen to them ramble on about their day. They’d always ask him about his work as well, and as much as Hyunjin wished he could get all his frustrations out about the snobby customers he had to deal with, he’d put on a fake smile and tell them that everything was fine.
Jisung came back late in the evenings, and Hyunjin needed to sleep early so he’d snuggle up in bed once his body started yelling for sleep. Jeongin usually joined him, the youngest pup being a heavy sleeper and consistent mid-day napper. Hyunjin even got Seungmin to cuddle up a few times as well, although it wasn’t as common as he’d like.
Seungmin liked staying up until Jisung came back from his work shift when Hyunjin and Jeongin were both long asleep and there was nobody else to greet the beta back. He knew it could be lonely, and he too wanted to make sure Jisung had something to eat. They all took care of each other and had become as comfortable as possible with their lifestyle as it was at the moment.
Until they went to the mall.
Jisung had kept a firm grip on Seungmin’s hand as soon as they entered through the automatic doors. Hyunjin had pulled Jeongin right into his arms and all at once they were hit with the nearly overwhelming cluster of people jam-packed in the place.
Seungmin was never quite as open with his wants for affection as Jeongin might be, but Jisung had started picking up his habits after the first three weeks had passed and things became more routine. The mass amounts of people and unknowns were freaking the pup out, and it didn’t take Jisung long to pull him in close enough to keep in a side hug. Seungmin’s arms squeezed around Jisung’s own midsection and although it wasn’t preferred, Jisung knew that it was helping.
The first store they entered helped lower the noise significantly, and the four of them took a deep breath to settle themselves for a moment.
Afterward, they paraded around the store as they picked out a few new shirts and pants within their budget for the pups. Jeongin had even thrown in some shirts for Hyunjin and Jisung to keep as well, and it took a lot for Jisung to not burst into tears at the thoughtful action.
An hour later they’d exit the store, two bags in total and their extra savings money significantly dwindled. There was still enough for some lunch though, and this mall had a very enticing food court that was calling their names.
This was when things went south. On their way to the food court, Jeongin exclaimed that he needed to use the bathroom. There was one just in front of the large open area for food, and they all figured they could easily watch him exit in and out of the bathrooms from where they’d be in line for food.
Jeongin wasn’t a child, and although they had all been on high alert, both pups had been scented thickly so any passing stranger with interest should know someone was there with him.
With a nod of approval, Jeongin ran off to the bathroom quickly as the rest of them headed over to the food lines. The place was incredibly packed and the lines stretched all the way to the back of the food court. They’d be waiting there for a while.
In the bathroom, Jeongin had to wait in line for his turn as everything was occupied inside. A few more people came in and stood behind him, and he couldn’t help the jitter that his body released as he suddenly felt very crowded and alone. It was the first time in months Jeongin had been in a place so publicly and alone, with no familiar person he could hide behind.
An older man had walked up right beside him at one point, standing a bit too close but not doing anything that would set off a warning bell just yet. The line cut shorter and eventually Jeongin was speed-walking off to a stall. Finishing up quickly, he emerged and headed over to the sink to wash his hands. The man standing next to him earlier was leaning against an open spot next to the sinks, and an unnerving feeling filled Jeongin as his heart rate picked up on the spot.
All of a sudden Jeongin had become too aware of everything. He was alone, in an unfamiliar place, and a stranger was eyeing him too much to be normal. As Jeongin dried his hands and headed for the exit, his footsteps could only quicken as the same man followed him right out, now directly on his tail.
He was only a few paces away from emerging out into the main space of the mall, and the food court as well, when a large hand gripped his shirt and yanked him back. Jeongin scrambled to run away and create distance, but then his arm was being gripped harshly, searing pain rippling up to his shoulder as he was now being dragged out by the stranger.
He went to scream, but another hand, rough and caked with grime, slapped right over his face. It hurt and Jeongin was scared. He tried pulling and forcing his body weight out of the man’s grip but any strength he used to have had disappeared due to his rationed food lately.
In his panic, Jeongin forgets he’s in a largely crowded area with many other people. There’s a shout to his left as he’s being tugged in the opposite direction from the food court. He can’t see well due to the man, an alpha, his brain registers, having his oversized hand slapped over his own face. However, the next moment feels like a blur as the harsh grip lets up and the alpha is tackled down by two other strangers.
Jeongin crumples down the floor and cries because he’s too scared to move but everything is just too much. Tears wet his own face and all Jeongin can do is call out for Hyunjin, Jisung, and Seungmin.
There’s a shadow over his head and then a person leaning down who looks about the same age as Jisung and Hyunjin. He has blonde hair and freckles and his eyes are a bit downturned but Jeongin thinks it's because he’s worried.
He tells him his name when asked and silently thanks the stranger, Felix, he calls himself, as he covers his eyes from the commotion happening with the older alpha man who had dragged him. His arm is throbbing and it’s only when he lifts it up that he realizes just how tight the grip had been.
His skin is rubbed raw, and there are a few cuts drawing blood from where the man’s nails had dug into him. Felix asks if it hurts and Jeongin thinks the question is a bit ridiculous given the state of it all but he answers him regardlessly.
A moment passes and then Jeongin hears his name being called out by multiple voices. His head whips around and his eyes well with more tears as he spots Jisung, Seungmin, and Hyunjin all rushing over. Jisung reaches him first and hauls Jeongin right up into his arms.
Jeongin can’t help but tuck his head away into Jisung’s neck immediately, his good arm wrapping around his hyung who was here to keep him safe. His legs feel like jelly and after some fidgeting, he manages to have Jisung hold him completely with his legs also wrapped around.
The mall is too loud and there are way too many conversations happening that fly over his head. Jeongin takes in lungfuls of Jisung’s scent, basks in the hand rubbing up and down his back and practically goes boneless when he hears more than sees Seungmin come up to him and take his hand into his own.
Away from them, Hyunjin converses with the two men who had witnessed and stopped everything that had just conspired. Chan and Minho, along with their packmates Felix and Changbin, who were off to the side, had been able to explain everything in a bit more detail than just the obnoxious person in the food court who had screamed out about an incident happening.
They had been probably halfway through the line for food when Hyunjin glanced over to the bathroom entrance and spotted a larger alpha man practically running away from the area. The angle hadn’t been right, so it wasn’t quite noticeable, but when people in the food court started murmuring about a big alpha being tackled down, Hyunjin knew in his gut something wasn’t right.
Rushing in the bathrooms, Hyunjin’s suspicions were confirmed when Jeongin was nowhere to be found. A crowd had joined in a little bit down the hallway and the three of them rushed off in a split second.
A few police officers working the mall had come up and obtained the same alpha he saw running off earlier. Just nearby were a couple of alphas maybe a few years older than Hyunjin himself, but they were talking with an officer and Hyunjin figured they had intervened. Jisung had gathered Jeongin already, and Seungmin was standing in limbo between the three of them before eventually walking over to Jeongin.
Hyunjin talks off to the side for a while. Jisung’s own heart races as he soothes the distressed pup in his own arms. The crowd that had formed during the altercation has now dwindled down and left just a few bystanders and the people who Jisung assumes had intervened to help Jeongin. He owed them his life.
Seungmin stands behind Jisung, holding onto Jeongin’s hand and occasionally pressing his cheek into his hair. He’s trying his best to stay composed, but Jisung can tell Seungmin is teetering on the edge of his own breakdown. They really needed to get home.
Jisung spots the blonde-haired boy who had been crouched with Jeongin before they reached him walk over to them. He offers a water bottle over and Seungmin reaches around him to grab it so he can coerce Jeongin to drink some. He introduces himself and briefly explains what they had seen in a hushed voice.
Some time passes by as the two of them share a short conversation. Jeongin had gulped down the entire bottle of water before shoving his head back down on Jisung’s neck. He only tightens his hold on the pup, wanting to comfort him as best as he could while they were still out in public. Eventually, Hyunjin strides back over with a couple of other people who appear to be Felix’s packmates.
Hyunjin immediately comes to take Jeongin from Jisung, switching out their roles so Jisung can thank the pack for all they had done. It’s only when Jeongin re-wraps himself around Hyunjin that Seungmin speaks up. The youngest pup's arm was smeared in blood, bright red, and most likely stinging. He had kept his one arm tucked away so it hadn’t gone noticed initially, but now they had two pups majorly frazzled and one injured.
Jisung immediately scrambles around to find their leftover funds, brain on alert and yelling at him to buy some emergency medical supplies. He knew that even back at their motel room there wouldn’t be anything sufficient enough.
There’s a conversation behind him and then a new figure in his eyesight, and he’s holding a few antiseptic wipes and bandages. He assumes he’s also a part of the pack here which allows Jisung to relax the slightest. Usually, Jisung would be wary of accepting help from strangers, but his pup was bleeding and they were incapable of bringing him to an actual doctor for help. Jisung fitfully pulls together the remaining money they had planned on using for food together, turning towards the rest of the pack to offer some repayment.
He had expected for them to scoff in his face, and demand more money for not only the supplies but also the water and time it took out of their day. What he hadn’t expected was for their money to be turned down. One of the alphas, he wasn’t sure of their name, pushed his hand back when he stretched his arm out further so they’d accept the offering.
The alpha shakes his head, and Jisung is stumped. What did they want then?
“I know it’s not enough, if you give us a week more we can gather more, and then-”
“There’s no need, we don’t need any money seriously we just wanted to help.”
And Jisung isn’t sure what to do. He catches the other alpha rip his eyes away to where Hyunjin, Seungmin, and Jeongin were all standing, and his mind supplies him with the thought that perhaps they didn’t want money because they wanted his pups instead.
Suddenly Jisung feels the hair on his arms raised, his eyes set in a glare and his body naturally takes a few steps backwards. One of their other packmates was with Jisung’s own, close enough to take any of them.
“You can’t have them, they’re mine.” He tries to stay calm, hoping they can negotiate and they’ll allow repayment anyways. The second alpha looks back over, and the three of them in front of him all share a look of confusion briefly. One of them steps forward, and Jisung rips back to his own pack. The last one of their packmates had just finished up, stepping aside in time for Jisung to gather Seungmin in closer and force him to stand behind his back with Hyunjin and Jeongin.
“Woah woah woah, wait it’s not like that at all, we won’t take them from you I promise, we don’t need anything from you at all.” The alpha speaks up and Jisung’s having a hard time rationalizing anything at all. Hyunjin analyzes the situation and manages to speak up for him fortunately, and Jisung only leaves his spot in front of everyone when Hyunjin agreed to take their contact information if they’d leave.
Jisung isn’t sure he can trust this pack all too well, their eyes are too inquisitive and questioning. He could tell they were trying to piece together what they were, where their elders were, and why they were all a bit too skinny. He didn’t like it one bit, but Hyunjin was handling the situation and Jisung trusted Hyunjin with his life.
Besides, they didn’t even own a phone. They could give out contact information but they’d never be contacted. Not by Jisung at least.
After the overwhelming events of the day, Jisung orders food for everyone else to go. Jeongin has yet to emerge from Hyunjin’s hold, and Seungmin is octopused right behind them. They catch the bus just in time which takes them back to their motel, and it’s only when they’re back in their room that Jisung lets out a sigh of relief.
The four of them eat together, the first proper food they’ve had in months and instead of the happy smiles and laughter that was supposed to travel through them all today, they sit in silence. Jeongin refuses to move his arm, a cry escaping each time it brushed against something too rough. He struggles to use his other arm efficiently which eventually leads to Hyunjin feeding him the rest of his food.
Jisung’s washing up in the restroom later on when Seungmin stumbles in, eyes red and head hung low. Jisung tugs the pup into his arms right away, letting him tuck his head away in his neck to take in his scent. Jisung doesn’t comment on it, knowing that Seungmin would retract from the comfort he sought out by himself for once.
With his free hand, Jisung waddles over to the bathtub and runs a tub for Seungmin. His shirt grows damp with tears and Jisung knows this is more than just emotions from today alone. The tub fills up and Jisung manages to help Seungmin out of his clothes by the time it’s done.
Seungmin settles down in the tub and curls up into himself. Jisung would usually let him be alone at this point, but after today he never wants either of them out of his sight ever again. He quickly strips off his own clothes and sinks down into the tub right behind Seungmin. The tub is a bit too small to fit them both comfortably, but Seungmin melts back into Jisung’s chest once he realizes he’s there with him.
Out in the main room, Hyunjin hums a song for Jeongin who struggles with sleep. The sound carries into the bathroom and Jisung joins in after a moment when he recognizes the tune from his own time as a young pup. Seungmin’s head lolls to the side, not quite asleep but nearly so. Jisung savors the moment.
Things were far from perfect, far from okay and they weren’t nearly ready to grab a place out of the motel, but as long as they were together, Jisung would keep working and trying his best for his pups.
For Hyunjin, for Seungmin, and Jeongin. It didn’t matter that they hadn’t all quite known each other to the same extent prior, they were all they had now. Jisung would do anything to keep them safe, his family safe.