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A searing pain on his back, flesh to ash in seconds. A beautiful girl, with unsettled mauve hair hanging in a long dutch braid, stands before him. Her face twisted in fear concern - Rumi. His Rumi, her hazel eyes filled with tears as she gazes up at him. She speaks, voiceless. Its quiet, silent here. Finally, silence. No Gwi-Ma, but no Rumi. Was this truly worth such a loss?
A gasp is torn from his throat as he awakens, a cold sweat coating his skin and making it glisten in the dim light. A delicate touch on his shoulder. Jinu jolts back, head swinging back to find the source...
...Rumi. His Rumi, safe, here, right here beside him. "Breathe..." she tells him softly, her eyes pleading. Jinu quickly complies, his eyes drifting shut as his hand shakily holds hers. Pulling the hand into his lap, he draws gentle circles upon the pale skin, the motion soothing for them both.
The feeling of soft fabric beneath him reminds him of where he is, in bed, Rumi's bed. Her blanket pools around his waist as he sits up. "Jinu?" The woman coos softly, "you okay?" The man nods in reply, tracing the demonic patterns on her skin with his fingers, the same patterns adorning his own. He could feel her free arm wrap around him, her cheek squished upon his shoulder. He leans his face into the soft hair, the smell of her shampoo making him smile.
"... you smell nice..." Jinu murmurs, voice thick with sleep, smiling. "Thanks..." Rumi smiles back softly. A silence falls between them again, its comfortable, needed. Jinu takes a deep breath as Derpy, a giant, blue tiger with glowing apricot eyes, rests her chin on his leg, the weight soothing. A small black bird wearing a little hat flies from her back and to the light switch, pecking it. The lights flick on.
"Thank you..." Jinu nods to the bird as it lands back upon Derpy's head.
Jinu looks down at the company, then to Rumi, then at himself. He could see the scars of the fight with Gwi-Ma there, burns on the backs of his upper arms and parts of his shoulders. His hat luckily protected his hair, that's one positive. He doesn't think he could pull off the bald look.
The pain, the nightmares, the scars; it was all worth it to protect Rumi, he saved her life. Just as she saved his, in her own way. As Jinu's lips graze her forehead, he admires the feel of her soft skin against his lips. God, did he love these moments.
"Hey, how about some tea? Or water?" Rumi suggests, looking up from her place on his arm, "it might help you feel better while I lay down a towel on the bed" Jinu looks behind him at the damp mark he left behind, due to the nightmare.
<"Sounds like a good idea" He nods, reluctantly moving his body from hers as he stands. Rumi soon follows suite, she starts walking to the kitchen, holding open the bedroom door for him as he walks through it, nodding a thank you. His wooden cane taps against the hardwood floors, the injuries from the battle left him with leg and shoulder injuries. He deemed it worth it. Jinu and Rumi enter the kitchen, Jinu leaning against the counter as he watches Rumi take out two glasses from a cabinet. She fills them with water before handing one to Jinu. "Thanks" Jinu nods politely, he was obviously feeling better, even if a bit tired.
Jinu doesn't know what he'd do without Rumi. He'd have less scars and less nightmares. But, life is certainly a lot sweeter with her by his side.