Eyes red like roses

44 I wouldn't believe myself either

Buckle up people

At the same time.

Blocks away, bloodied and with shoes far too big, someone knocked on a wooden door.

It was far past midnight. Her breath was shallow, and she felt her fingers trembling under the pressure in her head.

A cap hung deep over her eyes, covering her face, a long coat swallowing the bruises and dirty clothes.

Holding her breath, she heard shuffling on the other side. She knew it was a very inappropriate time to come and wake them up. But where was she supposed to go?

And then she heard a low gasp.

"Jihan..."

The voice sounded so soft and tender, she felt her knees tremble. The latter must have seen her through the little peep hole.

"How did you..-"

"Fire escape, ryu... you know me."

The door got opened way too slowly, it felt like forever before a wide-awake Ryujin stood fully in front of her.

The younger let her eyes roam over her whole body. The dirty clothes, the bruises on her face, fingertips almost blue.

"What happened...." She whispered breathless. Ryujin blinked once, twice before her body seemed to catch up, taking Jihan into her arms and supporting the latter into their apartment. "Why are you here.." She mumbled mostly to herself, and Jihan was so out of it she didn't realize Ryujin was talking to her.

The younger moved in a hectic fever, stress written all over her face. She peaked out into the hallway, almost paranoid. Finding no one, she hurriedly closed the door and secured the metal chain.

She turned around to find Jihan leaning against the wall, holding her stomach.

"Anything I have to patch up at this instant?" Ryujin asked, unable to see the tears on Jihan's cheek.

The younger hadn't bothered to turn on the light, the only source of light coming out of her own room a few doors away.

Jihan shook her head. "I have to get rid of the blood on my body first."

Ryujin nodded automatically, words arriving in her brain seconds after.

"Okay, yeah. Go shower." She murmured.

Then she walked closer, opening her arms. Ryujin didn't, couldn't let her come back with out feeling her in her arms. 

Jihan held up her hand. "Let me clean up first, ryu.."

Ryujin could hear the tremor in her voice and didn't object. All she did was nod slowly and follow Jihan to the bathroom, hands hovering on Jihan's shoulders.

Jihan wasn't stable walking, she hinked and hissed, but she refused to stop. She had to shower, scrub off all the blue spots and black marks on her body. She had to carry on.

"I know you won't let me help you, but I refuse to leave you alone in this state." Ryujin commented, opening the door and switching the light on.

Now that she was actually able to see, she found exhaustion all over Jihan's features.

Eye bags dark, tear-stained cheeks and bright red dots across her neck, it looked like a collar had rubbed against her skin so harshly it left an imprint.