Page 85 of Damian & Jun, Episodes 13-16

“Little crime,” Émeric said. He was right there, crouching down beside Damian, blocking out the rest of the room so Jun could see him and Damian and nothing else. “We’ll make that smell go away. We’ll clean it up.”

Jun swallowed and nodded. “Okay.”

Damian kissed Jun’s forehead, holding him upright as Émeric started taking off Jun’s one remaining glove and dabbing away blood. Ellisandre was still making something tight higher up on Jun’s arm.

“There were two shots,” Richard said from somewhere. “Jamal isn’t shot anywhere. The medics just confirmed.”

“The gun was pointed at me,” Jun said. “There was a taser, or something like a taser.”

“Zapper. Found it.” an officer called out.

“Are you hurt anywhere else?” Ellisandre got up in Jun’s face.

Jun looked at Damian, begging with his eyes. His arm was enough. They could leave everything else alone.

“We have to know, wolfling,” Damian cupped Jun’s face. “I can look for you, if you don’t know.”

Jun touched his belly, to the side, just above his hip. Émeric pulled the dirty vest and undershirt away showing the bullet proof vest. It was dented and creased. Everything underneath it hurt. He’d known that before, but also, hadn’t. Now he couldn’t stop knowing it.

“Not a direct hit, either,” Ellisandre touched the vest. “Good thing you were wearing it. You’re going to have the mother of all bruising. We need to get you checked.”

Jun closed his eyes, leaning into Damian. They could do whatever they wanted. He was going to pretend it wasn’t happening, that he was just with Damian. They touched and prodded, but always, Damian’s hands were there, and Émeric’s voice, and in the distance, Richard’s as well, directing and consulting. He could smell the product Collin used in his hair. He was close.

“Is Geun okay?” Jun whispered to Damian.

“Geun is still as fine as he was before,” Collin answered. “Everyone is going to come back here in just a moment.”

“Don’t let them worry,” Jun said, forcing his eyes open. “If they see the blood…”

“There’s no more blood,” Émeric held Jun’s hand up for him to see. “We cleaned it up and cut off your sleeve.”

Collin was cleaning Jun’s other hand. He hadn’t even realized.

Jun sniffed. The coppery smell was almost gone beneath the smell of everything else.

Clean. They were making him clean. He blinked back tears and found Émeric’s face in the confusion. “Thank you.”

“Su-jin and Jaewoong are with the last two winners,” Geun’s voice came from the door. Jun grabbed Damian’s shoulder and pushed himself upright. He had to see the others, had to know they were all right.

Yohei crossed the room, dragging Geun behind him. “Fuck, JunJun.”

“I’m fine.”

Yohei snorted, but he grabbed Jun in a hug around the shoulders, reaching over Collin and avoiding Jun’s waist. “You got fucking shot.”

“I’m fine.”

Yohei tore himself away, only to let Geun repeat the hug.

“But it’s done.” Jun forced himself to smile and tried to blink back tears that were threatening to show. “It’s done, right? We got everyone?”

“It is.” Ellisandre stood and brushed themselves off. There was blood on their bright white suit that hadn’t been there before. “Everyone we planned to arrest was taken in, plus Bak Sahyuk was re-arrested. And Gyeong’s a nonissue. The Seoul part of our operation is finished.”

Jun looked around the room. Some people were missing. “Where’s Jamal?”

“Already in an ambulance heading to the hospital. They won’t know more until they can wake him up.”

“But he wasn’t asleep.” Jamal had been there for him, holding the gun on Sahyuk.