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It was just an average day during the apocalypse.
The usual scenario was underway and everyone in the Kim Dokja Company once again took the initiative to reap the rewards.
Yoo Joonghyuk was at the vanguard, taking down most of the enemies that came his way. He trusted the other members to take care of anything that went past him. He successfully fought alone for a majority of the fight until an annoying presence made itself known, soaring above him and landing nearby.
“Kim Dokja?” One of Yoo Joonghyuk’s furry ears twitched angrily. Why the hell did he come?
“Hello there, it looked like you needed some assistance.” Kim Dokja drew his sword and began to dispatch a nearby elephant mutant that made itself known. “Everyone else is safe, don’t worry.”
“That wasn’t—out of my way!” Yoo Joonghyuk shoved away Kim Dokja as a horned monster charged towards the regressor. He quickly sliced off the monster’s head and ran towards the next enemy.
“Hey!” Kim Dokja quickly leapt and countered an attack from a monster that was about to strike the man in black.”You could at least be polite about it.”
The undercurrent of an annoyed growl escaped from Yoo Joonghyuk’s throat. “Focus on the mission, you fool.”
“It’s hard to focus when a supposed ally is pushing me away!” Kim Dokja closed the distance between him and Yoo Joonghyuk, fending off a wild hare mutant that chased him. “We should stick together!”
“There is no need,” Yoo Joonghyuk was beginning to lose his concentration as his eyes darted between the monster in front of him and another that was slowly approaching their direction.
“Just let me help.”
Yoo Joonghyuk’s golden eyes flashed angrily, “I don’t need you here.”
Hurt, Kim Dokja took a step back. “Ouch, that was cold.”
“You’re the cold-blooded one,” Yoo Joonghyuk said under his breath.
“I heard that!”
Eventually, no more monsters appeared and a blue window appeared in front of the pair, signaling the end of the mission. They received their rewards and contribution bonuses, but neither of them celebrated. A tense air remained even after the battle was over. The smell of monster blood made Yoo Joonghyuk’s nostrils flare and he desperately needed a bath.
Yoo Joonghyuk sheathed his sword. “Next time, stay with the rest of the pack. I would have been fine without you.”
“Isn’t it lonely being in front of the pack so often?” Kim Dokja raised an eyebrow at Yoo Joonghyuk, “We’re companions you know. You can rely on me. Cast aside those stupid panther instincts of yours and just—”
“Shut up, Kim Dokja.” Yoo Joonghyuk’s snarl was feral. “It was a mistake for you to come. Just stick with the others and I’ll—” He paused his tirade as he saw Kim Dokja visibly deflate while also nursing a hurt yet frustrated look.
“Fine,” hissed out Kim Dokja, tightly clutching the sleeve of his trench coat. His usually calm eyes were narrowed into dangerous slits. “Whatever. I understand. You don’t need me.” The reader abruptly took off, angrily stomping away as he muttered curses under his breath.
Yoo Joonghyuk watched Kim Dokja’s back disappear into the ruined landscape, probably to meet up with the other members of the group. The regressor sighed and just as he decided to seek out a shower, he picked up the sound of multiple people heading towards him.
“Yoo Joonghyuk!” Han Sooyoung approached the man but stepped back and pinched her nose closed. “Gross. You stink!”
“Ew,” Lee Gilyoung’s face scrunched up with disgust, “How could ahjussi stand you?”
Yoo Joonghyuk glared at them. “I’m going to rid myself of this disgusting coat of blood in a moment. Did you need something?”
“Where’s Kim Dokja? I thought he’d be with you.” Han Sooyoung checked behind Yoo Joonghyuk. “Yo, Dokja!”
“He just left,” said Yoo Joonghyuk, “I’m sure he’s looking for you.”
“Huh?” Han Sooyoung gagged, “Snake boy threw a fit when he realized you took the vanguard position and ditched us after we cleared our share of monsters. That idiot didn’t even get his wound checked out before flying—”
Yoo Joonghyuk’s head snapped up. “What did you say? Repeat that again.”
“Snake boy threw a fit?”
Yoo Joonghyuk growled, “The last sentence! Now!”
“He was wounded before flying over to help you?” Han Sooyoung rolled her eyes, “I bet you didn’t even notice. I feel bad for him, I really do.”
“Shut up.” Yoo Joonghyuk ran past her. “I’ll find him.”
“You better!”
Next to Han Sooyoung, a seething Lee Gilyoung flipped the regressor off.
Yoo Joonghyuk searched around the ruins of the fallen metropolitan city, but he couldn’t find any trace of Kim Dokja. He should have known that his self-proclaimed companion was quick witted, but how could the bastard slip away so fast?
After wandering around for ten minutes, Yoo Joonghyuk let out a sigh.
“He’s avoiding me, I know it.”
Being drenched in stale monster blood didn’t help in the slightest. It was disrupting his usually sensitive nose. Yoo Joonghyuk scanned the area one last time, before kneeling on the ground and transforming into his panther form. He stretched his long limbs, making himself limber before sniffing the air.
Ah, he found his idiot’s scent right away.
After picking up his clothes, Yoo Joonghyuk instantly took off, ignoring the uneven pavement underneath his paws. His ears picked up the sounds of nearby fighting and random shouts, but his top priority was to find Kim Dokja. Everything else was irrelevant.
He approached the rubble of what was once a skyscraper and easily weaved throughout the destroyed ruins. His agile body was able to squeeze through and eventually made it into an enclosed area of the building.
In a dark corner, a familiar white coat was piled on top of the rest of Kim Dokja’s clothing. Upon further inspection, Yoo Joonghyuk saw flecks of red dotting the edges of the white trench coat. Yoo Joonghyuk quietly walked to the pile and nosed through the fabric until he found who he was looking for.
At the bottom of all the clothing was Kim Dokja, a long, white snake curled into itself. A deep gash ran along the side of the slender snake’s body, pulsing angrily. The snake only reacted to the intruder when Yoo Joonghyuk’s tongue brushed against his scales, cleaning off a majority of the dried blood. Kim Dokja let out a pained hiss and coiled around himself, as if he was trying to disappear.
When Yoo Joonghyuk prodded Kim Dokja with his tongue again, Kim Dokja lashed out and sunk his fangs into Yoo Joonghyuk’s ankle. Yoo Joonghyuk groaned but figured he deserved it.
Kim Dokja eventually figured out who was in front of him and eased his fangs, lifting himself off of Yoo Joonghyuk to sulk in his corner.
Yoo Joonghyuk rolled his eyes and without any warning, gently picked up Kim Dokja in his mouth, making sure not to jostle the snake more than necessary. Kim Dokja hissed out some curses, but didn’t dare move lest Yoo Joonghyuk accidentally ate him or something. Yoo Joonghyuk dragged Kim Dokja and his belongings out of the ruined building.
Outside, Yoo Joonghyuk reverted back into his human form and waited for Kim Dokja to follow suit, but after waiting five minutes, Kim Dokja still refused. The snake remained still and opted to pretend he was anywhere but next to Yoo Joonghyuk.
After putting on his clothes, Yoo Joonghyuk nudged the tiny snake. “Kim Dokja, transform back so we can treat your wound.”
Kim Dokja pretended not to hear Yoo Joonghyuk.
“Kim Dokja, I know you can hear me.” Yoo Joonghyuk said with a bit more emphasis. “Hurry up.”
Kim Dokja continued to ignore Yoo Joonghyuk. When Yoo Joonghyuk tried to pick up Kim Dokja, Kim Dokja’s fangs quickly nipped at him. He was thankful that the snake wasn’t venomous, but it hurt to get bit as a human compared to a panther.
Eventually Kim Dokja wrapped himself around Yoo Joonghyuk’s arm, constricting the regressor’s wrist but not to the point of harm.Yoo Joonghyuk held back a snarl and sighed instead.
“Next time, you don’t need to come to the frontlines, especially when you’re hurt…”
Kim Dokja tightened his grip around Yoo Joonghyuk, enough for Yoo Joonghyuk’s hand to turn red from the blood rushing to his fingertips.
“You fool, what if you further aggravated your wounds? You’re lucky it stopped bleeding.”
Yoo Joonghyuk saw Kim Dokja’s forked tongue as the snake hissed at him. Yoo Joonghyuk could only guess that it was an expletive of some kind.
“If you won’t transform back, then I’ll just carry you back to the group like this.” Cradling the snake to his chest, Yoo Joonghyuk began to head back, where the rest of their party was probably waiting. “They are worried for you. Don’t run off like that again.”
Kim Dokja raised his head and Yoo Joonghyuk finally made eye contact with the snake.
“Finally feel like talking?”
Kim Dokja lowered his head once more, causing Yoo Joonghyuk to huff with frustration.
“Fine, if you won’t speak, then just listen. I was worried too,” Yoo Joonghyuk quietly confessed. He felt Kim Dokja’s body suddenly shake but then went still. “I am not lying.”
The snake tilted his head at Yoo Joonghyuk, as if telling the regressor to continue.
“I thought I was defending the pack well, but if you were hurt during the skirmish, then it’s clear I’m not strong enough.”
Kim Dokja rubbed his head against Yoo Joonghyuk’s scarred hand. The tender action was appreciated, so Yoo Joonghyuk continued to voice his thoughts.
“Panthers are usually lone hunters, so I suppose it’s against my nature to accept help from others. I will try to accept help…from you and the rest of the Company.”
The snake loosened his grip on Yoo Joonghyuk, startling the regressor. Kim Dokja slowly slithered up Yoo Joonghyuk’s arm and ended up coiled around Yoo Joonghyuk’s neck. At first, Yoo Joonghyuk thought this would be revenge for what happened at the bridge in their first meeting, but Kim Dokja’s grip was gentle and comforting. The snake rubbed his scaly head against the bottom of Yoo Joonghyuk’s chin.
“Am I forgiven?”
Kim Dokja didn’t do anything to respond to Yoo Joonghyuk, but by the way the snake was calmly resting on his shoulder, he figured Kim Dokja accepted his apology.
Kim Dokja was roused from sleep when forceful hands wrapped a roll of gauze around his waist. When he opened his eyes, it was to Yoo Joonghyuk’s head hovering above his neck.
“Huh?!” Kim Dokja abruptly sat up from the bed and instantly recognized his room, “When did we get back to the complex?”
“About an hour ago.” Yoo Joonghyuk answered. “Did you know you bite in your sleep?”
“I do?” Kim Dokja scowled as he remembered what happened earlier, “Well, you deserved it for being an asshole.”
“Han Sooyoung claims that they’re ‘love bites’.” Yoo Joonghyuk flexed his arms to show off the numerous bites on his arm and shoulders. “I’m covered in them.”
“Love bites?” Kim Dokja’s cheeks were flushed red, “That’s ridiculous!”
Yoo Joonghyuk’s eyes darkened. “Do you bite anyone else like this?”
“N-no?!”
Yoo Joonghyuk smirked down at his prey. “Good.”
Kim Dokja was about to ask why, but then he noticed that his shoulder was throbbing. When he touched his shoulder, he could feel strange indents and his fingers came back wet.
“What the hell?” Kim Dokja stared at Yoo Joonghyuk incredulously, “Did you bite me?!”
“It’s only fair,” Yoo Joonghyuk said with a shrug, “I wanted to mark you as well. You’re lucky I didn't do it as a panther or else I would’ve taken off your arm.”
Kim Dokja shuddered from the thought, but as he watched Yoo Joonghyuk bandage the rest of his scratches, he couldn’t help but smile. He was glad that his dear panther companion finally understood that he wasn’t alone.