Page 1 of Damian & Jun: Episodes 5-8
Episode 5
Damian
Damian gripped the counter with both hands and leaned his head against the bathroom mirror. Yes, he was hiding. His heart hadn’t pounded like this since he’d made the jump to open his own law firm with his business partner. Jun was finally here in The Residency. Not for a visit, not as a friend, but sleeping here, taking refuge, actively asking for him. Needing him.
It wasn’t supposed to have happened like this. He’d had so many hopes and plans. They were supposed to have come together slowly. He’d have revealed himself layer by layer. Jun would have let go of his secrets one by one. They would have sorted out the pieces, fitting them together in ways that made sense, made plans, and built complete faith and trust in each other, choice by choice.
Instead, they’d flung themselves off the cliff together and had the bruises, court cases, and complications to prove it, all layered on too little said. He and Jun had gone from no strings attached to standing by each other on national television.
Could they survive normal life? When the rush of danger passed, would Jun still want him?
Don’t be a coward. You’re Damian Sathers, Esquire.
For better or worse, Jun needed him. Now. He couldn’t hide in the bathroom forever, pulling himself together.
Damian pushed open the door. Jun was curled up in a ball on the bed, his back to the bathroom, hair sticking to the pillow, knees drawn up over his wounded belly, and wrists curled inward against his chest and tucked under his chin.
Damian called his name before he reached out. “Jun.”
“DaSu.” Jun turned over, holding his breath as he moved.
Damian helped him, letting Jun see his hands before they touched him.
Jun pulled his knees up again, protecting himself. He gripped Damian’s hand. “What now?”
“I thought we’d start by answering questions. You go first. You’ve missed a lot in the last few days.”
Jun nodded. He tugged on Damian’s shirt.
“You want this off?”
Jun gave a decisive nod.
Damian pulled it over his head and dropped it on the bedside table. Jun wiggled his way into the middle of the bed, opening up a strip of mattress. Damian lay down beside him.
Jun put his head on Damian’s shoulder. “What day is it?”
Damian reached out blindly and found his phone on the bedside table. He held it up. “December twenty-ninth.”
“So two days.”
“To the new year, yes.”
“Two days until Bak said there would be consequences.”
Cold rushed over Damian’s skin. He turned so he could see Jun’s face. “He can’t make you do anything, Jun. That’s why you’re here.”
“Can you promise that?”
“I can promise to fight for you. Just because we left Seoul doesn’t mean all the things I threatened to do can’t still be done. You’re not alone now.”
Jun slumped into the mattress. His fingers tangled with Damian’s. “Doesn’t feel real.”
“We’ll make it real. Big changes take time to feel concrete.” Damian pressed a kiss to the back of Jun’s hand. “We have the time. If not, I’ll make the time. What do you need?”
Jun took a shuddering breath. “I don’t know what the options are. I know I’m here, but I don’t know what that means. I don’t know what I’m going to need to do next.”
“If you could have something, what would you ask for?”
