Posts by JIMIN;

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   There's a ringing sound in his ears as he stumbles through the undergrowth, twigs brushing against his blood caked fur. The noise bounces around in his mind while his vision feels like it's blurring and then refocusing. His breaths are heaving, shaking, almost sobs as he crunches debris underneath his paws and hobbles along. The weight of his fear in the air makes him more uneasy than ever, he hates how afraid and weak he feels at this moment. It has been a few days since he was captured by Douma, a few days since the torture started, and now his thin frame is littered with cruel ice burns and claw marks ; the Hellraisers' leader had been so blithe about the whole thing that it leaves a sour taste in his mouth, still. And, oh, god... what the hell was that? How can another being take so much glee in hurting someone else? He doesn't understand it and he doesn't think he ever will. In that moment, he had truly been reminded him of the past , being kept as a prisoner and grievously injured for the sick amusement of his captor. Douma thought he was a pet, an easy prey for him to pounce on, but he thought wrong.

Jimin is one of the Exiles now, he’s an Exiler because he wants a choice. Even with his new role as leader, all types of comments are flung his way, Jimin is too pretty to be one of them, too small, too cute, too soft. But he is learning to hiss and snarl in return, to speak with authority, to stare his aggressors in the eye as he takes the side of himself that feels like a helpless prey and replaces it with the strength of an apex predator. He will never let what happened with that NPC happen to him again, and he doesn't want the life that would be prescribed to him as a prey. He's clawing and fighting to make himself a real life, one where he can feel safe. Jimin won't forget what has been done to him these past few days... h - how the Hellraisers hurt him. It's not like he hasn't been hurt far worse before, but he feels like his last nerve has been frayed. How can he trust anyone, when so many individuals seem geared to hurt him... maybe not even his own group can be trusted, not if they get a rise out of hurting others... although, is he really any better? This is what anticlans are, and this is what they do. He may not dish out such brutal punishment himself, but he stands by at the head of a group that does that... Jimin isn't a good person. He's getting worse by the second... his group does things like torture and murder, and he lets it happen because he's too scared for the sake of his own survival. He wears the mask of an Exiler because he wants to save his own life, he lives through a selfish fear. He may try, but he's not a good person.

Jimin looks around the vicinity, noticing the dark creatures standing between him and the safety of his camp, so instead he stands perfectly still among the cover of the foliage ; they won't come up to him so long as he stays very still and doesn't make a sound. He has to stifle his pained whines and the sound of him swallowing back the viscous blood trapped in his gorge as he stands across from the camp entrance, his frame shaking as he tries to stay completely silent and waits for someone to help him, to deal with this horde and help him with his injuries. But, all around him, the air is saturated in the scent of decomposing roses as his distress smell hangs off of him, and he can only watch helplessly as the dark creatures twitch their noses and turn their empty sockets towards him, before starting to prowl in the direction of the onyx canine as he proceeds to let out a soft whine of fear, and his paws grind into motion as he starts to sprint and makes a beeline for the doors of the camp. He's fast, faster than the creatures, for which he is rather grateful, but every movement is agony. It doesn't matter, he doesn't have time to think about the pain, he just rushes forward until his body slams against the door to the camp and he rattles the bars until he swings the door open, at which point he slides within them and slams the door closed.

The jackaloid struggles to catch his breath as he leans his back against the door and slowly slides his way down to the ground until he's crouching, his anxiety mounting and making his throat feel tight as his wounds weep out blood. He doesn't care too much about the physical damage, though, he's just scared, scared of what has been done to him, what may be done to him again. He knows that he is going to spend the rest of his life with a sliver of fear hiding in the back of his mind thanks to Aamon, but Douma has just set it in concrete. Douma, and Aamon... they were never afraid, nor does Jimin believe that they could possibly have lost any sleep over what happened. Jimin, on the other hand will have to live with the repercussions forever. As concerned murmurs start to ripple through his groupmates at the injuries littering their leader's body - their frail, weak, small leader's body, he can almost hear the mutters about how soft and pathetic he is - he doesn't try to distract himself from the pain tugging taut at him. Instead, allows the hollowness of his chest to consume him, to suffocate him. He feels small, impossibly small and impossibly fragile. While his chest constricts with a pain too large for his small body, Jimin starts to audibly cry, letting go of all of the emotions that have culminated within him during the months of his life that he has spent being tortured and abused. He just cries and cries.

[ does this make a lick of sense... idk man ]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin... it's Oli... Jimin blinks damp eyes at her, his body shaking as rivulets of vermilion dribble down his fur. But... he can't help it... he flinches away from the hug and throws out a paw in front of his face protectively, as though he's actually expecting to be hit. He knows that this isn't a threat, this is just Oli, she would never do anything to hurt him, but her attempt to embrace him is like water upon live wires to his frazzled state, as every movement feels like impending danger. He doesn't want to be touched now, not by anyone. Jimin just wants everything to stop, his anxiety is so loud and Douma's cruel laughter is echoing in a harsh litany in his mind. He's trying to swallow down his fear... there’s an instinct in him that’s even willing him to run away and hide, to get away from this bustling room in which countless pairs of eyes stare at him, some with pity, some with concern... some just look as though they could tear him limb from limb right here and now. The next to arrive is Lee, but no sooner has he arrived than he's leaving the room... he's heading outdoors... into the horde that's clamoring so desperately against the door he'd been leaning against. His mouth feels like it's been stuffed with cotton wool and his limbs feel numb as he watches the canine disappear beyond the cafeteria, he's willing himself to cry out to him to stop, to come back, but he can barely formulate words as his breath comes out in short, sharp sobs and his whole frame is wracked with a mixture of despair and agony.

This is all his fault. Jimin shakes his head... no, this isn't Cicero's fault. The world has never been kind to him, why would it start now? There are people out there who want to hurt others... it's as simple as that... and since he refuses to be one of them, he is against them. He is their prey. It isn't Cicero's fault at all... "No..." he says quietly. "It's not... please..." Jimin feels his face crumple as he watches the lion crumbling to pieces before his eyes. He feels so weak and pathetic, just as Aamon and Douma would want him to feel. He's been getting used to acting strong, to putting up the cheerful front and working hard to distract himself from that inkling of devastation that has always resided within him, but now he's shedding all of it. It's not Cicero's job to fix this, either, so he shakes his head once again with a sniffle. Things are like this because he's weak, because he's a weak creature... he wants to be tough and to just keep it together, but he doesn't feel strong at all ...he feels like he has reached his breaking point and it's all spilling out at his groupmates' feet. He's ashamed to be this sort of individual, one who is so sensitive and, well, vulnerable. "Ci... I'm sorry..." he tells him, volume low and his lower lip quivering as his whole body shakes like a leaf. "I'm sorry, I'm the one who's sorry... I - I tried to get away," he cries, his voice starting to heighten from stress as his heart feels like it's seizing in his chest.

Jimin! The next voice is his sister's and he snaps out of his weeping fit to just stare at her through bleary, doe like eyes, and he flinches yet again as she crouches down to let him onto her back before realizing what she's doing. He's humiliated, letting his whole group see him in this state, but he's too burned out to argue against the decision to take him to the infirmary. He just reaches up, wincing through the pain, to climb atop her back. It hurts, but nothing hurts more than the realization that this just keeps happening to him. It just isn't fair. What did Jimin ever do to them? Whatever god may be is probably laughing at his misery, he thinks bitterly. This is how the world is ; the predator always wins. The cruel prospers over the kind, and he'll always be that rabbit hanging between greedy jaws. He was predetermined as that when he was a mere child, incapable of fighting back - the teeth had closed upon him at a very early age, and nothing has really changed since then. The world won't change, so he has to, if he wants to survive within it. He feels hollow and dull as he prepares himself to let Rue carry him towards the infirmary, resting his head down upon her back. He can hear Oli saying something... about not falling asleep... but he's so tired, and he feels so cold. His body continues to tremble and twitch as he lays atop his sister's bulkier form, small whimpers spilling from his maw. His eyes try to flutter closed as he tries, in turn, to force himself to stay awake. The side of his head is sticky with red blood, which spills out onto his sister's coat. "I want Eisuke," he murmurs numbly, feeling his eyes start to water with fresh tears.

Meanwhile, outdoors, the creatures who had been pawing at the door in pursuit of Jimin, who had been making quite a lot of noise and profusely bleeding, turn their eyeless sockets as a new sound patters against the ground ; they instantly give chase to this new attraction, letting out a series of other worldly snarls as their only aim is to kill, kill, kill. One of them closes the gap a little bit faster than the others, and it aims to sink its teeth into lethaldeception 's hind leg, aiming for the first piece of flesh thst they can grab. Kill for dherog ; that is all they were made to do, that is all they intend to do, and Lethal has painted a target upon his back by throwing himself right into their midst.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin doesn't sleep well at all, and it's easy to tell... while in the past within the bounds of the Exiles he'd smiled a lot, he's always had rather tired looking eyes. He doesn't think he's been able to muster a smile since his return from his most recent capture, his lips rest in a taut line and his expression perpetually betrays his stress. He has horrible nightmares, of Aamon, of Fallengrace, and recently, of Douma... he feels like he's crumbling and breaking apart and that the mask is fully off now... it's game over. He can't act like everything is alright anymore, not when he's so utterly haunted by every aspect of his past that breathes down his back and leaves a bitter taste in his mouth. The canine is making his way down the corridor when he hears a thud and his sensitive ears swivel and prick upright... and his eyes drift to the form of Olympia crouching over a second figure, but judging by the look on the femme's face, it isn't an emergency. Jimin makes his way over on shaky paws, his gaze sweeping over the scene and a soft sound leaving his lips as he sees Cicero slumped on the ground. The canine has passed out before, many times, especially in captivity... from lack of food, from lack of sleep, from pure terror and all the stress his body had been enduring... in Cicero's case, he has noticed that the other always looks sleepless and worn down... he thinks that the crows and his mother won't let him rest, so really it's a good thing that his body has forced him to get some rest. He watches Olympia take care of the lion with bleary, eyes. "I'm glad he's getting some rest..." is his quiet offering as he reaches up one of his claw to chew at it. Passing out isn't the ideal way to get some sleep, but...

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin heaves a soft sigh and leans the head into the crook between Olympia's neck and shoulder, his brow pensively knitting together. Stone and tar... he can't think of any weaknesses, as he hasn't really been exposed to such things before... the first six months of his life were sheltered and shrouded in innocence, the following six months were bitter and cruel and he'd spent them locked away within four cold iron walls. Now, he is learning more and more about the world, but he still has a long way to go... such scientific pondering is probably something Sojourn would have more knowledge about, he thinks as he watches the kitsune approach. Also to make his way over is Cicero. He and Cicero have that much in common... the world has been cruel to both of them, but they have refused to be cruel in return... they are both softer and gentler individuals within the group, and Jimin has no qualms about rearranging his position to make it more comfortable for the lion to lean on him, giving them both the physical affection that they so desperately crave. They may be sweeter beings, but that isn't a cue for them to be beaten down and broken into submission... they need to be treated gently, something that few seem to understand.

Sojourn's musings follow after, and Jimin is fascinated by his friend's thoughts on the matter... Soj is someone who brims with knowledge and wisdom, and he's definitely of interest to the smaller canine. Does anyone know when it is next due to rain, the kitsune questions, and Jimin makes a little clicking sound with his tongue and takes in a sharp inhale. "Ah, I - I don't think it's going to rain any time soon... not with this heat," he admits. He hasn't seen so much as a drop of rain within the past few weeks, and he doubts they'll get any within the foreseeable future. "Maybe we can pour water over them and see, though," he chimes jokingly, offering a tired smile and a weak little giggle as he runs his paw back through the fur along his head. Heaving a soft sigh, he then proceeds to rest his face in his paws... he looks beaten down, after days of being shut inside. "Still... if they're blind... that's something, right? We can use sounds and scents to distract them," he says hopefully. Maybe they can adapt to survive... he agrees with Sojourn, that potentially they won't be able to win a waiting game, but they can't just remain as sitting ducks, either. If they don't adapt, then no doubt the predators will instead, and the threat will eventually overtake them.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   As is the case with the rest of the group, Jimin has been for the most part confined indoors, doubly so given his grievous injuries in the wake of his brutal torture at the hands of Douma. He's feeling particularly vulnerable as of late and spends most of his days within his and Eisuke's room, doing such things as jigsaw puzzles and painting while the dark sky outside roils and the intrepid dark creatures outside wander in their hordes. It's about as much as he can do... as much as he feels capable of doing. He feels so tender that he hardly talks to anyone beyond Eisuke and Cicero, his body covered in white bandages and gauze that he occasionally absently rubs at, and his eyes are glazed with exhaustion. It's a thankful life, that's what he has always thought... but right now, it just feels like a catch-22. It feels like his best efforts to stay kind and gentle are all, in the end, hurting him, as he pays the price in his own flesh and blood, and that's what troubles him, as he fits another pair of edge pieces together in a jigsaw.

Nonetheless, his attention is grabbed when a crack of light flashes past his vision and he wonders briefly if he imagined it - they've been experiencing very little in the way of extreme weather... the sky is dark and cruel, but it only threatens rain and storms, it never delivers, and the territory is so overheated and dry that rain and the likes have been rendered impossible. The canine's fictional brow furrows as moves to stare out between the bars of the window in their shared room and it doesn't take him long to spot a vague figure out by their border, and he sees her open her mouth and say something. Immediately, panic grips Jimin's heart in icy tendrils - she probably doesn't realize it, but there are hordes of terrifying creatures out there who will have been attracted to her powers and the noise she has made. He quickly slips out of the room and down the stairs, his paws light upon the steps as he moves as quickly as he can into the cafeteria, at which point he swings open the door. He stares into the nearly pitch black of the outdoors and towards the stranger's dim form within it. They have a joining ritual, but given the circumstances, he doesn't particularly care about that : if they leave her outside, the creatures will close in on her and tear her limb from limb. The tradition the group has dims in importance to another being's life. The leader hastily waves a paw towards her, motioning for her to make a run for the camp door as he spots a horde of the dark, furless beasts slinking around the corner. If she runs, she can make it - he just hopes that she understands the gesture and can see him despite the darkness that permeates the canyon.

[ welcome to the exiles!! ♡ ]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚    clovis yes yes yes yes yes

that would be perfect! who would you like to make the thread? c:

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin wakes up early in the morning to a milky dawn after a relatively sleepless night and instead of getting up immediately to get his day started, the obsidian canine lays in bed throughout the early morning, squirming around beneath his warm sheets and inhaling his own scent of roses which smells wilted and distressed, up until the point that he hears Cicero's voice echoing down the hall, prompting his rabbitlike ears to perk and him to kick the covers off of himself. His paws pitter patter as he makes his way through the corridors and towards the source of the lion's voice, almost instinctively seeking out his best friend's presence.

This is a raw time for all of the group, and Jimin is no exception... the state of his group is chaotic at best, his relationships are being called into question and shrouded with doubt, and he's recently been tortured and beaten down... the warden's gaze is glazed over and dull as he makes his way over to the trio, settling himself beside Cicero and watching as Juliet mends a patch of fabric. Jimin learned how to sew from Ryad and Rhapsody - the former had been making a kimono at the time, and the latter had gently explained to him exactly how he could go about making one of his own. Still, it's not something he does often... to be honest, he's more prone to having to sew within his job as a group medic than purely as a pass - time.

Amber optics blink at Juliet and his gaze flits to her face. "Hi, Ju," he says quietly, and he starts to fiddle with his paws, wringing them together and picking at his claws. "Oh... how did it get ripped?" he finds himself tagging on in soft questioning. Hopefully such a line of query isn't too invasive, though.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin had been within the confines of his the cafeteria, idly looking through the windows and towards the outdoors with his chin rested upon a bandaged paw as his head had twinged with frustration, when he so happens to see movement in the darkness, a shape unlike the tar creatures weaving its way through the outdoors. It's dark, but outside is dimly lit by his strings of firefly - powered fairy lights, so he can just barely make out the form as that of Clovis, and his eyes dilate as fear rips through his tiny figure. He gets to his paws, rushing past rows upon rows of wooden tables while a murmur spreads through the crowd within the room in a ripple, and pulls open the heavy cafeteria door ; without thinking, he's bounding through the darkness and towards Clovis' figure, which is now overcome with a group of dark creatures. He doesn't care that he's injured, his one thought is to help his groupmate.

It's fortunate that Cicero is also upon the scene, having knocked the primary threat off of the small feline, and now stowing him upon his back for safety. Jimin doesn't stop until he falls into stride with the lion, his bident contained within his maw, which he proceeds to swing the hilt end of towards one of the creatures, creating a splatter of black tar as the blunt force tears open the side of its head. His gaze occasionally flits to Clovis to check on his condition as he waits for him to climb upon Cicero's back, worry for his friend tugging at his chest and anchoring down his heart. What had he been doing outside when there were creatures prowling around? What was he thinking?

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   family track !! c:

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin can clearly remember how he and his boyfriend became 'official.' Eisuke had come to his cell in the dead of night, completely drunk, distraught in the wake of Debiru separating himself from him. At that point, he had confessed his feelings for Jimin and expressed a fear of losing him, which had really struck a chord in the already lovesick canine. He loves the other dearly, but he has been acting strange, lately... more aggressive and highly protective of him, like a guard dog. In a way, Jimin wants to trust that he's just looking out for his safety, and in a way it does feel more secure with the male by his side, but he can also feel his frustration building with each time the lupurca snaps at anyone outside of his social circle who dares to come within his radius. He may be fragile at the moment, but he's an adult and the leader, he has to manage himself... he doesn't need help, not like that, and besides, Eisuke isn't acting like himself. While Eisuke himself may not know the exact reasons for that, Jimin is sure it has to do with Daegu separating from their collective, and the heatwave that has been having everyone acting up likely isn't helping.

At any rate, at the moment he is just quietly watching Oli and Iggy going about their date from the stairwell, seated upon the steps and resting his chin upon his bandaged forelegs. They're... together now? There was always something about those two, a closeness they have shared since Oli was a young child... and now that she's gone through something so horrible, he's relieved that she has someone like Ignis to give her more support. A weak, almost melancholy little smile rests upon his maw as he observes the duo as unobtrusively as he can, taciturnly wishing Oli luck on their first proper date. She and Iggy make a nice duo... they'll take care of each other, he's sure of that much.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Picking the deputy who would serve under him had not been an easy decision, but he feels like he's made the right one. Cicero has been at his side for a long time and has consistently served the group with a kindness that is rarely seen within their ranks. Perhaps some people would regard him choosing a softer deputy as a foolish action given that he himself is on the sweeter side, but Cicero has so many traits that he values, that he wouldn't dream of overlooking. His own boyfriend and Helix were equally good candidates, but in the end, Cicero was chosen... he's relieved that at least the other duo seem to have respected his decision. Anyhow, seeing Olympia presenting the lion with a gift brings a small smile to his face as he pads over to his soulmate's side and gently leans against his flank, looking down at the red patterned box. Ah... what could it be? It's so kind of Oli to give him something to commemorate the occasion, too... the little jackaloid's tail starts to wag and he looks over towards his friend, waiting with some anticipation for him to open it and reveal the present.

[ retro to capture ]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   If you need someone to go near them... I can do it. That saps the joking tone from Jimin's voice and the weary smile quickly drops from his lips, his gaze swinging towards Clovis and his fictional brow furrowing. Wh - Why would he think that he should go near them? And yet... he can tell that the effeminate feline is completely serious, that he would willingly do such a thing if it was asked of him. It isn't being asked of him, not at all, but still... "No... 'Vis... please don't go near them," Jimin says with some anxiety seeping into his tone. He can't let that happen... he's responsible for protecting his group now, he can't allow Clovis to go near those vicious creatures... they would tear him limb from limb, wouldn't they? He would never forgive himself if anything happened to Clovis. He's noticed that the other is an individual who acts very much for the benefit of others with no regard for himself, but Jimin has regard and caution for Clovis in the latter's stead... if Clovis won't take care of himself, Jimin will do it. The leader bites down upon his lower lip as he gauges his newer groupmate's reaction, hoping that his words are reaching him and that he will take them to heart. "They'll kill you, that much we know for sure. Th - that's all they seem interested in, really," he tells him. "So, please don't go out there. Not until we know more about how to combat them." He reaches his paw across the table to give the feline's a reassuring squeeze, offering a light smile despite the seriousness in his tone.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   / slight tw

Jimin had never really considered the well being of his training dolls... he has been beating the stuffing out of them, and has done so numerous times, and somehow Cicero's question manages to unnerve him in that regard. The lion's innocent thought that non sentient things might feel pain is endearing, but not realistic... he knows that... but still, he isn't sure if he's going to be able to get that query out of his mind now. "N - No... they're just mannequins," he says with a reassuring smile, even though his fictional brow furrows as he ponders something. Aamon had thought of him as a doll, hadn't he? Jimin had been a flesh and blood being, yet his tormentor had debased him and made him into an object... he had felt everything, but he hadn't been seen as sentient. He'd been nothing more than a toy to the predator. The thoughts roil in his mind and he gives a dismissive shudder, then he turns back to his training doll with some fresh uncertainty. It's fine, this is nothing like that. These really are just non sentient dolls... they don't feel anything. "It's okay, Ci... you don't have to if you don't want to," he adds, as he nods to Olympia when she arrives, followed shortly by Helix, who even compliments his setup to the delight of the obsidian hellhound, whose tail starts to wag back and forth at the praise before he stops his preening. "Alright... pick a dummy and get started," he tells them, before he drops into a play bow and stares with focus at the one he's been fighting, and takes the leap towards it, closing his jaws around his shoulders. Right... this is about learning, little by little, about survival. He's not going to make it if he doesn't train hard and improve.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin's birth parents... ah, he holds a lot of bitterness for them. His father... he isn't sure what became of him, but his mother Azumi had abandoned him at a tender age and had left him at the mercy of the universe, which had of course taken it upon itself to mete cruelty out upon the innocent, naive pup. His family dynamic now is quite different, with an adoptive mother named Irene and quite an extensive family spanning from her, and he really does love his family as it stands at the moment... but he'll never forget his birth parents nor what they did to him. The kind of fate that they abandoned to, one that could have been prevented if they had been around to protect him.

Jimin makes his way over in order to join Cicero, staying a bit behind the lion as his flighty gaze flits to the stranger. He tries his best not to pay any mind to the fact that they are chewing on the remains of a dead feline, as he knows that being a vampire he's in no position to judge, but he feels uneasy nonethess. He supposes that at least this would qualify as their entry requirement of either a kill or a spar , but it doesn't feel like a very wise time to be lingering outdoors. No hordes of the undaunted, furless beasts seem to be present, but that doesn't mean that they won't show up, likely to be attracted to the scent of blood and the sounds that are being made.

The injured warden wrings his bandaged paws as he all but hides behind Cicero, peering at the stranger. "You should come inside... th - there are creatures out here that are trying to kill us," he explains in his quiet, subdued manner, motioning towards their camp. Whether or not this individual is here to join and who exactly they happen to be doesn't matter for the moment ; they can discuss that on their way, or when they make it indoors. The only reason he himself is outdoors is because he so happened to spot Cicero also beyond the camp. "I'm Jimin, by the way..." he adds as they hopefully proceed to walk towards the prison that makes up their camp.

[ mobile!! welcome aboard mads <33 ]

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   The canine awakes from a jolting nightmare with a small convulsion, to the usual darkness that permeates the room, it being only slightly lit by one of his strings of firefly bulbs that he has hung up in his shared cell with his boyfriend. His gaze lands on Eisuke as soon as he stirs from his slumber , making sure that he hasn't accidentally woken him up with his tremor nor the explosion of his fear scent as a result of his bad dream, but thus far, he hasn't shown any signs of movement, so Jimin, as inconspicuously as he can, pulls himself upright and moves out from underneath the warmth of the bed sheets.

The dark canine flicks a rabbit like ear and gingerly gets down from atop their bed to make his way outside of the room and beyond the stairwell. He winces a bit with the movements as they flex his injuries, but he bites down his whimpers and pads down the steps until he reaches the cafeteria, at which stage he makes himself a cup of hot tea and opts to sit down by one of the booths in the corner of the room to peer out the window.

The canine lifts up a paw to chew at one of his claws in a manner that's habitual at the moment as he stares out into the darkness with glazed amber eyes and warms his remaining paw, swathed in bandages, around the surface of the mug. It seems awfully quiet out there, he can't see any congregations of those mysterious creatures prowling outside or scratching at the doors. It's the middle of the night, so his groupmates are for the most part asleep and taciturn as well. It's all so still and so calm, and he finds himself lost in the mulling of his thoughts.

It's strange, really, as much as he loves the lupurca, under the circumstances he just feels the need to escape and have some room to breathe and be by himself. Eisuke appears to insist on being around him at all times, and seems to be particularly defensive on behalf of the jackaloid. Once upon a time, Jimin didn't mind so much that they don't want to share him, had even taken it as a compliment and had been glad to be Eisuke's, but now that possessive behavior has kicked up a notch and intensified, and it feels almost smothering - the other has exchanged harsh words and snarls with random groupmates who actually need his attention, and it's becoming grating to have to talk Eisuke down from his high horse when he showcases his possessiveness over Jimin.

He knows full well that in the end it's likely at least partially to do with the heat, which has taken a toll on all of the group, but that doesn't make it any more tolerable for Jimin, who can feel himself slowly and slowly becoming more annoyed and defiant of that behavior. His desire to be close by his boyfriend's side has completely gone out the window, that need for proximity, as now he feels like his privacy has been breached and anger has taken its place. He regrets letting himself crumble in front of his boyfriend, and breaking down in front of his groupmates as a whole, really... he cried and cried and cried in front of their eyes, and now all of them are going to regard him as weaker than ever.

Something flickers at the edge of Jimin's vision, jarring him from his line of thoughts, and he jumps slightly in his seat before he realizes that the movement has come from a blurred figure that is visible on the other side of the window... someone is standing at his group's border in the dead of night, but it doesn't look like one of those tar - creatures. He cranes his head and squints yet can't make out the individual, so instead he pushes the chair backwards against the floor with a squeak and moves towards the door. No matter who it is, he can't just leave them outside when for all he knows, there are beasts on their way to tear the individual limb from limb. While the coast is clear, he believes he has to go out and help them.... or maybe , in part , he's just doing it to defy Eisuke's wishes.

Whatever his reasoning, he finds himself in the suffocating heat of the outdoors on trembling legs, his bandaged body slinking through the darkness as his paws grind into motion and guide him towards whoever it is who is residing at their border. He moves as quietly as he can, making sure to shift the weight of his paws carefully so that he doesn't attract any attention other than that of the being at the brink of their territory.

He's close enough to squint and almost be able to make them out, when a snarl resounds through the air - one that he has heard so many times before. It prompts his entire body to still. Jimin's amber optics dilate as a multitude of creatures dripping in viscous tar weave their way beyond the undergrowth, jaws parted and dripping onyx. He stays perfectly still, but it doesn't matter: his fear scent permeates the air in a burst of rotting petals , and the creatures turn their voids where eyes should be upon him and once again let a menacing sound cut through the air. Jimin's breathing quickens and he takes a step back, his chest heaving as his gaze swings from the form in the distance, to the horde, and then back again, and with each flicker of his eyes the beasts draw closer.

It should be easy, oh so easy for him to run... he's faster than them, and unlike them he has the will to live. He could make a break for the border and guide them beyond his territory to watch them melt into dark puddles of tar... he doesn't think he has many options beyond that one, hastily made. He turns tail and his paws start to move, however, that is when the creatures also choose to pick up their speed and attack - he's barely started moving when the horde is charging towards him at a quickness he hasn't realized they possessed and closing the gap between them. These creatures are much, much bigger than him and unbelievably fast, so much so that Jimin isn't sure if he'll make it to the border before they manage to snag him in their jaws.

DAEGU

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   / slight tw

He wakes to the sound of crows and the sound of Cicero's keening cries. Dark rays crawl in from between the bars of the cell windows, the male's bleary eyes opening with a start as the noises reach his sensitive ears and Jimin feels a cold fist close itself around his heart. He can almost feel his friend's anger and despair in the air as he hears his cry of 'shut up, shut up!' , and it's enough that the dark hellhound kicks the covers off of himself and forces his just stirred body to move, to move him towards the sound of his soulmate's distress.

Jimin knows parental abandonment all too well... Azumi had left him when he'd been six months old, a pup incapable of defending himself from such evils of the world that he didn't even know existed. He wants to blame her for what happened to him afterwards, the months upon months of trauma, but in his fragile state he think that maybe Aamon was right all along. Maybe he's a whore, maybe his mother couldn't love him because he's a whore.

But Cicero's relationship with his father is completely different... his papa has always struck him as a loving parent to the lion, which makes the abandonment sweep him off of his feet as he blinks amber optics into the room where Cicero's father had stayed. Jimin sways slightly upon his paws, weary from sleep deprivation, shocked by the cold emptiness of the room and distraught at seeing his friend curling up under his father's blankets. It's harrowing for the already stressed hellhound.

Papa hates him.. why.. why didn't he see it sooner..? "Ci... no... there must be a reason for this," Jimin says quietly, his face crumpling with empathy and despair for his friend and he reaches up his bandaged paws to rub at his sleep - laced eyelashes and rid himself of the tears that he's unwilling to shed. There has to be... Cicero's papa wouldn't just leave him this way... he must have been captured, or... or something, right? "The crows are liars. H - He loves you, Ci. I've seen it," he tries to reason in his barely audible voice. Cicero's dad's actions are not those of someone who hates their son... there's no way that's why this has happened.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jiminie! The sound of his name, called in deep timbres, has the charcoal jackaloid craning his head upwards and staring behind him as his boyfriend makes his approach. "Suke..." he calls out hoarsely and with desperation. Eisuke is typically so composed, so restrained and calm, but right now, his emotions are playing out nakedly on his face. Jimin doesn't know whether to feel stressed and despairing at having to go through such a thing, or happy that he has at least been allowed to see Eisuke again, that he hasn't been killed... the lupurca takes a step closer to lean in near him, and at first he just flinches violently, but then the swell in Jimin’s chest rises and before he knows it, he’s the one reaching out his forelegs to wrap them around his love's neck and dipping his nose into his neck from where he's splayed across Rue's back, breathing in the familiar scent and letting it swathe him like a protective armor. The scent is a little bit off due to the larger canine's emotions seeping through, but it's undeniably Eisuke's, and it feels warm and safe. It's easy to forget that there are other people around, and right now, he doesn't care. For a lot of his life, touches across his skin have felt like a threat, but with Eisuke it's not like that at all... it's been days since he's felt safe, but when he's with his boyfriend... this feels safe.

I looked - I never stopped looking, I'm so sorry. Jimin shakes his head as he struggles to keep his eyes from falling like blinds. “I - I couldn’t escape,” Jimin says against Eisuke's neck, stifling a sob as rivulets start to streak down his face and soak into the lupurca's fur as he clings to him for dear life. "And it was just fun for him... I tried to make it stop..." He feels his mouth go dry as he recalls his own fruitless begging... he hadn't cared at all about saving face or dignity, he'd just tried everything he could to make the pain stop. His chest is taut and he feels lightheaded as he just keeps crying. It’s like a waterfall that has spent so long being held back by a dam, and although Jimin has always been very good about keeping it all inside, he has burst and everything's spilling out before his group. It's all been culminating for a long, long time, since he was a child, and it just seems like he can't hold it inside him anymore. He just bawls, before it turns to quiet crying, and then to bleary eyes and sniffles as his sister carries him towards the cafeteria with his friends in tow. Jimin just really wants to sleep, he just wants to rest. He cranes his vision towards Oli... she said something about him being better off not sleeping... but he feels so tired. He makes a soft, whimpering sound as he pulls himself to consciousness as his eyes try to flutter shut. "I - I can't stay awake... Oli..." he says with some distress, struggling not to fall asleep into Eisuke's shoulder. He really feels like he's going to give in and lose consciousness.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚ Jimin approaches shortly after Styx, moving to stand beside the relatively unknown male and blinking at the stranger with his tired eyes. When he had first seen them, his heart had felt like it was seizing in his chest ; he's a massive snake , all supple and scaly, and easily more than 5 times his own size as Jimin is a rather petite hellhound, standing at a very slight one and a half foot tall.

His expression is polite , but he feels rather detached from... well... everything, like he's hardly even there, and at his worst he's simply anxious. It feels like all that blithe curiosity has departed from him since his torture in the Hellraiser's territory.

"It's nice to meet you... I'm Jimin, the leader here..." he says in his subdued fashion. His gaze flickers from side to side, keeping an eye out for any of the hordes. No doubt, they'll be attracted to the sound of a fight if Ignis and the stranger opt to carry out their spar here. "W - Wait, um... we should take this inside. Those creatures might come..." he reasons, with his voiced laced with uncertainty.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Jimin hates torture, he hates capture, he always has as an individual who has endured such things in the past, and yet, he lets it happen because he is too scared of the consequences of intervening, or, since he's the leader, outlawing it completely. He realizes that he's in a position to make a change, and yet, he feels helpless to do so in the same breath. For all he knows, his group would rise up and kill him if he were to make a drastic change like that... although, maybe that's horribly selfish of him... to protect himself over others. But, that's what he has been wired for since he was a young child hanging from his captor's jaws. His hope back then had been to live another day, and in a way, that's still what drives him, even more so in the wake of his capture and torture at the hands of the Hellraisers.

He actually recognizes this victim... this is a Cartelian, one who has jeered at him in the past for daring to stumble upon their border. Jimin's eyes dilate a touch as he sees the ropes that bind Batterychicken - that brings back memories, as he feels the phantom sting of his ropeburns underneath his array of golden jewelry. He can't bring himself to offer anything in response to the capture... not a 'good job,' no protest on the victim's behalf either. He just lets his gaze flit between the predator and the prey as he can't help but put himself in the latter's shoes.

*ੈ✩‧₊˚   Why are they doing this? Hatsuse's question is rather loudly uttered, prompting the leader's eyes to dilate as he just hopes and prays that they haven't called any attention to themselves. He utters a very quiet hushing sound and lets his amber optics meet hers. Unlike him, she seems dismayed by the duo's romantic ventures, with her face crumpled up and her eyes wide and wild. "They're in love," Jimin tells her in an undertone, his voice rather subdued and shaky, as well as a bit muffled as he continues to chew at his claw. He thinks that this is a brief story that it will not matter for him to tell, so he pulls his paw away from his mouth, shuffles himself to sit upright, and turns his head to face her. "Iggy is... from a different group, he arrived because he was friends with Olympia, and since then...they have been getting closer. This is their first official date," he says quietly, his gaze flitting between Hatsu and the duo who are currently exchanging gifts.