✔ Far Cry | JJK x OC

✔Chapter 18 // Omani village

Jungkook opened his eyes with a deep breath. He immediately identified it smelled like flowers, and it was so intense that for a split second, he thought he was laying in a field of them. Then his eyes opened fully and he recognized instantly where he was; he could hear faint voices from the other side of the door. He tried sitting up in bed and grunted, touching his right arm instantly.

Ah hell, he thought he had dreamed it. The bubbly smooth surface was completely alien to him and if he didn't know better, he would not have believed it was his own arm. He made an effort to ignore it and raised his eyes when the door opened.

Leah smiled happily and announced, "He's awake!"

Jungkook barely noticed Ella and Namjoon entering behind her, he just stared at her as he remembered undressing in front of her and the way she looked at him. His face turned red and he pulled up the sheet and towels to cover himself more.

Leah sat on the bed beside him, "How are you feeling?"

He swallowed, "Better, though it still bothers me."

She nodded and observed his arm. She was tempted to touch it but didn't. Instead, she placed something in front of him. "I made you a cream to help soothe the itchiness and to make it go away faster."

He looked at the small white plastic flask, "You made it? For me?"

She scoffed, "Why that tone of surprise?"

"She really did do it", Ella confirmed, to Namjoon as well. "I didn't have to say anything, she knew exactly how to do it."

Jungkook's expression shifted from a child that is receiving a gift to being focused on Ella's words and their implications. Namjoon crossed eyes with him too — what did that even mean?

Leah completely dismissed what Ella said, "Anyway, it should help. About tonight, Ella invited me to come with her."

Namjoon frowned, "What do you mean, aren't we all going?"

"Yes," Ella assured, "but as you'll see tonight, it will make more sense this way. I'll look after Leah while you two do your thing."

"Their thing?" Leah asked, confused.

Ella glanced at Namjoon and he nodded, "Yes. Ella has told us a little about the tatau."

"It's not just about the ink or even the ceremony," she said. "It's about becoming a part of the community and without mingling and learning about it, it will be hard to get the choice to even do it. So tonight talk around, get interested. If you can get training it will just make things easier."

Namjoon nodded with a small sigh, not looking forward to the social banter part of it. Jungkook wasn't really listening, most of his brain was stuck on the fact that Leah made a gift for him, and not just any gift. How did someone even know how to do something like that?

"We should go and get ready," Ella added.

"What about the cream?" Leah almost pouted.

"I can put it on him," Namjoon offered, taking a step forward.

"No," Jungkook finally spoke, making them all look at him. "If I use it now, won't it glue to my clothes?" Leah wasn't smiling anymore. He hurried to add, "I should just apply it tomorrow..."

"No, you can bandage it." Ella approached him, "The cream isn't very thick and it won't glue for long, but if it bothers you, bandaging should be okay. I can do it."

Jungkook opened his mouth to refute her but felt like he really couldn't. He looked at Leah, who got up from the bed to give way for Ella to treat him properly. He saw her back as she moved away and, despite his tries, he never saw her face. Ella took the vial from him and started applying it on his blistered skin, and he observed her between gritted teeth and curled toes, fearful of her.