Work Text:
It was his fault, really. He and Ming had celebrated their second anniversary of dating in secret and though, yeah, he would really like to not have to only be able to hold hands without any classmates around, but he didn't want to cause problems with her mother. (He knew all too well how important family was, appearances, were.) But Ming, she didn't want to keep him like a shameful secret, and Jin couldn't help but love her for that, with all of his high school sophmore heart. He should have insisted more on keeping it hidden, tried to keep the peace. Maybe they wouldn't be here now, her family's temple in tatters and Ming missing.
Mrs. Lee was still in the temple. Jin couldn't look her in the eye - he just ran. He and Ming could get her some bandages, gauze, once this was all over with. If it ever ended.
A choked-off sob came from an alley coming up. Jin sprinted around the corner, waving away a puff of red smoke. "Ming? Ming!" She'd landed near some recycling bins, curled up in a bundle of plaid and red. A lot of red. "Are you okay?!"
He ran to her and stopped short half a meter. A couple of shallow cuts on her knees and a solid bruise on her cheek seemed like the extent of the physical damage. Ming's face was buried in her hands, glasses askew on her face. "Y-yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. I'm okay."
"Ming—" Jin held out a hand her direction. She didn't take it.
"I... did I hurt her? Is my mom okay?" His expression gave her an answer before he could school it into neutrality. "I knew it. I knew I was dangerous, that I'd screw up. Mom was right all along and I didn't listen." All at once, she pulled herself to her feet, drew herself up tall with tear tracks down her face. "I'll go back. I'll seal the red panda, go through with the ceremony. It'll be safer for everyone, for my sisters and for you and for h-her." A sniff. "She has to be okay with you if I do it."
He felt helpless. Ming still wouldn't take his hand. Jin wasn't sure if she will, ever, in this, and he understood, even if it hurt. "If that's what you really want. Do you?"
She nodded. "Yes, it is.