1.1 | louder than bombs

- 12 -

"CAIRO!"

Jaemoon's head shot up at the scream which was followed by a loud bang, his anxious eyes trying to locate Cairo.

Please be okay for me, Doe. Please.

He shot the man in front of him in his shoulder before darting away, stepping over the fallen bodies and into the last room only to be greeted by a horrifying sight.

The room was quiet except for the loud sobs echoing off the walls. Troy was down on his knees, pulling his best friend's head into a gentle hold on his lap, tears streaming down his red face. Cairo laid unconscious, blood seeping out of his wound on his stomach, his long fingers that were painted red with his own blood lying motionless by his side.

"CAIRO," Troy wailed out, shaking the unconscious man in his lap by the shoulders as his blue eyes welled up with tears, "No, no, no. Cai, you can't do this to me. Not again."

Jaemoon choked, dropping onto his knees by the doorframe. The sight brought up memories, some bad memories.

"Jeon! Jeon, help me. Please!" Troy looked up, pleading to the frozen man by the door, the veins in his neck popping out because of his grief-driven tone.

The grey-head snapped his head back to the male in his arms, pulling himself out of whatever state he was in until then.

Fucking hell. I am a medic for fuck's sake. This is exactly what I'm being trained for. What the fuck am I doing?

Troy took a deep breath before assessing the wound, rubbing away at the tears.

Fuck, there's too much blood.

Troy immediately pressed his knee to Cairo's injury, applying the needed pressure onto the gunshot wound. He once again looked up at the Captain who was still frozen in his place, except his hands were pulling on his hair harshly, his mouth wide open in a silent scream.

"Jeon? Jeon, please. This is not-"

But Jaemoon was long gone.

...

"HYUNG!"

Another grenade was set off, the tank on which it landed exploding into a million pieces, the metal debris flying everywhere.

It was wet, the raindrops falling harshly, making it difficult to navigate around the battlefield.

"Mo-Moonie," the man said, barely audible over the chaos ensuing in the background. But Jaemoon heard it clearly, his Hyung's voice loud to his ears.

The man stretched his hand towards the weeping boy, his arm straining at the small movement before it dropped down, lying lifeless on the muddy ground.

"Hyung, no, no, this is not happening," the boy cried out, hunching over the man's unmoving body, his tears falling onto his Hyung's ashen cheeks, his cries left unheard by a peal of rumbling thunder.

"Hyung, please!" Jaemoon choked out, his eyes wildly running over the male's body, his fingers painted a dark ruby. His Hyung's blood on his pale hands.

"I'm s-sorry, Hyung," the boy whimpered, absolutely devastated, thick tears rolling down his soft cheeks that became one with the rain, "It's all my fault. My f-fault."

...

"...amoon, JAEMOON!" a voice shouted, snapping him out of his stupor, pulling him up to make him stand on his numb feet.

He raised his blank eyes to Dohyun, biting his bottom lip harshly. The Lieutenant let out a pained sigh before engulfing Jaemoon into a hug, patting his back softly. Of course, Dohyun knew what Jaemoon just thought of, he was there too after all.

"Oh, Jae," he whispered, "It's okay, now. Cairo is on his way to the base now. He is in safe hands."

Jaemoon snapped his head up to look at the elder as if he just realised the reason that even triggered those memories.

"Fuck. I failed again, Hyung. Doe needed my help and I just," he let out a harsh breath, "And I did nothing."

"He is fine, Jae. Damaris was with him the whole time, he won't let anything happen to Cairo. Don't you dare blame yourself again."

"What if, what if I lose him too?" Jaemoon asked, already thinking of the worst, his heart crushing at the thought.

That was his worst fear, losing someone he loved. Again.

"Come out of it, Jae," Dohyun said in a firm yet soft tone, "Nothing is going to happen to Cairo, okay?"

He lowered his head to look into Jaemoon's eyes, making sure he stayed so till Jaemoon realised that he wasn't going anywhere, that he would always be there for the man. Jaemoon sniffled ever so softly, finally nodding his head as if to reassure his Hyung. Dohyun smiled a small smile.

"Now, let's go back to the Base."

Dohyun pulled Jaemoon along with him, stepping over the black-outfitted soldiers' bodies, heading towards the Station. Jaemoon sat still as his eyes aimlessly looked out at the blurring scenery.

Ever since what happened all those years ago, Jaemoon felt like he was living through an endless winter, the cold suffocating him every day, every second.

Sure, the pain he would feel the next day would be a tad bit lesser than the previous but he felt the pain nonetheless, battling the bitter cold by himself. Dohyun was there for him, however, the elder was like a warm cup of coffee, giving warmth when needed but not entirely protecting him from the harsh snow.

Then again, no season lasts forever.

From the moment he met Cairo, Jaemoon felt a warm spell casted over his frosty weather, the air carrying a sweet smell of the slowly blooming cherry blossoms. A very unusual happening, no less than a miracle.

The small, soft-pink flowers had been blooming petal-by-petal against the white landscape, the medic's boxy-smile thawing the Captain's heart.

But what if those soft blossoms wither? What if the sweet smell is once again replaced with the smoky coldness? Jaemoon will not survive the bitter cold that he was previously used to, not after getting a whiff of the saccharine smell, knowing what warmth felt like.

He simply won't be able to.

🏔

so that was chapter 12. let me know how you guys felt reading this chapter.

QOTD: what would be the perfect crime?

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love,
athenelar