1.1 | louder than bombs

- 13 -

Troy moved on autotune, his mind not able to comprehend what just transpired in the past two hours. What was supposed to be a simple task of fetching the much needed medical equipment blew up to something so unexpected.

Troy couldn't bear the sight of his best friend on a stretcher, his small body seemed so delicate, covered with his own blood as if the smallest of movement could break the man.

If there was anything that the blue-eyed man could do to swap places with Cairo, he would do it in a heartbeat. No hesitation, no questions asked. The man was his best friend- no, more than that, more than anyone could ever mean to him and him being more than anyone could be to the unconscious brunette.

Most people mocked them during their childhood, labelling them as 'disgusting twinks' because of how attached they were and how they weren't afraid of showing their chaste love and affection to each other. But that's what people do, mindlessly judge things they don't know the first thing about. It's simply impossible for platonic love to run as deep as their's does but not surprising, not after going through everything they experienced together, no matter how trivial or earth-shattering the said experiences were.

And Troy was not ready to face something that would shatter his very core, his very being, without his best friend- or maybe because he was left without his best friend.

They had arrived at the Base ten minutes back, Jun shouting at the prepared medics to hurry over and help Cairo, the unconscious man their top priority seeing as how no soldiers suffered as major injuries as Cairo. After that, everything was hazy.

Troy could hear the wind ruffling through the dry leaves, could see Phoenix screaming in his face and could feel her trembling fingers jerking his shoulders but at the same time, he couldn't.

...

Heart-wrenching wails bounced off the chipped walls, people either grieving over the death of their loved ones or choking out prayers in hopes of seeing their dearest well and alive.

Troy sprinted through the corridor, one number echoing over and over in his head.

304. 304. 30- there it is.

The door almost flew off its hinges at the force, Troy's fingers clutching onto the door handle. Never in his worst nightmares did he think he would witness a scene so terribly painful that it would make him drop onto his knees.

"B-Blue," Cairo called out, his voice drowned with guilt and pain.

Cairo laid on a small bed. His right leg was lifted by a pillow, the limb bandaged heavily though it did nothing to hide the injury inflicted, the white cloth stained a dark red. Needles were punctured into the backs of his hands, several IVs hooked to his slender hands.

And lastly his face, the sight stabbing Troy right through his heart.

His best friend's eyes that were usually so full of life seemed to be veiled with something else, the brown orbs that were rimmed a horrible red filled with a feeling so ugly and agonising. His ever-rosy cheeks were now red, scratches marking the soft skin with vicious trails. He flitted his sapphire eyes to Cairo's fingers, the underside of his nails caked with blood.

"He d-died, Blue," Cairo wept, his body racking with gut-clenching sobs, "He died and I couldn't do anything. He died because of m-me."

Troy crawled towards the bed, his legs numb from shock. He slowly raised his finger to his Cai's cheeks, touching the raw skin with a feather-like gentleness upon reaching the bed. His lips wobbled with forced back sobs, his eyebrows clenched with pain as he gazed at the broken man in front of him with immeasurable agony.