Wheels Have Each Other

38. Adrenaline

The cell had nothing but a bed, courtesy to their position in the society, and a jug of water and a couple of magazines. 

When Taehyung was shoved in, his knees gave away instantly, making him fall to the floor with a thud. With his mind still fogged with anxiety, he blindly slid backwards until his back was against the wall. He brought his knees up and wrapped his arms around them, still trembling like a shaking leaf. 

Jeongguk wasn't shoved in. Somehow, he was just allowed to walk in on his own accord, but Taehyung didn't notice it. His unfocused eyes were focussed on the floor while his mind wandered over to the lake that he had thrown Yugyeom's body in. 

A hand on his knee made him jump, bringing him back to the present. He found Jeongguk kneeling in front of him, with his eyes radiating warmth that he had never seen before. 

"Tae, come here," Jeongguk held his arms out and Taehyung didn't waste a second in scrambling into his husband's embrace, his body still trembling from fear. "Hyung...." he whimpered, but Jeongguk shushed him right away, squeezing him tight in his hold. 

"I'm here, okay? I'm right here, don't worry. We'll manage. It was self-defence. You did it to save me. It won't be your fault. Even if it is, I'll be right there with you, okay?" Jeongguk assured. "Wheels have each other, don't they? One can't move without the other, right?" he asked and Taehyung nodded, keeping his face buried into Jeongguk's neck. "Just like the wheels, we have each other too, okay? I got your back, don't worry." 

Big fat tears leaked from Taehyung's eyes as he buried his face deeper into the crevice of Jeongguk's neck. "It's okay, it's okay, shhhh," Jeongguk rubbed Taehyung's back comfortingly, "we'll get through it."

Taehyung didn't reply and Jeongguk didn't expect him to. He simply spent the next half an hour whispering comforting words until Taehyung's body fell limp in his arms, indicating that his husband had cried himself to sleep. 

With a sigh, he got up and with some effort, he picked Taehyung up in his arms and slowly walked to the bed. His body protested strongly due to the added strain, but he didn't pay attention to it. His husband was scared beyond his wits and he needed to comfort him at the moment. That was all that mattered. 

He tried to put Taehyung down on the bed and then retire to a corner of the cell to think to himself, but Taehyung whimpered the second he was lowered, feeling scared to let go of Jeongguk even in his sleep. 

Thus, without minding all the cops that were right outside the station cell that the two of them were put in, he got onto the bed along with husband and bundled him up in his arms.   

High-level guilt was eating him up mercilessly. He regretted pulling Taehyung into all of this business. The man would have been a thousand times better off away from him. 

He had thought he could manage and take care of the situation all by himself and keep his husband safe. Where had it landed him now?

His husband had killed someone for him and was now behind the bars. Even if it was temporary, Jeongguk was sure what the court would say. He could practically hear the judge's verdict about Taehyung being guilty. About him being guilty as well.

"Do you need to contact your lawyer?" a cop approached the cell and Jeongguk craned his head to look at the cop. He gulped heavily, his eyes tearing up right away. "My lawyer passed away a few days ago," he said and the cop's features softened a little. Jeongguk could even swear he heard a small 'sorry' being mumbled. 

"Don't you want to consult anyone else, then? The hearing's scheduled for tomorrow," the cop said and Jeongguk's eyes widened. Jeongyeon must have had money saved up to pay a hefty amount for the court session to happen faster. He knew her job didn't pay her much.