Life isn't fair.
And the harsh reminders of that were all around.
...
"Taehyung." There was no way that name could have possibly come from his own lips. Not when it felt like the world around him was spinning so fast that it was bound to collapse at any second. Colors and lines blurred until everything became monotones, a mess of objects and faces that he didn't recognize.
"Seokjin. Thank fucking Christ." Sorrow and desperation and pain creased Taehyung's face, making the lines etched into his forehead and around his eyes seem far deeper than they actually were. Worry laid there too, along with a strange sense of relief that Seokjin didn't fully understand.
"How is he? Is he gonna be okay?" Somewhere in his mind was the knowledge that Namjoon should be coming behind him. He had dropped him off at the entrance, saying something about going to park and being right there. But Seokjin hadn't wasted time on listening. Actually he hadn't even waited for the car to fully come to a stop before he was bolting out of it, running at full speed into the emergency room.
"I don't know. They haven't said anything." It sounded so broken and it made his heart clench in fear and agony.
"What happened?" Reaching out, Seokjin took both of Taehyung's trembling hands into his own, intertwining their fingers and squeezing softly.
"There was a call about an armed robbery in progress. I guess... fuck. I guess Jungkook and his partner were closest so they took it. Guy apparently got three rounds off before Kook tackled him."
"Was... was everyone else okay?" He distinctly had the feeling that he didn't want to know the answer to that question. And it was only made worse by the fact that Taehyung didn't even answer. Just let out a soft sound and shook his head. "What about Kookie?"
"Got hit once in the arm. They... fuck, Jin, they think the second one got his stomach but what if it was higher?" It all came out as a sobbing mess, and all Seokjin could do was pull the other into his arms and try to get them onto the nearest piece of furniture before his already weak body collapsed under the combined weight.
"Hey, listen to me. Jungkook is strong, okay? He's so fucking strong. He's made it through everything and come out on the other side. He'll get through this too."
"You don't get it, Jin. Jungkook was only ever strong because of Jimin. I'm pretty sure you've figured this out already, but he's not great on his own. He needs someone on his side."
"He has someone." Seokjin had never once thought of himself as a strong omega. As someone who had excess power to hand out freely. Bravery and courage weren't exactly virtues he had been given in spades.
But Yoongi was the strongest omega he had ever known. And there was no way he could come from someone like that and not have the same strength coursing through his veins. "He has me."
"I knew you'd say that." There was a soft laugh, breaking through the sound of tears. "I knew you'd come and I knew you'd say that. Just like I know you'll save him."
"I will. Even if it takes everything I have. I will save Jungkook."
...
Time had stopped.
Each time he glanced upwards towards the clock it seemed as though it hadn't moved at all, the hands still in the exact same places they had been before. For a while he thought perhaps it was simply broken, and wondered what the point of that would be, to leave it in that state. Maybe to fool people into thinking that no time had passed, to make them somehow worry less.
