THE GROUND IS littered with dead bodies and weapons and blood.
Seokjin doesn't check the bodies for identification. Everyone that he cares about is safe, except for Jeongguk, and Seokjin isn't even sure that he's still alive. It has only been a few weeks, but Jimin hadn't returned with any news of their youngest.
Seokjin wants to go out looking for Jeongguk. But that would be irresponsible on his part; he has people to protect and heal. He has duties.
Seokjin takes slow steps, stopping at the sight of a white bird. It's impaled by an arrow and dead, the arrow head in the ground. Seokjin swallows, bending down and taking the arrow out of the bird's chest.
Why, in the midst of a war between humans, would someone shoot a bird?
Holding the winged animal's lifeless body in his hands, Seokjin's eyes prick with tears that he doesn't let fall. Instead, he stands up and heads away, already knowing what he has to do.
;;
NAMJOON WAS THE only one to run from the war.
He's a coward. He knows this. He doesn't need anyone to tell him — he ducked his head and ran away from danger, knowing that he would be shameful of it later.
As he walks towards the animals he's been protecting for so long, someone's voice stops him.
"It's over."
Namjoon doesn't need to turn to know who it is.
"Yoongi." His name tastes bitter on Namjoon's tongue. "What do you want?"
"I'm leaving soon." Yoongi's steps come closer until he's standing in front of Namjoon. His white clothes are dirty and torn, specks of blood here and there, and yet Namjoon is not afraid. He'd seen Yoongi fight without mercy, killing the enemy in one single movement, never running away in the face of danger.
To see one of his dear friends become a killer in front of his eyes was the turning point for Namjoon. Namjoon is not a killer; and he runs because remaining here would turn him into one.
"Where are you going?" asks Namjoon, though he already has his suspicions.
"A little east from here," Yoongi tilts his head in that direction. "I'm going to take out an enemy base."
"By killing them all?"
Yoongi stuffs his hands in his pockets, licking his lips. He lets out a humorless chuckle. "Is there any other way?"
Namjoon knows there isn't, so he remains quiet, his eyes going over Yoongi's shoulder to look at his animals in the distance.
Yoongi seems to understand where his attention went, and he smiles tiredly. "You always were a softie, Joon."
Namjoon says nothing. Yoongi walks up to him, resting a hand on his shoulder. And though Yoongi is smaller in size, he has the presence of an entire army combined.
"Don't become like me," he says. "Don't become a killer."
And he's gone in the other direction before Namjoon can even ask him to stay.
