“They’re going to live.”

It didn’t matter how much you voiced your statement, even you were struggling to believe in it now. You had managed to escape, though there was no slowing down for some time. The air was tense, the sacrifice given for the six of you to get away from Argo and his men hung over the heads of everyone. Dusk arrived and the decision to continue onto the docks throughout the night meant there was no time to rest and recover.

You knew Mark was sporting a minor injury from combat and yet he continued as if it didn’t bother him. Perhaps it didn’t. And yet, you worried about him joining Jackson in his evident pain. Jackson travelled in and out of consciousness, letting out whines and grunts sporadically.

The plan to leave the base hadn’t seemed this grim, even when everyone had spoken about it in depth. You felt ridiculous for being so naïve. The past two days had felt more like two years in length and the waves of emotions had truly taken their toll on you.

“Rest,” Jinyoung said into your ear but you shook your head stubbornly. His arm that hadn’t shifted from around your middle curled further into you, pulling you back into his armoured torso.

You fought his instruction and sat back up, the dark strands of the horse’s mane instead. “I’m staying awake.”

“Don’t resist rest when you need it.”

“No one else is resting.”

“We’re used to this,” Jinyoung refuted and you heaved a troubled breath.

“I’m not. I’m not used to this at all.”

“I know and that’s why you need to rest so you can face tomorrow as best as you can.”

“Why? When Mark’s injured and acting like it’s fine to be.”

The fellow rider glanced at the pair of you and then winced. “It’s not my first injury, Y/N. It’s just a light cut, I’ll be fine.”

“Until you’re not and then it’ll be you in the cart next to Jackson!”

“Y/N,” Jinyoung growled warningly and you tore your gaze from Mark’s stunned expression and down to the hairs you were holding within your hands. Your tears fell upon your fingers, soaking the strands. The man behind you softened at your spilling emotions, sighing heavily. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, it’s not your fault I’m not cut out for this.”

“I don’t want you to be accustomed to any of this.”

“I’m no help to any of you. I couldn’t do anything when they surrounded us and now we have no idea if BamBam and Yugyeom are-”

“He was the spy.”

You nodded sadly. “I knew already. Jackson spoke of his suspicions.”

“And yet you are worried about him? We wouldn’t be in this mess with Argo hunting us down if it weren’t for him sharing information over the radio.”

“Of course! He risked his life for us to get this far. He could be hurt or…”

“He could be dead,” Jinyoung finished your statement. “He would have died with no regrets then.”

“I don’t want him to be gone from this world!” you admitted tearfully. “He was too young to have completed everything he was destined to.”

“Life isn’t so clear cut for us, you know that. We’re lucky to even make it to adults. Most Forsaken don’t live that long.”

“It’s all so cruel.”

Jinyoung held you more tightly. “We have each other, we have a life ahead of us that we can live in gratitude for the choices the others made for us to have this. Let’s not think so horribly anymore, hm?”

“You sound like me,” you mentioned with a watery chuckle. “It’s me who is always looking for the brighter side to everything.”

“Well, I’ve got to start trying now too.”

“Why?”

Pressing his lips to your crown, Jinyoung nestled his head into your neck. “Because I’m no longer a warrior. Just a man in love who wants to settle down with his family away from all of this.”

You smiled. “I love you, Jinyoung.”

“I love you even more, Y/N.”

 

You had been lulled into slumber in the early hours of the morning, the continuous movement of the horse rocking you back and forth and easing your concerns. However, you were woken with a jolt, Youngjae’s scream echoing within your mind.

Eyes now wide, you looked ahead to see the horse and cart sliding on the path dangerously, the majestic animal falling to the ground with a groan.

There laid an arrow in its chest.

“We’re under attack!” Jaebum cried as another arrow hurtled towards your convoy from the east. Jinyoung’s horse came to a stop and you leapt out of his grip, running towards the cart now on its side.

Youngjae was cradling Jackson’s head in his arms. “Is he okay?!”

“I’ll check!” you exclaimed, your hands shaking as you reached to search for a pulse. You nodded rapidly when you found it. “He’s still with us!”

Your attention turned to the new battle in front of you. It was a much smaller group, some twenty men with a battered and bloodied leader riding towards you all. Jinyoung dismounted his horse and pulled out his sword, swinging away any arrows that came his way. Mark and Jaebum brought down four attackers before running out of arrows themselves, reaching for alternative protection.

“You bother me greatly, cat.”

“Still alive, are we? I didn’t know dogs had multiple lives as well,” Jinyoung grunted, his face contorted in a deadly manner. You had never seen him look this dark an