Chapter Text
Blood spattered across the abandoned, cracked, concrete sidewalk. Iseul watched, petrified as blood dripped onto the floor.
Iseul immediately threw his head up, from where the blue essence came from. No one was there. Perhaps they were working with a person with purple essence? No! NO! It didn't matter! No matter how little Min was reacting to the pain, the damage was evident; his breathing wet, and raspy. The blue essence trident in Min's chest disappeared, seemingly evaporating into thin air. Three, thick, punctures bled profusely, staining the dry cleaned suits and white shirts along with the old stone. Iseul was shaking, he tapped the wound and blood multiple times gently, like when a cat smacks at something nervously, as if he was scared it would jump out and bite him.
While Min was as stoic as always, it was apparent his left lung was punctured all the way through twice, and he was hit under his bottom most rib. Iseul willed himself to rest his hand on the wound without flinching backwards again. "M-min...? Are you okay?" An unwilling choke and gargle filled Min's throat when he tried to speak. Min was unable to heal himself sufficiently; he had overused his essence before, during the mission. Ryujin and Sayeon went ahead with Juni, because Iseul wanted to talk privately. He wouldn't have thought there was a surviving member of the group, much less one that could hurt Min, of all people.
"Min!" Iseul choked out, clutching the bloody cloth. The vibrant blue tie became saturated with plasma, becoming a deep violet. "S-should I get help?" He began to yell- "SAYE-" Min put a gentle hand on Iseul's chest, still choking through his own blood. It wasn't gentle to comfort, but because he couldn't muster up more strength. All Min wanted to do was close his eyes and stop trying to breathe. It took so much effort to keep conscious, but his logical side, (his only existent side, really.) said that Iseul needed him, The boss would kill him, and that he could not die from dirty play. His white eyelashes danced through the air, up and down, trying to stay open. Fighting to, if you will.
Iseul was taking an unsurprisingly heavy Min and trying to sit him up. He knew the blood would pool at the bottom of his lungs but it was somewhat better than it all immediately clogging up his throat. At least that's what Iseul thought. He wasn't a paramedic. He had no way to deal with this situation. Min spat up even more blood, but was actually able to hack this time. Iseul thought this was an impossible situation, until he heard voices – not his cellmates, but still voices.
Iseul's eyes flicked around trying to find the source. He saw two teenage girls; little younger than he. As soon as they saw the scene on the sidewalk, they began to turn, but Iseul got loud. "PLEASE! Get a crow! She's a red tie! Officer Juni Chang! Sh-she's 2 or so blocks ahead! He might just die.. I'm so sorry!" Iseul was letting his emotions get ahead of him. Why did he feel especially horrified about leaving Min to die? Little raindrops made his vision bleary. But only his.
'It's a terrible day for rain.' Was all he could think to himself, and he knew it wasn't raining but he would have liked to believe he wasn't that weak, to be sobbing over this. The girls meekly nodded, and spedwalked in the direction he pointed. Min had very labored but controlled breathing. His face was as taut as ever, but it was more painful to Iseul how he could keep a straight face through all the pain, more so than the pain itself. Maybe it was both. He didn't care, and nor should he; his friend was on the brink of death. He let himself give out strangled sobs, into Min's stiff body, which had taken to swallowing the blood as opposed to coughing it up. Maybe not great for your gastrointestinal system in the future, but it kept him breathing now.
What felt like hours passed before Juni came back with Ryujin and Sayeon. The girls were not to be found. Juni looked at Min slightly exasperated, frustrated, and noncommittally, all at once. Immediately they were swept back to HQs infirmary. Iseul was asked questions, and Min went to sleep the moment he landed in a bed; finally safe.
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Min woke to the hovering head with terracotta hair, who seemed thrilled at his awakening. "Min! Min, are you okay?" Min responded with a curt, simple, "Yes." before glossing over the area with the tingly feeling where his essence had speed healed his body. It tickled, in a way; his own fingers brushing over the epidermis. Iseul began to ramble almost incoherently. "I'm so glad you're okay, I was so worried.. I mean I don't know what I would have done. I'm so sorry Min!" Min held up his hand, feeling much better and less fog-minded. He sat up, abruptly taking the thin, rough blankets off, to find he was in comfortable casual clothes as opposed to his suit. He stood, and Iseul fussed in a panicked manner, telling him to sit and not to strain himself.
"I know it's cheesy but.. please... Can you sit, at least? It'll make me feel better. Like.. By alot..." Iseul looked down, berating himself for saying those kinds of words so suddenly. Min felt a bit fuzzy due to his words, and he decided to sit back down to ease his cellmate's worries. He blankly stared at the floor in front of him and Iseul, in-between the two. Iseul was still in his suit, not given the chance to change out of it. Iseul fidgeted a little more, he was a bit nervous at the fact that Min had listened.
"Thank… you..." Iseul said, piercing together his thoughts before he said more, for fear of exposing something unneeded.
The two had an awkward moment, before Iseul spoke, because he knew Min would not. "How are.. how are you feeling?" Iseul seemed a little more out of it than Min was, even though Min was the hurt one. Min awkwardly patted next to him on the bed; signifying for Iseul to sit. Iseul's eyes widened a bit, slightly taken aback, not expecting it. He sat next to Min. Min pat Iseul’s back a couple times with his stiff, but not gruff hands. "Fine. I am fine, nothing hurts." Min thought for a bit. Should he offer comfort to Iseul? He looked uneasy. But how? Would the boss allow it? He'd try his best.
"How are you? You look shaken." Iseul seemed a little shocked. Min hadn't said much other than what was required of him usually, so for him to speak without being prompted was a bit peculiar. Not that Iseul was complaining. Iseul liked the accent that Min had; he couldn't put his finger on it, and he liked the mystery. Slightly Russian? Maybe. Scratchy from lack of use, definitely. But Iseul reveled in it, before he caught himself doing it, of course. "I'm okay, I guess. I was terrified for you. you were throwing up blood, and I could hear your lungs rattling..." Min once more patted Iseul’s back tensely. "Well... uh.. I'm okay now.. so don't... don't worry."
Iseul tilted his head against Min's shoulder, a tear rolling down his cheek, disappearing into fabric quickly.. "...Yeah."
