The Survivors | Taekook [✔]

2

When Jungkook awoke, sunlight filtered through the canopy above his head. It was quiet, but there were a few birds here and there, their chirps echoing through the empty woods. The breeze was a pleasant mix of temperatures; cooler here, warmer there. But there was something missing. Taehyung. 

Panic settled in. Last night he had wanted nothing more than to believe that Taehyung would stay with him, to believe that for once in his life he'd have someone by his side. Of course not. How could he be so stupid? Who would want to take care of a cripple in the middle of an apocalypse?

"How could you let yourself depend on someone else? You know better!" He scolded himself, placing the palm of his right hand on his forehead, fingers pulling at his tangled fringe.

Sitting up straight, he looked at his leg- the broken one. The pain was still there- still excruciating, mind you- but he refused to let himself be so weak. He tried it out, putting just the slightest pressure on it.

"Agh!" He muttered a few curses.

Maybe he hasn't really left, he thought. Though the other part of his mind told him it was a stupid, pointless hope.

Still, he looked around for any sign of the older. Nothing to his right. Nothing to his left. Nothing behind him. Nothing. He was alone in an empty forest.

"This is my own fault," He told the still air, his voice fading into the trees, "I trusted someone. Look what's happened now. He's abandoned me, and quite frankly I don't blame him."

With no one around, he saw no point in acting tough. Slowly, he sighed and allowed himself to register the pain. All the pain. He hugged his thighs and put his head on his knees. And, very slowly, he began to cry for the first time in thirteen years.

And there, in that lonely forest, he had nothing more to do than cry his eyes out. And he did. He cried for his parents, for his friends, for his old life. He cried for safety, for love, for everything he used to know. He cried for himself and all the sadness he had been keeping inside himself, all the emotions he'd kept bottled up. For his pain, his suffering, for his loss of innocence.

When Jungkook finally slowed to a sniffle, he heard the bushes rustle.

Probably the ones without free will, he thought, and if it is, let them take me. What can I do anyway?

But suddenly, he felt a gentle, very human hand on his back. Not the rough hazmat gloves of the ones without free will.

"Jungkook, please do tell me when you're done. I have food for you, but you can't eat while you're crying."

Jungkook froze.

It couldn't be.

He lifted his head, eyes wide as he looked up. And there he was. Taehyung, kneeling beside him, brows furrowed in worry, eyes soft with understanding. Quickly, he wiped his face on his sleeve.

"T-Taehyung... You came back for me..."

Taehyung furrowed his brow further as he searched the younger's reddened face.

"Of course I did, I only left to get food. I thought I'd be back by the time you wok up. Sorry for scaring you... Is that why you were crying? Did you think I'd left you?"

"That may be... Partly why..." Jungkook admitted quietly.

Taehyung looked up at the sky. The sun was shining down at a slight angle, a lick of time away from the highest point of its arch.

"You cried for a very long time, Jungkook," Taehyung murmured, rubbing a few small circles into the younger's back. "Are you hungry?"

Jungkook only nodded. Taehyung turned to his backpack and reached into it, retrieving an orange and a bunch of grapes. The older handed them over gently, carefully, as if offering the food to a wild animal