EMPTY SPACE ; yugbam [HIATUS]

-41-

"Bambam, how are you doing?"

There was silence, and then a crackle. "We're okay, but it's starting to get a little...hard to breathe. How much longer until Jin- I mean Dr. Park, gets back?"

Yugyeom sighed heavily, running his hands through his dark hair. He paced anxiously, constantly checking the area for any sign of the doctor.

"I-I don't know."

Silence. Yugyeom hated the bits of silence before Bambam answered, because it made his mind run with all the worries of what could go wrong.

"It's okay, Yugyeom. Just...just try to stay calm."

Yugyeom laughed shortly and harshly. It was a laugh made for the ironicy of the situation rather than for humor.

"I should be telling you that", Yugyeom whispered, his eyes brimming with tears. He glanced around the forest again, worry eating at his edges.

"I'm serious, Gyeomie. Don't panic. I know you want to."

"Please be okay", he begged into the speaker. The radio crackled and he heard a wet laugh.

"I'm so sorry. I should have listened to you."

Yugyeom shook his head, trying to choke down the lump in his throat. "Stop. Please stop."

"Am I not allowed to say goodbye?"

"It's not goodbye!", Yugyeom shouted, collapsing on a rock. Hot tears fell out of his eyes and he tried to hold back the sobs.

"But just in case-"

"I'm getting you out of there, Bambam", Yugyeom replied harshly. His voice was low and serious and tears still fell down his cheeks, dripping onto the moist ground. "I'm not leaving you again. I already said that."

It was silent again, and Yugyeom counted every second that passed with anxiousness. Then, the radio crackled and a soft sigh was heard followed by a little sniff.

"Alright Yugs. I believe you."

"Yugyeom! Come help me!"

Yugyeom jumped up, wiping the tears from his eyes as he watched Jinyoung stumbling toward him, weighed down by equipment. Yugyeom rushed forward, grabbing the large rope from Jinyoung's hands.

"Hurry up to the top of the cave and look for the opening they said there was", Jinyoung instructed and Yugyeom obeyed, stumbling over himself as he ran up to the top of the rocks.

Jinyoung was close behind, following Yugyeom as he searched for the hole desperately. He could hear the radio crackling, Bambam asking if he was okay, but he was too distracted to answer it. Finally, he found the opening and waved Jinyoung over.

He grabbed the radio and pressed the button down. "Bambam, Jinyoung is back with the stuff and we found the opening!"

"Really?! Wait, Mark wants the radio."

Jinyoung held out his hand for the radio and Yugyeom handed it to him quickly. They waited for Mark's response in silence.

"You have the stuff?"

"Yes", Jinyoung replied. Yugyeom glanced over at what he had been carrying and gasped. It was the familiar, dark case that they carried their dynamite in. "I brought the dynamite and I'm going to blow open a bigger hole."

"You can't do that, it might cause more rocks to collapse!"

"It's all we had, Mark. It was either that or let you die, and I'm not losing anyone on my team. You might want to step back."

Jinyoung got to work, strapping the dynamite down in place. He pulled a box of matches out of his jumper pocket and struck one against the rock. He hesitated for a second and Yugyeom watched from a distance, his heart beating so heavily he swore everyone could hear.

Then, the fire touched the string and Jinyoung ran, pulling himself and Yugyeom behind a rock. They covered their head as the dynamite blew, shards of rock flying through the air. Yugyeom's stomach churned, praying that Bambam was alright.

Jinyoung glanced out from behind the rock, eyes wide. He smiled and pulled Yugyeom out with him. The dynamite had worked and the other rocks had stayed in place, leaving Mark and Bambam safe.

"Bambam!", Yugyeom shouted, rushing forward. Jinyoung started unwinding the rope as Yugyeom peered down in the cave, searching for Bambam.

At last, the smaller boy appeared, small cuts littering his face from the shards of rock, but otherwise left unharmed. He stared up at Yugyeom, smiling softly. Mark stumbled up next to him, peering up at the doctor and Yugyeom.

"Here", Jinyoung said, throwing the rope down. Bambam gestured for Mark to go first and the man started climbing. Rope climbing had been part of their training so they all knew how to do it.

Mark clapped both Yugyeom and Jinyoung on the shoulder once he'd gotten up before coughing and breathing in the clear air.

Yugyeom waited desperately as Bambam climbed, his heart throbbing. He nearly broke into tears again once he saw his dark head of hair popping up over the edge of the hole.

"Thank-"

Bambam was cut off as Yugyeom launched himself into the smaller boy, wrapping his arms so tightly around him that he could barely breathe. Bambam's eyes widened at first before closing as he sunk into the hug, wrapping his arms around Yugyeom.

"You were right. You did save me", Bambam whispered in Yugyeom's ear. The taller boy pulled back, meeting Bambam's soft gaze.

Then he leaned forward and caught Bambam's lips in his own.

The kiss was soft and tender and full of so much worry and care for the other that they were choking on it. Yugyeom moved his hand up to Bambam's chin, pulling him ever closer.

Someone cleared their throat and Yugyeom suddenly remembered that there were other people there. His face burned and both boys pulled away, coughing slightly in embarrassment. Mark stared at them with a knowing smile while Jinyoung looked both confused and unsurprised.

"Uh...", Yugyeom said smartly, rubbing the back of his neck. Bambam stared at the ground, shuffling his feet.

"Let's get back to the Carrier", Mark replied, picking up the dynamite box and starting off toward the vehicle. Jinyoung gave the boys one last glance before heading off.

When their backs were turned, Yugyeom felt a hand slip into his own and his heart fluttered.

—-
this is cheesy as fuck i'm so sorry