atlas; bts au

three

THREE

"jin? hyung?"

yoongi poked his head from the door, opening it just by a couple of inches and scanning the area. "jin-hyung," he called, furrowing his brows and stepping into the almost scarily clean room, painted perfectly with even strokes of pale blue that was almost white. "funny. he's usually here.. i don't think he has training." he shut the entrance behind him, hesitantly walking towards the bed as his eyes locked on another shut door leading to the bathroom.

he quickened his strides, hands shaking in dread and worry as he reached out to grab the knob and twist it. the short boy swung it open, gaze sweeping over the wide expanse. "hyung." his arms slumped to his side, conflicted. although he couldn't help but feel comfort that he was standing here breathing and alive, unease fed his timidity. he wanted to scream at the boy in front of the mirror halfway through getting ready for a shower.

seokjin didn't give a reply, his eyes scrutinizing his reflection in the body length mirror. yoongi had opted to remove it, even attempted to do it in secret with his partner in crime, jungkook, but was met with resistance from the older that could rival his. the wasted water was running from the shower head, slipping down the drain and providing the soft pitter patter of a reminder it was still on, but he didn't seem to mind. or maybe, he hadn't even noticed. yoongi couldn't tell.

seokjin gritted his teeth, staring at the frame in the mirror. he had tried for excuses: it was broken, it just looks that way because i just ate, or maybe, the more frequent one, i'm seeing things. the last one just plunged his self-esteem into an ocean. the younger skeptically made his way towards him and reached for his hand. he intertwined it and letting out a quiet breath of relief when jin slowly weaved his fingers with his, tightening his grip.

"do you.. do you think.." he gulped, not being able to look the shorter in the eye and instead opted to stare at the glass holding his and the other's image. he didn't say it, but yoongi knew what he meant. "no." he murmured, and seokjin watched yoongi look into their reflection and fully secure his grasp.

his answer was the same answer as always, but it was more than enough.

..he wasn't really here, was he?

"jin-hyung."

blackness engulfed his vision and he slowly regained the ability to feel the texture of soft cotton under his fingertips, his back resting on a bed and his head sinking into a pillow. he felt horrible— a sense of gritty and oily skin had registered in his mind and he mentally cringed, still enveloped in black. he could faintly see the beams of light shining from most likely the military clinic's window through closed eyes, feel the iv in his arm and the clip over his finger.

he didn't dare open his eyes— yoongi was still in his head. if he could just..

another wave of repulse washed over him. he probably hadn't showered in days, or maybe hours. he was lying in sheets that were probably sterile, and yet all he wanted to was jump out and take a bath. panic fell over him and his mind raced with the urge to reach for the usual hand sanitizer in his pocket that was so obviously absent. the lack of it terrified him more than he wanted to admit and the familiar fabric of a hospital gown seeped into his nerves.

get me out.

yoongi was further now, way out of his reach. "wait—!" seokjin cried to the blankness as the last glimpse of the younger's smile faded away with it. this time, his eyes finally snapped open and was met with a speckled ceiling that he could confidently tell from his view, had eight hundred and seventy-two dots scattered over the canvas of white. how many times had he been here now? he almost wanted to squeeze the hand wrapped around his, wishing it was the person he wanted it to be. it wasn't.