atlas; bts au

eight

EIGHT

"do you think he's dead?" jungkook rolled down the window, pushing his hand through the gap and letting the wind brush over his fingertips. "who? yoongi? my dad? yugyeom? mark?" seokjin listed off a couple of more names and jungkook winced at every one. "there's a lot of hes." "i mean yoongi." the younger let his arm hang outside, twisting his body to stare at jin. the hand sanitizer was placed in the cup holder and he glanced at it as he awaited an answer from the male beside him.

"i can't believe he let you drop honorifics." jungkook didn't mention the abrupt change of subject, instead deciding to go along with it. he was afraid of the answer either way. "well, he didn't but i didn't really care. i mean he's tiny and i could literally throw him around fifty times without breaking a sweat." the younger snickered at the image of yoongi flying around as he spun him in a circle, "i swear he will fly away if it's a windy day."

seokjin scoffed, but didn't voice any type of disagreement. "hyung?" the older hummed in reply, a signal he was listening. "do you think.. if we ever encounter the people we loved who had turned.. we'd be able to kill him?" jin flinched at the question, knuckles turning white. "no." he muttered. jungkook didn't say anything, pulling his hand back inside and leaning his head on his palm.

they had been driving for hours now, and what had formerly been just landscapes of desert filtered into a small town of a couple of shops and a handful of dilapidated apartment buildings and houses. seokjin glanced at the gas meter as they lapsed back into their contemplative silence, the faded red green of the scale trickling back down to just the crimson shade. "we need to get gas," he informed jungkook, knowing fully aware he wouldn't reply.

the younger nodded slightly, keeping his gaze trained from outside the window. jin drove into the parking of one of the abandoned gas stations, grasping the keys between his fingers and twisting it, turning it off. "his hearing." jungkook whispered and seokjin froze, stopping mid-way between opening the door. "yoongi's hearing." the blond didn't look at him, but his voice broke.

the older closed his eyes, deciding to ignore the reminder before he got out of the car, figuring out what to make of a dead district. he traced a finger over the buttons, leaving a long trail between gathering dust. he had no idea how to work the machine now that there was practically nothing powering it and he sighed, tilting his head forwards to lock onto the small building ahead.

a cross between a faint smile and frown melted into a characteristic on his face, scarred and littered with filth, dirt, and blood. seokjin turned and poked his head into the open window, a barely lingering hope weaving through his countenance as he met jungkook's hesitant stare. "do you want to camp here for the night?" he asked, though it wasn't exactly a question, more of a suggestion the younger knew he couldn't be able to argue with.

"yeah." jungkook took off his seatbelt, opening the passenger door with half a glimpse of seokjin reaching in and pulling out the keys. he climbed out of his seat, fumbling with the metal name tag pinned to his lab coat as they roamed towards the shop and the younger quickly snatched the first aid kit from the car. gingerly, the older pressed a hand against the cracked surface of the glass door, hesitantly pushing it open.

it surprisingly eased into a gap and he stepped back, startled at the movement. "be careful," he murmured, stepping into the entrance and letting his eyes flicker around the area. "it's clear." jungkook nodded, following him inside and setting the kit on the floor. "do we camp here?" he questioned, frowning at the blood stains in his blonde hair. he returned his attention towards seokjin to watch him kick a rock around. "yeah. until we can figure something out."

"okay." the younger pursed his lips, shuffling over to the center of blankets and camping supplies, pulling one of the packets from the hook. his fingers skimmed over its plastic covering and he sighed, unzipping it and tugging it out. "i know you never sleep in the day, hyung." he tossed the bag at him, smiling as he scrambled to catch it. "but nevertheless, rest is key."

"if you are philosophical one more time, i will murder you and leave your dead body here."

"is he okay?" quiet voices shook seokjin awake and he groggily sat up, eyes snapping open. moonlight filtered through the damaged doors as they opened and he warily got up to his feet, gently shaking jungkook in a hushed voice. "jungkook." the boy's immediately shot up and the older clasped a hand over his mouth, "shh." his irises were wide in the dark and seokjin placed a finger over his lips, shifting from his crouching position to a standing one.

jungkook imitated him, standing by his side with short, minimal movements. "what do you think, dipshit? does he look okay?" the noises were distant and they slowly took steps towards them, jin clutching a gun tightly in his hands. "well.." it belonged to a male and he paused, as if contemplating his answer, "not exactly." "guys, shut up. there's someone here." jungkook and seokjin froze, slipping to a crevice behind one of the shelves.

silhouettes of their figures cast across the wall, stretching over the pale grey surface and the elder outstretched a hand, his stare a warning signal. "stay here," he mouthed, pressing his finger against the trigger and swiftly moving out towards the others. jungkook shut his mouth, biting his lip as he watched him fade off, hand gripping fistfuls of his shirt. barely seconds later, a gunshot snapped through the air and he flinched, heart pounding in his chest.

yells followed and the boy rushed out despite jin's orders, eyes widening at the image of the older holding the weapon in front of him, aiming just above another male with his own firearm pointed straight at him. his red hair stuck up in uneven strands from already grimy tresses and his panicked gaze darted from jungkook to seokjin and back. an ash blond supported a small teen with his arms, someone else standing by and a tall boy suspended in his spot to the side.

a choked noise left seokjin's lips, and the gun clattered to the floor. "hoseok?" he whispered, and the said male crumbled to his knees. "yoongi.." jungkook pointed out the mint haired unconscious male, jin's head snapping to him and the blond pulling him closer. "oh my god." his voice broke and he was trembling as he darted forwards and snatched him away, tucking his face between his shoulder and neck.

"what happened to him?" jungkook's words shook and hoseok's shoulders quivered as the younger enveloped him in a hug. "i almost left him.. he just.. he told me to go," he was crying now, "and at the last second he jumped on and.." "you're not a threat right?" one of the shorter males inquired, skeptical. "do you have to interrogate everyone, jimin?" his friend stood, brushing off his knees, "can't you see they're reuniting?"

"no, bitch, it's like i don't have eyes." he gave a sarcastic smile and hoseok jumped, scowling as he wiped tears from his cheeks. "goddamn! can't you understand i'm trying to be depressed and have a sentimental moment?!" jungkook's mouth parted, "so you were faking-" "that's enough," yoongi groans quietly, throwing seokjin off and clutching his shoulder, "we're all here."

"yeah," hoseok breaths, looking around, "yeah. yeah, we are."

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ok so like super short chap but i hope you enjoyed anyways!! sorry for not updating in a while, haha ive just been caught up in a few things