Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Yoongi could heart his heart pounding in his ears as his eyes darted around the room. It wasn’t big enough, only two doors – the one with a hoard of runners banging on it that wasn’t going to stay up much longer if they didn’t let up, and the one Hoseok working on the lock with a shiv, a flight of metal stairs leading from the ground floor to the platform they were standing on. He could hear Namjoon telling him to hurry the fuck up. Yoongi adjusted his grip on his gun watching the door on the lower level splinter.

“They’re coming!” he heard one of the girls scream just as the deafening final crack of the door sounded

Yoongi had the first shot off. Followed by countless others. He sees blood stained faces of the undead exploding, limbs getting blown off. as soon as ones down another takes its place. Sure, they’re doing a pretty good job at holding them off, but they can’t last forever. It reeked of rotting and burning flesh. The feral growls of them hoard only growing louder by the minute. If anything, the more they killed the more they attracted. Yoongi didn’t have the luxury to replace the clip in his hand gun, instead having to shove it into the back of his waistband and grabbing the shot gun he had holstered to the back of his back pack. The recoil of it make him take a step back as he shot another one’s arm off. They were half way up the stairs by then. No matter how fast they shot they couldn’t seem to keep them at bay.

“I got it!” Hoseok shouted “Everybody out!”

The door opened with a heavy groan, the sunlight streaming into the building. He heard the thud of feet running out behind him as he shot a few last rounds off into the crowd. Hoping to kill as many as he could. He ran, squinting into the sun as he did. Namjoon was counting, over and over again, sounding more and more panicked every second.

“Seven, eight, nine” Namjoon’s eyebrows furrowed “Fuck!”

There were ten of them total, Yoongi knew. He sprinted back in, being the closest to the door, looking toward the staircase where the zombies were almost all the way up.

“Bae Joohyun!” he yelled, watching her shooting wildly with a panic-stricken face

She looked at him, tears rolling down her face “I was bit, too far down the steps!” she sobbed “Close the door Min! I’ll hold them off!” he looked at her, furrowing his brows as she screamed “CLOSE THE FUCKING DOOR”

He jumped, skidding back outside and slamming the heavy door shut. The was an eerie silence, feeling eyes burning holed into his back. Yoongi didn’t want to turn around, not when he knew what kind of stares he’d be getting when he did. So, he steeled his face pivoting on his heel.

“Joohyun was bit” he stated, voice steady and unfeeling “Let’s keep moving”

He swung his bag over the metal ramp following suit as to avoid bushing past anyone staring at him.

“Keep moving?” one of the girls, Seungwan, asked “My girlfriend just fucking died”

“I know” Yoongi said not even sparing a glace back while he walked the path leading away from the building. “But we need to move”

He heard the group slowly start to follow behind him, someone catching up to him quickly and catching the back of his shirt. Yoongi turned seeing Jin peering at him sternly “She deserves to grieve Yoongi”

“She can mourn when we’re safe” Yoongi bit the inside of his cheek, listening to the sniffles of the rest of the group.

Jin fell back, rolling his eyes at Yoongi’s bluntness. He kept an ear out for any approaching dangers, seeing that the rest of the group was more focused on crying. Yoongi gets it, really, he does better than anyone, but he would prefer it of they could be quieter and possibly wait until they found a safe place to hide out in. but it’s whatever. He’d let them talk amongst themselves if that’s how they wanted to deal with this. Namjoon was the next to walk with him, patting him on the shoulder firmly.

“You good?” he asked, showing actual concern

Yoongi sighed, glancing at the taller from the corner of his eye “Depends on your definition of good. I don’t think I’ve been good in a long while, but I’ll live”

Namjoon nodded pausing for a moment “They think you’re a jerk”

“I am a jerk Joon” Yoongi shrugged nonchalantly “she told me to lock her in, I couldn’t think of anything else”

“I heard her” Namjoon agreed “It’s ok Yoongi, there’s nothing you coulda done.”

Yoongi spun the ring he had on his left ring finger with his thumb absentmindedly, looking at where little puffs of powered dirt would puff up under where his feet would fall. They passed a couple of buildings, not many which was fair considering they were in the mountains. None of them secure enough to house them, most of them deteriorated enough to barely be considered buildings anymore. Eventually they found one that was made of brick and concrete and still standing strong covered in vines and moss. They cleared the house fairly quickly, no zombies, no bandits, the place was safe, had a good lookout point on both sides of the house. It could work for a while.

----

After, a few hours of hesitance Yoongi finally grabs a water bottle from his bag and walks into the room where Seungwan had isolated herself to cry. He taps her shoulder, waiting for her to turn to look at him before he handed her the bottle. Awkwardly rubbing the hack of his neck, explaining she shouldn’t get dehydrated.

“Is that all” she frowned at him

He huffed, dropping his hand down to his side as he leaned against the edge of the couch “Listen I wasn’t saying that you should move on and forget about her.” He started, balling his fists “But we had to get out of there. She would have wanted you to stay safe, so…”

“What would you know?” the venom in her voice enough to make even Yoongi, who had steeled his nerves flinch “I lost my girlfriend today. I bet no one’s ever even liked you enough to consider dating you even before hell broke out”

Yoongi’s jaw clenched, blunt finger nails digging into his palms “We all lost someone today. She may have been your lover but she was everyone’s friend” he mumbled “I didn’t want to close the fucking door but she told me to.” He said standing up and walking toward the entranceway “Also you don’t me enough to make that assumption Seungwan. Sorry for your loss but fuck you.” His voice wavered more than it had in a long time.

Yoongi left the room in a rush bumping into Namjoon Taehyung and Yerim on his way out. And Namjoon, the ever so curious leader had to prod, so he stopped the conversation he was having and popped his head into the room, to see Seungwan twisted at an odd angle staring at the doorway absolutely bewildered.

“What was that about?” Taehyung asked, lips quirking up slightly in confusion

Seungwan paused “I think I made Yoongi cry”

Yerim let out a giggle of disbelief tilting her head “No way. What’d you do?”

“The only thing that could make that guy cry is-” Namjoon started, eyes widening slightly “Please tell me you didn’t mention something about someone loving him”

“Uh” Seungwan cleared her throat “Maybe”

“What” Taehyung’s eyebrows scrunched together “Why?”

Namjoon sighed “Next time you get the chance ask him about Park Jimin”

----

Next time turns out to be later that night, all nine of then gathered around eating cans of whatever they had stashed in their bags, going off with candle light and an old lantern in one of the lookout rooms. The silence drawing out longer than usual. Before Hoseok Jin and Taehyung would always be cracking some sort of joke always prompting responses from Namjoon or Yoongi, and then a few months ago the girls had joined and then when they were in safe spot there would always be some sort of conversation going. But that no one could find a subject to really bring up to the group. Eventually it was Taehyung who broke.

“Who’s Park Jimin?” Taehyung blurted out before he could back down

Yoongi dropped his fork, entire body bristling as his eyes snapped to stare at the younger boy. Everyone’s attention was on them now, Yoongi could feel bile forming in his throat and tears pricking at the corners of his eyes “Excuse me?” he forced himself to say, as if he’d just misheard it and he wasn’t forced to think back to the past.

Taehyung swallowed the mouthful of whatever before speaking again “I asked who Park Jimin was”

“None of your goddamn fucking business Kim Taehyung.” Yoongi spat, standing up leaving his can of crappy canned tomatoes on the ground “Where the hell did you hear that name”

“Yoongi” Namjoon reasoned “You should just tell them”

Yoongi looked at the leader, then to Taehyung, shaking his head and moving around the group “If you want them to know so fuckin’ much Joon then you tell them but I’m not going to be here for it.” he snarled, opening the closed door “I’ll go start my post at the second lookout”

Namjoon ran his hand through his hair, “Alright, if you actually want to know gather around”

----

Namjoon and Yoongi met in a music theory class in college, growing together as close friends quickly due to being partnered in a project. Yoongi, who even back then was a little rough around the edges and blunt enough to be borderline rude, much to Namjoon’s surprise was absolutely fucking smitten. It came as a surprise back then, to see his friend who hated almost everyone he met to suddenly perk up, entire face brightening and run almost cutely across the café to wrap a boy with pink hair ad chubby cheeks in a hug and kiss him breathless right there. Like it didn’t matter who saw. And to Yoongi it didn’t.

The boy laughed, as he returned the kiss happily bumping their noses together. Namjoon remembers how happy Yoongi had been as the intertwined his fingers with the boy, leading him to their table and introduced him.

“This is my boyfriend” Yoongi grinned, gums on full display

the kid bowed, fluffy pink hair bobbing around as he introduced himself “I’m Park Jimin” his voice was high and cute and suited the boy well. The three of them chatted the whole lunch Yoongi smiling brightly the whole time, until Jimin had to leave for class.

“It was nice to meet you Namjoon” Jimin smiled, shaking hands

And Namjoon grinned right back “Nice meeting you too Jimin”

And then Jimin turned to Yoongi, running his small hand through Yoongi’s hair and giving him a chaste kiss mumbling “You know” with a soft smile

“I know” Yoongi responded, knocking his head toward the door “Now get goin’ before you’re late for class again Sunshine”

“What do you know?” Namjoon asked once Jimin had left

Yoongi snorted “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

-

Now, let him reiterate. When he said Yoongi was smitten he meant the guy was so whipped that he would do literally anything for the younger boy. Once, Jimin had tripped and scrapped his knees and Yoongi freaked the fuck out and spent an hour applying disinfectant and bandaging his knees for him despite Jimin insisting he was fine. And that Yoongi, despite all expectations was the one to initiate PDA for the most part. Jimin had explained that he doesn’t start it because Yoongi used to be embarrassed when they held hands in private so he just wanted to make sure that the elder was comfortable at all times. Hell, the two of them had matching rings, they were practically married. And Namjoon was floored by how adorable and innocent their relationship was. It was almost disgusting.

And then he walked in on them having sex and now that image is burned into his brain and he wishes he could forget. (One of the girls actually laughed at the distressed look on Namjoon’s face “Did you know he bottoms because he does” “What the fuck really?”)

Jimin had a friend from his own classes that started hanging around them as well. Jungkook was good kid, kinda shy, polite, built like a fucking wall. He was just an inch shorter than Namjoon and had muscles that could intimidate anyone. He teased Jimin like a younger brother. The four of them had a pretty good little friend group going.

-

They were together when it started. Namjoon remembers that day like it hadn’t already been two years. They were in the couple’s apartment just watching some shitty movie on cable TV, while playing a card game. The TV cut off going to an emergency new broadcast about citizens randomly attacking people in the city near their college, ‘riots’ over nothing. Jungkook’s face had screwed up listening to the details.

“What the fuck?” he’d scowled “people biting other people’s throats out? Is this the fucking zombie apocalypse?”

Jimin whined, balling his hands in the sweater he was wearing, kicking Jungkook under the table “Don’t fucking joke about that asshole”

Jungkook raised an eyebrow “Who said I’m joking”

“Bullshit, kid” Yoongi pulling Jimin into his side

Namjoon nodded “The probability of that is like zero.” He laughed “There’s no way”

And, because the universe just loves to prove him wrong, as if on cue – they hear a scream. Jungkook shoots up to look out the window, eyes going wide, Namjoon glanced over to see a woman forced to the ground by someone – no, something practically eating her.

“Holy fuck!” is all he gets out before the news reporter gets tackled, someone biting his neck, and the broadcast getting cut off plunging into a static. Jungkook breaks out into a sprint across the apartment, locking the front door and backing away as fast as he can on shaky limbs “Guys I think I was right”

“Fuck I think so too” Namjoon answers, staring at the static

Yoongi forced Jimin even closer into his side, the younger hold his waist tighter “Fuck I wish you weren’t” he had said.

“Do we have any weapons?” Jimin asked, looking around a little helplessly “I can’t think of anything”

“Um, knives. We have knives in the kitchen” Yoongi stammered “And, uh, um a baseball bat?”

Jungkook moved first running into Jimin and Yoongi’s bedroom, grabbing the baseball bat and their backpacks. Namjoon watched Jungkook dump all four bags out making sure there was nothing in any of them before he ran to the kitchen.

“What’re you doing?” Namjoon asked,

And Jungkook’s head popped up to look at him incredulously “Trust me, if this is what we think it is, we’re going to need our bags light and empty of anything that won’t help us survive” he says it like it was the most obvious thing, throwing open the pantry and grabbing food that he knows won’t expire anytime soon.

“How do you know?” Yoongi asked, staring wide eyed as Jungkook started counting out all of their sharp knives.

Jimin shook his head “He watches a lot of zombie movies and plays a lot of video games”

“Listen” Jungkook announced, seriously “The four of us are going to survive together, ok? We’ll make it through”

And they trusted him.

-

They were doing well for a good while. The four of them made a good team, and they were lucky enough to have found a bow and a bunch of arrows and as unlikely as it was back then, a gun. Their system worked, Jimin had the bow, Jungkook with the bat, Namjoon with the gun and Yoongi had the knives and first aid kit. They were trying to get to the quarantine zone, before they found out it had shut down and trying was a bust. They traveled carefully, all of them being careful until they knew they were in a safe place. When they had a good place to sleep they took turns, two on guard, two sleeping. Namjoon remembers how Jimin would snuggle up to Yoongi even in his sleep.

Namjoon thinks that the moment everything went wrong was when they decided to go through the sewers. Back then he’d been sure it was a good plan, cut through the mountain through the sewer to get to the next town to make their trip shorter and they were positive they could handle whatever they ran into. Yoongi was nervous the moment they stepped through, he’d insisted it was just claustrophobia – Namjoon knew it was bullshit but he didn’t comment.

There was a room, large and open and filled with a shit ton of the undead, there wasn’t a way around it, and they couldn’t turn back. They backed up and made a plan. It should have worked, Namjoon swears, it would have worked. Go in partners on each side of the room, if they’re quiet they should be able to get through with very little problems.

Yoongi kissed Jimin deeply before they left their safe hiding spot. He kissed as if he was trying to take out any anxiety he may have had. And Jimin, always, always responded with just as much fervor when Yoongi got like that.

“Hey” Jimin smiled, chuckling slightly, “It’ll be ok”

Yoongi nodded “Yeah, I’m sure it will be. Just promise me that if we get separated I’ll see you again”

“Of course,” Jimin grinned bumping their noses “Yoongi, you know”

“I know” Yoongi responded immediately “But, say it.”

Jimin cocked his head “Say it?”

“I love you” Yoongi said “Jiminie I love you and you know and I know blah blah I need to hear it just this once and then we can be that dumb couple who has a phrase but just this once I ne-”

Jimin kissed him again, shutting him up and Jungkook laughed to himself at how cute they were. That kid.

“I love you Yoongi” Jimin laughed “I love you so much. We’ll be fine, if something happens we’ll see each other again. The four of us are gonna live through this.”

“I love you too” Yoongi exhaled, seeming a lot calmer “Let’s do this”

Jimin and Jungkook split off to one side, while Yoongi and Namjoon went to the other.

Namjoon doesn’t remember exactly how it went down, all he remembers is something went wrong and he and Yoongi had to take off running and he was shooting his gun more than he had in the past few months, Yoongi stabbing whatever got close.

Back then Namjoon had thought that Yoongi was being silly for being so nervous. Thinking back, they shouldn’t have gone into the sewer. The four of them got unglued down there, Namjoon was sure the two kids had died.

The two of them made it to the quarantine zone with in a week, Yoongi barely said two words in that time, but he never stopped moving, knowing that Jimin would have wanted him to be safe. They stayed there for a few weeks, meeting Hoseok, Taehyung and Jin until they got run out by the undead.

----

“And that’s that” Namjoon huffed, ignoring the pit that had formed in his throat. “Park Jimin was that guys happiness. All he’s got left is that ring he keeps on his finger.”

The group stayed quiet for a while, no one really saying anything for a while. Taehyung got up after a while, mumbling that he was going to relive Yoongi from his post.

----

“So, we found some walkie-talkies that still work yesterday” Jin informed Namjoon with a smile “Hoseok and I were thinking that we could check a few of the buildings we passed yesterday for some supplies”

Namjoon looked at the hopeful looks on his friend’s faces “If you promise to be careful and check in regularly then I don’t see the problem”

Hoseok and Jin high fived, cheering for a minute, before they started gathering their weapons and clearing room in their backpacks. Namjoon made sure the walkie-talkies were on the same station.

“That’s crazy about Yoongi though, huh?” Hoseok says once they’ve left the house

Jin bounced his eyebrows in agreeance “Yeah, Yoongi used to smile?” he stifled his laugh.

They went through each building like a fine-toothed comb, checking every place they could, making sure they got everything, checking in with Namjoon before and after every place. Jin supposed they shouldn’t have been so caught up in their conversation, at least they should have stopped long enough to make sure the room was clear before they went in. it still caught them as a surprise when Hoseok had a face full of zombie, he squawked, holding it back as best he could. Jin was about to move to help the younger when one of his own came at him and he was stuck in a very similar situation as his friend.

What was even more a surprise being the fact that before Jin could even attempt to grab the shive he keeps in his belt, the things head is blown off, a loud BANG resounding through the room, another following soon after.

“Shit!” an unknown voice sounds, a boy’s head popping up from one of the windows that lead into what Jin can assume was an office “You guys ok?”

Jin shoved the limp body away from himself, seeing Hoseok stand back up from the corner of his eye. “Yeah I’m ok. You good, Hobi?”

Hoseok takes a moment to jokingly check himself “I’m better than good” he grinned “I’m fine as hell”

“You’re ridiculous” Jin rolled his eyes fondly

The boy laughed, climbing through the window “Good, I’m glad” he smiled. He seemed pretty trust worthy, and he saved their lives. Jin liked him

“How’d you know we weren’t like bandits or something” Hoseok asked him, grin on his face ever present.

The boy stifled another laugh “uh no offence” he gestured toward Jin “I’ve never seen a bandit wear a pink hoodie”

“That is completely fair” Jin nodded “I’m Jin, this is Hoseok. Thanks for uh, helping us out kid”

“Ah it’s no problem” he smiled “I was kinda trapped actually I couldn’t figure out how to get out without them getting me. So, you kinda helped me”

“Minie!” Jin’s attention snapped to the door way where another boy stood, slightly out of breath “There you are”

“Oh. hey Kook,” ‘Minie’ smiled “I was about to come find you, did ya hear the gunshots?”

“Yeah, I heard the gunshots” Kook scoffed, big eyes rolling

“Anyways I’m Jimin,” he said turning back to Jin reaching his hand out and Jin took it on instinct “That’s Jungkook it’s nice to meet you”

Now, Jin’s sure it’s a coincidence they had the same names as the kids from Namjoon’s story. Jimin and Jungkook were fairly common names but it didn’t stop the thought from crossing his mind especially because Jimin had a weirdly identical ring as Yoongi on his middle finger.

“You should let us repay you!” Hoseok beat him to the punch “We can take you back to our base camp and we can give you somewhere to rest for a bit”

“I dunno” Jungkook said, almost timidly “We’re um, looking for some people”

“We insist” Jin pushed just a little, chuckling “We swear we won’t kill you or anything”

“That, for some reason makes me trust you less” Jimin laughed “I guess twenty minutes won’t hurt, right Kook?”

Jungkook sniffled slightly, eyeing the three of them wearily before giving in with an “Yeah alright, whatever”

Jin grinned “Just let me call it in with our leader” he said holding up the walkie-talkie “Hey Joon”

“This is Seulgi” came the garbled response “Joon’s takin a piss”

“Thanks for that image Seulgi” Jin laughed “Hey we found some friendlies, are we cleared to bring them back to camp for a few minutes?”

“Let me ask” She said after a moment of hesitance

Hoseok reached for the radio, taking it out of Jin’s hand “If it helps the decision, one of them saved our lives”

“Copy” Seulgi answered. “Joon says ok”

Jin let Hoseok get to know the two on their walk back. They’re both from Busan, both went to the same college, they were together the day the world went to hell. Jin almost smiled at the similarities between those two and the two from Namjoon’s story, though knows it’s just a dumb pipe dream he had come up with in the moment. “We’re back” he said into the radio, seconds before Sooyoung swung the door open, welcoming them inside.

Namjoon was in a room off to the side, he assumed it was a kitchen but it was scrapped clean of all appliances, when they entered. He leaned over peering through the doorway trying to see who his friends had brought back. He found his eyes widening, mouth growing dry at the sight of a familiar buck toothed smile, and behind him were equally familiar crescent eyes. Namjoon almost yelled, but he controlled himself, instead turning to where Taehyung laid on the ground reading an old book he’d found.

“Taehyung” he cleared his throat “Go introduce yourself to our guests and then get Yoongi down here”

Taehyung hummed, marking the page by bending the corner of the paper “Aight Boss I’ll do that” he said standing up and Namjoon almost laughed. He watched Taehyung go out and shake Jimins hand happily and smile at Jungkook with his unique boxy grin that was like a breath of fresh air even in the hell that the world had become he waited until Taehyung was bouncing up the stairs before he made himself known.

He leaned against the door frame, grinning widely “So I heard you saved my friend’s lives” having to hold back a laugh at how Jungkook jumped, like an actual frightened rabbit.

The two of them turned, Jimin looking like he was ready to say something, words dying on his tongue as his face dropped. The two of them frozen in place.

“Namjoon?” Jungkook was the one to speak up, hesitantly, like he wasn’t sure

“Hey kiddo” Namjoon laughed stepping forward and pulling the youngest boy into a hug “It’s been a while, huh?”

Jimin opened and closed his mouth a few times, processing his shock “You’re alive?” his voice cracked ever so slightly, before he spun around looking, searching. “Is, um”

And Namjoon almost laughed at the timing because next thing he knows a sleep ruffled Yoongi is stomping his way down the staircase complaining loudly “For fucks Namjoon what do you want I was trying to sleep wha-” he froze, eyes widening drastically the second he saw Jimin standing there at the entrance to the kitchen.

“Yoongi” Jimin grinned, almost casually “Hey”

Yoongi swears he’s never ran so fast in his entire life, taking two steps at a time, flying down the steps. He doesn’t take the time to greet the younger as he practically tackled the poor kid, arms wrapping around his shoulders tightly. “Park Jimin. What the actual fuck.”

And Jimin laughed, wrapping his arms around Yoongi’s waist “You’ve gotten thinner” Jimin hummed rocking them together

“It’s the apocalypse what do you want from me?” Yoongi scoffed lightheartedly “Not like you haven’t also”

Jimin whined, jokingly “I know I lost all the chub to my cheeks”

“How will you ever make any friends now?” Yoongi smiled leaning back to look at Jimin properly, up close “You have a pimple”

“Gee, I’m so glad that’s the first thing you say to me after seeing my face” Jimin smiled, leaning forward to bump their noses together “You still love me?”

“You know I do” Yoongi nodded, pushing forward to connect their lips for the first time in over a year.

And Yoongi chose to ignore the teasing and shocked gazes on him as he moved to ruffle Jungkook’s black hair affectionately.

Chapter Text

The clang of metal hitting the ground rung clearly over the subdued groans of the undead occupying the sewers. Jimin thinks he might have reacted faster to the noise than the zombies did. He froze in his place, felt his blood run cold. His eyes shot the other side of the room just in time to see Namjoon cock the hand gun and get off the first shot.

Then all hell broke loose.

Namjoon and Yoongi were running down the opposite tunnel that the four of them had agreed on. Jimin remembers Yoongi’s panicked expression as he stabbed wildly at the rotting bodies barreling towards them. He took a step in their direction – not entirely sure what his plan was – But Jungkook caught him by the shoulder forcing him to stop. Jimin turned to his younger friend, ready to slap his hand away and tell him off because their friends were in danger. Yoongi was in danger. He had to help them.

But, Jungkook was scared. Eyes wide, chin trembling, and shaking his head mouthing ‘don’t’.  The younger was right. Jimin knew he was right. To go after them in this situation was suicide.  He hung his head and let Jungkook drag him out of the sewer.

He couldn’t be sure if the gunshots still blasting in the distance were real or just echoes from his imagination. He hoped they were real. He hoped the two they got separated from were ok. He prayed that Yoongi was ok.

----

Jimin watched the sun rise over the hills. It was, well, dull. The sun didn’t bring any bright colors with it that morning, just dull gray clouds and a hazy yellow. Jimin cracked a pensive smile, the morning reflected how he felt at that moment. Jungkook stirred next to him, a quiet groan sounding from his throat as he stretched. Neither of them said anything for a long while. They watched the sky silently until the sun was fully risen.

Jungkook broke the silence “I’m sorry,” quiet and shaky and all too sympathetic.

“Don’t.” Jimin shook his head, watching as he moved his ring up and down his finger. “I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Jungkook bit his lip, holding back whatever he wanted to say for another time. “We should start moving,” he sighed instead “at least we can get to the quarantine zone, get safe.”

----

They had been walking through the forest for a few hours, Jimin following the youngers lead and keeping an ear out for any sign on danger. They stopped momentarily when they got to a fork in the path, sharing a can of preserved peaches for lunch.

“Right or left?” Jungkook managed around a full mouth

Jimin drew his brows together “What do you mean?”

“Which direction are we going once we finish lunch?” Jungkook swallowed loudly “I was following you”

Jimin blinked slowly “Why would you follow me when I was clearly following you?”

They stared at each other, both in shock at how stupid they are.

“Namjoon had the map” Jungkook sighed pinching the bridge of his nose “And now we’re lost”

“I guess” Jimin licked his lips “I guess we just have to catch up to them”

“Catch up?” Jungkook looked up, face turning a little sadder “Jimin,”

“They’re alive” Jimin cut him off shaking his head “They’re fine. Yoongi promised we’d meet up again”

“But-”

Jimin forced a smile “They’re fine. We just have to find them.”

“Just gotta find them, huh?” Jungkook grinned back “Alright then, Lets go find them”

----

Some might call them foolish for letting themselves believe that Yoongi and Namjoon could be alive. For lying to themselves and each other, when its impossible for either of them to have survived a whole hoard like that. They didn’t care – not if that belief was what pushed them to keep moving.

----

It took them two weeks longer than anticipated to get to the quarantine zone, they didn’t have a map, but they made it. They were ready to start celebrating when they noticed something was… off. There were no guards at the gate, no smoke or even light coming from inside where fires would have been burning. It was eerily quiet. They made eye contact for brief second and then slowly and as silently as possible made their way into what should have been a safe zone.

Fist glace over the wall and Jimin noticed them, at least five undead just standing there in a daze like state, as if waiting. He signaled to Jungkook, who signaled back that there were three more in Jimin’s blind spot. They nodded at each other, planning on dropping in and at the very least looting the few buildings for supplies. If there were ever a thing to be grateful for its that the two of them were light on their feet and good at being sneaky.

There were only three buildings in the space, which is ridiculous for it to have been a safe zone, how was it supposed to hold parts of the population in a space so small.  The first two they picked up some nonperishable cans of food, a knife and a gun. They got some good supplies, in all honestly, Jimin was surprisingly happy.  The third building was mostly empty, Jungkook found a couple bandages and some rubbing alcohol on the second floor but there was nothing else so to speak to grab. They were about to head back out and leave the area when something smooth, white and shiny caught his attention, it stood out against the dirty floor. Curious, Jimin walked over to pick it up. At first glace it seemed like a normal card, maybe a credit card that someone threw out. A closer examination revealed it to be a student ID card – from the same college that the four of them went to. Jimin’s heart rate picked up as he went to dust off all the mud and dirt that was covering the students name and face.

Jungkook walked over to see what was up, just as Jimin saw a familiar dimpled grin in the ID picture. Kim Namjoon it read.

“They made it out” Jimin whispered “Kookie they made it here”

Jungkook stared bewildered at the ID, remembering how Namjoon had laughed at the fact that he accidentally grabbed it on the way out the apartment on instinct. They’re alive. They made it out of the sewer. They couldn’t believe it.

Jimin spun his head around every which way trying to see if the older boys were around.

“Yoongi!” he yelled, panicked “Yoon-”

Jungkook, as quickly as he could, slapped his hand over Jimin’s mouth to silence him. “Shut up!” he hissed quietly “They might’ve survived the sewers, but we won’t make it outta this place if you go and alert the damn zombies that we’re here”

There was a crash behind them, and they knew that they were about to be attacked. Jungkook grabbed the aluminum bat he had strapped to his back, and Jimin’s hands trembled when he reached for their new knife. He took a deep breath, in and out, in and out. He was ready.

----

 Jimin woke up gasping. His eyes shot around the old decrepit room he and Jungkook took shelter in for the night. Right, he knew where he was. He was safe. He took a breath adjusting the ring on his finger to make sure he didn’t lose it in his sleep. Jungkook looked at him from the look out perch they had set up the night before.

“Bad dream?” he teased

Jimin rolled his eyes “Just some memories”

Jungkook hummed in acknowledgment “Sewer or quarantine?”

“Both” Jimin snorted

Jungkook swung his legs down, feet landing firmly on the decaying carpet “Breakfast?”

“What d’ we got?”

Jungkook dug in his bag for a minute “Pears or…” he squinted “Minestrone soup”

Jimin scrunched his nose “Pear me”

“Thought so”

They ripped the top off and ate the fruit mostly in silence, drank the water it was preserved in. before Jungkook spoke up again.

“A group passed us a just after you fell asleep but I don’t think they were anything to really worry about” he cleared his throat “Just keep an eye out I guess”

Jimin sent him a thumbs up.

----

He doesn’t know how they got separated. One second Jungkook was there the next second he was gone. Now, Jimin’s trapped in this little office with two walkers stumbling around mindlessly – like zombies, he joked to make himself feel better.

None of the plans he thought up to get out of there would work on his own. He needed a distraction. It felt like he was there forever before heard two voices laughing with each other as they made their way closer. And oh, that seemed like a pretty good distraction to him. He watched the two men enter the room, one in a pink hoodie and the other in a neon green sweater – they couldn’t be bandits, could they?

“That’s so cute of him though” the green hoodie laughed

Pink hoodie nodded sagely “He acts tough but he just misses his boyfriend”

Their laughter was cut off by one of the zombies tackling the green hoodie guy to the ground, the other guy going down soon after.

Jimin pulled his hand gun as fast he could, aimed quickly, fired once, aimed, fired twice.

“Shit!” Jimin lifted himself up so that the other men could see him “You guys ok?”

He waited while the two of them got up and adjusted themselves, still joking somehow, as they made sure they were fine.

“Good, I’m glad” Jimin chuckled, trying to show them a none threatening smile.

The green sweater guy smiled back “How’d you know we weren’t like bandits or something”

“Uh, no offense” he cleared his throat and gestured toward the taller of the two “I’ve never seen a bandit wear a pink hoodie”

That made the two strangers laugh, and introduce themselves as Jin and Hoseok. They thanked him for his help, and he found himself explaining his problematic situation from earlier.

“Minie!” Jungkook came running into the room, out of breath and looking frantic “There you are”

Jimin grinned at his best friend fondly “Oh. Hey Kook, I was just about to come find you” he shifted his bag on his back “Did ya hear the gunshots?”

“Yeah I heard the gunshots” Jungkook scoffed, trying to cover up the worry that they both knew was there.

Jimin introduced the two of them to the almost strangers, and they insisted on bringing them back to their camp, even after Jungkook informed them they were looking for some their friends. They radioed their group, and somehow, they were being dragged off to god knows where.

 ----

“So, tell us about yourselves” Hoseok grinned “Like who you were before all this”

“Before everything went to shit?” Jungkook joked

Hoseok nodded “Exactly! Where are you from, how you guys know each other, where were you when it happened, you know all that”

“We’re both originally from Busan” Jimin told him a little tensely, it’s been a while since they thought about life before the apocalypse “But we met in college, we had a class together”

Jungkook bit the inside of his cheek for a moment looking at his shoes “We were together, in Jimin and his boyfriend’s apartment playing cards with another friend and watching a kids movie when we saw the first news report”

“He’s carrying the same baseball bat that he stole from my bedroom that day” Jimin laughed a little looking at the beat-up aluminum bat swinging against Jungkook’s back pack.

“What happened to your boyfriend and other friend?” Jin piped in

Jimin smiled a sadly at the two looking at them “We don’t know”

“That’s who we’re looking for” Jungkook shrugged.

As they neared a concrete building Jin pulled out his walkie talky to let them know they were close. A tall girl, opened the door, Jimin couldn’t help but notice the ends of her hair were bleached probably left over from before the world ended. He missed his pink hair.

He and Jungkook introduced themselves with kind smiles, bowing or shaking hands. A few moment later a man, probably close to Jimin’s age came bobbing out from another room with a wide boxy smile and introduced himself as Kim Taehyung. Jimin liked him, he seemed like a positive energy to have around. Jimin noticed a blush across Jungkook’s cheeks as Taehyung went racing up the stairs. Jimin made a note to tease him later.

“So, I hear you saved my friends lives” A deep voice boomed from a door way to their left.

Jungkook jumped suddenly taken out of his daze. Jimin turned to say it wasn’t a problem, only to cut himself off. His eyes widened staring at the familiar form of Namjoon leaning casually against the doorframe, shit eating grin over his face. The assholes dimple on full display.

He heard Jungkook take a breath before forcing himself to shakily say “Namjoon?”

Namjoon laughed happily, stepping closer “Hey kiddo” He hugged Jungkook “It’s been a while, huh?”

Jungkook clung to Namjoon, tears clouding his eyes as he fisted their lost friend’s T-shirt.

Jimin was gawking, shock setting in slowly “You’re alive?” he his voice cracked painfully, and then in a moment of slight panic he looked around the room – in case he missed someone “Is- is um” he felt like he couldn’t breathe. Is Yoongi here? Is he ok? Jimin didn’t know what to ask. Didn’t know how to ask.

The thump of boots on the level above them startled him. His eyes darted to the stair case. He knew logically it was probably Taehyung come back from whatever he was doing up there but it didn’t stop him from staring in anticipation.

“For fucks sake Namjoon” Jimin heard a familiar gruff voice complaining accompanying the stomps. He found himself arranging his facial expression into the most casual manner he could manage.

“What do you want” and suddenly a disheveled Yoongi came into view – his hair a long-tangled mess, face puffy from whatever kind of nap he was taking, and so gorgeous. God, Jimin missed Yoongi even if he is complaining and cursing Namjoon out. He’s alive and that’s all that mattered to Jimin.

“I was trying to sleep wha-” Yoongi continued before locking eyes with Jimin and closing his mouth with an audible click.

The older man stayed frozen in place, staring with comically wide eyes at the top of the stairs.

Jimin smiled wide “Yoongi” he shifted his bag off his back slowly “Hey.”

Then, something seemed to click in Yoongi’s mind, and he was moving faster than Jimin’s ever seem his boyfriend move before. The next thing Jimin knew he was getting tackled into a tight hug, making him laugh.

“Park Jimin” Yoongi mumbled into his shoulder “What the actual fuck”

Jimin slid his arms around the older man’s waist, pulling him closer and rocking side to side slightly “You’ve gotten thinner”

Yoongi laughed “It’s the apocalypse what do you want from me?” a scoff “Not like you haven’t also”

“I know” Jimin whined “I lost all the chub to my cheeks”

“How will you ever make any friends now?” Yoongi asked, and Jimin laughed at the old joke that his chubby cheeks were why he was popular before.

Yoongi leaned back, hands gliding over Jimin’s shoulders, as he took a close up look at the younger's face before saying “You have a pimple” effectively ruining the chance for their reunion to be romantic.

Jimin rolled his eyes “Gee, I’m so glad that’s the first thing you say to me after seeing my face” he chuckled leaning forward to bump their noses like he always used to “You still love me?” he asked, just to ease the little bit of anxiety in the pit of his stomach.

Yoongi smiled, nodding his head “You know I do” and then they kissed, and Jimin felt like he was alive again. He found what he was missing. He found Yoongi. That’s all he ever wanted.

(The older man ruffled Jungkook’s hair when they broke apart but never stopped holding Jimin’s hand)