Fire and Ice | Jinkook ✔️

Thirteen

When his eyes fluttered open, the first thing he could see was Seokjin. The prince looked rough with his messy hair and the dirt on his clothes. He no longer had his coat on. It was on his lap, threads hanging from it.

It didn't take long to realize why the coat was so torn. Seokjin was wrapping cloth around his arm— right where Jungkook had hit him with ice not too long ago.

The fire was bright— the sky was dark, but the fire illuminated light onto Seokjin's skin. It looked like it belonged to glow onto him.

"Where are we?"

Seokjin's head raised to make eye contact with the younger. "You're awake." He then pointed somewhere beside Jungkook. "I didn't know if you had water in your bag, so..."

Water.

Jungkook sat up and furrowed his eyebrows at the water bottle he was being shown. It wasn't his.

"We're just by the lake," Seokjin continued. "Perhaps I shouldn't have carried us so far, but here we are."

"Water?" Jungkook shook his head in confusion. He turned back to Seokjin as he reached for it. His throat was extremely dry; too much fire from today. Seokjin had even set the current fire away from him. "I don't understand..."

Seokjin had finished tying the cloth. He was now aimlessly twisting the ruby pendant in his hand, watching Jungkook.

"Why not?"

He asked as Jungkook was drinking the water, so it was only after he sealed the bottle again that Jungkook stood up, then walked over to him. Without thinking, he sat on his knees right in front of the older.

"The pendant." His voice was gentle, yet uncertain. They both eyed the gold. "What were you going to use your wish on?"

Seokjin stopped fiddling with it. "My... mother." His lips set into a straight line and he had seemed hesitant as he spoke.

"Oh." Jungkook's head fell to avoid his eyes. "I'm sorry." He wasn't too sure. Didn't expect Seokjin to say anything like that. It was obvious that Seokjin's mother was weak, but he never imagined Seokjin would care to heal... anyone.

Especially him.

"Why? What did you want it for?"

Jungkook lifted both his head and his eyebrows. "My kingdom, of course. There are so many things that could've been done."

Seokjin lightly chuckled as he began flipping the pendant between his fingers again. "Thought so," he muttered.

Then, silence.

Jungkook didn't want silence. He didn't want it right now.

"Why do you think we were shown that couple?" He pushed his hands between his knees, curious as Seokjin tilted his head in thought. "I think they wanted us to see. To see that fire and ice can unite. Love," he added on. "I think they want the war to end."

Or maybe he just wanted that.

Again, silence. Seokjin simply stared at Jungkook.

There weren't many things that Jungkook could do. Talking was it. Talking to Seokjin would be the only way to get his answer:

"Why did you save me?"

Seokjin frowned. Jungkook did as well. But Seokjin seemed to falter at the younger's soft voice.

"I... didn't mean to." Those words cut straight through Jungkook's heart. Though it sounded cruel, Seokjin sounded unsure. "The pendant was in my hand and you were dying because of me. What was I supposed to do?"

The one thing Seokjin had wanted this entire time— since the moment they met:

"Die," Jungkook muttered. Seokjin's eyebrows furrowed. "You were supposed to let me die. That's what you've wanted all along. You would've let anyone else die. Especially me."

It was Seokjin's turn to let his head fall. But his head fell in defeat. "I guess not," he let out. He chuckled in the most unamused way, his eyes set on the ruby. "I guess let's face it. You're just what a person like me needs, Jungkook."

Jungkook froze. What he needs? "Elaborate, please?" He needed to know that he was understanding correctly.

A sigh.

"Well..." Seokjin glanced up at him, their eyes meeting yet again. "You frustrate me— in a good way? And I don't think I've ever met someone so fragile, yet so willing to push his fragility for the sake of others. You nearly died for your kingdom today. You're just.. everything I'm not."

Everything he's not.

"So when you tell me you didn't mean to save me..?"

Again, Seokjin sighed. "Fine. You got me, I suppose. But I don't understand it. I truly don't."

Jungkook did.

Nothing remained to say anymore. Seokjin had pretty much said it all. He's everything that Seokjin isn't. They're complete opposites when it comes to... everything, almost. Fire and ice, tough and fragile, being able and not being able.

"You don't have to understand."

Lifting himself by his knees, Jungkook scooted just a tad— enough to get closer to Seokjin. Enough to place his hand on the older's shoulder and lean towards his cheek. He pecked softly at the warmth of Seokjin.

When he pulled away, Seokjin's hand lifted to his own cheek, right where he'd been kissed. He simply stared at Jungkook in surprise.

"You're right," Jungkook continued, "I'm everything that you're not; just like you're everything that I'm not."

Silence. Again, there was silence.

And as Seokjin slowly started to inch forward, the silence grew louder and louder. He paused halfway, their eyes still set on each other.

Jungkook closed his eyes.

He felt the heat from Seokjin's body merely seconds before he felt the warmest, softest lips press against his cheek as well. Seokjin kissed his cheek so gently.

When his eyes reopened, Seokjin pursed his lips into a small smile. "Let's get some rest before heading back."

A soft nod.

"Of course."

~
⬇️🥺