Walking Amongst The Undead ✓

TWENTY-THREE

"Does anybody have some water left? I ran out." Hoseok whispered, glancing around.

The boys were currently making their way through the edge of the forest, walking around as if they knew exactly where they were headed.

But deep down they knew, they were just trying to assure one another that everything would be alright. Because truly, neither of them had a clue of where they were actually at, or what they were doing.

Surviving.

Sure, that seemed so obvious. That was the main thing that they were doing.

But apart from that? They didn't know.

"Mine is near empty aswell. Wish we had a place we could refill." Jimin mumbled, putting his bottle back.

Seokjin handed Hoseok his own bottle, watching as the red haired man took a few gulps before giving it back.

"Let's rest for ten minutes. Hell, even five would be fine. My legs are going to give up on me." Yoongi panted, resting his hands on his knees whilst shaking his head.

They stopped, resting against some trees.

"Where the fuck are we?" Jeongguk muttered, looking around.

All he could see were trees. They were walking downhill, so he assumed that eventually they would reach an open field or even encounter a road. But for now they were just hoping, nothing was for sure.

"Wait here guys. I'll jog a little further to see if there's anything there. Maybe it's a waste of time, what if we're going in the wrong direction?" Taehyung suggested, already taking a few steps ahead not waiting for their responses.

"Don't go too far! Be careful!" Namjoon whisper-shouted.

After everything they've been through, no one dared to speak louder than necessary.

"Wait, I'll go with you. It's safer." Jeongguk swallowed a bit more of his water, screwing the cap back on and jogging after the brunette.

"Let's be genuine, we are completely, utterly lost, aren't we?" Taehyung chuckled out dryly, saying it as if it was a joke. He was coping with this depressing situation using the last bits of his humor, even though it wasn't funny at all. He knew that.

Jeongguk sighed, snapping a twig in half and watched as it sadly fell to the ground.

"Let's not give up yet. There has to be something around here, anything apart from vegetation."

Taehyung hummed, "We've been walking since six in the morning. It's what now, two o'clock? I have no idea but it most definitely feels like it. We're not only out of food and now nearly out of water aswell, we also don't have any form of safe shelter."

Jeongguk stopped in his tracks, after hearing the brunette's voice crack at the end of the sentence.

He stood in front of him, placing his hands on his shoulders.

"It's okay to be scared, and absolutely fed up with this situation. Trust me, I am too. We all are. But what can we do? We can't give up just yet. We have to keep going. We have to."

Taehyung looked up with a dull expression, noticing Jeongguk's was somehow still filled with hope.

"How do you do it?" He mumbled, raising his brow.

Jeongguk released the boy, "Do what?"

"How do you- how are you still filled with hope? How do you do it? How do you keep going like.. this?" A tear trailed its way down Taehyung's cheek, he wiped it away quickly.

I don't. Honestly I can't go on like this either. But what is there to do? I don't want to die. There's nothing out there apart from those creeps and more depressing situations, but what can I do? Hope is the only thing I have left.

"I have you guys." Jeongguk's lips churned up in a small curve. He ruffled Taehyung's hair, trying to cheer him up, distract him from his feelings.

"Trust me, I ran out of hope a long time ago. I was this close to giving up, but then I heard it. Another person. Another remotely healthy person. It's because of you guys that I'm still here. I get my hope from you guys, knowing that I'm not alone. Y'all are like family to me now." The dark haired laughed a little, shaking his head.

"We can get through this, together. You have me. I'll help you get through it, Tae. I won't let you give up. You hear me?"

The brunette nodded, feeling two arms engulf him. He sniffled a bit, a dry laugh escaping his throat.

"Usually I'm more of a macho, I promise." Taehyung piped out, leaning his forehead against Jeongguk's shoulder.

The other laughed again, releasing the hug.

"There's nothing wrong with showing emotions, Tae. Everyone has them. Crying or feeling like this doesn't make you weak, it's just that you've been putting up with it for so long, I don't blame you. That doesn't make you less masculine. You have to let it out somehow, some time, because otherwise it'll come out of nowhere and blow you over all at once. It feels sort of relieving, letting it out. You know where to find me if you need a shoulder."

Jeongguk winked, making the man grin.

"God, you're so hot. And fun. And cool. And kind. And sweet. And perfect. And hot. Have I mentioned that you're hot before-?"

Jeongguk pushed him, jogging away.

Typically Taehyung.

"You're starting to drool!" He whisper-shouted, the smile never fading.

"Hey, wait for me!"

The boys ran a little farther. But not too far, since they needed to get back to the others.

"Do you see anything?" Taehyung asked, glancing in the opposite direction.

"Are my eyes deceiving me, or can you see that gas station over there, too?" Jeongguk squinted his dark orbs, hand reaching up to block the hot sun out of his face.

Taehyung gasped, stepping next to him to see what he was looking at.

"You're right! There is something over there! Let's get the others, we have to check it out!"

With that, they sped their way back to the rest whom already started to wonder why they took so long.

"Okay, we think we saw something promising in the distance. If we hurry up a bit, we can most definitely reach it in time. We think there's a gas station. Whatever it is, it's shelter. And there's probably water too." Jeongguk said, watching as hope sparked in all of their eyes.

"Okay! You guys heard them, let's get going everyone!" Namjoon nearly cheered.

Yoongi pushed himself back up from the ground, groaning.

"Just let me dig my own hole in the ground already, I'm tired of walking and I'm tired of y'all's optimism." He grumbled, stomping after a somewhat excited Taehyung.

"Oh shut up, if we ever get in a situation where we need to sacrifice someone, it'll be your time to shine, your lucky day. For now, keep walking and be glad you're alive." Hoseok nudged him, pretending as if he didn't see the smile that was planted on Yoongi's face, even if it was small.

It was small, but it was there. And for now that was better than anything else.