Sempiternal: • Contaminated • || BOOK 3#

21. New manias

"Jungkook."

"Um?"

"Get off me."

"I don't feel like it, thanks."

Taehyung can't resist laughing, having the burlier one on top of him not even close to falling asleep. He'd say it's disappointing except that really, being outside all day in those lead boots he wears must be exhausting. Taehyung strokes Jungkook's hair affectionately and hums softly. Jungkook was close to falling asleep, even drooling and dampening the shirt Taehyung wears as pajamas.

"Whatever you want to try, stop." asks Taehyung and Jungkook raises his head. From the way he scrunches up his face, he's more asleep than awake and Taehyung was hoping for that specifically. Knowing that otherwise he would get angry and react badly.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Whatever you plan to go or bring Jimin here... just stop, please."

"No."

Taehyung sighs, drops his head and closes his eyes. Jungkook yawns and lies down again.

"I'll bring him all the way here. I'll prove them wrong."

"Maybe not anymore... It's been what? Four months? Five months? If something happened in Gimpo, he's surely dead" Taehyung concludes with a faint, miserable thread of a voice that irritates Jungkook beyond measure. "There's nothing there anymore. Maybe there was when we were close, but there can't possibly be anymore."

"Jimin is there."

"No."

"Why are you giving up?"

"It's easier, I guess."

Taehyung prefers to mourn a death, to never see Jimin again; rather than continue to mourn the possibility that he is far away suffering. He slowly manages to get the idea into his head and is hopeful that Jungkook will do the same for his own sake. Jungkook clicks his tongue in irritation, getting up. Taehyung hurries over to grab his arm.

"Listen-"

"I don't care about anything you might say to me!" Jungkook argues blurting out sharply. Taehyung bites his lips. "All of you- I don't understand why, but you're cowards who give up We've already come this far and we're still alive! Jimin is strong, despite everything he's very strong and I'm sure he's alive. Still, you guys give him up for dead."

"Jung-"

"It's easier to leave him for dead than to try to do something to keep him alive. I pity you guys." Jungkook spits, grabs his pillow and leaves. Anywhere is fine. It's just a matter of grabbing his sleeping bag and throwing himself into any corner. Taehyung runs his hand over his face and bites his lower lip.

Jungkook is the one who is dividing them the most and Taehyung fears that in the long run, that too will be irreparable.

. . .

Jungkook carelessly drops his sleeping bag on the floor and lies down on it. He is left as a long, red-colored, Iron Man-print worm. As soon as they saw it, it was impossible not to keep it. Jungkook is left with his face tucked into the pillow, squeezing the zipper and being a long funny looking worm. Jungkook didn't notice Namjoon in the living room.

Who watches the whole preparation and happening as a surreal and funny moment that prevents him from laughing. It's too spontaneous. Too random. Clearing his throat and opening a small hole, Jungkook looks up at Namjoon.

"Did something happen?" the older one asks and Jungkook shakes his head. Dragging his body across the floor, Namjoon holds in his laughter. Most of them are already asleep. His laughter would make the best hour of the day ruined.