Survival Instinct // Namkook

introduction to the danger

The world had collapsed. Governments fell, cities crumbled, and humanity turned on itself in the struggle for survival. The apocalypse didn't come with fire and brimstone, but with a slow, agonizing decay-the environment withered, resources dwindled, and survival became a daily battle. The once sprawling metropolises had become ghost towns, and the survivors who roamed the earth were dangerous.

Jungkook's pov

Jungkook's village where he was staying since the apocalypse hit, had been one of the last safe havens, a fortified settlement in the remnants of Seoul. They had food, clean water, and some semblance of a community-until raiders attacked. Jungkook was one of the few survivors, but he lost everything he hadn't lost to that point-his family, friends, and the peace he had once known. After days of wandering through the wastelands, dehydrated and on the verge of collapse, he stumbled upon an old, abandoned high-rise, hoping to find shelter for the night.

As the sun set, casting an orange glow over the ruins, Jungkook carefully picked his way through the debris-strewn lobby. The building had long been picked clean, but he was too exhausted to keep moving. He found a stairwell and climbed to the upper floors, hoping the height would protect him from any marauders.

Jungkook wasn't quiet enough as he settled into the darkened corner of an old office space. The clattering sound of a tin can skidding across the floor alerted someone else to his presence. He hadn't noticed the figure lurking in the shadows, but now it was too late.

Before Jungkook could even react, a stranger stepped out from the darkness. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and intimidating. His face was obscured by the dim light filtering through the broken windows, but Jungkook could see enough to know that this man was dangerous.

"Who's there?" the man growled, his voice low and threatening.

Jungkook froze, his heart racing. He stood slowly, hands raised to show he wasn't a threat. "I didn't know anyone was here. I'm just looking for a place to stay for the night."

The stranger's expression remained cold and unreadable. In two swift steps, he crossed the distance between them and grabbed Jungkook by the collar, slamming him against the wall with brutal force. Jungkook let out a startled gasp as his back hit the crumbling plaster, the impact knocking the breath out of him.

"You picked the wrong place," the stranger snarled, his face mere inches from Jungkook's. "What's stopping me from tossing you out into the streets right now, huh?"

Jungkook's heart pounded in his chest, his hands instinctively grabbing onto the man's forearm in a desperate attempt to lessen the pressure. It was like trying to move a boulder-the man didn't flinch.

"I'm not here to fight," Jungkook stammered, his voice shaky. "I'll leave, okay? I didn't mean to intrude."

The stranger narrowed his eyes, his jaw clenched tightly as he studied Jungkook. For a moment, Jungkook thought this might be the end. He had no idea who this man was, but in a world like this, it didn't take much for people to turn violent. Jungkook could feel the weight of the man's hand on his chest, and the cold, calculating look in his eyes didn't offer any hope.

But instead of throwing him to the ground, the stranger's grip shifted. His hand moved from Jungkook's collar to his throat-not squeezing, but making it clear how easily he could cut off Jungkook's air if he wanted to. He leaned in even closer, his voice a low, dangerous whisper.

"You think I care about what you meant?" he asked, his voice filled with quiet menace. "This is my space now. You don't just walk in here without consequences."

Jungkook swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the man's hand on his throat. "I-I didn't know anyone was here," he said, his voice trembling. "I'll go. I don't want trouble."

The man let out a humorless chuckle, releasing his grip on Jungkook's throat just enough for him to breathe. "Trouble? Kid, you're in the middle of a world full of trouble. You think you're just gonna walk away from this?"

Without warning, the man shoved Jungkook to the floor, sending him sprawling. Pain shot through Jungkook's side as he hit the ground hard, but he scrambled to sit up, too afraid to stay vulnerable for long. The stranger loomed over him, his expression cold and indifferent.

"If you're going to kill me," Jungkook muttered, his voice shaky but defiant, "just get it over with."

The man crouched down in front of him, grabbing the front of Jungkook's jacket and hauling him up until their faces were level. Jungkook's feet barely touched the ground as he dangled from the stranger's grip, his chest heaving with fear.

"I don't kill for fun," the man said, his voice a low, threatening growl. "But if you keep acting like a scared little kid, someone else out there will."

Jungkook's breath came in ragged bursts as he met the man's cold gaze. Despite the fear coursing through him, a flicker of defiance stirred in his chest. He wasn't going to let this stranger break him down so easily.

"I'm not a kid," Jungkook spat, though his voice wavered. "I've survived this long, haven't I?"

The stranger's lips curled into a mocking smirk. "Barely."

With a rough shove, he released Jungkook, and Jungkook stumbled backward, managing to catch himself before he fell again. His body ached from the rough treatment, but he stood his ground, watching warily as the man turned and walked back to the other side of the room.

"Get some sleep," the man muttered without looking back. "If you try anything stupid, you won't get a second chance."

Jungkook stood there for a moment, still shaking from the encounter, before slowly sliding down to the floor. His heart pounded in his chest, and his ribs throbbed from where he'd hit the ground, but he was alive. For now.

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Scary! (⁠*⁠﹏⁠*⁠;⁠) Is Jungkook going to make it out of this situation again?