Survival Instinct // Namkook

chapter 16 - the earth's rumble

The night was unusually quiet, even for a ruined city. The only sounds were the occasional gust of wind rattling through broken windows and the distant creak of abandoned buildings settling into their long decay. Jungkook layed on his side, staring at the dying fire, his mind wandering. His body ached from exhaustion, but sleep didn’t come easily. Maybe it was the silence, or maybe it was the unsettling feeling that something was wrong, though he couldn’t quite place what.

Namjoon sat nearby, his back against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. He was always alert, even in moments like this, as if he was never truly at rest. It was something Jungkook had come to expect from him — that constant readiness, the subtle tension in his body as if he was always preparing for the worst. It made Jungkook feel safer, but sometimes it also made him wonder if Namjoon ever let himself relax.

Just as Jungkook was about to close his eyes, the ground beneath him trembled. It was subtle at first, like a deep rumble far below the surface. Then it grew stronger, and before he could process what was happening, the entire building shook violently. Dust and debris rained down from the ceiling as cracks formed in the walls, snaking their way up toward the roof.

“Namjoon!” Jungkook screamed in panic, voice trembled as he scrambled to his feet, his heart racing.

Namjoon was already up, his eyes sharp and focused as the building groaned around them. He reached out, grabbing Jungkook’s arm to steady him as the tremors continued.

“Stay close to the wall,” Namjoon ordered, his voice calm but firm despite the chaos around them. “If it collapses, we’ll have to move fast.”

Jungkook nodded, his breath coming in short, panicked gasps. His legs felt like they were about to give out beneath him as the shaking intensified. Outside, the terrifying sound of crumbling buildings echoed through the night, the city itself groaning in pain as structures gave way. The noise was deafening — crashes, breaking glass, and the distant screams, or metal tearing apart.

For a moment, Jungkook was convinced this was it. That the building they were in would be next, and they’d be buried alive. His thoughts spun out of control, fear gripping his mind and body. He clung to the wall and partly Namjoon, his eyes wide with terror.

But then, just as suddenly as it began, the earthquake stopped. The rumbling faded, leaving only the unsettling quiet of a city in ruins. The dust settled, and the building, though damaged, held together. Jungkook could still hear the distant sounds of collapsing houses and shifting debris outside, but it seemed their immediate danger had passed.

Namjoon stood still, scanning the room for any signs of further collapse. His hand remained on Jungkook’s arm, grounding him in the moment.

“You okay?” Namjoon asked, his voice low and steady.

Jungkook nodded, though his body was still trembling. He leaned against the wall, his breath shaky. “I think so,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. He let himself slide down the wall behind him, too exhausted from the shock to keep standing. The adrenaline was still coursing through him although bleeding out slowly, but his mind was already spinning in a different direction.

The older man sat down besides him sighing aswell. It must have been a shock for him too. Although earthquakes were quite common in this area he had totally forgotten about them.

He looked at the man sitting besides him, still trying to calm down from the shock.
For days now, he had grown closer to Namjoon, slowly peeling back layers of the man’s rough exterior, but there was still that distance — the cold, emotional wall Namjoon kept between them. Jungkook respected it, knowing Namjoon wasn’t the type to seek out comfort or physical contact. But after the quake, after feeling the world shake beneath his feet, Jungkook realized just how much he needed that touch.

Not just to feel safe, but to feel human.

It had been so long since anyone had held him, since he had been able to reach out to someone without fear. And now, with his heart still racing and the world outside their shelter collapsing, he craved it more than ever.

The hesitation gnawed at him. Namjoon wasn’t the type to give hugs or share warmth, not intentionally. But Jungkook couldn’t ignore the ache inside of him anymore. The loneliness, the need for someone to remind him that he wasn’t completely alone in this nightmare.

He swallowed hard, gathering his courage, then turned to Namjoon. “Can I… ask you something?”

Namjoon raised an eyebrow, his expression still guarded, but he didn’t say anything. He just waited, his attention fully on Jungkook now.

Jungkook took a deep breath, his hands shaking slightly as he spoke. “I know this isn’t really your thing, but… could you, I don’t know… maybe hold me for a bit?” He hated how small his voice sounded, how vulnerable the request made him feel, but it was too late to take it back.

Namjoon’s face remained unreadable, his sharp eyes studying Jungkook for a long moment. The silence stretched between them, and Jungkook began to regret asking. Maybe he’d overstepped, maybe Namjoon would—

“Come here,” Namjoon said, his voice softer than Jungkook expected.

Surprised but relieved, Jungkook moved toward him, his heart pounding for an entirely different reason now. He carefully settled between Namjoons legs, against his chest. The olders arms wrapped around him awkwardly at first, like he wasn’t used to offering comfort, but once Jungkook settled more comfortably against him, the hold became firmer, more secure. Namjoon’s chest was solid, his warmth grounding Jungkook in a way nothing else could.

Jungkook buried his face against Namjoon’s shoulder, his body still trembling slightly from the aftershock of the quake. He didn’t care how awkward or strange it felt; he just needed the connection, the reassurance that they were both still here, still alive. Namjoon didn’t say anything, just held him, his strong arms providing a sense of safety that Jungkook hadn’t realized he’d been craving for so long.

For a few minutes, they stayed like that, the only sound between them being their steady breaths. The noise of the city crumbling outside seemed far away now, distant and unimportant compared to the quiet moment of comfort they shared.

Namjoon shifted slightly, and Jungkook felt his hold loosen just a bit, as if he wasn’t sure how long he should be holding on. But Jungkook didn’t move away. In fact, he held on a little tighter, not ready to let go just yet.

“I haven’t had this in a long time,” Jungkook murmured, his voice muffled against Namjoon’s jacket. “Thank you.”

Namjoon didn’t respond with words, but his grip around Jungkook tightened slightly again in response, and for the first time, Jungkook thought he felt something beyond the tough, emotionless exterior Namjoon always wore.

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Ajbhvdfuh it's finally happening! They're growing closer! (⁠ ⁠ꈨຶ⁠ ⁠˙̫̮⁠ ⁠ꈨຶ⁠ ⁠)