Survival Instinct // Namkook

chapter 29 - in the darkness

As Jungkook’s breathing slowed, his head resting comfortably against Namjoon's shoulder, Namjoon felt the tension drain from his body, bit by bit. Jungkook had fallen asleep, trusting him, leaning into his warmth. Without thinking, Namjoon gently wrapped his arm around Jungkook, pulling him closer in a protective embrace.

He hadn't planned on this. He hadn’t wanted it. Yet here they were, Jungkook tucked against him, and the weight of the younger man’s warmth felt like a balm to his weary mind. Namjoon exhaled, his body finally relaxing as he laid his head softly on Jungkook’s.

He had been fighting this—fighting the pull he felt toward Jungkook, the vulnerability that came with letting someone in—but now, in this quiet moment, Namjoon let himself feel it. The companionship. The fleeting comfort. A part of him even savored it. It had been so long since he'd allowed himself this kind of closeness with anyone.

For just a moment, Namjoon let his guard down, the crackling fire and the rhythmic sound of Jungkook’s soft breaths lulling him into a calm he hadn’t felt in years. His eyelids grew heavy, the weight of exhaustion pulling him closer to sleep. He didn’t fight it. Not tonight. Not while Jungkook was in his arms, safe.

Just as his eyes began to close, as the world softened around him, a loud, sharp pang! rang through the night.

Namjoon’s eyes flew open, every sense suddenly on high alert. Jungkook stirred against him, jerking awake with a startled gasp. Across the fire, J-Hope jolted upright, eyes wide with fear as his back hit the tree behind him.

Namjoon’s grip on Jungkook tightened instinctively as he quickly scanned the dark surroundings. The firelight flickered, casting shadows across the trees, but nothing moved. Nothing yet.

“What was that?” Jungkook whispered, his voice shaky with a mix of grogginess and fear.

Namjoon didn’t answer immediately. His eyes were focused, his hand slowly reaching for the gun at his side. He motioned for Jungkook to stay low, his jaw clenched tightly as he strained his ears, listening for any follow-up noise. Another step. A breath. Anything that might give away the source of the sound.

J-Hope was trembling visibly, his eyes darting around the perimeter, his wrists still bound in front of him. “W-Was it a gunshot?” he stammered, panic evident in his voice.

Namjoon’s mind raced. It could have been a gunshot—faint, maybe from a distance. He shifted his body to shield Jungkook further, his posture tense and ready for whatever might come next.

“We need to move,” Namjoon muttered under his breath, his voice cold and steady despite the tension crackling in the air. He glanced at Jungkook, meeting his wide, questioning eyes. “Stay close.”

Jungkook nodded, swallowing hard as he tried to steady his breathing. The sudden shift from the warmth of Namjoon’s embrace to the sharp edge of fear was jarring, but he trusted Namjoon. He always had, even if he didn’t fully understand why. And right now, he wasn’t going to question it.

J-Hope struggled to his feet, his bound hands making it difficult to push off the ground. “W-We can’t just stay here,” he said, his voice tinged with desperation. “If someone’s out there, they could be coming for us.”

Namjoon didn’t acknowledge him. His attention was focused entirely on their surroundings, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring, ready to act at a moment’s notice.

Another loud crack! echoed through the night, closer this time. Jungkook flinched, instinctively pressing closer to Namjoon as his heart raced. Whatever it was, it was moving toward them.

Namjoon stood, his hand gripping the gun as he scanned the treeline. “Stay behind me,” he commanded quietly, his voice low but firm. Jungkook and J-Hope obeyed without question, their fear palpable as they crouched low behind him.

The night was unnervingly still. No animals, no wind. Just the heavy silence hanging in the air. Then, faint footsteps, barely audible over the crackling fire.

Namjoon’s eyes narrowed. Whoever—or whatever—it was, they were closing in.

The second loud crack! echoed through the night, unmistakable this time. Someone was coming. Namjoon’s eyes narrowed as he shifted, trying to pinpoint the source, but before he could react further, chaos erupted.

From the shadows of the trees, a group of masked figures emerged, swift and silent, like predators on the hunt. Namjoon barely had time to raise his gun before one of them lunged, knocking it out of his hand with a quick, brutal strike. Another masked figure appeared behind him, slamming something hard against the side of his head. Namjoon staggered, vision blurring as he tried to stay upright, but the blow was too much. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious before he even hit the dirt.

"Namjoon!" Jungkook shouted, reaching out, but he barely had time to react before rough hands grabbed him, forcing him to the ground. His face pressed into the dirt, the smell of earth filling his nose as strong hands bound his wrists tightly behind his back.

J-Hope let out a terrified yelp, trying to scramble away, but he was already tied up. His captors barely glanced at him before roughly hauling him to his feet.

Jungkook’s heart raced in his chest, fear coursing through his veins as he struggled, his body twisting beneath the strangers’ hold. "Let go of me!" he shouted, his voice raw with panic, but it was no use. The hands that gripped him were unyielding, and soon he was tied just as tightly as J-Hope, their fates sealed.

The masked figures moved efficiently, with practiced precision, quickly restraining all three of them. Jungkook’s mind spun, panic setting in as he glanced over at Namjoon, still unconscious on the ground. His chest tightened at the sight, worry flooding his senses. Namjoon was their strongest asset, their protector—and now, he was down.

One of the masked figures barked orders, and before Jungkook could make sense of what was happening, they were yanked to their feet. Rough hands dragged Namjoon’s limp body along as the group began to move quickly through the trees, pulling their captives along with them.

Jungkook stumbled, his legs barely able to keep up as they were forced deeper into the forest. The world around him was a blur of dark shapes and adrenaline. He tried to think, to come up with a plan, but his mind was clouded with fear. His wrists burned from the tight ropes, and every sound seemed amplified—the crunch of leaves underfoot, the heavy breaths of the strangers surrounding them.

J-Hope, who had been unnervingly quiet, glanced at Jungkook, eyes wide with fear. He looked as terrified as Jungkook felt, his tough-guy act completely shattered in the face of this new danger.

"What do they want?" J-Hope whispered, his voice barely audible over the rustling of their captors’ movements.

Jungkook had no answer. His own thoughts were a frantic mess. What if this was the end? What if these people were planning to kill them? His eyes darted to Namjoon again, still out cold. What if Namjoon didn’t wake up?

The group finally came to a stop, dragging them into a clearing in the middle of the woods. A few more masked figures were waiting, standing near what looked like a few vehicles. Jungkook’s stomach twisted. Whoever these people were, they were organized.

Without a word, they shoved the three captives to the ground. Jungkook landed hard, the breath knocked from his lungs as he hit the cold dirt. J-Hope groaned beside him, and Namjoon remained eerily still.

Jungkook’s heart pounded in his chest. His body shook, not just from the cold, but from the overwhelming fear gripping him. What were they going to do to them? Was this the end?

He looked at Namjoon’s still form, his face half-hidden in the shadows. Wake up, Jungkook silently pleaded, fear and desperation clawing at him.
Please, wake up.