REMNANTS | JIKOOK ✔

Chapter 16. Horizon

Jungkook tightened his grip around the limp form in his arms. Jimin was alarmingly light; all long limbs and bone. His skin was cold and clammy against Jungkook, doused in sweat and more than that, other fluid that was both sticky and slick at the same time. Jungkook had lifted Jimin from the table where he had collapsed and the danachi had not made a sound. Only the light brush of exhalation against Jungkook's neck assured him that Jimin was still alive. The veins that had lined his skin, bleeding out from his eyes had diminished somewhat, though Jungkook was sure when Jimin woke, he'd still see black orbs where Jimin's pupils should be.

When.

He didn't want to think about if.

Jungkook hadn't bothered to check any of the others when the energy wave had ebbed away. He had no idea if they were dead or merely stunned, lying prone in the mess that had been the control room but he didn't want to wait around to find out.

"We're getting out of here, okay?" he murmured to Jimin, as he hurried down the metal hallway that led away from the center of the base.

If Jimin could hear him, he made no sound.

Going as fast as he could, Jungkook hurried back to his room, careful not to jostle Jimin too much. He gently put the danachi down on his mattress, pausing briefly to touch Jimin's cheek before turning away to grab some clothes and another weapon. He had no idea where they were going to go. Where was there to escape to in this desert? The heat would scorch them by day and they'd freeze by night. There was no way to refuel any vehicle, yet they'd collapse before they reached any other settlement if they went by foot. And then there was the virus. Jimin might be immune, but Jungkook knew he most definitely wasn't.

Quickly, he grabbed the pressure checker and, holding it against his wrist, pressed the trigger. He felt the pop of suction against his skin and the brief sting, before the numbers on the small screen flashed at him. Still clear. Jungkook let out a sigh of relief.

"Jungkook?"

Jungkook shot around, rushing forward to where Jimin was weakly trying to sit up.

"Hey, hey," Jungkook said, touching Jimin's arms. "Careful." He slipped one arm around Jimin, helping him to sit up. "Are you okay?"

Jimin merely blinked. "We have to get out of here," he said blankly.

"I know," Jungkook said. He made sure Jimin could sit up by himself, resting awkwardly against a couple of pillows before he stood up again, gathering the pile of clothes he had dumped in the middle of the room. "Here, we need to get you dressed."

He held out a shirt to Jimin, but the danachi didn't lift his arms. His face was slack, eyes indeed still full of black. Against his thighs, his hands were shaking.

"Kiss me," he said.

Jungkook exhaled, his stomach dropping. "Jimin, we don't have-"

"It's fine," Jimin interrupted, sounding surprisingly coherent, despite the weakness in his voice. "I just need... something. It's still in me, the energy... trapped. I need something."

"Okay, okay." Jungkook screwed the shirt up into his fist, hunkering down in front of Jimin again. He reached out, pushing the danachi's sodden hair back off his forehead and gripping his cheek. "You're okay now."

Jimin smiled weakly but didn't say anything more so Jungkook leant in, touching his lips lightly against Jimin's. The danachi made no reaction, though Jungkook felt his hands twitch a little so he pressed in a little more, drawing Jimin's bottom lip between his own and sucking lightly. He kissed Jimin for long, silent minutes he was afraid they couldn't really afford to lose until Jimin finally began to shift under him a little, gathering enough energy to move his mouth and kiss Jungkook back a little. The lights around them began to flicker a little as the energy coiled in Jimin's thin form shifted and began to unblock.