salt || jikook

twenty six

"this friend of yours, what condition was he in before you guys came here?" the devil asked.

he, yoongi, and jimin were sat at a round glass table, now discussing the the issues not concerning... family matters.

"well..." jimin said, thinking about how jungkook looked. the image of pale, weakened angel stuck in his mind like a tattoo. it was an image he wanted to forget, he never wanted to see jungkook in such a weakened state ever again. "well he was pale, he said it was really cold... earlier in the day, he slept a lot."

yoongi nodded approving what jimin had said. the devil's expression replicated his thoughts.

"if that's the case and if you guys have been here for over a half an hour, he's probably in terrible condition back on earth," he said bluntly, but truthfully. the devil of all people wasn't one to sugar coat the harsher truths.

jimin's eyes widened, his foot began anxiously tapping at the words he couldn't find comfort in.

"we have to go back," jimin said, stood up from his chair, but yoongi grabbed the sleeve of his jacket to pull him back down.

"we don't even know if jungkook finished with the salt, if we go back too early we might die... let's wait..." yoongi said in a calm, instructive manner.

"what do you mean wait? if that boy dies in there, because we were to late to get to him, i might as well kill myself—"

"don't say that."

"too late," jimin's eyes glared into yoongi's dark crimson orbs staring back at each other. the eyes flared back and forth, tension insinuating between them. the devil stared between their infuriating silence, sighing mentally at their ability to bicker without even using verbal speech.

"you guys act like you have time to fight, but you realize your friend doesn't have much time," the devil said. the two demons snapped their heads towards the voice. immediately they realized the error.

"sorry," jimin said, bowing his head. yoongi also bowed his head in regret. "i'll go back and get jungkook... i'd rather suffer in the salt for a few more seconds than be a second too late for him," jimin said.

"i guess i'll stay here and get things prepared for him," yoongi said. jimin nodded.

jimin was surrounded in a dark red light, warping himself back to the apartment. he blinked his eyes a couple of times, to get used to his surroundings after being in the very red space of hell. it was almost enough to give him a headache, the sudden warping back and forth on top of the weakness he was previously feeling. despite his uneasiness, he noticed most if not all the salt had been removed by now, jimin could tell by the breathable air.

his eyes immediately landed on jungkook, who was curled up on the floor.

"jungkook!" jimin said, rushing to the angel's side.

he was laying on the floor pale and weak. it looked like he had fainted, but the blonde seemed awake, just... in pain. jimin wanted to ask so many questions, while several thoughts were racing through his mind. but he couldn't lose sight of what he needed to get done. the questions could be saved and asked for later. preferably when jungkook was in a more stable state because clearly... something happened in between jimin going to hell and returning. he looked much worse than he did the day before.

"i'm so... so sorry, jungkook..." jimin said, pulling jungkook's weakened body towards him. he wanted jungkook to know he was there, that his presence was beside him again. he hoped it was comforting.

"i got the entrances unblocked..." jungkook started in weak, raspy voice, interrupted by a sharp cough. "i think i got it out of the bedrooms too..." he winced in pain, as he clutched a random part of his stomach. it didn't stop his pain, or help it at all, but it was only natural.

"no no... don't worry about it for now..." jimin said, stroking jungkook's soft, frail hair. "i have a way to help you... you're gonna be okay..." jimin frantically looked around. "okay jimin think..." he mumbled to himself.

he looked around, his eyes landing on the knife that he used earlier to draw blood. blood was dried on the handle of it. he immediately regretted ever looking towards that direct, but what needed to be done, needed to be done. his eyes looked jungkook's face then back at the knife. he held his breath for this one. it was gonna be painful... for both of them.

"i'm sorry... but..." jimin carefully laid the angel on the floor and picked up the knife, gripping it tightly. he shakily took jungkook's pale arm, pushing up the sleeve that covered his wrist. he pierced the pale skin with the tip of the sharpened blade, closing his eyes and looking away from jungkook's pained expression.

jimin eventually was used to the constant pain of sending himself to hell, but he felt bad for jungkook who had to do it for the first time. he wasn't the sure the angel ever experienced anything as painful. it was nearly like jimin himself having to go through the pain all over again. of course he didn't want to put jungkook through the pain of a deep cut and a satanic ritual. if there was another way to get into hell, jimin would've used it by now. unfortunately, the only way is to keep cutting your arm, deep enough that you have the blood to write with.

jungkook let out a small cry of pain, even though he wasn't fully aware what was happening. every inch of his being hurt. feeling blood pour out from his arm didn't help the situation. jimin felt a sharp pain listening to jungkook uncontrollable whimpers of discomfort.

"this... fucking hurts..." jungkook mumbled. "is this a satanic ritual..?" he asked, somewhat joking, but he was also serious.

"i'm the son of a demon, what did you expect?" jimin said, with a sorrowful laugh.

"yeah well i'm the son of a god," jungkook muttered with heaving breathiness, his head rolling back on his shoulders. jimin put his arm behind jungkook's neck to support the younger so he wouldn't somehow snap his neck accidentally.

"i guess that makes us enemies," jimin said shaking his head.

"so then why are you helping your supposed enemy?" jungkook asked, a sarcastic smirk spread across his lips.

"i might be a demon, but even god said to love your enemies," was all jimin replied with.

jungkook would've much rather kept the light hearted banter going instead of being reminded that he was dying. but the pain wasn't over yet. jimin dipped his finger tip into the red fluid and drew the devil's symbol. he did the same for himself with his own blood to be sent to hell along with jungkook.

"you'll be ok..." was the last thing jungkook heard before everything went black.