Pluto Rooms | Jikook

..._

Today, Perilation has decided to place them in the sewers. 

More specifically, they're in a vast system of connecting ducts and twisting tunnels, with vicious echoing walls, rabid alligators, dripping sewage overflow, and a weak flashlight that they have to share between the two of them. Today couldn't have been worse for such a level, as Melonaju and Pluto97 must travel directly side by side in order to see where they are going by the weak beam of the flashlight--and they have to speak at every single intersection of sewer pipes--deciding which direction they should go to make it out of the damn system within the ticking time limit.

Normally, the level might be fun. Normally, it would be a laugh with Pluto--to slide along the sewer ducts, punching the chomping alligators and dodging huge piles of sludge with disturbing jokes peppering their conversations. With--yeah, Melonboy, I DEFINITELY am seeing shit in this level--it's everywhere! Unescapable! But at least I have you to look at, you're eye candy in here! Actually, you're eye candy in real life too!

"Which...way should...we..." Jimin scratches at his T-shirt, trying to ignore the way his shoulders are raised naturally in defense. In the way that he feels like he needs to think about every single word he says before it leaves his mouth. The closed-off, don't say anything unless it's for gameplay, way that they entered level 40 doing. "...go? I think maybe left-"

"We should go right." Pluto says without a trace of humor in his voice. Jimin nods, allowing the sponge to lead them into the right duct of the sewer system, feeling his heart ache for Pluto to make a joke just once. Just make one joke...give me one laugh...let me know that there's a small chance that you'll forgive me for ruining what we had going...

As the timer ticks down and there's still no end of the sewer system in sight, Jimin starts to get the feeling that they aren't going to beat this level. It's a dull sensation, one that sits lurking in the front of his head telling him that no buddyship can work without communication and mutual agreement. If they don't make-up, or at least come to terms with what happened, the game isn't going to let them win. Both of their heart rates are up--not because of the game--but because of the circumstances. If they don't fix what's bothering them in real life...Jimin knows the game won't let them go. We'll fail the level. And then we'll fail the game, and Pluto will never talk to me again because he won't have a reason to, and he'll ignore all my phone calls and texts, and-

.

♥ you are going ♥

♥ N0WHErE! ♥

♥ WalKING in CiRcleS! ♥

♥ horrible navigation!!! ♥

♥ PARK JIMIN ♥

♥ JEON JUNGKOOK ♥

♥ has the END come for YOU!? ♥

.

Only 120 seconds linger on the game clock, and Jimin sighs into his mic as the starting point of the sewer system comes into focus. They haven't gotten anywhere...literally--they're back at the starting point. When Jimin had signed into the game, Jungkook wanted no words said about what happened. Not a single word. He'd said let's just beat the level before sliding up to the door and opening it. 

No 3, 2, 1, suffice! No good-luck high five...no happy cheering about how Busan Warriors can destroy anything thrown their way.

Just gameplay. Silent, tense, gameplay.

"Jungkook, I think we should-"

"Let's just keep going straight this time." Jungkook's voice seems tired, maybe even irritated. It hasn't taken them this long to beat a level since the car level, when Jungkook had cried after their car crashed. Jimin wonders if Jungkook his cried since. If Jungkook cried yesterday like Jimin did after the horrible incident.