Underwater: Brave - Taekook

17 - One More Day

Jungkook ~ Still With You | BTS ~ Zero O'Clock

*

There wasn't long left to go when the night fell. Jungkook and Bambam were getting close to the village and the former was getting very nervous. He didn't have a permission to return once he had left the pack, that's what they had told him and Taehyung when they came to this world. Jungkook hoped they would end up forgiving him and letting it slide since he was now officially a part of the pack, a werewolf himself. He also had something important to tell them...

"Are you nervous?" Bambam asked when he noticed how tense the other was.

"Yea... will it be okay? I broke the rule."

Bambam ruffled his hair and smiled.

"If they have something bad to say about you, they will have to say it to me too. We'll be fine, we're in this together."

As they arrived in the pack territory, there was someone walking toward them. At first Jungkook thought it would be one of the guards patrolling but the person was way too eager to get to them.

"Jungkook! Bambam!"

Hearing the familiar and cheerful voice encouraged Jungkook to run and meet his friend half-way.

"Yugyeom!"

Bambam watched them hug, feeling a little awkward. He was glad to see Yugyeom but he couldn't help thinking about what Jungkook had said to him.

"You like him and he likes you."

Could it be true? After all this time...

"Don't just stand there, Bambam! Have you not missed me?" Yugyeom pouted.

Maybe, just maybe, his heart beat a little bit faster. He hurried to his best friend who meant the world to him and engulfed him in a proper bear hug.

I missed you so much.

***

Jungkook sighed. They were in their hut, drinking tea after eating late dinner in somewhat uncomfortable silence.

"Just ask the question, Yugyeom."

"Wha- okay, okay. I'll ask. Where's Taehyung? How come you're here and he isn't?" Yugyeom eyed him carefully, still unsure if it was okay to talk about it.

"Did you not find him after all?"

Jungkook shook his head. He wouldn't have returned before finding him.

"We did. But we weren't the only ones. The prince had sent people to search for him", Jungkook said, voice steady yet eyes focused on the steaming beverage in his cup. 

"What happened?"

"He left me." 

No. He saved me.

"Jungkook?"

He saw the teardrops as they made contact with the wooden table, leaving behind tiny wet spots. They were his tears, shining in the corners of his eyes, lasting so much shorter than the pain that had caused them to run down his cheeks.

"Taehyung left with them to protect me and Jungkook", Bambam answered for him.

"I see... I'm sorry", Yugyeom empathized.

Jungkook was shaking his head again. He didn't need the pity.

"I'm gonna go to bed", he announced and left the table without drinking even a drop of the still warm tea.

Bambam and Yugyeom shared a look that said more than any words could.

***

Jungkook closed his eyes tight, wanting nothing more than to sleep away the pain and longing. He wanted the dark thoughts to disappear and stop reminding him of the sacrifice Taehyung had made for him. Wanted to stop worrying about what was happening to his mate and whether he was fine. Wanted to forget about the war and everything it would mean.

He heard the door being opened quietly. Two comforting scents filled the room and worked wonders to relax him. The mattress dipped with the weight of two other alphas squeezing themselves in the bed that was clearly too small for the tree of them. One on each side of Jungkook who thought he was going to suffocate.

"What are you two doing here?" he muttered, not opening his eyes in fear of starting to cry yet again.

"What do you think? We obviously came to cuddle our bunny", Yugyeom explained and Jungkook could hear the warm smile that accompanied those words.

"I get why you'd do that but even Bambam? It's not like I'm deadly sick or something."

Jungkook was glad they couldn't see the blush warming his face or the stupid grin that he pretended not to know the reason for.

"Shut up and sleep. You need to rest for tomorrow", Bambam mumbled.

The smile on his face dimmed just a little. There was only one more day before the war would begin.

* *** *

Taehyung had drawn a lot during the day. He had drawn everyone he had met and talked with after coming to this world. After Jungkook he drew Bambam and Yugyeom, then Jimin and other people he liked. When he ran out of nice people, he drew the ones he found annoying. Finally he drew even Yoongi and lastly his family that he had left behind in his own world, not forgetting his dog. He had just drawn the outline for Park Bogum when His highness decided to grace him with his presence.

"My coronation ceremony is tomorrow and you'll be there to witness it as well. In the morning someone will be sent to get you and dress you up. The very next day the war you were so much wishing for not to happen will begin."

"Why should I come to watch a clown get crowned?" Taehyung challenged, fire in his eyes.

Yoongi gritted his teeth in rage. When it came to the blonde man behind the bars, the future king wasn't all that virtuous, his patience wearing thin.

"Because whether you like it or not, I am your king starting from tomorrow and you are to serve me till the day you die."

Sending one last glare towards him, Yoongi walked away and the eerie silence of the dungeon returned.

Taehyung wondered if Yoongi's eyes had always been this cold. Wondered if in the end it really was his fault that things turned out like this. Where did it all go wrong? What was his first mistake? Could he have done anything differently and prevent this from happening?

He supposed it didn't matter. What mattered was tomorrow and the day after. There was one more day left.

***

A/N: Writing Yug and Bam coming to cuddle with Koo made me smile so much ^^

Fun(?) fact: 'One more day' is my favourite song from Lydia, give it a listen if you'd like!