stay gold ; bts time travel ff

five

seokjin had been getting along with his younger self. he was surprised with how easily he could talk to him, seeing how he absolutely despised himself not only back then, but also looking back at himself in the present before this whole mess.

he didn't like how he looked, he was too scrawny and dead looking, hair too thin and angled in a way that made him want to gag. his clothing was a piece of hot garbage too, too many colorful button ups and quirky t-shirts. it was not a good look.

he hated basically every feature about his younger self, but for some reason, he didn't mind his shy nature. of course he wished he was more confident in himself back then, being shy made him forgetable and too awkward to be looked at as an idol his company could be proud of.

there was just something about the calm his younger self demonstrated that reminded him of a less blunt yoongi or a less energetic jungkook. don't get him wrong, he loved the chaotic nature his group held, but deep down he was an introvert who wanted some peace and quiet for at least a couple minutes (he'd be lucky to get a couple seconds) a day. twenty year old seokjin was that comfortable silence he needed.

but right now was the opposite of quiet and calm.

the sounds of stressful chatter filled the dimly lit dressing room (it could barely be called a dressing room. they were basically directly back stage) they were all stuffed in by both the staff and the members themselves. makeup artists were layering thick coats off black eyeliner and deep contour onto the teens faces, trying to make them look as intimidating as they possibly could with their baby faces. taehyung, jimin, jungkook and hoseok were all trying to hype their younger selves up with encouraging words and nervous smiles while namjoon and yoongi stood awkwardly against the wall, pondering wether or not to try to do the same.

seokjin sighed, deciding he would start looking as awkward as namjoon if he didn't go over to the much more timid version of himself. he didn't say anything immediately, deciding to stand close and watch him through the small mirror that sat carelessly against the dark wall. he looked nervous, like if someone jabbed him in the gentlest way possible he would break down.

the younger was handsome in a different way than seokjin was in the present, his eyes sagged down more into a natural sad expression and his lips were squeezed together much tighter, like he was holding something in. he looked so different yet exactly the same. a black tank top with 'jin' spread across the front in english letters sagged of his body awkwardly, showing his weirdly long, yet weak looking arms.

"hey jin, how are you holding up?" seokjin cringed at his own words, not quite used to calling somone by his own name.

"nervous," jin choked out, looking almost nauseous as he looked down to his black and white, too chunky tennis shoes.

"yeah, you're gonna feel like that for a while. at some point you'll feel like throwing up but don't worry, you won't cause you were too worried to have breakfast." seokjin replied, a smile forming on his lips as his younger self looked back at him with surprise. "i'm not as dense as everyone else, i saw you put your food back into the fridge. plus i did the same thing back then, same person and all."

that caused a small chuckle to escape the youngers mouth, face relaxing slightly in the company of his older self. "when do i get so funny?"

"it develops over time. you realize that your the big brother and need to act like it. i like making the guys feel comfortable and being funny really helps. good luck!" he said with a cheek-filled smile before ruffling the youngers hair and walking away, earning a small glare from the stylist who had just finished brushing it out to fit its emo checklist.

"remember when you fall back to not hurt yourself and if you do, don't break character. i don't want to stress you out but your whole career is depending on this moment." hoseok looks very serious while his younger self is looking at him like he's gone crazy.

"yeah that doesn't stress me out at all." little hoseok says sarcastically, raising his hand to rub at his temple.

"hoseokie, your putting too much pressure on the poor boy. i'm sure he would of done just fine without you patronizing him. turn off dance teacher mode for the time being." seokjin scolds, making the younger pout.

"hyung, i'm just trying to prepare him. he's gotta do good or else-"

"they'll do good. we did just fine when we debuted and so will they. relax." seokjin interrupted with a soft smile before turning to the younger of the two hoseoks. "good luck hoseok-ah, your a very talented dancer so show it off to the world."

he smiled in a way that was so hoseok that seokjin winced at how bright it was. ever since he had met the younger he had been so very chipper, always offering a smile or a hand to hold. seokjin had been surprised when namjoon and yoongi had reminisced about a time when the groups hope wasn't so hopeful.

he checked up on the youngest three who seemed to be doing fine, all already getting pretty comfortable with their younger selves before making his way over to little namjoon and yoongi who were getting their hair fixed up next to each other.

as the oldest, he often had to step up to help the group. and if that meant talking to an even more awkward version of yoongi and namjoon than he already had, then so be it.

"hey guys, since your older selves are either too awkward or too stubborn to literally just come over and say good luck, i'm gonna be the one to give you advice." seokjin said, giving a passive aggressive look towards the said two before his gaze softened back on the eyeliner duo in front of him.

"i want you guys to not stress over all this. it's just the dancing and singing you've been practicing for months, the only difference is that more people are watching. just give it your all and everything work out fine." he said, giving the two a thumbs up.

"couldn't have said it better myself." namjoon said with a nervous, dimpled smile as he appeared next to seokjin.

"oh so now you decide to show up. after i've already given the encouragement they needed. wonderful ." seokjin scoffed, crossing his arms as the younger scratched the back his head and looked towards the ground.

"i was just thinking about what i was going to say."

"you think too much." seokjin replied quicker than the speed of light, causing a snicker from the youngest two who were still standing there, looking a lot more relaxed than before. "yoongi is still as stubborn as ever i see." seokjin commented, glancing at the the younger who was now leaning against the wall, eyes closed.

"it's cause of his fight with hoseok," namjoon sighed. "they've both been a lot more antsy since it happened." little yoongi and namjoon looked beyond curious but didn't ask any questions.

"two minutes!" a staff member called from somewhere in the busy area, causing the two to rush over to the other 2013 bangtan who were waiting close to the curtain that lead to the stage.

seokjin was about to follow when namjoon gently grabbed him by the rest, looking at him with worry in baby browns of his eyes. "are you gonna warn him, hyung? about you know what? it might be our ticket out of here."

seokjin smiled, intertwining his fingers with the taller man. "that's what i was thinking too, but something just told me not to. like, i got this horrible feeling when i thought about telling him at breakfast."

namjoon sighed, taking a quick glance around before pulling seokjin closer to him, hands running up his waist as he gave him quick kiss to his lips. "whatever you say, love. i just really want to go home."

"i know, joonie. we'll get out of here soon, i promise." Seokjin smiled, leaning into the comforting warmth of namjoon before moving away and putting his mind back to work. he knew how to fix this.