Chapter Text
Prologue
A frosty wind tickles the back of his neck and his hands are balled with the tell-tale corse coldness of frozen rain. He hasn't taken a full breath yet but he already feels ill. As if the air itself is heavier, poisonous.
When he opens his eyes he’s lying face down in the snow. He couldn’t have been there long because he isn’t cold yet and his clothes are still for the most part dry. His head feels swim-y but otherwise okay so he knows he wasn’t drugged or anything but he doubts that he could have been dragged out here in his sleep considering; One: he’s a light sleeper and Two: there isn’t any snow anywhere close to where he lives at this time of year.
He’s still wearing what he slept in the night before, a light t-shirt and sweatpants. It was a warm night last night. Or was that tonight? The concept of time is weird in his disoriented state.
He flips over on his back and closes his eyes, willing something… anything… some sort of memory of what happened to come to him. How did he get here? The last thing he remembers is going to bed and waking up here. Nothing made sense.
The cold is just beginning to seep in and Yoongi shivers as his t-shirt becomes wet against his warm skin. He looks up to see the dark clouds roll in and he knows it’s going to snow again soon.
Yoongi pushes to sit up and is instantly hit with a wave of nausea. There is a thick forested area surrounding him but there's a clearing in the distance and Yoongi crawls and stumbles his way there. The air is oppressive, his lungs burn and his body feels all wrong. Weak. Like every limb is weighted.
Yoongi falls forward, knocking the wind out of him. His face is in the snow again and he's lucky he didn't hit a rock. He flips over onto his back.
This doesn't make sense.
“There he is!” someone shouts.
Maybe he should run, maybe he should try to hide. Several footsteps approach him as he lay there but he does not move, in fact, he's frozen in place because the slight slur and just strange enough pronunciation of the accented voice is as familiar to him as his own.
Tears instantly spring to his eyes when Yoongi looks up at who is screaming for him.
It’s Jungkook, and that would have been fine. He would have been relieved had his Jungkook not died three years ago.
1
Jungkook pants harshly as he throws open the front door and runs into their bunker knocking over a table with one of Seokjin’s expensive vases on it. The noise of the ceramic shattering against the concrete of their floor heralds five other people into the dimly lit living area just as Jungkook collapses to his knees.
“I found him,” he pants clutching his chest. He hadn’t expected to be this affected by it. He hadn’t expected to miss Yoongi this much, but when he was announced missing during a solo mission Jungkook’s world tilted on its axis. He had to find him. And he did.
He finally did.
Hoseok runs to him, grabbing him by the shoulders tightly. Tears are welling in his eyes and his hands tremble when he hauls Jungkook up.
If anyone has felt the loss of Yoongi it’s Hoseok. They were partners. They were friends. Maybe each other’s only friend.
“Coordinates Jungkook!” Hoseok shakes him harshly “give us coordinates now!” he’s practically screaming.
“Calm down Hoseok,” Namjoon’s soothing voice cuts in but he too is looking at Jungkook with something aching to desperation in his eyes. Yoongi is the right-hand man to their leader. He was Namjoon's confidante and comfort. He always knew what to do when Namjoon didn't.
Taehyung is holding himself perfectly still. He isn’t breathing, only waiting for Jungkook to say the first number of the coordinates for him to type into their GPS system. Jimin is nearby, his entire frame trembling with anticipation.
Yoongi…
They had spent days and nights searching every signal they could. Tried to log into his offline communicator anything to give them the barest idea of where Yoongi was and here it is, thrown into their laps and it’s almost as if they don’t know what to do with it.
“Tell us Jungkook!” Hoseok barks and Jungkook snaps his eyes to him.
Everyone is waiting while Jungkook goes through whatever dilemma he’s having in his head but soon he’s muttering the coordinates and everything becomes a flurry of movement.
Seokjin already has a coat on and a first aid bag slung across his chest. Namjoon loads his handgun and tucks it into his waistband on his way out. Hoseok still hasn’t let go of Jungkook but he stumbles after them with Jungkook in tow tugging on a jacket as he goes.
They pile into the van, all of them tense but vibrating with adrenaline. They found him. They really found him.
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The morning is exceptionally cold, the land blanketed in white and Seokjin wishes he had thought to bring a blanket for Yoongi. He had been missing for weeks, who knows what condition he’d be in? He could be bleeding, he could be hurt, he could be injured beyond repair.
Seokjin knew this wouldn’t have gone well.
When their boss had contacted Yoongi for the solo mission Seokjin had been plagued with night terrors until the very day they announced him missing.
He knew.
He just knew something would go wrong. Yoongi was famed in their organization for being able to infiltrate and get out unscathed and unseen and Seokjin never had a doubt about his work but this one… this particular job rubbed Seokjin the wrong way. It was too perfect for Yoongi. It was almost as if the place had been set up just to see if Yoongi could get in.
Seokjin cared deeply for his team, he tried to keep that from affecting the way he treated them. It won't do to form ties in a world like this. Today they are okay, tomorrow his dear sweet Jimin will shoot him for the last slice of bread. Today he will help Taehyung hunt wild boar for his favorite stew tomorrow Taehyung will sell him out for immunity.
This world was harsh and cruel but Seokjin did what he could to keep everyone safe. He was sure to screen missions, keep up their stocks, and make sure everyone was well and fed, and healthy.
He feels as if he has failed Yoongi.
------------------------
Namjoon pulled the truck to a stop at the location the GPS had pointed out. The soft rapid beeping tells them they have arrived.
“My contact said he was near the forest," Jungkook says, hopping down from the van. His boots sink into the deep snow and he pulls his beanie lower on his head to cover his ears already bright red from the cold. The forest is dense and Jungkook hopes Yoongi isn't too far in for them to find. But if the contact was able to spot him he couldn't be too far away.
Hoseok, Namjoon, and Seokjin all walk behind him. It was due to snow again soon, maybe even a blizzard and they definitely didn’t need to be caught in that right now but they simply had to find Yoongi.
Dark clouds were already rolling in. The temperature was dropping dramatically to the point where they could feel it even under their bundles of clothes.
Jungkook squinted as he saw a lump in the snow flipping over.
…It’s him… it’s Yoongi.
“He’s over here!” He screamed, “There he is!”
Jungkook started running and he could hear the crunch of snow as they all ran behind him. It was difficult in the snow. His feet sank down to his ankles, his boot got stuck with every step but he pressed on as quickly as he could.
“Yoongi?... Yoongi,” Jungkook crouched next to him. He looked unharmed although poorly underdressed for the weather. Yoongi looked up with dazed eyes at Jungkook.
“Kook?” he rasped. His frozen fingers came up to touch Jungkook’s pink cheek.
“Yeah…” Jungkook choked. “Yeah it’s me.” He says. He wants to cry.… it’s Yoongi.
Alive okay… breathing.
Jungkook pulls Yoongi’s upper body to his chest, squeezing him tightly.
He didn’t even want to think of the day they got the news that Yoongi was missing. Now he has him in his arms he’s never going to let him go again. Jungkook can feel Yoongi shiver against him. His heart is beating hard against Jungkook’s palm where it’s settled on his back.
“Yoongi,” Seokjin kneels next to him and wraps his own jacket around Yoongi’s slight frame. “Look at me. Are you okay? Do you know where you are?”
Seokjin is already inspecting his pupils; his hands are gentle as it runs over his face and arms, chest, and legs.
Yoongi's lip is split but scabbed over and there's yellowness around his eye that says a bruise is healing but other than that he seems fine.
“Jin?” is all Yoongi says. He sounds confused. It’s just one word but it sounds like he’s asking ’what are you doing here?’
“Are you in pain? Is anything broken?” Namjoon has knelt on the other side and Yoongi still has a torn and confused look on his face. It almost looks like he’s in pain, it almost looks like he’s about to cry.
“Suga?” Hoseok whispers and Yoongi’s eyes snap to him with a tiny gasp.
Their eyes lock for a moment. A long moment where neither of them says anything yet they say everything.
“We came for you Yoongi. Let’s go home, yeah?” Seokjin says, trying to pull Yoongi to stand. His legs buckle under him but Seokjin supports his weight as they begin a slow trek back to the van. It would be easier to carry him but Yoongi wouldn't like to be babied. Despite his petite frame he can and will end the life of a person who tries to make him seem small or cute.
Jungkook reaches down to pick up the device that was discarded where Yoongi laid and slipped it into his own pocket. It wouldn’t do for them to go through it before he had time too. He was the only one who really knew what he was doing when it came to tech but he won’t chance Namjoon solving the code overnight. In their organization, Jungkook may be the greatest tech expert ever born in this war-torn world but Namjoon is one of the most brilliant men who ever lived.
Jungkook doesn’t mention the fact that Yoongi’s hair is no longer the light mint green he had left them with and is now dark as midnight standing out against his pale skin and the snow. He doesn’t mention that this Yoongi has a tattoo running up the side of his neck when their Yoongi didn’t and he doesn’t mention the silver ring on his little finger that looks exactly like a ring their Yoongi had bought their Jimin a year ago. Jungkook won’t mention these things because he knows and he doesn’t want them to know.
This is not their Yoongi.
2
Yoongi is confused, to say the least. Internally, he’s going out of his mind. What kind of sick joke is this?
He’s sat up on a bed, a mountain of pillows behind him and a hot cup of tea in his hands. They seem to be in a bunker of sorts, his room looks very military-issued. A single bed in the corner, a desk and chair with some fancy computer set up on the other side of the room, a shelf filled with books and a rack filled with guns against the other wall. The far corner has a toilet and bathroom that opens on two sides, the other side seems to be Seokjin’s room.
Jimin and Taehyung are huddled at the foot of the bed. They hadn’t left his side since Seokjin, Jungkook, Hoseok, and Namjoon had brought him there. His brain was still slow to process his situation so he just allowed them to strip him and draw a warm bath then bundle him up in soft oversized clothes then put him to bed.
Yoongi resists the urge to run to Seokjin or Namjoon or even Taehyung and Jimin and… fuck... Hoseok and Jungkook are here and he can’t understand it. He doesn’t know what’s happening. All his friends are here.
All of his friends are alive. They didn’t die in that shooting three years ago.
He wasn’t the only one to survive ..but even as his hysterical brain tried to assure him of the realness of the situation Yoongi still knows this is wrong.
They are dead. All of them.
Namjoon, Seokjin, and Jimin had died before he could even get to them. Taehyung had died in his arms. He buried them, mourned their loss with their families and then Jungkook and Hoseok had been stripped away from him too when they both died one after the other at the hospital.
Yoongi sips at the hot tea Jimin had given him as he assesses the two boys in front of him. Jimin has silver hair and Taehyung is blonde. He noticed that everyone except Jungkook has lightly coloured hair and Yoongi assumed it had to do with the snow and whatever it is these boys did to be living out here in a bunker with coded doors and guns on the walls.
Yoongi shudders suddenly, making his tea slush over the sides of his cup.
“Yoongi?” Jimin crawls up the bed to him. “Are you okay?”
It’s a dumb question in any version of this situation but Yoongi knows Jimin isn’t trying to be a smart ass right now. He’s just truly worried.
Taehyung crawls up to Yoongi’s other side.
“You’ll have to brief the boss soon,” Taehyung says solemnly. And for the fourth or fifth time today, Yoongi is confused. Who is the boss?
Should he play along? Will they kill him if they knew that he’s not whoever their Yoongi is?
These people look like his friends but they are all clearly dangerous, he can tell from the look in their eyes.
But Hoseok had called him Suga. That can't be a coincidence. Hoseok was the only one who ever called him Suga. When they first met as children it was the first thing Hoseok had said to him.
“Small and white and sweet like a sugar cube.”
It was such a weird thing for an 8-year-old to say but it was so very Hoseok and Yoongi called him Hobie. It just fit. He was his oldest friend and he died. Now …
Jimin is nestled against him and Taehyung is on his other side and it’s so familiar. He's so content that he can almost forget their screams that night. Almost forget how Jimin gurgled choking on his own blood beside him as Yoongi held his hand to Taehyung's bleeding chest. Almost forget how Seokjin's body was draped protectively across Namjoon's own body, both riddled with holes. Almost forget how Hoseok had seemed okay, they couldn't have known that the bullet would travel through his blood stream to his heart and little Jungkook hadn't even been shot but with the panicked crowd rushing around he was thrown against a pillar fracturing his skull and falling into a coma he never woke from.
He could almost forget that night.
Almost.
3
Seokjin and Namjoon accompany him to the meeting with the boss, only known as Mr Bang the following morning.
His office is a two-hour drive away and Yoongi sleeps for most of it. Not like he’d be able to figure out where he is in this snow anyway. His head is still fuzzy like he hasn't fully woken up and his limbs still feel sore and stiff.
Mr Bang is an older man. He’s short and pudgy but he also looks like he can and will snap you in half. He actually smiles when he sees Yoongi. His office is an enormous space with multiple safes across the walls, a large desk at the centre and several monitors with different locations on the screen. It's on the third floor but there are no windows much like most of the buildings Yoongi has seen on his way here. What is this place and what kind of war-torn world did he end up in?
“Son… You’ve come back to us.” Mr Bang holds out his arms and Yoongi looks to Seokjin before hobbling forward into his embrace.
“What’s wrong hmm?” Mr Bang holds him at arm’s length to look at him assessing his still fading bruise from the bar fight he had been in a few days ago and the shaggy length of his hair. His eyes narrow a bit then he looks to Namjoon.
“He has no memory boss… almost everything is gone, he remembers nuances like names and dates, nicknames and how Jimin likes his tea but other than that, nothing,” Namjoon provides. They had drilled Yoongi all of last evening into this morning about what he knew and what he remembered and they came up with nothing.
“He... um also has no external wounds but we scanned him for chips and he’s clean. We don’t know what happened. It’s not like him to break under pressure like this Mr Bang” Seokjin says. Yoongi noticed that he left out the part where in the last video they had seen of him he had been shot and clearly Yoongi hadn’t been.
Yoongi saw the video that morning and he almost threw up. It was him on the video clear as day strung up and shot. The shooter just out of frame. The video cut to that Yoongi escaping his binds and stumbling out of the warehouse. The footage follows him for a few blocks then he disappears; they haven't been able to find him since. Then he appeared.
It's eerie that this would be what happens to this Yoongi. Being shot while his friends waited for him when it was the complete opposite back wherever he's from.
He hasn't exactly felt clear-headed since he got here, wherever here is and he may be getting sick but he keeps his head down and his mouth shut, their Yoongi didn't seem to be one to bitch about having a head cold.
Yoongi is taking it well, all things considered. It’s not every day you wake up in a different world but he’s managed to not think too hard on it.
"Well Seokjin, have at the lab tomorrow morning and do any scans you can.. See if you can get a read on his memory situation and get back to me." Mr Bang says. He's still holding onto Yoongi, his v stubby fingers tight against Yoongi's shoulders. He doesn't seem to want to let go as if when he did, Yoongi would disappear again.
Yoongi can tell Mr Bang feels responsible for whatever is happening or has happened to this Yoongi and the man seems to like these guys well enough judging by his warm greeting and easy conversation so Yoongi goes with his gut. He tips forward and wraps his arms around Mr Bang he tucks his chin on his shoulder and holds tight. Mr. Bang seems stunned for a minute but then he softens and holds onto Yoongi. His breath shudders out of him.
"It's not your fault," Yoongi whispers and Mr Bang sucks in a breath. He collects himself physically straightening then let's go of Yoongi and pats him softly on the cheek.
"Have Seokjin fix you good, yeah?" Mr Bang says softly, his eyes suspiciously wet.
"Yeah," Yoongi answers and he smiles a little.
--------------------
Namjoon leaves again after dropping Yoongi and Seokjin off at the door to their bunker. It's still snowing and this far outside of the city it seems impossible to actually find the bunker unless you know where it is.
Seokjin stands behind Yoongi as he walks to the door. The key code system looks strange. It isn't numbers, it's symbols that look like maybe it's written in hangul but not really.
"You don't know the code," Seokjin says. It's a statement.
Yoongi has realized that Seokjin, this Seokjin, almost never asks questions. He quietly observes until he comes to a conclusion of his own, then makes a statement. It's not unlike his own Seokjin except this one although caring is very blunt in all things.
Yoongi couldn't imagine his Seokjin like this.
His Seokjin had just started growing his hair out. It was almost to his chin dark and fluffy and it made him look even more beautiful than he was. His Seokjin liked being called Jinnie and loved the colour pink and stuffed animals and super Nintendo games. His Seokjin was quick to laugh and share hugs and quick to make people comfortable around him even when he'd flush a bright red with his discomfort.
This Seokjin dressed in black with his hands tucked in the pockets of his long coat and assessing eyes trained on him from beneath his dark thick eyebrows was terrifying. The light blonde hair he had tucked under his black cap did nothing to soften his face.
"No, I um.. Don't. Sorry," Yoongi mumbles, “don’t remember.”
Seokjin doesn't say anything else. He pats Yoongi on the head in a way that can only be described as condescending although for this Seokjin it may be fondness, then types in a series of symbols to open the door.
It's quiet inside. Everyone except Hoseok has gone out to do whatever it is they do.
Yoongi sits on the couch in their living area. There isn't much to do because he doesn't know what to do. He didn't have his phone or his laptop... nothing. And now he is alone an overwhelming need to scream or cry takes over him but he breathes deeply against it and settles himself on the couch rubbing his sternum to relieve the pressure building in his chest.
Seokjin reappears with a bowl of some sort of stew and a glass of water on a tray.
"This should be easy on your stomach while you adjust," Seokjin says. He pulls the small coffee table closer to where Yoongi is huddled on the couch and sets the tray down.
"My stomach?" Yoongi asks, his gaze fixed on the warm stew in front of him. He feels nauseated at the thought of having to eat, but how would Seokjin know that?
"Mmhmm, who knows what kinds of bacteria we have here that you aren't acclimatized to," he says nonchalantly.
Yoongi's heart drops to his already nervous stomach and his eyes widen.
"It's not hard to figure out Yoongi... If that is your name. It seems to be. But I ran all your scans so I know you aren't Yoongi or at least not our Yoongi." Seokjin looks calm perched on the opposite couch with his ankle resting on the opposite knee. He looks like he's having an everyday conversation. His pretty brown eyes are running over Yoongi’s face memorizing every nervous tick and change of expression but he seems relaxed. He doesn’t look like he’s going to attack.
Yoongi doesn't buy it. Not from this Seokjin.
"You also have an appendix it seems,” He continues, “Yoongi didn't have one. So unless you've grown a new one, you can't be him. Then let's talk about the tattoo on your neck." Seokjin continues listing off differences but Yoongi can no longer hear them.
Seokjin knows.
He's going to sell him out. They'll kill him. Namjoon will do it. Yoongi knows he will.
He’s on his feet in seconds, knees knocking painfully against the coffee table. He runs to the back of the bunker which honestly in retrospect was a dumb idea to begin with. Yoongi locks himself in the far room breathing heavily as he pushes a chest to block the door.
There aren't any windows. There isn't anything really in this room. It looks like a storage space. Maybe he could find a shovel and tunnel his way out.
"Honestly that wasn't even impressive Yoongi." Seokjin’s voice is muffled through the door and Yoongi's heartbeat is deafening. He rubs at his chest. The panic he's been starving off all day is rising steadily making his limbs heavy and his head buzz. His breathing is harsh and his eyes spring water. This room is also colder than the rest of the house for some reason and his already stiff joints stiffen further.
"Yoongi.. Calm down and open up. I just want to help," Seokjin sounds a bit frantic and in the day and a half that Yoongi has been here he's never heard this Seokjin sound like that. “I can hear you breathing, you're going to pass out.”
Yoongi claws at his chest trying desperately but failing to take a deep breath. He tips over hitting the concrete floor hard.
Yoongi had never been prone to panic attacks, but Jimin had been. His Jimin that is. So he knew what it looked like but he had never felt it for himself until now.
He felt like he was dying.
Rationally, he knew he should calm down to figure a way out of the situation but the high pitched ringing in his ear wouldn't let up and the feeling of something squeezing his breath out of him is getting worse.
There’s a crash mere centimetres away from his head. He can blearily see Hoseok and Seokjin entering the room having knocked over his barrier, black spots danced at the edges of his vision.
"Yoongi, please calm down. No one is going to hurt you."
He can't tell who's talking to him. What if Seokjin tells Hoseok? What if he tells Namjoon? Yoongi's vision fades until everything goes black.
4
Jungkook plugs the primitive cellular device into his computer and waits for the decoding system to load. It’s been just over three days and no one seems to know yet about what Jungkook has done and he wants to keep it that way but it’s difficult when all his teammates are this highly trained. Namjoon is bound to get suspicious, Seokjin has all of Yoongi’s brain scans, Hoseok and Yoongi had been closer than any of them, Jimin picks up too easily on moods and Taehyung sees more than he should. It’s only a matter of time before Jungkook has to convince them all that they’re crazy for not believing that this is their Yoongi minus the memory.
It had taken several hours for Jungkook to doctor the footage enough for it to pass as real to the likes of Kim Namjoon. The video that revealed Yoongi’s true fate.
The grainy footage showed Yoongi releasing himself and disappearing after a few blocks when in fact he had collapsed and died at the first one.
Jungkook saw the tape.
He found the body.
He burnt it and scattered the ashes into the snow. Now Yoongi was as invisible as his reputation made him to be.
Jungkook’s computer beeped, signalling that the cell phone was successfully hacked and all the files were uploaded to his own computer. He clicked around until he found the files he was looking for.
Jungkook slapped a hand over his mouth to suppress the sob that snuck up on him at the very first file he opened.
A photo album.
A picture of all of them but a little younger.
All dark-haired smiling and looking absolutely one hundred percent up to no good.
He was surprised to see that Jungkook in the pictures had the same scar on the side of his face and wondered what the story of his scar could be. Was it from a knife-like his own had been or was it something purer like falling out of a tree?
Taehyung had the biggest, most ridiculous grin on his face and his arms were thrown over Jungkook and Jimin.
His Taehyung hardly ever smiled or laughed. His face was downright striking and impressively intimidating. The closest thing to a smile they ever got was a smirk and honestly, Jungkook would take what he could get.
He chuckled as he flicked through the rest of the pictures stopping here and there as he takes in little pieces of how this Yoongi lives or lived—what he left behind when Jungkook brought him here.
Jungkook stops at a picture of him and Yoongi. They’re both laying in the grass, Jungkook's head resting on Yoongi’s outstretched arm, a fond smile on his face as Jungkook’s closed eyes and smiling face is tilted toward the sun.
This Yoongi and his Jungkook look friendly. This Yoongi looks like he’s capable of actual emotion.
His Yoongi isn't.
He cares for them in his own way—the way all the older ones are, Seokjin, Namjoon, and Hoseok. All just a bit cold, maybe because they were alive for the actual war.
Seokjin and Yoongi had been old enough to remember the beginning and end of the war and the subsequent split of nations. They worked for Mr Bang the longest and they were protective enough for Jungkook and the others to know that they care but not enough to truly feel loved by them.
Jungkook couldn't help but feel jealous of the other Jungkook although a bit sorry for taking his Yoongi away.
It isn't until Jungkook gets to Yoongi's messages that he realizes something isn't right.
Messages to confirm appointments with grief counselors and messages to Jungkook's younger brother, no messages to any of his friends. Jungkook switches over to a schedule application. Doctors’ appointments, therapist work meetings then at the very bottom 'visit them' is highlighted.
He types the names into the search bar and comes up with messages dated several years before the more recent messages. The last message was from Hoseok saying he’s waiting for Yoongi to get out of the bathroom to drive him home.
Did something happen to this Yoongi's friends?
Jungkook looked over at his clock. Namjoon will pick him up for them to go back home soon. He saves the files to his external drive then wipes the phone memory. After shutting everything down he goes outside to wait with his laptop tucked under his arm.
Jungkook can't help but think that this little experiment he did is going to end badly for everyone involved.
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Yoongi groans, opening his eyes to the darkroom. His head hurts and his chest and ribs feel pinchy and weird.
He tries to swing his legs off the bed only to find his right foot chained to the bed frame.
Panic grips him again, swirling his stomach and making him gag. Tears sting his eyes.
"Please," he whispers.
This can’t be happening. He can’t get out. He didn’t mean to be here in the first place. Why is this happening?
"Please!" He calls louder, rubbing his eyes.
The door slams open and Seokjin walks in. He looks bristled. His hair is sticking up and his face looks pale.
"You're okay," he sighs. He approaches the bed and Yoongi scoots back as far as he could. Seokjin doesn't halt in his approach.
"Yoongi. Please calm down. I'm not going to hurt you, I just want to talk," Seokjin says seriously. He sits on the edge of the bed and reaches out to Yoongi.
Yoongi unfolds himself from the corner but he doesn't try to get any closer.
Seokjin sighs and runs his hand through his hair. He looks at Yoongi and sighs again. He really does look worried.
"I thought we would lose you again. You aren't well Yoongi. I have to give you several vaccines if you're even going to last the month. It's much different here than where you're from," he says.
Yoongi blinks at him. He knows he’s not well. He could feel it the moment he woke up in the snow but this Jin seems too perceptive for his own good.
"How can you tell? What are you going to do to me? I swear I didn't do this on purpose." Yoongi blurts out trying to defend himself. He really didn't come here on purpose. Maybe he should have said something but then what? And how is he supposed to get back even if he had said something?
"I know you didn't. Someone had to bring you here. You don’t have any chips, so I assume that where you are from, you don’t have the technology to do whatever brought you here. I'm not going to do anything but make sure you don't get sick…well, worse and as for how I can tell… you just aren't him. I could feel it when I met you and the scans confirmed it." Seokjin shrugs.
"I um… I was just asleep at home and I woke up here." Yoongi mumbles. He looks lost. He sort of is. He's been trying to keep his cool about being in a potentially dangerous situation but it's difficult. Everyone is just all wrong. Cold distant. They aren't ever all together. They don't speak to each other. Something tells him the Yoongi of this world isn't particularly kind either.
Seokjin moves closer to him on the bed and Yoongi feels the urge to lean in toward him. He was so close to his Jin, this distance doesn't feel right.
Yoongi leans over to rest his head on Seokjin’s lap. He sighs as Seokjin’s fingers instantly go to his hair. It's a bit stiff and awkward. Seokjin strokes him like he's petting a dog.
"I miss my Yoongi," Seokjin says. It’s just as blunt as he always sounds but somehow warmer.
"I always miss my Jinnie," Yoongi says.
"Hmm? Something has happened to the me in your world?" Seokjin asks still stroking Yoongi's hair.
Yoongi doesn't know how he arrived at that conclusion from his simple statement but this Seokjin is just that kind of guy.
"To all of you. In my world, you are all dead," Seokjin’s fingers stop.
"How?"
"A shooting; I was the only one who made it." Yoongi answers. Tears clog his throat and he inhales deeply.
"I'm sorry," Seokjin says.
"What happens to me when your Yoongi comes back?" Yoongi asks.
"I don't know." Seokjin says and leaves it at that. He strokes Yoongi's hair until he relaxes again.
"Do you think you would like to stay? I can always tell them that your amnesia is permanent." Seokjin says and Yoongi considers it. A world where all his friends are alive and all together. Does it matter that they aren't truly them? Maybe they're a bit colder but he can warm them up, right?
But it isn't them. They could never be. He feels like he's betraying their memory just laying here in Seokjin’s lap. Seeking comfort from an imposter.
Yoongi can't help himself as the first sob tears through his throat. His chest tightens as more choked sobs spill out. He cries. All the frustration of the three days since he's been here forces its way out of him as he lays there with this fake Seokjin stroking his hair.
Seokjin's fingers pause on his skin. Just under his ear and to the side of his neck. He strokes the word reverently.
"Bangtan," Seokjin whispers.
"Bangtan," Yoongi whispers back.
Could Seokjin possibly know the meaning of the word tattooed on his neck? Bangtan. It's just a silly word Namjoon made up but it became their battle cry. Their own version of YOLO.
They had screamed it that night in Seokjin's apartment before they left for the nightclub. The first-ever fiasco that they didn't survive.
Seokjin resumes his ministration on Yoongi's head and soon Yoongi is asleep.
Seokjin unchains him and unlocks the door. He won't be leaving Seokjin knows that now but he may leave them in a different way.
Yoongi is sick. It's subtle but Seokjin as a medic in a place like this has taught him all the signs. He has to get Yoongi to the labs and have him vaccinated soon.