Jungkook looked at Jimin sleeping on the small bunk bed next to his, eyebrows scrunching and forehead glistening with sweat. He was having a nightmare. Understandable, since they were in the middle of a war right now. A nuclear war, to be exact.

   It had been a week since they had heard any explosions. Some of the people in the bunker they were holed up in had wanted to go above ground after a few days of silence but Jungkook knew better. Nuclear bombs do damage that lasts much longer than any other weapon. The air would be tainted, lethal to breathe. He hoped the air would clear soon. They were running low on food and if they ran out things could get messy real quick. Well, messier than they already were.

   Jungkook sighed when Jimin shifted in his sleep, letting out a soft whimper. Jimin was Jungkook’s best friend. He had been since Jungkook was fourteen. Now, five years later, he couldn't imagine a world without Jimin. He was supposed to protect Jimin no matter what. Shelter him from the world and its terror, its harshness. And he had failed.

   Jimin whimpered a second time and Jungkook reached across the small space between their beds, touching Jimin’s hair and it softly. Jimin became quiet, his brow relaxing and breath becoming more even. Jungkook continued to pet Jimin’s hair until he felt himself drifting to sleep, resting his hand on the edge of Jimin’s bed so he felt just a little bit closer to him. Safer.

   A few more days later the group decided to send someone above ground to see if it was safe. A brave man volunteered, well aware that the air could still possibly kill him - or maybe something else they didn't know was there. The man went outside slowly, carefully. He stayed there for five minutes. Was unaffected. He stayed there for ten minutes. Still nothing happened. After fifteen minutes he decided it was safe and was let back into the bunker.

   “Nothing happened. The air smells normal, a bit like ash but not poisonous, and I don't have any symptoms. I think it's safe.”

   “Are you sure? Should we wait a bit longer and see if you develop any symptoms?” a young girl asked. Jungkook hadn't spoken to her much but he knew she was about his age and had reached safety alone, having no idea if her loved ones were safe. Jungkook took a moment to thank whatever higher power might exist that he at least had Jimin with him.

   “That's a good idea. We'll decide if it's safe if nothing happens in the next hour. And if something does… let's hope the effects won't kill him.” Jungkook nodded in agreeance with the young man speaking. It had been a while since the bombs were dropped, the effects shouldn't be as bad now. Whatever the effects might be.

   “Jungkook? Do you think we'll be okay?” Jimin asked as they waited for the hour to pass, sitting side by side on his bed.

   “Yeah. We'll be okay. We've survived so far, nothing can be worse than what's already passed,” Jungkook reassured. Jimin gave him a grateful smile and held out his hand for Jungkook. The younger took it and held it firmly, conveying his support and confidence through the touch.

   “We'll be okay,” he repeated. He tried not to think about the fact that he was trying to convince himself as much as he was Jimin.

   An hour passed. The man hadn't developed any symptoms. Everyone decided it was safe to leave the small bunker and see what the bombs had done. If they had any reason to leave the bunker at all. One by one they climbed up into the open, and one by one they wished they hadn't.

   The city was in ruins. Buildings destroyed, vehicles charred and in pieces, bodies littering the streets. Everything was covered in ash. Nothing moved. It was hell on earth. Jimin gripped Jungkook’s hand, a reflex by now, and Jungkook squeezed it comfortingly.

   “Oh…” the young girl breathed. The rest of them agreed silently, knowing exactly what she meant. How could this happen?

   “I say we… see if there's food and water somewhere.” The group nodded and the man who spoke - the same man who had risked his life just an hour and fifteen minutes earlier - took the lead. The group wandered the streets in search of food, people, a building in a big enough piece to take shelter in. They found nothing.

   “Maybe we should leave the city. Find somewhere the bombs didn't hit,” someone suggested.

   “And how long will we have to walk before we find somewhere like that?” another argued. Jungkook felt the tension rise and he slowed his pace, Jimin following his lead and throwing him a questioning glance. Just follow me, he said with his eyes. Jimin understood and barely nodded, imperceptible to anyone except Jungkook.

   “I don't know, but we need to find food and water, and there definitely isn't any here,” the first person said impatiently.

   “There's a forest on one side of the city and a field on the other. Not even a field, a ing prairie. We'll never find anything out there!”

   “Leaving is our best bet!”

   The bickering continued and the friends manages to slow down enough that they slipped away from the group. Jungkook turned and ran in the opposite direction the group was heading, pulling Jimin with him and into a half-toppled building. They paused to catch their breath, hunched over and panting tiredly.

   “Why did you run? They'll notice we're gone! What if something happens to them? Or us…?” Jimin whispered the last part quietly and Jungkook sat down, Jimin sitting in front of him.

   “Nothing will happen to us now that we're away from them. Arguing is a bad sign. They'll either get themselves killed or actually kill each other, trust me.” Jimin sighed and his dry lips, suddenly very aware of how thirsty he was. The water supply had been very low in the bunker the last few days. Water was definitely their first priority right now.

   “Okay. So what do we do now?” Jimin asked.

   “I think we should leave the city. The forest is a better bet than the fields, there’s gotta be a river somewhere. And we can eat the berries and stuff.” Jimin nodded as Jungkook spoke, agreeing with every word.

   “Yeah. Let's do that. But what if the others decide to go into the forest too?” Jungkook scoffed.

   “It'll take them forever to decide where they're going. But if they do decide on the forest, if we go now we'll be ahead of them. Plus we can move faster, there are only two of us and like eight of them,” Jungkook reasoned.

   “Right. Do we need a plan other than water for now?” Jimin asked and Jungkook tilted his head.

   “Well shelter is our number one priority. We need to find a river first, though, and build a shelter near it. Unless we don't find a river today, then we'll just worry about shelter.” Jimin sighed.

   “This survival thing is a lot of work,” he said. Jungkook smiled and nudged Jimin’s foot with his.

   “Bet you're glad I took those wilderness classes.” Jimin chuckled half heartedly.

   “I sure am. Come on, we'd better move before the group notices we left and start looking for us.” The friends stood and brushed their pants off, though there was really no point. They had been wearing the same clothes for roughly two weeks. A little dust and ash wasn't going to do any harm.

   Jungkook led the way to the edge of the city, keeping a lookout for the group they had ditched. Jimin hung onto his sweater sleeve and followed closely. When they reached the invisible border between the city and the forest Jimin tugged on Jungkook’s sleeve hard enough to make him pause.

   “Are you sure this is the right thing to do?” he asked nervously.

   “Yeah. Don't worry, we'll find everything we need. We'll be okay.” Jungkook spoke soothingly and Jimin felt himself relax a bit. He nodded.

   “Okay. Let's go.” They stepped into the forest, towards survival.

……..

   “That looks promising.” Jimin pointed towards a small trickle of water flowing among the foliage. It stopped and gathered in a small puddle near their feet. Jungkook turned to follow the water. Five minutes of walking later they arrived at a small river which murmured softly as the water slipped over the rocks.

   “Good job Jimin. We need to find somewhere to set up a small shelter. You go find some big branches, I'll find us a spot.” Jimin nodded and began searching for large branches while Jungkook looked for the perfect place to set up camp. He found two trees a good distance apart. He called Jimin over.

   “This is where we'll build the shelter.” Jimin dropped the branches he had dragged over and brushed his hands together.

   “Sounds good. Let's get this done before it gets dark,” he said. The pair split up to find more materials and when they had gathered enough Jungkook instructed Jimin on how to help build the shelter.

   “These big ones go here…” he walked Jimin through it until they had a decent shelter. They built it so the back faced the wind, safe from its biting chill. Jungkook slung an arm around Jimin’s shoulders and smiled at him triumphantly.

   “Good job.”

   “You too.” They sat beneath their shelter to rest for a few moments, until the need for water became too important to ignore anymore. They walked down to the river, only a minute from their camp, and Jimin crouched down to dip his hand in the water. It was cold, refreshing. He wanted to take a bath so badly. Jimin forced himself to think about the more pressing matter at hand.

   “How will we boil and drink the water? We don't have a pot or anything,” Jimin asked, standing up and wiping his hand on his jeans. Jungkook swore quietly under his breath but he didn't let his expression change. He couldn't scare Jimin. He had to protect Jimin. His ultimate goal. Protect Jimin.

   “We'll figure something out. I can go back into the city, see if I can find something,” Jungkook offered.

   “Are you sure? What if the group sees you?”

   “I'll be fine. You stay here in the shelter. Don't wander around, you could get lost. I'll be back soon, okay?” Jimin grabbed Jungkook’s hand and followed him back to the shelter. Before they parted he pulled Jungkook into a tight hug.

   “Be careful, okay?” Jungkook rubbed Jimin’s back soothingly.

   “I'll be fine, don't worry.” He pulled away and petted Jimin’s hair lightly.

   “See you later. No more than three hours.” Jimin felt his chest constrict as he watched Jungkook walk away, back towards the city. They had been at each other’s sides for two weeks straight. Being apart for even a minute was making Jimin anxious, worried, fearful. He didn't know if he could survive three hours without Jungkook beside him, close enough to touch.

   Jimin sat underneath their shelter and hugged his knees to his chest, finally letting his emotions catch up with him. The shock of stepping out of the bunker into what was left of his home, the desperation to find water, shelter and food in this strange forest, the uncertainty of being away from Jungkook after being together for too long. It all washed over him then. He cried. Jimin sobbed into his knees quietly, waiting for Jungkook’s return. Waiting for some sort of hope that they could really survive this. He didn't see any hope. Not anymore.

……….

   Jungkook came back to see Jimin passed out on the forest floor, curled into a ball with dried tears on his face. Jungkook rushed to his side, setting the small pot and collection of empty water bottles he had found on the ground.

   “Jimin?” he asked softly, a hand on Jimin’s shoulder. The boy stirred, opening his tired, swollen eyes slowly.

   “Jungkook…?”

   “Yes, I'm here Jimin.” Jimin sat up and threw himself on Jungkook, another small sob escaping him.

   “Shh,” Jungkook cooed. He comforted Jimin until he could reign in his new wave of tears.

   “I was worried you wouldn't come back.” His voice cracked pitifully and Jungkook shushed him again.

   “It's okay, I'm here. We're both okay, everything's okay. I found stuff to boil the water,” Jungkook said and Jimin looked over his shoulder, noticing the pot and bottles laying in the dirt.

   “That's good.” Jimin wiped the last of his tears away and pulled himself together. He stood.

   “Let's go get something to drink.” Jungkook picked up the supplies and walked next to Jimin down to the river. Guilt gnawed at him, seeing Jimin in that state not sitting well with him. He would never leave Jimin alone again. Not until they were safe.

………..

   Night fell and the boys had managed to find some berries to eat, just enough food to get them through the night. They had boiled and bottled some water, drinking a full bottle each before boiling more and putting their many bottles into a backpack Jungkook had been smart enough to find.

   Jungkook had started a small fire a few feet from the shelter and they were sitting beside it, holding hands with fingers intertwined. Jimin shivered in the dwindling heat and Jungkook frowned to himself. It was cold. There were no blankets in the forest, no soft mattresses, no pillows to rest their heads. It would be a long night.

   “I'm pretty tired. Want to go to bed?” Jungkook asked quietly, staring at the fire. Jimin nodded, eyes also locked on the flames. They stood slowly, throwing some kindling on the fire to keep it going until they at least fell asleep. The small amount of warmth would hopefully help.

   When they laid down Jimin wiggled close to Jungkook and raised his eyebrows in question. Jungkook silently wrapped an arm around Jimin and pulled him close, spooning him. Jimin sighed and rested his head on his arm. Jungkook did the same.

   “Goodnight Jungkook.” The younger tightened his hold on Jimin just a little, pressing his chest flush against Jimin’s back. He felt the warmth of Jimin’s body, the breath entering and exiting his lungs. It was comforting.

   “Goodnight Jimin.” As the night deepened Jimin listened to Jungkook’s breathing even out. Felt his body pressed against his own. Felt the heat from Jungkook spread throughout his body. He liked it. He felt safe in Jungkook’s embrace, his arm wrapped around his waist protectively and his breath tickling the hairs on the back of his neck. Jimin eventually fell into an uneasy sleep as the flames died out. But he didn't feel cold. He had Jungkook. And he knew they'd be okay.

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This is part one of a surprisingly long au! I'll post part two tomorrow! Please remember to comment! Sorry I disappeared for a while ehehe