LOST BOYS

            + for: patch

            “You’ve really outdone yourself this time, Jeon Jungkook,” he mutters, reaching up to wipe the sweat off his brow. “I don’t know how, or possibly when, but you’ve really out-ing-done yourself.”

            Pausing at a particularly funny-looking crack in the hot, asphalt road they’re walking on, Jungkook stops to look over at the man trailing behind him. They’ve both got on old, oversized backpacks almost half their size and each a pair of weary eyes that have obviously seen the light of a better day. “Hoseok-hyung…” The young male heaves a dry sigh. “I know. I know, okay? You don’t have to bring it up every five minutes.”

            It’s hot. It’s absolutely scorching, and there’s nothing but barren land on either side of this road for miles to be seen. They’ve been walking for hours only to see about two cars pass by, both drivers ignoring their attempt to hitch a ride from them. Not that anyone would pick up two dusty guys off the side of the road anyway; it’s just setting up for trouble, and that’s exactly what Jungkook thought when Hoseok said they should go on an ‘adventure’.

            He knew they’d get lost.

            “Why’d you think it was such a great idea to take that shortcut, huh?” Hoseok lets out yet another grumble, one of the many that flies past Jungkook’s ears. “I told you to stay on the main road, but no! Look where that got us. If I’d known we were going to get lost like this, then I would’ve never given you the map.”

            Jungkook gives him a bland stare. “Well,” he says quietly, “you did, okay? You gave me the map, and I led us here. I’m sorry hyung, but we’re just going to have to be lost for a while.”

            “Can we take a break, then? I’m so goddamn tired.”

            “… Sure.” He watches as the backpack slips off of Hoseok’s shoulders, settling onto the ground to lend him a temporary seat by the roadside. The sun’s beating down on them, and it only brings attention to how pink Hoseok’s cheeks are, sweat dripping down his temple like his own personal waterfall. The sight is anything but fleeting as Jungkook stares him down, the latter unaware as he checks out the sky above them. “Drink some water, hyung.”

            “Yeah, yeah.” Hoseok reaches to grab his water bottle from a side pocket. Upon unscrewing the lid and tipping it into his mouth, he realizes he’s been met with the world’s greatest misfortune as of that current moment. “… I don’t have anymore water.”

            Jungkook an eyebrow at him, clearly unimpressed. “Here, have mine.” He tosses him an identical bottle (because it was only five hours ago that they were giggling about having matching bottles like a young, teenage couple) and sets his backpack down beside him, plopping onto it with a reserved sigh.

            “Are you sure?” Hoseok asks, glancing into the container. “There’s hardly any in here. Should I drink the rest?”

            The younger male just shrugs. “You might as well. I’ll be okay, I guess.”

            “Hey… No.” Hoseok pushes his arm a little, hovering the bottle towards him. “We can at least share the rest of it, Kook. Even if you did get us lost, don’t be such a downer.”

            There’s no telling what sets Jungkook off; perhaps it’s because of the heat, or the fact that he’s not willing to tell his partner he’s actually really parched. But he pries himself apart, spilling out all of his inner turmoil until it’s ready to evaporate into the thick air.

            “I didn’t want us to get lost, okay?!” he says, his voice loud as his heart is fast. He unconsciously fists the ends of his shirt while staring hard at the road, willing for a hole to open up and swallow him alive. “I didn’t want us to get lost, but you keep bringing it up and honestly, I’m tired. I’m stressed, hyung. I’m tired, I’m stressed, I’m hungry, I’m—!” A hand finds itself gripped securely on his shoulder, as if it meant to summon the hot tears that immediately burst out of Jungkook’s eyes. “… I-I’m scared,” he sobs, resting his head in his hands. “Hyung, I’m scared. I didn’t mean to get us here. A-And there’s nothing I want more than to find the place we’re going to, but I’m just so… lost.”

            “Hey, Kook…” Hoseok’s features soften, and his hand slinks towards the back of Jungkook’s neck, combing fingers through his damp hair. “Kookie, it’s okay. I didn’t mean it, so don’t be so hard on yourself, okay? If anything, I should take on some of the blame too, shouldn’t I? Besides, you’re not the only one who’s lost. At least we’re lost together, right?”

            He offers him a small smile, but Jungkook only knows how to cry. “Th—That’s not what I mean… We’re physically lost, sure, but… I’m—I’m lost, hyung. I’m lost with you,” he hesitates for a moment. It doesn’t make any sense for them to be here right now, sitting on their dirty backpacks and spewing confessions left and right. But he does, and he does it with enough passion to recuperate what they’re worth. “Hyung, I’m… I’m lost in your eyes. I’m lost in that big ocean you call a heart, and whenever you speak I’m lost in those sounds that come out of your throat. I keep losing myself in you, a-and I hate it. I don’t know what t-to do.”

            For a moment, the silence between them falls harder than the sun’s heat, leaving either man stiff with tension. Jungkook’s heart constantly shakes in his heaving chest, unable to find peace when Hoseok attempts so much as a breath. “Kook…”

            “I—I’m sorry,” Jungkook interrupts, hastily wiping at his tears. “We—We should get going. Drink your water and… let’s go, there’s only so much daylight left.”

            Hoseok looks at the bottle in his hands, gingerly dipping the water into his mouth before turning to the younger male and grabbing his chin. He pulls Jungkook close and presses him into an open-mouthed kiss, transferring cold water from one tongue to the next (Jungkook, in the heat of the moment, just swallows). Then he slips away, pressing his lips against the water droplets and tears scattered across the latter’s face.

            “… H-Hyung,” Jungkook gasps, stepping away to wipe his face into his arm. “What—?”

            “Do you remember anything about the place we went to?” Hoseok says, casually putting the water bottle away. “Do you remember all those sights we’ve seen, those steps we took and those moments we’ve had? Do you remember how the lights looked when we saw them at night, and how the world greeted us the morning after? Do you remember how I held your hand the whole damn time we were there? So yeah, maybe we are lost, but I’ve always known where I was when I was with you.”

            “H-Hyung…”

            “But if it helps,” he continues, placing a hand over the left side of his chest. “Maybe I could give you a map to my heart?”

            Jungkook continues to stare until he breaks out into a breathy laugh, perhaps tired of all that went on with them. “That’d be nice.”

            After picking themselves up and throwing on their backpacks again, Hoseok takes the map from Jungkook’s hands and folds it away. “Forget the map, let’s just head this way.” He laces their fingers together and pulls them towards an entirely different direction than the one they were heading in. “I promise I’ll get us there; the place we’ve been looking for.”

            Jungkook stares in mild confusion and asks, “where are we going?”

            Hoseok turns to grin brightly at him, and for all he’s ever wanted, Jungkook finally finds solace in the way those beautiful, chocolate orbs meet his gaze.

            “We’re going home, Kook.”