Chapter Text
although he saw it coming, he still ran.
His feet struggled to keep balance on the rumbling ground, he can still hear the screams and cries of those unfortunate enough to still be alive after the first blast.
he ran as fast as he could but there was no way to dodge the incoming projectile.
It collided with the ground missing him by inches the blast sending him flying into the wall of a nearby building, causing the structure to collapse on top of him.
It was the impact that had knocked every wisp of air from his lungs, he choked on the ash from the crumbling building.
His ears rang, and he was no longer able to see the sky, or what has become of it.
He laid their eyes closed to protect them from the rubble.
struggling to breathe.
deep in the chaos, he could hear a blood-curdling scream, one of a familiar voice.
"Namjoon!” it sent a shiver down his spine, completely stunned by the presence of his partner. His name bouncing around inside his skull.
Without warning the floodgates opened and terror surged violently through their shared link, it consumed him, slowly eating away at his sanity.
He lay there in the darkness, unable to open his eyes or call back to him.
he remembers and time when feeling the other's emotions was reassuring for him, but right now it was the worst thing he has ever felt, their link has never been this strong.
"Namjoo- " He can hear the other's voice in the distance, and the swish of a sword swinging through the air, steel against steel.
It was muffled and barely audible in the chaos, but it was there.
this was the last place he wanted him to be.
Even so, The pressure in his chest lightened part of him was relieved that he was here looking for him, but logically he knows what this means for the both of them.
"Where are you?" he called out frantic his voice sounding closer than before.
He opened his mouth to respond but his throat constricted, choking on the dust and rubble.
His wounds took a greater toll on his body than he had expected.
"Namjoon!" another yell from the chaos. He could hear the movement close by, he was searching for him through the ruins.
Judging by the sound of his voice it wouldn't be long until he was found.
"Namjoon!" he felt his chest heavy with dread, his breathing labored.
He whimpered, The emotions becoming unbearable, their shared link was consumed by them.
Finally, He was able to scream out, his voice coming out in a strangled cry, and his muscles begin to move again.
Soon enough he was at his side. He threw the sword aside attempting to remove the debris that weighed down his limbs
although the large pieces still pinned down his body, he could feel the air on his skin, he gasped for it, his lungs filling with the hot air, coughing up white dust.
he was able to breathe again but it was not much of a relief, the earth was scorched black around them.
The heat burning hotter in his throat and lungs with each gasp of air he took.
“Jonnie, look at me. I need you to look at me.” his voice cracked, he could feel the other's hands on his face his warm palms caressing his cheeks gently.
He tried to open his eyes but he felt lightheaded, his eyelids heavy and unresponsive.
He wanted to do nothing more than console the other, hold him close anything to calm the terror in his heart.
He took his hand, raising it to his cheek.
“NamJoon, p-lease look at me.” He cried, sniffling in between his words.
Namjoon could feel the steady stream of his tears warm underneath his fingertips.
The other's cries send an agonizing pang through his chest.
with every fiber of his being, he willed his eyes open.
If he were to die here, he wanted to look at him for the last time.
His eyelids only open slightly, they burned from the smoke and ash.
His vision was blurry, but he could see his figure over him, his blond hair a contrast to the deep red that once was the sky.
He could see the flashes of light in the distance, can still faintly feel the rumbles of the city falling around them.
"Seokjin." Namjoon heard himself whisper, his voice low and grainy.
He fought relentlessly against the sting behind his eyes, threatened by tears of his own.
Namjoon stroked his cheek lovingly, tracing the line of his jaw like he did hundreds of times before.
"How did you get here? you're not supposed to be here." He asked voice scratchy wiping away the other's tears with the pad of his thumb.
The other sighed in relief. "Did you really think their threats would be able to keep me away?"
his voice was soft and breathy "I wouldn't be able to stay away even if I wanted to." he clutched his hand in both of his, holding onto him more firmly.
Namjoon couldn't help but smile. "Of course not, you always get your way." He let out a chuckle, and a sharp pain ripped through his body.
He swallowed down a groan. he didn't want to worry the other any further.
"I thought I wasn't going to make it in time," Seokjin said with a gasp.
Seokjin had been so good for him, Namjoon was grateful to be loved so deeply.
The sounds of the raging war around them were nothing more than background noise.
“It's oka-”
“Of course it's not okay!” he cut him off with a yell, his voice breaking into a sob “Take a look at yourself, why would you leave me behind!” he was covered in layers of ash and soot.
Face sunken in with sadness and his eyes red and puffy from crying.
What have I done to you? Namjoon thought.
Seokjin must have fought off hundreds to reach him, His clothes were reduced to nothing but rags shredded and stained with blood.
Namjoon couldn't tell whether or not the blood belonged to Seokjin or another.
“you shouldn't be here in this wasteland, you need to leave.” he was fighting to keep his voice steady.
“You idiot, I'm not leaving I am here to help you." The other exclaimed face twisting in confusion.
The crimson sky over them flashed with a clash of light.
“You don't belong in this wasteland either-”
Namjoon barely had time to process the roar in the sky. When an explosion blew apart another house less than two hundred yards from where he lay.
He felt a pressure on him, that made it nearly impossible to see anything.
the entirety of Seokjin's weight was heavy on his chest
Namjoon could feel the warm droplets of Seokjin's tears falling onto his face as he shielded him from the blast, their faces only inches apart.
The moment would have been intimate if it weren't for the sheer terror across both their faces.
The debris rained on them. Charred, blackened earth was left behind, the plants being eaten away by the fire from the blast.
“You need to leave, I will- I can be reincarnated but you-" he lied through his teeth in hopes Seokjin would have the self-preservation "I will reincarnate, you on the other hand; you need to leave they will kill you!” he choked on the ash, Unable to sit up he just lay there in the rubble.
He felt pitiful, worthless, what kind of divine couldn’t even protect the love of his life?
The city was crumbling, rivers of blood flooded the streets belonging to both humans, god, and spirit.
The air was heavy with the stench of death, he could taste the bitter metallic in the air.
The screams of the dying can be heard once again, they were being slaughtered.
He wondered how many lost their lives in this massacre due to his failure.
“Reincarnate? You really must be an idiot if you think I can sit back and watch you die.” the other attempted to sound stern, but the quiver in his voice betrayed him.
“Why are you so ready to give up on everything?…on us? Stupid, how dare you take your life for granted.” his body racked by a violent sob
"I can tell you're lying." He wept as if it were him lying here dying “How dare you take me for granted.”
Namjoon lay there in silence, the other saw right through him.
There was nothing else to be said, nothing else he could do.
"I-I Have to try to get you out," Seokjin spoke frantically, a newfound determination in his voice.
He wiped the tears from his eyes with a final sniffle, Seokjin rose to his feet, releasing his hand and placing it gently on his chest.
Namjoon would be lying if he said he didn't miss the comfort of holding his hand.
Seokjin started to work on the huge piece of concrete that was pinning down his legs. he pushed with his shoulders and tried desperately to lift the debris.
Namjoon closed his eyes and bit back a sob.
He already knew it was too heavy to lift.
Even with his abnormal strength he couldn't lift it, he surely wouldn't be capable, but for some reason, he didn't have the heart to tell him.
Namjoon could still feel the small glimmer of hope that Jin held on too and he couldn't be the one to snuff it out.
Not now, when he would need it the most.
He struggled, he groaned in frustration the piece of concrete hadn't moved an inch.
Namjoon cleared his throat “can you come back over here please, let me hold you?” he whispered, voice small so it wouldn't break.
“you don't think I can save you?"
“We can think of something together, but for now Just let me hold you for a bit okay?” Namjoon reached out to him and tears ran down Jin's cheeks again.
"It’s too heavy." with those words he shuffled over leaning in and resting his forehead against his.
His tears falling onto his face warm like soft spring rain.
"I know. It's okay you were never meant to see this, to be here. This isn't your responsibility." he whispered gently to the other entangling their fingers once again "I need you to leave, things aren't looking too good here. You need to go while you still can, you have so much to live for..." he says planting a kiss on his forehead "Go please, for me."
"Your so unfair." he responded with a sniffle "You know you are all I am here for. You are there in my dreams, my thoughts, I feel you in my soul and my heart. If I go I will leave for an existence of emptiness because without you I have nothing." His eyes fluttered closed, he didn't know how to respond but he knew It'll probably be the last time, and he will savor it while he could.
If he were to die here, reincarnation was not an option.
He was weak for a divine and he no longer had the strength to come back.
Pulling the other close He parted his lips to speak, when the sky clashed again, with another flash of light the ground rumbled around them.
For an eerie second, everything went quiet and the air still, the stench of death heavily on them.
Namjoon felt a crippling chill seep into his bones.
On instinct, they locked eyes.
Another roar from the sky startled him, the noise loud and piercing. His ears rang, and his vision blurred leaving him disoriented.
He saw Seokjin’s lips move but his words went unheard.
The world was deaf to him.
The other spluttered blood, the warm thick fluid splattered on his face.
His screams ripped through his throat, everything, even his own screams remained silent in his ears.
He could do nothing but watch as the light in his beloved's eyes went dull, and his body going limp on top of his.
~
Namjoon’s eyes snapped open, a scream on his lips and His heart pounded in his chest. He couldn't help but shiver, His skin was damp with sweat and cold to the touch.
The room spun around him, probably the result of hyperventilation.
He sat up breathing in and out shakily.
Namjoon sat there for a moment, curling in on himself.
It's been years since he had to relive those moments.
He sat there with a heavy ache in his chest as he waited for sunrise.