Chapter Text
– 1 year later –
"I’m back," Hobi announced as he stepped out of the elevator. He was met with silence – the new normal. He sighed and threw his backpack carelessly to the side and looked for a sign of life. He smiled when he found Yoongi napping on their couch, his black hood was pulled down over his eyes. Hobi sat down next to him and placed Yoongis legs on his lap. "I know you are awake," he said and sounded amused. The other just hummed in response. "Where are the others?" Hoseok asked after awhile and heard Yoongi sigh loudly, with a grunt the man sat up. "The evil twins are in their room, Namjoon is probably riding his bike and, well, you can guess where Jin is," he said and rolled his eyes. Hobi sighed again and let his head roll onto the back rest and stared at the ceiling. "How long has it been?" he asked and rubbed absentmindedly over Yoongis ankle. "About a year?" Yoongi answered through a yawn and Hobi smiled as he heard a deep purr. "It’s been a long year," Hobi said and chuckled. "It's funny isn't it? We all are so old, centuries and older, but suddenly one year feels like an eternity," he added and looked over at Yoongi. "Yeah, we should be patient," he said. Hobi thought about getting up to make them some snacks as an idea crossed his mind. "Should we get some lamb skewers?" he asked and rolled his head to the side so he could see Yoongi. The man starred at the turned off tv as if it was the most interesting thing in the entire room. "Let’s just order take out for the six of us," he answered after the silence stretched on almost uncomfortably. "Jungkook wouldn’t be mad if we go just this one time," Hoseok said and laughed but it sounded forced. "He’ll come back!" Yoongi said a bit louder, but his voice echoed through the eerie silent apartment. Hobi opened his mouth and was ready to agree, but lately he wasn’t so sure. "His palace is huge, there is a lot he has to take care of first," Yoongi explained and, for the first time since Hobi had stepped into the room, looked at him. He seemed tired. "Of course," he said and nodded as he clapped the older ones thigh, "I heard that somewhere else before," Hobi said with a small smile. Yoongi nodded slowly, he knew exactly who Hobi was referring to, but he couldn’t help himself. For once he needed to be the optimistic one. He had noticed that Hobi had lost his hopefull spark quite some time ago. "I’ll get us a little snack, before the others come home," Hobi said and left the room.
Hoseok stopped on his way to the kitchen, right in front of Jungkooks room. He hadn’t entered it ever, but he had seen Jimin and Taehyung quite often leaving things in there, He was surprised that they used it as a storage room, he thought they would miss him the most. Hobi reached out but didn’t touch the doorknob, he let his hand hover above it. Why couldn’t he just take a look? It wasn’t usually him who lost hope about something so easily. Jungkook was a very busy and important person, who had neglected his duties for quite some time. Yoongi was right, he just took his time to put everything back in order. He took a deep breath and was ready to open the door as Jin shot out of it. "Huh? What are you doing here?" asked Jin as he almost run into the younger. "I just want to get some snacks …" he lied and pointed with his thumb in the direction of the kitchen. Jin just raised a brow, but remained silent. "What are you doing in there?", asked Hobi and looked over Jins shoulder into the dark room. "Just getting some fresh air in and I bought a new duvet cover today, it has little demons on it," he said and opened the door further so Hobi could take a look. He didn’t step in but he saw the little demons that flew over the covers and smiled. "He’ll love it," said Hobi and took one good look around. The room was filled with all sorts of things: books, dvds, toys, games and a lot of sweets. "We soon need a new room if you all continue to leave him gifts," Jin said annoyed as he closed the door and walked off towards the bathroom, his latest renovation project. Hobi sighed. At least the toilet worked again. Hobi turned back around and stared at the closed door. So they didn’t use it as a storage room. Hobi suddenly felt overwhelmed with sadness. He took a quick detour to his own room and picked the things he had bought with Jungkook in mind to bring it to his room. He had bought a lot of clothes he noticed as he dropped them on the huge bed. He ended up doing two rounds and was promptly caught by Yoongi. Hobi stared at him like a deer caught in headlights, frozen midstep in the doorframe. The older just ruffled his hair and shook his head with a smile. "Old softie," he said and dragged the younger into the kitchen. It was time for a snack. And a drink.
"He isn’t coming back, is he?" whispered Taehyung. "I don’t know," mumbled Jimin and turned to face Tae, who laid next to him, staring at the ceiling. The room was tinted in darkness and the whole apartment was so silent. Apart from Jins never ending renovating, of course. "Namjoon hasn’t broken anything in months," stated Taehyung suddenly and finally for the first time put his worries into words. He had been the optimistic one of the two for the longest time. "Maybe he needs to clean the castle for us, so it’s in perfect condition. Jin always said it's abnormally huge, so it will take time …" his soulmate offered but even Jimin failed to sound hopeful. He was after all just repeating Jins mantra. The older sighed after a moment and said, "I miss him." Tae turned towards Jimin and reached out so they could hold hands. "Did you … talk to him today?" he asked and bit his lip nervously. "If you mean talking to air and hoping it will somehow magically reach Jungkooks ears, then yes," Jimin said and looked into Taes sad eyes. "I’ll tell him every day how our day was and to get his cute ass back over here," he added and Taehyung laughed. "So he isn’t coming back because you embarrass him all the time?" he joked and the older giggled in response. "He is probably too busy blushing," Jimin said and rolled himself on his back. "I’ll tell him you said that," Tae teased, but the amusement had left his voice. "Snitch," mumbled Jimin but there was no fire behind his words. "I ordered the new Mario Kart," the younger said and Jimin new what this meant. "We should put it in Jungkookies room and play it with him when he's back," he said almost on autopilot. He had lost count how many games waited in this haunted room. Once Jungkook came back, if he was coming back, they probably could fill years with playing new games. "I bought him a travel guide for disney land and disney world," Jimin confessed. He didn’t know why he was hellbent on bringing Jungkook with him, but for some reason it felt wrong to go without him. "He’ll love it," said Taehyung like in trance. They had almost the same conversation every night for the past weeks. The more days passed the more depressed all of them became. "What will Jin renovate after the bathroom?" Jimin asked without really meaning to. Tae sighed and said, "I don’t know … it’s the last room he hasn’t remodeled yet." There was worry in his voice. "Maybe he starts over," Jimin said with a frown and was only half joking as he squeezed Taes hand. "Jungkook will come back in the next few days. I’m sure," said Tae and sounded almost convincing. "He just has to," he added. Jimin rolled over and engulfed Tae in his arms and let the younger cuddle him.
Namjoon didn’t mean to eavesdrop. He had a plate full of freshly cut fruits in his hand, that he had intended to bring them. The two had sulked more than usual the past few days and Namjoon actually wanted to at least attempt to lift their spirits. And to find some comfort himself. Riding his bike always reminded him of Jungkook and that never ended well. He usually sulked alone in his room and the next day the news reported storms or earthquakes. His sadness always transformed into something destructive. At least he hadn’t broken any more expensive vases or else Jin would have most likely killed him. Namjoon sighed as he stared at the apple slices and came to a conclusion. He was done with everyone moping around. He had to do something and when he was honest with himself he already had a plan and was sure to execute it soon. Jungkook couldn’t stay away forever and Seokjin needed to get back to work. He drove everyone crazy. Late night gaming that always came with yelling and cursing until morning, he had decorated every room, had rebuild the kitchen and had started to plan on tearing down walls. Yes, walls. Namjoon couldn’t live in a construction site for any longer and neither could the others. This called for mischievousness, that Namjoon usually wasn’t able to pull off. But desperate times and all that.
He knew that most of the prayers dedicated to staying alive and … well … dying ended up with the King of the Underworld. Which was ironic to Namjoon, because the only person that could stop someone from dying was Death himself and only if he dared to intervene with Fates plans (which he never did). So, Namjoon only had to think of his wish of staying alive and his prayers should end up in Jungkooks ears. He only had to wait for the house to be empty. If all six of them were to storm towards Jungkook once he appeared … if he appeared, they might just scare him away. And that wasn’t an option. No matter how desperate he was he had to do it right... but he could chain the man to the couch or something sturdier. He looked around in his room for a moment, but apart from a lot of plants and books that were stacked all over the place there wasn’t much that could hold a supernatural being. He sighed. Maybe he could hold him, he was strong after all. Luckily, everyone had left even Jin was on one of his weekly Ikea runs. Another worrisome habit. Namjoon folded his hands and thought about his will to live, and his fear of his friends dying. "Jungkook, can you hear me?" he asked and knew the others tried this every day. With every single trick they could have come up with. Probably. "I know you can," he said into the void. "It’s about Jin," he said and felt the air shift. He was definitely listening. He had been listening. Namjoon felt anger rise in his chest, knowing Jungkook had listened to their begging for him to return and had never bothered to answer. He was so ready for their youngest to come back, just so he could scold him. "He isn’t feeling so well." He wasn’t lying per se. Jin hadn’t talked about it once but all his new habits were more than just concerning. He was far from being okay otherwise he wouldn’t try to rebuilt every inch of their home. Jungkooks room was one he frequently added things to. Books, movies, games. One could think it was a storage room but in reality it was a collection of things they all wanted to finally share with him.
"His wound isn’t healing. He is … very … very ... very sick," he lied through his teeth. And waited. But nothing happened. "We barely recognize him any more. The others didn’t want you to worry, but it doesn’t look good," he continued, "He is pale and sleeps most of the time. We don’t know what to do with him." The silence that followed was defeating. Namjoon sighed. He hadn’t planned that out as much as he should have. Did Jungkook really not care about them? He abandoned them all without a care in the world? Was that the reality they had to accept? His thoughts came to an abrupt halt as Jungkook burst into his room, looking frantic. "What’s with Jin?" he asked and Namjoon felt almost bad. Almost. He engulfed Jungkook in a hug and didn’t plan on letting go. "He is fine. He will be much better now though," he said and tightened his hug. "You lied to me?" the younger squeaked and tried to escape Namjoons bone crushing hug. "It was a little white lie, so that you finally stop ignring us," he said but still refused to let go. Jungkook still tried to wiggle out of his arms. "Why are you so concerned?" Namjoon asked after a moment. "Jin ... is a special case," Jungkook mumbled and tried again to get out of his embrace. "I’ll let you go, if you swear to me, by the gardens in the Underworld that you won’t run away. Again." Jungkook sighed. "Okay, fine. I swear." Namjoon hesitantly let him go.
"Why is he a special case?" he asked then and scanned the younger from head to toe. "Do you know what Seokjin is?" he asked and sat down in the armchair. "He is a Judge in the Underworld?" asked Namjoon like it was self-evident. "No. That was the Job I assigned to him," he explained and looked rather sheepish. "Isn’t that the same thing?" Namjoon asked and crouched down in front of the armchair. "Well, Haneul and Jaesung were both human souls that I gave an immortal vessel. With Jin it was different," he said and Namjoon was happy that he opened up to him so freely. It was like he had never really been gone. "Seokjin died a very long time ago, as a king, I think, and then just refused to get judged. You know how he can be sometimes." Namjoon laughed at that. This sounded like the Jin he knew. "He stuck by my side and suddenly one day he had his body … back," he explained and bit his underlip nervously. "It even behaves like a human body. He is just not really aging. Otherwise he seems to be fully ... human," Jungkook said and Namjoon suddenly knew why he had kept his distance. He must have felt guilty for Jin getting hurt and wanted to protect him by keeping the distance. This at least sounded more like the Jungkook he knew. "I think he is even healthier than before. And he loves his new scar." The King raised a brow. "He says it looks like Marios Mustache." At that Jungkook laughed, almost carefree. "We are a family now," said Namjoon and turned suddenly very serious. "You can’t just hide away because you are afraid one of us gets hurt," he added sternly and squeezed his leg. "Your room is done," he stated and got up again. "The others will be here soon. They can’t wait to show you. We could cook for them," he suggested and walked towards the door. Jungkook didn’t follow. "I don’t know ..." he mumbled. "Why? We can order take out if you want." Jungkook refused to look up and instead focused on a point on the floor. "I don’t think I should stay," he said. "What? Why not?" Namjoon asked and immediately grabbed his wrist maybe a bit too tight, just in case. "You all don’t know me. Not really," he said and tried to free his arm. "What are you talking about?" Namjoon asked with a frown. Jungkook had spent weeks with them, he was pretty confident in knowing the man before him. He felt like he knew Jungkook since forever if he was being honest. Jungkook sighed. "You only know me without memories." Namjoon couldn’t help it, he run his fingers through Jungskooks long hair. "So? This Jungkook isn’t that different. Otherwise he wouldn’t have run in here thinking one of us was hurt," he said and Jungkook glared at him. "That was mean by the way." Namjoon laughed and cupped the side of his face. "I know. I am sorry, but you refused to come home, we were out of ideas." With that Namjoon dragged him to the kitchen. "Don’t worry, they’ll be happy to see you," he said.
Jungkook wasn’t sure how the kitchen was still in one piece and they somehow had managed a full dinner without even burning anything. "I am home," Hobi yelled but was missing his usual enthusiasm, Jungkook noticed. He ducked down and hid behind the kitchen island. "Did you cook all this?" he heard Hobi ask as he walked into the kitchen. "I had a little help," Namjoon said and Jungkook could hear his cheeky smirk. Jungkooks heart beat like crazy in his chest, he couldn’t remember being so nervous in a long time. He pressed his eyes close and straightened back up. "I am little help." He forced a smile on his face as Hobi turned around. He stood frozen and looked slowly back to Namjoon. "What? You? How?" Hobi asked before he finally jumped into motion. He practically flew over the kitchen island and into Jungkooks arms, who managed somehow not to fall down. He did however knock his back against the kitchenette behind him. "We waited for you, you idiot!" he scolded but hugged him tightly. "Whats going on here?" asked Yoongi as he entered the kitchen as well. Sneaky. Yoongi didn’t take as much time as Hobi. He jumped and turned mid air into a tiny fluff ball. He landed on Jungkooks shoulder and rubbed his cute fluffy kitten face against his cheeks, purring (literally, the guy purred very loud too) into his ear. "Wow, that was so cool," said Jungkook in awe. He wondered if Yoongi would show him the bigger cat too, if he asked nicely. "We made dinner," he said instead. "I can’t belief you are finally here. Jin is driving us crazy with his renovating," Yoongi said as he finally transformed back into his human shape. Jungkook had never seen him smile so wide. "Oh. My. God," Tae yelled as he stopped in the doorframe and stared into the kitchen. His eyes were wide open and he gaped first at the food and then at Jungkook. "Don’t tell me Namjoon tried to cook, again …" Jimin added before he run straight into Tae, who hadn’t moved an inch. Jimin was scolding the younger under his breath as he froze too. "JUNGKOOK!" he yelled after a moment and both of them shot forwards and the three fell to the ground. Behind the kitchen island between Hobi and Yoongis feet they wrestled around and giggled. "I hate you!" whined Tae but pressed his head on Jungkooks chest, hugging him. "What took you so long?" Jimin asked and kissed his temple. "There was a lot to take care of," Jungkook mumbled and it wasn’t a total lie. "Without any judges I had to take care of all the souls myself." Jimin nodded in understanding and detangled himself from the other two youngest.
Jungkook managed to get up with Taehyung still glued to his front. "Where is Jin?" Jungkook asked and wondered if he would be happy to see him or mad. He had after all just run away without giving him a chance to go back to the Underworld on his own accord. "It's Wednesday … so Ikea I guess?" Taehyung said and Jungkook watched Yoongi roll his eyes in annoyance. "Yes. Ikea," said Namjoon and sighed. "Good you are finally back. He terrorizes us every day with painting walls, building furniture, throwing our stuff out and buying new things and he just never stops," said Hobi and looked pained. Jungkook lifted one of his brows. It couldn’t be that terrible, right? A bit of renovating … "Hey, could you help me? I bought some new furniture," Jin yelled suddenly through the apartment and all of them groaned in unison. Jungkook suppressed a smile. "Again?" asked Namjoon but he received his answer quickly. "Not you!" Jin yelled harshly. Jungkooks heart pounded faster. "Hello?" Jin growled as he stepped into the kitchen. His eyes fell on Jungkook and then there was silence. "You are back," he stated calmly. Jungkook opened his mouth to say something but Jin sprinted towards him. Jungkook run away on instinct, trying to keep people or furniture between them. Preferably both. "I’m going to kill you, brat," he yelled and Jungkook tried to make a run for the door but Jin caught him by his collar. He pulled him back with so much force that both of them somehow ended up on the floor. And then he was hugged from behind. "You are on laundry duty for the next hundred years," he mumbled into his neck. Jungkook laughed. "Thats unfair! No one washed my clothes either!" Jin just scoffed. "I don’t care." Jungkook rolled his eyes. "Geez. Fine." He snapped his finger and a golden necklace appeared around each of their necks. "You can visit whenever. If you want that is," he said and was probably blushing. "Finally you came to your senses," said Namjoon and received a glare from their youngest. Even though, technically he wasn’t really the youngest anymore. "Can we show him his room?" Tae pleaded and poked Jins leg with his foot. "Yes," he said but didn’t move an inch. "Afterwards you can help build the coffee table I got you," he ordered and poked Jungkooks side.
"You are unbelievable." said Jungkook dryly and winded himself free just to get dragged out of the kitchen by Jimin. "What’s with the food?" Jungkook asked and looked over his shoulder to Namjoon. "We can eat later!" said Tae quickly and pushed him into his dark blue room. He had the biggest bed he had ever seen in the center, a punching bag in one corner and huge speakers on the other. Everything else was full of … things. "We collected everything we thought you might like," said Taehyung excited, gripping his free hand. "You what?" Jungkook asked and felt tears prickle in his eyes. "Here, look. We have to watch them all," said Tae and showed him a bunch of movies Jungkook didn’t recognize. Jimin handed him Guides for different countries. "We have to go to Japan! I really want to go to Disney land!" Jimin said and sounded exited. And Jungkook couldn’t hold the tears back anymore. "Kookie?" Jimin asked and both of them hugged him. "I am sorry," Jungkook whined and the others sobbed in response, "We missed you too."
"Let’s go to Disneyland," Jungkook said after awhile. Even though he didn't know if he would be able to enjoy it. On earth the prayers were louder and he had a hard time concentraiting on what was in front of him instead of what was just a fraction of a feeling from a person far away. But for his ... family he was willing to try. If Jimin wanted to go to Japan he was willing to go with him. "Right now?" asked Jimin and caused Jungkook to laugh. "Dinner first?" he suggested. "And I apparently have to build a ... coffee table?" he asked and looked at Taehyung. "No worries. Jin will build it and complain for a week that you didn't help," Jimin said and clapped his back. "That is essentially helping," agreed Taehyung and took Jungkooks hand just to drag him to their room. They had to show him all the new changes and maybe they wanted to tease him a bit. It was after all his fault that Jin had redesigned their entire home.
"And there is one more thing," said Taehyung and dragged Jungkook behind him. He stepped towards a set of stairs that lead upstairs to the attic. Jungkook dried his tears and looked at Tae with knitted brows. Taehyung opened the door to the attic with a quick movement and hid behind the door. "PLUTO! There you are!" Jungkook said and opened his arms. Taehyung watched in shock as the snake curled around Jungkooks entire body in something akin to a hug. "Why didn't you come back home?" he asked and patted the snakes head. Taehyung tried to suppress his shudder and swallowed. "Might be our fault," he said sheepishly. "We didn't know if ... she could go back on her own and we didn't want to leave her at the apartment ..." said Jimin who still stood at the bottom of the chairs. "I think Hobi hasn't come near the attic since we made that ... decision," snickered Taehyung under his breath. "You let them lock you away?" Jungkook asked as the snake turned smaller and smaller again. "She must like you. Usually she has no trouble destroying walls in her way," Jungkook said with a wide smile and shook his head in disbelief as the snake wiggled herself around his finger and turned into a ring.