Work Text:
“I don’t know why I thought this was a good idea.”
A few people turn to look at Jin, various levels of amusement and understanding on their faces; the couple ahead of him in line giggle to each other, arms linked together. Jin envies them–-they’re going in together. His asshole friends left him to go bob for apples. Apples!
“Next ten in line!” a voice calls out, Jin’s head snapping up.
He watches with mounting horror as the line moves forward, the couple ahead of him the last ones let through. Swallowing down a whimper, Jin’s eyes wildly scan the area–-one of the employees gives him a sympathetic smile.
“Going in on a dare?” he asks, crossing his arms as he regards Jin.
“Something like that,” Jin mutters, lips pursed.
He tenses up as a scream pierces the air, the employee chuckling awkwardly. Jin glances him over, noticing a nametag that says ‘Hoseok.’
“Ah, yeah, I’d say it’s not that bad, but there’s a reason I’m out here and not in there.”
“Well that’s reassuring. Even the employees are scared of the damn place,” Jin bites out loudly, a couple of people behind him snickering.
Hoseok laughs good-naturedly, nodding his head in admittance. A few more shrieks and screams echo through the air, Jin’s shoulders hunching. Everyone behind him feeds into the feeling, some of them gasping or screaming themselves when employees sneak past them. Gritting his teeth, Jin rubs his hands over his arms, fidgeting in place. Hoseok tilts his head, listening to something; a few seconds later he presses a button on his shirt, speaking into what must be a walkie-talkie, Jin realizes. The employee grins, eyeing the line.
“Fuck,” Jin grouches, a pout on his face.
“Next ten in line!”
Jin groans, taking a few slow steps towards the haunted house. Hoseok flashes him another sympathetic smile, giving Jin a thumbs’ up. Grumbling, Jin hurries into the building, immediately on edge. A long, narrow hallway stretches before him, dim and barely lit.
“C’mon, Seokjin, you can do this,” he whispers, walking down the hallway.
He goes through the archway, three doors to choose from. There’s bloody handprints scattered across the left one, caution tape and a biohazard symbol on the middle one, and deep gouge marks in the right one. He can hear people murmuring behind him; making a split-second decision, Jin yanks the right door open.
“Fucking shit,” he spits out, shrinking down as something swoops over his head.
There’s fog spilling into the room, the floor barely visible. The walls are painted to look like a forest, the ceiling littered with little glowing lights; it’d be nice and atmospheric, if Jin weren’t two seconds from shitting himself. Jin can make out lumps of something on the ground, a small sound of distress escaping him. Along the walls are bright blinking eyes, watching him closely; he moves cautiously, a few pairs of eyes shutting completely, a few following him. A snarl echoes on his right, Jin jumping back. His foot lands on something wet and squishy, whatever it is flattening under his shoe. Gagging, Jin viciously shakes his foot, trying to get whatever it is off–-another growl sounds on his left, something brushing against his body.
“I hate this!”
Moving towards the door, Jin screeches as something grips his shirt from the back. Whipping his head back, Jin yanks his shirt from the employee’s grip, glaring at the ‘monster’ behind him. They grin at him, slipping back behind a screen, probably waiting for the next victim. Jin huffs, hurrying towards the exit--it’s decorated to be a building front, like he’s escaping the monster-infested forest. Lips pressed tight together, Jin quickly steps through, shivering as the thin strings hanging from the doorframe brush his bare skin.
The second room is designed to be like an abandoned house, old furniture scattered around. One of the walls is painted to look like it leads to a kitchen, Jin notes; the opposite one has a staircase painted on it, a pair of eyes blinking from the top step. Maneuvering around the broken furniture, Jin shouts as something darts out in front of him.
“Oh my god, oh my god,” he mutters, quickly trying to get out of the room.
He hears something moving the furniture behind him, the sound of wood breaking spurring him on; he whimpers, practically running through the next door as the ‘monster’ growls right behind him. He stumbles slightly, not expecting the set of steps right inside the door. The ‘monster’ from the previous room grabs his arm, probably to keep him from falling and hurting himself. Jin wails, slapping at the hand holding him; the employee grumbles at him, letting go once Jin’s stable.
The room is designed to look like a basement, a small window high on one wall. It’s pretty typical, Jin notes, shelves peeking out here and there–it’s a maze, he realizes, stepping down into the room. He can hear something breathing heavily further in the room, the hair on the back of Jin’s neck standing on end. He scurries around the shelves, growing more and more tense the longer he goes without seeing anyone. He can see the exit sign for the haunted house a few feet away, the neon sign like a beacon. Hurrying forward, Jin freezes as something jumps in front of him.
The ‘monster’ roars at him, long claws reaching out for Jin. He screams, flailing backwards as he tries to escape the ‘monster.’ He bangs a shoulder into a shelf, something falling and hitting him; his scream of fear shifts into a yelp of pain, the ‘monster’ no longer roaring. The employee pulls their mask off, their expression concerned as Jin whimpers a bit.
“Shit, are you okay?” they ask, reaching out to help Jin sit down.
“What do you fucking think?” Jin snaps back, clutching at his shoulder.
The employee winces, going to a side table and picking up a walkie-talkie. They say something about Jin getting hurt, the employee wincing again as the exit door is opened from the outside. Jin glares at him, straightening up as the medical staff checks him over. She smiles at him, crouching down to inspect his shoulder.
“Can you extend your arm for me?” she asks gently, helping Jin move his arm.
He hisses out a breath, fingers clenching a bit. The ‘monster’ pales, running a hand through his hair.
“Shit, what happened to your fingers?”
Jin bristles, expression indignant.
“Fuck you, my fingers always look like this.”
The ‘monster’ groans, face in his hands. The medical personnel chuckles, gently twisting Jin’s arm. He grimaces slightly, the woman stopping once she sees his expression.
“It’s not dislocated, which is good,” she says brightly, standing up, “just a bit sore, yeah? We’ll get some ice on it, and you should be good in a few days.”
Jin nods, standing up slowly. The ‘monster’ stares at him, biting his lip. Sighing, Jin turns to look at him, expression softening as he takes in the other’s worried expression.
“I’m so sorry–-”
“It’s okay,” Jin says quietly, offering the other a small smile, “you were just doing your job.”
The other relaxes a little, though his expression is remains apologetic.
“Still, I’m really fucking sorry–-for all of it. I was in each room with you, right? And you almost fell in the second room, and then you actually got hurt just now-–”
Jin waves him off, scoffing a bit.
“It’s fine. I’m an easily scared, dramatic bitch,” the man huffs a laugh, Jin’s smile growing, “really, I’m fine now.”
The man ducks his head down, looking back up after a moment.
“I’ll make it up to you.”
Jin raises an eyebrow, holding onto his sore arm.
“Oh? What’s your name?”
“Min Yoongi. Yours?”
“Kim Seokjin. I’m pretty sure I’m older than you, too.”
Yoongi tilts his head, eyes locked on Jin’s. He can feel a shiver run up his shine, though it’s not from fear.
“Okay. Seokjin-hyung?”
Jin hums, nodding after a moment.
“Here’s how it’s going to go, Yoongi-ah,” Yoongi perks up a little, “I have to go ice my arm, but I’ll still be around whenever you’re done scaring poor, defenseless men. Come find me, okay?”
Yoongi snorts, smirking at Jin. He can feel his ears turning a bit red, Yoongi’s eyes dragging across his face.
“It’s a date, then.”