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“Has he come out yet?”
The five members look up from the ground, all spread out in various positions, all anxious and silent. They mumble their answers and greetings, Yoongi being the only one to clearly answer, “No.” Seokjin blinks at their attitude, and knows that Jungkook is still in the hanok* .
That… doesn’t bode well...
Seokjin doesn’t frown, even though he wants to. He adjusts the towel he has around his shoulders higher up his neck. He pats at the sweat collecting at his hairline, eyeing the attic from the front lawn.
He had gone for an archery session when he had heard Jungkook had been called to the Oracle. He had been going at it for two hours now... he… had been too anxious to wait around like the others were…
And Jungkook was still in the attic… receiving his prophecy…
It was Jungkook’s first quest. The first one he would be leading that is.
He had gone on one before, with Hoseok and a child of Hestia when he was fourteen.
Only he and Hoseok had returned.
Seokjin’s sure that Hoseok still cries about it.
And he hates it, that at least one life is lost in every quest. Seokjin had only seen five quests in his entire career at Camp Jeseok* where all three quest members had returned.
The first quest he led, he had returned alone.
He still thinks about it.
The door of the hanok slides open, and Jungkook doesn’t move from the threshold. He looks pale, shaken, absolutely terrified.
Seokjin's blood turns cold.
No—
It’s this sight that has all six members rush to him.
Jimin gets there first, and is quick to pull Jungkook into his arms. Jungkook clutches at him, holds him tightly, body trembling. His hands stretch to Hoseok and Seokjin, who get there second.
Seokjin can feel Jungkook’s hands shaking through the grip on his shirt.
Jungkook starts sobbing, and it’s when he does that Seokjin looks at Namjoon worriedly. The surprise quickly fades from Namjoon’s gray eyes, and the way he frowns is telling of the graveness of the situation.
What… could the Oracle have said to warrant such a reaction from Jungkook…?
Seokjin's heart starts beating faster.
“Kookie,” Jimin whispers, and he encourages Jungkook to lift his head, gently guiding him to look up with hands on his jaw. Jungkook’s tears continue to fall, and Jimin is quick to wipe them away. He shushes and coos at him, and anyone looking upon the scene would not believe Jimin to be a son of Zeus at that moment.
But when he was on the battlefield…
“Kookie…” Jimin says lowly, and everyone seems to stop breathing— “what did the Oracle say…?” He whispers.
Jungkook looks like he wants to hide. Like he wants to run away. For a second he looks like he’ll bury himself in Jimin’s chest—but he takes a deep breath, and they can all see the way it shakes him from the inside out.
“The Oracle said… Jiminie-hyung… and… Taehyungie-hyung are to come with me.”
And there… ah… Because Jimin and Taehyung had gone on three quests together already. And while the first two where they had come back together might have been a coincidence, on the third…
It had become a camp superstition that the third member of that party will not return alive. And while it was still just superstition no one was willing to take the chance. No one wanted to willingly risk their life. Jimin and Taehyung had decided to do their quests alone because of it.
But this was Jungkook. Jungkook, son of Poseidon. Jungkook, the golden maknae. Who was good at everything and who fought well and who was top of his class and who had helped the six of them in more ways than one—
“The Oracle said only one will make it back alive.”
It’s a whisper. For a good, long, moment, Seokjin doesn’t believe he heard it at all.
But then he hears it. And at first he thinks, No.
“What.” says Namjoon, and it isn’t a question. More of a demand. His face is serious, but the way his chin juts out is the same protrusion as when he’s ready to fight.
“Wait, Kookie, honey,” says Jimin, and the way he says it quickly pauses the tension that had risen. Yoongi places a hand on Namjoon’s arm as a physical comfort. “What was the prophecy? Tell us.”
Tell us. And we’ll know what we’re dealing with.
Or as much as they could know.
The Oracle loved being cryptic for a reason.
Jimin’s voice is gentle, but Jungkook's eyes tear up again, and the sight of them has Taehyung tightening their grip on the youngest member’s waist.
They wait, the silence unbearable. Seokjin can feel how anxious the other members are getting.
Jungkook inhales deeply, and the action has the other six feel nervous. Expectant. Restless.
Fearful.
“The Oracle said…” He mumbles, voice low. It shakes a little, so he inhales again, and lifts his head a little higher. “The Oracle said...
“the two who come and go as one may be
with you, son of earthquakes to the south of the sea
where the battle for one life shall see
two falls one rise, a failure beyond words to be screamed.”
Seokjin thinks his heart stops beating for a second. All he can hear is, “two falls one rise, a failure beyond words to be screamed.”
Two falls… one rise… the battle for one life…
Seokjin wants to turn away. He wants to turn away and scream. He does not like what that stanza means.
At. All.
But the other members all have faces reflecting his emotions.
He can’t show them a face like that.
He needs to be strong for them.
He bares it.
“The two who come and go as one, is definitely Jiminie and Taehyungie,” Hoseok jokes. And it works a little to resolve the tension.
Just a little. Seokjin is glad for it.
“Here, let’s sit.” Yoongi says, and all six members decide to sit right on the step. They’re in this weird huddle, all facing each other at different angles. But everyone can see each other’s faces, if only partially.
And Seokjin can see how worried they all are.
He is too.
“You know that the prophecy may not be literal, Jungkook,” Namjoon says, serious and eyes intense. His voice is deep and comforting. Jungkook wants to melt in it.
But he presses his lips together instead, eyes steadily focused on the hanok’s wooden step.
Jungkook knows Namjoon is right. His hyungs have repeated the Oracle’s prophecies of their quests to him and how the stanzas have always played out differently than they had originally believed but—
A failure beyond words to be screamed.
A failure. Beyond words to be screamed.
He… doesn’t like them. Jungkook does not like that he can only think of negative things as he tries to piece this prophecy apart.
“Okay, we know that Jiminie and I are going,” Taehyung says, meeting Jimin’s eyes over Jungkook’s head with purpose. “We’re heading south, right? To the sea?”
Everyone looks at Jungkook, but he doesn’t seem to be paying attention.
He’s still gazing at the wooden slats. Unmoving.
The sight of it has something heavy sink in Seokjin’s stomach.
“Let’s go to sleep.” Yoongi says, noticing the look too. “It’s late. We’ve all been waiting and are very anxious. We can talk about this in the morning.”
Everyone makes to stand but— “I’m leaving tomorrow morning.”
They pause.
Jungkook raises his head, the corners of his eyes are pink. The tip of his nose flushed from his crying. “We need to leave soon. Eirene*-noona, says she feels a malevolent force that aims to disturb the peace.”
A shiver runs down Seokjin’s spine.
Eirene was Camp Jeseok’s activities director. She was a minor goddess of peace, and for her to feel a disturbance in it…
This was bad. Seokjin hated that he couldn’t go.
At least then he’d feel like he could do something.
“What time are you leaving?” Hoseok asks, and the sound of it sounds small. Soft. Like it hurts.
Jungkook looks so lost. He looks like he might be overwhelmed.
“We leave at dawn,” Jimin says, and he runs a hand through Jungkook’s hair. “Is that okay, Kook?”
He nods. One, solid, nod. Everyone seems to breathe shakily.
“We’ll see you off, Jungkookie.” Seokjin says, finally finding his voice. “For now. You should sleep. The three of you.” He looks at Taehyung and Jimin when he says this. “If you’re going south to the sea, it’s going to be a long trip.”
Taehyung nods, and takes Jungkook’s hand. “Thanks hyung.” They turn to Jungkook, voice lower. “Come on, Jungkookie, you can sleep with me in the Demeter Cabin. Jiminie too.”
Jungkook nods, and follows the pair easily. “Goodnight, hyungs.” He mutters, and the others are quick to wish him good dreams.
They watch them leave in silence. When they look at each other, Seokjin’s throat is dry. Yoongi’s mouth is pulled down at the corners.
He doesn’t need to say much.
“I hate this.” Hoseok says, and Seokjin wishes he had said it first.
“Yeah,” He says instead, nearly sighing.
“This is frustrating on so many levels,” Namjoon says, crossing his arms.
“Not much we can do,” Yoongi mutters, brushing his hair out of his eyes. “We knew this day would come.”
A day they would be told they were going to die? A day they were sent to their death?
They knew casualties were likely to happen every time they left camp. They knew there was a chance they would not survive their quests every summer they were given one.
They knew… surviving was the hardest thing for them.
They knew… living was the hardest thing.
They knew that every day they live… they live knowing that they could die at any moment because one of their parents is a god.
Because they were born...
Yet Seokjin had always hoped they would come back to each other.
So far they have.
Seokjin was scared they wouldn’t this time around.
“We should sleep.” Seokjin says, repeating Yoongi’s earlier words. “We’ll say good-bye tomorrow morning. From then on, it’s in the Fates’ hands.”
He hated he couldn’t do anything.
He hated… that he had to watch his friends walk away with a prophecy that claimed two lives.
And he hated that he had to wait here for it.
Yoongi nods, “Good night, hyung. Joon.”
“Good night.” Hoseok says, following Yoongi. The Hephaestus and Apollo cabins were right next to each other, so Namjoon and Seokjin were the only two left as the others walked away.
“How are you feeling, Hyung?” Namjoon asks. He’s studying Seokjin, and the older male hates when he does that.
“I feel like if I don’t get any beauty sleep soon, I’m gonna stick an arrow into your back when you’re not looking.” He says. Namjoon grins, laughing at the threat.
Seokjin’s glad he does. He’s glad Namjoon isn’t feeling too burdened. “Let’s get some sleep, Namjoon-ah. We’re gonna need it.”
Seokjin wishes the morning wouldn't come.
He wishes… for them to stay together.
He... wishes...
Namjoon sobers up at the question, and his gray eyes are sad. Seokjin wishes he could help.
He wishes he could help so bad—
He wishes he could do something—
“Yeah... Good night, hyung.”
“Good night.” Namjoon walks away, and Seokjin waits until he can’t see him anymore before entering the Aphrodite cabin.
Seokjin doesn’t sleep that night.
Please be safe.
Seokjin has already said it. He wishes he could say it three thousand times more.
Until it’s true.
“Take care of each other,” Yoongi says, and hands Jungkook a bracelet.
Oh, Seokjin thinks, recognizing it, that was supposed to be Jungkook’s birthday present...
He… doesn’t like how he’s receiving it early.
Like Jungkook might die.
Like he might never have the chance but now to use it.
“I made a shield for you, Jungkook. I didn’t think you’d need it so soon.” He clasps it around Jungkook’s wrist, who looks grateful and like he could kiss him.
“Just wave your arm down really hard and it should pop open.” Yoongi takes a step back, giving Jungkook room to try it out.
The chain bracelet explodes into a shield of intricate detail. Jungkook’s “whoa!” quickly fades when he sees the design. It’s... familiar. He’s sure that he’s seen it before. But he can’t remember where—
Jimin’s jaw drops. “Is that the Shield of Achilles?”
Yoongi smirks, and Hoseok is hovering close to the metal and inspecting the nine layers of artwork. “Just a replica. But yeah. It’s the Shield of Achilles.”
His smile drops, and the action has the mood shift suddenly. He looks at Jungkook like he’s the whole world. Jungkook wants to cry because of it. “You’re our Achilles, Jungkook. We know you’ll win. And you’ll come back to us. All three of you.”
Oh… Jungkook doesn’t say anything for a moment. His heart is beating so strongly.
But then he swallows, and tears pool in his eyes. “Hyung…” He says, voice cracking.
“While my gift is not as fancy as Yoongi-hyung’s shield,” Namjoon says, quickly interrupting. “Here you go.” He hands Taehyung a book. Taehyung lifts it and reads out loud, “Book of Secrets.”
Seokjin wants to laugh. That’s very Namjoon.
“It’s a journal,” Namjoon clarifies, smiling slightly. “It’s a collection of all of our quests. In as much detail as we could muster.”
He pauses, and Seokjin knows he’s going to say something tender—
“I think… that knowing about our past mistakes might help you all on this quest.”
There’s a small pause. And Seokjin can feel Namjoon’s desperation.
This is all I can do.
I wish I could do more.
Please let this be of use to you.
Seokjin understands Namjoon’s feelings. He, himself, wishes he could come. To help.
The prophecy did not have room for him though.
“Thanks, hyung.” Jimin says. And his smile is soft. Full of emotion.
“Take my dagger, Taehyungie.” Hoseok hands the weapon over, golden hilt first. “There’s a healing ointment in the handle. Dad made it, so you know it’s really really good.” He laughs at the end, and it sounds a little like a choke.
Take care of yourselves, is left unsaid.
But it’s in the lingering touch on Taehyung’s wrist.
Hoseok can’t bring himself to say the words out loud.
They’ll hurt if he does.
“Hey,” Seokjin says, and everyone turns to him this time. “I have nothing to give you. I only have my love for you.”
Gods and he was worried about Namjoon being tender.
“I love you. Take care of yourselves. We’ll be waiting for you.”
There’s a knot in Jungkook’s throat.
Suddenly...
He’s terrified.
So so terrified.
He doesn’t want to go on this quest.
He doesn’t want to go out if there’s a chance his hyungs might die.
He wants to stay with Seokjin and the others and continue training and continue playing pranks on other cabins and participate in the Cabin Olympics and gain another bracelet at the end of the summer and—
He’s terrified of dying.
He’s even more terrified his hyungs will die instead.
Jungkook inhales—
And suddenly everyone is hugging. He feels everyone’s bodies pressing together and feels their heat and their warmth and the way they are shaking slightly and—
He doesn't want to let go.
He holds onto the closest bodies to him and he holds tightly as if they might slip through his grasp. He holds and he prays that they’ll be together again.
Please please please please—
They have to.
He prays and he hopes that these friends… his siblings will be safe and out of harm's way and alive and in one piece and together and everything everything just—
Alive. Together.
He doesn’t want this taken away from him.
He doesn’t want to let go.
Please…
Please gods—
Once he does, he doesn’t know… he doesn’t know if he’ll ever experience this again.
But the moment ends. Like all moments do.
They pull away from each other and Jungkook is left empty empty cold like—
He wants to sob—
Jimin takes his hand. There’s a silent promise there. Taehyung takes his other one.
“We’ll be back.” Jimin smiles.
“We want ramen and jajangmyeon when we do.” Taehyung grins.
“I’ll buy when you do.” Yoongi agrees.
Jungook’s grip on their hands tightens.
He’ll be back. He’ll be back with Taehyung and Jimin because they’re some of the strongest demigods here.
They’ll be back because Jimin and Taehyung aren’t worried. Because they’re confident that they can survive this prophecy and come back to the others.
His other hyungs are too.
“Bye, hyungs.” Jimin says, and Taehyung is quick to echo, “Bye bye!”
Jungkook doesn’t want to say it. It’ll be the end. The end of this moment in time. From here on out it will be the quest. And that’s when uncertainty begins.
“Good luck,” Seokjin says, “We’ll be waiting for you.”
They’ll be waiting. For the three of them.
Waiting for them to come back.
“Yeah…” Jungkook says, exhaling slowly. “Good bye.”
It sounds final.
But they’ll be back.
They have to.
Everyone is waiting for them.
Jungkook doesn’t want them waiting forever.
Hanok — a traditional Korean home
Jeseok — from Jeseok bon-puri, a Korean myth where a virgin girl is impregnated by a supernaturally potent Buddhist priest, who was previously a sky god, and who gives birth to triplets who themselves become gods
Eirene — minor goddess of peace, part of the Horae (goddess of the seasons and natural portions of time)