Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Turkish translation

Brazilian portuguese translation

Jimin has been wandering around in that shopping mall he found for a few days now. It's not the first one he has ever seen, but it is the first one he has been to.

Jimin always had this fascination for human infrastructures. Crazy right? Why would something so 'not that special' be so amazing for someone? Well the thing is, Jimin was born a week ago. Born, not like he had a mother or was even inside a womb. Maybe the verb 'woke up' matched the context better, the version 2120 A.I named Jimin woke up a week ago.

So as he goes through each placement of the shopping mall, he realizes he isn't alone. Of course he wasn't, how could he be alone in such a big place?

He was though, when he woke up in the laboratory where he was confined in, he was alone. When the box he was in opened, his internal file showed that he was programmed to boot up in 2125, five years after his creation. Reason? 'Examination of the human world' was the only message left to Jimin.

So Jimin went and examined every little details once he left the place. He walked out the bunker to find himself in the middle of the desert.

Location : Australia

Temperature : 50 degrees Celsius

Mission : Examination of the human world

Jimin took off, direction: east.

With a speed of 30km/h (that's because he chose to walk and not run), no rest, he finally arrived to Sydney on his fourth day.

The city wasn't lively at all, not like the pictures Google 2120 showed of Sydney. The buildings are indeed the exact same as shown, however it was missing one thing : humans.

Weird.

Third day in the mall, Jimin is on the third floor, looking through the books of the newsagency. Then, he hears a sound, more like a grunt.

Jimin was excited, this might be his first encounter with a living being. He exits the place immediately and what he sees isn't quite what he was expecting.

Analysis of the living being :

Name : Jeon Jungkook

Gender : Male

Age : 22

Health :

-Vitals are working at 25% (CRITICAL)

-Heartbeat very low 30bpm

Status : Undead (non specific)

Hunger : High

Undead? That's something Jimin couldn't find in his vocabulary, absolutely nothing about it could be found in his database.

But for now, this Jungkook needed help. His skin didn't have enough melanin, the sun must have been burning him alive, but the traces of dry blood may have slowed down the process.

"Hello Jeon Jungkook, my name is Jimin, nice to meet you." Says the android as he approached.

The undead heard him but instead of answering he just tilted his head on the side.

"Let me help you." Announces Jimin as he nears, he then began to use the palm of his hand to drop thin layer of atoms that will help heal the broken skin. The robot continues until he hears a louder groan.

He finds Jungkook's mouth on his shoulder, biting. 

"Oh, you must be hungry, sorry, let's go get some food then. Follow me."

At those words Jimin walks away and Jungkook follows, he's always checking that the other is indeed following.

But at some point, he doesn't find the undead behind anymore. Due to his excitement Jimin must have walked a little too fast compared to Jungkook.

The robot retraces his steps, searching every possible corner that a human sized being can be found. It is only after walking a few meters that Jimin finally sees Jungkook, next to the escalator, looking lost.

"Jungkook I'm here!" At the sound, the undead does walk towards Jimin. Still grunting, once he arrives to where Jimin is, he tries to bite his shoulder again.

"Yes I know you're hungry, c'mon let's not get lost again." Exclaimed the robot as he takes his hand.

Luckily, Jimin healed his hands just before or it would have hurt, Jimin mustn't harm a living being, rule number one. But does it count if Jungkook isn't exactly a living being?

They stop by the supermarket the robot spotted in the morning.

"What do you want to eat Jungkook?" Asked Jimin, just to see the other eyeing his shoulder, again. He must want meat, says the android, mostly to himself. The problem is, all the once fresh meat aren't fresh anymore. But he did see corned beef, maybe that'll do.

"Wait here okay?" With that said, Jimin goes to the canned food section, where he grabs five corned beef, because he doesn't know how much Jungkook can eat.

But when he comes back to where he left the other, there's no one.

"Jungkook!" He screams once, no reply.

"Jungkook where are you?!" The robot knows very well he won't be getting any response, but he hopes the other heard him.

A grunt is heard, Jungkook is near the counter, walking towards him. He must have followed Jimin into the supermarket when the android told him to wait.

The robot smiles wide, knowing he hasn't lost Jungkook.

They find a seat not so far away, a place called the food court, like it's written on the wall.

From the pre installed database in his internal storage, humans eat with ustensils, a spoon was one of them. That's why Jimin took one when he saw it at the supermarket.

Once seated the robot hands Jungkook the spoon while he opens the first can. Just to find the other putting the empty spoon in the mouth.

"No no, that's for the meat." Explained Jimin when he takes the spoon out of his mouth, earning him a loud grumble from the undead.

Jimin takes a spoonful of the beef before looking back at Jungkook to feed him. The other doesn't even hesitate before completely swallowing the meat, without even chewing.

Jungkook doesn't blink, only eyeing the can. Then he stares back at the android, Jimin takes it as a sign that he wants more. He continues feeding the undead, who still in a gulp swallows each spoonful Jimin gives him.

By the third canned of corned beef, Jungkook isn't looking at the food anymore. He must be full, guesses the android, but just to be sure, Jimin does a vital scan check.

Hunger : Low

Thirst : Cannot be determined

While the other is looking elsewhere, the robot uses this chance to finish recovering Jungkook's broken skin. It doesn't last long enough for Jimin to finish the job because the undead abruptly stands up and starts walking away.

Jimin follows, taking with him the two cans left, just in case.

They go in a library shop, where Jungkook just walks around, while Jimin reads the books. It takes him exactly three minutes to finish a two hundred pages book. Moreover, Jimin can remember every single word he has read and it must be his fifth book now. From time to time Jimin will check where Jungkook is, making he is never too far away from him.

At the comics section, he picks up a book where the cover shows humanoid beings that are physically similar to Jungkook, titled The Walking Dead. 

"Jungkook!" Calls out Jimin, the other answers instantly at the voice, walking towards the android while limping.

"So you're a zombie Jungkook! Look!" Says excitedly Jimin showing the book to Jungkook. Jungkook seemed confused at first, looking at the thing the android was holding and then looking at Jimin's mouth.

"Zz...zzo" Tries to repeat Jungkook, but when he fails to say the word he just grunts and walks away.

Jimin puts down the book to follow him.

But while going after the Jungkook, Jimin's irises show a countdown, 'energy low due to excessive amount of aid given, shutdown needed'.

Five, four, three...

"Jungkook wait!" The android isn't sure if he screamed loud enough for the zombie to hear.

...two, one.

Chapter Text

Reboot complete... 

Jimin's processor takes a few seconds to get ready, blinding lights that the android soon determined to be the sunlight. 

Time: 3:00pm

Two hours has passed, on the floor two cans of corned beef dispersed unevenly. 

Jungkook. He couldn't catch up to him when he had to shutdown.

"Jungkook!" Shouts loudly Jimin without even looking around before. Well he couldn't move, since his motion sensors weren't ready yet.

The second he was able to move, he turned, ready to run, when he almost hit something, someone. 

Jungkook was there, right beside him. The android's breathing hitched, which was quite abnormal, since Jimin doesn't need to breathe. 

"You're here." Sighed Jimin, happy. Not the zombie though, who just growled and starts leaving.

Like always, Jimin goes after him. 

They have been sticking with each other for five days now, they are still in the shopping center.

The robot has come to know that Jungkook doesn't sleep, but he does rest, which consisted of sitting down for half an hour. It doesn't bother Jimin though, he himself doesn't need sleep. He uses those thirty minutes to heal Jungkook, never exceeding the time. The android hasn't shutdown ever since.

The zombie eats once a day, corned beef, three cans each time. Everyday they will go to the supermarket to get some, Jimin doesn't make Jungkook wait anymore. The zombie seems to understand anyway, following the robot every time. Jungkook doesn't stare at Jimin's shoulder anymore.

The one shutdown that happened the other day, Jimin found out that he had a recording stored in his memory. He watched it fast paced, when Jungkook was into his resting time.

When his system had suddenly switched off, his front camera automatically turned on, for safety reasons. The first few minutes showed nothing, only at the fifth minute into the video, Jimin sees Jungkook. The zombie stayed the whole time, he even bumped into the android in intending to wake him up. Not understanding what happened, Jungkook walked around, but never going too far. Since he is seen walking by the robot every ten minutes, like he is checking on Jimin every once in a while.

During the two hour tape, at some point, a zombie who isn't Jungkook appears on the screen. 

Jimin can't deny how excited he was when he saw there was another person like Jungkook, but he just found it weird that he didn't see him when he woke up.

On the video, the stranger seems to be coming very near Jimin, he even bares his teeth.
Unlike Jungkook who wanted to bite the android at their very first meeting, eyeing the shoulder looking more like a pup. The new zombie targeted Jimin's face. However about a few centimeters away from actually doing it, the robot sees Jungkook come out of nowhere using his body to push away the intruder. 

Jungkook protected Jimin. 

In fact, Jungkook's arm muscles don't have the strength that a normal human being is supposed to have, Jimin knows that, hence why he has been feeding the zombie these days. (Well can't lie that Jimin actually liked feeding Jungkook)

Jungkook didn't have to do that, he didn't have to protect Jimin. Because Jimin wouldn't even feel the pain anyway. But he still protected the android. Which also explained why the zombie had a fresh wound on his arm when the android woke up.

The tape ends without Jungkook in the picture.

Jimin literally hears his internal gears shuffling, so loud, that he had to do a self check-up to make sure his system was fine.

He doesn't delete the tape, like he is supposed to do, to have more space in his storage. Instead, Jimin keeps it, like every single moment he has been with Jungkook. 

Rule number one: Do not harm a living being.

Rule number two: Fulfill mission

That day, Jimin decided to overwrite the rules, adding one more to the list.

Rule number one: Protect Jungkook

Rule number two: Do not harm a living being (except if Jungkook is in danger)

Rule number three: Fulfill mission

Jungkook doesn't limp anymore, but Jungkook still grunts. He grunts when he is hungry. He also grunts when Jimin takes too long in observing things. But even when the android doesn't budge, Jungkook waits by his side until Jimin is done.

Jungkook's skin is also almost fully healed, Jungkook gets thirsty too now, something Jimin discovered about two weeks after his first vital scan of the zombie.

He can drink about anything, except alcohol. Well he can, but he doesn't move for half a day afterwards.
Jimin still remembers how the other immediately went into resting mode right after drinking a 330mL beer. When the android checked the time, it was already way passed thirty minutes. Jimin actually got scared somehow, that maybe Jungkook made a severe allergic reaction. But then when he checked his vitals, it only showed:

Activity: Asleep

So Jimin waited, it's not like he got anything else to do. However, at that time the android didn't know he was going to be in it for twelve whole hours. 

Lucky for him there were books, Jimin wanted to read while he waited, but he couldn't leave the zombie alone. 

Since Jungkook only needed a chair to sit on, the robot carried him in his arms, bridal style to the library shop and put him down on the chair near the counter.

He grabbed as many books as possible, at a record time and sat down on the floor beside the immobile zombie as he read the books he brought.

Jimin finished reading the two third of the books in the library that day.

Recently Jungkook's health has been doing better too, the first scan Jimin did on him showed that his vitals were only working at 25%, now is 45%. His heartbeat that was once at 30bpm, is now at 50bpm, it's still low for a human but it's getting there.

It has been a month since Jimin has met Jungkook, the android doesn't lose the zombie anymore, Jungkook also doesn't get lost anymore. 

There was even once when Jimin caught him holding on to the hem of his shirt. 

That day, Jimin asked Jungkook if he wanted go on the floor above. Of course the android wasn't expecting an answer from the zombie, but he still wanted to ask Jungkook.

So Jimin walked by the escalator, if Jungkook was still following, they will go, if not, then they will stay on this floor.

He placed his foot on the first step, just to see the zombie a meter away from him, staring at the escalator, then back at Jimin.

For the first time, Jungkook's mood showed fear, the android immediately ran back to the zombie and took him in his arms. Because Jimin learnt that hugging someone can reduce the amount of cortisol, the hormone of fear.

Jungkook held on to his shirt for the rest of the day.

Chapter Text

Jimin was reading again another book, when suddenly he felt a push, not a strong one, from Jungkook. 

"What is it?" Asked excitedly Jimin, he was truly enthusiastic, because it was the first time that the zombie didn't grunt to make the android understand something. So when Jungkook walked away, well Jimin follows.

They stop at the comic books section, then the zombie pointed at one of them, The Walking Dead.

"Zo?" Voiced hesitantly Jungkook, Jimin was truly amazed, because Jungkook actually remembered the book.

"Zom...bie." Pronounced slowly the android.

"Bie."

"Yes zombie."

"Zo...bie." Repeated Jungkook while pointing himself.

"Yes Jungkook is a zombie."

"Koo...zobie..." And then Jungkook does the impossible. "Chim?" The zombie was trying to say the android's name, something Jimin has only told him once, the first day.

"Oh, Jimin is not a zombie."

"Chim...no...zobie?"

"Jimin is a robot." Actually it's 2120 A.I, but 'robot' does the job pretty well too.

"Chim...bot?"

"Yes, that's it!" Answered proudly the android, with a smile.

Jungkook tries to reciprocate the smile, by opening and closing his mouth, but doesn't seem to be able bare his teeth. With a frown Jungkook gets out of the library, followed by Jimin. 

Not understanding what just happened, Jimin just walks behind Jungkook. It has been a while since the zombie has walked away like that. 

Mood: Sullen (angry + sad)

That's when Jimin decides to catch up to Jungkook. He is sad about something, the android doesn't know the reason behind it, but what Jimin knows is he doesn't like seeing Jungkook like that.

Once he reached him, Jimin puts his arms around Jungkook's waist to stop him, chin resting on his shoulder.

"Jungkook?" It halts immediately the zombie, who doesn't try to free himself from it. At some point, Jimin feels something brushing over his hands. Jungkook's hands covering his.

They stay like this until Jungkook's mood is back to normal again. 

Ever since that day, Jungkook shows more interest in words. However he can't read, so he just calls Jimin's name 'Chim' whenever he sees an interesting book cover. Not that the android minds, on the contrary even, Jimin answers with pleasure each time. Needless to say, that the robot is completely fond of Jungkook's glinting eyes. Without even realizing it, the zombie actually manages to smile a few days after.

They are at the food court at the moment, Jungkook can eat by himself now, eating his second corned beef.

"Jungkook really likes corned beef." Says Jimin with a smile, from how cute the zombie is eating.

"Like?" Questioned innocently Jungkook.

"Jungkook wants beef everyday."

"Want..." Repeats the zombie, 'want' is a word Jimin taught him a few days ago. When he finally remembers the meaning, with wide eyes he says: "Koo like Chim!" 

"Jimin likes Jungkook too." Simply replied Jimin, earning a toothly grin from the zombie. 

Because it's the truth. From the hundreds of books and stories Jimin has read, the android has come to understand the meaning of someone important. 

Someone who you will do absolutely anything for them to be happy, without ever asking for something in return. Someone who you don't want to lose, but if one day they decide to leave, you will let go. 

Because their happiness comes before your own happiness.

Jungkook is that someone for Jimin.

Months ago, Jimin woke up alone in the bunker. Today, Jimin makes sure Jungkook never wakes up alone. 

The android will forever be profoundly thankful that Jungkook found him that day. 

Jimin is thankful it's Jungkook and not someone else.

He was created to learn things by himself, with a mission given to him, the android remembers. Of course Jimin remembers, but he also remembers his first overwritten rule. 

Truthfully, the android doesn't know what will happen if he doesn't accomplish the mission, but he does know he will never put the mission before Jungkook.

Jimin can't stop himself from thinking. 

What if, it was the other zombie the first being he met? Would the android be as compassionate as he is right now? What if he has never met Jungkook? Would the zombie be alright by himself?

Also, can Jimin have feelings? He shouldn't be able to. But Jungkook made him feel emotions and knowledge granted him the capability to put words into these emotions. Jimin has feelings when it comes to Jungkook.

The zombie is still munching on his food when the android asks him:

"Jungkook do you want to go upstairs?" Pointing the floor above, making the other look up at the same time. Then he looks back at Jimin with a small frown.

"Chim want?" Somehow it aches the android to see so much uneasiness in the zombie's eyes, but he chooses to reply with the truth nevertheless.

"Jimin wants to yes." At the android's answer Jungkook stares back at his food.

"Chim want, Koo want." 

Once the zombie finished his third corned beef, they go to the escalator. Where again, Jimin sees fear in Jungkook. 

"Jungkook you don't have to do this if you don't want to."

Jungkook shakes his head.

"Chim want, Koo want." 

Jimin crouches down, back facing Jungkook.

"Jimin will carry Jungkook." Surprisingly, the zombie lets himself be carried on the back of the android. As he walks up the stairs of the escalator, Jimin feels Jungkook's arms tighten around his neck, face buried in it.

"It's okay Jimin will protect Jungkook." 

And honestly, Jimin doesn't mind carrying Jungkook all his life if he needs to.

Somewhere in his internal storage, a coded file, that can only be unlocked once Jimin has accomplished his mission.

It contains an audio:

"Hey Jimin, or 2120 A.I? Whichever you prefer. I hope you're doing well. Umm. It's a strange mission right? 'Examination of the human world'. Well, if you can listen to this recording, it means you made it. You've learnt enough, experienced enough and discovered enough."

Short pause.

"You must know by now that humans are very complicated beings, they always want more, letting greed slowly getting the best of them. You were supposed to be functional by now, year 2120. I don't know if we can call it an apocalypse, but the human race is gradually deteriorating, cases of genome transformation have been found. So I hope I made the right decision by putting your awakening date five years from now. I created you for the sole purpose of letting you form your own personality, your own definition of happiness. I hope the environment five years from now will be better for you and that you have found your happiness. And maybe, If I'm still alive by then, I hope we can officially meet.  

Professor Jeon Jungkook, log 13th of October 2120, now logging off."

Jimin found Jungkook and Jimin found his happiness.