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"Brat," Yoongi held the maknae in a brief headlock before relaxing his grip. Jungkook huffed a laugh at the fondness Yoongi managed to pack into that short word and felt comforted by the weight of the arm still around him, holding him close to the blonde.
The sun was going to set soon on their free day out. It was time they headed back to catch the sunset like sappy nerds because Jin liked it and they all loved him, but Jungkook felt no inclination to move. He was okay here, in this moment: with Yoongi's stillness and the steady lapping of the water on his bare feet that hung off the side of the pier next to Yoongi's.
"We should go," he said quietly. Yoongi grunted in response and tightened his arm. Jungkook let a few more moments passed.
"Namjoon'll be pissed we disappointed Jin," He said eventually, turning to look at the elder and measure his reaction. In the split second before Yoongi's bored, unimpressed expression dropped into place he saw it, saw his hyung struggle to remain where he was and he smiled because it was cute but he got a knowing smack for his troubles.
"Brat," Yoongi repeated, still fond, still full of love, and Jungkook needed that. He needed a reminder sometimes that nothing really changed about how much they all love him. His smile widened.
The decision to move was made for them in the form of Jimin bouncing over to them, cheeks tinged pink from all the activity as well as the slight cold of late summer leading into autumn, "It's almost time!" He tugged at them in turn, pulling till Jungkook and then Yoongi rose to walk with him to the end of the pier where everyone else was waiting.
That's when they saw him: Taehyung and his wide open grin at the top of the old platform waving at them.
"This fucking idiot is gonna get himself killed," Jungkook heard Yoongi whisper next to him, a heavy note of worry etched into the string of words. Jungkook could only stare open mouthed as he watched Taehyung back up and then run, jumping off the platform with a yell of something indistinguishable.
They seemed to move at the same time, running to the side where he hit the water, and they all seemed to raggedly breathe out in relief at once when his grinning face broke the surface of the water.
The grin faltered when he saw their faces. However it disappeared entirely when Jin said flatly, "That was the stupidest and the most reckless thing you have ever done," then turned around and walked away. Jungkook was inclined to agree. He shook his head when Taehyung turned to him but offered a hand to help him back up on the pier.
"What were you thinking?" Jimin asked.
Taehyung began to reply but stopped short.
"You weren't thinking," Namjoon's voice was low and angry, he was fighting for control and they all saw it. Yoongi moved first, taking one of their leader's hands in his and leading him away to where Jin sat looking at the sun beginning to set on his own.
At this point Jungkook felt more sorry for Taehyung than he wanted to punch him so he pulled him close and held him. Jimin stood behind Taehyung and lay a head on his shaking shoulder.
Next to them Hoseok sighed. "C'mon, you're gonna miss it. He's not angry, he was just worried about you. And don't worry about Namjoon, he'll calm down soon."
Jungkook lifted Taehyung's chin, wiped away his tears and kissed him, "He's right, it's okay, let's go."
They walked over to the rest of the group and though Jungkook, Hoseok and Jimin all sat down Taehyung hung back. He shifted from foot to foot, eyes glued to the concrete of the pier until Jin got up and hugged him and murmured reassurances Jungkook couldn't hear that caused fresh tears to fall down Taehyung's cheeks as he nodded. Jin then kissed him and made him sit next to him, arm around his shoulders holding him close to the eldest's side.
Jungkook smiled.
The rest of the group followed suit: Namjoon throwing an arm around Jin, Yoongi around Namjoon, Jimin around Yoongi, Hoseok around Jimin, and, Jungkook around Hoseok. This particular sunset was filed away in Jungkook's memories as one of the best. The perfect ending to a perfect day spent feeling free - running so fast he felt like he was flying, sand unsteady beneath his feet, ocean close enough to touch, family running along with him, screaming at the top of their lungs, laughing until they could hardly breathe...
When the sun disappeared entirely no one moved, no one spoke. It seemed they all thought the same thing: maybe if they just stayed here it wouldn't ever end.
But then a set of headlights lit up the tinted dusk and they knew it had.
They all moved, no one spoke. Jin still had Taehyung tucked close to him. With his anger long gone Yoongi held Namjoom less out of a need to keep him from acting and more because he wanted to. Hoseok had a hand clasped in Jimin's. Jungkook was pulled gently forward by Jimin who also held one of his.
When they got to the van they gathered outside it but no one got it.
Their manager cleared his throat and the flashing red light of an already recording camera blinked at them.
"Fuck it," Jungkook said finally and took off running. Behind him he heard laughter followed by six shouts of the same and soon he wasn't running alone.