Crystal Snow (Jikook)

15.

"King Jeon, aren't you covering you tattoos?" Asked Jimin when Jungkook hit his forehead.

"Thanks," he whispered running back to kiss Jimin one more time before running to the room to collect some clothes and put the on quickly. The fabric sticking to his wet body unpleasantly, his hair still dripping, he pulled the gloves on before opening the door to see captain Fang.

"General Hoseok has given you nine minutes to pack, we're leaving for battle," muttered Fang when his gaze slid down Jungkook's body suspiciously.

"I'm on my way," Jungkook slammed the door shut running through the room to collect all his belongings. He saw Jimin who was wrapped up into his night robe leaning at the bathroom entrance watching him with the same sadness.

Jungkook shivered putting the armory on quickly, tying the cloak and the sword behind his back, the heartless warrior him had to return like right now, not a boy completely head over heels in love with the most beautiful hybrid alive, wishing for nothing more than the war to stop here and now, for Namjoon to disappear, for him and Jimin to live happily ever after in a cottage between thick forest far from everyone and all problems, but the merciless world was calling again and he had no other option but to remove each piece of light, each emotion, each mercy or compassion from his heart and set off for battle.

"It would be better if you stayed with Jin," said Jungkook when Jimin eyes widened.

"Are you just throwing me away after what we have just done!" Some tears began to roll down Jimin's face and Jungkook hated it.

"Jimin, please don't cry, it's not safe out there. Yoongi's army of monster isn't sone kindergarten play. I need you to be safe."

"Guess what, if you abandon me I will die in 48 hours," Jimin was swallowing the tears when Jungkook sighed walking to him to pull his tiny body in his arms and kiss the top of his head. Jimin's hair was smelling so lovely Jungkook was almost getting drunk and for sure getting lost in that scent.

"I'm not abandoning you Jimin, never, until my heart is beating I will never abandon you. I promise," Jungkook caressed Jimin's tears off with his thumbs drowning in those emerald eyes.

Jimin nodded.

"Damn," Jungkook cursed.

Of course he couldn't leave Jimin here, nor could he let Jimin go with Jin.

"Get into the backpack and make sure no one finds out about your existence," Jungkook pressed his lips to Jimin's forehead before letting go walking to the backpack.

He saw Jimin's body shifting, the silky purple robe falling on the floor and just a tiny fury creature crawling out from underneath it.

Something was scratching in Jungkook's throat when he walked to lift the robe and roll it up then pressed it into the backpack leaving some space for Jimin who squeezed in between his clothes. Jungkook caressed him behind the ears before closing the backpack carefully to give Jimin enough space to breath comfortably.

He was sniffing, casting one last glance over that chamber that has been his home for the past days.

Jungkook just walked outside slamming the door shut, ignoring all those hidden melodies pushing so many strings in his heart, mind and memory, his eyes falling at a huge panting with burned out faces of his parents, but his own child's image still present, hanging above the entrance to the main hall leading downstairs.

"Boy! You're here," General Hoseok's voice filled the corridor raising all hair on his body in alarm, so Jungkook pulled the hood of the cloak over his still wet hair.

"How have you been boy, have heard you've been injured last night," Hoseok's firm hand landed on his shoulder.

"I'm fine," muttered Jungkook.

"I'm counting on that, you're one of my most promising young soldiers," Hoseok's grip on his wounded shoulder tightened giving him pain he completely ignored.

Hoseok's eyes fell on the painting stopping on it for a few seconds.

All the unspoken things circling between them and Jungkook could almost feel Hoseok's tight hug when he had fallen from a tree he had climbed in the garden while being only seven and had sprained a bone, and the general was the first to find him.

"Jungkook you're braver than you think, pain is just a temporary state like everything in life remember that," Hoseok's words came back from the past ringing in his head.

"So all, all will be gone one day?" Had asked Jungkook so frightened at something he couldn't even imagine.

Hoseok's sad eyes had laid on him. "All will be gone one day, just love. Love will stay as nothing can defeat love."

So they were here again in the palace, him and Hoseok, two men on the edge of the dying world not believing in hope or survival. Yet there was the little fox in Jungkook's backpack, a bit heavy, a bit naughty tossing and turning against his back.

"How was the palace, you can tell your mates a few things," two very young soldiers approached Jungkook when he was taking supplies from the kitchen tent. They had returned to the camp with nightfall, the couriers bringing general Hoseok news that Yoongi's army has taken a different way than expected definitely heading towards the second main city in the land to claim it.

Hoseok was troubled, Jungkook could sense it, his commander has ordered them to rest well then closed himself in his tent, while those two had nothing better to do than to collect some gossip.

"What about the palace courtesans, are they great?" The face of one of the boys became deeply purple.

Jungkook ignored completely, filling a small sack with golden berries as they were Jimin's favorites.

"Hey, you can talk to us or are you feeling too great to speak with low ranked soldiers like yourself, Hoseok's favorite boy," they started to become aggressive so Jungkook passed them.

"Prepare for battle," he hissed.

Thank you so much for your support, it makes writing for you so enjoyable. What do you think about the chapter? About Jungkook's childhood memories? Will him and Jimin stay safe in the war zone? Also I wanted to wish all of you a happy new year 🎆

Much <3