... And Other Ships

YoonKook: Please Come Home

"Min Yoongi, we would like to see you in private," the Korean Master-Sergeant said. The high school student could do nothing but obey. 

He shakily stood and followed the soldiers out into the hallway. The American soldiers were very big and intimidating, talking to him as one of the Korean Marines translated. "We were informed that you have a very close relationship with Jeon Jungkook, so we decided to inform you, as well as his family. 

"We regret to inform you that he has been captured by the enemy after jumping from the helicopter he was defending. He is now a prisoner of war." 

The world stopped. Jungkook had been captured. 

Yoongi couldn't breathe as he stared up at the soldiers, all numb to the situation at hand; all except the younger of the two American Marines, who was trying to hide his sympathy for Yoongi. 

The student decided to be strong for that teenage soldier, if not for himself. He drew in a heavy breath and stood a little straighter. "Thank you for telling me," he replied in his best English. That American Marine gave him a little smile, then turned to leave with the rest of the brigade. 

When he returned to the classroom, all eyes were on him. 

They all knew about his relationship with Jungkook and supported it, so of course they were concerned. "He... he was cap... captured," he breathed out and the entire class was silent. Yoongi went back to his desk, struggling to hold in his hurt. 

"Taehyung," Mrs Anh said quietly, causing the strange boy in the corner of the room to lift his head. "Please escort Mr Min home."

The clumsy boy stood up immediately and nodded. "Yes, Auntie - I mean, Mrs Anh," he stuttered, grabbing his bag and walking over to Yoongi. 

"Come on, hyung," he whispered to Yoongi, who numbly stood up and took his friend's hand. 

-------

Dark. It was dark. 

Jungkook stayed curled up in the corner of the cell in nothing but his dog tags - he had taken the prison uniform off in retaliation. He clutched the tags in his fist and stayed silent, refusing to finally crack. He wanted so badly to whimper, to show just a little weakness, but he didn't allow himself the luxury. He was a prisoner of war, now. 

They had performed gruesome acts upon him. Jungkook had been beaten, locked in an 'oven,' burned, lashed, tied-up, cut. He had gone through so much torture, but he refused to give them the information they desired from him. He was trained to be the best of the best. He was the perfect soldier. 

Infection had already taken over his marred body. He felt his body giving in by the hour - he knew hours still passed because a guard would come in and carry out dead soldiers - but he didn't surrender to infection. 

Jungkook refused to die. 

"Kid," one of the guards snapped. Jungkook glared at him, spitting on his shoes. "Fuck you," he growled, making the guard laugh. He shook his head, then kicked Jungkook hard in the gut. 

"You're a piece of work. You haven't given up yet. Are you even human?" the guard snarled as Jungkook panted harshly. Once he regained his breath, he picked up his courage and chuckled. He chuckled at the guard and shrugged.

"What can I say? I refuse to die in such a lame way." 

Jungkook had lied. 

No, he wouldn't die like this because he kept a promise. He promised Min Yoongi he'd come home safe. 

He would hold up his end of the promise for his little prince. He would come home in one piece. He would survive this hellhole just for Yoongi. 

"Yoongi, I love you. I'm coming." 

-------

Yoongi had changed. 

His wrists were thin and bony, thighs more like skin-clad femurs. He cheeks were sunken in unhealthily, collar bones protruding beneath his sweater. Jungkook's dog tags still hung around his neck. Overall, he looked like a living skeleton - if anything, he went to Vietnam. 

The rescue mission for Jungkook was just now getting underway, two years later. Only Yoongi and the Jeons knew about the whole mission in the first place. 

Jungkook hadn't been found by Yoongi's graduation. He was now a freshman in college, finishing out his second semester on his birthday. 

All he did now was drown himself in work so that he wouldn't think about his boyfriend. It hurt to think that his boyfriend was definitely dead by now - those who were captured never came home, he knew that. 

But he also knew that Jeon Jungkook was the most stubborn asshole on the planet. He knew that his boyfriend's captors were going to find that out one way or another. That thought was what got Yoongi out of bed every morning. 

Taehyung's boyfriends, - yes, both of them - Jimin and Hoseok, sat on either side of Yoongi in class. They would both try to make Yoongi less depressed than he normally was, but the day Yoongi's life changed once again, neither boy could get as much as a grin from the older boy. 

Study hall was completely silent until he door opened. All heads turned to the figure in standard-issue tactical pants, his United States Marine Corps jacket opened to reveal a white t-shirt and a set of dog tags around his neck. He was very thin, but clean cut with a neat two: eight - part in his hair. The man's wide, urgent eyes searched the expansive classroom until he found who he was looking for. 

The moment Yoongi's eyes locked with the soldier's, a mix between a cry and a gasp left his lips. 

"Jungkook!" he screamed, shooting up from the table and taking off in a sprint towards his boyfriend, who had his arms spread out and a small smile on his face. They collided forcefully, a soft grunt leaving the both of them as Jungkook lifted Yoongi into the air and spun him around. 

Cheers erupted from the other students, Hoseok and Jimin the loudest of them all, as the couple held each other tightly. 

Yoongi couldn't believe it. Jungkook came home. They brought him home. He was alive. 

He started to cry fat tears into the crook of Jungkook's neck, his own neck becoming soaked with tears as well. 

"You're home!" the younger boy cried out, his death-grip on his boyfriend softening just a little. Jungkook hummed and squeezed him a little. "Yeah, I'm home." 

-------

At the Jeon house, Jungkook refused to let go of Yoongi. He kept his younger boyfriend on his lap or under his arm at all times, not that the boy minded. 

"Baby, what happened to you?" Jungkook asked as he laid on his bed, Yoongi straddling his lap. The younger boy sighed as he rubbed the ointment prescribed to Jungkook for his infections on some scars on Jungkook's stomach. 

"When they told me you were captured... I was so sick to my stomach, Kookie. I couldn't stomach food and it turned into something I couldn't control and... I just can't eat anymore." 

Jungkook frowned and sat up, cupping Yoongi's face in his hands. "Oh, Yoongi. No," he sighed, kissing his boyfriend once, twice, three times until he finally was kissed back. It was their first real kiss since the soldier came home. 

After a minute, they unwillingly parted. "We'll fix this, okay? We'll fix us,"  Jungkook whispered against his boyfriend's lips. "We both need to help each other get better, and we will." 

Yoongi nodded and let Jungkook lay down, pulling him down as well. "Thank you for coming home. I love you so much." 

"I'm not going to die in such a lame way." 

"Jungkook." 

"I love you too. Thank you for not giving up on me."