Your heart and mind were racing while you stuffed all of your belongings into your bag, the others watching you from some distance.

"Are you sure you want to go?" Taehyung asked skeptically, arms crossed while he eyed you with tilted head.

"Are you kidding?" You snorted while stuffing a few cans of tomato soup into the already filled-to-the-brim bag, "Of course I am."

"We could give you a home you here." Namjoon said calmly, "We'd be glad to, actually."

You halted a moment to secure the stupid bracelet Jungkook had taken from the cannibal lady around your wrist, using your teeth to pull it tighter, "I can't stay here when Kook's somewhere out there." Your words were slightly muffled due to the string between your teeth, "He needs me."

"Oh, I think he's doing alright." Taehyung said dryly, "Please be rational with this one Y/N. You'll have it so much harder out there, just the two of you." He had started to speak in a more urgent tone, "Plus, you don't even know how it's gonna be between you two now, after I... you know-"

You threw your bag over your shoulder, eyes rushing over the room to make sure you didn't forget anything, "Don't be silly, Tae. We'll be okay."

"You're always welcome here." Jin said smiling, leaning agains the doorframe.

"Thank you, I'm sure we'll meet again someday. I mean, I know where to find you." You grinned, rushing past Seokjin, the others following you closely.

"About that..." Namjoon started, voice wavering while he walked after you, "I just recently found out about this thing... a possible safe refugee on Jeju Island. We might look into that once the snow has melted completely."

A refugee?

"I don't even know if it really exists, but if it does, we'll go there." Namjoon spoke hastily, as if scared you would run away mid sentence.

You had reached the end of the stairs, wooden barricade full of burn marks right in front fo you, "Well, if it is real then we will meet you there."

Namjoon smiled, "Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Well, then." Namjoon waved at you slowly, while Seokjin and Taehyung started to scream goodbyes from the top of the stairs, "See you soon, Y/N."

"Bye! I'll miss you guys!" You waved at them, before climbing on top of the barricade and dropping on the other side with a loud thump.

You could only hope that Jungkook wasn't too far ahead of you yet. That asshole.

___

Tiny rain drops occasionally fell downwards, stinging where they met his face that was directed towards the grey sky.

The metal of his weapon's hilt was cold against his hand, familiar weight being somewhat comforting.

There was an old bag slung over his shoulder, only the most necessary things having found their way inside, before he'd made a run for it. It had been yet another one of his stupid impulsive decisions, but he couldn't find it in him to turn back.

If he was being really honest with himself, he was scared about what she would say if he were to go back now. Or maybe she wouldn't say anything at all and act like nothing happened. Jungkook believed that this would be somewhat worse.

The things Taehyung had said back then were.... not entirely true. Jungkook genuinely didn't want any of them dead.

It wasn't because he changed so much ever since then - really, he hadn't changed a lot - but because of the one thing that ever really changed. Like Taehyung had said; He was a free man now. He could make his own decisions. And one of them was to not kill those who haven't given him a reason to, anymore.

Killing. Jungkook had probably gotten desensitized to that word a long time ago. It felt like such a normal thing to think and talk about.

Hm

She'd probably be scared, right?

His feet crunched on the muddy street, quiet sound echoing back in his skull like one thousand sirens. It would be like this always from now on. He was back to traveling alone. What a strange feeling.

The knowledge that Namjoon and the others would take good care of her was calming at least. She wasn't safe with his impulsive, idiotic ass anyways, right? Not in the long run, at least.

Distant crunches added to the ones his feet were making, probably a prowler somewhere around the corner.

Well, now he didn't need to worry about looking out for her when fighting anymore. Which wasn't quite an advantage, since he had liked to look out for her.

The crunches were growing louder, closer each second, uncharacteristically fast for a prowler.

Well, say hello to the first prowler he'd slay without her around. His grip on the metal hilt grew tighter as Jungkook naturally took in a fighting stance.

God dammit, that prowler was really quick.

Wait-

"Y/N?!"

"FUCKING HELL, PUT DOWN THE SCYTHE JUNGKOOK!"

And this was how he almost killed his only friend.

"What the fuck are you doin' here?" He looked down at the girl incredulous, who was glaring up at him immensely agitated.

"Not trying to get beheaded, first at all."

Slowly, he put down the scythe again, grip around it relaxing hesitantly, "I meant, why are ya following me?" He frowned.

She squinted her eyes at him, hands stemmed into her sides, "Really? You too?"

"What do you m-"

"You just left without a word!" She threw her hands up exasperated, eyes wide, "You telling me you wouldn't have followed me if the roles were reversed, asshole?"

"N-No, you're right..." He trailed off, not having expected to get scolded in a moment like that, "I-I would-"

"See? But I'm the weird one." Huffing, she thrusted a small item into his hand, "And you forgot your fucking Christmas present."

"You're cursing a lot." He said instead of a simple 'thank you', taking the knife just a tiny little it flabbergasted. He thought she' be more... distant.

They stood there for a second, in the middle of the street, as Y/N tried to regain her breath after having sprinted all the way to him.

Then, finally, she looked back up, eyes narrowing down at him again, "So?"

"What?"

"Well, don't you wanna talk about why you left?"

Oh. There we go.

"Would you believe me if I said it was because Taehyung hurt my feelings?"

"Oh, shut up."

"Okay, then... ya wanna hear the nice version?"

"Is that the true version?"

"Uhm."

"Thought so."

"It's... not pretty." Jungkook sighed, "What Taehyung said, I-"

"I know." She stopped him a bit more gentle, "Jungkook, I'm not stupid. I have a pretty good idea what he was talking about. But that doesn't mean I understand it. So tell me. Tell me what made you run away."

Jungkook stared at her for second, trying to understand what he was about to do here. They never spoke about this kinda stuff, it was sort of their unspoken policy. She violated that policy by poking into his matters to directly, but if he was being honest she had every right to.

They were more than just 'strangers who met during the apocalypse and ended up traveling together'. They were a team. Friends. Companions. Family. Whatever you want to call it.

And, most importantly - although she was probably scared of him, after having figured out what was going on, she still ran after him.

"You're crazy, you know that?" He laughed incredulous, though her face clearly said 'look who's talking', "Okay, don't worry Chickie." He ruffled her hair, grin trying to mask up his nervousness, "Lemme tell you about good ol' Jungkook."

___