Chapter Text
Jungkook had been sitting on the couch, eyes unfocused and thoughts racing for… actually he’s not sure how much time had passed. He pops his neck and shakes his head, trying to collect himself, though he still feels like he’s in shock. He looks around the room and notices that Namjoon had stood up at some point, presumably to give Jungkook space to process the bomb that had been dropped on him.
2023? Traveling 8 years into the future in his sleep may just be the most absurd thing Jungkook has ever heard. However, the earnestness in Namjoon’s voice makes him want to believe him. Still, he‘s struggling to accept his situation without more proof than just the other man's words.
“Can you prove it?” Jungkook asks, looking Namjoon in the eyes for the first time that morning. The softness he is familiar with from his own Namjoon once again present in the man’s expression.
He gives Jungkook a brief questioning look. “Prove that I’m Namjoon?” He pauses for a moment. “Or prove that it’s 2023?”
“Both?” Jungkook says, what he meant as a statement coming out more like a question.
“Sure,” Namjoon says, turning back towards the bedroom. “Wait here.” He says over his shoulder before disappearing through the doorway from the kitchen into his bedroom. Jungkook remains on the couch, faint rustling from the other room barely audible over the rapid beating of his heart. He chews on his thumbnail, anxiety still feeling tight in his chest as he waits. Luckily, Namjoon returns quickly with a phone in one hand and a bunch of clothes in the other.
“You can put these on,” Namjoon holds his hand out towards Jungkook as he approaches the couch. Jungkook takes them from him and stands up, letting the blanket fall back onto the couch. He looks up and notices Namjoon’s cheeks have gone pink even though he is very purposefully looking away from him. He quickly pulls on the t-shirt and sweatpants he’s been given before sitting back down. This time, Namjoon joins him on the couch, reaching for the television remote and turning it on before directing his attention towards his phone.
Namjoon scrolls through his phone for a minute before showing it to Jungkook. On the screen is a picture of Namjoon with his parents and sister. Jungkook recognizes everyone from the few times they had met before, though everyone had aged as well. Jungkook looks back between the man next to him on the couch and the photo on the phone, still looking skeptical despite everything. Namjoon, face blank, opens up YouTube and quickly types ‘Wildflower’ into the search bar. He puts the phone in front of Jungkook and plays a video showing himself rapping a song Jungkook has never heard. Jungkook’s breath catches in his throat. This is undeniably his Namjoon hyung; the tone, the lyrics, the musicality all screams Rap Monster. When the video ends, Jungkook sits back on the couch and takes a deep, slow breath. “I can’t believe that you’re actually him.” Jungkook mutters.
“If I was you,” Namjoon says, patting Jungkook’s back, “I don’t think I would either.”
Jungkook, now certain of Namjoon’s identity but still uncertain of exactly what was happening, turns back to the television. The TV is playing some music show he doesn’t recognize the hosts of when a commercial for a survival show plays, announcing the date for the upcoming finale… April 20, 2023. Jungkook inhales sharply, feeling a bit faint as the reality of his situation truly sinks in. Jungkook had somehow traveled almost a decade into the future. Jungkook? He doesn’t know how, he doesn’t know why, and he doesn’t know what to do. Jungkook?! The world starts to shrink around him as he is consumed by all of the thoughts running through his mind.
“Jungkook!” He feels Namjoon’s hands on his shoulders. He’s not sure when the other man moved in front of him, kneeling down and looking at him worriedly. Namjoon moves one hand to cup the side of his face, brushing back strands of hair that had fallen into his eyes. “Are you alright?” Jungkook sucks in a deep breath, as if he was surfacing after a while underwater. He feels tears he didn’t know were welling in his eyes fall down his cheeks and a gentle thumb brush them away.
“It’s real?” Jungkook asks, though he already knows the answer. Namjoon nods, running his hand in a soothing motion up and down Jungkook’s arm. They sit in silence for a minute, Jungkook trying to regain his composure and Namjoon quietly comforting him. Just as Jungkook’s heart rate begins to slow and his breathing becomes regular again, a loud ringtone plays from where Namjoon had discarded his phone on the couch and Jungkook just about jumps out of his skin. Namjoon reaches over and peeks at the screen, pausing and looking at Jungkook before begrudgingly answering the phone.
“Hyung,” Namjoon starts, though whoever is on the other end of the phone cuts in before he can finish the sentence. He waits, listening to them speak for a minute before he gets a chance to speak again. “Now isn’t a great time, I’m sorry. I’ll try to swing by later.” He quickly says bye to the person on the other line before hanging up and putting the phone down once again.
“Who was that?” Jungkook asks, curiosity distracting from some of the anxiety he was feeling.
“Yoongi hyung.” Namjoon answers, mind seemingly on whatever conversation he had been having. “His new album is supposed to come out soon and he wanted me to give it one last listen through.” Namjoon moves back to the couch, sitting next to Jungkook again and relaxing back into the cushions. “It can wait though. I don’t necessarily feel good about leaving you right now. Not before we can get you a little more settled.”
Jungkook nods, wiping his palms on his pants before standing up. “Would you mind if I take a shower?”
“Oh, yeah, of course.” Namjoon leads the way into the bedroom and over to the bathroom door. “You can use anything you’d like. Take your time.” Namjoon leaves him with a gentle pat on the back, making his way back out into the living room. Jungkook closes the door behind him and leans against it, letting out a shaky sigh. He feels overwhelmed, tears welling in his eyes, but he blinks them away before they can fall. He shakes his head to clear it and walks over to the shower, turning it on and hopping in as soon as the water is warm.
He had been hoping that the warm water would be enough to relax and clear his mind, but Jungkook finds his thoughts wandering almost immediately. He goes through his shower almost on autopilot, thoughts stuck on the fact that he had somehow traveled into the future. He’s jarred out of his thoughts by the shampoo he’d picked up. It smells super strongly, some sort of masculine scent hitting his nose and making him wrinkle it. He puts down the shampoo and reaches for another one, this one having a much softer scent, and decides to use it instead. He washes his hair quickly, opting for an equally soft scented conditioner amongst the excessive amounts of products in the shower.
Getting out of the shower, Jungkook reaches for a clean towel, wrapping it around his waist. He makes his way over to the mirror and wipes his hand across the steamed surface so he can see his face. He looks the same as when he fell asleep last night. He feels the same as he did last night, or at least he did before a nuclear sized truth bomb was dropped on him. Even though his head starts to spin, he knows he has to leave the bathroom at some point so he has to finish getting ready. He reaches for the skin care arranged in neat little rows on his left, quickly going through a much longer process than he’s used to but enjoying the feel of all of the products. Looking around the bathroom, he notices an extra toothbrush sitting in a cup near the sink. He can tell it isn’t Namjoon’s because this one is dry. He assumes it is either old or an extra and, without any other options, uses it quickly.
Jungkook has just thrown on the clothes Namjoon had given him and opened the bathroom door when he hears the chiming of the front door code being entered. At first, he just assumes that Namjoon had gone somewhere but that thought is quickly disproven when just after the door swings open, he hears hurried footsteps moving out of the living room towards what he assumes to be the entryway. Jungkook freezes in the bedroom, all senses on high alert trying to figure out who had just entered the house. Just like when he had first woken up, Jungkook feels a fear of being caught; a fear of being found out of place once again. He creeps closer to the door, trying to listen in to the rest of the apartment and see what's happening.
Jungkook can hear two hushed voices in the apartment, one deep and one a bit higher. He assumes the deep voice is Namjoon, but he can’t make out who the other voice is. It’s a man, he knows that for sure, but otherwise the tone is pretty neutral. He tries to peer out the bedroom door that was still partially open, though his view is pretty limited. He can’t see anything in the little sliver of kitchen the door allows him to see, but the voices continue to grow louder.
“Namjoonie, can this wait?” The voice asks, so close Jungkook is surprised he can’t see the figure from his spot by the door. “I really pushed it at the gym this morning and I need to take a shower and change before we do anything else.”
“No!” Namjoon says loudly, now stepping into Jungkook’s point of view. “I just think, maybe, I have something we need to talk about first.”
“Namjoon, I love you but I don’t really want to deal with this right now.” The stranger says, followed by the smack of lips that Jungkook recognizes as the sound of a kiss. Jungkook’s head is reeling. This person, who is comfortable enough to shower and change here, is telling Namjoon he loves him and kissing him? All of a sudden, everything clicks in Jungkook’s head. The excessive amount of bottles in the shower, the two sets of skincare around the sink, the extra goddamn toothbrush… Namjoon’s living with his boyfriend; the same boyfriend that had come home. Jungkook takes a couple steps back trying to figure out what he can do; would he be able to hide? Where could he even go? Jungkook’s thoughts are stopped as the door flings open, two figures coming through the door.
The first thing Jungkook notices is the sleeve of tattoos on the stranger. The tattoos sit beautifully on the man’s skin, pulled tight over muscles in his arms. Traveling up the stranger's body, Jungkook spots two lip piercings; cool silver rings snug against the man’s plump bottom lip. Then, he spots a mole next to the piercings… a mole that is too familiar. He truly takes in the man fully for the first time. He’s kind of tall, muscular with long black hair falling to just above his shoulders, large brown eyes wide and staring at Jungkook.
“Holy shit.” The stranger says in a voice Jungkook recognizes all too well. Jungkook looks over the stranger’s shoulder and locks eyes with Namjoon. Namjoon’s eyes are panicked, wide with dilated pupils as they flick back and forth between the two men in the room. Jungkook’s eyes move back to the other man, who continues to stare slack-jawed at him. Jungkook meets the man’s eyes; his own eyes as he stares at what he can only assume is himself 8 years in the future.