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For about a decade now, the government had been communicating with outer space. With new, revolutionizing, high-functioning technology, they had been able to go to planets never explored before, and they had found lots, lots of stuff from there.
Extraterrestrial, first of all, which was how they managed to understand and discover so many other aspects of their lives. Objects, too, created by them, sometimes gifted to Earth. And weird forms of life, like sticky, small creatures, or these creepy insects that looked like an eyeball.
Also - dangerous fuckery done on alien DNA and unintentionally, by accident, getting into some humans’ DNA. Resulting in humans being born with alien aspects, mostly physical and biological, making them look different - sometimes very obviously, sometimes in ways that could be hidden.
No matter what, though, they were always treated differently from humans, discriminated, maltreated. At first the government had pretended they wanted to give them justice, because they were the sole reason for their existence, and because they acted and thought exactly like humans. So they were brought to life exactly like humans, listed, accepted to school, offered financial help - but even then people would judge them.
Three years ago, though, they had decided there was too many of them. They stated if this kept on going, humans wouldn’t be the majority and norm anymore - and with some time and preparation, all of the half-aliens were required to move to another planet, one that was supposedly liveable and habitable.
They started sending raids to find them, in houses and public places, and then even in schools. And if they didn’t obey, refused to pack their stuff and literally move to another planet - they got put in jail. That is, if they weren’t killed by mistake beforehand, or in self-defence .
Jungkook, Jimin, Namjoon, Hoseok and Seokjin had been hiding Taehyung and Yoongi from them since then.
Taehyung was born with a third eye right in the middle of his forehead and a second pair of purple, button-like ears right behind the first normal ones, that he tried to hide with his hair, or with beanies. And Yoongi could look completely human, unless he - willingly or not - grew out his bioluminescent lanterns, the bigger one from his forehead but also little ones along the back of his arms. It had been weird at first, but with some time, they had gotten used to it, had even learnt to appreciate it, as it was so unique and only was a part of the friends they had made.
Eventually, they had learnt that their families had been taken away, moved out of the planet, as they were also born half-alien. These years had been such a difficult time for all of them, and absolutely filled with constant fear of an unexpected raid, with the frustration of not being able to go out too much, having to hide their differences all the time. They simply couldn’t live a normal life anymore, even though living all together had helped them feel better about it, and made it worth it.
Today, though, word of an upcoming raid in their town gets around.
In five minutes top, they’re collecting as much as they can in backpacks - food and water, mostly, but also maps and as much useful technology as they can, as well as very few clothes. It’s the second time they have to do this in three years, so now they already know what they need.
And then they’re leaving it all behind. They have to get out from the backyard, as discreetly as they can, and then they leave through the woods just behind their house, walking for hours until it looks like they’re in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of plains, only knowing where they are thanks to their digital maps. They’re quiet, troubled. They only talk to be sure where they’re going, and instead ignore the fact that, once again, they have to start over. Once again, life will be hard, complicated - too complicated.
Through it all, though, Jungkook keeps thinking about Yoongi. He thinks about both Taehyung and Yoongi, is worried to death for both of them, of course - but Yoongi.. he’s different. Things had always been different between the two of us. Unclear, very much so, but ambiguous and exciting, and Jungkook - Jungkook loves him. As in, he’s completely in love with him, and he has no idea on what ground Yoongi stays, but he knows he always feels that different vibe when they’re together, and the looks they give each other sometimes are just too long, too intense, too teasing. Jungkook loves it - but in times like this, it only makes it harder for him.
He can’t imagine having to see Yoongi go - to another fucking planet, somewhere they wouldn’t ever see each other again, probably.
They reach a forest again, and they decide to take a pause there, hidden between the thick trees, sweaty and unable to actually focus and realize what’s happening right in this moment. As night is beginning to fall, they decided to sleep there, and they make two shelters out of branches, eat a bit of what they’ve packed, try to relax and make each other laugh. When it really is dark and they almost can’t see each other, Yoongi grows his lanterns, and they all chuckle a bit, Yoongi whining about the teasing, though he’s smiling, too.
And it’s not all easy, but they have to make it work.
When they start feeling sleepy, much later than usual because of that unsafe environment, they get into little groups, making sure to have Taehyung and Yoongi caught between two of them - so Jimin, Taehyung and Namjoon get into a shelter, and that leaves Jungkook, Yoongi, Hoseok and Seokjin into the second, bigger one. They’re cramped anyway, all pressed against each other, but it only helps to reassure them, actually, having contact between them all like that.
And Jungkook is feeling a little sleepy, settling down on the rough ground pressed to his favourite hyung, but as he looks at him he can see him, apparently wide awake, with his forehead lantern still grown, and biting on the inside of his cheek like he’s distressed. He must be - it’s only logical.
So Jungkook decides to fight off the sleep for a while. He takes Yoongi’s hand in his, intertwines their fingers, and when Yoongi turns to look at him he gives him a hopeful smile, squeezes his hand. In only a second, Yoongi’s eyes fill with tears, before he’s almost throwing himself at Jungkook, to hug him so hard it makes Jungkook huff out a breath, though he immediately reciprocates it, holding him tight.
Yoongi starts crying hard, body shaking with it, some whimpers escaping him. Jungkook can’t help but cry, too, only able to imagine what it’s like being the one chased down, and already feeling horrible about having to hide his friend.
When he opens his eyes Jungkook sees Hoseok looking at them, tears running down his cheeks too, and Seokjin sleeping behind him with creased eyebrows. He holds his arms out farther, in invitation for Hoseok, who immediately takes it and hugs Yoongi’s other side, his hands on Jungkook’s back.
They cry together, worry and feelings of injustice deeply settled in them, until they manage to fall asleep.
Early in the morning, Taehyung, Namjoon and Jimin wake them up in a hurry, destroying their shelters and packing all their stuff up, as Taehyung explains that he hears men voices from afar - because this is the advantage Taehyung’s second pair of ears has, it gives him better hearing.
So they hurry and run, even, as fast and as long as they can, because if those men are the raid and they see them it’s over, all they’ll have to do is pass that sort of detector thing over them, and it would immediately let them know that Taehyung and Yoongi are half-alien.
The panic helps them go for a quite a long time, until they reach a road and really can’t keep on running anymore. They know where they’re going, though, and they’re getting closer. There’s a secret basement in the middle of nowhere, two days away from where they lived, made for half-aliens, or at least to help them. It’s a resistance network kind of thing that can only be found after many, long researches, and after answering subtle demands of proof on their goal. In the basement, half-aliens can take residence for a while, and get new identities as well as a risky but supervised ride to other, safer cities, where raids are less likely to come look for them.
So once they get to that road and stop to catch their breath, they only stay in place for a few seconds, beginning to walk with new-found excitement, their fear suddenly turning into joy, and they start giggling with nerves and walking fast, Hoseok jumping on them and Jimin trying to hug everyone.
Suddenly there’s a hand slipping into his, and when he looks over it’s Yoongi, smiling his gummy smile at him, and Jungkook’s heart melts. He smiles, too, a light blush on his face, tugging on Yoongi’s hand to get him a bit closer to him.
Before he knows what’s happening, he’s getting stopped and turned, and then Yoongi’s lips are on his. It’s a very quick, light kiss, and Yoongi’s immediately making him walk again, but still - with all of the others suddenly freaking out and laughing and teasing Jungkook, he turns completely red - and still, he doesn’t think he’s ever smiled this hard before.
When they finally get here, people take care of them right away, asking for their names and identity, and they’re being brought to a large room, that could be a living room but instead is filled with mattresses, where lots of half-aliens are sat on, as well as humans accompanying them, and it’s all loud and agitated, but still it gives them a sense of hope they really had been needing all this time.
They get something to eat later in the evening, and so they decide to share all the stuff they had brought along, and it’s obvious how happy Yoongi and Taehyung are in this moment, to be in a safe place with lots of people like them, people who have been getting killed or kicked out of this damn planet, people who only were a bit different from the norm and got mistreated because of it.
They talk to people until late at night, sharing their experiences, their feelings, their lives until then, and then people start falling asleep one by one, making the room quieter and quieter, until there only are a few hushed voices heard.
Once again, they lie cramped, two people in a mattress made for one, but they don’t care, just take it as it is, because it’s basically their only hope, and once again it feels like the need the comfort of sleeping pressed against each other.
Jungkook and Yoongi share a mattress, of course. The others, before falling asleep, keep giving them knowing looks and teasing smirks, but they ignore it, just enjoy each other’s warmth, their bodies pressed together, heads close with the way they turn to face each other for a while.
It’s not perfect. It’ll never be perfect, maybe, unless the resistance manages to take the upper hand on the government some day. And it’s not over, either, it’s still a lot of worry and danger to come.
But still.
It’s them, so close together, and relieved to know they’re safe for now, relieved that they got through that a second time and they can stay all together for even longer.
It’s them, with all their best friends, and just with each other - in love.
“I love you.” Yoongi whispers in Jungkook’s neck, once they’re cuddling and sleepy.
Jungkook smiles, whispers back, “I love you, too.”
And it’s enough for now.