Archive of Our Own ^beta

He opened his eyes when the stars blinked on.

It was quiet amongst them, up in the darkness, with their only light being each other. Stars. The brothers and sisters of the sky.

Felix knew them all by name, for he was one of them. There weren’t many of them that were there when Felix was born. Only a few of them. New additions were always welcomed, but Felix will always remember the ones who were there when it was just them and empty space.

For years, hundreds, thousands, millions of years, Felix was among his siblings. They watched over the universe, seeing new worlds and life created. Every once in a while, a new star would be born, and Felix and his siblings would celebrate the new addition to their family.

A few times, they said goodbye to one of their siblings. Stars may live long, but not forever. These times were rough, saying goodbye to those that you’ve been with since the start of time. He would never forget them, but he can move past them and continue to live for them.

It was perfect, they were happy.

And then Felix woke up. 

Not among the stars, but looking up at them.

His eyes furrowed. He lay there, trying to find a solution for what was happening. Eventually, he sat up, the motion strange to him.

He looked down to see human arms attached to him. There was a lake right next to him. He looked and saw a human body, a human face. Behind his reflection, he could see his siblings up in the sky.

A voice startled him.

“Astraeus, God of Stars. Welcome to our world.”

That’s not right. His name was Felix, not Astraeus. He tried telling the voice that. The man speaking must be confused. Felix wasn’t a God, he was a star.

“I have brought you down here and renamed you. You have been given powers that ordinary humans cannot possess. Let me help you see.” Before Felix could protest, the man put a hand on Felix’s forehead, a warmth spilling into him. Felix could feel the warmth separate into hundreds of specks amongst his face, some falling to his arms and shoulders, not having room for all of them on such a small canvas.

Once the warmth settled, Felix opened his eyes, not realizing he had closed them. He turned to look at his reflection, now seeing the change it had made. His face was adorned with freckles for each of the ones created by his side, his brothers and sisters. He didn’t know how, but he knew which freckle was which sibling. He lightly brushed his fingers across his cheek, feeling how the stars reacted. It made Felix upset that his siblings born after him weren’t present, only those born with him.

And then he felt the emotions from the stars. They were grieving. They were in distress. The ones he had brushed with his fingers, were more content, but Felix could tell that they were confused and hurt.

“They’re in mourning. They don’t know I didn’t leave. They don’t know I’m here.” The man looked pleased and began walking away. Felix scrambled to follow him, trying to figure out how to move this body as he never had done such a thing before.

“Astraeus, you will learn how to communicate with them from here. You won’t be lost to them forever.”

“My name isn’t Astraeus. It’s-” He had blinked and the man was gone, no sign of him anywhere. Felix turned around trying to find where he went. There was nothing but the land below him and his siblings above him.

Felix felt a tear fall, the freckles in its path cried with him.

A whisper left his mouth. “My name’s Felix.” His eyes burned. 

“I want to go back home.”

There was no response. Felix tried to communicate with his brothers and sisters, just like the man had told him he would be able to do. But he couldn’t do it, it wasn’t working.

He kept trying, but he didn’t know what to do. The more he tried, the more upset he got, the sobs racking his body. His desperation to reach his family filled him, he staggered to his feet and stumbled off to the closest hill he could see. His legs burned from the exertion he has never had to use before, but he continued to climb.

Once he reached the top, he collapsed once again, hands coming up to grasp his face again. The specks were burning with longing.

“I’m right here!” He shouted up to them. “I’m not lost! I’m here!”

His cry got more and more jumbled as his body was overcome with exhaustion. He crumpled in on himself, knees to his chest, laying on his side.

“Please. I’m still with you. I’m not lost.” His begging slowly got quieter as his eyes slipped shut and sleep took him.

________

Years went by. Felix watched the world build. He watched people come and go, watched civilizations rise from nothing, watched everything change and yet stay the same.

Felix tried interacting with them, tried to fit in. Somehow, they always knew he was different, that he didn’t fit in. That he didn’t belong.

The man that Felix had first met showed up a few times, in the beginning, to help Felix grow more comfortable with his new life. He showed Felix how to act human, how to walk among them, and talk with them. If Felix closed his eyes, he could pretend that it was just like being with his siblings. But then he would open his eyes and reality would strike him down.

He still hadn’t managed to figure out how to communicate with his brothers and sisters. The most he could do was rest a hand on a speck and feel them react to it. By the emotions they let off when he does so, he knows that they don’t know it’s him, just that it’s a warmth they’re missing.

There are a few freckles he knows are siblings he has lost. Those specks don’t burn with emotions, they just sit there, cold and empty. He avoids grazing them with his fingers, but he’s still glad that the ones he thought he lost forever were still with him, even in such a small way.

The man had yet to give Felix a more thorough explanation for what he was doing here on Earth. The man had not given him any more information than what he had already given Felix, including the new name he loathed.

“It was good seeing you!”

“You too! See you later, Astraeus.”

Every human he talked to knew him by Astraeus. It wasn’t like Felix didn’t try to give them his real name. No matter how many times he said it, they always heard the wrong one. Felix could do nothing but accept it.

“Nice to meet you, what’s your name?”

“My name’s Felix.”

“That’s a nice name, Astraeus.”

Felix sighed. On and on and on and on. Felix was Astraeus whether he liked it or not. He did not.

Centuries pass. Felix lives among the people as he did among his siblings. During this time, he felt grief fill his siblings as freckle after freckle turned cold. Felix mourned with them. They might not be aware he is still there, but he knows, and that’s enough for now.

“Hello, I’m Felix.”

“That’s a powerful name. Like you’re one of the Gods.”

“Thank you.”

“Of course, Astraeus.”

Felix found a small home on the outskirt of a town. Every night, he would find his way to the hill nearby and watch his siblings. He would whisper his hellos and stories to those he knew, whisper his greetings to those he hasn’t met, and his goodbye to those he has lost.

“Astraeus, good to see you again!”

Humans have been expanding their knowledge of space. Felix listens to the philosophers and professors talk about his home. They’re not completely right, but just knowing that they’re trying to understand is enough for Felix. He was intrigued by the term “constellations” though. He wasn’t aware that his brothers and sisters were being defined by drawing shapes between them. He wonders which constellation he would’ve been a part of. When leaving the auditorium, he hears someone talking, someone who obviously disagrees with his content.

“The universe doesn't revolve around the Earth. I’ve never heard something so self-centered. Sure, they got a few things right, but even that's minor. At least he knew that the moon’s light is just a reflection from the sun.” The man paused in his speech when he saw the looks people were giving him. “What are you all looking at? Mind your business.”

The man’s eyes met Felix’s. They were filled with annoyance but slowly turned to curiosity. The man approached Felix. 

“What did you think of the presentation?” Felix thought for a moment about what to say.

“I thought that for the information and technology people have access to, it’s a good basis to learn from for many years to come. I think someone will find the right answers, eventually.” The two stare at each other.

“What’s your name?”

“...Felix.”

The man reached out a hand.

“Nice to meet you, Felix. I’m Minho.” 

Shock filled his body. Realization of what he just said trickled into his very being and hope once again was brought to the surface of Felix’s mind. He took the offered hand and shook it.

________

As it turns out, Minho was also a God taken from his home and given a new name. Neither of them had met someone like them before so they quickly became inseparable. 

The God of Stars and the God of the Moon. Both of them lost to the ones they loved. The two of them shared stories of their past and what they’ve been doing on Earth. Minho was a moon for the planet Neptune. Felix knew Neptune and knew siblings who resided near the planet. Felix asked if he knew any close stars, finding out that Minho knew a few of them.

The same man that first spoke to Felix had also spoken to Minho as it turned out. He wanted Minho to communicate with the moon here on Earth as well as protect her from harm but Minho couldn’t do that, just like Felix, although for a different reason. Moons weren’t the same as stars, they didn’t communicate the same. While stars had a universal language, moons did not, and some moons, especially those who were the only ones on their planet, preferred solitude, occasionally communicating with the stars nearby. The Earth's moon was no different. Minho and the Earth’s moon didn’t speak the same language and the small communication they were able to achieve was hostile. Now they leave each other alone, working out their differences only when they were needed.

Minho told Felix that while he expected that, it did get rather lonely. His planet had a few moons, a family that was there for each other, even though they didn’t talk much. Just knowing they were there was enough for them. But now Minho doesn’t know. And neither does his family.

Felix told him about his siblings. About his freckles. About how he can feel their emotions. He can feel when their lives come to an end. 

They’re not so different, the two Gods. Just two lost souls in a huge world, yet so small compared to the universe they were used to.

Felix let him see his house, showed him the hill where he lies, and looks at the sky. Felix points out his siblings and gives Minho their names. Shows Minho the siblings that he doesn’t know, the ones that were born after he got lost. Minho points out where Neptune was in the sky and tells him each of his siblings’ names.

The two were best of friends. They might even call themselves brothers. No matter what they went through, what changes the world around them went through, they were there for each other. Not always physically, no. A few times, one would leave, only to be found years later by the other. They would laugh and say destiny brought them back together. Then the process would repeat. And repeat. But they always found their way back to each other.

They held each other after the invention of the telescope. Minho held Felix when a French astronomer cataloged over 10,000 stars, stars that Felix knew. Felix held Minho when astronomers finally identified Neptune, and his biggest brother shortly after, Minho now being able to share his home and family with everyone.

They watched the world grow and become more advanced than they could’ve imagined. Earth now had buildings that seemed tall enough to reach the sky. They don’t, but Felix can pretend. Airplanes were built. Humans could fly.

And then, Felix saw the news. Someone had built a rocket and gone to space. Someone got to be amongst the stars.

Surprisingly, it was Minho who had sought out Felix. Unsurprisingly, they both mourned for the chance they wouldn’t get. Felix was surprised when Minho ripped up the newspaper. Felix was unsurprised when he found Minho’s apartment empty a few weeks later, the God nowhere to be found.

Felix stayed put for the moment. He knew that he’d find him again eventually. Minho just needed some time apart. A few decades later, mobile phones became common in households. Felix was amazed by the ingenuity of the creation. He had a few people he liked there in Australia. It would be fun to be able to talk to them whenever he wanted. He wished that he could talk to Minho as well, but he was a patient man.

Minho, apparently, was not. For not even a few years after phones became commonplace did Felix find a phone number in his mailbox. A smile adorned his face, his hand resting on the last star remaining. The warmth from his sibling’s reaction and the warmth from the feeling in his heart mixed within him.

The phone let out quiet rings as Felix waited, and then, like a blessing, it connected. Neither spoke, the only sound being the sounds around them. A page turned on the other line.

“Did you see that people have walked on the Earth’s moon? She didn’t even like it when I talked to her, can’t imagine her reaction to someone stepping on her. That bitch must be going out of her mind.” Felix couldn’t help but laugh, glad to finally hear his friend back. They catch up on everything and anything that’s happened over the past twenty or so years.

A few more years pass. New technologies, bigger cities, more problems. Felix decides it’s finally time to move on from Australia. His place was becoming too much and not enough at the same time. The stars above him were taunting him, showing him the life he was missing. He packs his bags and asks Minho for an address. Minho sends it with no hesitation.

Now, Felix walks out of the airport and into the arms of his brother.

“I missed you, Minho.”

“Yeah, yeah. I was just wondering how long it would take you to turn up again.” Minho brought his hands up and cupped Felix’s face. His eyes softened as they took in the God before him. “Which one is still here?” 

Felix brought a finger up and gently tapped the star. “She’s still here. She’s not lost yet.” Minho brushed a hair behind Felix’s ear and gently kissed the star, not minding the looks that the two of them were getting around them. The two knew that no opinion could keep them from doing what they wanted, not after everything they’ve lived through. They walked off to where the car was parked.

“You know, I have a friend or two here. I think you’ll get along with them.”

“Wow, you willingly made friends? I’m shocked.” The Moon God shoved his shoulder, then grabbed his bags and helped throw them into the trunk of the car once they reached it and opened it.

“Willingly no. He latched on and I couldn’t get rid of him. And then he introduced me to some of his other friends, and they basically did the same thing.” Now seated in the vehicle with seatbelts on, they made their way out. “I know you already know this, but I live in an apartment. And not saying I was expecting you, but the second bedroom has been empty all these years. Jisung wanted to be my roommate but I told him I was waiting for my brother. Unfortunately for you, that also means Jisung has been begging to meet you every time he sees the closed door.”

The two talk. They speak about things they’ve already said and things that they purposefully left to tell until they saw each other again. The car pulls into a parking garage and then into a spot shortly after. They make quick work of getting Felix and his bags up to the apartment. It doesn’t take long for them to be settled, the sun setting behind the shut curtains, the two resting on the couch.

Minho pursues his lips, and Felix knows Minho is trying to find a way to say something difficult. He waits patiently. 

“Felix?” A hum. “You do know that you can’t see the stars here in Seoul, right? There’s too much light pollution.” Another hum.

“I’m aware.” A pause. “I don’t know them.” And the topic was dropped.

It was during dinner that another conversation took place between them.

“Do you know why I like these friends and think you will like them?”

Felix watched as he took a sip from his glass, eyes lazily looking at him.

“Because you didn’t have any other options?”

“Because I introduced myself and they heard my name.” This piqued Felix’s interest. “And I told them you’re name, and they heard. They call you Felix and they call me Minho.” They sat there for a moment before grins overtook their faces. A laugh escaped Felix.

“They heard.”

It was a week later when Jisung finally got his wish and met the allusive brother he’s heard nothing about. He was certainly shocked that they looked nothing alike, but that didn’t stop him from accepting their status as self-proclaimed brothers.

Felix also figured out what Minho meant when he said Jisung latched on. He was there barely a month when he had met the rest of their friends. The eight of them quickly became inseparable.

They loved learning about each other, liked finding similarities and differences in their lives. Chan was excited to find out Felix lived in Australia (for how long was irrelevant). Minho and Felix stretched the truth when it came to their lives.

“Feels like we’ve known each other for centuries.”

“I think I’ve known you longer than gravity was identified.”

Minho was right. The six humans were able to hear and say their birth names. And whenever someone else around them used their chosen names they didn’t seem to hear. They didn’t know how this was possible. Felix suggested that they might be Gods too or at least some other sort of deity. Minho laughed and explained that he had already tested that theory. The humans were human. And yet, they were different. The group couldn’t have been more perfect.

Any time the eight of them are all free, they all do something together. Months after Felix first arrived, they visit the National Science Museum. All the boys are interested in the information around them, but it’s not until they get to the space section that Felix and Minho are entranced. The other six have always noticed that the two had a love for the universe, that they had little facts about the night sky ready to share, longing looks towards the city sky, a sky with too much light pollution to be able to see anything clearly.

Seungmin suggested going to the planetarium and everyone easily agreed, paying for tickets and making their way to seats in the middle. Felix didn’t miss what the show they were walking into was called. “The Life of Stars- the Twinkling and Beautiful.” He shared a look with Minho. Felix didn’t know how to feel, he didn’t know what to expect.

He was sitting next to Changin the other joking around with Hyunjin, who was sitting next to him. As the lights went down, Felix reached out and grasped Changbin’s hand with his own. He didn’t look at the other, just up as the show started. 

The show title didn’t lie. It was beautiful. Felix barely blinked at the beginning, not wanting to miss a single image of the universe before him. The show gave a detailed presentation on stars and Felix had to shut his eyes shut as tears filled them when the narrator talked about the death of stars. He didn’t know he had squeezed Changbin’s hand tightly until the man squeezed back. Realizing his grip must hurt, Felix loosened his hold.

Once the lights come back up, they stand up and make their way to the exit. Felix tries to discretely wipe the tears off his face but he’s spotted before he can hide them. While they teased him lightly about his reaction to the show, Minho reached up and wiped away a stray tear, his thumb resting on the star briefly before pulling away and leading the others towards the small display on Neptune. They all followed and listened as Minho gave a very, very thorough presentation on the planet. He also talked about each of the moons.

“You know, there used to be 15 moons. But now there’s only 14.”

He got a few cackles from that. “Minho, you said that so straightforward I almost believed you.”

“But it is true. He was there right between Despina and Neso.”

The bickering went on for a few more minutes, Minho finally letting off the argument and giving them a grin to show them he was joking. He gave a wink to Felix who only rolled his eyes.

“You know a lot about Neptune and the moons. Do you know anything about the other planets?”

Minho shrugged. “Barely. Never talked to them.”

“Not even about our moon?”

“Oh! I do know a little. She’s a bitch.” Silence surrounded their group for a second before laughter filled the air, several other museum-goers glanced over at the outburst.

After the trip to the museum, Minho would randomly give facts about Neptune and the moons whenever he pleased. Felix would occasionally join in.

Felix and Jeongin were hanging out one night. They sat on the roof of their apartment complex. Jeongin, Hyunjin, and Seungmin were roommates there, and the other three were planning on moving into the complex as well once their current lease was up. That way they were all close to each other and able to see one another more between their schedules.

The two were currently laying down on a blanket looking at the blank sky. 

“I wish you could see the stars here.”

“That’s part of the reason I moved to Seoul.”

Jeongin turned to look at the boy, eyebrows knit together. “You moved to Seoul so you… couldn’t see the stars?”

Felix nodded. “I found myself watching the stars wishing things were different instead of living the life I’ve been given. Plus, I wanted to be with Minho.”

They were both silent for a minute. “I don’t quite know how those things correlate but I know that it makes sense to you, and that’s good enough for me.” He shifted and his hand brushed Felix’s. He gently took it. “I’m glad you came to Seoul. Especially if it allowed you to live more freely.”

Jeongin turned to look at Felix again, moving so that he was laying on his side, pressed into the others side. A giggle escaped Felix as one of Jeongin’s legs wrapped around his own. “Besides, who needs stars when you’re freckles are right here.” A hand brushed against Felix’s cheek and then a kiss lightly touched his skin, landing right where his star was. Felix wrapped an arm around the boy and pulled him in closer.

Later, Minho climbs to the roof and finds the two boys curled up, fast asleep. He watches them for a moment, letting his love for them show. And then he’s waking them up so they can go back downstairs before either of them could get sick.

It was during lunch on a random day at the end of summer that Bang Chan jokingly called Felix his “little star.” Much to Felix’s delight, the new nickname stuck. Bang Chan called him by the name the most, followed closely by Minho, the others slowly trickling it into their vocabulary. Felix suggested they call Minho their Moon, which quickly grew popular amongst their group.

Seungmin was the first one to acknowledge the things the Gods avoided.

“It’s just strange. It feels like there’s something different about you two, I can’t explain it. I’ve felt that way since we first met. It’s nothing bad, just, I don’t know, I get this feeling.”

“Well, it’s probably because we’re not from here.”

“What do you mean?”

“I was a star.” Silence. “I was among the first stars born into the universe. They’re my brothers and sisters, and I knew them all by name. But then I was brought here by a man who I don’t know. He gave me a different name and called me the God of Stars. The freckles on my skin represent each of those I was born with. I have lived millions of years and seen worlds built from nothing.”

Seungmin stared at him. There was a spark behind his eyes as if he knew deep down in his bones that Felix was telling the truth. But Felix knew that his human brain wouldn’t be able to comprehend it. Back when Gods roamed amongst the people freely, humans were accepting of the otherworldly figures. Now, Felix would be lucky if someone didn’t try to send him off to a hospital for saying such things. But he thinks their group of friends might be different. They were able to hear their real names, maybe they could hear their real stories as well.

“What are their names?” And that’s how Felix spent hours talking about his siblings, pointing out each star on his skin. He was excited, not being able to talk about them with anyone with minho before. He didn’t tell Seungmin about every single one of them, they didn’t have the time for that, Felix only got a third of the way through the specks by the time they got interrupted.

Minho walked into the room. He heard Felix when he first opened the door to their apartment and wanted to investigate. Seungmin looked up at Minho in question and wonder. Minho glances at Felix, knowing that they were thinking the same. Maybe they could tell them.

“Did you tell him about Chara?”

Felix brought his finger to the star. Seungmin narrowed back onto the God.

“This is Chara. She’s the last of them.” Seungmin tilted his head. “I could feel what they were all feeling in my freckles. And once one of my siblings died, their freckle went cold. She’s the last one with warmth still behind it.” Seungmin quietly let the information sink in before bringing Felix in for a hug, whispering that he was sorry. While Felix didn’t know how much of the conversation Seungmin believed, he did know that Seungmin believed enough to understand that these feelings were real.

After a few minutes, Seungmin looked up towards Minho over Felix’s shoulder. “What about you?”

Minho smiled and took a seat on the chair. “God of the Moon. Although, the two of us don’t get along.” And another explanation took place, Seungmin trying to soak it all in. As Minho talked about Neptune, Seungmin’s eyes drifted to the picture of the planet that they had jokingly gotten the God for Christmas. Minho saw where his eyes went and smirked knowing that he was catching on. And that now there was an explanation for the times he was caught just looking at the framed picture. 

They were cut off by the sound of someone else barging into the apartment. Jisung and Changbin rounded the corner into the room. They all had a key to the other apartments, feeling it unnecessary to have to knock every time they want to go over.

Minho and Felix slowly brought up the topic of their past in their conversations with their friends, their brothers. Their nicknames were given new meaning.

“So, what was the name you were given?”

“...Astraeus.”

“Like the Greek God?”

“Exactly like that.” A moment. “Please don’t call me that, though. You guys are the only ones who call me by my real name.”

“Well, Minho, what name were you given?”

“Not saying.”

“I’ll just google it.” 

And then a giggle-filled the maknae as he looked up at Minho. “Selene?”

“The world is a cruel place.” Everyone else let out laughs at this. “That is the Earth’s moon’s name though, so the man got at least one thing right.”

With every piece of information the two Gods shared, the more their group was able to understand. The humans were even able to hear how no one called the two by their real names. Chan almost fought with the barista when he saw the name written on Minho’s drink. Minho gently pulled him back, telling him that this is how it’s been since the moment he set foot on the planet. It’s not their fault they can’t hear the truth.

It was about a year after they were able to reveal their true selves when Felix felt it. He was watching a movie with Hyunjin when Chara’s freckle burnt bright before going cold. He brought his hand up. Hyunjin noticed the shift and looked over, silently assessing the other. When Felix got no reaction from the star under his touch, he knew. His last star, last sibling, was gone.

Hyunjin could only hold the God as sobs filled his entire being. Jeongin came into the apartment not long after, only to join the hug, knowing Felix needed it. He didn’t know why quite yet, but he wasn’t going to leave him alone like this. Slowly the rest of the group showed up.

It wasn’t until Minho showed up, the last to arrive, that they were able to figure out what happened. Minho has seen Felix cry like this many times, each time for the same reason.

“It’s alright. The ones you were born with may be gone, but you still have billions of siblings in the sky. They’ll be there for you when the others can’t.”

“And we’ll be here for you too.”

“You’re not alone.”

“We’ll never leave you, neither of you.”

But the Gods know that that’s not true. They would watch as their friends, their new family would slowly grow old and they’ll lose them too. This was why they avoided making too many friends in the past, having a hard time letting people get close only to lose them. They knew that they will have to say goodbye eventually, them both dreading the day.

Usually, Felix would disappear after a sibling died. Minho was used to giving comfort and then watching the God leave until he found Minho again years later. The Moon God was worried that he would do that again, afraid that he wouldn’t come back until after their new family was gone as well. Avoiding his feelings was something both Gods were good at, no matter how many years of experience told them that it didn’t work.

Minho had a short conversation with Chan, warning him of the possibility. Minho prepared to have to break the news to the rest of the group. But fortunately, for the first time in eternity, Felix stayed. He locked himself in his room for a couple of weeks, but then he joined them for dinner one night. He was quieter than usual, but he was there with them, and that’s all that mattered to Minho and the others. He told Chan they wouldn’t have to worry about Felix running off. Not this time.

For a while Felix was quieter, preferring to listen and watch instead of participating when the others hung out. He was slowly warming up to his old self, deciding not to close himself off like he usually would. He would go and lay in bed with one of the others (usually Minho) or sit with them in the same room. Their presence helped him continue on, just like he had done for every other sibling before.

One thing that came with observing those around him more, was that he could see the emotion in Minho’s eyes when it came to Jisung. He saw how they interacted with one another, how it wasn’t the same as everyone else.

It was a cold night, winter was approaching quickly. Felix slipped into Minho’s bed, letting his arm drape over the other’s stomach. They were silent, listening to the sound of the city around them.

“You love him.”

Felix listened to Minho’s heartbeat, letting the rhythm calm him down.

“I love all of them.”

“But you’re in love with Jisung.”

A hand came to rest on Felix’s shoulder, a small squeeze following.

“Yeah. I am. I really am.”

Felix remembers the last time this happened. Minho fell in love years ago, with a boy he couldn’t have. A boy that he watched grow old with another, one he could have a proper life with.

“I wish I could fall in love with you instead. That would be easier.”

“It would, wouldn’t it?”

A few months later Jisung built up the nerve and asked Minho on a date. Minho tried declining, telling him that they couldn’t, that it would only end badly.

“Even if it can only bring us happiness for a short time, let’s try. Please.” And then they went on the date. And then another. And another. Until they officially decided to call each other boyfriends. 

The Gods have lived here a long time, but neither of them has ever been in a relationship before. Sure, they’ve each had their fair share of flirting or nights of passion, but nothing serious. Nothing like this.

Everyone in the group could tell Minho was new to the idea of relationships. Minho and Felix talked for many hours of many days about it, Minho almost freaking out and fleeing a couple of times before Felix flung his arms around the either begging him to stay with them. If Felix could do it, so could he.

It took a while, but the God settled down and was able to enjoy his time with his boyfriend, the love of his life.

Everything was going great once again, the group was back to normal. They all had their ups and downs. They all had their moments. But no matter what, they were there for each other. A few years went by and not a worry in the sky.

And then the man showed up again. Quite rudely too. The whole group was eating dinner in the new apartment Minho and Jisung shared, Felix now living with Seungmin and Hyunjin.

“Selene.” Everyone in the room startled at the sudden appearance. “You’re assistance has been required.”

No one moved. Minho blinked and lowered his arm, a spoonful of food having been halfway to his mouth. His eyebrows furrowed together in irritation.

“What could you possibly need?” 

“The moon has not been cooperating as of recently and there has been a new threat to her existence.”

“Well tell her to get her shit together and get over it.”

“Selene, that’s your job.”

Minho looked around at the faces of his family. His eyes met Felix’s. They both knew what this could possibly mean. Their jobs as Gods were dangerous ones. Felix was almost ripped into a million pieces on multiple occasions in his attempts at communication with the stars. Minho was the same, but he was able to achieve communication in the end. While it was possible, there was always the chance, a very high chance, that the communication wouldn’t succeed and they would lose him instead. There’s a reason they only did it when it was necessary. And a threat to her existence? That only meant putting Minho in harm's way instead of her, letting him fight off anything that comes her way.

“When?”

“Now.”

Jisung took his hand and squeezed it. The humans may not know exactly what was going on, they could guess that it wasn’t good.

“I’ll go on one condition.”

Felix’s eyes widened. Was Minho trying to make a deal with the man?

“You’re in no position to be making demands.”

“Fine, then let the moon die, see if I care.”

They both narrowed their eyes not breaking eye contact. Several minutes of tense silence followed, everyone too scared to move or make a sound.

“What is your wish?”

“Take away my status as a God after. Felix’s too.”

“You want to…become mortal?” Minho looked over to Felix, who in turn nodded his head to show his support.

“Yes.”

“Why? I’ve brought you both from nothing and gave you everything.”

Felix scoffed. “You stole us from our homes, our families and left us to figure out how to be human on our own. You barely even told us how to do it.”

“We’ve done you bidding for eons . You can find someone else to do it now.”

The stand-off continued, neither party wanting to back down.

And then, “fine. Have it your way. If you make it back, you can live as humans and die like ones too.”

“Not if I come back. I need your word that even if I don’t come back from this that Felix still gets to be human.”

“You have yourself a deal. Astraeus can become human whether you live or die and you’ll become human if you return.” He struck out a hand. Minho hesitated. This is what they wanted. The two of them were sick of outliving everything around them. Slowly, Minho brought his hand up to meet the man’s, solidifying their deal. Felix stood up and followed suit, shaking the man’s hand with one hand while taking Minho’s with the other.

“Now, we have matters to attend to. Let’s go, Selene.”

Just like earlier, no one moved. The man was growing impatient, rolling his eyes.

“Let me-” he choked on his words. “Let me at least say goodbye.”

While grumbling, the man turned his back and strode away, everyone knowing that he didn’t go far.

Minho turned to look at his family. Before he was completely turned around, arms were wrapped around him, quickly followed by another pair and another until they were all holding him. They all held each other until Minho broke apart and hugged them all separately, them all whispering encouragement and their love for one another. 

Jisung clung on to the God, hugging so tight it must have hurt, but Minho didn’t seem to care. Felix watched the two, heard Jisungs pleas to him, heard Minho’s soft reassurances, even though it was obvious he was holding back sobs of his own.

And then Minho turned to Felix. They have a silent conversation between them, eyes filled with words they didn’t need to say. Minho brought a hand up and brushed his thumb against his cheek. Minho wrapped his arms around the other, Felix following suit.

“I’ll come back, just like I always did. Just like you did. This is no different. We’ll see each other again, my little star.”

He pulled away looking over his family. He lifted his head high and then nodded to himself before turning around and walking away with the man.

No one finished dinner. No one slept that night. They didn’t even leave the apartment, most of them barely making it to the living room before breaking down.

The sun was risen the next time someone spoke.

“Felix?” The mentioned boy turned his head and met Changbin’s hopeless stare. “Is he going to be okay?”

“I-” A breath. “I don’t know. It always depended on what was happening.”

“Will he come back?”

“He always did before but many times it was a close call. It’s just part of the job.”

“But-” Felix could barely listen to the broken voice of Jisung. “But you guys are immortal. He can’t die.”

“We’re immortal to mortal ways. But even Gods can die.”

They waited. And waited. They tried their best to go about their lives as if nothing was wrong. They read articles talking about how the moon was behaving strangely, not according to its set patterns. It would rise a minute or two late, ten minutes early. It was barely reflecting one moment and then blinding another.

The humans kept asking Felix what these things meant. Now, as much as Felix was a God, he was not the God of the Moon. The only thing he could rely on was that similar things have happened before. He remembers Minho talking about previous threats and seeing how they correlate with the way the moon looks during that time.

This wasn’t the most drastic that the moon was changing, but it was still more than other times. And Felix remembers how Minho looked after each time he did this. He tried not to worry the others.

A month passed. Astrologers were going crazy trying to analyze and figure out the event. The group would spend their nights on the roof, watching the moon, trying to find any sense of what was happening.

And then, the moon went back to normal. For a week straight, the moon didn’t behave abnormally. It was as if nothing happened.

But Minho wasn’t back. Felix tried not to let it show, but Minho should’ve returned by then.

It was the next day that someone asked.

“Felix? The moon seems to be fine now. How long until Minho comes back to us?” Felix tried his best. He really did. But he looked into Jeongin’s eyes and everyone knew.

And it was with a whisper that he shattered their hearts. “He should’ve been back by now.”

Another week went by. Felix closed himself off in his room. The others weren’t doing much better. It was as if the world stood still.

Felix even tried to communicate with the stars once again, to see if they knew anything. But he quickly stopped when he felt his body being destroyed, just like every other time. The frustration left him empty once again.

Seungmin and Hyunjin had barged into his room, hearing the commotion and then having to watch as they almost lost another friend. Once everything calmed down they stared in horror at the God before them. While they knew he could do such powerful things, it was another to see it.

They carefully tucked him into bed, both humans laying on either side of him. It was quiet that night. And the next day, when Felix woke up to hear the two whispering with Chan right behind his door, he rolled over and pretended like nothing happened.

Finally, after a few weeks, he slowly started integrating himself back into the lives of his friends. He would join them for a meal or follow them to the store.

Felix made his way to the roof. He was the only one there and he gazed at the moon. He watched the way she sat in the sky like she normally did. He didn’t know if he had any more energy to cry, the anger he felt within him was enough to drain everything else.

He lowered himself to the ground, hands clenching around the fabric of his pants.

His eyes never left the moon, but now they were slit into a glare. And with as much anger he could muster he whispered his hatred towards her.

“Fuck you.”

“Woah, that’s a bit extreme.” Felix’s head whipped around to stare wide-eyed at the man before him. “Not that she doesn’t deserve it. Made me do all the work.”

Felix stared at Minho, disbelief filling his mind. He looked weaker than he was before returning. As if he was doing everything in his power o hold himself together. His hand slowly unfurled. Minho gave a small smile.

“Sorry it took so long for me to return. Things got a little messy and I had to rebuild myself after the attack. Had to find all the pieces, ya’ know?”

Felix was scrambling to his feet as fast as he could, running until he was in his brother's arms. He slammed into the other, knocking them both down to the ground.

“Hey, what did I just say? I’m barely held together, don’t ruin my hard work.”

Felix let out a wet laugh, clinging to the man. Minho wrapped his arms around him. They lay like that for a long time. They were both longing to see each other again. Minho maneuvered them so that they were sitting up. He wiped the tears from Felix’s cheeks, giving another smile when they were immediately replaced by more.

Felix’s eyes shifted to something behind Minho, making him turn his head. There stood the man, hands behind his back.

He cleared his throat. “Now that you’ve completed your mission, I guess it’s time for me to hold up my side of the deal.”

He walked over to the two. He set a hand on Minho’s forehead. Felix watched as a light shone brightly from the touch before disappearing, Minho shivering after. Then the man did the same to Felix. He was reminded of when he had first come to Earth.

This time the warmth filled him, but then it felt like it all was sucked out of him, leaving him with barely anything. He also shivered.

“Now you’re both humans. You’ll live here on Earth and finish your lives as if you were never Gods. Thank you for your service.”

And just like that first night, he was gone.

The two sat there processing what happened. They were really humans now. They got to grow old with the ones they loved. They got to be normal. Maybe other people will even hear their real names now.

“You know, we really should have learned his name.”

Minho laughed. After a few more minutes, Felix stood up, helping the other up. And slowly, because Minho was still weak from his mission, they made their way down to the apartment. Felix opened the door for them carefully leading Minho to the couch.

As Felix set the other down he heard a plate shatter from the kitchen. He looked up to see Jisung frozen in the entryway.

And then he was running around the couch, falling to his knees in front of the man he thought he lost. They stared at one another until Jisung flung himself up and kissed Minho with as much love as he could handle in his body.

Felix smiled before going and cleaning up the mess the other created. He picked up the glass from the ground before making sure that there wasn’t anything in the kitchen that needed to be attended to.

After double-checking everything, he sent a text to their group chat.

Minho is alive. He’s home.

About twenty minutes later, they were all in the room, having come running from their respective locations.

They all listened with tears in their eyes as Minho recounted the events over the month. He only vaguely talked about what happened after the last attack, not wanting the thought put into their brains.

“The only thing I could think about was getting back to you guys. That’s what helped me get back here.”

More tears were spilled as he finished his retelling, they knew that he wasn’t saying everything that happened, knew he didn’t want to scare them.

“Did the man hold up his end of the deal? Are you both human now?” Chan looked between the two, who were now staring at each other. Smiles grew on their faces, bringing smiles to everyone else.

They were all finally going to be there for each other through everything.

And as they grew they learned together. While Minho and Felix have seen billions of people age around them, they had never done it themselves. They were figuring things out just like the rest of them.

They all grew in happiness. Felix gave his name to the barista at the coffee shop he frequents and they heard his name. The people around them who couldn’t hear before now could. It was as if they had known since the beginning.

No matter where the eight went they never went far from the others. They all settled into their lives, into relationships, into families, into joy.

They were there for each other until the end of their lives. No matter who else joined their lives, they always made sure to have each other.

Felix remembers when Minho breathed his last. It was a peaceful night. They gathered and celebrated instead of mourning. And the next morning when astrologers were in disbelief over the new moon discovered orbiting around Neptune as if it appeared overnight, they pretended that they had no idea what happened.

When Felix returned as a star, no one was surprised. The stars celebrated his return, Felix only knowing a few of them from his previous time as a star. 

Felix discovered that his new place in the universe was right next to a planet. A planet called Neptune.

And the best part about it? Felix discovered that the stars around him were all new as well. Six stars with names he knows very well and memories he shared with each of them.

Now, here in space, they have all reunited once again. Seven stars and a moon.

They were always going to be there for each other and Felix and Minho could finally share their homes with their favorite people.

Felix closed his eyes, happy.