Chapter Text
-----
Chapter One:
“Welcome, cadets.” Marshall Lee Sanghyeok paced in front of them, back straight as a rod, calloused hands clasped calmly behind his back. “The twenty four of you have been chosen as potential pilots for the newest Jaeger, the new Mark 5, Titanic Hydra.”
Ryu Minseok stood in rapt attention, practically shaking with excitement. He could feel the tension in the room, like a heavy, suffocating blanket. He had barely slept last night, running over strategies and plans in his head, heart racing in his chest. It had been his dream to become a ranger, and his chance had finally come!
“The Titanic Hydra is the fastest Jaeger to have been built yet. It has temperature-resistant brass-steel compound knuckles for added impact, retractable twin assault ‘sting-blades’ laced with carbon nanotubes for cauterization, and an Anti-Kaiju Missle Launcher capable of launching six warheads.”
Minseok listened, but he already knew every detail. It had taken them five years to build the Mark 5 in the Seoul Shatterdome, and he had followed its progress since the first day. He knew every detail of the Jaeger down to a tee.
Sanghyeok continued around the room, observing them all individually. The Marshall was young, but he had already been an experienced pilot for almost twelve years, and cast quite an intimidating shadow with the combat field time to back it up. He had piloted the Mark 1 Jaeger, Rift Maker, with his copilot Jeong Jihoon and they had kept Seoul safe for the past eight years. He was Minseok’s hero and Minseok was not about to let him down.
“You have been handpicked by your instructors for your knowledge, your skills, and your fighting abilities. But those individual factors are not all that are important in becoming rangers. We need a team, a duo, one who can put aside their differences and become a single unit capable of piloting a Jaeger.”
Minseok glanced around the room, eyeing the other candidates. There were a few that stood out to him; notably Hong Changhyeon from class B and Chen Zebin from class F. Both young and talented. But then his gaze landed on class E cadet Moon Hyunjoon, white haired and cocky, who caught his gaze and sarcastically winked at him.
Minseok rolled in his eyes in response, but a grin still slid onto his face. A calm settled in his chest. There was nothing to worry about. He had Hyunjoon had known each other since they had started at the academy nearly ten years ago. Since day one they had been practically attached at the hip and Minseok knew his best friend better than anyone else. Both were at the top of their respective classes and no other pairs of cadets had yet to show the level of aptitude they possessed, so there was no chance anyone else was going to be stepping inside that Jaeger than them.
“Let’s begin,” Sanghyeok said, splitting them up to start the sparring portion of the exam.
The sessions moved quickly. Minseok watched each round with an analytical gaze, observing his opponents and watching for critical details. Yoo Hwanjoong still struggled with close combat. And Kim Geonwoo didn’t look like he had recovered yet from his sprained ankle. Minseok, though not the best at combat himself, had still always managed to rank first or second in his class. While much smaller and not as muscular as the others, he had gotten to the level he was at because of his observation skills. He had always been able to spot an opening, adapt to fighting styles and exploit weaknesses. His teachers called him a genius, but he’d mostly done it just to survive. Training was always brutal in the Jaeger Academy.
Finally, it was his and Hyunjoon’s turn. They were a bit of an odd pair. Minseok, short, thin and wily. Hyunjoon, broad shouldered, muscles and long legs. Minseok was soft lines and a round, unassuming face. Hyunjoon was all sharp angles and a curt, cocky grin.
The two walked onto the mat and bowed respectfully to each other, before drawing their staffs.
Hyunjoon won all his fights through brute force, a menace on the mat. He had ridiculous stamina and knew how to abuse his long range to keep opponents at bay. But Minseok had been fighting him for years, and he could read him like a book. His defense was shit and if Minseok could get close range then fight would be over.
The two spun across the practice room, trading points, one for one. Hyunjoon tried a couple of different moves, using his strength to jump across the mat and push him back. But Minseok was fast and agile, dancing across the mat and dodging each blow.
The officials wanted a pair, a duo, and Minseok knew how to put on a show.
Abruptly, Hyunjoon’s staff clipped the back of his knee and Minseok tumbled to the ground. He looked up at Hyunjoon in shock, and almost betrayal.
“Not bad, for a munchkin,” Hyunjoon snickered, red and sweaty as he reached down to offer his hand to help him up.
Minseok winced, rubbing the back of his knee. He felt his blood pressure spike in annoyance, the little shit, and gave him a feral grin. “Beginners luck.”
Hyunjoon chuckled, pushing his blonde hair out of his eyes, a quip already on the tip of his tongue, but Sanghyeok didn’t give them time to talk, already moving onto the next pair.
“I think it’s official,” Hyunjoon whispered to him as they waited on the side, offering him a water bottle.
Minseok dried his sweat, scanning the group. “You think?” He tried not to sound anxious.
“Come on, we’re a shoe in and you know it!”
Minseok did know it, but he kept his hopes down. He didn’t want to appear too overconfident and get in trouble with the teachers. But deep down, he knew. He was going to become a pilot!
—————
The second part of the test was simulation. While the sim room was usually used to practice Jaeger drops against Kaiju, today it was being used for the Drift Compatibility exam. While always changing, it was a good way of getting a sense of a pilots affinity.
Minseok watched as the students began to go in in pairs, their compatibility number showing right above the door. He tapped his foot, unable to stay still as the numbers flashed in front of his eyes.
36. 45. 18. 68.
“72 ain’t bad,” Hyunjoon murmured behind him. He didn’t look anxious, but Minseok could tell from the tightness in his shoulders and the slight furrow of his eyebrows that he had begun to worry.
“That’s nothing compared to us,” Minseok said supportively.
Finally they headed inside. The sim lab was decorated to appear like the inside of the head of a real Jaeger cockpit. Dark metal walls rumbling with electricity, lit up by eerie red and orange lights. The center held the control panel, next to which was the two pilot harnesses. They stepped onto the respective pedals, Hyunjoon on the right and Minseok on the left. The techs assisted them into their suits and then placed the headsets onto them as the lights went dark.
Initiating neural handshake. Right hemisphere calibrating. Left hemisphere calibrating.
Minseok was sucked into the drift. Since it was a simulation and too deep of a connection could cause long term brain damage, the drift was slightly damped, like watching a movie instead of being inside of it. Still, it always threw him for how real it appeared.
He saw Hyunjoon saying goodbye to his sister as he left for the academy, tears in his eyes and snot falling from his nose. Watched the scene shift to a fight on his first day as a cadet for accidentally dropping his tray on someone in the mess hall. Minseok saw a ghost of himself trip the guy coming towards him from behind. Saw the two of them, bloody with matching black eyes, being scolded and getting punished for starting the fight.
Calibration complete. Neural handshake strong and holding. Drift compatibility, 86 percent.
Minseok pulled the helmet off as the simulation shut down, heart racing in his chest. 86 percent! That was the highest score they had ever gotten yet. He grinned across the room at Hyunjoon, whose eyes were sparkling, smiling excitedly back at him.
He exited the room to wait with the others as Hyunjoon prepped for his next turn, a pep in his step and mind whirling. There was no way anyone was going to beat that. He was just thinking about what his celebratory dinner was going to be when surprise and cheers broke out around him.
Minseok turned around, confused. He looked up at the screen above the door.
Drift compatibility, 92 percent.
Hyunjoon burst out of the sim lab, a surprised but giddy grin on his face. He turned around a grabbed the guy behind him in a one armed hug, hitting him playfully in the chest.
Choi Hyunjoon, code name Doran. A cadet from Class C, tall, lanky and quiet. He awkwardly pat Hyunjoon on the back, but there was a bright grin on his face, clearly pleased as the other students crowded around them and started congratulating them.
Minseok could only watch in horror, not quite understanding. 92? No one had ever gotten over a 90 in their previous simulations. And this Doran kid, Minseok barely knew him. While he had been a cadet for awhile, he was reserved and kept mostly to himself. He had never stood out before. Hell, he hadn’t thought Hyunjoon even knew his name.
Still reeling, he didn’t know how to react when Marshall Lee stepped in front of the crowd, clipboard in hand. “We have reviewed the results of the exam today and have come to a final decision,” Sanghyeok said, pushing his glasses up his nose bridge. “Your new pilots for the Mark 5 Titanic Hydra will be Moon Hyunjoon and Choi Hyunjoon!”
Hoots and howls erupted from the group as the other cadets crowded around the pair, clapping them on the shoulders and cheering their names.
In one single second, Minseoks’ world collapsed. Any semblance of sense disappeared out the window. Was this some sort of cruel joke? This was supposed to be his moment. His dream. He was supposed to be standing there next to Hyunjoon. Hyunjoon was his best friend. His partner. And instead Hyunjoon wasn’t even looking at him.
His reality was crashing down. Minseok didn’t even think he could fake a smile, even for Hyunjoon. The cheers of the room fell on deaf ears as he slowly began to step away, hands shaking and eyes burning.
Blindly he sprinted down the hallway, not sure where he was going but knowing he needed to escape. He had barely made it into one of the practice rooms before he collapsed onto his hands and knees, tears falling from his eyes and sobs racking through his chest.
In his minds eye he could see Hyunjoon’s bright gummy smile, laughing, arms around another man. Not him. Not them together. He wasn’t good enough to stand beside him. He wasn’t enough. He never would be.
Minseok could feel himself spiraling, falling deeper and deeper into depression, when an awkward cough startled him out of his break down. In shock, he realized he hadn’t been alone.
A young man was sitting against the mirrors, drinking from a water bottle with a towel around his neck. He must have been practicing when Minseok unexpectedly collapsed in his room.
Mortified, Minseok immediately sat up, wiping at his face, feeling the tears and snot, his face burning in embarrassment. Minseok hadn’t cried in front of someone in years. And now, someone had just just witnessed him have a full on panic attack. Why couldn’t a Kaiju come and swallow him whole?
The unexpected onlooker got to his feet, being careful of his left leg. He had an almost unnoticeable limp as he walked towards him, wiping sweat off his forehead. Once he was almost on top of him, alarmingly, Minseok realized the other man was so tall he almost towered over him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handkerchief, which he offered to Minseok.
Still wondering if it was possible to melt into the floor, Minseok awkwardly took it, wiping at his face. At least the embarrassment of the situation had shocked his body enough to stop his crying. He struggled to his feet, but when he nearly tripped on his way up, the stranger reached out and caught him. His hands were warm and calloused, and his body was solid and unmovable. Minseok looked up, surprised, stuttering a thanks.
The stranger looked about his age, with a handsome, well kept appearance even though he had just been working out. He had long, dark wispy black hair pulled into a short ponytail, with kind, warm eyes and a sharp jawline. His lips formed into a surprisingly sweet smile when their eyes met. “You okay?” He asked, voice low and soothing.
“U-uh. Y-yeah. Thanks.” Minseok said, voice hoarse and anxious. He tended to stutter in awkward, new situations. And how was he supposed to react to a handsome stranger watching him have a meltdown? Other than die, of course, which he was still hoping might happen. The man offered him his water bottle, which he gratefully took a sip from. “Your name is…?”
“Minhyung,” he introduced himself, still smiling gently. Even though he was much taller than Minseok and broad shouldered, he had a gentle, comforting sentiment to him that had already begun to calm Minseok’s quickly beating heart.
“I’m Ryu Minseok,” he responded, handing him back the water bottle and the handkerchief. He bowed gratefully.
“Minseok,” Minhyung said, testing the name out on his tongue. It felt strangely intimate. “You look like you need a distraction.” He suddenly grinned, canine teeth peeking out. He walked to the edge of the room and grabbed one of the training staffs and tossed one to him.
Minseok caught it out of reflex, staring at him in surprise. Who was this guy? A soldier? There were a decent amount in the Shatterdome but not many used the sparring rooms the cadets practiced in.
“Come on,” Minhyung said, spinning the staff in his hand. “Give me all you’ve got.”
Sparring was probably not the best idea, considering Minseok’s fragile state of mind. But after a moment he considered, maybe hitting something might actually make him feel better. Although Minseok had never seen this man around before, he had a nice physique and he handled the staff with ease, so he must be at least somewhat skilled.
“I’ll go easy on you,” Minseok said, wearily. He didn’t want to get in trouble for hurting a civilian.
Minhyung chuckled, low and rumbly. “We’ll see about that.”
Minseok tested the weight of the staff in his hand before dashing forward.
It took him only seconds to realize this guy was not all that he seemed. He must have had military training because he fought like a steel, unbreakable wall. They whirled around the room, the sound of heavy breathing and the whacks of wood echoing in the empty space. Minhyung blocked every attack Minseok sent towards him, parrying almost easily like it was second nature. His injured leg didn’t seem to hold him back at all. He played incredibly safe and Minseok couldn’t spot a single opening while they traded blows.
Suddenly the staff smashed into his side. Minseok stumbled, coughing in surprise. He hadn’t even seen it coming.
“You okay?” Minhyung asked, still smiling kindly. He seemed genuinely concerned, having barely broken a sweat.
The hit had been more shocking than painful. He was like a viper, coiled tight and defensive, and then he hit fast like lightning, Minseok thought. If that was the case…
Without responding, Minseok dashed in again, though this time he switched his style. He was relentless, coming in close every time Minhyung tried to back up to make advantage of his range. He watched as Minhyung’s eyes widened in surprise at his change in strategy.
They flew around the room, Minseok shoving him back each time as Minhyung tried to keep him at bay. The other mans stamina was quite impressive though, so Minseok knew he had to end the fight quickly.
There! Minseok spotted the opening, and using the move Hyunjoon had used on him today, he dropped to one knee and used the momentum to slam his staff into the back of Minhyung’s bad knee.
Minhyung hit the ground hard, grunting in pain. Before he could roll back to his feet, Minseok was on him, knee to his chest and staff to his throat.
The two stared at each other, chests heaving, breaths fogging in the cold air. For a moment, Minseok thought he could feel Minhyung’s heart beating in tandem with his own.
Suddenly the door to the practice room opened. The two looked up in surprise as Marshall Lee stepped into the room, carrying a clipboard and bag. He paused in the doorway, surprised at the sight of the two of them.
Face burning, Minseok jumped to his feet, standing at attention. “Sir!”
Bedside him, Minhyung slowly got to his feet, rubbing his knee. Minseok winced, maybe that had been a low blow.
Sanghyeok just stared at Minseok for a long moment before slowly turning to Minhyung. “… Was the practice room to your liking?”
Did the two of them know each other? This guy was definitely not a civilian then. Maybe a foot soldier? Officer?
Minhyung chuckled behind him, sounding gleeful. “Oh, I loved it,” he said. At least he wasn’t mad about his ankle. Then unexpectedly, he walked over to Marshall Lee and placed a friendly hand on his shoulder and pointed at Minseok.
“I want him.”
Minseok stared.
Sanghyeok raised his eyebrows towards the other man. “… And you’re sure?”
Minseok glanced between the two of them, not quite understanding. What could they possibly be talking about.
“He’s perfect,” Minhyung assured, nodding enthusiastically.
Sanghyeok sighed, seeming troubled. He began rifling through the papers in his arms, clicking his tongue. “You haven’t even met the other candidates yet.”
“Don’t need to. He’s the one.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt sir… But what is going on?” Minseok interrupted, finally finding his voice. Was he in trouble? He couldn’t tell.
Sanghyeok looked perturbed. “Cadet Minseok… This is Lee Minhyung, code name Gumayusi. He’s the pilot for the Mark 3 Jaeger, Storm Razor.”
Minseok’s mouth went dry. His mind went blank for the umpteenth time today. Was he hearing correctly? Had his ears stopped working? Had he somehow hit his head and hadn’t realized it? Pilot? Of a Jaeger? From his limited knowledge, Storm Razor had been decommissioned two years ago in Hong Kong. He had thought the pilots had retired. He had never heard of a Gumayusi.
Minhyung stepped towards him, reaching out to shake his hand eagerly. “I want you to be my copilot.”
Minseok just stared dumbly at his hand, then back at his face. Minhyung’s handsome face smiled expectedly back at him, but Minseok was waiting for the joke. Was he insane?
“Are you crazy?” Minseok finally blurted out. He glanced at Sanghyeok who let out a small chuckle.
Minhyung frowned, like a kicked puppy. “You didn’t feel it?” He asked, genuinely concerned. He reached out and suddenly grabbed Minseok’s hand, pulling him until his hand was resting on his chest. “We were in sync, just then.”
Minseok pulled away, face burning for more than one reason. This guy was definitely nuts. “No. I didn’t. I think you’re confused. Did you hit the ground too hard?”
Frustrated, Minhyung glanced at Sanghyeok, who just shrugged. “Fine,” he said, turning back to Minseok decisively. “Let me prove it to you then.”