Archive of Our Own

Today was a great day for the Resistance. After a successful raid on one of the major alien radio towers, the rebels intended to mark the occasion with a big celebration at their base. It was a significant win after all, so the partisans deserved a little comfort after the rough past few days.

It had been a hassle finding a way in, since the radio tower was teeming with armed aliens and anti-human traps of all kinds, but thanks to everyone's contribution, and Isaac's knowledge of alien technology, the mission had been a piece of cake.

Now that they had acquired a new useful pawn for their future plans, they could finally focus on their own well-being. Some rebels had been injured during the raid, but not seriously enough to stop them from enjoying the evening and a little booze.

Alcohol being rare to obtain outside of the Alien city, the rebels had opted to make their own (when the harvests were good enough so that the excess could be used for this purpose), by cultivating wheat and letting it ferment for a few weeks.

Without any agricultural knowledge, it had been arduous the first few months, living on water they drank directly from puddles after a storm, or trying their luck with the wild fruits growing in the desert. Everything got better after they took over a thriving Alien farm, which had all the food they could have ever dreamed of. Who could have believed there were other living beings outside of the futuristic alien capital, ostracized from their kins? Certainly not a bunch of starving kids who had just escaped Hell. Of course, the alien farmers they had to eliminate were just casualties...

Getting back to the point, The drive back home was animated by rebels chanting their victory and shooting in the air.

Once inside the main hall, Hyuna - who was absolutely ecstatic about the whole thing - was standing in the middle of the stage with an arm draped across Mizi's shoulders. She was thanking everybody for their hard work, her voice echoing through the mic she held with her free hand.

“First of all guys, Thank you!” A wave of applause rippled through the crowd. “Thanks to each one of you, everything is going according to our plans! And I can safely assure y'all that we'll be able to free all our comrades from their torturers by the end of the year!”

Her friends acclaimed her speech with enthusiastic applause and whistles. Dewey whooped from the back of the room, clapping his hands louder than anyone else. Hyuna giggled with excitement, she shot him a wink and went on.

“I'm so proud of how far we've come, together. It wasn't always easy, and it still isn't the case, but I know that someday we'll get there, and it may be sooner than we expect! So, I want to thank y'all once again for your everlasting support, and I'd like to raise a toast to humanity and to the bright future awaiting us!”

The public broke into an uproar of cheering, shouting and singing in unison their official anthem, a song that had been written by Hyuna's late brother. A song that will never be forgotten so long as their rebellion keeps on striving.

Hyuna passed the mic to the pink-haired girl at her side. She was eager to have her say and thank her comrades herself.

“Hi everyone! As you know, I was rescued by the rebellion last month, and I've never felt so free to… to live my own life just like I intend to!” The crowd was silently listening to her story, she swallowed her nervousness before adding.

“You gave a new meaning to my life, I met a lot of nice people who immediately treated me as a member of their own family, as an equal, a human being.” She marked a short pause to lick her lips. “You were kind enough to pick up the broken pieces of me… So I won't hesitate to do the same for each of you! I don't feel like I'm alone anymore!” She exclaimed firmly.

The rebels were shouting words of approval and comfort to their new-found soul sister while she tried her best to keep her eyes from welling up. She rubbed her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

Hyuna patted Mizi's back to express her sympathy, and squeezed her shoulder. The taller gurl sprinkled her speech with a few more jokes, and proceeded to climb down the stage, dragging Mizi under her arm toward a desk with empty seats.

They both sat down, Hyuna didn't let go of the pink haired girl, reaching for the glass a woman with short hair was handing her. It contained an amber liquid similar to the oil they used on car engines. She drank it in one gulp as if it was water, and slammed the glass back onto the table. Mizi jumped a little but relaxed immediately after realizing it was just her friend being a mess and not an actual gunshot. She had been on edge lately, it was always difficult to return to “safe mode” after a heated mission.

“Hey sweetheart, I didn't mention it earlier, but it's also for you. This party I mean.” Hyuna gestured vaguely toward the ceiling. “You've grown so much since we took you in, I'm very proud of you, really.” She smiled at Mizi and the latter returned it, in a more timid way.

“I'm… I don't know what I would have done without you Hyuna-ya. I'm so, so grateful. For everything.” She was fidgeting with her short curls, looking down to hide her flushed cheeks.

Mizi had been horrified to lose her hair at first. After the initial shock of ‘I could have died!!!’, she ended up having a whole breakdown over the loss. It was too brusque, too violent, just like… Sua's death. Mizi knew she would never be able to cope.

So, in the darkness of her bedroom, curled up on herself, she just kept mulling over different unlikely-to-happen scenarios, such as :

‘What if Sua was disappointed? She liked to play with my long hair.’

‘Sua wouldn't recognize me, what if I cross paths with her and she doesn't recognize me?’

‘It was the only thing I had left of her…’

They say hair holds memories, however she wasn't ready to let go of Sua, she would never be ready to turn the page. So she grieved for the loss of her hair and for the loss of her soulmate, partially gone with said hair.

From the beginning, Hyuna had never left her side. She knew the pain of losing someone so intimately close, she knew the bitter taste left by such a traumatic event all too well. When she reached out for Mizi, she saved her.

After weeks of sleepless nights spent in Hyuna's arms, bonding sessions with Isaac and Dewey when she had deigned going out of her mourning cocoon, and a prolonged immersion into the wilderness that was the outside world, all of that had breathed life back into her. Little by little, Mizi gained the necessary determination to dare take her life in hands, and what was better than a new haircut to start her new life? She wanted to show that the aliens wouldn't have any control over her anymore, sporting her new hair like a trophy, a promise for better days to come.

Before Mizi's smile could turn nostalgic, someone behind her ruffled her hair energetically. A strong hand fell on her shoulder, squeezing it in a comforting manner. She glanced down to spot the familiar scars decorating the stranger's fingers.

“It's a happy night, I won't tolerate such a sad little face, Yeah?”

Dewey's grin was so big his eyes looked like moon crescents. He put his two indexes on the corner of Mizi's lips and pushed them upward into a grimacing smile.

“Theeeere! It suits you better pinkie!”

He slowly removed his fingers - just in case Mizi would decide to pout again - in order to admire his work. Mizi understood the assignment, so she kept smiling, more and more until it was becoming ridiculous. She turned her head toward Hyuna to show her her polished-white teeth. Mizi couldn't contain her laugh anymore so she guffawed together with Hyuna.

“Much, much better!” Dewey exclaimed in a sing-song voice.

 He plopped down on a chair in front of the two girls, he was already holding his own glass, obviously full of that same amber liquid everyone else was sipping. Dewey sniffed the curious beverage before taking a big gulp. Immediately after, he stuck his tongue out, wincing as if he had bitten into a slice of lemon.

“This one is good, woah- damn it.” He coughed a few times as Hyuna kept openly making fun of him, slamming her fist on the table.

“Oh man! You never get used to it!” She croaked, her voice hoarse from laughter.

Apparently, it wasn't the first time Dewey had such a reaction. Mizi's shoulders were shaking, she was too nice to give in to the temptation to laugh… but she was human, and the atmosphere was strange, so after Dewey took another swig of his drink and started coughing again, She burst out laughing, throwing her head back. She had to hold onto Hyuna so she wouldn't fall off her chair.

Probably attracted by their ruckus, a guy clad in a black hoodie and an assorted black cap approached them, he slapped Dewey's back to ease his coughing, letting his hand linger on his shoulder blade after his tremor had stopped.

“Thanks mate. I swear this shit blows the top of your head off!”

The guy sat with them, right next to Dewey. Decidedly, it seemed that this mysterious amber liquid was quite popular among the rebels, because he was also holding a glass full of it. Obviously, it picked Mizi's curiosity. She leaned forward, attempting to take a look at the beverages.

Catching her eyes darting from one glass to another, Hyuna elbowed her.

“Hey, wanna try some of that magic potion?” She had a sly smile plastered on her face as she pushed her own glass toward the pink-haired girl.

However, Mizi wasn't scared of her expression. She had fought against aliens, killed some too, and had almost fallen from Hyuna's scooter during their last mission as they were driving next to a cliff. What a scare it had been!

Mizi side-eyed Dewey who was choking on his drink again, thankfully he now had an emotional support friend beside him to pat his back and support him during this… trial? No because was it supposed to be a means of torture?

Mizi took a deep breath and nodded at Hyuna fiercely, a flame in her eyes. She was ready to face the piranhas, the acid, whatever would jump at her face the moment she would drink the content of the glass.

“You don't have to drink it if you don't want to.”

Hyuna clicked her tongue. “Shut up Isaac, where's all the fun if she doesn't take part in the festivities! It will be like a rite of passage to adulthood.” She squished Mizi's face and kissed her cheek hastily. “Our little Mizi is all grown up now~ her first glass of alcohol~” She whined dramatically, stroking Mizi's hair.

Isaac lowered his cap to hide a grin he couldn't tone down. “I was about to say it tastes better with a slice of lemon.”

Dewey winced at his suggestion before clearing his throat and directing his gaze on Mizi.

“Mizi! Mizi! Mizi!” He started cheering, hitting the table with his fists.

He lightly punched Isaac on the shoulder, encouraging him to do the same. The latter shook his head but mimicked his friend anyway.

Mizi huffed a laugh, their encouragement made her less anxious. She stared down at the amber liquid that Hyuna was playfully stirring by rotating the glass with a light flick of her wrist.

“Alright! I can do it!”

She almost snatched the glass from Hyuna, holding it in front of her face for a few seconds before dipping her head back to drink it bottoms up. She mimicked her seniors by slamming the glass onto the table, just like them. Her face instantly heated up. Her whole mouth was burning, it was spreading like a wildfire down her stomach, settling into a comforting warmth. She held her breath.

Hyuna and Dewey leaned over the table, impatient to see her reaction, while Isaac lifted his cap to stare at her wide-eyed.

“You alright sunshine?”

Hyuna softly poked her cheek, which made Mizi's head sway away, then she suddenly raised her hands high above her head while standing up abruptly, thus projecting her chair onto the floor. She puffed her cheeks.

“YEAHHHHH I DID IT! I'M AN ADULT NOW!” Mizi yelled at the top of her lungs, causing the whole room to go silent and prompting all eyes on her.

The rebels wore expressions varying from shocked to sympathetic. Someone clapped, shouting some kind of congratulations from afar, certainly unaware of what was truly happening there, but honestly most people were too drunk to care.

Hyuna caught Mizi in her arms before she could fall flat on the floor after her sudden burst of adrenaline.

“There, there.” She rubbed her back. “Well then, how does it feel to be an adult?” She asked Mizi as she settled back on her chair which was now completely glued to Hyuna's.

Mizi gave a thumbs-up. “I feel sooo old.” She chuckled like a dumbass, leaning into Hyuna for support. Isaac chuckled and shook his head.

“It should be illegal to be such a lightweight.” Dewey blurted before reclining in his seat, making himself comfortable by spreading his legs. He glanced at Isaac to get a confirmation but the guy rolled his eyes instead.

“Says who? The first time you got drunk I had to stop you from stripping in front of everyone-”

Dewey slapped his hand against Isaac's mouth with a loud smacking noise, shushing him successfully.

“I was young and stupid.” He got closer from his friend's ear to whisper so nobody else would hear. “You traitor, I won't keep you any slice of cheesecake next time you're late for Cheesecake Sunday.”

Isaac poked him in his side and Dewey jumped back with a yelp, rubbing at his side in a protective manner as if Isaac would do it again. Once he made sure he wasn't a threat anymore, Dewey crossed his arms over his chest with his lips pursed proudly, his glare drilling a hole into Isaac's head.

“Then I won't make crepes for your birthday.” Isaac smirked, stretching the scar on his cheek.

“Bastard!” Dewey gasped loudly, pointing at him with a provocative finger. “You would never! You like me too much!”

“You bet?” Isaac simply responded while downing the rest of his glass. He savored the taste on his tongue. “Mmmh, might get another one.” He mumbled to himself, before locking gaze with a pouting Dewey. Isaac puffed into his glass at the sight.

“You guys are so silly, hihi. You should really get a room…”

Isaac and Dewey snapped their heads toward the two girls. Hyuna raised her eyebrows as if to say she had nothing to do with it. She glanced down at Mizi who was clinging on her like a leech.

“Who even taught you to say that uh?” Dewey asked, dumbfounded.

Mizi chuckled more, pondering. “I don't know… I asked Ivan but he didn't know, so I asked Till but he didn't know either. Oh, I asked Sua too and she kept staring at me with a blank face, hihi. I think she knew what it meant.”

Remembering her friends made her smile. Weirdly, she wasn't sad, instead it was as if they were here with her. She was just replaying old memories, and yet it felt as if she had just seen them the previous day.

“I miss them…” She rubbed her face against Hyuna's shoulder to hide from the rest of the world. Hyuna would have awed at such an adorable sight if it wasn't due to the remembrance of people she may never be able to see again… “I love you guys. You're also my friends now.”

Hyuna rubbed her shoulder fondly, sporting a knowing smile. “We know sweetheart.” She kissed the top of her head, applying enough strength to let her know she was by her side. “We love you too.”

“Yup absolutely!” Dewey assured with his biggest grin.

He pinched Isaac's cap, perhaps taking his revenge on him for what he did before. The latter sat straighter, catching Dewey's wrist and squeezing it hard enough to make him regret having touched his precious hat.

Isaac turned to face Mizi. “Of course, you're part of our family Mizi. You're like the little sister I never had.” he smiled tenderly.

Mizi's eyes welled up at their words. She sniffed and frantically rubbed her eyes to keep the tears in. Now wasn't the right time for a display of emotions. She didn't want to ruin the joyous mood of the evening.

“You guys…” She trailed off, unable to put her thoughts into a complete sentence. She stood up, using Hyuna as a way to keep her balance. She opened her arms, inviting them in what was obviously a group hug, and a much needed one.

Dewey reacted without thinking twice, he tugged Isaac by the sleeve, leaving him no choice but to bring his glass along because Dewey had not let him the time to put it down. Hyuna automatically wrapped her hands around them all, or at least she tried. Her two gymbros were too big to entirely fit in her arms.

“You cute little creature.” Dewey giggled, squeezing Mizi into a bone-crushing embrace, she didn't seem to mind it though.

Isaac's cap was pushed back during their attempt at a hug but he didn't complain. He discreetly pinched Dewey's waist, relishing in the yelp he let out. Isaac ended up rubbing his side where he had pinched him as an apology.

As they gradually retreated to let Mizi catch her breath, one of the rebels who had made his way onto the stage took a mic to make an announcement. He tapped on it before clearing his throat.

“Guys! Who's in for a karaoke party??”

The rebels roared in unison, raising their drinks in the air, and someone in the crowd called Hyuna's name. After all she was a star, a former jewel of the Alien Stage. She had never lost her shine, on the contrary, she was even more dazzling now that she had been freed from her chains. Everyone was looking forward to seeing Hyuna performing.

Hyuna side-eyed her partners in crime with a mischievous smile. “It's been a long time since we've had the occasion to let off steam.” She anchored her arm around Mizi's shoulder. “Come on guys, it's time to rock this place!”

“Fuck yeah!” Dewey agreed. He locked arms with Isaac who was trying to steal a bottle of booze from another table. “You'll let us hear your pretty voice this time aye?”

Isaac glared at him without heat, using his height as an advantage to appear intimidating, although he wasn't taller than Dewey.

“I don't sing well.” That wasn't true, in fact. He was just trying to duck out of it simply because he didn't like singing for others.

“That's bullshit, I've heard you plenty of times.” Dewey began counting on his scarred fingers. “When you're taking your shower, or when you're playing with technologic rubbish we find in the alien's dumps, sometimes when we're outside for a mission you hum songs and I have to admit it's kind of scary to witness when you're holding a rocket launcher.” Dewey snorted, staring at his friend intently with imploring eyes.

Isaac pursed his lips, peering down at Dewey, seriously considering if he should  kiss him right here and there take up on his proposition. The corner of his lips twitched and soon a non-jaded smile appeared on his face. It always made him go soft when Dewey would spontaneously infodump about his habits only he could know about. Isaac wasn't truly intending to refuse his request anyway, he was just messing with him, and his singing surely was a bit rusty but it would be more fun that way.

Isaac removed his cap and shoved it backwards on Dewey's head, pushing his blond curls out of his forehead, briefly brushing through them. He ignored the red tint of Dewey's cheeks, it was probably due to his consumption of alcohol. Isaac slapped the blond's back and nodded at Hyuna, a lopsided grin displayed on his face.

"Like the good old times.”

“Heck yeah!”

The tanned girl flashed her teeth at them before turning around, pacing toward the stage with Mizi under her arm.

After a quick vocal warm-up, they sang songs - which they had retrieved from some sort of small device in the shape of a circle months ago - solely from memory. These songs were probably forgotten by all since the fall of humanity, and the aliens must have judged them too boring to keep. But they would live through them for as long as they would survive, hopefully long enough to teach them to the future generations.

Hyuna and Mizi sang their drunken hearts out, going hard on the vocals until their voices would break, valuing the sentiments shared with the public more than the quality.

Dewey was not as talented in this domain, he always fell back in the last position in their pet-human-worth-something ranking. The aliens had seen him as a failure for that, but today, it didn't stop him from performing like a madman, jumping all around the stage and messing with Isaac's hair every time he hopped past him.

Isaac on his side was enjoying himself more than he had expected. The girls’ voices were in contrast with his own low and deep baritone voice. However he was never able to sing a song to the end since his singing was repeatedly interrupted by Dewey's interventions, making him huff into the mic.

Hyuna drank directly from a bottle of alcohol a rebel had handed her during the previous song, as a token of admiration, a way to pay respect to Hyuna's godly singing skills, and perhaps to keep her going for a little longer. The liquid trickled down her chin and onto her tank top. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, sharing the bottle with Mizi, then Dewey who brought it to Isaac when less than a quarter was left of it. Isaac frowned but said nothing as he emptied it in one gulp.

The night went on, the cheering of the crowd died as the rebels underwent the side effects of alcohol, that is to say a partial comatose, like they used to call it. Some were asleep on the floor while some others had already gone to bed, certain they would wake up with a thrumming headache and a nasty hangover the next day. A few brave ones were still tirelessly dancing and clapping their hands to the rhythm of the music.

They clotured their intense karaoke session with a ballad, slow but full of emotions that moved the public so violently a guy started tearing up.

After everything was wrapped up, Hyuna bid goodnight to her homies with a handshake before waving them off and hobbling away with Mizi, who was still humming a song. Mizi too would know the joy of the aftermath of drinking alcohol the next day…

It was a tad harder to get Dewey to stop babbling in the mic after everyone was gone. Isaac had to lure him to their quarters with the promise of giving him a pack of gummy aliens, a rare delicacy they had found in the radio tower, hidden inside a sealed metallic box. A seal that Dewey had no difficulty breaking, the crazy gym rat. Who would have thought that aliens too tended to snack between meals?

Isaac unlocked the door of their common dorm, stripped off his hoodie because he was literally being cooked by the heat, and plopped down on the swivel chair he had crafted himself from scraps. Dewey collapsed on the lower bunk of their bunk bed, making the springs squeak under his weight.

“I told you to be careful, if you break your bed I won't share mine with you.”

“Mmmh.”

Needless to say, Dewey wasn't impressed by Isaac's warning at all.

Isaac carded a hand through his hair since it was free from his cap, before pulling out an old electronic thingy from one of the drawers of his work plan. With his thumb, he swiped across the peeling paint of a word engraved in the melted plastic reading “Talkie-walkie”.

Isaac was aware what kind of device it was, more developed than basic humans walkie-talkies. He had seen the aliens use similar ones already, their equipment was obviously extra modern, benefiting from the latest updates. But even though they weren't the last model of “alien walkie-talkie” available, they would do the trick. After a few modifications of course.

Isaac picked up a screwdriver, removed the screws to access the part where one would usually put a battery and examined the inside. He ignored the sound of sheets shuffling behind him, too focused on his current project to pay attention to his drunk friend.

He scraped the rusty parts meticulously to avoid false contacts or potentially ruining the batteries he would put into the walkie-talkies. He couldn't afford to waste a perfectly working battery. Briefly reminiscing his past in the Anakt Garden, he pictured the guards supposedly watching over them, who were equipped with similar devices at the time. These walkie-talkies used to be high quality years ago, one of the most sold versions the aliens had ever made.

Aliens were known for growing tired of things very quickly, and It was no secret that they were quite fast with developing new technology. And every year, new versions of several gadgets would see the light, thus eclipsing the previous ones.

However, Isaac knew how to recognize a treasure when seeing one. Its long distance efficiency would provide the rebels a trusty way of communication for their on-field missions without risking losing contact like it already happened before with their old-fashioned walkie-talkies. They couldn't take so many risks, not so close to an absolute victory.

Furthermore, with those walkie-talkies, they would be granted access to private channels reserved to the staff and the guards of the Anakt Garden. Thanks to that, they would assuredly be able to find the locations of Ivan and Till at all times. That, if Isaac could hack into their system…

Isaac heard a grunt and momentarily stilled his hands, listening to any indications that Dewey was about to throw a fit. He continued his inspection when he heard the latter slump back onto the bed. Isaac rummaged through his drawers, pulling out batteries likely to be still working. He placed them inside the two devices and held his breath before clicking on the red button in the middle. The walkie-talkie made a crackling noise as it turned on. He brought it close to his face, muttering something into the audio receiver, and although his voice was altered, his words came out of the other walkie-talkie just fine, as intended. He sighed in relief, proud of his work. It would be a life changer for sure.

“Mnh?”

Isaac didn't jump when Dewey enveloped him with his arms and settled his head on his shoulder. His breath was warm against his ear, tickling the hair in his nape at each exhale.

“What's that old stuff huh?” He slurred, tightening his hold around Isaac.

“That's good stuff, it'll make our life easier.” He paused. “Although, I still need to tamper with a few other things. These bad boys need to be ready for our next mission.”

Dewey hummed.

Isaac was sure his brain wasn't in a state to understand his rambling.

Dewey's next inquiry proved the rightfulness of his statement.

“Is it like… some kind of explosives?” He giggled like a fool. “I know you like when things go “boom.”” He tried to mimic the sound of an explosion while shaking Isaac like a plum tree to make the blast more realistic.

Isaac chuckled at his adorable idiocy. The last time they were able to actually blow up something was when they had interrupted the Mizi-versus-Luka battle. He reckoned it had been a huge hit for the aliens, and in addition to having lost one of their esteemed pets, the reparations must have been pricey. Isaac smiled at that thought. Those bastards got what they deserved.

“Hey, you're thinking too much again, it's not good for your poor brain. Luckily for you, I know the solution to solve all your problems! You need to take a snooze with your homie mmh.” Dewey interjected.

He rubbed his face against Isaac's neck, then he slowly raised a hand to pinch Isaac's cheek, wondering if he should let his intrusive thoughts win- Oh, to hell common sense! He leaned forward as Isaac tipped his head to the side instinctively, and then out of nowhere, Dewey took a bite of his cheek.

“Oi, what the fuck?!” Isaac was taken aback but he was quick to react, his instinct kicking in automatically.

He threw his arm behind, trying to reach Dewey's side to poke him in order to defend himself. Poking was always the best defense against his ticklish friend. Dewey dodged it and bit into Isaac's shoulder this time, munching onto the tissue of his t-shirt like a baby making its teeth. Isaac groaned, unable to reach for his friend's ticklish spots.

“You wanna play?” He choked on a laugh.

This was all a game for them. Their sparring sessions had simply turned into something more… silly. But still, they were fighting as if losing would result in their death, except the loser wouldn't actually die, he'd just lose his dignity. Or perhaps they didn't even have an ounce of dignity to begin with, judging by the sly moves they were using against each other.

Dewey slid his left hand over Isaac's face to obstruct his vision while the other remained fixed around Isaac's shoulders, however he wasn't fully in control of his movements, numbed by the alcohol in his veins, so he ended up grasping onto the latter's hair.

“You almost poked my eyes.” Isaac cackled like a maniac.

He couldn't stand up since he was held down by Dewey's weight, but maybe he could bring him down with him instead. He extended his legs, fumbling around to find the wall, then he put his feet parallel against it and pushed with all his strength.

The chair rolled backward, pushing Dewey with it, his grip on Isaac slacking enough for him to find an opening. He swiveled the chair around to face the blond-haired guy, put his arms around his waist and tackled him behind the knees to make him fall on his back. Dewey was momentarily paralyzed by the initial shock and Isaac climbed on top of him before he could react, applying weight on his legs to keep him under control.

“I won.” Isaac panted, wearing a triumphant smile.

He forced his eyes to focus on Dewey's flabbergasted face. The latter remained unmoving, only letting his chest heave up and down as he was trying to catch his breath. His mouth slowly curled into a contorted smile and his entire frame began shaking as he started giggling breathlessly. His laugh turned into a yawn. Isaac just kept staring at him all the while with a genuine smile.

“Looks like going to bed would do you more good than me, sleepyhead.” He rolled off of Dewey, kneeling beside him to help him up.

Isaac guided him to the lower bunk - Dewey's assigned bed - with an arm around his waist. The blond-haired boy slid beneath the sheets, making himself comfortable. He was already lulled by the warmth of his nest. Isaac made sure he wouldn't fall off the bed by tucking him in, since Dewey was unpredictable in such a state, then turned around to climb in his own bunk. After all, he wasn't completely sober himself and the alcohol was starting to make him all drowsy. Before he could put a foot on the ladder though, Dewey seized his wrist, thus forcing him to direct his attention back on him.

“What? Don't tell me you're feeling sick?!” He asked with a panicked frown.

Isaac wasn't good when it came to nursing sick comrades. Last time Dewey had gotten sick, bedridden with an alarming fever because the fool had decided to run under the freezing rain, Isaac had to take it upon himself not to give way to panic at the sight of his almost dying friend.

Nobody likes a panicked Isaac. Especially when he has explosives within reach…

Dewey squeezed each of his fingers, ignoring Isaac's confused gaze. Slumber was tugging at his eyes, so he had to fight against it to look up at his friend. He addressed Isaac a goofy grin as he pulled the latter's arm toward him, almost making him lose his balance and fall on the bed.

“I want to cuddle. Come here.” He patted the left side of the mattress.

Isaac scoffed, leaning onto the frame of the upper bunk. “I'm not sure we'll both fit.” He pointed at the obvious lack of space beside Dewey with a jerk of his chin.

The blond-haired boy shrugged. In his mind, less space meant more cuddles.

“You don't know before you've tried.” He lolled his head to the side, reaching the wall their bed was propped against with the tips of his fingers before tapping the concrete with his knuckles. “See? You won't fall off big guy. This thing is tough, it won't break, as long as you don't let a grenade drop from your pockets.”

Isaac huffed. “You sure that's what you want?”

“Pwetty pwease.” Dewey begged, nodding frantically. He was using his secret weapon : the puppy eyes. “I know you've been feeling lonely lately without me in your bed-”

“Fine. Try to keep your meal in your stomach then, or I'm kicking your ass until you're too sore to sit.” He declared in the most casual tone possible, urging Dewey to make some more space so he could climb on the opposite side of the bed without crushing him.

He rolled on his back, inadvertently encroaching on Dewey's side who barely dodged his elbow before it could hit his face. He shifted some more, trying to get accommodated to having no private space at all. Getting sandwiched between a wall and Dewey wasn't on his to-do list of the day, but thankfully, he wasn't claustrophobic.

“I'll be a good boy, I promise~” Dewey crooned while turning on his side to face his homie with a crafty smile. Oh there was no way he hadn't planned to end up in the same bed as him…

Isaac stared back at him blankly, fumbling with his feet beneath the covers to find those of his bedmate and stick them against his legs.

“ ‘ts-cold!!! Fuck off!” Dewey hissed, kicking him in the shins to keep his feet at a safe distance from him.

Isaac snickered, obviously proud of his mischief while Dewey slapped his shoulder to reprimand him.

“What? I'm not cold, you're just burning like a furnace.” He chuckled and attempted to elbow him, although there wasn't enough space for him to move his arm freely. “Sorry, it was too tempting.” He wriggled his eyebrows as he took in Dewey's surprisingly placid expression. Not the kind of expression he had expected.

Dewey was staring straight into his eyes, blinking idly, with a hand propped under his head. He was the picture of peacefulness itself, which was kind of weird for someone who just got nudged by cold feet. The Dewey he knew would have quipped back vehemently. But the drunk Dewey wasn't like that apparently.

Isaac shut his mouth, giving up on what he was about to say, in order to join in this strange staring contest. He examined the color of his opponent's eyes which were a nice, grayish shade of blue. He squinted his eyes… had there always been a brown spot blending with the blue of his right eye?

And then it dawned on Isaac that he never really had the occasion to settle down like that in a long while, since he was always either working on salvaging or fixing newly acquired stuff, or out on a mission.

The rebels had all been quite busy as of late, getting ready to jump in as many Alien Stage rounds as possible and assert their dominance on the alien society. Not to mention that he was on the get go constantly, in case the aliens would find them and had decided to retaliate. He knew exactly where to find a weapon, a gun, grenades, knives whatever he would need to defend his friends and their so hardly acquired freedom from their oppressors. Never again would he let the people he loves get hurt.

It wasn't something he wanted to remember for the moment. He redirected his thoughts on the previous topic.

He knew what his friends looked like, the way their eyes would crinkle when they smiled, their voices when they laughed, their footsteps in the hallway as they passed by his door… he was seeing them everyday after all. Sometimes he did look at them from up-close for tactical purposes, to check for eventual injuries after a tricky mission or such. But then again, he was only now noticing the small details he had never paid attention to before.

For example, the small scar beneath Dewey's left eye, almost imperceptible because it had healed remarkably well, unlike the ugly scar that crossed his own face. He was aware of the several others that covered Dewey's body, from fingers to toes. Some of them were souvenirs of the Anakt Garden they grew up in, notably those cuts decorating each of his fingers. But Dewey didn't seem so preoccupied by them, he liked to call them his “war wounds” to impress his juniors, and he wasn't ashamed to show them off while working out, because according to him, they were pretty attractive.

Isaac on his side, was more self-conscious about his own scars, especially the one that disfigured him. He had never said it out loud though, he didn't want to accord it more importance than necessary. Most of the time he doesn't even feel like it's there at all. Only when smiling or laughing in a way that would stretch it furthermore, or during damp and rainy days would they make themselves known, for some reason.

He reasoned every rebel also had scars anyway, so nobody would pity him or disregard him for having a few on his face. They were all on the same boat, and because of that, they understood each other and when not to ask too many questions. He appreciated their discretion about the matter.

Isaac didn't precisely remember how he got it in the first place, his memories were all blurry and fragmented.

Thinking hard about it, he reckoned he got it during their escape from the 49th Garden, when Hyuna had decided that enough was enough and that they deserved a real chance at life, out of this prison of a home. If it could be called a “home” at all.

Everything had happened fast. They had put explosives all over the place, warning the other children about their plan, prompting them to tag along, if they so much as wished to be part of their rebellion. Most of the children their age took the opportunity they were offered, and as soon as the bombs exploded and the walls fell apart, the alarm rang, turning the Anakt Garden into a sea of fire, of noise, of flying debris and shrapnel.

Some guard must have shot him with a laser gun while he was trying to give a hand to the last escapees. Then nothing, he had blacked out moments later from the loss of blood. He thought he'd never wake up again, but to his surprise, when he opened his eyes he was in a clean bed, half of his head wrapped in bandages and a tuft of blond hair appearing in his vision field. He wasn't sure who had carried him to this place that was now their base. He had never asked.

Isaac was jolted out of his reverie by a gentle hand cupping the side of his face. His eyes darted quickly over Dewey's facial features, looking for any sign of injuries. He hadn't realized his heart beat had picked up during his daydreaming. He must have been too caught up in it, reliving the nightmare that had been their escape, the uncertainty, the fear of the unknown. Of having nowhere to go. Of having almost died.

Dewey stroked his cheek softly with his thumb to appease his nerves. Isaac closed his eyes, focusing on the feeling of his calloused fingers on his skin. It felt right. He felt cared for, and God knows how much, not only him, but also all the rebels had been touch-starved their entire life.

From the moment they had been sold, to their anxious-filled everyday life far from the place that hurt them, tenderness was a rarity. And it was so hard to give when they weren't used to being given love by their owners. They had no one to learn from when it came to showing love, so they had to learn by themselves, leading them into believing in an idealized, wicked version of what love actually was.

There were no candies after school to snack on, no comforting words after having received a bad grade, saying they'd do better next time. No, electric shocks were the only things they earned from their caretakers as kids.

But in some children, sympathy and compassion were innate, for obscure reasons. Dewey was part of them. Always considerate, caring for his friends and family. He had never hesitated to fly at other kids’ owners to protect them from their claws, even though he knew exactly what kind of punishment would await him afterwards.

Behind his reputation of “primitive human”, as he was designated by his owner, was a boy with genuine intentions to do what he deemed good. Whether it be comforting his relatives during hard times, or killing a few aliens. In the end for him it was all the same, just a way to protect the ones he cared for, to show his love. It was just kindness hidden behind thick layers of silliness and deep-rooted recklessness.

Isaac didn't know what he would have done without him and Hyuna.

“I can see the gears in your head spinning like crazy, you're overworking your brain smart-ass.” Dewey murmured not to startle Isaac. He was massaging the latter's lobe, hoping to get some kind of reaction from him, something to prove he was back to reality.

Isaac cracked his eyes slightly open, and he almost had to close them back immediately, suddenly crushed under a wave of drowsiness. He blamed it on the ministrations he was subjected to. He had a weakness for face massages. Dewey also appeared to be fighting against slumber, forcing his eyes open by blinking repeatedly and raising his eyebrows to pull his eyelids upwards.

Isaac felt the pressure on his chest evaporate, his breath coming out a bit more evenly compared to earlier. He exhaled heavily through his nose, relaxing his muscles gradually. They were safe here. He was safe. He snuggled against Dewey's hand to absorb its warmth.

“S'okay, m’right here mate.” Dewey breathed, closer than before. He was cradling the back of his head, brushing his short brown hair with his fingers, in an attempt to soothe him. He knew exactly how to handle Isaac's bursts of panic.

“Mmmh.” The latter mumbled eloquently, his gaze fixed on Dewey's gray eyes not to get lost in his mind again. He flexed his fingers, only now noticing he had been clenching his fists until his joints were white. He was stiff. Their knees were touching under the blanket, another contact point to anchor himself in reality.

In Dewey's bed.

In Dewey's scent.

In his home.

Isaac tried to say something, anything to those worried gray eyes probing at the very essence of his person, encouraging him to let go of his pain. His lower lip wobbled, threatening to betray him. He resolved to pounce forward into Dewey's muscled arms, trapping him into a bone-crushing embrace.

“Oh- hey- wow okay.”

His sudden change of behavior must have effectively shaken the sleepiness out of Dewey, judging by the way he began stuttering and rubbing Isaac's back so urgently, but he immediately regained his composure. Isaac exhaled a shaky breath, hiding his face in the crook of his friend's neck.

“I got you, there big boy.” Dewey whispered sweet reassurances next to his ear.

Isaac rarely displayed this kind of emotional and straightforward demeanor, so it was difficult figuring out the best way to handle him. But Dewey would do his best, for him.

“Never took you for the cuddler type of guy, my vision of you has been irremediably altered.” He joked, trying to uplift his mood with a touch of bantering.

Dewey rested his head on top of his, stretching his legs into a less straining position and it took Isaac a second to slip his ankles between Dewey's own, bringing him even closer, practically chest to chest. The blond-haired guy grunted softly out of surprise, a question mark hanging above his head.

They remained like that for a good while, Dewey stroking his back up and down in an endless motion, sometimes tracing the curve of his spine through his black T, or caressing the base of his nape where his hair sprang into tiny, dark-brown curls. It didn't feel fuzzy under his fingertips like it did after he had buzzed his hair months ago, it was smooth, a tad greasy at the roots because he hadn't washed it since their last mission.

As he curled his hair with his fingers, Dewey wondered if Isaac was back to spacing out. Although the way he kept fidgeting with his tank top told him he wasn't.

Isaac hummed something inaudible, momentarily stilling his hands on Dewey's back.

“What?”

Isaac returned to playing with the fabric of his friend's top, more emphatically than before. He shook his head and groaned.

“I don't understand man.”

Dewey's confusion increased further when Isaac rubbed his face against his neck insistently, before repositioning himself so as to press his forehead onto his cheek. The latter let out a sharp breath and Dewey got a full-body shudder from it. His cheeks were burning, embarrassed by his own reaction.

“You're warm and comfy. It's nice.”

Now it got him downright blushing to the tips of his ears. “I guess working out wasn't all that useless in the end if my muscles can be used that way…” He chuckled nervously.

Someone end him right here and there before he could make a fool of himself even more-

“You make such a nice pillow…”

Isaac patted his side as if, well, to pad up a pillow. Once again, he encircled Dewey with his arms, flexing his muscles around him, but instead of going back to hide in his neck, Isaac leveraged himself to Dewey's level, who gulped anxiously. A drop of sweat rolled down his temple. If he thought he was completely wasted earlier when crashing onto his bed, he currently felt more sober than ever, although the headache didn't lie.

“Thank you.”

Dewey raised an eyebrow. “For?”

“I guess you're still too drunk to think correctly.“ Isaac snorted, as if he wasn't the one snuggling his friend as if his life depended on it. “I probably am too anyway.” His gaze shortly lingered on Dewey's chin where blond stubble was growing negligently, before peering up at him, a playful smile tugging at his lips. “You've decided to grow out your beard? Gonna look like a real man.”

Dewey rolled his eyes. “Figured it'd scare off the aliens, I mean, these bastards must find it terrifying if they didn't let us have facial hair back then.” He shrugged, scrubbing his chin. Yeah no, he would have to shave. Too itchy.

Isaac was quick to tug back Dewey's hand from where it had wandered onto the side of his face.

“You like that? Being held and pampered like a princess?”

“Surprising isn't it.” Isaac deadpanned.

“That's kinda cute I'd say.” Dewey blurted confidently, realizing too late what he had said. “A cute freak playing with explosives as if they were toys.” He corrected himself.

“Oh, so that's what you think of me, interesting…” Isaac wore a sadistic smile, one he would sport right before a mission implying bringing out the heavy artillery or his beloved bike. He was quick to shake that expression off of his face though, replacing it with a fond grin. “Alright loverboy, we should definitely get some shut-eye now. Hyuna's gonna give us hell if we sleep until lunch tomorrow.”

Dewey eyed him dubiously. Of course Isaac would deflect the attention from his person. He wouldn't press Isaac into unpacking his feelings, aware that it would just make him shut-down. He knew the guy would reach out for him if he needed someone to listen to his problems. It didn't stop him from worrying though.

“M'yeah.” Dewey yawned his head off, emphasizing Isaac's words. Their therapy session would have to wait for another time. “G'night then.” He huddled beneath the sheets.

Isaac temporarily removed his left arm from where it was holding Dewey to grab the latter's face. He lowered his head so he could better access his forehand and press a goodnight kiss onto it. Then he got back to his previous position, squeezing Dewey into a hug, nuzzling against his neck to capture the warmth radiating from him. Isaac felt him stiffen.

Dewey was frozen on the spot, his eyes growing wide and his hands clenching on nothing but thin air. At this point his body was producing more heat than it normally should, and he knew exactly what chilly moron to blame for that.

“ ‘Night~” Isaac grinned like a maniac out of his sight, proud of having made his brain short-circuit.

Dewey cursed under his breath. Gosh, he was so weak for this man.

Less than a minute later they are both out cold, exhausted from their day and their excessive singing. They sleep peacefully inside a mutual embrace, no bad dreams, no nightmares. Just a comforting presence to keep them both safe. They know they have each other's back.

Isaac woke up first with a pulsing headache. One comparable to having his brain stirred with a spatula to make a neuron smoothie. He groaned at the unpleasant feeling, rubbing his eyes to get rid of his torpor and of the dust which had settled in the corners of his eyes overnight.

Instinctively, he reached out beneath his pillow, searching for the pocket watch he had the habit of hiding there to take an occasional look at the time. Unfortunately, it wasn't in its usual spot, and in the haze of the morning, he figured he must have let it lie around on his work plan. It wasn't a big deal, he'd just look for it later.

For now, he settled on stretching his numb limbs. Oh boy, he was already regretting having drank that much alcohol without having cut it with water. He let out a deep sigh as he stretched his legs outward. However, he bumped into something hard when he motioned to retract his knees. Isaac thought about what could possibly be lying beside him, because there was no way the frame of the bed was so close to the wall. Unless he had gotten bigger in his sleep, which was a silly hypothesis.

He began rotating on himself, turning around to take a look when something around his waist tightened and brought his back against a sturdy surface. He put a hand over his abdomen, only to find a pair of strong arms acting like a safety belt. That's when it occurred to him that he was in fact not in his bed but in Dewey's.

Isaac's eyes widened as a warm breath made itself known, tickling the back of his neck. His hairs stood on end at the stimulation. He did his best to refrain his body from randomly jerking or kicking, but the prolonged inactivity was making him all jumpy and he had to do something about it. So, he unfolded his legs - careful not to hit Dewey this time - and he wiggled his toes onward and upward. It served as a welcome diversion from Dewey's sleepy mumbling and prickling breath as well.

Except he had not anticipated having his friend's legs searching to tangle with him. Dewey was practically wrapped around his hips as if he was a big human-sized cuddly pillow. Isaac attempted to gently pry him away, but it only resulted in him pushing his thigh higher to keep his grip on him, like a damn koala hugging a branch. Eventually, he gave up and resumed holding Dewey's arms around his waist. He needed to wake him up for both their sakes, but… no one would blame him for being a little selfish and lounging a little longer to tend to his awful hangover.

Dewey shifted behind him, just enough for his mouth to find his nape. He pressed warm lips against his cold skin, leaving a slightly damp spot after he leaned back. Then he got shy, so he nuzzled against Isaac's collar, mumbling something that resembled a curse. Isaac rolled his eyes to himself. Why was he so damn cute?!?

Isaac attempted to start the conversion since the blond-haired guy was obviously awake. He felt shameful pretending to be asleep when Dewey decidedly thought his doings would go unnoticed. Isaac cleared his voice first. His throat was sore and dry, a glass of water would be greatly welcomed.

Dewey tensed around him at the first sign of life he emitted.

“Caught red-handed duh…”

An awkward silence.

Turns out his light-hearted comment didn't work out like he intended.

Isaac cleared his poor throat a second time. “Mornin’. Did you sleep well?” He attempted to sound amiable, but his voice was so hoarse it felt more like he was reproaching him something.

Fuck.

He held his breath while Dewey was left pondering for an indefinite amount of time about what to answer to that.

Instead of voicing a reply, he started removing his arms from around Isaac, much to the latter's chagrin. Still he held Dewey's wrist before he could withdraw completely, placing it back on his side to make him understand that he didn't mind. He couldn't explain why he needed that kind of physical contact so badly. He just complied to his cravings without thinking too much about it.

Dewey huffed a small laugh through his nose. The warm puff of air hit Isaac's exposed skin, making him shiver from the thermal shock.

“I slept like a baby. Woke up with a damn headache though… It's not your fault of course.”

“I know dummy.” Isaac squirmed a bit. He squeezed Dewey's hand, slightly intertwining their fingers. “I don't mind it.”

He didn't need to precise that he was talking about their excessive cuddling.

“Good then, cuz I don't mind either.”

“Good.”

“Good.”

“So.”

“So?”

Isaac snorted. “You don't need to fill all the blanks you moron.”

“Hey but I'm not any moron, I'm your moron.”

Isaac could hear the grin in Dewey's voice. “If you say so…” He teased.

At that, Dewey suddenly propped himself up with his left arm, sliding his right hand from Isaac's side flat onto the mattress to lean on it and tower over his friend. He pursed his lips in indignation.

“Wassup?” Isaac inquired sarcastically.

Dewey didn't react to Isaac's cheeky smile. He leaned forward and smashed their foreheads together.

“Ow, motherfu-” Isaac rasped but was immediately interrupted by two hands cupping his face.

His breath seized up as his hands paused on the other's waist. The warmth of his skin was seeping through the fabric of his white tank top, heating up his cold fingers.

“You're a violent thing.” Dewey brushed a few wild strands of hair behind his ear - as if his hair was long enough to do that in the first place… It nearly made him laugh. Dewey was smiling gently at him, a hint of mischief hidden within his gray eyes.

Isaac chuckled breathily. “You're the one who jumped on me!” There was no heat in his words.

Dewey shrugged innocently, rubbing Isaac's cheeks softly, just how he knew he liked it. Caressing the thin, bluish skin under his eyes with a thumb. No matter how much he would sleep, Isaac always had dark eyebags underlying his gaze. He had come to the conclusion that it must be a natural thing. It hardened his stare, but it had a charming side.

“Like what you see Blondie?”

Dewey squished his cheeks as a reply. “I was just thinking that with a mug like yours, you don't need a cap or a hood to blend in with the aliens.” He grinned and a second later Isaac was poking him in his sides, making Dewey fall heavily onto him, convulsing and laughing like the ticklish fool he was.

“I'm just kidding! You're sooo handsome they would shoot you to protect their eyes from your shining, ethereal beauty-” He chimed, wiping the corner of his eyes.

Isaac hummed to hide the fact that his praises did things to him. Maybe he could try too?

“You're… not bad-looking yourself…”

“That's a start.” Dewey conceded. “Soon you'll be able to compliment others without having to use understatements!”

“It's not like you to use big words.”

“I may be swole but there's a lot of knowledge in that brain, duh” He pointed to his head with his index finger.

“Suuure.” Isaac snickered condescendingly.

“You know what? Fuck you!”

“Oh wow! So scary, I'm shaking in my boots!”

They bickered back and forth, with Dewey lying on top of Isaac, his head resting on his chest. Punctuating their sentences with back rubs and cuddles, because yeah they were still in bed, so yeah they could enjoy the little rest they got for once.

It was rare to experience such a domestic moment in their hectic life. The word "vacations” wasn't in the rebels’ dictionary, hence not making the most of it would be a crime. Soon, by the dint of slacking around, the serene atmosphere successfully sent them back to the land of dreams.

Although this time they didn't wake up as calmly as the first time…

Hyuna erupted in their room, yelling at them to get their ass up because they had things to plan before Round 6 and they were still far from being ready.

“GUYS GET UP NOW!” She was banging on a pan with a metal stick she had found hell knows where. She'd definitely wreak havoc in the base with this new weapon…

Dewey and Isaac grunted in unison, glaring at her through narrowed eyes accommodating to the light. They were blinded by the sun seeping through the torn curtains. A pleasure.

“Five more minutes mom!” Dewey whined, noticing only now how hoarse his voice was. He had gone overbroad with that last song, his vocal cords would stay mad at him a long time for that.

“It's past lunch time you assholes!” Hyuna brandished her pan as evidence, or as a threat. Perhaps a bit of both.

At her words though, Isaac sprang up into a sitting position, knocking Dewey's head and sending him flying off his chest. He raised his hand to adjust his cap out of habit, but he recalled he wasn't wearing it at the moment. Dewey was rubbing his forehead to ease the pain which had been inflicted to him not on purpose, curled up on himself like a shrimp.

Hyuna clasped her hands together. “Perfect! Now that the two of you are wiiide-awake, you'll be kind enough to dress up and meet me in my office. Come on, even Mizi handled her hangover better than you, she woke up at six to make me some tea damn it, what a sweet girl! You're supposed to be her seniors, shame on you!”

As if she was the most irreproachable member of the rebellion. She may have been a clever gal when it came to making the trickiest strategies work, but her reckless behavior had beckoned bad things her way more than once.

Don't get it wrong, she's never put her comrades into dangerous situations, it was the opposite actually. She would use herself as a bait to attract attention while the rebels would carry out the rest of the operations. A good way to lose a limb, literally. She had her prosthetic leg as a reminder not to reiterate that kind of plan in the future. Anyway, it was behind her now, and with the experience acquired throughout the years, she had learnt not to get in such a compromising situation again, thus forging her “No one left behind” state of mind.

Dewey groaned painfully, he had not recovered from Isaac's blow yet. The latter remained baffled in the background, scratching the back of his neck helplessly. It wasn't like him to be so undisciplined, to stray from the daily routine he had meticulously come up with. Even though it wasn't a particularly complicated one, a toddler would be able to do as much, he believed. Alright, perhaps not the part including intensive workout sessions, using heavy weights or running around the base for hours.

Hyuna raised an eyebrow, averting her gaze between the two of them. She squinted at them, then something clicked inside her head.

Oh. Oh.

An evil smirk grew on her face. Isaac got goosebumps from it.

“I see. I'll get going then…” She turned on her heels, then stopped and leaned onto the door frame before adding in a military tone. “You have twenty minutes and not one more! Quick and efficient boys!” She snickered, flashing her sharp teeth at a completely-out-of-it Isaac who could only blink at her in his daze. She retreated slowly while closing the door, winking at him before clicking it shut behind her.

Dewey rolled his head toward Isaac. His forehead was slightly red from where he had removed his hand.

“Wha’ was that about? I wasn't listenin’.” He slurred, stretching his arm toward the ceiling before letting them fall on his chest.

Isaac blinked a few more times at the door. He was doing his best to calm down the heating feeling that crept across his face. Gosh he wished he could hide under his cap.

“Nevermind, she's crazy.” He shivered, already imagining the worse. She would definitely use that against them later, the clever devil.

Isaac was first to leave the bed, fetching clean clothes in their shared closet and retrieving his cap from where it had mysteriously landed - under the bed.

Since Dewey was still half-asleep and drooling on his pillow, he took the initiative of showering before him. He needed his morning shower to clear up his mind. It would benefit them both, because that way, the bathroom wouldn't be as cold and maybe it would motivate the slobbering idiot to clean himself up like a decent human being.

Well, calling the water warm would be an overstatement, it was barely lukewarm for the first few seconds then it would progressively turn cold. Their water heater was not very functional for now, but at least the rebels wouldn't use all their reserves of clean water on long showers.

The bathroom was collective, so in order for everyone to shower in turn, there was a specific schedule that had to be respected as best as possible. Isaac didn't have to worry about it because it was way past showering time, meaning except for some late risers, he wouldn't meet anyone on his way. Good for him, he didn't want to inadvertently scare some poor guy passing by with his morning mug.

After a relaxing moment spent under the spray of freezing water in three minutes top time, he got back to his room with damp hair and a towel around his shoulder to keep his top dry. He wasn't surprised to find Dewey curled up on himself in his bed, probably sleeping again, judging by his lack of reaction when Isaac had set foot in the room. Isaac sighed in frustration. He quickly put on a black hoodie (yes he has a collection of black hoodies and he isn't ashamed of it), and kneeled next to the lower bunk. He prodded at Dewey's shoulder to check if he truly was unconscious or if he was faking it. An annoyed grunt confirmed his suspicions.

“It's time to get up, lazy bug.”

He squeezed Dewey's shoulder sympathetically. The latter groaned a second time to make himself understood, tossing around hoping to get rid of him, it was vain. There was nothing more stubborn than a playful Isaac. Dewey sighed as Isaac rested his chin on his shoulder, peering down at his blond lashes and his half-opened mouth.

“You stink.”

“Mng…”

“I'm being for real Dewey. Your reek of alcohol and sweat. It would be ridiculous to go to Hyuna's office in that state.” He nuzzled against his arm, clearly unbothered by what he just stated. If he was being honest, he loved Dewey's body odor. Maybe it sounded filthy, but he couldn't care less. It was a comforting smell.

“It's hard.”

“I know, you poor thing.” Isaac rolled his eyes affectionately.

“But maybe, a little boost would help…” He shifted slightly, now able to look Isaac out of the corner of his eyes. “Just a tiny tiny dose of dopamine.” He pinched his fingers together, accompanying his comment.

“That's all it'd take you to get up?”

“Yeah.” Dewey assured with a curt nod.

Isaac fixed him for a while, waiting to see if his friend would withdraw. But he didn't. He would never move if his request wasn't satisfied, so Isaac leaned forward to leave a small peck on his forehead, just like he had done the previous night to mess with him. Although now it felt more sincere, more intimate.

They often joked about kissing the homies goodnight, it was something they had picked up in the 49th Anakt Garden, a game Hyun Woo had introduced to them after having found an old, burnt diary in the room of his owner, which he apparently kept as if it was an ancient relic of some sort. How far had they gone out of the paved road to end up handing over kisses so casually?

Dewey's face lit up, he addressed Isaac a smile brighter than his future before pushing himself up into a sitting position. He ruffled his own hair.

Isaac experienced something similar to a heart attack at the sight of his bed hair.

“Ahh, my battery is fully charged now.” Dewey stretched with a groan. He nudged his friend. “Go ahead, I'll join you later. I know how insufferable you can be when you haven't had breakfast.” He got up while rubbing his eyes, dragging his feet toward the closet to find a fresh set of clothes.

“I'll keep you a portion.” Isaac declared, dusting off his jeans as he stood up from where he was kneeling. “But I'll eat it if you take too much time, so hurry.”

Dewey hummed as he folded a pair of khaki cargo pants. He stopped to look at his friend who stood still by the door.

“I love you so much man.” Perhaps his starving body had altered the chemistry of his brain to say such a thing. He shot Isaac a beaming grin and the latter nodded at him before leaving for the mess hall without a word.

When Isaac's footsteps couldn't be heard anymore, Dewey slumped forward, letting his forehead hit the cold wooden board with a “thump”. He buried his face in his hands, groaning in frustration through his fingers. He was so good at getting himself into this kind of delicate situation.

As promised, Dewey was quick to get ready, and that within ten minutes, a record.

The blond-haired guy met him in the mess hall just as planned. Together, they wolfed down their breakfast and refilled their glass with water an unholy amount of times to tone down their headaches, and hopefully recover from their hangover. Getting wasted was fun, but suffering the side effects wasn't.

After having asked for an extra portion of food, Dewey indicated to Isaac that he was ready to get going, and so came the moment to rejoice with Hyuna and Mizi in order to pass in review their material and future strategies. They were never ready enough, and an ounce of prevention was worth a pound of cure.

“It's gonna be a looong day, I'm exhausted just thinking about it.” Dewey complained, still munching on an unfinished sandwich. “I'll go to the gym afterward, you tagging along?”

Isaac hummed in agreement, then he suddenly came to a halt.

“Dewey.”

“Mmh?” The blond tilted his head, his mouth full of food.

Isaac snorted at the way his cheeks were so ridiculously full, reminding him of a goofy-looking hamster they had once found in the wilderness.

“I love you too man.” He smiled fondly. It was almost scary to see that kind of expression on his face as it was a rare sight to witness.

Dewey almost choked on his sandwich. He swallowed before letting out an embarrassed groan.

“Gonna make me blush.” He chuckled, not sure what else to answer. The familiar heat was slowly rising from the back of his neck to his cheeks.

Isaac shook his hand, slapping Dewey's back before sliding his hand down to let it rest on the small of his waist, pinching the fabric of his t-shirt. Dewey had to appeal to his self-control not to fold under his oh so gentle touch. He wasn't even using any strength to force his palm against his back, scarcely brushing his spine, in case it would make him uncomfortable. How considerate.

Isaac hummed. “Isn't that mine?”

“What-” Dewey brusquely directed his gaze downward to look at the top he was wearing. It was a grayish, washed-out, short-sleeved t-shirt, with a half-erased writing near his collarbone. Dewey owned similar tops in his personal wardrobe - although they were mostly of lighter color - so at first glance it seemed to be his. Except it wasn't, because there was something embroidered beneath the faded writing, something all too familiar, something he had been the one embroidering in the first place.

It was just an inside joke between him, Isaac and Hyuna, about Isaac and his passion for explosives. He brought a hand to the embroidered grenade surrounded by a flock of artificial flowers from the 49th Garden. He stroked the design with his fingers briefly. It couldn't be called “professional”, because it looked all cranky and distorted. For the extra efforts he had put into it though, he thought he deserved a little recognition. At least it was recognizable.

Problem is he hadn't been thinking straight when he was choosing his clothes earlier.

“Huh.”

Isaac's amused expression made him feel all the worse. From the start, he'd been showing off his friend's shirt, occasionally greeting other rebels around the base, at the canteen, in the hallways. They must have noticed that it wasn't his. But why? You would ask. Well simply because Dewey had bragged about his embroidery work to all, and I mean all of his friends. Mentioning it every time the man would wear his masterpiece, until his face was associated with that gray t-shirt.

At the end of the day, the rebels never failed to make remarks such as  “Oh you're wearing the t-shirt” when Isaac would be wearing it. So really, there was no doubt that it was Isaac's anymore. Everybody knew it.

“I'll… I'll just…” Dewey grabbed the bottom of the shirt in a desperate attempt, already pulling it up to give it back to its rightful owner. The fact that he wasn't wearing anything beneath it wasn't a problem to him.

Isaac didn't share the same opinion though. He stopped his friend by seizing his wrists, putting them down forcefully.

“Now is not the time for a strip-tease.” The moment his eyes darted down toward his abs was near imperceptible, but not for Dewey. “I don't mind you wearing it, it's fine. You look fine.” He muttered the last part.

Isaac patted Dewey's stomach through the fabric of his t-shirt, before quickly removing his hand. “Alright then, let's hurry. If we're not in Hyuna's office within three minutes, we're toast.” He beamed a smile at him. He definitely was in a good mood this morning.

Dewey stood open-mouthed as Isaac ambled toward their destination, a satisfied smile lingering on his face. The former shook his head, making his blond curls flutter messily and spraying water droplets all around him like a dog drying itself. He followed suit, catching up with Isaac in two big strides.

“Um, thanks. For letting me wear it. I s'pose.” Dewey searched his friend's face for any evidence showing that he was fine with it like he had said or if he was upset.

He tilted his head to take a proper look at his eyes which were hidden under his cap. Feeling his insistent gaze, Isaac shot a glance at him from the corner of his eyes. His mouth twitched in a weird way that could be read in several different manners. But the red blush decorating his cheeks betrayed him.

Isaac tugged his cap downward over his whole face, turning away from Dewey's intrusive gaze.

“I think we're even about the blushing thing now!” He giggled as he draped an arm across Isaac's large shoulders.

“Shut up!”

“Never!”

“Bloody hell.” Isaac grumbled into the visor of his headgear.

“Uh Uh you're cussing! So I've finally rubbed off on you it seems. What a rebel.”

Isaac snorted against his will at the unprompted joke. “You're a pain in the arse, you know that?”

“Yeah, it's too bad cuz you're never getting rid of me!” Dewey pointed at himself with his thumb.

‘Good.’ Isaac mused. ‘Because my life wouldn't be as colorful without you.’

Maybe he would gather the courage to tell him out loud someday. He wagered it'd be soon enough.

Isaac sneaked an arm around Dewey's waist as they walked down the hallway.

Hyuna shot them a suspicious gaze when they settled in her office, and if she noticed Dewey's t-shirt, she didn't say anything about it. Mizi was already there by her side, greeting them with a friendly wave. She looked as fresh as a flower, with no visible eyebags or hints indicating that she had been completely wasted the previous night. Oh to be young again, the boys thought as if they were not “almost” the same age.

Anticipating the subject of today's meeting, Dewey's leg started bouncing under the table, out of his control. It was stopped by a firm hand landing on his thigh, and he didn't need to turn his head to see who was behind it. Of course Isaac would have noticed it. Anyway, Dewey thanked him with an affectionate nudge of their knees, which was reciprocated by the other party without delay.

Hyuna cleared her throat, clearly side-eyeing the two of them. They stood straighter on their seats, prompting Mizi to chuckle behind her hand. At that moment, Isaac felt it in his bones that things would only get better for them in the future.

That day, the group made a common promise, the sixth Round would mark the end of the Alien Stage.