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Chapter Text

He dreamed…

The warmth on his face was unique and beautiful, and absolutely unlike anything else. Dream Jungkook was used to it...it was nothing new, although it was delightful. But dreaming Jungkook felt tears streaming down his face at the effervescent emotion rising up within him. Was this the sun? He looked around, noting the familiar unfamiliar landscape...the rolling landscape and fields full of what dream Jungkook knew was corn. The small incline on which he was seated, under a large tree with a canopy of fragrant flowers and leaves. Magnolia, his dreaming mind supplied, remembering reading about the trees and seeing pictures in the books he found. The breeze on his cheeks...the outside smell. He had managed to explore the Underground and, along with books, had caught a glimpse of the night sky on occasion. Had even felt the soft glow of the moonlight and had fought the urge to seek out a closer look. But he’d never even hoped to get to see the actual sun in real life. No one in the Underground ever got out. No one saw the sun. It was impossible. But maybe not. One thing was certain though. These dreams? The kind that were--wrapped in cotton and yet more vivid than his actual life? These always came true.

“Kook.”

And there he was. His pet name for Jungkook...the one only he could use...the one soft syllable...sounded like music out of his lover’s mouth. He closed his eyes for just a minute and smiled, loving the day, the air, and life in general. Then he turned to see him because looking at him in the sunlight was his favorite thing to do. Soft black hair, beautiful brown eyes, the fullest lips stretched into the smile that he loved more than he loved breath in his lungs or his heart beating. Golden skin, freckled-kissed tiny nose, lean yet strong form. He drank in the sight, feeling overwhelmed, grateful, happy, and at peace. They’d done it. They’d really done it. 

“I love you.”

Who said it? Who cared? They both felt it and were secure in the knowledge that they were IT for each other. Was it possible? Someone would actually love him--like really love him? It was going to happen? For some reason, that was harder to believe than the sunlight. But dream Jungkook was content and happy. Dream Jungkook wasn’t thinking about his parents, driven insane by their visions, or his sister, who volunteered for Breeding and died delivering her child in some sterile Lab. His entire attention was on the luminous man in front of him. 

“This is all I need.” He took the other man’s hand in his. It was calloused and rough, but Jungkook had felt them on his body enough to know that they were perfect like the rest of him. Perfect for him. “The sunshine. The fresh air. You. And Jaewoo.”

“And peace. No more fighting. I’m tired of fighting.” His voice was calm and inspired the very feeling of tranquility that he was talking about. Jungkook loved him. “And we did it. We all did it together.”

“Together.” Jungkook agreed. They sank back on the grass. He felt the individual blades tickle his skin as he tucked his head into the other man’s neck, smelling sandalwood and pine and an inherently sweet scent that belonged to him.  How did he know what sandalwood smelled like? And pine? As he drifted off into a light slumber, he heard the sound of a child’s laughter and smiled. “Jaewoo…”

“...ungkook?”

His mouth was dry, his stomach heaved, but it was his head that caused tears to come to his eyes. “Spike headaches” was what they called them, because it literally felt like a spike was being driven through a person’s skull. Seers got them when they had visions in different levels of intensity relating to the strength of their ability. In Jungkook’s family, it was bad enough to drive both of his parents to insanity and his sister to her death. What he needed, immediately, was--

“Here.” A tablet and a cup of water was shoved into his hand and he took both greedily, then laid back, waiting for it to work. 

‘Bad one?” Not trusting his voice at the moment, Jungkook nodded. “Rest a minute. I gave your parents their morning meds. They are resting. Everything is fine.”

Everything is fine, Jungkook thought, except I’ve never wanted to live in a vision before. It was one of the ways Seers went insane (the predictive ones, anyway). They dreamed of a world better than their current existence and spent the rest of their lives unable to reconcile that they might never live in that world. Because sometimes the future you dreamed of wasn’t yours. It was someone else’s. Or it was a generalized future hundreds of years from the time of the dream. Or it simply wasn’t real. It was enough to drive anyone mad. The lives of Seers was dark and bleak--the only light most of them saw was in their visions or imaginations, and few were lucky enough to be able to determine when what they saw was real and when it wasn’t.

“Thank you.” Finally, he felt ready to open his eyes. Squinting even though there was little light to bother his still-sensitive eyes, he peered at his best friend. “Thanks, Yeosang.”

The other man shrugged, averting his gaze from Jungkook. Yeosang was not a person who favored eye contact in general, as he was more inclined to See a person’s thoughts when it happened. He was not a predictive Seer like Jungkook, but instead could tell what people were thinking fairly accurately. The frequency with which it happened sometimes incapacitated him, although most in their community learned to simply avoid eye contact with him. He took a lot of the pills provided to all Seers. Jungkook looked closer at Yeosang and sighed a little when he saw the hollow cheeks, the fragility of his features. Yeosang was giving his rations away again...likely to some of the children. It wasn’t as if Jungkook didn’t do the same thing, because he did. But Yeosang did it more, and tended to do it too much. Last month, right before the next monthly drop off, when rations generally got incredibly thin, Yeosang had literally fainted from hunger and malnourishment. It had gotten so bad that a Healer had come out and given him a nutrient injection, which was highly unusual. They lived on the edge of starvation for a reason, Jungkook knew. He just didn’t know what it was. 

“Are my parents...are they lucid today?”

They weren’t, generally. They were confused, angry, and belligerent more often than not. It had gotten to the point where Jungkook had stopped each of them from jumping off the Chasm multiple times, and the last time, he wondered why he bothered. They wanted to die. They’d already lived longer than most Seers. They weren’t happy and they didn’t even know who he was. So why was he trying to keep them alive? There wasn’t much of a point. They couldn’t communicate their visions to him and they had never been consistently predictive even before they lost their grip on reality. It had happened to his father first, after his sister died. He had simply lost his will to move on. Jungkook wondered if he was angry at him for not fighting her harder when she went for the Breeding and then for the Birth. He knew what was going to happen. Knew it and had seen it. But volunteering for such a procedure had kept their community with improved rations and medicine for months. She had refused to turn it down and gone to her death knowing that she wouldn’t live long enough to lose her mind and would die helping her people. Jungkook tried to accept her decision, although it was still a struggle more than six years later. Rations and medicine didn’t replace his sister. And he missed her. 

“No.” One of the things that Jungkook appreciated about the other man, whose fox like features were illuminated dimly by the one light bulb in his cell, was his unwillingness to tell a lie. If the truth was going to hurt, he still told it. And wanted it told to him. In a world of shadows and potential, Yeosang thrived on certainty. “They were not lucid. But neither was violent. They asked a lot about Yongsun. Where she was. They didn’t mention you.”

Jungkook ignored the twinge. His parents often forgot about him. Even when he was with them, they seldom knew who he was. It wasn’t a surprise. He was used to it and used to the resulting feeling that he wasn’t enough. Wasn’t memorable enough. Wasn’t strong enough. He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of his cot and looked around at the shadowy brick walls. It was cold in the winter, hot in the summer, and always damp. Pneumonia was common, especially in the children, and there were fewer born every year. Speakers came more and more often in between food deliveries, anxious to try to encourage more Seers to take part in the Breeding. So far, no females had agreed since Yongsun died. A few men had volunteered, but the rewards weren’t as big for them. Closing his eyes again, he allowed himself to think for a moment of Him. He saw him so clearly in front of him. Sunlight in his eyes, smile on his face. He was beautiful. Dream Jungkook was so in love with him. But who was he? 

“Still thinking about him?”

Jungkook jumped. He should have been used to Yeosang’s ability to see into his visions when they were really strong. “Yeah.” 

“It was a Cotton Vision, wasn’t it?” Yeosang helped Jungkook to his feet, shouldering some of his weight when he stumbled.

“Yep.” So it wasn’t a matter of if, but when. And how. Jungkook fought the allure of hope and the desire to sink back into the vision, and forced himself to focus on living his life to make it come true. Dream Jungkook deserved it and maybe at some point, Dreaming Jungkook would too. 

VISUALS:

The Underground

Yeosang, Dream Jimin, and Jungkook:

Chapter Text

“Are your orders clear, Sergeant Park?” 

“Yes Sir.”

The words were formalities...protocol. No Soldier ever said “no” when asked the question. The Compliance Chip ensured obedience. Soldiers were wired for combat, fighting, training. They had near superhuman strength, dexterity, and impeccable sight and hearing. They understood orders without fail and followed them without exception. Soldiers didn’t think...didn’t reason...didn’t question. Didn’t demonstrate moral objection to any task. They were killing machines and tools for Speakers to use. When they weren’t in use, they were training so that they could accomplish the next mission.  Any order violation came when there was a defect in the chip. That was what the Speakers called it, anyway. A defect. Jimin had taken to calling it evolution. At least, since it had happened to him, anyway. Better to think of yourself as evolved than defective. 

He sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of his cot and cracking his neck and fingers the way he did every morning. It was a tension release and a signal to his muscles that it was time to engage, and he sank into a few basic stretches to further the message. And because it felt good after sleeping on a very thin mattress. Now that he was a sergeant, he had earned the right to a private room--cold and grey and lifeless, but private. There were no windows and only one lamp for light, but it was his own place without 30 other Soldiers next to him. Glancing up at the camera installed in the room, he stood and completed a few stretches, cracking multiple other body parts in the process, then casually headed to his private bathroom and the only place he was free from the cameras watching his every move.

Not that there weren’t cameras in the bathroom. There definitely were. But the reason why Jimin had chosen this particular room was because of a little corner next to the shower. This little corner was tucked away from surveillance and was the only place in his world where he wasn’t being watched. Only there was he safe to drop his persona and let himself go. Since his evolution, he’d spent a few careful moments a day just letting himself feel and show his feelings before he locked them back down. He couldn’t even explain the need--just that he had it.  He didn’t want to spend much time there because that would make them suspicious, so a few stolen minutes was all that he allowed himself. It was enough. He made it enough.

Crouching down, he considered his emotions. What was he feeling right now? What feelings had overwhelmed him in the last 24 hours? Regret. Guilt. Fear. The usual. What did those emotions look like? That was the struggle for someone who had spent his life feeling as though nothing really happened to him. It was like he’d been drowning for 23 years and now, suddenly, he had reached the surface for the first time. Now that he had these emotions, they felt fake, even though they were the first real things in his life. He remembered the most upsetting thing that had happened yesterday, beyond his typical worries about--no use thinking about that right now. He’d need more than a couple minutes off camera to process that particular thought. Yesterday, there had been a small uprising in the City, involving some Academics who protested the Breeding program, but since it was easily contained, Jimin’s team was not called in. Instead, they had trained most of the day and done simulations. Seonghwa, Jimin’s second in command, had been acting oddly over the past few weeks, so he had watched the other man closely, but had seen nothing to add to his suspicion.

Emotions expressed, he stood, neutral expression affixed, and finished getting ready. He had seven minutes, he knew, until a knock at his door told him that Seonghwa was fetching him and that it was time to put down this rebellion. Already his mind was trying to slip back into Soldier mode, as though the implant had never started failing for him. He drank his morning and afternoon supplements, pretending as though they didn’t make him hungrier. All Soldiers were kept at the edge of starvation. Since the Speakers, who were in charge, were weak in comparison, they feared the people they depended on to keep the peace. Malnourishment was one of the ways, and the implant was the other. Since his evolution, Jimin had spent some time wondering why, of all parts of the population, Speakers had the most power when they were, in fact, powerless in general. That was the reason for the Breeding program, after all. They were trying to ensure that the next generation of Speakers had some powers. So far, it had been a largely unsuccessful endeavor, though, and the Speakers had taken to attempting to Breed two different sorts of Cursed people together (again, their term was Cursed. Jimin preferred to call himself and others Gifted. Sounded less horrific that way). There were rumors that this goal had been achieved, although no one had ever seen the child in question. 

He only knew all of this because no one guarded their tongue much around him, because they didn’t expect him to listen or care.  There were times when Jimin wished he wasn’t free from the mental prison the other Soldiers were locked up in. It made him realize his hunger and caused him to think about things that he would normally rather forget. Things like his orders when they involved allowing his men to hurt people. Things like his participation in the Breeding program and the fact that he had a son somewhere in the City. Things like his lifetime worth of training and near superhuman powers being used by people who were both physically weaker and morally bankrupt. But now that he was free, he knew he had the opportunity and responsibility to take action. 

The knock startled enough to make him jump, and he cursed his reaction. Normally he heard Seonghwa approach, but he’d been so out of it that he didn’t even notice it. He made sure to keep the curse in his head, still keeping his facial features calm. If anyone watching him saw, it could flag him as problematic. He could lose the little freedom he currently had. He could lose the little alcove in the bathroom. He could be demoted or sent--wherever they sent the Soldiers who became non-compliant and “defective”. He needed to get his shit together. 

All these thoughts happened behind a calm exterior as he strode to the door and opened it, revealing Seonghwa. “Good morning, Jimin.”

“Morning. Get the orders?” Again, this was more protocol than anything else. Seonghwa NEVER arrived at his door without having the orders. Not in the past six years, when they started working together and were still rooming together in the barracks. Somehow, even then Seonghwa knew. The other man was taller than Jimin but not as muscled although he worked out all the time...his body was just naturally lean. He had sharp facial features but a soft mouth that Jimin knew he hated even though he didn't talk about it. Jimin's was similar and even a little larger, in all honesty, and he'd been surprised by his promotions through the ranks. Speakers generally liked male Soldiers who were more masculine and encouraged abuse against those who did not fit their interpretation of what was appropriate.  

“Yes. Techies are protesting. We need to lock it down.” He grabbed his pack and shut the door behind them as they left. It was the third uprising in a month from the Techie group, which was highly unusual. The last two times had been because they were being forced to try to invent improved Compliance Chips. He assumed that this was the case again. Probably another test subject had died. Techies and Academics didn't like it when people died. Even Soldiers. 

“Any idea what they are upset about?”

Now that was new. Soldiers didn’t contemplate why they were being put to work. They got the orders, completed the task, and then waited for more orders. Asking for the bigger picture represented higher level thinking and reasoning, and suggested that there might be the capacity for decisions based on these newly developed skills. OR it could be a trap. Jimin trusted Seonghwa more than he trusted anyone, but there was no real way to know if he was evolving or trying to trick him. The compliance implants were put in at birth and most Soldiers lived their entire lives serving the Speakers without question. As much as Jimin wanted to trust Seonghwa and desired to organize a revolt against the current dictatorship, the other man would have to give more if he wanted a response.

“Not our place to ask, Park. You know that.”

“Yes Sir.” As they walked down the steps, Jimin risked a quick look at Seonghwa and felt his eyes widen almost imperceptibly when he saw the man looking at him out of the corner of his own eyes.  That was a huge sign. Seonghwa was evolving. Or had evolved fully. They needed to talk.

VISUALS:

The barracks, Jimin's place, and the safe alcove

Sergeant Park

Park Seonghwa

Chapter Text

VISUALS:

Techies Haven

San

RM

Healer Min and San's Speaker Source

Chapter Text

VISUALS:

Jungkook, his sister, and his nephew

San and Jin (the two talking in the convo), and the Woo Jin is referring to

Chapter Text

Jin suppressed a shudder as the transport van descended into the Underground. The bright sunshine was immediately erased and darkness was an instant, palpable presence. The wasteland of the Underground was cheerless and tormented, and a person could almost feel the misery seeping from the dilapidated walls and echoing through the tunnels. He could smell the stale air that infiltrated the interior of the van through the open windows. Of all the places Jin had traveled in the New World, distributing rations and goods, the Underground was the worst. The Countryside was bad in its own way--bright sunshine hiding near starvation as the Growers only kept a fraction of what they grew and a sense of hopelessness in the Healers shacks as they made the population healthy enough to suffer for the Speakers again. The City, where Jin lived, was not a pleasant location for Techies and Academics who, like the other groups, were forced to utilize their Gifts (Jin refused to call them Curses. They weren’t Curses and he knew it), in ways that hurt other people. But no one suffered like the Seers in the Underground.

The Speakers, 50 years ago, had borrowed from history they’d learned in books found in the City. They’d learned that in order to keep a population obedient, especially if it had greater numbers than you did, was through fear, submission, and distraction. Fear was easy. Keep all the Gifted groups separate from each other. Teach them that the other groups were the ones causing the problems for the Speakers. That the other groups were dangerous. Not the types that wanted to be friendly or supportive of them. Submission was proving to be a little more difficult recently, but in general, worked because the individual groups had to submit to Speakers because they had the Soldiers in their corner and the food and necessities. Defiance meant these provisions were reduced or removed. Submission meant survival. And distraction came with a reward for the Speakers. Give the Techies something to invent and their minds became fixated on the task. And in the end? They provided something that helped the dictatorship maintain control. It worked for the Growers, Academics, and Healers as well. They often contributed to their own captivity without knowing. 

It was different in the case of the Seers. Their Gifts were too varied and unpredictable. They had no practical skills that assisted the Speakers in any way. Even the ones who were able to predict the future were not generally dependable. And it was actually a bad thing to have someone who was able to read your mind around you all the time. So the Speakers hid the Seers and kept them as close to death as possible. But since they also coveted their Gift more than any other, they used them for their Breeding program with as much regularity as they could. This meant that if a female Seer became pregnant, she was kept away from her family and group so that they could make sure she had enough nutrients for the baby. The births of Seers was exceptionally rare, and the numbers were dwindling. The cross breeding, though, had been successful six years ago, and now they had a Child. One more successful Breeding would hopefully generate a child of the opposite gender, and they could start Breeding them together. That was the Speakers’ goal anyway. First they had to control the Child they had already created, and that was proving to be quite impossible. Jin restrained a smile. The boy was definitely a problem for the Powers that Be, especially President Sajakul, who was not used to having her orders disobeyed. The Compliance Chip experiments had thus far completely failed, and the Speakers were at a loss about what to do next, Not that it mattered. Jin was going to get the boy out. They were going to revolt. And the Speakers would lose. 

“Do you ever get used to the smell?” Jung Wooyoung’s voice interrupted his thoughts, and Jin glanced at the boy in the passenger seat. Wooyoung, or “Woo” as he invited his friends to call him, was an anomaly in the Speaker world. Most young people who were lucky enough to be both Speakers and born into wealthy and influential households knew that they had it pretty good and did not question why. Woo, however, did. And he didn’t stop at why. He also wanted to know who had set up the current system, what their motivations were, how other people lived, where these other people lived, how he could help them to live better, and countless other things. There was no limit to his curiosity. In any other Group, this would be dangerous. There would be surveillance and discussions about his potential for rebellion. Eventually, he would “disappear” and never return. But luckily for him, he was a Speaker. There had never been an uprising or rebellion from a group of Speakers, probably because they were generally satisfied with how things were going. Woo was not. He did not understand why things couldn’t be better for everyone and was willing to have less so that others could have more. Jin admired his empathy and compassion, and knew that he was vital to a successful revolution. 

“I never have.” He answered the question candidly. “But it’s well known that the sense of smell is the first to dissipate, so I imagine the people who live here don’t even smell it anymore.”

Woo shuddered, glancing around at the bleak surroundings. “I’m glad I don’t live here. I’d hate to have to get used to something as bad as this. I’m glad we’re helping these people. When you took me to the Countryside and other parts of the City, I thought those were bad. But this is much worse.”

“It is.” Jin nodded. 

He slowed down, knowing from past visits that he was getting very close to the Speakers’ checkpoint, where he would have to verify his identity with the guards. They knew him, but it was a much more formal process than it was in other locations. Speaker guards who worked here in the Underground took their job seriously and although they didn’t actually interact with Seers, as none ventured this far outside their boundaries, they were prepared to subdue them if they had to. 

“Speaker Kim.” The guard today was Jim Collins, an intelligent and well-spoken young man from a lower-level Speaker family. Jin smiled at him and nodded. “Brought someone new today?”

“Yes. Here is his id. This is Jung Wooyoung. Wooyoung, this is Mr. Collins.” Jin completed the introductions while the other man surveyed the paperwork carefully before nodding at Woo with a smile.

“Everything here looks to be in order. But I would be surprised if it wasn’t, to be honest, Mr. Kim. You always follow the rules.” 

“Well, the rules exist for a reason, you know?” Yeah they do. To subdue the Gifted and keep the mediocre Speakers in power, he thought privately. 

“That they do.” Jim nodded seriously.

“They quiet today?” Jin asked, starting the van up again and preparing to pass.

“They’re always quiet. I never see them. Most days it feels like I’m guarding an empty tunnel.” Jim laughed. “It honestly surprises me when you come with the rations sometimes. I forget there are people in there.”

“Well we’ll be on our way and you can go back to forgetting.” Jin smiled, knowing that his smile was one that put people at ease. 

And of course, it worked. It felt like cheating sometimes, knowing that he had an advantage like this. Because he was not simply a Speaker. This was also why he felt like he had a reason to encourage and spark a rebellion. He didn’t know if there were others like him or not--pretenders, people who hid who they really were behind Speakers’ masks--but it was hard to imagine that there were not. One thing was clear though: Woo was not one of them. He was, simply, a good person who wanted others to have a better life. And that made Jin very happy and also, a little bothered. No one liked to be reminded that there was someone who was better then them, after all. But since it was Woo, and since he was so sweet, it made things easier to take. 

The provisions that they were taking to the Seers was the smallest of any of the non-Speaker groups. There was very little food and drink for them, and even less material goods such as soap and other cleaning supplies. Seers never complained, though. They never spoke too much to him at all. Jin thought, privately, that they were afraid of all Speakers by nature, and this kept them even quieter than they would typically be. There was one who spoke to him pretty regularly, though, and he was the person who Jin thought could potentially be willing to work with them. The fact that he was the doubly-gifted child’s uncle only added to the ways he could be persuaded.

“Kim Seokjin.” Woo’s voice was soft and full of dismay. “Look at these poor people. I was hoping you had exaggerated their situation, but I can see now that you didn’t.”

“No,” Jin said quietly. “I didn’t exaggerate.”

The Seers came out of their living areas as the sound of the van alerted them to the coming visitors. They were painfully slender, pale, and some looked very sickly. Few were older than 40, and Jin knew this was because of a combination of malnutrition and illness--mental and physical--that accompanied their living conditions and the draining nature of their Gifts. Scanning the group, Jin climbed out of the van, motioning for Wooyoung to do the same, and then walked to the crowd.

“Hello, Seers,” Jin greeted the crowd politely. “I hope that you are well.”

“Hello Speaker Kim.” Kang Yeosang came forward and smiled a little at Jin. “It’s good to see you. And the supply van.”

Jin laughed and turned to Wooyoung, who had giggled a little at Yeosang’s frank words. “Everyone, this is Jung Wooyoung. He agreed to accompany me today and help distribute the supplies. Also, he has some medical training, although he is not a Healer. If anyone needs non emergency care, he can administer it at this time.”

“Could I trouble him to give my mother a bit of attention?” a quiet, familiar voice asked from the group. 

“Of course, Jungkook. If it isn’t urgent, we will distribute the supplies, and then we'll both come and check on your mother.” It was the perfect opportunity to make some observations and, potentially, have an earnest conversation with the younger man.

Jungkook nodded. He had a tall but slender form, the wide eyes that his sister and nephew shared, and larger than average front teeth. Taken together, his was a face that was charismatic and attractive, even with the anxiety that was often in his expression. Today, he had a bruise on his face near his cheekbone, and he was pulling anxiously at the tiny fine hair on his cheek. Jin frowned. One or both of his parents had clearly been combative today. Maybe it wasn’t a good day to talk about rebellion, especially if it was going to add to his stress levels.

Handing out the rations was a job done quickly, since there wasn’t much to give out and Wooyoung was with him. Jin also moved a little faster than usual while still being courteous to the Seers--for many of them, the Speakers driving the transport vans were the only outside faces they saw. He could see the impact that the experience was having on Woo, as well. More than once, he turned aside to surreptitiously wipe tears away. Jin knew the feeling, It was after his very first trip to the Underground that he had decided to organize a rebellion if he could. No one deserved to be treated this way. The Seers even thanked them for their meager portions, and somehow that made it worse. He couldn’t imagine being grateful for what was approximately ¼ of what he usually ate in a month per person. 

Yeosang was the second to last to receive his ration, his features impassive. Despite being smaller than Jungkook, he was a much more intimidating character, with cool eyes and a sharp jawline. He glanced behind him, saw that Jungkook was the only one remaining behind, and leaned forward to whisper in Jin’s ear. “What you are thinking of asking Jungkook? Don’t put it off. He needs hope to hold onto.”

Jin stared at Yeosang. Here was a Seer who could read thoughts, it seemed. Yeosang could be dangerous to have around, or an incredible help, depending on his inclinations.

“Oh.” Yeosang smiled. “And ask me too. I will say yes, I promise. And I will mean it.”

His words startled a laugh out of Jin before he could withhold it, and the other man’s grin turned impish as he giggled at Jin’s reaction. His face transformed with his merriment, and when he turned to Wooyoung to get his monthly cleaning supplies, poor Woo simply stared at him as though he was transfixed. Yeosang’s face turned a bit pink (maybe he was reading Wooyoung’s mind and found the contents more complimentary than he was expecting), and he lowered his eyes. He was still smiling, though.

“Kim Seokjin.” Jin turned back around to see Jungkook waiting patiently, anxiety still present in his eyes. “How are you?”

“I am well, Jeon Jungkook. How are you?” His eyes wandered to the bruise marring his cheek. “I’m guessing you will say that you are fine, despite evidence to the contrary.”

Jungkook flushed, then nodded. “But I am fine.” he replied earnestly. “This is nothing to be concerned with.”

Jin wondered how he had become so utterly fond of the boy. Somehow, although he saw him infrequently, Jungkook had become Jin’s reason for wanting to rebel. His hope and faith were tied up in the revolution, formless as it currently was. The fact that Jungkook deserved better was the very thought that had led Jin to begin reflecting on the situation in the New World to begin with. 

“Should we go to visit your mother?” Jin suggested. Jungkook nodded, and Yeosang and Woo fell into step behind them as they headed towards the Jeon family quarters. There were cameras here and a lot of surveillance, so Jin had to be very careful. Although Speakers weren’t generally under surveillance, Seers were, nearly as much as Soldiers, probably because they were equally dangerous, albeit in different ways. 

They heard Jungkook’s mother before they saw her. She was moaning and crying. Jungkook flinched at the sound and his expression was a combination of anger and sadness, and guilt and fear. Jin wondered what the man looked like when he was happy, and decided that he would see it at some point. No matter what.

“What’s happening? Why am I tied up? Who are you people?” Mrs. Jeon’s voice was soft and afraid. She looked at her son like she had never seen him before. Like he was her kidnapper. Her jailer. It was heartbreaking and enraging at the same time, and it helped cement the notion in Jin’s head. He would free them. He shook his head. No. He would help them free themselves. It wasn’t about him.

He glanced at Woo, who, unsurprisingly, had tears in his eyes. He was an emotional person and felt things very deeply, but Jin knew this would encourage him to stay the course and remain devoted to the cause. Jungkook sat next to his mother and took her restrained hand in his. 

“Mom, it’s me. Jungkook. I’m your son, remember?” 

She shook her head. “I only remember Yongsun. Where is my daughter? Is she here?”

Jungkook shut his eyes and Jin saw a tear escape one, rolling down his bruised cheek. He couldn’t imagine having to live with the torment of reliving his sister’s death over and over again. How could he ever get over it with the daily reminders from his mother? 

“She’s dead, Mom. I told you that a little while ago. She died six years ago in the Lab. Remember?” Jeon Yongsun had died in childbirth, but although it was widely believed that her son had died as well, this was not the case. Jaewoo was alive and was already proving to be a gifted Seer. He also had unique physical strength and dexterity common with Soldiers. Jin knew time was of the essence if their rebellion intended to save him. Because no Compliance Chip worked on him. If he could not be controlled by the Speakers, they would destroy him before he became fully grown and a more significant problem.

Mrs. Jeon was weeping now, and starting to become hysterical. Woo moved forward, pulling a tablet from a container in his backpack. “Mrs. Jeon,” he said soothingly. “Please take this. It will help you rest and you will be much more calm when you wake up.”

That she obeyed him was a testimony to his endearing nature. He helped her sit up, one arm behind her back, and then put the pill on her tongue. Holding a cup of water that Yeosang provided to her mouth, he encouraged her to sip it slowly, then helped her lay back down. Slowly, her brow unfurrowed, and she drifted off into what seemed to be a calm and peaceful sleep.

“Thank you Mr. Jung.” Jungkook’s voice was tight with emotion. “We have not had this particular medicine available to us in some months. It is appreciated.”

“Please call me Wooyoung or Woo. And here are some more pills. They are not habit forming, but should only be used when she is aggressive or violent. I also have some salve here that will help your bruises.” He handed the materials over to Jungkook, who took them with a quiet appreciatiative noise. “Don’t apply the salve to an open wound, though, because it could irritate it.”

Jin stood up, turning to leave. “We should get back, Wooyoung. We’ve already stayed longer than we are required to.”

Wooyoung nodded and gathered himself together. “Jungkook and Yeosang, would you walk us back? I’m not certain I can find my way back to the van.”

“Of course.” 

It was as they were walking that Jin started talking quietly and quickly, using the cover of Woo’s intentionally louder-than-normal conversation with Yeosang. “Control your facial expressions as I tell you this or we will all pay the price. Your nephew is alive. We need to know if you are willing to fight for your freedom and join the rebellion. We believe we have willing participants in every group who are going to work on recruitment and we plan to overrun the Speakers and knock them out of power. Nod if you are interested.”

Peripherally, he saw Jungkook nod once, without hesitation. Not that Jin had a doubt. He knew Jungkook was going to say yes. Knew he could be trusted. That was why he brought one of the old communication devices that San had rigged with him. “I’m going to give you something when I shake your hand at the van to thank you for leading us out. It is a communication device and a set of instructions for how to use it. Make sure neither is discovered during a Raid. If you have doubts about whether or not I can be trusted, ask Yeosang, who has read my thoughts multiple times today and previous days.”

Jungkook nodded again, and then they were at the van. The exchange went smoothly, and Jungkook controlled his facial expression very well, except for his eyes, which were huge with wonder, concern, and hope. Even his voice was level as he thanked them for their assistance with his mother. Yeosang was quiet and impassive as always, but his eyes stared unmercifully at both of them. Reading them. Judging them. Determining their ability to be trusted. Jin knew he and Woo would both pass the test just like he knew that Jungkook and Yeosang would pass his. 

“This is going to work.” Woo’s voice was quiet but determined as they made their way back to the City. “I will make sure it works.”

“WE will make sure it works,” Jin corrected with a smile. “The only way it will is if we all work together. All the groups equally invested.”

VISUALS:

Jin, Woo, Jungkook, and Yeosang

Chapter Text

VISUALS:

Seer Xiao

Chapter Text

Jung Wooyoung had always been distressingly empathetic. His parents had first noticed it when he was 15 and at an official function with them. Official functions were pretty much the only times he saw his parents--Speakers were not expected to interact much with their own children, as they were generally too busy socializing and conducting business they saw as life-altering, but which was really completely devoid of meaning and purpose. Wooyoung had been raised by various nannies (lower level Speakers who were rotated every six months from a large pool of workers. They didn’t stay long, as that would mean the children would establish too close of a bond with them. Wooyoung always managed to make a connection with each of his nannies, and was always sad for a few days after they were invariably removed from his life), and had been provided with all the materialistic objects he could possibly desire, and saw his parents generally 2-3 times a week. Political dinners for local politicians as well as other public appearances were some of these occasions.

The banquet was for fundraising purposes. A Speaker was running for representative of a certain district in Capital City, and as Wooyoung’s father was a representative of a different district, they attended the event. Even at 15, Wooyoung had known that the political obsession that many Speakers had was pointless. The power that a person obtained after having won an election (and could you really call it one when only certain citizens were allowed to vote and voter apathy in general meant only about 30% of those eligible did so?) was nominal at best. Everyone knew the person with the majority of real power in Capital City, and in the New World overall, was President Sajakul. Wooyoung had met her once, when she was campaigning and his father had hosted a dinner for her. He still remembered her disdainful gaze as she glanced at him. 

Capital City was where the main population of Speakers in the New World lived. There were other cities in the New World, but they were much smaller and less well-established than Capital City. Wooyoung had learned about these other locations from Rhoda, the nanny he had the summer of his 13th year. She had told him about it one night when he’d woken, screaming, from a nightmare and was unable to fall asleep...whispered stories of freedom and an intermixing of Cursed people. Wooyoung thought it was a made up story of a made up location until he heard his parents talking about President Sajakul’s intention of taking over outlying cities to “establish Capital City order” on them. Order, most Speakers thought, was the only way to make sure another war didn’t happen, but Wooyoung knew “order” was the only way for those without Curses to rule over those who had them. 

When he was 15 and at the business function with his parents, he had listened to one of the platforms that the politician they supported was running on. The man wanted to “exterminate” the less important people in each Cursed group in order to maintain more goods for the Speakers in Capital City. After all, he proposed, why have 50 Growers of varying strength working in a crop field when you could have 25 strong Growers? Sure, they would have to work harder, but everyone knew that Cursed people were inherently lazy, so it wouldn’t hurt them to work 17-hour days instead of their current 12-hour ones. He’d shown some images of Growers he thought would help his chances of election, and Wooyoung saw the faces of people this man thought didn’t deserve to live. It had made him cry, which had embarrassed his parents immensely. Apparently thinking that all people had an equal right to live was socially unacceptable if you were a good Speaker.

He didn’t regret the disappointment in his parents’ eyes, because something important happened when he cried that night. It was there that Wooyoung had met Jin. The older Speaker was part of a higher social class than he was, but he had immediately pulled Wooyoung aside and asked him if he was ok. Through the conversations, lunches, and shopping trips that followed, Wooyoung had discovered that Jin was a revolutionary, and had eagerly agreed to help when the subject of a possible uprising was mentioned over a year later. He knew that although Jin liked his company and had genuinely come to call him a friend, he had waited that long to suggest rebelling to him because he had wanted to ensure that he was trustworthy. 

Since then, they had become inseparable, and Wooyoung, or “Woo” as Jin had come to call him, saw the man as closer to him than any family member or nanny had been in the past. His parents were delighted with the friendship, as they saw it as an opportunity for them to be upwardly mobile, and he was given a lot more freedom than he would have been if Jin wasn’t from such a prominent family. When Jin had started taking Wooyoung on trips to other areas with him to distribute goods, they saw it as doubly beneficial--it helped with that annoying empathy of his, and it provided public proof that their son was a Friend of Kim Seokjin. His father hadn’t had to worry about reelection since that meeting, although if anyone figured out what Jin was up to, the situation would change drastically. So it was up to the two of them to make sure no one found out. 

“It’s pretty out here.”

Jin smiled at him from the driver’s seat. “Is that why you’ve been so quiet? Enjoying the scenery?”

He made a noncommittal sound in the back of his throat, saying neither yes or no. They couldn’t talk privately with any confidence in the van, as there were surveillance cameras vigilantly recording their every word. He wondered if it was ok to talk about the Countryside in a positive manner--if that would lead to him getting in trouble, and then decided it was probably safe. He was seen as slightly eccentric, after all. Empathy was not an emotion that Speakers traditionally felt. And the Countryside was beautiful in its own way. There wasn’t much green, the way it was in older days, because of the war and the climate crash that happened after it, but it was quiet and natural. A person could be alone with his thoughts and no one would interrupt him, which, he supposed, could be a good or bad thing. He gazed at the sky, more blue than it was in the City and the sun, more visible than it was in the City, and considered what he was feeling. “I’ve never been out here before. It’s a really different feeling than the City.”

“That it is.” Jin nodded. “Do you like it?”

He thought a minute. “I do, but it’s also scary. It’s so big and there’s so much space. I’m used to having buildings all around me. They’re comfortable. Out here, there’s nowhere to blend in. Everything you did would be really noticeable.”

“That’s true. It is very different from the City.” 

This was no ordinary trip to the Countryside. They were recruiting for the uprising. Jin was supposed to be looking for a Healer by the name of Yunho, and they were also just observing if there was any Grower that seemed like they might be willing to join them. Like Jin said, rebellions didn’t last long if you couldn’t feed people. Wooyoung was a little nervous about seeing these new people, especially after the reaction he had to the Underground. It had taken him a long time to calm down, although he’d been able to maintain calm in front of Jungkook and Yeosang. Yeosang. Just the man’s name brought a sense of peace and calm to his mind. There was something about him...something that reassured and soothed, even as his features remained sharp and his mind and words even sharper. He couldn’t explain it, couldn’t justify it. And he didn’t want to. He was glad that they were going to see each other again and that Yeosang was part of the rebellion. He hated the Underground...hated how small and skinny and scared and sad the majority of the population was. Hated how Jungkook was forced to live with parents who had lost their sanity because Academics, Techies, and Healers, who could be working together to alleviate the problems Seers had as they aged, were instead isolated and forced to waste their energy on making lives better for Speakers who had no Curse (or Gift, as Jin called them) and an inferiority complex. It had to end. They would make it end. 

The van stopped and he blinked, realizing his gaze had drifted off while he was thinking. They had stopped in front of a series of small huts which all looked alike--low to the ground, shabbily made, clearly brutalized by the elements. Wooyoung could tell just by looking at the construction that they would be cold in the winter and sweltering in the summer. Again, he tried to minimize the anger he felt on behalf of all people with Gifts. There was no reason to treat people this way--at least, there was no good reason. Behind the line of huts, he could see fields with what he assumed were crops, stretched into the horizon. The Growers were there, some with hands in the dirt as they coaxed it to cooperate with them, others spreading water on what was already growing, while still others harvested what was ready to be picked. It was an active scene and fascinating to see in action. The aggressively green growth was shocking to see in the relatively desolate landscape, but he also noticed that in front of some of the huts, there were patches of green growth in small shrubs and plants. Growers clearly had strong Gifts, he decided, and took a moment to feel quietly grateful to them.

A small crowd had gathered by the van by the time they got out, and Wooyoung could see they were mostly Healers, as evidenced by their white clothing and clean appearance. The few Growers who weren’t working were dressed in brown and tan and were quite dirty from their daily tasks. Jin smiled at them, greeting them cordially but not too closely. They were meant to carry the supplies for the Healers to their housing, place the Growers’ goods outside their homes, and then leave. Interaction was not encouraged. But out here, in the wilderness, the surveillance was limited to a few cameras in medical buildings to ensure drugs weren’t stolen, some Speakers on the borders of where the Growers and Healers lived, and a few in air conditioned stations in the fields. They never talked to the Cursed, as they wore surveillance at all times. The Speakers who carried supplies did not have their own surveillance, as they traveled between boundaries and different technology worked best in different locations. That was why they had to be trusted to get the opportunity to deliver. Jin was trusted because of his family and his history of rule following, and Wooyoung was trusted because Jin trusted him. Still, it had taken Wooyoung awhile to get the clearance to come along. And he was going to make them pay for their trust.

“Hello, Speakers. I am Healer Jeong. May I help you carry the supplies to the Healers’ place of residence?”

Wooyoung turned and looked. Standing in front of him was the young man from the photo that Jin showed him. He was tall and broad, although like all of the other Cursed--- Gifted , Wooyoung amended mentally--he had an air of frailty from malnourishment. He wore a ready smile, though, that was soothing and gave Wooyoung a feeling of happiness and contentment. Clearly, this man’s Healing Gift was administered through his smile as well as his hands. Wooyoung wanted to be his friend already and was glad that this was the person who they were potentially going to recruit.

“That would be great. Thank you.” Jin picked up some packages and Wooyoung did the same. Yunho led the way with Jin by his side and Wooyoung, ever curious, trailed a bit behind, looking at the Healers’ homes as they came to them. They were small, like the Grower’s houses, but were more geometrically shaped and most were white. There was not a sense of earthiness or of the dirt that came with working in the fields all day, and Wooyoung supposed that was because of the need for cleanliness when one was medically treating a patient. It was obvious, of course, that the Healers did not live as well as the Speakers. No one was allowed to.

Yunho kept glancing at Jin from under the long fringe of hair that hung over his eyes. It made Wooyoung think that he wanted to say something, although it was just as likely that Yunho had never seen a more beautiful person than Jin. The older Speaker was well-known for his beauty, and it was all the more astonishing considering that he had not had any sort of plastic surgery, as a majority of the group tended to do. He was just naturally gorgeous. Wooyoung, who felt like his nose was too big, his eyes too small, and his face just overall unimpressive, couldn’t even feel jealous because he liked Jin so much. The fact that Jin was unnaturally beautiful by birth was the only thing that made him unusual by Speaker standards. It was the Gifted who were generally blessed with aesthetically pleasing appearances for some reason. Even the Seers, who were nearly starving and denied actual sunlight in their lives, were ethereal and beautiful in a fragile way. 

“Did you have a question for me, Healer Jeong?”

Jin’s voice was congenial but curious. Yunho flushed a little and looked at his feet. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “I don’t want to be rude.”

“You aren’t being rude. Why don’t you tell me what’s on your mind?” Jin was gentle now, and Wooyoung knew it wasn’t just because he thought Yunho could be swayed to their side. It was because Jin was just that good of a person. 

“I was wondering...you travel to different locations to pass out the food, right?” At Jin’s nod, he continued. “Do you--have you ever...that is, do you know Healer Min? He used to live out here with us and I know it’s not encouraged for us to be friends with each other, we did get to be kind of close. It’s been awhile and I was just wondering since he was moved to a City location...I was hoping you had heard of him and knew if he was ok?”

The last few parts of the sentence came out in a rush and Jin smiled kindly at him. “Relax a little, Healer Jeong. Yes. I know Healer Min. Furthermore, he asked me to contact you once I arrived in the Countryside if I could.”

Yunho’s eyes widened so far that Wooyoung would have laughed if it wasn’t for the hope that was clearly conveyed in them. It was a cute expression, but heartbreaking at the same time. No one should have to be separated from people they were close to because another group was afraid of them. “He did? Is he all right? Is he safe? What did he want?”

Wooyoung did laugh then at the rapid-fire questions. “Cute.”

Yunho blushed. “Sorry.”

Jin grinned at him. “Please don’t be sorry. It is a good thing, to worry about your friend. What we have to ask you may be too much for you to give, but if I tell you how Healer Min is and why we were sent to talk to you, and you turn down our request, may we count on you to remain silent about our plans?”

Yunho nodded emphatically. “Yes, Speaker Kim. I promise.”

“All right then. Healer Min is doing well in the City from a certain point of view, I suppose. He has moved up in his position quite a bit and works now in the Cross Breeding department.” Jin nodded at Yunho’s wince. “That was, of course, never his desire, as the people who ‘volunteer’ for the program are generally driven by desperation, and there is a high mortality rate in young women who are selected to participate. Not to mention that the rate of deformities in the fetuses that manage to be born makes euthanizing them normal procedure. Healer Min has struggled ethically even while he succeeds professionally.”

“That was my worry,” Yunho nodded unhappily. “And Yoongi--I mean Healer Min--he doesn’t hide his hatred for certain things very well.”

“He has managed to do so until this point, but I may as well tell you that we are planning an uprising.” The blunt way of phrasing had Yunho nearly dropping the materials he was carrying in surprise. He looked excited and then skeptical.

“Is this a test?” 

“No. I can see how you might think that it is, but I swear that it isn’t.” Jin glanced at Wooyoung, who stepped forward.

“Healer Jeong, there are some of us who believe that the Speakers’ exploitation of the rest of the groups in the New World needs to end. We have found Seers, a Healer, and some Techies. We may have even found a few Soldiers. It is our hope that we can form a core group who will then recruit other members for the cause. It is my sincere wish to see equality among the groups. I can’t really explain why I feel this way except that I believe that every person, no matter what their Gift or Curse or whatever you want to call it, deserves the freedom to go where he or she chooses and pursue the things that interest him or her. Separating everyone only leads to fear of the unknown, which, I am sure, is the Speaker’s purpose, as those in charge know that working together, those with Gifts could defeat them and force them to share power and material things. But if all groups aren’t represented in the revolution, then there will be some who are resentful of the others and feel excluded. In order to avoid this, we would like to make sure everyone has a chance to participate. Healer Min believed that you might be one of those people.”

Yunho’s eyes were filled with tears by the end of his speech. “Do you really call them Gifts?”

“Of course I do. The things you can do--how could they be described as anything else? That Speakers have made you feel like you are unworthy for the very skills they rely on you to provide is one of the biggest sins they have committed.” 

Next to him, Jin nodded approvingly. “This is why you are good to have along, Woo. Besides your excellent company, you provide the passion and words. You are a true Speaker, if speaking was an actual Gift.”

Wooyoung flushed in embarrassment. “Speaking is hardly a Gift. Everyone can do it.”

“Ahh,” Jin shook his head. “But not everyone can do it as well as you.”

Yunho nodded. “I am in.”

“Seriously?” Wooyoung smiled. “That is excellent news.”

“But how will we plan and meet? We can’t physically be in the same location very often,” Yunho commented. They arrived at the door of a larger building, and Yunho glanced casually at a camera pointing inside. “Once we enter the medical center, we will be observed. Out here we have freedom for another few moments before they determine that it has taken us too long to carry the materials.”

“Our techies have modified a communication device that we can give you. We have three more as well. There are instructions as well. Please guard them carefully so they do not fall into the wrong hands. Keep the extras in a secure location until the time when you recruit others who you think you can trust who might also be interested in rebellion.” Jin spoke quickly, pressing a smaller box in his hands. 

“There are many.” Yunho’s response gave Wooyoung instant hope. “Both among Healers and Growers. The Speakers made a mistake, putting us closer together and then leaving us without constant surveillance everywhere. Throughout my lifetime, I have spoken to nearly every Grower and have become close friends with several. We meet and talk frequently and I call them my friends. Trying to tell us that other Curs-- Gifted groups are evil or have bad intentions toward us doesn’t work when they don’t scrupulously maintain control and separation between us. There have been a lot of talks of rebellion. Quiet talks, and mostly hopeless because we knew we would need assistance from those in the City, but this. This is exactly what we needed to fully commit to taking action.”

“That--” Jin stopped, clearly a bit overwhelmed, and then took a deep breath to start again. “That is good news, Healer Jeong. Very good news.”

Yunho smiled at them both. “Please call me Yunho. If we are going to be fighting on the same side, we should be on a first-name basis.”

“Yunho. My name is Jin and this is Woo. Glad to have you on board. I’ll tell Healer Min you asked after him.”

Yunho flushed and Wooyoung giggled. This was going to work. He was no Seer, but he just knew. It was going to work.

VISUALS:

Healer's homes

Grower's homes

Yunho's smile

President Sajakul

Chapter Text

He dreamed…

“Wake up, sleepyhead.”

The soft voice near his ear made him smile even as his eyes remained closed. Unwilling to acquiesce to the request, even though he loved the person who made it, he burrowed deeper into the soft pillow beneath him, murmuring a mumbled denial. The bed was so soft and the blankets so comfortable. He just didn’t want to wake up. Sleep was best. No, sleep with him was best. Casting an arm out blindly toward the voice, he pulled the other man closer to him, snuggling happily against his warmth, picturing as he did the honey gold skin and smooth muscles. He could feel the sunlight streaming in the windows onto his face, but even that light couldn’t make him open his eyes. He was too content. The cotton dreams were in sunlight recently, dreaming Jungkook noted, and they were always with Him.

Lips trailed down his back at his spine, sending shivers through him that had nothing to do with being cold. His touch always inspired a reaction, from the first time they met. He purred happily, loving the feeling. “Did I wear you out that much last night?” the voice giggled and despite his devotion to sleep, he smiled. Hearing that laugh... that was worth waking up for. Arching his back into the kisses still traveling down it, he sighed, finally opening his eyes to face the morning. There was nothing like waking up when you felt like waking up with the person you most wanted to wake up with. It was perfect.

“Maybe you did.” Turning over finally, he was able to see his love smiling down at him, messy hair in his face and eyes shining with joy and love. “You’re so beautiful.”

His lover scoffed. “Please. I’ve got scars. I’m short. I need to train harder because I’m getting soft.”

“Stop putting down the love of my life,” Jungkook scolded. “He’s beautiful and amazing and perfect in my eyes.”

The other man rolled his eyes, but did not protest when Jungkook pulled him into a hug, allowing the other man’s head to rest on his chest. He stared at the ceiling and gave into the near constant urge to run his hands through the soft black hair. “And if we are really comparing bodies, I’d say yours wins out over my sunburnt, too skinny self.”

“Shut your mouth. I adore you and your sunburns. Although we need to make sure you don’t get them often. Jaewoo too.” The other man peppered Jungkook’s still pink chest with light kisses. “He doesn’t burn in the sun as badly as you, but he should still wear a hat at least. Too much exposure could be dangerous.”

“He’s your son, so he does what he wants.” Jungkook laughed, continuing to run his hand through his lover’s hair idly and basking in the feeling of lying in bed without a single thing to do. “You’re both stubborn.”

“He’s your nephew, so I’d wager he’s getting that stubborn streak from both sides.” Jungkook considered the comment and nodded at its accuracy. “But, you know what? We have a little time before Yeosang and Wooyoung harass us for lying in bed...want to get worn out again?”

“I thought you’d never ask.” Jungkook pulled his lover over him and lifted his face for kisses…

He opened his eyes, staring at the dark and dilapidated ceiling over his head and hating that he was comparing it to the white, clean one from his dream. They had been happening more and more often. He knew the man’s face better than he knew his own. Knew his voice, his body, his feelings. And the worst part was that it hadn’t happened yet. He knew it was coming, but not when. Knew he had a future with this man, but it hadn’t started yet. And now, he knew that this man was his nephew’s father. Yongsun had carried his child. When would he meet him? Could it happen now? Today? He was ready for things to change and tired of the current situation. Tired of starvation and darkness and the endless pain that accompanied dealing with his parents. Tired of the headaches. Tired of the Underground. Tired of Seeing things that hadn’t happened and then having to wait for them to happen. Just tired.

“Did you dream?  What did you See?” 

Turning his head sharply, as it was not Yeosang’s voice he heard, he found himself looking at Seer Xiao’s wide and expressive eyes, his face expectant like he anticipated Jungkook sharing the content of his dream. Of course it was Xiao--no one else, even a Seer, would ask a question like that. They were private, the dreams that some of them had, and no one was expected to provide details unless he or she felt ready to. There weren’t many Predictive Seers like Jungkook anyway, so for many, the dreams they had were not indicative of anything. As a result, it was even less appropriate to ask Jungkook what he had dreamed about. Xiao had never been one for conventions, though. He tended to say what came to his mind without regard for being “correct” or “appropriate”. Jungkook was used to his questions and counted him as one of his friends, but it was still difficult to respond to him sometimes.

“Hello Xiao.” The other man smiled at him, accepting that Jungkook was unwilling to share. The good thing about Xiao’s forthrightness was that he was also willing to back down when Jungkook did not immediately answer him. “What are you doing here? Is everything all right?”

“I mean, we’re stuck in a sunless dungeon until we die or lose our minds, so I suppose it depends on your definition of ‘all right’. But in response to your question, Yeosang sent me. He said you had something to ask me.” Xiao’s slender face was alight with curiosity as he leaned forward. “What do you have to ask me, Jungkook?”

Jungkook sat up, closing his eyes tightly against the pain that sent dancing dark spots in his vision. “Give me a second.”

“Headache?” A pill was placed in one hand, a cup of water in the other. “Take this.”

“Between you and Yeosang,” Jungkook said, “You two seem determined to give me all of your medicine.”

“Your headaches are worse than anyone else’s because you are such a strong Seer--the strongest we have. And Predictive Seers always have the worst side effects,” Xiao’s response was matter-of-fact. “So we don’t mind sharing our medicine. We don’t like seeing you suffer.” 

Jungkook smiled ruefully. Xiao had skills that were difficult to describe. He wasn’t a Predictive Seer like Jungkook and he wasn’t one who read the thoughts of others like Yeosang. His talent, instead, lay with reading the true emotions and intentions of people. If someone was sad and trying to hide it, Xiao knew. If someone was only pretending to be happy, Xiao knew. The problem with his particular Gift was that he would get what he called Emotive Bleed from it. The emotions that were prevalent in a group of people or really strong emotions would impact his own moods and thoughts and make him feel what they felt. He hid these feelings and put on a persona of openness, but in reality, his mood swings based on the occupants of an area were profound. Jungkook always tried to be calm and peaceful around him, because he didn’t want to cause him pain. Because of this, he took the pill that was offered, thanking Xiao quietly.

“So what did you want to talk to me about?” Xiao asked again after about ten minutes of silence.

The pill had taken the edge off Jungkook’s headache, and he was able to open his eyes and smile a bit at the other man. Xiao had long, unruly hair that he refused to cut and instead wore half up and half down in order to keep it as tidy as possible. His eyes were round and dark, and were expressive when he chose to convey how he was feeling. He was painfully slender, as they all were, but had an aura of strength that had more to do with character than muscles. He was someone Jungkook absolutely wanted on the same side in a fight, and for this fight, he was not only essential, but, Jungkook knew, would be thoroughly in favor of. He had to be careful, though, to speak softly and make sure what he said was not overheard by the surveillance equipment. Luckily, most Seers had excellent hearing, so it was not difficult to pitch their voices low enough for this purpose.

“We are going to start a protest that will bring Soldiers to our quarters. Would you be interested in that?”

Xiao’s eyes lit up. “Obviously. But for what purpose? We can’t defeat the Soldiers.” He sneered a little. “Muscle pigs.”

“We need information from three specific people. Yeosang will need to See their thoughts.” Jungkook trusted Xiao fully and knew that he would be on board with the overall plan. It was no hardship to ask him.

“To what end?” Xiao had leaned close in his excitement and Jungkook could see the animation in his eyes. 

“An uprising. Among all groups. Unified and at once. We need to determine if three Soldiers could be on our side before we chance asking them.” Jungkook barely breathed the words and Xiao’s eyes lit up.

“I’m in. How can we be sure these three Soldiers will come to contain us?” he whispered.

“We have allies with the Speakers who can ensure it will happen. It is at their request that this is happening because it is a huge risk, asking Soldiers to participate, so they want to be as sure as possible that it is worth the risk. We will be able to ensure that” Jungkook smiled as Xiao clapped his hands together with delight.

“This is really happening?” he hissed happily.

“Yes. Are you in when the time comes too? Large scale, I mean?” He didn’t even know why he was asking, since he knew what the answer was. But he asked anyway.

“Obviously.” Xiao grinned.

“It might not work. We might not survive,” Jungkook warned. 

“Better than dying in a hole without hope.”

That it is, Jungkook thought, thinking of his dream and the sunlight.

Seonghwa’s eyes were becoming less and less capable of hiding the fact that he was no longer being controlled by the Compliance Chip. It was in his eyes, if anyone cared to look, but Jimin knew that traditional Soldier surveillance focused more on action and tone of voice, as these were the first indicators that a Soldier needed to be rechipped or removed.  He arrived at Jimin’s door for their mission, as he always did, and his brown eyes were far more emotional than they had been only a month ago. It was happening fast, Jimin knew. That their exchange was a bit less traditional than previous conversations, mainly because of Seonghwa’s tone, was concerning. Between the two, Jimin thought, it could be a red flag if anyone was paying attention at that moment, or if they chose to analyze the exchange, as they randomly did. 

“You get the orders?” Normal question. Not normal delivery. Seonghwa was clearly surprised at what they had to do.

“Yes Seonghwa. Of course I did. Rebellion in the Underground. Moving out to contain and restrain as necessary. No lethal force, but we are to take the leaders in for questioning if we can identify them.”

What neither of them said was that this was uncharted territory. The Seers never rebelled. They were shrouded in mystery and completely removed from the City and Countryside, and that was how Jimin knew the Speakers wanted it. Separation of all the groups from each other was key, as it kept the spread of inaccurate rumors the only way for the so-called Cursed to get any information about anyone else. Seers were incredibly powerful, and keeping them starving and focused on day-to-day survival was the only way to keep them in check. Jimin had never personally been to the Underground. He knew the layout, of course. Had studied it in training. He knew basic information about the group, which he had attained when he became a sergeant. He also knew that physically, they were no match for Soldiers’ strength. So what was their aim in this uprising? What was the point?

Jimin wasn’t sure what was going on, but the first thing he needed to do was ensure that one of the only people he was relatively sure was noncompliant stayed that way. To what end he did not know. But he found that he did not want the awareness to go out of Seonghwa’s eyes. Not when he knew that the other man had fought a hard-won battle to put it there in the first place. He just had to...be more subtle. 

“Noncompliant?” Barely breathing the word as they entered the barracks to grab their team, he knew he was taking a chance. But he was hoping that the general noise of Soldiers assembling their go bags would cover it. Seonghwa heard, though, as he knew he would. He took a deep breath in, and Jimin was sure the other man’s thoughts were in agony, if indeed he was Evolved. He was probably wondering why Jimin was asking. What his point was. If he was going to be turned in and either rechipped or neutralized. Finally, barely perceptible, he nodded, but Jimin saw it, and his heartbeat sped up. It was certain. He was not alone. He wasn’t sure what to do with this information, but he was not alone.

“Same.” Incrementally, Seonghwa’s eyes widened, and his mouth twitched just a bit. It was a lonely existence, being a Soldier, but in this, at least, they were together. More conversation could potentially happen at another time, but now, at least, they knew that they had the same awareness. He didn’t have to consider what he was feeling right now, or evaluate it, like he did in his little alcove. He was happy, and it was a feeling that, even though he had never really experienced it before, he could easily identify. Based on the slight tremble in Seonghwa’s fingers as he reached up to scratch his cheek, he was encountering emotions as well.

“Sirs.”

Private First Class Choi Jongho stood in front of them. It was his job to assemble their team in the barracks and make sure they were ready to go when Jimin and Seonghwa arrived. He never failed at his task. In fact, even among soldiers, Jongho was a bit of a prodigy. He was fast tracked for officer status, and Jimin thought that at one point, even though he was younger than them, he would outrank them. It didn’t matter to him. It would have, a year ago. But now, rank didn’t matter to Jimin. His sole focus was on what he was going to do now that he and Seonghwa were confirmed to both be Evolved. Could he find his son? Could he help other Soldiers? Could he help spark a revolution? He wanted to do all of these things, but he didn’t know how or where to start.

“Is the team ready?” Seonghwa had asked the question while Jimin was contemplating his next move. It wasn’t typical of him to do this, but it wasn’t out of the ordinary either. Not enough to make anyone suspicious, anyway. At least not the average person. Jongho wasn’t average, by any stretch, but he wouldn’t note the anomaly unless it became a habit. That was the important thing. He needed to get his shit together.

“Yes Sirs. Ready to suppress the protest in the Underground.” Was Jimin just imagining things at this point? Or did he see a flicker of awareness in Jongho’s eyes as well? It was too big of a chance to take, asking the Golden Child of the Soldiers if he was evolved. It was suicide. He needed more definitive proof that there was a return to consciousness happening. If so, the Speakers had more problems on their hands than just suppressing uprisings and protests. Jimin, Seonghwa, and Jongho represented the best of the best. They were the top three Soldiers in the top Soldier team in Capital City. If their allegiances were all compromised, then the Speakers were in serious trouble. Jimin resolved to observe Jongho’s actions during the suppression of the revolt. That would tell him a lot. 

Later, alone in his bathroom, he sank into his alcove, mind spinning from the events of the day. He knew he could only spend a few moments here, but he needed every one of them. So much had happened. He needed time to process. To feel. A few moments weren’t enough to process everything, but they would be enough to get his expression under control. At least he hoped so. He allowed himself to simply feel for a minute all the emotions that had swept through him in the Underground: fear, anger, wonder, hope, worry, joy. He didn’t worry about what those feelings were meant to look like in terms of facial expressions; rather, he just allowed them to take over him for a few minutes and sank under the surface of them, sending logic and reasoning away for a brief time. 

Then he prepared for bed. He had showered immediately after the mission, which had ended at approximately 14:00, and then had dinner (a nutritional “shake”). Following dinner, he’d had a brief workout, then checked in with his team. There were no injuries to speak of, and it wasn’t necessarily protocol to seek them out if everything had gone well, but it was something he’d done in the past, so it was acceptable. Exchanging glances with Private Choi as he was talking over the events which had occurred, he saw the awareness in the younger man’s eyes and knew that Jongho had definitely evolved past the Compliance Chip. He had noticed as well that when dealing with the rebel Seers, he had used far less force than was typical. Granted, the Seers were not physically strong, but making the decision to alter protocol because of what they were faced with was not the mark of a fully Compliant Soldier. He filed the information away and then returned to his quarters.

Finally, in bed, lights off, eyes resolutely shut, he considered the events from the day and what they all meant. First, the Underground itself. When you were a Soldier, you got used to not having enough to eat or any privacy. It was just the way things were, and most didn’t question the system. But the near starvation and utter despair that hung over the Seers in the Underground was intense. If Jimin hadn’t Evolved, the sight of the hunger-drawn faces and pale, sun-deprived skin would have been enough to push him over the edge, and he was pretty sure that it had been what had pushed Jongho the rest of the way. Children should not be starving. Adults should not be shackled to beds so that they don’t attack their own sons and daughters. It was inhumane. 

Then, there was the Seers who had participated in the uprising. There were a handful, although realistically, the revolt had been half-hearted at best. Jimin had taken one look at the situation and done his best to limit the damage that the Seers took. Ultimately, they’d arrested one person to take in for questioning. He hadn’t wanted to take any, especially after the conversation that he’d had in one of the abandoned tunnels, but there was no way he would have been able to justify that. By unanimous and unspoken opinion, he, Seonghwa, and Jongho had taken into custody the person who had gotten injured, simply because they knew he would have to be Healed before being Interrogated by the Academics. It was always the Academics who conducted the Interrogations of suspects, as they applied logic and reasoning to their questioning in ways that the other groups were not able to do. 

Seer Xiao had been the most aggressive in the protest, although he had gotten hurt defending another Seer. Yeosang had  already been struck by Private O’Grady three or four times, even though he had stopped acting aggressively. Xiao had intervened and O’Grady had erupted in rage, assaulting Xiao viciously before Jongho had pulled him away. Xiao had been bleeding profusely and nearly unconscious, but had still sneered at Jimin’s apology and made sure Yeosang was all right before passing out, slumping into another Seer’s arms. Jimin, with one chin tilt, instructed Jongho to pick Xiao up and bring him with them. As they began to leave, Jimin was sidetracked down a side tunnel, and realized that Xiao being arrested was the plan of the Seers...

“Sergeant Park?”

Jimin turned around and looked into the face of a Seer who promptly paled and gasped, seemingly shocked at his appearance. He knew, though, that he had never seen the other person before in his life, so he was not sure why the reaction happened. The other man was beautiful, with wide, glossy brown eyes that were framed with ridiculous lashes, and a uniquely shaped mouth, lower lip full and inviting while the top lip was narrow enough for the tiniest view of two front teeth. He was a bit taller than Jimin, but slender, like the other Seers--painfully so. 

“Yes, Seer? What do you need?” His voice came out lower than he planned it to and rougher as well. He didn’t think it was a problem or that it would get noticed, as they were currently in an area not easily seen by cameras and not necessarily picked up by audio surveillance. Also, his body cam would glitch this far Underground--one of the things mentioned in the debriefing before the mission. Following his instinct, he turned his body camera off. He’d figured out that the Speakers could not determine when they were off and when they were glitching. The side tunnels, like this one, were areas where this was most likely to happen. But perhaps that was why the Seer had approached him and pulled him in this way...he definitely had something important to say.

“My name is Jungkook.” The Seer’s words were quiet. Shy. Adorable, his mind provided. He dismissed it.

“What can I do for you, Jungkook?”

“Is your Compliance Chip inactive?” 

Jimin felt his eyes widen. How did he know? “How did you know?”

“I don’t have long. We’re planning a rebellion. We have members of almost all the groups who are ready to take part. Would you be interested in such a thing?”

While he was talking, another Seer--Yeosang, the one who Xiao had been protecting--joined them, looking at Jimin intensely. He found that he could not avoid eye contact, and stared helplessly back at the man. What he really wanted to do was look at Jungkook, but the command in Yeosang’s eyes was impossible to avoid. His eyes were an unusual color--brown, at first, but then, on further inspection, there was a golden tint that was at once off-putting and interesting. 

“He would be interested.” Even Yeosang’s voice was a surprise, as it was lower than anticipated. “He and two of the other Soldiers are definitely non Compliant, although he calls himself Evolved.”

Jimin flushed. It sounded arrogant.

“Evolved.” Jungkook was looking at Jimin as if he were his long lost lover and they had been separated by time and tragedy. It was stirring emotions in him that he didn’t know he had and had never experienced before. Striving for a stoic expression, he must not have succeeded, as Jungkook’s eyes grew even larger. Reaching out one slender but large hand, he touched Jimin’s face lightly, tracing his fingers across a cheekbone and down his jawline. Jimin, who had never in his life been touched affectionately by anyone, found himself leaning into the touch and wanting more.

“If we give you a communication device,” Jungkook’s voice was barely a whisper. “Will you take part in the rebellion? Recruit others? Coordinate with us?”

“Yes.” It was as easy as breathing, giving in to this beautiful man. He would give in to him forever.

Jungkook smiled and pressed something into his hand. Without looking at it, he tucked it away, still reeling from the smile. There wasn’t a thing he wouldn’t do for this person, who he just met two minutes ago. What was happening to him? He knew he should be terrified by the depth of feeling he had for a complete stranger, but he was not. Not in the slightest.

“We will try to look after Seer Xiao. Our Speaker allies will use the opportunity to try to recruit some Academics. It is the only group we do not have recruits in. Please consider helping with that if you have any ability to. He did this for the cause, and I do not want to see him hurt further. If you have any way to help with the Academics, we would appreciate it.”

Jimin nodded. He knew a couple of Academics...Jung Hoseok and Wang Yibo...he had met them when he submitted to the Breeding program. Hoseok had conducted the biological testing to ensure that he was a good candidate and Yibo had questioned him to determine whether or not he was a loyal Soldier. It was his questions, Jimin later realized, that had put him on the path of Evolution. Maybe that had been on purpose? He knew that neither were completely happy in their jobs. Maybe they would be interested. When he transported the Seer into Academics’ custody, perhaps Yibo would be the interrogator. Maybe he could volunteer for Breeding again, although he would most likely not see Hoseok as the extensive testing had already been completed from the first time. Maybe Seonghwa…

“I can See your mind working.” Yeosang sounded amused. “If I can See with without making eye contact with you, then I am pretty certain your emotions will be noticeable to the cameras when they are able to watch you again. Be careful.”

“Thank you, Seer.” He tore his eyes from Jungkook’s and turned to Yeosang, bowing slightly. “I appreciate your concern.”

Facing Jungkook again, he whispered, “I won’t let you down.”

“You could never let me down.”

And Jimin made the resolution that he would do anything to make sure the man in front of him never lost faith in him…

...with effort, Jimin turned his attention to his own feelings for a moment. His uncontrollable physical  reaction to Jungkook: the accelerated heartbeat, sweaty hands, dry mouth, nervousness. He had never experienced them before. They were similar to traditional illness symptoms, although Soldiers did not these illnesses, as their immune systems were too strong. Far more fascinating were his emotional reactions to the seer, specifically the realization that he would do anything for him and his fascination with his beauty. This seemed like the stereotypical definition of infatuation or love. Jimin had never experienced either, so he couldn’t be certain. Soldiers reproduced through the Breeding program, even if they were not candidates for Cross Breeding. Emotional connections to each other were not encouraged and marriages and relationships, although they were allowed in other groups, were strictly forbidden. A Soldier’s first loyalty must be to Capital City and the President. But Jimin was definitely not feeling loyal to either.

He wondered how many Soldiers felt this way. Were they all like this? Secretly yearning, publicly emotionless? He hoped not, for their sake. But it would make recruitment easier. He felt the communication device that Jungkook had pressed into his hand after he had agreed to help. He’d put it inside his uniform against his body, as it was the only place to truly hide it. Being caught with it at this point would result in being re-chipped or destroyed. He couldn’t bring himself to care about the consequences, when the potential rewards involved Jungkook. And it seemed as though at least one Academic would be on their side. Yibo had taken one look at Seer Xiao, still unconscious, when they brought him in, and had clearly had a similar reaction to him as Jimin had felt with Jungkook. Jimin had barely breathed a word to him, simply saying, “Please take care of him.” Yibo’s reply had been just as simple. “I will.” Somehow, though, they had both said so much more. Jimin planned on sharing Yibo’s name on the communication device. Maybe the Speaker contact could get more from him. 

So many plans. All of them complicated and confusing. But Jimin felt alive for the first time in his life, and that was worth more than peace.

VISUALS:

Academic Yibo

Seer Xiao

Chapter Text

Wang Yibo prided himself on his ability to do his job. As an Academic Interrogator, he was trusted to keep a calm and even-tempered demeanor as he used common sense to solve problems and ensure that the people he met, no matter what Curse they suffered from, realized the severity of their indiscretions. He had the trust of the Speakers, and had thus far done nothing to call that trust into question. He did his job impeccably and admirably, went home to his private lonely world, slept, and then returned to do the job again. No one knew or even suspected that he was beginning to lose his faith in the system and that he was contemplating things that he could do to dismantle it. His control over his expression, tone, and words was impeccable, which was how he’d moved up through the ranks of Academics so quickly.

All Academics were raised in a sterile and cold environment in the city. They were removed from their mothers’ care as soon as it was physically possible for them, and then raised by teachers--other Academics. After extensive testing, Academics were placed in either Research and Development, Breeding and Medical, Interrogation and Investigation, or General Surveillance. Yibo had, from the beginning, exhibited all the necessary attributes of an Interrogator: the ability to observe body language and verbal language cues, the skill to create questions quickly in response to what he saw, and to use logic and reason to ascertain the purpose for an action and likelihood of it to be repeated. 

The ideological problem, in Yibo’s opinion, was that if you had a brain that you used for reasoning, common sense, and logic, it was only a matter of time before you started applying it to the current situation in the New World. The Speakers were terrified of the Cursed--that much was obvious. They had no real skill to use against them if they rebelled, so they retreated into classical totalitarian and imperialistic behavior that societies in the past used. Yibo had read about them in the texts at the Library. The blueprints were there in the history of the world. It all had to do with power--who had it, who wanted it, and what they would do to get/keep it. The closest thing he read that was similar to what the Speakers were doing was called apartheid--keeping groups separated and ignorant of each other so that they could not unite and realize that they could overthrow the small group interested in retaining control. What the Speakers seemed to realize was that power swung on a pendulum. The only way to shut it down and stop it from swinging away from you was to control the arc. Hence, he supposed, the interest in cross breeding. They were working in a hold pattern until they could breed Speakers with Curses. The logical issues with this, though, were obvious to Yibo. If part of the population, like himself, for example, was Cursed, why the focus on breeding with them? Cross breeding two Cursed types together? Shouldn’t they be more focused on population control of the Cursed? Yibo could see sterilization of Cursed people being more useful than trying to figure out how to make more of them, if they were in fact Cursed. Why breed more? Additionally, at some point, the line between Speakers with Curses and Cursed people was going to blur and the only thing separating them would be their tenuous grasp on power and control. 

Which was why he found himself thinking how easy it would be to revolt against the Speakers if they had a way to unite. But how? He would be willing, of course. The nightmares he had about the people he had to Interrogate were convincing enough. He had blood on his hands and he knew it. He didn’t want any more of it. When Sergeant Park had distributed the Seer (his first Seer from an uprising. Perhaps the first Seer from an uprising) in his custody, he’d glanced at the unconscious man and experienced a visceral reaction. He didn’t know why, but he didn’t want to see another Cursed person hurt. Especially not a Seer. A group he’d always privately thought of as unique. Admirable. Sergeant Park’s request that Yibo take care of the Seer had unnerved him, but also suggested that maybe--just maybe--there was hope. A plan. A union. For a man who had never found reason to hope, it was a giddy emotion. Then the Healers had come in and laid their hands on the Seer. Healer Min, who Yibo had met before, frowned at the state of the man, muttering about Soldiers and brute strength not needing to be used all the time. It had not taken him long to heal the Seer, and before he left, he gave Yibo a list of injuries inflicted by the Soldiers during their apprehension. It had been long, even by Soldiers’ typical standards, and Yibo hypothesized that had more to do with the fragility of the Seers than the aggressiveness of the Soldiers. They invariably followed protocol, so it was the population that they were working with that was likely the aberration, based on nutrient depletion and Vitamin D deficiency. He would put it in his report, which was likely to be closely scrutinized, as this was the first Seer protest. His reports were read, while footage from Interrogations was not studied, as it was his conclusions that the Speakers really cared about. It didn’t matter to them how he arrived at them. They just needed to know what course of action they should take with the various Cursed people he interacted with. In reality, he thought, they likely didn’t understand how he drew his conclusions in the first place. Speakers were not very intelligent, after all. 

Then the Seer had awoken. Opened his big chocolate-colored eyes and turned them on Yibo. And Yibo had felt something that he couldn’t define and had never felt before. Impossibly, the other man’s next reaction was to smile, and Yibo had no idea what to do with that. The man was impossibly attractive, his smile brightening up an already cheerful face. How , Yibo thought, does a person who has never seen the sun manage to emulate it so effectively? There was no logical explanation. There was always a logical explanation. But Seer Xiao, and his own reaction to him, was a mystery to him. 

“Hello there!” Seer Xiao probably would have waved to him had his hands been free. But they were not. He was seated upright in a metal chair which was designed to be uncomfortable with his hands tied in a way that Yibo knew had to hurt based on the weakness in his body, yet the smile never left his face. He looked as though they had met for a friendly conversation instead of an Interrogation that could end his life. Were all Seers like this? But no, Yibo had seen the ones who had volunteered for Breeding purposes. They were subdued. Scared. Silent. Seer Xiao looked as though silence was not part of his vocabulary. How fascinating.

“Seer Xiao Zhan.” Yibo’s voice conveyed none of his inner turmoil. “Do you know why you are here today?”

“Because I took part in a protest.” The answer was immediate, the tone polite yet somehow amused. Seer Xiao did not sound upset or angry or worried or scared. He sounded completely at ease. It was not a typical response. Why? Yibo peered at him curiously and Seer Xiao’s smile faded into what looked to be an endeared grin. He even shrugged a little. “Well, I did, didn’t I? I can’t really lie about it.”

“I guess not.” There was skepticism in his tone and Yibo heard it. He hastened to explain, feeling distinctly wrong-footed for the first time ever during an Interrogation. He could not remember a time when he felt the need to explain himself, but for some reason, Seer Xiao elicited that response. “Usually people try to lie--or rather explain how they were doing whatever they did for the right reasons.”

“Obviously I think that what I did was for the right reasons, but I’m sure the people who seek to control us...you and I both...don’t particularly care. They don’t care that Seers are starving or losing their minds or weakened by the lack of sunlight. So protesting against such treatment would most likely not be acceptable.” Seer Xiao’s eyes flashed with passion as he defended his friends and family and it made Yibo a little breathless. What was this reaction? He considered his symptoms and felt his eyes widen, however slightly, as things became clear. He was attracted to this man. Too slender, long disheveled hair, the promise of mischief in his smile, but goodness in his heart--Seer Xiao was distractingly beautiful.

“Do you know what kind of Seer I am?” The man’s smile had gone a little darker now, and Yibo swallowed nervously, feeling like he was seeing the sun during an eclipse. He shook his head.

“I’m what I refer to as an Empathetic Seer. I sense your emotions and feelings. I’m very very good at sensing them, even when people try to hide them. And you are not trying very hard, are you, Academic? Your face may do a great job of masking, but your emotions are all over the board. Especially one of them.” He gave Yibo a saucy wink and motioned him in closer. Feeling like a puppet and having never felt as out of his element as he was feeling right now, Yibo obeyed. Seer Xiao leaned in to whisper in his ear.

“Two things. First of all, there is a rebellion starting. We’re uniting members of each group. If you are interested in joining, I have a contact for you. I can tell by your emotions that you want things to change, but I don’t know if you are ready to take action. If you are, we need you.” He drew back to look solemnly at Yibo, eyes huge in his slender face. Yibo felt a tug at his heart that had nothing to do with attraction and knew that he would die for this man if asked to. How he knew, he didn’t know. It was instinctive. A lifetime of logic and intense speculation and inaction had led to this sudden willingness to take this chance. This desire to take this chance. Without hesitation, he nodded, his eyes fixed on Seer Xiao’s. 

“I’m ready.”

“The Speakers we have in our corner will ensure that any record of this Interrogation will be destroyed. You don’t have to worry about that. And we will get you the communication information that you need in order to coordinate with us as well as talk to us about recruiting. A Speaker will be in touch.”

Yibo nodded again, feeling uninformed for the first time in his life, but if it meant he could stare into this man’s eyes for longer, he welcomed the ignorance. 

Seer Xiao smiled again, and Yibo wondered how he could keep such an expression on his face considering the grim life he had. How he was able to keep smiling through the torment he endured in the Underground. How he could be happy when his world was so dark. Was it an inherent quality in his personality--this inability to remain oppressed despite oppression? Then he wondered how he was going to administer any kind of punishment to this man. Imprisonment? Forced cooperation training? Death? Even sending him back to the Underground felt like too much to bear.

“What’s your name?” Seer Xiao whispered.

“Wang Yibo.”

“Yibo. Call me Xiao.” Up close, the big brown eyes were even more engaging and beautiful, and Yibo found himself nodding in agreement. Yes. Certainly. Anything. “Secondly, do what you need to do with me. Whatever punishment will call the least amount of attention to you and will seem ordinary and acceptable. I’ve done what I need to do for the rebellion. If that means I have to sacrifice my life, at least I know that I’ve given it for the right reasons.”

Yibo’s heart ached at the thought of this man dying. He would not be a part of such drastic treatment and had rarely recommended it anyway. Have Xiao killed? Not for all the rebellions in the world. “I would never ask you to sacrifice your life for me.”

And he knew that what was happening to him was not logical. It wasn’t something scientifically definable in books, nor was it anything that had happened to any other Academic that he was aware of. If pushed, Yibo could only arrive at the conclusion that what was happening was destiny, and that the universe had a plan for them. Something he would have scoffed at mere hours before. But he also knew that he didn’t know everything in the universe. Not even close. And if he was looking at proof that fate existed and was spinning events and people for them, then who was he to say that it was impossible? 

For the first time, Xiao looked shaken, and Yibo wondered why. Then he remembered. The other man was probably feeling all the emotions that he felt as he was feeling them. He flushed, embarrassed at the strength of the secondhand emotions that Xiao was probably being forced to endure. The poor man probably just wanted a revolution. Who knew whether he was even interested in that sort of thing? Yibo strove for calm, looking to bury the feelings as deep as he could. 

“Hey.” Xiao’s voice was sharper. “You should not feel embarrassed. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”

“You do not feel the same things I do. It is shameful.” Yibo ducked his head. “Don’t worry. It won’t impact my agreement to assist.”

“Yibo.” And he would never get tired of hearing Xiao say his name. “The fact that you aren’t afraid of these feelings, even though this is the first time you’ve ever experienced them, makes you a total bad ass in my eyes. And you aren’t alone in feeling them, all right? I’m right there with you. Seers are pretty used to falling for people like this. It’s just...usually it’s other Seers and usually it’s from an earlier age.”

“It’s not usual for Academics. We are not ones who let our emotions control us. But I find that I am unable to resist them. Unable or unwilling. Maybe both.” 

“And I find myself glad that you are unwilling or unable to resist your feelings.” Xiao’s voice was like a caress and Yibo basked in it for a moment. “What are you going to do with me? What is your recommendation about my Interrogation? You need to come up with something, right? We can’t spend too much time together or people will get suspicious.”

“Yes.” It was true. “I can tell them that you need to be detained for some time without any sort of conversion training in order to consider what you have done. You would have to look properly remorseful for that, but you would not be hurt. You would be left alone.”

“My friends will worry, but they weren’t sure if they would ever see me again anyway, so it’s all right.” Xiao nodded firmly. “Do what you need to do, Yibo. Someone will be in contact with you soon.”

He agreed, knowing that he would follow this man’s lead and do what he could to protect him for the rest of his life, however long that happened to be. 

Jung Hoseok was frustrated. It was not something he was used to feeling. As one of the Head Academics in charge of Breeding, he was used to puzzles that resulted in pregnancies and birth, and he also contributed a fair bit of time to the Child Research initiatives. He was considered by many to be an expert, and was consulted frequently for assistance in those areas. This, however, was a singularly difficult case. And it was wrapped in the cloak of a six-year-old boy who could either represent the future of their world, save it, or potentially destroy it all together. 

“Jaewoo.” He strove for calm. For implacable. Unbidden, the stoic countenance of Wang Yibo appeared in his mind and he channeled that energy as best he could. The other Academic, although younger than him, was a beacon of calm scholarly pursuit of the truth. He needed that patience right now. Leveling a gaze at the small child in front of him, he waited until the large brown eyes were focused on him again. “Please tell me what you were doing.”

Jaewoo shook his head mutely and Hoseok sighed, irritated despite his best intentions. He had not been convinced that the Academic experts before him had thought through the possible resulting frustrations from Cross Breeding two Cursed groups. He also had some concerns about taking two of the strongest members of each of the groups as biological parents. The result of mixing the DNA of Sergeant Park Jimin, whose strength, dexterity, and sensory skills were second to none even among Soldiers, with that of Jeon Yongsun, from a family of incredibly gifted Seers, was the little boy currently trying Hoseok’s patience. As he did every day. Today, though, he was struggling even more than usual.

“Academic Jung, you are angry with me.” Jaewoo sounded sad, and despite his overall irritation with the Breeding program currently, Hoseok felt a twisting in his heart that had nothing to do with scores and numbers. In other words, it was an emotional response. The boy was sweet, generally cooperative, and loving--even though he had seen very little affection in his own life. Hoseok was probably the closest to a family member as the boy would experience. And it wasn’t as if Hoseok himself knew firsthand how family was supposed to act. He had never experienced it himself. He’d seen it, through observations on surveillance cameras. But it wasn’t the same as living it. If the people in charge of the program knew just how much Hoseok loved Jaewoo, he would be removed from the Training Protocol. He had to hide it in order to stay with the child. 

To what end? He didn’t know. As an Academic, he was used to having answers, and the fact that he was acting emotionally was an aberration from his usual behavior. Hoseok just knew that over the past six years, through weekly and, more recently, daily, interactions, he had managed to form a bond that could not be explained or quantified. Everything Jaewoo did both defied and exemplified normal child behavior, and everything that Hoseok felt for him defied normal researcher behavior. That it was his job to make the child a productive (translation: obedient) member of society seemed wrong in every way, and having President Sajakul breathing down his throat and demanding progress and updates was not helping. She was difficult to please at the best of times, and when things weren’t going the way she thought they should, it was exponentially worse.

“I am not angry with you. I just want you to explain your reasoning to me. You tried to escape. Again. You know this makes President Sajakul angry and then I have to discipline you. Why do you insist on attempting to run away? There is no logic to it. You are caught every time.” Hoseok kept his tone civil and revealed none of his consternation or internal dilemma.

“Every time I try, I am learning what does not work. One day, something will work. And I will escape.” The certainty in Jaewoo’s voice made Hoseok pause. Thus far, there had not been much revelation or development of Seer qualities in the child, although based on research, the first time a Seer had a vision or experience of some kind, it was generally not conveyed. Child Seers had to learn how to understand that they had a Curse and then be able to articulate when it happened. Normally, based on a child’s language acquisition skills, this happened between the ages of 7 and 9. But Jaewoo was not normal. Perhaps he was certain because he had Seen it.

“How do you know you will escape?” he asked cautiously. 

“I just do. So I will keep trying. It isn’t because I don’t like you, Academic Jung. I do like you. But I am meant to be free.” It was always a bit of a struggle, talking to Jaewoo. He was so much like a typical child, and then in other ways, very different from a typical child. Perhaps when one was born of two Cursed groups and raised by members of a third, it made for difficulty. Most Academics who researched children did so from a distance, looking at behavior through surveillance cameras in different Cursed groups’ natural environments. Their only real interactions were with Academic children, so their first hand experience was significantly limited. This was the first long term exposure that Academics had to actual children. Hoseok being selected for such a study at a very young age was evidence of the president’s trust in him. Or, he thought privately, evidence that she thought I would be easy to manage and control. I’ve certainly never rebelled against her in word or deed before. And my thoughts are my own. I don’t express them in any way.

Hoseok had more questions for the boy, but didn’t want to ask them. He glanced at the camera, carefully monitoring the progress (or lack of progress) that he was making with Jaewoo, and gave a little sigh. He wanted to know the answers--Academics not only had eidetic memories, but also a burning desire to know as much as they could about everything--but he needed to refrain. President Sakajul was already difficult to deter from her goal of invasive testing as soon as Jaewoo presented fully as a Seer. If he continued in this line of inquiry, he might illustrate what he already suspected regarding the boy’s abilities. The president was only a Speaker, after all, and in most cases was easily distracted, but her focus on the Cross Breeding program was intense to say the least. Hoseok suspected it was as a result of the uprisings that were happening throughout the New World. Even the Seers had revolted recently. Yibo was currently Interrogating the ringleader of that event. The Cursed Groups were beginning to fight against their circumstances, and, Hoseok also believed they were starting to communicate. Totalitarian governments never existed forever, and early signs were indicating that they could be reaching critical mass with this one. He hoped so. 

VISUALS:

Academic Yibo

Seer Xiao

Academic Hoseok

Jaewoo

Chapter Text

VISUALS AND REMINDERS OF CHARACTERS:

Growers--Taehyung and Mingi

Healers--Healer Lee, Yoongi, and Yunho

Techies--RM and San

Speakers--Jin and Wooyoung

Academics--Yibo and Hoseok

Seers--Jungkook, Yeosang, and Xiao

Soldiers--Jimin, Seonghwa, and Jongho

President Sajakul

Let me know what you think~