Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“More kids?” Isaac scoffs. Till raises an eyebrow

“What’s the problem?” He puts a hand on one of the younger kid’s heads, the girl with the DNA of the two people he loved the most. “Don’t give me the ‘more mouths to feed’ crap, just think of it as more rebellion fighters.”

“The problem is that you just brought mutant kids Till! Those bastards created them in labs, what if they have spyware on them?!” Isaac hissed as he got up from his seat.

“If they did, there would be thousands of alien soldiers here to take out the rebellion. Mutant kids are kids too Isaac, don’t forget that.” Till rolled his eyes as he walked out of the room with the rest of the kids following him like baby ducklings. Fuck, why did even save these kids? They aren’t much better than that Luka bastard, albeit he did feel a little bad for him.

One of the kids took his hand. Till looked over. It was the pink haired girl with the black eyes. Till sighed as he kneeled to her level.

“Do you have a name?” Till asked. The girl just blinked. “Do any of you have names?” He received little to no response from any of them. Fine then. If the alien assholes didn’t want to name their labspawns, then he’ll do it himself. “Uh, you,” Till pointed to the boy with brown hair and light blue eyes, “You are Taehyun.” The boy’s eyes sparkled and then he grinned. “You,” He looked over at the girl with the grey hair, similar to his own, “You will be Lily.” Lily nodded, accepting her new name. Till looked over at the boy with the blonde hair and purple eyes, “You are Euno,” and then he looked over at the girl with the black hair, “And you are Seona.” Finally, Till looked down at the girl who was holding his hand. “And you will be Yvie.” The kids looked among themselves. Till can easily tell who the calmer ones are. Lilly and Euno seemed to have an air of calmness, while Taehyun and Seona seemed more energetic. Both types are needed when fighting the Aliens who had created them. He looked at Yvie, who was still holding his hand. She’s exactly like Ivan, no doubt about it.

Unreadable.

Unapproachable.

Lonely.

Till smiled gently as he gave a small pat to her head. Memories of Ivan constantly flood his mind. With him, he had messed up more horribly than he could ever imagine. Even to this day, 7 years later, he can’t hear rain the same way again. When he looks at Yvie, he sees Ivan in her.

He doesn’t want to make that mistake again.

He can’t make that mistake again.

Chapter Text

Till walked back into Isaac’s office. Since the old rebellion leader, Hyuna, had passed 7 years back, Isaac took over the role as rebellion leader. Apparently, Isaac was the one to bring him to base when Mizi had figured out that he was still alive.

He thinks back on Mizi. The witch who is searching for love.

He smiles to himself. The Mizi he knew was far from that.

“You’re back,” Isaac sighed as he put down his work. “Sorry I got upset with you Till, I just got a report back about-” He stopped himself. “About the rebellion. Just some financial issues. I shouldn’t have taken it out on the kids.”

Till shrugged, “It’s fine. I showed them to some rooms, so I can take care of them when I have free time. I see some potential in some of them. Taehyun is definitely a fighter-”

Isaac raised his eyebrow with a scoff as he interjected, “You named them? Till these are lab grown children. They aren’t much different from that heartless bastard Luka-”

“And they are still children, Isaac.”

Isaac and Till were both quiet for a second. Isaac sighed.

“Fine. Keep them around, but be sure to check for any devices on them, or in them.”

Till smiled. He knew Isaac would come around to the idea eventually. He just needed a little push, that’s all.

Isaac.

What a character.

Maybe it was the stress of leading the rebellion, but all he ever knew about Isaac was that he’s super nitpicky and serious. Some of the members who have been here since Hyuna’s time said he used to be nothing like that.

Who knows.

Till never got to meet Hyuna anyways.

“Get them some new clothes. I can’t stand seeing those Anakt uniforms.”

Isaac’s voice brought Till back to the present.

“Right, right. I’ll go do that,” Till shrugged and left the room. What clothes would those kids even like?

Better question. What clothes do kids even like?

Till thought back to when he was a kid. Ah, he really shouldn’t use himself as an example. He only remembers wearing the Anakt uniform. Maybe when he was lucky, they’d give him some attire to wear whenever he sang for the aliens. Till was never one to model, afterall, he took pride in not being able to be held down.

Ivan used to model.

He remembers that back when they were kids, Ivan would be taken out of Anakt Garden to go on “special trips.” Later, the kids would get magazines back with Ivan as the front cover. Everyone used to congratulate Ivan, but the only person Ivan had wanted attention from was him.

And now he was gone, without ever having gotten that attention.

Would their lives have ever been different if he had looked away from Mizi for once?

Would Ivan not have died feeling as if he was never loved?

Would Ivan be here, alive, sitting and laughing with him and all of the clones?

No. Till knows that deep inside, nothing he could do would’ve changed that. Not in this universe at least. They were destined to fail from the start. Alien Stage would’ve continued. Ivan would’ve died. And Till could do nothing except get pity everywhere he goes.

Is that why he chose to stay with the rebellion? To feel as if he could do something?

But what does it matter now?

Ivan is dead.

Till is useless.

Nothing could change that.

Chapter Text

“Who wants to go first?” Till grinned as he brought out a whole shelf’s worth of clothes for the children. It was tough finding clothes that would fit the kids, and he had to stitch some of them to make it a better fit, but seeing all of the kids’ excitement made it all worth it.

“Me!” Taehyun exclaimed as he ran up to search through some clothes. “Till hyung, look at this!” He pointed excitingly at a leather jacket. The other children looked over in wonder, it was the first time any of them has ever seen anything like this.

“Till oppa, can I go next?” one of the girls asked with a smile.

Hyung and oppa? They were definitely taught these formalities at base.

Once all of the kids got their clothes ready, they seemed more content and confident with themselves. Like they weren’t just clones for the aliens to express distaste against.

Like they were real people.

“Till oppa,” Yvie held his hand softly. Till let out a laugh.

“You like holding my hand don’t you Yvie?” Yvie nodded slightly. Till smiled at her softly as he gave her hand a squeeze. “You know, you remind me of someone I once knew. He always wanted to be around me just like you.” Yvie looked at him, with a slight curiosity. She looked at him with his eyes.

Oh Ivan. His presence will forever haunt and cling to Till like a parasitic bug that refuses to leave its host. 

And Till will embrace it forevermore.

Till noticed that the home base seems to have a dark air around it. Everyone who walks by Till looks away immediately. 

Nobody would dare to look him in the eye.

And Till is sure that it wasn’t because of his unapproachable attitude.

“Isaac,” Till called out as he walked into his office with a pointed look. “Why the hell is everybody giving me attitude all of a sudden?”

Isaac raised an eyebrow, “Maybe because of the clones you decided to keep? Don’t forget Till. They are the same breed as Luka. And who here likes Luka?” Isaac went back to look at his paperwork. “Did you get them new clothes yet?”

Till let out a scoff, “Yeah, I did, but that’s not the point Isaac! People can’t even look me in the eye, and I'm so certain that it’s not because of the kids!”

Isaac just shrugged to Till’s response, “Then I guess they have a problem. I’ll talk to them and get it sorted out. Make sure to stay in base so you can take care of the kids. I don’t want you going outside.” He looked up at him with a raised eyebrow. “Understood?”

Till’s eyes widened. 

Stay in base?

But he was a fighter!

“With all due respect Isaac, you guys need me out there-”

Isaac immediately cut him off, “No. I need you to stay here, and take care of the kids. Alright? It’s until we get the current situation outside sorted out.” Isaac looked away, a hint of emotion in his expression.

Guilt?

“Isaac-” Till started, but then Isaac got a phone call which made him get up. He gave Till a look that Till knew exactly what it meant.

No more discussion of this.

Till sighed, irritated. Whatever. It’s Isaac's problem anyways if he wants to keep one of his best rebellion fighters as a babysitter. Till noticed a note left on Isaac’s desk.

Remind Till to take his medicine.

All of a sudden, Till’s annoyance left his body and he let out a laugh. 

Really?

Isaac may be an asshole sometimes, but he does care for Till. He was the one who took Till back to base and got him the care he needed. If it wasn’t for Isaac, he wouldn’t have been standing here today.

Till remembered that he was annoyed by Isaac.

Right. Isaac’s an asshole. A sometimes nice asshole.

Chapter Text

“Till hyung!” Taehyun exclaimed as he ran over with a wide grin. It’s been a week since he found these kids, and they seemed to warm up to him pretty well. “You know that thing you sit down on and it moves? The one with two circles?”

Till laughed, “My motorcycle?” Taehyun nodded with excitement.

“Can we ride that together?” Taehyun pleaded, “Please! Just a short ride! It was fun when we rode it here a week ago!”

Till smiled, about to get up, but then he remembered Isaac’s words.

He sighed, “Sorry Taehyun,” he patted the dejected child’s head, “Right now, we can’t go outside. Maybe in a month or two, alright?”

Taehyun then looked excited again and ran off to go brag. Till chuckled to himself, that kid sure is energetic.

Yvie took small steps over to Till. Till smiled and beckoned her to come near.

“Is there anything you need Yvie?”

“Why can’t we go outside Till oppa?”

Till’s smile faltered for a second. He didn’t even know the answer to that question.

“Somethings going on out there, and the rebellion is handling it. Until everythings good again, we stay here alright?” Till answered to the best of his ability.

“Oh…I just want to see flowers,” Yvie frowned.

Flowers.

They had those red flowers in the Anakt Garden, the ones full of life and care.

But just like the kids in front of him, they were artificial.

The first time Till saw real flowers, it was 7 years back when he first got brought back to base. He couldn’t speak, he barely could breath, and his heart was heavy.

Those flowers were nothing like the ones back in the Anakt Garden. They were dull, dirty, and smaller.

But they were real.

A sign of freedom away from the aliens who valued perfection.

Till looked down at Yvie with a small smile. Now he can share this freedom with the children whose only crime was being created.

“Come on,” Till held her hand, “I know a place.”

Till snuck around the base, avoiding other rebels. If they saw him going on his motorcycle, he would get in so much trouble. But it's not like he’s going anywhere far, just a couple minute motorcycle ride.

Till helped Yvie climb on and he gave her a helmet. They drove off to the slums.

Till thinks back to 20 years ago, the day the meteor shower happened. All of the caretakers in the Anakt Garden were distracted because all of the kids were outside when it happened.

It was the perfect moment to escape.

But Till didn’t.

And that what if haunted his days forever after that.

There was a simple reason why he didn’t take Ivan’s hand that day. He just didn’t want to leave the other kids behind. But by not escaping with Ivan, Ivan had inevitably died.

Till didn’t realize it at the time, he had only discovered it a few years back when they looted remnants of the Anakt Garden, but Ivan had a detailed escape plan. Ivan used to live in these very slums, he knew how to survive out there.

That idiot.

Why did he decide to stay with him? Why didn’t he just take the chance and leave him behind? Till felt like the bigger idiot for staying back.

They finally had reached the slums, and Till helped Yvie get off the motorcycle. They walked a short distance, the young girl holding on to Till’s hand like it's the most precious thing in the world.

There was a full field of red flowers. Real flowers. It was one of the first places Till was introduced to when Isaac brought him back. He sometimes comes here to cool his mind, and just relax.

He sat down under a tree while Yvie ran off into the flower field. Till sighed as he rested his head on the tree and leaned back.

Yvie ran back to him a short while later holding a flower crown. She dropped it on Till’s head with a small smile.

Till looked into her eyes and saw him.

The one who made him flower crowns countless times when nobody else would.

“Here,” Till quickly made one for Yvie and placed it on her head with a grin, “Now we’re matching.”

Yvie blinked for a moment and then laughed.

Chapter Text

Isaac’s been up and about lately. Usually when Till pops in the office, Isaac is always sitting down in his chair, figuring out some stuff.

But now, he’s barely ever in the office, or even inside the base. Till’s still deciding whether or not he should go against Isaac’s orders to be nosy.

Alas, he still has the kids to take care of, so he can’t be too nosy yet. Next time Isaac comes back around, maybe he’ll ask.

“Till!”

Ah, that voice.

“You’re back already Dewey?” Till raised an eyebrow at the muscular man before him. Dewey was sweaty and breathing heavily, almost as if he ran here.

“It’s Isaac!” Till’s eyes immediately became alarmed, “He needs us!”

Need us?

Isaac?

In the same sentence?

Till’s known Isaac for 7 years now, and he is a strong fighter. Not only that, but he’s smarter than Till would ever admit. The fact that he suddenly needs them is concerning.

“Are you sure? What’s the situation?”

Dewey immediately became reluctant.

“Ah, I forgot…Isaac said to not let you go outside just yet. Shit.”

Till scoffed. Fuck Isaac’s orders, if he needs them, he’ll be an idiot to not go.

Till pushed past Dewey and got on his motorcycle. He left Dewey there in the dust and checked the trackers.

As a safety precaution, every person in the rebellion has trackers. Taking them off would lead to a scolding from Isaac. Afterall, if someone were to go missing, they would at least want to give them a proper funeral.

Till drove as fast as he could to Isaac’s location, ignoring the billboards around him. There seemed to be new ones, but that didn't matter. What matters is getting Isaac to safety.

He can’t have another person he cares about dying.

Faster…

Faster.

Faster!

Why won’t this motorcycle go faster!

Finally, he reached the location. He quickly called Isaac.

“Isaac! I’m here! Where the hell are you?!” Till yelled, out of breath, as he rushed into the building.

“Fuck-” The voice on the other line said, “Till don’t come in here, i’m fine!”

“The fuck you mean you’re fine?! I’m already here! Let's get the hell out of here!” Till scoffed.

Till finally sees Isaac and he runs into the room.

“What’d you send an emergency signal for?! Come on, let’s get out of here!”

Isaac groaned, “I didn’t send it for me! I needed help evacuating a package. But it would rather stay here. Even if it doesn’t deserve to.” Isaac eyed a door with conflicted feelings.

The fuck? Did Isaac lose his mind?

“You definitely ate some shit, come on-!” he scowled as he tried to lead Isaac out. He glanced out the window.

Then Till’s heart dropped.

The billboard.

The many, many billboards.

“I was going to tell you,” Isaac started and then stopped as he saw Till’s tears. “Fuck! Stop being fucking selfish and come out!”

Till stared at the door as it opened.

Till stared as the man of every single nightmare and dream for the past 7 years walked out of that door.

“Till.”

“Ivan.”

Chapter Text

Back in the Anakt Garden, Till used to be jealous of Ivan.

How was that strange kid always able to be around Mizi? Mizi can't stand any men around her, with Till being a slight exception at times.

But Ivan? He was always there. They would even sleep under a tree together.

Not only that, but the aliens loved Ivan.

Till remembers times where Ivan would be pulled out of the Anakt Garden to model, or sing for other aliens. Nobody would ever call Till to come out, it was only Ivan who they wanted.

It wasn’t until after Round 5, when Till had been called out for the first time, that his jealousy turned into pity. Those 3 hours were hell for Till. And he had only been called out once. How much more did Ivan go through?

Those billboards…how did he not notice them before?

“Ivan is participating in the new season of Alien Stage!”

“Ivan and Luka are going head to head in popularity!”

“Ivan is back!”

And Ivan is indeed back. Right in fucking front of him.

That bastard.

Ivan looked at him with a cold, silent expression. Isaac looked like he had a headache. Till stormed up to Isaac and grabbed him by his collar, but Ivan didn’t even flinch.

“What the fuck Ivan! Why the hell are you staying here?!” Till then glared at Isaac, “And you! You knew that Ivan was alive! How could you fucking keep that a secret from me!” Isaac was about to start but Ivan interjected.

“I asked him to. Don’t be mad at him for helping me.”

The nerve of this asshole.

“Even then, you had Isaac’s help! Why didn’t you come to Rebel base! You don’t have to fucking just stay here!” Till yelled, his voice full of emotion and on the verge of breaking. Till coughed for a minute, but he still kept his glare on Isaac.

“I don’t belong there Till,” Ivan narrowed his eyes.

“Yes you do! You deserve that more than going back on that stupid stage!”

“It’s not that simple-”

“Yes it is! What is so bad that you can’t come back to the base-!”

“I’m a clone.”

Till’s eyes widened, full of conflicting emotions. Ivan is a..what?

“That doesn’t matter. We saved other clones, we can save you too,” Till gritted out through his teeth.

“I don’t deserve to be saved,” Ivan said as he looked at Till with his usual calm, emotionless eyes. Then he got out of Till’s grasp and turned away. Till can’t believe him.

“You don’t get to decide that for yourself Ivan,” Till scoffed as he grabbed Ivan’s arm. “Everyone deserves to be saved, especially you.”

“Then why haven’t you saved Luka?”

Till’s eyes widened. Why does Ivan suddenly care about Luka?

“He deserves it, he just plays with our emotions to win-” Till started, but Ivan just gave him a frown.

“We did what we had to do to survive in the segyein’s games Till. He is just trying to survive as well,” Ivan narrowed his eyes, “If that’s all, leave. If you don’t, I'll call someone and tell them that there are rebels in my room.”

“Till let’s go-” Isaac grabbed Till’s arm but Till broke off.

Fine.

If Isaac wanted to play that way, then Till will fucking play.

Till walked over to Ivan, picking up a pole from the side of the room.

He hit Ivan on the head, causing him to pass out.

Till doesn’t plan to ever leave Ivan again.