Chapter Text
Ivan stared at Till’s figure running back towards Anakat. He grinned, that boy was going to be the death of him but Ivan would willingly die if it meant being with Till.
He tamed the monster guarding the gate to their escape. Spent hours he could have spent with Till learning its patterns, its habits to tame it. It all led up to this moment.
Only for Till to back out.
He looked at the starry night once more. It might be the last time he ever saw it. He followed Till back. He should have known better than to think Till would want to escape with him.
He was just a gift master got for his wife. He should accept instead of— wanting to be with Till. Wanting the impossible. Wanting happiness.
God, he was so stupid, Till would never want him. A person like Ivan was just a parasite wanting to stick on Till. And stubborn, beautiful and rebellious Till would remove that parasite.
The walk back was silent. With Ivan staring at the stars. When he got back he petted the monster— but if this cute creature was a monster what was he? At least this creature was useful unlike Ivan.
Till was probably at the cafeteria eating dinner, pretending they didn't almost escape. Or maybe he told the alien handlers exactly what Ivan did. Or maybe— a hand pulled him.
It was Luka, the prodigy. What was he doing here? “I want to escape.”
Luka wanting to escape? The 16 year old prodigy wants to escape? Ivan almost let out a laugh right there and then. He pulled his hand from the weak grip. Luka was weak, he wasn't artificially built for strength.
“Why would I help you?” Ivan was already annoyed after Till leaving him, at himself not Till. He could never be mad at Till.
His thoughts of Till were broken as Luka whispered in his.
— — — — — —
It was a week after that conversation. Luka-hyung went back to his facility with Heperu but he promised to come back in a week and told Ivan to be ready for him.
Ivan spent each and every moment while waiting for Luka-hyung with Till. He wouldn't get to see him again, not for some time. If Luka-hyung’s plan worked Ivan would see Till in the future however.
Luka-hyung knew Hyuna, the girl who escaped. She has joined the rebels and wanted to save everyone from Alien Stage. She sounded nice, someone Ivan might like.
Luka-hyung's plan was to disable whatever device Heperu used to control his heart and then escape with Ivan to meet Hyuna. That device sounded painful.
But Luka-hyung told him not to worry and to call him Hyung from now on, he was four years his senior after all and Hyung was going to use Ivan.
Luka-hyung's plan was to pretend that he wanted to practice with Ivan.
And then leave Anakt.
It sounded easy. Too easy, but Ivan wanted to escape. Hyung even promised that once they find Hyuna they would come back to reduce Till, Mizi and Sua.
It sounded so easy.
Obviously it went wrong.
— — — — — —
When Luka-hyung came, Ivan got himself ready and shouted “Hyung! You're here!”
Luka smiled and wrapped his arms around Ivan, picking him up with a grunt. The 16 year old could barely handle the 12 year old weight. “I'm so happy to see you again Ivan. Heperu if we may, we'll be going to the practise room.”
Heperu made a chirping noise which most have been yes in whatever alien language he used. Ivan's master could use English and only ever spoke to him in that, so Ivan wouldn't know.
As Luka carried him to the practise room he caught sight of Till’s confused face. Ivan looked away, he hadn't told Till anything. He couldn't. If he— no, he couldn't. If Till knew he might come with.
But if Till came without Mizi he would just go back again and he might even get a punishment. Ivan couldn't do that to Till so he resolved to go with Luka-hyung and save Till along with Mizi and Sua later.
The practice room came and went. They were going to the creature's den otherwise known as the exit from Anakt.
Ivan got down from Luka-hyung’s arms and petted the creature. Got up close and personal, this time he wasn't coming back so he wanted to find the creature a proper goodbye.
“I'll miss you.” Even though he wasted hours on this creature instead of spending them with Till it was fine. Ivan liked the creature now, kind of.
Luka-hyung cut the reunion short with a whispered "Hurry.”
Ivan nodded and gestured to the creature to get away from them. This uncovered the exit. Luka took his arm in his and they started running.
The creature went back to its spot, covering their tracks at least for a little bit. They had to hurry. To where Ivan didn't know but they had to hurry.
Luka-hyung started panting and took a break when Anakat Garden looked like a tiny blob. Ivan stared at the sky in wonder, it was filled with stars and it looked beautiful. He would be seeing it more now that he escaped.
“We– haven't– escaped– yet.” Luka-hyung said this in between pants.
He was tired. He was weak after all, his body was meant to be a singer, a dancer not someone who escaped.
“I didn't bring water, sorry.” Hyung brushed him off. And wrapped his arm around his again. And they went back to running. “We’re almost there. Just there.”
They came to an abandoned looking warehouse. Inside a person with a prosthetic leg stood waiting. Hyung's voice took on a childlike tone “Hyuna?”
She took one look at both of them and said “Get on.” Gesturing to her vehicle. They both got on.
In between flying across to wherever the rebel base was she spoke “The others are rading Anakat Garden right now. They're distracted. Especially since Luka is missing.”
Ivan nodded, it made sense Luka won the last competition after all. Hyung was looking at Hyuna like he was in a dream. He must be in love with her. Ivan didn't like that Hyung was paying attention to him. He's the one who got them both out of the garden after all.
But it didn't matter Hyuna didn't look at Luka the way he did her. Or did she?