MILKY WAY TIME: 2 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS SINCE NAMJOON AND SEHUN WENT MISSING

SEHUN'S TIME: 24 HOURS SINCE HE WENT MISSING

Sehun stares at Namjoon's beautiful face, their hands brushing across one another's. After fighting for their lives, they're almost in the next biome, meaning they're twenty-four, almost twenty-five hours into this journey. Normally not a big deal, but with the added stakes that their parents are aging years every day they're gone, Sehun can't stop the weight hitting his chest. Namjoon is the only comfort he has right now. The comfort he fears he might lose.

He averts his eyes to stare at the next biome. The enormous gray mountains mere minutes away taunt him, towering over him as if telling him there's a secret inside. Sehun narrows his eyes, noticing how many runes are carved into the sides of the structures. Sehun turns his gaze back to his friend.

"This something you've ever drawn before?" Sehun asks.

"Runes? Of course, you know I was into all that demon hunting shit back when I was a kid," Namjoon says, tracing a pattern for a rune in mid-air. "I made up some of my own, too. Made a whole new world of runes and people. I wish I could write, then I could write the world too."

"I would offer, but dancing is the only thing I'm good at."

"I don't know, I'd say you've impressed Akira." Namjoon motions to the man not far away. He's chatting with Rosalind, making sure she's holding up okay after her injury.

Sehun doesn't want to be that person, but it's been hard ever since she got injured and it's only been about ten minutes, maybe less. She's been limping and leaning onto Jihyun like her life depends on it. If this keeps up, Sehun hates to say it, but they may have to leave her. But then again, Akira and Jihyun already lost enough crew members this trip, and that's without factoring in how they lost eighteen years of life back home. Actually, that number is over twenty now.

"By offering theories? I don't think that helps the crew much," Sehun says.

Namjoon shakes him off. "You don't need to be physically strong to help us, Jeon. Your ideas give us hope, and if they end up not working, it still gave us a bit of a reason to fight. That's something we all need right now. Something I need."

"That's the closest I'll ever get to hearing you say 'I need you'."

He slows their pace, falling a few extra feet behind the others. He's sure Akira noticed, but he's not commenting. Sehun's grateful for that. "I do need you," Namjoon says, slipping his hand fully into Sehun's. "I need you more than you know, Jeon." Sehun smiles, as does Namjoon. Those gorgeous dimples Sehun fell in love with shine, him nearly falling in love all over again. "You're an asshole and a bit of a whiney jerk, but-"

"Moment ruined," Sehun interrupts, chuckling. "But thank you. I need you too." They nod at one another, then they go back to holding hands and catching up with the others. Just in time, too. Akira steps on the gravel of the next biome, the others following as quickly as possible.

"Alright, this biome looks a bit more difficult than the others," Akira says, pointing at the spikes on the mountains. "Not only could we fall to our deaths climbing, but there doesn't seem to be much space between the mountains. I hope you're not claustrophobic."

Sehun goes still. Oh shit, he didn't think about that. Namjoon turns to him, Sehun refusing to look back. There's a reason why Sehun chose dance and piloting over engineering. Dance gives him freedom of movement, as does piloting. Engineering they get cramped up in small spaces all the time.

Namjoon keeps himself close, Sehun thanking him for it as Akira starts squeezing through the first gap between the mountains, holding his bag in front of him to make more room. The others do the same. It's only about two feet wide, him pressing his back against the wall and shimmying down it. Namjoon goes next, Sehun next to him. He hyperventilates, eyeing the wall mere inches away from his face.

Rosalind and Jihyun are next. Thanks to the proximity, Rosalind leaves stains of blood on the sides of the wall, her groaning from the sensation. Great, two people who can't move fast through these tight spaces. They're gonna lose so much more time because of this.

Sehun, despite his hand clutching Namjoon's so hard he's probably leaving bruises, attempts to hurry himself. "Close your eyes," Namjoon suggests. "I'll guide you out of this, okay?"

His throat goes dry, but he manages to nod and do as he's told. The darkness that follows only makes it worse. Sehun yelps and pants, snapping his eyes back open. "What the hell's going on back there?" Akira asks.

"I actually have claustrophobia," Sehun says.

There's a beat of quiet. "Shit."

Namjoon keeps his grip on Sehun's hand despite how much pressure Sehun's adding to it. Part of him feels bad, but the rest of him is in too much shock to give a fuck. He doesn't intend to be rude or rash like he always is, but he feels the need to kick the wall in front of him and scream at it for trapping him in a situation like this. Sehun didn't notice he was crying until Namjoon brushes his tears away.

"I'm right here. We're almost there," Namjoon says.

"That's not a lie, I see a light up ahead. Could be an opening to a larger space. Hang in there, Jeon. You can do it," Akira adds.

Rosalind and Jihyun are in their own world, Rosalind appearing paler than she was before. Maybe blood loss or pain is doing it to her. Either way, Sehun's too preoccupied to care, as insensitive as that sounds. He sends saliva down his parched throat, but it doesn't work.

"I-I can't do this. I can't do it," he murmurs. The words repeat like curses, his body locking up for a moment. His eyes widen, his breath being stolen from him.

Namjoon knows no pep talk will help, so he drags Sehun along. Thanks to Namjoon being way stronger than him, it works. Sehun doesn't so much as whisper a protest. He lets Namjoon drag him, but not without occasional hand squeezes and tears.

Akira slips through the end of the tunnel, Namjoon going next and pulling Sehun with him. Sehun falls to the ground and kisses it when he realizes he's in an open space. The shuddering still commences throughout his body, as do the tears, but at least he's not yelling or cursing anymore.

Jihyun and Rosalind come last, Rosa falling next to Sehun and heaving. The two of them pant together for completely different reasons. Sehun's so fucking tired. He's mentally drained and physically exhausted, but he has to keep going. He has to, otherwise none of this will matter.

"To be honest, this might be a good place to rest, but we already did not too long ago," Akira says, motioning to how they're in a small, oval-shaped space between four mountains. Sehun notices how the only way out is through another tiny tunnel like the one they went through. He almost cries, but he decides to cherish the time he has in open air before breaking down over the prospect of entering that hell again.

They reposition their bags, preparing to go through the next tunnel. "I'm sorry, but we have to keep moving."

"I just need a second," Sehun says, Akira agreeing albeit reluctantly.

Jihyun takes the time to check in on Rosa, speaking to her quietly. Namjoon does the same with Sehun, giving his shoulder a small massage. "It'll be okay, I won't let you get stuck. We'll keep moving and we'll stay strong, okay? Together. I'm not leaving you or letting go of your hand," Namjoon says.

As sweet as those words are, this is a fear Sehun needs to overcome on his own. Even then, getting over a fear such as claustrophobia is incredibly difficult. The best he can do is make it manageable. He can't freeze up again; he'll slow them down when they're already being slowed by Rosalind. All this time will add up to precious minutes that could give Sehun more time with his parents. With his friends and siblings.

"I'd give anything to see them," Sehun painfully whispers, his lower lip quivering while tears trickle down his face. "I want to go home. Joon, I want to go home so badly. I'm so sorry."

Namjoon shushes him and wipes his tears, helping him to his feet. Jihyun notices and does the same with Rosalind, the two pairs staying close together. "We're gonna get home, okay? Sehun, I promise you that no matter what happens, I will get you home. Even if it's the last thing I do," Joon says. Namjoon locks his pinky onto Sehun's, the two staring for a few moments. Jihyun and Rosalind are already waiting for them at the tunnel, as is Akira.

Sehun nods his thanks, doing a few breathing techniques to bring him back to reality. Namjoon and him go to the opening. Namjoon goes after Akira, Sehun following. They shimmy through the cracked walls with their bags in front of them so they don't get smooshed. They don't want their food getting damaged or their water bottles popping open. Sehun focuses on that, but it doesn't work very well. He finds himself trembling and threatening to break down into tears.

The weight of fear rests on top of his lungs, making it impossible to breathe. If he has a panic attack, he won't be able to stop it. Not to mention it'll slow them down massively. He tells himself sweet nothings, thinking of Jungkook and Taehyung's smiles as if that'll stop it. It doesn't. His terror increases.

"Hey Jeon, can I ask you something?" Akira asks.

"S-Sure."

"This probably sounds random, but if you could have any meal in the world, what would it be?"

"That's extremely random," Sehun says. "Maybe lobster tail. My parents always made it on New Year's Eve while we drank champagne."

"Uh oh, underage drinking. Might have to report that."

"You and I both know the galaxy-wide drinking age is eighteen. I didn't drink until then."

"Oh that is such bullshit," Namjoon says, earning him a glare from Akira and Sehun. "What? I've been a few times, the Park's and Jeon's partying and drinking together is a bit of a tradition."

"All I'm hearing is it's fate that you and Sehun get together," Akira says. Both Namjoon and Sehun choke on their own saliva. "I'm just saying. You'll have beautiful children and live on to be the greatest gay couple of all time. No offense to your parents, of course, but combining your powers is a little too deadly."

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Sehun replies, Namjoon agreeing.

"Alright, haven't we played this trope enough? Come on, I'm sure even your own parents played it. The two best friends so obviously in love but won't admit it because they're scared of ruining the friendship. I'm sure my two crewmates could agree with that."

Jihyun and Rosa, who were only half-listening, do agree. Looks like that went right over their heads. Sehun chuckles. So they're in love too, huh? Wait no. Sehun's not in love. He likes Namjoon as more than a friend, he'll admit to that, but he doesn't love him as more than a friend. Not yet. He's saving that for when they actually start doing couple-like things. He's not in love. No. Not at all.

They squeeze through the opening to the tunnel, Sehun blinking a few times. Huh, that wasn't nearly as bad. He never thought he'd see the day where he'd rather focus on his romantic feelings for Namjoon than the situation they're in, but here he is.

"Alright, that's two down, not sure how many left to go," Akira says, glancing around. This area is a lot wider than before, Sehun touching the walls to make sure they aren't about to close in on them. There's an actual passageway on the other side of them, this one more like a hallway than a tunnel. Meaning he can walk through it perfectly fine. He does a mental cheer, Namjoon smiling when he notices what Sehun does.

"Let's not waste any time," Namjoon says. The others agree with him, Sehun taking his hand and sauntering down the corridors.

"At the end of the next biome we'll rest. I'm guessing it'll take a while for us to get there anyway," Akira says. Sehun sighs. Shit. Hours more of this and some mysterious other biome.

He only prays it doesn't get worse.

~~~

Akira was right, they really were going to rest at the end of the next biome. It took a couple hours, and now they're ready to rest after an exhausting day of nonstop walking. Akira, Jihyun, and Rosalind are not far away. Still in eyesight, but far enough to be out of earshot. Good. That's exactly what Sehun needs.

This next biome is relatively peaceful compared to the other biomes that attempted to kill them. The mountains with the claustrophobia that almost overcame him multiple times. The fog with the flying fish and natural fear of dark places. The tundra with the scarecrow and the tall mountains. The crystals with their sharpness. The list goes on and on. Luckily, this biome is similar to a desert. Akira demoted Rosalind upon seeing it, but it isn't one of those hot deserts. The 'sand' acts more like mud in the shape of sand. It's the same color as mud as well. There's no sand dunes either. It's a plain, long stretch of mud-like sand. It's interesting to say the least.

Namjoon approaches, the two staring out at the next biome they're feet away from. This one is like a waterland. A continuation of the sand with pits of water sprinkled throughout. Some of the bodies of water look small like a lake, others look large and deep like a whole ass ocean. Sehun's not excited for this part, but as long as he doesn't go in the water, he'll be fine. Of course the two biomes he's afraid of are back to back. Claustrophobia and swimming, something he can't do. He also can't do math. Really random, but equations make his head hurt.

"Would it be dumb to ask how you're holding up?" Namjoon asks.

Sehun stares out at the next region, pausing before answering. "No, not really. It's an important question. Problem is I don't have an answer. Do you?"

"Maybe," Namjoon whispers, letting his eyes fall to what Sehun's looking at. "I have this problem, Jeon. This problem where I can't appreciate what I have." Sehun turns his gaze to Namjoon's side profile, admiring the way the crimson highlights his cheekbones. "And now, the people who mean the most to me are gone because of a mistake I made. A mistake I have to live with. It's been years since we've been home. And hey, maybe that ship that crashed is one of our parents here for us somehow but... I pray it isn't, and I pray there's a way home."

"I thought you were atheist."

Namjoon chuckles. "Even an atheist turns to faith when enough bad shit happens to them. Unfortunate that all this bad shit could've been avoided if I just talked. All I had to do was go to my father and ask him how I deal with myself. With my identity and who I want to be. But now it's too late. I couldn't open my damn mouth, and now here I am. In Hell. Repenting for my monumental sins."

Sehun steps a bit closer, placing a hand on his cheek. "With me." Namjoon meets Sehun's eyes, the two staring. "You're trapped in Hell, repenting for your monumental sins... with me."

Namjoon places a hand over Sehun's, coming closer as well. Their chests are borderline pressed up against each other's, the thought that the other crew members might be watching this not even a fleeting thought in Sehun's mind. Namjoon traces patterns into the back of his hand, Sehun smiling at that.

"Never again," Namjoon whispers. Sehun raises a brow. "I'm never hiding how I feel again."

"I'll help you through it. I'll listen to every word you have to say."

They place their foreheads on each other's, Namjoon's hands falling to his waist. Sehun allows it, the two closing their eyes to enjoy the brief silence they needed. The silence that has their hearts and minds racing. Sehun's a mess, he knows that. He's suffering from the same thing Namjoon is, but at least they can go through it together. Sehun was never alone. Ever. Why did it take him this long to see it?

"Whenever you need anything, and I mean anything," Namjoon murmurs, letting out a soft breath. "I'm one call away. We'll handle things the right way this time. Calmly, and most importantly, together."

"Together," Sehun replies, their eyes opening to lock on one another once again. "We should probably get back to the others and rest, we only have so much time. Knowing your morning tendencies, you should get the most sleep humanly possible."

"Ha," Namjoon says, Sehun chuckling. The two of them part, still holding hands. They linger a second longer than they probably should, their bodies not moving for a moment.

Then, they walk away.

~~~

A/N: You know, I'm curious: out of the 5 new characters (Akira, Jihyun, Namjoon, Sehun, and Rosalind) who's your favorite? For some reason I really like Sehun but I'm also 4 chapters ahead so-