Sunggyu and Howon drag Dongwoo through the snow. Myungsoo treks behind them, silently supporting Sungjong. Sungyeol and Woohyun bring up the rear, although Sunggyu can tell that Sungyeol is on the verge of giving up.

“We need to rest soon,” he mutters to Howon. “Can you scout ahead? Find us a place to sleep for the night. I’ll take care of Dongwoo.”

Howon give him a look but does as asked. Sunggyu hoists Dongwoo’s arm further up his shoulders and grits his teeth. Maybe they shouldn’t have moved so soon. Maybe Sungyeol was right. Maybe they should have waited until Dongwoo got better. Maybe…

“Hyung, hurry!” Howon comes rushing back, eyes alight with excitement. “To the left, there’s a dry spot in the forest. Come on, hyung!”

Sunggyu doesn’t have the energy to tell him that he can barely feel his legs. Instead, he uses Howon’s newfound perkiness to his advantage and all but gives Dongwoo to him.

“Come on, Yeol,” he grunts, heaving Sungyeol’s limp form into his arms. “Help me, Woohyun.”

Sunggyu rarely ever uses nicknames, and Woohyun is shocked into movement. Together, they carry Sungyeol to Howon’s little clearing.

Meanwhile, Howon is dancing around, high on his own joy. “Hyung, hyung, we found it! We found a place to sleep!” he giggles. Dongwoo is propped up against a rock, and Myungsoo and Sungjong are sprawled on the ground, seemingly asleep already.

Sunggyu jolts out of his exhaustion. “You idiot!” he snaps at Howon. “Are they even alive?” He rushes over to the two, checking breathing and body heat. Howon stops in his tracks, energy slowly draining away.

“Yes, hyung,” he says, hurt. “You don’t trust me?”

Everyone is, indeed, breathing and alive. Sunggyu sits down with a sigh, puts his head in his hands, and beckons Howon over.

Howon doesn’t come over. “Hyung,” he says, and Sunggyu hears tears in his voice. “I thought, I thought you would, you would…”

Sunggyu looks up just in time to see Howon burying his face in Woohyun’s shoulder. Woohyun glares at Sunggyu, patting Howon’s back.

“You idiot,” Woohyun mouths furiously. “Myungsoo,” he says out loud. “Are you up to finding some firewood? I have flint and steel in my bag.”

Myungsoo drags himself and Sungjong up from the ground, and they disappear from the clearing. “Don’t go too far!” Sunggyu yells. He stands up, pulling Woohyun away. “Howonnie,” he whispers, nestling his chin in the crook of the other boy’s neck. “Howon-ah, I’m sorry. I’m sorry for yelling at you. Of course I trust you, but… I can’t lose anyone.”

Howon sniffs. “I know, hyung,” he says in a small voice. “I don’t know, I thought you would be happy because I found a good place. We’ve been sleeping in the snow for two days now, and this is dry, and I don’t know…”

“You idiot.” Sunggyu pulls away and takes Howon’s cold face into his own cold hands. This time, he uses the word affectionately, and his eyes are soft. “Of course I’m happy. I love you so much, you know? I was just worried because you seemed so happy that I thought you forgot to check up on the others.”

Howon’s eyes are puffy from crying, but he still manages to give Sunggyu such an indignant look that Sunggyu starts laughing. “Come on,” he says, taking Howon’s hand. “Let’s go check up on the others.”

Woohyun and Sungyeol are attempting to feed Dongwoo medicine. It’s old fever medicine, but Sunggyu knows that, even if the medicine still works, the problem is much deeper than just a fever and a cold. The wind blows through the trees, and Dongwoo shivers.

“Hyung.” His voice is raspy and wet from sickness and disuse. “Hyung, can we go home?”

Unwittingly, Sunggyu clutches Howon’s hand tighter. His heart hurts to hear Dongwoo, the ever-optimistic Dongwoo, begging to go home. “Soon, Dongwoo,” he manages. “We’ll be home soon.”

Howon turns his face into Sunggyu’s arm. At that moment, Myungsoo and Sungjong burst into the clearing again, both carrying enormous bundles of sticks in their arms. At the sight of them, Myungsoo freezes.

“Uh, sorry to bother you, hyungs…” he says carefully, edging away. “We’ll just… go now.”

Sunggyu glares at him, and Sungjong looks like he’s trying not to laugh. “Woohyun-hyung has flint,” he says, straining to keep calm. “Myungsoo-hyung, let’s go make the fire!”

By his side, Howon is trembling, and Sunggyu realizes that he too is trying not to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” he grumbles. “Do we really act like a couple?”

Howon nods, too wracked by laughter to make out any words. Sunggyu sighs and sits down, and Howon leans his head against his shoulder.

“Hyung,” he says quietly, eyes fixed upon Myungsoo trying to start the fire. Sunggyu hums in response, threading his fingers through Howon’s hair. “Hyung, I don’t want to lose you. I can lose anyone else in the world, anyone at all, but not you. Just not you.”

Sunggyu sighs, pulling Howon closer. “I know,” he murmurs. “I couldn’t live without you either. These people, these kids, they’re all mine, all precious, but you. You’re different. You understand. You know. You’re mine, all mine, just mine.”

“Hyung!” Sungyeol’s voice whines loudly. “Woohyun-hyung! Sunggyu-hyung and Howon-hyung are being gay again!”

Sunggyu shoots Sungyeol a death glare. Sungyeol hides behind Woohyun, who has his face in his hands, probably trying not to laugh. Howon only snuggles closer.

“He’s mine!” he shouts triumphantly, like a kid who’s just gotten a toy he’s forever wanted. “All mine, and you can’t have him!”

The fire roars to life, and Woohyun drags Dongwoo over to thaw. Sungjong cheers and plops down to melt the ice on his clothes. With the heat from the fire, Howon, and the rhythmic crackling of the flames, Sunggyu can almost forget about his hunger.

Okay, guys, this is back in present day! I actually didn't mean to introduce Hogyu so soon (or rather, so closely so soon lol). But I did it anyway, and I hope you're all happy lol, because I'm sorta depending on that to make up for the loss of a plot. But psh what plot--