─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
SEASON 1 EPISODE 11
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Setting:
System: Alpha Centauri
Faction: United Colonies
Planet: Jemison
Place: Y/n's room, the Lodge, New Atlantis
☆☆☆
The Colony War
Y/n
"Mama!"
Thundering footsteps vibrated the broken sidewalks. Smoke contaminated the sky as she coughed out muck and bits of the lunch she hadn't had time to fully consume. Her hands pried the rubble off her chest, and cracking sobs left her parched throat.
Y/n climbed her way out of the hole she had been trapped in. Blood soaked her mouth, and upon pressing her finger against it, she determined her tooth had been snapped in half. She could feel her nerve dangling out of the shattered pieces.
New Atlantis cried for mercy as the Freestar's mechs rained fire on it. Giant robotic bodies towered over the fleeing citizens only for them to get crushed by their massive feet. The mechs were the size of ten people stacked on top of one another, and their width was more than any ship Y/n had ever seen in the few years of adventuring she had done.
"Mama!" she cried again, crawling her way down the sidewalk as drips of blood fell off her scabbed knees.
Skyscrapers fell and decorated the horizon with swarms of dust. Deflated human bodies that had been squashed by the Freestar's mechs lay around her. Unable to walk, Y/n had to scrape her way over the dead bodies and feel how their organs had been squeezed out of their bodies.
Vomit tickled her tongue and her eyes burned either from the sickening smell of the rotting corpses or the thick smog that sprinted inside her nose and wrapped around her brain.
"Ma-" She coughed out a mixture of mucus and puke. "-ma!"
Despite the civilians pleading for mercy, the Freestar Collective trampled their way through New Atlantis. The skyscrapers were knocked over as if they were paperweights. The NAT was torn up. Any resistance fighters who dared protest the assault were met with explosive rounds that incinerated their entire existence.
"Mama," Y/n whispered in a final desperate whine.
Her exhaustion overpowered her and caused her to fall to the ground next to several deflated people with their eyes popped out of their skulls. Y/n had gotten lucky and had fallen in a hole one of the mech's missiles had created. That caused her to survive.
Her nails were either chipped or completely blown off, her flesh was littered with scorch marks and scars that would never heal, and her hair had been burned off due to the fires growling all around her. Yet she lived.
The mechs continued their onslaught. Screams and sirens filled the air and pulled on Y/n's eardrums. Her vision wavered in and out, and as she sunk into the darkness, she wondered what it would feel like to get crushed by one of the mechs.
The Freestar mechs that had killed her friends and destroyed her home.
☆☆☆
"Y/n!"
She snapped up with her hand thrown over her chest and painful breaths making their way inside her tight lungs. Tears coated her cheeks even after she made the realization she was in the Lodge, in her bedroom.
The mattress was soft and dipped according to her body's curves. She felt each one to ensure it was real. The only two sounds were the echo of Jimin's voice and the slight hum of the radiator as it pumped delicate waves of heat around her. Other than the light pouring in from the hallway, it was almost pitch black.
Jimin stood in the doorway and slipped inside. The lock clicked, and the light from the hall disappeared. All that remained were the two of them in her spacious room with more UC Vanguard posters than anything else. That and her backup armor put on display in the corner. It brought her peace of mind to know she had an Eon pistol on her nightstand and extra armor only a few feet away.
She could barely see Jimin due to the darkness, but she could tell he had a white t-shirt and gray sweatpants on. His hair was flat against his skin and sleep lines littered the half of his face she could see. The other half was cloaked by both the lack of luminance and his locks obstructing her view.
Jimin approached as she ran a hand across her sweating forehead. He plopped down next to her and didn't speak for a long moment. The silence should have been comforting, but it brought her more terror.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude. It's just... you were screaming."
"You get used to it. The others have," Y/n said. She leaned back and stared at the wall despite how she could feel Jimin's gaze piercing through her. "I'm sorry if I woke you, you can go back to-"
Jimin interrupted her by placing his hand over his. That caused her to shift her attention to him, and their eyes locked. He looked like a puppy from the way his lips were pouty and his eyebrows were buried together.
"Talk to me."
She couldn't help herself: she did.
"I keep having nightmares about the Colony War," she whispered, and he hummed. It was a soft, delicate noise that massaged her ears and soothed her aching bones. "The Freestar launched a mech assault on New Atlantis. I was just a kid... I was seven... I..." Y/n broke off. She hated the way her lower lip quivered and her mind couldn't dispel her memories.
"Hey, it's okay. I may be an asshole, but I grew up in a place surrounded by literal shit." Jimin paused to chuckle and squeeze her hand. "You think I have the right to judge anyone?"
She laughed. It was congested and sounded more like a sneeze. "You'd do it anyway."
"Maybe, but not now. Not when you're like this. So, it's okay, really. You can talk to me if you want to."
She didn't know why, but she believed him. Maybe it was the melody of his sweet tone or the way his hand brought warmth to her. Either way, she found herself coming closer to him. Her head landed on his shoulder. She couldn't tell if that was due to exhaustion, the need to be next to him, or both. It ended with Jimin hesitating before wrapping his arm around her waist and holding her body against his.
"I was in school back then. My best friend, Rebecca, she was in my class," Y/n murmured. She shut her eyes and attempted to picture Rebecca's face. Somehow her memory could imagine every frame of the New Atlantis attack, yet Rebecca was a mere blur. "Her and her family died in that attack."
"Jesus, I'm so sorry."
Y/n snickered. It was bitter. Maybe frail, too. "Those mech pilots saw a little girl running for her life. They looked a child in the eyes and still pulled the trigger." Y/n stopped and sighed. "I'm sorry, I know I'm talking badly about your faction, it's just..."
"Y/n, I hate the UC because they took my father from me. They saw a man trying to help his home, his family, and they killed him for it. You went through the same thing but the other way around. I love my faction, but I'm not going to pretend they're perfect. They hurt you. That's enough for me to condemn them for it."
She peeped up at him and found him peering back at her. "Why? I thought I was a UC dog."
"I don't know," he said. There was a tremble in his voice. "But what I do know is when I saw that vision of me dying, all I wanted was to see you, and you came for me. So now I want to be here for you."
There were no words Y/n could use to respond to that. No words that made sense, anyway. She decided to keep her eyes on him, and that did the trick. Her expression displayed her gratitude for his honesty and presence.
When Y/n had first joined Constellation, Sam had used to run in and check on her when she received nightmares. He had offered her his hat since she had always loved it and thought it was the most ridiculous thing in the galaxy. Sam had cracked jokes and, eventually, tucked her back in so she could attempt to get a peaceful night's rest. After some time, Y/n had insisted no one come to her if she had a nightmare. They respected that. For years, she had been alone. Then Jimin rushed through her bedroom door without hesitation. And, most importantly, without apology. He held her hand and asked her to talk about what she had witnessed.
She hadn't realize how lonely she was until he ran through her door.
"I should try sleeping again," she said, and Jimin nodded in agreement. He helped her lay back down. Like Sam had once done, he tucked her in. Unlike Sam, Jimin made a whole show out of it.
"And now, I will perform my special move." Jimin raised his hands and waved them around as if he were a ninja. "I call it... the burrito."
He proceed to tuck her in so tightly, she couldn't so much as free her shoulders from the grasp of the burrito bundle Jimin had put her in. He grinned once he finished.
"Goodnight, Y/n. Come to my room if you need anything. Us Neon street rats don't sleep much, so I'll be awake."
She suppressed her giggle as best she could. "Goodnight, Jimin."
He smiled and went to the door. It opened, and in poured the light. It caked her face in brightness that made her wince; however, it granted her access to Jimin's attire in great detail. The shirt bounced off his form, and his hair was tied up into a ponytail with the front parts left untouched so they could curtain his cheeks. The gray sweatpants pressed against his thin waist but extended around his muscular thighs. Bare toes tip-toed across the creaky wooden floors, and Y/n realized Jimin's feet were smaller than Cora's, and she was a kid.
If anything, Jimin resembled an angel with his glowing, clear skin and rosy cheeks. His lips were swollen as if he had been laying face-down on his pillow. Bags tugged at his eyes, but they weren't dark or large enough to be concerning. Not yet, anyway.
And in that moment, the moment she studied Jimin's appearance, she found herself unwilling to let him go.
"Jimin," she said, and he turned toward her. "Can you... can you stay?"
Without uttering a word, Jimin shut the door and came back over. He sat on the side of her bed and made sure the burrito was working as intended.
"I'd love to, but just so you know, I charge by the hour. A thousand credits."
She grinned. "You're such a jerk."
He laughed until squeaky sounds came out. He almost collapsed on her if it weren't for his hand landing on her thigh and holding himself upright. It caused tingles to spiral up and down her skin. She had never been so grateful for a blanket in her life, otherwise Jimin would have front row seats to her body's reaction to his touch.
Jimin dialed down a beat later and decided to play with her hair. Silence carried on between them interrupted by the episodic bumps and creaks of the radiator. If they were lucky, they could hear footsteps down the hall from another Constellation member. The walls were thick enough to conceal most sounds, but random noises still crept in here and there.
Y/n buried her head against her pillow. "Can you stay the whole night?"
"If you're willing to pay."
"Shush."
Jimin chuckled and slipped off the mattress. That caused her to glance up. She saw him sinking to the ground and laying on the floor next to her bed. Although it meant undoing half of the burrito Jimin had done, Y/n shimmied her way to the edge to observe what he was doing. But he was doing nothing. He rested there despite how uncomfortable she imagined it was.
"What? I want to sleep too, y'know," Jimin said in an amused tone.
"At least take a pillow."
"No need, I sleep on the floor all the time back home. Goodnight."
Y/n sighed. "Goodnight."
Reluctantly, she flipped over and attempted to re-burrito herself. It didn't work, which ended with her pouting. However, sleep was more important. Her eyes closed and blackness awaited. Yet it wouldn't accept her. Not because she didn't want to sleep, but rather because the man underneath her was her top priority.
"Jimin," she said, and he made a noise that sounded like a half-hum half-whistle. "Come up here." She trailed off and snuggled a bit closer to the blanket. "Please."
Jimin immediately got up and climbed over her. He put in extra effort to annoy her. It was irritating to have all that weight on her, and he knew that. If anything, he took joy in it.
"Is this bothering you?" he asked as he planted himself on top of her.
She rolled her eyes and whacked his chest. "Shoo, I want to sleep."
He snickered and settled in on the other side of the bed. His head placed itself on the pillows, and she did her best to throw her blanket over him. It was a giant blanket that covered the entire king-sized bed. Y/n had an obsession with over-sized sleep-related items, like stuffed animals, hoodies, and blankets. That led to an entire collection taking up all the space in her closet.
"Mm," Jimin mumbled. His hair sprawled out and covered the majority of his face. "Seven out of ten. Not enough leg room."
To demonstrate, Jimin's leg met hers like he was about to kick her. She scowled and moved away, and that ended with him snorting and giggling like a baby. The more he giggled, the more he sounded like he was hiccupping, and the more his voice became slurred. A yawn invaded him, and the way it scrunched up his nose made him look like both a puppy and kitten at the same time. All that was missing was the whiskers.
"Can I say goodnight now, or are you gonna say something else?" he asked, and that made her break out into a smile. He opened his eyes as if sensing it, and he matched her expression. "Eight out of ten."
"What?"
Jimin motioned to her lips. "Your smile. Eight out of ten."
"Why not a perfect ten?"
He scooped several chunks of her hair and pulled them out of her face. "There. Now it's a ten."
Her heart swelled inside her and suffocated her poor lungs. Squeaks threatened to leave her, but she forced them back down in favor of staring at him in awe. He nodded like he was proud of himself, then his eyes shut once more.
"Goodnight, Y/n."
His voice was cloaked by the temptation of sleep. Yawns captured him in a series of weird but charming sounds that made Y/n's ears dance with ecstasy. She couldn't take her gaze off the way he burrowed himself against her pillows. She couldn't stop taking whiffs of his peachy scent that radiated the sensation of home and safety. She couldn't stop thinking about what it'd feel like to be wrapped up in his arms. For the time being, she decided to prop her head against her bed's cushions and enjoy his presence.
"Goodnight, Jimin."
☆☆☆
Going to the Key wasn't on Y/n's to-do list, but Jimin had insisted he wanted her there.
They were docked. The Key, the pirate's home base, was mere feet away. With her unmarked spacesuit on and her helmet clicked in place, she was ready to go. Apparently Jimin thought she would be accepted since he was on Hoseok's good side. Hoseok himself said Jimin could do whatever he want.
"Once we get in, let me do the talking, okay?" Jimin asked as he loaded his Eon pistol and put it in his thigh holster. He had a standard flight suit on. It was navy blue with his zipper three quarters of the way up, therefore it showed off his black undershirt that stretched over his collarbone.
Y/n watched him gear up and focused on the pistol. "What weapons are you good with?"
"Shotguns and assault rifles, why?"
"What if I got you your own AA-99?"
He froze and whipped around to face her with a slacked jaw and puppy eyes that almost burst free from his skull. "I would make out with you."
"Okay, first of all, ew. Second of all, ew. Third of all, I'll get you one through my connections, but you have to be on your best behavior. The UC doesn't like it when known criminals have weapons. If I'm gonna risk my neck for you, I need your word you won't do anything stupid."
"I always do something stupid," Jimin said in a whine. At Y/n's glare, he immediately cleared his throat. "You have my word. I'll be stupid, but not stupid stupid."
Y/n accepted the answer and went to the hatch. She opened it, and even through her helmet's filters she could smell the stench of pirates. Gasoline mixed with beer clogged her nostrils. Wet coughs spewed from her throat, her hand flying to her helmet as if that would help block the nasty aroma out.
"It just smells like a better Neon, you'll be fine," Jimin said as he strolled by her with his hands in his pockets.
Y/n wished she could throw herself into a black hole, but for Jimin's sake, she kept going. Her feet carried her inside the pirate's home. As soon as she stepped in, she noticed two pirates fighting.
"You owe me four thousand creds!" one of them, a man, said.
The other one, another man, crossed his arms over his chest. Both of them were wearing Crimson Fleet spacesuits that were, well, crimson. They had streaks of gold as well, and the helmets were closed so Y/n couldn't see their faces. Not that she needed to. She understood body posture more than facial expressions.
"You asked for twenty percent, I gave you twenty percent. Not my problem," the other said.
The first man pulled out his pistol and killed the other without hesitation. Just as the body slumped to the ground, Jung Hoseok came over with pirate gear on. He had a cape that slinked down his back and bounced off his thick leather combat boots, and he twirled a golden chain around his fingers. The color it had matched his canine tooth that was on display thanks to him chewing gum with his mouth open. A red scarf was wrapped around his neck, right under the chain. She didn't comprehend why he'd bother wearing a cape, a chain, and a scarf, but she didn't care enough to question a pirate.
"You're making a mess in front of my new pirate," Hoseok said. "Throw it out the airlock before it stinks up the place."
Y/n bit her tongue and chose not to say any comments that could get her kicked out. She didn't want to be on the Key, but it was important to Jimin, therefore it was important to her.
The room she was in had dim lighting, and it was a miracle it wasn't flickering. Some of the lights were white, others were red. The metal walls had scratches and dents on them. Some panels were missing, Crimson Fleet banners with their skull logo were hung up, and the floors had various debris scattered around. Claustrophobic didn't even begin to describe the state of the Key. The cramped corridors and low ceiling made it so Jimin, a man who was not very tall, had to hunch his back to fit.
Hoseok approached and scanned Jimin up and down. He made sure to do it slowly. "You brought your woman."
"Yeah and what about it?" Jimin asked, scrambling to get in front of her. "I'm vouching for her and she helped us get to the Lock. She's earned the right to be here, don't you think?"
"Del might hate it."
"Del seems like he hates everything."
Hoseok paused his gum chewing to smile. For a deadly pirate, he had a charming grin that made his mouth appear heart-shaped, and it caused his canine tooth to glisten.
"As long as you do your job, he'll love you. He's as cuddly as they come."
"How can he be cuddly with all that hair gel?" Y/n couldn't help but ask. Jimin snorted so hard snot came out of his nose and he had to slap a hand over his mouth.
Hoseok used his index finger to coax Jimin to the side so he could come closer to her. Hoseok had a wide frame that stretched in his pirate's gear. His attire was all red with some hickory accents as dark as Jimin's eyes. With his hands folded in front of him, he tilted his head toward her.
"What'd you say her name was?"
"Ask her yourself," Jimin said, but he sounded congested thanks to his gnarly snort from a few moments ago.
"Calista," Y/n said before Hoseok could respond to Jimin. She straightened her shoulders as best she could. Staring the leader of the pirates in the eye was a daunting task despite the comfort of having her face hidden. With or without the helmet, she felt bare. It made her flesh boil and wish to climb inside itself.
"Hm." Hoseok blew a bubble and clicked his tongue. It sounded distorted thanks to the gum. "She sounds like a bitch."
"My bitch," Jimin interrupted, and Hoseok chuckled while Y/n wished she could facepalm. For Jimin's sake, she kept her hands by her side.
"Whatever you say, Parkie. Let's get moving, Del wants to see you."
Hoseok spun on his heel and went down the next hall. It was a connecter hall that led from one part of the station to the next, which meant it had windows on all sides so they could see the space surrounding them. As they strolled through, Jimin and Y/n kept to the back, far out of Hoseok's earshot.
"Would making out with me be that bad?" Jimin whispered, and Y/n brought her brows together.
"Huh?"
"You said 'ew' when I told you I'd make out with you. Would it really be that bad? You don't think I have nice lips?"
She found herself staring at them. They shined under the bright light of the hall. They were glossy as if he had invested in a five-star lip care service, and yeah, she had to admit it: they were massive.
Y/n shrugged. "They're alright, I guess."
Jimin grabbed her arm and forced her to stop. "Alright?!"
Hoseok whipped around. "What the hell are you two doing? Save the lover's quarrel for later, we have people to meet and places to be."
Jimin huffed and released her, then followed Hoseok. Y/n did her best to do the same, though she had a stumble in her walk. Not because she injured herself, but rather because she found it hard to focus after being so close to Jimin. She despised the way it felt. The way her heart refused to stop focusing on him, the way her eyes gravitated to him whenever he was nearby, the way her hands desired to reach for his.
No. She was a UC Vanguard. Feelings such as those would get in the way of her mission-
Oh. He was her mission.
Sugar.
Y/n ripped the thoughts out of her mind and followed Hoseok. He opened the thick double doors that contrasted the rest of the dark color scheme the place had due to them being a tarnished yellow. They appeared as though they had been withering away for a hundred years.
"The Key was made by the UC, but Jasper Kryx took it over when he led a revolt against the UC with a band of prisoners from the Lock. From there, he formed the Crimson Fleet to make a shit ton of creds. The leaders have changed over the years, but Del got it most recently and chose me as his right hand man, though most consider me on par with him," Hoseok said as he made his way inside the next room.
What awaited them was a place called the 'Reckoner's Core.' To put it simply, it was a mess. Sparks flew from the busted lights above them. Debris rested on the floor. Pirates cheered and chattered louder than the sound barrier. They were all crowded around one room, which was marked 'SHIP SERVICES' in black spray paint. Inside the room was a brunette woman with her hair thrown up in a bun and a tablet in her hands. Her Crimson Fleet jumpsuit was mostly gray with some streaks of red.
"That's Jazz, our ship tech. She's the one who keeps the Key running. Treat her nicely if you know what's good for you," Hoseok said. As they walked into the core, Y/n noticed there was a single white chair that was placed in the center of bright lights that were brighter than the rest of the station. "This is Shinya Voss, he controls our lifeblood: the credits."
Standing near the chair was a man with shaggy hair all the way down to his shoulders and a beard and mustache to complement it. The Universal in Y/n got excited at the fact that she was meeting a Jesus lookalike, but seeing as he was a pirate, she doubted he had any words of wisdom for her.
"I already set up an account for you," Shinya said, his voice scratchy like he hadn't had a glass of water in two days. "We have Crimson Fleet mission all around the Key. You do missions, you get credits. That simple."
Jimin quirked a brow. "The missions are?"
"Smuggling, stealing, piracy. You name it, we do it. I have a feeling the stealing is up your alley. I'll be sure to send any hacking projects your way."
"Glad to know I have a reputation," Jimin said with a small nod that admittedly made him look adorable.
"Alright, let's go meet with Del. I'll take you to the Depot another day. Oh, and don't forget the Last Nova," Hoseok said, which caused Jimin to tilt his head. Hoseok chuckled at that. "The Depot is like our personal mall. Weapons, gear, minerals—everything a pirate needs, you can buy it there. The Last Nova will be your favorite stop."
Right away, Jimin lit up.
"Is it a bar? Please say it's a bar."
Hoseok smirked. "Pretty and smart, eh? No wonder why you're such a valuable member to the Fleet."
"Are you flirting with him? Right in front of me?" Y/n asked before she could stop herself. If she didn't have a helmet on, she would've slapped her hand over her mouth. The words didn't come to her mind, she just said them as if on instinct.
"'It's not like that,'" Hoseok said in a mocking tone. He rolled his eyes. "We get it, you two are in love. Just go fuck already and leave me out of it. I don't need to deal with your jealousy."
Jimin snickered. "I think you're the jealous one, Hobi."
Hoseok's eyes almost burst free from his skull. "What did you just call me?"
"Alright, alright," Shinya said from behind them. "Can you leave? You're interrupting my zen work environment."
Seeing as hard metal music was blasting and there were pirates hooting and hollering not too far away, Y/n didn't believe that for a second. Still, they ended up leaving, though Y/n questioned if she should have stayed behind seeing as they got shoved in a tight elevator together.
Jimin stomped his feet like an overgrown baby. "Fucking... stupid metal boxes of doom. Who made these bitches?"
"You can fight a giant scorpion without batting an eye, but you're scared of elevators?" Hoseok asked.
Jimin huffed. "If I died battling a scorpion, it'd be awesome. If I died in an elevator, that'd be lame. Do I look like the kind of person who deserves a lame death? No! That's blasphemy! I'm either going down fighting a big ass monster, drowning in pussy, or not at all."
"Okay, ew," Y/n said. They couldn't see it, but she had her nose scrunched up and her lips formed in a grimace. "The second one wasn't necessary."
"Why? Can't bear the thought of him with someone other than you?" Hoseok asked with an eye roll.
The doors opened before Y/n got a chance to answer. She thanked God for that and ended up being the first out of the elevator. Jimin was the second, and he tailed her as they entered what Hoseok named the Operation Center. It was a wide room with crimson lighting and countless tables with glowing screens. Pirates of varying ranks rushed around while holding tablets. Some wore spacesuits, others opted to show their faces.
One of said faces was Delgado, who stood at the center of it all with his hands behind his back. Hoseok skipped over. His scarf flew in the small wind he created.
"Del, don't freak out," Hoseok said.
Delgado immediately freaked out.
"You brought that girl again?" Del asked Jimin. He stormed his way over, but Jimin got in front of her before Del could get too close.
"Before you pop a gasket, keep in mind I think she's trustworthy, and you think I'm trustworthy," Jimin said with a charming smile.
Delgado kept a monotone expression. "No I don't."
Jimin's smile fell. "Well, shit. I was kind of hoping you would considering I saved your commander's life, got evidence of Kryx's Legacy, and completed all your trials quickly and without complaint. Oh, and do I need to remind you of my reputation?"
"Pendejo," Del muttered as he facepalmed. Then, he sighed. "Fleet over boners, ya? She's not as important as us."
"She's actually way more important," Jimin said with a cheeky grin. "She's gonna buy me an AA-99. I'm letting the boner win this time, sorry Del."
"Aye, this man." Delgado huffed, but Y/n saw it: he cracked a small smile. It was gone as soon as it came.
Delgado pointed to the stairs in the back of the ops center, and the four of them traversed up the creaky metal staircase that went to Delgado's office. It had the same crimson lights as the Operation Center, but it was brighter due to it being a narrow room with more screens that lit up the small space.
"I listened to the evidence you gave me and found our next step. We have a buddy named Rokov, an ex-pirate who talks way too much. He's the captain of a Trident cruise ship. Onboard is Larry Dumbrosky, a GalBank exec."
Y/n did her best not to show her surprise. She knew Rokov. Not to the point where she had a conversation with him, but she knew of him. He was a former UC commander who had defected to the Crimson Fleet. If the Fleet was powerful enough to sway UC commanders, Y/n feared what kind of influence they could have over Jimin.
"Anyone want to clue me in on what GalBank is?" Jimin asked.
"You have one on Neon, don't ya?" Del asked back.
"Del, I'm joining the Fleet because I'm dirt broke. You really think I paid attention to what banks Neon has?"
Del went to rebuttal, but he shut up. "Okay, good point. GalBank is the largest bank in the Settled Systems. They have more customers than Hoseok has brain cells."
"That's not saying much," Hoseok said, jabbing his co-commander with his elbow. "I think a more impressive comparison is they have more customers than Del has mental issues."
"Aye, shut up." Del turned his attention back to Jimin. "GalBank is prestigious and prideful, so there are no public records of any ships going down, but if we interrogate a GalBank executive like Larry Dumbrosky, we could find out where the Legacy went down."
"That's... actually not a bad plan," Y/n said, and it hurt to admit that the pirate was intelligent, but she had to give credit where credit was due. She wasn't sure what she was expecting. As much as pirates were bumbling fools with loud mouths and trigger-happy fingers, Delgado and Hoseok knew what they were doing when it came to leadership. If the Fleet had stayed in operation for as long as they had, they needed a smart leader. Delgado seemed to be that. He was grumpy but intelligent.
Delgado nodded. "I have my moments. You two are going to go to Rokov's ship. I'll send you the coordinates and-"
"Woah, woah," Jimin interrupted. "Us two? I'm just a rook, and she's barely in the Fleet. Why are you sending us?"
Delgado laughed. It was a belly laugh. "No, no. Not you two, you'll get lost in each other's eyes. I meant you two." Del pointed between Hoseok and Jimin.
Hoseok snickered. "Del, with all due respect, Jimin and I are far more likely to make out than Jimin and her."
"Aye, knock it off," Del said with a hefty grunt. "Get moving and try not to draw too much attention to yourselves."
"But I'm hot!" Jimin complained, stomping his little foot. "I draw attention wherever I go."
Hoseok whistled and looked him up and down. "Damn right you do."
"Enough!" Delgado got between the two of them. "We haven't come this close to Kryx's Legacy before. This is our chance to make our family stronger." Delgado trailed off and sucked in a breath. "It's our chance to protect them. Please, go. To make things less complicated, you two should go on the same ship."
"Hoseok's," Y/n quickly said. "Just in case anything goes wrong, I don't want to be involved."
"Gee, thanks, babe," Jimin replied. "Let's get moving. The quicker we get this over with, the quicker I can get drunk at the Last Nova."
Delgado chuckled. "I'm impressed, that is the first intelligent thing you've said this entire time, Jimin."
"Oh, it's true love, he called me by name," Jimin said, clasping his hands together and batting his eyelashes at Del.
Del grunted. "Get out."
Hoseok, Jimin, and Y/n left Delgado's office and went back to the elevator. Upon entering, Jimin whined like a toddler and complained the entire ride down to Reckoner's Core. Hoseok ignored him and took them to the docking bay, where Y/n went to Jimin's ship to prepare to sit and wait for his return. The nerves had already begun to pile up. She had a feeling they'd get worse the second Jimin and Hoseok left.
"I'll give you two a minute," Hoseok said, stalking off to go to the Pandora's hatch. When he was out of earshot, Jimin approached her.
"Hey, can you do me a favor?" Jimin whispered, and Y/n nodded. "Check in with Yoongi and Jungkook on my behalf. I don't know how long this will take, and I don't want them to think I'm dead."
"I'll do it if you do me a favor too."
"Sure, a little quid pro quo never hurt anyone. What is it?"
Y/n glanced over Jimin's shoulder and saw Hoseok was popping another stick of gum in his mouth and not paying attention to them. If anything, it seemed like he wanted to look literally anywhere else. Seeing as the rest of the docking area was empty, Y/n deemed it safe. She took off her helmet and pulled Jimin closer, which resulted in him jumping.
"Woah, Y/n-"
She cut him off by pressing her lips against his cheek. She wasn't sure why her instincts told her to do it, but she had to. Even with the risk of her potentially being recognized (though a low risk considering that, to her knowledge, no pirate had ever seen her face), she had to do it.
The moment ended in a flash, and she wished it could last far longer. She sat back on her heels and offered him a toothy smile.
"Come back to me," she said, and the dumbstruck Jimin did a half-nod.
"Yeah, yeah, I'll... uh... AA-99... pew pew. I like pew pews. I'll be back for that." Jimin had a stupid grin on his face as he glanced at his feet. At the same time, he kicked at the floor like a high schooler. "And maybe you."
She put her helmet back on and squeezed his shoulder. "Good luck, Mimi."
"Mimi?" he asked, his voice raising a few pitches higher than normal. "Is that a fruit or something? You UC natives have weird food-"
"Jimin," she interrupted with a laugh. "It's a nickname. I just thought it was cute."
Pink splotches formed on his neck as he giggled.
"Yeah. Yeah, I think it's cute too-"
"Jimin!" Hoseok yelled. "Are you two fucking or talking? Jesus, hurry up!"
Jimin sighed. "Guess that's my cue. I'll see you later. Try not to crash my ship into anything, okay?"
"Don't tempt me."
He laughed before strolling away, but not before sneaking one last glance at her. Hoseok whacked the back of Jimin's head as they entered the Pandora. Y/n watched every moment and yearned to go with them so she could be in his presence. His presence brought her warmth and made her heart-
Oh no.
Oh great googly moogly. She liked Park Jimin.
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Photo Gallery:
Jimin's ship compared to the Key
The hallway Hoseok led them through
Reckoner's Core
The Last Nova, the Crimson Fleet's bar
Operation Center
Delgado's Office
Jimin's flight suit
AA-99 rifle
AA-99 up close
AA-99 stats; they have both semi and full-auto models, mine is a semi-auto
A Breach shotgun
An up close look at a Breach shotgun
Breach shotgun statistics
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─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
SEASON 1 EPISODE 11
𝐄𝐍𝐃
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
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A/N: How we feeling about this chap? 👀