─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
SEASON 1 EPISODE 12
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
Setting:
System: Sol
Faction: United Colonies
Planet: Saturn's orbit
Place: Trident Luxury Liners, Captain Rokov's ship
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☆☆☆
Jimin
"What the fuck is that?"
Jimin's question fell on deaf ears seeing as Hoseok didn't bother responding. Hoseok flew them to Saturn, where a luxury cruise ship waited for them. It was paused in orbit of the gas giant. To put it frankly, the ship was shaped like a dick without its balls. With white and light blue paint, it stood out compared to the vastness of space.
"This is what a cruise ship looks like?" Jimin asked. Was the paint clean? Yes. Was it ugly? Also yes.
"That's Trident, they're the best in the business, apparently. I wouldn't know, I've never been on one of those fuckers."
"Never?"
Hoseok snorted as he brought them in for docking. "I grew up in poverty, Parkie. The most luxurious ship I've been on is this one."
Jimin glanced back and saw the cockpit was spacious but had clutter to make it cramped. The ceiling was low like the one on the Key, and the red lighting made the cockpit appear more like an alleyway in Neon than a spaceship. If he felt the need to compare the ship to Neon, he deduced that probably wasn't a good thing.
And that was coming from Neon Defender 6969: Park Jimin.
"Almost docked," Hoseok said, trailing off as he lined them up with the luxury ship's docking port. A shake echoed around the cockpit. Then, they were secured. Hoseok shifted his attention to Jimin. "The goal is to kill as few as possible. I don't want a lifetime ban from Trident if I can avoid it. Still, be ready. Any witnesses need to be disposed of."
"Witnesses? What are you talking about? What's the plan?"
"We go in, trigger a ship-wide emergency to force Larry into his cabin, then we go in and torture the shit out of him. If anyone sees, we shoot. Understood?"
Bile swam in the back of Jimin's throat. Torture was a practice Jimin didn't approve of or wish to partake in. Especially not when Larry had done nothing wrong. Granted, he was a rich business exec, so surely he probably did a lot wrong, but likely not enough to warrant going through torture.
"You good, Parkie?" Hoseok asked, which snapped Jimin back to reality.
"What ship-wide emergency?"
Hoseok grinned. "Simple: we turn off life support. It won't kill anyone, but it'll take power away from the infirmary. That's a big no-no for Trident."
"You know how to turn it off?"
Hoseok got up and squeezed Jimin's shoulder. "You're not the only hacker in the Fleet, Parkie."
With that, Hoseok departed the cockpit and left Jimin there with his thoughts. What would Y/n think? How would she get out of participating in torture? The truth was, Jimin knew there was no way around it. In less than twenty minutes he'd be hurting an innocent man. Crime was one thing, but harming innocents was another.
Jimin had seen his fair share of gang violence. He had caused it, too. His hands had blood sewn beneath his skin, but that didn't mean he liked it. That didn't mean he wanted to hurt someone who was minding their own business.
Knowing Hoseok would get grumpy if he took too long, Jimin exited the cockpit and joined Hoseok near the hatch. He had already opened it, and Jimin got a sneak peek at the inside of the luxury liner. Bright lights awaited him; however, it wasn't as elegant as he was expecting. If anything, it looked like a disappointing version of the UC Vigilance.
There were metal walkways surrounding the bay. Stacks of large crates were thrown around the spacious, square-shaped room. It was as boxy as an elevator and smelled of too much disinfectant. There was a hint of flowers in the air, too. Or, at least what Jimin assumed was the scent of flowers. It wasn't like he knew much about nature.
Jimin stepped in with Hoseok and noticed several workers wearing white uniforms with cyan accents darting around. All of them were holding tablets and speaking in hushed tones that made the bay feel quieter than it should be. Aside from the hum of the various radiators hiding in the high ceiling and the silent chatter of employees, it was peaceful. Too peaceful for a torture mission.
A man wearing a bulky hat and the same uniform as the employees leaned against one of the crates not too far from them. The gray floor squeaked as Hoseok strolled up to him. As always, Hobi had gum in his mouth that he obnoxiously chewed as if trying to get on Jimin's nerves.
"Rokov," Hoseok said with his arms extended like he was looking for a hug. "Still holed up in this piece of junk, eh?"
Rokov, a man with dark hair that was long enough to sit on the back of his neck, stepped away and widened his droopy eyes. His nose jutted out like it had been hit fourteen and a half times with a hammer. Surprisingly, even with the jagged nose, the man was rather attractive. Smooth skin and well-trimmed facial hair shaped him well, and his lips were thick and glistened from what looked to be a light lip gloss.
"Commander Jung," the man said at a rapid pace. For a moment, the man reminded Jimin of Jungkook.
Ew. Jimin did not want to think about Jungkook.
Hoseok went closer to Rokov and smirked. "What's wrong, bud? Not happy to see me?"
"I didn't know you'd be here. Del said you were sending a rook."
Jimin cleared his throat and peeped out from behind Hoseok. He did a small wave. "Park Jimin, at your service."
"Very nice to meet you," Rokov said with a small head bow. The man had a deep voice, yet he was soft spoken. Elegant, too. Too good for the Fleet. "You're here as my special guests, but try not to draw too much attention to yourselves. Especially you, Commander Jung. You both have access to the ballroom. All the guests are there, and I'm guessing whatever you're looking for is there too."
Hoseok blew a bubble and popped it right in Rokov's face. "Thanks."
Without another word, Hoseok stalked his way to the corner of the room. Jimin followed and noticed there was an open hatch there that led to a kitchen. Three chefs zipped around plating food and handling all the pots and pans that were thrown on the countless stovetops. Hoseok went right past them and through the hall, which was tighter than the bay. The ceiling was far lower to the point where Jimin could touch it if he jumped high enough.
"Rokov doesn't know what we're looking for?" Jimin asked as they approached yet another hatch. That time, the hatch was sealed.
Hoseok pressed on the keypad to open it. Then, he chuckled and dropped his tone to a whisper. "Rokov is annoying. I don't get what Del sees in him. Besides, we're dealing with the Legacy here. The fewer pirates who know about it, the better. The last thing we need is our plans getting out."
"Then why do I know about it? Why take rooks on a mission to find info?"
"To be honest..." Hoseok sighed as the door opened and revealed the ballroom. The violin music filled Jimin's ears, as did the chit chat occurring between the packed room of guests. Hoseok leaned against the doorway and made sure no one was nearby before his eyes locked with Jimin. "Del lost hope. I... I did too. We thought Suvorov was lost, so we sent rooks to it to see how strong they were, and maybe, just maybe, find something about the Legacy in the process. We never thought it would work."
"It sounds like the Legacy is more than just credits for you two."
"It is. Kryx is the one who gave us a home. A family." Hoseok stopped to grimace. "A family I never had. Now come on, let's stop with the sad shit and get moving, we have a man to torture."
Hoseok whistled as he entered the ballroom, and Jimin followed as closely as he could. It amazed him to see such a drastic change in appearance. Whereas the bay and kitchen were bleak with grays and whites, the ballroom had purples and blues and a ceiling so high, Jimin could barely see it. Round tables were scattered around the ballroom floor, security guards wearing white button-downs and black pants patrolled the corners of the room, and guests shoved calamari and bread with too much olive oil in their mouths.
It was the opposite of Neon. Jimin didn't know how to feel about that.
There was more food in the ballroom than Jimin had eaten in his entire life. A glass chandelier hung from the ceiling that was too high for its own good. The music displayed the class of the citizens, and Jimin realized in that moment that he'd never be one of them. He'd always be the one holding the tray and serving the food, not the one eating it.
"Yeah," Hoseok said with a slurred tone as his eyes danced around the people. "It's a lot."
Jimin tilted his head and noticed Hoseok stopped chewing his gum and had gone a shade paler than normal. That had Jimin grabbing his elbow to catch his attention.
"What's wrong?"
Hoseok didn't bother meeting Jimin's stare. "Not a fan of crowds. Let's get moving, yeah?"
Jimin didn't press any further and decided to follow Hoseok's lead. There was one issue with Jimin being such a bad pilot: he didn't know anything about the layout of a ship. At least Hoseok was familiar with how ships worked, and he was sure Y/n would know where life support was from a mile away. Jimin didn't.
Hoseok went to the back of the ballroom and approached one of the hatches that was labeled 'lower level.' He opened it without waiting for Jimin's input and entered.
As soon as Jimin followed, he noticed how quiet it became. The chatter faded away, and Jimin was left with a cramped hallway. Dim lights and black floors were there. The only light was a bright one coming from the end of the hall.
"How'd you know where to go?" Jimin asked, and Hoseok stiffened.
"Uh... basic knowledge? You're a pilot, aren't you?"
Shit.
"My girl is," Jimin said. It was the truth, and Y/n was technically part of the Fleet, so it wasn't worth hiding anymore. If anything, it could help. Jimin didn't know why, but he wanted her to come on more missions with him. Nothing against Hoseok, but Jimin preferred Y/n's company. He found himself preferring her company over anyone else's. Even his mother's.
Hoseok quirked a brow. "Oh, I see. You're just casually calling her 'my girl' after denying there being any romance?"
"I..." Jimin trailed off and huffed. "Come on, we have a job to do."
"Now you care about the job, eh? Uh oh, sounds like Parkie and his girl had a moment recently, hmm?"
"Maybe," Jimin muttered as they came closer to the light at the end of the corridor. "She had a nightmare about the Colony War. It's the first time she really opened up to me like that."
It also twisted Jimin's mind with words he had never told himself before. After years upon years of despising the UC for all they had done, Y/n's nightmare was the first time he saw a UC citizen suffering because of the Freestar Collective. For as long as he could remember, he hadn't considered the other side of the War. Not much, anyway. Part of him was terrified to learn Y/n's side of the story, but another part squealed at the idea of getting closer to her.
"Ah, I see. The War had that effect on everyone. It sounds like she's just like us." Hoseok held Jimin's shoulder to stop him from moving. They locked eyes. "For whatever it's worth, I'm sorry I threw your girl at a pack of scorpions."
Wow. Jimin never thought he'd hear that sentence in his life, yet there he was.
"She's a badass, she can handle herself. If anything, she probably liked it."
Hoseok laughed. "Careful calling her a badass. I could've sworn I heard her say she was a Universal, and they don't like cursing, yeah? I'm surprised you like a Universal of all things, aren't they uptight dickwads?"
Jimin couldn't stop the smile from forming on his face. "I don't know, Hobi. I think that's one of the reasons why I like her."
"Ah, I get it, you're 'in love,'" Hoseok said with a mocking tone and an eye roll. "That's enough, let's get back to the job."
Jimin decided to be a bigger shit than usual by parroting Hoseok's past words. "'Now you care about the job, eh?'"
Hoseok slapped Jimin's chest and quickened his pace. Jimin hurried to stay close, and soon enough, they were in the life support area. It was smaller than Jimin was expecting, and it was split into two separate rooms. One was the security room with a computer that likely controlled the thick metal doors separating Jimin and Hoseok from the systems. The second was an area lit with red that had three buzzing generators.
A single man with spikey brown hair and a mustache so thin it barely touched his upper lip sat at the computer and jumped when he saw the two of them. He had a blue and white uniform like everyone else, but what Jimin took the most note of was the pistol in the employee's thigh holster.
"This is a restricted area, please return to the ballroom," the man said in a voice higher than Jimin's mother.
"Listen buddy, we're Captain Rokov's special guests," Hoseok said with a tongue click. He went back to chewing his gum. "You wanna piss off your boss?"
"Sirs, I'm sorry, but without proof, I can't let you stay here-"
"Fuck it," Hosoek interrupted before grabbing the man by his spikey hair and pulling him out of the chair. Before the man could so much as scream, Hoseok slammed him against the floor to knock him out. From there, Hoseok hacked into the computer with ease and opened the life support. Then, he motioned to the man. "Kill him."
"What?"
"I didn't stutter, Parkie. Kill him. He's a witness."
"But-"
"Oh my God, I don't have time for this," Hoseok said with a grunt before taking out his knife and stabbing the poor employee in the back of the head. Hoseok shoved Jimin's shoulder as he stormed by and went to the generators. Without hesitation, Hoseok turned all three of them off. Immediately, sirens screeched in the distance.
Jimin couldn't take his gaze off the man who had been executed for the crime of doing his job. Blood smeared on the floor and puddled right next to Jimin's feet. Hoseok came back and pushed Jimin away to keep the moisture from seeping onto Jimin's shoes.
"Come on, don't get squeamish. Let's go find our GalBank exec."
Hoseok put his hands in his pockets and whistled as he left. Jimin stalled and felt his breath twisting in his lungs. When he had signed up with the UC to take down the pirates, it hadn't occurred to him how violent the pirates would be. Killing Austin Rake, an ex-pirate, was one thing, but watching Hoseok murder an innocent civilian caused Jimin's stomach to infect itself with vomit. It was in that moment Jimin realized how brutal the Fleet was.
And it was only going to get worse.
Jimin scampered his way out of the room in order to keep up with Hoseok. When they re-entered the ballroom, it was void of emotion or other souls. Even the food was left untouched.
Hoseok plucked a piece of bread out of one of the baskets and munched on it despite the gum in his mouth. They neared the opposite end of the room, where yet another hatch was. It led to the residential wing. Hoseok opened it, and upon entering, Jimin saw how dry the interior was. The crimson lights painted the vicinity in what looked like blood. The floors were pale but shadowed by the red, and several security guards marched around. There were two staircases that led up to the second floor, where all the rooms were. The circular center of the room was a seating area that lacked energy. There were couches, wine bottles, and tables, yet the bottles remained untouched, and the couches had no life.
"Excuse me, the captain declared a ship-wide emergency. Please return to your cabins immediately," a female security officer said.
"That's what we're trying to do," Hoseok said with a surprisingly kind smile. "I don't mean to make your life harder, but could you help us? We're Captain Rokov's special guests, so this is our first day here. We're rooming with Larry Dumbrosky, but he didn't tell us the room number. Do you know where he is?"
"Sorry, that's personal info, and unless the captain confirms you are who you say you are, I can't tell you."
Hoseok's smile became tighter than before. "No problem. We'll just be stuck outside during an emergency."
"Cabin 3C is empty, you can stay there."
"Thanks," Hoseok said with no emotion in his voice. He went upstairs with Jimin hot on his tail. There were countless cabins, which meant they'd be searching for a while.
Jimin groaned at the thought of searching through numerous cabins. "I assume finding the captain is out of the picture?"
"The less he knows about our plan, the better. Come on, we're doing this the hard way."
And they did. Hoseok claimed he knew what Larry looked like, but the issue was finding him without raising suspicion. There were guards around, though not as many as in the common area, likely to give guests a sense of calm and privacy.
They searched through more rooms than Jimin imagined. It took five full minutes for them to find where Larry stayed. When they did, they entered only to see the room was... bright. Unlike the rest of the ship that was painted in darkness, Dumbrosky's room was tranquil. The beige walls and floors radiated a sense of serenity, as did the soft piano music he had playing from a device Jimin couldn't locate. A white couch facing a hologram screen was dead ahead, and that was where Larry sat with his legs crossed and his hand stroking his chin.
"What is it?" he asked in a tone a tad lower than the life support employee's, only Larry's was irritating. It held a sense of arrogance. Almost like he was a rich snob. Still, despite how it made him an ass, it didn't mean he deserved to get tortured.
Hoseok closed the door behind them and rounded the couch to face Larry. There was a wooden table in front of the seat, and Hoseok leaned against it. "Mr. Dumbrosky, GalBank exec. You have the credentials we need to access the lost ship archives in the New Atlantis GalBank."
Larry sat back but didn't seem the least bit concerned. "Who are you?"
"None of your concern. Give me your credentials so I can be on my way."
"No thank you, that'd cost me my job."
"Don't make this harder than it has to be. The sirens outside can mask your screams, Mr. Dumbrosky."
Jimin joined Hoseok's side and got to see Larry more closely. He had a receding hairline and a graying thin mustache and beard. For a man swimming with wealth, he appeared old. His cheeks had wrinkles that sagged his eyes. The only signs of wealth were his sparkling teeth and fancy navy blue suit that had a collar that squeezed his neck.
"Oh, you're from the Fleet, aren't you?" he asked. He kept both his hands on his lap, and although they weren't sweaty, they were gripping his pant legs tightly. "How unfortunate."
Hoseok took out his knife and handed it to Jimin. Not wanting to jeopardize the mission, he took it without complaint but didn't bother doing anything with it. Meanwhile, Hoseok came closer and scanned over Dumbrosky's body.
"Give us your credentials. Last time I'm asking."
Larry narrowed his eyes. "No."
Hoseok got up and went to Larry's desk, which was resting on the opposite side of the room. A computer waited there, and Jimin discovered that was where the piano music came from. Hoseok hummed and turned up the music, then grabbed one of the two glass vases sitting by his computer. Hoseok smashed the bottom half of it. Glass shattered to the ground and hurt Jimin's ears. Hoseok used his gloved hands to pick up a few shards and waltz his way back over. He sat next to Dumbrosky with the pieces of glass in his hands, then he smiled and motioned to Jimin with his head.
"Take his hand and put it on the table."
Jimin did as he was told, and that was when Jimin noticed clamminess on Larry's skin.
Hoseok popped a gum bubble. "Pin him to the table with the knife."
"What? Are you insane?!" Larry shouted, but Hoseok softly shushed him.
"Keep quiet, and don't bother calling for security. We're here with Captain Rokov. How do you think we got into the life support?"
Larry's eyes bulged. "You... you did all this to get me alone?"
"I'm surprised it took you this long to figure it out." Hoseok snickered. "Parkie, do it."
Jimin's vision blurred as he peered at Larry's hand, then at the knife Jimin held. All he had to do was sink the blade through the man's flesh and pin him to the table. The only way Larry would be able to escape would be by ripping his hand out or trying to take the knife, which Hoseok wouldn't allow. Jimin would be beginning the torture. He'd be the cause of it.
But he didn't have a choice.
The knife dug through skin and bones, and Larry screamed. Jimin rushed to cover his mouth. Larry attempted to bite him, but Jimin had fast enough reflexes to keep Larry at bay. Hoseok clicked his tongue and got closer to Larry as he stopped yelling. Blood trickled down the table and onto the floor, and the blade stuck inside Larry's body.
"Here's what's going to happen," Hoseok said, keeping his voice low. "I'm going to rub these shards into your eyes. It won't be fun. You can make it stop at any time by giving me your credentials. Do you have anything to say before we begin?"
Larry remained silent, though his rapid breaths could be heard even over the loud music.
Hoseok nodded. "Very well."
The glass stuck to Hoseok's gloved hands as he rose to levitate over Dumbrosky's wide eyes. The man squirmed and tried to yell, but Jimin was on top of it and kept his mouth shut. Seconds later, Hoseok pressed the shards on the man's face and rubbed back and forth. Slowly, as if to test Larry's patience. He started right below the eyes before moving up and pressing onto the flesh that would soon be mangled.
Wails left Larry's throat, but Jimin held him down and made sure they were as quiet as possible. Larry tugged and tugged at the knife with his pinned hand while his other went to pry Hoseok off him. It didn't work. Hoseok's strength was superior, and he remained unfazed as he worked. He chewed his gum and Jimin could make out faint hums leaving his tongue. Larry ended up pulling so hard that his pinned hand went flying off the knife; he had cut right through his own flesh out of desperation to escape the glass. Half of his hand was cut open, and a liquid as red as the lights outside gushed free and squirted on Larry's couch.
More screams, but Jimin silenced them and pinched Larry's throat to get him to gag. Hoseok backed up and stopped. If anything, he seemed annoyed he couldn't continue the torture.
"Well, do I get the credentials yet, or do I have to turn you around and knife your other hand?"
Jimin took his grip off Larry's throat and mouth. The man coughed. Clumps of saliva came out and soaked his pants. Snot bubbles popped in his nose, and at the same time, Hoseok blew a bubble of his gum.
"My... my credentials," Larry said in a gasp, his bloodshot and marred eyes staring at the couch instead of at Hoseok. "They're in my safe. Code is 0613."
Hoseok glanced at Jimin. Jimin took the hint and got up, searching the room for a safe, which he found under the desk. Jimin saw it was an old safe, meaning it wasn't digital but rather used an old combination dial with tiny white numbers on it. After inserting the code, the safe cracked open, and inside waited a keycard Jimin assumed had the credentials on it. Larry had no reason to lie.
Jimin came back and handed it to Hoseok, who shook the shards off his gloves and snatched the keycard from Jimin's grasp, tucking it in his jacket. He got up and grabbed his knife, handing it to Jimin.
"Kill him," Hoseok said.
"What?" Larry asked in a yelp. "I gave you what you wanted!"
Hoseok laughed. "We're doing you a favor, bud, we're putting you out of your misery. Can you even see?"
Larry patted the air to search for Hoseok, and Jimin saw how his left eye seemed like it had the entire pupil cut out. There wasn't an inch of white left, and his irises that had once been brown were reduced to ashes.
"I'll take that as a no," Hoseok said with a shrug before nudging Jimin's shoulder. "Kill him. We're not leaving until you do."
Hoseok glared at Jimin, and Jimin realized there was no running away. He had to kill a man in cold blood. An unarmed man who could have a wife, a sick mother, children. Beyond that, he was a soul. A living, breathing person with history Jimin would never know and a life Jimin could never understand. And he was about to rob that from Larry. All over bank credentials.
Knowing he couldn't escape, Jimin knelt to be level with Larry. He was half-slumped over the couch as heaves left his body. His chest rose and fell at a rapid pace, and his maimed eyes darted around like they were trying to repair themselves. What Hoseok said was partly true. With a hand that would never heal and eyes that would never see, Larry was a broken mess, and Jimin knew he'd rather die than live with those injuries. Still, it didn't change the remorse that infested his heart as he raised the knife.
"Please," Larry murmured, his voice broken and shaking more than Jimin was.
The plea didn't matter. It wouldn't change his fate. Jimin ended the man's life and looked away while he did it. The blade cracked through Larry's skull, and not so much as a whimper came out of his mouth as his soul left his body. Jimin didn't move for several seconds. He couldn't. His tongue swelled inside his mouth, yet it felt dry at the same time.
"Let's get moving, we have to take care of that guard who saw us. No witnesses, remember? Rokov will wipe the camera footage, and it'll be like we were never here," Hoseok said. Then, after a quiet beat, "I know this line of work is hard to get used to, but if you don't toughen up, you'll be out of the Fleet. I know you can do it, Jimin. The first few kills are the hardest, but it'll get easier. I promise."
Promise. A promise about murder. Jimin couldn't comprehend how one could say such a vile thing. His mind fizzed up and his skin tingled. Goosebumps traced his arms and neck even as he staggered away from the body without bothering to remove the blade. Hoseok grunted and took his knife from Larry's skull.
"Man up," Hoseok said, cleaning the item off with his sleeves. Blood stained his jacket, but seeing as the fabric was red, it blended right in. "Let's get moving. I'll get rid of that guard then we get back to the Key to give the credentials to Del. It's been a long day, so you take a day off after this, 'kay?"
Jimin's trembling hands formed fists, but he didn't reply. He rose and didn't meet Hoseok's stare. Hoseok backed off, departing the room to give Jimin a moment to himself. Jimin attempted to compose himself, but no calm came. Piano music drifted through his ears, but the smell of thick, sticky blood overpowered every other sense he possessed.
He killed someone. He killed someone in cold blood.
☆☆☆
Jimin left with Y/n as soon as he could.
Without explaining anything, he told her to leave as soon as possible. That led to her undocking them from the Key and jumping them to Alpha Centauri, where they floated in Jemison's orbit. Jimin couldn't handle facing her, so he went to his room to sit and process what he had witnessed. What he had done.
Larry had screamed into Jimin's hand, and the more he stared at his skin, the more he wished he could cut it off. Hoseok hadn't slowed down. He hadn't given mercy, even when Larry had given them what they wanted. If Jimin wasn't careful, he could slip down that path. Hell, he was already halfway there. A life of crime led to a shitty past with shitty acts he had committed. Part of him wondered if he deserved to get locked up forever.
Y/n entered and sat next to him on his bed. She didn't speak or lift her eyes to gaze at him. Not that it mattered. He kept peering at the wall as if the metal would change if he stopped looking at it.
His hands stayed on his knees, and it wasn't until Y/n put hers on top of his that he broke. Tears he had been suppressing slipped by and coated his cheeks with moisture he wished he could rip away. Y/n did it for him. With her free hand, she wiped his tears off his face and shushed his soft cries.
"They made me... I had to..." Jimin broke off due to him choking over the words. Snot clogged his nose and mind, and he thought he could collapse at any moment. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
"Hey, shh," Y/n whispered.
She coaxed his head down to rest on her lap, and he grabbed onto her thigh and buried his head against her. Her gentle fingers stroked his hair. Her calming voice managed to ease his rapid heart, but it didn't stop the images of Larry's bloody body from popping into his brain.
"It'll all be over soon, Mimi. I promise," she continued. "We'll take down those pirates and you can relax, okay? I'll be with you every step of the way."
He pressed his nose against her thigh and felt bad for getting tears on her, but he couldn't find the strength to apologize for that too. He attempted to smell anything other than blood, but even though he was entire solar systems away from Larry's body, it felt like the man was in the room with him.
She twirled more strands of his locks to the point where he wondered if she was braiding it. Whatever she was doing, he prayed to the gods he didn't believe in that she wouldn't stop. The comfort it brought his skull made the galaxy stop for a moment. For a moment, just a moment, he was at peace.
"What if it's not?" he asked in a whimper. "I don't want to do that again. I... I can't... I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to. Please believe me, I didn't mean to." He grabbed onto her leg harder than he intended to. "I didn't mean it... I didn't mean it..."
"I know. It'll be okay. You're safe now, you're with me."
He trusted her. He knew she was telling the truth. Safety took the form of Y/n and wrapped itself around him like a blanket on the harshest winter day. Jimin burrowed himself against her body to the point where he thought they were one. She didn't judge him for it. On the contrary, she pulled him closer until their limbs tangled together.
Without needing to tell her what had happened, she seemed to understand. Or, at least, she understood enough to know how terrible his actions were. Why wasn't she scolding him? She was a Universal, one who condoned violence. She should hate him. It would be easier if she did. Jimin was far from a lovable person, and he knew he didn't deserve her, especially after how he had treated her and called her a UC dog.
"You've had a long day," she said in a voice so soft it was like a gentle, consoling kiss against his forehead. "You should get some rest. Tomorrow we'll take a break and go with Constellation on a retreat, how does that sound?"
He sniffled. "Okay."
She helped him lay down and tucked him in. Then, she brushed his hair out of his face like he had done for her not long ago. Her grin penetrated his vision, and it struck his heart with giddiness. Despite the situation, he found himself returning her expression, though it didn't last seeing as she stepped back.
He shot up and grabbed her wrist. He released it as quickly as he grabbed it. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't hurt you, did I?"
"No, of course not. I blow up pirates for a living, you think a wrist grab is gonna hurt me?" she asked with amusement laced in her tone, and it made him smile. "What is it, Mimi?"
He'd never get tired of hearing that name.
"Please don't leave me."
"I won't, I was just going to lay on the floor-"
Jimin cut her off by opening the blanket and pulling her. His hand snatched her waist and brought her on the bed, right against his chest. The mattress was too small for there to leave any space between them, not that Jimin would allow that to happen anyway. His hands went to the small of her back to bring her closer. Close enough for their soft breaths to dance together in the tiny gap between them.
"Stay," he whispered, and although she had wide eyes, she nodded before wrapping herself around him. Eventually, her head made its way to his chest, and the simple action caused his heart's beat to return to normal. He shut his eyes and kissed the top of her head. She chuckled, and the vibration of her laugh made his body erupt with color and light. He didn't know what a happy childhood felt like, but his inner child squealed and cheered at the joy blossoming through him. But it only amplified when she entwined her legs with his and snuggled up in his arms.
"I'll always stay with you, Park Jimin. Always."
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Upcoming location:
System: Porrima
Faction: None
Planet: Porrima II
Place: Paradiso
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SEASON 1 EPISODE 12
𝐄𝐍𝐃
─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───
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