Archive of Our Own

Kyungsoo has no time to react or think when he hears the click of a blaster, spinning around with wide eyes, the last thing he sees is the typical blue light of a stun ray before everything goes dark around him.

The light is dim when Kyungsoo opens his eyes, staring up at the plain gray bottom of a bunk where he lays. He feels groggy, mind fuzzy around the edges as he forces himself to sit up, having no idea where he was. There’s the buzzing of machines around him, and his dull mind slowly registers that he’s on a ship travelling through space, and not roaming the walkways of Theed on his home planet of Naboo.

“Finally, you’re awake,” a loud, deep voice makes itself known, and Kyungsoo turns to see a tall, muscular figure standing in the doorway.

The stranger is a man, hair dark and wild atop his head, utilitarian and functional pants tucked neatly into boots, his torso covered with a few chest plates that would protect him from blaster fire. His face is open and kind, ears poking out the sides of his head, and Kyungsoo thinks that if the stranger didn’t have a dark, hardened glint in his eye, that he would be harmless.

“Who are you? Where am I?” Kyungsoo gets out of the bunk, placing his hand against the wall to steady himself. The effects of the stun blast are still wearing off, and he can feel a rising panic building within him.

“Name’s Chanyeol, you’re on my ship Gravity,” the stranger, Chanyeol, rests his hand none too casually on the blaster strapped to his hip, eyeing Kyungsoo up and down before he breaks into a toothy grin. “Someone’s put a bounty on you, kid. And I mean to collect on it.”

“I’m not a kid,” is the first thing Kyungsoo spits out, annoyed that his round face always has people mistaking him for much younger. His mind is becoming clearer and sharper, and it starts to settle in that he has a bounty on his head. Being a senator’s son came with that risk, but surely no one would want to bother anyone from Naboo? It didn’t make sense. “I’m guessing the bounty is me wanted alive, or else I’d be dead already. So I suppose there’s some good news to be had here.”

Chanyeol lets out a bark of laughter, dropping his hand from the blaster in its holster, eyes glinting mischievously. “You can’t be more than 20 standard years old. And who knows, maybe I’m lonely and need to talk to someone before I bring you in cold.”

“27 standard years. And you must be a real heartless bastard if you can chat with someone only to kill them when you arrive at your destination.”

“No one with a bleeding heart gets into my profession,” Chanyeol winks at Kyungsoo, before he turns his back, door hissing open and he gestures for Kyungsoo to follow. “Come on, not kid. You’re wanted in the condition you came in, so I need to get some food into you. We’re making a pit stop on Corulag.”

Kyungsoo stays silent, because what can he even say? His stomach is grumbling, and Corulag was extremely loyal to the Republic. Maybe he could slip away from this bounty hunter and reach out to his father to be brought home. Just because he was wanted alive and in good health didn’t mean he’d stay that way when the person who put out the bounty collected on him.

Chanyeol leads Kyungsoo through a decent sized ship, not too small that they would be crammed in there but not big enough to avoid each other either. Perfect size to keep an eye on your bounties. The cockpit was standard, two pilots seats and one jump seat, where Kyungsoo settled down. Chanyeol settled into the main pilot’s seat, taking up the controls with practiced ease as the unreal blue tunnel of hyperspace swirled ahead of them in the viewport.

“Hold on, we’re coming out of the jump now,” Chanyeol mutters, and Kyungsoo grips onto the arm of the seat. Hyperspace jumps were never his favorite thing.

The ship is handled with ease as the dotted black starscape appeared in their vision, the glowing planet of Corulag growing bigger as they approached. Chanyeol speaks briefly with the port manager, assuring them a place to dock his ship on the planet’s surface, rattling off clearly fake credentials.

Once they’re docked Kyungsoo follows Chanyeol to the exit, who stops him before opening the hatch. “Don’t you even dare think about running off, because I can make this trip hell for you,” his tone carries a heavy threat, and he tosses a black hooded cloak to Kyungsoo, who obediently puts it on. “Stick close or else I’m going to put you in restraining cuffs.”

Chanyeol tugs on a helmet that obscures his face, letting the hatch hiss open as Kyungsoo pulls the hood over his head, sour expression hidden from the hunter. All Kyungsoo was back home was an artist, and he knew objectively that he wouldn’t get far off if he did try to run. The threat didn’t fall on deaf ears, and Kyungsoo didn’t want to get treated like the prisoner he was. At least this way he could keep some of his dignity, even if he still felt humiliated to have been captured so easily.

Their time on Corulag had been short, Chanyeol rushing him through a meal at a local diner before they refuelled and took to space again. Kyungsoo was never allowed to stray out of Chanyeol’s sight, and so his tiny hope of running away had fizzled and died before it really had a chance to bloom.

Once they’re back on Gravity and in the hyperspace jump Chanyeol ushers Kyungsoo to a corner of the ship, holding up a small communication recording device. “Orders are that you state who you are, and that you’re in the custody of Black Sun. Do it with a nice strong voice, so your father knows it’s you.”

Kyungsoo sighs, squaring his shoulders. Of course this was all for the criminal organization Black Sun. His father had thoroughly complained about them at almost every dinner he spent with his family. Kyungsoo thought this was a bold move for them, but what did he know? He was just a senator’s only son, not involved in any kind of politics.

Chanyeol aims the device at Kyungsoo, arching a brow as if to tell him to get moving. “This is Kyungsoo, only son of Senator Do from Naboo. Currently I’m in the custody of Black Sun, unharmed for now,” he rattles off, speaking as clearly as possible. He only wanted to put on this stupid performance once.

The device is clicked off, and Chanyeol nods in approval at him. “Perfect. Now go use the refresher or lie down or something, stay out of the cockpit. I have work to do and I’ll grab you when I’m done.” The taller male turns his back, effectively dismissing Kyungsoo as he makes his way up to the cockpit to do force knows what.

Kyungsoo busies himself with taking a nap, exhausted from everything that had happened within the last standard day. It started off with him waking in his own bed, only to fall asleep in a strange bunk on a strange ship owned by a bounty hunter.

He’s awoken from his dreamless sleep by the rocking of the ship, and loud swearing from the cockpit. Blearily Kyungsoo throws himself out of bed, clumsily yanking on his own boots so he can rush up to the cockpit and see what’s going on.

They’ve dropped out of hyperspace, no clue what system they’re in, all he can tell is that Chanyeol is flying like his life depends on it, dodging fire from a ship that Kyungsoo can’t see. “What’s going on? Who’s shooting at us?” he asks in a panic, throwing himself into the copilot’s seat, terrified but the adrenaline excites him at the same time. He never once thought he’d be in a space battle.

“Rival hunters, most likely. I think I know who it is, I got a glimpse of the ship. Those two are so annoying--” Chanyeol’s words are grit out, punctuated with a sharp bank to the left. “This jump to light speed won’t be a smooth one, hold on.”

Kyungsoo grips his seat tightly, body thrown back by the force of making a sudden jump, the blue swirl of hyperspace a welcome sight. Chanyeol sags in his seat, fingers running through his wild hair, the tension visibly leaving his body.

“You alright?” Chanyeol swirls in his seat, looking over Kyungsoo, gaze softer than he’s seen it so far. It makes him feel oddly hot around the collar.

“Yes, just surprised. Are you okay? Who was that?” Kyungsoo brushes off the odd feeling, taking his own cursory look of Chanyeol. The other seems physically alright, if a little tired.

“I’m alright, they just surprised me. Two Mandalorian kids, but they’re decent bounty hunters. A pain whenever they try to steal a bounty from me, but I can handle it. We’re going to hide out on Nar Shaddaa for a while anyway,” Chanyeol rubs at his eyes, oblivious to Kyungsoo’s scowling.

Nar Shaddaa? The Smuggler’s Moon? It was a lawless place, a perverse version of Coruscant, nestled out in the Outer Rim in a Hutt controlled system. It was one of the last places Kyungsoo ever wanted to go to, but he had no choice. He only hoped that ‘a while’ didn’t mean too long.

“Go sleep, Chanyeol. It’s a while before we come out of the jump,” Kyungsoo says this as he looks at the hyperspace calculations, noting the time it’s supposed to end. “I’ll wake you when it’s time. And I won’t touch anything I’m not supposed to. I want to live.” the last part is said with a touch of humor, a little grin tugging at the corners of his full lips. If he didn’t find any humor in this situation then Kyungsoo was going to lose his mind.

Chanyeol seems to contemplate his offer, brows scrunching together. But he comes to a decision quickly, turning in his seat and locking down all the comms, obviously as a precaution because he couldn’t trust Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo wasn’t offended by it. “Don’t touch anything. Wake me twenty standard minutes before we drop out of the jump,” the hunter hauls himself out of his seat, grabbing a data pad and tossing it to Kyungsoo. “Books are on here, keep yourself busy while I rest.” He grins, flashing off two surprising dimples that make Kyungsoo unable to do anything but smile in return.

“You got it. I’ll be right here,” Kyungsoo nods, switching on the data pad and turning away so Chanyeol would finally leave the cockpit to rest. Which he does shortly after, leaving Kyungsoo alone in his thoughts and the mechanical humming of the ship.

Nar Shaddaa is bright and glowing against the inky blackness of space, like a smaller but still dazzling Coruscant. Chanyeol brings Gravity down into the atmosphere, not hiding who he is this time as he docks in a densely populated part of the planet.

Kyungsoo is nervous as he dons the cloak again, following Chanyeol off the ship and into the strange city. Everyone feels like bad news, humans and aliens mingling together in various levels of suspicion. Chanyeol moves through the city with practiced ease, clearly knowledgeable with the landscape and bustling streets. Kyungsoo sticks close by, afraid to get lost in the rough crowd.

They arrive at a tall, surprisingly well maintained apartment block, Chanyeol punching in a code to let them in. Kyungsoo looks around at everything, how it’s slightly newer than he would have thought, and the lift is clean as it carries them up to the 12th floor.

The walk is short off the lift and to one of the apartments, the number 6 glaringly bright where it glows in the center of the door. Chanyeol lets them in, and Kyungsoo is in awe as he looks around. The space is small, full of personal items and touches that Kyungsoo was not expecting. He expected something bare and functional, not a warm, inviting space. This was clearly where Chanyeol lived and relaxed, he probably spent a lot of time in the apartment and took care to make it comfortable. Most likely as a way to unwind from long missions and space travel.

“Until I get word of what to do with you, we’re staying here. You’ll stay on the couch, and keep your hands more or less to yourself. Normally I would never bring a bounty here but… I’m not wasting the credits they gave me on a hotel.” Chanyeol switches on more lights, setting his helmet down on a small table just next to the window, blaster in its holster joining it shortly. “You already know what will happen if you try to escape, I’m not going to let that happen. Don’t make me put a tracker on you, because I will if I have to. Eat whatever food you want, use the refresher whenever you need it. Just don’t look through my things, because I’ll slap a tracker on you for that too. We clear?”

Kyungsoo stares up at the taller male, drinking in all the information he was just given. He did truly believe that Chanyeol would catch him if he tried to run, the hunter was a professional after all. Plus, the last thing Kyungsoo wanted was to be lost and alone on this shady planet. He might as well stay here, where he had the comforts of a normal life, and didn’t have to look over his shoulder every second to make sure he was safe. “We’re clear. I’ll stay here, not make any trouble. I promise,” Kyungsoo agrees easily, watching as Chanyeol nods in approval at his response.

Chanyeol gestures for Kyungsoo to follow him, which he does obediently. “Here’s the kitchen, make use of it whenever. And here…” Chanyeol leads him down a short hallway, pressing a button so the door slides open, revealing a small but standard refresher. “Is the refresher. You can wash up if you want, I’ll figure something out regarding your clothes. We need to get you into things that don’t scream I’m a rich boy from Naboo.”

The statement would offend Kyungsoo, but it was true. People on Naboo tended to dress more lavishly, especially true for Kyungsoo’s family since his father was a senator. They had an image to maintain. “I’m exhausted again, I just need something to change into so I can wash up and get some sleep.”

Chanyeol steps through the door on the opposite side of the hall, and Kyungsoo looks in curiously to see a bedroom that had just as many personal touches as the rest of the apartment. He comes out a moment later with a pile of clothes, offering them to Kyungsoo. “Smallest I could find, but you’ll probably still drown in them. You’re so tiny.”

“No, you’re just overly tall.” Kyungsoo retorts, though he knows he’s much shorter than average. “Thank you, I won’t be long,” is said genuinely, because despite how crazy everything has been, he is grateful that Chanyeol is being kind to him. The hunter had absolutely no reason to be, but he was anyway. And for that Kyungsoo is grateful.

He’s left to his own devices then, taking his time to wash what feels like a layer of grime from all the space travel he did that day. It brings a sense of normalcy to Kyungsoo, who feels better now that he’s all clean. His only gripe is that the clothes Chanyeol gave him are much too big, though they are comfortable and soft. He has to roll the waistband up a few times so his feet would poke out the bottom, shirt hanging off his frame and falling to mid thigh. Kyungsoo had never dressed in anything so oversized before, but it felt nice.

His feet are bare as he pads to the kitchen where he can hear Chanyeol bustling around, dirty clothes clutched in his hands, unsure of what he was supposed to do with them. Kyungsoo stops dead in his tracks when he sees the other male, clad in just loose, comfortable pants and nothing else. The back in front of him is broad, muscular, and littered with small scars, evidence of the hard life that Chanyeol leads. Kyungsoo’s mouth goes dry at the sight, he hasn’t dated or had any physical contact with a man for a long time. So seeing his captor like this throws him for a loop.

But he shakes his head, ridding himself of those thoughts as he clears his throat. “Chanyeol, I’m finished. Where can I put these?” Kyungsoo gets the other’s attention, who turns, gaze flickering up and down at the way that Kyungsoo was being swallowed by his clothes.

Chanyeol visibly gulps, but his expression is calm and collected when he steps forward. The front view is even better than the back, and Kyungsoo has to force his gaze away when Chanyeol takes his clothes off his hands. “We’ll get them washed and cleaned, but you’ll still need other clothes to wear. These are way too noticeable, especially for this planet.”

As Chanyeol talks he disappears into his bedroom, leaving Kyungsoo standing in the border between the kitchen and living area. When Chanyeol comes back he has a pillow and fluffy looking blanket with him, heading to the couch to make up a bed for Kyungsoo, who watches quietly.

Once he’s done Chanyeol goes to the entrance, typing in a code until an audible click is heard, and Kyungsoo knows that they’re locked in for the night. He lets out a sigh as he sits down, rubbing sleep from his eyes before he lets out a big yawn.

“Sleep, we’ll deal with tomorrow when it gets here,” Chanyeol quietly instructs, switching off the lights, pressing a button so the shutters over the windows would close, blocking out the light of the city.

“Good night, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo says as he lies down, pulling the surprisingly warm and cozy blanket over himself.

“Good night, Kyungsoo,” the other’s voice fades as Kyungsoo falls asleep almost the instant his head hits the pillow.

The last threads of Kyungsoo’s dreams melt away as he slowly wakes up, blinking where he lay, confused in the first moments of wakefulness on where he’s at. It’s like deja vu from yesterday, but instead of a ship, he’s in an apartment on Nar Shaddaa, essentially under house arrest with a strange man, a bounty hunter. It feels unreal, but there’s nothing that Kyungsoo can do to change his situation. All he can do is go about this situation as normally as he can.

With a yawn he forces himself to sit up, wiping the last traces of sleep from his eyes. Might as well get started on breakfast, laying around wallowing about his life won’t make things any better for him.

The apartment is lacking in much food, probably because Chanyeol didn’t know when he’d get to come home again. But Kyungsoo manages to scrape together a meal, poking around through the cabinets to find anything he needed to cook. Luckily nothing of personal importance or note was in them, so Chanyeol had no reason to get him in trouble for rummaging around.

It’s when the food is almost done that Chanyeol finally emerges from the hallway, hair a gnarled mess atop his head, eyes droopy and his yawn has no business at all being that cute. Kyungsoo forces himself to look away and serve the meal.

“I made breakfast, even though you hardly had anything to eat,” Kyungsoo slides the plate onto the small counter, where Chanyeol makes a noise of appreciation at the sight and smell of it.

“Smells good, seems like you did a good job. Thanks, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol’s tone is appreciative, it makes Kyungsoo smile.

Kyungsoo knew, at heart, that he shouldn’t be so comfortable already with Chanyeol. The man had kidnapped him from his home and dragged him all the way to the Outer Rim, after all. But the thing was, Kyungsoo was bored. Life on Naboo didn’t change, his daily routine was almost the exact same, day in and day out. This was exactly the excitement and adventure he had been waiting for, and Kyungsoo was enjoying it. Despite the fact that he had a bounty on his head, there was a gut feeling that he was going to make it out this ordeal more or less unscathed.

He seats himself beside Chanyeol, taking his time to eat what’s on his plate, the both of them in companionable silence. Chanyeol gave off the energy of being friendly, with a personality that belied the nature of his profession. It’s what made Kyungsoo make the quick decision of trusting him.

“So, you’ll stay here today Kyungsoo. I’m going to go out and buy food and pick up some more plain clothes for you. I can’t have you walking around in public, at least not yet.” Chanyeol muses, grabbing their empty plates and taking them to the small sink. “Maybe later on I’ll take you out to the city, can’t have you going crazy locked up in here. We need you healthy.”

Kyungsoo just rolls his eyes, but a chuckle does manage to escape past his lips. “You need to take your prisoner out on daily walks, get him some fresh air. Or at least, as fresh as it can get on this moon.”

“Better than being stuck in here or out in the vastness of space, don’t you agree? Even a hive of scum and villainy like this is preferable to wandering from system to system on the Gravity.” Chanyeol teases, tone light before he spills out into laughter, obviously pleased with comeback.

The laughter is rather endearing, but Kyungsoo shakes it off. No matter how much he’s enjoying not being stuck on Naboo, he knows that he can’t get too invested in this situation. “Yeah, yeah. Just head out there and lock me up in here. The sooner you finish the sooner I don’t have to suffer alone.”

Chanyeol doesn’t say anything, just grins at Kyungsoo as he heads back to the bedroom, clearly to get ready to head out. Kyungsoo sighs, cleaning up the mess he made in the kitchen before he goes back to the small living area, tidying up there as well.

It’s not much later that Chanyeol reemerges, clad similarly to yesterday, still decked out in his bounty hunting gear. It must be needed in a city like this. Chanyeol grabs his helmet and straps on his blaster, pulling it out to examine it as he speaks to Kyungsoo. It’s a thinly veiled threat. “I won’t be gone long, but don’t think of leaving. You try, and well, I can’t promise that you won’t get hurt.”

Kyungsoo sighs, because he knows that Chanyeol is good for his word. He is the target of a bounty after all. “I won’t try to escape, the last thing I want is to get shot in the leg or something,” he mutters, suddenly sullen.

With that said Chanyeol holsters his blaster again, going to the door and unceremoniously letting himself out. There’s a beep and Kyungsoo knows that he’s locked in. Chanyeol was friendly, Kyungsoo was enjoying his company. But he was a bounty hunter, and Kyungsoo was just a mark. A means to credits, and he can’t let himself forget that. Or else the end of all of this would result in nothing but pain for him.

All those thoughts weighed heavily on Kyungsoo’s mind as he sat, turning on the holo screen to impatiently wait for Chanyeol’s return.

The clothes that Chanyeol gets him fit well enough, only a little snug in the bottom area. There was no way for the other male to know that Kyungsoo was a little more thick based on the outfit he had on the day he was captured. But they’ll do, and hopefully that having them means he’ll get to escape the apartment at least a few times.

Which does end up happening, a few days later. Chanyeol takes Kyungsoo out into the city one night, because it was getting increasingly obvious that he was going stir crazy locked up in the apartment. The two of them were getting along well, playing sabacc and watching pod races on the holo, but there was only so much of that one person could do. So that lead to Chanyeol having the brilliant idea to take Kyungsoo out for a drink, of all things.

Kyungsoo thought it wasn’t a very smart idea, heading to a crowded little club just for drinks. But Chanyeol insisted that they would get lost in the crowd, and that at least Kyungsoo was leaving the apartment, which he couldn’t argue with.

The club itself is small, lights neon and just dim enough to give people the privacy to do whatever they wanted with whoever they were with. Kyungsoo had only been to a club once on Coruscant, and it was one of the nicer ones on the upper levels. Nothing like this, with its loud music and throng of bodies dancing and chatting, lost in their own little worlds.

A droid brings their drinks to the small table they’re crowded around in a corner, and Kyungsoo eyes his warily. It’s glaringly bright blue, and looks as if it will burn his throat if he tries to take a sip.

“What even is in this?” Kyungsoo asks nervously, picking up the glass and sniffing the contents, wary.

“Doesn’t matter, it tastes good. Live a little, Kyungsoo!” Chanyeol has already downed half of his glass of the same liquid, teeth shining bright under the neon lights when he grins widely.

Well, how can Kyungsoo say no to that? He raises the glass to his lips, taking a careful sip before his eyes go wide. The taste is much sweeter than he imagined, the liquid going smoothly down his throat. He takes a bigger gulp, ignoring the loud bark of laughter that Chanyeol lets out.

“I hate to say I told you so,” Chanyeol winks teasingly at him from over the rim of his glass, downing the contents in one big gulp. “But I told you so.”

“Shut up,” Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, but he’s smiling, taking his time to finish and savor his drink. “You were right, it’s better than I thought it would be.”

“I know how to pick a drink,” Chanyeol rests his elbows on the table, leaning in towards Kyungsoo, the grin not once leaving his lips. Kyungsoo can’t help but think he looks rather handsome under the dim lighting.

His ears grow hot at the thought, and he downs his glass quickly, hoping the drink would cool down his burning face. Hopefully Chanyeol didn’t notice. “I’m sure you need your fair share of them in your line of work.”

Chanyeol waves his hand, straightening up and getting the droid’s attention to order them each another drink. “Sometimes. I just like to relax after particularly long or hard jobs. And this thing does just the trick.” He nods, setting the new full glass in front of Kyungsoo. “This counts as a long job. So let’s drink to that.”

Kyungsoo grips the cool glass, lifting it and finding himself clinking it against Chanyeol’s, the both of them taking a sip at the same time. “Why am I even still with you? I don’t get why the person who hired you didn’t want me just dumped off at wherever they are, so you could get on your way with a bag full of credits.”

At the question Chanyeol turns contemplative, as if he’s debating how much he should and shouldn’t reveal to Kyungsoo. “They want to make sure your father cooperates. Black Sun knows that your father could send in a Jedi or two and bust you out of wherever they’d be keeping you. But no one knows you’re here with me,” he shrugs, before his gaze turns a little sharp, as if he realized what he just revealed. “Don’t you go getting any ideas now. I can still slap that tracker on you.”

“I’m not sending out a distress signal anytime soon,” Kyungsoo reassures him, though he’s not entirely sure why. Adventure, yes, but he’s also found himself clicking more easily than he imagined with Chanyeol. The two of them were strangely compatible. “No tracker needed.”

Chanyeol opens his mouth to reply but his jaw quickly snaps shut, eyes going hard as he looks somewhere over Kyungsoo’s shoulder. It’s sudden, and strange, which makes Kyungsoo turn around to see what the other male was looking at. It takes a moment, but he spots two tall figures making their way into the club, clad in the notorious armor of the Mandalorians.

“We’re leaving,” Chanyeol says brusquely, pushing away from the table and dropping credits down, taking Kyungsoo’s upper arm in his large hand and dragging him the opposite way of the two strangers.

It’s no use though, because they’ve barely slipped out the entrance when there’s heavy footfalls behind them and Chanyeol is cursing under his breath. His free hand flies to his blaster, whipping it out faster than Kyungsoo thought was possible. Kyungsoo is pushed behind Chanyeol as the latter stands in front of him, blaster raised and aiming at the Mandalorians in front of them.

“Is that any way to greet your fellow hunters, Chanyeol?” The one on the left asks, armor a muted gray that shines dully under the neon lights outside the club.

“Cut the crap, Sehun. I know you’re here to try and take my bounty,” Chanyeol grits out, shoulders straightening up as if to make himself appear taller. It works, because he stands just a little larger than the other two.

“Not much of a bounty if you’re taking him out to see the lovely nightlife of Nar Shaddaa,” the other points out, armor black and a deep purple.

Chanyeol tightens his grip on his blaster, shifting subtly and Kyungsoo loses sight of the two strangers. “What I do with my bounty is none of your business, Jongin. Not my fault that you two were too slow to grab him first. Working as a team and I’m still the better hunter.”

Kyungsoo peeks around Chanyeol’s broad back, watching as the two hunters reach for their blasters, and he feels his fear levels starting to spike. A firefight in the middle of a bustling nightlife district is the last thing he needs. Kyungsoo knows with his luck, he’d probably get caught in the crossfire.

“I should shoot you down right now, get rid of your arrogant ass for good,” the one in the gray, Sehun, spits out, his blaster rifle drawn.

“Good luck, because we both know you’d need it,” Chanyeol sneers back, blaster raising higher, pointing it directly at the T-shaped visor hiding the other male’s face from view.

“Stand down, Sehun,” the other one says, pushing down the barrel of the rifle. “Chanyeol isn’t even worth the trouble. At least not for a cushy little bounty like this. Let him play house, we all know that his pathetic life needs some kind of companion.”

At that Chanyeol visibly bristles, but Sehun laughs mockingly, seemingly following along easily to whatever Jongin wanted. The pair disappear with the hissing of their jetpacks, and Kyungsoo sags in relief from his place behind Chanyeol. They had avoided a useless confrontation, for which Kyungsoo is grateful.

But Chanyeol still seems bothered by it, holstering his blaster with more force than necessary when he turns back to Kyungsoo, brows furrowed together and lips pressed down into a frown. “Are you alright?”

“Yes, just a little shaken up. I thought you would be trading blaster bolts with them,” Kyungsoo admits, hiding his trembling fingers in the pockets of his trousers.

“And none of them would have hit you. Come on, let’s get back before someone else tries to bother us,” Chanyeol says curtly, placing his hand on the small of Kyungsoo’s back, not so gently nudging him down the walkway and back to his apartment.

The walk back to the apartment is silent, but thrumming with Chanyeol’s agitated energy. It doesn’t ease Kyungsoo’s anxiety, who can hear his pulse practically drumming in his ears.

He’s grateful when they’re back within the confines of the now familiar apartment, Kyungsoo immediately going to the sofa and settling down, running his trembling fingers through his hair. He’s surprised when Chanyeol sits beside him after removing his blaster, large frame taking up most of the sofa where he slumps down, huffing through his nose. The other male is clearly still agitated, but Kyungsoo is unsure what to do.

Tentatively he places his hand on Chanyeol’s thigh, the muscle beneath his palm tensing from the touch before he can feel it relax, gaze trained on the other male’s face. Chanyeol’s eyes fall shut, and Kyungsoo squeezes subtly, gently, noting the way that the tension drains from the former’s face when Kyungsoo repeats the squeeze a few times. It’s a silent, tiny gesture, and Kyungsoo isn’t quite sure why he feels compelled to do so. But it’s helping both of them, so he decides not to question himself.

Chanyeol shifts slightly, and Kyungsoo takes that as a hint to move his hand, which he does. “Thank you,” the words are quiet, almost whispered. The situation feels heavy, with the only light coming in through the window, muted shades of neon, leaving parts of Chanyeol’s face in darkness.

Kyungsoo is grateful for the dimness, even if it does give off too much of an intimate feeling. At least Chanyeol can’t see how the heat rises to his face like at the club. “A tiny gesture of appreciation for not letting me get blasted to bits back there,” his voice is soft, a teasing lilt to it, hoping that it would help ease some more of the tension.

The air seems suspended and heavy between them, and Kyungsoo doesn’t know what exactly it’s heavy with. Something that’s just on the edge of a blossom, is what it feels like. It feels fast, too soon, but undeniably there.

Chanyeol gets up then, breaking the moment, for which Kyungsoo is grateful. The drinks were really getting to his head, they must have been a lot stronger than he imagined.

“Get some rest, Kyungsoo. You look like you need it,” Chanyeol places his hand on top of Kyungsoo’s head, ruffling his hair before the strands are slightly smoothed out, the touch feeling more affectionate than it probably is.

Before Kyungsoo can react Chanyeol is gone, the door to his bedroom hissing shut behind him as Kyungsoo is left to sit in the darkness of the living area alone. He quietly makes up his bed, changing into his sleep clothes while trying to ignore all the swirling thoughts in his mind.

It’s only when he’s lying down on the verge of sleep that he realizes why Chanyeol was so bothered and reacting so easily to Kyungsoo’s touch. He was lonely, a fact that Kyungsoo himself could relate to. The revelation opens his eyes to a much more dangerous train of thought, and it fills his head with dreams when sleep finally comes.

They’re in the middle of playing sabacc when Kyungsoo finally loses it.

“Why are you treating me so nicely, Chanyeol? You’re a bounty hunter, I’m just the mark. I don’t get it, you keep me well fed and clean, and entertained. But you don’t have to, and it’s throwing me off that you are,” he lets out a huff after, throwing down his cards and running his fingers through his hair. This has been on his mind since the club, he couldn’t hold back the questions anymore.

Chanyeol doesn’t answer right away, just stares at Kyungsoo, seemingly deep in thought. He places his own cards down, collecting them all together before putting them back in their pack, clearly giving himself time to formulate an answer.

“Would you rather I keep you locked up like a prisoner and a criminal, Kyungsoo? Because I think you’d prefer me treating you like a decent human being to that.”

Kyungsoo sighs in frustration. “Of course that’s preferable. But that doesn’t answer my question. Why are you treating me like a decent person and not a prisoner? Because technically I am one.”

“Because I don’t want to treat you like a prisoner!” Chanyeol gets off the sofa, pacing back and forth, clearly agitated. “This situation is all so stupid, you’re completely innocent. Usually my bounties are scum that deserve it. But you? You’re just some important’s son who didn’t do anything wrong to deserve all of this. And from the start you haven’t hated me, Kyungsoo. You’ve trusted me when you didn’t have to. When I was basically your kidnapper.”

The silence is heavy between them when Chanyeol stops speaking, Kyungsoo sitting on the floor at a loss for words as he absorbs what the other male is telling him. Chanyeol had a point, one that Kyungsoo hadn’t even considered in his nightly musings. But it did make sense, he couldn’t deny that he was just someone innocent caught in the crossfire of the galaxy’s politics.

“I hear you, Chanyeol,” his voice is soft when he speaks, pushing himself up out of his sitting position. “And you’re right. I would rather not be treated like a prisoner, especially because I didn’t do anything wrong. I’m grateful for your kindness, and for you making this situation easier on me. On both of us.”

Chanyeol is silent, but he moves to stand in front of Kyungsoo. The distance between them is small, and it makes their height difference so much more prominent. Kyungsoo tries and fails not to notice how much he enjoys feeling smaller than Chanyeol.

“It’s the least I can do, Soo.” the nickname startles Kyungsoo, but he can’t deny that he enjoys it. “It’s nice to have someone around that I can actually talk to and spend time with. Someone who is worth doing all of these things with, even if it’s just a game of sabacc.”

“I haven’t had anyone I enjoy spending time with like this either, if I’m honest. Back home on Naboo I don’t click with anyone so easily. But maybe that’s why I trust you, Yeol, because we get along so well,” Kyungsoo admits, head tilting back some so he can meet Chanyeol’s gaze more easily.

And his gaze is pretty intense, especially up close like he is. It makes Kyungsoo visibly gulp, because feeling this way was not supposed to be what happened. Kyungsoo was not supposed to grow fond of the bounty hunter, not within the short space of almost one standard month. But Chanyeol just had to go and be charming and complement his own personality perfectly. The fact that they were both lonely only made this situation seem more intense.

“I regret that we had to meet this way, but I don’t regret us meeting. Does that make sense?” Chanyeol’s voice is much softer now, to match the softening of his gaze. It makes Kyungsoo nervous, but in a good way.

“It makes sense, I feel the same way. We never would have met if it wasn’t for this,” Kyungsoo nods slowly, his own voice dropping lower, not wanting to break the moment. “I do enjoy your company a lot…. This is a lot better than being stuck at home where nothing exciting ever happens.”

Chanyeol opens his mouth to reply but is cut off by the incessant beeping of his comm, the moment thoroughly and suddenly ended between them. Kyungsoo takes a step back, shaking his head to clear it as Chanyeol lets out annoyed huff, striding back to his room to receive the call.

It doesn’t last long, but Chanyeol looks distraught when he comes back out to the living area, where Kyungsoo is sitting and waiting for him. “I’m to take you to Kuat in two standard days. Your father has finally agreed to the deal, the exchange will happen at one of the shipyards there.”

Kyungsoo’s stomach drops at the news, even though it shouldn’t. He should be happy that he’s going to get off this moon and back to his family on his home planet, right? But he can’t help but feel disappointed, like his fun is being yanked from his hands. Kyungsoo was settled in his new routine, was enjoying the quiet days spent chatting and playing with Chanyeol. He wasn’t ready for it to end.

“So, our time together is ending,” he says, voice heavy with disappointment. “I can’t lie Chanyeol, but I don’t want to go back.”

“Then don’t. We can disappear, the galaxy is huge,” Chanyeol blurts out, shocking Kyungsoo.

Did he really want that? To never see his family again, never visit Naboo or anywhere really in the Core worlds? Kyungsoo isn’t so sure that that’s what he wants or is ready for. There has to be another solution.

“Chanyeol…” Kyungsoo’s tone is gentle, and he pats the spot beside him on the sofa. “I can’t do that. I have to get back to my family, to Naboo. Just because your job with me is ending doesn’t mean we can’t ever speak again, can it? You have a perfectly working ship and comm system, if I recall. It doesn’t have to end here.”

Chanyeol sits heavily, sighing before his gaze is trained on Kyungsoo as he speaks, expression contemplative. “You’re right. I lost my head for a second there. It’s not going to be the same but, it’s better than hiding in all corners of the galaxy, isn’t it?”

“It is,” he chuckles, placing his hand on Chanyeol’s thigh and squeezing. “I can’t believe that it’s only been what, three standard weeks? And we’re already like this with each other.”

The touch seems to put Chanyeol more at ease, which is what Kyungsoo was hoping for. “I think that just goes to show that we were destined to meet. You don’t mesh with someone like this on accident, Soo.”

“Maybe you’re right. The only way to know for sure is to see what happens after I go back to Naboo.”

“No, there’s another way…” Chanyeol whispers, starting to lean down towards Kyungsoo.

The action makes Kyungsoo’s eyes widen, because instantly he knew exactly what Chanyeol meant, what he was trying to do. Was he ready for that? Well, yes. The past few weeks had been full of getting to know each other, accidental and not so accidental touches between them. Talks that lasted hours, games that went on all night. There was no denying that there was something between them, and Kyungsoo couldn’t deny that he was curious to see what it would be like to take that next step.

Kyungsoo doesn’t fight it, just closes his eyes when Chanyeol’s face is inches from his own, and the seconds before their lips are connected feels like an eternity. But when Chanyeol kisses him, it’s unlike anything that he’s ever experienced before. Their lips slot together perfectly, the spark undeniable and so, so good.

They sit there for a long time, just kissing and enjoying being so close. In that moment everything is perfect, and Kyungsoo can forget about what’s to come.

The drop out of hyperspace is sudden, the surreal blue of it turning instantly to the sight of Kuat shining against the black backdrop of space. Kyungsoo is sitting rather unhappily in the copilot’s seat, head and heart heavy as they approach the planet. Chanyeol is just as sullen next to him, his hands working over the ship’s controls without their usual eagerness.

It’s silent between them as they descend into the planetary ring that contains the shipyards, the sight of the mechanical might not even enough to impress Kyungsoo, who normally would have loved to see it. The moment is too bittersweet for him to do anything but focus on the fact that this was the end of a short, but wildly important, chapter of his life.

The Gravity docks at one of the yards, having been hailed in easily as their arrival was expected. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo both rise from their seats at the same time, leaving the cockpit and making their way through the ship to the exit hatch.

Before Chanyeol can open it Kyungsoo reaches out, taking the other male’s hand and tugging him down, giving him one last, longing kiss. “You’re not allowed to forget about me, Chanyeol,” Kyungsoo whispers, stealing another short kiss from his lips.

“I could never forget you, Kyungsoo,” Chanyeol’s own voice is soft, and the hatch slowly hisses open behind them.

They pull away at the very last second, Chanyeol straightening up and leading the way off the ship, Kyungsoo in his normal clothes in tow behind him. There’s a man waiting at the bottom, short with a rounded, youthful face. His eyes are feline, and sharp, and let Kyungsoo know that despite his appearance, he was a man that had power.

“You did a fine job, Chanyeol. The Bounty Hunter Guild will transfer you the credits immediately,” the man says once they’re standing in front of him, sharp gaze flicking over Kyungsoo, as if making sure that he was in one piece.

“Just doing my job, Minseok. I’ll let you take it from here,” Chanyeol nods curtly, and he doesn’t even give Kyungsoo a second glance. Which is what Kyungsoo expected, there would be no tearful goodbyes. But he was amazed by how easily that Chanyeol could act.

Minseok dismisses Chanyeol with his own nod, and the latter turns on his heel and purposefully makes his way back to his ship. Kyungsoo is alone with this stranger, with Minseok, and he doesn’t know what to expect. The sound of the Gravity taking off only makes his stomach drop further, and he doesn’t have time to dwell on it before he’s being ushered to another dock.

There’s men everywhere, human and alien alike. All look exactly how Kyungsoo imagined members of Black Sun would look, rough and toting weapons that were probably illegal in this part of the Core.

They don’t speak, Minseok completely ignoring him as they step out onto a different dock, where the familiar sight of one of the sleek silver Naboo star cruisers comes into view. Kyungsoo’s father is standing anxiously with members of the Naboo security force, and even from the short distance he can practically see the relief that floods his father’s face when Kyungsoo, unharmed, comes into view.

When the two parties meet in the middle of the dock one of the guards brings a case forward, and Kyungsoo is sent across the space just as one of Minseok’s men grabs the case and brings it over. The case is opened, and it’s full of credits, just as Kyungsoo had expected. It doesn’t feel right, to have his life be measured by the contents of that case, but there’s nothing he can do about it but accept that it is what it is.

“Everything looks to be in order. Pleasure working with you, Senator Do. I trust you won’t forget about this… business deal, anytime soon.” Minseok’s tone carries a threat, though it’s hidden beneath a false set of pleasantries.

“I won’t soon forget,” The tone that Kyungsoo’s father uses is curt, and that’s that.

Kyungsoo is ushered onto the ship, and the exchange only took all of five standard minutes. He feels a little overwhelmed, and thrown for a loop. That month with Chanyeol, all to be resolved in such a short amount of time? It was a lot to take in, and he sits in silence on the ship, fending off his father’s questions about his health and what happened to him.

The last thing he wants is to talk to his father about Chanyeol, and their time together. All he does is assure his father that he’s fine, that he doesn’t need to talk to anyone, or see a doctor, or some Jedi specialist. All he wants is to go home and hug his mother before laying in his own bed.

His father gives up, leaving Kyungsoo to his silence and instructing everyone else on board to give him his space, which he’s grateful for. The jumps to Naboo wouldn’t be long, but he didn’t want to be bothered. Not when his mind and gut are swirling with the sudden loss of a newfound love.

Being back home on Naboo was surreal. Kyungsoo’s mother cried when she saw him, and he allowed her to fuss incessantly over him for his first hour home. But he just wanted to be alone, and took a brief respite in his room to enjoy the familiarity of it and to change his clothes.

But he couldn’t take it there either, Kyungsoo had been inside for too long and wanted to get out, to get some real fresh air. The air in Nar Shaddaa was anything but clean, and he didn’t leave the apartment enough to say he had gotten to enjoy the outside world. The air around his family’s home on Naboo was fresh, crisp, and exactly what he needed to clear his head.

Kyungsoo had to vehemently refuse and insist that he was fine going out walking by himself, that he wasn’t going to get snatched up again. His mother, distressed as she was, only reluctantly agreed when he promised to come back in one standard hour.

It felt freeing, to finally walk around and not have to look over his shoulder. To just be. But it was also a rather melancholic moment, because while Kyungsoo was enjoying a little bit of solitude, he really wished that he had a certain tall bounty hunter walking at his side and enjoying the ambient sounds of nature with him.

There’s the sound of a twig breaking behind him, and Kyungsoo, still on guard, swirls around instantly and gasps at the sight that awaits him.

It’s Chanyeol, sans all of his bounty hunting gear, just in a sleeveless top and a neat pair of pants tucked into his boots. The grin that stretches across Chanyeol’s lips is sheepish, and he gives Kyungsoo a muted wave.

“I was trying to surprise you, but… that clearly didn’t go as planned.”

Kyungsoo is still staring at Chanyeol in shock, eyes wide and at a loss for words. He can’t believe that it hasn’t even been one standard day, yet here Chanyeol was, right in front of him. He must have come here the instant he took off in Gravity to leave Kuat.

Chanyeol is starting to look a little concerned, like he’s about to question why Kyungsoo isn’t reacting to him. That look is all it takes to pull Kyungsoo out of his head, who rushes over, throwing his arms around Chanyeol’s neck and practically jumping into his hold, clinging tightly onto the larger male.

“I can’t believe you’re here! Did you come straight here? Oh, I’m so happy, Yeol…” Kyungsoo is a babbling mess, face pressing into Chanyeol’s broad chest and nuzzling against the familiar scent.

“When I left you on those docks I knew that there was no way I could just go back home like nothing happened. I wanted to give you space to be with your family, but I couldn’t wait. I had to see you again,” Chanyeol shakes his head, wrapping his arms around Kyungsoo’s small frame and hefting him up as easily as if he weighed nothing.

Kyungsoo sighs dreamily, the words that Chanyeol says sinking in slowly, a happy wash over him and his feelings. It makes Kyungsoo feel warm, and soft, and he does the first thing that his body prompts him, which is to kiss Chanyeol. It still feels just as right as their first kiss, just as perfect and Kyungsoo could spend the rest of eternity like this.

But he knows that they have to stop, that they have to talk about what it would mean to be together. With their respective lives, and their wants and dreams for the future. For now, though… for now, he plans to bask in the glow of kissing Chanyeol. Of just being with him, like he was longing for just moments ago.

A love formed across the stars was one that was destined to last.