Surprisingly, the break between academic years was an eventful one. Then again, it was the last one before Jinki, Henry, Larad, and Ercite were set to graduate. It was also the break leading into the year that would really set the tone for the rest of Kibum’s path. And they all had some pretty big decisions to start making. Including Hajoon who would be deciding whether to go semi-professional or not once she graduated. If yes, she’d have to spend most of her summer in Niichi enduring an assessment camp to gauge her level and expected rate of growth before she joined the university team the following year. Kibum wasn’t particularly worried about her, but Jinki certainly was. It was only in his nature as her big brother after all.

                “What if she gets bullied or hazed by them?” he asked the group with nervous worry writ clear on his face.

                “Hah!” Henry barked a laugh first. “I’d like to see someone try and bully your sister. Have you not seen her on the field?” he asked as if the thought was a silly one indeed.

                Larad swatted at the overly enthusiastic Terran once and shook his head. “She’ll likely have some challenges. One always done when going to a new area. But she will probably be just fine.”

                “But what if she’s not?” Jinki groaned plaintively, gesturing towards the space above him before settling his head on the table in front.

                Kibum patted him on the back. “Then she’ll have us to back her up if she needs. I can rally the fan club if I must,” he promised with the hint of a smug smile pulling at his lips.

                “Honestly, I’d be more worried about us,” Ercite mentioned from their seat next to Larad. “If all goes well, Hajoon will be the most successful member of your family. On the other hand, even if everything goes well for you, or rather us, we will still have to find out how to fund a ship.”

                “Not helping,” he grumbled, pointing a finger aimlessly at the Dawbn.

                “But they’re right,” Kibum admitted with a hiss through his teeth. That was still something they’d have to sort at some point.

                “I still think we should ask the fan club if they know anybody,” Henry reminded them, hands opening wide in an obvious gesture.

                And Henry wasn’t exactly wrong, but Kibum was loath to ask anybody else just yet. It often meant just being indebted to someone else and he wasn’t sure he wanted to go that route if he could help it. Other than that though, things were relatively good in general.

                For Kibum, he was finally more secure in his standing once more, since his long-term goal of becoming a captain and piloting his own ship was starting to feel more and more like a possibility. And the beginnings of a crew were there as well. Jinki had already agreed to be his second in command, of course. His engineering classes were coming along nicely and he’d be pretty good in the engine room if they needed to handle repairs themselves. His mother was helping a lot in that area with basic maintenance tips and hands on experience. Granted, city repairs were vastly different from a ship, but the underlying principles were similar at least.

                As for Ercite and Larad, the Varium had a surprising knack for medicine and first aid. He had no interest in becoming a full-fledged doctor exactly, but his current course would set him on track for emergency first aid certification and medical equipment specialist. At least someone would know how to use all the gadgets in the medbay. And if there was a true emergency, they’d have cryopods they could use to put someone in stasis if need be. Ercite was set up for coms, navigation, and logistics. Their work in the administrative department during the school year had given them dozens of hours of practice in dealing with bureaucracy as a whole and a lot of the red tape and rules that went along with flying…

                And then there was Crawven. Psitassi had eventually joined in to try and nudge Kibum to think about adding the Moladhi to the roster. While Kibum wasn’t super keen on the idea of having a weapons and combat master on board, especially one he wasn’t sure he fully trusted, he couldn’t deny it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have one just in case. That last unit about the Yeunamba had really helped tip the scales in favor of including him on the off chance he encountered one and couldn’t talk his way out of the situation.

                Kibum could hold his own against a Terran and some of the relatively similar sized species he’d encountered, but the Yeunamba were a frightening cross of reptilian savagery and equine grace with wings, horns, and the ability to switch between biped and quadruped movement patterns. Having a brawny, combat oriented Moladhi might not be such a bad idea after all.

                He still didn’t have to decide yet though. There were at least two more years for him before he even graduated, much less had a ship he could register and fly. But it was always good to be prepared and think ahead. At least according to Jinki anyway. Stars, he’d already asked his father to start looking for scrap tech they might be able to salvage for the purpose of cutting down costs on purchasing a complete ship if nothing else. If they could find enough salvage and scrap to revamp and overhaul, they’d really only have to cover the cost of the hull.

                Speaking of parental figures… maybe he could ask Eric and see if the Varium had any thoughts or suggestions to offer. Even considering it made Kibum’s gut twist though and he grimaced. No. He wasn’t that desperate. At least not yet anyway.

                Kibum flinched when hands landed on his shoulders and an upside-down face popped into view. “Are you going to sit here daydreaming all day?” Jinki asked with his traditionally beautiful smile. It looked slightly odd from the unaccustomed angle, but no less charming.

                “For your information, I was planning,” he responded coyly, reaching up to tap Jinki’s forehead with a gentle fingertip.

                “Well, planning can wait. Today we’re celebrating,” he beamed, eyes darting in the direction of the rest of their group. “And since I’ve already taken your turn a few times, I figured I should come and check on you, just in case,” he explained with a wink.

                “What?” Kibum gasped, maneuvering out from under Jinki so he could pop up and check the scoreboard on the 4D bowling matches. “You should have called me!” he grumbled, giving his boyfriend a half-hearted glare as the music, sounds of crashing pins, and the general din of excitement suddenly shoved into his awareness once more.

                “I did but you didn’t hear me,” he answered easily, standing up and pointing at Kibum’s name on the leaderboard. “Not my best tosses but you’re not last,” he chuckled.

                No. That would be Henry. And it was no surprise given his bittersweet semester results. His tests had been fine but Aanya had opted for them to go their separate ways so he was single again and grumpy as a result. To be fair, Jinki wasn’t that much higher on the scoreboard… Though Psitassi and Crawven seemed to be competing for first. Kibum would have expected that to be Larad. Instead, Ercite was nipping at their heels. “Next time, come and get me sooner!” he complained, swatting Jinki’s shoulder with empty fury.

                “Promise,” Jinki responded, holding his hand up like he was taking a vow. “Now come on! If you get a couple strikes in the last few rounds, you might be able to catch up to Larad,” he encouraged honestly, circling his arm around Kibum’s waist and drawing him along.

                “You should let me go on your turn too,” he prodded, nudging Jinki’s side with his elbow lightly.

                “If you want to,” he smiled back, offering no resistance.

                “You’re supposed to argue!” Kibum grumbled with a brief eye roll.

                “With you? Never,” Jinki laughed once, leaning close to kiss the side of his head tenderly. Before his boyfriend could respond, he called out, “Look who’s back!”

                “Kibum!” the group cheered, laughing at his surprised expression from their excitement.

                Kibum forced a performer’s façade over his features to present an air of collectedness before he rolled up his imaginary sleeves and sauntered to the island where the balls were resting. “Whose turn is it? Is it my turn? I’m going anyway,” he announced, picking up a ball and getting ready to square off at the start of the lane.

                He paused and flinched again when a sharp voice called out, “Kim Kibum!”

                Looking around, he nearly jumped when he realized it was coming from by his knees. “Oh galaxies!” he yelped, seeing Ercite glaring up at him as only a Dawbn could, glassy glittering eyes unblinking. “My mistake!” he announced, running away with the ball to hide behind Jinki. Despite their stature, Ercite was not one you wanted to get on their bad side. Not in the least of which was because they had Larad as backup, but they were a classic case of the pen being mightier than the sword. They still worked in the administration office and could make anyone’s academic life difficult if they so desired.

“Better,” they smiled, suddenly innocent and benign again.

                “Help,” Kibum whispered into Jinki’s ear from his safe vantage point behind the other man.

                “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you,” Jinki promised, reaching back to loop his arms partially around Kibum.

                “Even from Larad?” he couldn’t help but ask, keying the ball out of commission to turn off the weight and parameter approximators, making it disappear in the next second. It gave him room to lean into Jinki and hug him from behind, resting his chin on the other man’s shoulder.

                “Is that a serious question?” his boyfriend wondered, brows furrowed questioningly.

                “Not really.” The words were accompanied by a head shake and then a quick kiss on Jinki’s cheek. It gave him the rare pleasure of seeing a dusting of pink appear on the edges of his ears. He felt Jinki’s arms lock loosely behind him and the delighted rumble in his body from his laugh. Kibum already knew that Jinki wouldn’t hesitate to do whatever he could to at least help Kibum if he needed it. Probably. Almost certainly anyway. But it was always nice to confirm. “Thank you,” he whispered, tilting his head to lean it against Jinki’s.

                “Anytime,” came the equally quiet response and head nudge.

                No expectation of reciprocation. No demand for payment of any kind. Just simple acceptance and sincere promises. Kibum still didn’t know how he’d managed to find someone who seemed almost impossibly unreal to him, but he did know he didn’t ever want to let him go. “Jinki?” he called softly, arms tightening just a bit.

                “Yeah?”

                “I love you,” he whispered and felt Jinki freeze, his breath stopping for just a second in obvious surprise at the first utterance of those words strung together and directed at him.

                “I love you too, Kibummie,” he responded after only a short pause, arms flexing to hold him tighter as he turned his head to look at his boyfriend with a quiet but radiant smile.

                No. He didn’t want to let him go at all. Granted, he physically had to when his turn came around and it was time to play. As it turned out, 4D bowling was also not his forte. But that didn’t seem to matter by the end of the evening. After they wore their energy out on various rounds and finally called it to go their separate ways, everyone headed out for different destinations.

                Crawven and Psitassi departed first. Then Larad, Ercite, and Henry on their way back to the senior dorms. And that left Kibum and Jinki who made their way to Kibum’s junior dorm room together. A goodnight kiss in front of the door turned into more than either intended and they both stumbled into the empty room, intoxicated with each other.

                The lights automatically and Kibum mumbled, “Lights off.”

                Jinki paused and pulled back enough to say, “No. Keep them on.” He cupped Kibum’s face with one hand, adding, “You’re beautiful, Kibum. And I want to see you,” he whispered, looping his free arm behind Kibum’s back to pull him close as he kissed him deeply in the middle of the room.

                “Lights on,” Kibum panted when he was given space enough to speak. Tonight at least he believed it when he saw the way that Jinki looked at him. Face flushed, eyes dilated, and mouth partially open, he was irresistibly kissable.

                Step by desirous step, they made their way to the bed and Jinki laid Kibum down with such tender care, he felt nothing but cherished and loved while lying under the other man. Questioning fingertips pulled at layers of clothes and Kibum allowed his shirt to be removed by gently trembling hands. Those same hands splayed wide over his exposed flesh and mapped out every plane, rise, and indent with tender fingertips to settle at his hips before coming back up to interlace their fingers together, holding tight.

                Kibum gasped, his skin alive with fire and energy. His body seemed to move of its own accord when his legs wound around Jinki’s hips, inviting the other man to sink against him. They both moaned and gave themselves up to the taste of each other’s lips and the pressure of their bodies separated by a thin layer of fabric.

                At Kibum’s insistent tugging, Jinki’s shirt came free, giving him freedom to roam the smooth expanse of his toned shoulders and back muscles. His hands settled in the low curve of Jinki’s back, brushing against the waist of his pants. Abdominal muscles clenched, the sensation obvious from their closeness, and Jinki shifted, moving his kisses down Kibum’s chin, neck, chest, stomach, until he reached the top of the pants.

                He looked up to meet Kibum’s eyes and asked, “Can I?” fingertips playing with the edge of the fabric.

                “Yes,” Kibum whispered, biting his bottom lip as he watched Jinki’s fingers undo the clasp and zipper of his pants and work them down. His fingers painted trails of fire as they trailed back up Kibum’s bare legs, making him suddenly shy and nervous. He tried to cover himself with half-heartedly embarrassed hands but Jinki caught them gently and held them close against his bare abdomen.

                “Don’t. You’re beautiful, love,” he whispered, knees straddled on either side of Kibum’s legs as he looked over the expanse of his mostly flesh in admiring awe.

                A hesitant smile graced Kibum’s lips then and he reached up to cup Jinki’s cheek in his palm, smiling harder when the other man leaned close to make it easier. “I believe you,” he admitted quietly. Maybe he didn’t believe it when he said it to himself, but he couldn’t doubt the honest sincerity pouring from his boyfriend in that moment.

                Moment by moment, Kibum’s body became more and more alive under Jinki’s touches. Piece by piece, the last remnants of their clothing fell away, leaving them both vulnerable and utterly exposed.

                With Jinki hovering over him, Kibum’s eyes couldn’t help but drift down the expanse of his admirably sculpted body to focus on the enviable firm shaft located between his legs. He inhaled slightly and blinked, “I still don’t know whether to be impressed, nervous or scared,” he admitted with a breathy laugh upon seeing Jinki’s glory again.

                “Sorry,” Jinki apologized immediately, ducking his head like it was some sort of criticism.

                “Hey,” Kibum warned, making him look up. “I…” he trailed off, grabbing Jinki’s hand in his and drawing it close to his chest so he could spread it over his heart. “I trust you. Okay?”

                “Okay,” Jinki whispered, smiling back before he leaned down to kiss Kibum again. His hand drifted down Kibum’s chest until it stopped on his lower abdomen, just above his own erect length. “Are you sure?” he asked, waiting for permission as he looked Kibum in his eyes.

                Kibum’s heart raced in his chest and he thought he might explode from the tension. He could say no and he knew – absolutely knew – that Jinki would respect that decision. For a split second, he considered saying it just to be sure he would. But the moment passed just as quickly as his own curiosity and desire – and slight shame at the thought – got the better of him. “Yes,” he whispered, inhaling sharply and closing his eyes in pleasure as Jinki’s hand descended further.

                The evening ran long when Jinki took his time exploring Kibum’s body, playing him like an exquisitely tuned piano. When he eventually asked to bridge the final distance between them, Kibum would likely have given him anything he requested. Yet all he asked for was the entirety of Kibum. And despite his subconscious trepidation – stemming from uncharitable hollow thoughts like ‘what if he hurts you?’; ‘what if it’s a lie?’; ‘what if it’s a trick?’ - he was more than happy to give it willingly.

                Letting Jinki have all of him was frightening and exhilarating at the same time; the last vestiges of his fear faded quickly. Feeling Jinki take him bit by bit was pleasurably painful. He was Kibum’s first but he would have been hard pressed to find a better one. Patient and at least a little experienced, Jinki focused the entirety of his awareness to Kibum’s responses and acted accordingly, pausing or slowing down as necessary, despite his own desire. And experiencing such a joining together was liberating in a way that Kibum hadn’t even known was possible. He’d expected the physical pain, but the pleasure, complete trust and security, and the sensation of being absolutely cherished took him by surprise.

                The rest of the evening passed by in an emotional high of slightly clumsy spent energy, fumbling hands, and sweaty bodies that would forever be etched in Kibum’s memory. And even when they were finished, Jinki made sure they were clean enough for sleep before he grabbed Kibum close, holding firm as if he was afraid the other man might disappear if he so much as let go. Achy in a new way but satisfied, Kibum held tighter, burrowing into Jinki’s warm unclothed body like he could never be close enough. Together, they found solace and peace in each other’s sated presence, drifting into sleep in the early hours of the morning at last.

                Waking in Jinki’s arms hours later was another pleasant experience. Feeling warm and safe, he stared at his boyfriend’s sleeping face, watching the way his eyes moved lightly under closed lids. Messy strands of hair intruded, haphazardly crossing his forehead and lying against his cheek. It was such a normal sight that Kibum was almost worried last night had been little more than an overly imaginative dream. But a quick look under the covers at their still bodies and the noticeable soreness in his backside assured him it was real.

                A few questions rose to the surface, but he didn’t need immediate answers for the time being. He was more content to snuggle close, nudging his head under Jinki’s chin with his cheek pressed against the smooth warm chest. Jinki hummed in the back of his throat and stirred slightly, his arms reaching out to wrap around Kibum and hold him closer. A quiet sigh escaped as he rubbed his cheek against the top of Kibum’s head and then he settled back into full sleep again. For a little while anyway. With a larger inhale, he stirred once more a bit later and froze when Kibum made a small sound of complaint in the back of his throat. “Sorry. Did I wake you?” he wondered, drawing smooth lines up the length of Kibum’s blanket covered back.

                Kibum shook his head and shivered lightly at the contact. “Not really.”

                Soft lips pressed against the top of his head and Jinki took another breath. “How are you feeling today?”

                “Good,” Kibum answered with a content sigh. “Happy.”

                “No pain?” his boyfriend asked hesitantly after a brief pause.

                Kibum shook his head again. “Just a little sore.”

                “Sorry,” Jinki apologized, hugging Kibum like it might somehow make up for it.

                “I hear it’s normal,” he assured him, patting his back with a light hand. At least that was what he’d been told from Jackson and Passeri anyway. Honestly, if he’d had any other people to go to about that sort of conversation, he probably would have, but they were more experts on it than he was. Though his cheeks still burned at their eagerness to offer suggestions and advice for the moment if and when it would happen for him.

                “Sometimes,” his boyfriend admitted with a quiet nod. “I tried to be gentle. I didn’t hurt you, did I?” he wondered, obviously afraid he might have.

                “No. You didn’t,” he promised as he finally unwound himself enough to shift up so that he could be even with Jinki. He liked cuddling but it felt they should be face-to-face now. He smiled when Jinki immediately reached out trace Kibum’s face with gentle fingertips. “Is it always like that?” He doubted it. Again, Passeri and Jackson apparently had a plethora of stories they were more than happy to share if he was interested. But he was curious to hear it from Jinki.

                “Not usually,” his boyfriend chuckled, an embarrassed smile tugging at his lips. “At least, not that long,” he added shyly, the smile growing larger as he looked away.

                “Was it that long?” Kibum wondered, the memory in his mind a pleasant blur of events and emotions. He honestly couldn’t have said how much time had passed at all…

                Jinki chuckled, a grin finally taking over as he looked at his boyfriend. “I’m glad you feel that way. And thank you. For trusting me,” he added when the statement alone seemed rather vague.

                Kibum snorted and gave him a side-eyed look. “After last night, I feel like I should be the one thanking you. Maybe it’s because it was you, but I don’t know what I was so afraid of before,” he explained, brow furrowing as he bit his bottom lip. He looked back up again when he felt Jinki’s fingers lightly grip the bottom of his chin. “Huh?” he chirped in quiet inquiry.

                “I really want to kiss you right now,” Jinki admitted, smiling as his gaze moved from Kibum’s lips and back up to Kibum’s eyes.

                “Then kiss me,” he responded, tilting his head up like it was a sort of challenge. So Jinki did, moving close and pulling Kibum against the curve of his body again. Morning breath and all, it was still a lovely kiss that made his head swim. At least until he felt something firm brush against his leg as his own body started to respond.

                Jinki groaned and paused, intentionally making space between them. “Sorry. I was afraid that might happen,” he laughed, reaching atop the covers and pressing them down to create a barrier between them. “You kind of have an effect on me,” he admitted, the delightful flush of pink back on his cheeks.

                Biting his bottom lip again, Kibum responded, “I wouldn’t say you’re the only one.” Jinki’s flush grew brighter and it made Kibum laugh as a flush blossomed on his cheeks too. “You know… we could…” he started to awkwardly suggest, though he couldn’t exactly meet Jinki’s eyes yet.

                “We could,” Jinki agreed with a nod. “But you should probably try walking first.”

                “Oh?” Kibum wondered in obvious surprise. When Jinki mutely nodded, he gave a slow nod of understanding in response. “I see.”

                And he did. Jinki’s advice was sound in that matter as well. Kibum was fine but he was obviously going to have to take things a little slow for the rest of the day. But all things considered, it was a positive experience for Kibum and one more tethering point to secure his relationship to the other man. Not that he was directly keeping score or anything, but the more interwoven his life became with his boyfriend, the more he was able to stand on his own two feet again, facing the world head on.

 

(a/n: Thank you for reading the latest update! I hope you enjoyed it. ^_^ I'm happy that this latest chapter came along as well as it did - in regards to timeliness anyway. And the next one shouldn't be too far behind. But... fair warning, you may have noticed they've been running on an incline lately, so just be ready to brace yourself at least a little bit in the next chapter. >.> Wouldn't want you to feel blindsided or anything. Not for this one anyhow. lol

As always, if you have any thoughts, comments, or questions, I'd be happy to hear them. If not, thank you again for joining me on this adventure and happy reading in the future!)