Title: My Somewhat Jedi Knight in Shining Armor

Author: [redacted]

Your Giftee: iluvfishy

Rating: M - trigger warning for vehicular crash scenes, drinking scenes, fight scenes, coarse language and implied . I swear I tried to write everything lightly but in case mere mentions or descriptions of the above can be a trigger, then I suggest not reading further, or proceed with caution.

Wordcounts: 17k

A/N: Star Wars universe not mine... Tried to fit in most of giftee's preference but I'm not sure about the well rounded story part... This story went all over the place but I hope it's still something giftee would enjoy. :3

Happy EunHae Holidays!

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Description

In which Donghae the Jedi candidate meets Hyukjae the Sith candidate when the latter nearly lost qualification to the tri-annual Rottschada League as Hyukjae nearly wiped out on the first race. Donghae was in the right place and the right time and together they would rely on their wits and latent powers as they go about a (mis)adventure or two and inadvertently uncovering a nefarious plot of galaxy-epic proportions. falling in love in the meantime.

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Foreword

In a galaxy far, far, away...

Actually it's the same galaxy, just far, far away into the future that the whole Skywalker thingy is already ancient history (including their children and grandchildren yes, though be assured a Skywalker lives somewhere in the same galaxy)... 

Ok, going back to the main point of this story...

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In a future far, far away, there lived two men gifted with opposite sides of the Force whose lives are about to spectacularly collide...

=====

And no, they're not Romeo and Julio.

===============

Prologue

"The Force is strong within you." Intoned who Donghae figured to be the leader. Master Teukie, as he was called by the tallest one called Master Siwon.

NONONONO, Donghae mentally screamed, causing the tallest in the middle to actually flinch, and Master Siwon's  Padawan Kyuhyun to scowl. As if that would faze Donghae. He continued flipping tacos in the food stall he manned with his older brother Donghwa in the plaza, forcing himself not to flip a finger at the Jedi masters that inadvertently showed up to watch the Rottschada League Event. They've been hounding him since he was five - didn't they get the memo that Donghae never was and never will be interested in becoming a Jedi no matter how strong they say the Force is within him. He long sought to be normal and becoming a master is far away from being normal.

Donghwa sighs behind him, and as his role over the years being Donghae's big brother, politely declined the implied but not stated statement that they were recruiting Donghae to be a Jedi youngling. Way past time that already, starting when a five-year old Donghae kicked up a ruckus, screaming until they told him he won't be sent away to become a Jedi, never mind the high midi-chlorian count he had when he was tested. Donghae's powers were an inconvenience at best, a lucky charm at most, but he had learned to control it under the tutelage of their grandfather and he has been able to moderately control it. Doing so also tires Donghae out really quick, so truthfully, what use would he have becoming a Jedi master when his physical body couldn't handle the Force.

=====

"The Force is strong within you." Intoned who Hyukjae figured to be the leader. Darth Chul he was called, he earlier heard the tallest one, an actual Sith named Zhoumi.

NONONONO, Hyukjae mentally screamed, causing the tallest in the middle to actually flinch and their apprentice Yesung to start haranguing him. As if a dream would scare Hyukjae. They were invading his dreams again, these red and black skinned/masked Sith Lords. Of all the things he dreaded, becoming a possible Sith Lord took top spot. They've been hounding him since he was five - didn't they get the memo that Hyukjae never was and never will be interested in becoming a Sith no matter how strong they say the Force is within him. He long sought to be normal and becoming a dark lord is far away from being normal.

He jerked his limbs, finally awakening and escaping the nightmare. And realized Arbie was shaking him awake.

"Wake up, dear, you are having a bad dream." The fem droid said, taking on a kindly tone, instead of the usual haughty and shrill one she was originally programmed with. Of course, Hyukjae's tinkering of her over the years had pretty much ensured she became a different android compared to those in the same Robo-Bride 9000 production line. "Sora has left instructions for you to prepare and be on the tracks at 0800."

He wonders what advantages does he even have being a Force sensitive. He could activate and use a lightsaber, one he won as a wager in a race against Darth Chul's champion Zhoumi. But that's about it.

===============

Episode 1

The plaza is a covered dome adjacent the stadium, built to house the attendant businesses needed to support the Rottschada League Event, like shopping strips, souvenir shops, repair stores, and more.

Scattered in clusters around the plaza were food courts where Donghae and his brother manned a food stall, the Grill Taco 5. Donghae is a restaurateur by profession and his hyung his business manager but in special events like these, Donghae is both restaurateur and head chef as they have designed their food mobile service to be manned by a minimum of two persons, usually the brothers, plus service bots. Their elder half-brother Kangin would be left in the homeworld to manage the actual restaurants they owned as well as deal with the franchises. By offering a specialized menu, they have long since had the logistics down pat whenever they packed up for a period of time and spent it on another location, enjoying the view, earning money and getting tickets to places they otherwise wouldn't have been able to. The business provides them a comfortable living, and the brothers usually take advantage of the travel if it also earns them money.

They are at the Abregado-Rae for this month and more or less a few weeks, the planet being host to the Rottschada League event. Donghwa-hyung had been traveling a lot to the planet from their native Alderaan for the past year, making necessary arrangements with the local markets for the raw foodstuff they would need for the business, or source it offworld if the local markets didn't have it. Concessionaires like them had an option to take assigned quarters down in Merchant's Bay, a seaside hotel appropriated by the planetary government to house visiting business owners like them for all days before, during and after the event, to cover all days from preparation to pack-up. For past weeks, Donghae had loved waking up daily to the smell of sea air as well as taking his dawn jog by the seaside, up and down the pier, before he and Donghwa prepared for the day at the plaza.

Donghae heard the loud cheers up at the stadium, signaling the start of the first tournament of the Rottschada Event: the podrace. He looked up the various holoscreens dotting the plaza, getting updates of the race. He could see a couple of prominent names there, both from the Core and Outer Rim worlds, race champions from three years ago, back to defend and prove their claim to be called a Rottschada champion.

Donghae was inwardly gleeful - the month-long event will feature his favorite racers from across the galaxy. Captain Sungmin is back representing Naboo in the All-League tournament while Kibum, a surprising rising star from Tatooine, will participate for the first time in the swoop race tournament.

The food court got busy while the race continued elsewhere along the official racetrack, people from all walks of life and species milling about getting food and doing some shopping while pausing once in a while to watch the race at the holoscreens. Donghae also got busy preparing orders so he gasped during a lull in service to find out that the race was approaching the plaza. Donghae didn't even bother asking Donghwa to take over for him as he hurriedly completed one order then dashed in the direction of the track, slipping off his apron and chucking it at a corner, heading off to a dead run as the holoscreens showed that the racers were already near the plaza.

=====

Hyukjae felt, more than saw, the engines starting to go out of control. He thought he had overestimated his skill when he tried to speed up as soon as he got out of the sharp turn instead of letting the pod naturally recover first from the turn before he revved up the engines again. That had initiated a wobble that Hyukjae tried to eliminate but it had progressively gotten worse.

Still, he sped on, not wanting to lose his lead, hoping the engines would hold until he gets to the finish line.

No such luck. Barely three kilometers past a checkpoint, the left engine spewed smoke, and then dropped, the antigravs suddenly failing. And with the speed he was going, the sudden dead weight caused the pod to suddenly flip up and around. Good thing the pod's inertial dampeners are still working, lessening Hyukjae's tendency to get flipped about inside the pod, though he may have hit his helmeted head once or twice as he struggled against the controls, trying to use the remaining engine to stop his tumble instead of slamming him flat onto the concrete.

No such luck again. He must have pulled the controls a wrong way because instead of stopping, his pod flipped up and over once again.

Hyukjae waited for the fatal crash that never came.

The pod impossibly changed direction in mid-flip, sending him upright though still spinning around. Until his pod harmlessly crashed against the rubberized barriers on the side of the racetrack, finally forced to a stop.

=====

Donghae had seen the pod start to wobble, the left engine spewing smoke. He thought at one point that the pod racer had managed to compensate for the wobble. It was only a momentary illusion, as like a scene out of a horror movie, the pod's left engine suddenly went down, forcing the relatively lighter pod to start flipping up and over. And flip over again.

It was also crashing in his direction.

Spectators on their side of the barriers quickly scattered, some screaming and hollering, but something made Donghae stay amidst the chaos. He actually didn't know if he could do it, but instinct took over, holding out his arms trying to stop the vehicle with the mere thought of a push.

He could hear beloved Gramps' voice in his mind, walking him through his first lessons in controlling the Force. "A strong and steady will can translate thought into a tangible thing," Gramps used to say, bless his soul, or wherever he is one with the Force now.

Donghae first stopped the out-of-control pod from crashing into him, managing to stop it mid-flip in the air and diverting it into the direction of the track's nearest emergency bay while it was still spinning. But the pod was still going too fast - the crash guards weren't going to do much at that speed.

So he thought to pull this time, hoping he was still near enough for the powers to work. He felt the strain along his arms, as if he was pulling against something, so maybe it was working. The pod slowed down enough so that its crash into the railguards didn't reduce it to a pancake nor trigger a final, catastrophic explosion.

But the pod engines are billowing smoke and there's still a racer in there somewhere. Moments after his pull on the pod went slack, Donghae was running towards the pod.

===============

Episode 2

Hyukjae nimbly got out of the pod, taking off his helmet and critically surveying the damage to the engines. He fumed, knowing he already lost the precious minutes he lead. In his ear, he heard Captain Sungmin ask if he was ok, while Junsu crowed in his other ear, both apparently on their way to finishing the first of qualifying matches for the event.

His sister's voice finally punched through his earpiece.

"Hyukjae! Are you alright?!" Sora asked. He could hear the background purr of his sister's vehicle. "We're still out by ten minutes from where you are."

Hyukjae mentally groaned. It was minutes he can't spare. "I'm ok noona. Technically I didn't crash - it's the engines that's gone bonkers. I'll check and fix it if I can. Hopefully I'm out of here before you arrive."

"Understood Hyuk. Just keep me posted."

If Hyukjae didn't fix his vehicle now, he was going to get kicked out of the league event. Why did this have to happen on the first tournament, he lamented even as he was up and burying his head at the back of his vehicle, reaching for the toolbox stowed beneath the seats.

He didn't notice the patter of running feet or the exclamations of concern. All he knew was that he had just curled his fingers around the toolbox handle and then he was being hauled up and out of his vehicle. He stared at the man-boy who had just manhandled him, hurriedly checking, presumably, for injuries, before he was being pulled to get away from the vehicle.

Hyukjae planted his feet.

"Ugh, come on!" the man-boy exasperatedly said, still pulling at him. "You didn't survive the crash just to get blown to pieces when this explodes! Come on!" The man-boy pulled again, missing the bemused smile on Hyukjae's face.

"It's alright," he finally said, mentally ticking off the number of minutes he had to fix what's wrong with the engines. "It's just smoking white, it's not going to blow."

"Oh!" the man-boy stopped pulling at him. "That near wipeout looked nasty, are you sure you're alright?"

Hyukjae suddenly felt alarmed. "I feel ok, but I'm not bleeding, am I?"

Man-boy shook his head. "No bleeding, from what I could see."

"Ok, I wasn't jostled around much. This pod's inertial dampeners compensated for it. But I need to fix the engines asap so I can get back to the race. Otherwise I'm out of the league event for good."

"Oh, you're joining the All-League. Anything I can do to help?"

"You know how to start these things up?" Hyukjae asked as he started making his way to the engines, leaving man-boy standing where he had started to pull Hyukjae to.

"Uh, yeah," came back the tentative reply. 

"Good, hop into the cockpit for me and rev the engines when I tell you to." The left engine was bust - even the antigravs had stopped working and the engine was only hanging being attached by cables to the other engine which is still afloat. He surveyed the remaining engine, popping it open and futilely fanned at it as more smoke escaped. He checked the damage as soon as the smoke cleared, cursing when he saw the exposed wires - somebody had surgically stripped the thermal casing and with the engines exposed to high speeds, it was just a matter of time before the temperature rise triggered a runaway event. It was clearly a sabotage.

"You've only one engine left," man-boy pointed out the obvious as Hyukjae made his way back to the front of the pod and popped open the hood.

Man-boy couldn't see him on the other side of the hood but Hyukjae still replied. "We're allowed to carry a set of spares." The only advantage this would give him is that his pod is now two engines lighter, enabling him to increase speed without worrying about the dragging weight. Though he'd still need to be careful, as a lighter pod can easily torque if he can't control the speed during sharp turns. 

He activated the antigravs on the spare engines and floated them to the front. He made short work of disconnecting the cables which bridged the damaged engines to the front of his pod, and kicked the still floating engine to the designated emergency bay of the race tracks, letting it do the job of dragging the dead engine away.

Before he connected the cables on the spare engines, he checked to make sure those weren't sabotaged, too, and he heaved a sigh of relief that nobody was able to get into the pod's hood compartment where the spares have been stowed since last night. That and mentally cursing as pod after pod passed him by, the other contenders well on their way to finishing the qualifying match.

"Ok, start her up now."

Man-boy must be good if the series of revs he did made the spare engines purr to life. Purred. If it were Hyukjae behind the controls, they would have spat and growled as Hyukjae tended to crank it up immediately to full power.

Man-boy figured the racer was happy with the result, judging from the way the man's gummy smile showed. Man-boy scampered out of the cockpit once Hyukjae made his final checks on the engines and made his way back to the pod.

"Thanks! Uh, I'm Hyukjae, by the way." He held out a hand.

Man-boy took it for a handshake. "Donghae."

Hyukjae hurriedly got in the pod, putting his helmet back on. "My sister and crew will be by shortly to take care of this." He gestured at the discarded engines. "Where do I find you after the race?"

"I'll be at the Grill Taco 5 stall down at the plaza," Donghae thumbed back in the general direction of the plaza. He was supposed to say there was no need for the racer to find him, but he also didn't want to waste the racer's time. He was still on the race clock, after all.

"Ok, I'll be off. Wish me luck!" And then Hyukjae was off, the engines actually spatting and growling as he revved it up and got back into the race. 

"Good luck!" Donghae belatedly called out to the rapidly disappearing vehicle and her racer.

=====

"Well, well, well, I didn't know your lucky charmer here has a good-looking friend," Sora said as she went up to the taco stall, Hyukjae and the rest of their racing crew trailing after her. Hyukjae cringed, scowling at her sudden interest on the other guy manning the stall.

"Noona," he whined. "Will you stop it with the lucky charm thing?"

Donghwa had looked up, confused at the sudden attention. Donghae just chuckled and made the introductions, prompting his hyung to hurriedly shake hands with everyone.

"Hey, glad to know you made it to the pre-qualifiers," Donghae congratulated Hyukjae. 

"Yeah, well, apparently thanks to you," Hyukjae said. "I mean, we reviewed the holos at the start of the crash, and whatever Jedi-thingy you did actually made sure I didn't get the worst case scenario." He noted at how Donghae froze when he mentioned Jedi.

Though he might have just imagined it as Donghae bashfully smiled and said, "I didn't do much."

The All-League meant that Hyukjae was racing in all three events, namely the podrace, the swoop race, and the final regatta. Winners in the All-League vdidn't need to top all three events, but they needed to pre-qualify for the next event by finishing within the current event's cut-off time. That and ensure their total race times in all three events were short enough to place them in the Circle of Ten, the ultimate winners of the Rottschada League.

The other participants were the single event racers - those who raced in specific events only, like Kibum, who was only taking part in the upcoming swoop race. Each event had its own winners separate from those who joined the All-League but those who get into the Circle of Ten are considered as racers of a whole other level.

When Donghae got back to the plaza after waiting for Hyukjae's sister and crew, he had immediately added Hyukjae to the racers whose stats he monitored. Donghae was curious about him, and bewildered at how he hadn't heard of Hyukjae before, finding out that this year is Hyukjae's debut into the Rottschada League Event. He was surprised to find the racer is actually good, finishing a couple of seconds behind first-placer Captain Sungmin when Hyukjae's official time was listed after organizers deducted the time he spent in emergency. Which had put Hyukjae currently at number seven for the All-League racers.

"So, is there anything to eat more substantial than tacos?" The boys stopped their conversation with Sora's sudden orders. Everyone in their crew was famished after the day's race. Donghwa, Donghae and the service bots got busy filling in the large order. 

=====

Donghae watched mesmerized as the racer across him had an attack of foodgasm. Nobody enjoyed the food he made as much as his new friend did.

"Mmmmm," Hyukjae was cutely shaking his head, savoring a bite from his plate of soft tacos, topped with chopped meat in sauce and melted cheese and a salad of sweet-sour pickled fruit. "These are really good!"

Sora took note of Hyukjae enjoying his food, relieved that he was eating something other than rations and ramyun. "Picky eater. Sensitive stomach." She just said to both Lee brothers, who were seated across them on the table.

Dinner service is already closed, and Hyukjae's group was their last customer, so the brothers joined Hyukjae and Sora for dinner once they stowed away their kitchen gear.

"So, when did you get planetside for this race?" Donghwa asked. The holos were informative about racer trivia, and they knew that Hyukjae is a professional tour racer from another star system.

"About two months back," Sora replied in between mouthfuls of dinner. "Came in our own ship, The Sora."

"You needed to be in that early for the race?" Donghae asked.

"Not really. We live on our ship, so the crew had to acclimatize planetside for a period. Aside from me training, the organizers also scheduled inspections on everything race-related, you know, compliance stuff." Hyukjae replied.

"But why the Rottschada? I haven't heard of you from the last Rottschada." Donghae asked.

"Awww, been looking me up, have you?" Hyukjae suddenly teased, getting a kick out of thinking Donghae got curious about him. "I'm flattered," he added, batting his eyelashes at Donghae.

Donghae got flustered, surprised that Hyukjae could be a joker off the tracks. The racer had a different aura earlier, efficient and serious, not this easygoing, carefree character in front of him.

"We were there at the last Rottschada," Hyukjae seriously answered this time. "Just as observers, by Captain Sungmin's invitation. Couldn't qualify at that time."

"You're friends with the Captain Sungmin?" It somehow irritated Hyukjae to find Donghae to be another Min-fan. But Hyukjae had to concede that that hyung was the standard for racers these days - the man was lethal across land, air, sea and space, being a member of Naboo's elite fighter squadron.

"Yeah, well, you get to see the same faces, at least in events like these." Then Hyukjae looked around. "So why tacos? Been in the business long? These are really good, by the way." Hyukjae waved to his now empty plate, and starting to finish off the rest of Sora's meal that she couldn't finish. He was looking at Donghwa when he asked, confused when the elder gestured to ask Donghae instead.

"He's the owner - I'm just the manager."

Hyukjae gave Donghae a wide-eyed stare. "You're the owner? But how old can you be?"

"Uh, I'm already 28. The tacos are just part of the food business - it's the most convenient one for a food mobile. We have restaurants and a bakery back at Alderaan." Donghae shrugged. "Gramps and Da were a baker and a chef, I guess we also got that talent."

"Wow, so we're the same age but you're already making money. Me, I just race." With that, Hyukjae grinned at his sister, who just ruffled his hair.

Donghae found it cute, the way the siblings interacted with each other. They didn't have a sister, and he found it admirable how Sora single-handedly brought up Hyukjae. Or so the holos say.

It didn't escape Hyukjae's attention, how sad Donghae's eyes went just mentioning his Gramps and Da, and referring to them in the past tense. Just something they shared in common then.

===============

Episode 3

It was a slow day at the plaza. Or rather a slow hour. No races are scheduled for the next few days as everybody was taking this time to rest or train before the swoop race tournament starts. Donghae was long done cleaning up after the morning service, and he took advantage of the lull to get a much-needed break before he needed to start cooking for the lunch service. He lounged at one of the empty food court seats, leaving his taco stall within view while idly watching the people around.

He saw a lovely elderly couple, standing by the curb, maybe waiting for something. When she put her head on his shoulders as she talked animatedly, Donghae found it warm when the elder guy smiled at the gesture.

Donghae was soon distracted as a svelte, curly haired alien beauty walked down the sidewalk as if it was a runway, clad in what looks like a mint green floor length nightie.

He was starting to prepare the tacos back at the stall when the peace was disrupted in the form of Hyukjae. 

"Quick! Hide me!" Hyukjae demanded of Donghae as soon as he came scurrying into view of their food stall. Donghae was still surprised and didn't react as Hyukjae dived into an empty crate instead of waiting for Donghae to find him a proper hiding place.

Because who was Hyukjae hiding from?

Donghae watched with fascinated horror as three Sith Lords strode from the direction Hyukjae came from, a determined look on their faces, stopping right in front of Donghae. He started trembling at their presence, panicking under such intense stares. The taco he was preparing started to burn, and the actual Sith, the impossibly tall, red and black patch faced one, just flicked a hand to turn off Donghae's stove.

"A prudent action, Darth Zhoumi, though you could have just left it burning, doesn't matter. Alright, Hyukjae, my pet, come out now!" commanded the impossibly beautiful one, whom Donghae would have taken to be a woman if not for the shrill, yet still male, voice that came out. He had to look into the direction of their stare, right at the crate Hyukjae was hiding in. Why did Hyukjae even think he could hide from these people?

Apparently impatient, the middle one raised a hand and a surprised Hyukjae yelped as he was hoisted out of the crate and pulled in the Sith's direction.

"Lord Yesung," Hyukjae croaked, choking. "Not so tight." The invisible hold on him suddenly collapsed, causing him to fall to the floor by Donghae's feet.

Donghae realized to his own horror that the Jedi trio had arrived back at his stall. No, no, not with the Sith Lords in the vicinity!

"Teukie!" The beautiful one suddenly simpered, acting coy and effusive as he went near the Jedi Master, a startling contrast to his scary look earlier. He had even dared to hug the Jedi, who had on a wincing expression but gingerly patted what he could reach of the Sith's shoulder.

Donghae and Hyukjae looked at each other, realizing that this was usual between the two leaders, never mind if they are traditionally enemies. The other Jedis and Siths just only watched and waited for their respective seniors with ill-concealed impatience.

Then the beautiful Sith Lord was looking at Master Teukie with suspicion. "No, you're not after my pet, too, are you?" Both Jedi and Sith unobtrusively prepared to reach for lightsabers.

"Donghae? I hadn't realized the Sith are after him, too, Darth Chul." Master Teukie commented sedately.
 
"Hey!" Hyukjae said out loud, irritated that they'd think Donghae was the only Force sensitive in the immediate vicinity.

Darth Chul visibly brightened (for a Sith Lord) at the news. "Oh no, not him." The Sith Lord even smiled, earning a disgruntled groan from Hyukjae who thinks the smile horrible.

"Teukie, meet my pet Hyukjae. Hyukjae, this is Master Teukie, and his minions Siwon and Kyuhyun."

Hyukjae was sure there was an insult there somewhere, before he realized there was only one braid-haired padawan among the trio, or why Master Siwon was finally sporting a scowl, those scary brows posed at a horrendous angle.

Both Force sensitives froze when Darth Chul pinned Hyukjae with a look. "You, my pet, have to keep up with your training. I will not have you gallivanting across the galaxy without control over your abilities."

Hyukjae gulped, but still protested. "I didn't ask to be trained by you," the protest barely squeaked by his throat.

Darth Chul's dark presence suddenly loomed over them. "I wasn't asking. A rogue Force sensitive is a recipe for disaster. You can take a leaf from your friend here and properly get it under control. I expect you to at least do the mental exercises. I will know." Darth Chul warned.

Donghae got confused. He didn't think Sith Lords would care enough about properly training Force sensitives. Didn't they use their powers for destruction?

Darth Chul swiveled a look in his direction, as if reading his mind. Donghae gave a mental yelp of apology, whether or not the Sith can read his mind.

"I see you are able to control your powers, Donghae. That is commendable." Master Teukie chimed in. Donghae realized they would have heard from the holonews, if not outright sensing his use of the Force. And they would have known by now who he used to train under, or why it ultimately wouldn't be ideal for him to become a Jedi.

"It was the only way I could think of to help," he answered, hesitating.

"And afterwards?" Master Teukie prompted.

Donghae winced. "Still the same, Master Teukie, though I did manage to get through the day before I felt the effects."

Master Teukie just nodded. "Keep working on your stamina, then." 

=====

"You're a Force sensitive, too?" Donghae asked Hyukjae when the Jedi and the Sith had thankfully disappeared from the plaza. "And why the Sith?"

Hyukjae was snacking again on one of the soft tacos. He just shrugged at Donghae's questions. "I can activate a lightsaber, but that's about it. I don't even know how dark the Force I have, to even warrant the Sith's attention. I certainly don't feel anything wrathful nor vengeful. Or I'm not sure, I think they're more of wary about what I might unknowingly do when provoked? So Darth Chul has been teaching me mental techniques but I haven't exactly progressed to anything Jedi like you did. Who'd you learn from, by the way?" Hyukjae had meant to ask before, when he realized he was wrong in assuming Donghae was training to be a Jedi.

"Our Gramps was a Jedi Knight. He started training me when I refused to enter the Jedi academy, to at least have control over the powers. Using the Force drains me fast, too, so we all figured it was just right that I didn't go on to train to become a Jedi."

"Oh? So when you saved me..."

"Out like a light the moment I got back to the hotel," Donghae grinned. It had been a long time since he last used his powers that much, though he welcomed the deep sleep it gave him - he didn't realize he'd been too busy with the business to get a good night's sleep.

"Hey, let me make it up to you," Hyukjae suddenly said, surprising Donghae.

"Hyukjae, you don't have to..." he started.

"No, no," Hyukjae insisted. "There's this party in the city tomorrow night - if you won't be busy then, how about you come with me?"

Donghae was still hesitating.

"Come on, all work and no play makes Donghae a dull boy," Hyukjae teased Donghae, earning a glare from the latter. "Besides, not until the second tournament starts, business around the plaza will be slow, too."

"Alright, no promises, but I'll think about it, okay?"

===============

Episode 4

Donghae realized he hadn't been around the city since the moment he and Donghwa had landed on the planet. They went straight to work setting up their food mobile and hadn't had a decent rest right up to when the first tournament started. But that was over for now, and he took advantage of the lull before the swoop race by taking Hyukjae up on his invitation for a night about town.

Donghae felt positively provincial in his short silk robes, cropped pants and slippers when Hyukjae showed up in an all leather outfit. Donghae was about to go change when Hyukjae just pulled him out of his hotel room and dragged him to where Hyukjae's hovercar was parked.

"But am I not underdressed?" he asked for the nth time, as Hyukjae expertly zoomed and caromed his way about the city, the hovercar's top currently down so that they could enjoy the night air and view.

"Relax - you're overdressed as it is." Hyukjae just chuckled.

True enough, the bar they walked into had all kinds of alien species in the dressed and undressed kind. Donghae was overdressed, as dozens of cleavages and/or bulges passed by him.

"Close your mouth, you're drooling!" Hyukjae shouted disconcertingly close into Donghae's ears, as the loud music made normal conversation impossible. Donghae was glad the neon strobe lights in the darkened bar masked what he knew was a blush.

Donghae was about to protest that he wasn't drooling when he suddenly saw Captain Sungmin off to one side in one of the booths, slickly dressed in a floral shirt. He exuded an aura different than when he wore his military uniform during the races. Then Donghae had to take a look around - almost all of the Rottschada racers were in the bar. Even the loner Kibum nursed a drink at one end of the bar. So this was the party Hyukjae was talking about.

Hyukjae grinned. "Come on, I'll introduce you."

The pair made their quick way to Captain Sungmin's booth. Hyukjae got an effusive, rowdy greeting from the people gathered there, including a high-five from Sungmin.

"Hyukjae, my man! You finally made it here! Thought you wiped out for good!" Sungmin teased Hyukjae.

Hyukjae just rolled his eyes, not at all offended with the good-natured ribbing from his senior. "Yeah, hyung, rolled in just a few seconds after you, despite losing my lead." He shot back, earning a laugh from Sungmin.

"And here's a fan of yours - Donghae from Alderaan." Hyukjae said by way of introducing Donghae.

Donghae found himself infront of Sungmin, eagerly shaking the Captain's hand. He couldn't believe he was up close and personal with a racing idol.

"Hey, you're the one from the report holos - the one who saved Hyukjae, right?" Sungmin suddenly recognized him.

Donghae felt rather shy. "Uhm, I wasn't even sure what helped - I still expected the pod to blow."

"Heh, humble, too," Sungmin said to Hyukjae. "Well, come on both of you, sit, drink!" The last was practically a command, as Donghae found himself squeezed between Hyukjae and Sungmin's posse, a clear pink liquid in a shotglass already infront of him.

He really wanted to tell Hyukjae that he never really drank, had experimented with a few cocktails before until he was convinced the drinks did something to his tastebuds as he couldn't cook food with its proper taste whenever he drank. But conversation was impossible with the loud blare of the music, not to mention Hyukjae was already busy exchanging stories with Sungmin. So he avidly listened to the two as he took a sip of the drink.

Donghae looked at the shotglass in surprise, the drink tasting cherry sweet with just a hint of alcohol. It burned a bit going down his throat, but nothing different from those drinks he had before.

And so he drank shot after shot, the refills endlessly coming in. He was still cognizant of the conversation around the table, even admired the cool way Hyukjae downed his own drinks, not even wincing at the burn Donghae knew was going down the other guy's throat. Donghae kept wincing at the aftertaste but he really really liked the way the drinks tasted. Or how it just changed colors - from blue to violet, green, yellow, red to pink again.

"So Donghae, what do you do?" Sungmin asked at one point of the conversation, and Donghae had to clear his head to understand what was asked.

"I'm r a Shtef," he proudly answered.

Hyukjae stared - he belatedly realized Donghae was already drunk - cheeks adorably red (even under the predominantly reddish light), a doofus' smile on his face. Then Hyukjae looked down at the collection of shotglasses infront of Donghae, glaring at Sungmin's assistant who was handing out the drinks.

"What?" Sungmin had to ask Hyukjae.

"He's a chef," Hyukjae said over the din, watching as Donghae downed a black drink. It should have gone down nasty but Donghae just looked as if he tasted something delicious.

Not good.

"Hey, hyung, perhaps we should go - Donghae here had practically gone through the rainbow, and I don't think chefs should be drinking this much..."

"Nah, let him be - this is a celebration, my young padawan," Sungmin grinned. "Besides, he'll already get a nasty hangover either way."

Of course, Junsu had to arrive, and Hyukjae promptly forgot about taking goody two shoes home.

Several drinks later, going home proved to be a disaster.

=====

Donghae stared stupidly at the cement floor, his head in his hands and hanging between his knees, having the worst hangover ever.

He looked over his erstwhile companion, sound asleep and drooling on the prison cot Donghae woke up in earlier.

Not willing to move his head and trigger another pounding headache, he just stretched out a leg and kicked Hyukjae's arm.

Hyukjae was up in an instant, the tufts of his overgelled hair sticking up unbecomingly. "Wha- what?" he sleepily asked, looking irritatedly at Donghae before his own eyes widened, and the he was also clutching his head, a mirror image to Donghae's.

Donghae kicked Hyukjae again, this time in irritation. "How did we end up in prison, Hyukjae?" His voice was dangerously calm.

They both winced when the officer of the day came in and clanged a baton on the metal bars.

"Owww!" they both complained.

"Well, serves you both right," the officer drawled, placing the baton back on his belt loop and hitching up the sagging pants. "Well, gentlemen - you've racked up quiet a charge sheet... let's see... disturbing the peace, starting a bar fight... and oh driving under influence."

Donghae was horrified. That couldn't have been him.

But Hyukjae was staring at him wide-eyed. "How could you? Can't hold your drink?"

"Yah! What makes you think I'm even capable of doing that? And I don't drive!" Donghae was starting to recall a drunken maniacal laugh, dancing in the streets and puking over the side of Hyukjae's hovercar. While they were up in the air. He groaned.

"Actually, he's right, porcupine." The officer said to Hyukjae, making Hyukjae puff his mouth in protest. "These would be you - him," the officer pointed at Donghae this time, "just laughed maniacally the whole time. Couldn't even walk a straight line when you got pulled down to the ground by traffic patrol."

Both of them sobered, Hyukjae already contemplating how to get out, Donghae embarrassed that he didn't even do anything more foolish than be an idiot when drunk.

"Just thank your lucky stars you didn't get into any mishap on the road or you'd be facing more serious charges."

"Uhm, we're entitled to a phone call..." Hyukjae started but the police officer just harrumphed.

"Already called your lawyer sister, Mr. Racer. And she enthusiastically recommended you spend the night behind bars."

Donghae was up on his feet. "Only he needs to be in here, right?" he asked, ignoring Hyukjae calling him a traitor. "I mean..."

"Your brother's Lee Donghwa?" The officer peered at him.

"Yes?" Donghae felt a sense of dread at the pit of his stomach.

"Hmm," the officer swiped a finger at his padd, then read something off it. "Apparently his lawyer sister was with your brother so they both got the news at the same time and your brother just said, I quote 'That good guy finally landed himself behind bars? A night in a cell wouldn't hurt' unquote. Seemed quiet happy about it, too."

Donghae didn't hear anything anymore, as he slumped on the floor behind bars. Hyukjae started cackling, rolling on the cot.

Donghae pelted him with the only thing within reach - his slippers, and he unerringly found his target each time.

"Hey, hey, no fighting, or you'll both stay another night!" The officer warned.

Donghae and Hyukjae glared daggers at each other.

===============

Episode 5

Hyukjae was alone in the swoop race training track, monitoring his personal time in the training week designated before the swoop race tournament. After the hullabaloo back at the prison, Sora and Donghwa had fetched them the next day. He got an earful about nearly losing his license to drive, of all things. He was jealous that Donghae only got a teasing remark from his hyung.

Of course, Sora didn't waste time getting him to do practice laps, considering he already lost a day of training. Sora pretended not to hear when Hyukjae muttered about who left him locked up in the first place. 

Sora and the crew were back at the official race track, completing a survey and mandatory check with organizers and other race crews over the plains and hills where the track runs through. Where Hyukjae is now is just one of the official training tracks provided to racers to familiarize themselves with this year's track design.

It was a replica of the official race track, smaller in scale and designed for minimum track lengths needed to prepare for the turns that were the highlight of a swoop race. Sora had already secured various sites for his use over the week. She kept him on a scary schedule though he also knew he needed it. A series of hairpin turns as well as sharp turns over non-elevated portions of the track are still messing up his routine and he really needed to find his groove fast, both to cut down his time and make sure the speed range he used didn't overshoot nor undershoot his vehicle over the tracks. He'd get penalty points for that, which wouldn't help the qualifier standing he needed to get into the regatta event, the final tournament.

=====

Hyukjae finally called it a day, the beginnings of a strategy forming at the back of his mind. He rolled his vehicle into its carrier, locked it in place, exited from the carrier's back and managed to secure that, too.

What he didn't manage to do was climb onto the carrier's drive seat. Unwary of his surroundings, he realized too late that someone, or something, was creeping up behind him. Too late, as he heard the hiss of a hypospray right beneath his nape. His body went numb mere moments after his panicked thought that he was being injected with something. His sight out as he fell unconscious.

=====

"Alright, where is my pet?" Darth Chul demanded as soon as he dispersed the lunch crowd lining up Donghae's stall. Donghwa just looked on with regret at the rapidly departing crowd, who did not want to be in the way of the obviously pissed Sith Lord.

Donghae was rather alarmed. "Sora-shii had also asked earlier, said something about Hyukjae missing training. But I haven't seen him here today."

Darth Chul looked at the man-boy. And decided to be frank. "He's disappeared. I can't feel his Force anywhere in the vicinity."

He had been awakened at the sudden absence of Hyukjae's particular Force, but he had been in a long cycle of sleep (coma more like it) so he couldn't pinpoint the actual time Hyukjae's Force disappeared.

"We need to find him." Both Sith Lord and man-boy said at the same time. Darth Chul just nodded his head and swept away.

"Hyung..." Donghae started to say to Donghwa.

"Go," his brother just said. "I'll manage here. But be careful, ok?"

"I will," Donghae promised. "But about Sora-noona, try not to say anything yet about this to her? At least until you hear from me." Donghwa didn't like it but Sora was busy enough with what a tour director does. She didn't need to panic just yet with Hyukjae's apparent disappearance. 

=====

Hyukjae woke up with a queasy feeling and a throbbing headache. Disoriented, he wondered why he was chained to the jump seat he was half-lying on. Or why he was even flying.

It took a while before he recalled where he was before he found himself in this strange ship. At least they were still terrestrial - he could see the blue sky outside the ports and not the darkness of space. That and the armor-plated alien octopus busy manning the dashboard controls with some clawed arms while another clawed arm steadily trained a blaster at Hyukjae's direction.

"Well, well, our racing star has finally woken up."

Hyukjae looked to his right, where his captor came into view, holding what Hyukjae identified as his lightsaber.

"I'll keep this as a memento, if you don't mind." The person held up the deactivated lightsaber like a baton. "Didn't know people who aren't Jedi nor Sith have access to this."

Hyukjae scowled. "You might want to ask how I got that in the first place."

The stranger spread out his arms. "I don't need to ask, I already know."

"Lee Hyukjae, 28, professional tour racer since 18. From the Girona Primary Star Systems, run by a race crew headed by his sister Sora. Haven't been back home in ten years, have we?"

"So where were we? Right, the lightsaber. Said to have won the lightsaber as a bet from some Sith Lord. An interesting trivia from a relatively unknown racer who is touted to be Captain Sungmin's successor."

"What do you want?" Hyukjae growled.

"My, my. Direct, aren't we?" his captor said, already standing in front of Hyukjae. "You, my friend, are going to tank the race." The pat to his face was more slap than pat.

Hyukjae's blood boiled. Nobody, nobody, tells him to deliberately lose a race.

"Oh yeah? How much?" He spat out.

"Ohoho, so you know how this works."

Hyukjae smirked. These hoodlums aren't the first to approach him nor his sister about rigging races. Orphans from the stars, they thought the siblings were easy pickings. They didn't uproot themselves nor his sister give up a lucrative career as a lawyer of the stars for his career as a tour racer just to be in some mafia's payroll when the betting stakes went high and the goons needed certain assurances.

"You do this, we don't touch your sister." The stranger said silkily.

Hyukjae wanted to laugh. As if that was enough motivation for him to do what they wanted. He wondered who set these dogs after him this time, if they didn't know how his sister operated. No matter what happens to Hyukjae, nobody will get anywhere near enough for them to touch Sora's hair. And if she found out about this, there was nowhere in the universe they could hide that Sora wouldn't find them. She wasn't an ace lawyer just for show.

So the stranger was understandably confused when Hyukjae did laugh.

"Please tell whoever you work for to pay the proper price. A threat over my sister's life is worth nothing if you don't actually have her yet. You should have gone after her before you went for me. Or rather, try to go after her."

He saw the flicker of a wince. That was a dead giveaway.

"Ohoho, so you do know how this works." They had tried to get to Sora, and spectacularly failed. "I suggest you start running for your life, because she can do worse things to you for kidnapping me compared to what your master can do to you for failing your assignment."

It was then the captor knew there was no more talking where Hyukjae was concerned. The stranger merely nodded before the octopus arm with the blaster was raised. Hyukjae braced himself for the shot.

All hell broke loose.

Somebody shot the ship off the bow port side. The ship's automated defense system kicked in, executing the programmed evasive maneuvers to swerve away from the oncoming threat, surprising everyone in the ship who wasn't strapped in.

Lucky for Hyukjae, then, to be strapped in the midst of the sudden turbulence. The blaster shot meant for him went wide with the wobble, the blast going through the metal floor and into what Hyukjae figured was the actual engine because the ship went into a sudden dive, prompting curses and yelling from his captor, while the octopus got busy with the controls.

Hyukjae wanted to laugh. Stupid people didn't get the memo why blasters weren't supposed to be fired inside ships where all the unreinforced metal was. So he wasn't going to his death with a direct blaster shot. He was just going to meet it with the rapidly approaching ground, a sandy, desert terrain Hyukjae saw through the ports. Not that he'd wait around for it.

He held out his hand and concentrated on the lightsaber, using his thoughts as Darth Chul had taught him. He was momentarily stupefied as the lightsaber actually leaped right into his hand. Then he wasted no time as he angled it to face the blade side up against the chains on his arm. He activated the blade, easily slicing through the chains as the silver blade came to life.

He was free from the chains as the ship went out of the dive and went on an even keel. But of course it was too late, and they were far too low for proper flight not to mention running on engines they accidentally shot at.

The ship dipped low enough to get snagged on a sand dune and then it erratically skipped across the landscape, leaving bits and pieces of wrecked metal behind. With a final groaning halt, it went still smack dub against a slightly elevated sand dune.

===============

Episode 6

If Hyukjae had any expectations as to who it was saving him, he expected at least a squad of a highly elite merc team his sister always had contacts with.

Certainly not the diminutive form of Donghae.

Who is obviously alone.

Or who he thinks is Donghae running over the rise of the dunes. Hyukjae was seeing the guy upside down after all, as he was on his back chained up (again) and being dragged through the sand.

Hyukjae's lone ranger rescuer earned a chuckle from his captor, who continued dragging Hyukjae. They were about to do him some serious harm when they saw the determined progress of the lone rescuer so they kept Hyukjae alive as insurance should Donghae turn out to be capable and efficient. Not that his captor was convinced of Donghae's unknown capabilities as Hyukjae was finally dragged to where the octopus was watching over crates of the loot they managed to salvage from the wreck.

"Watch him," his captor growled at Mr. Octopus. "And if that dwarf turns out troublesome, make sure he understands what happens to our friend here."

Hyukjae briefly wonders how Donghae would take to being called a dwarf.

A clawed tentacle pierced through Hyukjae's chains, effectively anchoring him to the ground. Then his captor and a henchman got on the hoverbikes (which unfortunately survived the wreck) and headed in Donghae's direction.

Hyukjae mentally groaned, wondering how to get out of his predicament, and warn the approaching guy of the danger. But he wouldn't be stupid to do that without being prepared, right? Then Hyukjae mentally groaned again. If he recalled it, Donghae was dressed too lightly for someone who should be coming in with blasters blazing.

Donghae. This would be the second time the guy came to his rescue. A third time and Hyukjae thinks he might just fall in love with his knight in shining armor. If he wasn't already. And not that he had any future plans of getting into any dire incident again.

Of course, he still has his manly pride to hold on to. Because he was no damsel in distress, damnit, and the number of times that he had to be rescued is getting ridiculous by his count. He wasn't going to wait lying down for Donghae to find him helpless. If Donghae can even manage to survive what the obviously armed goons can do to him. So Hyukjae wriggled and pulled at the chains with his whole body, making a general nuisance of himself to make Mr. Octopus do something.

Like maybe start lashing those claws at him.

=====

Donghae ran as fast as he could over the dunes, the soft ground giving way beneath his feet, making it harder to go any faster. He'd seen the wreck from the air, dreading no survivors. But that was before he left the safety of his pod to survey the wreck.

He was already a considerable distance away from the pod when he finally detected movement on the other side of the wreck. It was too late to return to the pod. There were also two hoverbikes approaching him at high speeds. He did not assume whoever rode those are friendlies. Not when he could see further on, Hyukjae in chains struggling with an octopus guard.

And then the octopus was flailing around, trying to claw Hyukjae, who used it to his advantage and get freed of his chains, the claws apparently strong enough to go through the metal chains. Donghae saw Hyukjae nimbly get to his feet, and already taking out and activating his lightsaber.

Donghae neatly dived down the dune slope, letting his body roll down the hot sand instead of sliding. He wasted no time once he reached the bottom, slapping on the sand as he levered his body up and loped to a run towards the wreckage. He didn't slow down, reaching out with an arm and wrenching at the huge tri-prong fishhooks he'd seen there earlier. And in what Hyukjae saw as a purely suicidal move, the idiot ran straight at the incoming hoverbike which had started a strafing run at Donghae.

Hyukjae snarled at his own problem, the darned tentacled alien lashing claws at him from all directions. The sand was already chafing him in places where the sun don't shine and the heat wasn't helping. He barely managed to stop one claw with the Force while he severed another tentacle with the lightsaber. He was furious, worried for Donghae, and wondering at how they'd get off this desert.

Donghae zigzagged his run, barely avoiding the lethal blasts by shielding himself with the Force. While it looked like he was being suicidal meeting that vehicle head-on, he was more interested in wresting it away from its owner. He slid beneath the vehicle at the last moment, the hoverbike harmlessly passing over his body and timed it so once it cleared him, he was up and throwing the fishhooks at its rider's leg.

The hooks were still anchored to the wreckage, and Donghae let physics make short work of yanking the rider off from his seat. Then Donghae was running again, delivering a kick to the poor sod's head and rendering him unconscious and stop the screaming. There wasn't time to be squeamish as he ran to where the vehicle had stopped to a hover. He had just managed to get on the seat when the other bike was already too near and all he could do was rev the bike, and fire at the oncoming rider.

The blasts and the scream nearly distracted Hyukjae, thinking Donghae failed at that suicide run. Hyukjae instead used the fury to fuel his attacks, alternating between deflecting blows and wielding the lightsaber, trying to get in as many lethal cuts as he could to that hulking armored bulk, no matter how futile it looked. He even prepared to deal with the incoming flyer, surprised instead when its rider took shots at the alien instead of him.

The distraction gave Hyukjae the opening he needed to slip the lightsaber blade beneath the slit in the armor he saw earlier, precisely angling it to what he thought where the vital parts were located. He didn't even dare let go as the alien roared and shuddered with the pain, Hyukjae using his whole body weight to keep the blade in until the alien stopped thrashing and lay still.

The dust was still settling when Donghae reached him, pausing only to check for injuries and changed seats so it was Hyukjae piloting the craft back to Donghae's pod, Donghae studiously keeping his eyes away from the unconscious bodies. There was no talking during the whole ride back to the city, both of them tired, just thankful to have survived.

=====

"How'd you even manage to find me?" Hyukjae asked as they settled around the living room in the suite of rooms assigned to him in the racers' village.

Sora and Donghwa were already there to meet them, when Hyukjae called in ahead to say both him and Donghae were safe and heading back.

"The training tracks had security holos - security there didn't think anything untoward was happening, as they thought it was your crew who joined you. But I recognized one of them based on their back view - they were a constant presence in the plaza all throughout the race. Remembered he wore a different insignia everytime, apparently an attempt to blend in. I used the plaza's own security holo archives to track one of them getting into a ship before, with a bogus registry. The same registry that filed a flight plan over the Denara Dunes on the same day you disappeared, supposedly on a supply cargo run," Donghae answered. Hyukjae raised a brow at Sora.

"Bevs and Duran had lost their crew jackets earlier - we thought they were just misplaced, not stolen." Sora explained.

"They tried to get to you, too." Hyukjae said.

"Yes, and that's when I realized you've probably been kidnapped, blackmailed to rig the races. But Donghae was already a step ahead, having tracked down your kidnappers. I've already reported it to the authorities, right before we got your call. Hopefully the cads are still there unconscious when the police picks them up." A frown marred Sora's forehead. "I've also requested an investigation, though keeping it out from the news for now. We'll start with what Donghae got from the security holos."

"Ok... wait, you fired off the ship's bow without knowing if it was the correct ship? Or if I was even strapped safe inside, if I was inside?" Hyukjae asked, suddenly recalling the sequence of events.

"Just a calculated guess - they'd have to evade the threat either way. I checked rechecked all the sec-holos to be sure I was after the right guy boarding the right ship. It was also way past time for you to regain consciousness from whatever they gave you, if they wanted to have a proper talk with you." Donghae shrugged. "But I did not expect that ship to suddenly go down." He shuddered, recalling the dive in his own stomach as he watched the ship suddenly dip. He was sure he hadn't hit the ship to have caused that dive.

"Well, the morons shot their own engine," Hyukjae said, disgustedly recalling the memory. "The blaster shot meant for me sliced into the engines instead. Lucky it didn't blow up."

"I've called a medic in - both of you need to get checked. Especially you, Hyukjae, to find if they gave you something illegal that would disqualify you from the race. Race council's already been notified of the incident and in case you have something illegal in your bloodstream, they'll make a ruling based on whether or not we can get it off you before the swoop race starts." Sora said.

Donghae was struck with the complicated shady side of racing - first the sabotage, then now this kidnapping. Either Hyukjae was just plain unlucky. Or.

"Aren't you being targeted?" he had to ask.

Hyukjae sighed, shaking his head. "Targeted, sure - but I wouldn't be the only one. Been in this business long enough to know that when the betting stakes go high, all lead racers have to watch their backs. Sungmin-hyung said something about being cajoled to maintain a certain finish time, because apparently people bet on that, too, how long a racer gets to cross the finish line."

"Hyukjae consistently finishing at the top 10 is a cause for concern for some of the big name sponsors - we've been going at this rather independently so we're not exactly a favorite among those paying moolah to what are technically advertisements." Sora said. "But it's not just them - highly suspect, too, would be other racers who wants to better their chances at placing in the race by outright eliminating the competition."

"So, it could be anybody out there." Donghae concluded.

===============

Episode 7

Hyukjae's medical results came back clean, with a note or two about keeping pressure off his slightly sprained wrists. Hyukjae figured he got it from all the strain he put on his hands throughout the kidnapping ordeal. So he now had to practice driving with splinted hands, as if that wasn't added pressure enough. He also went around with a crew or two in tow, acting as bodyguards short of joining him on the practice tracks. Even then, his vehicles and equipment were thoroughly checked before he got into them.

The only consolation about this whole setup is that Hyukjae became a regular at the Grill Taco 5, under orders by Sora to eat only from somewhere trustworthy. So if he wasn't spending it figuring out optimal routes and routines for the swoop race, and the eventual regatta, he was spending it ogling Donghae whenever he had his mealtimes at the plaza.

There was just something y about that man-boy in an apron, hair occasionally tied back in a man-bun if it wasn't kept back with a headband, efficiently puttering around what is technically a kitchen, fielding order after order and never missing an appropriate greeting to whatever species or race he was currently attending to. Not to belittle Donghwa-hyung's capabilities in the same area, but Donghae just had this down pat.

Is there something the guy can't do?

Donghae was turning out to be a highly efficient individual, after all, never mind if he can't hold his drink, or that he doesn't find it beneath him to bicker with Hyukjae. He can do Jedi stuff, track a kidnapper using holos and hold his own in volatile situations. All the while looking naive and seemingly knowing nothing of the world.

He was still watching when Donghae came around to serve him and his crew their lunch, Donghae flashing him a small smile as he placed platter after platter infront of them.

"Hey, the swoop race's tomorrow," Hyukjae said as he dug into the food. "How about you and Donghwa-hyung come watch with noona at the tracks?"

Donghae hesitated, his business-minded side automatically computing the loss of income if they were to close shop for that day. Though they also wouldn't know about the crowd going into the plaza tomorrow, what with the swoop race being held in another site. But he was also there at the planet to watch the actual race, right?

"Sure," Donghae finally answered. "Shouldn't pass up a free pass to the race with a spectacular view from the sidelines." He at least knew that Sora would be monitoring Hyukjae from one of the designated observation booths overlooking the track.

He watched as Hyukjae's face lightened up with his reply, the gummy smile showing up again. Donghae felt his own answering smile, before he headed back to the stall and take care of other orders.

Hyukjae was still staring, long after Donghae was done serving them. It struck him that it was the first time he had seen Donghae smile like that, not the tightlipped, polite business smile he usually gave. It was the genuine, open smile that even showed Donghae's perfect set of teeth, happy and bashful at the same time.

It was a gorgeous smile. One which Hyukjae realized was being hidden under some kind of pain. While Donghwa hyung was more open about his happy reactions, Hyukjae thought Donghae was just reserved. Now seeing what Donghae's real smile looked, Hyukjae had a sudden thought.

He wanted to hear Donghae's laugh.

=====

Donghae watched nervously as Hyukjae raced through the swoop track, watching both the clock and the racer's progress. Even Sora and Donghwa were quiet as they watched Hyukjae race, occasionally putting up the binocs over their eyes to see Hyukjae on the actual track, aside from the holofeed continuously streaming in from the sensors mounted inside and out Hyukjae's vehicle and from the tracks itself. No incidents, so far, Hyukjae making it look easy with how he handled the sharp turns and elevations over the track.

Unlike the pod race, the swoop race is a race against time. Only one racer is on the track at any given time. And considering the single event racers already finished the event in yesterday's race, Donghae had seen enough mishaps to be nervous for Hyukjae. The racer has had to do his practice laps with a handicap, the medics only certifying him as fit to race just the other day, when the splints on his hands were finally removed. Not to mention that a practice track pales in comparison to the actual track.

Laid out over a sizable stretch of relatively open terrain just outside the city, the track had incorporated natural routes and its attendant hazards - like how some sharp turns were courtesy of abutting cliff sides or following the course defined by arroyos. It awed Donghae how Hyukjae made it look so easy, as if it weren't taking a toll on both racer and vehicle, what with the sheer force and control needed to manage those tight turns at high speeds.

One wrong move and Hyukjae could crash into anything, anything, and Donghae wouldn't be anywhere near to save him.

It had surprised Donghae, how much invested he was into Hyukjae's safety, starting when he had inadvertently saved the racer, moreso when he got involved in Hyukjae's kidnapping incident. There was no reason for him to meddle, not when Hyukjae had his sister and crew to act on it, but he also didn't keep out of it.

There were occasions Sora made Donghae see that measures are being taken to ensure Hyukjae's safety, and that it was a usual happening whenever they were in a competition. That didn't sit well with Donghae, that they are actually used to this.

On his part, he was extra careful about especially preparing Hyukjae's food whenever the racer was in the plaza to eat, making regular checks into their supplies because it was no secret by now that the surprising upstart racer has a partiality for the Grill Taco 5. While Donghae was grateful that the association has increased business, he was more concerned at their stall becoming another target to get to Hyukjae. So he even watched around Hyukjae for anything that might indicate a foul play in the plaza's open location. A seemingly innocent passerby could slip something innocuous into Hyukjae's food when he wasn't looking, with the racer's tendency to talk and joke with his companions instead of concentrating on his meal.

Although it gave him generous helpings of eye-candy, having to always look at Hyukjae, Donghae reasoned that he was just concerned for the racer's safety. It had nothing to do with the fascinating way Hyukjae always flipped his head to get his hair out of his eyes. Or how Hyukjae's cheeks rounded when his mouth is stuffed with food. Or how expressive and animated his eyes are when talking, along with that constant gummy smile being flashed Donghae's way when Hyukjae sees him watching. He's not even going to delve into why Hyukjae's foodgasmic face always made something flutter inside Donghae.

But watching Hyukjae at the race right now, Donghae wanted to throw up at the constant churning in his stomach. It won't likely stop anytime soon until Hyukjae was done with the race and he was safely back here in the observation booth as they waited for the rest of the racers to finish the event.

And then Hyukjae was through, and everyone was dead quiet staring at the clock.

Hyukjae had just catapulted himself to a possible first place finish. His time was minutes shorter than Kibum's first-place win in yesterday's race, the finish by the Tatooine currently creating a buzz for the near-perfect execution it took to finish that quick, not to mention breaking Captain Sungmin's record from three years before.

And Hyukjae just smashed it with minutes to spare. Precious time that spelled a win or loss.

Hyukjae had expected the jubilant cheers greeting him as he finally made his way back to the observation booth after his turn at the tracks. The pleasant surprise came in the form of a laughing Donghae, who was the first to see him coming through the door and who just launched himself at Hyukjae.

"Hyuk! Congratulations! That was an awesome finish!" Donghae happily congratulated him.

Hyukjae's gummy smile was out again, hoping that the furious blush on his cheeks could be said to be about getting a possible first place in the event, and not because he suddenly found himself shy receiving Donghae's hug. Or that the enthusiastic thumping on his back didn't leave Donghae-sized palm-prints of fire. Or that finding Donghae's face so close to his own tempted him to lean in and just kiss the living daylights out of that gorgeous face.

And then the oblivious Donghae was done congratulating him before he was pulled into his sister's relatively safer hug  for her congratulations on his performance. That and a vigorous handshake from Donghwa.

The jubilation died down after a while as they all waited out the official times of the rest of the racers. As if Hyukjae triggered a mad scramble, each of the subsequent racers clocked in finishes so close to Hyukjae's time, making Kibum's spectacular finish take a back-burn as racer after racer beat Kibum's record.

Though Hyukjae still remained at first place, everyone watching was a mirror of Donghae, whose stomach-churning feelings were back again. He occasionally glared at Hyukjae, who only looked unperturbed as each racer after him tried to beat his time in the swoop race.

Maybe they all heaved a sigh of slight relief when only nine racers were left and Hyukjae's time was still securely at top spot, already ensuring him a Circle of Ten finish. The gap between Hyukjae's time and the second placer kept getting close, until it was just Junsu and Captain Sungmin left to race.

Hyukjae was grinning this time, happy with his possible third place finish, considering the two racers are better than him. He had done his best, happy that he got to execute the strategy he had planned just before he got kidnapped, and which he refined with further practice. He was already satisfied with what he had.

Then Junsu was done and Donghae saw the first stirrings of a reaction from Hyukjae, the racer realizing the possibility that he could get first-place; Junsu had just finished second place after Hyukjae.

It was up to Captain Sungmin's finish time now.

Donghae was only paying half-attention to the commentator dishing out Captain Sungmin trivia over the holos. The rest of his attention was on the racer beside him, and the myriad emotions flitting over the racer's face. Hyukjae somehow noticed Donghae watching, but what his eyes asked when he met Donghae's gaze was is it possible for him to win this event.

Donghae smiled wide and just nodded, really believing Hyukjae will win the swoop race event.

Which somehow made Hyukjae all the more nervous. He started nipping on his thumbnail, occasionally curling a fist over his lips, as he alternately watched Captain Sungmin on the holofeeds and looking back at Donghae seeking reassurance. Even Sora's pacing back and forth across the room was also a welcome distraction.

What didn't help was that Captain Sungmin raced across the tracks at a much better time than Hyukjae, clearing portions of the route earlier compared to Hyukjae. So Donghae saw the somehow waning excitement on Hyukjae's face, as if he was starting to mentally prepare himself for second place.

It tugged at Donghae to see that vulnerable look on the racer's face. He looked away, to give Hyukjae a sense of privacy. Just in time to see Captain Sungmin commit the first of a series of tiny mistakes, sending his vehicle dangerously careening and unable to recover.

The last racer passed the finish line, a couple seconds longer than Hyukjae's time.

"What?" Hyukjae's whisper of disbelief shattered the quiet in the room, and everybody just broke into cheerful pandemonium.

Donghae was the first to hug him again, an excited, happy-screaming-into-his-ears kind of hug. And maybe, just maybe, his answering hug just got a little bit clingy.
 
===============

Episode 8

Celebrations kicked off after the swoop race, with racers, friends and crew trooping again into the bar for a night of merrymaking. Hyukjae was the star of the night, going around receiving congratulations for winning the swoop race. He got another good-natured ribbing from Sungmin, though the captain was truly gracious about letting somebody else win. For a change, Sungmin wryly said.

Hyukjae was feeling good all around, more so with Donghae in tow again. So good, apparently, that he had more than a handful of drinks when he impulsively dragged a surprised Donghae onto the dancefloor.

Donghae stared at the way Hyukjae swayed those hips and moved his body, the gummy smile and twinkling eyes daring him to also dance. He hadn't known Hyukjae danced this good.

Before Donghae realized what specific steps Hyukjae was using. He could not be mistaken about this. He even heard the trilling reply of a Gugano. Or maybe someone who recognized what it was.

In this sea of dancing, gyrating bodies, Donghae only had eyes for Hyukjae and his version of the Gugano mating dance.

Granted that their being in an intergalactic community has opened to a lot of cultural appropriation possibilities, Hyukjae could not have chosen a more inappropriate kind of dance in this setting, particularly with Donghae's understanding of it and his growing attraction to Hyukjae. There was a reason why those moves and steps looked subtly sensuous. Donghae had to admit, though, that Hyukjae had totally edited out the subtle part. Or that Hyukjae was dancing the version that "calls" for a mating - the other version was the "pursuit" of a mating.

There were only two ways to respond: dance or walk away.

Donghae danced.

Hyukjae's eyes widened as Donghae stepped closer into his personal space and started dancing with him. Holding his stare, Hyukjae marveled at how Donghae just knew how to dance with him. Or that the guy can even dance. Why did he even thought Donghae didn't have a fluid bone in his body when the man-boy does things almost too perfectly. Though it vaguely disturbed him that the twinkle in Donghae's eyes were a tad knowing. Like how he knew Hyukjae was going to move in a specific direction or twist a specific part of his body.

Then the music came to a close and the final step had Donghae and Hyukjae heavily breathing each other's air. Hyukjae suddenly found himself unable to handle the heat in Donghae's stare.

"I'll go get another drink," he said in a rush, suddenly feeling awkward, conveniently escaping from Donghae in the crush of the crowd.

Hyukjae reached the bar and downed the first drink the bartender handed to him, the lime taste soothing his tongue even as the alcohol burned down his throat. He then realized he was near Kibum's usual place at the bar. Who was looking at him amusedly.

"What?" he morosely asked. Him and Kibum aren't friends but constantly seeing the other around the race tracks somehow dictated that at least a civil conversation take place.

Kibum also had a twinkle in his eyes, though Hyukjae could tell this was a continuation of his earlier amusement. "I don't think you realize what you had just asked your partner to do."

Hyukjae got confused. Partner? Oh, he meant Donghae.

"Ah, he's not my partner. And it was just a dance." He replied dismissively. So it did not sit well with him when Kibum's eyebrows disappeared up the fringes of his bangs, the beginnings of mirth showing.

"Oh this is precious." Kibum suddenly laughed. "Don't tell me the rising race star had just danced the Gugano mating dance with somebody, who is not his partner, without knowing what it meant." Kibum uncharacteristically guffawed.

"What?" Hyukjae could feel the color draining from his face. Surely Taskern didn't teach him something taboo?

Kibum looked back at him and dropped the bomb.

"You just basically asked him to you."

But that wasn't the explosion.

"And he had just said yes."

=====

Hyukjae was retching into the bathroom sink, heaving the contents of his stomach. He was supposed to be able to tolerate his alcohol, despite having a sensitive stomach.

Of course he knew what plagued him. He didn't flee into the bathroom so conveniently after Kibum's darned revelation.

Hyukjae sighed, trying to rinse out the sourness of his mouth before washing his face. He looked up to find his flushed face looking back at him through the mirror, droplets of water dripping down into the sink. His stomach had stopped curdling, leaving just the strange butterflies whenever he thought of Donghae.

He was attracted to the man-boy like he wasn't with previous partners, human or alien. And it was just confusing how the signals were getting mixed where Donghae was concerned. He doesn't even know if Donghae likes him. But wait, Donghae did sort of respond via that crazy dance? Did Donghae even understand it? Or was it just a freaking cosmic coincidence that he danced the exact response?

Hyukjae doesn't know whether the pounding in his head is due to the drinks and the retching, or the confusion over Donghae. He vaguely noticed the patrons who went in and out of the bathroom, some using the sink, some using the stalls. He was heaving again. He washed his face again when the heaving stopped.

"Hey, you ok mate?" A somewhat solicitous patron finally asked, tapping him on the shoulder while he was still washing his face. Hyukjae looked up, unconsciously annoyed at strangers putting their noses in his business. He even glared to find the stranger smirking when he realized to his horror that there was a medical patch on his shoulder, and a darkness was claiming him again.

===============

Episode 9

The seedy bar was but a front to the opulent casino operating behind secret doors. And Donghae determined that Hyukjae was somewhere behind it. He strode up to the bartender, feigning a swagger he could barely muster, and in the most suspicious way, tried to elicit the help of the hulking alien. The alien barely bat an eyebrow, eyeing the hooded stranger's poor attempt at being discreet by dressing obviously discreetly but what the hell, these clueless gamblers were the fodder the casino wanted. He just rapped at a panel behind him, sliding back to reveal an opening into a dark corridor, and gestured at Donghae to go in. It surprised Donghae how easy he got in. 

At the end of the dark corridor, another door opened and he was suddenly inside the casino. Various game tables were scattered around the open floor, manned by dour looking dealers and gathering its brand of gamers and onlookers. But Donghae wasn't interested in that. He made the required rounds of looking pretentiously at the tables, before he seemingly sidled to chat up one of the bouncers.

"These games look interesting, but I'm far more interested in another game. A fair game." He lightly said to the stiffly standing bouncer.

"All games on this floor are fair, sire," the bouncer replied.

"Not worth my while," he said, discreetly handing the bouncer his counterfeit card, hoping it would pass muster and gain him admission into the auction. "A fairer game. Or an auction of priceless assets."

The card must have worked because Donghae was suddenly being led into an inner room, and ushered into a curtained booth that left him in the dark about occupants in other booths. He figured nobody could see him, too, except of course, the security cameras. He vaguely listened to his assigned steward who briefed him about the auction.

The auction began.

Donghae acted mildly bored at the auctioned items at the first part. This wasn't what he came here for. Though he did note with growing horror at the increasingly illegal items that were being bid upon.

It was after sometime, and when his assigned steward was becoming increasingly stubborn about getting Donghae to bid, that the auctioneer called for a recess. Donghae tensed. The auction after this would be what he came here for.

The lights dimmed around the room, only the elevated centerstage left illumined. One after the other, aliens great and small were showcased, and they were being bought faster than Donghae expected. Because these were sapiens and this is a slave auction. Albeit a classy one, Donghae muses as he looked around again at the venue.

He didn't want to imagine Hyukjae's state, but he also certainly didn't expect it to be like this when Hyukjae was finally led in chains and bids opened for him. There was no way Donghae could not stare. But it did irritate him that the steward fairly jumped at his suddenly peaking interest.

Yes yes, Hyukjae is a fine specimen, his brain enthusiastically agreed with the steward's intoned words. Tall, lanky with muscles in all the right places and incredibly smooth skin, Hyukjae's wares amply displayed since that chain and leather strap top and leather thong left nothing to the imagination. Donghae gulped, throat feeling suddenly parched, hard-pressed to recall why he was here in the first place, instead of ogling Hyukjae.

Right, rescue Hyukjae, that's what he was here for.

There was a collective uproar back at the bar that night when Donghae realized Hyukjae disappeared. It had taken him a couple of days to track Hyukjae down. Precious days considering that if he failed to get Hyukjae back sooner, the siblings can kiss their chances of winning the Rottschada goodbye. They had all thought Hyukjae's recent kidnapping was still race related so they were all confused when evidence pointed to slavers.

Then Donghae remembered what Hyukjae was doing before he got kidnapped again. And with Hyukjae's apparent skills and certain brand of charm, he would have caught the interest of certain groups. He really should have stopped Hyukjae from dancing the moment he realized what dance it was. Or just made sure the racer wasn't alone when he went to the bar after the awkward atmosphere sprung up between them. Of course, Donghae had a sudden attack of shyness when he realized what he had done so he didn't immediately go after Hyukjae. Until it was too late.

Donghae's head whipped around in the direction of the incredulously high opening bid. Hyukjae did the same. And in still the same uncanny syncing, they both scowled at the bidder. Though Donghae was momentarily distracted by how adorable Hyukjae's pouty face looked. Their heads both swiveled again at the second higher bid.

This is getting ridiculous, Donghae thought, though he did call out a slightly higher bid than the second, needing to finally call attention to himself. He just grinned when Hyukjae sent an even fiercer, yet more adorable scowl his way.

What is Donghae doing here? Hyukjae thought as the guy made a pretense of bidding for him, ignoring the niggling voice at the back of his head saying he had expected Donghae to somehow make the rescue. Third time's the charm, remember?

And then he had no more time to think as Donghae suddenly lunged at his booth's steward, delivering an accurate neck chop that sent the poor fellow unconscious and falling onto the plush seats. To Hyukjae's left, some of the other booths also went into chaos with the sudden appearance of the Sith lords. Great, the stalkers are here.

Hyukjae made use of the commotion to get away from the auctioneer, who was trying to drag him back to where a couple of his slaver's henchmen were advancing to secure their wares, which included him. He couldn't get far, not while he was still shackled and chained, the auctioneer pulling at the other end. Even as he struggled, he saw Donghae leap over the booth's partition separating it from the main floor, activating a blue lightsaber in time to deflect a blaster shot. Hyukjae's heart stopped, and he wasn't sure if it was with admiration or worry as he half watched Donghae wield that lightsaber a little bit too well and easily dispatch the bouncers closing in on him. 

Then Donghae managed to get near enough to Hyukjae and shouted, "Catch!", throwing Hyukjae's lightsaber in his direction.

Hyukjae whirled, perfectly aiming a kick onto an incoming henchman's head and timed his turn so that he caught the lightsaber. A click, and the silver blade made short work of Hyukjae's chains, finally freeing him. Then he was  swinging the sword around, easily deflecting the sleeper darts they were starting to aim at him.

"Hyuk, this way!" Donghae hollered at him, already making a running dash towards the exit, dispatching a henchman or two who attempted to get in his way.

Hyukjae followed, also fighting his way out, delivering a head blow or two to those that managed to get past his defenses. But overall, the lightsaber was enough deterrent for some of the cowardly ones. He managed to snatch an expensive woolen cloak on his way out of the casino, left there by a rich patron in the confusion of the melee.

=====

They managed to make their way back to Hyukjae's suites without further trouble, leaving the authorities to deal with the incident, knowing Sora made the call as part of the plan for Hyukjae's rescue.

Hyukjae was quiet the whole ride back, trying to control the sudden burning sensation running through his body. He was keenly aware of still being semi-, and in close quarters with a highly attractive body. And Donghae wasn't helping by being overly solicitous, fussing over Hyukjae.

Hyukjae staggered through his bedroom door, flinging off the cloak which suddenly felt stifling. He flung himself onto the bed, his whole body feeling restless. He was finding his costume to be both irritating and arousing, rubbing against his suddenly over sensitized skin.

Donghae froze just inside the door, having followed Hyukjae in and worrying about the racer, and coming in just as Hyukjae squirmed on the bed and let out the most sensual moan.

He didn't realize a strangled groan came from him, the heat in his stomach suddenly spreading south, until Hyukjae looked up and their stares collided, holding.

"You're liking this, aren't you?" Hyukjae positively oozed with sensuality as he lay on his back, slowly spreading his thighs in Donghae's full view.

Which both confused and delighted Donghae, because he didn't think Hyukjae would act this uninhibited. Which means...

"Did they drug you, Hyukjae?" Donghae finally joined Hyukjae on the bed, his arousal be damned, watching with concern as Hyukjae's head drunkenly lolled back to stare limpid eyes at him. Limpid and irises dilated, Donghae saw, confirming his suspicions.

At least Hyukjae was still able to slightly fight off the effects. "Time t-t-t-triggered aphro..." Aphrodisiac, Donghae figured.

"A tracker, did they put one on you, too?" Donghae insistently asked, already searching Hyukjae's patch of skin for the telltale bump. They were auctioning Hyukjae as a slave.

Hyukjae cutely shook his head, never mind the pout and scowl again on that adorable face as he also dutifully held out long arms for Donghae's inspection.

"They didn't put one, said the proprietor didn't want to mar my beautiful skin." He looked up, just as Donghae's face came close to inspect his shoulders. "Am I beautiful?"

Donghae stared onto Hyukjae's eyes, hooded now. He didn't think that was the drug talking. "You're charming, Hyukjae, for a guy." He decided to answer honestly. As far as he knew, these types of drugs may render their victims helpless to the physical effects but it did not necessarily get them mentally addled, too. The drugs are used to enhance pleasure, not render the user stupefied enough not to appreciate it.

"We need to get the drug out of your system fast, otherwise..." Donghae gasped, as one of Hyukjae's hands landed over his clothed .

"Oh, I know how to get it out," Hyukjae breathlessly whispered into his ear, palming him through his pants. "I just need a little help," he said before taking a and nibbling on Donghae's ear. With a growl, Donghae's lips were on his, hot hands already roaming over Hyukjae's exposed skin.

He couldn't manage to think after that.

===============

Episode 10

Hyukjae is already wide awake, and contemplating the direction his life is going while his face is still buried in the pillows. First, because he obviously can't handle looking at the obviously figure beside him, not when memories of previous day's happenings came crashing in waves as he was waking. It sent a warm, tiny trill down his spine, and he had to choke on a curious mix of giggling and groaning that came with the sensation.

That and the fact that his body felt both languorous and numb with pain. He had tried to turn on his back earlier, only to struggle with trying not to scream with the sudden pain at the movement. And keep from lashing out at the figure.

The brute had, well, tired him out the whole night and a better part of the wee hours of the morning. Granted, it was him operating with the drug in his bloodstream so his reactions were a bit extreme, but the cad didn't have to be enthusiastic about it either. No wait, Hyukjae mentally amended, the enthusiasm is very fine. He only wished he wasn't the only one paying for it. Now that Hyukjae thought back on it, shouldn't Donghae have been out the moment they got back, considering he went all Jedi again at the casino? He had even effectively brandished around that sapphire blue lightsaber. So how come he was literally and figuratively up all night?

He nearly shrieked when Sora suddenly barged into his bedroom, stopping only when she took in her brother's companion and the mess of clothes around.

"Oh heavens, tell me you didn't Hyukjae," Sora wailed, causing Donghae to suddenly jerk awake. Sora stared goggle-eyed at her brother. Donghae? she mouthed at him with growing horror.

"Relax, noona, we're big boys already," Hyukjae's smile widened with Donghae suddenly pulling pristine sheets to his chest, disgruntled at them getting caught by Sora.

"Don't be a git, Hyukjae," Sora's temper was back again. "You disappear for days on end and now you do this just when we have a race to run. You were supposed to be at the docks hours ago!"

, Hyukjae was suddenly feeling horrified himself. He struggled to stand up but his back was really killing him. That and another dawning of horror in Sora's eyes realizing it was her brother who was the little spoon. Hyukjae didn't bother declaring that it wasn't always going to be that way.

"Wait, Hyukjae," Donghae suddenly said, startled with the apparent pain their previous activity had inflicted on Hyukjae. He didn't have time to make excuses as he suddenly put out his hands over Hyukjae's back and used the Force as some instant balm.

Hyukjae could feel the pain being lifted away. "You can heal, too?" Hyukjae quietly asked. Even Sora had stopped fuming watching what Donghae was doing.

"It's not exactly healing - it just masks the pain. You still need to take a rest after the effect wears off." Then he was done and Hyukjae experimentally twisted his waist. No pain.

"Oh wow, I could get used to this," he said, before he remembered why Sora was there in the first place. He got up.

"I'll just be quick in the shower, noona, then I'll be off to join you at the docks for training." He was just glad he got back with time still to study the route before tomorrow's actual race.

Sora just sighed. "Alright. Though do take care of your body - there's a medic coming up to check you again and medically qualify you before you run in tomorrow's regatta. And there's breakfast outside, eat it before you leave." Then she left.

"Thanks," Hyukjae suddenly said to Donghae, startling him when he thought he was already forgotten. Hyukjae couldn't help it. He leaned down to peck Donghae's lips, making sure Donghae knew it wasn't the drug this time. "See you later?"

=====

Donghae was feeling rather self-conscious when the large holoscreen suddenly showed a footage of Hyukjae smiling that gummy smile of his, manning the helm of the hybrid hydrofoil/sailboat while two of his crew ran up and down the background making adjustments to the jib and sails as Hyukjae called them out.

He only paused to smile onto the camera and putting up finger hearts from his free hand.

Everyone in the stadium screamed. Maybe including Donghae who thought for a moment that the sign was being directed at him.

Or maybe not, as Hyukjae and the crew cheerily waved into the camera before it zoomed to a view tracking their progress against the prescribed regatta route in the expanse of The Sea of Theirault.

Donghae knew the racers knew they were being filmed. So maybe those finger hearts weren't for him alone. But he didn't imagine the other night, did he? And he definitely did not imagine it last night when Hyukjae popped in at the plaza late in the evening, had kissed him again and asked him about going to the races. They couldn't spend more time than that as Hyukjae was already exhausted from the day's training, and he still needed to rest for today's race. Donghae thought he could watch from the holoscreens dotting the plaza but Hyukjae had insisted he watched from the stadium, handing him two tickets.

Did Hyukjae insist because the stadium showed footage of the actual race for all racers compared to the official holocast that showed only snippets from those who lead? Which did include his favorite Captain Sungmin, who was unsurprisingly within the lead pack of the regatta. Hyukjae is in the middle pack, but they had all hoped that Hyukjae's win at the swoop race gave him an edge when the final race times came in after the regatta and they hoped he'd be within the Circle of Ten winners.

If he hadn't watched from the stadium, Donghae wouldn't have seen that now, would he? He was already feeling quiet proprietary where Hyukjae was concerned, and he really should convey his honest intentions one of these days. Like maybe before the race was through and Hyukjae would sail to other worlds where Donghae might not reach him. 

===============

Episode 11

It was a grueling 32-hour stretch to finish the regatta, and Hyukjae was exhausted by the end of it, his boat straggling in hours after Captain Sungmin had finished the race and fairly securing the top spot in the Circle of Ten. If Hyukjae is serious about winning in the next Rottschada, he has three years more to improve and get proper sea legs.

It was a disastrous performance, and while he could blame his second kidnapping for eating into his training for the regatta, he was woefully aware he was ill-prepared for this event even before then, being a landlubber or a spacefarer most of his life, rarely a sailor. He made mistakes in calling out instructions to his crew, working against the wind and sea currents instead of working with it.

He was morose about the whole thing, not even bothering to monitor the holos as he stowed the boat and then went down at last on the docks.

So he was confused when cheers suddenly greeted him, and in the midst of the crowd, a smiling Donghae came up to him, stringing a lei of purple flowers around his neck before hugging him. Hyukjae leaned into that welcome hug, even as he espied Sora and a couple of race officials coming down the docks towards them, along with a couple of reporters.

"What's happening?" he finally asked.

Donghae laughed, smiling at Hyukjae's confusion. "Your finish time officially made you the tenth place finisher in the Rottschada. Welcome to the Circle of Ten." Donghae beamed.

Hyukjae stared unbelievingly, shocked. Only to realize that there were still a lot of other boats dotting the horizon, and that even with that miserable finish, his overall time was just enough to get him a win. He whooped, cackling, as he also caught Sora's happy face the nearer they came to awarding him. He was so ecstatic, he impulsively grabbed Donghae and just kissed him in full view of the cheering crowd.

=====

The celebrations continued for Hyukjae later in the evening, albeit a different kind of celebration. One that involved riding Donghae and wearing nothing but the lei of purple flowers, his winner's medallion nestled amongst the pile of clothes they discarded.

Hyukjae was out like the light the moment him and Donghae got back to Hyukjae's suites after Hyukjae's awarding ceremony down at the docks. The Circle of Ten racers were already given their awards and prizes though the race wouldn't be officially done until the last boat came in. Hyukjae had fallen asleep in the meantime.

He found that he liked waking up to Donghae's warm embrace, the latter having taken a nap with him instead of leaving him alone and going back to the plaza. Hyukjae took advantage of the warmth and woke Donghae up with kisses, brazenly making quick work of dispatching their clothes.

He wouldn't have made it without Donghae, Hyukjae thinks even as the heat invaded his body, his fingers tangled with Donghae's own. Whatever string of bad luck happened to him was countered by Donghae's good luck charm and he wasn't going to question how it came about. That he gets to taste the utterly delicious man was just a bonus.

So maybe there was a hint of desperation in the way he made love with Donghae that night. That while he was thanking the lucky stars that brought them together, he knew he was also going to curse the same stars, knowing of what he has to let go.

=====

"Hyuk," Donghae said, as he held on to Hyukjae's wrist. "Come home with me."

Hyukjae's eyes bugged out, not expecting this. They were packing up, the Rottschada done, the crew preparing The Sora for their next destination amongst the stars.

Hyukjae thought he was also done with Donghae.

So he had stopped breathing when a determined Donghae just strode up The Sora's berth in the spaceport and cornered Hyukjae with those words when the racer had no expectations of seeing Donghae again after the Rottschada. After last night's intense make out session.

Donghae frowned, as if he realized what Hyukjae was thinking. He certainly didn't think waking up alone this morning meant things were also over between him and Hyukjae. Like him, Donghae just assumed that the reason Hyukjae wasn't around was because they were packing up stuff.

Whatever it was they were going to start arguing about went right out the airlock as Sora sauntered up the ramp to The Sora, a dazed Donghwa in tow. Donghae was surprised, realizing it was their crates being rolled up the ramp right behind Donghwa.

"Of course we're coming home with you," Sora announced. Then she patted somewhere over her belly. "Can't have my baby grow up without the father."

Donghae gaped at his suddenly blushing hyung. Noona? he mouthed to his flustered brother.

And then he was distracted by a Hyukjae who just suddenly launched himself into his arms, legs wrapped around his hips and arms around his neck as Hyukjae rained kisses all over his face at the same time declaring, "Yes, yes, yes, you gorgeous man, yes." Donghae was then treated to a deep, soulful kiss. "I'm going home with you." Hyukjae said in part wonder, part relief. And then he was leaning into Donghae again for another kiss.

Donghae's laugh rang into the ship as he carried Hyukjae up the ramp, heading for home.

===============

Epilogue

Donghae started to speak in a language consisting of chirps and squeaks and clicks Kangin identified as the Ewok language. To his horror, Hyukjae replied with the characteristic nasal groaning of the Wookiee language. Then both idiots giggled at each other.

"Hyung, hyung," Kangin finally hears Donghwa calling him, amusedly indicating his arm. Chagrined, Kangin realized he had the cleaver semi-raised, already forgetting who between the two he wanted to hit first. Fat lot of good that will do him, considering the idiots combined have more than enough power to stop his rampage. But why must he be saddled with an idiot brother who is foolishly in love with another idiot. Maybe he should have insisted on sending Donghae away to train as a Jedi and maybe, just maybe, some sense would have taken root in his head. Instead of simpering at the lavish attention the would-be Sith was showering on him.

Only one thing stops Kangin from being the brusque older brother - seeing the smile on Donghae's face whenever he is around Hyukjae. It has been a while since he'd seen that smile, nor hear him laugh freely, not ever since their father died. Donghae had taken it badly. And though both Kangin and Donghwa knew of the depth of affection their youngest had for them or vice-versa, that hadn't been enough to make Donghae smile again.

Until Hyukjae. The Hyukjae that just makes Kangin's blood boil because well, the cad is taking away his brother. Of all the possible futures he had thought could happen with his Jedi candidate brother, shacking up with another Force sensitive who just happened to be also male wasn't even in the remote vicinity. Which reminds him.

"Isn't my niece going to be someone like them when she gets born within this month?" He waved in the general direction of the idiot pair as he continued chopping meat for the lunch they were preparing at the family estate on Alderaan. It didn't escape his notice that both Sora and Donghwa are Force sensitives, too, so it was highly likely their children could also be Force sensitive.

Donghwa grunted. "Don't remind me, hyung, I'm already dreading the return of the Jedi when she turns five."

Donghwa shuddered at the thought. Of course, "them" also included being a possible Sith... No, no, not his precious Haru. Nor any of the children they'll have, if he and Sora had a say about it.

But of course, looking at his brother and brother-in-law, they are also aware about the concept of choice. The two men had not chosen to be either Jedi or Sith but they have embraced what their powers brought, both good and bad. It may not be the same with their children, who may opt to be either. Or maybe get born without a high midi-chlorian count and they can all breathe a sigh of relief.

He'd gladly spend the rest of his life looking after the already powerful Force sensitives in the family if it meant his children don't get their uncles' level of crazily high midi-chlorian counts.

That and keep their Kangin-hyung in line whenever he had a hankering to cleave the unsuspecting Hyukjae. Donghwa doesn't think Sora would appreciate it.

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The End