When the order had come in to shut down their engines, lower their ramp, and wait for further instructions, Yunho had been chatting lazily with Kyuhyun. He’d been breaking the news to him that it was possible their two new passengers were about to pay a king’s small ransom for the trip that should have cost them almost nothing. It was practically highway robbery, but Yunho had been looking for a few extra credits to float Kyuhyun and Zhou Mi’s way as wedding gift, and maybe a great sum of credits would buy them a way into Choi Siwon’s party that they hadn’t considered before.

Mostly he was trying to distract himself from how things had gone with Changmin.

If there was anything Yunho regretted in the past few years, it was the moment his brother had thought he considered Changmin an average . The realization had struck Yunho in the gut, wounded him, and made him feel like the lowest form of scum. His brother was beautiful and strong and better than what Yunho had asked of him. He’d been wrong, and he’d make it up to Changmin.

“They’re flagging us?” Kyuhyun had asked, confusion lacing his voice. “What the hell!”

“Be calm,” Yunho commanded, pulling out of his harness and standing to flip a switch.

A drone voice flooded the cockpit,”--Mako Class B, Registration Number 4-5-7-2-0-0-0-2-1-7, power down your engines and lower your ramp.”

Kyuhyun spun in his seat, a scowl on his face. “What’s going on? I didn’t think anyone hated us on Helios. When did that change?”

“I don’t know,” Yunho said earnestly, but felt a tension headache growing quickly. He couldn’t imagine what he’d done to piss someone off on Helios, but it was absolutely the last thing he wanted. Being flagged on a posh planet like Helios, but more importantly where Changmin lived, was going to be a future issue. And he hadn’t even done anything to deserve it this time.

“We really going to let them on the ship?” Kyuhyun asked, brown hair mucked up everywhere as proof that he’d been strolling the windy streets of Helios hours earlier. “We passed inspection when we arrived, and this is bull.”

Yunho reached for the comm and relayed to the tower, “We’re powering down our engines right now. Ramp to follow. Stand by.” He gave Kyuhyun a deliberate look. “You don’t even think about ignoring our orders. This isn’t any regular space port. There’s an Alliance cruiser in orbit right now and that’s the kind of trouble we can’t afford to have.”

“I wasn’t going to,” Kyuhyun protested childishly. “Wasn’t even thinking about it.”

There were times when Yunho knew Kyuhyun was too young to be their pilot. At nineteen he was still too rebellious and eager to push the limits. He hardly ever thought before acting, was impatient and rash and … really just a teenager. But he was also the best pilot Yunho had ever met in his life. Kyuhyun had been better at fifteen, when Yunho had taken him on, than Yunho would ever be no matter how long he trained and practiced. Kyuhyun had wicked fast reflexes, sharp eyes and an ability to feel the ship out for exactly what she needed. There was no getting rid of Kyuhyun now, no matter how reckless he got.

Mostly though, because if he got rid of Kyuhyun, he’d also lose Zhou Mi.

That was why Yunho didn’t like his crew marrying each other.

Even if they were terribly cute together, and Zhou Mi actually kept Kyuhyun in line.

Yunho questioned, “You didn’t get into any trouble while I was gone, did you?”

Kyuhyun snorted and slammed his hand down on the ramp release. “I bought three hundred credits worth of wine, a bottle of lube, and Mi’s birthday present. Would you like to make a trip by my bunk and verify that?”

“You’re such a punk, Kyuhyun,” Yunho said, but he felt nothing but affection. He pressed a kiss to the top of the younger man’s head and said, “Stay here. Unless some Alliance drags you out of this cockpit, you stay here.” He called for Leeteuk and then made to face whatever new problem existed to make his life difficult.

As the ramp lowered, a row of Alliance men standing in front of him, Yunho could just see one of their new passengers standing at the railing, ashen in color and looking like he might pass out or something else dramatic.

“Everything is going to be fine,” Yunho called out to him.

“I wish people would stop saying that,” the man said back, and Yunho realized he hadn’t even gotten the man’s name.

The insanely attractive, perfectly built, and quick witted man. The kind of man that Yunho found himself impulsively drawn too, sans the elitist attitude.

Of course Yunho had a strict policy of not sleeping with his cargo, which was what the man essentially was to him. But to Yunho that didn’t mean he couldn’t look and appreciate.

As the soldiers came piling in he realized they were carrying trunks with them, each one taking two men to heft up on the ship. They were grunting and looking extremely unhappy, and Yunho thought it was all a bit mind numbing. Alliance soldiers liked to pinch items from his ship. This was the first time they’d brought him things.

“Just what in the hell is this?” Yunho demanded, counting the trunks six … seven … eight.

“Captain, I presume?”

Cutting through the soldiers like butter was a tall, impeccably dressed man, an anxious look on his handsome face, but no hesitation in the way he strode forward.

Behind Yunho, Leeteuk clattered down the steps at a frantic pace, and Zhou Mi wasn’t far behind him, the kind of added presence that Yunho hadn’t known he wanted until now.

“Jung Yunho?”

“That’s me,” Yunho said, cocking a hip. “And I want to know what you think you’re bringing onto my ship. We cleared inspection and we have our fly rights. Who are you to--”

“I’m Choi Minho,” the man said right away, then gestured to the trunks, “and these are your brother’s.”

Yunho paused, feeling the stares of Leeteuk and Zhou Mi drilling into the back of his head. His crew was always understanding when it came to Changmin, but they had no way of knowing right now that Yunho was in the dark as much as them.

“My brother’s,” Yunho parroted slowly. “And what exactly would my brother’s things be doing on this ship?”

“You might ask him yourself,” Minho said, openly sizing Yunho up. “You’re not quite what I expected. Not for a veritable space pirate.”

The realization of who Minho was smashed into Yunho like a locomotive.

Choi Minho. The man his brother loved and planned to marry.

Then, as if on cue, Changmin came strolling up the ramp, a little flushed in the face from the cold, but dressed warmly and looking particularly well. Yunho watched something pass between Minho and Changmin, something probably akin to love, and Yunho resolved to give Minho a chance.

Even if he was the Magistrate’s son and probably thought he was better than other people.

The higher classes almost always did.

“Changmin?” Yunho asked, feeling utterly confused.

“Right,” Changmin said, running a hand through his hair. “Yunho, this is Choi Minho. The next time you visit this planet it’ll likely be for our wedding, so please do your very best to not piss off the man I love. And Minho, this is my brother who gets into way too much trouble but I love him all the same, so please make an extra effort to be nice to him even when he inevitably pisses you off.”

The last of the Alliance soldiers delivered Changmin’s things to the ship and clamored away, leaving them in relative peace.

Yunho felt himself go a little hoarse as he asked, “Changmin, what’s going on? What is all this?”

Changmin gave an encouraging smile as Minho said, “All official paperwork has been forwarded to you, Captain, indicating that Companion Shim is now traveling with this vessel. It was a bit of a rush job, truthfully, but it’s legitimate and you’ll have no trouble if you come across someone who wants to double check.”

Slowly and deliberately Yunho asked Changmin, “You’re traveling with us?”

Changmin had never, not once, traveled with the crew. Changmin had traveled frequently with other ships, for work and for the rare vacation he took, but he’d never been on Yunho’s ship. There were a lot of thing Yunho wanted to share with him, and do with him, and experience with him, but pulling Changmin along for a job was not one of them. No, whenever Yunho came to visit, and his brother was available to meet him, they and the crew spent time on Helios, or one of its moons.

Minho raised an eyebrow. “I trust you have appropriate accommodations for a Companion.”

“You …” Yunho felt confounded. Changmin had said no. He’d said he was retired and not providing any services, mainly because of the man standing next to them. So why was he on Yunho’s ship? Why was Minho presenting him?

“You’re heading towards New Haven’t, aren’t you?” Changmin asked, the tightness to his voice indicating he’d give nothing away even to Minho. That kind of loyalty was something Yunho had never doubted.

When Yunho didn’t answer right away, it was Leeteuk who cut in, “We’ve got business near there.” He gave Changmin a wink, but it was to be expected. Changmin, like Kyuhyun, was almost always treated like a shared younger brother.

“I’ve taken a client on New Haven,” Changmin said breezily, turning away to count the amount of trunks now surrounding them. “I’ll need you to take me to the planet as quickly as you can, I’ve an engagement at Lord Choi Siwon’s birthday gala. Do you think you can manage that?”

Yunho gave him a toothy smile. “You know the Tohoshinki is more than capable of getting you there as fast as you need.”

“Your brother is coming with us?” Zhou Mi asked extremely quietly at Yunho’s side as Changmin and Minho said their goodbyes. “Really?”

Yunho watched Changmin draw his arms around Minho for a tight hug, one that conveyed everything Yunho needed to know, considering his brother wasn’t overly affectionate. Even Yunho couldn’t deny the way Changmin looked at Minho, and touched him now. It was obvious Changmin loved him. And, despite Minho being the magistrate’s son, they appeared to be a good match.

It was easy to figure out that Changmin had decided to come after them at the last moment, and only the magistrate’s son had enough sway to get their ship held up moments before liftoff. Minho had done this for Changmin, and it wasn’t a small favor either.

Yunho was bought out of his thoughts as Minho crossed up the ramp to stand in front of him, hand held out. “You’ll take exceptional care of Changmin while he’s here? You won’t let anything happen to him?”

Feeling a little put out, Yunho said gruffly, “He’s my brother.” Yunho clasped his hand tightly.

“Yes,” Minho agreed, “but you’re not the only one who loves him now. So be extra careful. I want to like my brother-in-law, and it’ll be very difficult for me to do if Changmin comes back with even a scratch on him.”

Changmin gave them each a pinch as he passed by, demanding, “Stop acting like this, you two. Now, where’s Kyu?”

As Changmin climbed the nearby stairs, Yunho told Minho softly, “Not a scratch.”

Minho grinned a perfect smile. “I’ll see you at the wedding.”

Yunho sort of liked Minho. Against all odds, he sort of liked him.

“Get these strapped down,” Yunho told Leeteuk, gesturing at the trunks. “We’re getting out of here now, before anyone else decides to order us around so they can dump a bunch of things on my ship. ETA to atmo is five minutes.”

Yunho scaled his way back to the bridge quickly, and before he even reached the section he could hear Kyuhyun and Changmin chattering happily with each other.

That didn’t bode well.

Whenever the two of them were together, unsupervised, something usually blew up.

Yunho wished he was exaggerating when he told people that.

“Changmin,” Yunho called out, snagging his arm and pulling him away from Kyuhyun. “What are you doing here? I thought you told me you’re retired? You said this wasn’t possible.”

Kyuhyun swiveled to ask, “Should I get our engines up and running again?”

Yunho nodded. “Fast as you can, Kyu.”

“I wasn’t lying when I said I was retiring,” Changmin relayed as they crossed the ship, Yunho leading him to the area where Changmin would be safe for liftoff. Naturally he could have put Changmin in with the ship’s two new passengers, but there was something about them that made his skin itch. There was a lie floating in the air, though Yunho wasn’t sure what it was, and until he figured it out, he’d take no chances with his brother. They’d stay separate from Changmin, at least for the moment.

“Then what changed?”

“Minho,” Changming shrugged. “I told him that you’d asked this favor of me, to take a client near New Haven so that you’d be able to do business of your own. And no, I didn’t say what that business was.”

Yunho gave him a tight lipped look. “I never thought for a second you did.”

The engines came to life beneath their feet, the ship rocking and vibrating, humming in a way that Yunho now needed to fall asleep.

“He told me,” Changmin said, “that if we don’t make scarifies for our family, and truly consider the favors they ask when they’re asked genuinely, then what business do we have calling them family? Make no mistake, Yunho, I am retiring. I’m marrying Minho and that’s that. However, for you, because you’ve never really asked anything of me before, and certainly not something like this, I’ll do it. In fact I’ve already accepted Siwon’s invitation.”

Changmin slid into a seat and buckled himself in.

“We’re all locked down and ready to go,” Leeteuk said, head ducking into the lounge area. “You heading up to the bridge, or should I?”

It wasn’t even really a choice to Yunho. “You go,” he said. “I’ll be there when we clear atmo. Oh, but remind Kyuhyun we’re heading to the Moon Hub. That’s where we’re dropping our passengers off.”

Leeteuk gave him a thumbs up and disappeared.

“Passengers,” Changmin asked, looking a little excited. “That’s new. You don’t usually take on passengers.”

Yunho sighed. “That’s because I’ve been burned by passengers in the past, and they never tell the truth.”

The shaking of the ship intensified as Kyuhyun called for them to brace for liftoff.

“So why did you? Is one of them cute?” Changmin teased.

“Brat.” Yunho grinned. It was wonderful to be back with his brother. “If you must know, it’s because they offered to pay double for about half the effort on our part. All they wanted was to go to the Moon Hub. They said they were simply looking for quick passage off the planet, but who knows. Three days from now they’ll be someone else’s problem.”

“The Moon Hub?” Changmin asked. “I’ve never been near there.”

The extra ers kicked in and Yunho felt his teeth chatter. “That’s because it’s practically a space brothel built into a port. It might attempt to look high class because it’s closer to the Core than the Rim, but it’s dangerous and you won’t be getting off this ship when we dock there even for a second. There are people who’d snatch you in a second, regardless of you being a Companion, because you’re beautiful. It’s more than dangerous and I’m being serious here. I don’t want to have to kill someone because they touch you.”

Changmin genuinely asked him, “Doesn’t the overprotective routine get old?”

“You would think.” Yunho said, and it was the last thing he managed before they were tearing out of the port, the ship thundering like a storm in the sky, launching them up into space.

They cleared atmo twenty seconds later and the shaking subsided but didn’t relinquish completely. It would be a couple more minutes before it was safe for them to leave their seats.

“If it’s so dangerous there,” Changmin said, starting their conversation back up, “why are you dropping your passengers off there? They’re from Helios. They may not be equipped to deal with a situation that dangerous.”

“That’s not my problem,” Yunho said, but the truth was the notion had crossed his mind more than once since accepting their deal for passage. “I just take my passengers where they want to go, Minnie. I’m sure they wouldn’t go there unless they were prepared for it.”

But how would they fare? Maybe the shorter of the two, the more stocky and built one, would be okay. He could pass as a day laborer, or gun for hire. He was less likely to vanish into thin air. But the pretty one? He was as good as lost. The vultures would see him coming a mile away, credits in their eyes, and he’d end up a casualty.

But they’d said the Moon Hub. That was what they wanted. So Yunho was going to deliver them.

Yunho cleared his throat. “So Siwon just up and took your proposal that you’d make a weekend of his … what did you call it? Birthday gala?”

Changmin shrugged. “The truth is, I sent the message out and had my response in under five minutes. He agreed to pay exceedingly high for my last second company, and even agreed, would you believe, to allow me to have my two associates accompany me down to the planet for extra protection.”

“Two?” Yunho’s mind whirled. “Wait … protection?”

Changmin was so slick he was scary at times. “Of course my protection, Yunho. After all, I’m a highly desirable companion traveling into deep space. I should have associates to protect my interests. Anyway, I would have asked for five or six if it thought he’d agree to it, but two is what you’ll get. You and another man on the ground to poke around while I distract Siwon.”

“You’re really doing this for me,” Yunho said, barely able to believe it.

“I am,” Changmin said with a nod. “But Yunho, do you know what kind of man Siwon is?”

There was something dark that had settled on Changmin’s face that worried Yunho to no avail.

He offered, “Eldest son in a family with more bastards than legitimate children. Practically a king among princes, and a man who has a strong preference to slight, brown haired boys. What are you eluding to, Changmin? I know about the business his father runs, practically controlling all the fuel cell production for the entire area, and the wealth Siwon stands to inherit is greater than the whole of the Alliance on a very good day.”

Yunho’s eyes jutted down to where he could see Changmin’s hands wringing together. His brother was nervous about something. There was something he wasn’t saying.

“Minnie, tell me what it is.”

“Later,” Changmin promised, a forced smile spreading across his face. “I promise. When I get settled in. You do have room for me, right?”

When they’d been very little, before Yunho had been big enough to get work, and before Changmin had been spirited away by the Companion Guild, they’d slept on a single cot together in a cramped orphanage filled with mean and desperate children. Yunho had spent countless cold nights wrapping Changmin up in his arms, trying to share his body heat, convinced that as long as he had his brother, he didn’t need anything else.

Personal space hadn’t been a concept back then.

But Changmin was a Companion now. He was used to having the finest things, sleeping on silken sheets, and more than anything else, accustomed to personal space.

“I’ve got room for you,” Yunho assured him. “Well,” he laughed out, “you and a couple of your trunks. How many did you bring? Seven? Eight? What’s in all those?”

Finally the ship smoothed out. There was a bit of a rattle still, something that was more of an expectance than anything else to Yunho, but it meant that they were gliding through space now, and liftoff had been a success.

They always knew when something had gone wrong.

“Clothing,” Changmin said easily. “And some supplies. Personal items. Things that I’ll need to complete my work. But mostly clothing.”

Yunho deadpanned, “We’re going to be on the planet for less than a day. And it only takes six to get there. How can you need eight trunks worth of clothing?”

Changmin unbuckled himself and stood, stretching his arms out. “You really don’t know anything about Companions, do you?”

Honestly Yunho didn’t. It was a profession, despite Changmin’s involvement, that held little interest for Yunho. He wasn’t inclined to seek out the services of Companions, and he certainly didn’t ask Changmin about any of his business. But what he did know amounted to what even small children knew. Companions were damn near treated like royalty. They chose their own clients. They were highly skilled in self defense, music, mathematics, languages and methods of seduction. While a portion of their profit went directly back to the guild, they were often very wealthy, and more than anything else, Companions were able to leave their chosen profession at any time, for any reason.

Like Changmin leaving to marry Minho.

Minho, who was the magistrate’s son was likely very wealthy in his own right, would still be bringing less to the marriage than Changmin. But Yunho was just glad Changmin had chosen to marry for love, and nothing else.

Yunho pulled himself to his feet and took a deep breath of recycled, cool air. “I’ll see about getting Leeteuk and Zhou Mi to move your belongings, at last some of them, to one of the spare rooms. For now you stay here. Kitchen’s through there, help yourself to whatever you want.”

Changmin glanced around. “Where’s Ryeowook? Isn’t that kind of his domain?”

“Normally,” Yunho said, trying not to let anything show on his face. “But he’s been down in the bowels of the ship with Onew a lot lately. I think Onew’s trying to train him up on how to work her, but honestly you know as well as me, Changmin, that either she talks to you or she doesn’t. Onew can hear her. I don’t think Ryeowook can.”

If they lost Onew, and every day felt closer to the moment, who would they have for a mechanic? Picking one up from a port was seemingly an easy thing, there were always mechanics for hire. But not all mechanics were created equal, and some were more likely to run them into the ground than keep them up in the air. Onew, like Kyuhyun, was one in a million, maybe a billion, and not so easily replaced.

But Yunho could see the cracks in Onew, ever since Joon’s death. He could see the tiny fissures spreading out, growing by the day, bringing Onew closer and closer to giving up and giving in.

Yunho also knew that Joon’s mother had sent Onew more than one message, inviting him to come and stay with her. Before long Yunho suspected Onew would take her up on the offer.

“I’ll come see you later,” Yunho said, inching his way to the doorframe. “I just have to go check on a few things.”

“Go,” Changmin laughed out. “I am fully capable of taking care of myself, Yunho, and entertaining myself for a short while as well. You’re the captain. Go do captain things.”

Yunho gave him a firm nod and a huge smile, then stepped out of the room.

It was a little odd having Changmin on the ship, almost like he was out of place, until Yunho looked back just once, watching the way Changmin seemingly floated around the room, hands ghosting over the pictures on the wall, the small tokens of their visits to other planets, and everything in the room that gave it life and proved it was lived in.

Then having Changmin with him, by his side as a brother should be, didn’t feel odd at all. It just felt right.

Yunho was almost all the way back to the bridge when he heard a voice calling for him.

It was the pretty one, of course, but he was without the other one who seemed permanently attached to his side. And he was making his way to Yunho lightening fast, a look of determination on his face.

“Can I help you?” Yunho eased out.

And gods above, the boy was very pretty. He’d shed the white, fur coat that he’d been wearing earlier, an article of clothing alone that could have bought the ship enough fuel cells to fly halfway to the Moon Hub at fair market price. Now he wore fitted, sinfully flattering black slacks, a white dinner shirt, stripped vest, and cufflinks that looked to be precious in value as well. He made for a picture of lithe beauty, the kind that Yunho was naturally attracted to, and that compelled a certain sense of protectiveness in him.

Not that this boy, whoever he was, was due any sort of protection. Yunho quickly reminded himself, not all pretty boys were charity cases, and not all of them needed a hero. Most of them could be villains, if pushed, just like anyone else.

“The hold at departure,” the man said. “What was it?”

“Not your problem,” Yunho said shortly, suddenly feeling very tired. He’d had intermittent sleep at best over the past few days, and worries were piling atop him faster than he could shoulder them to the side. He was looking forward to resting, now that he knew Kyuhyun had the bridge, with more than enough fuel to get them to their next stop, and Changmin was safely on board to do them a huge favor that might finally change the tides in Yunho’s hunt for the Eye.

Sometimes he pondered as to whether his crew actually believed it existed. Maybe Kyuhyun did, because he liked adventure and exciting stories and taking leaps of faith. Maybe even Leeteuk who was always game for a good treasure hunt. But the others? If Yunho had to put money on it, he’d guess that most of them stuck with him because he was a fair captain, not cruel or overly demanding, and no matter how hard he looked for the Eye and proof of it, he still brought them more than enough jobs to keep the ship running and just enough spending credits in their pockets.

“There were Alliance soldiers in your cargo bay, Captain,” the man opposite him said, nose a little too high in the air for Yunho’s tastes, and sounding far too upperclass to be actually wanting to go towards the Rim planets. “Is there something my associate and I should know about?”

Yunho crossed his arms and gave the boy a definitive leer, maybe just to see the pretty blush that spread across his soft features. “I’ll repeat, that really wasn’t any of your business. But if you absolutely must know, or think yourself entitled to the information, the reason we were held up was because we took on a last second passenger. A high priority passenger.”

The blush was gone in an instance. “High priority? Like a government official? Or a--”

“Companion,” Yunho finished for him. “We took on a Companion, actually. You’ll meet him at the next meal that we have together. He’s … nice,” Yunho finished. Changmin was nice. Nicer than Yunho.

The boy frowned. “You know this Companion?” The look of interest was written all over his face and he was even more attractive when he wasn’t trying to act as if their stations in life were leagues apart. “I’ve always wanted to meet one. My father would often call upon…” he trailed off, eyes adverting.

“Who are you?” Yunho questioned, tired of not knowing his name. In truth the only thing that mattered was that he could pay for the trip, but on the off chance that Yunho ended up dreaming about his beautiful face, a name was a nice additive.

The boy hesitated too long. Without his friend there to feed Yunho the lies, words that Yunho was now certain were lies, he took too long coming up with his own explanations. And by the time he did speak, Yunho was already determined to figure him out.

“My friends call me Hero.” he said, head ducking down a little in an embarrassed way that told Yunho at least that much wasn’t a lie. “I know, it’s pretty cheesy, but it’s always just stuck with me, ever since I was in school.”

“Hero,” Yunho tested out. “And your associate’s name?”

“Micky,” Hero replied, this time much more confidently. “I’ve called him that since we were kids. Everyone else who knows him well calls him that from time to time.”

Yunho leaned a heavy hand on his gun belt. “You can call me just Captain, or Captain Yunho if you prefer. And I’ll let you know right now that as long as you’re on my ship, you can sleep soundly at night. No one here will hurt you, or enter your room without permission.”

Hero looked at him oddly. “Thank you, but I wasn’t particularly worried about that.”

“No?” Yunho shrugged. “I suppose you wouldn’t be. I expect while you sleep your servant will sit up with his back to the door, guarding you from each and every person on this ship, who I assure you he sees as a possible threat.”

“Micky isn’t … he’s not …”

“It was evident in the way he looked to you for the lead while we were talking. Even though he was doing the majority of the negotiation, he constantly looked to you for assurance. That’s the sort of thing that gets beat into a person. And his grip on your luggage? He’d sooner lose his life than lose it. I’d bet the Tohoshinki that you hold his life contract, don’t you?”

Hero took a deliberate step backwards. “I think I’d better get back to my cabin. Micky will be worried.”

“Worried that you’ll say something you’re not supposed to?”

Hero shook his head. “No, Captain, we’re just--”

“Look,” Yunho exhaled loudly. “I don’t care if you want to try and convince me that’s your servant or not. Though you should know a man doesn’t survive a week in this business unless he learns how to spot lies in his sleep. So I don’t know why you’re bothering to lie to me in the first place, but that’s your business. As long as your business doesn’t hurt me and mine, we’re fine. Understand?”

Hero gave a shallow nod.

“Does your business run the risk of hurting me and mine?”

This time he shook his head.

The paleness to Hero’s face made him look young. Too young.

“How old are you?” Yunho questioned. If he was underage …

“Old enough to travel on my own, Captain,” Hero said a little snappishly, hands tucking behind his back. “I turned twenty-four this year. You have nothing to worry about. You’re not smuggling children into a den of lions.”

At the phrasing Yunho’s head cocked. “Then you understand where you’re heading? Where your servant is taking you? It’s not a place for pretty little boys like you.” Yunho hated that he was getting more worried by the second.

Fiery defiance lit in Hero’s eyes. “Earlier you explained to me, Captain Yunho, that certain things are not my business, so I’ll return the favor to you. Yes, I know that the Moon Hub is full of undesirables, but my servant, as you’ve labeled him, is certain we can procure adequate transport in the direction we want to go, and I trust him. I trust him with my life. Therefore I ask, is your curiosity sated?”

Yunho leveled at him, “If you go missing there, they’ll charge clients extra to have at you. You’re clearly well bred and educated on top of being attractive. You won’t see the outside of a bedroom for the rest of your life.”

A new voice thundered, “That’s enough.”

“Ah,” Yunho eased out. “Here’s your servant now.”

Hero straightened up as his associate, Micky, came to stand shoulder to shoulder with him. “Captain,” the man said, anger lacing his words, “I’ll ask you not to needlessly forget yourself and your words. I’m more than capable of navigating the Moon Hub, and Hero will be perfectly safe with me. Your concern is misplaced if you think it’s required.”

Tilting a little as he assessed them, Yunho pried, “Philanthropists, you said?”

Micky challenged back, “Hero, as you so eloquently stated earlier, is well bred. He’s not merely educated, but highly so, and yes, we’re philanthropists. We aim to share everything from water filtration techniques with the recent terraformers on the Rim planets, to basic education. That’s what you really want to know, isn’t it? You want to know what well bred gentlemen might be seeking the rim for.”

“Not you,” Yunho told him evenly.

“Not me?”

Yunho nodded. “You’re not a gentleman, no matter how well you play the part or what nice home you came from.”

Nostrils flaring, Micky took Hero by the elbow and said, “For the next three days we will remain in our quarters. I can rest assured, yes, that you’ll let us know when we can disembark at the Moon Hub?”

“Indeed,” Yunho said, feeling his blood pressure spike. “I’ll let you take your leave then.”

They were gone faster than either had arrived, and Yunho wasn’t sure how long he stood in the empty hallway, feeling the vibrations of the engine under his feet, letting the air chill his skin.

The more aggressive one, he was a problem. There was far more to him than there appeared, and he was a possible threat.

But the other … Hero.

Maybe learning his name was a mistake.

Because the way his eyes had come alive during their conversation, both through anger and joy, had stirred something in Yunho. Hero had made him feel more in those brief moments than anyone else had in years.

“Yunho? Captain?”

Yunho turned to see Zhou Mi behind him, a questioning expression on his face.

“Mi,” Yunho greeted, forcing himself to grin. “Did Kyuhyun send you to beg out of the night shift?”

Zhou Mi gave a faint nod. “Something about a purchase he made today at the market?”

Yunho felt himself flush. Ah, the lube. “Go,” he said, cracking a smile that was more full of warmth than anything else. “And sleep in, okay? I’ll take the helm.”

Appreciation was conveyed in the way Zhou Mi dipped respectfully, then all but scurried away.

Before running into Hero, Yunho had honestly been looking forward to crawling into bed and sleeping for at least a day. But now he had too much on the brain, and a long, lonely shift on the bridge seemed absolutely perfect. At the very least it would serve as an adequate distraction.

He couldn’t let himself get sidetracked.

Changmin. The Eye. Choi Siwon.

These were the only things that mattered. Not some high born boy who thought he could do a bit of good in the world and would end up some bed slave or worse. No, the boy didn’t matter one bit.

No matter how striking he was.