On some days, Xu Minghao can probably say he had a fairly decent job. There wasn’t anything remotely hard about piloting a spaceship through the galaxy, drifting among the many planets and doing his best not to collide with other spacecraft. Whenever he got a report about a fugitive on the run, the chase was exciting and the recognition he got for catching criminals were rewarding enough. Most of them were petty thieves, anyway. It was alright, really, on some days.

"Come on, at least let the binds loose and I swear I'll be helpful! I know the ins and outs of the galaxy better than anyone, I’ll be great at navigating! You look like you need a partner—” 

Minghao scowled as he cut him off, having heard the same pleas nearly a dozen times, "not a chance. I know all about your slippery escape tricks, Wen Junhui."

"How about just calling me Junhui? Maybe even just Jun? I think it's about time, captain, I'm sure my full name is a mouthful—" 

"Enough," the captain of the ship said more sternly, cutting him off again, which surprisingly managed to shut the other up. Usually nothing got him to shut up, no matter how strict Minghao got himself to sound. Still, despite not speaking, Junhui still managed to get under his skin; watching him with those sparkling ruby eyes, a stark contrast against the alien’s cool coloured skin and—currently—bright, purple hair. 

Aliens. 

Minghao hated them. 

On most days, he had to deal with aliens—or was it just an alien, seeing how his problem was really just one specific being—that just got on his nerves.

Sure, space was full of them, that was a given by now, but the human had never really taken to liking them despite being around for a few years now. Most were nice, but some were too conniving for their own good, which was why the police force was even created. Humans that were tasked to capture aliens, ironically by aliens who just so happened to be of better social status. He was pretty sure they had their own share of dirty money, but that’s off topic.

Wen Junhui didn't exactly fit either side of the coin though, balancing instead on a thin line. It's some kind of Robin Hood-esque kind of work; steal from the rich, give to the poor, that kind of thing that made him beloved by the masses and hated by the rich. It just so happened that Minghao had to work for the wealthy parts of the galaxy, otherwise he probably wouldn't be doing this. For the nth time, since the alien always manages to escape, always after Minghao would begrudgingly agree to let go of the binds around his wrists.

Always with a twinkle in Junhui's eyes when he realizes what's happening, but that's beyond the point. 

"Minghao," Junhui spoke again only after a moment of sile