Fighting tears and her own madly beating heart, Luna followed after Jonghyun, having a difficult time keeping up.  She didn’t actually see him after he left the cargo hold but the few people still in the halls were helpful enough in pointing his direction out when she slowed long enough to inquire.  There really weren’t a great many places he could go either; not with him as obviously upset as he was.

                Luna found it incredibly ironic that she traced him to the chapel and stepped inside quietly, closing the door with care behind her.  There was one other person present and they were uncomfortably eyeing the miserable form of Jonghyun curled up on one of the pews, his knees to his chest while he tried to get a handle on his emotions.  She wasn’t sure if he knew she was there or not but she approached the other person, someone she’d only seen in passing a couple times, and placed her hand on his shoulder with a nod towards the door.

                He raised his brows and then looked between the two, but shrugged and got up to step out, leaving them alone.  Carefully, she edged into the space next to him and folded her hands in her lap, not trying to touch him but definitely looking at him with concern, her heart breaking that she couldn’t be what he wanted.  “Jong,” she called softly, leaning forward and fighting the lump in to speak.

                He turned away from her, trying to wipe his tear streaked face as discreetly as possible.  She wasn’t surprised when he didn’t say anything at first and just sat next to him, waiting patiently though all she wanted to do was hug him tight and tell him everything was going to be okay.  Not that she could do that right now when she herself was the issue…  She studied her fingernails intently until he finally spoke.

                “Do you really love him?” he murmured from behind his arm, the sound slightly distorted with his still hidden face.

                Luna didn’t answer immediately, though she gave a slow nod which he wasn’t able to see.  Her response in the room had been knee-jerk, blurted before she’d had a chance to actually evaluate it and decide if it was true or not.  Having said it, there had to be at least a measure of truth one way or the other though.  “Yes,” she admitted carefully.  “At least I think so.”

                “And me?” he prompted, still not looking her direction, gaze fixed on the bench in front of them.

                She cringed at the question.  That one was harder, largely because he was right here and she’d already managed to break his heart once.  She didn’t want to do so again but all she could be was open at this point.  It took her two false starts of opening without sound coming out, causing him to look over at her, before she explained, “I like you, Jong.  A lot.  I really do,” she assured him, finally laying a hand on his shoulder.  “It’s just… different.”

                “Why not me?  Why him?” he asked with a helpless gesture, sniffing once, eyes still red but his complexion was starting to even out again.

                Luna frowned, “That’s not a fair question.  And even if I could give you a decent answer, would you like it?” she responded, forcing a nervous laugh that still fell flat.

                He had to laugh at himself with that one, the barest beginnings of a smile crossing his face.  “No.  Probably not,” he admitted, finally unfolding and placing his feet on the ground, resting his hands on the bench beside him.  “I shouldn’t have punched him,” he sighed heavily, not meeting her gaze.  “Or hit him… there,” he grimaced with a half-hearted gesture.  “Or said what I did.”

                While she agreed with him, she felt it rude to actually say so just now so held her tongue for the moment.  “Jong…”

                “I keep thinking that if I’d done something more or differently, this would be different,” he motioned at the two of them, indicating the talk they were having.  “It feels like I missed something that should have been obvious and lost you.”

                “You haven’t lost me,” she told him swiftly, sliding closer.  “I’m not going anywhere unless you want me to,” she murmured, pulling back slightly.

                “No!” he jerked, reaching out to grab her hand so she wouldn’t leave.  “Don’t go…” he whispered, not able to meet her gaze but keeping his hold on her hand.

                Luna’s vision blurred with tears and she sniffed once, covering his hand with her other one, holding tight.  “I won’t.”

                His breathing was shaky when he spoke again, his grip tightening on hers.  “I don’t know if I can be just your friend right now,” he sighed, looking at her with obvious fear that the words would scare her off.  She chewed her lip but didn’t look away, holding his gaze as best she could, blurry eyes and all.  “I mean, look at you.  You’re perfect,” he smiled, wiping at his eyes hastily when tears threatened to fall again.

                “Not hardly,” she denied, feeling a sob bubble up in .

                “Yes, you are,” he told her, picking her chin up with his free hand when she would have looked down.  “And he better treat you as such, Luna.”  She nodded mutely, hiccupping quietly instead of crying out loud.

                “Thank you,” she whispered in a tiny voice, giving him a brave smile.  Her hands tightened on his and she swallowed enough to ask, “Are you going to be alright?”

                “Me?” he asked, slowly building himself back up piece by piece; at least on the outside.  “Of course,” he winked.  “I’m not right now, because damn…” he shook his head and took another deep breath.  “But I will be.”

                “I really am sorry, Jong,” she stated as earnestly as she could, feeling about ready to fall to pieces then and there.

                “Me too,” he coughed, offering a weak dinosaur grin.

                “For what?” she responded, the question mostly finished before he closed the distance between them and stole a surprisingly tender kiss from her lips.  “Oh…!” she gasped, leaning back and placing her fingers to her lips while they both blushed profusely.

                “Couldn’t resist,” he admitted bashfully, letting go of her hand and sliding over to give her space as he wiped his palms on his thighs.  “You should uh… probably be heading back.  He might get… you know… worried or something,” he laughed forcefully, the sound awkward.

                “Um… right,” she nodded, getting to her feet slowly, her fingers still on her lips.  “Jong,” she stated as she got to the door.  He looked back at her expectantly, a heartbreaking glimmer of hope in his face.  “Thank you.”

                Jonghyun’s face fell for a fraction of a second before he smiled brightly and nodded, the effect forced.  “Any time,” he laughed with an iota of his usual bravado.  He waved back when she did and waited until the door was closed behind her before he collapsed on the bench, legs propped up while he stared at the ceiling.  “You… are an idiot,” he groaned, covering his eyes with his arm and desperately fighting the encroaching tears once more.

                Luna returned to the cargo hold as if in a dream.  It felt like it simply couldn’t be real: her declaration; Jonghyun’s tears; Kris’s affection…  Any one of them would have been enough to make her head spin.  Right now with everything, she simply didn’t know what to feel, second guessing herself at every step.

                Part of her world solidified once more when she made it back and saw Kris seated against the far wall where his bed used to be when he was still healing.  Eunhyuk was on his usual perch, while neither Key nor Victoria was visible if they were there at all and Yixing was still not back yet.  Kris was reading a new book but he peered over the edge of it curiously when she stepped inside, setting it aside and smiling at her warmly.  “How is he?” he asked, getting to his feet stiffly as she got closer.

                She started to shake her head and then nod but the motion just came off as confused and she frowned; an expression he found incredibly cute on her.  “Alright… but not really…” she trailed off in a small voice, fidgeting nervously in place.

                Kris moved closer and placed his fingers under her chin, tilting her face up so he could see her eyes.  “More importantly, how are you?” he smiled down at her, lip partly swollen and cheek beginning to bruise, but otherwise well enough.

                She gave a shaky laugh and clasped his hand in both of hers, holding it lightly in front of her.  “I don’t know,” she admitted, her voice trembling.  If someone would have told her it was possible to feel elated and terrible at the same time, she would have said they were crazy…  Not so much anymore.

                They both heard Key say something in the universal tongue from his enclosure and while Luna looked puzzled, Kris just chuckled with a shake of his head.

                “What did he say?” she asked, looking both worried and curious.

                “He said I should shut up and kiss you already,” he admitted, looking down at her with gentle eyes, a tender smile pulling at his mouth.

                “Oh!” she gasped, hiding her face behind her hands when she started to blush.

                With infinite care, Kris pulled her hands away from her face with one of his, using the other to cup her cheek, helping to guide her lips to his.  When he slid his free hand to rest against her lower back, she stiffened briefly and then relaxed against him, both hands grabbing to his shirt lightly.  Reluctantly, Kris pulled away, giving them a chance to breathe as he looked at her in all seriousness, their faces still close, “It will be alright.”

                Luna searched his face intently, hands tightening on his shirt.  “Promise?” she asked breathlessly, her voice almost inaudible.

                “I promise,” he nodded, wrapping his arms around her protectively as he pulled her into his warm embrace.  Luna buried her face in his chest and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly.  Kris combed the back of her head with his hand and added, “I will make sure of it.”  He felt her nod her head in agreement, her arms relaxing slightly as she forced herself to relax.  How he had earned her love, he didn’t know, but he was damn certain he would not squander it.

                “And you know, I would have said he was a lousy fellow until only a few days ago,” Yesung told Yixing earnestly at the dining hall table, jabbing his finger into the surface in his excitement.

                “But you have said he is a lousy fellow.  On numerous occasions,” Yixing reminded him, arms crossed lightly on the tabletop as he regarded the human.

                “Because he was, but it’s amazing what a little bribery can do,” he winked, grinning widely as he rubbed his hands together.  At Yixing’s inquisitive expression, he rolled his eyes and explained, “You know how him and Jonghyun were butting heads so much?”  The unicorn nodded in understanding, patiently waiting for the rest.  “Well, Kris noticed how much trouble it was causing Luna, and damn well he should.  Both of them for that matter,” he grumbled, briefly derailed.

                “So where does bribery come in?” Yixing prompted when he seemed too distracted.

                “Oh!  Right.  Well, Kris unbent his pride enough to actually ask the one and only... me!”  Again, Yixing seemed confused.  “Oh come on, Xing.  You are hopeless.  Who better to ask about Luna than her best friend and roommate?”

                “So you helped him?” Yixing asked brightly, expression dimming when his companion smirked.

                “Of course!  For a price,” he chuckled.  “He let me ride him in dragon form in exchange for… eh… guidance,” he nodded proudly.  At Yixing’s disappointed look, Yesung frowned, “Oh come on.  He’s a dragon!  You can’t tell me you haven’t wanted to ride one before?”

                “Actually, no,” the unicorn shook his head.

                Yesung gave him a deadpan expression and then waved off his lack of concern.  “Anyway.  So he asked me about how to get her attention so I told him to stop trying so hard.  You know.  Play hard to get.  Trust me.  Chasing her down like those two were doing just freaks her out.”

                “I see,” Yixing nodded, brow furrowed in thought.  “And it worked?”

                “Of course it worked!” Yesung assured him with one fist raised in the air in victory.  “If something had changed about someone and you didn’t know what, what would you do?” he asked the unicorn.

                “I would find out what was wrong with them,” he answered quickly, gesturing towards the other male with a slender hand.

                “Exactly!  And that’s what Luna would do too,” he smiled smugly.  “She can’t stand it when someone she considers a friend won’t talk to her and with the goo-goo eyes she’s been giving the dragon, he was definitely on her friend list.  And besides, Jong’ll be fine.  It’s not like he’ll just give up either.  He might be down for now, but you can bet he’s not out.  I can guarantee he won’t give up and it’s not like you guys are going to be here forever,” he shrugged, the logic making perfect sense to him.

                “You are a strange human, Yesung,” Yixing blinked at him quickly, tilting his head to the side again.

                “And you’re a unicorn,” Yesung retaliated, hitting his fist lightly on the table.  Both looked at each other, neither entirely sure where he was going with that statement.

                They continued to regard each other until Henry arrived, setting his tray down and settling between them.  “So?  What’d I miss?” he asked, grinning between the two.

(a/n:  Yay!  Finished!  I hope the ending is satisfactory as well and that you enjoyed the outcome.  I swear I'm terrible with lengths too.  heh  This was supposed to be a oneshot.  *face palm*  Ah well.  Thank you very much for reading and I hope you look forward to future installments, whatever they might be.  Remember, I don't really update this one until I have a suggestion or request from someone so if you have something, I am all ears.  ^_^)