Yu Xi finally looked away from the window, the flames now distant embers in the sky. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the snack packet of dried fruit, the one Jian Ci had tossed to him earlier. He opened it slowly, as if unsure whether to eat it now or not. He ate one, and for a brief moment, a smile flickered across his face. Fleeting. Fragile.
Jian Wei, still working at the server interface, caught the movement from the corner of his eye. He had seen Jian Ci drape the blanket over Yu Xi's shoulders. He had also seen the way Yu Xi stared at his brother. It was a lingering gaze that made him unsettled.
He turned toward the cockpit, where Jian Rui sat in the copilot seat, eyes forward.
Jian Wei pulled up a chat interface on his floating screen and typed:
What the fuck is going on.
Jian Rui glanced at him, then typed back:
We need a specimen. You know that. He's the best choice. And he's willing.
Jian Wei frowned and typed:
What did you promise him.
No reply.
Jian Wei sent a single symbol: ?
Then looked up, gesturing impatiently.
Jian Rui sighed and finally responded:
Nothing I can't afford.
AN: Somebody sold his brother lol.
Jian Wei pressed the tip of his tongue against his cheek, dissatisfied. That answer was too vague and it didn't sit right with him.
***
The docking clamps hissed and locked with thunderous finality, the sound reverberating through the cavernous hangar bay of the SS Halo. The warship's interior loomed like a cathedral forged from steel and shadow, its vaulted ceilings laced with gantries and suspended cargo, illuminated by the cold gleam of overhead floodlights. A sleek and dark spacecraft settled into its cradle like a predator returning to its lair.
The crew stopped what they were doing and turned toward the docking bay, forming rows with military precision. Their helmets were tucked under their arms, boots aligned and their eyes forward. The shuttle's doors hissed open.
Jian Rui stepped into the light. Tall, composed, his long coat shimmered faintly with embedded command sigils. His presence was magnetic, the kind that bent silence around it. The crew saluted in unison, fists to hearts, boots clicking against metal.
"At ease," Jian Rui said, voice calm but resonant. "Carry on with your work. "
The spell broke and the crew dispersed, urgency renewed, though many cast lingering glances toward the newcomer.
Jian Ci emerged next, casual but alert. Yu Xi followed, his gaze drawn upward to the massive banners hanging from the rafters with the symbols of the Halo's campaigns. It was a burning star near a shattered moon surrounded by a red tide.
Jan Rui had to hide their activities beneath those banners because if his father discovered what they were doing, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Jian Wei stepped out last, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched Jian Ci and Yu Xi. Something in their quiet proximity unsettled him. He didn't say anything, but the suspicion in his gaze lingered like static in the air.
"Jian Ci, show Yu Xi where he'll be staying. Get him cleaned up," said Jian Rui his voice stern.
Jian Ci gave a half-smile. "Sure. It will be my pleasure." He turned to Yu Xi, voice softer. "Let's go."
Yu Xi nodded and followed without a word, his steps quiet but steady.
As the elevator doors closed behind them, Jian Wei crossed his arms and stepped closer to Jian Rui. "You are really not going to tell me?"
Jian Rui didn't look at him. "Why are you asking so many questions?"
Jian Wei scoffed. "When have you ever kept something from me?"
"Plenty of times," Jian Rui replied. "You just have to accept that there are things I won't tell you."
Jian Wei ran a hand through his hair, frustration simmering. "Yeah, but those things weren't important. This is."
He exhaled sharply. "Fine, fine. Keep it from me. But when it blows up in your face, don't come running to me."
Jian Rui smirked. "Now you are just emotionally blackmailing me."
"Keep me out of it," Jian Wei muttered, turning on his heel and heading back to the spacecraft. He barked at the crew, "Be careful with that server!"
Meanwhile, in the elevator, Jian Ci stood beside Yu Xi, excitedly chattering. Yu Xi didn't need to speak at all because Jian Ci filled the silence with ease, his voice light and unguarded. "You will stay in the cabin next to mine. If you need anything, just come by… anytime. I am always free."
Yu Xi nodded. "Okay. Thanks."
Jian Ci waved a hand. "Don't keep saying thanks. We are friends now, aren't we? Or… don't you want to be my friend?"
Yu Xi blinked, his surprise flickering only in his eyes. Jian Ci's openness was disarming. Most people actually liked him but because of his status, he didn't have any close friends. This was why Jian Ci genuinely wanted to be friends with Yu Xi, and he was going to cling to him like a tick.
When Yu Xi didn't reply, Jian Ci's shoulders drooped slightly. If he had a tail, it would have been dragging behind him.
But this moment of sadness passed as quickly as it came. Jian Ci perked up again. "I get it. You need time to warm up to me. I will work hard to win your heart."
Yu Xi tilted his head, one brow arching. He was beginning to understand that Jian Ci rarely thought through his words before speaking. It made it very easy for one to misunderstand his meaning.
The elevator doors slid open.
"Come," Jian Ci said. "This is the right floor."
They stepped into a wide passageway. Jian Ci gestured ahead. "This is the common area."
It was spacious, almost luxurious. A bar lined one wall, couches arranged in conversational clusters, and a massive window stretched across the far side, revealing the vast sea of stars beyond.
"There is everything you need here," Jian Ci said, gesturing around the corridor with a casual sweep of his hand. "But if you want food, we will have to go to the cafeteria on level six."
Yu Xi nodded, his gaze drifting across the polished walls and soft lighting.