For two days, Hongjoong was tense. Tense with remorse over having locked away his dear brother. Tense with anxiousness that it had been a mistake and he would have to face the only other possible person to be the murderer. Tense with nausea that overcame him as he thought about his friends, all five of them, that were dead while he lived. Tense that he would make the wrong decision and not carry their memories home as he was supposed to.

And for two entire days, nothing happened. No suspicious incidents popped up, nobody died. With Jongho locked away in the dark chamber, they had finally found peace.

On the morning of the third day, Hongjoong finally relaxed. While he despised the truth they had discovered, it also meant security. A sense of optimism.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong spent every free moment on the bridge. They watched the system updates closely, ready to jump right in and wing the work of their missing crewmates so they would reach Ginda in one peace. Finally, the spark of hope had returned to both of them. They would make it, and the legacy of their dead friends would live on.

Whenever the couple passed each other at the grand commando central, they brushed their shoulders and arms against each other in a coquettish manner. From time to time, they managed a smile or a flirtatious wink. They didn't have the time to celebrate their success privately, but the promise hovered in the air between them. The second they escaped this dire situation and didn't have to guard both the ship and Jongho anymore, they would jump each other.

When the reminder of Jongho once more breached Hongjoong's brain, he exhaled. Seonghwa threw him a curious glance from where he sat on Yunho's chair and flicked his fingers over the panel so they could enter Ginda's atmosphere without trouble.

"What's wrong?" Worry so genuine and tender that Hongjoong wanted to weep laced Seonghwa's voice. After all the cruelties on the ship, all the suffering, Seonghwa's affection was like a soothing ointment on Hongjoong's agitated nerves.

"Thinking about Jongho again. I wish it wouldn't have been him. Wooyoung was right all along."

With a frown, Seonghwa concentrated on the hologram on the screen ahead that displayed the ship's compartments that needed adjustments in blinking orange.

"You couldn't know. A lot of humans were born and raised on Mars, it made sense that you would trust he's human. I'm sure your parents couldn't have known that when they took him in."

"Right," Hongjoong sighed sadly. What Jongho had done was unforgivable. He had been conscious of his acts and human morals and yet he had murdered instead of coming clean and diminishing the danger. If only they had found more planets around before he succumbed to his instincts. Then nobody would have died and all of them would frolic in the world beyond the territory line now.

"It's a surprise he made it this far without ever getting noticed. I suppose his imitation of a human is very successful as long as the alien is well contained."

"Yeah, he seemed entirely normal, even as a child."

Jongho had been so cute back then. Chubbier than now, with his cheeks and round eyes perfecting the ideal cute playmate that Hongjoong adored having. With age, he had become rougher around the edges and grimmer, as if his past caught up with him over the joy he received from finding a family.

Maybe it was also the alien growing up. One day, he had matured enough that he needed to kill to build his nests. Hongjoong wouldn't be surprised if that had been a milestone in his development.

Ultimately, that could be the reason they found Jongho alone, too. Not discarded by his family. But born alone in a foreign civilisation from a cluster of alien eggs.

"I'm sure the scientists will find out how we can recognise and be safe from his kind. And if he cooperates well, they might try to give him a chance and introduce him back to society. I know they make a huge deal out of that." Seonghwa tried his best uplifting smile. It had Hongjoong grin, too.

"Yeah, and if I explain things to my dad, he might be there to help him through it just as he did for you. I wish only the best for him. Despite all that."

Hongjoong was too kind-hearted, he knew that. But he was weak for his brother, would always be. Rather than seeing him as the enemy, Hongjoong grieved over the thought that Jongho had carried his secret so long by himself. Jongho must have felt very alone with it. In the worst case, he possibly even tried to approach people with honesty and either got ruled out or endangered them.

"That's merciful of you, yes. I'll do my best to help. Negotiation with the scientists and the law might be difficult, but that's what I am here for. To lend my silver tongue." Seonghwa let a flash of it appear between his lips, showing off what he meant. Hongjoong snickered at him.

"Right. Remind me again what that tongue can do?"

Seonghwa rose from his chair dutifully to sweep in and wrap an arm around Hongjoong's waist. A shared smile passed between them when their foreheads gently leaned against each other. Ever the gentleman, Seonghwa tipped Hongjoong to lean into his grip and relax.

"As you wish, Captain."

Then, they kissed, and Hongjoong could forget his worries for a while.

-

The morning before they would dock on Ginda 66VL and finally find their peace, Hongjoong and Seonghwa brought Jongho food together. They made sure to keep the man well fed even if they were wary around him. So far, he had made no move to attack and only sat in a corner glumly. He greatly regretted his deeds, and often enough, they found him pulling on his hair or scratching his skin in frustration.

Hongjoong pitied him. But he knew he couldn't be soft once more. Not so near. If they let Jongho out now and either Seonghwa or Hongjoong died unexpectedly, they might never reach Ginda.

Seonghwa waited next to him with a tray of food held between his hands when Hongjoong knocked on Jongho's door.

"Jongho? We will arrive on Ginda 66VL soon, so we brought you food in case we get swept up. Do you want to eat?"

"Are you alone?" Thin and wobbly, Jongho's voice echoed back out. Surprised, Hongjoong glanced at Seonghwa. Had he been crying?

When Seonghwa shrugged, Hongjoong leaned his mouth back against the door.

"I have Seonghwa with me."

It shouldn't be a surprise. The two of them went everywhere together even when it was safe now. They didn't trust the locked doors.

Jongho gave a shuddering breath. He shuffled around inside while Seonghwa activated the door code.

"You can come in," Jongho muttered.

The door slid open without further ado. When Jongho rose his head from where he sat on the floor hugging his knees and found the two of them looming over him, he scrambled backwards. His panic-stricken eyes bulged out of his head as he tried to become one with the corner next to the supply shelf.

Concerned, Hongjoong took a step in his direction. Seonghwa's arm shot out to hold him back.

"Don't. Don't get too close."

"But he's my-" Hongjoong deflated when he understood. Still seeing Jongho as his helpless little brother might be the most fatal mistake he could make.

Rooted on the spot, Hongjoong directed his gaze back at Jongho. Deliberate as if he had to comfort a shy animal, Hongjoong smiled at him. His eyes searched for the expected nonchalance and cool that he was used to in Jongho's gaze. He found none of it. Only pale terror as he clung to the shelves as if he had to protect himself from them.

"It's him, Hongjoong. Can't you see the darkness in his eyes?"

Jongho's frightened stare was directed at Seonghwa. With the tray clutched in his hands, Seonghwa inclined his head. Surprised, Hongjoong eyed Seonghwa but found him as always.

"What are you talking about, Jongho? Is this a ploy to get us into trusting you, or-"

"No!" He yelled, making Hongjoong flinch back. At the reaction, Jongho cowered further into his broad body that looked small and fragile to Hongjoong's eyes. "No," he repeated, quieter this time. He seemed feverish, leaning back against the shelf to pant.

When both males continued to scrutinise him cluelessly, Jongho collected all of his courage to talk again. His fingers rubbed his wrists now, circling and scratching them until they were red. The craze had his eyes flicker around, unable to look either of them in the faces.

"It's him. I saw him in my dream. He's the monster."

Hongjoong deflated. His inner brows raised, desperate to help Jongho through his confusion. Holding himself back, Hongjoong just nodded along. In some sort of way, even aliens might perceive a mightier entity as a source of fear. Clearly, Seonghwa had become that for him in his dream.

"It was a dream, Jongho. You don't have to be scared." Hongjoong had flashbacks into their childhood. Into either of them coming to each other when they were scared. Jongho because of nightmares, Hongjoong because of big dogs that terrified him back then. Trivial matters that he had long since forgotten about until they resurfaced so painfully now.

Jongho clawed at his wrists. Some skin flaked off to powder on the ground.

"No, Hongjoong- He's the one. You need to be careful, he-"

When Seonghwa suddenly knelt, Jongho lurched back as if bitten by a snake. With careful hands, Seonghwa pushed the tray to Hongjoong, who crouched as well to take over. Once the tray was in front of Jongho, he eyed the meal greedily.

"It's all yours," Seonghwa said quietly. A pleased smile appeared on his lips when Jongho abandoned all gibberish to dig in.

Hongjoong sat down cross-legged to watch him eat as if he hadn't seen a piece of bread in weeks. Satisfied, he withstood the urge to ruffle Jongho's hair.

"What did you dream about?"

Like a bunny, Jongho froze before he continued slower. Some colour returned to his features as he gulped down some water.

He still didn't dare meet Seonghwa's eyes, but he gestured at him with his spoon.

"Him. He came to me in the night and he- Did things. With tentacles. And eggs. I was terrified. I still see the same mocking glint in his eyes." Jongho risked a peek at Seonghwa and quickly averted his eyes again with a shiver.

Hongjoong wanted to ask about it, wanted to know how Jongho felt about the whole alien thing and if he had any control over it. But he didn't know how, and he didn't want to empathise with the creature that had killed all of his friends. Still, Hongjoong missed his brother.

"Can I have more food?"

"Sure."

They fetched another tray full of food and brought it back, happy that at least Jongho's appetite was healthy. Jongho ate his fill until he was calm again and thanked them shyly.

He was scared of what would happen to him at the station, Hongjoong could see it in his eyes. It gnawed on the captain even when he stood with Seonghwa on the bridge and they lowered the Elysium to the docking station. As a group of people in security suits swarmed out to greet them, Hongjoong kept biting his lip. He had arranged a whole lecture to hold to anybody that wanted to do evil or hurtful things to Jongho. Seonghwa and he were more than ready to lift as much burden off his shoulders as possible as a signal of their closeness with the man through all of his life.

Hongjoong's worry barely gave him time to smile about their success.

The team of soldiers met the couple at the ramp. They were heavily armed and greeted them only scarcely before they demanded to be taken to the alien and seize it. Even when Hongjoong tried to explain the situation to them and ask the intergalactic federation for leniency on the matter, the ominous men in black didn't listen. They marched straight ahead to the storage unit and reprimanded Hongjoong how unsafe this place was for holding and how they had cells for that.

Behind their backs, Seonghwa and Hongjoong rolled their eyes at them. As relieved as they were to see other humans again, they just never evolved.

As the soldier team surrounded the closed door, their leader gave a signal to have their weapons ready in case of an emergency. Then, he stepped out of the protective circle to activate the door.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa hovered in the background, strained and ready to step in if necessary.

But the storage room greeted them with yawning emptiness.

Jongho was gone.