Shae walked just a little behind Hosoek through the evening air. It wasn't pitch black outside, but darkness was creeping in and fading the color of the world to grey tones around them.

Hoseok was frustrated. He was so good at skipping over tension, making a laugh! Why couldn't he seem to do that now?

Shae blushed to herself. I understand that they still want me to have a babysitter 24/7, but I have to say... everyone is just so easy with accepting this situation. Me. Hobi. Staying together. It's just so... weird to me.

They had reached the barracks and Hoseok pressed his palm into the security panel. Then he stepped aside and gestured for Shae to go first. She stepped past him, her eyes low and averted, through the threshold.

Hoseok cleared his throat. "I'll be out here. Let me in once you've changed and such."

"Right. Ok." The door slid shut, slicing through their tension, and both of them sighed in relief on opposite sides of that door.

"Shae, you can do this. You can have a normal conversation with Jung Hoseok. You've done it dozens of times." She muttered encouragements to herself while she went about changing into more comfortable clothes.

Hoseok was muttering to himself, too. "Chill out, man. This isn't what it looks like, so just get your head outta that space and talk to her like you always do. Like a beautiful girl who you love to tease, whose laugh is like a Christmas present in every season. Just do that, Hoseok. Forget all this other stuff, it doesn't matter..."

Eventually, the door opened again at Shae's doing. She stood there in a matching pajama set with bulky red socks crumpling the ends of her loose black pajama pants. She held one of Hoseok's pillows against her stomach, and Hoseok couldn't help but think how she managed to look both sexy and innocent at the same time.

He swallowed.

"Well, you can come in now. I won't bite," Shae said through a smile.

Hoseok obliged, and he entered the tiny barrack space. When the door slid heavily behind them both, he realized just how close they were standing to each other. Warmth spread through his skin, but he realized there was nowhere to hide from it.

He stepped towards his truck of clothes and began to rummage through it. "Uh, I'm gonna change."

Shae said softly, "Oh. Should I turn around?"

"I mean, you can look if you want," he said with his typical sass, making her giggle. But his joke and her laugh didn't feel quite as lighthearted as usual.

Shae turned her back, still standing by the door. She could hear the rustle of his clothes as some peeled from his body, and others were pulled on to replace them. He traded his body armor for baggy gym shorts and a lumpy purple hoodie.

When he turned around fully clothed again, it was to stare at Shae's back. Her pajamas were loose and unrevealing. That didn't stop his eyes from tracing down the curve of her neck and drinking in the small dips in the top of her spine with greedy eyes.

"Sh-Shae?"

She kept her back to him, her arms tightening around the pillow she was holding. "Yes, Hobi?"

"Are you ok?"

Not thinking, she turned around. But he was already changed, and still standing across the short distance of the barrack space. "Why do you ask?"

"You... you went through something serious today, Shae. You seem alright, but I just wanted to make sure."

She shrugged. "I guess I did, huh?"

Hoseok smiled at her like a father at a child, admiring and proud. Shae didn't quite understand the look on his face.

He went on, "You're such a good friend, Shae. It's just... it's admirable. What you do for Ava on any given day. What you did for Kookie today."

"I love them," she answered plainly. "I'd do anything for them."

And I'd do anything for you, he thought. But he instantly felt embarrassed by the thought, flush creeping into his sunkissed ears.

"I just wanted to ask. Anyway, you want some tea? I can make some instant, it's no problem." He turned towards the small table that was next to his bed and cluttered with books. Shae noticed that there was also a box of tea and an electric kettle on the floor next to it.

"That would be lovely."

She walked past him and decided to crawl right up onto his bed and sit with her legs tucked underneath her while she watched him crouched down and moving his strong hands in such a normal, careful way while he prepared the the tea. Watching him in this way was soothing to her.

He went on, "Shae, can I confess something?"

She cocked her head to one side, confused but earnest. "What is it, Hobi?"

The hot water poured, filling a ceramic mug that bobbed with a tea bag in it. The herbal blend emitted a fruity red color as the surface of the water steamed gently. He extended the mug carefully towards her before turning to pour his own mug.

"I was really worried today about safety and preparing for some people from one of our partner camps to come and visit... and, here, I think you've gone and solved all of my worries doing what you did today. And I'm just amazed and relieved." He took his mug and went to sit on the floor opposite of where Shae sat. He looked up at her with a sunny smile. "You're awesome."

"I don't quite understand what you mean, or even what I did today, but thank you?"

Hoseok blew on the steam rising from his mug. Then he went on to say, "I'm no expert. But you're a Satoor Ai, Shae. Your power... is like this royal authority that the world around you has to bow to. You've made this planet bow to you, kinda. I think that means that this planet will protect you and your people like how before it was... attacking us. I guess."

"So does that mean that I don't need to be in here with you? I'm safe?"

"Hell no," he bristled, "One of Umber's men is still on the loose around here. But I think it does mean you're... safer, yeah."

"Maybe soon, you won't have to watch me so closely then."

"But I like watching you."

Shae blushed, but Hoseok didn't turn his eyes away from her gaze. They looked at each other, he on the floor, she up on his bed, in quiet earnest.

She whispered back, "And I like you watching me, Hobi."

He didn't stir, but her words burst in his gut like fireworks. He said softly, "I won't touch you in here, Shae. I won't bother you like that. I just... I just wanted to say that." He looked shyly down at where his hands cupped around that warm mug in his hands now.

"Ok." Shae sipped her mug, thinking carefully.

Hoseok did the same.

Eventually, she set her mug aside on the bedside table. Then she got up from the bed and walked over to where Hoseok sat and crouched down. Then she leaned forward and pressed her lips gently into his.

It was a quiet, careful kiss, like a secret whispered in the dark.

When she leaned back from him, her blue eyes batted and she smiled earnestly. "I just wanted to kiss you goodnight."

He looked starstruck. "That's ok with me. D-definitely ok."

She smiled. "Ok. Goodnight Hobi. Thank you for your kindness. And the tea."

Then, without thinking, she leaned in and kissed him gently again. This kiss was a hint slower than before, and Hoseok wanted her to linger forever in his space--but she didn't.

They stared into each other, both dazed inside their own cloudy headspace. Shae stood up and backed away towards the bed, folding her arms into her chest. Hoseok could see her mind reeling.

He whispered, "Good night, Shae. If you need anything, you just let me know. I'll be here."

As she crawled into the blankets and turned her back to him, Shae whispered back, "I know."

--

After their party of cards and desserts winded down, Vernon snuck away from the inventory barracks. He avoided main trafficked areas, skirted around a few oncoming lookouts on patrol, and made his stealthy way to Woozi's private bunk. He made a special rhythm of knocks on the door, like the intro to a silly song, and then a few moments later the metal door beneath a canopy tent swung open.

Inside the small, dark barracks, Vernon could see past Woozi. Minghao's dark shaggy hair, eyes closed, his lanky body sprawled out on the tiny bed inside.

"He's asleep early today," Vernon noted.

Woozi nodded. He stepped outside of the barracks and let the door close behind him, separating Minghao's potentially hearing ears from their secretive words.

"How is Ming Ming?" Vernon asked with a hint of laughter at a private joke between them.

"Today's conditioning went well. He should be good for another week of diligent obedience again, no sweat."

"I'm amazed at how well you can control him, Woozi. Honestly. He'd probably kill us all if you didn't."

"You aren't wrong. Now, what's up, V? You have something for me?"

Vernon launched eagerly into his schpeal. "Oh yes! You'll want to hear what happened with Tae, Kookie, Shae and Ava today!"

After Vernon's full account, Woozi's eyes went wide in shock.

Vernon was talking a mile a minute. "...and then that's when I thought, well, if Shae could do that for Kookie, you know maybe she could do something to help Minghao! Right!? I mean, if she could fix Ming, then we could..."

"Vernon."

The excited young man went quiet at Woozi's sharp tone. "Sir?"

"Vernon, you will under no circumstances tell any of them about Minghao's condition. Do you understand?"

"But Woozi, they're good people. I think we should trust them!"

"And I think you should keep quiet and listen to my advice. I'm the one who's kept us alive this long, aren't I?"

Vernon shuffled his foot into the earth in front of him. "I suppose."

"Yes. The answer is yes. So don't say anything, Vernon, and let me handle it. I have a plan and I don't want you screwing it up."

Vernon deflated right before Woozi's eyes as he answered, "Yes, sir. I understand."