"No." The response was curt and certain, without any room for anything other than its answer.

"It'll be quick, I swear!"

"No." This time it came out even firmer than the first time.

"Ulgar, you're being a stick in the mud, come on- I don't want to walk alone." Luca frowned as he tilted his head up at the lengthy boy before him. They presently stood at the edge of the Astra's ramp down, still turning despite nobody being on it. In fact, nobody was really around in general. They were alone on the sandy shore of an unnamed planet and most everyone was inside, except perhaps Kanata who tended to stray around the ship at this time of day.

"Well, figure it out." Ulgar shrugged, turning on his heel towards the ship's ramp.

"Oh come on, part of you wants to go, right? Otherwise you wouldn't have come!" Luca bounced on his toes excitedly, "Zach said he couldn't find any predatory animals or plants listed on this island, just some fish and rodent-ish things, we'll be fine." The small boy bounced in front of Ulgar, providing a wide grin, "Please?"

Ulgar rolled his eyes, "I'm not takin' my chances and neither should you." He narrowed his dark eyes.

"Oh? It almost sounds like you'd care if something happened to me~ Such character development~" Luca teased, leaning forward with his arms crossed behind him.

Ulgar gave the boy a light shove on the shoulder and walked around him back to the edge of the ramp, "Kanata would have my head if he thinks at all that it's my fault you're gone."

"So it would be in your best interest to come with me if I go for a wa~alk?" Luca pressed his tongue between his teeth.

"Not worth it. I'd rather Kanata try and kill me then get killed out there." The lengthy boy stepped onto the ramp, allowing it to pull him up with his back to Luca.

"Ulgar!" Luca protested with a squeak.

"Sorry you chose death." Ulgar didn't turn around as he neared the entrance of the ship, lifting a hand to do a mock salute before carding a hand through his hair. This prompted his beanie to tip back and fall off his head, past the ramp and to the sandy shore where Luca stood. Ulgar's eyes widened and he quickly turned around, meeting Luca's bright eyes a moment too late.

The lavender-haired boy made a dive for the beanie before booking it into the woods.

"LUCA!" Ulgar roared, and in a matter of seconds, had jumped off the side of the ramp and was sprinting after the smaller.

Luca immediately felt the adrenaline kick in with the bellowing he heard behind him, kicking up sand behind him as he reached the treeline of the woods surrounding the beach of the foreign planet's island. Kanata was wrong when he said there were no predators around here, he hadn't accounted for Ulgar.

Blue eyes widened significantly as Luca reached a thick row of trees, he gripped the beanie tightly, looking left and right before realizing he'd have to go up. Placing the beanie gently in his mouth, Luca took a running start at a larger tree, gripping the trunk and pulling himself up as fast as he could, reaching one of the lower branches and catching his breath.

Ulgar broke through the bushes a few feet away seconds later, a look of pure rage on his face, letting out a snort as he looked around to find that Luca had disappeared.

"Luca I'm going to kill you if I find you, bring it back now." Ulgar snarled, glaring around wildly.

Luca felt a sudden, genuine fear for his life. Ulgar didn't sound like he was kidding.

There was the sound of twigs snapping and bushes rustling a few feet away.

"Think you're funny, huh?" The jet-haired boy growled, "I'm done playing games, Luca." He faced the twitching bush.

Luca's eyes narrowed- that was...a lot of rustling, and if he was in the tree, Ulgar was on the ground, then who-

"Get out of the bushes, Luca!" Ulgar shouted towards the rustling.

"I-" Luca whispered, but it was drowned out by a clicking growl that sounded from the rustling bush, prompting the boy in the tree to grow deadly silent, and for Ulgar's eyes to widen, taking a step back and reaching for his holster, one that Luca himself had made for him.

"Luca.." Ulgar murmured, unlocking the top of the holster.

The small boy's eyes darted to the bush, narrowing as he tried to focus on what he could see through the foliage. His eyes landed on someone else's...something else's..? Two round, dark eyes reflected in the moonlight. He was just barely able to make out a figure before, "Ulgar, that's not me!" He shrieked, but a moment too late as the beast leapt through the bushes at Ulgar.

All Luca had managed to do was distract the boy, who looked up at him with wide eyes before being pummeled to the ground by a mass of fur.

Luca clung to his tree branch tightly as he tried to make out what was happening at the moment. He focused on the beast at large- a massive rodent-looking creature, possessing claws stained with what was most likely blood, fresh and old. Its fur was a musty brown, matted to its body, all the way up to its head, where a bloody snout was presently snapping its sharp jaws at Ulgar who held the beast by its shoulders, limbs shaking from the exertion of holding up its body weight.

"Luca, run!" The dark haired teen yelled above the enraged squeals that the rodent of unusual size was making.

Luca couldn't move, because he knew if he did that he'd have to make a decision. He could run back to the ship- but one wrong move of Ulgar's and that thing would have his neck. There wouldn't be enough time to get help. He could try and help- but with what weapon? He only had himself-

"Luca!" This time, Ulgar's voice sounded like a genuine plea, and prompted Luca to make his mind up.

He did have himself- and with that, Luca fastened the beanie onto his head, and proceeded to launch himself from the tree, stumbling onto the rodent's back.

Disoriented, the creature reared onto its hind legs, kicking its front legs out as it began to spin, attempting to dislodge whatever was on its back.

"Ulgar, shoot!" Luca shrieked as he clung tighter to the animal, squinting his eyes as he tried to force them not to entirely squeeze shut.

"I-I might shoot you!" The other boy's voice wavered.

"A-Aw come on, it wouldn't be the first time." Luca tried teasing, despite the situation.

"That's not- this is different!" Ulgar already had the gun in his hand though, aimed towards the rodent.

"If I let go, it'll crush me, if you don't shoot, it'll crush me!" Luca shouted sternly, "Shoot!"

Ulgar assessed the situation in a matter of seconds and realized Luca was right, the beast was spinning but it was losing its balance, when it fell, it would fall on its back, and Luca wouldn't have enough time to get off. He raised the gun higher, finding a place to aim. He prayed that Luca wouldn't be the one to find his bullet- and shot.

With an ear splitting scream, the creature began to stagger.

"Luca, get off!" Ulgar demanded.

The small teen launched himself in Ulgar's direction, only for the massive rodent to thwack a paw at him as it fell, causing the boy to tumble and roll to the ground.

"Luca-" Ulgar took in a short, quiet breath, moving to where the boy was but stopping when the rodent began to twitch, "Bastard, you hurt him!" Lifting his gun again, Ulgar fired two shots into the rodent's side, causing blood to spray from it before it stilled with a quieting shriek. Panting from the exhilaration of the moment, Ulgar kept his dark eyes trained on the rodent until it ceased to breath, only then did he let up and lower his weapon. He scrambled to shove it back in the holster, not bothering to close it before he dipped to Luca's side, knees gently touching the ground beside him as his hands hovered over the small, curled up body of the boy who had just launched himself on top of a monster for him. Ulgar's lips twitched as if he had something to say, but no words came out as he gently wrapped an arm under Luca's torso and legs, pulling the boy up bridal-style and turning back towards the ship.

He began to jog quickly back towards the shore, eyes flickering from the still boy in his arms and then the nearing ocean. Luca was breathing, he could feel, but his eyes were half-lidded and his limbs were limp, "I told you not to do this, you stubborn-" Ulgar's voice cracked as he held on tighter to the limp body in his arms, he couldn't bring himself to say a word against the boy in his arms. Luca might be stubborn, and a bit of a tease, but he was the only person Ulgar actually found himself fond of on this hell trip. He should have just agreed to go on the walk and then maybe they'd have been able to escape this situation better, now he could be seriously hurt, and it would be Ulgar's fault and- the jet-haired boy looked down at the beanie on Luca's head and felt his face grow warm with what felt might be tears, but he wasn't sure. He was not letting Luca die.

"What happened!?" Kanata shrieked as Ulgar placed Luca's body down on one of the matts set up in their make-shift medbay.

"Rodents..of unusual size- it took one of its paws and hit him to the ground-" Ulgar was pushed away from Luca's side, giving him cause to turn and snap at whoever had just done so, "Hey! I was-"

"Where did it hit him?" Quitterie demanded.

"I-I don't know, the back of his head- I-I think-" Ulgar stammered as he tried to decide whether he should continue to be snappy at the girl or not...looking over at Luca's face, relaxed but surely in pain, he decided not.

"Okay," Quitterie nodded, "Did he get hurt anywhere else?" She turned to where Zach had entered the room as the ship was slowly beginning to stir.

"What-"Zach began, but was cut off by his fiance.

"Get me a flashlight."

"Mm." The white-haired boy nodded quickly before promptly turning around, simultaneously ushering some gathering people from the hallway back to the bunks.

"No, just the head I think." Ulgar sounded genuinely nervous.

"Okay. He's probably just out from the blunt trauma to his head but he might have a bit of a concussion-" Quitterie turned to Zach who sprinted back in with a small flashlight, handing it immediately to the girl who held her hand out for it.

Quitterie leaned over Luca's mostly-still body and gently pushed his eyelids away from his right eye, shining the flashlight into them and frowning as the pupil lacked a recline in dilation. She repeated the process with the left eye before nodding and sitting back, "He's concussed."

Ulgar fidgeted, "Which means?"

"Well, I won't know how bad it is until he wakes up- here, help me turn him over." Quitterie grabbed Luca's hips while Ulgar hesitated to grab his shoulders before they turned him over, "Hold his head gently up so it doesn't hit the ground." Quitterie demanded.

Ulgar did as he was told and gently caressed Luca's cheek, an action which caused his face to heat up as the blonde girl beside him began to inspect Luca's head.

"It doesn't seem to be like there are any signs of internal bleeding or an open wound, so chances are the blunt force knocked him out and the combination of that and hitting the ground caused the concussion- which is good, it means it wasn't due to something getting entirely knocked out of place, as far as I can tell." The tan girl nodded, sitting back.

"So...what do we do?" The lithe boy found himself unconsciously brushing a thumb across Luca's cheek as he sat there..and what with the fact that Luca's hair covered this action, he continued doing so.

"He needs to stay laying down, but if he wakes up, keep him awake." Quitterie turned the flashlight on and sat up.

"Who, me?" Ulgar blinked in surprise.

"If you don't want to, you don't have to." The blonde sighed.

Ulgar thought over this for a moment before shaking his head, "No, it's fine.."

"Great. If he wakes up, shout for me or someone nearby, you shouldn't leave his side- and remember, keep him awake."

Ulgar nodded, and with the Quitterie followed Zach back to the showers.

It was now Kanata's turn to approach, "What were you two doing alone in the woods? It's dangerous to be exploring a foreign planet, especially alone, at night, without telling anyone." The captain's eyes narrowed.

"It was his idea, I said no but he pushed and I wasn't going to let him...go alone." Ulgar shrugged.

"I thought Zach said there weren't any predators out there-"

"Well, he was wrong." Ulgar snapped.

"No need to get short with me, geez." The captain scratched the back of his head.

Ulgar kept his gaze on Luca's still form, chest gently rising and falling.

"You really care about him, huh..?"

The lithe boy looked over Luca. He had almost completely forgotten what had prompted him to follow the boy into the woods, and the anger he'd felt towards him. It didn't particularly matter to him at this moment.

While Ulgar didn't answer, Kanata's eyes fell to where Luca wore Ulgar's beanie. A small smile crept onto his face and he nodded, "I'll leave you to it." And with that, Kanata disappeared down the hall of the ship.

Ulgar sighed in relief once he was gone. He shifted his weight so he sat diagonally on his knees, pressing his thumb gently to Luca's face once more and quietly stroking it along the soft features of his jaw, "Damn this planet."

Several hours passed as Ulgar kept his ground, sitting beside Luca and staying despite Kanata's offer to switch out. He knew as soon as he got too genuinely tired to switch out that he should...but even as his eyes fluttered closed, Ulgar couldn't find a way to leave Luca's side. He wasn't going to- but he shouldn't be offering to watch over him if he couldn't do a good job of it..just then, his thoughts were stirred awake as his hand felt Luca's face move, and a small whine escaped the boy's lips. Ulgar's eyes opened and he pressed his thumb only slightly more to the light-haired boy's cheek, prompting him to wake up entirely.

"M..head..." Luca whispered out.

Ulgar felt his heart leap up in relief, only for the feelings of excitement to turn to concern as Luca tried to sit up. He quickly, gently placed a hand on Luca's chest, pushing him back down before profusely blushing at the more voluminous feeling under his hand, prompting him to move it up to Luca's collarbone.

This caused Luca to chuckle in amusement, "What're you doin...?" Luca's words came out slurred and tired.

"You need to stay laying down- er, but don't fall asleep." Ulgar informed.

"I'm so tired though.." Luca murmured, eyes beginning to close again.

"Hey, wake up-" Ulgar tried before pausing and moving his hand up to Luca's cheek, quickly stroking it with his thumb, and immediately causing the other boy's eyes to flutter open.

"That's cute." Luca giggled tiredly.

"Shut up." Ulgar blushed with a glare, "I don't have to be here, you know."

Luca seemed to ponder on this, "Why are you then..?" He muttered.

Ulgar felt his skin crawl with heat, "Because I was told to."

"You just said you didn't have ta bee here." Luca giggled, "You wanna' be here, don't'ch'ya?~" The blue-eyed boy cooed teasingly.

Ulgar removed his hand, "I don't have to be doing this, I-" The jet-haired boy felt goosebumps form on the back of his neck as Luca reached forward and gently took his hand.

"Um..can you put it back?" Luca whispered.

"Back..?" Ulgar's brain short-circuited before Luca shakily guided his hand back to his face.

Ulgar was sure there was no hiding his blush now.

"You can uh, you can move your thumb like it was before...if you want." Luca blinked, looking down at the hand.

Ulgar felt his chest might give way with how fast his heart was beating, but this didn't keep him from quietly, gently stroking Luca's cheek.

"Mm.." Luca gave a happy hum and closed his eyes.

"I can't do it if it makes you sleepy." Ulgar frowned.

"Well, do somethin' else then.." Luca yawned.

"How about you just stay awake?" The lithe boy snorted.

"You can play with my hair if you'd like to, I promise it's soft- I steal Zach's conditioner sometimes." Luca giggled.

Ulgar felt his chest begin to convulse once more, but temptation took control of pride as he grazed his hand up along Luca's face, causing the boy to grin at the light touch, before carefully brushing his hair behind his ear, "Like...this...?"

"Mhm, anyway ya' want." Luca couldn't contain a light blush that crept onto his face, though he didn't mind it as much as Ulgar.

"You know, I'm only doing this because Quitterie told me to keep you awake and you're being stubborn." Ulgar grumbled.

"Mm, whatever the reason." Luca hummed.

Ulgar moved his hand up to run it through Luca's hair before pausing at the beanie.

Luca seemed to notice his pause and suddenly became aware of the beanie atop his head. His featured began to turn scarlet, "Th-the beanie's still-?"

"Y-You hurt your head, I-I didn't want to upset it by moving it, alright?" Ulgar stammered out.

The lavender-haired boy paused before giggling, which turned into chuckling, which turned into laughing.

"What? What's so funny? Stop- you shouldn't be moving this much- Luca-" Ulgar stuttered

"You said you were going to kill me over this beanie, and now you're keeping it on my head so it doesn't hurt me?" Luca was glowing.

"Sh-Shut up! I can take it ba-"

"No!" Luca reached up and held the beanie to his head with a slight wince, "I mean...unless you want it back."

Ulgar felt his heart melt and he sighed, "No.." He hesitated after a long bout of silence, "It...looks good on you anyhow."

Luca's eyes brightened as he looked up at Ulgar, who made the mistake of making eye-contact. This held for several moments, "Ulgar.." Luca murmured.

"Mm..?" Ulgar couldn't explain the trance he was in as he kept his eyes gently locked on Luca's picking out every change in color within them.

"Thank you...for coming after me and saving me..?" Luca started to look away before catching Ulgar smile in the corner of his eye.

"Uh..yeah, ditto." Ulgar nodded.

There was a long pause as the eye-contact was kept between the boys, and Luca wasn't sure if he had been the first to leanin, or if Ulgar had, but he knew he was the first to reach up and touch the other boy's face.

This prompted Ulgar to gently press his face into the other boy's hand instinctively, "I didn't mean to.." His voice was a whisper that gently trailed off into silence as Luca began to sit up, "You shouldn't be.." Ulgar leaned forward to press Luca gently back down, and in doing so, prompted their faces to near each other even more, until Luca's back touched the ground and there was no more space to be left.

Ulgar's lips lightly touched Luca's as his eyes slowly slid closed.

Luca followed suit as his eyes fluttered shut before he leaned his head impossibly closer, pressing their lips into a sweet kiss that lasted only a few seconds before both boys pulled away, looking anywhere but at each other's face.

"Yeah..that'll definitely keep me up for awhile.." Luca whispered.

Ulgar could only nod, barely able to comprehend what had just happened.

"M-Maybe we should uh- do it again to-" Luca couldn't finish his sentence before the taller boy's lips were once again locked against his, this kiss was longer, deeper, and more passionate than the first, and Luca was certain- he wasn't going to be sleeping anytime soon.

***

Bonus:

"Ulgar-"

"They must have just not shown up until later-"

"Ulgar."

"Bruises can come late!"

"Ulgar, that rodent did not leave human-sized bite marks and bruises on Luca's neck." Quittere's eyes narrowed at Ulgar while Luca covered his red features from where he lay on his still.

"How do you know!" Ulgar scoffed, crossing his arms over his chest with a roll of his eyes from where he stood a few feet away.

"Because his lips are just as bruised as his neck, you moron!"