Hwang In-Ho is the biggest name in South Korean astronautics. With decades of experience in the country's most ambitious missions, he's known for always working alone or without a permanent team for long periods. Some call him arrogant, others simply reserved. "A lonely man on his own planet of money and fame," is how the gossip pages like to describe him when he's in high spirits.
Seong Gi-Hun is a rising star among KARI's favorites. Having dreamed of becoming an astronaut since childhood, he gained media attention both for his humble origins and for his social activism: His NGO, "Humans Are," is well-known for helping people in vulnerable situations, just as he once was.
When Korea became the first country to lead a manned mission to Jupiter's moons, the agency wasted no time in choosing its two poster boys, unaware that their secret affair was in ruins. But when an engine failure leaves them stranded on a deserted moon with their oxygen days numbered, perhaps it's time to exchange truths before the cosmos.
summary: it was never your intent to be anything more than a common thief, but fateâand a rather attractive generalâhave other plans for you.
word count: 2.5k
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The expression the receptionist makes when she hands over the key to the honeymoon suite is a little too suggestive, but other than that, you find that Ambros is a rather lovely planet. The high ceilings and gilded artwork on the walls of the hotel you were staying at were a mere microcosms for the glistening planet itself, rich off tourists and natural minerals. You had a brief amount of time to read up on the history of the planet from a pamphlet at the front desk while Lafayette was checking in.
The elevator ride to the twelfth floor is quick, and you and Lafayette carry your luggage to room 1215. With the slide of the key, the door swings open and you take in the sight before you. The room is spacious with large windows and a balcony facing out over the rose-colored sea. There's a large king-sized bed that takes up most of the space, rose petals strewn over the sheets. Romantic.
A golden bottle of champagne sits in an ice bucket calling out to you. You drop your bags to the floor and make your way to the champagne where you find a small note from the hotel congratulating you and Lafayette on your wedding. You stifle a laugh and brandish the bottle for Lafayette to see.
"Free champagne," you grin.
Lafayette raises an eyebrow. "Starlight, we're working. This isn't a vacation."
You roll your eyes. "I'm aware, but that doesn't mean we can't have a little fun. Congress is paying for the room, we really shouldn't let that money go to waste, right?"
He gives you a pointed look. "Your logic is flawed."
You sigh and put the bottle back down into the bucket; maybe you'll revisit the idea of opening the bottle of alcohol if he is going to be so uptight for the entire mission.
"I'm going to go scout the area," you mutter to him, coming up with an excuse to leave your shared living area. It's probably a good idea to memorize the layout anyway. You barely register Lafayette's response as you begin to explore the resort.
There are two entire floors dedicated just to the casino, and you make a note to yourself to check them out before you leave. A few restaurants: fine dining on the lower levels, small cafes toward the middle of the building, and a bar on one of the top observation decks. There are many attractions your hotel offers, and you decide to check out the conservatory on the twenty-ninth floor.
It's rather busy around this time of day, but the conservatory is expansive enough that you can walk around freely without bumping elbows with anyone. Walking from section to section, you slyly listen to bits and pieces of conversation hoping to pick up a lead on your target. Some time passes and realizing that you've examined a starfire flower one too many times, you decide it's time to search somewhere else.
In the elevator, you catch sight of the label "pool" on the highest level and don't think twice before pushing the button. Moments later, the elevator has shot into the sky, and with a ding, the doors roll open to reveal the light purple of the twilight sky. The weather is just right when you step out onto the roof, the warm climate of the planet combatted nicely with the early evening breeze.
Most guests are attending dinner at this time or going to see a show in one of the many theaters, so the pool deck is all yours for the taking. It's been a long day for you, so you think you deserve a little bit of self-indulgence. Removing your shoes, you sit down by the pool that seems to stretch on forever, reflecting the sky on its calm surface, and you dip your feet into the tranquil waters. Closing your eyes, you allow yourself to soak in the peace of the moment.
It feels like an eternity, but when you open your eyes and see that the sun has hardly moved from its low place in the sky, you know you haven't been up here too long. You hear the sound of the elevator doors opening and immediately you tense up in annoyance that someone would come to bother your solitude. You're about to pull your legs out of the water when the intruder speaks.
"I had a feeling I'd find you up here."
You turn your head slightly to see Lafayette walking toward you. You relax a bit. Once he approaches your side, he sits down next to you, and to your surprise, he rolls up his pant legs and dips his feet into the water beside you.
"Found any leads yet?" He asks.
You hum a response and shake your head. "No. You?"
"Nothing on out target, but I'm pretty sure there's a young cardshark in the casino that's been conning wealthy guests out of their money," he says.
This makes you smile a little. "Good for them. I used to do similar work."
"I'm just going to assume you mean working in a casino and not being a con-artist."
âWhat? We met because I decided to con you; are you not a fan of the business?â You lightly nudge his shoulder with your own as you tease him.
âStarlight, itâs illegal,â he points out.
âOnly if you get caught.â
âBut you did get caught.â
You purse your lips. âYes, because I saved your life. You wouldnât have ever found me if I didnât have that one moral lapse of judgement.â
âMoral lapse of judgement?â
âMm, yes,â you hum, âI was quite successful looking out for myself and making a living. Itâs a shame I suddenly felt a sense of conviction and decided to save your life.â
Lafayette snorts at this. âFor what itâs worth, Iâm glad you had a change of heart.â
You study his face in the dying light, pushing down the butterflies in your stomach that inevitably appear when he gives you that sideways smile. In this quiet moment, you take the time to admire the golden lines that run from his ears up the side of his forehead, intricately linking and marking him as Franco nobility. You want to memorize them and draw the patterns on your own skin; theyâre beautiful. Before he can see that youâve been staring, you look away, eyes falling to the reflections in the pool. Youâre happy to be here now with him.
âFor what itâs worth, Iâm glad, too.â
When the last of the daylight finally leaves the sky, Lafayette stands to his feet and offers you a hand. You accept, pulling yourself up to your full height. It's too cold to stay on the rooftop any longer, so the two of you step into the elevator and press the button for your room number.
The elevator ride is uneventful, and when you get to your floor, the cool evening air greets you once again. The wide halls of your floor have open walls, large columns are wedged between the floor and the ceiling. You and Lafayette lazily walk down the hall, not in a rush to be anywhere. There are a few other guests meandering about in the open air, and that's when you spot the group of New Britannia soldiers making their way down the hall.
Ambros is such a lovely planet, you nearly forget it's currently New Britannia territory in a bordering system. Troops of soldiers police the planet, checking credentials and arresting anyone they suspect have ties to the United Planets of Amerigo.
The troops are making their way down the hall, speaking with guests occasionally and checking their papers. Your heart begins to thrash against the walls of your ribcage as they get nearer. Lafayette bares the markings of Franco nobility, and Francosia has been known to sympathize with Amerigo.
In a split second, you've made up your mind.
Taking Lafayette's hand in yours, you pull him over to a column, adjusting the both of you to where you are placed with your back to the pillar and Lafayette in front of you. You guide his hands to your waist, and while he looks a bit bewildered, he allows your movements. Your hands reach up to cup either side of his face, your fingers deliberately covering up the golden markings on his face. You pull him closer so you are standing cheek to cheek as you hear the soldiersâ footsteps get closer.
âJust go along with it until theyâre gone,â you whisper into his ear, smiling against his skin as if youâre saying something scandalous.
His eyes flicker to the soldiers with a look of realization before looking back to you. You press your lips against his cheek, and Lafayette seems to get the message, because the next thing you know, heâs wraps his arms around your waist and pushes you roughly against the stone behind you. Lafayette buries his face in the nape of your neck, leaving a trail of kisses over your shoulder and along your collarbone.
His lips find a sweet spot, and he begins sucking a hickey into your skin, causing a soft moan to escape your lips. With one hand shielding his face from the passing soldiers, your other hand finds its place at the back of his neck. You canât help but wonder when the Amerigo Army had time to teach its generals this technique.
The soldiers pass you with no problems, muttering something about âlovebirdsâ under their breath. Lafayette seems to have forgotten all about them, his lips moving up your neck to your cheek. Heâs placing a kiss on the corner of your lips when you come back to your senses and lightly tug on the lapels of his suit.
âLove,â you say, and the both of you are both hyper-aware of how desperate and breathy your voice sounds. âMaybe we should take this back to the bedroom.â
His eyes meet yours, and he seems to understand the meaning behind your words. To your surprise, Lafayette picks you up bridal style and carries you back to the room. Once inside, he kicks shut the door behind the two of you and sets you down gently on the bed. Now that itâs just the two of you, Lafayette takes a step back from you. Tension lingers in the air.
âI⊠Iâm sorry about that.â Lafayetteâs eyes trail to the ground, obviously embarrassed.
You clear your throat, skin still warm from the moment before. âThereâs nothing to apologize for. It was all just part of the cover.â
There is an awkward moment of silence between the two of you. Finally, he nods and moves toward the bathroom.
âWell, we have a long day tomorrow.â
âYes, we should probably get ready for bed then,â you agree.
Lafayette spares you one last look, attempts a smile, and disappears into the bathroom. You hear the shower being turned on seconds later and take that as your cue to change into your nightgown. You slip into the cool covers of the bed, propping yourself up on the pillows until you find a comfortable place for yourself. While you wait for Lafayette to finish showering, you pull out your tablet and begin reading up on Ambrosian customs; you can never be too informed.
You have no idea of how long it has been, but eventually the shower shuts off. A few moments later the door swings open, and Lafayette steps out.
"About time," you tease. "Thought I'd never get a chance to brush my teeth."
"Next time you can join me. I hate to think you've been sitting out here bored," he responds.
You'd like to take a moment to think about how incredibly flirtatious his comment is, but your mind goes blank when you look up at him. He's fresh out of the shower, hair still wet. Lafayette wears a pair of dark sweatpants that hang too low on his waist. He's not wearing a shirt, and you can't help but stare at his toned skin. His stomach and arms are well-defined, and you catch the golden glint of the small medallion he wears around his neck.
He shrugs on a white t-shirt, and you can tell his body is still wet from the shower by the way the shirt clings to his torso. Never before have you wanted to be a t-shirt so badly in your life. You feel your face heat up, and you are in the process of pulling your gaze away from him, when he looks up and meets your eyes. The way his lips curved up into a smirk left you with a visceral feeling.
âSâthere something I can help you with, starlight?â His tone is light and playful.
Your throat is dry, but you manage to get out, âI can think of a few things.â
Lafayette throws his head back and laughs quietly at your response, and you despise the way your heart crashes against its cage at his actions. You slide out of bed and move past him into the bathroom, putting toothpaste on your toothbrush and then shoving the toothbrush into your mouth before you say or do anything more that youâll regret. Lafayette doesnât notice the way you are aggressively brushing your teeth, and you donât notice the way his eyes linger on the neckline of your nightgown and the hem that ends at your upper thigh.
When you finish brushing your teeth, Lafayette is taking a pillow off the bed and moving it to the floor.
âWhat are you doing?â You ask, knowing perfectly well what his intentions are.
He looks at you bewildered. âI just thought it would beââ
âIâm not going to make you sleep on the ground.â
âYouâre not making me do anything.â
âAm I really that deplorable to be around?â
âThatâs not it.â
âThen what is it?â
Lafayette sort of resembles a deer in headlights at this moment. He shakes his head. âStarlight, we shouldnât. Itâs just thatâŠâ
âWhat? What is it?â Your hands have found their place on your hips and you quirk an eyebrow up at him, waiting for a response.
The answer is on the tip of his tongue. He knows why he shouldnât share the bed with you, but truth is something he canât say out loud. Lafayette sighs in defeat, picking up the pillow from the ground and tossing it back to the head of the bed.
Content with your victory, you climb under the covers on your side of the bed. Lafayette is still hesitant, but eventually he climbs into bed as well, keeping an absurd amount of distance from you. You consider making a comment about this, but youâve already argued with him enough about the bed itself, so you bite your tongue. The light beside your bed is the only thing keeping the room from darkness; you turn it off and settle into bed.
âGoodnight.â You say this quietly, the darkness imbuing the room with a sense of peace that you are all too afraid to mess up.
Lafayette must feel this, too, because his response is a whisper as well. âGoodnight, starlight.â
