refutations of time and space - ch. 01

[pierrot]

Refutations of Time and Space
Sho/Jun. NC-17. Space AU.
Warnings: Minor character death (referenced only), some violence/injuries, questionable understanding of space travel and physics. See AO3 for more warnings/notes.

Jun thought he would have been happiest never seeing Sakurai Sho again. But with Nino suddenly missing, he'll need to put old grudges aside if he wants to protect everything he holds dear.



The moment he saw that familiar red ship in the sky coming down for landing, Jun turned and ran back into the workshop hangar to get his gun.

He wondered whether his usual favoured weapon would be enough, or if he should take the time to head into the storage room to find something with a bit more firepower. Something that could blast a hole right through the ship’s hull. Jun figured he was more than entitled to that, after all.

He raced around the ships stowed in the hangar, steps unconsciously moving to match the loud pounding noises that echoed around the room. The other mechanic that worked in the workshop alongside Jun-a small, permanently grease-stained man named Ohno-was sprawled out on one of the raised platforms near the centre of the room, busy hammering some sheet metal. The noises stopped the moment he noticed Jun pass by and he looked over at Jun with some concern.

“Everything okay, Jun?” he called out.

Jun barely glanced at Ohno, too caught up in his anger and his desperate need to get himself armed.

“Fucking asshole thinks he can waltz back here like nothing’s changed.”

Jun reached the storage room at the back of the hangar and slammed the door open. His favourite gun was already out, on top of the desk near the door, and he decided to take it rather than waste time searching through their poorly organised shelves for anything bigger. He knew he kept a fully loaded magazine in the desk’s top drawer, so he made sure to reach in and grab it before he turned back.

The red ship had almost completed its descent by the time Jun made it back outside. Clouds of dust blew up around him and he pulled an arm over his eyes to protect them. He raised the gun in his right hand and fired a shot at the front of the ship. It wouldn’t do anything, but at least it made him feel a bit better. Besides, he wanted the ship’s owner to be clear that he was most certainly not welcome here.

Jun squinted up through the dust as it settled, trying to get a visual on the pilot, but he couldn’t see clearly through the tinted glass. He steadied his gun outstretched in front of him and waited for the ship’s hatch to open.

Finally, it did, and out dropped a familiar figure.

It had been over two years since Jun last saw Sakurai Sho. It seemed he was not much changed, only dressed up nicer now in a fancy, dark uniform. Jun noted that his hair was clean-cut, his face a bit fuller. It was obvious Sho had been living more comfortably since they parted, unlike the rest of them. Jun was irritated to find that the combined effect served to make him more handsome than he remembered.

He shoved the thought to the back of his mind and tightened his grip on his gun.

Sho raised his hands in the air as soon as he took sight of Jun and took two cautious steps forward.

“Come on now, Jun. Must we really act like this?”

Jun snarled.

“You dare to even say that,” he spat. “I told you not to come back here again.”

“This is my home too. At least hear me out before you do something you regret.”

“Trust me, there’s nothing I want to hear from the likes of you.”

They stared at each other, both considering their next move. Jun shifted his body weight forward, eyes hardening, and Sho took a small step back. Sho opened his mouth, about to say something, before his attention was suddenly diverted away from Jun.

“Jun,” a voice called out from behind him.

Jun spun around to see Ohno was standing a few paces away. He lowered his gun.

“I know you’re upset but Sho’s right. Put the gun away.”

Jun was still bristling with anger but he relented. Ohno was rarely the type to tell Jun what to do, so when he did, it was usually serious. Listening to Ohno had saved him from trouble on more than one occasion, and Jun had learned to pay attention. He released the magazine and put it in his pocket, still keeping hold of the gun in his hand.

Ohno walked up to him and squeezed his shoulder. The gratitude in his eyes tempered Jun slightly.

Ohno looked over at Sho, squinting into the sun as he spoke. “It’s been a long time.”

Sho smiled back in response. “It’s good to see you again, Ohno.”

Jun snorted. It was fine if they wanted to play at niceties but he would have no part of it. “Just tell us what the hell it is you’re doing here.”

Sho looked slowly from Ohno to Jun. “Well, for starters, my ship needs fixing.” He grinned sheepishly. “Blew out one of the propulsion engines and there’s a fair bit of damage to the exterior. Probably some other things wrong but you know I’ve never been so good with the mechanics.”

Jun narrowed his eyes. “I don’t see why you need to come here for that.”

“I was nearby and low on fuel so why not?” He offered Jun a small smile but Jun’s face remained hard. “You’re still the best mechanics I know, after all.”

If he was hoping to sweeten Jun with flattery, he should have known better than to try. But then again, he should have also known better than to show up in front of Jun asking for help, so maybe Sakurai Sho had forgotten some important facts in the time he had been gone.

Jun was about to remind him of how things really were when he was interrupted.

“We’ll fix it for you.”

Jun spun to face Ohno, his mouth dropping open in disbelief. Ohno didn’t seem at all fazed, simply shrugging with a calm expression on his face.

“We need the money, Jun. It’s not going to kill you to do this.”

“Might I just add that my fuel tank is basically empty right now so I’m not going anywhere until I refuel anyway.” Sho was bolder in the presence of Ohno and walked right up to stand closer to them. Jun suppressed the urge to to turn around and punch him square in the face.

He had no desire to indulge this farce, wanting nothing more than for Sho to get back in that ship and fly back to wherever it was he came from. Then maybe Jun could just pass this whole incident off as a bad dream. But with Ohno’s approval, he was outnumbered.

“Fine.” The agreement tasted bitter as it left Jun’s mouth. “But you’re paying us extra for a high priority job. I don’t want to have to keep you around for any longer than necessary.” Sho wasn’t smiling but he nodded at Jun. “And you better keep out of my way while you’re here.”

He stormed away before either Sho or Ohno could say anything further.

─────────────

Jun threw his wrench down on the ground in frustration. Hours had passed since he’d started work on Sho’s ship, and it felt like every time he looked there was a new problem that needed attention. Sho had seriously understated the damage. It was actually kind of amazing that he’d still managed to fly it over in one piece.

The sun had long since gone down, and Ohno had left for the day with it. Jun wanted to stay up working on the ship as long as he could, but he already knew it would take at least three days to fix. They would probably also need to get some new replacement parts delivered in. He hoped Okada, who usually supplied them with what they needed, would be able to send them over fast.

His muscles ached as he sat up straight and his stomach chose that moment to remind him that he had not eaten since morning. Jun sighed and stood up, wiping the grease off his hands with a rag. It probably wouldn’t hurt to take a break and get some dinner before it was too late. He locked up the hangar and headed over to Aiba’s bar, a mercifully short walk away.

When Jun opened the door to the bar, he wanted to kick himself for being so thoughtless. Of course Sho was there, sitting at the counter and laughing with Aiba like old friends. Which he supposed they were, even if it stung Jun a little to see how cheerful they looked together. Jun wondered if he could turn back and go find somewhere else to eat. Not that there were too many options this far out of town. But it was too late; Aiba noticed him and waved frantically, a wide smile on his face.

“Jun, look who’s here! Come join us!”

Sho turned around in his seat to look at Jun. His face was still crinkled with laughter, but it became more hesitant as their eyes met. Jun grimaced and walked over to the bar. He sat himself on one of the stools, making sure to leave a space between him and Sho.

“Let me pour you a drink,” Aiba said, already pulling out a glass. “We need to celebrate! It’s been so long since we were all together like this.”

Jun offered a tight smile and accepted the drink from Aiba. He took a large swig, letting the alcohol burn down his throat.

“Sho’s been telling me all about what he’s been up to since he’s been gone. Did you know they made him second-in-command of interplanetary relations? Our very own Sho, protecting the peace of the universe.”

Sho laughed. There was a nervous edge to it, and Jun caught the way Sho’s eyes flickered over to him. “It’s not really anything so dramatic. Mostly I just fly from place to place and sit in boring meetings where people complain a lot so I can report back to the government. And it’s only this side of the solar system, so there haven’t been many serious disputes of late. Totally unexciting.”

“Stop selling yourself short! You don’t have to play modest around us, we’re proud of you.” Aiba smiled, oblivious to the tension that had begun to seep into the room ever since Jun arrived.

Jun held his glass up in front of his face as if to consider it and looked slyly out of the corner of his eyes at Sho. “A lot of damage on that ship for such an unexciting job.”

Sho shifted uncomfortably in his seat and snuck a glance at Jun. “Yeah, well. You know how it goes.”

“Not really,” Jun shot back. He took another sip from his drink.

Aiba cocked his head and looked between them, eyebrows furrowed. “Ship?”

It was Sho who responded. “That’s part of why I’m here actually. My ship’s all busted up and I needed to bring it in for repairs. Jun promised to get it all nice as new again quick as possible.” Jun almost snorted. That was certainly a nice way of putting it.

“You mean Chesuto? You still have the same ship?”

Sho laughed. “Yeah, still holding on to it. Probably should have traded in for a newer model years ago, but Chesuto has a lot of sentimental memories attached.”

“Well I’m glad you didn’t! I loved that ship.” Aiba sighed, a wistful gaze on his face. “Flew so nicely.”

“You mean fast. I always feared for my life when you took me out in it.”

Aiba grinned. “What’s the point of flying if you don’t go fast?” Even Jun couldn’t help a genuine smile at that, remembering the way Aiba used to live those words as his life motto.

Aiba’s expression shifted and his face fell. “Not doing too much of that these days though.” He fingered the metal casing over his left arm and Jun shot him a sympathetic gaze.

Once upon a time, Aiba was the best pilot of them all-possibly the best pilot their side of the solar system. It seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t do with a ship: no stunt was too dangerous, no crazy modification he couldn’t invent to make ships fly faster than anyone thought possible. But a bad crash landing after narrow escape from enemy fighters put an end to all of that. It was often said that he was lucky to have escaped alive, but Jun wondered how lucky it really was to lose the one thing he loved the most.

Jun and Ohno had tried the best they could to come up with ways to improve the functionality of the metal prosthetic that replaced his left arm below the elbow. But they were just simple mechanics, and the cell regeneration technology that could restore his arm completely was a luxury none of them could afford. Aiba got along fine with day-to-day tasks, but flying the way he used to was pretty much lost to him now.

There was an uncomfortable silence between them, but Aiba was never one to let the mood stay solemn for too long. He slapped a hand on the counter and a smile appeared on his face again. “So, how are the repairs going then?”

Jun scowled.

“That bad, huh?” said Sho with a raised eyebrow.

“I don’t know how you were even still flying that thing. When’s the last time you even got someone to inspect it? Some of the tech is years out of date. I can see your shoddy workmanship has hardly changed in all these years, those patch-ups on the engine mount just scream Sakurai Sho.”

Sho did not seem bothered by this assessment, even having the gall to smile at him. “Seems you haven’t changed all that much either. Still nagging me about all of my flaws.”

“If anything, he’s gotten worse,” said Aiba. “He’s always checking up on everyone, making sure we do things properly and look after ourselves. Meanwhile, he holes himself up with those ships and works himself to near exhaustion.” He looked at Jun suspiciously. “Speaking of, have you even eaten anything yet tonight, Jun?”

“No,” Jun admitted. “Not yet.”

“You should’ve said something.” Aiba frowned. “There’s still food in the kitchen, I can whip you up something in no time.” He pulled a bottle out from behind the bar and put it on the counter. “Feel free to help yourselves while I’m gone.”

Jun and Sho sat in silence as Aiba disappeared through the back door into the kitchen. Neither of them moved to touch the bottle on the counter despite both of their glasses being near-empty. Jun wondered if they would just sit like this until Aiba returned. That would honestly be preferable to him, but if he knew Sho, the man wouldn’t be able to help himself from say something for too long. Jun sighed and reached for his glass, draining it.

“Please don’t leave on my account.”

Jun swallowed the remainder of his drink slowly and looked sidelong over his glass at Sho.

“Wasn’t planning on it. I came here to eat and it would be rude of me to go now while Aiba’s cooking for me.” He sniffed and put the glass back down on the counter. “But if you’d like to offer to leave first, I won’t say no to that.”

Sho smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Sorry, but Aiba already told me to stay here with him tonight. I don't exactly have anywhere else to go.”

Jun sighed. Of course Sho was staying with Aiba. There weren’t exactly many places he could get a room around here, after all. But now it meant there was no chance of him getting to enjoy his dinner break. He should have stayed at the workshop.

Sho grabbed the bottle on the counter and poured it into his glass, stopping just below the rim. He reached over to pick up Jun’s glass and similarly filled it, not bothering to ask Jun if he wanted more to drink. Jun raised his eyebrows at Sho but accepted the glass, almost sloshing the alcohol over onto the countertop as he lifted it.

There was a moment that their eyes met and they held the stare as they both took a drink at the same time.

“So,” said Jun, putting his glass back on the counter, “you gonna tell me what kind of business you’ve been conducting to get your ship so thoroughly busted up like that?”

“Feeling curious about me after all, Jun?”

Jun shrugged. “Just passing the time. And if I’m going to be spending all my time fixing your ship, I’d like to at least know which assholes I need to thank for causing the damage.”

Sho hummed, his fingers tracing the rim of his glass. If he was waiting for Jun to change his question or drop the subject entirely, well, Jun could be patient. That was something he had gotten a lot better at in the time since Sho left.

“It’s not because of work. I’ve been attending to some personal matters.”

“Personal matters that result in you getting shot at by smugglers from the West?” Jun raised an eyebrow at Sho. “Don’t play coy, I know the marks those guns leave when I see them.”

Sho said nothing and Jun didn’t push the matter. They sat in silence, drinking, until Aiba returned with Jun’s meal.

He stayed quiet while he ate. Sho and Aiba chattered lightly next to him, Aiba catching Sho up on all the local gossip he’d missed in his absence. It was strange to Jun to see the way they were almost exactly the same as they always were. It was like he’d gone back in time to the days when they’d all been friends, except now he found himself the uncomfortable outsider.

Jun finished his dinner quickly and thanked Aiba for the meal. Aiba tried to offer him another drink but he declined, citing a need to get back to the workshop. He nodded a farewell as he stood, leaving a handful of bills on the counter before heading out of the bar.

The night air had grown chilly and Jun shivered in his light overalls. He always forgot to take a jacket with him when he went out at night. A jog back to the workshop would warm him up, maybe clear his head a bit. He still wanted to do some more repairs before it got too late and he knew the alcohol he drank wasn’t going to help with that. Nor were the thoughts swirling around his head, the memories of too many things that were better left forgotten.

“Jun,” a voice called from behind him.

He turned to see Sho, running up to where he stood. His cheeks were slightly flushed, but whether from the temperature or the alcohol, Jun could not tell.

Sho slowed and stopped a few paces in front of him.

“Look, I know you’re angry and I know you hate me now. But I want to make it up to you.” He moved a step closer, gaze locked with Jun. “I missed you, Jun. We were friends.”

Jun held the stare, eyes hardening.

“No, we were comrades. And you betrayed that.”

Pain flashed in Sho’s eyes and he looked away. Jun turned on his heel to walk away and he didn’t look back.

─────────────

It was ten years ago that Jun had first signed up for the Defence Leagues and met Sho.

They had just been kids then really, tricked into believing they were fully grown adults. Giddy with adrenaline and the belief that they were bravely fighting for the protection of their people. The first time Jun saw a man drop dead in front of him, blood seeping into the ground where he fell, he realised how much of a lie that was. He was eighteen, and only just learning what war really meant.

Conflict with violent criminal groups had characterised their home planet since as long as Jun could remember. Jizo was a small, sparsely populated planet that lay just off a popular trade route on the outer rim of the Ebisu sector. Its lack of sustainable agricultural prospects and poorly developed infrastructure left it an unpopular destination for migrants and tourists. But the absence of government controls and abundance of a particular type of mineral that was extracted for use in the manufacture of a highly popular and illegal stimulant made it far more attractive to criminal syndicates from the West. With their superior weaponry and technology, barely any resistance was able to be mounted to stop them from taking what they wanted. Only smaller rebellious groups, part of what was known as the Defence Leagues, emerged to do what they could to protect their own hometowns from devastation.

As the years dragged on, the fighting only seemed to get more violent, and Jun grew up. He joined up with four others-Ohno, Sho, Aiba and Nino-and they became something of a unit. The Storm of the East, people called them.

As they continued to survive while mounting successful defensive campaigns, they developed a reputation as the strongest and most trustworthy fighters in the region. Jun was their best and most aggressive fighter, Aiba their ace pilot. Nino took charge of their weapons and strategy, and Ohno just seemed to be good at everything, but especially keeping them all calm and together when everything threatened to spiral out of control. And Sho, brilliant Sho, with his education and family connections and political know-how: he provided them with the crucial intel that kept them safe, kept them one step ahead of their opponents.

It was those connections that led to their eventual end as a group of five.

After years of near-anarchy and instability, a new political party promising change and with strong support emerged. When Sho first told the others about this, they dismissed the information as near-useless. They had already learned that no one could be relied upon for protection besides themselves.

But the people were desperate for peace, and neighbouring planets had grown concerned with the state of the region. Talks began to establish a treaty with more powerful governments in the West; aid and protection in exchange for trade and political support.

Sho ended up joining the talks, recruited by the party to act as a representative.

He tried to get the others to join him at first. Argued that it was the only way to get anything to really change, that the endless fighting was just hurting them in the long run and it couldn’t last forever.

None of them had been convinced. They’d lived through past promises from those who thought they could stop the fighting with politics. Nothing ever came from it, so they’d learned to stop hoping. And even if they did think matters would be different this time, it wasn’t like any of them were diplomats or politicians. They were fighters. They were going to continue to protect their people the only way they knew how.

So Sho left them. There wasn’t really all that much bitterness at first. He had made his choice and them theirs; it was a parting of ways based on irreconcilable viewpoints. They all thought he would probably come back, possibly sooner rather than later.

It was after he left that Aiba’s arm was injured and Mao was killed.

Aiba never blamed Sho at all for the accident. He shouldered all the responsibility for that on himself. But Jun couldn’t help but feel that Sho should have been there with them that day. That maybe if he’d been there to supply them with better intel, Aiba would have never ended up in such a dangerous situation in the first place. That maybe with an extra person, they would have been able to shoot the enemy fighters down before it was too late.

Mao’s murder happened after ‘peace’ had supposedly been established; after the treaty that was meant to mark a change for Jizo. But there was a difference between a symbolic victory and reality. Fighting continued for almost a year after the treaty was signed, and far away from the capital as they were, the group’s hometown received little protection from the forces sent by the West.

Mao had been one of Jun’s closest friends. Before Jun and Ohno took over the repairs shop, it had been owned by her father. It was where they went when they had the time and money to do so to get proper overhauls on their ships. Often they would end up helping the old man out with the tasks they could do themselves in exchange for discounts. Mao was almost always around, working in the shop with her father and scolding them whenever they came by with their busted ships.

Jun and Mao were always especially close. He spent the most time at the shop, always keen to learn as much as he could so he wouldn’t be left helpless when they were too far away to get help with fixing their ships. Her father used to joke that he was teaching Jun so he could marry Mao and take over the business some day. Jun knew that wasn’t going to happen, but it was still nice to imagine sometimes.

Jun returned from a skirmish out south of the town’s edge one day, six months after the treaty was signed, to find the workshop in shambles. An air raid, it was said, by passing enemy ships. No one was sure whether it was a targeted attack or just random destruction.

Mao and her father were both dead.

The last time Jun saw Sho was at the funeral. He’d been beside himself that day, so utterly devastated about the loss of two people he’d treasured dearly and felt never deserved their fate. He was angry at himself for not being able to prevent it, and resentful at the government for their fake promises of peace. The moment Sho appeared, Jun lashed out. He screamed at Sho, furious he could be there that day when he’d allowed their deaths to happen. He told him on no uncertain terms never to appear in front of Jun again, and Ohno had to hold Jun back before he got physical.

Sho left that day and stayed away. Part of Jun knew that Sho was not really to blame for what happened, but that never quite helped his bitterness to dissolve. In Jun’s mind, the only thing Sho could do to help Jun’s hurts fade was to leave him alone.

Returning just brought all those old feelings to the surface.

─────────────

Almost two days of continuous work on Sho’s ship and Jun felt as if he could see a light at the end of the tunnel. There was still much to do, and he had yet to receive the parts he needed from Okada, but at least he could put a decent timeline on the work now.

Fortunately, Sho had stayed out of his sight since the uncomfortable evening at Aiba’s. Though Jun was still a little curious as to what he was up to that would have him crossing paths with Western gangs, it was worth not finding out if it meant not talking to Sho again. Maybe he could convince Ohno to take care of payment when it came time to give him his ship back, avoid seeing him before he left entirely.

“Jun,” Ohno called out from the doorway that led to their adjacent office space, “Ryo’s here to pick up his ship.”

Jun took a few seconds to finish tightening a bolt on the control panel before he put his wrench down and jumped out of the ship. He walked over to Ohno, pulling a clean cloth out of his pocket to wipe his hands off as he went.

“Are there any problems left with it that we need to fix?”

Ohno shook his head.

“Do you want to bring his ship out front then, and I’ll sort out payment with Ryo?” Jun’s not even sure why he bothered asking; their roles were set in stone after all this time. Ohno held up the keys in his his hand, and set off for Ryo’s ship with the barest of nods.

Settling payment with Ryo always took longer than most customers, for all that he was a frequent visitor and knew how they operated. He insisted on checking his ship over first, questioning every charge listed on the bill before haggling with Jun over the price. Jun usually let him get away with knocking ten percent off the cost, but only because they were friends of a sort.

Once he finally saw Ryo off, Jun headed straight back to continue work on Sho’s ship.

And stopped short, to see that Sho himself was standing there.

“You’ve done a good job,” said Sho as he crouched to inspect the guns under the left wing. “I’m impressed. Though I suppose I shouldn’t be-you were always the best.”

“No, Ohno was always the best. And I’ll do a better job if you aren’t here to bother me.”

“I promise, I didn’t mean to. But I need to talk to you.” He looked up at Jun, eyes pleading. It made something squirm in Jun’s stomach, and that was an altogether discomfiting feeling he’d rather not have to think about.

“Jun. Please. It’s really important.”

Jun took a moment to consider. He had not really wanted to talk to Sho again, but now that he was here and begging, Jun found it harder to turn him away. If whatever he had to say really was as important as Sho wanted him to believe, then there was a good chance he would not just let Jun ignore him. It was better to hear him out and get it over with.

Just two more days, Jun reminded himself. Then he would hopefully have the ship done and could say goodbye to Sho for good.

“Come on,” he sighed, and gestured at Sho to get up. “We can talk in the office.”

Sho followed Jun to the office and he closed the door behind them. It wasn’t a very big room, but they didn’t keep much in it. A desk with a computer and a credit scanner on one side, a filing cabinet for their records on the other. Jun and Ohno vaguely thought about buying chairs when they first got started, but they never really seemed to feel their absence so in the end they never did. There was one lone, ratty chair jammed in the corner next to the door that led outside that Jun thought was probably donated by Aiba at some point. It seldom was used-most of their customers just walked straight into the workshop hangar.

Jun chose to prop himself against the desk, resting his weight on the edge. He stretched his legs out in front of him and crossed his arms in expectation. Sho took his time as he entered the room, taking a good look around. His eyes caught on the sole chair as if considering it, but in the end he made no move to take it. He stopped in front of Jun, arms dangling awkwardly by his sides.

Jun didn’t say anything, just leaned back and waited for Sho to start talking. He seemed to need some time to find his words. Jun watched how he shifted on his feet, fingers pulling at the edge of his uniform, before he turned to meet Jun’s gaze.

“I need to tell you something very important. It’s to do with the personal matters I mentioned,” he finally said, face drawn into a concerned frown. “You asked before what it was I’d been doing to get shot at by smugglers.”

Jun raised his eyebrows. So Sho had somehow gotten himself mixed up in something that involved one of the smuggler groups that still operated outside the government’s control. Not that he needed the confirmation when the damage on his ship spoke for itself. Only criminal gangs used outlawed plasma cannons, and those left a very distinct mark which Jun knew too well.

But it was definitely intriguing that whatever Sho had been doing wasn’t anything related to work. He did not think it likely for Sho to be getting involved in anything so dangerous. Not anymore.

“It’s about Nino.”

Jun frowned. That definitely wasn’t a name he expected to hear right then. Nino was someone he didn’t see much these days either, though still more often than Sho. He had left shortly after the fighting had calmed down, citing a need to move away from it all and find new opportunities for himself. He started his own small trading company, using all the weapons knowledge he’d gained to build a far more profitable career.

Aiba sometimes liked to remark that it was funny that the one who disliked flying the most out of all of them ended up in a job that required him to fly across the galaxy. Nino just said that in the end, money mattered more than anything else.

“Nino doesn’t deal with smugglers,” responded Jun. Whatever could be said about his often ruthless business tactics, Jun knew Nino was legitimate. He would never stoop to involve himself with any of the criminal syndicates, not after everything that had happened.

Sho shook his head. The frown on his face was more pronounced now. “It’s not anything like that.” He paused, as if steeling himself for what he was about to say. “Nino’s gone missing.”

Jun stilled. “You know that for sure?”

Sho nodded.

“And you think these smugglers had something to do with it?”

“I know.” He sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “As of this morning, in any case. I got word from Riisa”-that was Nino’s second-in-command, Jun recalled-“that Nino had disappeared a few days ago. He’d been off solo, trying to secure a deal with a client. She assured me that their identity wasn’t important.”

Jun snorted. Nino was always cagey with his supplier information, and it seemed Riisa was much the same.

“How did that lead you to the smugglers?”

“Riisa managed to track his ship past Suijin before the signal was lost. The Ikuchi syndicate often travels that way; I’m pretty sure they have a base of operations on one of the smaller planets south of there.”

“Ikuchi?” Jun frowned, “I don’t think I’ve heard of them.

“They’re a relatively newer group.” Sho flashed him a bitter smile. “An offshoot of the Umibozu.”

That was a name Jun did recognise. The Umibozu used to be one of the more notorious syndicates, and were responsible for a lot of the damage that occurred during the war. Jun had been under the impression they no longer existed due to concentrated attempts by the government to eradicate them entirely. But it was hardly surprising to think that enough associates had survived to form a new group.

“The group actually started before the Umibozu was completely dissolved, but they grew a lot in size after that happened. Many of those who escaped death or imprisonment joined them. They deal a lot in illegal weapons smuggling, among other things, which is how they might have crossed paths with Nino. The government doesn’t have a lot of intel on them at current, though they are aware of them. I don’t think they have moved to establish any specific task force to target their activities yet.”

“You seem to know a fair bit about them.”

Sho looked away. “I may have hacked into the government’s servers to get any information I thought might help me. There wasn’t a lot, but still better than nothing.”

And the surprises kept on coming. Sho certainly had received a practical education in breaking through protected servers back in their fighting days, when any information they could scrounge from anywhere was crucial to their chances of staying alive. Jun just never expected the current Sho to use such methods.

“So you thought these Ikuchi guys were behind Nino’s disappearance?” asked Jun.

“I wasn’t sure. But I went off to where Riisa had managed to track him to, hoping I could least find his ship somewhere, whether he was still with it or not. Riisa had done what she could looking for him, but she had to leave for an important transportation gig. Said Nino would never forgive her if she ruined things with their biggest client.”

Sho smiled, but it was worn.

“While I was out looking for him Riisa messaged me. Said that Nino had managed to send a signal from his personal comm. No message, but enough to get a location. I flew to the coordinates she sent over and ended up navigating myself right into a group of four Ikuchi ships. Needless to say, they didn’t react to my presence too kindly”

Jun winced. No wonder his ship was so beaten up. Sho did well to make it out of that situation alive.

“I got away from them, somehow, and basically high-tailed it here as soon as I was sure they weren’t following me. I was lucky they were all in slower ships.”

Jun stretched back and considered everything Sho had just told him. There were so many questions he wanted to ask that he had to think about where to start.

“So you think they have some sort of problem with Nino thanks to his weapons trading?”

“Possibly,” said Sho, but he avoided Jun’s eyes and started fiddling with the edge of his sleeve again. “Or-well. Riisa suggested, and I don’t necessarily disagree, that’s there’s a possibility that it has something to do with our clashes with the Umibozu. Revenge.”

Jun stiffened. Certainly, they shot down their fair share of Umibozu ships back then. And if the Ikuchi shared some of the same members then they would have to be familiar with the five of them-if not by sight, then at least by reputation. Revenge was not out of the realm of speculation.

Having spent two years leading mostly quiet lives, it was chilling to know that there were still people out there who could be actively seeking to see them dead.

“So you think they could be after all of us, not just Nino?”

Sho shrugged. “It’s not a possibility I want to discount.”

Well, that explained why Sho came here. If they were under threat, measures would have to be taken to ensure their protection. Jun was not even sure how well they could defend themselves in the event they were attacked, but any warning was better than none.

There was another important thing Jun had to ask Sho; the elephant in the room neither of them seemed willing to address.

Jun suddenly wished he had a drink for this conversation.

“How do you know Nino isn’t dead?”

The question hung between them for an awful moment and neither Sho nor Jun seemed to even breathe, as if all the oxygen in the room had been sucked out with those words. They stared at each other, and suddenly the eye contact felt all too intense to Jun. Still, he couldn’t look away, needing to see the answer in Sho’s eyes.

Sho broke the deadlock first, running fingers through his hair as he sighed.

“I don’t.” A chill ran down Jun’s spine at those simple words. “But I have to believe he is. We know that he couldn’t have been killed when his ship went off the grid or we wouldn’t have gotten that signal from his personal comm. Riisa hopes that if they kidnapped him, they have more reason to keep him alive than dead. Either for the sake of negotiations if it’s a weapons supply dispute, or in the hopes of getting information from him on the rest of us if that’s what they’re after.”

He paused and pulled a small communications device out of his pocket.

“Riisa messaged me this morning.” He passed the communicator over to Jun. “Informed me that the Ikuchi sent her over a ransom demand for Nino.”

Jun frowned as he read the message Sho left open on the screen. Riisa’s message relayed the information about the ransom, including the proposed time and location, but failed to mention how much money they’d asked for in return. He supposed that she planned to take care of that.

He scrolled to the part where they’d asked for “her friend with the red ship” to be there. That lent credence to the theory that the Ikuchi were aware of their identities and wanted payback for the war.

“It’s a trap,” he said flatly and handed the phone back to Sho.

“I know it is,” replied Sho. “But I have to do something and this is the best option I have right now.”

“So you’re just going to fly off into this trap on your own and get yourself killed?”

“I won’t be alone. I’m going to work out a plan with Riisa and she’ll have their whole crew to back me up. And, well…” he paused, rubbing his neck anxiously, and Jun felt his eyes narrow in preparation for whatever would come next.

“I wanted to ask if you would come with me.”

Jun’s eyes widened at the request. Sho looked nervous, bracing himself for Jun’s reaction, and Jun didn’t blame him. It was almost laughable to think that here he was, asking the man who had threatened him only two days earlier to join him in a suicide mission.

But it wasn’t for Sho; it was for Nino. As obviously stupid and dangerous as it was to go chase him right into the Ikuchi’s waiting clutches, Jun could understand it. Taking whatever glimmer of a chance there was to save a friend in need was something that any of them would probably do for each other. Part of Jun wanted to say yes to Sho.

And yet.

“I can’t.”

Jun held up a hand to silence Sho before he could say anything. “Not because of you. But I have a business I need to run, Sho. I can’t just leave that behind on a moment’s notice. And if it’s true that the Ikuchi might be after all of us, I need to stay here. What if they come here and attack the town while I’m gone? I won’t be able to live with myself.”

Sho nodded but his eyes were down. “I understand,” he said with a quiet voice.

Jun stood up and took a step closer to Sho. He still wouldn’t lift his eyes to meet Jun’s, and Jun could see the way his mouth trembled as he tried to force a smile. He almost reached an arm out to touch Sho but he held himself back.

“I’m sorry,” he said, the words feeling hollow even as they left his lips. Sho looked at him then, and it was enough to almost make him take his refusal back. But he knew he couldn’t, so he turned away, and waited for Sho to leave the room.

─────────────

Jun walked back into the workshop hangar after his unexpected meeting with Sho feeling frustrated. He was sure he made the right choice in turning Sho down but that didn’t lessen the guilt he felt. If the positions were reversed, would Nino drop everything and risk his life to save Jun? If the others about the decision he’d made, would they judge him?

Jun didn’t know. He needed to talk to Ohno.

He found Ohno back on the platform, this time fiddling with the wires of a detached circuit board. Jun climbed up to join him, sitting down to lean against the railing that stretched along one side. Ohno looked at him as he sat down, still keeping attention to his task.

“You were with Sho?” asked Ohno after a few seconds of silence.

Jun nodded. He didn’t ask how Ohno knew that but the answer wasn’t important anyway. Ohno didn’t say anything further, just waited for Jun to decide when he wanted to talk.

“He had some things to talk to me about. Important things. About Nino.”

Ohno looked up and stopped what he was doing. Jun told him about everything that happened in his meeting with Sho: from the information about Nino’s disappearance and the Ikuchi syndicate, to Sho’s request and Jun’s refusal. Ohno said nothing as he spoke, or even after, only looked at him with concern on his face.

“Do you think I made the wrong choice?” Jun asked finally, once he’d finished telling Ohno everything.

Ohno looked thoughtful. “I think you always make smart decisions, Jun. If you want to stay, then you’re probably right to.”

“And you? Do you want to go with Sho to rescue Nino?”

Ohno thumbed the bracelet on his wrist. It was a present from Nino, brought back on one of his visits. He bought them each something small on his travels, claiming they needed something to remember him by while he was gone. For Ohno, he found a simple bracelet made of fishing line, with a small decorative hook attached to one end. Ohno always liked to fish. He’d taken all of them out with him when he could, though these days he mostly just went solo. Jun wondered if he often missed the times he went out with Nino, for all that Nino hated it and complained endlessly.

“No,” he replied eventually, looking back up. “I believe in Nino. I’m sure that whatever situation he is in, he can take care of himself and come out safe. I believe in that better than I believe that I can help him right now. My place remains here.”

Jun really hoped he could believe in Nino the same way Ohno did.

“You should take a break,” said Ohno after a minute of silence.

Jun frowned at him and opened his mouth to protest.

“I’ll work on Sho’s ship for you for a while. Go to Aiba’s and have a drink. I think you probably could use one right now.”

After thinking a moment, Jun decided to accept the generous offer. He really did want a drink and he did not feel much like working either. He thanked Ohno gratefully and resolved to make it up to him soon.

Luck was upon him that afternoon, as Sho was nowhere to be found when Jun walked into Aiba’s bar. He gave Aiba a tired smile as he sat down and ordered a drink.

“Unusual to see you in here at this time of day,” remarked Aiba as he poured Jun’s drink.

Jun took a sip, ice cubes clinking at his teeth. Aiba wiped down the condensation from on the countertop with a cloth and slid a coaster over for Jun to place his glass back down on.

“I had a difficult afternoon.”

He hoped Aiba would note his tone and refrain from asking too many questions. Jun did not feel much like rehashing the events of the day all over again.

“Did you talk to Sho?”

“He told you?”

Aiba shook his head. “I just assumed he would probably want to tell you the same thing he told me.”

So Sho had already told Aiba about the situation with Nino. Which made sense considering Aiba and Nino were old friends and Aiba was far friendlier with Sho than Jun was. He wondered why Sho had even approached him before Ohno, and whether he was still planning on talking to the older man.

“I told Sho I wouldn’t go with him to rescue Nino.” He paused and looked at Aiba to try to gauge his reaction. “I’m sorry, Aiba, I really am.”

“You don’t have to apologise.” He tried to smile reassuringly but couldn’t quite hide the sadness in his eyes. “I can’t say I didn’t wish you were going with us, but I understand.”

“Wait-you’re going with him?”

“Yes.”

“But Aiba-”

“No, Jun. I have to do this. Nino’s my oldest friend, and it’s hard enough that he’s gone all the time and I don’t ever know if he’s safe out there.” Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes and Aiba sniffed to hold them back. “If he’s in danger and there’s something we can do to save him, I have to be part of it. Even if I am just useless.”

“You’re not useless,” Jun said quietly.

Aiba smiled and wiped his face with the back of his hand.

“Yeah, well, we’ll see.”

“You’re Aiba. Miracle Boy, remember? How many times did you save us with some crazy plan or manage to do something we all thought impossible? Whether or not you can fly a ship like you used to doesn’t change that. You’re going to rescue Nino, and then you’re going to come back here so we can all have a drink together just like old times.”

Aiba nodded. “That would be great, wouldn’t it?” He sniffed a little but it seemed his tears had stopped. “I’ve really missed everyone.”

“I know you have.” Jun held his gaze, but he didn’t say those next words that sprung unbidden to the tip of his tongue, words that he realised with an uncomfortable jolt of surprise that he meant in their entirety.

I have too.

─────────────

Finishing the repairs to Sho’s ship became more challenging with the knowledge that it would be very soon flying both Sho and Aiba into direct contact with people who wanted them dead. Jun wanted to take the time to make sure everything was perfect, but it was time they didn’t have. Even with Ohno’s help, they could only get the work finished in time for Sho and Aiba to leave two days before the ransom date, and most of those two days would be needed for them to reach the set location.

By the time everything was ready for them to leave, Jun was exhausted. He’d stayed up to work through the night, only taking short naps to prevent sloppiness. He knew he would never forgive himself if he made any mistakes in his haste.

Aiba was the first to arrive at the workshop, brimming with his usual excitable energy. Jun was hardly in the best state to deal with him, too crabby from his lack of sleep, but he tried to fake good humour for Aiba’s sake as he buzzed around him.

“Asami wasn’t all that happy when I asked her to run the bar while I was gone, but I think it’s just because she’s secretly going to miss me. I’ve been winning her over with my charm, you see? She’s totally going to agree to go out with me the next time I ask.”

Jun hummed as he opened up Sho’s ship.

“Want to put your stuff inside?” he asked as he climbed into the pilot’s seat. Aiba scrambled after him, hauling his bag over into the rear compartment.

Chesuto was something of a hybrid ship; it wasn’t really designed for living in, but it was bigger than a fighter like Aiba’s, with a small space equipped with basic necessities behind the cockpit. It would be cramped with two people, but Aiba insisted it was fine.

“Wow, it really feels like old times now,” exclaimed Aiba as he settled into the passenger seat. Jun couldn’t even remember when it was they were last together in a ship like this. He knew Aiba had tried flying a few times since his accident, usually under the guidance of Ohno, but even those attempts had been a while ago now.

Jun rolled the ship carefully outside. “You going to stay here and wait for Sho?” he asked once he’d stopped.

“I haven’t said goodbye to Ohno yet. Do you know where he is?”

“Last I saw him he was in the storage room.”

Aiba climbed back out of the ship with a wave and ran off to find Ohno. Jun followed him out and walked around to the side of the ship to lean against it. He could see Sho in the distance walking towards him, bag slung over one shoulder.

“Hi,” greeted Sho when he reached Jun, squinting a bit into the sun.

Jun nodded in return and tossed Sho’s keys over to him. Unprepared, Sho almost dropped them, fumbling a bit before holding on.

“All yours.”

“Thank you. For everything. I know these past few days haven’t been the easiest for you.”

Jun said nothing.

Sho fidgeted where he stood, unsure of what to say next. “Um, I think I still need to pay you? I’m happy to compensate for the extra time you put into this.”

“You can settle it when you return.”

Sho’s eyes widened slightly. Jun licked his lips and pushed himself up to stand directly in front of Sho. His throat felt dry.

“I swear to you, Sho, if you let those bastards kill you out there, I’m going to make sure to bring you back to life so I can personally hurt you myself.”

Jun held Sho’s eyes in an intense stare.

“I’m putting my trust in you, okay? Find Nino and come back safe.”

With that, Jun made to leave, not waiting for any response. On impulse, he reached a hand out to clasp Sho’s shoulder briefly as he walked past, lightly squeezing the tense muscles there. Just as he’d almost moved away, he felt himself stopped by a hand grabbing his wrist.

“Wait,” said Sho. He kept his hold on Jun’s wrist. “I know you’re not going to appreciate me saying this. But I can’t. I need to say it. I told myself I don’t want to live with any regrets anymore.”

He noticed Jun’s gaze to where his hand was still clamped on Jun’s wrist and he dropped it, pulling the hand back to grasp his other arm. Sho held himself for a moment, taking a deep breath, before he raised his eyes to meet Jun’s.

“I meant it that time I kissed you. I needed you to know that.”

Jun froze. He felt trapped, eyes still locked with Sho’s as the sun beat down oppressively on his skin.

Sho was right. Jun really didn’t appreciate him bringing up the memory Jun tried the hardest to forget, even as it plagued his thoughts regularly over the years and more now that Sho was back.

As he stood there, staring at Sho, he couldn’t help from letting the memory overwhelm him in an instant. The sensation of Sho’s soft lips pressed to Jun’s; the taste of his breath, slightly bitter with the cheap alcohol they lifted from one of the crashed ships; the smell of sweat and grease and smoke. The way his face lit up in surprise at what he had done before melting away into a tentative smile. When Jun looked at Sho, he still remembered all these details clearly.

He could also remember the way his own stomach had flipped at that smile, the grin that wouldn’t leave his face after Sho walked away.

They never talked about the kiss before Sho left, and Jun eventually passed it off as a drunken mistake. A parting kindness to Jun, as Sho surely had to have known back then about Jun's feelings. And by the time Mao and her father were killed, it no longer mattered anymore anyway.

Except that now Sho was standing in front of him telling him that it did matter. That it was more than just impulse or pity. And three years after the fact, Jun really did not know what he was supposed to do with that information.

Jun wanted to scream.

He looked at Sho as he stood there, beads of sweat perspiring on his forehead, full mouth chapped and slightly parted. The earnest eyes that wouldn’t look away. As much as he hated to admit it to himself, it was still the same face he onced loved. The same man he’d admired and looked up to for so many years.

Jun steeled his body, feeling his face turn hard, and said the only thing he could think to.

“So what?”

Sho flinched. His shoulders slumped, making their usual slope even more pronounced than usual, and his eyes shuttered with disappointed resignation. It was almost satisfying for Jun to see that he could make Sho react like this. He’d had more than enough of Sho throwing him off guard; he wanted to see him be the one to struggle for once.

Sho bit his lip and looked back at Jun. He looked to be on the verge of saying something, eyes widening, when they were interrupted by the sound of Aiba running and calling out to them.

“Guys! I’m back!” Aiba stopped next to them and panted heavily, clutching his sides. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to make you wait.”

“It’s fine,” said Jun. He had turned to meet Aiba as he ran up but Jun was pretty sure he could still feel Sho looking at him.

“Ready to go?” Aiba asked Sho, face shining with a wide, bright smile. Jun glanced back over at Sho, who was looking at Aiba now and trying to attempt and enthusiastic smile.

“Yeah,” he said.

“I’m gonna miss you Matsujun.” Aiba flung himself at Jun and wrapped him into a tight hug. Jun felt himself relax a little in those strong, wiry arms and reached around to hug Aiba back. “Take care of yourself while I’m gone.”

“You too. I want you back here with Nino in one piece, okay?’

Aiba nodded against Jun’s shoulder and then released him. He gave another bright smile before turning back to pull Sho along with him up to the ship. Sho followed him, but not before looking back over his shoulder at Jun.

Their eyes met briefly. It felt far longer.

Jun stood back as they took off. Aiba waved from behind the tinted glass the whole time, just a faint outline. Jun couldn’t make out Sho from where he stood.

He stayed and watched their departure the entire way, until Sho’s red ship was only a distant glint in the sky.

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