While searching around for a hidden ship, Jihoon let out a sigh as he held onto Junhong's hand. The other incubus seemed to be in deep thought."What are you thinking about?" he asked curiously. He wanted to know what was on Junhong's mind. He wanted to know if there was any way he could help him. After all, they were best friends, shipmates, and maybe had a small desire to be something more.

"I don't know." Junhong's own thoughts didn't make a lot of sense to him."Everything's crazy today. That little one pulled at me, you know. I know I shouldn't desire another incubus' mate, and I don't think I do, but I also found him to be quite small and cute. But I don't want to mate him; it's something different. I don't understand it." This was something he wasn't used to feeling."What is this? What does it mean? And Jungkook is here. I can't explain the way I feel toward him either."

This wasn't making a lot of sense to Jihoon. Junhong was clearly feeling something Szarvounians were not used to experiencing. The only positive emotions they recognized toward each other were sexual desires and sometimes friendship with their shipmates. What could Junhong be feeling?"You don't want to mate the little one, but you...care?" Jihoon was choosing his words to try to find something Junhong could use.

"I think so." There was no denying that Junhong cared for the little human, despite barely knowing him and not being able to understand him. Perhaps there was something about the smaller male's helpless expressions that made him feel this way."I feel something, Jihoon. I don't understand it, but I care, and it feels like a good thing."

"And what about Jungkook?" This was something that also interested Jihoon."What do you feel toward him?"

Stopping in his tracks, Junhong slumped his shoulders and peered at the other incubus with a pout on his lips."I'm not completely sure. When he and his team were declared missing and untrackable, I was worried. We all grow up with the knowledge that incubi go out on missions and might never return because every mission is dangerous and can result in death. I know that, but I didn't want him to get hurt. Maybe it's because we were fathered by the same incubus, birthed by different succubi."

"You two are related? That's something that doesn't happen often." Jihoon was surprised. It was very rare for any Szarvounians to be related. It was too often that succubi died during childbirth and never got the chance to have more than one child. Incubi were too often out on missions or fighting wars to have more than one child, being away too much to mate with frequency.

"What does that even make us? Do we have a word for that?" Since families weren't really a concept for them, the word was unknown to Junhong.

With a shrug, Jihoon resumed walking, leading Junhong along."I don't know, but you care. That makes you very different from a lot of our kind. I think it's what makes you a very special incubus."

Junhong shook his head at that."It puts me at risk. You know that better than anyone. You warn me all the time. Emperor Minseok would have me killed for feeling such ways. He sees it as a weakness. Warriors aren't supposed to care. Warriors are only supposed to fight and mate. We are all taught to push any other feelings deep down until we stop feeling them. But I still feel them. I don't understand what these feelings mean, and it confuses me so much. Do you feel them?"

Locking his fingers with Junhong's for a tiny bit of comfort, Jihoon nodded."I do. I just pretend not to. If I lacked the ability to care, I wouldn't warn you and do my best to keep you out of trouble. It's why I try to comfort you when Captain Minhyuk says cruel things to you. He is completely uncaring, and I don't want either of us to become like him." He let out a small groan."If we could run away from here and live in peace like you want, don't think that I wouldn't do it. I would, but...We can't. Namjoon's team was living in freedom for four years, but look at what's happened now. They're back here. Their freedom didn't last. What would we do in their situation? Keep running from world to world, finding new places to hide for the rest of our lives?"

"I hate this world, Jihoon." Tightening his grip on Jihoon's hand, Junhong knew what he wanted in this very moment."I'd go to any new world in search of freedom. And we have an opportunity right now. When we find the hidden ship, let's make a run for it. We can disable the tracker and go as far away as possible, even further than that little one's world."

Looking back at Junhong and seeing the pleading glisten in his eyes, Jihoon just couldn't decline."Alright. We'll run. Namjoon's team can steal another ship from the port and get out of here that way."

---

"What do you think this thing does?" Taehyung asked with confusion and curiosity as he picked up a strange metallic object. Its shape was very similar to a gun but a bit larger than a handgun.

Jimin looked at the thing and shrugged."No idea. It looks like a gun, but I don't see any sort of trigger on it. Do you?"

Taehyung turned the object around in his hands, looking at it from every angle."No, I don't see a trigger of any sort." Moving the object around to put his hands on what he thought resembled a handle and nozzle with the outer bend pointed toward himself, he was extremely startled when two little blasts came out of both ends, destroying things in the room.

"Omigod! It shoots from both ends! Put it down!" Jimin felt very lucky that neither of them got hurt just now. He watched as Taehyung carefully set down the weapon."Let's just stick to finding blades or bats."

"Good idea." Taehyung didn't even want to think of what might have happened if either of them had gotten injured by that."How did that not break the walls? It made quite a mess in here, but the walls look fine."

Jimin resisted the urge to roll his eyes."We're in an alien spaceship, Tae. It needs to be able to withstand a lot."

"I guess that's true." As they continued their search for weapons that would be safe for them to use to defend themselves, they had no idea that they would soon no longer be alone on the ship.

---

It was becoming difficult for Jungkook to sit still as he had too much energy and desire to fight, despite having Yoongi in his arms now. He and the others were now situated in a locked room, previously belonging to the felled Emperor Minseok. Jungkook held Yoongi close, the human breathing calmly after being put to sleep. It could only be hoped that he would be okay once he would awaken and see that he was safe.

Hoseok glanced over at Jungkook, who was sitting on the floor in a corner with Yoongi, and sighed."How are we going to get out of here?" he wondered."A war is about to start, and we can't have Yoongi, Jimin, or Taehyung getting mixed up in that. We're running out of options quickly. I'm not very strong, so I can't fight much. I'm only good for stealth and the few spells I know. Jungkook isn't going to be able to keep going like this. He'll be out of commision once the fueler boost wears off." He turned his gaze to Seokjin, who was standing by his side."And you're looking a little worse for wear."

"And you're injured." Seokjin commented.

"I'll be fine. I may not heal as quickly as a full incubus, but this won't kill me." Hoseok wrapped his arms loosely around himself."Besides, most of the blood on me isn't even mine." Thinking about the blood he'd lied in earlier made his whole chest ache.

Seeing how uneasy Hoseok suddenly became, Seokjin was concerned."Whose blood is it?" There was something about the blood that seemed to hurt Hoseok."Hoseok...Where's Namjoon? Did you find him?"

Just the mention of Namjoon's name brought tears to Hoseok's eyes."I found him." he spoke shakily, trying to hold back the desire to cry."But I already knew I was too late before I did. I felt it." Being pulled into Seokjin's arms broke him down."I felt it when we were going through the dead tunnel. My bond to Namjoon broke." Hoseok grasped at the front of Seokjin's suit with both hands, desperate for comfort as he began to cry."He's gone, Seokjin...Namjoon's gone..."

Tears welled up in Seokjin's eyes as well, but he refused to let them fall. He needed to be strong for Hoseok right now."I'm sorry we didn't get here in time."

"If I didn't have Taehyung waiting for me..." Hoseok's mind went back to that dark thought that had entered his brain right outside the dead tunnel."I..."

Hearing this from his spot on the floor, Jungkook had to restrain himself from abandoning Yoongi to rush out of here and destroy anyone he could find. He had every intention of joining the war. He would rip apart any incubus who chose to fight him and his allies. He just needed to wait for Chaerin and that tall creature to return to this room from wherever they had gone. They needed to come up with some sort of plan."Namjoon..." Jungkook snarled under his breath.