Work Text:
All was quiet on board the Leviathan. Brian Styles stood sentry on the bridge as the ship drifted slowly through the cosmos, its engines humming softly. The rest of the crew had retired to their quarters and the lights in the corridors glowed a soft blue, in night mode.
It was a time for rest and stillness for everyone; except Frey. He'd been unable to sleep, and he'd found himself standing outside of Jun's door. He'd been standing there for a good ten minutes now, his mind swirling with thoughts. He raised his arm ready to knock but couldn't force his shaking hand to make contact with the door. Frustrated, he lowered his hand in a sigh of defeat. That had been his seventh attempt. Why was he finding this so difficult?
This had all started earlier that day, in Star's morning briefing. They were in between missions and Star had stated that they needed to do some much-needed jobs and maintenance on the ship.
Star turned his attention to Fizzy and Brian Styles, his piercing gaze shifting from one crew member to the other.
"Fizzy," he called out, his voice commanding yet tinged with a touch of amusement. "I need you to inspect the engine thoroughly. Check for any anomalies, leaks, or malfunctions. We can't afford to have the engine fail on us in the middle of a high-stakes chase."
Fizzy's eyes lit up with excitement, her voice filled with enthusiasm. "You got it, Star! No malfunctions on my watch!"
He then turned his attention to Brian Styles, his expression becoming more serious. "Brian, I need you to do a thorough check of the force fields. We can't have any breaches compromising our safety during a firefight. Ensure they're at optimal strength and integrity."
Brian Styles nodded, his stoic demeanor reflecting his commitment to his duties. "Consider it done, Star. I'll inspect every force field panel and reinforce any weak points. We won't let anything get through."
Star turned to Frey.
"Frey I need you to check all the power cells and make sure none of them are duff. It's a pretty big job. Do you think you could help him out Jun?"
Frey felt Jun shift next to him and lightly place his hand on his shoulder. "Sure thing! I'm sure the two of us will get it done in no time."
Frey heard the excited lilt in his voice, and it made his heart flutter. Just him and Jun on a task together, alone. Nothing would have given him more pleasure; so why had he said the opposite of what he wanted.
Instead of just accepting the help he'd pulled away from Jun's touch.
He'd smiled at Star in his usual playful manner. "I think I'd rather have no help than Jun's help." his voice was slick with sarcasm. " I remember the last time he tried to 'help' didn't you end up turning Brian Styles into a duck? We were pulling feathers out of his joints for weeks."
With the last statement he'd turned his smirking face towards Jun. It was like watching a car crash. He knew what he had said would have hurt Jun, but he hadn't expected the face that was looking up at him now. There was so much sadness in the eyes that looked back at him. Frey knew his words had crushed him. Why had he said it? the last thing he wanted to do was to be cruel, but it was too late now. The guilt began to grow in him, sitting uncomfortably in his stomach.
Star had watched this unfurl Infront of him and shifted awkwardly, not something that the big guy often did. "...Okay then. I guess if you think you can manage it on your own then Jun can do an inventory of the kitchen."
After that Star had abruptly ended the meeting and everyone had gone off to do their respective tasks. Frey hadn't even been able to look at Jun as he'd silently got up from the table and headed towards the kitchen; a cloud of gloom hanging over him.
The hairs on the back of Frey’s neck bristled. He was furious with himself. Why did he keep doing this? Every time he had a chance to spend time with Jun or have a genuine conversation, he had to make a snide remark. It was infuriating, why was he so scared of letting his walls down and letting Jun's feelings in. All he really wanted was to be close to him and have those soft eyes and smile be directed at him.
Frey had continued the rest of the day in a foul mood, berating himself in his mind. In his irritated state, checking the power cells had taken him twice as long as it should have. He'd finished the job tired, filthy and even more flushered than when he'd started. He skipped the crew's evening meal, not wanting to feel Jun's sad gaze upon him. Instead storming off to his room to sulk. He'd tried to fall asleep but the weight on his chest was unbearable. He'd tossed and turned until he could face it no longer. Had got up, dressed and found himself where he was now.
He'd meant to come and apologize but something inside him was stopping him. Frey frustratedly ran his hands through his hair and gritted his teeth. This was pointless, he was going back to bed. He'd just have to live with the crushing pain on his heart that Jun probably hated him now; and it was all his fault.
Frey's shoulders drooped and he turned and walked away, all his anger and frustration turning to waves of sorrow. He'd only taken a few steps down the corridor when he heard the mechanic woosh of the door opening behind him.
"Frey?" He heard the quiet voice behind him question. Frey stood stock still not knowing what to do. "Guess you can't sleep either." He heard Jun continue "I was gonna take a walk to the viewing deck if you wanted to join… the company would be nice"
Frey turned slowly to face Jun, as he worked up the courage to look at him. When their eyes finally met Frey saw that Jun was smiling at him. There was still a touch of sadness in his eyes but there was also so much caring too. It made his heart race.
This was his chance to apologize and make up for the time they hadn't been able to spend together. He breathed in deep and stirred himself forward, but as he opened his mouth his lips quivered, and he heard himself say "No I should really get back to bed" His eyes darting to look down at his feet "thanks though."
Frey saw Jun twitch slightly obviously upset with Frey's statement, but his sad smile remained. "Well sweet dreams" he said softly as he turned to walk in the opposite direction.
Frey stood completely silent but inside he was a tempest of emotions. Stupid, stupid, stupid. He berated himself; he couldn't bear the thought of letting Jun walk away like that. He knew he had to fix this, to make things right between them. His heart pounded in his chest, he clenched his fists, his whole body was shaking, but he urged himself forward in desperation. He took one step, then another, his whole body buzzing with anticipation as he shortened the distance between Jun and himself. As his pace quickened, He used the momentum of his steps to add the usual sway to his movement and give him the spirit to usual toothy grin across his face.
"Wait, Jun!" Frey's words echoed through the corridor, and Jun turned back to face him, surprise etched on his face. Frey bounded towards him, gently linking arms and pulling Jun's close to him.
“Maybe a walk would be nice” Frey smiled softly as he glanced off to the side a light blush beginning to glow on his cheeks.
Frey had half expected Jun to scold him or push him away for entering his personal space, but instead he felt Jun lean into his hold pressing against his chest. Frey could feel the warmth of Jun’s body against his own filling him with a sense of comfort; He was sure he would be able to feel Frey’s heart pounding. Finding the courage to look into Jun’s face Frey was met with a genuine and warm smile, as he extended his hand and placed it on top of Frey's, the touch grounding and reassuring. "I'd like that," he said, his voice filled with sincerity. "Let's go."
Together, Frey and Jun walked side by side, their steps in sync as they made their way to the viewing deck. The corridor seemed brighter, the soft blue lights casting a comforting glow around them. The silence between them was no longer strained but filled with the promise of healing and renewed connection.
As they reached the viewing deck, Frey released his hold on Jun and ran forward towards the railing, his eyes scanning the vast expanse of stars that stretched out before them. The sight never failed to inspire awe within him, a reminder of the boundless possibilities that awaited them in the cosmos. It was a breathtaking sight. Jun stepped in beside him, his gaze also fixed on the star-studded panorama. The silence between them was comfortable.
After a moment, Jun finally broke the silence, his voice soft and filled with a hint of wonder. "It's beautiful, isn't it? The vastness of space, the countless stars... It's a whole other world out there."
Frey nodded; his gaze still fixed on the twinkling lights above. "It really is. Sometimes it's easy to forget just how small we are in the beauty of it all. But it's also a reminder of all the fun and adventures that lie ahead."
As Frey turned eyes sparkling to look at Jun, he couldn’t help but be captivated by his striking good looks as the cosmos bathed him in a celestial glow. Frey's gaze lingered on Jun, his eyes tracing the lines of his face, the curve of his lips, and the way his expression shifted with a mix of awe and tranquility. The sight of Jun, so serene and breathtaking, stirred a longing within Frey, a desire to protect and cherish him.
Feeling the presence of eyes upon him Jun turned towards Frey, a warm smile spreading across his face as the stars seemed to dance in his purple eyes, drawing Frey in like a moth to flame. But in that moment as their eyes met all the guilt from the incident earlier that day came crashing down on him. He turned his head swiftly back towards the endless sky as tears began to swell in the corners of his eyes. Breathing in deeply he managed to stifle them back. Without moving, eyes fixed on the distant stars for comfort, Frey began his apology.
"I... I didn't mean what I said earlier," Frey confessed, his voice laced with regret. "... I haven't always been the best at expressing myself, and I've said some things that I didn’t mean. I don't know why I said it. But I want you to know that I... I didn't mean it, Jun. I’m sorry if it hurt you."
Frey felt Jun step up beside him on the railing and heard him give a light sigh "Frey, it's okay," he replied, his voice soothing. "I know you didn't mean it
Frey risked a sideways glance in Juns direction and say Jun looking at him with mixture of vulnerability and understanding. "We all have our moments, Frey.” he continued “Words can hurt, but I know deep down that you didn't mean to hurt me intentionally. We're a team, and that means forgiving each other's missteps."
Frey felt a wave of relief wash over him, but he still couldn't shake off the guilt. He looked back out into the cosmos unsure what to do next. Probably sensing his uncertainty Jun joined him. They both stood side by side in silence, mere inches apart, hands resting on the railing.
Frey's heart yearned for a deeper connection with Jun. The guilt that had consumed him earlier seemed to dissolve, replaced by a growing desire to reach out to Jun and touch his warm skin. The weight of his decision pressed on Frey's chest, his mind warring between fear and longing. What if Jun didn't feel the same way? What if it changed everything between them? But deep down, he knew he couldn't ignore the intensity of his feelings any longer. Taking a deep breath, Frey mustered his courage turning his hand to the side allowing his fingers to graze lightly against the back of Jun’s, his touch hesitant but filled with longing. Even this small touch made his heart flutter. As he looked away bashfully; his cheeks flushing a deep crimson. Looking down out of the corner of his eyes Frey saw Jun softly lift his hand brushing it over Frey’s palm and intertwining their fingers. The warmth of their touch sent a comforting sensation through both of them. As Frey glanced down at their entwined fingers, a surge of courage welled up within him. He wanted to take a step further; to show Jun just how much he cared. Hesitantly, he tightened his grip, his fingers gently squeezing Jun's hand.
"I want to make it right, Jun. I want to be there for you, I want to be the person you can rely on, just like you've been there for me." Frey looked up into Jun’s face, a silent plea in his eyes. "Can we start over?" he asked, his voice trembling. "I want to make it up to you. I mean it. I want to be better, for you and for the crew. I want us to be more than just crewmates. I want us to be... friends."
Jun's eyes widened, surprise mingling with a hint of hope. " I’d like that too," he admitted softly. A genuine smile formed on Frey's face, his heart swelled with a mix of relief, joy, and nervous anticipation. The simple act of holding hands felt like a declaration, a shared promise of trust, support, and the possibility of something more. In that moment, Frey knew that their connection had deepened, a silent promise passing between them.
As they continued to stand side by side, their hands clasped tightly, Frey felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over him. While they watched the stars sparkle and dance across the night sky, Frey couldn't help but feel that the quiet stillness on board the Leviathan was now filled with the promise of something extraordinary. No matter what lay ahead, they would face it together, hand in hand, their connection unbreakable. And in that moment, Frey knew that he had made the right choice, a choice that would forever shape their shared destiny among the stars.