Captured by the Yandere Space Pirates

The Next Morning -

Syn woke to the soft rustle of sheets, his hazel eyes blinking open as the light of Vera's bedroom cast a dim glow across the red bed. His head turned, and there she was—Vera, lying beside him, her purple hair splayed across the pillow like a spilled inkblot.

She was awake, her sharp eyes blinking slowly, a gentle smile curling her lips as she watched him stir. The sight caught him off-guard, a warmth blooming in his chest as he mirrored her smile, his voice rough with sleep. "What?"

"You didn't expect me to be beside you when you woke up, right?" she teased, her tone light as her smile widened, her fair cheeks dimpling faintly under the soft light.

"Yeah, I guess," Syn replied, his grin growing as he propped himself up on an elbow, his dark hair tousled from the night. "You've been so busy lately—I didn't really get to see your sleepy face." His words carried a playful lilt.

"Nor did I," Vera shot back, her voice softening as she leaned forward, her arms snatching him into a tight embrace.

Her scent enveloped him—fresh and floral, a hint of soap lingering from their bath the night before—and she hugged him with a fierce affection that pressed her warmth against his chest.

Her fair skin brushed his, her purple hair tickling his neck as she nuzzled closer, her hands roaming his back with a tenderness that felt like a dam breaking after weeks of restraint.

She pulled back just enough to pepper his face with kisses—soft, eager presses against his forehead, his cheeks, his jaw—her lips leaving a trail of heat that made him squirm.

Syn laughed, a flustered sound as he turned red, her bombardment overwhelming him in the best way. His hair shuffled under her fingers as she ruffled it, her affection a tidal wave after a month of measured distance—her exhaustion replaced by this sudden, vibrant shower of love.

At last, she claimed his lips. Her mouth met his in a slow, hungry kiss, deepening with each heartbeat. Her tongue teased his, coaxing a low gasp from his throat as her fingers tangled briefly in his hair.

The world shrank to the space between them, breath and heat and the quiet thrum of something unspoken but unmistakably fierce.

She pulled back only when her lungs begged for air, her lips brushing his in a final, lingering graze. Her breath ghosted against his flushed skin, warm and slightly uneven.

"Gotta freshen up—work calls," she murmured, reluctant and breathless, a faint smirk tugging at her mouth.

Then she slid off the bed, her night gown swaying around her bare thighs, padding toward the bathroom. The door hissed open, then shut behind her.

Syn exhaled, his heart still racing as he swung his legs over the bed's edge, careful not to jostle his healing ankles.

The casts felt lighter today. The navy nightshirt clung to his lean frame, damp with the lingering heat of sleep and what just happened with Vera.

Beside him, Aster lay curled on her side, breathing slow and steady, her blonde hair spilling across the pillow like sunlight.

Her broad, muscular frame barely shifted beneath the rumpled blanket. She'd crashed there sometime after midnight.

He thought she was still out cold—her teal eyes hidden behind closed lids, face soft with sleep—until he moved to stand. The moment his foot brushed the floor, a hand snapped out from beneath the covers, gripping his forearm with startling speed.

Like iron.

He jolted, turning to find Aster awake, her eyes snapping open with a startling clarity. Her face was flushed, a deep crimson spreading across her fair cheeks, her teal gaze fixed on him with an intensity that made his stomach flip.

"Good morning, Aster," he said, his voice steady despite the confusion creeping in, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he tried to read her.

She nodded slowly, her grip loosening but not releasing, her flush deepening as her lips parted, then closed again.

Syn's brow furrowed, his hazel eyes narrowing as he tilted his head. "What's up? Why're you acting weird?" His tone was gentle, probing, as he sank back onto the bed's edge, her hand still tethering him in place.

Aster swallowed, her breath hitching as she shifted closer, her blonde ponytail slipping over her shoulder. "I want to do one thing," she said, her voice low, trembling with a nervous edge that was so unlike her usual command.

Her teal eyes darted away, then back, her flush spreading to her ears as she leaned in, her grip tightening briefly.

"What?" Syn asked, his curiosity piqued, a flicker of unease stirring as he caught the heat in her expression.

He had a feeling this was going to be strange—her flushed face, her hesitant stammer, it wasn't the Aster he knew, the one who barked orders and carried him without a blush.

She edged closer, her knees brushing the bed's edge as she leaned in, her breath warm against his ear as she whispered, "I want to…" Her voice faltered, the words hanging unfinished as her face burned hotter, the red now a vivid blaze across her fair skin.

Syn tilted his head, his pulse quickening—not from fear, but from the sheer oddity of her demeanor.

It had been ages since he'd seen her this flushed.

"Want to?" he prompted, his voice soft but teasing, trying to coax her out of her shell as he leaned slightly into her whisper, his dark hair brushing her cheek.

"…" Aster's lips moved, but no sound came, her breath shallow as she gripped his arm tighter, her fingers digging in with a strength that made him wince.

"…" Syn waited. Amusement and confusion swirling in his chest as her silence stretched.

"Give a…" she managed, her voice barely a whisper, the words tumbling out like they'd been pried loose, her flush so intense it seemed to radiate heat.

"Give a… ouch!" Syn yelped, cutting her off as her grip clamped down harder, crushing his arm in her nervous fervor.

He yanked it free, rubbing the spot with a mock glare. "What?"

"Blow…" Aster forced out, her voice a strangled rasp, her eyes darting to the floor as if she could bury herself in it, her blonde hair falling forward to shield her blazing face.

"…" Syn's brows shot up, his mind racing to catch up, the pieces clicking into place as her meaning dawned. His own cheeks warmed, a faint flush creeping up his neck as he stared at her, caught between shock and a sudden, absurd urge to laugh.

"Job"