Captured by the Yandere Space Pirates

Syn stirred awake, the faint hum of the ship seeping through the walls of Pako's tidy room, the sheets tangled around his legs from their romantic night together.

His hazel eyes blinked open, catching Pako's dark gaze fixed on him, her tan face propped on one hand, her dark hair spilling over the pillow like a wild halo.

She wasn't smiling—her lips were set, her eyes heavy with something unspoken, a rare stillness in her usually chaotic presence.

"What?" Syn asked, his voice rough with sleep, his fair brow creasing as he shifted to face her, the mattress creaking softly under his weight.

Pako's gaze didn't waver, her voice low, serious, cutting through the room's quiet. "Vera told me you're going back to the Kingdom." Her words landed heavy, a stone dropped in still water, and Syn's chest tightened, the air between them thickening with the weight of it.

He nodded, his hazel eyes steady. "Yeah. I am."

Pako's face hardened, her dark eyes flashing as she sat up, the sheets slipping to reveal her tan shoulders and her contrasting perky breasts and tan lines.

"Don't go, Syn," she said, her voice firm, almost pleading, a crack of vulnerability beneath her usual bravado.

"Stay here—with us, with me. You don't need to play hero out there. We can take out the kingdom, not immediately, but one step at a time."

Syn sighed, rubbing his temple, his dark hair mussed as he met her gaze.

"I have to, Pako. The Kingdom's rotting every second and the King is getting stronger—people are suffering, and I can't just sit here while it burns. I've got a small chance to make a difference." His tone was stubborn, unyielding, a resolve carved deep from years of carrying that weight.

The argument flared fast, Pako's voice rising as she leaned closer, her hands gesturing wildly.

"You're not their savior, Syn! You'll get yourself killed—or worse, caught and tortured, made an example out of you. What about us? What about me? If something happened to you, I won't be able to take it, I won't be able to not blame myself, I would regret letting you go to the kingdom."

Her dark eyes glistened, not with tears but with a fierce, desperate fire, her tan fingers clenching the sheets.

"You think you can just waltz into the Kingdom and fix it? You're not thinking straight!"

"I am thinking," Syn snapped, his patience fraying as he swung his legs off the bed, grabbing his navy pants from the floor. "I've been thinking about this longer than you know. I'm not running blind—I've got a plan and I have a few allies."

His voice was sharp, irritation creeping in as he yanked on his shirt, buttons misaligned in his haste, his fair cheeks flushing from the clash.

Pako opened her mouth, ready to fire back, but he stood, his boots scuffing the steel floor as he headed for the door, his shoulders tense.

"I need air," he muttered, the argument's sting lingering as he stepped out, leaving Pako alone, her heart thumping with a mix of fear and sadness.

She sank back onto the bed, her tan frame curling inward, the room's clutter—tools, clothes, her life—feeling emptier without him, her dark eyes staring at the closed door, willing it to open again.

It did. The hiss of the seal broke the silence, and Syn stepped back in, his irritated scowl softened, his hazel eyes carrying a quiet resolve.

"I'll come back, Pako," he said, his voice steady now, warm with promise. "As soon as the mission's done, I'm back here—with you, with the crew. I swear it. Want me to sign a contract or something?" His lips twitched, a half-smile breaking through.

Pako's chest loosened, her sadness easing but not gone, her dark eyes searching his face for cracks in his vow.

She scrambled to her desk, digging through a mess of tech and papers to pull out a crumpled sheet, her tan hands scribbling fast: Syn promises to return to Pako and the ship after his mission. She shoved it at him, her voice firm but softer. "Sign it."

Syn took the pen, his grin widening as he scrawled his name, the ink bold against the page.

"Another promise," he said, handing it back, his hazel eyes warm, steady. "I've survived the Kingdom before—I know my way around. Don't worry, okay?"

Pako clutched the paper, her fingers tracing his signature, a fragile lifeline. She nodded, her dark hair falling over her face as a flicker of relief softened her gaze. As Syn turned to leave, she called out, "Syn!"

He paused, turning back, his eyebrows raised in question, his fair face open. "Yes?"

Her voice was calm, her smile serene, but her words carried a lingering edge. "If you break this promise, I'll find a way into the Kingdom myself—drag you back here, even if it's with two or three broken limbs."

The threat hung in the air, her dark eyes steady, no hostility in them, just a quiet certainty that made Syn's stomach churn.

Joke or not, it was pure Pako, and he nodded, his grin wry.

"I won't break it," he said, his voice firm as he stepped out, the door sealing behind him.

Syn headed for the cockpit, his boots echoing in the corridor, but a rustle behind him made him pause.

Before he could turn, arms wrapped around him, lifting him off the ground with a fierce, joyful yank.

"Aster!" he laughed, his hazel eyes lighting up as he twisted to see her, her blonde ponytail swinging, her teal eyes gleaming with relief.

Her broad frame held him tight, bouncing him slightly, her tank top creased from her hangar hideout.

"You're back!" Syn said, his voice bright with joy as he leaned in, surprising her with a kiss, his lips warm and quick against hers.

Aster blinked, her fair cheeks flushing—she'd planned to steal the first kiss, but his move caught her off-guard, her heart skipping as she held him aloft, their lips lingering in a soft, airy dance.

"Didn't expect that," she murmured, her grin wide as she set him down, her hands lingering on his shoulders.

"That was close, Aster—things got rough here," Syn said, his tone half-scolding, half-relieved as he brushed her arm, his flush fading into a warm smile.

Aster's teal eyes twinkled, her voice light.

"You handled it, though—everything's good 'cause of you." Her smile hid the weight she felt, knowing Syn was headed to the Kingdom soon, a place where she, Vera, and Pako couldn't follow—their faces too known, too hunted.

Her heart nudged her to ask for more—sex, closeness, something to anchor him before he left—but Pako's wild confessions echoed in her mind, her face flushing as she tightened her grip, then faltered.

How do you even ask? she wondered, her thoughts a tangle of desire and doubt.

"Aster," Syn said, his voice snapping her out of her daze, a grin tugging at his lips. "You can let go now."

She laughed, loosening her hold, letting him slide to the floor with a soft thump. "Right, yeah," she muttered, scratching the back of her neck, her teal eyes darting away.

Sex could wait—it should happen naturally, not as a race with Pako or Vera.

She let the thought go, her smile returning as she nudged him. "Let's check on Vera."

They headed to the medic room, the door hissing open to reveal Vera on her bed, her bandages lighter now, her purple hair neater, her fair face brighter than yesterday.

"Welcome back, Aster," she said, her voice warm, her purple eyes glinting with quiet pride as she nodded to Syn. "You're looking better," he said, stepping close, his hand brushing her arm, his hazel eyes soft with care.

"You're recovering fast," Aster added, leaning against the doorframe, her grin easy but her heart still racing from her earlier thoughts. Syn nodded, his smile warm, but Aster clapped his shoulder. "C'mon, let's grab breakfast—I'm starving."

As they turned to leave, Vera's voice stopped them. "Syn—wait." Her tone was soft but firm, her purple eyes playful as she propped herself up.

"I want to eat breakfast with you. Carry me?" She tilted her head, a cute smirk tugging at her lips, and Syn laughed, his flush returning as he scooped her up, her bandaged frame light in his arms, her purple hair brushing his shoulder.

Aster followed, her teal eyes rolling but her grin wide, and as they reached the corridor, Pako appeared—dressed in a fresh jacket, her tan face brightening at the sight.

"Well, look at this parade," she teased, falling in step as they headed to the canteen, Syn carrying Vera, Aster and Pako trading mock glares that dissolved into giggles.

In the canteen, they settled around a scratched steel table, trays piled with synth-eggs and coffee, the air filling with their laughter.

Pako flicked a crumb at Aster, who retaliated with a spoon-wave, while Vera leaned against Syn, her smile soft but sharp, catching every quip.

They teased Pako—her wild flying, her ankle-breaking threats—and she fired back, her dark eyes sparkling, her tan hands gesturing wildly.

Syn's grin never faded, his hazel eyes warm as he watched them, the banter a time machine.

It was all like time shifted... to the past.