A/N: This entire chapter is pretty much an angst stab and Jimin and Jungkook being gay for each other. Enjoy.

~The Next Day | 13:22~

You sit next to Jimin, who's shaking pretty badly. He said yesterday that this is around the time he'd hear back from his parents, if they chose to respond. You personally think he has nothing to fear, but you understand why he'd be so nervous. Regardless, he wanted you to be here. Not only to informally meet his parents, but to be there in case they don't respond. You really hope that doesn't happen. You want to see your Mochi happy.

Jimin keeps refreshing his inbox every fifteen seconds, and it pains you to see him like this. So anxious, so upset. You wish you could kiss it better, but you know you can't. Well, that doesn't mean you can't at least try. You tap your fingers up his shoulder. He goes still. You use your index finger to tilt his chin towards you, and his eyes widen upon meeting yours. You softly smile and give him a reassuring gaze. "No matter what happens, I'm here," you whisper. His eyes scream his thanks. He looks at you like no one else ever has. With so much love and admiration. He cares so much. No one else ever has, not even your own family.

He leans forward and gingerly kisses you, and you smile against his lips. However, after only a couple seconds he pulls back. You go back to your girlfriend duties and wrap an arm around him, gently massaging his shoulders. "Thank you for being here," he whispers.

You reply by kissing his cheek. "I'll always be here."

He looks back at you, and you lock eyes. You feel a spark inside your chest, your skin gets all tingly, and your breath leaves your body for a moment. You can hear your own pulse as you fall deeper into his brown eyes. He's so... beautiful. On the inside and out. You can't help but feel yourself wanting to be around him at all times. Is this what you think it is? You gulp, not sure how to handle your emotions. But right now, sitting here on his bed, being so close to him, your mouth moves on it's own.

"I l-" you bite your tongue to cut yourself off.

"You okay?" he asks so softly that it almost makes you let out an 'awe'. Even here, in his moment of max anxiety and fear, he's still asking if you're okay. He's truly the kindest man you've ever met.

"Of course, I'm just worried about you."

He sweetly smiles and gives your noise a boop. "As long as you're here, I'll be alright."

After a few seconds of staring, he turns back to his hologlobe and continues to refresh and refresh. You keep up with your shoulder massages, and it goes like this for several more minutes. You lean your head on his shoulder and look up at the ceiling, using only one hand to massage his shoulder now. After another minute of silence, he goes still. You wait a few seconds, waiting to hear the 'beep' of the refresh. It doesn't come.

You snap up and glance over at him. He's completely frozen, eyes glued to the screen. You stay silent, peeking over his shoulder. He has one new message from an unknown source. He lets out a shaky breath, and you kiss his neck, breathing in his scent. You don't speak, you simply sit there with your head on his shoulder, peeping at the hologlobe as he stares at it.

He takes a few more seconds, then raises one of his shaky fingers and taps on it. It brings up a video message that's black at first, then, Jimin presses play. It switches to a nice, medium-sized house. There's a man sitting on a chair in what looks to be a kitchen. It's all wooden, lots of cabinet space and there's even a fridge with a water dispenser in the corner. There's some paintings and house plants as well, but you pay no mind to them. You only pay attention to the man. He looks very similar to Jimin, almost identical.

"Jihyun," Jimin whispers, and your eyes widen. That would definitely explain why they look so similar.

"Park Jimin you son of a bitch," Jihyun says through the screen, although you can tell it was meant in a joking manner. Jimin laughs, holding a hand over his mouth. You can see the tears starting to form in his eyes already.

"You're damn right it's been a long time. We miss you so much. Mom and dad showed me the message... I don't think they'll be making an appearance yet, but I'd love to go back and forth with you. I've really missed you big bro. I'm so sorry about your friend, and for everything else you've been through. I wish I could be there for you right now, so you better visit soon."

Jihyun pauses, and you peek up at Jimin to see tears slowly rolling down his face. You softly smile at the sight and turn back to the screen. Jihyun sighs, then shakes his head as a smile spreads across his lips. "Captain Park Jimin. I've always had faith in you, but I'm not gonna lie - not that much faith." Jimin lets out a small laugh, although it comes out as more of a cough due to his tears. "Captain... damn. That's amazing. I'm so proud of you. All joking aside, you deserve it."

A smirk slowly creeps over Jihyun's face, and Jimin freezes. "So you have a girlfriend now, huh?" You slowly look over at Jimin, but he stays frozen with his eyes on the screen. "Y/N... she sounds lovely based on your description. You were practically drooling over there. Must be one helluva girl if she's making you that happy. I want all the details as soon as possible. And please bring her to Earth, I'd love to tease the two of you relentlessly."

He doesn't glance back at you, so you stifle your giggle, giving his cheek a quick peck. He relaxes at your actions, letting his smile come back. "Not much has happened around here since you left. I went to school, have a steady job, no girl yet, but hey, I'll find one soon... I hope anyway. Mom and dad have calmed down a lot, they went to therapy and everything. I think they really miss you Jimin. Not as much as me of course, but you leaving was a wake up call. And don't ever apologize for having to leave and not contact us. Trust me, we understand. They treated you like shit... worse than that. Keep a brother updated, alright?"

Jimin nods rapidly, watching as Jihyun starts to get emotional. There's tears in both brother's eyes. Your heart warms at the sight. They really care about each other. It breaks your heart that they're not together now. You wish you could teleport Jihyun here and make them both happy. Jihyun gives the camera a wave, a smile on his lips. "Until next time... bye bye, Jiminie."

Your eyes widen as Jihyun leans towards the camera, about to turn it off. Jimin mimics his brother's actions, placing his hand only an inch away from the screen as his brother cuts the recording. He sits there in shock for a few moments before taking a shaky breath. He backs out of his mail and goes to his camera.

"I want to respond as fast as possible. Can you... be here?" he asks, risking a peek at you.

You agree, "You don't even have to ask." He grins, giving you a firm nod before turning back to the screen. You see yourself on the camera, curled up next to Jimin, who still has some tears on his face. He seems nervous, but when you give his shoulder a squeeze, he sighs and presses record.

"Hey Jihyun. Thank you so much for replying. Hearing your voice again it... wow. That took away all my stress immediately. I don't mean to get sappy on you, but I've missed you so much. More than anything. I know you said don't apologize, but I still will. I didn't mean to leave you, or mom and dad, especially without any contact. Life really took a 180, huh?" He sniffles, then nudges you. "There's someone I'd like you to meet..."

You slightly blush, trying to come up with words. This is his brother. This is your first impression. You didn't even comprehend that until Jimin nudged you. You're speaking with his brother. Maybe not right now, but he'll see this soon. Despite your fears, you gulp. "Hi, I'm Y/N. Y/N L/N. Your brother is a big ol' softie. He talks about you all the time, and I'm making it my personal mission to take you cloud watching with me when we eventually travel back to Earth. I need to know your secret, how do you always find a turtle?" You and Jimin pause to look at each other, then smile. You nervously tuck a strand of hair behind your ear.

"I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty nervous, but Jimin is a really good guy. I know he has to get it from somewhere. I assume that's from you."

"Hey!"

You giggle, giving him a nudge. You feel him wrap an arm around you and kiss the top of your head as you keep talking. "Thank you for replying, for being there for Jimin, for just... everything." Jimin smiles sweetly at you, and you can't help but return it.

"Keep me posted with everything happening at home. I'm going to try my best to score you a girl when I get back. You know we're wingmen for life," he says, looking back down at the camera. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do. Tell mom and dad that they can take their time... also tell them I'm thinking of them and I hope they're doing well. See you later lil bro," Jimin finishes, giving his brother a small salute before turning the video off.

You slowly turn to Jimin and smirk. "So you were drooling over me?"

He laughs, shaking his head, "Not in the slightest." You raise a brow. "Maybe a little, but that's not the point."

"Yeah, the point is that Jihyun calls you Jiminie and you never told me that. Isn't it weird? I can stop calling you that if you'd like."

He lets out a relaxed sigh, "No actually. I like it when you say it. Reminds me of home."

You agree, then, after a few seconds of silence, you give his shoulder a nudge. "You good?"

He slowly nods, "Better than good... great."

"Good. I hate to bring this up, but you have a lot of things to do today."

He groans, "Let me guess - appoint an Executive Officer, interrogate Yoongi, and decide our course of action?"

You hum, "And check on Baekhyun, make sure the ship is running okay, and somehow get in contact with my father so we can warn him about Ganymede."

"So much for a relaxing day, huh?"

"Well, at least we had one yesterday."

He looks over at you and smiles. "Are you like my personal planner or something?"

You shrug, "I remember your daily agenda more than I remember mine so, maybe." He chuckles, kissing your forehead softly before shaking his head.

"You're something else."

~13:46~

Jimin taps on Baekhyun's shoulder, and he snaps awake. His eyes dart around until they land on Jimin. "I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to fall asleep on the job I just-"

"Have you been sleeping at all?"

The Pilot sighs, looking out at the stars. "Ever since Triton, every time I close my eyes I hear gunshots. I see the soldiers running towards us. I can't get it out of my head. I've never wanted to go home more in my life."

Jimin sits in the co-pilot's chair, giving the boy a look of sympathy. After a few beats of silence, Jimin knows he has to ask the hard question. "What were you running from?" he whispers, and Baekhyun goes still. "You don't have to answer but... I won't tell anyone if you choose to tell me." Baekhyun waits a few more seconds, then nods.

"Myself."

Jimin's eyes slightly widen. "Yourself?"

"I didn't know who I was, what I was becoming. I was getting more hostile towards my friends, my family... I fell in love with a girl too, and I blew any chance I might have had with her. I got so scared of myself and who I was that I became numb and just... ran away. I'm scared it's been too long, and that I shouldn't go back, but I know I'll have to face myself eventually."

Jimin stays silent, simply processing Baekhyun's words. He knew that whatever reason Baekhyun had for leaving Earth had to be messy, but he didn't think it was this. "I'm so sorry," Jimin whispers, not entirely sure what else to say.

"Not your fault. Actually, you make it better." Baekhyun gives his Captain a weak smile. "Any clue where we're going next?"

Jimin shakes his head, "Only destination that might be worth our time is Ganymede. Maybe we can stop whatever was hiding on the Blackwell before it's too late. Although I'm not sure where to start..."

Baekhyun nods in understanding. "Did you talk to Yoongi yet?"

Jimin shakes his head again, "I wanted to talk to you first. Go get some rest. Even if it's hard, try to. I'll handle everything from here."

"Sir-"

"I insist. You deserve to rest."

Baekhyun hesitates, then accepts it and stands. "Thanks Park, I owe you one."

Jimin slightly smiles, "I think you owe me much more than one Byun." The Pilot laughs before leaving the cockpit, walking past a startled Hoseok.

"Did I miss something?" the Agent asks.

"Not at all. Could you do me a favor?" Hoseok nods. "Do you know where Seulgi is?"

"Present," her voice calls back from the bridge.

"Good, you're both here. Seulgi, Y/N and I parted ways a few minutes ago. Baekhyun will be resting for the afternoon. Can you please bring her to the cockpit?"

Seulgi hums, "Right away sir."

As she walks away, Jimin addresses Hoseok. "As for you, a wise man once told me 'being survivors means we all have responsibilities'. Normally Jungkook's my wingman here, but with him still out, I could use someone's help with Yoongi. I was hoping that someone could be you."

Hoseok's eyes widen, "I'm not sure I'd be any good at interrogation but... I'll try."

Jimin smiles, "I know, and you'll do great. Now come on, Jin and Taehyung should be keeping an eye on him in the holding facilities."

As Jimin guides Hoseok down to the bay and down the hall, he lets his mind wander. Jin and Taehyung have proved rather resourceful recently, and Jimin couldn't be prouder. He's starting to grow fond of the both of them. Jin could use a chill pill on the narcissism, but other than that, he's fun to be around. Same with Taehyung. He seems quiet, but also amusing.

They approach the first holding facility and find Jin and Taehyung standing outside it. "Any noise?" Jimin asks, and Jin shakes him off.

"Not in the slightest," Taehyung replies.

"Good. I'll talk to him, find out his deal and if he can be trusted. Stay outside just in case he tries anything," Jimin commands, and the two nod. Taehyung opens the door. Jimin and Hoseok step inside as Yoongi looks up.

He's sitting directly across from them, looking up with a blank expression. He doesn't seem tired or angry or happy or anything really. He's just... here. The sight honestly shocks Jimin, but he doesn't let that show. Instead, he motions for Taehyung to close the door behind them, and he does.

"I think you know why we're here," Jimin starts, stepping closer. Hoseok follows, and Jimin's slightly surprised to see him looking determined. Hoseok is easily spooked, but this doesn't seem to be upsetting him at all.

"I told you. Those creatures killed my crew. Came from something unidentified. There's not much more I can tell you." Jimin and Hoseok share a look, and that's when the Agent steps up.

"What can you tell us about this creature. Does it have any weaknesses? Any clue how intelligent it is?" Hoseok asks, and Jimin nods in agreement.

"Loud noises seem to draw its attention, which can be used as a strength or a weakness. As for intelligence it's certainly smarter than the basic human infected. If I were to guess, each time it evolves it gets stronger and smarter."

"Each time? There's more than that praying mantis thing?" Jimin inquires.

"As far as we know - no. But, if it evolved once, I'm willing to bet it can evolve again. It might just take longer. How it can evolve so fast is already alarming. It can change from a human to one of those things in only a week."

Jimin halts his body for a moment. "There were infected humans on Triton, a lot of them. There's no way they were infected for less than a week."

Yoongi shrugs, "Maybe that's where the intelligence comes in. Maybe evolving is like a choice for them."

"A choice? Creatures can't pick and choose when they evolve, it's a necessity," Hoseok tries, but Yoongi seems unconvinced.

"This is alien life we're dealing with. Anything is possible."

"How did you know to go to Kepler?" Jimin asks, and Yoongi seems slightly off-put by the question.

"It's where all the dangerous objects in the galaxy come from. I figured if anyone had answers, it's them."

"Yes, but no one in my crew except for one person knows where Kepler is. How did you?"

Yoongi simply blinks at the Captain. "Let's just say I used to know a guy who worked there."

Jimin sighs, knowing that pushing any more will result in failure. He gazes over at Hoseok, who gives the Captain a shrug, also not sure what else to say. So, Jimin looks back at the ground, feeling defeat swell up in his chest. "Well, this leads us to a dead end. We don't know where the alien life came from so... what else is there to do about it?" Jimin mutters, rubbing his temple with his fingers.

"Well there is one option," Hoseok says, and Jimin looks up.

"You have a solution?"

Hoseok nods, "Ganymede."

"Yeah... I guess I did say Ganymede is the only place worth our time. I don't know though, with the Belt starting a war it could be as bad if not worse than Triton."

"We handled Kepler, we can handle this," Hoseok says confidently.

"About Kepler..." Yoongi starts, and both Jimin and Hoseok turn towards him. "I know you only got me out of there because you needed answers but... thank you."

Jimin almost smiles, "We would've let you on anyway... you're welcome."

"Should I go and tell Y/N to set course for Ganymede?" Hoseok asks, and Jimin bites his lower lip.

"I'm not sure."

"What is it sir?"

Jimin eyes Yoongi, then nods. "Let's discuss this in the cockpit. I still have a few more decisions to make before we go anywhere."

Jimin knocks on the door, and Taehyung opens it for them. They exit, the door being closed behind them. "I think he'll be fine for now. Keep the interior camera on so we can monitor him from the cockpit, I'm sure Y/N wouldn't mind something to keep her occupied. Jin, please bring him food three times a day until I figure out if we should let him roam around."

"He's a commanding officer, surely we can trust him, right?" Hosoek questions as Jin nods.

Jimin leads Hoseok back through the halls before replying. "Maybe, but he was in contact with those creatures. It's been a full day and he hasn't shown any signs of infection, just like he said, but I'm not taking any chances. Let's give it another day. If he's still healthy then I'll let him go. I'll just lock up the armory."

Hoseok hums, "Makes sense, but I have a personal question."

Jimin slows his pace as they enter the bay, turning to face Hoseok with furrowed brows. "Do you want to go somewhere private?"

"No, no... here is okay. I wanted to know if we were going to Earth anytime soon."

Jimin hesitates, "I'm not entirely sure. I'd like to get back there at some point, but Earth is over a week away from our location. Even if we were to go there first, you would still have time until we arrive." Jimin eyes the Agent, "Is everything okay?"

He nods, "Yeah just... Earth isn't exactly my favorite place." Jimin raises a brow, but Hoseok shakes him off. "It's nothing. I'll make sure Y/N knows to watch Yoongi, you should go check on Jungkook. He's still in the medbay, but he should be ready to move now."

Jimin hums in satisfaction, placing his hand on Hoseok's shoulder. "Thank you. If you ever need to talk... I'm here."

Hoseok stares at his Captain in awe, then agrees. "I appreciate that."

They give each other another firm nod before dispersing. Hoseok goes up to the bridge while Jimin turns down the hallway again, going towards the medbay. After navigating down the familiar hallway, he enters the room in time to see Jungkook sitting up.

"Jungkook," Jimin greets, smiling brightly.

Jungkook returns the smile, "Jimin, it's so good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, how are you feeling?"

Jungkook seems so much better. He's back to his normal skin tone, his eyes completely brown and the lines on his cheeks barely visible. "Like a new person. Hoseok is a good medic."

"I agree. You gave us a pretty good scare."

Jungkook shakes Jimin off, "I'm not that important."

Jimin steps closer. "You are to me."

Jungkook lets his eyes widen, stuttering over words. "S-Sir, I-"

"Jungkook, I need to ask you something. I know you just got healed, and I apologize for dropping this on you, but, in my opinion I think I waited too long."

Jungkook leans back, "Is everything okay?"

Jimin nods, "You don't have to say yes, by the way."

He raises a brow, "What is it?" Jimin slightly smiles, remembering when Namjoon asked the same question in the same way... in the same room. He's more similar to his late Captain than he originally thought.

"Will you be my Executive Officer?"

Jungkook goes still, his breathing becoming much slower and staggered. His mouth hangs open, searching for words. Jimin's reaction was the same when he got asked, so he doesn't blame the boy for being shocked. "I- Jimin... me?"

"Jeon Jungkook, you've proven yourself as resourceful, intelligent, and a creative thinker..." Jimin trails off, giving the boy a smile. "And you're really starting to grow on me."

Jungkook softly smiles in return, "What about Y/N? Or Seulgi?"

"I'm sure they would agree that you're the best one for the job." Jungkook sits there dumbfounded for a few more seconds before starting to nod.

"Jimin... of course I'll be your Executive Officer."

"Yes!" Jimin lets out. He embraces Jungkook, who laughs and returns the hug, squeezing his Captain tightly. After a few seconds, they part, and Jimin can't help but laugh. "I never thought I would ever be asking someone to be my Executive Officer... but I'm glad I am. And I'm glad I met you."

Jungkook widely grins, his smile making him look like a bunny. "I'm glad I met you too."

Jimin steps back and points to his face. "You look like a bunny when you smile."

Jungkook tries to pull off an angry face, but it doesn't work, he ends up smiling wider. "Dammit." Jimin shakes his head in disbelief before opening the door to the medbay.

"Ready to walk?"

Jungkook lets out a short breath before tapping his feet against the floor. After a few seconds, he puts weight on them and stands, a little wobbly at first, but he gets the hang of it quickly. "Alright... where we off to?"

Jimin shrugs, "Cockpit. Need to plan our next course and what to do about Kepler."

"Fair enough, let's go."

Jimin stays close to Jungkook as they go back down the hallway. Jungkook seems to be doing well on his own, walking around and looking at everything in amazement. They enter the main bay, then go up to the bridge. Hoseok, Seulgi, Jin, Taehyung, and Y/N are present. Baekhyun and Yoongi are the only two missing.

Y/N sits in the pilot's seat, looking at the camera that monitors Yoongi. Jimin clears his throat, and the crew perks up, paying attention to him. Jungkook stands next to Jimin, and everyone seems relieved to see him. "Jungkook, you're alright!" Y/N calls, bouncing out of the cockpit and onto the bridge.

"I'm more than alright," he says, peeking over at Jimin, who gives him a smile.

"Everyone... meet your new Executive Officer," Jimin announces.

The room fills with cheers and clapping, along with some 'congratulations' being called out. Y/N hugs Jungkook, who returns her embrace. "You've earned it," she whispers, pulling back and giving him a heartwarming smile. Jimin's heart is filled with joy at the sight. His Executive Officer is already making a good impact on the crew. Jungkook is the best man for the job. Jimin feels like he made the right decision.

"Alright, as exciting as this day has been we also have some heavier stuff to cover," Jimin starts, and everyone dials down to listen to him. "First things first, we're going to Ganymede. It may take us a week, but at least that gives us time to think about what to do once we get there. I'd like to get in contact with Y/N's father as well, maybe with Mars and Earth too so we can be up to date on what's going on. I want to know exactly how our broadcast went over with the solar system. Lastly... we need to discuss Kepler."

Y/N's smile falters, "What about it?"

"There's alien life on Kepler, very dangerous alien life that was able to wipe out Triton and Min Yoongi's entire crew. We saw up close what that thing can do. I don't want to risk it leaving the station or preying upon another crew who finds it. I thought about this for a while... and I think we should blow up the station."

Y/N scowls. "Yeonjun could be alive down there, we can't just kill him."

"Would you like to go back and see if he's still alive?" Jimin challenges. She grits her teeth, but doesn't reply. "Jungkook? Thoughts?"

Jungkook seems taken aback for a moment, then remembers that he got promoted and clears his throat. "I agree. We could potentially save dozens, maybe hundreds, or thousands of lives by blasting one of these creatures away."

Jimin glances around and sees that Taehyung and Y/N are the only two not looking up. They're both eyeing the ground. Taehyung has sadness in his eyes while Y/N has anger. "Y/N, please fire a missile on Kepler."

She glares at him. "I thought you cared about everyone's lives." Jimin's slightly shocked by this, but quickly realizes this is a conversation they need to have alone.

"Seulgi and Hoseok, can you lock down our armory? I plan on setting Yoongi free tomorrow assuming his health is still good." They hesitate, flickering their gazes between Jimin and Y/N, then nod and leave the bridge. "The broadcast left some of our systems down. Jin, Taehyung, can you go into the floorboards and make sure everything is fully operational?" They firmly nod and move away. Jimin peers over at Jungkook pleadingly, and he gets the hint.

"I'll go oversee their tasks. Let me know if you need anything." Jimin gives him a grateful look as he departs. As soon as Jungkook is out of earshot, Jimin turns back to a seething Y/N.

"Listen, I really don't want to do it..."

"Then don't," she interrupts, "if you don't want to, then I don't see a point."

"I do care about everyone's lives. I care about this crew more than I care about myself. But we need to think about this logically. The odds that Yeonjun is still alive are slim to none already."

She has tears in her eyes, "But he's innocent in all this."

"I'm sorry Y/N... but we don't know that."

"Bullshit we don't. He's a scientist who got trapped in a bad situation. He's not a bad guy."

Jimin knows that he there's no way he can convince her, but he tries anyway. "I know you care about him, but you and I both know that he's gone no matter what we do. Please, Y/N. What if your father comes back to Kepler looking for answers? What if Mars decides to follow him? We could be risking a different kind of war... and we've already started enough of those."

She stares at him, tears falling down her face. He wants to run to her, hold her and wipe away her tears, but he knows she won't let him. This decision is a tough one, but it can save lives. Y/N's father is likely to come back, especially since he was born there. Jimin could save over a dozen lives at least by destroying Kepler. He has to.

She shakes her head, looking down. "I can't even look at you right now... you're not doing this because you're jealous, are you?"

His eyes widen: now he's angry. "Y/N how could you even say that to me? Okay - yes, I'll admit, I can get jealous. But your most serious ex-boyfriend is now my best friend and Executive Officer. If I even have to explain why I wouldn't kill someone out of jealousy, then I don't know what to say to you."

She balls her hands into fists, "I can't override you. I know that. You've already made your decision. I just want you to know that killing someone for a chance at saving other's lives is... I don't even know what to say about that. We don't know how many people know this station exists." She looks up, glaring at him with disgust. It makes him feel disgusted with himself.

"Go ahead, do it."

"Y/N-"

"I don't want any part of it," she interrupts, angrily wiping away one of her tears and storming past him. He sighs as she departs, going down to the bay and immediately climbing up the main ladder. He watches, his heart practically breaking. He never meant to upset her, but he also needs to stand by his decision. After a moment his feelings come back in full force. He sniffles, trying to process what just happened. Did him and Y/N just have a fight?

He didn't even realize he was crying until he instinctively wiped his tears away.