Lifting one of Mr. Stone’s scarred hands to his lips, Ari gave him a gallant kiss. After a kiss of his own, Orin ambled over to Axel’s console and sat in his chair with an ominous creaking of overtaxed metal. With a yelp, Axel hurried over to complain, which Mr. Stone proceeded to ignore, working the controls with a grin.
Ari focused his attention back on Theo. “You requested our help?”
Also turning from the bickering pilots, Jun chose to address Ari’s inquiry. “What do you know about holozite?”
There was a subtle and distinct change in Ari’s carriage when he spoke on his favorite topics, an authority that entered his voice and never failed to capture the attention of his audience. It was how he captivated entire lecture halls of students he would have stammered his way through a private conversation with. “It’s as geochemically complex as it is scarce. And, much like tantalum, it’s illegal to transport within the Core, due to its volatile technical capabilities. I’ve only had the opportunity to work with it in a heavily monitored university setting.”
Ignoring the heat of Jun’s frown, Marco leaned in to interrupt. “You’re a materials scientist?”
Ari drew himself up to his full height with a tug of his waistcoat, fatigue melting away at the mere mention of rocks. Stars, but Theo loved his brother. “I’m primarily a geologist, with some experience in cosmochemistry.”
Irritated with Ari’s lack of confidence and perpetual modesty, Theo scoffed. His brother was a genius, and he should show it. “When he says ‘some experience,’ he means he has achieved multiple degrees in the subject and introduced groundbreaking research.”
Marco looked a little starstruck, taking in Ari with newfound appreciation while Ari blustered and blushed.
“Well, yes,” he said, “but I’ve only earned doctorates in geology.”
“Two doctorates. He’s brilliant,” Theo cut in, chest puffed with pride while Ari sent him embarrassed, pleading glances.
Marco’s leg locked with a click when he leaned his weight back on it, shaking his head in obvious relief. “Oh man, that’s awesome because I’ve been fiddling with this new ratio in my fuel booster, and it’d be great if you could help me confirm that it’s not going to blow up the ship. I’ve just been crossing my fingers that my equations are solid.”
Boom groaned his name as she covered her face as Jun treated Marco to the full force of his scowl.
“Were you ever planning to mention that concern to, say, your captain?”
He didn’t even pretend to feel bad about it, shaking his head blithely this time. “Nope. Figured you’d yell at me. I’d rather get blown up.”
Ari rushed to intercept whatever Jun’s scathing response might have been. “I would be happy to assist you, Mr.…” He trailed off with a pointed look at Theo.
Theo slapped himself on the forehead, blaming his forgetfulness on the butterflies still fluttering through his bloodstream at the relief of having Ari with him once more. “Forgive me; I’ve abandoned my manners entirely. Crew, this is Dr. Aristotle Campbell and his companion, Mr. Stone. Ari, this is the Crew. Axel’s the pilot, and you can just ignore everything he says—”
“Hey!”
“—This is Marco, ship engineer, and apparently, your latest admirer. And this is Boom, formidable security expert and Marco’s sister. I think we should all get along famously, don’t you agree?”
Boom appeared skeptical, but poor Marco might as well have had angels and hearts floating around his head.
Extending one of his awkward little bows in the general direction of the Crew, Ari said, “Charmed to make your acquaintance.”
Marco rushed to leave the bridge, tripping on his organic leg as he skirted around Jun. “I’ll go get you a sample, and we can check it out, okay?”
Ari didn’t have time to answer before Marco was gone, humming jauntily as he hurried to the lift.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
With his brother momentarily distracted, Theo snagged Jun by one of the heavy leather straps of his holster. “Come along with me.”
Jun squinted at Theo with a confused wrinkle of his forehead that reached right into Theo’s chest and hurt him with how cute it was. “Why?”
Smoothing a hand across the strap, Theo threw his hair back over his shoulder. “I suppose we could do this here, if you’d rather, but I intend to finish our conversation. I’m not letting you off the hook just because you abandoned your plan to be rid of me.”
When Boom snickered behind them, Jun took off down the corridor without another word, Theo in tow by the hand hooked in his strap.
The restless drumming of Theo’s fingers echoed hollowly in the lift, the only sound as he organized his thoughts, wanting to be as clear and coherent as possible. It was time to be blunt. Direct. Theo’s feet hurt from all this dancing around the thing that had grown between them.
Jun stood stiffly by his side, facing the door with a grim expression as if he expected it to slide open and reveal his doom.
One would think Theo had asked him to cut himself open rather than to talk about his feelings.
Though, for Jun, perhaps the two were more alike than one might suppose.
Jun led them to Theo’s bunk, and Theo couldn’t help but wonder if it was a strategic choice to ensure that Jun could have a place to escape to afterward. In case the room became saturated with emotion, or something.
After closing the door, Jun hovered, crossing and uncrossing his arms as he rocked back on his heels. It was as close to jittery as Theo had ever seen him, tough shell cracked open to reveal the turmoil within. “Well? I’m listening.”
Theo tucked his hair behind his ears, taking a deep breath to ground himself before he started. He examined Jun’s face, registering every twitch as he put up his walls and plastered over the cracks. “Do you know that the study of
