Captured by the Yandere Space Pirates-Chapter 16 -

Syn's shout of "What?!" still rang in his ears, a jolt of shock that rippled through him as Vera's laughter pierced the prison's eerie silence. Startled, his grip faltered, and Vera slipped from his arms, her bound form tumbling toward the floor. But she twisted mid-air with a feline grace, her cuffed legs bending as she landed in a squat, her boots thudding softly against the metal. With a fluid push, she straightened, standing tall despite the restraints, her purple hair swaying as she flashed him a triumphant smirk. Syn staggered back, his breath hitching, the plasma torch trembling in his hand as the reality of the empty cells sank in.

The prison guards reacted instantly, their guns snapping up in a synchronized arc, barrels trained on Syn with a chorus of clicks. Their faces were taut, eyes wide with alarm, but before they could fire, one—a wiry figure with a shaved head—darted forward, dropping to his knees to fumble with the cuffs around Vera's ankles. His fingers worked frantically, the metal clinking as he pried at the locks, casting wary glances at Syn.

"Lower your guns," a familiar voice boomed from behind, cutting through the tension with a casual authority. Syn whipped around, his heart lurching as he caught Aster's broad, grinning figure striding toward him, her blonde hair glinting under the dim lights. Too late—he'd barely registered her presence when she closed the gap, her hand flashing out like a striking cobra. With a swift chop, she knocked the plasma torch from his grasp, the tool clattering across the floor, its hum dying as it skidded into a corner.

Syn pivoted, dropping into a fighting stance, his fists clenched as adrenaline surged through him. Aster lunged, her taller frame a blur of muscle and intent. He ducked under her swinging arm, aiming a quick jab at her ribs, but she twisted, catching his wrist and yanking him off-balance. He countered with a sharp kick to her shin, landing a glancing blow that made her grunt, but she retaliated with a knee to his side, forcing a hiss of pain from his lips. Their hands grappled, a flurry of blocks and strikes—his elbow grazed her jaw, her fist clipped his shoulder—until she seized his arm, twisting it behind him in a lock that sent him stumbling back.

"It's my turn now, Vera," Aster called over her shoulder, her voice laced with a smug edge as she tightened her hold. "You go finish those Kingdom negotiations." The guards hesitated, then scattered like startled birds, their footsteps echoing as they retreated, reassured that Syn—the threat—was neutralized.

Vera chuckled, brushing off her uniform as the wiry guard freed her legs. "Go easy on him," she said, her tone teasing yet warm, "he must be tired from carrying me all the way." She stepped closer, her unbound hands brushing Syn's cheek as she planted a peck of a kiss there, her lips soft and fleeting. Syn wriggled like a caterpillar in Aster's iron grip, his face twisting in a mix of irritation and exhaustion as Vera sauntered off, her laughter trailing behind her.

Aster shoved him forward, her strength undeniable as she propelled him toward a nearby cell. The barred door clanged open, and she pushed him inside, stepping in after him and locking it with a decisive *click*.

"You're not done yet, huh?" she taunted, cracking her knuckles as Syn spun to face her, his dark eyes blazing with defiance. He wasn't giving up—not after Vera's trick, not with his people's fate unknown.

He charged, feinting left before swinging a fist at her chest. Aster blocked with her forearm, grunting as the impact reverberated, but Syn pressed the advantage, landing a solid punch to her stomach that made her stagger. She growled, recovering fast, and swept his legs with a low kick, nearly toppling him. He caught himself against the wall, lunging back with an elbow aimed at her jaw—connecting with a satisfying thud that drew a sharp curse from her lips. But Aster was relentless, grabbing his shoulders and slamming him back, her height giving her the leverage to dominate the cramped space.

With a sudden, viper-like move, Aster's hand shot to his neck, her fingers clamping tight around his throat. She pinned him against the cold cell wall, his boots scraping as he struggled, his breath cut to shallow gasps.

Small choking sounds—ack, ack—escaped his lips, his face reddening as he clawed at her wrist with both hands. Aster grinned, her free hand sweeping her blonde hair back in a casual flourish, then darting up to seize his wrists, pinning them above his head in a single, forceful grip. Her height loomed starkly now, her broad frame dwarfing him, her strength a wall he couldn't breach.

"What happened to all that cockiness from this morning?" she mocked, her face inches from his, her breath hot against his flushed skin. Her eyes glinted with a mix of triumph and something softer, a flicker of memory beneath the taunt.

"Ack... ack..." Syn rasped, his voice strangled, his chest heaving as he fought for air.

"What? Can't hear you," she teased, leaning closer, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Cat got your tongue?"

"Ack... ack..." His vision blurred at the edges, his struggles weakening as oxygen dwindled.

"See," she continued, her voice lowering, a mocking edge sharpening her words, "this is how I felt when you were ignoring me this morning. Fun, isn't it?" Her grip tightened briefly, a punctuation to her point, her blonde strands falling forward to brush his face.

"..." Syn's protests faded to silence, his strength ebbing as his lungs screamed for relief.

"Should I ignore you now?" she asked, her head tilting as if considering it. "Tell me..."

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"Ack... ack..." His choked gasps were his only reply, his face a deepening shade of red, veins bulging at his temples as he strained against her hold.

Aster's grin softened, a flicker of concern breaking through her bravado as she watched his struggle. With a sudden exhale, she released his neck, her hand dropping away as Syn slumped against the wall, gasping heavily with relief. His chest heaved, each breath a ragged pull of air, and she loosened her grip on his wrists, letting them fall when she saw the exhaustion etched into his features. He sank to the floor with a slow thud, knees buckling as he clutched his chest, his fingers digging into his shirt as if to steady his racing heart.

Aster squatted down, her broad frame folding gracefully as she studied him, her blonde hair spilling over her shoulders. "Here," she said, her voice gentler now, pulling a small water packet from her belt and tossing it into his lap. "Drink."

Syn fumbled for it, his hands shaking as he tore it open, gulping the contents in desperate swallows. The cool liquid soothed his raw throat, his breathing slowing as he drained the packet and let it fall, crumpled, beside him. He leaned back against the wall, his dark eyes half-lidded, exhaustion settling over him like a heavy cloak.

"You've grown really strong, Aster," he said, his voice hoarse but steady, a grudging compliment slipping past his defenses as he met her gaze.

She smirked, a flicker of pride lighting her features. "Yes, I did—thanks to you." Her tone softened, a rare acknowledgment of their shared past, the days when he'd drilled her in combat, pushing her limits until she'd surpassed them. She shifted closer, her hand hovering near his shoulder as she checked him over, her fingers brushing lightly against his arm.

His breath had calmed, steady now, and she noted the lack of bruises beyond the faint red marks on his neck—her handiwork, but not lasting damage. "Anyway, you feeling fine now?" she asked, her voice quieter, a trace of worry threading through it as she leaned in, her eyes searching his face.

Syn nodded faintly, his chest still rising and falling with a lingering heaviness, but the fog of panic had cleared.

Aster's closeness was a strange comfort, her concern a stark shift from the ferocity of moments ago. "I'm sorry," she said, her tone dropping to a murmur, her hand resting lightly on his shoulder now, "I might have went too far." Her blonde hair framed her face as she watched him, a mix of regret and resolve in her eyes, the fight's adrenaline fading into something more human.