"Please sir, I'm working—" The slap of the stick on Xephos' skin echoed throughout the factory.

"You must double-no, TRIPLE- your efforts! Now stop complaining and get back to work!" Xephos caressed his own cheek, quickly escaping from his tyrannical boss' sight, out of range of his 'poking' stick. Though, it was not just for poking anymore. He didn't notice the scientist standing in the shadows as he rushed out of the office. Lalna watched Xephos, feeling bad. After all, it WAS him who gave Honeydew that stick in the first place. Now he was using it against Xephos, one of their closest friends. Lalna followed silently after the spaceman, watching him work three times as hard as he was before. Even though it was painful and could legitimately kill him, Xephos would work as hard as he had to. He couldn't let his frie—boss down. He sighed, wondering why he had become this. Honeydew used to be so carefree, so friendly...now he was a power-controlling maniac. Xephos flinched, broken out of his thinking by a cool hand resting on his cheek.

"It's not as bad as some previous ones you've had." He looked at the scientist, blinking. How did he know what he had been like before? "Here, I'll put this on it." Xephos watched as Lalna gently pressed a plaster over the wound. He still winced slightly, causing Lalna to hesitate. Xephos nodded, smiling to show he was ok. "I-I thought I hurt you there."

"No more than Honeydew does." Xephos replied sadly, as he sat on the ground. "Lalna...will he ever be the same again?" He asked hopefully, looking up at Lalna. The scientist sat down beside his friend. He didn't reply for a moment, letting the two just sit in silence as he thought of a way to answer.

"...I hope so. It was all my fault, anyway. If I hadn't had told him, or encouraged him...you wouldn't be like this." He explained. "It seems like he only hurts you, too. I somehow manage to avoid it." Lalna moved his goggles from his eyes to his forehead, looking the spaceman in the eyes. "Look, I'll do whatever it takes to protect you, Xephos. I promise you. I won't let him hurt you anymore. I can't stand it!" He whispered, kissing Xephos' unharmed cheek. A small blush appeared on Xephos' cheeks, the two looking deeply into the other's eyes.

"Then...then I'll protect you too." He replied. "We can protect each other, Lalna. We can get through this together." He took Lalna's hand and the two looked up at the star covered sky. Xephos didn't even seem to care about working, relaxing with his new found love. Lalna had a new reason for life – not just being Honeydew's servant or right-hand man. No, now he would be a protector, whatever it took. "Look! A shooting star!" Xephos used his other hand to point at the sky, as the shooting star raced across the sky. Lalna watched as Xephos closed his eyes, obviously wishing for something. He hadn't really ever believed in wishing upon stars. But, just this once...

I wish...I wish he won't be hurt anymore. I wish that Xephos will be safe and protected from harm.

Lalna nodded, satisfied with his wish. He then realised he heard the quiet breathing of Xephos beside him, who had fallen asleep. He silenced a chuckle, lying down with him. The two then slept under the stars, both at peace for the first time in a long time.

"XEPHOS!" Xephos was awoken by Honeydew's angry shouting. 'Oh crap.' He thought to himself, instantly standing up. This jolted Lalna awake, who rubbed his eyes and looked up at the nervous spaceman. "Xephos, what on Minecraftia are you doing?!" Honeydew stormed out of the factory, somehow towering over the anxious Xephos. He had the 'poking' stick already to hand, and looked like he would use it at any moment. Xephos tried to reply, but his anxiety caused him to just stutter and stumble over his words.

"Honeydew, sir, it is my fault." Both men looked shocked at Lalna's words. "I distracted him from his work, and let him sleep." Lalna continued. "So, take your anger out on me, not on him." He watched Honeydew carefully. Honeydew glanced at Xephos, who instantly moved his gaze to the ground when his boss looked at him. He then looked back at Lalna.

"Really? Hmm...How can I be sure that HE isn't getting you to say that?" He asked, pointing with his stick at Xephos. "My dear Lalna wouldn't betray me like that. It MUST be him!" Honeydew raised his arm, Xephos instantly curling up in a ball. Lalna grabbed Honeydew's wrist, his eyes locked onto his.

"I won't allow you to hurt him!" He cried, causing the dwarf to freeze. "It was my fault, so you should punish me, not him. He has done nothing wrong. Even when he doubles, triples, quadruples his efforts for you; you STILL blame him for everything. Any little problem you use him as the source, just so you can watch him flinch and cry out in pain!" He pushed Honeydew back, kneeling beside the trembling Xephos. Honeydew was taken aback, listening to the scientist. He then disappeared back into the factory, slamming and locking the door behind him. Xephos didn't look up for at least another minute, seeing Lalna's caring eyes when he did.

"L-Lalna...you really will protect me." He smiled a little. Lalna nodded, his arms gently wrapped around Xephos' body. There were also scars there from various other beatings, but Xephos didn't like mentioning them, so Lalna didn't bring them up. "...S-Should we run away?"

"Run away?" Lalna heard Xephos' whisper. "Where to, though?" He asked. "We'd have nowhere to go..." He trailed off, glancing at the sky as it began to rain. "...I suppose we could start new. Somewhere just for us two." Lalna looked at Xephos. "Would you like that?" Xephos nodded in reply, gently resting his head on Lalna. The rain soon drenched the two, but neither cared as they were with the other.

"Lalna?"

"Mmm?"

"Let's go now. Let's just leave. We have what we need. I can't stand another day here." Lalna listened to Xephos, thinking. It did make sense. They could just leave, and Honeydew could do nothing about it. They had all they needed too – some basic tools and each other.

"Now?" Lalna confirmed Xephos had meant right now. Xephos nodded. "..." He looked at the sky, the rain slowly beginning to let up. "...Sure. Why not? There's nothing left here for either of us." He stood up, helping Xephos to his feet. "Let's go. We can run wherever we want to, without fear of being hurt." Lalna smiled, watching the spaceman's features reflect his own happiness. "Are you ready to run?" The excitement in the man's expression made Lalna smile, watching him nod enthusiastically.

"Of course!" Xephos replied happily. Lalna started slowly, walking ahead of Xephos as he held his hand. The two got faster, eventually breaking into a full-on run. Lalna still lead, with Xephos just a tiny bit behind him. Soon they ran side by side, the factory far in the distance behind them.

The two kept running until they couldn't run anymore, when the sun began to set. The factory was so far away they couldn't see it anymore. They hadn't been able to see it for a while. Lalna doubted Honeydew would be able to find them if he tried. He had no sense of direction, and he wasn't the most energetic or athletic of them. He could always hire other workers anyway. But...no one would be as close as they were before...

"Hey look! A meteor shower!" Xephos pointed up at the sky, like how a child would. Lalna sat beside him, watching the meteors. He gently placed his hand on Xephos', letting his fingers interlock with his lover's. He felt a kiss on his cheek, glancing at Xephos. "Lalna...I love you." Lalna pulled Xephos closer, his lips next to Xephos' ear as they embraced.

"...I love you too, Xephos."

A/N: This is an idea a friend suggested (David Cheese on here, if you're wondering). I'm kinda glad how it turned out, since I was thinking about going my normal way, and making it either dark or depressing etc. So, I'm glad I managed to 'force' a happy ending out of me. I'll try vary it between the dark ones and these less dark lovey, or even funny-ish, ones. Though, I do have a darker ending that I will put on here tomorrow. Like the 'Deleted Part' in Snowstorm.