Chapter 6

SIX

S o, the nebula show was pretty spectacular. Even pretty. Felix appreciated the fact he lived in a wide and wonderful galaxy, full of mystery and beauty. Sitting with Zed and a unit of resonance throughout the show, though, feeling all of them resonate their feelings about the same thing? Briefly, he wished the rest of the galaxy could get in on this connection thing. It could be weird hearing your lover's thoughts. Being bombarded with impressions of everything from the resonance was wearying. But the thread of belonging woven beneath it all made up for any discomfort. Of being accepted unequivocally as part of the group. Having thoughts thrust into your head because someone was that excited by the process of sharing them with you .

If he were the sentimental sort, he'd maybe have to wipe away a tear. Of course, Zed's enigmatic little smile and the gentle brushes of happy, fluffy thought from the resonance meant tears were unnecessary. His thoughts had been received.

On the way back to the docking area, Felix chatted with the smallest of the resonance. The engineer of the unit. Their conversation consisted mostly of an exchange of concepts. Felix knew his arm was limited. He also knew the limit was his imagination, or understanding of the technology. Like when he'd tried to unlock the cargo hatch of the Chaos with the touch of a crystalline finger.

According to the engineer—if they understood one another correctly—the idea hadn't been ridiculous. A resonance could have done it. Something about frequency perception and sonic manipulation.

Felix held up a finger and flattened the tip with a thought, making the tool he used most often—a flat head screwdriver. He thinned and lengthened the head, changed the shape, moving through his basic toolbox. He wasn't making an impressive demonstration, though the crew of the Biswas seemed interested. Instead, he concentrated on the feeling of the changes. The energy moving through his finger. The source, the purpose. The resonance. Then he paused a transition right in the middle so that his fingertip seemed to shimmer. A bright light sparked upward, then out in a circle of dancing points.

Not what he was trying for.

But beneath, he could feel the change. The vibration.

Resonance , the engineer thought at him. The song of the galaxy.

Nodding, Felix sent back an impression of yellow, which seemed to be the resonances' favorite color, and the way they often expressed happiness.

"Having fun?" Zed was eyeing his bright fingertip with amusement.

Felix touched his fingertip to Zed's cheek and grinned as he felt the resonant feedback as both a mental and physical hum. "Oh yeah. We're going to have fun with this."

He was going to trace every line of musculature on Zed's body with his humming fingertip. Then he'd work on the lock problem. Now, it was time to say goodbye to their guests. The captain of the Biswas kept his farewell brief and informal. Felix joined his thoughts to Zed's and sent warmth and contentment and joy. Or, yellow. The resonance ducked back through the airlock.

They'd managed an activity aboard the Biswas without destroying anything.

Then Zed did the diplomatic thing and thanked the captain for his hospitality.

Felix added his bit. "I'm sorry about the room."

"The room?" Captain Guan arched a brow.

"Oh, ah, hmm."

Zed touched his wrist and sent both a what the fuck are you doing and laughter.

"Your repair crews are very efficient," Felix said.

The captain's other brow joined the first.

Zed pulled on Felix's wrist. "We've taken enough of your time, captain. Thank you."

"Of course, Mr. Anatolius. If there's anything else I or my crew could do for you, please don't hesitate to let us know. It's an honor to have both of you aboard the Biswas ."

After a final round of handshakes, they escaped back to their room. The kitchen had been tidied and both 'factors replaced. Felix's experiment had been left behind, however, with all his pieces and parts laid out next to it on a new desk set against the far wall of the living space. Grinning, Felix clapped his hands together.

"Don't even think about it," Zed said.

"What?"

"Those new 'factors are not spare parts. See what's on that new desk? Those are yours. Just those."

"Pffft."

"I'm serious, Flick."

"Okay. I won't take apart the snackfactor. But we don't really need the coffee?—"

"Felix."

Felix dredged up a put upon expression, then wrapped his arms around his bulky husband and squeezed. And, because it felt pretty good there all nestled up against Zed's chest, he snuggled in. Just a bit.

Zed wrapped his arms around him. "You being cute is weird and not at all distracting."

"Yeah, but my new magic finger is going to do the trick."

Felix pressed a kiss to Zed's chin, then pulled out of his arms, took his hand and led him to the refurbished bedroom. He'd been half afraid the staff might affix permanent hooks to the headboard, thinking their guests required them. Thankfully, the bedroom looked as bland and somewhat cozy as it had from day one. Someone had folded his clothes and put them away, but otherwise, it still felt like their space.

He pushed Zed toward the bed until he sat, then straddled his lap and kissed him.

Kissing Zed numbered near the top of Felix's list of favorite things to do. Sex was awesome. So was sleep. He could lose himself in a good project for hours. Nothing quite compared to the feeling of coming home that swept through him every time he touched his lips to Zed's, though. Kisses were so intimate. An invitation to taste and share. A confirmation. Connection.

As always, their mental link snapped into being. Felix sent no thoughts, he merely reveled in the feeling of being surrounded by his lover. Then, pulling back, he kissed Zed's chin and jawline. Moved along to nibble at an earlobe. Nipped and licked at his neck. Beneath him, Zed sighed and moaned. He had his hands wrapped around Felix's back, his lips fastened to Felix's neck. The moment was perfect.

And perfect only needed a moment. They were here to play.

"Shirt off," Felix instructed.

Zed unwrapped his arms and tugged his shirt over his head. Felix ignited the tip of a crystalline finger so it hummed with light and touched it to one of Zed's nipples, right below the piercing. Zed…keened.

"Is that a good sound or a bad sound?"

"It's a…" Zed licked his lips and took a breath. "Fuck, I could feel that in my balls. It was good and weird and so fucking good. Do it again."

Felix shuffled back off Zed's lap. "Lie back."

Zed kicked off his shoes and scooted back along the bed. Felix gestured toward his pants. "Might as well get rid of those too."

"Is this your fantasy? Ordering me about?"

"No. Maybe? You seem to like it." Zed often gave him a look that begged for instruction. Felix treated it like a game, not as a fantasy to indulge. He liked that Zed let him take charge in bed. He liked that Zed trusted him. Touching Zed's knee, he sent a tendril of thought to explain his feeling on the subject.

Zed returned a vague nod. "You don't want to go back to the fantasy suites."

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Do you?" Felix asked.

"I thought I did, but?—"

"I could see us maybe having fun in a pirate ship holo or something. But, honestly, Zed? I don't want to have sex with you in a holo suite. I don't need to. You're…" Oh, wow, he hadn't been about to just say that, had he?

"I'm what? Are you blushing?"

"No."

"You are so blushing. Oh my God. Your ears are bright red!"

Growling, Felix bent to pick up the discarded shirt. Zed scooted forward so he sat on the edge of the bed again and grabbed at Felix's hand. "It's cute."

"What is this thing you have with cute today? I'm in no way, shape or form, cute."

Zed's smile broadened to a grin.

"Fine. You're my fantasy, okay? Just you. As you are. All big and muscly and a hero and letting me have my way with you, make love to you…" Could you do yourself an injury blushing?

"C'mere." Zed pulled him in close. "Love you."

Felix did his best impression of a Betan yarl for a second or two, thinking prickly and thorny thoughts. Then he softened and dropped a kiss to Zed's cheek. "Love you too. Now, do you want me to tease you with my magic finger or not?"

"Want." Zed sent a spike of need through the connection.

"Then we better finish getting undressed."

Shoes thumped to the floor and clothing fluttered down on top of them. Then Felix knelt on the bed next to Zed and leaned in for a kiss. Zed tasted of lust and love. Felix added his desire to the mix, and his love. The endless, boundless well of it. His certainty that what they had was everything.

Always and forever.

Sometimes, Flick had the best ideas. And he was absolutely right. They didn't need a fancy room or fantasies. They didn't need to tie each other up or banter dirty talk back and forth—though Zed would be the first to admit it had been hot as fuck. All they needed was each other. Their lips, their hands, their bodies.

He arched into the kiss, looking for some more friction anywhere. Anywhere at all. Flick chuckled against his lips and drew back, smiling. "Impatient."

"Horny," Zed countered.

Still grinning, Flick bent forward to nibble at Zed's neck, trailing toward his chest. The little nips drove Zed mad—they were so good, but not nearly enough. A zing against his nipple ring reminded him of Flick's new trick and he groaned, pressing his head back into the pillow. Flick knew all the buttons to push, all the notes to hit.

Flick's human thumb rubbed the tip of Zed's cock, smearing the drop of liquid there. He looked…kind of like a conquering king, kneeling on the bed beside Zed, intent, focused, and grinning evilly. "You really like that, huh?"

"Really do."

"Awesome." Before Zed knew what he was doing, Flick dragged his magic finger along his cock.

"Shit!" Zed whimpered—he couldn't help it. The touch didn't hurt, far from it. It was just intense. As Flick swept his finger up and down the sensitive skin, Zed swore he got harder. He squirmed and shifted, not really trying to get away, but unable to stay still. It was as though Flick's finger was a vibrator, buzzing along his skin—but reaching inside, too. Resonating with his cock.

It was fucking incredible.

"Are you gonna come?" Flick asked breathlessly.

"Don't—" Zed broke off with a groan. "Don't think so. Not like this." A couple of good strokes, though…

"But it's good?"

" Fuck , yes."

"What if I do this?" Flick's finger abandoned Zed's erection to travel further south, and Zed opened his legs further in anticipation and invitation.

His balls were almost too sensitive for the treatment, something Flick must have picked up on because he didn't linger there. Instead, his finger dipped behind Zed's balls and softly stroked, the resonance making Zed bite his lip and moan. He was hardly thinking when he drew his legs up and held them behind his knees, giving Flick all the room he could possibly want.

"Oh yeah." Flick pushed up Zed's knee a little more so he could maneuver in between his legs. "There we go. You need any prep?"

With how often they'd been having sex over the past few days? "Nope, I'm good."

Flick grabbed the lube and slicked himself up, then brushed more against Zed's hole. It was so tempting to let go of one of his legs and have a stroke—he wasn't quite on the cusp of orgasm yet, but it wouldn't take much to get there. Need and want and horniness thrummed through him, though he wasn't sure where his thoughts ended and Flick's began.

The head of Flick's cock pressed against Zed's ass, then slowly, slowly edged inside. God, yes. Zed let his head fall back, reveling in the sensation of being stretched and filled. Their connection snapped into place, even stronger than a moment ago, and Zed let the thoughts and emotions wash over him, taking away the last of his coherent thought.

Too soon, not soon enough, Flick was fully inside of him. He met Flick's gaze for a moment, noting that Flick seemed just as breathless as Zed was.

"Yeah?" Flick asked.

"Yeah."

Flick didn't need any further invitation. He leaned over Zed, his crystalline hand gripping Zed's hip and his human hand braced on the bed, and thrust.

They knew every one of each other's tells now. The signs to speed up, the signs to slow down. When they should slam their bodies together as hard and fast as possible, and when they should make love slowly, easily. Tonight wasn't a slow and easy night—Flick had gotten Zed too worked up for that. He hooked a hand behind Flick's neck and tugged him down for a sloppy, urgent kiss.

"Harder," he whispered.

"Demanding." Flick pulled out, leaving Zed gasping, and tapped Zed's hip. "Over."

Grinning, Zed got to his hands and knees. Flick slid back home without hesitation, and proceeded to give Zed exactly what he'd asked for. Hard, harder—and with every stroke, Flick hit his prostate, making his whole body light up. Zed's head drooped as he pushed back into each of Flick's thrusts, taking him as deep as he could.

"So good," he slurred.

Flick's only answer was a grunt—but then a hand surrounded Zed's dick, and he couldn't help his shout of surprise. Flick stroked in time with his thrusts, and Zed was almost…almost…

"Fuck!" Colors exploded across his vision as he came, hard, his whole body tensing up. Caught up in his own shudders and waves of climax, he was barely aware of Flick finding his own release.

His arms and legs suddenly gave out, sending them both sprawling to the bed. Flick nuzzled the nape of his neck and chuckled. "Wimp."

"I am officially fucked out," Zed said into the pillow.

After a second, Flick shifted to lie beside him and poked and prodded until Zed rolled onto his back, making room for cuddling. Zed didn't bother to hide his smile, and Flick huffed at him even as he tucked himself against Zed's broader form.

There really wasn't anything better than lying in bed, totally sated—even if there was a bit of a wet spot—with his husband's mop of curls tickling his chest, Zed decided. Not a damned thing. He pressed a kiss to Flick's hair, then let himself drift, enjoying the post-orgasm light show put on by his wacky brain chemistry.

Fifteen minutes or an hour could have passed when Flick suddenly stiffened beside him. Zed jerked fully awake. "What?"

"I figured it out. If I switch out the capacitor, and do a different connection…then reflect that change in the code…"

Zed angled himself up to look at Flick. "What are you talking about?"

"The 'factor. Oh my God, why didn't I see it before? It makes perfect sense. And it would increase the output by…" Flick let his words trail off. "Sorry. I shouldn't—you're right, no more tinkering." Flick rolled on his side, closer to Zed, and closed his eyes.

Zed didn't need their connection to tell him that Flick's mind hadn't stopped spinning, though. He sighed. "Go."

Flick popped up. "Really?"

"I have two stipulations. One—don't blow anything up. Two—use the desk, okay? Save your back."

"Done and done. Okay. I've totally got this." Without a look back, Flick scrambled out of bed and into the living area, still naked. He probably wouldn't notice he was naked, either, until a spark landed somewhere unpleasant.

Sighing happily, Zed tucked his hands under his head and watched colors play across the ceiling. He drifted off to sleep to the sound of Flick's tinkering and low curses—maybe not the most romantic thing to an outsider looking in, but to Zed, it was perfect. It was the essence of the man he'd married, and he wouldn't change it for anything in the galaxy.