fic for gomushroom (5/6)
For: gomushroom
From: 64907
Part 4
The delegate waiting for them in the colony of Zion IX is a human female named Ayase Haruka, who has done nothing but confuse them all ever since their meeting. The settlements on Zion IX are as advanced as Earth’s technology-hovercars and hovermotors are flying in all directions, a couple of aerial domes already erected to house the entry and exit of passenger and cargo shuttles.
Ayase welcomed them to her own place in the colony, an urbanized shelter that she shares with the members of her team. Jun’s job is to discuss with her anything she might want to rely to the Union, from funding to invitations for colonists to pay them a visit.
So far, all she has done is laugh at the most unexpected moments, and Nino is a little perplexed at her behavior, but not as much as Jun is. Jun is close to frowning, and Nino has to bite his lip to prevent himself from laughing at Jun’s reactions.
“I’m sorry, Ambassador,” Ayase says, wiping at the tear caught on her lashes. “I just recalled this joke I heard on the holoprogram earlier.” She breaks into another fit again, and Nino can’t help finding her odd, but in a good kind of way.
Jun’s expression is a mirror of Sho’s, and Nino wants to laugh at them both. For his part, Sho is merely blinking at Ayase in confusion, and Nino thinks he’s the only one who finds her quirkiness amusing as of the moment. For Nino, it’s like she is the louder counterpart of Yuriko.
“Ayase-san,” Jun says calmly, but Nino knows he’s exerting effort for it to remain that way, “the Union merely wishes for me to verify the security of the diplomatic ties they have with their own colonies. If you have any pressing matters that require immediate attention, please let me know.”
Ayase cups her chin under both hands and plops her elbows on the desk between her and Jun, smiling all the while. “The only concerns we have are regarding the Union’s concerns for us. Surely there are those which you are here to tell me about?”
“Communications,” Jun says immediately. When Ayase tilts her head in confusion, Jun holds up his hand. “The Union receives regular communication from all colonies which are members of the coalition, that is true, and they extend their commendation and felicitation for your vigilance in maintaining that. However, they have informed me that they rarely get word about planned improvements in each colony. They said that most of the time, you only inform them of it when the process is complete.”
Ayase laughs, a rather happy chuckle that brightens up her pretty face. “I am at fault there, Ambassador. You see, since I’m the delegate, it’s also up to me to talk to the people we need to talk to in order to procure supplies for such improvements.” She leans forward, cupping the side of her mouth to whisper, “Those suppliers are not very nice most of the time.”
“I see,” Jun says conversationally.
Ayase doesn’t appear to notice anything. She just nods as if Jun agreed with her completely. “So when we negotiate, it happens back and forth and keeps going on until the process is finished. That’s the only time I remember that I should have informed the Union about it.” She smiles. “But then again, better late than never, right?”
“I suppose. It’s better that the Union gets to hear about it than not at all.” Jun straightens in his seat and looks around, at the people in Ayase’s team. “But if I can give a suggestion, you can use an assistant, Ayase-san. Someone who can keep track of all you have to do for you. I imagine that your duties are not so foreign in comparison with mine.”
Ayase hums in consideration, and she looks at everyone in Jun’s team. There’s only Nino and Sho standing behind Jun, because Jun’s trusted bodyguards are waiting at the port right outside the veranda with Aiba. Jun felt no need to bring them along, seeing as Ayase’s shelter is one of the most heavily guarded facilities in Zion IX.
“Which one of you is the secretary?” Ayase asks, darting glances between him and Sho, and Nino points to Sho with his thumb.
“I’m just a secondary translator,” Nino supplies.
“I keep him around because he’s quick on his feet,” Jun says.
“I think I can use that,” Ayase says, nodding. “If I remember to appoint one, that is.” She giggles. “I’m fairly forgetful and I get distracted quite easily.”
“I’ve noticed,” Jun tells her, and it ends in a laugh when Ayase outright chuckles.
The rest of the meeting proceeds with Jun asking for details about the progress of each colony in the coalition. He seems to have gotten accustomed to Ayase’s spontaneous behavior, patiently asking and clarifying things with her. Nino, for the most part, is left to admire the view outside, looking out to the skies and following certain hovercars with his eyes. Zion IX is as advanced as Earth, truly one of the most contemporary colonies out there. It’s a wonder they are so far from Earth itself, finding prosperity close to the outer rim of the Delta Quadrant.
When the discussion concludes, Jun gives Ayase a firm handshake and promises to relay everything he has learned of in the past hours to the Union with as much honesty as he can manage. Nino translates that as Jun-speak for “I like you and so I won’t inform the Union that you often forget to tell them things because that quality makes you you”. He’s not just a literal translator, after all.
As soon as they are back on the shuttle and on their return flight to the Masquerade, Nino, from his seat across Jun’s, says, “You liked her.”
Jun faces him with amused eyes. “What gave you that impression?”
Nino shrugs. “I don’t know, Jun-kun, but we’re almost seven months into this whole mission and this is the first time you didn’t decide to sleep on the return flight.”
“The Ambassador does opt for a nap when he had a long, trying day,” Sho adds. He is a chair apart from Nino, hands clasped neatly over his seatbelt. Sho has never been comfortable with the take off part of flying no matter how steady Aiba’s hands are. Acrophobia, he admitted to Nino once, and Nino never forgot ever since.
“I initially found her rather peculiar,” Jun says, leaning back against the headrest, “but that was revealed to be a nice change from people of high authority ready to question every word that comes out of my mouth.”
Nino can sympathize on that-Ilari had been exhausting because of the festivities, the Zuran monarch was a challenge from beginning to end, and the Grenus incident certainly gave all of them a tough time.
“By the way,” Nino asks, lowering his voice, “does the Union know that…” He trails off, gestures to Sho with a tilt of his head. “That he and I…?”
The grin that breaks onto Jun’s face has Nino clutching at the armrests on his sides. “I have said that I had no intentions of informing the Union about it.”
“‘Had’?” Nino and Sho ask at the same time.
But Jun ignores them, sighing dramatically. “You-” he points to Nino, “-have cleverly left out the part in which you saved Sho-kun’s life by claiming you are indeed his husband, yes, but Yoshitaka-san has enumerated all possible situations in which skin contact would be acceptable for their kind. Can you imagine the difficulty you have given me, all because you would rather not inform the Union of your marital status?”
“Wait,” Nino says, shaking his head. “Does the Union know or not?”
“Not explicitly,” Jun replies, flashing them that innocent expression. “But I may have used my override to update your profiles during the recent update on performance reviews.”
Sho’s eyes widen, and Jun turns to him. “Oh Sho-kun, I thought you would have seen it already.”
“I was,” Sho tries, not quite managing it, “I was, uh.”
Jun raises his hand. “I would rather not know.” He meets Nino’s eyes and smiles at Nino’s disbelieving expression. “Didn’t you receive a transmission from back home some days ago?”
“I did,” Nino says. He can sense Sho looking at him. “My sister asked me to introduce my, and I quote, ‘husband as soon as we make the return trip to the planet because he is a new addition to the family’.” He can’t help rolling his eyes. “So that’s it? She saw my updated profile?”
“Perhaps,” Jun says. “Any quick information about all members of my peace envoy are accessible to the public, but the statuses of each individual are only accessible to the immediate families. That means your family is looking out for you wherever you might be.”
Sho tenses beside him, and Nino shoots him a worried glance.
But Jun merely gives Sho this nod, and Sho visibly relaxes.
“All right, don’t tell me about it,” Nino says, shrugging his shoulders.
“I’m not in the position to say anything,” Jun informs him. “I would rather not have you two engage in a discussion right now.”
“I’m not going to have a fight with him, Jun-kun, relax,” Nino says. “Look, Sho-chan, I’m totally cool about it, okay? I didn’t tell you about the transmission so we’re quits.” He’s not lying or exaggerating-Nino thinks he and Sho can allow themselves little secrets that they might choose to talk about someday when they’re both ready.
“I would assume annulment is out of the question now?” Jun inquires, looking amused.
“Sometimes I forget that you were our witness and instigator,” Nino tells him. “You were happier about this marriage more than anybody else.”
“And look at you now,” Jun points out, spreading his palms for effect. “Sho-kun doesn’t look too much of a reanimated corpse lately despite the same amount of work being handed to him, and I think I can piece together why.” He holds out his palm and Sho immediately hands Jun’s data pad to him. “Which reminds me, I should make the announcement.”
Nino pretends he doesn’t know a thing. “Announcement?”
“Good news for everyone on the ship,” Jun murmurs, fingers working briskly, and soon, everybody’s personal comms beep with an incoming message.
Jun gestures for him to check his and he does, and he tries his best to look pleased about it despite already knowing what it is. Shore leave announcement, lasting for three days in the highly urbanized planet called Aeris. Shore leave for three days, finally approved by the Union. It was Jun’s cockblocking message, how can Nino forget?
Jun’s message also tells them that each crewmember is allowed to visit the planet, as long as there is still a functioning bridge crew for every shift. A problem for those working there, Nino figures. That means he has three days of free time.
“Please tell me you have postponed all work for three days,” Nino says to Jun, who lifts an eyebrow at him.
“Me?” Jun laughs and points to Sho. “He’s the one who schedules everything. Tell him that.”
Nino faces Sho and repeats exactly what he said to Jun only seconds ago.
“I may have made plans,” Sho says, not quite looking at him.
Nino tries not to sigh. He forgot that Sho is not an indoor type like him. Surely Sho has this grand Aeris tour planned for the both of them. Nino doesn’t want to break his heart, but he doesn’t think he can fake enthusiasm over it when he’d rather linger in bed with Sho to continue where they left off the last time they tried to speed things up a little.
“Please tell me those plans don’t last for three days,” he amends, and Jun outright laughs.
Sho doesn’t say anything, and Nino sighs, defeated.
“Enjoy the honeymoon,” Jun teases, and Nino resists the urge to say something rude to him.
--
The great thing about shore leave approved by the Union is that all accommodations are paid for by the Union itself. Nino only has to bring his own credits with him to pay for everything else he might think of wanting-clothes (unlikely since he lives in a spaceship), food (also unlikely because he prefers the cheap ones), and transport (another impossible thing since he has no intentions to leave his shared suite with Sho-Jun’s supposed wedding gift).
The thing that Nino doesn’t want at present is how Sho is dragging him out to come see Aeris with him. There’s no shortage of museums and exhibition halls in the planet, something Sho already researched about of course, and he has the plans to see them all.
“I don’t know why this still needs saying,” Nino says, shrugging on his coat as Sho waits for him with an Aiba-like energy, “but I’m not the outgoing type, Sho-chan. Surely you have figured that out?”
“I have, but you need to see this, Nino,” Sho insists. Nino has seen a couple of odd things for the past months, and he really doesn’t understand why he ought to see more.
But Sho is enthusiastic and happy, eyes sparkling as they make the trip out and visit one place after another, and Nino isn’t exactly immune to him being so. He allows Sho to lead him to whatever popular tourist location he has planned for the day, complaining every now and then and not meaning it most of the time. Sho makes him eat all this food he has never sampled before and he does, and while he’s not as expressive as Sho when it comes to satisfying meals, Sho seems truly content that they are doing these things together. He doesn’t smile as much as Nino would have liked, but he makes these subtle grins when Nino’s about to turn away and Nino wants to catalog all of these moments.
“It’s weird,” Nino says as they share a drink in the personal bar inside their suite (Jun picked the most luxurious one for them, the show-off), “that our dates are happening months after the marriage.”
“Do you wish we had it the other way around?”
Nino considers it. “Not really. I don’t think you would have kissed me that time in the observation deck if we weren’t married. There were cameras and while they were powered down, we weren’t exactly invisible. But you did it when I thought you never would.”
Sho hides half of his face behind this glass of beer and Nino laughs at him, shoving his hand away lightly.
“Be honest,” Nino says, liking that he has Sho on the spot right now and there’s no urgent transmission from Matsumoto Jun that will interrupt any moment, “would you have done that anyway? Even if Ilari didn’t happen?”
“Would you?” Sho throws back.
“Yes,” Nino answers. “Don’t gloat. I don’t like it when you gloat. But yes, I would have. I won’t deny being curious about it.”
“I won’t either,” Sho admits. “So yes, to answer your question. Although I would have likely done it after the mission was over with the possibility I wouldn’t see you again.”
“That’s slow,” Nino tells him. “Really slow, Sho-chan. Had it gone that way I think it would have been me who initiated things. My plan was to see for myself which one is stronger: the like or the dislike. Because I knew you liked me.”
Sho isn’t facing him now. “Are you saying that seriously or are you just gloating?”
Nino lets out a breathless laugh. “I knew you liked me the first time you called me ‘Nino’. You were calling me Ninomiya back then, but when you called me Nino, I knew from then.”
Sho brows furrow together a little. “From that time in the Ambassador’s office? After Zura?”
“No. You called me Nino before that. When I had a relapse in the Zuran ship. Do you remember?”
Sho’s face colors, making him even more flushed. “I thought you didn’t notice that.”
“I was a little out of it, but I caught that. You always said Ninomiya with this air of utter dislike.” Nino imitates it, trying to channel contempt in every syllable.
Sho jostles his shoulder. “I didn’t say it like that.”
“I know what I heard, okay? Then you called me Nino in a voice you never used on me, and when I looked at you, I just knew.” He grins smugly now, leaning in Sho’s space and enjoying how embarrassed Sho is. “For the record though, I think I did already like you back then.”
“You think?”
“Well I don’t exactly put timestamps on these things.”
Sho grabs his glass of beer and leaves his seat. “I think you’ve had quite enough.”
Nino’s cheeks are indeed heating up because of the alcohol, but when he’s drunk, the first thing he does is to deny that he is. “You thought wrong. Give me back my glass.” His attempt to reach for it ends in an awkward, aimless swing.
“No.” Sho deposits both of their glasses in the sink and washes them. “Go sober up in the refresher.”
“Bossy,” Nino complains, but he does get up to do what Sho told him. He brushes his teeth and changes into the most comfortable pair of pajamas he has with a hole on the underside of a sleeve and settles under the covers.
It might be too soon or too late when he feels the mattress dip beside him, and hears Sho order the lights off, blanketing the entire room in complete darkness.
“Sho-chan,” he says, a little more groggily than he would have preferred.
Sho only hums in question.
“We’re going out again tomorrow?”
He hears something close to a snort. “I won’t force you.” He then feels one of Sho’s hands stroking his upper arm. “I’ve got this theater production I want to catch though. So I might get back a little late.”
“Okay,” he says, burying half of his face in the pillows. “I’m sleeping all day. My feet ache from all the walking we did.”
“I’m not apologizing,” Sho says, drawing his hand back. Soon, Nino feels Sho drop a quick kiss to his temple. He groans, turning his head in Sho’s direction with his eyes shut. Sho gets the hint, lightly kissing the corner of his mouth.
“I don’t really want you to,” Nino mutters, and that’s the last thing he remembers as he allows exhaustion to take him.
--
Sho is gone by the time Nino wakes up, his side of the bed cold to the touch when Nino runs his palm over the sheets. There’s an unopened transmission on his personal comm and it’s a message from Sho, saying that he left early because he wanted to see this natural Aeris phenomenon that only occurs at dawn. That is just like him.
Nino stretches his limbs before hogging all the covers and sleeping again. When he feels that he can’t sleep anymore, it’s past noon according to the chronometer. He has made plans to share a meal with Aiba, and he sends a message to the pilot asking him to meet Nino at the lobby of the hotel he’s staying at. Aiba’s shore leave only started a few hours ago since he’s part of the bridge crew, and thanks to Sho, Nino already has an idea where the two of them can share a meal for an affordable price.
Aiba’s response is that he’s on his way there, and Nino finally wills his body to move.
He and Aiba end up eating at a fast food joint that serves nothing but all kinds of intergalactic burgers. Some of which Nino is sincerely curious about, most he wants to forget he read on the menu. But since he is with Aiba, Aiba orders the most obscure one for the both of them and offers to pay for it, and who is Nino to refuse such a proposal?
“You experiment too much with your food, Aiba-shi,” he says, not without a hint of affection.
“I’ve been eating replicated stuff for months, Nino. Months! I don’t even know how real catsup tastes.”
“Well we are about to find out. You did get the ones with catsup, right?”
Aiba grins, wide and happy, too happy for someone whose shore leave is on limited time. Nino will never understand how he ticks. “I picked the weirdest ones in the bunch, and catsup was the only thing that is familiar about them. Maybe we won’t even taste the catsup!”
“Heaven forbid we end up eating some slimy, smoky, mutant thing from some obscure planet,” Nino says. “If I die of food poisoning, I will come back just to haunt you for the rest of your life.”
“Aww Nino, you always say these things!” Aiba reaches out to swat him on the arm and Nino clutches at the spot he hit. It hurts. Aiba has never known his own strength. “You don’t even know what’s going to happen!”
“With you, I expect the worst all the time. If the worst doesn’t happen, consider me relieved,” he retorts.
Their order arrives and Nino laughs out loud when it turns out that his prediction wasn’t an exaggeration. Aiba only views it as a challenge, digging in and immediately flashing a thumbs up when it turns out be really good.
After the meal (which was indeed palatable, Nino admits), he and Aiba look for a bar that sells cheap drinks and shares a couple over stories of Aiba’s experiences as a personal pilot for Jun. Nino gets to hear Aiba’s version of the ‘smiling is taboo’ incident and discovers that it’s not so different from Sho’s, that Jun astonished everyone by his actions.
“Jun-chan’s face doesn’t do him justice,” Aiba comments, his drink sloshing in his glass as he waves it around. Nino doesn’t understand him, but he listens to Aiba ramble on anyway. “You’d think with a face like that he’d be strict, fierce, and unreasonable, but he’s a hundred times kinder than what his appearance suggests.”
“He does have a strong face,” Nino agrees. “Thick eyebrows too.”
That earns a laugh from Aiba. “I was born in the space station, and as soon as I saw the spaceships, I knew what I was going to do with my life. I’m a child of space, Nino. Mom and Dad have this floating restaurant on Earth, and while I do help them while I’m around, I really belong in space.” He smiles as he finishes his drink and orders another. “Jun-chan was the first one who saw my potential, and since then, I swore never to pilot for anybody else.”
Nino rests his chin on his knuckles, content with listening to Aiba’s story. “Sho-chan told me he applied for the secretary position himself. You did the same for the pilot position?”
Aiba shakes his head. “I was working for Jun-chan even before Sho-chan came along. The moment Jun-chan was appointed the youngest ambassador, he sought me out. I did well in flight academy, I’ll have you know, but I wasn’t the best. Maybe average compared to the hotshots in my class. My record has three failed landing simulations. It’s not perfect.”
“But Jun-kun didn’t mind.” Somehow, Nino can tell it didn’t matter to Jun.
“I met him when I was still as a student and he was a junior ambassador. He worked his way up steadily-because that’s how Jun-chan is when he’s determined-and the next thing I knew, he was asking for Aiba Masaki, then-recent flight academy graduate to be his official pilot. I didn’t even have my license back then.” Aiba takes another shot, smiling at the burn of alcohol. “But he just got promoted and said he was just starting so he’d appreciate a familiar face given the change of environment.”
Nino smiles and hides it behind his glass. He’s not much of a drinker, but Aiba doesn’t seem to mind. “Jun-kun does seem the type to play it cool when he’s embarrassed.”
The night goes on, and Nino finds out that Aiba never fails to bring home souvenirs every time he visits a planet he’s never been to, and Nino can see in his eyes how much he misses home.
“Stay longer next time,” Nino tells him. “If you miss it that much.”
“I’d love to, but then who’s going to take Jun-chan to places?” Aiba says, and Nino smiles, seeing that Aiba is not too different from Sho when it comes to this. “I’m his pilot. Wherever he goes, I have to be the one to take him there.”
Nino wonders now, as he listens to the rest of Aiba’s musings, if Jun knows how loved he is by everyone under his stead. Maybe he does, now that Nino thinks on it. Jun had the Union pay for his crew’s shore leave on one of the fanciest planets in the galaxy. A three-day stay costs plenty of credits, with he and Sho having been given the costliest suite. Nino can just imagine how Jun lobbied with the Union as his request got reviewed and addressed before it was approved.
The hours pass quickly since it is easy for Nino to get lost in Aiba’s stories. He spent hours laughing at Aiba’s unique experiences and when he finally bids the man goodbye, Aiba hugs him. He’s drunk, and for Aiba, Nino discovers that means he gets touchy and teary-eyed.
“Someday Nino, you should come visit my family’s restaurant. I’m going to introduce you to my mom, and you can impress her with your card magic if you’re so good at it,” Aiba says.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll impress her all right,” Nino says dotingly, ruffling Aiba’s hair before pushing him back. “Be careful on the way back, okay? Can’t have Jun-kun losing his only pilot.”
Aiba salutes and stands at attention at that, and Nino laughs at him before turning on his heel to walk towards the direction of his hotel. He chooses to walk to sober up a little, appreciating the cool breeze hitting his face as he makes the journey back.
When he’s finally reached his shared suite with Sho, he finds Sho waiting for him, watching a holofilm from the bed with his back resting comfortably against the headboard. Sho pauses the holofilm to greet him, and Nino decides that he’s had enough drinks to proceed with what he wants.
He holds up a finger. “I’m going to take a shower,” he says, keeping his intent obvious in the tone of his voice, “and when I come back I want that holofilm turned off.”
He hasn’t even made it inside the refresher when Sho switches off the holofilm, and he laughs, the sound reverberating against the tiles.
--
Nino dries himself off and only puts a towel around his waist before sauntering back to the bedroom, finding that the bed has been stripped off the blankets and comforter, only the fitted sheet left.
Good, Nino thinks. He and Sho are on the same page.
He meets Sho’s eyes where Sho remains seated on the edge of the bed and takes slow, measured steps towards him, stopping when he’s standing right between Sho’s legs. Sho is in his usual unattractive sweats, but Nino couldn’t care any less-Sho’s eyes are darker and Nino runs his thumb lightly along the man’s plump bottom lip.
“Did you turn off your comm?” he whispers. “Because I would hate to hear Jun-kun’s voice from that thing when you’re finally fucking me.”
Sho tugs him closer by grabbing his hips, his nose right on Nino’s stomach. Breathing in and out, tickling Nino a little with each puff of air. “I put it on ‘do not disturb’.”
“Fair enough,” Nino says, pressing his thumb to the corner of Sho’s mouth, the slightest bit of moisture clinging to his fingertip. He sneaks a glance at the nightstand and finds everything they could possibly need. He grins. “Did you prepare for this too when you made your plans?”
“I thought it wouldn’t be unlikely to happen,” Sho says, voice deep and sending a shiver down Nino’s spine.
“What else have you planned for us?” Nino asks, and he swears that even under the dim lighting, Sho’s pupils are huge and are thinning out the brown to almost nothing. He licks his lips in anticipation.
“I can show you,” Sho whispers, right against his skin, and Nino shuts his eyes and gives in.
Sho pulls off the towel with little finesse, letting it drop to the floor as he leaves Nino’s skin kissed and hot all over. Sho’s fingers ghost over the ridges formed by Nino’s ribs, his mouth licking a path to Nino’s navel and lingering there. Nino lets his hands settle on Sho’s shoulders, fisting at the fabric of his wooly sweatshirt until Sho withdraws from him and raises his arms in cooperation.
“You prude,” Nino accuses, “keeping all your clothes on while I’m standing here naked for minutes now.”
Sho doesn’t dignify him with a reply, instead tugs at his wrist so he ends up straddling Sho before lowering himself to sit on his lap. As soon as Nino feels Sho’s hand supporting his back, Sho kisses him, hard and hungry, like he’s been waiting for so long.
In hindsight, both of them have.
Nino responds in kind, one hand on Sho’s shoulder while the other is cupping his nape, pushing him closer. He can taste nothing but Sho in his mouth. His hand moves up to touch Sho’s hair, soft strands that he can’t resist pulling just to have Sho cry out.
There is this necessity to breathe so even if Nino wants more of Sho’s mouth, he breaks away when his lungs begin to hurt.
“Sho-chan,” he pants as Sho nips at his clavicle, marking his skin, “bed, bed. Now.”
It doesn’t make much sense, but Sho somehow understands, letting him go with a parting lick to his neck. Sho rids himself of his sweats and Nino crawls and flops onto the center of the bed, letting out a pleased sigh when the cool sheets touch his heated skin.
He beckons Sho to join him and Sho obeys, climbing on the bed and dropping to his hands and knees as he presses kisses from Nino’s legs up to his thighs. Nino writhes in satisfaction as Sho’s hot mouth continues its journey upward, stopping only when it reaches his hipbone to suck there.
Nino takes himself in hand, providing bouts of reliefs as Sho casually explores his body. He’s into half a dozen strokes when Sho’s hand closes over his wrist, stopping him, and he opens his eyes to look down.
Sho only shakes his head once and Nino lets go, hand finding its place at the back of Sho’s head.
“Ask nicely,” Sho says in that baritone that makes Nino’s toes curl, his mouth close to where Nino wants him, and Nino groans, biting his lip. “Ask for it, Nino. Come on.”
“Please,” he breathes, spine curving as he seeks for warmth around his cock. “Please.”
Sho runs his thumb teasingly over the slit, smearing precome. He raises his finger between them, slick and glistening, before putting his finger in his mouth and Nino moans.
His hands tug at Sho’s hair forcefully. “Please.”
Sho takes pity on him, and Nino brings the back of his hand over his mouth when Sho purposefully hollows his cheeks. Sho doesn’t go fast, instead taking his time as he coaxes Nino, allowing Nino to go as far as he can inside his mouth.
Nino wills his eyes to open and watch, and he can’t resist sitting up when Sho looks at him. He reaches down to stroke Sho’s trembling eyelashes, breath starting to come out in gasps as a result of Sho’s efforts.
When it becomes too much, Nino twitches away from the heat of Sho’s mouth, hands fisting at Sho’s hair and pulling. “Stop, stop, stop,” he huffs, body flushed and cock leaking as Sho pulls away with an audible, obscene pop.
He takes both of Sho’s hands in his and pulls him on level with him, kissing his gifted mouth to chase away his own taste. “I don’t want to come until you’re in me,” he admits, and Sho lets out an almost imperceptible moan, clearly finding that hot.
Nino drops a quick peck on Sho’s swollen lips before maneuvering himself under him. “Lie back.”
“Why?” Sho asks, teeth finding an earlobe and nibbling on it.
“Because I want to taste you,” Nino says. He punctuates it with a squeeze on Sho’s cock and he hears Sho’s quiet “fuck” before Sho scrambles to get in place.
As soon as Sho’s back hits the mattress, Nino situates himself between his thighs, lowering his face so he’s nosing the wiry curls above Sho’s thick cock. Since he’s not as mean as Sho, he doesn’t make Sho ask for it, instead taking nearly all of Sho in his mouth without warning and enjoying the way Sho jerks as a reaction, thighs jolting around him.
Aside from card magic, Nino is also good at this.
He starts slow, taking inch by careful inch and breathing through his nose, hands moving up to keep Sho’s legs open. He flattens his tongue so he can have the tip of Sho’s cock grazing his throat, and Sho lets out a whimper that Nino wants to hear again.
He pulls off to relax his jaw, flicking his tongue at the swollen head as he takes the shaft in hand. He can’t wait to have Sho inside him now that he has all of Sho to himself. There are no data pads that require looking over, no reports in need of revisions sitting neglected in a corner. It’s just him and the things he has always wanted to do with Sho, and Nino wants to take his time.
He strokes Sho fast as he laps up at the precome pearling at the tip, feeling Sho grow heavier in his hands. He’s about to descend and have as much of Sho’s cock as possible fill his mouth again when Sho reaches out, stroking his cheekbone with a thumb.
Sho shakes his head once, and Nino understands. He kisses the head once before moving back up, sharing kisses with Sho whose hands move to his back down to his ass, fingers tracing the cleft. Nino arches on top of him and he doesn’t break away from Sho’s mouth, even when he hears Sho uncapping the lube and smearing some on his fingers.
Sho is on his back now, Nino bracing himself on top of him, hands flat on either sides of his head. Nino searches for Sho’s other hand in the darkness, getting lube on his own fingers and reaching back, joining Sho’s slick fingers as they hover on his hole.
Nino pushes in first, moaning in Sho’s mouth all the while, one shaky arm holding his body up. Sho’s other hand closes over his hip and props him up as he stretches himself till he’s loose enough, then he bites at Sho’s bottom lip to get his attention.
“With me,” he whispers, and it ends in a sharp inhale when he feels the push of Sho’s finger, the two of them now preparing him. He can’t help writhing on top of Sho but the hand that’s on his hip holds him in place. He buries his face against Sho’s neck, breathing hard as he starts riding their fingers.
Eventually he is able to take more, two of Sho’s fingers and two of his, moving in tandem as they scissor together inside. Nino bites at the skin over Sho’s shoulder to keep his whimpers down and Sho hisses, pushing his fingers faster in retaliation and Nino’s arm finally gives out.
He collapses on top of Sho, half-laughing as he plants series of kisses on the man’s neck. When he finds Sho’s ear he licks the shell of it and sighs, “Fuck me,” withdrawing his hand from himself.
Sho cups his jaw and turns his head for a kiss, unhurried and soft. When he pulls away, Sho bites at his chin lightly.
“Ride me,” Sho orders, and Nino’s moving.
He hurriedly coats Sho’s cock in lube and he’s positioned right above Sho when he remembers, resting his hand on Sho’s chest.
“You-?” he asks. It’s all he can say and he hopes it’s enough.
“I checked medbay’s files,” Sho informs him, and Nino laughs.
“Of course you did.” It’s such a Sho thing to say in such a crucial moment, and Nino’s glad he never pegged Sho to be a smooth talker despite the deep rumble that his voice has when he is aroused. Only Sho would inform him that he had looked up whether they’re both clean by verifying with medbay.
He moves back up and kisses away Sho’s pout. “I like you,” he admits. “I really like you.”
Then he straightens and lowers himself, one hand guiding Sho’s cock to his hole, the other flat on Sho’s chest. He sinks down once he feels the tip pressing against him, and if Sho moans, Nino can’t hear him when he’s moaning himself.
Once he’s adjusted to the stretch he begins to move, lifting himself up little by little until he can have only the head of Sho’s cock inside before he sinks back down again, using his knees to grind himself faster. He reaches behind him to hold on to Sho’s thighs for more leverage, focusing on fucking himself until Sho’s meeting him halfway, hips bucking back against him.
“Yes,” Nino hisses, head thrown back to flick away the sweat that trickles down his forehead. He doesn’t touch himself since Sho didn’t ask for that, and soon he’s steadily bouncing on Sho’s lap, the mattress creaking in time with them.
He slows down when Sho makes this choked groan, the sound trapped in his throat. Nino braces himself by grasping Sho’s shoulders, dictating the tempo and feeling himself in control. Sho’s hands are caressing his sides, climbing up until they reach his nipples, and Nino lets out this keening whine when Sho pinches both before running his thumbs over the pert buds.
It’s so good and Nino feels totally full, vocalizing his pleasure in a way that echoes around the room. Combined with the filthy sounds of him repeatedly fucking himself on Sho’s cock, he knows if he reaches down to touch himself, he’s going to come.
His eyes snap open when Sho suddenly takes his hands in his, pushing back, and Nino’s shock ends in a gasp as Sho flips them, one hand taking both of his wrists and raising his arms above his head. Nino’s on his back now, legs locking around Sho’s hips on instinct as Sho pushes back in.
He whimpers when he realizes that this change in position allows Sho to fuck him deeper and harder, his hands clenching and unclenching in Sho’s fierce grip. He can only arch his back and take it, nails scratching the fine material of the headboard as Sho fucks him in earnest.
He must be wailing because the next thing he feels is Sho’s hand clamping over his mouth. His cock is neglected and leaking and Sho is still fucking him, and he’s reeling from all the combined sensations: his arms up as Sho holds him down, his knees bent and ankles crossed, his cock lying heavily on his stomach, his heart hammering inside his ribcage, his noises muffled by Sho’s hand on him, the constant smack of Sho’s hips against his ass.
Nino feels restrained, and he loves every second of it.
“I want you to come,” Sho huffs, leaning down to nip at his earlobe, “just from me.” He doesn’t slow down, instead slides deeply until Nino can’t think of anything else. “Nino.”
Nino has his eyes shut, grunting in pleasure against Sho’s palm, teeth digging into the skin, then he hears it again. His name, his nickname, followed by one Sho has never used until now.
“Kazu,” Sho whispers in his ear, and Nino clenches around him, nearly sobbing at how much Sho wants him with that word alone. Sho swears, hips faltering for a fraction of a second. Then he demands, “Come for me, Kazu, come on.”
Sho extracts his hand from his mouth and makes a sharp thrust that leaves Nino shouting, spilling hot between them, entire body convulsing as his vision snaps away and he seems to have reached someplace else. Belatedly, when the thrill of orgasm has subsided, he notices that he can move his arms, that Sho has finally let him go. Sho has his face buried in Nino’s neck as he continues to move, repeated swears coming from his lips, and Nino encourages him by pulling on his hair, making him hiss in combined pain and pleasure.
Sho pushes in a few more times before he abruptly withdraws and kneels between Nino’s spread thighs, taking himself in hand. He strokes, brutal and needy with his shoulders pulled back, giving Nino a full view of everything.
“Go on,” Nino urges, and Sho’s eyes snap open, meeting his gaze. Nino licks his lips and opens his mouth for show. “On me. Come on me, Sho. All over me. Mark me.”
He hears Sho’s breath hitch then Sho’s coming, face creasing in satisfaction as he dirties Nino’s stomach and chest in quick bursts. Nino allows him to bask in it. He stretches his sore, weary limbs as Sho descends from his high, collapsing right beside him.
For a while there’s nothing but their rushed breaths, Nino’s pulse thundering in his ears. He feels used and thinks that he is a perfect depiction of debauchery-legs spread, chest and cheeks flushed, neck mottled with bruises, pearlescent come drying on his stomach as he breathes. He knows he needs a shower but finds that he can’t move, not when he’s been thoroughly fucked and his alcohol-swaddled head is starting to demand sleep.
He doesn’t know how long it takes before he hears Sho move, and he has no idea how many minutes passed before Sho returns, dabbing a damp washcloth on his come-stained torso. He allows Sho to dote on him for a while, cleaning him up as best as he can, touch lingering a little on the flesh over his hipbones.
“You know what we should do tomorrow?” Nino asks, voice hoarse after all the screaming that he apparently did. He has no concrete recollection of it.
Sho blinks at him, and Nino gives him a lazy, tired grin.
“All of that again until shore leave ends.”
Sho returns his smile and kisses him, and Nino wraps his arms around his nape to pull him back to the bed. The shower can wait.
--
Whatever Sho has planned for the following morning gets cancelled since they go with Nino’s plan: fucking all day until Nino’s certain he can’t come anymore. He’s been fucked on his back, on his hands and knees, against the bar counter, and when Sho has him pinned against the door, one hand twisting his arm up his back as Sho pushes into him, it’s when it crosses Nino’s mind that this is the kind of development Aiba has been waiting for for months.
His thighs are sticky by the time they’re done. They are both sweat-soaked and panting, tangled together in a heap of limbs by the door as Sho kisses him gently and Nino responds as best as he can, clinging to Sho’s warmth despite all they just did.
The console above their heads buzzes and they both look up, Sho with his eyes wide and Nino with a frown.
“That’s the room service,” Sho tells him, his brain apparently functioning adequately now. They ordered in because they never planned to leave for the entire day, and Nino groans at the timing. On the bright side, at least they’re done.
He stands on shaky legs, tinkering with the console so only his voice can be heard. “Please leave it in the corridor, thank you.”
The bellboy nods and leaves, and Nino slumps against the wall.
“I am not getting that,” he tells Sho, who laughs breathlessly from his position at Nino’s feet. “I still have your come in me, for fuck’s sake. I’m not stepping out to get that until I have cleaned myself.”
“I didn’t tell you to go get it,” Sho retorts, bracing himself against the wall. Nino moves away before Sho can kiss him again, picking up the discarded bathrobe from earlier and chucking it in Sho’s direction.
“Go get it then,” he says, already making his way to the shower.
He showers and returns to find Sho eating on the bed, though he’s only picking at the food they ordered and not actually stuffing his face with gusto. Nino plops beside him and steals the piece of fried potato between his fingers, popping it in his own mouth.
They sit naked together-Nino smelling like the hotel soap and shampoo, Sho smelling like Nino earlier-eating whatever junk food Nino managed to convince Sho to order for their very late dinner. To be fair, Nino picked the kind of junk food they can’t replicate on the ship, and Sho seems too satisfied from all the sex to even care.
They have approximately sixteen hours before shore leave ends, and Nino is perfectly content with spending it by covering his hands in grease and munching on food that can’t be healthful at this hour.
“Nino,” Sho says in between chewing, and Nino hums, halfway into putting another fried potato in his mouth.
Sho’s face suddenly colors a bit, but when Nino thinks he won’t say it, he proves Nino wrong. “I really like you too,” he mumbles.
Nino hums. “I actually knew that,” he says, tossing the potato in his mouth.
Sho nudges his side with an elbow and Nino hides his smile over a mouthful of junk food.
When they finally come back to the ship via a paid transport shuttle, they swing by Jun’s office to let the man know that they have returned. Nino made sure to wear something that wouldn’t reveal the state of his neck. He won’t hear the end of it from Jun and, heaven forbid, Aiba.
Jun only lifts his head to peer at them over his book, then his eyes narrow, one finger lowering his glasses a little as he observes them more intently. Nino dares him to say something by staring back, and of course Jun rises up to the challenge.
“How was the honeymoon?” Jun asks with one of his knowing smiles.
Sho doesn’t say anything beside him, pointedly not looking at Jun, and Jun faces Nino for answers.
Nino inclines his head modestly and Jun’s smile grows wider.
Jun holds out his hand to him then, and Nino spends two seconds evaluating his choices before he slaps it, giving his boss a high five.
They share a laugh when Sho pinches the bridge of his nose.
--
The following months of Nino’s life are eventful, both in work and in private. After their shore leave, the Union has decided to have them meet other ambassadors to Earth on their respective home planets. Given the short intervals between one visit and another, Nino and Sho are taking turns acting as Jun’s primary translator.
In the time they have to spare, Nino allows Sho to teach him Elioni, but can’t quite grasp the proper intonation even weeks into practicing. Sho is a patient teacher though, not giving up when Nino already is, and his authentic enthusiasm is what draws Nino’s interest back in.
His relationship with Sho is going smooth, though they’ve had a couple of petty fights that they resolved by compromising. Nino learns that Sho hates it when his replicator settings for coffee are tweaked, but Sho loves cheesecake and will drink the coffee that comes with it even if Nino changed it from black to with cream. Sho finds out more about him in equal measure-his passion for holofilms, the old dream of becoming a filmmaker, his dislike for exercise.
They sometimes play a game in which they speak in foreign languages, changing the language each turn, to catch the other at not understanding what was said. Nino is yet to win against Sho, but there are no losers since sexual favors are at stake.
The entire ship seems to know that they are-in every sense of the word-married, and Nino suspects that Aiba is responsible for the spread of the news. He and Sho prefer to keep their relationship private; Nino doesn’t want a repeat of Jun interrupting them ever again.
After their visits and meetings with the other ambassadors, the Union has chosen to send them to the space station for a ship refit and a meeting with a viceroy representing the biggest ally of the Union in the Delta Quadrant, Eos. Jun believes that the Union simultaneously scheduled for both things on purpose, since the ship refit will take an indefinite amount of time, thereby giving Jun all the time he needs to convince the viceroy that they have taken the right side.
“The problem with this job,” Jun says, when Nino and Sho are both presenting updates to him regarding the viceroy, “is that I never get to say the things I want to say. Only the Union’s words must pass through my mouth.”
“We need Eos in the event of war,” Sho says, handing Jun a data pad. “I share your opinion regarding their race, Ambassador. They prefer bloodshed over diplomacy, but they remain the strongest ally of the Union.”
“And if we win the war, what happens? The spoils of war are for the soldiers of Eos to take care of in our stead? The concept of incarceration for war criminals is foreign to them,” Jun says, frowning as he scrolls through the file he’s reading. “Which, for me, means that I have to act like I am in favor of executions once we meet the viceroy, and forgive me, Sho-kun, but there’s a limit to my acting skills.”
“Your reservations regarding their ways can be addressed at another time,” is what Nino says. Jun looks up at him. “I’m hardly in favor of anything the Union says and this is no exception. But address those concerns when you’re not alone. Do it when there’s the rest of the Union’s allies with you in a conference so you have people to back you up.”
Jun’s eyebrow quirks. “You wouldn’t leave me alone with a man who is in favor of war so they can use their advanced artillery, would you?”
“I don’t think anyone in their right mind will,” Nino says, earning Sho’s murmur of agreement.
“With all due respect, Ambassador, there may be a limit to your acting abilities, but the viceroy only needs to be reassured of their status as an ally. Convince him as you’ve convinced every person we have met for the past year,” Sho tells him encouragingly. “If there is anyone onboard this ship who can do that, it is you.”
Jun laughs. “Flattery will get us nowhere, Sho-kun. I can’t believe it’s been a year.” He looks at Nino apologetically. “I know I told you when we first met that the mission would be for eight months at most. I’m sorry for giving you a poor estimate.”
“I’m not that excited to go back home, don’t worry.” Nino shrugs.
“But I believe this is the last mission the Union has for us in this quadrant,” Jun says, as if Nino didn’t interrupt him. He only nods at Sho and Nino’s confused faces. “I received the order that as soon as the ship is declared fit for hyperspace travel, we are going home.”
Nino hasn’t made any plans on what he’ll do once his contract as a translator ends. Sho goes wherever Jun is, being the Ambassador’s secretary, but what about him? His necessity only lasts for as long as they are in the Delta Quadrant. After that, what happens to him?
Jun is looking at him now, and Nino can’t read his expression. “That’s good,” Nino says noncommittally, “that we are returning. We’ve been too far from Earth for too long.”
Jun strokes the tip of his nose with his thumb, an unconscious habit whenever he’s choosing his words carefully. “I know what you’re thinking,” Jun says. “Both of you at that. And so I have decided to offer a permanent position to you, Nino, on my team. If you want it. I believe my next task for the Union is to remain on the space station above Earth and meet delegates who will visit the planet in the future. That includes delegates from all quadrants, and some of them speak languages that even Sho-kun doesn’t. If you are willing, on the return trip, we can revise your contract and you will remain one of my translators.”
Sho is looking at him with hopeful eyes, but Nino needs time to consider the offer. It is the best offer he will get, yes. He will remain employed, but he will also have to stay indefinitely on the space station. Given Jun’s busy schedule, Nino will hardly have time to visit Earth, see his family.
“If you need time to think about it, I understand,” Jun says sincerely, smiling a little. “Because once the Union decides to ship me somewhere else, the both of you will automatically go with me. Those things frequently happen on short notice. There might not be time for you to visit Earth should you wish.”
“How long is this offer open?” Nino asks quietly.
“Indefinitely for you. Only for you though. I’m not certain I’m willing to open the position to anybody else, lest they also end up being married to my secretary. That would inconvenience me,” Jun says, trying to lighten the mood. “I would prefer not to have Sho-kun’s harem as my assistants.”
Sho makes this pained face that Nino smiles at. “Ambassador…” Sho says disapprovingly, but Jun just waves his hand to dismiss it.
“I want the best, Nino, to work for me because the job itself is not conventional. You have contributed a great deal to this mission as a whole and I am grateful for that. You can refuse, but know that I would hate to lose someone like you on my team. If you decide to decline, you are welcome to use my name for your next job application. I assure you I will provide a glowing recommendation,” Jun tells him, honest as ever. That’s one of the things Nino likes about him. Jun saves the sweet-talking for the people he has to meet.
“I’ll keep it in mind,” Nino promises, bowing a little. “Thank you for the offer, Ambassador.”
Later, in the privacy of Nino’s quarters since he and Sho take turns staying over at each other’s, Nino recalls the offer again and again.
There’s a rustle of sheets beside him and soon Sho’s fingers are tracing his bicep.
“I’m not going to ask you to say yes,” Sho whispers.
Nino keeps his gaze on the ceiling. “I know.”
“No, Nino, you don’t understand.” Sho sits up, sheets bunching around his waist. Nino doesn’t follow him; he remains lying on the bed. “I want you to say yes. Of course. But I can’t make you stay if you don’t want to. I wish I could, but I really have no control over that.”
Nino lets his fingers follow the path formed by Sho’s spine. “I never said it,” he says, whispering now, as if anyone could hear them, “but I’m really awful at commitments. There’s...something about permanence that doesn’t sit right with me. Because of that fear, once I feel comfortable, I try not to feel too secure. Because that can change in a wink and I don’t want to be unprepared for it. Again.”
“I’m not asking you to stay,” Sho assures him, not looking at him still.
“I know.”
“And I’m not going to. But...know that I want you to.”
Nino finally sits up, resting his chin on Sho’s angular shoulder. “I don’t know what I want to do,” he admits.
“Whatever you decide on, I’ll accept it. Despite the marriage, you’re not really tied to me.”
Nino presses his forehead against Sho’s back at that, hiding his smile. Sho always knows the right words to say. “I also know that.” He brushes his shoulder against Sho’s. “Ilarian kiss, just so we won’t forget what brought us here.”
He kisses Sho’s back and wraps his arms around Sho’s middle, running his hands on Sho’s torso. He doesn’t want to think of the offer yet. He wants to say yes, but he doesn’t know what the consequences that come with that decision will be. He doesn’t want to think about them yet.
There’s a disbelieving laugh that Nino can feel vibrate through the flesh under his lips. “We should sleep,” Sho tells him.
Nino doesn’t reply, instead letting his hand stray lower and takes hold, feeling Sho arch against his palm.
“Okay,” Sho says through his teeth, hips already bucking back. “Sleep later.”
Nino gets the wind knocked out of him in a second, Sho turning to pin his wrists down on either side of his face. He squirms suggestively, and laughs when Sho descends to claim his mouth.
Part 6
From: 64907
Part 4
The delegate waiting for them in the colony of Zion IX is a human female named Ayase Haruka, who has done nothing but confuse them all ever since their meeting. The settlements on Zion IX are as advanced as Earth’s technology-hovercars and hovermotors are flying in all directions, a couple of aerial domes already erected to house the entry and exit of passenger and cargo shuttles.
Ayase welcomed them to her own place in the colony, an urbanized shelter that she shares with the members of her team. Jun’s job is to discuss with her anything she might want to rely to the Union, from funding to invitations for colonists to pay them a visit.
So far, all she has done is laugh at the most unexpected moments, and Nino is a little perplexed at her behavior, but not as much as Jun is. Jun is close to frowning, and Nino has to bite his lip to prevent himself from laughing at Jun’s reactions.
“I’m sorry, Ambassador,” Ayase says, wiping at the tear caught on her lashes. “I just recalled this joke I heard on the holoprogram earlier.” She breaks into another fit again, and Nino can’t help finding her odd, but in a good kind of way.
Jun’s expression is a mirror of Sho’s, and Nino wants to laugh at them both. For his part, Sho is merely blinking at Ayase in confusion, and Nino thinks he’s the only one who finds her quirkiness amusing as of the moment. For Nino, it’s like she is the louder counterpart of Yuriko.
“Ayase-san,” Jun says calmly, but Nino knows he’s exerting effort for it to remain that way, “the Union merely wishes for me to verify the security of the diplomatic ties they have with their own colonies. If you have any pressing matters that require immediate attention, please let me know.”
Ayase cups her chin under both hands and plops her elbows on the desk between her and Jun, smiling all the while. “The only concerns we have are regarding the Union’s concerns for us. Surely there are those which you are here to tell me about?”
“Communications,” Jun says immediately. When Ayase tilts her head in confusion, Jun holds up his hand. “The Union receives regular communication from all colonies which are members of the coalition, that is true, and they extend their commendation and felicitation for your vigilance in maintaining that. However, they have informed me that they rarely get word about planned improvements in each colony. They said that most of the time, you only inform them of it when the process is complete.”
Ayase laughs, a rather happy chuckle that brightens up her pretty face. “I am at fault there, Ambassador. You see, since I’m the delegate, it’s also up to me to talk to the people we need to talk to in order to procure supplies for such improvements.” She leans forward, cupping the side of her mouth to whisper, “Those suppliers are not very nice most of the time.”
“I see,” Jun says conversationally.
Ayase doesn’t appear to notice anything. She just nods as if Jun agreed with her completely. “So when we negotiate, it happens back and forth and keeps going on until the process is finished. That’s the only time I remember that I should have informed the Union about it.” She smiles. “But then again, better late than never, right?”
“I suppose. It’s better that the Union gets to hear about it than not at all.” Jun straightens in his seat and looks around, at the people in Ayase’s team. “But if I can give a suggestion, you can use an assistant, Ayase-san. Someone who can keep track of all you have to do for you. I imagine that your duties are not so foreign in comparison with mine.”
Ayase hums in consideration, and she looks at everyone in Jun’s team. There’s only Nino and Sho standing behind Jun, because Jun’s trusted bodyguards are waiting at the port right outside the veranda with Aiba. Jun felt no need to bring them along, seeing as Ayase’s shelter is one of the most heavily guarded facilities in Zion IX.
“Which one of you is the secretary?” Ayase asks, darting glances between him and Sho, and Nino points to Sho with his thumb.
“I’m just a secondary translator,” Nino supplies.
“I keep him around because he’s quick on his feet,” Jun says.
“I think I can use that,” Ayase says, nodding. “If I remember to appoint one, that is.” She giggles. “I’m fairly forgetful and I get distracted quite easily.”
“I’ve noticed,” Jun tells her, and it ends in a laugh when Ayase outright chuckles.
The rest of the meeting proceeds with Jun asking for details about the progress of each colony in the coalition. He seems to have gotten accustomed to Ayase’s spontaneous behavior, patiently asking and clarifying things with her. Nino, for the most part, is left to admire the view outside, looking out to the skies and following certain hovercars with his eyes. Zion IX is as advanced as Earth, truly one of the most contemporary colonies out there. It’s a wonder they are so far from Earth itself, finding prosperity close to the outer rim of the Delta Quadrant.
When the discussion concludes, Jun gives Ayase a firm handshake and promises to relay everything he has learned of in the past hours to the Union with as much honesty as he can manage. Nino translates that as Jun-speak for “I like you and so I won’t inform the Union that you often forget to tell them things because that quality makes you you”. He’s not just a literal translator, after all.
As soon as they are back on the shuttle and on their return flight to the Masquerade, Nino, from his seat across Jun’s, says, “You liked her.”
Jun faces him with amused eyes. “What gave you that impression?”
Nino shrugs. “I don’t know, Jun-kun, but we’re almost seven months into this whole mission and this is the first time you didn’t decide to sleep on the return flight.”
“The Ambassador does opt for a nap when he had a long, trying day,” Sho adds. He is a chair apart from Nino, hands clasped neatly over his seatbelt. Sho has never been comfortable with the take off part of flying no matter how steady Aiba’s hands are. Acrophobia, he admitted to Nino once, and Nino never forgot ever since.
“I initially found her rather peculiar,” Jun says, leaning back against the headrest, “but that was revealed to be a nice change from people of high authority ready to question every word that comes out of my mouth.”
Nino can sympathize on that-Ilari had been exhausting because of the festivities, the Zuran monarch was a challenge from beginning to end, and the Grenus incident certainly gave all of them a tough time.
“By the way,” Nino asks, lowering his voice, “does the Union know that…” He trails off, gestures to Sho with a tilt of his head. “That he and I…?”
The grin that breaks onto Jun’s face has Nino clutching at the armrests on his sides. “I have said that I had no intentions of informing the Union about it.”
“‘Had’?” Nino and Sho ask at the same time.
But Jun ignores them, sighing dramatically. “You-” he points to Nino, “-have cleverly left out the part in which you saved Sho-kun’s life by claiming you are indeed his husband, yes, but Yoshitaka-san has enumerated all possible situations in which skin contact would be acceptable for their kind. Can you imagine the difficulty you have given me, all because you would rather not inform the Union of your marital status?”
“Wait,” Nino says, shaking his head. “Does the Union know or not?”
“Not explicitly,” Jun replies, flashing them that innocent expression. “But I may have used my override to update your profiles during the recent update on performance reviews.”
Sho’s eyes widen, and Jun turns to him. “Oh Sho-kun, I thought you would have seen it already.”
“I was,” Sho tries, not quite managing it, “I was, uh.”
Jun raises his hand. “I would rather not know.” He meets Nino’s eyes and smiles at Nino’s disbelieving expression. “Didn’t you receive a transmission from back home some days ago?”
“I did,” Nino says. He can sense Sho looking at him. “My sister asked me to introduce my, and I quote, ‘husband as soon as we make the return trip to the planet because he is a new addition to the family’.” He can’t help rolling his eyes. “So that’s it? She saw my updated profile?”
“Perhaps,” Jun says. “Any quick information about all members of my peace envoy are accessible to the public, but the statuses of each individual are only accessible to the immediate families. That means your family is looking out for you wherever you might be.”
Sho tenses beside him, and Nino shoots him a worried glance.
But Jun merely gives Sho this nod, and Sho visibly relaxes.
“All right, don’t tell me about it,” Nino says, shrugging his shoulders.
“I’m not in the position to say anything,” Jun informs him. “I would rather not have you two engage in a discussion right now.”
“I’m not going to have a fight with him, Jun-kun, relax,” Nino says. “Look, Sho-chan, I’m totally cool about it, okay? I didn’t tell you about the transmission so we’re quits.” He’s not lying or exaggerating-Nino thinks he and Sho can allow themselves little secrets that they might choose to talk about someday when they’re both ready.
“I would assume annulment is out of the question now?” Jun inquires, looking amused.
“Sometimes I forget that you were our witness and instigator,” Nino tells him. “You were happier about this marriage more than anybody else.”
“And look at you now,” Jun points out, spreading his palms for effect. “Sho-kun doesn’t look too much of a reanimated corpse lately despite the same amount of work being handed to him, and I think I can piece together why.” He holds out his palm and Sho immediately hands Jun’s data pad to him. “Which reminds me, I should make the announcement.”
Nino pretends he doesn’t know a thing. “Announcement?”
“Good news for everyone on the ship,” Jun murmurs, fingers working briskly, and soon, everybody’s personal comms beep with an incoming message.
Jun gestures for him to check his and he does, and he tries his best to look pleased about it despite already knowing what it is. Shore leave announcement, lasting for three days in the highly urbanized planet called Aeris. Shore leave for three days, finally approved by the Union. It was Jun’s cockblocking message, how can Nino forget?
Jun’s message also tells them that each crewmember is allowed to visit the planet, as long as there is still a functioning bridge crew for every shift. A problem for those working there, Nino figures. That means he has three days of free time.
“Please tell me you have postponed all work for three days,” Nino says to Jun, who lifts an eyebrow at him.
“Me?” Jun laughs and points to Sho. “He’s the one who schedules everything. Tell him that.”
Nino faces Sho and repeats exactly what he said to Jun only seconds ago.
“I may have made plans,” Sho says, not quite looking at him.
Nino tries not to sigh. He forgot that Sho is not an indoor type like him. Surely Sho has this grand Aeris tour planned for the both of them. Nino doesn’t want to break his heart, but he doesn’t think he can fake enthusiasm over it when he’d rather linger in bed with Sho to continue where they left off the last time they tried to speed things up a little.
“Please tell me those plans don’t last for three days,” he amends, and Jun outright laughs.
Sho doesn’t say anything, and Nino sighs, defeated.
“Enjoy the honeymoon,” Jun teases, and Nino resists the urge to say something rude to him.
--
The great thing about shore leave approved by the Union is that all accommodations are paid for by the Union itself. Nino only has to bring his own credits with him to pay for everything else he might think of wanting-clothes (unlikely since he lives in a spaceship), food (also unlikely because he prefers the cheap ones), and transport (another impossible thing since he has no intentions to leave his shared suite with Sho-Jun’s supposed wedding gift).
The thing that Nino doesn’t want at present is how Sho is dragging him out to come see Aeris with him. There’s no shortage of museums and exhibition halls in the planet, something Sho already researched about of course, and he has the plans to see them all.
“I don’t know why this still needs saying,” Nino says, shrugging on his coat as Sho waits for him with an Aiba-like energy, “but I’m not the outgoing type, Sho-chan. Surely you have figured that out?”
“I have, but you need to see this, Nino,” Sho insists. Nino has seen a couple of odd things for the past months, and he really doesn’t understand why he ought to see more.
But Sho is enthusiastic and happy, eyes sparkling as they make the trip out and visit one place after another, and Nino isn’t exactly immune to him being so. He allows Sho to lead him to whatever popular tourist location he has planned for the day, complaining every now and then and not meaning it most of the time. Sho makes him eat all this food he has never sampled before and he does, and while he’s not as expressive as Sho when it comes to satisfying meals, Sho seems truly content that they are doing these things together. He doesn’t smile as much as Nino would have liked, but he makes these subtle grins when Nino’s about to turn away and Nino wants to catalog all of these moments.
“It’s weird,” Nino says as they share a drink in the personal bar inside their suite (Jun picked the most luxurious one for them, the show-off), “that our dates are happening months after the marriage.”
“Do you wish we had it the other way around?”
Nino considers it. “Not really. I don’t think you would have kissed me that time in the observation deck if we weren’t married. There were cameras and while they were powered down, we weren’t exactly invisible. But you did it when I thought you never would.”
Sho hides half of his face behind this glass of beer and Nino laughs at him, shoving his hand away lightly.
“Be honest,” Nino says, liking that he has Sho on the spot right now and there’s no urgent transmission from Matsumoto Jun that will interrupt any moment, “would you have done that anyway? Even if Ilari didn’t happen?”
“Would you?” Sho throws back.
“Yes,” Nino answers. “Don’t gloat. I don’t like it when you gloat. But yes, I would have. I won’t deny being curious about it.”
“I won’t either,” Sho admits. “So yes, to answer your question. Although I would have likely done it after the mission was over with the possibility I wouldn’t see you again.”
“That’s slow,” Nino tells him. “Really slow, Sho-chan. Had it gone that way I think it would have been me who initiated things. My plan was to see for myself which one is stronger: the like or the dislike. Because I knew you liked me.”
Sho isn’t facing him now. “Are you saying that seriously or are you just gloating?”
Nino lets out a breathless laugh. “I knew you liked me the first time you called me ‘Nino’. You were calling me Ninomiya back then, but when you called me Nino, I knew from then.”
Sho brows furrow together a little. “From that time in the Ambassador’s office? After Zura?”
“No. You called me Nino before that. When I had a relapse in the Zuran ship. Do you remember?”
Sho’s face colors, making him even more flushed. “I thought you didn’t notice that.”
“I was a little out of it, but I caught that. You always said Ninomiya with this air of utter dislike.” Nino imitates it, trying to channel contempt in every syllable.
Sho jostles his shoulder. “I didn’t say it like that.”
“I know what I heard, okay? Then you called me Nino in a voice you never used on me, and when I looked at you, I just knew.” He grins smugly now, leaning in Sho’s space and enjoying how embarrassed Sho is. “For the record though, I think I did already like you back then.”
“You think?”
“Well I don’t exactly put timestamps on these things.”
Sho grabs his glass of beer and leaves his seat. “I think you’ve had quite enough.”
Nino’s cheeks are indeed heating up because of the alcohol, but when he’s drunk, the first thing he does is to deny that he is. “You thought wrong. Give me back my glass.” His attempt to reach for it ends in an awkward, aimless swing.
“No.” Sho deposits both of their glasses in the sink and washes them. “Go sober up in the refresher.”
“Bossy,” Nino complains, but he does get up to do what Sho told him. He brushes his teeth and changes into the most comfortable pair of pajamas he has with a hole on the underside of a sleeve and settles under the covers.
It might be too soon or too late when he feels the mattress dip beside him, and hears Sho order the lights off, blanketing the entire room in complete darkness.
“Sho-chan,” he says, a little more groggily than he would have preferred.
Sho only hums in question.
“We’re going out again tomorrow?”
He hears something close to a snort. “I won’t force you.” He then feels one of Sho’s hands stroking his upper arm. “I’ve got this theater production I want to catch though. So I might get back a little late.”
“Okay,” he says, burying half of his face in the pillows. “I’m sleeping all day. My feet ache from all the walking we did.”
“I’m not apologizing,” Sho says, drawing his hand back. Soon, Nino feels Sho drop a quick kiss to his temple. He groans, turning his head in Sho’s direction with his eyes shut. Sho gets the hint, lightly kissing the corner of his mouth.
“I don’t really want you to,” Nino mutters, and that’s the last thing he remembers as he allows exhaustion to take him.
--
Sho is gone by the time Nino wakes up, his side of the bed cold to the touch when Nino runs his palm over the sheets. There’s an unopened transmission on his personal comm and it’s a message from Sho, saying that he left early because he wanted to see this natural Aeris phenomenon that only occurs at dawn. That is just like him.
Nino stretches his limbs before hogging all the covers and sleeping again. When he feels that he can’t sleep anymore, it’s past noon according to the chronometer. He has made plans to share a meal with Aiba, and he sends a message to the pilot asking him to meet Nino at the lobby of the hotel he’s staying at. Aiba’s shore leave only started a few hours ago since he’s part of the bridge crew, and thanks to Sho, Nino already has an idea where the two of them can share a meal for an affordable price.
Aiba’s response is that he’s on his way there, and Nino finally wills his body to move.
He and Aiba end up eating at a fast food joint that serves nothing but all kinds of intergalactic burgers. Some of which Nino is sincerely curious about, most he wants to forget he read on the menu. But since he is with Aiba, Aiba orders the most obscure one for the both of them and offers to pay for it, and who is Nino to refuse such a proposal?
“You experiment too much with your food, Aiba-shi,” he says, not without a hint of affection.
“I’ve been eating replicated stuff for months, Nino. Months! I don’t even know how real catsup tastes.”
“Well we are about to find out. You did get the ones with catsup, right?”
Aiba grins, wide and happy, too happy for someone whose shore leave is on limited time. Nino will never understand how he ticks. “I picked the weirdest ones in the bunch, and catsup was the only thing that is familiar about them. Maybe we won’t even taste the catsup!”
“Heaven forbid we end up eating some slimy, smoky, mutant thing from some obscure planet,” Nino says. “If I die of food poisoning, I will come back just to haunt you for the rest of your life.”
“Aww Nino, you always say these things!” Aiba reaches out to swat him on the arm and Nino clutches at the spot he hit. It hurts. Aiba has never known his own strength. “You don’t even know what’s going to happen!”
“With you, I expect the worst all the time. If the worst doesn’t happen, consider me relieved,” he retorts.
Their order arrives and Nino laughs out loud when it turns out that his prediction wasn’t an exaggeration. Aiba only views it as a challenge, digging in and immediately flashing a thumbs up when it turns out be really good.
After the meal (which was indeed palatable, Nino admits), he and Aiba look for a bar that sells cheap drinks and shares a couple over stories of Aiba’s experiences as a personal pilot for Jun. Nino gets to hear Aiba’s version of the ‘smiling is taboo’ incident and discovers that it’s not so different from Sho’s, that Jun astonished everyone by his actions.
“Jun-chan’s face doesn’t do him justice,” Aiba comments, his drink sloshing in his glass as he waves it around. Nino doesn’t understand him, but he listens to Aiba ramble on anyway. “You’d think with a face like that he’d be strict, fierce, and unreasonable, but he’s a hundred times kinder than what his appearance suggests.”
“He does have a strong face,” Nino agrees. “Thick eyebrows too.”
That earns a laugh from Aiba. “I was born in the space station, and as soon as I saw the spaceships, I knew what I was going to do with my life. I’m a child of space, Nino. Mom and Dad have this floating restaurant on Earth, and while I do help them while I’m around, I really belong in space.” He smiles as he finishes his drink and orders another. “Jun-chan was the first one who saw my potential, and since then, I swore never to pilot for anybody else.”
Nino rests his chin on his knuckles, content with listening to Aiba’s story. “Sho-chan told me he applied for the secretary position himself. You did the same for the pilot position?”
Aiba shakes his head. “I was working for Jun-chan even before Sho-chan came along. The moment Jun-chan was appointed the youngest ambassador, he sought me out. I did well in flight academy, I’ll have you know, but I wasn’t the best. Maybe average compared to the hotshots in my class. My record has three failed landing simulations. It’s not perfect.”
“But Jun-kun didn’t mind.” Somehow, Nino can tell it didn’t matter to Jun.
“I met him when I was still as a student and he was a junior ambassador. He worked his way up steadily-because that’s how Jun-chan is when he’s determined-and the next thing I knew, he was asking for Aiba Masaki, then-recent flight academy graduate to be his official pilot. I didn’t even have my license back then.” Aiba takes another shot, smiling at the burn of alcohol. “But he just got promoted and said he was just starting so he’d appreciate a familiar face given the change of environment.”
Nino smiles and hides it behind his glass. He’s not much of a drinker, but Aiba doesn’t seem to mind. “Jun-kun does seem the type to play it cool when he’s embarrassed.”
The night goes on, and Nino finds out that Aiba never fails to bring home souvenirs every time he visits a planet he’s never been to, and Nino can see in his eyes how much he misses home.
“Stay longer next time,” Nino tells him. “If you miss it that much.”
“I’d love to, but then who’s going to take Jun-chan to places?” Aiba says, and Nino smiles, seeing that Aiba is not too different from Sho when it comes to this. “I’m his pilot. Wherever he goes, I have to be the one to take him there.”
Nino wonders now, as he listens to the rest of Aiba’s musings, if Jun knows how loved he is by everyone under his stead. Maybe he does, now that Nino thinks on it. Jun had the Union pay for his crew’s shore leave on one of the fanciest planets in the galaxy. A three-day stay costs plenty of credits, with he and Sho having been given the costliest suite. Nino can just imagine how Jun lobbied with the Union as his request got reviewed and addressed before it was approved.
The hours pass quickly since it is easy for Nino to get lost in Aiba’s stories. He spent hours laughing at Aiba’s unique experiences and when he finally bids the man goodbye, Aiba hugs him. He’s drunk, and for Aiba, Nino discovers that means he gets touchy and teary-eyed.
“Someday Nino, you should come visit my family’s restaurant. I’m going to introduce you to my mom, and you can impress her with your card magic if you’re so good at it,” Aiba says.
“Yeah, yeah, I’ll impress her all right,” Nino says dotingly, ruffling Aiba’s hair before pushing him back. “Be careful on the way back, okay? Can’t have Jun-kun losing his only pilot.”
Aiba salutes and stands at attention at that, and Nino laughs at him before turning on his heel to walk towards the direction of his hotel. He chooses to walk to sober up a little, appreciating the cool breeze hitting his face as he makes the journey back.
When he’s finally reached his shared suite with Sho, he finds Sho waiting for him, watching a holofilm from the bed with his back resting comfortably against the headboard. Sho pauses the holofilm to greet him, and Nino decides that he’s had enough drinks to proceed with what he wants.
He holds up a finger. “I’m going to take a shower,” he says, keeping his intent obvious in the tone of his voice, “and when I come back I want that holofilm turned off.”
He hasn’t even made it inside the refresher when Sho switches off the holofilm, and he laughs, the sound reverberating against the tiles.
--
Nino dries himself off and only puts a towel around his waist before sauntering back to the bedroom, finding that the bed has been stripped off the blankets and comforter, only the fitted sheet left.
Good, Nino thinks. He and Sho are on the same page.
He meets Sho’s eyes where Sho remains seated on the edge of the bed and takes slow, measured steps towards him, stopping when he’s standing right between Sho’s legs. Sho is in his usual unattractive sweats, but Nino couldn’t care any less-Sho’s eyes are darker and Nino runs his thumb lightly along the man’s plump bottom lip.
“Did you turn off your comm?” he whispers. “Because I would hate to hear Jun-kun’s voice from that thing when you’re finally fucking me.”
Sho tugs him closer by grabbing his hips, his nose right on Nino’s stomach. Breathing in and out, tickling Nino a little with each puff of air. “I put it on ‘do not disturb’.”
“Fair enough,” Nino says, pressing his thumb to the corner of Sho’s mouth, the slightest bit of moisture clinging to his fingertip. He sneaks a glance at the nightstand and finds everything they could possibly need. He grins. “Did you prepare for this too when you made your plans?”
“I thought it wouldn’t be unlikely to happen,” Sho says, voice deep and sending a shiver down Nino’s spine.
“What else have you planned for us?” Nino asks, and he swears that even under the dim lighting, Sho’s pupils are huge and are thinning out the brown to almost nothing. He licks his lips in anticipation.
“I can show you,” Sho whispers, right against his skin, and Nino shuts his eyes and gives in.
Sho pulls off the towel with little finesse, letting it drop to the floor as he leaves Nino’s skin kissed and hot all over. Sho’s fingers ghost over the ridges formed by Nino’s ribs, his mouth licking a path to Nino’s navel and lingering there. Nino lets his hands settle on Sho’s shoulders, fisting at the fabric of his wooly sweatshirt until Sho withdraws from him and raises his arms in cooperation.
“You prude,” Nino accuses, “keeping all your clothes on while I’m standing here naked for minutes now.”
Sho doesn’t dignify him with a reply, instead tugs at his wrist so he ends up straddling Sho before lowering himself to sit on his lap. As soon as Nino feels Sho’s hand supporting his back, Sho kisses him, hard and hungry, like he’s been waiting for so long.
In hindsight, both of them have.
Nino responds in kind, one hand on Sho’s shoulder while the other is cupping his nape, pushing him closer. He can taste nothing but Sho in his mouth. His hand moves up to touch Sho’s hair, soft strands that he can’t resist pulling just to have Sho cry out.
There is this necessity to breathe so even if Nino wants more of Sho’s mouth, he breaks away when his lungs begin to hurt.
“Sho-chan,” he pants as Sho nips at his clavicle, marking his skin, “bed, bed. Now.”
It doesn’t make much sense, but Sho somehow understands, letting him go with a parting lick to his neck. Sho rids himself of his sweats and Nino crawls and flops onto the center of the bed, letting out a pleased sigh when the cool sheets touch his heated skin.
He beckons Sho to join him and Sho obeys, climbing on the bed and dropping to his hands and knees as he presses kisses from Nino’s legs up to his thighs. Nino writhes in satisfaction as Sho’s hot mouth continues its journey upward, stopping only when it reaches his hipbone to suck there.
Nino takes himself in hand, providing bouts of reliefs as Sho casually explores his body. He’s into half a dozen strokes when Sho’s hand closes over his wrist, stopping him, and he opens his eyes to look down.
Sho only shakes his head once and Nino lets go, hand finding its place at the back of Sho’s head.
“Ask nicely,” Sho says in that baritone that makes Nino’s toes curl, his mouth close to where Nino wants him, and Nino groans, biting his lip. “Ask for it, Nino. Come on.”
“Please,” he breathes, spine curving as he seeks for warmth around his cock. “Please.”
Sho runs his thumb teasingly over the slit, smearing precome. He raises his finger between them, slick and glistening, before putting his finger in his mouth and Nino moans.
His hands tug at Sho’s hair forcefully. “Please.”
Sho takes pity on him, and Nino brings the back of his hand over his mouth when Sho purposefully hollows his cheeks. Sho doesn’t go fast, instead taking his time as he coaxes Nino, allowing Nino to go as far as he can inside his mouth.
Nino wills his eyes to open and watch, and he can’t resist sitting up when Sho looks at him. He reaches down to stroke Sho’s trembling eyelashes, breath starting to come out in gasps as a result of Sho’s efforts.
When it becomes too much, Nino twitches away from the heat of Sho’s mouth, hands fisting at Sho’s hair and pulling. “Stop, stop, stop,” he huffs, body flushed and cock leaking as Sho pulls away with an audible, obscene pop.
He takes both of Sho’s hands in his and pulls him on level with him, kissing his gifted mouth to chase away his own taste. “I don’t want to come until you’re in me,” he admits, and Sho lets out an almost imperceptible moan, clearly finding that hot.
Nino drops a quick peck on Sho’s swollen lips before maneuvering himself under him. “Lie back.”
“Why?” Sho asks, teeth finding an earlobe and nibbling on it.
“Because I want to taste you,” Nino says. He punctuates it with a squeeze on Sho’s cock and he hears Sho’s quiet “fuck” before Sho scrambles to get in place.
As soon as Sho’s back hits the mattress, Nino situates himself between his thighs, lowering his face so he’s nosing the wiry curls above Sho’s thick cock. Since he’s not as mean as Sho, he doesn’t make Sho ask for it, instead taking nearly all of Sho in his mouth without warning and enjoying the way Sho jerks as a reaction, thighs jolting around him.
Aside from card magic, Nino is also good at this.
He starts slow, taking inch by careful inch and breathing through his nose, hands moving up to keep Sho’s legs open. He flattens his tongue so he can have the tip of Sho’s cock grazing his throat, and Sho lets out a whimper that Nino wants to hear again.
He pulls off to relax his jaw, flicking his tongue at the swollen head as he takes the shaft in hand. He can’t wait to have Sho inside him now that he has all of Sho to himself. There are no data pads that require looking over, no reports in need of revisions sitting neglected in a corner. It’s just him and the things he has always wanted to do with Sho, and Nino wants to take his time.
He strokes Sho fast as he laps up at the precome pearling at the tip, feeling Sho grow heavier in his hands. He’s about to descend and have as much of Sho’s cock as possible fill his mouth again when Sho reaches out, stroking his cheekbone with a thumb.
Sho shakes his head once, and Nino understands. He kisses the head once before moving back up, sharing kisses with Sho whose hands move to his back down to his ass, fingers tracing the cleft. Nino arches on top of him and he doesn’t break away from Sho’s mouth, even when he hears Sho uncapping the lube and smearing some on his fingers.
Sho is on his back now, Nino bracing himself on top of him, hands flat on either sides of his head. Nino searches for Sho’s other hand in the darkness, getting lube on his own fingers and reaching back, joining Sho’s slick fingers as they hover on his hole.
Nino pushes in first, moaning in Sho’s mouth all the while, one shaky arm holding his body up. Sho’s other hand closes over his hip and props him up as he stretches himself till he’s loose enough, then he bites at Sho’s bottom lip to get his attention.
“With me,” he whispers, and it ends in a sharp inhale when he feels the push of Sho’s finger, the two of them now preparing him. He can’t help writhing on top of Sho but the hand that’s on his hip holds him in place. He buries his face against Sho’s neck, breathing hard as he starts riding their fingers.
Eventually he is able to take more, two of Sho’s fingers and two of his, moving in tandem as they scissor together inside. Nino bites at the skin over Sho’s shoulder to keep his whimpers down and Sho hisses, pushing his fingers faster in retaliation and Nino’s arm finally gives out.
He collapses on top of Sho, half-laughing as he plants series of kisses on the man’s neck. When he finds Sho’s ear he licks the shell of it and sighs, “Fuck me,” withdrawing his hand from himself.
Sho cups his jaw and turns his head for a kiss, unhurried and soft. When he pulls away, Sho bites at his chin lightly.
“Ride me,” Sho orders, and Nino’s moving.
He hurriedly coats Sho’s cock in lube and he’s positioned right above Sho when he remembers, resting his hand on Sho’s chest.
“You-?” he asks. It’s all he can say and he hopes it’s enough.
“I checked medbay’s files,” Sho informs him, and Nino laughs.
“Of course you did.” It’s such a Sho thing to say in such a crucial moment, and Nino’s glad he never pegged Sho to be a smooth talker despite the deep rumble that his voice has when he is aroused. Only Sho would inform him that he had looked up whether they’re both clean by verifying with medbay.
He moves back up and kisses away Sho’s pout. “I like you,” he admits. “I really like you.”
Then he straightens and lowers himself, one hand guiding Sho’s cock to his hole, the other flat on Sho’s chest. He sinks down once he feels the tip pressing against him, and if Sho moans, Nino can’t hear him when he’s moaning himself.
Once he’s adjusted to the stretch he begins to move, lifting himself up little by little until he can have only the head of Sho’s cock inside before he sinks back down again, using his knees to grind himself faster. He reaches behind him to hold on to Sho’s thighs for more leverage, focusing on fucking himself until Sho’s meeting him halfway, hips bucking back against him.
“Yes,” Nino hisses, head thrown back to flick away the sweat that trickles down his forehead. He doesn’t touch himself since Sho didn’t ask for that, and soon he’s steadily bouncing on Sho’s lap, the mattress creaking in time with them.
He slows down when Sho makes this choked groan, the sound trapped in his throat. Nino braces himself by grasping Sho’s shoulders, dictating the tempo and feeling himself in control. Sho’s hands are caressing his sides, climbing up until they reach his nipples, and Nino lets out this keening whine when Sho pinches both before running his thumbs over the pert buds.
It’s so good and Nino feels totally full, vocalizing his pleasure in a way that echoes around the room. Combined with the filthy sounds of him repeatedly fucking himself on Sho’s cock, he knows if he reaches down to touch himself, he’s going to come.
His eyes snap open when Sho suddenly takes his hands in his, pushing back, and Nino’s shock ends in a gasp as Sho flips them, one hand taking both of his wrists and raising his arms above his head. Nino’s on his back now, legs locking around Sho’s hips on instinct as Sho pushes back in.
He whimpers when he realizes that this change in position allows Sho to fuck him deeper and harder, his hands clenching and unclenching in Sho’s fierce grip. He can only arch his back and take it, nails scratching the fine material of the headboard as Sho fucks him in earnest.
He must be wailing because the next thing he feels is Sho’s hand clamping over his mouth. His cock is neglected and leaking and Sho is still fucking him, and he’s reeling from all the combined sensations: his arms up as Sho holds him down, his knees bent and ankles crossed, his cock lying heavily on his stomach, his heart hammering inside his ribcage, his noises muffled by Sho’s hand on him, the constant smack of Sho’s hips against his ass.
Nino feels restrained, and he loves every second of it.
“I want you to come,” Sho huffs, leaning down to nip at his earlobe, “just from me.” He doesn’t slow down, instead slides deeply until Nino can’t think of anything else. “Nino.”
Nino has his eyes shut, grunting in pleasure against Sho’s palm, teeth digging into the skin, then he hears it again. His name, his nickname, followed by one Sho has never used until now.
“Kazu,” Sho whispers in his ear, and Nino clenches around him, nearly sobbing at how much Sho wants him with that word alone. Sho swears, hips faltering for a fraction of a second. Then he demands, “Come for me, Kazu, come on.”
Sho extracts his hand from his mouth and makes a sharp thrust that leaves Nino shouting, spilling hot between them, entire body convulsing as his vision snaps away and he seems to have reached someplace else. Belatedly, when the thrill of orgasm has subsided, he notices that he can move his arms, that Sho has finally let him go. Sho has his face buried in Nino’s neck as he continues to move, repeated swears coming from his lips, and Nino encourages him by pulling on his hair, making him hiss in combined pain and pleasure.
Sho pushes in a few more times before he abruptly withdraws and kneels between Nino’s spread thighs, taking himself in hand. He strokes, brutal and needy with his shoulders pulled back, giving Nino a full view of everything.
“Go on,” Nino urges, and Sho’s eyes snap open, meeting his gaze. Nino licks his lips and opens his mouth for show. “On me. Come on me, Sho. All over me. Mark me.”
He hears Sho’s breath hitch then Sho’s coming, face creasing in satisfaction as he dirties Nino’s stomach and chest in quick bursts. Nino allows him to bask in it. He stretches his sore, weary limbs as Sho descends from his high, collapsing right beside him.
For a while there’s nothing but their rushed breaths, Nino’s pulse thundering in his ears. He feels used and thinks that he is a perfect depiction of debauchery-legs spread, chest and cheeks flushed, neck mottled with bruises, pearlescent come drying on his stomach as he breathes. He knows he needs a shower but finds that he can’t move, not when he’s been thoroughly fucked and his alcohol-swaddled head is starting to demand sleep.
He doesn’t know how long it takes before he hears Sho move, and he has no idea how many minutes passed before Sho returns, dabbing a damp washcloth on his come-stained torso. He allows Sho to dote on him for a while, cleaning him up as best as he can, touch lingering a little on the flesh over his hipbones.
“You know what we should do tomorrow?” Nino asks, voice hoarse after all the screaming that he apparently did. He has no concrete recollection of it.
Sho blinks at him, and Nino gives him a lazy, tired grin.
“All of that again until shore leave ends.”
Sho returns his smile and kisses him, and Nino wraps his arms around his nape to pull him back to the bed. The shower can wait.
--
Whatever Sho has planned for the following morning gets cancelled since they go with Nino’s plan: fucking all day until Nino’s certain he can’t come anymore. He’s been fucked on his back, on his hands and knees, against the bar counter, and when Sho has him pinned against the door, one hand twisting his arm up his back as Sho pushes into him, it’s when it crosses Nino’s mind that this is the kind of development Aiba has been waiting for for months.
His thighs are sticky by the time they’re done. They are both sweat-soaked and panting, tangled together in a heap of limbs by the door as Sho kisses him gently and Nino responds as best as he can, clinging to Sho’s warmth despite all they just did.
The console above their heads buzzes and they both look up, Sho with his eyes wide and Nino with a frown.
“That’s the room service,” Sho tells him, his brain apparently functioning adequately now. They ordered in because they never planned to leave for the entire day, and Nino groans at the timing. On the bright side, at least they’re done.
He stands on shaky legs, tinkering with the console so only his voice can be heard. “Please leave it in the corridor, thank you.”
The bellboy nods and leaves, and Nino slumps against the wall.
“I am not getting that,” he tells Sho, who laughs breathlessly from his position at Nino’s feet. “I still have your come in me, for fuck’s sake. I’m not stepping out to get that until I have cleaned myself.”
“I didn’t tell you to go get it,” Sho retorts, bracing himself against the wall. Nino moves away before Sho can kiss him again, picking up the discarded bathrobe from earlier and chucking it in Sho’s direction.
“Go get it then,” he says, already making his way to the shower.
He showers and returns to find Sho eating on the bed, though he’s only picking at the food they ordered and not actually stuffing his face with gusto. Nino plops beside him and steals the piece of fried potato between his fingers, popping it in his own mouth.
They sit naked together-Nino smelling like the hotel soap and shampoo, Sho smelling like Nino earlier-eating whatever junk food Nino managed to convince Sho to order for their very late dinner. To be fair, Nino picked the kind of junk food they can’t replicate on the ship, and Sho seems too satisfied from all the sex to even care.
They have approximately sixteen hours before shore leave ends, and Nino is perfectly content with spending it by covering his hands in grease and munching on food that can’t be healthful at this hour.
“Nino,” Sho says in between chewing, and Nino hums, halfway into putting another fried potato in his mouth.
Sho’s face suddenly colors a bit, but when Nino thinks he won’t say it, he proves Nino wrong. “I really like you too,” he mumbles.
Nino hums. “I actually knew that,” he says, tossing the potato in his mouth.
Sho nudges his side with an elbow and Nino hides his smile over a mouthful of junk food.
When they finally come back to the ship via a paid transport shuttle, they swing by Jun’s office to let the man know that they have returned. Nino made sure to wear something that wouldn’t reveal the state of his neck. He won’t hear the end of it from Jun and, heaven forbid, Aiba.
Jun only lifts his head to peer at them over his book, then his eyes narrow, one finger lowering his glasses a little as he observes them more intently. Nino dares him to say something by staring back, and of course Jun rises up to the challenge.
“How was the honeymoon?” Jun asks with one of his knowing smiles.
Sho doesn’t say anything beside him, pointedly not looking at Jun, and Jun faces Nino for answers.
Nino inclines his head modestly and Jun’s smile grows wider.
Jun holds out his hand to him then, and Nino spends two seconds evaluating his choices before he slaps it, giving his boss a high five.
They share a laugh when Sho pinches the bridge of his nose.
--
The following months of Nino’s life are eventful, both in work and in private. After their shore leave, the Union has decided to have them meet other ambassadors to Earth on their respective home planets. Given the short intervals between one visit and another, Nino and Sho are taking turns acting as Jun’s primary translator.
In the time they have to spare, Nino allows Sho to teach him Elioni, but can’t quite grasp the proper intonation even weeks into practicing. Sho is a patient teacher though, not giving up when Nino already is, and his authentic enthusiasm is what draws Nino’s interest back in.
His relationship with Sho is going smooth, though they’ve had a couple of petty fights that they resolved by compromising. Nino learns that Sho hates it when his replicator settings for coffee are tweaked, but Sho loves cheesecake and will drink the coffee that comes with it even if Nino changed it from black to with cream. Sho finds out more about him in equal measure-his passion for holofilms, the old dream of becoming a filmmaker, his dislike for exercise.
They sometimes play a game in which they speak in foreign languages, changing the language each turn, to catch the other at not understanding what was said. Nino is yet to win against Sho, but there are no losers since sexual favors are at stake.
The entire ship seems to know that they are-in every sense of the word-married, and Nino suspects that Aiba is responsible for the spread of the news. He and Sho prefer to keep their relationship private; Nino doesn’t want a repeat of Jun interrupting them ever again.
After their visits and meetings with the other ambassadors, the Union has chosen to send them to the space station for a ship refit and a meeting with a viceroy representing the biggest ally of the Union in the Delta Quadrant, Eos. Jun believes that the Union simultaneously scheduled for both things on purpose, since the ship refit will take an indefinite amount of time, thereby giving Jun all the time he needs to convince the viceroy that they have taken the right side.
“The problem with this job,” Jun says, when Nino and Sho are both presenting updates to him regarding the viceroy, “is that I never get to say the things I want to say. Only the Union’s words must pass through my mouth.”
“We need Eos in the event of war,” Sho says, handing Jun a data pad. “I share your opinion regarding their race, Ambassador. They prefer bloodshed over diplomacy, but they remain the strongest ally of the Union.”
“And if we win the war, what happens? The spoils of war are for the soldiers of Eos to take care of in our stead? The concept of incarceration for war criminals is foreign to them,” Jun says, frowning as he scrolls through the file he’s reading. “Which, for me, means that I have to act like I am in favor of executions once we meet the viceroy, and forgive me, Sho-kun, but there’s a limit to my acting skills.”
“Your reservations regarding their ways can be addressed at another time,” is what Nino says. Jun looks up at him. “I’m hardly in favor of anything the Union says and this is no exception. But address those concerns when you’re not alone. Do it when there’s the rest of the Union’s allies with you in a conference so you have people to back you up.”
Jun’s eyebrow quirks. “You wouldn’t leave me alone with a man who is in favor of war so they can use their advanced artillery, would you?”
“I don’t think anyone in their right mind will,” Nino says, earning Sho’s murmur of agreement.
“With all due respect, Ambassador, there may be a limit to your acting abilities, but the viceroy only needs to be reassured of their status as an ally. Convince him as you’ve convinced every person we have met for the past year,” Sho tells him encouragingly. “If there is anyone onboard this ship who can do that, it is you.”
Jun laughs. “Flattery will get us nowhere, Sho-kun. I can’t believe it’s been a year.” He looks at Nino apologetically. “I know I told you when we first met that the mission would be for eight months at most. I’m sorry for giving you a poor estimate.”
“I’m not that excited to go back home, don’t worry.” Nino shrugs.
“But I believe this is the last mission the Union has for us in this quadrant,” Jun says, as if Nino didn’t interrupt him. He only nods at Sho and Nino’s confused faces. “I received the order that as soon as the ship is declared fit for hyperspace travel, we are going home.”
Nino hasn’t made any plans on what he’ll do once his contract as a translator ends. Sho goes wherever Jun is, being the Ambassador’s secretary, but what about him? His necessity only lasts for as long as they are in the Delta Quadrant. After that, what happens to him?
Jun is looking at him now, and Nino can’t read his expression. “That’s good,” Nino says noncommittally, “that we are returning. We’ve been too far from Earth for too long.”
Jun strokes the tip of his nose with his thumb, an unconscious habit whenever he’s choosing his words carefully. “I know what you’re thinking,” Jun says. “Both of you at that. And so I have decided to offer a permanent position to you, Nino, on my team. If you want it. I believe my next task for the Union is to remain on the space station above Earth and meet delegates who will visit the planet in the future. That includes delegates from all quadrants, and some of them speak languages that even Sho-kun doesn’t. If you are willing, on the return trip, we can revise your contract and you will remain one of my translators.”
Sho is looking at him with hopeful eyes, but Nino needs time to consider the offer. It is the best offer he will get, yes. He will remain employed, but he will also have to stay indefinitely on the space station. Given Jun’s busy schedule, Nino will hardly have time to visit Earth, see his family.
“If you need time to think about it, I understand,” Jun says sincerely, smiling a little. “Because once the Union decides to ship me somewhere else, the both of you will automatically go with me. Those things frequently happen on short notice. There might not be time for you to visit Earth should you wish.”
“How long is this offer open?” Nino asks quietly.
“Indefinitely for you. Only for you though. I’m not certain I’m willing to open the position to anybody else, lest they also end up being married to my secretary. That would inconvenience me,” Jun says, trying to lighten the mood. “I would prefer not to have Sho-kun’s harem as my assistants.”
Sho makes this pained face that Nino smiles at. “Ambassador…” Sho says disapprovingly, but Jun just waves his hand to dismiss it.
“I want the best, Nino, to work for me because the job itself is not conventional. You have contributed a great deal to this mission as a whole and I am grateful for that. You can refuse, but know that I would hate to lose someone like you on my team. If you decide to decline, you are welcome to use my name for your next job application. I assure you I will provide a glowing recommendation,” Jun tells him, honest as ever. That’s one of the things Nino likes about him. Jun saves the sweet-talking for the people he has to meet.
“I’ll keep it in mind,” Nino promises, bowing a little. “Thank you for the offer, Ambassador.”
Later, in the privacy of Nino’s quarters since he and Sho take turns staying over at each other’s, Nino recalls the offer again and again.
There’s a rustle of sheets beside him and soon Sho’s fingers are tracing his bicep.
“I’m not going to ask you to say yes,” Sho whispers.
Nino keeps his gaze on the ceiling. “I know.”
“No, Nino, you don’t understand.” Sho sits up, sheets bunching around his waist. Nino doesn’t follow him; he remains lying on the bed. “I want you to say yes. Of course. But I can’t make you stay if you don’t want to. I wish I could, but I really have no control over that.”
Nino lets his fingers follow the path formed by Sho’s spine. “I never said it,” he says, whispering now, as if anyone could hear them, “but I’m really awful at commitments. There’s...something about permanence that doesn’t sit right with me. Because of that fear, once I feel comfortable, I try not to feel too secure. Because that can change in a wink and I don’t want to be unprepared for it. Again.”
“I’m not asking you to stay,” Sho assures him, not looking at him still.
“I know.”
“And I’m not going to. But...know that I want you to.”
Nino finally sits up, resting his chin on Sho’s angular shoulder. “I don’t know what I want to do,” he admits.
“Whatever you decide on, I’ll accept it. Despite the marriage, you’re not really tied to me.”
Nino presses his forehead against Sho’s back at that, hiding his smile. Sho always knows the right words to say. “I also know that.” He brushes his shoulder against Sho’s. “Ilarian kiss, just so we won’t forget what brought us here.”
He kisses Sho’s back and wraps his arms around Sho’s middle, running his hands on Sho’s torso. He doesn’t want to think of the offer yet. He wants to say yes, but he doesn’t know what the consequences that come with that decision will be. He doesn’t want to think about them yet.
There’s a disbelieving laugh that Nino can feel vibrate through the flesh under his lips. “We should sleep,” Sho tells him.
Nino doesn’t reply, instead letting his hand stray lower and takes hold, feeling Sho arch against his palm.
“Okay,” Sho says through his teeth, hips already bucking back. “Sleep later.”
Nino gets the wind knocked out of him in a second, Sho turning to pin his wrists down on either side of his face. He squirms suggestively, and laughs when Sho descends to claim his mouth.
Part 6