Ari relaxed in increments. First, his fingers released from fists to curl tentatively around Orin’s heavy biceps, then his neck released to lean his head back against the metal panel, followed by a slow unraveling of his entire body.
It felt a little like he imagined a solid mineral might upon reaching the melting point, were such a mineral to have somehow achieved sentience.
Orin seemed to have been waiting for Ari to relax, the release of tension sending him into motion.
He dragged his lips slowly across Ari’s before taking his lower lip between his own and sucking gently. Ari gasped and Orin’s tongue slid inside his mouth, just barely meeting Ari’s tongue.
The sensation was electric, shooting all the way down directly to his cock. Ari made a noise in his throat as his hips jerked without his intention. Orin crowded closer, lowering one hand to grasp Ari’s hip as the other rose to hold the back of his head, providing a cushion between Ari’s skull and the bulkhead. He pulled back his head, brushing their lips together a few times before trailing his lips down Ari’s jawline to his ear.
“That’s it, beautiful, just like that.”
Ari keened, Orin’s deep voice and soft words sending a rush of warmth through his entire body. Orin nodded against his neck, grazing the edge of his teeth over Ari’s skin.
“Knew you’d be sweet just like this. Already so good for me, baby.”
Ari moved his hands from where they had been clawing Orin’s biceps to coast over the wide crest of his shoulders, leaving one there as he tentatively explored the span of his back with the other, enjoying the muscles rolling under his hands. Orin huffed quietly as Ari slid his hand under the open hem of his shirt, fingertips barely brave enough to make contact with his skin.
“Good. That’s good, gorgeous. Love it when you touch me.”
Ari nodded mindlessly as the words lifted him higher and higher, growing braver with his hand on Orin’s back, rolling his palm into the firm skin as he dug in with his fingertips.
Orin slid his thigh between Ari’s legs, pressing even closer together until he rubbed against Ari’s throbbing cock. Ari tried to swallow a moan as he shifted restlessly beneath the answering length of Orin’s cock pressed hard against his abdomen.
Orin returned to his lips, less controlled than before, his movements firmer and more insistent. Ari opened to him, thrilling at the reintroduction of their tongues. He tentatively followed Orin’s as it left his mouth, tracing the pillowy inner flesh of Orin’s bottom lip with the pointed tip of his tongue.
Orin groaned into Ari’s mouth, the sound of it rumbling down his throat. Ari grasped at Orin with both hands, sliding the one at his shoulder into the open collar of his shirt, seeking skin. His fingertips eagerly explored the contrast between the silk of Orin’s skin and the rougher texture of his scars.
Orin pulled back to watch him, the amber of his iris nearly swallowed by the dark of his pupil until it was just a halo of gold. Ari panted, attempting to lift his head to follow, but the hand supporting the back of his skull held him in place, broad fingertips scratching gently through his hair. Orin licked his lips, chest heaving with his breath.
“Look at you. Never seen something so good, baby, I swear.”
Ari surged forward, mashing his lips inexpertly on Orin’s until Orin grunted quietly, reclaiming control of the kiss with gentle lips, his hand guiding Ari’s movements at the base of his skull.
Something rose within Ari, something wild and uncontrolled. The notion should have terrified him, but he felt nothing but safe in Orin’s arms, sheltered beneath the bulk of his body.
Ari moved his hand from Orin’s shoulder to shove his shirttails out of the way and glide over the ridges of Orin’s abdomen. Orin tensed as Ari traced the top edge of the belt riding low on his hips and slid slender fingertips just beneath the buckle. A feral sound growled from Orin’s throat as he shifted his grip on Ari’s hip, long fingers reaching back until he cupped his ass, squeezing slowly. Ari made a noise that should have been embarrassing, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.
Orin tilted Ari’s hips, pulling until Ari was rocking into the solid length of Orin’s thigh. Ari gasped, fingers digging into Orin’s flesh as lightning surged down his spine.
Orin spoke directly into his mouth, words traveling from his tongue to Ari’s. “Perfect. So perfect for me.”
He sucked on the tip of Ari’s tongue just as he rocked forward with his thigh, and Ari cried out sharply, hips moving uncontrollably as he spilled into his trousers. The sudden euphoria set his entire body to shaking under Orin’s hands.
Orin pulled back, a smile curving his swollen lips. “Did you just—”
Ari shoved him away, the surprise of it moving Orin’s body far more than Ari’s meager strength. Orin lifted his hands to hold his palms out to Ari, moving slowly and speaking quietly as though he were gentling a frightened animal.
“Hey, now. It’s okay, you’re okay, gorgeous.”
Ari shook his head, face burning at the mortification. He shouldered past Orin roughly, fumbling at the door controls before stumbling down the corridor to slam his hand against the entry panel to his doorway, tensing in anticipation of the sound of heavy footsteps that never came as he escaped into the solitude of his bunk.
Chapter Five
The soft light of simulated dawn crept across Aristotle’s ceiling panels with an unrelenting cheer he found most unwelcome.
Ducking his head beneath the covers, Ari groaned.
This was going to be miserable. There was a reason he’d spent his entire life alone with the exception of his twin. Many reasons actually. The previous night’s experience encapsulated several of them quite succinctly.
Aristotle was a man of many talents, none of which included fraternization. He was simply ill-suited for the company of others. He was apparently especially ill-suited for the company of devastatingly attractive Verge pilots. He was especially, particularly ill-suited for engaging in romantic assignations with said pilot.
His stomach churned at the knowledge that he would be forced to work in close quarters with Orin as soon as he exited his bunk. He might even be required to engage in conversation or, heavens forbid, eye contact.
The very notion made Ari contemplate the heretofore unappealing option of opening the bay doors and flinging himself into the frozen vacuum of space.
A muffled sound from the main cabin prompted Ari to drag himself into his minuscule sonic, turning it up far too high until he felt battered by the cleansing waves. His third shower since last night, which Ari chose to consider thorough, rather than excessive. He was similarly thorough in applying his pomade, his comb ruthless in its command of every strand of distressingly vibrant hair.
Ari then spent far too long making his bed with flattened sheets and precisely folded corners before dressing himself in as many layers as he could manage. Undershirt and drawers, stockings with garters, shirtsleeves, starched collar and cuffs, trousers, waistcoat, cravat, jacket, spats. Every seam perfectly straight and every button done up and centered, Ari ran out of reasons to delay.
Refusing to acknowledge any incidental resemblance to a recently caught fish gasping upon the deck, Ari took several deep breaths before carefully placing his hand on the panel to open the door. He peered out into the corridor, spats creaking at the odd angle he had to assume in order to assure that he exposed nothing past his eyes.