Ennis dimmed the lights in the captain's quarters and lay in bed, just as he did every night, staring out into the stars until Jack came.
He appeared as if by magic from the dark recesses of the room, and Ennis smiled.
"You got off your shift late," Jack observed.
"That new lieutenant-"
"She made an honest mistake."
"All the same."
Jack pulled back Ennis's covers and rested his strong form across Ennis's chest. Jack felt human enough, all the way down to his hard dick jabbing Ennis in the thigh.
"Ennis," Jack started. "I've been thinking. If you don't want me to make you Q, what about if I became human? I could live on this ship with you. It could be just like this, every night. Be a real sweet life."
"It already is just like this every night."
"Yeah, but we could, you know, eat dinner together. With other people sometimes, even. I wouldn't have to sneak around behind The Continuum's back. Wouldn't have to be your secret any more, Ennis."
Ennis sighed and felt his own erection flag. "It isn't goin' a be like that, Jack. I have a life here, a ship to run, and you have your Continuum. We can just keep doing this, can't we? What's wrong with this?"
Jack lay his chin on Ennis's chest, looking for all the world like a lost child. But all he said was, "If you can't see the answer to that question, nothing I can say can help that." Jack heaved a mighty sigh.
Ennis wrapped his hands around Jack's warm back and held him close. They stayed that way for a long time. The truth was, and Ennis would never say so to Jack, he liked the way things were now. He liked knowing that Jack was somehow with him at every moment of his day, knew everything that happened with him. Jack was looking out for him. But this way Ennis never had to be anybody but Ennis, never had to own up to being part of a couple, never had to admit to having a heart in front of his crew. This way he had no one to watch out for, no one to worry about dying in battles. This way was perfect.
Jack would never see it that way, though.
