FREEDOM

Haruo stared at the medic's receding back, now leaving his cell with the same grim, sorrowful, silence shared by most of the crew. Since the incident of Tau Ceti-e, he had been feeling like he'd just blown a spaceship apart while still inside. His body ached and his thoughts were constantly scrambled by half-remembered nightmares and phantom burning pains along his neck, but all of the tests continued to prove that he hadn't sustained any life-threatening injuries. He had demanded to be released from his confinement at every opportunity, but to no one's surprise, and certainly not his, he remained imprisoned. The only other person to ever share his cell for any length of time was Metphies in the guise of priestly duty. "Guise" being his word of choice, since they never spoke of sins or confessions during their time together. Rather, their conversations of late had drifted into random topics: loneliness and isolation, revenge, and at one point, Exif dietary preferences. The last one had come up during a conversation wherein Haruo had attempted to elicit more personal stories from the normally reticent Xilien, to little avail.

"I mean," Haruo had started, by way of curiosity, "what *would* your people typically eat?"

Metphies smiled slightly. "We had many traditional dishes, much the same as humans do." There was always something extraordinarily soothing about listening to Metphies talk and, in his current situation, Haruo was grateful for any small enjoyment.

"I do not think you would have enjoyed them though. Exif cuisine is not likely something that would have appealed to human tastes."

Haruo scowled. "Dehydrated rations aren't exactly delicious."

"Hn. I suppose not."

Haruo stared at the wall. The low hum of the ship's distant engines lulling him into a kind of trance. At times, he imagined that the low timbre of Metphies' voice could affect him similarly. The ethereal 'man' had always been a source of calm and stability for his chaotic psyche, an anchor in the overwhelming vastness of space that surrounded him both physically and mentally. He wished he was with him now.

Haruo awoke later that night in a panic. The nightmare had already begun to fade, but the imagery remained to haunt him for a few moments longer. He could still hear screams echoing throughout the ship, conjured by his fevered mind, in the same way that he could still feel the searing fires of burning metal against his skin. His chest felt slick with blood and as he sat bolt upright in the narrow bed, he nearly tore the thin thermal shirt in his haste to staunch the flow. He drew in a breath and looked down. He was soaked in sweat and the single sheet afforded to his cell had become entangled around his knees to the point that he could barely move. The soft hum remained.

"Are you alright, Haruo?"

The young man startled and nearly fell off the bed in his haste to turn towards the voice. To his surprise, Metphies sat on the far side of the tiny room, facing him, next to the door.

"Wha…" He blinked owlishly. "Metphies? What are you doing here?"

"You were dreaming again." He replied softly. "I was concerned."

"Oh. Yeah. I'm awake now. It's OK."

"I had hoped I might be able to….comfort you."

Haruo didn't think to ask him how long he had been sitting there. In some ways, as the days and nights blended seamlessly together, Metphies seemed as though he was always there, even when he wasn't. Haruo roughly rubbed the sleep from his eyes before swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. "I'm fine." Came the automatic response. He then absently tugged at his shirt, uncomfortable with the sensation of cooling sweat against his still overheated skin.

Metphies seemed to take it all in as he usually did. Stoically. Betraying no hint of irritation or exhaustion despite what must be a very early hour.

"What time is it?" Haruo asked.

"Almost 2am." Metphies remained unmoving.

Haruo sighed and pulled the shirt off over his head. Dropping it unceremoniously to the floor before carding his fingers through his hair in an effort to get it out of his eyes. Metphies simply remained where he was, watching. Haruo shook himself out of his daze and scratched at his arms in annoyance. He was strangely glad at not being alone at the moment and Metphies' presence was, as always, appreciated. He thought then that he should say so and looked up. He did not expect what he saw there.

Metphies stared at him with an undeniable hunger. His golden gaze was fixed on Haruo, his body tense and still. For a moment, Haruo entertained the notion that he was reading into the Exif something that could not possibly be there, that his own deeply repressed needs and desires were simply manifesting themselves in a moment of blind speculation brought on by too many days of solitary confinement. But Metphies did not break his gaze when Haruo met it in the dim light. Haruo swallowed but did not look away.

Metphies continued to contemplate the human before him; the only indication of his appraisal being the slight cant of his head as he slowly drew his eyes over the slim, muscular, chest, down to Haruo's trim waist, and further along his thighs to the wad of blanket still binding his knees. His gaze then flicked back up to the young man's face and to the confusion and growing yearning he could see playing out in the creases of his forehead.

"Metphies?" Haruo queried, though it was a question that didn't exactly have an answer.

"Yes, Haruo?" His voice still even, still unhurried.

"What did you come here for?"

"You."

Haruo felt his cheeks flame in embarrassment; yet something inside him began to stir in response. Something angry and wanting at the same time. Something that he had suspected might always have been there, but something he was desperate to deny at the same time. This was Metphies; gentle, guiding, cordial, reserved…beautiful, Metphies.

"I…?" His voice seemed so uncertain, shaming him with his weakness. "I'm here."

He heard the small metal chair shift against the floor. Metphies was by his side in a fraction of a second, looking down at him from that impossible height as he sat down.

"Don't be afraid, Haruo. I won't hurt you. You cannot yet see it now but things are in motion that you cannot begin to imagine. The nightmares will pass, all of this will pass. Your time has not yet come." Metphies raised one hand to tentatively brush a stray lock of hair from Haruo's face as he spoke. Haruo gazed up at him with wide, unblinking, eyes. He could not recall the last time anyone had touched him so casually, especially Metphies, who had never seemed particularly prone to engaging in such human habits of reassuring physical contact. But it almost caused Haruo to choke. For some reason, he had expected Metphies' hand to be cold but instead, he found his gentle touch to be unusually warm, his hand soft and relaxed.

Metphies gazed down at Haruo with a look of quiet affection. For all the things that Haruo could not yet predict and for all that Metphies believed he would eventually become, right now he was still a vulnerable and scared boy who knew only death and destruction as a way of life. Unbeknownst to Captain Sakaki, it was what had continued to draw them together over the years. For many reasons, Metphies had never given voice to his inner musings but had often asked himself whether he was any different? Had he known anything else in his life either?

As they took one another in, Metphies seemed to come to a decision. Haruo observed as the Exif's demeanor shifted from one of distant endearment to one of burgeoning passion. The whole time he had counseled Haruo, Metphies had been trying to make up his mind about some of the things he wanted to say to him while he still had the chance. He now appeared to conclude that words weren't enough. The Exif leaned in, allowing the younger man a moment to get a sense of his physicality and to become better accustomed to the nature of his presence.

Haruo balked. In all the years he had known Metphies and the other Exif, he had never actually thought about them physically, nor had he considered what their sexuality might be like, let alone their intimate practices. Were they even biologically separated by sex in the same way as humans? What did Metphies look like under his robes and stole? Were they compatible? Metphies sensed his apprehension and placed two fingers under the Captain's chin so as to turn his head to face him.

"It's alright, Haruo. I promise you. Now, please, turn over."

It was a simple command, and Haruo complied without even thinking about it; he had disentangled the sheet and was lying on his stomach before he even realized he'd moved. He felt Metphies shift again on the bed until the other was lying on his side towards him. When Metphies' hand touched his back, Haruo gasped.

"What are you doing?"

"Relax, Haruo. Just let yourself feel. As I said, I can comfort you."

Haruo heard the soldier screaming in his mind to stop the Exif before he went any further, but he also heard another voice ... a small trembling voice pleading with him to let Metphies touch him. As he lay prone, the constant vibrations of the ship began to seep into his body along with Metphies soft murmurs of encouragement when he began to relax. He did not yet know that, while most of the remaining Exif had long since abandoned the pleasures of the flesh, there had been a time when Metphies and his people had practiced a number of skilled body arts designed for healing, meditation, fighting, and yes, mating. As Metphies once again reached out to him, Haruo ignored the soldier and, for the moment, decided to embrace that vulnerable part of his self that no other was permitted to see.

Metphies let his hand slide over Haruo's soft skin and hard muscles, kneading into them deftly as his fingers traveled across his back. He had longed to touch Haruo this way for so long, though he had never dared to even hint at his desires. His position and his fellow Exif would never have tolerated the scandal. He felt the young man tense and relax at each touch, almost as if the dark-haired Captain was battling with himself, which, Metphies figured was probably not too far from the truth. While humans and Exif shared certain structural characteristics, Metphies was often surprised at their differences. He was fascinated by Haruo's sleek back, the slope of his hips into the rise of his buttocks beneath the sleep-pants he still wore, and the ways in which he would arch against a particularly pleasing touch or unconsciously shift away from a more teasing one.

Exif pairings were so different than this. When his people were still engaged in such things, securing the attentions of a mate was a fraught and difficult endeavor that involved a fair amount of social courtship, followed by a careful dance of controlled gazes, furtive touching, and near fighting that only occasionally ended with the dominant partner finally mounting their receptive counterpart. Haruo, on the other hand, like most humans, seemed happy to dispense with the pleasantries, so to speak, and get right to the point. Metphies smiled despite himself and surreptitiously drew closer to Haruo's side; near enough to be almost laying atop him. He allowed Haruo's heat and scent to entice him further; not yet equal to explaining that this particular position was especially alluring to an Exif.

Haruo tried to let himself enjoy the feeling of Metphies' hand on him; the roughness of fingertips, the softness of palm, the occasional light scrape of his nails. It was something he had never done before. No one had ever touched him in such a gentle way just to make him feel good. For Metphies to be touching him like this defied everything Haruo had ever done to keep from letting someone get close to him and though it was strange, he didn't want him to stop. He wanted to let it all go in the moment, to set his pain aside for a few hours, to let Metphies know how good it felt. To, perhaps, actually be comforted by another. Before he could stop himself, he let out a small moan. It was unbelievably cathartic.

Slowly, Metphies let his hand wander the expanse of Heero's shoulders, rubbing and caressing every inch of it he could reach. He heard Haruo begin to moan in response, the other man unable to contain the pleasure of Metphies' touch.

"Metphies ... that feels ... so good," Haruo mumbled then groaned as the other's hand massaged his lower back.

Though he gave no outward indication of it, Metphies felt himself harden at the sounds Haruo was making. He admonished himself against getting too excited, too quickly, however. He was still unsure as to whether or not Haruo would allow him to take this encounter as far as he intended. He moved so he could rub the backs of Haruo's thighs before bringing his mouth down to lightly draw his bottom lip against the nape of Haruo's neck.

"Oh, yes..." Haruo moaned as Metphies' delicate fingers touched his flesh with just the right amount of pressure. Haruo shivered against the alien now pressing him down into the hard mattress. It felt so good and he couldn't imagine anyone else doing this to him than who it was now.

Metphies was beginning to feel his control slipping. Up until now, his touches had been wanting but careful; never trying to push Haruo beyond what he was comfortable with and always attentive to whether or not he was eliciting a welcoming response. But he knew that he couldn't hold out for much longer. He worked his way up Haruo's other thigh until he reached the soft roundness of his buttocks. Only hesitating long enough to remind himself that Haruo could turn on him at any moment, Metphies let his hand come to rest on his perfect hind, flexing his fingers around it as it tightened.

Haruo had already given himself over to the amazing feeling of Metphies' hand, closing his eyes in acceptance of whatever the other wanted to do to him; but when the Exif's hand strayed to unfamiliar territory, Haruo's eyes flew open, his breath catching. That one touch went straight to his groin. It was completely unexpected and Haruo didn't register the groan he let escape until it was too late.

Metphies moved down his backside, grasping it firmly, eliciting the same response as before ... a low groan of something that could only be defined as eager pleasure. He decided to take it further. Taking a deep breath, Metphies leaned in and lightly slid his mouth over Haruo's shoulder blade. A quick intake of breath and another groan came in response ... no words. Metphies smiled as he began tracing Haruo's back with his mouth. For the first time, Haruo also heard a slight chuff from his companion. Not a particularly loud sound, but enough to tell him that Metphies was also enjoying their activities.

Haruo felt himself trembling with each caress from that seductive mouth and that wayward hand. He could do nothing more than moan, words unable to form to either stop or encourage Metphies' actions; all he could do was feel. All he wanted to do in that moment, was feel. The floodgates had burst inside of him and he was helpless in shutting them again. The fact that Metphies was clearly touching him in a sexual way only seemed to make the feelings more intense. He continued to marvel at the heat his companion gave off as well. Metphies was so warm, so soft, and his weight so welcoming in the all-consuming darkness.

Metphies finally let his fingers begin to trace Haruo's cleft, pressing into the firmness of his buttocks before gently running between them. Metphies noted that Haruo was hard already, the young man's erection straining against its cloth confines. It pleased him deeply to see the Captain in such a state and to know that he was the cause of it. Metphies continued to move his mouth over Haruo's back, if for no other reason than to draw out more of those delightful moans and sighs.

Haruo felt Metphies' weight suddenly lift and then he was pulling him onto his side. He willingly complied, no longer in control of his desires. All he wanted was for Metphies to continue to make him feel. When Metphies' hand brushed against his erection, Haruo involuntarily cried out, arching himself into the other's hand.

Metphies pressed himself against Haruo's back, reveling in the tension of the body against him. His hand quickly pulled Haruo's pants down to his thighs, releasing the gasping man's erection. He then balanced the twitching youth against him by cradling him in his hips as he leaned backwards into the wall. Without hesitation, Metphies took Haruo's arousal in his hand and began making long, firm strokes. It finally broke all of Haruo's self- control.

"Metphies!" he cried out in shock, pleasure engulfing him as the other's hand caressed his length with sure confidence. Nothing had ever felt so good. Haruo no longer cared what Metphies wanted to do to him as long as he continued to stroke him like that. He had never imagined it could feel like this.

Metphies began to move against Haruo, bringing his own excitement closer to the body pressed against him. He wanted Haruo dizzy with pleasure; open and willing to whatever he gave. While Exif and humans were compatible in a purely anatomical sense, he did not know how his companion would react to an alien body. And Metphies still wanted so much more than this. He sped up his hand on Haruo's need, bringing him closer and closer to the edge.

"Oh, yes! Faster, Metphies! Please!" Haruo pleaded breathlessly, the intensity building with each stroke. He had already started to thrust into Metphies' hand wildly, no thought except that of release. He tried to buck his hips in time with the Exif's downward strokes but his companion was cleverer than that and began to vary his stroke. By keeping Haruo on edge, always guessing as to when the next caress would come, he brought Haruo to the point of release several times. But then, it was happening. Haruo felt a tingling warmth spread though his body as he tensed. In response, Metphies suddenly stopped his rhythmic stroking in favor of a dexterous squeeze. Haruo stuttered, bore down against his new lover, and suddenly let out a hoarse scream. Metphies had to grab ahold of Haruo's shoulders with his other hand to prevent the man from thrashing right off the side of the bed as he convulsed, moaning with every pulse as he came, covering himself and Metphies' hand with his seed.

Metphies didn't give Haruo a chance to regain his composure. Maintaining his earlier grip on Haruo's shoulders, he immediately moved his coated hand and gently inserted a slickened finger into Haruo's tight entrance, earning another moan from the dark-haired man as he continued to ride the waves of his orgasm.

Haruo felt Metphies' finger enter him and tensed with the unexpected intrusion. Then the Exif begin to move it in and out of his body, and Haruo was left stunned as the pleasure began to overwhelm everything else almost at once. With the last spasms of his high still rolling through him, Haruo found the sensations to be unexpectedly intense.

"Mmmm…. Metphies ... please," Haruo whispered, not even recognizing his own voice, not even understanding what he was begging the other for.

"Please what, Haruo?" Metphies replied in that same mind-numbing intonation as he kissed the young man's neck softly, finally allowing himself to indulge in the taste of his companion's pleasure-salty skin.

"More."

It was a simple word, but it was all that Metphies needed. He added another finger, thrusting them inside Haruo with careful certainty, stretching him slowly for what was to come. When Haruo began thrusting back against him, Metphies added a third. By observing how the young man moved against him, the subtle shifts and writhing, it wasn't long before he found Haruo's pleasure center, hitting it with his fingers as he moved them inside his soon-to-be mate.

"Metphies!" was all Haruo could manage to shriek out when Metphies hit the place inside him that felt like a shot of pure electricity arcing down his spine and into his arms and neck.

Metphies sighed contentedly with the knowledge that Haruo was ready. "Turn over. I want to see your face, Haruo. I want to see you feel this."

Haruo cautiously rolled onto his back, his eyes meeting Metphies' for the first time since they'd begun. But neither found words necessary as their eyes locked. Haruo suppressed a shudder. He had seen Metphies' golden eyes shimmer with emotion before but in the dim light of the cell they seemed to glow. Metphies leaned forward, claiming Haruo's mouth in a fierce kiss, seeking to devour the youth as his God would soon devour the world. His tongue then ran over Haruo's bottom lip, demanding he be allowed entrance. Haruo moaned and then submitted as Metphies' tongue plundered his mouth.

"You're mine, Haruo" Metphies announced as he released Haruo's lips with a sharp intake of breath. "From this moment on, you are mine. No other shall be allowed to claim you but me."

Haruo nodded, still unsure about the sudden possessiveness being displayed.

Metphies left him then and rose up onto his knees. Haruo watched with raw desire as the Exif began to undress. He started with the wide stole, unhitching it from his collar and sliding it off before abandoning it to the floor. He then shed his boots and wraps before turning to the long, white, cassock. Haruo remained still and pliant as Metphies disassembled the elaborate clasps that held the garment in place and finally pulled it open to reveal the unmarred, pale, expanse of his chest. He paused then to let Haruo look his fill before undoing the ties at his waistband and ridding himself of his pants.

As he did so, Metphies steeled himself for Haruo's reaction. As far as he knew, Haruo had never seen an Exif naked. Therefore, he wasn't sure what he should expect from the mercurial human; concern, fear, scrutiny, or outright rejection. What he got, though, was even less anticipated.

"Your hair."

"What?" Metphies regarded Haruo suspiciously from beneath lowered eyelashes.

"Your hair." He repeated. "Take it down."

Metphies tilted his head thoughtfully, staring down at Haruo who remained stretched out on the bed beneath him. The dark-haired Captain didn't flinch or turn away but remained resolute, his eyes fixed to Metphies' face.

With nimble hands, Metphies reached up and undid the ties that held the knot at the back of his head, followed by the ribbon at each temple that coiled the locks at the sides of his face. With an unintentional flourish, he let his white-blond hair free to drift down around his face and neck. Haruo was slightly surprised to see that it was longer than he had anticipated, reaching in soft waves just past Metphies' shoulders. His angular bangs also now blended nicely into the rest of the length framing his face and Haruo involuntarily clenched his jaw at how unexpectedly lovely it made Metphies look. It softened him, made him seem almost vulnerable, if not for his ever-imposing stature. Haruo had every intention, in that moment, to bury his hands in it for as long as Metphies would tolerate.

Metphies approached Haruo from the foot of the bed and, once he was welcomed between his lover's thighs, positioned himself. His erection was already slick with his own need and the natural lubrication his species produced at moments like this. That Haruo didn't appear to be overly concerned with the particulars of the organ that would soon take him was an unspoken relief to the Exif and he now centered his attention completely on the coupling at hand. Slowly, he began entering Haruo. As he feared, Haruo was impossibly tight and it was everything Metphies could do to hold back the insane urge to break him quickly and pound him into the bed. But he didn't want to hurt Haruo, if at all possible. Instead, he leaned forward and took the other man's mouth in a soft, slow, kiss as he joined his body to Haruo's for the first time.

"Metphies…" Haruo panted as their lips parted, the pleasure of the Exif's careful entrance overriding the pain.

"Hold on to me, Haruo."

Metphies finally seated himself inside, forcing himself to wait until Haruo was ready for him to continue. As he leaned forward to cover the younger man, he felt Haruo's hands go immediately into his hair, sifting through it ardently. He allowed it, placing fleeting kisses against Haruo's face and neck. When he felt Haruo begin to move underneath him, he knew they were ready. Bracing his hands on Haruo's hips to keep him steady, he smoothly pulled himself out of the younger man before thrusting slowly back inside, relishing the amazing feeling of being joined with the one he had wanted from afar for too long.

"Haruo!"

Haruo had never known Metphies to be particularly talkative but hearing sounds of pleasure fall from the Exif's lips excited him more than he thought possible. He wanted nothing more than to see Metphies lost to his pleasure, to hear him cry out in ecstasy, to see that normally placid, impassive, exterior crumble into pure passion. He happily dug his fingers into the silky strands now within his reach and grit his teeth against the onslaught of desperate thrusts that began to shake him. "Yes! Metphies!" became the entirety of Haruo's usable vocabulary as the other began thrusting into him, faster and faster. It was the most intense feeling Haruo had ever known and the fact that Metphies was the one giving it to him made it even better. It felt completely forbidden and yet somehow obvious and correct. Raising his hips so that he could begin to meet Metphies' increasingly hard thrusts, he shifted beneath him enough to be able to again look into his eyes.

Haruo kept his gaze locked to Metphies' intense golden-brown eyes, for once not seeing the cold detachment of religious zeal but a warm glow of passion and unguarded need as he pounded into his new lover with all the emotion he held hidden in his heart. Their bodies moved against each other's in a fierce rhythm of desire, and Metphies claimed Haruo's mouth once again in a soul-searing kiss.

Within moments, both of them knew they were reaching their limits. Metphies pushed himself up onto his arms so that he could reach between them and begin to stroke Haruo's erection in time with his thrusts. As he watched the young man's face twist into something akin to a pained grimace, he knew it was only a matter of time. He was almost sad it was coming to an end so quickly. His stamina was considerable, at least, compared to most human measurements and he wanted so much more. He wanted Haruo screaming his name for as long as he could manage it. But for this first time, he didn't want to overdo it and leave Haruo injured or in pain.

As Metphies continued unrelenting, Haruo felt the warmth starting to spread through him again but this time, being stroked inside and out, it was more like a wildfire burning him up from his core. He could feel his orgasm taking shape deep in his belly, unfurling outwards from his center, and racing to overtake him in one, dazzling, explosion. He reached out to take ahold of Metphies who bowed his head in acquiescence; allowing Haruo to get a solid grip on his shoulders and forearms. And then it was upon him and in one blazing moment, Haruo tensed and climaxed. It was all he could do to shout Metphies' name at the top of his voice and spill his passion all over himself and his lover once again.

Metphies felt Haruo's release just as his own came for him. As the younger man's thighs gripped him almost painfully, he nearly lost his breath at the feeling of Haruo tightening around him. It had been so long since he had experienced a real climax, Metphies almost panicked at his own response. Blinding white light engulfed him. The voices that had plagued his mind for years suddenly went silent and all he could perceive was heat, and touch, and friction, and need consuming his every thought and wish. He fell onto Haruo with a cry, lunging into him sharply with a series of rapid, reflexive, thrusts. It was all he could take. Metphies screamed his lover's name as he filled him with his seed in pulse after pulse of intoxicated ecstasy.

For months after this time, Haruo would remember how Metphies looked in that moment. His mouth slack, brow furrowed, eyes tightly shut, and his shoulders rigid as he reached the pinnacle of physical pleasure. And then his head thrown back, the most beautiful cry erupting from his throat, as he lost any pretense or semblance of poise or distance. He was breathtaking in that moment; wild and untamed in his sensuality. Haruo wondered then what the Exif must have been truly like in their day.

As Haruo came back to his senses, they lay quietly together on the narrow cell bed, feeling the moment as it wrapped around them and slowly returned them to the calming hum of the engines and the passing of the planet beneath. Finally, Metphies slid free of Haruo's body and rolled off to lie at his side. He was actually a little surprised when Haruo rolled over to snuggle against him. A few moments went by before Haruo raised his head to look at him.

"Metphies," Haruo began, unsure of what to say; yet knowing he wanted to say something. "I ... I don't know ...I never knew ... I could ... I mean, that was…. But…. why?"

Metphies turned his face so he could look into Haruo's eyes. "I would be lying if I said that I had not thought of this moment for some time. But that is not what you are asking. I came to you for many reasons. Many of which I cannot explain to you. But what I want the most, is for you to be free."

Haruo frowned, trying to understand what Metphies meant. "Free?"

Metphies smiled. "You will understand. One day. For now, I…"

Before Metphies could say anything else, Haruo rolled over on top of him, his lips meeting Metphies' in a deep kiss. The guard rounds would begin soon and Metphies would have to leave him again. They would have to go back to being prisoner and priest. Back to Godzilla.

But for right now, for this one moment, Haruo intended to savor a little bit of life, free of all those things.