The day came when David's father was coming to visit. Jim straightened David's uniform jacket for him. He'd wrinkled it trying to fidget with it so much. "You look great." David swallowed at the lump in his throat and tried not to wring his hands.

"I'm so nervous." David bounced his knee. His father was going to walk into the common room at any second. He stared up at the ceiling, then over at the common room entrance.

"It'll be fine." Jim smiled. "You have your friends here, and me, at its gonna be great." He looked at their friends who nodded their encouragement. David took a deep breath and smiled at them all.

"We got you, man." Vinny patted his shoulder. "Alright boys, look alive." Vinny stood at attention with the others. A 5'10 man with slicked back hair and a trim beard walked into the room. He was polished, straight laced, and sharp. He approached the line of boys and stood in front of David. David saluted his father who returned it in kind.

"Hello David." His voice was gruff and deep. He glanced briefly at the rest of the boys. "I need to speak with you. Where's Catherine?"

"We had to cancel. But I have somewhere we can talk." He gestured with an open hand to the right. The two of them left together to sit somewhere and talk. Jim stepped toward David to follow but decided against it.

"Well? What happened to Catherine?" He looked at David as they walked. "Have you been seeing her at all?"

"Yes, Sir. I had a talk with her, and we talked about the lunch you wanted to have. We were going to have it, but I canceled." David swallowed at the lump in his throat. "I wanted to talk to you about the call you gave me when I first got here."

His dad ignored him, trying to take charge of the conversation. "I must say, I'm disappointed. What am I supposed to do while I'm here? I expected to meet her and talk about her career here."

"You can still meet her. But I wanted to talk to you about that call." He looked to the side at his father before the two of them stood before a group of large windows. "The call you gave me on my first day back, after my vacation to see you." He paused, watching his father observe the grounds. "Do you remember?" David prodded.

"Yes. What about it?"

"You asked me if I was gay. And I told you I was." His father's face was cold and angry. "Then when you called again, you wouldn't let me talk. I was trying to tell you not to bother contacting Catherine's father. Trying to set me up with Catherine isn't going to help anything. It's not fair to her or to me. If you need to yell at someone, yell at me." His father said nothing. Not a blink of acknowledgement or a shocked expression to be seen. David's heart pounded fast. "Say something, please."

"So what I'm hearing, is that you're abandoning your family."

"No.."

"You have no respect for me or for yourself. God help me." He glared at David, shaking his head. "This had better be a phase, David."

"Dad."

"I've heard enough. I'll be checking in with your teachers about your studies, and nip anything I need to in the bud. I don't want to hear about this again, David." He didn't bother to look at him as he started to walk away. "I'll call you at term's end."

David walked briskly back to the cafeteria. He caught his breath and calmed himself so he wouldn't make a scene. He sat with Jim and the rest of their friends, picking off Jim's tray. He and Jim held hands under the table.

"How'd it go?" Vinny asked.

"Better than I expected, actually." David looked around at his table of friends. "He basically denied everything I had to say. And basically, threatened to disown me, but," David shrugged. "it's nothing I didn't expect."

"Why?" One of them asked. David just shook his head.

"Day's dad," Jim started. "isn't the kindest of people. He's very traditional. If everything isn't perfect, he freaks out." He gave David a sympathetic smile and squeezed his hand.

"Oh man, that sucks." Bridan shook his head. "I would've told him off if it were me."

"I tried to, but he's so impossible."

"What's he holding over you? Money? Uh, status or anything?" Killion shrugged.

"No." Jim shook his head. "David got in the academy on his own. But he wants to save some kind of relationship with his dad."

"Jeez." Vinny

Jim could tell that David was calm. His father's visit had gone about as David expected, which means it could probably have gone much worse. Jim wasn't going to pry. He knew David would come to him with his concerns when he was ready. He gave David's hand one more tight squeeze before finishing his food.

PT was almost a relief. Since graduating to a new rank, their studies for the next step were just more difficult and more demanding of their time. It was nice to be given simple orders, to follow them, and be done with it. Do ten laps, do thirty-five minutes of the obstacle course, fifty sit ups, et cetera.

So, when they finally finished at 7:30, Jim almost dreaded sitting in classes all day. He tried to concentrate in his government class, but the debates fell flat. He was even distracted in vehicle engineering, to the point where Killion caught him off guard.

"Jim, I think that's a five eighths wrench." He quietly pointed out. "I think you need three quarters." Jim's brow furrowed more, and was about to correct his roommate, but Killion was right.

"Jeez." Jim stood up and away from his practice engine and tossed the wrench into his toolbox.

"Jim, why don't we take a break?" Killion smiled. "I've got some coffee and some sandwiches if you want to share them with me." Jim nodded and joined Killion at a work bench. "You okay?" Killion tilted his head.

"Yeah just, distracted I guess."

"Hmm."

Jim quirked an eyebrow. "You're paying an unnatural amount of attention toward how I'm doing today." He smiled. "I'm used to hearing you talking about your physics or nautical hull history research."

"Yeah well you're so distracted that you're distracting me. But I could discuss some statistics if you want."

"No thanks." Jim smiled gently.

Killion took a bite of his sandwich. Jim took the one he offered, and they ate in silence. "It's just that you seem angry and…kinda sad." The alien observed with his big bright eyes.

Jim looked up at him, his face a stoic still frame. He looked down again, his gaze turning thoughtful. "Just worried about David. His dad is so-" he shook his head.

"He sounds mean."

"He is mean. He's mean just to push David, but all it's doing is hurting him. It's not motivating him, it's not giving him direction or helping his priorities, it's just mean for the sake of being mean. I can't stand it."

Killion looked thoughtful, before offering up his experience with such things. "I had a father, but he was never cruel. He was busy, but not cruel. He'd make sure to spend time with my siblings and I when he could. Like real time. Every day, not just on holidays. I can't imagine how David must feel. He must've had a good dad at some point. Things could've been mixed up along the way."

"Well, maybe. I'm glad you had a good father, Killion."

"Me too." The alien smiled and finished off his sandwich. "Back to work!"

David was thumbing through pages of a manual when Jim sat across from him. David didn't look up, even as Jim set a cup of coffee beside his hand.

"How's the studying going?" Jim set down his books.

"Stressful." David looked up. He took the coffee and sipped it. "Some of these passages are nonsense. You need a manual for the manual." He smiled. "What's up?"

"Checking in." Jim leaned his arms on the table. "How are you doing?" He slid one arm to the middle of the table. David reached back, so their fingers were barely touching.

"Fine, babe." David whispered and smiled. He looked around, before staring at Jim again. "What's the fuss? This 'bout my dad?"

"Yes. What did he say?" Jim gently brushed his finger against David's. "I wanted to give you some time but then I thought, you might want to talk about it."

David shook his head. "Nothing you haven't heard before. Just came to tell me how disappointed he was. Hopefully he'll stay away longer."

Jim tsked. "Hopefully forever." He looked down at the manual David had open. "So, what device are you trying to figure out now?"

"Oh," David groaned and stretched his arms above his head. "Just studying on the possibility of transferring solar power to aether wind power. It has the same energy source, so you'd think it would be easy to transfer."

"But?"

"But," David shrugged. "you still need to have the right transmitter and converter. Plus, who know how expensive the technology would be. Not just for the test vessels, but to get it on all vessels. Travel times would be cut in half. Maybe more. But then you'd have to test how big the whole piece would be and where you could fit it, because it doesn't have a temperature limit, but it can be sensitive in takeoff. So you can't leave it on the upper deck- it could get destroyed. So there's debate on whether you should keep it in the engine room, even though it can get hot, or whether it should be made a new space, like a podium that can rise and retreat near the mast. Lots of things to consider."

"Wow." Jim mused. "That is interesting. Have you talked to Professor Wost?"

"I've briefly brought up the subject. I wanted to have more solid research before bringing him a legit proposal."

"Good plan. He'd send you packing if you can't answer all his questions." Jim pushed his hair back. "Let's get to work, then."

They spent hours in the library, discussing theories and sketching models of converting engines. The time flew by, to the point where it was nine in the evening, and they were still planning. They'd moved from the library to the lounge. The night guard was making his rounds in that area. "Gentlemen?" he called. "Curfew ended twenty minutes ago. Better get to your dorms."

David waved his hand at the guard and picked up his papers. "Ugh, I'm beat. Probably a good idea to go to bed." He threw an arm over Jim's shoulders. "But you know what?" David whispered in Jim's ear, causing him to blush.

"I thought you were tired!" Jim laughed.

"I got over it." David pulled away from Jim as they got into an elevator.

"Of course you did," Jim rolled his eyes.

They made it to their floor and were walking down the hall when they saw Almrez leaving a room. It wasn't his own, it belonged to an officer named Jernish Pline.

"What's he up to?" Jim muttered.

"Trouble, I bet." David gave Almrez a once over. The alien wasn't doing anything suspicious, but he looked angry. He turned from the closed door and stared at them until they got to their door. After that, he walked down the hall. "That was weird." David mused as he shut the door.

Killion was reading under his covers with a flashlight and Vinny was listening to music. Jim and David removed their shoes before settling in. Jim went into the bathroom to wash his face and brush his teeth. David set his papers on top of the desk under the window, then went to the bathroom. Jim left and rolled onto his bunk. His back cracked as he stretched before laying an arm under his head to relax. He heard David climb into his bunk and throw his clothes into a basket on the floor. "Goodnight." He called out.

"Goodnight." Jim smiled and closed his eyes.

"G'night." Vinny turned on a reading lamp facing his side of the wall so David could turn off the ceiling light. David did so, then rolled onto his belly to sleep.

"Love you." Jim whispered.

"Love you too." David whispered back and nuzzled his face into his pillow.

He had nothing but restless sleep and nightmares. In his head, he played the confrontation with his father over and over. Sometimes it went differently and sometimes the same. In one of the different scenarios, both his mother and father were there to shame him.

"This is disgusting! How could you?" His mother wailed. She wept into his father's neck.

"Look at what you've done!" His father yelled. Suddenly all of David's family and friends stood before him. All of them scowled and grimaced at David, completely disgusted. They circled him until he was in the gymnasium at the academy. He stood in the middle, with his parents. They disowned him in front of everyone and got a restraining order against Jim. The boys reached for each other, just fingertips away. David woke up in a sweat when his alarm went off.

"Let's go, up up up." Vinny slapped the side of David's bunk before running into the bathroom ahead of Killion.

"Ughhhh! Dude!" Killion slapped the closed door.

Jim yawned and stretched before hanging his legs over the side of his bed. He dressed and peeked over the side of David's bunk.

"Common, Day. Let's get some food." He smiled before looking at David's condition. "Hey, are you okay?"

David wiped the sweat from his face and started getting out of bed. "Yeah." He groaned and slid off the bunk. "Nightmares." He kissed Jim's forehead and rubbed his arms. "How bout you? How'd you sleep?"

"Fine, hon." Jim yawned and moved to put on his shoes. "You good to go to PT?"

"Yeah. But let's get some food."

Jim shrugged. "I'm starved. Let's go."

. . .

"Oh man that was a bad idea." Jim rubbed the small of his back as he walked into the showers.

"Yeahh.." David groaned and threw his clothes into his locker. "Crunches before the obstacle course? Remind me to never do that again."

"You got it." Jim turned on a shower and let the water hit his back. "Oh man, I'm dead. And we have those reports to do in my astronomy class. I'm not ready." He groaned.

David walked up behind him and rubbed his shoulders. "You got this babe." He kissed Jim's neck before massaging the tense muscles there. Jim leaned into it and sighed.

"Thanks." Jim turned and ran his hands over David's hair, pushing it back. David leaned his head closer and started kissing the curve of Jim's jaw. "Day," Jim laughed. "We're not gonna be the only ones in here." David kissed Jim's lips and cradled his face with his hands. Jim pulled David flush against him and ran his hands up David's back.

"I'll be quick, baby." David lifted Jim up and pushed his back against the tiles. Jim wrapped his legs around David's legs and kissed him. He started grinding against David. David groaned, thrusting against Jim. He buried his face into Jim's neck as Jim bit David's shoulder and moaned at the stimulation of David's grinding.

Jim moaned and leaned his head back. David was grinding against him when Jim looked over David's shoulder.

Jernish was standing at the entrance of the locker room. He and Jim locked eyes before Jim turned away. "Day," he whispered. "Day, Pline is here." David moved to hide Jim with his body. He then set Jim down and guarded him with his arms with his hands pressed against the tile.

"Wow! Hawkins!" Jernish started walking toward the pair.

"Fuck off, Pline." Jim moved out from under David's arm.

"Oh our buddy Almrez is gonna love this."

"Go tell him then, you prick."

"I'll do better than that." Jernish laughed. "I'll go get him." He turned out of the locker room. As soon as his back was turned, Jim patted David's side.

"Go babe, go."

"But-"

"He already knows I'm here, but he doesn't have to know you are too. Go!" He pushed David toward the lockers.

David wrapped his towel as he ran, and Jim heard him get his things from his locker. Jim turned off the water and wrapped his own towel around him.

"Hawkins? You and your Daddy fucking in there?" Almrez, Pline and his friends walked into the showers. Almrez' toothy grin was wide, and his eyes were expectant. To his dismay, he only saw Jim there, holding the towel around his waist. Almrez turned to look at Pline, who just shook his head.

"He was just here I swear."

"Whatever." Almrez cracked his neck. The group sauntered into their respective shower spaces, including the four-legged alien who took the spot across from Jim. He smirked at Jim before smiling. "Nice hickey." He crossed his arms. "Look Hawkins, I don't really care who you fuck, but knowing you're doing it in the showers," he tsked. "that's a matter of public safety." He smiled.

Jim left the shower and got his things from his locker to change. He could hear Almrez chatter, even as he locked one of the bathroom stalls. "Oh! And that was a cute little tent you were pitching in here! I'll make a note of that, too!"

"Fuck." Jim whispered as he dried off and dressed. He left with his bag and went to find David. Jim found him, hiding out in their dorm. "Hey." Jim leaned against the closed door.

"Jim." David stood. "Jim, why didn't you come with me?"

"Gave you time to get away."

"Jim this is about both of us now, not just them bullying you."

"Well they already know I'm gay, but they don't know about you. They don't need a reason to mock you. They like to hear themselves talk."

"Exactly." David rubbed Jim's arms. "I'm sorry that I left you there."

"Well, they were rude to interrupt." Jim smiled.

"Yeah, they were." David bit his lip.

"Now, what was that thing you were doing before?" Jim wrapped his arms around David's neck. David chuckled and picked Jim up.

"I think that hickey needs a friend." David nuzzled Jim's neck. "Or did you mean this?" He pushed Jim against the wall and started kissing him.

"I think it was closer to this," Jim whispered and reached a hand between them. He adjusted them both so they were pressed against each other through their pants. David shuddered and kissed Jim.

"Oh yeah," he smirked and started nibbling at Jim's ear. He pressed his hips against Jim, causing him to moan. "That's it."

The two of them spent the rest of their day kissing, and studying, and enjoying each other's company. Little did they know that on Almrez's behalf was a spy. A spy who was listening and waiting for information on Jim's secret lover. A spy who had nothing to lose, and enough curiosity to get Jim, David, and even themselves into trouble.