Note: Sexytiems ahead! This is an edited (censored) version of this chapter. You can read the full, original chapter on AO3, I have the same username there.
~.~
The next ship, Gadget decided, needed to have a bathtub. Because baths were awesome.
After pushing all the different buttons at the small pool's steps, Gadget found a setting that activated a number of waterjets along the sides and bottom. He sniffed at the contents of a cluster of glass bottles that sat in a tray on one side, selected one, and then poured some of its fragrant oil into the water. He sighed contentedly as bursts of water pulsed against his sore muscles, and he sank further down in the tiled bath until the hot, scented water bubbled just beneath his chin.
"I'll build one of these on the next ship," he promised himself.
He wished Gen was in there with him.
By the time the Empress' guards had arrested Litou and his henchman, Gen and the Douji had already been taken to the Imperial Complex's medical wing. Gadget was still a little fuzzy on the details of what procedures were done—he had stopped listening after long needles started being discussed—but later that night they were told that all was well and that K'zen was expected to fully recover.
But that night, Gen didn't return to the suite of rooms that had been assigned to them, so Gadget assumed the doctors had needed more than just a little of Gen's blood. He had spent the night in Gen's bed, and Gadget was surprised at how empty the bed had felt without Gen in it. The fact that it was also the biggest bed he had ever slept in was secondary.
The next morning was taken up with meetings with the Empress' security personnel, answering questions about the attack on the Shakujou, as well as everything that had happened since their landing on Tenkigh. Kai spent the afternoon going over his findings with the Empress and a few high-ranking members of the Council, while Gadget and Shaw had amused themselves with playing cards and watching vids until Kai joined them for dinner.
Now it was evening again, and still no Gen.
Bored with playing cards, Gadget had decided to check out the luxurious bath, a room that was almost three times the size of his entire living quarters on the Shakujou. Now, while he soaked in what would have been a month's worth of water, Gadget reflected that he'd come a long way from the grubby street-rat he'd been on Bel'een all those years ago.
The click of the main door of the suite opening jolted Gadget from his thoughts.
"—Just get me off this goddamn hover-chair, I told you I didn't need it. I'm fine."
"Master Gen, the Empress was very insistent that I not allow you to walk back to your rooms."
Gen! Gadget breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, you did what she told you to do, so now you can leave me alone."
"Very well, Master Gen—"
"Just Gen, Jiro."
"I… I hope you have a restful evening, young sir. Good night."
Gadget heard the door shut, and the soft scuffs of Gen's footsteps on the suite's thick carpeting. He figured he'd better let Gen know he wasn't alone. "Hey, Gen," he called.
A few seconds later Gen stood in the doorway. "So I get poked and prodded for hours on end, and here you are, taking a bath."
"I've never had a real bath before," Gadget replied with a grin, "just showers with reclaimed water. I can practically swim in here!" He was about to suggest that Gen join him when Gen started tugging at the ties on the pale blue medical tunic that he wore. Gadget's grin widened, and he leaned back and enjoyed the show. He'd seen Gen naked before, but it was different now; his hands and mouth had traversed the length and breadth of the slender, yet muscular chest that was under that tunic, and when Gen stepped out of the loose-fitting pants Gadget's gaze was drawn to the curve of Gen's ass, the jut of a hipbone, and between Gen's muscled thighs.
A smirk played along the corner of Gen's mouth as he undressed, and it told Gadget that Gen was well aware of the direction of Gadget's gaze.
Gen groaned as he stepped down into the churning water. "Fuck, this feels good," he said, sitting opposite Gadget.
'You okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine." Gen sank lower in the water and closed his eyes. "They took some blood and bone marrow—not just to give to K'zen now, but to keep some on hand for him in case he needs it later. Apparently those two bastards had been planning this for awhile, and Uko had managed to mess with K'zen just enough to make it impossible for him to receive any blood but his own."
"Wow," Gadget said. "You totally saved his life."
Gen poked Gadget's leg with his toe. "You saved his life. You and Shaw did, because you saved mine."
The enormity of Gen's words made Gadget feel a little dizzy. Because he had helped a stowaway, because Shaw hadn't insisted on taking him back to Kinzaan, because they hadn't done the unthinkable and given Gen over to his pursuers… the Empress' nephew and heir was alive and recovering from his poisoning. "Wow," he repeated. A stray thought occurred to him, and he frowned. "They're not gonna make you stay here, are they?"
Gen shook his head. "No. The Empress made noise about wanting me to stay, but I don't have to."
"Will you?" Gadget had to admit, it would be a very tempting offer—the living quarters alone were pretty epic.
A tiny frown appeared between Gen's eyebrows, and he opened his eyes and regarded Gadget "I… don't know."
"Will you go back to—"
"No," Gen said emphatically, shaking his head again. "I don't think I can go back to the vineyard. It was destroyed, for one thing, and my life there was a lie."
Gadget could see his point. It was probably better for Gen to have a fresh start. "You could come with us," he said, and he tried to keep his tone casual.
Gen snorted. "I think Shaw would have an issue with that."
"Not as much as you'd think," Gadget said, noting that Gen had not outright refused.
"I'm not a pilot, or a mechanic," Gen said. "I'm a winemaker. And even then, half my time was spent selling and distributing the wine, not making it."
"Shaw had to learn how to fly the Shakujou," Gadget said. "The idea to do freight work didn't occur to him until after he won the ship. And me, well, I'm good at fixing things." He gave Gen a poke with his own toe. "I bet you would be good at getting good customers. Shaw can come across a little… shady, sometimes."
"Only sometimes?"
Gadget poked him again. "He's a good guy. He keeps—uh, kept—the ship filled up pretty well, but I know we can get better stuff to move. Not all the bulky, heavy shit that takes up all our weight allowance and eats up our fuel."
"Hn." Gen closed his eyes again.
A companionable silence fell between them, punctuated only by the burbling of the water in the bathing pool. Gadget decided not to press the issue further; he had made the suggestion—and the implicit invitation that accompanied it—and now he would leave it alone. Nice thing about running a freight route was that you tended to visit places on a regular basis, and if Gen wanted to see him again Gadget could definitely make it happen.
The fact that they were both naked in a way-oversized bathtub gave Gadget hope that Gen would want to see him again. Gadget smiled and let his eyelids slide shut.
"Gadget."
Gadget opened his eyes to see Gen watching him, and there was something in Gen's gaze that made heat pool in his groin. "Yeah?"
"Come here."
Gadget kind of liked the commanding tone in Gen's voice. It gave him the feeling that he was finally seeing Gen as he really was, when people weren't chasing him halfway across the galaxy trying to kill him. He floated over to join Gen, pleased when Gen pulled him closer. As he straddled Gen's lap, his erection brushed against Gen's stomach, and then Gadget discovered that Gen was just as hard.
"Looks like this is the second time you've saved my ass," Gen said, and he trailed his fingertips down the knobby ridge of Gadget's spine.
Gadget shivered at the caress. "Well, I had to do something," he said. "It's a really nice ass."
Gen snorted.
"And I think today was actually the third time," Gadget added, "if you count me getting you off the Shakujou before it blew up."
"Keeping count, are we?" Gen slid his hands down to cup Gadget's ass, pulling Gadget against him while he took Gadget's mouth in a hot, wet kiss.
Gadget had no reply. He didn't think he could speak coherently if he had one anyway; Gen's tongue was in his mouth, wreaking havoc with his senses, and he was completely distracted by the delicious way their bodies moved against each other. Gadget vaguely heard bottles clinking, and he groaned when oil-slicked fingers moved between his legs.
Yeah, he definitely liked this version of Gen.
Minutes later, Gadget was bent over one edge of the bathing pool, Gen's body close against his, and as they moved together the bathwater spilled over the rim in rhythmic waves. Their ragged breaths echoed off the tiled walls, punctuated by sloshing water and Gadget's moans of pleasure that he made no effort to muffle.
The touch of Gen's hand on his aching length tipped Gadget over the edge, and he heard Gen's husky groan as Gen followed him into climax.
Definitely having one of these in the next ship, Gadget thought as he tried to catch his breath, and he pressed his forehead against the cool tile.
They spent some time actually bathing, exchanging leisurely kisses while they soaped up and rinsed and kissed some more before finally shutting off the jets and stepping out of the pool.
"Wow, we made a mess," Gadget said. Water was everywhere.
"That's what tile is for," Gen said, grabbing a towel off a nearby hook.
Gadget was just about to reach for one as well when Gen pulled him close, enveloping him in the soft, nubby fabric. Their mouths met again, rough and hungry, and Gadget felt the press of a hardening erection against his hip.
"Bed this time," Gen murmured against his mouth, dropping the towel.
Gadget grabbed one of the bottles of bath oil and followed him into the bedroom. He gave Gen a playful push onto the bed and then climbed on top of him, kissing Gen hungrily while he made good use of the oil.
Moments later Gen shifted Gadget onto his back, moving between his spread legs, joining with him once more. It was so much better this way, Gadget thought; as good as it had felt earlier, Gadget loved being able to see that beautiful face, and watch Gen's pleasure while he enjoyed his own.
"Oh, yeah," Gadget panted, and he canted up his hips and hooked his legs around Gen's waist. "Just like that. Keep doing it like that."
"Don't blame me if you can't walk tomorrow," Gen growled against his throat.