Day 1
Nick awoke to the warm feeling of arms wrapped around him. His hand came up and felt the muscles of the strong arm draped over him. So last night wasn't a dream after all. He thought to himself as he stared at the gorgeous light brown haired man inches away from him. After placing a kiss on the bicep resting just across his shoulder, he leaned in and kissed Ellis' soft lips. Green eyes opened and stared back at him as he pulled away.
"Um.. Good morning, Nick?" Ellis said quietly as he shifted backwards and stepped out of the bed. His bared muscles rippled as he stretched before heading towards the bathroom. Nick's eyes followed Ellis' every move until he disappeared into the other room. Now that is a sight I could definitely get used to seeing. He thought as he idly scratched at his stomach and fell back into a light sleep.
After he relieved himself, Ellis stared into the mirror as he washed his hands. The memory of the previous night flooded his thoughts. Why did I let him go that far.. it's wrong.. always has been.. Even with Keith, it was wrong. Every morning after was the same for young Ellis. He'd wrestle with his Catholic upbringing on the sins of gay relations. Maybe it could work this time.. I mean.. the world has gone to Hell already. But.. he isn't Keith. Maybe I shouldn't be so rough next time. Keith always loved it.. always begged for it. Nick is a hard ass though.. I just don't know.. He turned off the faucet and put on his lovable smile before heading back into the room.
He grabbed his coveralls and sat on the edge of the bed to pull them on. As filthy as they were, they still hadn't acquired any new clothes. The hope is that the cruise ship had a few shops still stocked, or the military had spare clothes to hand out. Only his right leg had made it into the coveralls before he froze as a hand traced the bottom of his spine. Nick had awoke again at the shift in the bed, a smile spread across his face as he played with Ellis' back.
"I.. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you again.." Ellis said softly as he went back to dressing himself. "Nick. We.." He hesitated a little. "We can't do this again. It's wrong." Standing, he finished pulling his coveralls up and threw on his shirt before heading for the bedroom door, his eyes never leaving the floor. "I'm sorry." Is all he said as he left the room and quietly shut the door behind him.
"What. The. Hell." Nick finally managed to say after a minute of stunned silence. Why does this always happen? Can't I ever find a guy who is actually ok with this? Nick hadn't been with many guys over the years, but all of them had given him a reason to why it was wrong. If it wasn't one thing it was another. They were married, the gang would find out and kill the both of them, it's a sin against God.. Then he remembered, Ellis mentioned once he was a Catholic. "Fuck." He groaned as he crawled out of bed and found his clothes. After taking care of things in the bathroom he headed out to find Ellis and discuss what was going on in the other man's head, because he definitely didn't want this to end. His options of finding someone these days were extremely thin.
"Hey Nick!" Coach called out from the far end of the corridor Nick was wandering through. He turned and started to slowly walk towards the heavy set man. He's still surprised the other man had survived all of their ordeals. The man wasn't exactly athletic material, regardless of the career that gave him his namesake. Still, he proved himself a valuable asset numerous times as he helped pep talk the group into continuing on. Ellis may have been the humorous one in the group, always trying to get people to share his optimistic smile, but Coach was definitely the voice that got them through it all.
"Coach?" Nick asked as the two finally met half way.
"The Army guys are calling a meeting. Everyone is supposed to meet down in the.." his voice trailed off, trying to remember the details. "The Promenade deck. At the bow of the ship in the Princess Theater." His face screwed up a little in a half amused, half embarrassed look as he said the last bit of information.
"The.. what Theater?" Nick wasn't quite sure he heard the name right. "You're telling me we're on a Princess Cruise ship? Of all the ships the military could possibly commandeer, we get the girliest one of all?" Nick knew of the ship, he'd conned passengers on various Princess Cruise ships multiple times over the years and it didn't make him happy to be back on one.
Coach chuckled at the man's lack of approval. "Hey, at least we get to ride in style. Better than being cooped up in some grey can. I'm sure it'll be refreshing, compared to how it's been. Let's go hear what they have to say though at least." Nodding in reluctant agreement, Nick followed the older man through the various decks until they reached the Promenade.
As the entered the Theater, Nick heard Rochelle call out to them. She waved her arm and then plastered a grin on her face as she pointed down at the people sitting near her. There was a gruff looking man covered in tattoos sitting next to Rochelle. Nick couldn't quite put a name to him, but he did look familiar. It wasn't until he looked further and saw the woman Ellis was grinning ear to ear at. Zoey and Francis. He remembered the two of them all too vividly now. They ran across each other as his group was leaving Georgia. Ellis couldn't stop flirting with the young woman when they first met. Even now, he continued to flirt with her. His hand would come up to brush a strand of dark brown hair from her pale face. His head would tilt a little to the side and he'd lean in as if wanting a kiss but would never actually move in close enough for it to be obvious. The sight sickened him and as Coach headed off to sit with the group, he excused himself to get a drink first.
Nick headed towards a side table and grabbed a bottle of water. He'd rather have something harder but it appeared the military didn't want to give the survivors any alcohol. It was probably a smart decision on their part, but one that only added to Nick's frustration. Instead of joining the others, he slowly headed to a corner in the back row. Sitting down, he quietly drank his water as he stared at the man he wanted and the woman he now despised.
After a short while, a woman took to the stage. As she walked towards the front center of the platform, the crowd all took their seats and grew quiet. She stood straight, her arms clasped behind her back, her face looking forward but her eyes waved over the crowd before her. It was difficult to see her clearly from this distance, but Nick could tell from the numerous ribbons and three stars upon the chest of her navy blue uniform that she was someone important. She waited for everyone to be seated and let the silence fill the room before she began.
"Ladies. Gentlemen. Survivors all. I am Vice Admiral Catherine Grace and on behalf of the United States Navy we would like to extend our condolences to those of you that may have lost someone in the recent events plaguing our nation. Before we begin, let us all bow our heads in silence and remember our fallen." She lowers her head and remains silent for a full five minutes before speaking again. "Weeks ago, the first instance of what we are calling the Green Flu emerged in Pennsylvania. It has since then quickly spread across the entire nation. Our latest intel tells us that other continents have begun showing signs of this new infection as well. Though the world as a whole is no longer safe from this epidemic, the U.S. Navy will not rest until we find a safe harbor for the survivors of this tragedy.
As many of you have witnessed, this plague changes those we know and love. Most become violent shells of their former selves, giving in to their more primal and basic of natures. These infected people quickly seek out those that remain unaffected and brutally maul them with their bare hands. And, while I have heard that many have mentioned these people as zombies, we are certain that this is not the case. There have been no signs of anyone rising from the dead, nor have we witnessed any of the infected people eating other humans. This is merely a virus, one which we are working diligently to find a cure for.
There have yet to be any breakthroughs regarding the existence of the other Infected that have been spotted shortly after the initial outbreak. While there are many speculations, we as a people can no longer afford to run off of speculations. We do know that while aboard this ship, you will remain safe. As far as we can tell, the infected have lost their ability to swim and do not float as some would have you believe. It is imperative though, that if you or anyone you come across shows any sign of sickness, report immediately to the medical bays located on the Gala deck. While some will surely just be cases of sea sickness, it is better to be positive of the issue than to deal with the alternative.
Those needing new clothing and supplies will need to head to the Fiesta deck and follow the signs to the Princess Casino. Food will be served at the aft end of the ship on the Fiesta, Plaza and Promenade decks. A list of survivors currently on the ship will be available on the Gala deck next to the medical bay. If you wish to leave a name with the officer down there, you will be alerted if they are brought on board. We will update you as needed if any new information comes out in the fight against this plague. In the meantime, go about your lives; mourn your loved ones and we will persevere."
With her final words, she saluted the gathered survivors. She turned sharply on her right heel and exited the stage leaving everyone to process what they just heard. Nick watched as Ellis helped Zoey out of her seat, his heart sinking and his mind raging. As he approached the exit, he lingered just long enough to let Ellis catch the look of saddened fury in his eyes before leaving the large room. He knew the two of them needed to talk, but he was in no mindset to do so now. He just needed to get away, to no longer watch as Ellis flirted with another person. It was foolish, he knew, to feel a stab of jealousy when the two of them weren't even together. The possibility of them even being together was still a mystery. Ellis seemed fine enough with what happened last night, until Nick pushed it too far. He still wasn't sure where that dominance suddenly emerged from. He always pegged Ellis as the obedient submissive type.
Following the signs, Nick made his way to the Fiesta deck one level down. He was hesitant to head towards the casino as memories of all the problems his gambling addiction has caused over the past. When he arrived though, he let out a quiet sigh as the entire area had been converted to allow for the distribution of clothing and hygiene kits. A sign was posted at the entrance to the now caged off area, stating that due to limited supplies no one is allowed more than two sets of normal attire and one set of sleepwear. There wasn't much of a selection either. Nick picked through the clothes only to find blue jeans and t-shirts as the primary selection. He huffed and grabbed two random shirts in the stacks sectioned off for Large and some jeans before grabbing a kit and heading to his room.
His temper subsided considerably as he reached the room he shared with Ellis. The sadness was still there, but at least he wasn't ready to punch the younger man anymore. He stripped out of his dirty suit, discarding it in a basket he saw in the bathroom the previous night and took another shower. The shower was quick since he'd already washed up last night, but still pleasant to feel the running water after going so long without. Throwing on a pair of jeans and a grey shirt, he tossed the other set in the wardrobe before sorting through the kit. He found the usual items there, a tooth brush, paste, disposable razors and cream, floss, soap, shampoo, conditioner and deodorant. At the bottom was a fold out brochure of the ship they were on, detailing each deck. "Well, this could be useful." He murmured to himself before heading to the bathroom to shave.
It felt good to rub his hand along his face and no longer feel the sensation of rubbing sandpaper. He admired his face in the mirror for a few minutes before fixing his hair and heading back for the door. With the brochure tucked into his back pocket, he left the room and headed down the hall. He wasn't even half way down before a voice shot out from the far end, causing his heart to drop.
"Hey Nick! Wait up! Look who we ran into!" Ellis called out from the far end of the corridor, Zoey following close behind him. Nick didn't stop; he didn't even look back in acknowledgement. He wanted no part of any reunion with the other survivors they had met previously, at least not now. So he just kept walking, and kept walking until he found the gym a few decks up and spent the rest of the evening venting his emotions out on the equipment.
"I just don't know what's wrong with that man today…" Ellis sighed quietly, looking over at Zoey. She shrugged and quietly patted his arm in response, bringing a smile back to his lips. After he put his new clothes in the room, Ellis and Zoey wandered off to explore the ship together.
Ellis made his way towards his room, his steps riddled with exhaustion from exploring the ship all day with Zoey and the other survivors he'd come to consider as family. All except for Nick, the bastard. Why did he keep avoiding me today.. I haven't talked to him at all except.. Oh, damn. Realization sank into Ellis' tired brain as he remembered his extremely one-sided conversation that morning. I guess I'd be pretty pissed too.. He rubbed the back of his head and walked the final corridor to their room in silence. It was late into the night and most of the other passengers were already in their quarters.
As he made it to the door, his hand rested on the door handle in hesitation. He had no idea what was going to happen, now that the two of them would be alone again. He only hoped they could work something out, he really did like the older man. If only he could find a way to work through the guilt he feels anytime he does something with another man, then just maybe he could give Nick what they both seemed to desire.
Quietly he stepped into the room, bracing himself for whatever may come. Only silence greeted him. Nick's tall form was stretched out across the far bed, his pale torso uncovered while his lower half was in a pair of dark green pajama pants. He shifted as the door closed, but otherwise stayed on his side with his back facing Ellis. With a soft sigh, Ellis headed towards the bathroom and closed the door behind him. After adding his dingy coveralls and faded orange shirt to the basket holding Nick's suit, he climbed into the bathtub.
The hot water was just what he needed. The steam cleared his head and the heat soothed his muscles. Leaning back, he closed his eyes and relaxed, letting the water work it's magic on his body. His hand slithered down his body, caressing the firm skin until it rested on his crotch. Idly stroking, he thought back on the days before this huge mess happened. Images of Keith filled his head, the nights they'd spend together after a hard day's work in the shop.
Keith had approached Ellis a year ago after a night of drinking together. Ellis knew the man was too drunk to drive home and made him stay the night. It was then that Keith asked the question that would eventually become one of the biggest secrets in their little part of Savannah. "Punish me.." The man had said quietly, his arms folded and resting on Ellis' knees, his eyes filled with desire. "Punish me, Ellis. For all the stupid things I've gotten us into." It was a strange request, and it took half an hour of Ellis' younger friend pleading before he gave in.
The man wanted to be beaten, to be spanked and whipped and insulted. If it hadn't been for the alcohol, it would have torn their friendship apart. Something stirred inside Ellis though before the night was over, before Keith was satisfied. It wasn't lust, but simply enjoyment. He enjoyed the sensation of being in charge, to break the friend who had caused him so much grief over the years. Keith may have been calling the shots on how he was punished, but it was Ellis who had the final say and he reveled in it. By the end of that night, Keith was bruised all along his back, from the shoulders and all the way down to his thighs.
It took a month of various drunken nights before Keith was able to tempt Ellis into punishing him without alcohol being used. Ellis eventually took complete control, not allowing Keith to say or do anything without permission. Keith always wanted more though, he needed more. He had tried once to get Ellis to enter him, to punish him both inside and out but the man just didn't have the desire to give him that. He'd never been with anyone before, and he knew Keith wasn't the one to take that from him no matter how good it felt to command him. But, now there is Nick..
His mind drifted to the night before, when Nick so gently washed away the dirt and grime caked onto Ellis' body. It felt good, real good. The way his hands caressed him, the way his lips and breath felt hot against his skin. It sent shivers down his spine and his hand stroked more vigorously the more he thought of the older man. He recalled the look in Nick's eyes as he talked down to him like he would Keith. The feeling of his fingers twisting inside his tight ass and the resulting pain in the man's eyes as he was shoved back into the edge of the tub. The memory, so fresh and vivid, brought Ellis to climax before relaxing back in the water and allowing a smile to creep across his face.
Coming down from his orgasm, he recalled again the looks Nick had given him that night. He knew he was too rough with him, but a year of punishing another was too hard of a habit to break. They needed to talk. Ellis needed him to understand just how much he wants Nick in return, how the man made his heart race and ache with desire. He wanted Nick to be his first; he just hoped he hadn't screwed things up with his guilt-fueled decision earlier. It may have been wrong, against the very foundations of how he was raised but he needed it. He needed to feel that man's arms around him, his lips upon him and his cock inside him. He had to fix this.
Ellis finished bathing and looked in the mirror as he dried himself off. His hands leaned against the counter as he continued to stare at his reflection. The thoughts of his past rose up once more and he fought to push them away. He couldn't live in the past, that world is gone. His eyes raised to the ceiling, and a quiet "Forgive me.." passed his lips before he steeled himself and headed back into the bedroom. Nick was still asleep on his side, his breathing steady and calm. Ellis took in the man's body with his eyes before silently slipping in behind him, pulling the covers over the both of them. With his arm wrapped around the sleeping form next to him, Ellis pressed his body against Nick's back and drifted off to sleep.
A/N: Thank you everyone for your reviews! First, disclaimer things.. I don't own Left 4 Dead 2, Ellis, Nick, Rochelle, Francis, Zoey or Coach. I'm not sure if I need to disclaimer the ship but I don't own Regal Princess or any Princess Cruise ships. I just wanted to give a name and setting to the cruise ship the military occupied.
Bah, had to go back and edit it to put in horizontal bars for scene breaks. I tried some x's and a . but it ate it. Does anyone have suggestions on a good scene split other than the HR bar?
JadeAnime: I can't help it! My brain is a time traveler, there is no fix for it.
ADifrentMe: Thanks so much! It was really awkward reading you the last chapter over Skype… I'm glad you liked it though!
Cat: Look! You made it in! Vice Admiral! Be nice to me now or you might have to die a horrible death.. I mean.. ship accident. –grin-
MajoKitsune: Yes! I liked my fiery Ellis too! That man is too sexy to only be charming. He needed a darker twist.
Komamura's Son and xSummerSan: I'm sorry you guys don't like my Ellis. Hopefully this chapter explained some things. I know the game plays him off as a dim witted, charming, soft hearted country boy but I just saw him differently in the bedroom. Thank you for enjoying the rest of it though!
Love you guys, thanks so much for the reviews! Sorry this took so long to write up.. I've been distracted with games. –hangs head in shame-