"Don't bother waiting for us. When you have collected what you need, head back to the ship," Sidon called across to Silver. He had chosen to take two longboats down to Berophan and leave the ship anchored in the atmosphere to make their supply run; it was easier than waiting for a dock space large enough for the ship than to slip in at a small corner of one of the port instead.
Sidon started to climb out of the longboat he, Jim and Askeladd rode in, but Jim hopped out before him and quickly tied down both boats. Sidon watched him with slight surprise before turning to Askeladd, "Ash, help John and Brigit. Jim and I might be out for a while."
Silver and Ash looked at him questioningly and then shared a glance. Brigit raised an eyebrow, her head snapping back and forth as she tried to read their expressions, "What? Why are you making that face papa?"
"C'mon, baby girl, we gots supplies te buy."
Sidon hesitated. He was NOT looking forward to this. Jim stood patiently beside him, hands tucked in his coat pockets, mercifully sass-free for once. He'd been relatively quiet the past few days. Ever since they'd-
"Come with me."
He didn't wait for Jim to answer and he started down the road. Sidon didn't know where exactly he was going, he just started walking. They needed someplace to sit and talk.
Sidon couldn't focus. Surely they'd walked down this street at least twice already.
"We gonna keep walking in circles, captain?"
Jim's voice had that hint of teasing in it. Sidon hated how it made heat rise in his chest and up his cheeks and he veered off the street and into a pub. He could sense Jim behind right at his heels as if the sudden movement hadn't even phased him in the slightest.
It was still only early afternoon, Sidon shouldn't be yearning for a drink as strongly as he did, but he was allowed to be weak every once in a while. He made a motion to the bartender as he slid into a booth.
Then the little human sat opposite him and there was no avoiding the conversation that needed to happen.
Sidon still didn't want to face it and he waited until his ale was brought to the table. And then he waited until he'd drained the cup in two gulps and ordered a second. He would probably have hesitated forever if Jim hadn't finally spoken, "What's with the solemn expression and less-than-subtle hints at alcoholism? You breaking up with me?"
There was that damn teasing tone again.
"We're not dating."
Jim rolled his eyes, "Clearly. I'd have to call you a shitty boyfriend for treating me like you have been. Then I'd dump you."
The second drink was gone in one long drag.
"So…why were you so keen to get me off the ship just to make me sit and watch you drink at-" he regarded the time briefly "-not even one in the afternoon."
"You can get something to drink too…" Sidon felt slightly indignant as he ordered a third ale. Jim's eyebrow raised and he smirked, "Come on, captain. Someone's gotta be sober enough to drive us back to the ship."
"Captain."
The way Jim had said it…Sidon swallowed hard and tried to tear his eyes away from the slender throat exposed in front of him. He snapped to attention when the drink was set in front of him and his empty glass collected by the waitress, and he waited until she was out of range before he whispered harshly, "Don't say it like that!"
"Say what like what?" Jim's smirk widened. "Captain."
You know what you're doing! You little fucking shit-
He was distracted for a moment by the booth behind them getting noisy, someone shouting something almost incoherent in how alcohol soaked the owner of the voice was, and then died it down again. Sidon paused in tipping back his own drink. He didn't want to get hammered. It took a lot of ale to do that, but he'd already blasted through two pints and was halfway through his third. He set the cup down.
"We need to discuss our relationship," he'd finally found the courage to speak those words. Which made him feel incredibly silly considering how apprehensive he was in front of this wisp of a human. He could - and had - easily overpower Jim if he needed too. There was no need for these unnecessary nerves.
Jim cocked his head back and his smile faltered for only an instant, "So we do have a relationship now?"
"You know what I mean-"
"No," Jim interjected, his arms crossing over his slim chest. "I don't. Enlighten me. What do we have going on between us?"
Sidon ran his finger along the rim of the glass before speaking again, "Nothing. I'm your Captain and you are my navigator."
Jim's eyes searched his face for a moment and then he answered with a shrug, "Ok."
That was simpler than I thought it would be…
He wasn't sure why he'd expected Jim to fight him. Sidon chalked it up to all the stories he'd heard from Silver; 'Jimbo's a born fighter' and 'defiance runs through that boy's veins just as natural as blood' and 'Jim gets what he wants'. Apparently he'd either changed or…Jim didn't want Sidon.
That thought struck a chord and Sidon felt himself frowning and wanting Jim to argue. Some deep part of him wanted Jim to fight for them.
Why the hell do I want that?
Jim looked as if he were going to order a drink when a pint glass flew over their table and smashed right next to his head. His blue eyes widened and he looked first at Sidon - as if HE'D thrown the glass - and then to the wet spot on the wall.
The booth Sidon sat on then lurched and he was shoved roughly against the table, which in turn crushed into Jim's chest and the human let out a sharp cry.
That noise accompanied by the look of pain on Jim's face triggered something in Sidon's chest.
The ruckus from the table behind them hadn't been enough to bother Sidon, hell, he'd hardly even noticed it. The smashed cup had been a slight annoyance, but nonetheless still hadn't really bothered him. Even the booth rocking violently and pushing him into the table could be overlooked and ignored. But for whatever reason, the threat of injury to Jim…
Sidon stood with a roar, shoving the booth back as he leapt to his feet. He pulled the table forward so it no longer pinned Jim against his seat and searched his expression for only an instant to make sure he could breathe before he turned away. He came around to the other side of the booth and grabbed the two men who'd been roughhousing. It was far too easy to fling them from their seats and into the middle of the room.
They crashed into another table and the occupants took it just about as calmly as Sidon had.
Before he knew it the bar was filled with a full-on brawl. Bodies kept getting shoved into Sidon and he kept shoving them away and trying to use himself as a shield for Jim. It was completely instinctual and he found himself reaching for the human to pull him out of harm's way.
A snarl rose in his throat when a chair was swung near them and smashed across his chest. His hand clamped around the offending alien's throat and he raised him into the air.
He felt a hand on his arm and he flinched. He would have lashed out normally, but he knew that touch. Jim came around from behind him with concern on his face, and his eyes alight with passion he hadn't seen before, "Are you ok?"
He's worried about me?
Sidon didn't get a chance to respond before the alien he was holding aloft pulled a knife from somewhere on his person and tried to swing it. Jim reacted before either of them could and twisted it from his grasp with a furious look on his face.
The man stumbled away heavily when Sidon released him and Jim tossed aside the weapon with a sneer.
They met each other's gaze and Sidon felt a smile going across his mouth that mirrored the one on Jim's. It seemed the little human hadn't changed and was raring to join the fray. And dammit if Sidon wasn't also a little excited. There were some big motherfuckers in there that could handle a punch or two.
Jim jumped forward before he could and Sidon watched with excited curiosity as the human wove through the chaos. He charged after him, not even bothering to duck or weave or dodge out of the way as fists and chairs and all assortment of other things were flung at him.
Sidon felt it deep in his gut. He and Jim were a perfect match; he the bulky tank that plowed straight through the crowd, and Jim his sneaky light-footed shadow. The feeling only intensified when several times Jim used him as a spring-board to add extra leverage or height to his own attacks.
Their goal was the same; get to the door…but have some fun while they were at it.
Just as Sidon's hand went to push the door open and his other slipped around Jim's waist to pull him close, it slammed open and two police bots rolled in.
"Hands in the air, everyone!"
Sidon and Jim sidestepped to allow them inside and one of the bots spun on his axle to look at them, "You as well-"
"Prince Sidon of Hyla," Sidon flashed his family's royal crest. It was technically a gross misuse of his power to do this, but-
"James Hawkins, former Navy officer of The Brightstar."
Sidon felt something close to pride swell in his chest. He couldn't explain it…there was no reason for him to feel any sort of pride for Jim's past accomplishments or what weight they might carry now. How many times had Silver boasted about Jim being in the Navy? He must have forgotten after meeting him, considering his cocky attitude and constant smart-ass comments were everything opposite of what Sidon pictured for a Naval officer.
The thought of Jim in a blue captain's uniform; brass buttons glinting, chest forward and chin tipped up proudly, blue eyes bright and that smirk on his lips…
He wanted to see it in person so he could pull the uniform off him-
"Excuse me, gentlemen," the bot turned away and motioned with one hand toward the door to allow them to pass through it.
Sidon followed Jim, eyes trained to how the man bounced instead of walked. Jim spun to walk backward and flashed a bright smile, "Anything else we needed to discuss, captain?"
"We could… negotiate …our relationship," Sidon's heart started to race. He didn't want there to be nothing between them. He shouldn't want anything, not after who he'd lost, but…dammit he wanted Jim something desperate.
Jim's eyes lit up with passion again and Sidon nearly grabbed him to take him to an alleyway and push him against the wall-
"Shall we discuss it back on the ship?"
"Yes." NO! I WANT TO 'DISCUSS' THIS NOW!
It was too late. He'd already agreed and they were nearly at the longboat. Sidon could see that the other was gone already, which meant that the crew was waiting on them to get back.
Jim loaded into the boat and took the controls with a smirk, "Ready to go, captain?"
If you keep saying 'captain' like that I'm going to make you take us to some secluded spot so I can pull you into my lap…
Sidon's heart wouldn't slow down and he couldn't focus on anything other than the way Jim looked with that elated smile on his face. His eyes were bright and there was so much life and fire on his face when he'd been nothing but a mask of cockiness or sullen silence since he'd been on the ship.
And those bright eyes kept darting over toward Sidon and the smile that was on his lips-
"Ready to strap her in, captain?"
He blinked and saw an amused grin on Jim's face accompanied by a raised eyebrow. Jim motioned to the clips hanging down to secure the longboat back in the bay and Sidon made a noise in his throat and reached for one, "Yeah. Yeah, let's get it hooked up."
Sidon couldn't keep his eyes off Jim and the bounce in his step and the look in his eye and the way he smelled so damn good when he was happy…
The infernal waggling of Jim's hips as he tied up his end of the longboat could be seen out of the corner of his eye and when he thought he couldn't possibly stand it anymore and would reach over and grab Jim and pin him down and make those hips move for him -
"You coming, captain?"
Not yet I'm not.
Jim led the way out of the longboat bay and he started through the cargo hold toward the deck, but he didn't get far. Sidon caught one hip in his hand and pulled Jim away from the walkway and behind a stack of crates and barrels.
"Oh, captain, were you wanting to negotiate right now?" Jim grunted as Sidon pushed him up against the wall.
"You know my rules," Sidon whispered back. His fingers fumbled with Jim's belt, unbuttoned his pants to ease them down so he could feel the man's skin under his fingertips. "Shut that damn mouth unless it's to say my name…"
Jim whimpered softly as Sidon kissed along the back of his neck and ground his hips on Jim's ass.
Sidon snarled softly. Jim was so much shorter than him and it was so hard to reach like this…He picked Jim up and flipped him onto his back on top of a crate, "You said last time you wanted me to fuck you, you still want that?"
The way Jim looked at him with pleading eyes and how his breathing picked up was the answer Sidon was looking for. He brought his finger to Jim's mouth, "Wet it."
Jim's lips parted and his tongue slipped over Sidon's finger and he felt his heart skip in his chest. He leaned in, brought his other hand up and gripped Jim's chin, pushed his head up and kissed his throat. Jim let out a gorgeous moan as he thrust his finger inside and massaged.
"I asked you a question."
"I want it-"
Sidon licked right under Jim's jaw where his scent was strongest. An involuntary moan slipped out and he pressed harder into the soft skin with his lips and he hooked his finger. Jim cried out and his scent spiked with arousal and Sidon gasped desperately at what the noise and smell did to him.
"Say my name…"
Jim cried out again before panting, "Sidon…"
Oh fuck…
"Again," Sidon reached between his own legs and took himself in hand. His mouth moved downward and pressed to Jim's chest and he focused on the heartbeat against his tongue and the heaving of his breaths and the way his body shook each time he made one of his beautiful noises.
"Sidon…"
He pumped himself, spreading slick over his shaft, and he hooked his finger again just so he could hear Jim let out a breathy groan.
"Say it again…"
Sidon slid in a second finger and Jim's back arched and he let out a high-pitched whimper, "Sidon!"
He couldn't wait anymore. Sidon stood and caught Jim's ankles. His pants were still on, shoved down around his knees, but it didn't matter. He pushed Jim's legs to one side, gripped the backs of his knees and lined himself up.
"Oh fuck…please…please Sidon…please captain," Jim's eyes went to his face. His fingers dragged down the back of Sidon's hand.
Sidon pushed in slowly and another unprompted moan came out. It was so good…he couldn't stop his hips from rocking forward deeper, and then deeper again as Jim let out an alluring groan. He pushed until skin met skin and they were fully locked together and then he stilled and just let himself enjoy the feeling.
"Sidon…oh fuck, Sidon…" Jim shuddered and Sidon felt like he might cum right then and there.
His body moved on its own and rocked into Jim, and the human cried his name again. He could barely think straight enough to gasp "Good boy" in response.
If anyone came into the hold Sidon wouldn't have even noticed. It never crossed his mind that someone could discover them, or that they might hear the way Jim's cries were reaching the pitch of a scream. He was too lost in the ecstasy from each thrust.
Jim tightened around him and he let out a wounded sound as he came.
FUCK!
Sidon thrust in hard and his eyes rolled back. It was so tight…so warm…Jim fit him so well…like they were made to slot together like this. His hands went to Jim's hips and he coaxed him onto his stomach on the crate.
He rocked hard, over and over, encouraged by the screams of ecstasy ripping from Jim's throat as he abused his prostate.
"Say my name-"
"SIDON!"
"Jim…Jim…so good…" Sidon bucked forward and buried himself as deep as he could. His hips made tiny jerking thrusts as he released and the pressure of Jim squeezing on him as he came and those little motions- he let out a keening roar and fell forward on his forearms. The human shuddered hard and let out his own cry of pleasure as he came again.
They gasped as they drifted down from the high. Sidon didn't pull out, didn't move up and off Jim, didn't open his eyes. He felt like he couldn't. Part of him still needed something…something more…
The realization that they were very much in the open, and had not been quiet even in the slightest, and that it was still only early afternoon and very likely everyone had heard them- it all hit Sidon with a cold wash of shame and shock and his eyes snapped open. A yawning pit of guilt spread through him from a central point in his gut.
I did it again…
Jim's face was flushed, his hair damp with sweat, chest heaving and body trembling slightly from the strain and desire. It wouldn't be easy to hide what they'd done. Not after the noises they'd made so loudly. Not with how hot his face was. Not with Jim looking like this…smelling like this…
Sidon pulled back and out and straightened his appearance as best he could, "Clean up and return to your station."
Jim eased off the crate and stumbled for a moment until he leaned heavily on the wall. His legs shook, but he managed to stay standing as he pulled his pants back up. A smirk crossed his mouth, lips still parted as he tried to catch his breath, "Yes, captain."
Sidon whipped around and hurried up to the deck before Jim's teasing tone and hazy gaze could pull him back in. Even as he made his escape, his mind returned to the sight of Jim bent over that crate and his cock buried in his tight little ass-
Timetra looked at him with pursed lips and an unamused expression on her face, "Captain."
"Return to our course."
He ignored the gazes of the crew as he took his place at the bridge. Jim wasn't far behind him, hair slicked back and face pink, and the hint of a grin on his face as he stood at the navigation screens.
Even just standing and working, Jim looked so tempting, and Sidon fought every fiber in his body to stare straight ahead and call orders to the crew.
This is going to be a long trip…