Diell Breaker (LGBT- Sci-Fi - Romance)

Chapter 11

Chapter 11 

Shehu followed Petrov with his eyes. He still looked upset by whatever had happened the other night with his ex-lover, at least he really hoped it was his ex-lover. He made a conscious effort to relax and unclench his hands, it was hardly any of his business. He was scheduled to go down to Fayruz today to help with the Voyager project. Maybe he'd run into what was his name? Rhys? That was it, introduce himself and what? Smash a fist into his face? What on Earth was he thinking? None of your business, he reminded himself for about the tenth time. 

Petrov was relieved he was due to return to Fayruz for another day. Grateful for the opportunity to dodge the Captain a bit longer, he just hoped he wouldn't run into Rhys. As far as he was concerned, it would be absolutely fine with him if he never saw him again. Part of him couldn't help hoping that maybe he and Farrell hadn't actually had sex together, maybe after kissing him, Petrov, the Captain had turned Rhys down, decided Petrov was the one he really wanted ... Yeah right, and maybe the sun would start going backwards in the sky. He needed to stop thinking about the Captain in that way, after all, in reality nothing had changed. Farrell was still pretending to be straight, and even if some miracle occurred and he declared himself, as long as Petrov was crewing for the Diell, he would be taboo as far as the Captain was concerned. 

Petrov took in a deep lungful of fresh air as he got out of the shuttle. Much as he enjoyed working in the space patrol, sometimes it was good just to breathe real air instead of the recycled chemicals with their faint antiseptic tang, that they had on board. He waited for Shehu and they strode off together towards the large shed where the creatures destined for the Voyager were being kept. 

"I've got a job for you two, if you wouldn't mind," Lieutenant Cheung from Voyager called them over. He pointed to a small round animal that almost looked as if it had fur, if fur was dark green and frondlike. "He, or she, or it I suppose, won't eat any of the food we process for it. The only thing it will eat is leaves from the plant which looks like this." He held out a fernlike plant with leaves remarkably similar to the creature's fur. "We need as many of these as you can find, enough to last the voyage to Capella." He sighed. "The equipment we have on board is not sophisticated enough, but we're hoping to be able to reproduce these ourselves, once we get to the main science lab on Capella." 

He looked at Petrov. "Apparently they grow near the river, where you went the other day. I'm hoping you'll have more luck than the last man I sent!" 

Petrov nodded. He thought he could remember seeing a couple of patches of the ferns. It would be fun to show Shehu the track they had found, as long as they kept an eye out for the creature that had bitten Aslanian. Both men rechecked their water and emergency supplies and headed off, carrying a couple of collapsible bags to carry the leaves in once they found them. 

They were hot and sweaty by the time they returned several hours later, both bags full with the leaves. Shehu in particular was liberally spattered with mud, having ventured into a small bog to gather an especially luscious looking bunch of fronds. They handed them over to a relieved Cheung, "Thanks! This should be sufficient, I hope." 

"I really enjoyed that," remarked Shehu, stretching muscles which were seldom used on board a space ship, "but I admit I'm looking forward to a hot shower." 

"Me too. We can use the ablutions block over there, if you're game." Petrov nodded to the small building. "It has real river water, I think you'll notice the difference from the showers on board." 

"But it's been purified, right?" asked Shehu uneasily. "Properly sterilised?" He wasn't as used to native products in the raw as Petrov was. What if something living came out of the shower with the water? 

Petrov grinned at him, "You'll be fine! Live dangerously!" 

Shehu followed him dubiously to the ablutions block, still unconvinced as Petrov disappeared into one of the three cubicles. He could hear the rush of water as Petrov activated the shower. He couldn't remember the last time he had heard water rushing, showers on board were usually a fine spray. What the hell! It sounded too good to resist. What were a few germs anyway, after the mud he had been ploughing through to pick the ferns? 

He spent a luxurious five minutes under the shower, feeling the water wash away the sweat and mud, and warm those stiff muscles. He could get used to this. He heard Petrov turn the water off in the adjoining cubicle and reluctantly did the same. He heard the door next to his open and peered out through the oneway plass panel in his door to see Petrov, with only a towel around his hips, twisting his body in front of the mirror, trying to get at something in his right shoulder blade. In a second he wrapped his own towel around his waist and went out to help. 

"Let me get that. What is it, a splinter?" 

"I think so," Petrov agreed, still twisting in an attempt to see it in the mirror. 

"Stand still," Shehu put warm hands on his shoulder, holding him still while his fingers deftly drew a large piece of stalk out of his back. A drop of bright red blood oozed out of the wound. He held the two centimetre stalk out in front of him, "See? That's what you had in there." 

Petrov was still looking in the mirror, looking at Shehu's body next to his, he hadn't seen him without a shirt before. His small nipples were dark brown and he had black curly hair on his chest, tapering down to a point over his stomach, disappearing beneath the thin towel. His shoulders were heavy with muscle, a chunkier build than the Captain. He brought his eyes quickly up to Shehu's face, hoping he hadn't offended him by staring. And found Shehu looking back at him in the mirror. 

He still had one hand on his shoulder. Very, very slowly he drew one finger down his arm, and back again, his eyes fixed on Petrov's. Alexei found he was holding his breath. What the hell was Shehu doing? He swallowed, his eyes questioning. Very deliberately, Shehu stroked his arm again, still with one finger.  

Shehu hadn't even known he was going to do that until his finger moved, seemingly of its own accord. He had been staring at Petrov's body, admiring the smooth curve of muscle in his shoulders, the long body, stomach very slightly curved, with a tiny bit of hair ... His heart was pounding in his chest as he stroked that beautiful smooth skin, feeling the play of muscles underneath. What was Petrov going to do? He had just given himself away completely, no point in pretending otherwise. 

Petrov realised Shehu was waiting for some sign from him, an acknowledgement of what was happening or a signal to stop. He tried to clear his throat, they really shouldn't be doing this, he should tell Shehu to stop. They had to talk first, talk about the consequences, but he couldn't seem to make a sound. 

Shehu moved a fraction closer so that his chest was rubbing lightly against Petrov's back. Now his whole hand was stroking him, warm palm against his skin, up and down his arm. Petrov was still staring at him, wide eyed in the mirror, as if he was mesmerised. Shehu fought down an urge to drop their towels to the floor and take him right there, before either of them could come to their senses, but he knew in the remaining small part of his brain that was still thinking that neither of them would forgive him if he did. They couldn't simply have a passionate encounter and walk away, not that he wanted to walk away! They had to work together afterwards. But God it was hard, Petrov wasn't saying stop, he was just standing there, accepting his caresses. 

Shehu put both hands on his shoulders and gradually drew them down the front of his body, stroking his chest and stomach, stopping short at the towel around his waist. Both of them watched his hands in the mirror, a darker brown moving over light olive skin. Petrov felt all the hairs on his body stand at attention. He could only be thankful the mirror ended at his waist. 

Shehu bent his head and delicately licked the drop of blood from his shoulder blade. Then he continued, kissing the curve of muscle along the top of his shoulder, working his way up the side of his throat to his ear. His lips were warm, his tongue darting out with tiny licks on his skin. God that felt good, Petrov tilted his head to allow Shehu better access to his throat, bringing his mouth around. He gave a low moan, oh god, he wanted, he wanted ... 

Crunch. The sound of a boot on the gravel outside had them springing violently apart. Petrov fled back to the safety of the cubicle and began throwing his clothes on as fast as he could. Oh god, he had nearly ... nearly ... nearly been caught having sex in the toilet block with his commanding officer. He couldn't believe it.