Chapter 5: Kissing Lessons
John breathed him in before instinct drove him to seek Tom's taste with his tongue. The slight difference in their height allowed their mouths to meet with a tilt up from John and a tilt down from Tom. Kissing was an entirely new experience for them both.
"Is this allowed?"
Tom nodded his answer even as he bit at John's lips, angled his head to the side and tried to get closer, taste more of him, feel more of him.
"Humans kiss this way?"
"Lovers kiss this way."
John felt the words down into the very marrow of his bones.
Their pact had kept them together throughout their lives as they grew up, changed, took on the roles of their bloodline rather than their choosing. If they had remained on Zon, this moment would never have happened. Zen took lovers for procreation, rarely for recreation. John could not name a pair of lovers who were same-gendered.
His sex ached in the confines of his trousers; John wanted to get closer to Tom even though there was no space between them. Pressing their bodies closer together didn't satisfy the ache in his new body. Heat was racing through his body as his blood felt as if it were boiling under his skin. Why were human bodies so sensitive? How had they survived as a species if they could be undone by only a kiss?
Gripping Tom at the curve of his posterior, John used his heavier form to lift Tom from his feet. They'd never done anything of this sort before. He was acting purely on instinct. Tom had never taken a lover to the best of his knowledge.
"No."
Tom spread his legs to welcome John between them and John pressed him into the opposite side of the berth. His mind was a confusion of want and need. As Tom wrapped his legs around John's waist, John felt his thick length line up against an answering hardness between Tom's legs.
"No? You want me to stop?"
John wasn't sure he had it in himself to stop. His control over his form had never been called into question so thoroughly before. All he wanted to do was rock and rut against Tom until the ache in his groin was satisfied.
"No," Tom murmured, breaking the kiss to nip at John's earlobe, "I have never taken a lover. Never joined a mating unit. Never let another touch me. Only you. Always you. I have always been yours. You could have had me at any time. All you needed to do was ask."
John felt the fragile grip he had on his control snap. He used his heavier body to hold Tom up as he forced a hand between their bodies. His trousers were too tight to do more than a cursory adjustment to his erect penis; Tom was larger as a human than he had been as an Ormali yet his hips were still narrow. John worked his hand down the front of them to grasp his friend -Lover?- and moaned at the heated flesh searing its shape into his memory forever.
"I only want this with you. I only want you to have this with me. Is that wrong?"
"You're never wrong. You are always right. For me. Every part of you is always right for me."
John went on instinct alone. He squeezed and stroked his hand over Tom while Tom twisted against him, his lean legs tightening around John's waist as he writhed. If he had been thinking, John would have realized the heat he felt was from the rush of blood under their skin. As it was, John found himself bucking and tugging and panting as he tried to find a way to release the heat before they both burned alive.
"Help me? Help me. I don't know what to do."
"Just this. All you need to do is this."
Tom pressed his lips to John's again and John opened his mouth immediately to welcome his tongue to dance with his own. Had Tom ever danced? Records had been a quiet world made separate from the rest of the Zen. If Tom had not been placed in the creche with John, they would never have met.
Security was never allowed inside the peace of Records.
Their world tilted on its axis as Tom shocked John by sucking at his tongue. He'd never known the organ could feel anything other than taste. Humans were gifted in their flesh if they were not so gifted in other ways.
John gave a guttural moan. He lost all sense of time or place until energy seemed to strike him from the base of his spine, his legs went weak as his knees buckled and he slid to the flooring of the berth with Tom straddling him on the way down. John worried his hand was hurting Tom from how tight he gripped his shaft, but then he felt the orgasm shoot out of his friend.
Seconds passed into minutes as they tried to disentangle themselves from one another while their breathing returned to normal.
John had spent semen while in the company of other males involved in the same mating unit. He'd never done it while touching another male or while another male touched him. Zen wanted to breed young. Sex for pleasure was rare due to the low birth rate of their kind. Humans had no breeding problems. John couldn't help wondering if it was because they were so physical they sought out mating partners of either gender as often as they could.
"No. I think they're just more fertile than Zen."
The sensible answer was so in keeping with Tom's pragmatism John found himself chuckling. They were both laughing as the klaxon sounded a warning to all aboard.
"We're to begin descent. Stay here. I'll be quick."
John leaned back in the berth as Tom stood, adjusting his trousers before disappearing into the hallway. John tracked him with his ears and his mind, shaking his head ruefully as he realized Tom was gathering them fresh garments from the dispensary on their deck.
"We can't very well disembark looking as we do, can we? Neither of us would outlive your blood brother's reaction alone."
Tom squeezed back into the berth with their new clothing clutched to his chest with one hand, reaching the other down to offer it to John who accepted the help back onto his feet gratefully. They dressed as quickly as they could in the small space. It was easier because they were accustomed to moving around each other in any form; John wondered if Tom realized they had always orbited around each other in the way of two planets who refused to recognize the sun of their galaxy.
"Earth. Tom for John?"
John nodded while allowing the security lashes to wrap around his body to hold him in his side of the berth. It felt much farther away from Tom though the distance hadn't changed.
"John for Tom."
The mission commander's voice disrupted both their thoughts as it echoed in their minds with the warning, "Guardian descends."
Chapter 6: Guardian DescendedTomRecords were left to their own devices. Most Zen chose not to associate with the historians of their race without just cause. It was disconcerting to think of someone remembering every single word or action without effort.Perfect recall was the one gift all members of Records shared in their bloodline.In exchange, Records were unable to connect to the rest of their kin with the ease all other Zen families possessed.Guardian descended with the stately grace of a much smaller vessel; alarms were sounded to signal Zen to begin their descent protocols. Everyone had a job. Except Tom. Avoiding the thought to spare John any discomfort, Tom focused all his energy on feeling calm, cool, and collected.Earth was going to be their new home. Earth was a new planet. Earth would need all of Tom's focus for a time as he tried to learn its history to place it alongside the
Chapter 7: DisembarkingJohnZen were forming into orderly groupings when John was told they were all meant to be escorted to registration.Immediately upon exiting their ship.How was he meant to register with Tom if he was to be taken to registration as soon as he disembarked?John was not given the chance to panic due to an issue with his blood brother demanding his attention -"Have you seen my mating unit? They went for our female. She was berthed on the other side of the deck."-followed by concerns as to whether Security should escort each group to registration or not.The Zen had been promised a peaceful welcome so long as they followed the rules set out for them to join the United States. All of their preparations had been done in advance far before the passengers had been woken. There were many reasons to be concerned about adapting to a new planet. Should they be concerned their people had e
Chapter 8: RegistrationTomAll the orderly lines of Zen were divided into separate queues upon entering the registration depot. Tom was able to make out the words above the door using the information he'd gleaned from the human version of Records. They were registering at the County Clerk Office where it seemed many types of registration were available.Queue directors helpfully shuffled the Zen from one path to another in order to try to keep an even number of registrants before each human worker; Scientist Serena was moved to the queue beside Tom and John before either of them had an opportunity to protest. Tom knew he would have tried to insist they remain together.Tom didn't want to admit he knew John would have felt otherwise regarding the Scientist.Surprisingly, the pair in front of them were human."What are we doing for you gentleman today?"Tom listened to the cheerful worker greet the pair
Chapter 9: NewsworthyJohnQuestions continued to be fired at them with the speed of stun bolts and they had the same effect on Tom who was trying -unsuccessfully- to tuck his taller, leaner body behind John. It was instinct alone which had him wrapping an arm around Tom's waist to pull him into his body; Tom responded beautifully as he ducked enough to tuck his face into the crook nestled between John's neck and shoulder.Why did he have to be shorter in this form of all forms?"We are unable to respond without permission of our expedition council."The answer was not entirely truthful as no Zen was forbidden from speaking as they pleased. The human recordkeepers seemed to understand and accept it all the same which was relief enough for John.Feeling Tom trembling against him was rousing his protective instincts."Hey! You guys were right behind us!"John glanced over to see
Chapter 10: On Hunters and GatherersTomEvery step through the throng of reporters felt harder than the one before it. Tom was painfully aware of how exposed his face was as he felt blinded every time a flash went off in front of him. They were out in a sunny area. Why would these people even need additional lights for their records?Nothing about the questions being posed made sense.Who would benefit from knowing how long he and John had been in a relationship? What use would humans have of their designated employments? Why would any human want to know who had 'proposed' marriage as an option for them?Questions spun around in his head until he felt dizzy, grateful for John's sturdy form keeping him upright until they reached the automobile their new human companions claimed for their own."Do you mind riding in the back? I get carsick in the backseat."'What is 'carsick'?' Tom though
Chapter 11: GatheringJohnBrian and Ryan linked hands as soon as they were clear of their vehicle; John followed their example to entwine his fingers with Tom's and instantly felt better about being so far from Guardian."How many in your party?"Ryan indicated John and Tom were with them and responded, "Four. We're celebrating our wedding day! We're all newlyweds!""Thank you for choosing us to celebrate this day with you! We are very happy to serve you here!"The woman was the smallest female John had ever seen among humans. She had features which he'd been told were Asian and she moved with the kind of grace he associated with his Tom. All the other customers seemed to look at them as they made their way through the main floor of the establishment to be seated before a cooking station."Please be seated. Our chef will be with you soon."They sat two a side at the station
Chapter 12: HuntersTom"Please calm down, sir. We will seat you on this side. Far away. You see? Very far away.""I don't want to be in the same buildingas those things!"Tom leaned closer to John as the man continued to yell at the small hostess who'd been so kind to them on their arrival. Why was he so angry? Was he so very afraid of Zen? How did he know?John moved his hand in slow circles on Tom's back and he found himself breathing slower, calming even more when the man stormed out with his companions."Don't worry about him," Ryan encouraged, "We used to get complaints when we held hands in public. People choose how they react to anyone different. That guy? Total bigot. He's probably terrified you're going to turn him into a frog or eat him."Brian nodded his agreement while Ryan rolled his eyes expansively; Tom found he was smiling once more.Wer
Chapter 13: The CouncilJohn"Which of you would like to answer to our council first?"John stepped in front of Tom as he realized the Council Guard had vocalized his request to be certain Tom understood the gravity of the situation.Zen rarely acknowledged the weaknesses of any bloodline; Records were revered enough for hints at their weak mind voices to be considered beyond crass."I will speak to them. I made the choice during our registration."Neither of them needed to be able to read the Council Guard's mind voice to know he was bringing them before the council in regards to their 'marriage.'Tom nearly vibrated with anxiety beside him. John took his hand in the fashion the humans had displayed and felt his anxiety lessen almost immediately. Zen tradition to keep themselves physically separate meant they received a few stares, but John was willing to risk any disapproval to help Tom.Why hadn't he con