Dragon Ball/Z/GT Fan Fiction ❯ Barracks ❯ Part 37 ( Chapter 37 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragon Ball Z – it belongs to its respective owners. This fan fiction is not a commercial project, and I am not making any money from writing it.
Warnings: Alternate Universe. Yaoi (male x male). Goten x Trunks and vice versa. Other pairings.
A/N: Starcut’s crew members:

1.Captain
2.Backup Captain
3.Master Sergeant
4.Navigator  - (Adriel)
5.Communications Specialist - (Sildara)
6.Programmer - (Rokunda)
7.Gunnery Sergeant - (Monteira Fawa)
8.Arms Specialist – (Hazel)
9.Arms Specialist – (Mandro)
10.Flight Officer - (Reyn Dueri)
11.Flight Officer - (Jadenas Ealt)
12.Head Engineer - (Nohail Ofura)
13.Maintenance Technician – (Mirun)
14.Maintenance Technician
15.Doctor - (Tamahi)
16.Medic - (Yereli)
17.Head Cook
18.Cook
19.Soldier - (Edesha)
20.Goten

Barracks

by chayron (lttomb@yahoo.com), beta-read by quatreofdoom

Part 37

In addition to his latrine and warder duties, Goten was assigned to the kitchen helpers, just as he had suspected would happen. He had been informed of this straight after he had finished his watch over the patients. Grumbling under his breath, he went to the kitchens. His mood improved when he saw that his fate was shared by a handful of other crew members. Edesha was stirring something in a pot with his good hand, Mandro was chopping a cabbage, Reyn was peeling potatoes, and two Humans – one male and one female – were grating carrots. Must be volunteers. The third-class felt he already liked the two.

“Ah, Goten,” Reyn greeted the third-class. “How about you help me out with these potatoes?”

“So that you can bully me again? No, thanks. I’d rather help someone else.”

“Aw, c’mon, when did I ever bully you?”

“You have a conveniently short memory.”

The flight officer grinned at Goten. He patted the bench next to him. “C’mon, sit down. I promise to behave.”

It didn’t seem to be anything more than a friendly invitation and, after finding a peeler, Goten accepted it. Besides, he knew that Reyn wouldn’t mention anything of what happened yesterday with so many people around. That conversation was going to take place later and probably last long, very long.

“I hear you have a roommate now,” the flight officer said casually.

From the corner of his eyes, Goten saw Edesha shift uncomfortably by the stove. The third-class nodded. “Yeah. I woke up and he was there, in bed.”

“Where?”

Goten glanced at Reyn. The flight officer seemed to be puzzled. No, not really puzzled, rather unpleasantly surprised. The third-class rolled his eyes. He didn’t feel like explaining. He continued to peel potatoes silently, completely missing the meaningful looks Reyn and Edesha exchanged behind his back.

“Don’t skip your latrine duty today,” Goten said. He wasn’t even certain why he said that. He knew Reyn wouldn’t – the man had even told him not to come for a few days. It was obvious that the wait for the whole thing with the stupid dreams and the even stupider prince to blow up in his face was making him snappish.

Reyn gave Goten a searching look, then chuckled at his dismal face. “I didn’t know you were missing me so much. I’ll be certain to visit you this evening.”

The third-class felt the tension retreat somewhat. Instead, he felt ashamed now; the flight officer had noticed that his mood was unstable and was apparently trying to avoid a conflict. This was rare, and he was grateful to Reyn for not latching onto it.

“How’s the kid?” the third-class asked. He had been looking for him, but was then intercepted by the master sergeant, who informed him about his glorious return to the kitchen.

“Are you talking about the one who peed on you?” Reyn wondered.

“Yes, that one.”

The flight officer looked around, but everyone responded by shrugging their shoulders, even the Human couple after the question had been translated. Reyn shrugged as well. “No idea. Hopefully, he at least got his clothes washed.”

Goten doubted that. It didn’t seem that his parents had survived, or maybe the kid had been traveling alone. There was no doubt that his kind would take care of him one way or another, but Goten felt responsible for him. He had saved many others, but the kid and Reyn were the ones he had seen die with his own eyes. It was only natural that he felt a bigger emotional attachment towards them.

“Hey, you don’t stink anymore!” Reyn joyfully informed Goten.

“Don’t make it sound as if smelling of piss is my trademark.”

“My bad. Your trademark is to be pissed off. Most of the time anyway, right?”

“No, it’s you who’s trying to piss me off most of the time.”

“That’s right,” Mandro said. “The only time I saw a pissed off Goten was when he smashed your face into his soup. And you kinda deserved it.”

“I did not.”

“Well, you kinda did,” Edesha endorsed.

“Ha!” Goten said victoriously. “I’m a very peaceful guy. Everybody knows that.”

“You? Peaceful?” Reyn snorted incredulously. “Pfft. It only takes a few words to send you flying into rage.”

Goten stared at him. “Then don’t, for gods’ sakes,” he said, looking aghast.

Mandro burst out laughing. His eyes followed Goten’s and Reyn’s backs when they went to the sink to wash potatoes. “Hey,” he whispered to Edesha, “have you noticed? You just look at Reyn go – pestering Goten non-stop, drawing him out. Reyn has never been this talkative before.” He grinned. “I think he has the hots for the newbie.”

Just a few days ago, Edesha would have laughed at this and called the arms specialist an idiot. Now he was certain that this was exactly what was going on. The look Reyn had given him about ten minutes ago had convinced him completely. It had been a warning look, one which tells a rival that there would be hell to pay if ignored. It had been anything but subtle, and never had Edesha imagined he would see Reyn give it to someone.

“No way…” Mandro muttered, quickly coming to a conclusion when Edesha kept silent. “No freakin’ way…”

Farther away, Goten and Reyn were washing the potatoes, the splash of running water drowning out their voices. “Do you know that Orion exploded?” the flight officer asked Goten casually.

The third-class tensed, but didn’t raise his eyes off the potatoes in the sink. He wasn’t surprised by the fact, there was nothing to be surprised about – he had known it would explode after all. To pretend to be surprised was pointless too – Reyn wasn’t gullible.

“Ah, so. What a pity.”

“It happened soon after we docked on Starcut.”

Three hours later, huh? Goten thought. “It appears we shouldn’t have hurried so much, then,” he said.

Reyn dropped the potatoes he had been washing back into the sink and leaned on the edge of it with his wet hands. He stared at the side of Goten’s head, wishing he could see the third-class’s eyes. “We are damn lucky to have gotten away from there,” he said. “But I’m certain you know that.”

“Well, of course!” Goten answered with a note of flat excitement in his voice.

Reyn felt the urge to douse Goten with a bucketful of water. “How did you know, Goten?” He held his hand out when the third-class opened his mouth. “Don’t. I want the truth.”

Goten glared at him, glared hard. Unbelievable. Reyn really had the audacity to try and corner him like this while he couldn’t get a word out of the flight officer’s mouth… Who was the one with secrets? And what about the fucking telephone number? When was he going to bring that one up? Damn fucker!

“Screw you!” Goten spat, suddenly agitated beyond words. Startled, Edesha and Mandro turned their heads to look at what was going on at the sink.

Reyn didn’t seem to be very fazed by the sudden outburst. “And how did you know about that kid?” he pressed on.

“What fucking kid?” Goten growled, urged on by Reyn’s lack of concern. “I just advised you not to waste your time with children. And th-”

“Goten, you’re insulting my intelligence.”

The third-class slammed the bucket down onto the floor, the water sloshing over the brim and onto the metallic floor. “Screw you and your intelligence!”

Goten was yelling at him now, and Edesha with Mandro moved forward in case they needed to separate the two; the fur on Goten’s tail was bristling and there was a big chance that he would resort to violence. Reyn wasn’t quite there yet, but at this rate he was going to be dragged in.

The other Saiyans’ proximity spiked the third-class’s anger to yet a higher level. Somewhere at the back of his head, he was watching himself in astonishment, but there was no denial that Reyn had annoyed the hell out of him. Why exactly, he couldn’t tell, but he suddenly hated the man.

“How exactly are you peaceful, you walking epitome of aggression?!” Reyn spat.

“Oh gods,” Edesha muttered, pushing at the flight officer’s chest, trying to make him back away from Goten. “Don’t let him drag you into this.” He hoped Reyn wouldn’t suddenly set off and decide to make quick work of his good arm. The prospect of not being able to wipe his own ass was dreadful.

“And fucking what am I dragging him into?” Goten growled, effortlessly shoving Mandro aside, out of his way. The arms specialist caught himself on the corner of the table to regain his balance.

“Shit, Reyn,” Edesha said nervously at the sight of Goten advancing. “Just… Just…” He felt the flight officer stiffen, then Reyn suddenly turned around and marched out of the kitchens. He rounded the counter and strode across the canteen towards the exit.

“Hey, you fucking… What the hell?!” Goten shouted after him. “Where the hell are you going? Wait!”

“What the hell for?” Mandro hissed at the third-class, now holding him in place by his clothes. “So that you two can demolish the canteen?”

Goten struggled for a few more seconds, but in order to get away, he either had to tear his uniform or use some serious force to pry Mandro off him. He wasn’t too far gone yet to resort to any of those. Mandro somehow… Mandro wasn’t a threat, none of them were. Reyn was, though. And he had retreated.

Without any clear thought in the head, Goten stopped trying to wriggle out of Mandro’s grasp and raised his hands above his head to show that he didn’t mean any harm. When the arms specialist finally let go of him, Goten still couldn’t trust himself not to bolt after Reyn.

In the evening, Goten’s mood had improved a lot. This was mostly due to the fact that Adriel had informed him about a celebration party which was going to take place in Goten’s cabin. The third-class hadn’t protested at all. In fact, he welcomed it. He felt he deserved a breather and at least some kind of reward after saving his and other people’s skin on Orion. This was as much of a thanks as he was getting. He was fine with that.

It had taken Goten nearly an hour to clean the toilets. With the large-scale increase in clientele, by the time he had worked his way from the beginning to the end of the row, he felt he needed to start cleaning all over again. Reyn hadn’t shown up. Goten had been both irritated and relieved over the fact. In any case, he was finally done and still had about twenty minutes before people started gathering in his cabin.

The third-class opened the door and was taken aback by the sight of Reyn sitting on his floor, leaning against his bed, absently leafing through the only porn magazine he had. The flight officer raised his eyes off an expressive photograph of a young Human female with giant breasts.

“You’re into this kind of thing?” he wondered, pointing at the photo between the woman’s bare legs.

“Into what thing?” Goten asked, feeling an immediate need to defend his standpoint, no matter how stupid it was. He was going to kill Adriel. What was the point of him changing the code key if that idiot went around giving it away to anyone who wanted it?

Reyn lifted and turned the magazine for the third-class to see.

“Ah, this. Mmnmn… No, not really. Humans… Well, no. Page thirty is closer to what my taste is.”

Reyn lowered the magazine back onto his lap and turned to the glories of page thirty. He half-expected it to be a photo of a spaceship or a sword, but instead there was a well-built second-class Saiyan male of Goten’s age. Reyn gave the worn photo an appreciative look. The handsome youth was standing in a shower stall with the water shut off, a sheen of droplets covering his skin. His head was reclined, legs spread slightly, his half-closed eyes lowered to watch how his hand was fisting his cock.

“Is this why you tend to find yourself in compromising situations in the showers?” Reyn teased. Now it made more sense to him as to why Goten was so fond of looking for relief there. This particular fantasy of Goten’s was easy to fulfill, though.

The third-class didn’t rise to the bait. “You didn’t come to the toilets,” he accused, approaching the flight officer.

“I wanted to give you some time to cool off.” Reyn glanced at the youth’s photo again. He nodded, grinning. “That’s one hell of an ass.”

Goten rolled his eyes. He sat down on his bed, a few steps away from where Reyn was sitting on the floor. It suddenly came to the third-class that Reyn did thank him for saving his life back then, on the shuttle.

“I… I’m sorry,” Goten muttered after a moment’s silence between them.  “I shouldn’t have lashed out like that. I… I don’t really understand why it came to that.”

The flight officer closed the magazine and chucked it onto the bed for the third-class to take. He thought it was glaringly obvious why, he could bet the entire crew knew why, only Goten was oblivious. It wasn’t normal, of course, this intensity between them, but nothing was normal either about him or Goten.

“Whatever,” Reyn said with a sigh. “Let’s just forget it. I won’t pester you about it anymore.”

The third-class pursed his lips. “It’s… It’s not really that. It’s just that you won’t believe me anyway.”

Reyn upturned his head to look at Goten. Their eyes met, both of them holding each other’s gaze evenly. “Try me,” he said. “I don’t think you can surprise me any more than I am already.”

Goten rubbed the back of his neck nervously. It suddenly seemed incredibly easy to just get on with it and spill all of it out. “Mm…” he mumbled uncertainly. “I…” His head shot up at the sound of someone’s fist banging against the door. Ah, right. The party. Huh. Forgot completely.

Disappointed, Reyn crossed his arms across his chest and leaned his head on the mattress to stare at the ceiling while Goten went to let the guest in. In a few seconds, he heard Adriel’s voice.

“Oh, Reyn. Here for the party?”

“Sure.”

Adriel blinked in surprise. As if the flight officer joining a party wasn’t amazing enough, an even more astonishing thing was that Reyn had just invited himself to it with a definite “sure”. It did seem that the newest rumor Mandro was readily sharing with everyone had some base to it. If anything, the self-invitation only added to it. He threw a quick look at Goten, but the younger male seemed to be perfectly fine with that. Well, if Goten was fine with it, then it was alright, wasn’t it? He felt, however, a need to warn Reyn about the prince lurking somewhere in Goten’s background. Surely, there could be absolutely nothing between the two, but…just in case.

Adriel hadn’t come empty-handed. He walked towards the desk/table at the wall and started pulling the bottles and various packets he had brought out of the bag. Goten wondered where he kept all of that. A bottle or two was easy to hide, but this was already the third or fourth party. He watched Adriel arrange the bottles behind the terminal so that they wouldn’t be visible if someone decided to do a quick check up on them. It was a good thing Goten had changed the door code.

“Music?” the navigator asked, folding his bag and then squeezing it in between the terminal and the wall for later retrieval.

Goten motioned at the terminal. “It’s still dead.” In fact, he was pretty glad that it wasn’t functioning; they were a noisy bunch without any assistance. The captain tolerated these occasional gatherings, but it wasn’t clear what his reaction to deafening noise and vibrating walls would be. It was best not to find out.

“Have you asked Rokunda to take a look?”

“No. I don’t really need it, and it’s a bother to ask her.”

“I see.” Adriel shrugged. He sat down next to Reyn, elbowing him lightly. “So did you bring any offerings for the party?”

“Sure,” Reyn said, fishing under Goten’s bed, pulling out a plastic bottle and lowering it between Adriel’s slightly spread legs with a thud. “Here you go. And this is for a snack,” he said, lifting himself with his left elbow, groping around on the bed, and then tossing the porn magazine onto the navigator’s lap.

Disinterested, Adriel pushed the magazine aside and, instead, took the bottle for inspection. He started when his hands touched it, then he lowered it back onto the floor with a sigh. “You’re such a kid.”

Curious, Goten reached out for the bottle. He nearly dropped it in unexpectedness; the plastic was hot. He unscrewed the cap and the unmistakable smell reached his nostrils immediately. “Huh. Is this coffee?”

“And it’s still hot!” Reyn exclaimed with a proud chuckle.

There was more banging against the door and the third-class closed the cap, tossing the bottle back to Reyn before going to let more guests in. Sildara came empty-handed since his boyfriend had brought his share as well. Edesha went for the wardrobe to rummage on the left side that Goten had yielded to him. There, on the bottom of it, he grasped the bottlenecks of five beers.

From the depths of his white coat, Tamahi pulled out a bottle of diluted surgical spirits. He fished out seven plastic shot glasses from his coat pockets. He looked around, but it didn’t seem that there was anything he could use for a table, so he started arranging his goods right on the floor next to where Adriel and Reyn were sitting.

“What about Jadenas and the twins?” Goten asked as it seemed that things were coming into swing. “Weren’t they coming?”

“Well, one of us has to stay sober and keep watch,” Reyn said, “in case of an emergency.”

Adriel snickered. “Do you plan on getting drunk on that coffee?”

The flight officer grinned at him. “You know I’m a lightweight. I get drunk on anything.”

Adriel rolled his eyes. “Ah well, he sure owes you for all those times you kept watch for him while he was getting plastered.”

“Precisely!” Reyn agreed. Tamahi was pouring the shots, and Reyn wondered where he could pour himself some coffee. He saw Goten’s mug on the desk/table next to the terminal and, after pointing at it and nudging the third-class a few times, Reyn soon had it in his possession.

Before long, all of them were armed with something to drink, and Tamahi raised his glass. “Let’s drink to those who survived and let’s remember those who are gone,” he said, saluting them. The room quieted considerably, and they drank to that, musing silently. At first, the words struck Goten as very profound, but then he realized that this was probably what they said after every successful or failed mission. It was just how it went: someone died and someone stayed alive. It was always like this.

“It’s funny how it all depends on luck, huh?” Goten muttered, emptying his shot.

“Hmm… Does it?” Adriel wondered, opening a packet of crisps with a loud pop.

“It sure does,” the third-class insisted while Sildara was pouring him another shot glass. “A minute or two of delay, even a few seconds, forgetting or remembering something, approaching someone, getting noticed by someone, being liked or hated, sleeping in, waking up too early; it all counts in the end.”

“Isn’t this fate?” Tamahi wondered. “Don’t you believe in it?”

Goten reflected while chewing on his salami sandwich. “I think I do. I don’t really want to, but I’m in no position to deny that it exists. It seems that it does. It’s…complicated.”

Adriel clapped him on his back, nearly making him choke on the sandwich. “You take this too seriously.”

The problem is that I haven’t taken this seriously enough, Goten thought morosely. Toharu would still be alive if I had.

Edesha laughed. “Why is it that a few shots of drink turn people into philosophers?”

“What’s a ‘philosopher’?” Goten inquired.

“You serious?” Sildara chuckled. “How did you ever finish…? Oh right. You haven’t.”

“Thank you very much for reminding me,” Goten said with a pout. “Asshole.”

Adriel hugged him. “Don’t worry, you’re just as lovely without finishing it.”

“Get your boyfriend off me,” Goten complained to Sildara in a second, “he’s trying to feel me up.”

“Oh gods, you tattler…yowch!” Adriel yelped as Sildara whacked him over the head none too gently. “Just his pockets! His pockets, I swear! I tried to see whether he…”

“Hey!” Goten cried out indignantly after checking his pockets. “Where is my credit card?”

Adriel grinned, spreading his right hand. “Teehee.”

“Don’t you ‘teehee’ me! Give it back!”

“Nuh-uh. It’s about time you paid up for the treats you’ve been getting.”

“I said I will! I just can’t cash it here!”

Adriel gave him a sly smile. “But I can.” He raised the card for everybody to see and waved it in the air suggestively. “Anyone interested? Fifty credits? Forty? And if we get him shitfaced tonight, we could probably also get the password out of him.”

“Oh no, you don’t! Give it back!”

Reyn moved his coffee from the floor and under the bed when Goten lunged at Adriel. Absently, he watched the navigator circling the cabin a few times at great speed with Goten in tow. Then the third-class finally made a giant leap, his hand catching the scruff of Adriel’s collar. He tugged him backwards, and Adriel lost his footing. They fell onto Tamahi, who cursed loudly, shoving them away.

“Don’t go around spilling my drink, you idiots!”

Goten retrieved his credit card victoriously and returned to sit at the bed. While he was carefully pocketing the card, Reyn’s coffee returned from its hiding place. Goten downed a third shot and set on methodically destroying a packet of crisps.

“I’m shorrry,” mumbled Edesha an hour later, rubbing Goten’s forehead with quite some force, nearly making him topple over. “It was me. Meee in the sh-showers.”

Goten pushed his palm away from his forehead. “Yes, I know, I know,” he slurred impatiently. “My forehead’s fine already. Stop it,” he warned when Edesha reached out for his brow again.

Edesha nearly burst into tears. “I fff-fff-fff-fuck… Mmm… No, I mean…I ffff-fff-feel so baaad ‘bout it. I’m shorry. ‘ss just you…you acted like a…like such a cherrybutt back then. … I fff-fff-thought it’d be ffffun to…to tease you…”

“So that’s what it was…” Goten muttered, looking around for something edible.

“Cherrybutt!” Adriel squealed, catching on immediately. “Hahaha! Cherrybutt!”

“Hey, is there some beer left?” Goten wondered. He felt he couldn’t care less. He was probably used to it already. “Crisps?”

Reyn shook his head. “Nope. Tamahi drank it all.” With his left leg, he poked the doctor in the side. “Hey, if you want to sleep, go to your cabin.”

Tamahi’s eyes blinked and he raised his head off the floor, then rolled onto his back. After that, he disconnected again.

“Cherrybutt! Hahaha!”

Reyn snorted at Adriel. “What are you? A broken record? Here, have some coffee.”

“It’s cold! Dun’ wanna! Cherrybutt!”

“Just go to sleep, you idiot.”

On the verge of tears, Edesha gave the third-class an apologetic look. There was something pitiful about the drunken Saiyan looking so apologetic. Goten patted him awkwardly on his shoulder.

“’s okay, okay. I’ve been called worse.” He yelped in surprise when Edesha grabbed him into a hug.

“I l-like ya! I rrreally like ya! You’re such…such a good guy!”

“I like you too,” Goten said, trying to free himself. “Now let go.”

“Just do him,” Adriel said to Edesha. “He said he likes you.”

“I’ll do you in,” Goten warned him. “Just open your mouth one more time.” He finally managed to escape Edesha’s embrace. He felt he was drunk, but not overly so. He cast a look at his bed where Sildara was hugging his pillow in his undisturbed sleep. On all fours, he crawled over to pry Sildara’s fingers off a beer bottle. With a deep twinge of sorrow, Goten saw that it was empty. He lowered it to the floor.

“Have some coffee,” Reyn offered.

“Go fuck yourself. Seriously.”

The flight officer pouted. “And here I come with my best inten-gh!”

“I knew it!” Goten exclaimed victoriously, waving the half-empty bottle of coffee in the air. “There’s something in that coffee! Adriel! There’s really something in that coffee! A treasure! I found a treasure! Hey!” He turned around to see that the navigator was out cold, lying on the floor, drooling. “And he was so lively only a second ago!” He swiveled his head to see Edesha climbing into his bed clumsily, about to pass out. Goten turned back to Reyn. “Oh well, that leaves the two of us,” he said, looking around for another mug. “More for me.”

Resigned, Reyn watched Goten ransacking Edesha’s side of the wardrobe. He soon retrieved a metallic mug and poured himself some coffee.

“You’re good at holding your liquor,” Reyn said.

“Not really. I’m just too slow. I didn’t even notice when they drank it all,” Goten said, sipping the cold coffee. “Bastards. Is this rum?” It was so diluted that he could hardly feel the taste but it was unmistakably there.

Reyn chuckled. “Cognac.”

“The taste is horrible.”

“Well, what do you expect? It’s cold already.”

“I don’t even like coffee.”

“Oh for fuck’s sake, you either stop complaining or stop drinking!”

“You wish!”

“Ugh.” Reyn sighed. “Whatever.” His gaze went out to Tamahi, who suddenly jerked in his sleep. He sat up gasping. “What?”

The doctor didn’t answer anything, but started crawling towards the door. Goten reached out to grab him by his ankle. Tamahi seemed to be confused by the sudden weight on his leg. He rowed with his hands across the floor, but didn’t manage to move more than a few centimeters.

“Just let him return to his cabin.”

“He will fall asleep in the corridor.”

“Then let him.”

Goten thought for a moment. He shrugged and let go of the ankle. “Okay.”

On his way to the door, Tamahi caught Adriel’s head with his elbow. The navigator rose like a zombie from its grave, emitting strange noises, swaying and drooling all over. For a minute, he looked so out of it that Goten thought he’d fall over again. Then his eyes, with a blank expression in them, fixed on Goten.

“All elites are assholes,” he said gravely. “Don’t trust any of them!”

“Ha,” Goten said, taken aback. Then he felt that he had many things to share and add to this sentiment. “I totally agree! Those whites!” He quieted suddenly. “Well, no… Not really. Some are fine. Almanda was fine. Totally fine. And then also…”

“Assholes!” Adriel protested harshly. “All assholes! You be careful! Ass-” He fell over with a thud and started snoring.

“Hey,” Goten complained, “I haven’t finished talking yet! Damn you,” he muttered, taking a swig of Reyn’s enhanced coffee. “And while we are still on that topic,” he continued telling the horizontal navigator, “I also hate second-classes. Just…oh gods! Some are even worse than elites! Seriously! I swear each time they feel bad about themselves, they take it out on us! Why should I take that kind of attitude! Where’s the equa-”

“He’s out cold, Goten,” Reyn interrupted his rambling.

“I know that!” the third-class snapped at him indignantly.

Reyn rubbed his forehead, sighing. Goten meanwhile poured himself a second mug of coffee. Both of them turned to the sound of complete misery wafting from Goten’s bed. Sildara had sat up and looked like he was about to vomit.

“Oh crap, crap, crap, crap!” Goten chanted. “Just not on my bed! Toilets! Go to the toilets!”

Without a word, pale as a sheet of paper, the communications specialist rolled out of the bed and wobbled out of the cabin.

“Hey,” Reyn called, kicking Adriel in the left boot. “Get up. Your boyfriend feels sick.”

Adriel opened his eyes. “Mrrr?” He smacked his lips together a few times to wet them. “Sick? Mmrm… Who’s sick?”

“Sildara. Go do something about him. He went to the toilets.”

With a troubled groan, Adriel staggered to his feet and followed his lover.

“I don’t think he can actually do anything about him,” Goten said wistfully after the door had closed behind his back. “Or for him.”

“Well, of course he can’t, but it’s one less dead body in your room.”

“Oh. You’re smart!” Goten giggled, saluting Reyn with his enhanced coffee.

Over the brim of his mug, Reyn watched him drink, then swallow happily. He was about to take a sip again.

“You’re a third-class, aren’t you, Goten?”

The words filtered through the pleasant buzz of tipsiness, and Goten’s mug froze on its way to his mouth. The sober awareness of his surroundings returned to him in a vital rush. He suddenly became aware that, besides the sleeping Edesha, he and Reyn were the only ones in the cabin.

Goten laughed. “What nonsense are you spewing?” But he knew he wasn’t convincing at all. He was too drunk to act persuasively.

Reyn leaned forward. He had a placid expression on his face, kind even. “There’s no use in denying. I’ve suspected for quite some time now.”

“No! What gave you that idea?” With horror, Goten suddenly noticed how unstable his hand was – the mug was shaking so much that it was surprising he hadn’t spilled anything yet. He squeaked lightly when the flight officer’s fingers wrapped around the mug and pulled at it lightly. Goten let go.

“You can stop pretending,” Reyn said, safely lowering it onto the floor. He watched the younger male turning pale. “Hey, don’t worry. I’m a third-class too.” His eyes never left Goten’s as he bent forward. Instinctively, Goten moved away from him until his back was pressed against the side of his bed. Smiling a little at the younger male’s unbalanced retreat, Reyn followed him.

“What… What are you doing?” Goten squirmed when Reyn kneeled in front of him, the flight officer’s body now looming over his. It was pretty clear what he intended to do though, and Goten put up his forearms in order to keep him away. The older male pushed his left hand away.

Goten turned his head aside. This, however, didn’t stop the other Saiyan. Goten inhaled sharply when Reyn’s mouth descended on the column of his neck. A hot tongue flicked over his skin, and Goten’s whole body seized up. He suddenly realized why Reyn had wanted everyone else to leave the cabin. Another thing he realized was that Reyn wasn’t frigid, asexual, or anything like that; being a third-class, just like him, Reyn had very limited access to sex partners. Both of them were third-classes and… A third-class… Unbelievable…

Goten shuddered when Reyn’s hand slid under his uniform and stroked his stomach. The flight officer’s mouth tried to claim Goten’s lips again, but Goten’s palm pressed against his chest to keep him away. This was too unexpected and too...

“Wait. Wait a moment.”

The flight officer caught Goten’s wrists and moved them aside. He didn’t try to kiss Goten again, but nudged the younger male’s head up to graze on his throat. Goten grunted and his eyelids fluttered shut. He could smell how aroused the older male was. The pheromones were also affecting him, making him respond to the petting, making his mind cloud.

“Wait a second,” Goten moaned, shifting along the side of the bed, away from the flight officer. Reyn followed him, his hands still holding Goten by his wrists, his knee now pushing in between the younger man’s thighs. Goten gasped and his back arched when it rubbed against the bulge in his trousers. He tried to free his hands, but the other male didn’t let go.

“Reyn, wait. Reyn, stop it!”

Neither of them was putting force into their movements yet, but it didn’t seem that Reyn took any heed of Goten’s words. Panting lightly, Goten wondered if they were going to come to trading blows. It was difficult to stop an aroused Saiyan once he was overtaken by lust. The problem, or maybe the absence of it, was that Goten wasn’t certain he wanted Reyn to stop. It was mostly a habit, resisting other males’ advances. Reyn was turned on, he was a third-class, he was turned on too, and he was also a third-class, and he quite liked the flight officer. What was the problem?

The flight officer felt Goten stop trying to free his wrists, and he loosened his grip on them. Reyn raised his head to look at Goten’s flushed face. He was aware of how dilated the younger male’s pupils were, how his breathing had become rasher. A little bit more effort into seducing him and Goten would give in. Then the younger male brought his hands forward and fisted them into Reyn’s uniform above his chest. He seemed to be indecisive about whether he wanted to push Reyn away or bring him closer.

“C’mon, Goten. Why are you resisting? I know you want it too.”

Of course, he wanted it. Wanted it badly. “I… I…”  Goten wasn’t certain what to say, and Reyn put the younger male’s open mouth to good use by issuing a deep kiss. Goten let out a guttural moan, and the flight officer wasn’t going to let go of the younger male even if the enemy started bombing their spaceship.

Goten broke the kiss when Reyn’s knee rubbed at his crotch with renewed persistence. “Ahh…” he groaned, his hands coming to grip the older man’s shoulders. Reyn nibbled at the side of his neck, and he closed his eyes at how good it felt.

The stubborn youth had given in, and Reyn felt they were ready for the next stage. He gave a few more rubs to Goten over his trousers, then rose to his feet and pulled the younger male up as well. Caressing and kissing the other male, he maneuvered them onto the youth’s bed.

Goten’s hips moved forward of their own accord when Reyn’s palm glided over his side and firmly grabbed his ass. He liked that. He liked it when men grabbed him by his ass. Encouraged by his reaction, the flight officer kneaded the rump in his hand. Reyn’s other hand found Goten’s left globe and took hold of it, both to support and arouse Goten even more. The younger male shuddered and closed his eyes.

If you as much as touch Goten’s ass…

The words were soft and fleeting in Goten’s head, but they set off a slow fuse. Reyn was kissing him again and he responded to the kiss. The flight officer was trying to unbutton Goten’s jacket. It was not so easy a task as his left hand was still squeezing the younger male’s ass with vigor.

Goten felt himself being seated and then heard his jacket flop onto the ground somewhere farther away. A clang of metal indicated that his belt had joined his jacket on the floor as well. Reyn’s fingers flickered over his bare nipples, then they dove south to his crotch to unzip his trousers.

If you as much as touch Goten’s ass…

The thought annoyed Goten. Why the hell was he remembering that? Who the hell cared? Those were only words, written down and forgotten. They wouldn’t ever meet again. And they shouldn’t. Just forget him. Actually, he should sleep with Reyn to just get over that purple-haired bastard.

Goten grabbed at Reyn’s hand when it slid over his hard cock. He couldn’t help a soft moan slipping past his lips.

“You like that, right?” Reyn said, nuzzling Goten’s neck.

“Yes, but…” Goten tried to push Reyn’s hand away, but it didn’t want to move anywhere except to its prior target. “Wait a minute… I’m…” To tell Reyn that he was trying to reach some conclusion here was pointless. The man wouldn’t understand. Even Goten himself couldn’t understand. He just knew that he wasn’t so sure about this anymore.

The flight officer smacked Goten’s hand away with rising irritation. He started stroking him, making his eyes roll upwards and his back arch lightly. Goten licked his lips. “Reyn, Reyn, wait.” He tried to pull the flight officer’s hand out of his trousers, but that only made the older male act more aggressive in his seduction. He had somehow climbed on top of Goten, pressing him down into the bedding bodily.

Goten tried to push Reyn’s head off his neck. “Oh… Mmm… Reyn… Wait,” he panted out. “Stop, will you?” Goten gritted his teeth. “Wait, for fuck’s sake!” he growled, powering up suddenly. He was about to throw the older man off him when he felt him move.

“Fuck!” Reyn cursed, pulling himself away and climbing out of the bed. “Fuck you, Goten!” He could hardly contain either his arousal or frustration. “Shit!” Panting, he simply stood away from Goten to allow himself to calm down and stop reacting to the younger male.

Goten sat up and shifted to the edge of the bed. He lowered his legs to the floor.

“What the fuck is your problem? You said you didn’t have a boyfriend!” Reyn accused with a furious hiss.

“I don’t! I don’t!” Goten shook his head, panting. “Well, practically I don’t. Theoretically, I might have two of them.”

Uncomprehending, Reyn stared at him for a few moments. “What kind of shit is that? Are you trying to piss me off?” he growled. “Because it’s been working great so far!”

Rubbing his burning face with his palms, Goten groaned softly, not even knowing where to start.

TBC
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