TO wondered why they didn’t feel the same effects as DH had when they saw GiDi days ago, just before DH grabbed them in the hallway. Sure, they had been a little more scatterbrained, and at the time they had just attributed that to the aftermath of DH pinning them to the wall and kissing them. Still, they had felt mostly normal all things considered. Maybe it wasn’t the same kind of relentless pull that the whole Enkavma thing seemed to be. Maybe it was more like a distraction, one a person could ignore if they put their mind to it.
Or maybe it was just something that TO’s mind had pushed aside as they had so much to do.
Whatever the case was, they felt it more strongly now. They found they couldn’t take their eyes off DH as their mate pulled them along the hallway, and couldn’t stop thinking about what they might do to them when they got to their room. They found they could feel their lips so much more acutely, and that throbbing pulsing returned with a vengeance.
They approached the room, and though they had basically broken into a light run at this point, it still seemed to take so long to reach the door. It was much like the time they went through the portal that first time; the way time drew out around them and everything slowed.
They finally got to the door, and just like with the portal it was like time suddenly sped up. DH pulled the door open, pulled TO inside with them, Slammed the door closed, and pushed TO against it. One of DH’s legs went between TO’s and they rested one arm on the door, leaning in as their hand went to TO’s neck, slid up the tendons, and caressed TO’s shivering ear. Their fingertips traced over the upper ridge, their thumb rubbed their earlobe and drew a low whimper from their mate. TO felt their legs weaken, their thighs instinctively drew together but were stopped by DH’s leg.
“DH, we should-”
They were going to say they should at least get to the bed but before they could finish DH’s lips covered TO’s own, kissing them deeply until TO moaned into their kiss, at which point DH trailed their kisses from TO’s lips to their jawline.
Whatever it was, the hormones or pheromones or whatever it was, it had an effect. Maybe it didn’t make TO as forward as DH seemed to become, but it made them a lot more sensitive, made them need some pressure on that damn spot.
DH trailed kisses up TO’s jawline, making much more hurried progress than usual to their ear. TO expected the kiss to the base of the ear, and expected a sudden turn down their neck. This didn’t happen. To TO’s absolute shock and bliss, DH shifted up and began kissing up along the bottom of the ear that their hand wasn’t stroking. TO could only give a gasp of shock before they felt themself grow weak and slip further down the door. It was then that DH pulled their lips away, holding TO up and resting their head against TO’s shoulder. DH’s lips on their ear felt like it had reset TO’s brain, and they needed a minute to gather themself back together.
“Y-you never did that before.” TO whispered as they slowly wrapped an arm around DH’s waist and pulled them closer.
“Sorry.” DH said, breathing deeply as they spoke. It was as though they had forgotten to breathe while they had their lips on TO’s skin. “I should have warned you, asked if it was ok-”
“If it’s not, I’ll tell you.” TO promised. TO leaned their head against the door, traced their hand up DH’s side, over their chest, and cupped their mate’s cheek in their hand.
“Until then… Keep going.”
======
TO awoke with a start as their communicator dinged incessantly the next day. Back in the underground they hardly used it, so it remained in the pocket of the pants they had worn the previous day. Those pants were on the other side of the room, over by the door, and getting them meant leaving the warm embrace of their mate. TO groaned and pressed their face into DH’s chest, curling up under blankets and wings. Maybe if they ignored the noise, it would go away? A moment later, the noise awoke DH, who groaned and pulled TO closer to them.
“Communicator?” They mumbled.
“Hmm.” TO nuzzled into DH. “It’s so loud… but it’s all the way over there…”
“... It’s linked to your chip though.” DH said, “Just use your chip.”
Right. The communicator was linked to their chip. How had they forgotten that? A deep flush covered their ears as they grumbled and sat up, checking their chip as they tried to ignore DH’s low chuckling. The call was coming from Vik, and TO was tempted to ignore it… But it could have been important. With a deep sigh, they answered the call on their chip and the relentless chiming from the discarded communicator shut off.
“Yes?” TO mumbled as they rested their head on DH’s chest.
“I know you’re probably tired from your visit to the indebted center and all, you know?” The normally small voice was too loud for TO at the moment. Was the chip amplifying their voice? They turned it down. “And I’m all for letting you sleep it off… But it is sixteen-hundred.”
TO’s sleep addled mind took a moment to translate that. Why did the different planets all have to have their own time system? Wasn’t Galactic Time fine enough? Finally, the numbers made sense in their head.
Sixteen hundred hours. Arkane had twenty-eight-hour days. It was mid afternoon! TO jolted up, startling DH who had been dozing back to sleep.
“Why didn’t anyone wake us sooner!” They demanded.
“Again, we all figured you were tired.” Vik said, “You went through a lot, and we figured you needed the rest. But.. Snout says you should probably come eat something, and we need some help… if you’re able to help, that is-”
“We’ll be right there.” TO said as they detangled themself from wings and blankets and stumbled to their feet. They felt so hungry, and for a moment they worried that the thing Snout told them about, that Enkavma thing, was happening, but then they realized they hadn’t eaten in far too long. Was this something else that they’d have to worry about? Just great. Well, maybe that file they sent had more information, more hints to warn TO. “Common room?”
“Yup. We’ll have some food for you here.”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“Thanks.”
TO ended the call and rushed to the bundle of clothes on the floor. Meanwhile, DH got up with slow, languid movement and went to the corner where a large open box sat.
“Fresh clothes.” They said as they tossed a bundle of fabric to TO. “I guess there’s not too much time for rest, huh?”
“Not at all.” TO said as they unrolled the bundle which contained a pair of pants and an old T-shirt that had the back cut in half to accommodate their wings. They tied the fabric around the neck and pulled it on before tugging on the pants. “Lots to do, I guess.” Their ears dropped, “And Flit was saying we don't have enough people for everything we need to get done…”
“It’ll be fine.” DH said as they pulled out something for themself to wear: a simple gray shift dress, again with the back cut out and scraps of fabric left at the neck. They slipped it over their head and tied it up quickly before reaching under the table for the simple flat shoes that they and DH had been wearing since they got there. They tossed TO their shoes and slipped their own on. “If it was an emergency, they would have woken us up earlier.”
That was true at least. TO slipped their shoes on and went to open the door, but before they could leave DH was at their side. They closed the door once more, turned TO around, and kissed them softly on their cheek; just inches away from their ear.
“I’m glad they left us alone, though.” DH whispered. “I missed you so much. I couldn’t even sleep right.”
TO turned and gently met their lips to DH’s. They didn’t have time right now, but they could spare a quick kiss before leaving, especially one that DH had initiated so boldly.
“Neither could I.” TO admitted. “I’m glad I'm home.”
“This is home?” DH asked with a chuckle.
“So long as you’re here it is.”
DH’s ears flushed, and they quickly took TO’s hand and opened the door again.
“Come on.” They muttered, “Before Vik calls again wondering where we are.”
They hurried down the hall towards the common room to see Vik and see what was happening. Somehow, the idea of Vik didn’t bother TO nearly as much today. In fact, their previous feelings towards the small creature now seemed somehow juvenile and silly.
Who cared if DH and Vik spent a lot of time working on their programming and talking about AI. TO was DH’s mate, and Vik couldn’t compete with that.
======
The common room was empty when they got there, save of course for Vik who was working at their computer as was usual. Three screens were on display before them, one with rolling lines of text, the others with programming that TO couldn’t understand.
“You pissed off Gyrini nicely.” Vik said once the two got there. “The indebted center is in lockdown again, and apparently she’s interviewing all the employees there.”
“Good.” TO said, “That means she’s distracted… I’m surprised though. With all of us gone, I figured she’d focus more on locating the escaped indebted people.”
“Well, we thought you’d go after the escaped insurgents after we broke Tham and the others out of the holding center.” They glanced up at TO, “Why did you spend so much time in the holding center checking the surveillance footage?”
“Good point.” TO muttered. They had stayed there because they had no other leads. While they suspected the insurgents had gotten away, they did not know back then how they got away. The only thing they knew was that they had escaped from the holding center, so they worked through all the information there to find out what they could.
“... You should seal off that passageway.” TO said after a moment of consideration. “That section of underground has been used twice now. There’s clearly something there, so if I were Gyrini I’d head there and pull the place apart once the indebted center gives me no more leads.”
“I’m planning on giving her a lead, actually.” Vik said, “Gonna make it look like the finance minister had something to do with it. He’s the one who set up the indebted system, anyway. Besides, what if we need that tunnel again?”
“It’s too risky to keep that one open.” TO said, “And we’ll be gone soon.”
“Fair.” Vik said, “I got drones working on digging a path to your ship. I’ll redirect a few to the tunnel to seal it off.”
“And what about us?” TO asked, “You said you needed help, so we’re here.”
“Right.” Vik said. They turned back to their computers, “First, you need to eat. There’s food on the table. After that we need to head out and get more food.”
“TO was on that video.” DH said, “the one showing them taking down those special agents. Isn’t that dangerous?”
“They went into the indebted center undetected.” Vik said, “I’m sure we can figure it out without them having to paint their wings again. Besides, we’re short on people.”
“I’m going with them.” DH said, their hand grasping TO’s as they spoke.
“Won’t Goretta need you?” Vik asked.
“TO needs me.” DH said. “Besides, most of the injuries have been treated now. Anything that comes up, I’m sure she can handle.”
“Hey, it’s not my call.” Vik said with a shrug. “I’m not in charge, I’m just delegating. Though, you should eat. You’ll be going out in a small group, and the others aren’t ready yet.”
“Yes, eat.” DH said as they pulled TO to the table, “Eat as much as you can. You didn’t eat properly in the indebted center, so I’d like to see you eat plenty now.”
TO wanted to say that if they still had to wait, then Vik could have left them and DH alone for a little while longer. Though, even as they thought that their stomach gave an angry growl.
“Alright.” TO said as they sat at the table. “Food first. Then work.”