Navojan removed the blindfold, gently coaxing Galen to turn over, rubbing Galen’s back and shoulders until he heard long, even breaths.
He turned on his side, resting his head on his arm and snuggling into the blanket. He smiled as he regarded Galen’s long, sleek figure, arms splayed in front of him like a terran superhero.
He finally grew tired and closed his eyes for just a moment. When he opened them, it was already morning.
* * *
Galen awoke in utter confusion. Navojan was sitting on the couch wearing a robe and sipping a hot drink.
He smiled nervously at Galen. “Coffee?”
Why was Nav in his house? Wait. This wasn’t his residence.
Galen looked around, appreciating what he hadn’t last night. The apartment was smaller than Galen’s, but tastefully decorated. The bed was adorned with a walnut headboard, satin sheets, and a brightly colored comforter. A long, curved desk snaked around a corner of the room, displaying an antique pen and ink container along with his books, computer console, and keyboard. A small kitchenette was showcased around the corner with a range, a refrigerator, and a small oven. Who cooked these days?
“Yes, please,” he said finally, sitting up on the bed.
Nav handed him the drink and placed a robe around his shoulders. It was soft and warm and Galen smiled at him gratefully. He felt a warmth spreading through him as he sipped the coffee and he rose to join Nav in the living room. He placed his drink on the coffee table and sprawled comfortably on the soft fabric of the couch.
As the morning haze wore off, he began to remember the events of last night and he lay back in satisfaction. Navojan was right about the superiority of Milosian romance novels.
Nav visibly relaxed when he did. He leaned back, resting his head in Galen’s lap. The warmth and weight of it was surprisingly comforting.
“Did you sleep well?”
Galen sighed contentedly. “As well as I’ve slept in weeks. My head is pounding, though. I think I drank a pitcher’s worth of lavé last night. How are you fine?”
“Milosian biology is far more resilient than a human’s. We can take at least three pitchers of lavé without even noticing.”
At Galen’s dubious look, he picked up another cup and said, “My mother had a foolproof recipe for hangovers. Here, try some.”
Galen hesitated. It looked positively dreadful. Cautiously sipping the concoction, he was surprised to find himself feeling a bit better.
“That's amazing. Perhaps I should brew a batch to keep in the ER.”
The next few minutes passed quietly as they listened to the wind whistling outside the window. It barely registered. The city was always storming.
Galen stood up to pour himself some coffee. When he sat back down, his muscles tensed as he felt a wave of nerves.
Nav caught the change and sat up, regarding him with concern.
“What is it?” he asked anxiously.
Galen shifted in his seat, looking for the right words. After a moment’s hesitation he spoke. “Should we talk about this?”
Navojan moved away, rubbing his arms, jaw twitching nervously. Galen jumped in, uneasy, his voice filling the silence.
“Never mind, we don’t have to do this now. It was sex, that’s all, no reason to have any strings attached, I just get caught up sometimes-”
Galen could see the corners of Nav’s mouth turn up at his babbling and he reddened.
Nav spoke hesitantly. “It does mean something. I’ve been wanting this for a long time. Dreaming of it.”
The relief was overpowering, but he already knew. Galen felt a pang of guilt. After all, Nav had no idea he’d read the book.
Gathering his courage, he managed, “Me too.”
Nav reached an arm around him and Galen leaned into his warm chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breathing.
After a time, Galen spoke, his voice playful.
“Well, I don’t have to be at the hospital for hours. Whatever can we do to pass the time?”
Nav paused. “Since you mentioned the hospital, you never did finish that examination.”
Galen’s pulse quickened.
“You'll have to disrobe for me to do a proper exam,” he said, hands moving towards Nav’s pants.
“So we’re being proper, are we?” teased Nav, pushing his hand away. “Maybe my idea of a proper exam is a little more adventurous.”
“Stay still,” Galen said impatiently. “And get those clothes off.”
Nav smiled smugly and said, “Go ahead and take them off me if you can.”
Galen flipped himself over and covered Nav’s mouth with his, moving his hands slowly under Nav's shirt as he did, and pulling away just long enough to pull it over Nav’s head. He hooked his thumbs inside Navojan's pants, pulling them down as his palms ran down Nav's bare legs.
“Hm,” he said, running his hands back up Nav's body, “Maybe you'd best show me exactly where the pain is. First, though, let's get rid of this.”
He meticulously removed Navojan's briefs, appreciating the way it accentuated the curves in his figure. The attention to detail was truly impressive.
Navojan shivered. He’d turned down the heat so that Galen would be more comfortable and it was cold. Goosebumps appeared on his skin and he wanted Galen’s warm hands on his body, now.
Galen began softly, cupping Navojan’s face. He knew by now the scars were a ruse to cover the ridges on his face, but they still looked like burns and he felt oddly protective.
Galen’s hands moved down his jaw to massage the ridges in his neck. Nav moaned, but Galen continued his tactile examination downward, thumb absentmindedly tracing circles on his skin. Nav’s tail began to swish from side to side, picking up speed as he moaned in pleasure.
It was adorable, but Galen wisely chose not to comment. No wonder Nav had blushed furiously when Galen had pointed out the wagging tail of an excited dog outside the hospital.
Galen needed more space. He coaxed Nav off the couch and Navojan’s knees buckled as Galen led him to bed.
It seemed he couldn’t stop squirming, though. “You need to lie still if I’m to do a thorough exam.”
Nav drew a ragged breath. “I never did learn to stop fidgeting. I don’t suppose you could help me with that?”
He felt a heady rush as Nav’s body stilled in submission, eyes glassy and limbs heavy, and was surprisingly turned on at the thought of taking control. Galen took a quick look through the apartment and spotted an extra sheet set.
Perfect.
Using the sheet, he tied Nav’s hands together and looped the rest of it around the headboard, hands shaking a bit as he held Nav’s eyes for a long moment. Galen’s breath quickened as he wrapped the other sheet around Nav’s ankles, circling the extra fabric around the bedframe and deftly tying a secure slipknot.
He smiled. All those years as a Boy Scout had been bound to come in handy sometime.
Galen put a reassuring hand on Nav’s chest. He stilled, relaxing against Galen’s touch and closed his eyes.
“You’d best tell me where the pain is.”
Galen smiled as Nav told him the pain had spread inexplicably all over his body. Galen was determined to conduct a full and comprehensive exam. He’d always prided himself on being thorough.
His hands traced the curves of Navojan’s chest, burying his face in it for a moment before moving his fingers to a nipple, then another, stroking gently and then pinching, eliciting a gasp. Nav moaned and arched up, but Galen had moved on.
Galen regarded the spiked tail curiously, lifting Nav’s legs and bottom to explore its quills. They dug into his hand as he squeezed and Nav sighed in pleasure as he rolled them through his fingers.
The examination continued with a gentle caress as Galen’s hand snaked up Navojan's legs and thighs. He reached over to examine Nav’s engorged cock. He stroked it lightly, saying, “This area is a little swollen. I think it needs a more thorough exam.”
Navojan moaned in resp
onse as Galen continued to explore its length.
He nodded in satisfaction. “Everything appears to be in working order. However, in order to do a full exam, I need to test your reflexes. Is there anything I can use to gauge your reaction to pain?”
Nav’s pulse quickened. Had he told Galen about his predilection for pain or the military conditioning? He couldn’t remember.
“Under the bed,” he croaked. Galen reached beneath the frame and took out a box of toys. There was a lot to work with here.
Nav was a bit embarrassed, but he’d long since given up on the idea of partnered sex. Allowing a human to see him naked had been an unacceptable risk. So over the years, he’d acquired an impressive collection of items to use for self-stimulation.
Galen held up the flogger and Navojan nodded eagerly, straining against the bonds.
“Lie still. Don’t worry, I’m quite proficient with the tools of the trade. I am a doctor, after all.”
Nav’s laughter rumbled through his chest, vibrating against Galen’s hand.
Galen brought the flogger down on the bed, inches from Navojan’s thighs, and he jumped at the sound of the impact. He closed his eyes, imagining the feel of it on his body, and an instant later, heard it whoosh through the air before landing lightly on his thigh. It stung and he twitched a bit.
“Your reflexes seem intact so far. Let’s try a bit more stimulation.”
The next few blows came down hard and the pain was intense. Navojan moaned in pleasure as Galen continued, gasping as it scraped his calves and groaning as it moved up his thighs, alternating between his legs, inching closer and closer to his cock. Did Galen dare? He felt the flogger graze the hair by his penis and it jumped up of its own volition.
Galen stopped to take note. “Well, there’s another reflex that’s in working order. Let’s try a different implement.”
He rifled through the box to find an ornate cock ring that made Galen shake his head. Nav did value his sense of style. He placed the ring at the base of Nav’s penis, the tightness eliciting another moan. Galen stroked its length, provoking pleading sounds, which he naturally ignored.
Galen squeezed his balls and twisted, extracting a gasp, and lifted Nav’s legs to explore his bottom. He reached for some lube and stuck a finger in, then a second, stretching and rubbing until the opening was ready, and took out a curious looking toy from the box.
At his questioning look, Navojan nodded again, bracing himself, and Galen placed the long, rubber toy into his ass. It began to rumble, softly at first, and Galen assumed it was a vibrator.
As the vibrations increased, though, Nav cried out in pain. Galen was alarmed; the scream was intense, and he almost removed the implement, but Navojan said weakly, “No. Leave it,” and closed his eyes in pleasure.
A second later, Galen realized why. The device delivered a small electric shock. It was intermittent: sometimes the stimulation occurred repeatedly, other times there was a short break followed by an intense shock at random intervals.
From the look on Nav’s face, he was enjoying the experience immensely. Galen left the toy in until his body began to twitch uncontrollably and then gently slid it out. Navojan was shaking and Galen stroked his chest until he calmed.
Remembering his part in the scene, he spoke again.
“Our examination is almost over. Your reflexes seem intact, but we still haven’t found the root of your pain. I read recently that some Osvobozen doctors in the 21nd century used to claim they could taste the sickness in a patient.” Galen looked at Nav intently. “I think they may have been on to something. Do you mind if I try-”
Navojan nodded instantly, not taking his eyes off Galen's.
Galen bent down to kiss his neck, slowly, painstakingly, stopping occasionally to suck on a swollen ridge until Nav was panting and pleading for more. Moving down to his chest, Galen took one nipple into his mouth and pinched the other with his hands, Nav gasping as Galen’s tongue moved to his belly. Galen explored his body with slow circular strokes until he reached Navojan's swollen penis. Removing the ring from his throbbing cock, Galen took it into his mouth, licking, sucking, and nibbling until Nav cried out.
By the time he was done, Navojan's pain was all but gone.
* * *
Galen was halfway through his next shift when he realized he was whistling quietly. He looked around to see one of the nurses hiding a smile.
“Sorry. I can’t carry a tune to save my life. You should get hazard pay for listening to that.”
It was a quiet night in the ER. The virtual reality games were closed for maintenance, the residents were undergoing their annual recertification training in large-scale trauma, and there were still logistical challenges at the border.
Galen was charting in his office. Every few minutes a smile broke out on his face for no particular reason. He could still feel the imprint of Navojan’s hands, the flick of his tongue, the feel of his lips on every part of his body. The last 24 hours had been blissful.
Except for the guilt.
Each time he sank into a fantasy, that guilt pulled him back to harsh reality. In the excitement of the moment, their night together was simply a shared experience, a lovely seduction. But Navojan still had no idea Galen had read his work. It was personal, the content almost as sensitive as a diary.
How could I have done that?
Despite the playfulness of the seduction, he could tell that Nav had genuine feelings for him. He had put so much effort into the evening and he was clearly concerned with Galen’s comfort. It was obvious that his friend had wanted this for a long time. He’d said as much. The vulnerability in his eyes that morning had cut through Galen. The intimacy of it had left him breathless.
Yet Galen had betrayed his trust in the worst possible way.
How do I tell him now?
Nav wasn’t stupid. It'd be obvious that Galen lifted the manuscript. Would he believe it was curiosity and not malice?
Galen finished his charting and walked slowly back to his house. He was exhausted, but he smiled faintly as he recalled why he hadn’t gotten much sleep the night before.
As he drifted off to sleep, a thought occurred to him.
Nav wasn’t stupid. Or careless.
What were the odds he just happened to leave his tablet lying around during lunch?
* * *
A few hours later, he banged on Navojan’s door. There was no answer. He knocked harder.
Nav answered the door in a wine-colored cotton robe, looking sleepy.
“Galen? Are you all right?”
He almost relented. Navojan looked so beautiful in that groggy haze. Galen reached out to stroke him through the soft material and felt him melt into the touch.
With all the strength he could muster, Galen pulled away and spoke in a petulant voice.
“All that talk about Milosian romance novels! Did you know I’d read it?”
Navojan started to feign ignorance but reconsidered when he saw the look on Galen’s face.
He pulled Galen inside and shut the door before taking a deep breath. “I’ve been working on it for several months. One day I realized I was tired of just keeping records of things happening around me. I wanted to make something happen instead.”
He hesitated, then continued, “I wanted to share it with you. I planned to give you this weeks ago, but I could never work up the courage. I decided it would be easier to allow you to ‘discover it.'”
Galen saw a book wrapped in the corner and Nav went to retrieve it. He looked down, clearly embarrassed at being caught out.
Galen felt a surge of protectiveness and tilted Navojan’s head up, kissing him gently. Navojan shivered as Galen’s hands roamed under his robe.
He led Nav to the couch and sat beside him, pulling his head down and gently stroking his hair.
Galen finally pulled away and opened the package. He admired the book, the hand-crafted binding and beautifully illustrated cover, and smiled at Nav.
“I love i
t. Can I ask, though, what prompted you to write Milosian erotic poetry?”
Navojan sat up, looking puzzled.
“Erotic poetry? It was a serious literary work. Strictly amateur writing, of course, but based on a branch of Milosian literature focused on service to the state.”
Aren’t they all?
Galen caught himself before voicing the thought. Navojan’s almost fanatical devotion to a military that had abandoned him bordered on the ridiculous, but Galen had been insensitive enough for the evening. He stayed silent, listening attentively as Navojan continued.
“Milosian depictions of romance and sex are a metaphor for service and commitment to the Milosian people. A literal depiction of a more abstract and deeper relationship between self and state.”
Out loud, Galen summarized, “So your feelings for me symbolize duty and patriotism? It all sounds quite romantic when you put it that way.”
Navojan sighed happily as Galen cupped his face and moved to stroke his neck and massage his ridges.
He closed his eyes, body beginning to relax, and murmured, “It’s a great privilege to inspire a story such as this. Milosians only bestow this honor on those with whom they have a deep connection.”
He smiled mischievously and continued, “And it was certainly more fun to write than other genres.”
Nav’s robe opened and Galen suddenly lost interest in the conversation.
Navojan’s eyes sparkled.
“Did I tell you there’s a sequel?”
Chapter Five
A few weeks later
Galen sat at the table, drinking tea and snacking on scones. They’d been on a baking kick recently and despite his protestations, Galen could tell that Nav too found the scones heavenly.
He sighed with pleasure as Navojan fed him another and playfully nipped at his hand. There were definite advantages to having a boyfriend with a full kitchen. He couldn’t remember the last time Nav had shown up at his door without a selection of baked goods.
It was even better as they sat cozily by the fireplace while the storm outside was raging. The forecast said winds would reach 200 mph by the end of the night. They were effectively trapped inside by the squalls, as was most of the neighborhood.
Service to the State: A literary seduction Page 5