Seeing is Believing

by Sasha L. Miller

  Haven took it, too breathless to utter a single syllable, and Samson ducked his head, claiming a quick kiss and Haven tensed completely, spilling warm and sticky into his hand. Samson gave a few last thrusts and let himself go, spilling himself deep inside of Haven.

  Haven released his shoulders, moving instead to cup his face and draw him close for a few quick, breathless kisses. Samson smiled, pleased and more than willing to wallow for a few moments in the pleasant haze Haven always induced.

  "I can't stay," Haven murmured against his lips when he caught enough air. Samson nodded, swallowing the disappointment that welled up. Haven kissed him again, and Samson wished he could protest and keep Haven here for the entire evening, like usual. Haven caressed his face gently, smiling softly, and Samson smiled back.

  "I like it when you stay longer," Samson replied boldly, and Haven's smile widened and he teased at Samson's hair with gentle fingers.

  "I like it when I stay longer," Haven admitted, and Samson's smile grew.

  "Hmm, next week," Samson decided, carefully pulling out. Haven shivered, but let Samson pull him into a sitting position gently. Samson went about cleaning them up, letting Haven steal a few kisses and taking a few of his own. Then he set about helping Haven dress, more than content to help Haven where he wouldn't necessarily help other clients.

  "Remember to open your present when I leave," Haven reminded as Samson helped him shrug on his jacket. Samson did up the buttons slowly, favoring Haven with a heated look that made him smile sadly.

  "Whatever you're about, be careful," Samson admonished, gently touching Haven's cheek. "I wouldn't like to see you hurt."

  Haven's smile brightened and he drew Samson close for another kiss. "Walk me to the door," he requested, and Samson's eyebrows rose. It wasn't unusual, but it wasn't usual, either.

  "Alright," Samson agreed, retrieving his pants and pulling them on quickly. He took Haven's offered arm, guiding him out of the room and down the hallway. Haven didn't say a word, his touch warm on Samson's bare arm, and Samson smiled benignly as they passed some of the brothel's other occupants.

  "Thank you, Samson," Haven murmured as they reached the front door. Samson opened the door for him, unsurprised to see the governor's carriage already parked and waiting for Haven. Samson ducked his head for one last kiss before letting Haven go. Haven hesitated, touching his cheek softly before smiling sadly one last time and turning away.

  Samson watched him go, hoping there would be a next week to make Haven happier. He waited until Haven was inside the carriage to shut the door, and then loitered until the carriage pulled away.

  It took but a minute to return to his room, and Samson immediately moved to Haven's present. Haven didn't often bring him presents, no matter what the other courtesans believed and hoped to get from netting him. Samson never minded—Haven himself was enough of a present.

  Untying the scroll, Samson unrolled it slowly, letting the ribbon fall to the table. Reading the note quickly, Samson stared at the little piece of paper in shock. He re-read it twice more, to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, and finally set it aside woodenly.

  Opening the box, Samson carefully pulled out a fine outfit—pants, shirt, jacket, even shoes—and a little pouch of money.

  The door opened, and Samson turned automatically, still holding the little velvet pouch of coins.

  "I had to come back," Haven said, his anxiety written far too plainly on his face.

  "You bought my freedom," Samson replied, wondering how in the world Haven had come to that.

  "I did," Haven affirmed. "I had to."

  "Why?" Samson asked, shaking his head. It didn't make sense—Haven had been coming here for nearly two years. "Why now?"

  "I was afraid. That you'd say no, and then I'd lose you forever," Haven replied candidly, running a hand through his hair and mussing it further. "I was going to give it to you first, but I couldn't bear the idea … I wanted you one last time, in case you did hate me."

  "I don't hate you," Samson murmured, setting down the money pouch. "And I'd be a fool to say no to you."

  Haven met his eyes, clearly startled. Samson smiled slowly, crossing the room to him.

  "I would love nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you," Samson declared. Haven smiled slowly, his anxiety slipping away visibly.

  "Truly?" he asked, and Samson pulled him close and kissed him with as much force as he could muster.

  "If you would have me, I am yours," Samson declared, and Haven kissed him again, hard and desperately.

  "Come home with me," Haven requested, but he didn't let Samson go. Samson smiled slowly, pressing his lips to Haven's forehead.

  "Of course," Samson murmured, and he slipped away from Haven's grasp, leaving him with a quick kiss before moving to dress in real clothing for the first time in years.

  No Regrets

  There were three types of workers in the shipyards. There were the lifers, those that had been working there forever and would continue to work there until they died. There were the itinerants, the ones that would come, work for a few months and then disappear in the middle of the night.

  And then there were those like Kaij, who had been manipulated into signing long contracts promising their services for term after term. Kaij had only been sixteen when his mother had 'lost' him in the spaceport of a planet devoted entirely to building ships that were sold throughout the four quadrants. Within hours, he'd been conscripted without realizing what it meant, and he'd been working at building ships ever since.

  Kaij swore blisteringly as sparks showered down from the level above him, winking out as they landed on the dissipater pad beneath his feet.

  "Fuck! Berdric!" Kaij shouted, glaring up through the mesh walkway that Berdric stood on. The Telsken just waved jauntily, but he turned down the power output on his fuser before going back to his work.

  Kaij rolled his eyes, annoyed still as he turned back to the section of hull he was trying to bolt into place. It was slightly warped, likely left too long near the power generators, and Kaij had to lean against it with all his weight as he twisted the securing bolts into place. Berdric would come by later and fuse the plates together, but they needed to be perfectly aligned in the meantime.

  Kaij glared as another spark drifted past, flickering out. Berdric shut off his fuser before Kaij could speak up though, so Kaij let it go, focusing on bending the metal sheet into place as he listened to Berdric's boots pound down the rickety metal construct ladder.

  "Quittin' time, Kaij," Berdric announced loudly over the slowly quieting din around them. Kaij ignored Berdric for a moment, fixing the last bolt into place before standing. Grimacing, he followed Berdric's huge form off the racks and down to the check-out point.

  They were both covered with sweat; the shipyard's owners didn't believe in doing anything to the air except making sure it was breathable, which meant that it was always sweltering inside the dry docks.

  Kaij grimaced, wiping at his forehead with the back of his hand. It did no good, and he probably simply smeared whatever grease or dirt he'd managed to pick up during his shift across his skin.

  Quitting time meant drinking time; there was little else to do here. The only facilities not devoted to the manufacturing of spaceships were the bars and the worker's barracks. He could go back to his room and stare at the walls, but that got boring after about ten seconds, so Kaij went out and drank.

  Following Berdric out of the compound, he stared up at the gray sky with annoyance. Rain meant no outside work. The ships were assembled deck by deck inside the large compounds, to protect the delicate circuitry they were built around, but once that step was complete the decks were brought outside to be fused together. The completed ships flew out under their own power, gating out into any of the four quadrants to be sold.

  Scowling in annoyance, Kaij rubbed a hand over the soft fuzz of his hair and took a deep breath of the cooler air outside the stifling ship compound. He hated working
inside—the sounds were too loud and there was nothing that could distract him like a cool breeze would.

  "I hear Kesnii's havin' a fit because you haven't talked to her since last week," Berdric announced as they made their way towards the transport that would take them downtown.

  "I couldn't care less what Kesnii's doing." Kaij replied belatedly, as they took seats on the transport, crowded with dozens more workers from their shift. Kaij sat down heavily in one of the stiff, uncomfortable seats that lined the transport's wall, ignoring the stench of sweat and metal that always flavored the transports.

  Berdric laughed, throwing himself into the seat next to Kaij heavily. "It's only 'cause she thinks you're the prettiest bit of space trash here."

  Kaij rolled his eyes and returned to ignoring Berdric. The Telsken wasn't his friend—Kaij didn't make friends—but he was the one that Kaij most often got stuck working with. Settling in for the five minute trip, Kaij let his mind drift. He half-hoped Kensii would show up tonight. She knew where he frequented after hours and he'd be able to get a fight and possibly sex out of her.

  Maybe he should simply return to his room, though. Except that returning to his room would open him up to thinking again, and he'd already thought everything he could possibly think without going insane. Best to simply distract himself with alcohol, because he'd slip otherwise.

  *~*~*

  "Kaij!"

  Kaij coughed, choking on his Ikarnian ale. Turning in his seat with a scowl, he paused, letting the expression slide from his face. Staring unabashedly at the young man standing next to Berdric, he wondered idly if he'd had a little too much to drink already.

  Berdric smirked, giving the pretty young man next to him a shove towards Kaij. Kaij smirked, catching the poor thing before he could fall over. He looked human, but Kaij knew better, could feel the young man in his head, a pleasant, warm-gold sensation that matched the pretty eyes.

  How had another Caletian ended up here? Especially one this pretty. Kaij let his fingers twist around one of the trailing white curls that fell free from the knot at the back of the young man's head.

  "He was lookin' for you." Berdric announced, waggling his eyebrows. Kaij raised his eyebrows, pulling the young man up roughly, so that he could sit properly on the bench next to him. Berdric disappeared back into the bar's crowd, probably to go spread the word that Kaij had a pretty new friend.

  "What's your name?" Kaij demanded. Likely another of his mother's agents, seeking the security codes for the manor's safe.

  "Lin," was the quiet reply, and Kaij smirked. He wouldn't give up the code—he'd never give it up. His mother had left him here; she could deal with the aftermath. Though he wouldn't mind enjoying the pretty young thing she'd sent him. So nice of her.

  "Have a drink, Lin." Kaij shoved the ale at Lin, who stared at it apprehensively. "Drink," Kaij ordered, less nicely, and he earned a startled look from those pretty gold eyes before Lin tentatively took the glass from him.

  Ordering another two, Kaij sat back and continued to listen to the blathering around him. For a bunch of shipyard men, his coworkers could be gossipy. He ignored Lin for now—best to get a bit more alcohol into the pretty thing before he tried anything. He settled an arm around Lin's shoulders, earning another startled look as Lin sipped at the ale carefully.

  "Um." Lin spoke up after a moment, when it became clear that Kaij wasn't going to attempt to talk to him.

  "Drink your ale," Kaij ordered, not bothering to look at Lin as he watched Kensii get friendly with Berdric near the bar. She'd ignored him for most of the evening, and Kaij was perfectly alright with that.

  "But—" Lin tried, and Kaij smiled at him, knowing it was a little condescending but not caring.

  "Drink the ale. Then we'll talk." Kaij told him, letting his eyes linger on Lin's mouth before he turned away disinterestedly. He wondered if Lin blushed, but didn't look, watching one of the new workers—a Fornarian who had already slept through half the workers and a few of the supervisors—start a drinking contest with a lifer who had only lost one drinking contest in the three terms that Kaij had worked here.

  "There." Lin set down the third empty glass on the table, next to two others. Kaij laughed, reaching out and wiping a bit of the foam from Lin's upper lip.

  "Alright, Lin." Kaij licked his thumb clean, and stood up, his arm falling away from where it had been wrapped around Lin's shoulders. "Let's go somewhere quieter."

  "I—" Lin looked nervous for a moment but he stood. Probably he'd realized Kaij's motives and was wary. Kaij smothered a smirk, taking Lin by the elbow and leading him through the crowd. They got a few whistles, but for the most part they were ignored, and Kaij steered Lin out into the street.

  "You have a place to stay here?" Kaij asked as they started walking. There were one or two hotels on the planet, usually used by the merchants who felt the need to oversee work personally or by the inspectors sent by the shipyards owners when things went wrong.

  "Yeah." Lin muttered, stumbling a little, and Kaij smirked. A lightweight, like he'd thought. This would be easy.

  "A quiet place to talk?" Kaij suggested, letting his hand dip to rest against Lin's lower back. Lin hesitated, but a pair of rowdy workers burst out of a bar directly behind them, laughing uproariously.

  "Okay." He decided, and Kaij would've been lying if he said he wasn't pleased when Lin's fingers gripped at his shirt for balance.

  *~*~*

  Lin was staying in one of the hotels. The cheapest one, and Kaij was a little amused, wondering if his mother was getting cheaper or if this was Lin's idea of keeping a low profile. Lin let them into the tiny room that was still bigger than Kaij's, and Kaij kicked the door shut behind them.

  "I don't—" Lin started, his eyes wide as he turned to face Kaij. Kaij didn't let him finish, hooking his fingers in Lin's shirt and dragging him close for a kiss. Lin tensed in shock, but Kaij pushed it, his fingers sliding under Lin's trying-to-be-rugged-but-failing-completely shirt.

  "Come on," Kaij muttered roughly against Lin's lips, kissing him again. Lin hiccupped but finally kissed him back, tasting of ale and something sweet beneath the alcohol. Kaij fought a grin, pleased as Lin's mind touched his gently, confused and excited and a little guilty—probably for playing on the job.

  Kaij didn't let him think about it though, quickly divesting Lin of his shirt and leading him back towards the bed. Lin's pretty gold eyes blinked rapidly, and he let out a soft, enticing noise as Kaij pressed him to the bedspread, careful to keep touching because he didn't want Lin to have time for second thoughts.

  Kaij grinned as he ducked his head to taste more of that pretty pale skin. He'd have to thank his mother for this, if only because it would piss her off something terrible.

  *~*~*

  Kaij woke up with a groan. His head hurt a little, but that was standard fare. At least today was a better day, hangover wise. It would only take an hour or two to dissipate, or a mild painkiller if he could find one.

  He wasn't in his bed, Kaij noted. Wondering what time it was, he smirked as last night came back to him. Lin was as pliant and flexible as he was pretty, and Kaij was more than willing to be late reporting for work if it meant another round.

  If Lin would sleep with him when he was sober. Kaij smirked, drinking in his fill of the slender body, curled slightly towards him. There wasn't a mark on him, no scars or birthmarks, just smooth, pale skin that begged to be touched. Kaij wondered briefly how his mother had managed to get Lin to agree to come here.

  Soft, delicate features—Lin probably had been hit on dozens of times before he found Kaij. Kaij snickered at himself because he wasn't so thrilled about that idea. Giving into the urge, he slid his hand along the soft skin of Lin's side, down along his hip.

  Lin stirred, groaning softly, and Kaij smirked, leaning closer so that he could get a quick grope of Lin's ass in before the man woke up completely. Lin blinked rapidly, wincing—he probably had a much worse hangover than Kaij, for all that he'd drunk
half of what Kaij had—and then froze. His eyes widened past the point that Kaij thought was possible, and he shook his head.

  "No." He muttered, his eyes shutting as though blocking out the sight of Kaij would erase the previous night's events. "No, no, no, no—"

  Kaij snorted, sitting up. So much for morning sex.

  Lin peeked at him, and his face crumpled. Kaij shook his head, amused by the theatrics.

  "I can take a hint." Kaij grinned, standing up and rooting around the floor for his discarded clothes. "I'll go—"

  "You don't understand!" Lin protested, his voice loud but the last word wobbled in a way that made Kaij's heart ache even though it shouldn't have.

  "I don't understand what?" Kaij smirked. "It was just a bit of sex—"

  "No." Lin shook his head, and Kaij turned back. Lin was staring at his lap, the sheet pooled in his lap, covering him from the waist down. "My name isn't Lin."

  "So?" Kaij shrugged. Whatever lies he'd told to get near Kaij didn't really interest him.

  "It's Draelin."

  Kaij froze in the act of buckling his pants. "What?" The word slipped out, and he stared at Lin—Draelin—incredulously.

  Draelin wrapped his arms around his bare chest. "Draelin." He repeated, and Kaij shook his head.

  "You can't be." Kaij snapped, suddenly angry. "Draelin's dead."

  "Dead?" Lin—Kaij refused to think of him as Draelin—repeated faintly. "No—"

  "Yes." Kaij finished buckling his pants, scooping up his shirt and boots. "Thanks for the lay."

  "Kaij—" Lin tried, but Kaij was already out the door, stalking towards the exit of the motel because his brother was dead. He'd been dead for six terms and Kaij had not just slept with him.

  *~*~*

  Kaij had been half an hour late for his shift. Thoughts of Lin's smooth skin and pretty eyes kept tormenting him, and he'd managed to botch three different projects before the supervisor had finally snapped and sent him to one of the refining factories to work on melting down the incoming shipwreck scraps from across the quadrants.