Once the airlock cycled, he checked the monitor. The Station was functioning at peak efficiency and no additional repairs showed on the diagnostics. That was a relief.
Removing the suit after repeated outings was a struggle, yet he managed. Having been out so many times the past week, he’d barely had the time to talk to Luz. Hopefully, he’d found a way to keep himself busy. Although he shouldn’t have worried. Since his rescue, Luz’s presence on the Station went undocumented, but he settled in without much fuss. It was a shame he didn’t plan to stick around. More than one of Filo’s daydreams featured Luz working alongside him as another tech on the payroll. He certainly had the aptitude. Like most other times, when Filo came back from his rounds, if he wasn’t making use of the computer systems, Luz could often be found rummaging around in the tech storage. The same room where these six heavy boards needed to be.
They could wait. It would take multiple trips, and Filo was done. He shuffled to the lift and rode up the Station’s shaft, choking down an unmanly giggle at the thought. A shower and a ration bar or two were in order. Maybe Luz would be up for a sim.
The lift doors slid open, and Filo hesitated to exit. A strange glow filled the hallway, bathing the area in amber luminescence. Strings of wire and lights ran along the walls, wrapping around doors and continuing down the corridor. A close inspection told the tale. Light diodes Filo recognized from various equipment had been salvaged and rewired for the display. Simple, yet effective.
“You like it?” Luz stood in the hall, grin stretching his cheeks.
“How did you do this?”
“Don’t worry. I just ransacked the tech storage. Don’t look at me like that. I only took the stuff that’s busted. You know there’s a ton of shit in there that’ll be here forever. I’ve been prying stuff apart for days.”
“Why?”
Luz rolled his eyes like it was obvious. “Hello? You need Claus Day lights.” Shaking his head, he turned around and headed deeper into the complex. Filo felt compelled to follow. The whole endeavor could get them in trouble, since all the leftover parts were scheduled for recycle—even if the Company never seemed to come for them—but basking in the amber light was soothing any of his rough edges. Small flickers along the strings caught his eyes, making him trace their brilliant lines until he nearly crashed into Luz when he stopped.
“Okay, stud. Go get yourself showered and meet me in the galley. I checked the log, and with a little luck, we should be able to relax for a while before the next fix pops up, so we’re gonna do Claus Day right.”
Filo narrowed his eyes at Luz. “What else did you do?”
Luz spun Filo around and shoved him toward their quarters. “Shut up and scrub yourself clean. No one eats in my kitchen being all funky after work.”
“Your kitchen?”
“Go!”
With one last push, Filo stumbled through the door as Luz shut it behind him. He spun, a tide of nerves rising. The lights had been harmless, but what else had Luz been up to in his absence? The man was showing a prowess for ingenuity as strong as Filo’s. Who knew what else he was capable of doing.
Filo rushed to strip down and get into the shower. It might be best not to waste time.
FRESH AND dressed, with a light dampness still clinging along his skin, he moved down the corridor, head swiveling around to catch the twinkling strips. It was mesmerizing. A touch of worry twined itself with a hint of giddiness, knowing Luz had made this effort for his benefit.
A delicious scent caught his nose as he headed toward the galley, enflaming his hunger. How long had it been since his last meal given his latest schedule?
Inside the room, more strings of lights hung across the ceiling, a canopy of indoor stars over the dining nook. The table sat dressed with a clean bedsheet, with a circle of piping and wires twisted into a candelabra gracing the center. A pitcher of ice water sweated onto the makeshift tablecloth, poised to fill the mugs in front of the two stools on either side.
All ordinary objects being used in extraordinary ways.
He lost count of how many lights shone through the galley. Hundreds? Thousands? The effect wasn’t blinding in the least. The soft haze chased out shadows and detached their little world from reality. Unreal.
Filo did a slow spin, taking it all in while Luz watched, cheeks pinched with a toothy smile.
A chime signaled, and Luz popped the warmer door open, intensifying the aromas. “Did you know you can heat these ration bars up? How long have you been eating these cold?”
“It was too much trouble.”
Using a towel to protect his hands, Luz pulled out two plates of steaming ration bars. He placed them on the table next to each set of cutlery.
“We’re not doing that no more. Dinner is served. Roast turkey number six with number thirteen potato-veggie bar on the side.” Luz pointed to the plate with an extra helping of food. “Sit.”
Dumbfounded by the gesture, Filo took his stool. “You didn’t have to.”
“I know. But it’s the holidays.” Luz ducked his head, almost as if embarrassed. “Happy Claus Day.”
“Happy Claus Day.”
The knives and forks looked tiny in Filo’s hands, but he was thankful for them. Eating hot rations with his fingers held no appeal. The flavors were well enhanced by warming. Luz was right. They weren’t eating them cold again unless required. Such as the Station suffering a complete system failure, which included choosing between life support and the galley. And that wasn’t a clear contest at the moment.
There was minimal conversation as they enjoyed their meal. Luz continued to radiate happiness while being oddly quiet. His smile grew every time Filo grunted over a tasty bite until both their plates were clear.
“Did you like it?”
Filo gave off a contented sigh and rubbed his belly, making Luz chuckle.
“Slick. Well, as soon as your meal’s settled, we’ll head into the rec room.”
“There’s more?”
“Well, yeah. There’s more to Claus Day than sharing a good meal.”
Curiosity bloomed inside Filo. What else had Luz managed while he’d been out?
“Show me.”
The flickering strings reflecting in Luz’s chocolate eyes couldn’t compete with his bright smile. He stood without breaking eye contact.
“Follow me, sir.”
The galley’s decorations had been one thing, but the rec room was something different. Threads of lights hung everywhere, ringing each doorway and vent, casting their unearthly glow. The massive gaming monitor had been tuned into a continuous image of a roaring fireplace, crackling and popping, zoomed in and filling the screen. A pair of bulging socks with each of their names scrawled around the top had been screwed to the wall beneath. A hodgepodge of metal bars had been welded together into a makeshift tree with even more lights woven through the spindly branches.
It was beautiful. And done all for his benefit.
Filo was awestruck. “How did you?”
“I’ve been prepping things for days while you worked. The tree took forever. Today I had plenty of time to put it all up.”
Up close to the tree, Filo could see shattered pieces of leftover tech hung on every tip. Shards of metallic conductor lines flashed in the ever-present light.
“How did you hide it?”
“I didn’t. You dump the dead tech in that room and walk out without really looking at anything. You walked past it every day.”
“How did I miss this?”
Luz shrugged. “You’ve never had a Claus Day before. I figure you didn’t know what you were looking at.”
A laugh from deep inside bubbled out of Filo, and his eyes misted. “This is amazing.”
“You really like it?”
“Yes. Very much.”
Filo spun around at least three times trying to absorb it all. Holidays were the stuff normal folks busied themselves with. They held little meaning while learning combat techniques and military strategies.
He loved each tiny effort made into a great whole. The warmth of selfless sharing touched him, opening up doors in his thumping heart he was trying to close given Luz’s limited time on board.
Just remember, one month and he’s gone.
Ignoring the warning, he continued to be dazzled by the spectacle. “Didn’t have to do this.”
“No, I didn’t, but I’m glad I did. It’s the least I could do since you’ve been so good to me after I crashed without an invite. You deserve to have a proper holiday. I like being able to do that. Or, you know, as close as I can get you there.”
Filo blinked to clear his vision. “I think you succeeded.”
Luz led them to kick back in the settee they gamed in so often, relaxing to the artificial flames. They didn’t speak. The moment was too huge, as if joy could suffocate a man. It was enough to bask in the holiday spirit only Luz could show him.
“There’s one more thing to cap off the evening.”
“There is?”
Luz bounded off the couch and moved to the socks under the monitor. Jamming his hand deep in the sock with Filo’s name, he pulled out a small bottle and set it on the coffee table in between them.
“Normally we’d set up gifts under the tree, but since we couldn’t really do that, I came up with another option.”
Picking up the bottle, Filo found himself mesmerized by the golden amber liquid flowing inside. Bourbon. The seal was intact, the contents untouched.
“Where did you get this?”
“I might have raided a shipping container in the hold downstairs. Something small I could fix the manifest over and no one would question it’s missing.”
Filo chuckled. “You’re insane.”
“But I found liquor.”
“It’s stolen.”
“And you’re receiving stolen goods. That makes you my accomplice.”
“I am not.”
“That’s my story if the authorities come knocking. Might as well play along.”
The bottle filled Filo’s palm, its weight teasing him with all of Luz’s work. He wasn’t sure he deserved such devotion.
“What’s the matter? Don’t you like it?”
Filo brushed his thumb over the label, overwhelmed by his first Claus Day gift. Ever. “More than you know.”
“Then what’s the problem?”
“I’ve got nothing for you.”
“Ah. But have no fear, I accounted for that in my master plan.”
“What do you mean?”
Luz turned back to the sock with his own name and dug out two small cups. He placed them on the table and stepped back. Shoulders stiffened, he looked away and drew a long, slow chestful of air.
“I was figuring you’d share your present so we could get a little blitzed and fool around.”
“What?”
Filo almost dropped the bottle trying to be sure he’d heard Luz right.
“Sleeping next to you every night. After you go outside, seeing you walk around in those underwear that show everything.” Luz’s skin flushed, a soft tremor edged his words. “Waking up every morning with you spooned up behind me like you’re gonna drill me with that big tool. Wondering if you will. Fuck me. Being around you has been killing me, man.”
“Are you saying….”
Luz’s hands bunched into fists, and he crushed his eyes closed. “I want to get closer to you. Like sweaty-and-naked get closer.”
“Since when?”
“Since I came on board.”
Steeg offered himself too. Doubt spinning in his skull, Filo sat still, afraid to spook him. Luz’s typical bravado was gone, leaving him looking vulnerable and all too attractive.
“You did? And did nothing?”
“I wasn’t sure if you’d be game. Filo, you’re a really big guy, the kind I’m seriously into, but I’ve fucked up before and gotten my ass kicked. I was gonna be stuck here for months, and if I was wrong and you got pissed at me, I was fucking screwed.”
“Why didn’t you say something?”
With a ragged exhale, Luz’s agitation began to settle. “I tried. I kept cracking jokes, testing the water. Why do you think I run around half naked all the time? Waiting to see how you’d react. But every time I thought I had you down, you walked away. Isn’t that fucked up? I can’t stop talking some days, but can’t say the important stuff.”
“Now you think I’m game?”
Luz opened his eyes. All shreds of awkward confession bled out of him, leaving only a smoldering gaze. Slow and deliberate, he stalked back to the couch, taking his seat, and making no effort to respect Filo’s physical boundaries.
“I know you are.”
The press of Luz’s body against Filo’s arm nearly made him stutter. “How?”
“After you said you washed out of the program for being nonviolent, I did more digging in your files. I found your porn stash, mister. Not one hetero vid or pic on it. On top of it all, there’s a lot of guys on the list that look a lot like me.”
Steeg offered himself too.
Leaning closer still, Luz reached over and dragged a knuckle down the swelling of Filo’s chest, leaving an invisible trail of heated flesh behind. Couldn’t he feel the hammering underneath?
“Tell me I’m wrong, and I’ll pretend we never had this conversation and we go back to being bros. No harm, no foul. I promise.”
There was something a little too perfect about all of this. The holiday, the dinner, the decorations. For the first time, Filo saw light where he’d confused contentment with darkness. Loneliness, depression, hallucinations, and delusions. Luz’s advances were the answer to so much missing in his life. The unanswered need plagued him. It didn’t seem real. It couldn’t all be real.
Hallucinations and delusions.
As the silence widened, Luz’s mood dimmed. His cheeks reddened and he shifted back, making sure there was ample space between them. The growing sadness began to deaden Luz’s eyes, and Filo hated how he was responsible.
Luz had gone to so much trouble to make this a day to remember. For fuck’s sake, what was he doing? Luz was seducing him, and he was rejecting him for all the reasons that would keep him lonely and disconnected from the one person who made a true effort.
Pulse drowning him, Filo stared into his palm and set the bottle on the table.
“We don’t need the liquor.”
Luz’s eyes shot wide and his chest swelled. “Oh, fuck yes.” That smile.
I did that.
Rolling forward, Filo found Luz’s mouth with his own. It was impossible to know whose desperate whimpers filled the room. They squeezed whatever handfuls landed under their palms as they both tried to pull one another closer. Months wasted over misconceptions and bad history, their ardor was now in sync.
All it took was one holiday, a gargantuan effort, and a small gift to set the stage.
Luz’s tongue slid against his own with equal strength while still giving in to Filo’s more dominant nature. The more he tasted, the more his want grew. Having waited so long, he resisted pulling away from Luz’s lips, but gave in long enough to remove each of their shirts. In the end, it was worth letting go for the scant seconds they needed.
With his greater weight, Filo rolled them back, luxuriating in the sensation of Luz beneath him. Too much time lost to sweaty, unfulfilled dreams. Luz’s fingers found their way into Filo’s chest hair as he clutched the muscles. The sounds he made while Filo ground their hips together were better than he’d imagined.
He only lifted up enough to grab the waist of Luz’s shorts and lost no time stripping them off his body. If this was the only chance he had, Filo insisted on drinking in the heady sight. Skin flushed darker than normal, Luz parted his already swollen lips. Both dusky nipples filled into peaks, and farther down, his foreskin had already rolled back to reveal its juicy plum.
Luz tilted his head. “What?”
“I want to see you.”
“You’ve seen me before.”
It was true.
Luz’s exhibitionism gave Filo more looks than he’d ever expected, but they were all veiled with misread signals and tinges of guilt. Now he could stare openly at Luz, splayed out and aroused with impunity, knowing there was no penalty for his wishes.
“Not like this.”
Luz shook his head. “I’m not that pretty.”
“No. Handsome.” Filo caressed Luz’s neck and chest, reading the silky surface under his hand. “Much, much better.”
Licking his lips, Luz coaxed Filo to roll over, giving him access to his pants. Unfastening them with little finesse, he palmed Filo’s rigid meat all the way up to the hip, through his underwear.
“Don’t wear these to bed. Ever again.”
With lust hazy eyes, Filo nodded. “I promise. Never again.”
After wrapping his fingers over the edges, he tugged down Filo’s trousers and briefs together and tossed them aside. Luz kneeled between Filo’s thighs, a wanton worshiper before the idol, and took a fresh grip on Filo’s jutting cock. The searing heat made Filo hiss for more, and he flexed his hips in request. Cupping the full sac in the other hand, Luz stared transfixed as the extra skin swallowed and exposed the fat head with each slow stroke. A bead of honey welled at the tip.
“Fuck yes. I’ll never make you wait again.” Without losing his hold, he spread the juice over the glans with his thumb, leaving a gloss he could then lick clean with the width of his tongue.
Filo cried out as he rolled his head back. One slurp and he was ready to come undone. When Luz swallowed him down to the root, his hips shook and jerked so hard they both bounced to the floor.
Luz couldn’t stop laughing as he untangled himself from under Filo’s legs. “You better learn to handle that, ’cause I’m not done choking on that beast.”
“Then you should distract me.”
Salvaging Claus Day Page 3
