Strange Bedfellows

Strange Bedfellows: Part VI - Love and Caffeine


Chapter Notes: Here we discover another little facet of Reikiki's species...do not give them caffeine.... You'll see why. *evil grin* No sex here, but they'll get started here....

Gene sat up at the door chime. "Come in."
The little droid opened the door for Rei and asked. "Do you need anything else?"
"No thank you," Rei replied, knowing if he asked the droid for something he'd better phrase it right, otherwise there would be a repeat of what had happened to the lights in Gene's room. The droid immediately zipped off to perform its upkeep duties leaving Rei and his pet to enter the room together.
Rei stepped into the room, allowing the door to close behind him, somewhat at a loss for words. Lati chittered and purred in his arms as the winged boy petted it.
Gene groaned. "You brought the snake? Hasn't it squeezed me enough today?"
Rei blushed. "I apologize.... I did not know what else to do...." Truth be told, he didn't want to let go of him just yet, seeing as Lati had been the only thing that had survived from his planet.
Gene sighed. "It's okay...but you'd best keep him clear. My stomach is already rolling." The redhead curled up even tighter on the mattress as he felt the ship start to hover in preparation for take-off. The entire room began to tilt slightly as the entire unit moved into a semi-upright position and Gene made a pained sound somewhere between a heave and a groan. Immediately Rei deposited Lati gently on the floor and walked over to Gene, sitting beside him and running his fingers over the redhead's cheek, trying to calm him. Gene heard Rei's voice in his mind. Do not worry, Gene Starwind.... I am here....
Gene nodded, "Thanks Rei...I appreciate it." He cut off as the sound of the rockets bursting to life reverberated in the chamber. "Oohh...just tell me when it's over." Rei moved closer to Gene, enfolding him in a warm embrace, using the contact to calm the redhead more completely.
Gene shivered slightly at first, then began to grow more comfortable. "You must find me awfully weak, getting floored by a simple take-off."
"Not at all," Rei whispered, shaking his head. "We all have fears."
Gene let out a long low breath and simply lay still for a moment. Thanks Rei.... I'm so sorry I couldn't even help you. The winged boy held Gene a bit tighter, beginning to hum a soft melody in the redhead's ear, one his mother used to sing to him through storms to calm him.
Gene smiled. "That's a lovely song..." He uncurled a bit and let the melody soothe him. He almost felt like falling asleep.
Before Gene knew it, the ship was at cruising speed. Rei pulled back and looked at his companion. "Are you all right now?" he asked softly. The answer was a light snore. Rei smiled and moved away, letting Gene sleep. The winged boy bent, scooped up Lati, and left the room, wandering onto the bridge.
Jim turned around as he heard the door open. "Hey Gene! I...oh Rei? Is Gene okay?"
"Yes. He is asleep," the alien replied.
Jim nodded and engaged the autopilot. "That's probably best. Would you like to some with me to the galley? I can make us some soup and we even have some pocky."
Rei was unfamiliar with the items, but he was hungry, as was Lati, who chittered enthusiastically. "That sounds good," he replied. Jim nodded and led the way telling the droids to come get him if anything out of the ordinary happened. Once in the galley Jim handed Reikiki a bright red box with a picture of a kangaroo and the word "Pocky" in bold white script on
the front, before turning back to the cabinets to hang up soup ingredients. Jim salted the water and added some chicken and spices before heading over to the table with a kiwi, a knife, a plate and some sugar.
Rei took the knife and began slicing the kiwi, pulling off the skin. After the kiwi was sliced, he looked at the sugar and sprinkled some of it on the slices. That done, he set Lati on the floor and set the plate of kiwi slices in front of the creature.
Jim grinned as Lati approached them cautiously and took a curious sniff. "So Rei, would you like something to drink?"
Rei nodded. "Yes. Thank you." He looked down at Lati, who had begun wolfing down the kiwi slices like he hadn't eaten in weeks. He probably has not, the alien realized, remembering the state his planet had been in.
Jim nodded and checked on the broth, giving it a good stir and a little more salt before heading to the fridge. "Anything in particular? We have soda, milk, and tea."
Rei thought a moment. "What do you like?" he asked Jim.
"Me? Well I like chocolate milk or cola," the blonde replied. "Have you had either of those...? All I've seen you drink so far is herbal tea."
"No, I have not," Rei replied. After a moment of thought, he concluded, "May I try the cola?"
Jim nodded and got two bottles of cola out. He opened one and handed it to Rei, before popping the top of his own and taking a deep swallow. "Hey...this is good! I've been drinking the cheap stuff so long I forgot how brand-name tastes." Rei looked at the liquid in the bottle and took his own small swallow, his eyes widening at the effervescence. He quickly swallowed the liquid and coughed. Jim chuckled. "Take it easy, if you drink too fast it'll make you burp." He stood up and headed back to the stove to dump in the vegetables. "Hmm, I wonder what I should make to go with it...rice for certain, but what else?"
He should have said it would kill you if you drink it too fast, Rei thought. He eventually got used to the drink, and was able to drink a couple of swallows at a time. In a few moments, though, his mind became a little fuzzy. He looked up at Jim, perplexed, his eyes a little unfocussed.
"Do you have a favorite dish--Rei...?" The last word was said with a bit of confusion. "Are you okay Rei? You look a little funny." The alien was about to answer when his eyes refused to stay open any longer, and he collapsed face-first on the table. Jim stared a moment then ran over. "Oh no! Maybe cola is poisonous to his kind!" He was rubbing the alien on his back when Gene walked in, yawning loudly.
"What's going on?" Gene asked a little blearily.
"I don't know!" Jim replied, a bit panicked. "He was drinking some cola with me and just keeled over!"
Gene was immediately wide-awake. He ran over and tilted Rei's head back, feeling for a pulse. When he found it still strong and steady he lifted an eyelid. "Rei? Can you talk? What happened?" The alien seemed to be out cold. Lati chittered loudly, trying to attract Gene's attention. In its eyes, it played images of a Perdaetan that looked a lot like Rei, but was older. The man was wobbling as he walked and was laughing loudly. Lati chittered again. Gene blinked at the display. "Are you saying he's drunk?" Lati jumped at least a foot off the ground, chittering excitedly. Gene felt a huge sweatdrop form at his temple. "Oh wonderful...you sure that cola wasn't spiked, Jim?"
Jim took a sip off Rei's half-empty bottle and shook his head. "Nope...just cola. I guess cola makes Perdaetans drunk."
Gene sighed and picked Rei up into his arms. "Well, I'd best put him to bed. Send our share of the food to his room, okay?"
Jim nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, sure.... Tell him I'm sorry when he wakes up. Please?"
Gene nodded and headed out the door with his precious burden. Where is his room anyway? "Hey droid!" One of the robots zipped up obediently. "Show me to Rei's room." The redhead followed the little droid to the crew quarters and tried to decide how to put Rei on the bed.


* * *


Rei woke up a little while later with a stifled groan. Gods, I feel like my head has been trampled on.... He opened his eyes to bright light, realizing that he was lying on his side, curled up, much the same as Gene was during take-off.
"Good, you're awake," Gene called. "Do you feel like eating?" He stood up and stretched before walking over and sitting on the bed near Rei's hip. "I can ask Jim to send us some of that soup."
Rei sat up, wincing at the bright light and the movement. "I am not sure I could keep anything down at this point...." He doubled over a bit and groaned as his stomach gave a queasy roll.
Gene ran he hand over the silky auburn hair. "I know how it is...but you need something on your stomach. I think I know just the thing. Would you like me to go make some for you?"
"If you think I would be able to keep it down, I would much appreciate it," the alien replied, smiling a little at himself.
Gene nodded and headed to the door. "Okay!" He returned a moment later with a large glass filled with a dark green drink slushy with crushed ice, two pieces of dry toast, and Lati wrapped around his ankle. "Would you call off your pet, Rei? He's refusing to let go again." Rei smiled and called out to the creature in Perdaetan. Immediately, Lati let go of the redhead's leg and skittered across the floor to Rei's bed and climbed up the bedspread, using his teeth to make sure he didn't fall. Gene sighed. "Thanks." He handed Rei the glass and the toast. "Try that, if it stays down we'll get something more substantial."
Rei nodded and took the offered items. He took a small bite of the toast and followed it with a swallow from the glass. It seemed to calm his stomach, so he continued eating. "You do know Lati only latches onto your leg because he likes you?" Rei inquired between bites.
Gene shrugged. "Well, as long as he doesn't bite I guess I can tolerate it." He sat down beside Rei again, making certain not to sit on Lati. "So tell me...does cola always affect you that way?"
The alien took another swallow from the glass, then replied sheepishly, "It was the caffeine...."
"Caffeine...you mean caffeine makes you drunk?" Gene asked in disbelief. He absently stroked Lati's head, then pulled back when he realized what he'd done.
"I am afraid so, Gene," Rei replied. The auburn-haired boy chuckled as Lati climbed up in Gene's lap, curled up, and started purring.
Gene stared down at the ball of fur in his lap and sighed. "Oh, great...now he'll never go away!" The redhead sighed dramatically and turned his attention back to Rei. "Okay, so we avoid caffeine, unless I want to catch you off guard," he said with a wry grin.
Rei blinked. "...Off-guard...?"
Gene grinned even more but didn't elaborate. "Well, it looks like it's staying down. You ready to have that soup?"
"Yes, I believe my stomach can take it," the alien replied.
"I thought you might say that." Gene said with a huge smile as he pulled a large thermos and a small container from under his cloak. "That's why I brought some with me." He handed the container to Rei and opened thermos, pouring out some of the soup into the cup that served as a lid.
Rei smiled lightly. "Anything else up your sleeve that I should know about, Gene Starwind?" he quipped. The winged boy opened the small container to find crackers, rice, boiled shrimp, and a small cup of some kind of pinkish sauce.
"Only my gun," he replied with an evil grin as he set aside the little white furrball and pulled up a chair to watch Rei eat. The alien did little more than nibble at the crackers, preferring to sip the soup and eat the shrimp and rice.
"This is very good," Rei commented, then licked a bit of the pink sauce off his finger.
Gene blinked and shook aside naughty thoughts for the moment. "Really...? Let me try some. I had no clue what Jim was making." He picked up a shrimp and dipped it in the sauce. He popped the tidbit into his mouth and let out a small sound of appreciation. "Mmm, it is good," he replied trailing his tongue over his lips to clean away any stray bits of sauce.
The winged boy looked up at Gene with an odd expression on his face. Suddenly, Rei wasn't hungry anymore.... Well, not for food, anyway.... The alien's cat-like pupils dilated a bit as he remembered their first time together....
Gene leaned forward and brushed his knuckles against Rei's cheek. "Full?" Rei nodded; his voice seemed to have stuck in his throat for the moment. Gene picked up all the various meal items and set them on the bedside tables. "Good...but now I'm hungry." He leaned in until his lips were barely brushing Rei's. "Hungry for you." With that he leaned forward the rest of the way, claiming Rei's mouth in a deep kiss. The winged boy made a small sound of surrender and returned the kiss with equal ardor. Rubbing his thumb over Rei's chin, Gene continued the kiss as his other hand began to remove the alien's clothes. Rei shut his eyes tightly and dropped his hands to help Gene remove the clothing.
All of a sudden, the redhead heard a growl, then, before he could ask what was going on, he felt a sharp sting on his inner thigh. "YeeeeOUCH!" Gene howled and glared at the ball of fluff in his lap. "You ungrateful little ball of fluff! I could have shot you, you know!" Lati's response was to growl again, then it slithered/inched between Gene and Rei. Facing Gene, it continued to growl. The alien snickered, covering his mouth in a failed attempt to hide the fact that he was laughing.
Gene moved his glare from Lati to Reikiki. "Oh I'm so glad you find it funny. You wouldn't be giggling if it had been your crotch he sank his teeth into!" This comment won a peal of laughter from the auburn-haired boy, who fell back on the bed, his eyes watering from laughing so much. The indignant furrball jumped off of Rei's lap and then jumped off the bed, looking at Rei like the winged boy had lost his mind. Gene stuck his tongue out at Rei. "Yeah you better laugh.... I'm going to get you now." He grinned and proceeded to tickle the alien without mercy.
Rei had never been tickled before, so the sensation was...new, to say the least. He stopped laughing immediately and looked up at Gene, perplexed. "Well, that didn't work," Gene said with a sigh when Rei stopped laughing. He rested his chin on his wrist. "I can't torment you if I can't figure out what affects you and what doesn't."
"I apologize," Rei replied. "I have never been...tickled...before...."
Gene used two fingers to press Rei back onto his elbows. "Okay...so we try something else." He eyed Lati warily as he leaned forward and bit one of Rei's nipples. The winged boy's back arched up and he took in a hiss of breath through his teeth at the exquisite feeling. Lati growled again, prepared to jump onto the bed once m Rei Rei called the creature down in Perdaetan, and Lati crouched down, like a wounded dog, whimpering.
Gene grinned, then felt a little guilty. "Have you told him you're enjoying this? I don't want to have to dodge him every time I want to kiss you."
"It understands now," the alien replied. "Lati was frightened when disaster struck...." Rei stopped, realizing that he hadn't yet told Gene how his planet came to be like it was presently.
"I see," Gene replied, trying to think of it from Lati's point of view. "Any idea how long he was out there?"
Rei hedged, "Well, you see, its species is extremely long-lived...." He really didn't want to tell Gene how long he'd been in that pod....
"So...what...a year or two?" Gene asked. "I didn't see any bodies so it must have been long enough to have the bodies either rot or get eaten by scavengers."
"Actually," Rei replied, his voice falling to a whisper, "it was about five hundred standard years...."
Gene made a strangled sort of sound. "Fi...five...FIVE HUNDRED YEARS?" The outlaw felt faint suddenly. My God...then.... "Umm, if he's five hundred, how old does that make you?" he asked in a small voice.
Rei looked away from Gene's eyes, embarrassed, his voice quieting even more until Gene almost couldn't hear the alien's reply. "...Actually, he is...about six hundred...I am...about...seven hundred...."
Gene let that sink in a moment. "Oh." He sat back a bit. "Well, that certainly puts a new spin on things."
"What...do you mean...?" Rei asked.
"I was thinking you were barely legal." Gene replied. "Now I feel young." He leaned forward with a grin. "So how did someone as cute as you last that long without somebody snapping you up?"
The alien blushed a tiny bit. "I cannot say I have had no...offers...in my life.... I refused them all. I was waiting for someone...." Someone like you, he added mentally. He finished aloud, "...someone special...."
Gene blinked and stretched out beside Rei. "I guess I ruined that...I'm sorry."
Rei smiled. "You did not ruin anything, Gene Starwind.... I accomplished my intended aim," he replied, his blush deepening a bit.
The redhead's expression went totally blank for a moment. Then he understood. "You mean...?" He received a nod in response. Gene fell off the bed.
Rei blinked and rolled over onto his stomach to look down at the redhead on the floor. "Are you all right?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion and concern.
Gene blushed a bit. "Er, yeah. I'm okay. I just...." He sat up on his elbows. "Did you just say I was special? And do you mean what I think you mean?"
Rei nodded again. "Yes to both." Gene pulled himself back up.
Resting his chin across his arms he gazed into Rei's dual-colored eyes. "I care about you too Reikiki Subsisto, it amazes me how much." The alien didn't know what to say or where to look. Then he realized that through all of that, he had only been wearing his partially unfastened trousers. His face turned an odd shade of red. "Er...I didn't misinterpret what you meant did I?" Gene asked as he watched the blush spread.
Rei shook his head. "No, I was...slightly embarrassed by my current state of undress...." Somehow it didn't help that he knew Gene had seen him naked when they first met, before they had....
Gene burst out laughing. "Rei...I've seen you in bondage gear and buck naked. There's no need to blush. Would you feel better if I took off my clothes?"
The auburn-haired boy met Gene's gaze. His slightly embarrassed smile turned coy. "I believe that would improve things, yes...."
Gene nodded and stood up to remove his clothes, going for speed more than finesse, he sent each article flying in a different direction. "There...." he said when he got down to his briefs. "Better?"
"Hmm...." Rei pursed his lips cutely, as if in thought. Then he rose from the bed and stood in front of Gene. Hooking a finger into the waistline of the redhead's briefs, he pulled hard enough for them to fall around Gene's ankles. "There," the alien purred, "that is much better...."
Gene immediately blushed. "Hey! No fair, you're not naked!" Rei soon remedied that problem, letting the plain brown pants fall around his own ankles before stepping out of them and kicking them away. Gene smiled and took a moment to look his fill; it was really the first time he'd had a chance to. "Wow...you really are beautiful, Rei." He looked down at his own body, and the network of scars crisscrossing his skin. He felt a bit self-conscious for the first time in a long time. "I guess I'm kinda hideous...huh?"
The alien leaned forward to press a kiss against a scar on Gene's arm. "No," Rei replied. "You are not hideous...not at all. I think you are quite beautiful.... Your scars tell me of a history of survival. That alone proves your strength."
Gene smiled, wishing the scars could feel, but he could see, and the gesture touched him. "Thank you Rei..He cHe cupped the alien's cheek and brought him up to his lips. "But don't forget...." He leaned in close. "You're a survivor too." With that he smiled and pressed a tender kiss to his lover's forehead.
Rei sighed, his smile falling as he thought of Perdaeta. He closed the scant few inches distance between himself and Gene and wrapped his arms around the redhead, leaning his auburn head against Gene's chest. He didn't say anything, but the slight tremble of his arms spoke for him--regret and sorrow.
Gene simply held him for a moment. "Shh, don't do that Rei. You couldn't have done anything. That place looked like a nuclear blast hit it. You survived for a reason, Reikiki Subsisto. We just have to find out what fate has in mind for you."
Rei didn't speak, not really sure what to say. Even if he had've, he wasn't sure he could trust his voice to speak without letting his sorrows get the best of him. He held Gene tighter for a moment, thanking him. True, he had survived...but everything he loved had been destroyed....
No, not everything...Gene was right there....
Gene continued to cradle his delicate friend, holding him close and making soothing noises. The alien sighed inwardly, thinking to himself, But I cannot tell him.... It would ruin everything....
Sensing Rei had wound down a bit Gene pulled away enough to give him a smile. "We can lay down and cuddle if you like. I hear it's quite soothing."
The alien smiled a bit sadly. "Thank you. I would like that...."
Gene stretched out on the bed, and held open his arms so Rei could move into them. "Then come on..." he said with a grin. "I'm not exactly cuddly, but I think I can wing it."
Rei's smile widened a bit, and he climbed into the bed--and into Gene's waiting arms. "Oh, I disagree," he whispered, wrapping his arms around the redhead. As if that was its cue, Lati jumped back onto the bed and climbed on top of Gene's head, curling into a fuzzy ball, making it look like Gene was wearing a white, fuzzy hat.
Gene rolled his eyes up to stare at his new 'accessory'. "Oh...so now we're buddies again, huh? Fickle thing."
The winged boy chuckled. "He knows know how you make me feel." Lati looked down at Gene and an image of the redhead and Rei hugging was reflected in them. But the gesture didn't strike Gene as a simple hug, not even one that would express caring. It looked like a true, loving embrace. The redhead could almost swear he could see little fluffy hearts floating around the image. Rei gasped.
Gene blinked, then looked at Rei with a smile. "I love you too, Rei."
Rei looked back to Gene, his eyes wide with shock. Then the shock abated and he smiled, shaking his head self-derisively. "Lati knew before I did.... Now I feel foolish...." A chitter brought the winged boy's attention back to Lati, and he saw an image of himself holding out his hands as if to ward off something. "I did deny it to myself, that is quite true." Rei chuckled and turned his gaze back to Gene.
Gene's smile grew into his trademark grin. "Hey! I'm guilty too, I'm not used to caring about anyone other than Jim, and well...that's nothing like this. Anyway, I denied it too. I was scared of letting myself fall for you when I thought I'd only be loosing you."
"Well, it looks like I will not be going anywhere..." Rei commented. "Not unless you are with me," he concluded with a grin.
Gene smiled and lifted Rei's chin. He was just about to kiss him again, when he remembered what happened the last time that he'd tried to get a kiss. He rolled his eyes back up to Lati. "Hey...beat it, fuzzball." The comment earned him an indignant chitter from Lati and a chuckle from Rei. Gene rolled his eyes and gently plucked the little ball of fluff from his head. He turned its face towards his own and gave the creature a dry look. "You really know how to ruin a tender moment Lati." Lati twined itself around Gene's arm, purring loudly. Rei covered his mouth, trying not to laugh aloud. Gene let out a frustrated sigh and let his fur encased arm dangle in the empty space beside the bed. "You know Rei, it'll be hard to make love to you with a caterpillar-thing that insists on biting me when we kiss stuck to my arm."
There was no mistaking Lati's expression--it looked at Gene and grinned. "I apologize, Gene. Lati was always very protective of me...." Rei decided not to elaborate on the incident that had made Lati become that way. He called the creature down in musical tones, and Lati immediately obeyed. But Gene's posture made it necessary for Lati to crawl up his arm to get back on the bed, then crawl off the bed.
Gene let out a small giggle as the soft fur brushed over a ticklish spot, but quickly covered it. "No offense fuzzball, but he's mine too." He turned back to Rei. "Now...where were we?"
The winged boy had been paying attention to Lati's descent, making sure that the little animal didn't fall. He saw where the spot was and grinned to himself. "If I remember correctly...here...." He ran his fingers over Gene's ticklish spot. Gene crossed his eyes and did his best not to laugh, he really did, but it came bubbling up anyway. "Ah. Found a weak spot, have I?" Rei teased as he began to tickle the spot in earnest.
Gene erupted into great peals of laughter, trying his best to make coherent speech. "N...n...n...no fair!" His hands fisted in the sheets and his entire body shook from the force of his laughs.
After running his fingers over the spot a few more times, Rei stopped the tickling and kissed the spot gently. "I apologize. I knew I would probably never see that expression on your face again, and I simply could not allow that opportunity to pass me by," the alien replied with a grin.
Gene took a few panting breaths then gave Rei a confused sort of smile. "What expression? Me turning blue from laughter?"
"No, you with a grin on your face that did not have to do with you thinking something you have no business thinking about," Rei teased.
Gene feigned an innocent look. "Who...me? Why, Reikiki Subsisto...I have no idea what you're talking about." The effect was ruined by a small smirk.
"You see?" Rei replied. "You cannot keep your mind out of the gutter for an instant." The winged boy chuckled. "You are corrupting me, Gene Starwind." He pressed himself against the redhead and whispered, "Corrupt me a bit more...."