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High command gatherings are the most
irritating
events he’s ever been forced to attend, Haxus decides halfway through the evening. It isn’t
often
they all meet like this, as far as he’s aware, but despite the vastness of the room and the height of the ceiling, it’s still far too crowded for his taste--clusters of commanders and lieutenants in formalwear or armor discussing recent campaigns or some political nonsense he doesn’t care to follow, soft strains of music coming from gods-know-where, a thousand unfamiliar scents flooding his nostrils til he can’t tell one from another--it’s near sensory overload, and not pleasantly so. He’s rarely felt so out of his element.
Sendak, clearly, doesn’t feel the same way. Haxus has one eye on him, across the room, and he knows he isn’t the only one watching the new commander. After all, it’s nearly impossible to keep his eyes
off
Sendak. He’s the focus of the celebration, of course--Zarkon’s protege, recently promoted to commander, fresh off the glory of finding a Voltron Lion and the
only
person to locate one in the course of the ten thousand year search.
And, of course, if his accomplishments weren’t eye-catching enough, his
looks
would certainly do the trick. Haxus’s eyes rake over him again, from the tips of his ears to the soles of his boots. Bold as ever, Sendak’s eschewed armor for wine-red skirts, the length of the draping fabric only accentuating the breadth of his shoulders and the slim, fit curve of his hips, the length of his legs--Haxus
doubts
he is the only one unable to keep his eyes off the split from bottom hem to mid-thigh, just barely concealing the knife sheathed there and offering tantalizing glimpses of metal and black leather and soft, thick fur every time Sendak moves. The broad, scooped neckline is a contender for the eye, with Sendak’s ruff curling neatly over it in a spill of soft lavender, a temptation for eager fingers, though Haxus
knows
anyone trying to touch him without permission will
lose
those fingers. The shawl he’s wearing, thick and richly sapphire blue like blood, is both accent and warning.
Touch, and you will pay the price.
And
gods
, Haxus is paying the price. He hadn’t thought reuniting with Sendak as lieutenant and commander would be such sweet torture.
He watches Sendak leave the group he’d stood with to cross the room to a horned commander leaning against the wall, a glass of something in her hand. She glances up at Sendak’s approach, her surly, thin-lipped mouth curving up at the sight of him. He settles next to her, leaning down to speak softly in one of her ears, and though Haxus is too far to hear what passes between them, she replies in kind. Her fangs catch the light as she laughs, and both of them glance across the room at another cluster of commanders--the most boisterous in the room, led by an unfortunately familiar face. Haxus finds his lip curling.
So Ranveig couldn’t win campaigns in his sector, and yet he found the time to come back to Central Command to get drunk with his cronies, it seemed. Distasteful.
Someone taps him on the shoulder, and Haxus jumps--he’d been so intent on the rest of the room he’d forgotten to keep track of his immediate surroundings. He spins towards the touch. The person who’d touched him is unexpectedly short, for once shorter than he is, with tall, tufted ears streaked silvery on the upper edge. He wears lieutenants’ armor, though the insignia on the shoulder marks him as a Central Command designation.
Like nearly everyone else in the room, Haxus doesn’t recognize him.
“It’s not often we get new faces here,” the unfamiliar lieutenant says, offering Haxus his hand. Haxus clasps his forearm uncertainly.
“Lieutenant Haxus,” he says, and inclines his head towards the room. “I serve under Commander Sendak.”
The lieutenant’s mouth curves in a closed-lipped smile. “Thace. I’m Prorok’s lieutenant.”
Haxus nods, still eyeing him uncertainly. “I didn’t see Commander Prorok here,” he says, glancing back at the room to make sure he hasn’t made a fool of himself.
“He ordered me to go in his place tonight,” Thace says, also scanning the room. “He
claimed
to have other plans.”
“Oh?” Haxus asks, trying to keep his ears from perking up at the hint of gossip. Thace looks at him sidelong, lips curving again, hinting at fangs this time, and leans in closer.
“Between the two of us,” he says in an undertone, his grin becoming slightly more pronounced, “Commander Prorok is making an effort to regain Emperor Zarkon’s attention. Your commander has
quite
stolen his focus these last cycles, and Prorok is…” Another quick glance around, and Haxus leans in eagerly. “...Well, Prorok is quite envious. I
believe
he suspects your Sendak may replace him in Central Command before the decaphoeb is out.”
Haxus thrills a little at the phrase
your Sendak
and glances across the room again, to where Sendak has gained a second companion--a tall, lean, striped individual in sleek metallic blouse and trousers surmounted by a rust-orange cloak. Not the most
flattering
of looks, but then, Haxus isn’t here to judge fashion.
“Between the two of us, Commander Sendak has no interest in a Central Command position,” Haxus replies, with a grin of his own. “He
much
prefers an active position in the field.”
“I’m not surprised,” Thace says. “He doesn’t seem the type to take a sedentary position well. I
heard
--” and the arch of Thace’s brows and the tilt of his ears demands an answer-- “that your new sector’s pirate problem has been nearly exterminated.”
Haxus snorts. “Your gossip is outdated. We crushed their last outpost a quintant before we came here.”
“The pair of you look remarkably put-together and intact for having come off a raid on a pirate encampment,” Thace says slyly. “Unless the rumors are false, and Commander Sendak
doesn’t
take the field during a ground battle?”
In that instant, Haxus
knows
he’s being pumped for gossip. He also knows he won’t be able to resist the lure Thace has set for him.
“Oh no, the rumors are true,” Haxus replies with a grin. “There isn’t a pirate alive who can touch Sendak.”
Thace chuckles. “And I suppose blaster bolts simply...bounce off him?”
“He dodges them,” Haxus says, nearly gloating. “Can your Commander Prorok say the same?”
Thace laughs, his grin wide and pleased. “He
certainly
cannot,” he says. “Which, of course, makes it no surprise he fears Sendak will replace him. Fresh blood is…” Thace glances around, then leans closer, til his lips nearly touch the shell of Haxus’s ear. “...In short supply in Central Command. Prorok suspects a transfusion like Commander Sendak would oust him.
Especially
since Sendak found the Red Lion three movements ago.”
“Which is why it would make no sense to remove Sendak from the field,” Haxus says. “Why take the
only
soldier to find a Lion in the last ten millennia and put him in Central Command, effectively stripping him of the potential to locate others?”
“Precisely the point I tried to make to Prorok,” Thace replies, and lounges against the wall.
Haxus settles back beside him, scanning the room again. Sendak’s head is thrown back, laughing, and Haxus can’t help the way his eyes linger on Sendak, on the flash of his fangs and the jeweled brightness of his clothing. He shakes himself slightly and tears his gaze away. Ranveig’s group has moved, claiming the table with the refreshments, though Ranveig himself has moved to the group’s periphery. If Haxus isn’t mistaken, he’s edging towards Sendak’s position, and the realization stirs a small growl in his throat. He almost hopes he
isn’t
mistaken--if Ranveig lays a finger on Sendak, Haxus will cut it off and ram it down his throat.
He lets his gaze slide away from Ranveig, tracking across the room, scanning the crowd cautiously. Very few of the faces are familiar, and he’s once again surprised to realize how discomforting it is to not recognize anyone. A slight chill goes through him.
His eyes wander back to Sendak, who’s garnered a third companion--and, finally, a familiar face. Commander Trugg is unmistakable with her long crest fur, even out of uniform. Haxus can’t help being a little impressed with how well she matches Sendak despite knowing they hadn’t coordinated their outfits--muted red, fitted shirt and loose dark pants, paired with a long, sleeveless jacket in a shimmering blue that matches Sendak’s shawl precisely. The lanky stranger has clearly vacated his place to allow Trugg the spot at Sendak’s side, and something hot and possessive crawls up Haxus’s throat to sit in his mouth. That should be
him
beside Sendak.
“Excuse me,” he says tersely to Thace, pushing himself off the wall.
“Going to speak to Commander Sendak?” Thace asks, ears twitching. “Would you mind if I accompanied you? I haven’t seen him since he finished his training with Zarkon.”
Haxus shrugs, schooling his expression to impassivity. “If you like; I won’t stop you.”
He sets off across the room at a quick pace, not bothering to check if Thace is following him or not, coming to a halt in front of Sendak. His feet settle shoulder-width apart, his fist landing over his sternum--a totally natural position with any other commander, an entirely unnatural one with Sendak.
“Commander Sendak, sir,” he says quietly, and Sendak looks away from the horned commander beside him to flash Haxus a smile.
“Haxus,” he says, in his low, husky voice, and a thrill runs up Haxus’s spine. His tone is merely a commander acknowledging his lieutenant, though his dancing gaze tells Haxus to drop the formality, and
gods
, does Haxus want to. He settles to a rest position, allowed to drop his salute now that Sendak has acknowledged him.
“Your lieutenant?” the lanky one asks. Trugg rolls her eyes, and Haxus resists the urge to smack her.
“Yes,” Sendak says. He gestures to Haxus with his cybernetic hand, open-palmed, and Haxus wonders momentarily if they can read the affection it it. “This is Haxus, my lieutenant. Haxus, these are Commander Throk--” a wave to the lanky one-- “and Commander Gnov.” The horned commander nods her head in greeting, though her eyes study Haxus intently. Sendak’s gaze lands on Thace, and his eye lights up. He extends his hand to the lieutenant, offering a closed-mouth smile as well. “Thace! How’s Prorok been treating you?”
“As well as can be expected,” Thace says wryly, clasping Sendak’s forearm. “He sent me here in his place to get out of coming to your party.”
Sendak snorts, amused. “That sounds like Prorok. Let me guess, he has you scouting for interesting tidbits.”
“Got it in one,” Thace mutters, slouching beside Throk. “I’m considering cutting out early.”
“We’ll cover for you,” Throk says, baring too many teeth in one smile. Haxus stiffens up, eyeing him suspiciously, and Sendak’s hand--the organic one--drops to his back. He can feel the heat of Sendak’s palm through the fabric of his shirt.
“Stay with us for a bit before you go,” Sendak offers, his ears flicking. “I’m
certain
things have happened here these two haven’t told me about.”
Throk gives an indignant squawk at that. Trugg and Gnov both snort--Gnov nearly spits her drink, her ears tilting forward with interest. Haxus finds himself leaning in as well, and he sees the moment where Thace decides not to bolt, his chest puffing up slightly with pride at being the center of attention for four powerful commanders.
“Prorok has concerns as to whether or not he’ll keep his position,” Thace says, leaning in so only their little group can hear him. “Several field commanders have risen to prominence in the last two decaphoebs--yourself among them, Sendak--and he’s considering taking a mission in the field to prove himself as sharp as all his potential replacements.”
“First I’ve heard of it,” Gnov says dryly.
“Who are the others?” Trugg asks casually. “Purely out of curiosity, of course.”
Thace snorts. “You’ve made the shortlist,” he says. “So has Sendak. Ladnok’s on the list as well, and...well, if General Branko ever gets his project on Olkarion off the ground, he might make that list as well.” Sendak huffs dismissively; Haxus
knows
Sendak’s had experience with Branko before and has reason to doubt his ability. Thace glances around, making sure he has all their eyes on him. “And, of course, one other…”
Thace glances over his shoulder, towards the refreshment table, and Haxus follows his gaze. Across the room, Ranveig gives a raucous laugh and turns towards them, gesturing with what Haxus is
certain
is a nearly-full glass of Zabranium mead--a guaranteed headache in the morning, even for someone of Ranveig’s stature. His small, narrow eyes land on the lot of them, and Haxus feels the fur on the back of his neck rise as those eyes narrow further. Ranveig hands off his glass to one of his cronies and stalks towards them.
“
Well
,” he crows, “the guest of honor
finally
acknowledges the rest of us lowlifes.” Haxus feels Sendak stiffen beside him.
Ranveig stops only a few strides away, swaying slightly, the reek of alcohol rolling off him. Haxus glances between him and Sendak, taking stock of the situation. Ranveig is armored, and while Haxus can’t see any weapons on him, that doesn’t mean he’s unarmed, though his swaying and the stench says he’s too drunk to fight seriously. Sendak’s unarmored, armed only with his prosthetic and the knife on his thigh, but sober and braced for combat.
“Who said I was acknowledging you?” Sendak replies coolly. “It’s
horribly
presumptuous for you to assume I have time to waste with the likes of you, or do you think
everyone
who looks at you while you make a spectacle of yourself is acknowledging you as more than a nuisance?”
Ranveig growls, and Haxus
swears
he can see the warlord’s armor shift as the fur at his ruff rises, his eyes narrowing to lethal yellow slits. “Say that again, you little upstart,” he rumbles.
Out of the corner of his eye, Haxus catches a glimpse of Gnov edging closer to Sendak almost protectively.
“I
said
,” Sendak says, raising his voice so everyone in the room can hear him, “you’re a drunken nuisance, and the spectacle you’re making is a disgrace to the Empire and an embarrassment to high command as a whole.”
Someone off to the side whistles, sounding impressed, and Ranveig turns to look at them--and Sendak lunges, hooking his ankle around Ranveig’s shin and sending him toppling to the floor in a heap. Ranveig growls, rolls over to push himself back upright, and Sendak plants a boot on his chest, leaning down to rest his elbow on his knee. His cybernetic hand curls into a fist, his chin settling into place atop his knuckles, and he grins, the smile wide and filled with fangs.
“...And I think you should leave, before I crush your face with my heel,” Sendak finishes, his voice softening to a snarl. The fur at the back of Haxus’s neck rises.
And then Sendak steps back, gesturing dismissively at Ranveig, and two of Ranveig’s cronies scramble in to pull him upright, the warlord staggering on unsteady legs and nearly knocking the three of them over anyway. He snarls and spits, the saliva landing a handspan from Sendak’s boots; Sendak steps back with an expression of distaste.
“This isn’t over, whelp,” Ranveig slurs.
Sendak folds his arms across his chest. “Good,” he lilts mockingly. “I’d hope it isn’t, beating the shit out of someone too
intoxicated
to defend himself would be beneath me.”
Ranveig snarls, trying to lunge at him. His cronies hold him back, the rest of the group moving in to surround him, and then as a pack they begin to move towards the exits. A moment of dead silence. And then the room bursts into conversation--people talking excitedly, several strangers emerging from the crowd to clap Sendak on the shoulder, a hubbub of congratulation and excitement. Sendak weaves back towards them through the crush, holding his skirts to avoid being snagged on anyone’s armor or under boots, a wide grin on his face, his ears tilted up excitedly, and Haxus grabs his pant legs to keep himself from lunging for Sendak and kissing him senseless in front of the whole crowd. He offers him an encouraging smile instead, and Sendak’s smile brightens further.
Trugg catches Sendak by the shawl and pulls him in for a one-armed hug, punching him in the shoulder with her free hand. “Nice
going
, big guy,” she crows, and Sendak spins her around and hands her off to Gnov with a laugh.
“Oh
please
, I could have done that in my sleep,” he says, grinning. His gaze lands on Haxus, that wide, wild smile softening to something more affectionate, and Haxus’s chest warms in response.
“Like that makes it less funny,” Throk says. “That was a good show.”
“Frankly, Ranveig
needs
to be taken down a peg occasionally,” Gnov adds.
“He seems like he could power a cruiser on ego alone,” Haxus quips, relieved when Sendak’s friends laugh uproariously. Thace pats him on the shoulder, and he does his best not to tense up, offering Thace an attempt at a smile instead. With everyone seemingly talking at once the room is
far
too loud and too noisy even for friendly contact.
When he looks up, Sendak’s still looking at him, ears tilting with concern. His hands dart--very fast sign, low enough and direct enough only Haxus could read it. “You alright?”
Haxus shakes his head almost infinitesimally, then shivers, suddenly chilled. Sendak’s expression softens, and he moves to Haxus’s side, the back of his hand bumping Haxus’s thigh.
“Do we need to go?” Sendak murmurs in his ear.
For a moment, Haxus hesitates. The room seems stabler, quieter with Sendak beside him, his weighty presence pushing back the noise and the chaos. “...I’ll be fine,” he replies, just as quietly.
Sendak flashes him a smile, bright as a sun, and grabs his hand. It’s just for a moment, no more, and then he pulls away, leaving the group entirely to cross the room. Haxus stares after him. The space beside him is colder without Sendak’s heat to fill it. He knows Sendak didn’t go for no reason--he’s standing beside Zarkon now, speaking excitedly to him--but he misses Sendak’s presence all the same.
And then someone clears their throat beside him, and Haxus jumps, spinning to face Sendak’s friends. Throk has a hand on his hip and the other on his chin, a wry grin crooking his mouth. Gnov’s arms cross over her chest, but something about the tilt of her ears suggests amusement, and Thace and Trugg are outright grinning. His ears lower ever so slightly.
“...Why are you all looking at me like that?” he snaps.
“Looks like
someone’s
a little moonstruck for his commander,” Trugg lilts back, her grin widening.
“I am
not
--” Haxus protests.
“He
did
talk about you a good deal during training,” Gnov muses, cutting him off.
“Try
all the time
when he
wasn’t
training,” Thace corrects, and Gnov snorts in response.
“And the two of you are
awfully
close for a new commander and lieutenant,” Throk adds.
“That doesn’t mean I’m moonstruck--”
“Just admit you’re having an illicit love affair with Sendak and get it over with,” Trugg says.
Haxus’s ears flatten. “I am
not
,” he snaps. “That would be grounds for a dishonorable discharge.”
“
If
you were caught at it,” Thace corrects.
“Which you will be if you keep mooning after him in public,” adds Gnov.
“There
is
no illicit love affair!” Haxus huffs, crossing his arms defensively.
“Oh?” Trugg asks. “So that means he’s free to hook up. You must really be missing out, he looks like he’s a good lay.”
“He’s
not
free,” Haxus mutters.
“So
someone
must be getting him all to themself, then,” Throk says, the corner of his mouth quirking higher to expose snaggletoothed fangs.
“And he hasn’t said anything about anyone…” Thace chimes in.
“...Except for
you
,” Gnov finishes.
Haxus’s shoulders slump. “.........If this gets out to
anyone
outside the five of us, I’ll kill all of you.”
Silence. Then Throk bursts out laughing like Haxus said something funny, and the next thing he knows the five of them are falling over each other and giggling like schoolchildren, wild and almost carefree, a sudden release of the tension from moments before. Haxus slumps against Trugg’s shoulder, trying to wipe the tears from his eyes and stifle his laughter before it gets the better of him but completely unable to sober up.
Sendak returns in the middle of the chaos, looking utterly bewildered by their expressions--and by the way Gnov doubles over, heaving with laughter, when he asks what’s going on. Haxus bites his lip to resist the urge to kiss the confused pout off Sendak’s face, to reach up and pet him behind his lowered ears until they perk back up and Sendak is purring in his hands. The urge only increases when Sendak looks to him for an explanation, finally forcing him to stop laughing and calm down. Sendak’s pout shifts to a scowl, ears flattening as a look of irritation makes itself at home on his face.
“So what did I miss that’s so funny?” he asks, and Haxus can hear the sulk in his tone.
“Nothing important, sir. Just a joke,” Haxus says.
As far as efforts to calm Sendak go, it’s a poor one and he knows it, his own ears lowering when Sendak's scowl deepens. Sendak’s hands dart, shaping small, quick sign again, meant only for Haxus’s eyes.
You know I hate it when you call me that.
Haxus’s heart sinks a little.
Before he can respond, though, Gnov steps in, wrapping an arm loosely around Sendak’s waist to pull him back into the group. “Don’t worry about it,” she says. “Your lieutenant has a great sense of humor, that’s all.”
At that Sendak cracks a smile of his own, his ears tilting back up and his gaze coming to rest on Haxus, the warmth back in his eye. “That’s part of why I picked him,” he says, flashing Haxus a crooked, rakish smile. Haxus can feel the apology in it, and it’s enough to have him perking up in response.
“Oh? And what’s the other part?” Trugg asks slyly. Haxus clenches his fists, resisting the urge to punch her. Much as Sendak likes him, Haxus doubts he’d appreciate filing the incident report.
Sendak huffs. “Well, I need
someone
I trust to guard my back when we attack pirate strongholds, and I can think of no one I would rather have than Haxus.”
Warmth blooms in Haxus’s chest, quickly radiating up to his face in what he
knows
is a blush, and he looks away quickly, wrapping an arm around himself and staring out at the rest of the room, at all the commanders and lieutenants still moving in patterns he doesn’t know yet and trying to distract himself. No mooning in public.
A hand lands on his shoulder, and he doesn’t even need to look to know it’s Sendak. “Are you alright, Haxus?”
The tone is one meant for his ears alone, too soft to carry further than the two of them, too warm for anyone else to hear and not guess what rests between them. The places where Sendak touches him--his shoulder, his back and side where Sendak’s body brushes his--feel charged, electric, and he can’t keep his fur from fluffing out.
“I’m alright, just--chilly,” he says, glancing back at Sendak.
It’s a mistake, one that will cost him. He knows this immediately--Sendak’s face softens, his ears tilting to focus on him with gentle intensity, and he reaches up and shrugs the shawl from his shoulders. Haxus’s mouth goes dry, and the universe collapses in until it’s just the two of them, just the curve of Sendak’s shoulders, the slide of fabric down to expose
light-years
of soft, curling fur, the join where Sendak’s prosthetic meets his flesh, the arch of his neck, the strong muscle suddenly on display. Sendak drapes the shawl over his shoulders, engulfing him in warmth and Sendak’s scent, and Haxus only just stops himself from lifting the cloth to his nose and breathing deeply.
And then Sendak steps back and the universe expands again to the clamor of the party, and Haxus finds himself able to breathe again.
“Better?” Sendak asks, the corner of his mouth quirking up.
“Much,” Haxus replies. He can’t keep his eyes off Sendak’s shoulders and arms, exposed and glorious. Sendak’s head tilts, studying him thoughtfully, and Haxus takes a deep breath and looks away to hide the blush spreading across his face. It’s ridiculous, far too obvious, horribly immature for someone of his station, and yet--
“I thought we might return to our cruiser soon,” Sendak says, his tone smooth and casual. Too smooth, too casual, just even enough that Haxus can hear the edge in his voice. It’s not directed solely at him--his voice is slightly muffled, as if he’s turned back towards his friends. “I’ll inform Emperor Zarkon, and then Haxus and I will be on our way.”
A chorus of goodbyes, wishing them an enjoyable evening--Haxus ignores the weight of implication in Trugg and Throk’s tones--and, in Gnov’s case, wishing them a safe walk back to their cruiser, and then Sendak weaves off through the crowd. Haxus watches him like he’s target-locked to Sendak’s broad back, noting the curls of lavender over the back of his neckline, the way his skirts whip as he dodges a commander-and-lieutenant pair. He seems to disappear for a few moments, then re-emerges beside Zarkon like a specter. Sendak doesn’t linger long at his Emperor’s side, though, and within the dobosh he’s back beside Haxus, all but herding him towards the exit. Haxus allows it. If he stays any longer he’s going to rip his fur off, or shred Sendak’s dress and have him there in front of all of high command.
They barely make the cruiser before the energy surging through him becomes too much, and the moment they’re out of sight of the crewman who met them at the doors Haxus slings the shawl back around Sendak’s waist and yanks him closer, grabbing Sendak’s shoulder to pull him down and crush their mouths together. Sendak yelps, startled, someone’s fangs cut someone else’s lip and coppery blood blooms in the kiss, Haxus gets a fistful of the fur at the back of Sendak’s neck and holds him closer, catching his lower lip between his teeth and worrying it gently.
When they break apart, Sendak’s gasping for breath. Haxus is barely better, but he reaches up again until Sendak plants his palm on the center of Haxus’s chest, holding him back.
“We can’t do this,” Sendak hisses, his expression dark with uncertainty. His lip is bleeding, Haxus notes distractedly, the taste of it heavy on his tongue, and he resists the urge to lean up and kiss the deep blue droplets from Sendak’s mouth.
“Not if we don’t get caught,” Haxus hisses back, glancing around. No crew, no drones, but they’re still in the dock entrance and far too exposed should anyone come by.
“Then we can’t do this
here
,” Sendak rumbles, reaching up to wipe the blood from his mouth, and straightens almost immediately, smoothing the fur Haxus rumpled with his grip back into place. “Accompany me back to my quarters. I may need...
assistance
getting out of my dress.” His tone is lighter, light enough to allay suspicion if anyone else hears them.
Haxus grins, baring teeth and relishing the way Sendak’s fur fluffs up. “Yes
sir
,” he says in reply, bumping his shoulder against Sendak’s until he begins moving towards the hall to his quarters.
Whatever illusion of innocence they held falls to pieces the moment the door to Sendak’s quarters slides shut behind them. Haxus’s hands are on Sendak immediately, pushing him back against the door and sliding his hand up Sendak’s thigh through the slit in his skirt; Sendak gets a handful of the front of Haxus’s shirt and his other hand on the small of his back, pulling him up against his chest and kissing him fiercely. Haxus responds eagerly, gripping the fur along Sendak’s jaw to angle his face down and kiss him better, and Sendak trills against his mouth, his grip on Haxus’s shirt tightening. They pull apart, breathless, and Haxus kisses him again, more softly this time.
“
Enough
,” Sendak pants, his eye half-lidded. “We are
not
ruining this dress.”
Haxus grins up at him and spins him around, back toward the bed, and Sendak moves with it, light as a dancer, his skirt swirling around his legs. “Then let’s get you out of it, shall we?” he asks, keeping his voice light and innocent. “That
is
what you asked me here to do for you, isn’t it?”
Sendak takes his hands in response and pulls him towards the bed, sitting down with his back to Haxus and pulling aside his ruff so Haxus can get at the slider on the back of the dress. Haxus’s eyes rove over him before he ever touches, over the arch of Sendak’s neck and the way his fur curls through his fingers. It’s too long for regulation, he notes, tugging the slider down and baring more of Sendak’s back, and he trails his fingers through the thick fur exposed, picturing the lavender curls falling away under the clipper blades. Powerful muscle ripples under his hands, and Sendak turns his head to look back over his shoulder at Haxus.
Haxus grabs Sendak’s shoulder immediately, turning him back around, and Sendak moves with him, legs parting in time for Haxus to settle between them. He grabs at the neck of Sendak’s dress and pulls it down over his shoulders, running his hands through Sendak’s ruff and over the muscular curves of his chest. Sendak’s hands fumble with the front of Haxus’s shirt, undoing clasps to pull it open, just as hungry to touch.
He gets the dress all the way down to Sendak’s hips by the time Sendak manages the first three clasps on Haxus’s shirt, and Haxus can’t help chuckling at the way Sendak’s overeager fingers fumble the smaller fastenings, taking Sendak’s organic hand and kissing his scarred knuckles. Sendak laughs, and the intensity evaporates. Heat blooms under Haxus’s sternum, affection curling through him at the light in Sendak’s eye and the brightness in his laugh, and he ducks in to blow raspberries against Sendak’s neck. That earns him a startled squeal and a delighted laugh, and Sendak’s free hand undoes another clasp, getting Haxus’s shirt half-open to tickle his ribs. Haxus snorts and grins up at Sendak.
“How long have you been waiting to do this?” Sendak asks, grinning back.
“Too void-taken long,” Haxus huffs, and leans into Sendak’s hands when Sendak finishes with his clasps, letting Sendak pull his shirt off him and fling it aside. Those same hands gently map his ribs, the curve of his stripes and the scars dappled over his waist, then trail down to his pants to tug at the waistband. Haxus looks back up from Sendak’s hands to his face, smiling and quietly smug. “And I can see I’m not the only one…”
Sendak hums and unfastens Haxus’s pants, but doesn’t move to pull them down. “...I’m worried we’ll get caught,” he says quietly, his ears lowering. Haxus reaches forward to cup them, rubbing gently at the bases until Sendak melts in his hands like comet ice.
“...We’ll be fine, my heart,” Haxus murmurs, leaning in to press his forehead against Sendak’s. “We’ll be just fine. The crew loves you, they’ll keep our little secret.”
“And if someone else finds out?” Sendak asks, and Haxus’s heart sinks a little. “I’ll be fine, Zarkon finds me valuable enough to make an exception for me...but I can’t do this without you at my side. There’s no one else I trust enough to want as my lieutenant.”
“We
won’t
get caught,” Haxus says, more firmly this time, and pushes Sendak back into the blankets and climbs on top of him. Sendak goes unresistingly, gazing up at him wide-eyed. “I
swear
to you, Sendak, we will not get caught. You won’t lose me.”
Sendak hesitates a moment, then pulls Haxus down and kisses him firmly. His hands move back to the waistband of Haxus’s pants, pulling them down as far as he can with Haxus sitting on him, and Haxus groans eagerly against his mouth and grabs his fur again, holding him close.
When Sendak releases him Haxus scrambles back off the bed, yanking his pants the rest of the way off and throwing them aside, then goes back for Sendak’s dress, the two of them wrestling the clinging fabric off him to throw with the rest of their clothing, and then Haxus’s hands are on Sendak’s chest again, fumbling their way down his sides to the waistband of his underwear. He looks up, meets Sendak’s gaze evenly.
“May I, love?” he asks
“
Yes
,” Sendak replies fervently, surging up to kiss Haxus again til they’re both panting and breathless. His hands move up from the blankets and grab Haxus’s waist, nearly large enough to wrap all the way around at the narrowest part, and something in Haxus thrills at that.
Haxus breaks the kiss and pushes Sendak back down, tugging his underpants off and settling back into place between his legs, leaning up to kiss him again. One of his hands grabs hold of the thick, curling fur at Sendak’s collarbones, pinning him in place. The other runs down his side again, tracing over old acid burn scars on Sendak’s waist and hip and tracking the old marks all the way down to his upper thigh, then trails around to his inner thigh. Sendak quivers beneath him, whining softly.
“Shh, my love,” Haxus soothes, kissing him again. “It’s alright. I have you.”
“Then
have
me,” Sendak huffs.
Haxus chuckles, tracing circles on his inner thigh to tease. “Always so impatient. Maybe I should make you
wait
a little longer.”
Sendak’s ears flatten a little, a soft growl rumbling in his throat, but he subsides back into the blankets with hardly more than that small protest. Haxus grins at that, a little smug, and leans over to kiss Sendak again, the hand on his thigh trailing higher up to stop just shy of where he knows Sendak wants him as he breaks the kiss. A soft, thin sound bubbles up in the back of Sendak’s throat, his ears lowering submissively, and Haxus flashes him a grin. His fingers move further up, brushing aside the fur to trace over Sendak’s sheath before moving back, brushing lightly over the folds of his sex. The bare, smooth flesh under his fingers is already wet to the touch, and his grin widens.
“
Someone’s
eager,” he purrs. That earns him a whine and Sendak’s legs spreading farther, giving Haxus more room to move between them, and Haxus chuckles and steals another quick kiss before settling between his thighs. “Remember--no squeezing. If you crack my skull with your thighs and send me to the med bay, I’m not responsible for this getting out.”
Sendak pouts up at him, those huge ears lowering further. “I only did that
once
,” he says, sulking. Haxus chuckles, petting him soothingly, and ducks down between Sendak’s thighs. His tongue traces slowly over his folds, teasing, then dips down between them when Sendak whines at him, seeking out the raised ridges of sensitive nerve clusters around his entrance.
That earns him a pleased whine, and Haxus grins against him before pressing his tongue flat against his sex, licking him firmly. Sendak gasps above him, and a moment later a hand pets over the back of his head, rubbing the bases of his ears. He chuckles at that one and licks Sendak again, grabbing his hips firmly to keep him still as he traces the ridges again, savoring the taste of Sendak’s slick before testing his entrance with the tip of his tongue. Above him, Sendak moans throatily, and Haxus feels him shift, trying to roll his hips despite Haxus’s grip. He smooths his thumbs over the crest of Sendak’s hip bones, soothing him, then presses his tongue into him.
The hand on his head stills, and Sendak
wails
, his back arching. Haxus grins, continuing to rub Sendak’s hips as he pushes deeper. Sendak resumes his petting, massaging firmly over the bases of his ears--part reward, part urging him on, Haxus knows that full well--and he begins to thrust with his tongue, dragging the rough barbs so they catch on Sendak’s rim with each pass. That earns more delicious cries from above, more arching, Sendak’s hand tightening momentarily on one of his ears--a shock of pain that goes straight to his groin, and he
growls
against Sendak, shifting so Sendak’s thighs rest on his shoulders and lifting his hips clear of the mattress, changing his angle to drive deeper. Sendak’s ankles lock behind his head, stabilizing them both, and Haxus rewards him with a purr.
Another few thrusts and Sendak comes undone above him, clawing at the blankets and crying out wildly, then slumps, his deadweight nearly towing them off balance. Haxus manages to catch them just in time, lowering them back into the nest and pulling his tongue free before leaning up over Sendak, nuzzling his cheek as he comes down. Sendak noses at him, whining softly, and Haxus kisses him, purring against his mouth and holding him close.
“Good, love?” Haxus asks gently. His fingers card through Sendak’s ruff, then move up to rub behind his ears, and Sendak purrs quietly in response, then hums and nods, leaning in for a second kiss. Sendak captures his bottom lip between his teeth, just barely grazing it with his incisors, and Haxus groans softly against his mouth and sneaks his free hand back down between Sendak's thighs, teasing his entrance with his index and middle finger.
That earns him a gasp and Sendak's hips rocking as he tries to press into the touch. Haxus chuckles and claims Sendak's mouth again, holding him steady as he presses in and curls both fingers inside him. Sendak gives a long, drawn-out cry and buries his face in Haxus's neck, shuddering and clenching on the intrusion. Haxus strokes his ears soothingly.
“It's alright, my heart,” he murmurs, holding his fingers still so Sendak can adjust. “You're doing so well. Just let me know when you're ready.”
Sendak nods against his neck, his arms coming up around Haxus to hold him close, clinging. Haxus keeps petting his ears, pressing kisses to the top of his head, over his crest and ears, purring softly at him to help him calm down.
Eventually, though, Sendak lifts his face and nods, then takes a deep breath and and murmurs, “I'm ready, love.”
Haxus kisses him deeply in reply, purring against his lips, and curls his fingers again. Sendak whimpers into the kiss and pulls away to bury his face in Haxus's shoulder again, giving soft, broken cries as Haxus scissors his fingers, slowly working him open. Haxus kisses him on the brow, soothing.
“So good, my love. You're doing so good,” he whispers.
He lets Sendak come again on his fingers, curling and scissoring and twisting them until Sendak comes undone beneath him with a cry of pleasure, then gently pulls his fingers free. With one last kiss to soothe him, he rolls Sendak gently onto his back and settles between his legs. That earns him a whine, Sendak's eye opening again as he pouts.
“
Hey
,” Sendak protests, and Haxus can't help laughing.
“I know, love, you wanted to cuddle,” he says, and Sendak's pout deepens. Haxus resists the urge to lean up and kiss him again and nip at his lower lip until the pout disappears. “You can't have sex
and
cuddle, though, my heart. I'm not tall enough.”
Sendak huffs quietly, ears twitching, and Haxus raises a brow at him, waiting for his answer.
Instead, Sendak mirrors his expression, cracking a fanged smile that sends shivers down Haxus's spine. “What, are you planning on fingering me again?” he asks, breathless but teasing. “Or are you packing one of our old strap-ons? Because I don't see a
dick
--”
“Shut
up
!” Haxus protests. His face is heated, blazing with a blush hot enough to melt metal, and Sendak laughs under him. “Oh, you little--”
“Shut up and kiss me, Hax,” Sendak says, leaning up on his elbows and reaching up to pull Haxus down to kiss him.
Haxus grumbles into the kiss and lets him, then squeaks when he feels Sendak's free hand wandering down his side to his hip, then around the curve of his thigh to stroke his sheath, coaxing his length free and running his hand over the shaft. He bites back a gasp of pleasure and tucks his face momentarily against Sendak’s neck, grumbling at the sound of Sendak’s quiet, breathless laugh and peering up at him, ears flattened, trying to reassert dominance.
“You,” Haxus says, and sits up enough to push Sendak back down onto the mattress, “are
such
a brat. I don’t think you deserve this.”
Sendak’s ears lower immediately, shoulders curling submissively, and Haxus very nearly feels guilty for it.
“Please, Hax--I’ll be good--” he starts, his voice soft and plaintive. He tips his head slightly, baring the length of his throat to Haxus’s gaze, and
gods
--
The impulse to bite down on it rises in him, so strongly that for a moment Haxus can’t breathe.
“Alright, love, alright,” Haxus murmurs soothingly, nuzzling his throat instead and petting gently over Sendak’s sides, fingers tracing old scars almost by rote. “I won’t tease you anymore, I promise…”
He settles between Sendak’s legs again, runs his hands over the curve of Sendak’s hips and the powerful muscles of his thighs as he lines himself up and presses in, slow and smooth. Sendak cries out beneath him, an elongated moan with head thrown back, and Haxus leans up as far as possible as he bottoms out, mouthing at his exposed throat. One of Sendak’s hands lands on his upper back, clenching in the longer fur between his shoulder blades as he begins to thrust. His pace is easy, letting Sendak adjust, relishing the soft cries of pleasure he makes between breaths, and builds slowly, never too rough or harsh. Not now, not for his Sendak.
Sendak’s other hand joins the one already on his back, clinging desperately to him. He’s close, Haxus knows--the tension in his body, the way his eyelashes flutter, the clench and release of the hands in his fur and his sex around him--and he leans in, as far as he can reach, nuzzling the crook of Sendak’s neck.
“Come on, love,” he hisses, voice strained with his own pleasure, and Sendak whines in response, too far gone for words. His head tips to the side, giving Haxus better access to his throat, and if they hadn’t been commander and lieutenant--if they could be open together--
Haxus clamps his teeth on the meat of Sendak’s shoulder, pushing him over the edge. Not hard enough to break skin or leave marks, much as he wants to, but from Sendak’s satisfied panting as he comes down, it’s enough to please him. He nuzzles Sendak’s neck again and keeps going, thrusting more quickly now.
Sendak comes twice more before Haxus reaches his own climax, slumping breathlessly on top of him and burying his face in Sendak’s chest as he comes down, kneading gently at his sides--more to soothe himself than Sendak, who’s dazed and panting, still trembling through the aftershocks of his last orgasm. He pulls out reluctantly, rolling off to curl against Sendak’s side and pull him close, his face tucked into the crook of Sendak’s neck to breathe his scent and hear his heartbeat. Sendak rolls towards him, wrapping his arms around Haxus and clinging, whining softly in the back of his throat. Haxus murmurs soothingly in response, runs his fingers through Sendak’s mane, sits up just enough to tuck Sendak’s head against his chest where he knows Sendak would want to be, watching him come back to himself. He can’t help chirping when Sendak’s eye flutters open at last, blinking sleepily up at him, and leans down to kiss Sendak on the brow.
“Hey, love,” he says softly, smiling when Sendak hums in response and pulling him closer. “You alright?”
Sendak hums again, nodding slightly and nuzzling against his chest, and--well, he’s so often quiet when they finish, tired and out of it and endearingly clingy, and Haxus settles into the nest again, content to hold him as long as he needs. He nearly dozes himself, petting Sendak’s fur and purring softly, lulled by the warmth of Sendak’s body against him until he’s prodded awake and peers down to find Sendak looking back up at him.
“Ready to get cleaned up?” he asks. Sendak nods, and Haxus sits up reluctantly, shivering in the cool air of Sendak’s quarters. Strange, how he hadn’t noticed before. He eyes the door to Sendak’s bathroom, doubting whether he can make the further walk bearing Sendak’s weight, and pets Sendak’s ears to get his attention. “Do you think you can walk to the bathroom, love? Or should I just get a washcloth and clean you up here?”
Sendak whines, ears lowering sulkily, but sits himself up, wincing and scowling at the mess between his legs. “Bath, please,” he says softly, and Haxus winces himself--Sendak’s voice is rough, almost hoarse, and he’s suddenly grateful Sendak’s quarters are soundproofed.
“I’m going to go start the water, love,” he says, pressing another kiss to Sendak’s forehead. “I’ll be right back, I promise.”
At Sendak’s affirmative nod he slings his legs over the edge of the bed, hurrying to the bathroom and doing his best not to stall in the doorway, starting the bathwater rather than taking stock of the new quarters. The bathroom was hardly touched, anyway, aside from Sendak’s shampoos at the edge of the bath--and no wonder, Sendak was ever a stranger to the finer things in life. He’d be uncomfortable in this wide, tiled space, too accustomed to the smaller, purely functional bathrooms the foot soldiers had. Haxus lingers longer than he knows he should, hunting down towels and setting them in the drawer beside the tub to warm, moving Sendak’s shampoos to the edge of the tub, marvelling at the breadth and depth of it.
The last time they’d bathed together, the tub had been nearly too small for both of them at once.
Sendak is sitting upright by the time Haxus returns to him, ears perking up at the sight of him, and Haxus’s heart lightens at that. He reaches out, helping Sendak out of the bed and supporting him to the bathroom, over the edge of the tub and into the warm, rising water, then climbs in after him, pulling Sendak back against his chest and letting him curl close again.
They both go quiet again for a time, Sendak dozing in his arms and Haxus watching him, shutting off the water as it reaches their chests and quietly cleaning Sendak up. He settles himself once the last of their mingled fluids is cleared from Sendak’s thighs, lounging against the wall of the tub, and considers starting with the shampoo for a minute before deciding against it, content for the moment to just relax.
Bathing can wait. Later, they’ll lather themselves up and wash off. Later, he’ll have to begin the arduous task of drying Sendak’s thick fur. Later, he’ll have to clear their mess from Sendak’s bed and debate the risks of sleeping with him or returning to his own quarters to sleep alone.
But not now.