Beach
Hijau frowned, doubtfully.
"Are you sure you're going to be warm enough?"
Zha'haarak had changed into a warmer bodysuit, as the captain had suggested, with full length sleeves - but no leggings. The zn'hre smiled, then pulled on a pair of thigh length boots and slid into a waist length leather jacket.
"I think so, zkai'din." One thin hand brushed at the pale green skin of his thigh between the top of the boot and the high-cut edge of the bodysuit. "Sometimes it's pleasant to feel the wind, just a little. And," his eyes twinkled, "I'm sure you will be able to warm me up if I become too cold…"
Chuckling, feeling himself rousing at the very thought, Hijau ushered his bondmate to the balcony. Ti'aasaan grinned at the pair.
"Have fun!"
The captain glanced back over his shoulder.
"We will. And if Kyuri calls - which she shouldn't - tell her I'm… not to be disturbed, ne?"
The little zn'hre smirked and saluted, self-mockingly. Smiling, Hijau took Zha'haarak's hand and led him upwards.
They flew hand in hand, Hijau watching as the wind tumbled the zn'hre's long, heavy emerald hair around his body, Zha'haarak smiling shyly through the thick locks brushing over his face.
The Saiyan grinned, swallowing past the lump in his throat, so happy he felt like crying. He pulled the zn'hre to him, holding him closely and kissing the sensitive skin under his ear.
*You are so precious to me…*
The flood of sheer love that *overflowed* from the prince was almost overwhelming. His golden eyes were very bright as he pulled back and stroked his beloved's face.
**As you to me…**
They gazed at each other for long moments, then Hijau sighed, hugged the zn'hre once more, and took his hand as they resumed their flight…
Zha'haarak stared, awestruck, lips parted and eyes huge. Tides on Vejiitasei were hardly measurable, the near-geostationary moon's influence balanced by the distant suns, and the oceans were relatively placid - but sometimes, like today, winds out at sea whipped the surface into long, slow rollers that broke on the shore in a froth of lacy spray, the shirring of wave over sand and the deeper roar of the surf bloodstirring even to someone who'd heard it often. To the zn'hre, who'd never seen a body of water bigger than the bathing pool, it was… breathtaking, almost terrifying. He gripped Hijau's hand tightly, nails digging into the skin, and the Saiyan moved to stand behind him, wrapping warm arms around his shoulders and strong tail around his hips, hugging him close. Zha'haarak's voice was a whisper.
"It's… it's wonderful…"
"Shall we go closer?"
Zha'haarak cowered back slightly, glancing over his shoulder, eyes a little fearful.
"Is it safe?"
Hijau nipped lightly at his neck.
"I'd never let anything happen to you… Come."
The Saiyan heeled off his boots and dragged off the top half of his bodysuit, then knelt to pull the zn'hre's boots slowly from the long, lean legs, kissing the cool skin as it was revealed. By the time he'd finished Zha'haarak was trembling and erect: the Saiyan manoeuvred him gently backwards to sit on the largest of a handful of wind-smoothed rocks - then, pulling the flexible material of the black bodysuit gently to one side, lowered his face to the prince's groin.
Zha'haarak gripped his Saiyan's flame-bright mane, back arching, his moan lost in the sound of the sea as Hijau's tongue aroused him further, warm fingers teasing his mound… He cried aloud as he came, head flung back, his hair a bright cloud in the hot afternoon sunslight.
Hijau held him until he softened, tongue licking firmly at the cool velvety skin, then - eyes twinkling mischievously - nibbled at the sensitive fleshy protrusion beneath. Zha'haarak bit back a yelp as he flinched: the Saiyan hastily stopped his exploration and kissed gently before easing the bodysuit back over his bondmate's groin.
*Did I hurt you? I'm sorry…*
The prince shook his head.
**No, not at all… I'm just… overly sensitive after coming…**
Hijau grinned to himself. In that case, next time he'd try that first… Zha'haarak looked a little anxious, eyes on the prominent bulge at his bondmate's groin.
**But zkai'din, you haven't…**
The Saiyan interrupted. *Later. I like the anticipation…* He rose and extended a hand to the zn'hre. *Shall we?*
Zha'haarak glanced down at their boots and Hijau's top: the captain grinned.
*We'll collect them on the way back…*
The sand was cool to Zha'haarak's feet, and much finer than any he'd walked in before, finer and softer and unexpectedly shifting: Hijau had taken his hand to steady him as he limped towards the sea.
The sea…
He watched, entranced, hardly aware of walking. There were so many colours… And the sounds, there were sounds upon sounds, strange cadences and a thrumming underbeat - oh, Bri'seiyis must hear this… And a strange fragrance, like nothing he'd ever smelt before…
Hijau tugged lightly at his hand: without realising it he'd limped right up to the very edge of the wavelets that, their strength spent on the long ride into the shore, rippled over the sands at his feet. The Saiyan grinned - then crouched quickly and pulled something from the soft ground, rinsing it in the swell. Standing again, he smirked and handed it to Zha'haarak.
The zn'hre stared, then held it up to the sunslight, where it glowed like… like trapped sunsshine.
"What it is?"
"It's some kind of gemstone - you can find them washed up on the beach sometimes. I think they come from the islands. We call it sunfire."
"It's beautiful!" And indeed it was, almost the colour of Zha'haabron's eyes, even to the lighter golden streaks and speckles within.
Hijau beamed - then dived forwards and retrieved another piece before the wave could bury it in the sand again. It was a little smaller than the first, but the same colour and with similar lights and shimmers.
*You've brought us luck! It's rare to find two so close together… If I have them made into earrings, would you wear them?*
Zha'haarak stared at the gems, then at Hijau.
**Would I…? Would…? Beloved, how could I not want to wear them, to wear any gift from you?...** He bit his lip, feeling tears threaten, gazing at the beautiful stones in his hand, then looked into his bondmate's eyes, smiling tremulously.
**Thank you**
Hijau smiled, then kissed away the tears on the beautiful face before him.
*No, thank you. For letting me be yours - and for being you…*
They walked slowly, arms around each other's waists and Hijau's tail around his bondmate's hips, stroking lightly at his groin every now and then, not speaking, simply enjoying being together. Occasionally Hijau would bend to retrieve something that had caught his eye - a tiny, faceted, blue-white crystal that sparkled brightly in the sunslight; a perfect seashell, nacreous and whorled; and a small piece of wood, worn away by sand and sea to a smooth, exquisitely grained sculpture that vaguely resembled a grittig…
Zha'haarak had no idea how long they'd been walking, perfectly content to just be with his beloved. But Hijau was aware that the zn'hre was limping a little more heavily, leaning more of his weight against his bondmate. Time to rest. He smirked to himself at the sight of the broad, shallow shining channel of a small river cutting across the sands. Perfectly judged!
*We'll rest here for a while.*
He led his zn'hre to a tumble of broad rocks and settled him in the hollow in their midst - protected from the breeze and surrounded by boulders in a comfortable little suntrap. Zha'haarak smiled up at him, eyes widening as Hijau stripped off the lower half of his bodysuit. He moved to slide out of his jacket, but the Saiyan stopped him.
*Later, beloved. For now I'm going to see if I can catch us something to eat. Will you be al lright while I'm gone?*
Zha'haarak nodded, sighing happily, and Hijau kissed his hair.
*Good. I won't be long.*
The prince watched as the captain walked back to him from the sea, carrying a double handful of glittering fish, waterdrops sparkling on the clean, muscular planes of his warm golden body, in the bright hair at his groin, dripping from his fiery mane. He was so beautiful…
As Hijau approached Zha'haarak slid out of jacket and bodysuit, then pulled the jacket back on and stood awaiting his bondmate, hair swirling around him, legs apart, arms around himself holding the jacket closed against the breeze, his erection a delicate shade of green against the black leather.
Hijau's body responded, his own shaft rising as he came closer, then he dropped the fish onto a rock as he grabbed the zn'hre, pulling him close and raining kisses over his face and down his throat as a long, warm tail wrapped itself around the cool straining flesh at the prince's groin. Zha'haarak moaned and pulled the Saiyan down to the sand and into his body, gasping as Hijau's tail squeezed and stroked, the captain shifting until the zn'hre cried out and doubly came, wrapping long legs and slim arms around the hot body above him as Hijau began to thrust…
Cool silky sand below him, the endless blue of the sky above, the sound and scent of the ocean and the warmth of his Saiyan within and around him… Drowning in pleasure and contentment, Zha'haarak sighed blissfully as Hijau growled quietly and slammed in one last time, hips jerking as he pulsed hotly within the prince - then beginning again, more leisurely this time, finding new rhythms, new angles, new sensitivities… By the time they'd both climaxed again Zha'haarak felt boneless, sated and unable to stir.
Hijau smiled down at his zn'hre, eyes filled with love, then brushed a kiss across his lips.
*Stay there, beloved.*
**Where are you going?**
*Nowhere - I'm just going to clean the fish. But please stay like that…* - because you have no idea how… deliciously decadent you look, sprawled on fine pale sand half dressed in black leather with your beautiful hair pooled around you… And if I don't stop looking at you I'm just going to have to make love to you all over again…
Taking a deep breath and swallowing hard, the Saiyan hastily gutted and skinned the fish, wielding ki like a fine blade.
*I can ki-sear them if you like.*
**I don't mind. They smell good as they are**
And Saiyan and zn'hre shared a meal of succulent sweetwater pinkfin, its delicate sunset pink flesh delectably satisfying, the pure river water cold and faintly sparkling on their tongues as they sipped from each other's cupped hands.
Afterwards Hijau led Zha'haarak to the water's edge. The zn'hre regarded the waves suspiciously, and the Saiyan chuckled.
*It'll be cold for you, but I'd like you to feel what it's like, having waves wash against you. We won't stay in long, and I promise I'll warm you afterwards…*
So, holding Hijau's hand, Zha'haarak waded knee-deep in the sea, gasping at the coldness and feeling his feet and legs numbing almost immediately. As he stumbled, unable to feel the ground, Hijau swept him up and carried him back to the suntrap, setting him down on the sand again. The Saiyan caught a cold foot in his hands and held it gently, rubbing lightly to restore some feeling and placing the other between his thighs to warm it.
*I'm sorry, beloved. I didn't realise you’d find it quite so cold…*
Zha'haarak watched his Saiyan bemusedly, suddenly struck by the difference between his old life and this one.
He loved, and was loved, and right now nothing else mattered.
Hijau had cuddled behind Zha'haarak when he was a little warmer, stroking down the smooth cool skin of his chest inside the jacket and kissing his neck. Never wanting this afternoon to end…
But evening was approaching, and the air growing cooler. Sighing reluctantly he nuzzled his bondmate's hair.
*We should be getting back, beloved.*
The zn'hre nodded, a little sadly, then swivelled to his Saiyan.
**May we do this again?**
*You've enjoyed it?*
**Zkai'din, it has been wonderful. One of the most wonderful days of my life* He sighed and nestled closer. **I love you more than I can *say*…**
Speechlessly happy, Hijau hugged him tight, already determined to carry him back to the city: over and above the fact that he loved the feel of Zha'haarak in his arms, it would conserve the zn'hre's strength, which was flagging under the unusual - if very welcome - demands made on it today. So they dressed, and the Saiyan flew them back to their discarded clothing and allowed his zn'hre to help him into it, then, cradling Zha'haarak closely, headed back to the family, his heart light and singing, his whole being filled with love.
Life really didn't get much better than this…
© 2002 June 29th Joules Taylor
I keep forgetting to say, but I must credit Littlesaru with Zha'haarak's favourite food: according to 'saru, her character Zarak loves smoked salmon, and waffles with maple syrup, so I've used the Vejiitasei equivalents - sweetwater pinkfin, and honeycake with yardle syrup - as Zha'haarak's favourites!
