Expectations: The Passing of Days
Series: Expectations
Adventure Twelve: The Passing of Days Part 1 of 2
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: Yunjae, KyuWook, WooGyu
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Science Fiction, Adventure, Romance
Beta: tahoeturquoise
Length: Chaptered
A/N: This story is inspired by Star Trek and members of the Kpop community, but the story-line and the characterization are my own.
Summary: New love takes birth, timeless love grows stronger, and old love is bent to the breaking point.
Siwon gently bumped into Sungmin’s shoulder and asked, “Should I be jealous?”
Sungmin, whose eyes had been locked on Kyuhyun, looked up at the tall prince. “No, not at all.”
Siwon peered down at his lover. “I did not think so. You are staring at him…but not with want.”
“No.”
They were on the planet Eternity and were taking a refreshment break between negotiations. For two weeks Commander Cho and Siwon had headed the diplomatic team in an attempt to persuade the council to give them permission to see if the source of the Guardian’s power could be discovered. Commander Yoochun was convinced that the Guardian of Time must draw on a massive power supply to provide it with the ability to send people traveling in time, across space, and to other dimensions. Since the Expectations’ dilithium crystal supply had been completely depleted during their race to save the planet, he was hoping to discover something they could use or adapt to power the ship.
Unfortunately, the people of Eternity saw the Guardian of Time as a spiritual being and strictly guarded access to it. The fact that Jaejoong had mentally manipulated them on his first visit to the planet and that Changmin had beamed directly to the Guardian of Time without asking for their permission did not sit well with the governing council or with the planet’s young princess.
That the Expectations had saved the planet from certain ruin did soften their stance, but it did not completely obliterate it. Captain Jung, who was still devastated from the loss of his son, did not take part in the negotiations leaving them in the hands of Prince Siwon and Commander Cho.
Siwon watched Kyuhyun, who was across the room talking to one of the younger members of the council. Siwon recalled that the member of the council that had all of Kyuhyun’s attention was named Raoul. Raoul was a handsome, dark skinned, masculine young man in his late twenties that was very assertive in the meetings.
Siwon’s eyes narrowed. “Is he-”
“Trying to seduce the council member,” Sungmin finished.
“Is he?”
Sungmin, who knew Kyuhyun’s predatory tactics better than most, nodded his head. “I fear he is.”
“I am assuming Dr. Cho is not aware of this.”
Sungmin shook his head, and let out a sigh. “No, he would not be.”
“Theirs is not an open marriage,” Siwon asserted, remembering the devastation Ryeowook had felt at finding out Sungmin and Kyuhyun had been lovers during the time he was presumed dead.
“No,” Sungmin confirmed. “This will break Ryeowook’s heart.”
Siwon looked down at his lover and whispered, “Will you not tell the good doctor?”
Sungmin shook his head. “I’m not telling him. I have been in the middle of Kyuhyun and Ryeowook too many times as it is.”
Siwon frowned. “That is of course a wise decision on your part, but I might find it difficult not to insert myself into the situation. Dr. Cho saved all our lives while we were stranded on the planet. I consider him a dear friend.”
“As do I, and that’s why drop-kicking Kyuhyun is not out of the question.”
***************
SooYoung stared down at the lifeless form of her cousin. It had been two weeks since she had returned to the ship; since she had assisted Changmin in his attempt to avoid being lost to time, only to find upon her arrival back to the ship that Sulli had been lost.
The stasis field around Sulli prevented physical contact as it encased her body in a protective shield that maintained her body. In the days that had passed SooYoung had learned that Changmin and Sulli had shared something; no one had been willing to call it the great bond that Joongs shared with their mates…till now. In the moment that Changmin had faded away, Sulli had fallen into a deep sleep.
SooYoung had not forgotten Changmin’s last words to Sulli. He had ordered her not to leave the exam room. SooYoung did not doubt that Changmin knew exactly what would happen to her young cousin.
“Coffee?”
SooYoung looked toward the door to see that the young doctor had entered the room, holding two cups of coffee. “That would be nice.”
WooHyun handed the lieutenant a cup. “How are you?”
“Ready to be out of here.”
He nodded his head. “You and Junsu; he’s becoming extremely irritated.”
“He doesn’t feel like he was violated…isn’t that good thing?”
WooHyun shrugged. “I don’t know. This ship contains knowledge that I can’t even begin to grasp.”
“That’s not true. You will master it perfectly in time, look how accomplished you are with the replicators already,” SooYoung said with a warm smile, holding up her cup of coffee.
The young doctor let out a laugh. “Ah, if only all the technology was as nice as the replicators; all you need to do is ask and it delivers.”
SooYoung turned around and gave her cousin one last look before she led the doctor out of the room. “So when will you be free to roam the ship? I know you have been allowed out for briefings, but when do you get to move into your own quarters?”
“I’m okay with staying in here. It’s a great learning opportunity.”
SooYoung stopped, turned to face him and arched her eyebrows. “Really? I thought you would be eager to get out of here so you could chase after Ensign SungGyu.”
WooHyun blushed.
“Knew it.”
“I am not really bothering to hide it.”
“No, you are not. Not hiding it at all.”
Junsu came around the corner and asked, “What is he not hiding?”
“His crush,” SooYoung replied.
“On Ensign SungGyu? Nope, not at all,” Junsu said with a chuckle, but his laughter quickly faded. “Lieutenant, I heard that you are going to be released today.”
“It’s true.”
“Will you be taking over as Chief Science Officer now?” Junsu asked.
SooYoung nodded her head. “Yes, not exactly a promotion I can celebrate.”
“No,” Junsu agreed, sadness filling his voice as he remembered Changmin.
*******************
Commander Yoochun looked at Siwon with scorn and declared, “Let me go to the next meeting. I will make them see it our way.”
“That would not be wise,” Commander Cho told him from across the conference table.
“Why? Because I wouldn’t hesitate to remind them that they would all be nothing more than space dust if we hadn’t saved their asses, and maybe we won’t be so eager to help them out next time if they don’t stop being pricks.”
“Yoochun…” Yunho warned from the head of the conference table.
Yoochun continued, “Actually, we don’t have to ask for their permission. The Guardian is a sentient being and it doesn’t belong to the planet Eternity or its inhabitants.”
“But they believe otherwise, and if I am correct-one of the Federation’s primary directives is to respect the beliefs of other civilizations,” Siwon stated, calmly.
Yoochun folded his arms and insisted, “I have the ship back in perfect working order…except for the fact we have no dilithium!” Yoochun turned to face the captain. “We have got to find another energy source unless you are ready to crawl to Trysor. We need to step up our game plan. We have wasted two weeks dealing with these imbeciles.”
Yunho rested his hands against the table and asked, “I will not threaten the people of Eternity, so what would you suggest?”
“I think your baby momma needs to pay them a visit,” Yoochun answered.
Yunho frowned. “Even if I were okay with using Jaejoong’s telepathic powers to manipulate the people of Eternity, he wouldn’t do it.”
Yoochun groaned. “Captain, with all due respect, have you even tried to talk him into it? I’m pretty sure he would do anything for you.”
“When it comes to the Guardian, Jaejoong has very firm beliefs that he will not waver on. The thought of us trying to harness the Guardian’s power to fuel the ship…he’s not going to help us. He considers it sacrilegious.”
“He would do anything for you,” Commander Yoochun persisted.
“If I were in danger, which I’m not.”
Siwon, who had been listening attentively, offered, “Perhaps there is another way.”
“What?” Commander Cho asked.
“Captain, I do not want to rush you in your time of mourning, but you hold a special position of respect with the people of Eternity; perhaps if you handled the negotiations personally…”
Yunho kept his face completely still. He had not been off the ship since discovering that Changmin had faded away. The loss of Changmin had made him physically ill, and not even Jaejoong’s healing powers could completely rid him of the side effects of the parent-child bond being ripped away.
“He shouldn’t even be at this meeting, much less going on missions,” Yoochun spoke up protectively. His eagerness to harness the Guardian’s power did not override his concern for his oldest friend. “He’s almost green with nausea now.”
“I am fine,” Yunho claimed, turning to face Commander Cho. “I will attend the next set of negotiations.”
Commander Cho nodded his head. “Yes, Sir.”
“You are all dismissed,” Yunho informed the other men as he stayed sitting. Commander Cho and Siwon got up from their chairs and left the room.
Commander Yoochun stayed behind and regretfully told Yunho, “I didn’t mean for you to go…are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“I am fine.”
“Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”
“I am just sad…I feel like I will never stop being sad, but the physical side affects diminish everyday and they were never severe to begin with. Not like poor Sulli.”
Yoochun reached across the table and squeezed Yunho’s hand. “You know Changmin was my favorite robot, so I give you permission to be sad for as long as you want; forever if you want.”
Yunho blessed Yoochun with the smallest of smiles. “It will be okay.’
“You and your incessant whining,” Jaejoong hissed as he stormed into the conference room, glaring at Commander Yoochun. “Could you have nagged him more?”
“I was not nagging! I was being a supportive friend!” Yoochun declared, letting go of Yunho’s hand.
Jaejoong walked up behind Yunho and started massaging his shoulders. “After you got what you wanted.”
“I wanted to go down to the planet myself,” Yoochun informed the Joong.
“You wanted me to go down there,” Jaejoong said, correcting Yoochun. “That’s what you really wanted.”
“Well, you won’t go, so Yunho is going in your place.”
“Like I would ever let him off this ship without me; he’d probably get kidnapped again!” Jaejoong hissed. “He is never leaving this ship without me again…EVER.”
“Jae…”
“I will manipulate any mind I have to, including his,” Jaejoong continued. “Near death experiences…I am not a fan of them.”
Yunho just shook his head, but couldn’t help relaxing as the bond and Jaejoong’s hands worked wonders on him.
“So you are going down there with them?” Yoochun asked hopefully.
“Yes, and I am going to make sure they don’t change their minds,” Jaejoong told Yoochun with a wicked grin. “The Guardian of Time is not some device you can use to power this ship! It is a timeless being of immense power!”
“It gets its power from somewhere! I don’t want to steal its power…I just want to see if there is a way we can harness a similar power.”
“Too bad it isn’t happening; I will make sure of it.”
Yunho groaned. “Jae…”
“No, I am not changing my mind. The ignorant fools of Eternity should be honored that I even bothered to manipulate their simple minds in the first place.”
Yunho’s mood darkened and he snapped, “Can you please stop? You are not going to manipulate anybody’s mind. We are also not going to threaten them. The people of Eternity will come to their own decision.”
“Yunho, don’t be so grumpy,” Jaejoong told his mate as the captain got up from his seat. “I was just messing with your sleazy engineer.”
Yunho, who was walking toward the door, told them both, “You both make me tired. It’s amazing how similar you two are. I am surprised you aren’t the closest of friends.”
Jaejoong watched as Yunho exited the conference room and turned to glare at Yoochun.
Yoochun just leaned back in his chair and told the fussy Joong. “What? It’s totally your fault. We were having a nice moment then you barged in all bitchy.”
Jaejoong tossed his head. “I am pregnant! I can be as bitchy as I want to be.”
*******************************
WooHyun stared at the hundreds of scans that Dr. Cho had prepared for him as he sat at the conference table in Dr. Cho’s office. “I have to memorize all of this?”
“Yes.”
“Today?”
Ryeowook patted his new assistance on the shoulder. “No, you have ‘til tomorrow.”
WooHyun swallowed nervously. “Okay…”
“I don’t know why you don’t just implant an intelligence chip in him,” Heechul, who was leaning against the doorway, commented. “They have been used before.”
“They are only to be used in case of memory loss,” Ryeowook reminded Heechul. “WooHyun hasn’t lost his memories.”
“Yes, but he is a primitive human…” Heechul paused to look down at WooHyun, giving him a weak smile. “No offence.”
WooHyun slumped in his chair. “None taken.”
“His brain isn’t primitive. His IQ far exceeds Starfleet minimum requirements. He will be able to assimilate the knowledge without any difficulty, it’s just the amount and details he finds intimidating,” Ryeowook explained.
Heechul walked away from the doorway and over to WooHyun and ruffled his hair. “He’s so cute, though. He should be out making new friends instead of being stuck in here.”
WooHyun grinned. Heechul was one of the strangest and most eccentric people that he had ever encountered-and that was saying a lot, but he liked him. “No, it’s okay. I want to be the assistant. I want to help you guys out.”
“Such a darling,” Heechul said, beaming down at WooHyun.
Ryeowook silently sighed in relief. He was extremely grateful that the ever unpredictable Heechul had taken a shine to the young doctor. He needed the young doctor’s help, and the fact that Heechul was not going to make sickbay into some kind of battleground was a great relief.
“I require you,” the voice of Jaejoong called out as he walked into the room.
Ryeowook looked up and asked, “The baby?”
“Nooo,” Jaejoong replied with a snort. “As if I would need your help with the baby.”
Heechul brought his arms up and hugged his own chest. “Oh, you are already showing. Little Baby Changmin is growing like a weed.”
An alarmed Jaejoong immediately looked down at his flat stomach. “I am not!”
Heechul pranced across the room and patted Jaejoong’s tummy, much to the Joong’s displeasure. “Whatever you say little momma.”
“I am not a momma! I am the birth-parent!”
“First time parents are always so nervous, but you will embrace motherhood in time; I have every confidence in you,” Heechul replied with a wink as he excited the room.
Jaejoong clenched his fists. “I loathe him.”
“No, you don’t,” Ryeowook replied, shaking his head.
“Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t,” Ryeowook repeated, and then asked, “What did you need?”
“I want to complain about our mates.”
“Jaejoong, you have to give Yunho time. He needs time.”
“Yes, I know…but Changmin didn’t die. Changmin hasn’t even been born yet.”
“Yunho shared a lifetime of memories with Changmin…a life spent together. Plus, he shared a parent bond with Changmin; he is feeling the after effects.”
“He is completely fine physically…he’s just moping. I can’t snap him out of it. We are not even having sex.”
“Patience, my friend.”
“We all know you are the king of patience. Two years now-” Jaejoong said with a grimace and a shudder. “I can not even imagine.”
Ryeowook glowered. “Can we not talk about that?”
“Okay, let’s talk about how I have to go down to Eternity. You know how I hate those religious fools and they are going to be all over me.”
“I thought they were pissed at you from your last visit?”
Jaejoong’s eyes narrowed. “The Guardian of Time is not subject to their beliefs nor are the Joong…we the only beings the Guardians acknowledge.”
“Not true.”
“Yunho doesn’t count. He’s bonded to me…he’s like an honorary Joong now.”
“I am sure he feels special.”
“He does,” Jaejoong told Ryeowook as he stared down at WooHyun. “Are you trying to overwhelm this new human?”
“No,” Ryeowook insisted. “He’s completely capable.”
“If he’s too hard on you let me know; I still owe you for saving my Yunho’s life,” Jaejoong told WooHyun. Jaejoong had had very little interaction with the young doctor other than reading his mind and determining he was no threat to the ship.
“I am not being too hard on him,” Ryeowook stated as he took Jaejoong by the arm. “Let’s go, Doctor Nam needs to study.”
Jaejoong let Ryeowook lead him from the room and into an exam room. “I am not letting you scan me.”
“Humor me.”
“No.”
“Don’t you want to see baby Changmin?”
Jaejoong gave Ryeowook a deadpan look. “He’s a mass of cells at this point.”
Ryeowook laughed and told the Joong, “That is something he would have said.”
Jaejoong brightened. “It is, isn’t it?”
“Go ahead, you know you are curious,” Ryeowook told his friend as he patted the exam bed.
“Okay,” Jaejoong declared, relenting quickly as he jumped up on the exam bed. “But you better not try any of your prehistoric mumbo jumbo.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Ryeowook drily informed the Joong as he studied the readings. “This says you are eight weeks pregnant, but it also says you are a regular human…a regular human that just happens to have functioning sexual organs of both genders.”
“I assure you, I have only been pregnant for the last two weeks.”
“How long does a Joong pregnancy last?”
“It just depends. The shortest are around three months, but a Joong can be pregnant for two years.”
An alarmed Ryeowook asked, “What determines the gestation period?”
Jaejoong shrugged. “Nobody knows for certain; there are some theories-and I am not sharing them with you.”
“I am-”
“No,” Jaejoong said, interrupting. “Most Joong pregnancies last five months to a year.”
“It’s very interesting,” Ryeowook admitted, looking at the readings. “Going by these readings Changmin could be born as early as two months from now.”
“No, he won’t.”
“But going by this rate-”
“Joong development always starts off fast and then slows during the last weeks of pregnancy.”
“He’s only half Joong, remember.”
Jaejoong shook his head as if he was dealing with a child. “I assure you, nothing would make me happier than having only a ten week long pregnancy, but it isn’t going to happen.”
“We will just have to wait and see,” Ryeowook stated without conceding completely.
Jaejoong looked up at the screen and complained, “Technology bores me; I want a visual.”
“Okay, okay,” Ryeowook replied with a laugh and almost immediately the baby growing inside of Jaejoong appeared. “There he is.”
“Oh, that is amazing-what is that?” Jaejoong asked, pointing to the scan of the baby.
“That’s the tail.”
“The what!” A horrified Jaejoong exclaimed, jumping off the exam bed. “A tail! Joongs don’t have tails! If he has a tail he inherited it from Yunho!”
Ryeowook covered his mouth, trying is best to control his laughter. “All embryos have them.”
“You all had tails? What do you do with them? Is there some primitive ritual where you cut them off?”
“No, they just go away by the ninth week…well, in most cases.”
Jaejoong plundered Ryeowook’s mind telepathically to reassure himself. “Some babies are born with tails.”
“That is extremely rare.”
Jaejoong shook his head and telepathically contacted his mate. “Did Changmin have a tail?”
“What? No. Why?”
“That’s a relief! I can’t imagine having a child with a tail. If any other Joong found out I would be humiliated. You know I come from the most ancient and royal house on Joong.”
“Why did you ask me if Changmin had a tail?”
“Ryeowook coerced me into getting on an exam bed and we were looking at the baby…the baby that looks like a small tadpole.”
“You are looking at the baby without me?”
“Umm…yes.”
“You suck.”
Jaejoong grimaced, feeling Yunho’s disappointment from several floors away. “Ummm…you know I am always happy to suck you.”
“Jaejoong.”
“Darling, come see the tadpole and then we will go down and deal with the primitives.”
“He isn’t a tadpole.”
********************
“So how does it feel to be out of sickbay?” Ensign SungGyu asked as he sat down at the table in the mess hall opposite of Lieutenant SooYoung and her brother Ensign Minho.
SooYoung leaned back in her chair, grinning. “It feels nice.”
“Big shoes to fill though.”
“The biggest,” SooYoung agreed.
Minho beamed at his older sister and said confidently, “She can do it.”
“No,” SooYoung interjected. “I won’t ever be as brilliant as Changmin…very few are, but I can hold my own.”
“I have no doubt,” Ensign SungGyu agreed.
“So, have you been to sickbay lately?” SooYoung asked, innocently.
“No,” SungGyu informed her. “Commander Yoochun has me very busy in engineering running test after test.”
“You are in Engineering again?” Minho asked.
SungGyu shrugged. “Until the energy crisis is solved, I suppose.”
“And longer if Commander Yoochun has his way,” Minho added. It was well known aboard the ship that the Chief Engineer had every intention of keeping Ensign SungGyu assigned to Engineering.
“Is Engineering not your specialty?” SooYoung, who had been off the ship for over a year and had not ever gotten acquainted with any of the cadets, asked.
“No,” SungGyu answered. “I was taking command courses at the Academy.”
SooYoung’s eyes lit up. “How many times did you have to test for the command courses?”
“I didn’t; my entrance exams determined it.”
“Wow, that is very rare,” SooYoung told him, highly impressed. “If I am correct, Yunho is the only other person on this ship that was placed in command courses based on the entrance exams.”
“That’s what I hear.”
Minho asked, “Did you always know you wanted to command?”
SungGyu shook his head. “Nope; I was debating on selling shoes or joining Star Fleet.”
“Selling shoes!” The Choi siblings both exclaimed at the same time.
“It’s our family business. We have been making and selling shoes since the 1800’s,” SungGyu explained. “I sometimes regret my decision to join Star Fleet. The shoe business is far less stressful and you get to sleep a lot more. I never get enough sleep these days.”
Minho laughed and SooYoung just stared at the young ensign, who had been given one of Star Fleets greatest honors only to complain about the lack of sleep. “If you are having difficulty sleeping, perhaps you should visit sickbay. I am sure WooHyun would love to help you out.”
“Oh, I have no difficulty falling asleep. I just like to sleep eight hours a day, and that just doesn’t happen in Star Fleet.”
“No, that doesn’t happen,” Minho agreed, unable to keep from chuckling.
“You should still visit sickbay…I am sure WooHyun would enjoy a visit from you,” SooYoung persisted.
“You think so?”
“I am certain of it.”
****************
“Where is it?” Jaejoong grumbled as he searched through the cooling device in the kitchen for the dish he had prepared earlier.
A very happy Yunho, who was sitting at the dining table inside their quarters, informed his mate, “We should look at him everyday, so we can keep track of how fast he is growing.”
Jaejoong held up both of his hands at a loss. “I know I put it in here.”
“Soon he will be the size of an insignia.”
“Did you eat it?”
“Then he will be the size of a phaser.’
“Yunho!”
Yunho, who had been lost in his own world, turned to face Jaejoong. “What?”
“Did you eat it?”
“Eat what?”
“Do you ever listen to me when I speak aloud to you?” Jaejoong demanded as he combed through Yunho’s mind for the answer to his question.
Yunho, who immediately felt the fuzzy feeling of Jaejoong’s telepathic prying, protested, “Hey, now!”
“You didn’t eat it,” Jaejoong declared. “What happened to it?”
“Happened to what?”
“Dinner! I made something absolutely perfect for us to eat and I can’t find it. It’s not here,” Jaejoong explained.
“Oh…”
“Computer,” Jaejoong stated, calling for the ship’s computer. “Who has been in these quarters?”
The computer promptly replied. “Please specify a time period. There have been 594 sentient beings in these quarters since the ship was first constructed.”
“In the last-”
“I am not that hungry…let’s have sex instead,” Yunho suggested, interrupting Jaejoong. Yunho’s mood had brightened considerable since seeing his unborn child earlier in the day. Plus, he had a pretty good idea who had enough guts to steal food out of their quarters and he wasn’t interested in the fall out of Jaejoong finding out. “I did successfully persuade the people of Eternity into letting us examine the Guardian of Time, so I think I deserve a little reward.”
Thoughts of food vanished from Jaejoong’s mind as he eagerly walked over to his lover. “You did.”
“Plus, you promised you’d suck,” Yunho reminded Jaejoong as the other man approached him.
Jaejoong reached out his hand for Yunho as the other man got up from his chair. “I did, but I am going to require some effort on your part, also.”
Yunho allowed Jaejoong to lead him into the bedroom. “I am at your command.”
“As you should be,” Jaejoong stated confidently, licking his lips in anticipation. “We are doing it man on man style tonight. I am tired of vaginal sex.”
********************
Kyuhyun was lying on the couch on his and Ryeowook’s quarters staring at the ceiling, but he quickly shut his eyes when he heard the door to the quarters swoosh open. He felt Ryeowook walk over to him. He kept his eyes shut pretending to be asleep.
He fought the urge to tense up when he felt a gentle hand reach out and touch his arm.
“Kyuhyun, you should go to bed,” the soft voice of his husband could be heard saying.
Kyuhyun rolled over on his side, away from Ryeowook. “No, sleep here,” he muttered as if his mind was clouded with sleep.
“Okay,” Ryeowook agreed, relenting. Kyuhyun sighed in relief as he listened to his spouse head into their bedroom.
*****************
“It’s delicious,” WooHyun declared as he scooped up more food from the bowl that was sitting on the bedside table in Junsu’s sickbay room.
Junsu was sitting in his sickbay bed with his arms folded tightly across his chest. “That’s not the point.”
WooHyun muttered with a mouthful of food, “This is so much better than replicator food.”
“I told him I didn’t want it.”
“I want it,” WooHyun told the fuming ensign as he stuffed another spoonful in his mouth. “After hearing you and SungGyu describe Commander Yoochun on the planet I envisioned him to be some sort of…insane, perverted tyrant, but instead he seems really nice.”
“Believe me, he isn’t.”
“What if he is trying to change?”
“I will admit he probably doesn’t like what happened to me.”
“See, he cares for you.”
“No, you misunderstood me.”
“He seems genuinely concerned about your wellbeing.”
“He cares in his own strange, possessive, deviant way, I suppose.”
“He just offered you a gift.”
“I didn’t want it.”
“Why not?”
“He might get the wrong idea.”
Sauce dripped down the side of WooHyun’s mouth as he took another bite of the delicious food.
“I made it very clear that I am not interested in him,” Junsu clarified. “Any ideas he has regarding the two of us are clearly his own. I like women. I don’t want anything from him.”
“Don’t want what?” SungGyu asked as he walked into the room. WooHyun immediately put down his spoon and started wiping his face, but not before SungGyu cast his gaze in the young doctor’s direction. “Hungry?”
WooHyun turned red.
“Commander Yoochun brought it for me, and I wish he hadn’t,” Ensign Junsu explained.
SungGyu stared at the food with more interest now. “I didn’t know Commander Yoochun could cook.”
“Oh, he can…and like an angel,” WooHyun quickly volunteered. “It’s delicious.”
Ensign Junsu rolled his eyes. “He obviously stole it. He’s too busy sexually harassing people and obsessing over his engines to cook.”
“He isn’t that bad,” WooHyun protested, refusing to believe that Commander Yoochun was all bad. “I think he really likes you.”
“Only because he wants to-just never-mind why,” Junsu spat out.
SungGyu walked towards WooHyun and the bowl of food. “He fancies Junsu’s gluteus maximus.”
Junsu winced. “That’s putting it way too nicely.”
WooHyun’s eyes were glued to SungGyu as the other man approached him. “I am sure he likes all of Junsu.”
“WooHyun, you are just…you are just too romantic minded,” Junsu grumbled.
The young doctor opened his mouth to protest then closed it…because it was the truth. He had always been a romantic.
SungGyu smiled at the doctor as he reached up and wiped food from WooHyun’s face. “You missed some.”
“Thanks,” WooHyun whispered weakly, as he turned redder.
Junsu watched the other ensign and the smitten doctor. “SungGyu, I heard you got promoted.”
SungGyu shrugged, turning back to face Junsu. “I did.”
“I still outrank you,” Junsu teased.
“Oh…oh…that’s true,” WooHyun stuttered, still flustered by having his face touched by the object of his affection. “Although…although…I…I would never have thought that on the planet.”
SungGyu laughed at WooHyun’s choice of words. “Thanks.”
WooHyun whirled around to face the ensign that he had inadvertently insulted. “No offense.”
“None taken; I don’t want to captain starships, I want to fly them,” Junsu explained, feeling real excitement for the other ensign. “So did you move up a whole level?”
“A whole level,” SungGyu confirmed.
WooHyun held out the bowl of food. “You should celebrate by eating some of this. It’s really good.”
SungGyu took hold of the spoon that was lying inside the bowl and immediately tasted the food. “Oh, that is delicious.”
The doctor smiled at Junsu. “See, I told you.”
“I can’t eat something he gave me…even if he stole it.”
Ensign Gyu walked over with the bowl in his arms and asked the other ensign, “Why are you in bed?”
“He’s pouting,” the young doctor explained on Junsu’s behalf.
“Why?”
“Why? It’s because I am being held hostage! There is no reason for Dr. Cho to hold me here. I am perfectly fine! I wanted to have sex with her!”
SungGyu slowly chewed his food and swallowed it down, while thinking over the other ensign’s words. “You only wanted to have sex with her after Victoria manipulated your mind. You were truly outraged at first at her suggestion, but then the Joong intervened changing all that.”
“I didn’t want to because…because the captain was dying…not because I didn’t desire Taeyeon!” Junsu insisted adamantly. “If the captain had been well…I would have been all for it.”
“But the captain was not well, and you were not all for it,” SungGyu gently reaffirmed for the other ensign. “It’s wonderful that you don’t feel victimized by what happened to you but still, it was not done with your consent.”
Junsu sighed. “I just…I just don’t feel like I was raped. I know I didn’t…I know I didn’t consent…but it wasn’t bad.”
WooHyun sat down on the bed and asked, “So Junsu, you were attracted to the woman before the Joong manipulated you?”
“I was,” Junsu confirmed.
SungGyu grunted. “So? I was attracted to WooHyun also and I didn’t run off to the woods to have sex with him. The point is that you would not have done such a thing of your own free will either. You might have found the experience enjoyable but it was still rape. She compelled you to do something against your wishes. I am sure Dr. Cho is just waiting for you to acknowledge this fact.”
WooHyun looked up at SungGyu and repeated, “Was attracted.”
SungGyu arched his eyebrows and told the young doctor, “I was providing an example.”
Junsu pondered the SungGyu’s words. “I just…it didn’t feel-I suppose you are right though.”
“I usually am,” SungGyu informed the two other men, nonchalantly. “Now, let’s eat.”
“I don’t want any,” Junsu, who appeared to be in deep thought, mumbled underneath his breath.
WooHyun smiled at SungGyu and announced, “More for us.”
*****************
Early the next morning Ryeowook walked back to the quarters he shared with his husband. He had gotten an early call to come to sickbay after a crewmember had suffered a fall while changing out an exhaust vent in the torpedo bay. The injury had been quickly dealt with and now Ryeowook was focused on his husband. Kyuhyun had been very distant in the last three weeks, since resuming his duties. And even before then Kyuhyun had been very angry at his husband for not letting him return to work earlier. Kyuhyun’s continued unhappiness with him was leaving Ryeowook feeling very unsettled.
Ryeowook paused and sighed as he reached their door; he wasn’t sure how to reach out to Kyuhyun. He knew his husband was a very complex individual. An individual that required much more therapy, but he also knew all the therapy in the world would not help Kyuhyun-until Kyuhyun was ready to accept help. Kyuhyun was clever and even as a child he had known how to pass psychological tests with flying colors when he was far from well. Sadly, Ryeowook also knew that Kyuhyun’s duties would not suffer from his refusal to seek further help; only their relationship would.
He stared at the door before entering, hoping that Kyuhyun would be more receptive this morning and agree to go eat breakfast with him. Ryeowook found his courage and stepped up to the door, expecting it to automatically open.
The door stayed shut.
Ryeowook frowned and commanded, “Open.”
The door stayed shut.
Ryeowook stared at the door for only a moment before summoning the ship’s main computer and invoking his medical override, “Computer, this is Dr. Cho; open the door to my quarters.”
The door whooshed open.
He cautiously entered his quarters; he immediately heard sounds coming from his bedroom that could only be described as moaning. “Kyuhyun…”
“Fuck! Ryeowook stay out. Give me a second,” Kyuhyun immediately responded in a panicked voice.
Ryeowook stayed in the living area of their quarters, not moving forward. He felt a mixture of relief and concern. Kyuhyun was masturbating, which was a relief because his husband had displayed no interest in sex since the rape and torture he had suffered at the hands of ZhouMi. Masturbating was good; his concern was with the fact that Kyuhyun was obviously embarrassed by it. Which was very concerning since they had been married straight out of the academy and Kyuhyun was not shy.
“Did you think maybe I had the door locked for a reason?” Kyuhyun asked heatedly from inside the bedroom.
“I didn’t really think about it,” Ryeowook confessed as he heard Kyuhyun slam stuff around in the bedroom. “I am sorry. I used my override privileges without thinking it through.”
Kyuhyun grunted from inside the bedroom. “It’s only one of the many disadvantages of being married to the Chief Medical Officer.”
Ryeowook winced and questioned, “One of the many?”
Kyuhyun, who was now fully dressed for a workout, emerged out of the bedroom. “Yes, it seems like there are a lot of disadvantages these days.”
“And what would the others be?”
Kyuhyun closed his eyes and cooled his emotions. “I am being an ass…just forget I said anything.”
“No, I will not just forget it.”
“I am sure there are many disadvantages in being married to the spoiled whoring son of admirals, too.”
“Whoring?”
“I meant...you know how I was when we first met.”
“I do, but you are not like that anymore.”
Kyuhyun opened his eyes and met Ryeowook’s gaze. “You would not have said that before ZhouMi decided to use me as his toy.”
Ryeowook flinched. “I was hurt…and when a person gets hurt they act irrationally. I should not have held such a grudge for so long. I was relenting…I would not have made us wait a year.”
Kyuhyun maintained eye contact with Ryeowook, while still keeping his distance. “You put too much emphasis on fidelity. What I had with Sungmin…it was sexual. It didn’t mean anything to me.”
“It meant sex.”
This time Kyuhyun flinched. “Yes, it was sexual release, but you have always insisted on associating sex with love, which is preposterous.”
“You haven’t always thought this way.”
Kyuhyun looked away from Ryeowook. “No, for a while…I got everything I needed from being with you. Love and sex.”
“And now?”
“I should get to the gym, I have to recertify,” Kyuhyun uneasily replied, ignoring Ryeowook’s question.
Ryeowook’s eyes narrowed and stated, “You weren’t thinking of me.”
Kyuhyun looked back at Ryeowook, swallowed nervously, and shook his head.
“I don’t care,” Ryeowook told Kyuhyun truthfully.
“You don’t?”
“No, you have suffered from immense sexual trauma for the second time in your life and you have refused to continue your therapy. I am not surprised that thoughts of me do not get you aroused.”
Kyuhyun’s eyes lit up. “So you aren’t mad?”
“No,” Ryeowook answered honestly. “You have also suffered the loss of Changmin, a friend that was very dear to you…a friend you sacrificed a great deal for. I understand that your feelings are all over the place right now.”
Kyuhyun’s relief was visible. “I just…this is a huge relief.”
“I don’t care who you fantasize about, as long as it sticks to fantasies.”
The relief vanished and Kyuhyun asked, “And if it doesn’t stick to just fantasies?”
Ryeowook’s heart broke as he easily read his mate. “Then I would relieve you of all the disadvantages that being married to the Chief Medical Officer imposes on you.”
Kyuhyun froze.
“I know why you would be attracted to men that you have no emotional attachment to, but my understanding nature only extends so far.”
“So even though…even though you know why I feel the way I do…you would not reconsider your stance on fidelity?” Kyuhyun asked, unable to hide his dread. “Even though you…you more than anyone else knows what happened to me.”
“I love you, but if you have sex with anybody else…our marriage is over,” Ryeowook stated firmly.
“That’s…that’s so nineteenth century Earth!”
“Monogamy is not an outdated notion! Many races, including billions of humans, respect it! My planet of birth believes firmly in it!” Ryeowook exclaimed. “You knew who I was and what I believed in when you married me.”
“Things have changed since then!” Kyuhyun yelled at his husband. “If you loved me half as much as you say you do…you would understand that my desire to fuck other people has nothing to do with my love for you.”
Ryeowook closed his eyes, controlled his hurt and whispered to his husband, “If you loved me half as much as you say you do you would get the help you need…and not destroy everything we have built over the years due to some itch you want scratched.”
Kyuhyun stormed across the living area and stopped before exiting the room. “You make it sound so easy. Even now…you are such an innocent. You have never known true lust…lust that makes no sense, but just consumes you and makes you crazy with want.”
Ryeowook took a moment to mull over Kyuhyun’s words and responded, “That’s true. Before I met you I was very inexperienced. And I loved you long before I desired you…and I have only ever truly desired you. You are the only person that I’ve ever been intimate with.”
“I know that…I love that, but I am not you.”
“No, you are not,” Ryeowook said, turning to Kyuhyun. “Have you betrayed me already?”
“No.”
“Are you going to?”
Kyuhyun darted his eyes away from Ryeowook. “I don’t know…probably, I will…I don’t want to hurt you…but I don’t know if I will be able to stop myself.”
The anger Ryeowook had been controlling rose up and erupted out of him. “You are responsible for all your actions! You are not the helpless victim in this! If you decide to cheat on me it will be your choice to do so! So hurry and make up your mind! I have a life to live also!”
“What?” Kyuhyun asked, looking back to face his husband. “What do you mean by that?”
“Once you decide to end our marriage, it will be time for me to move on…experience new things.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I am just simply stating that once our divorce is finalized my belief in monogamy will be as dead as our marriage and all the promises we ever made each other.”
Kyuhyun’s breathing increased. “I haven’t cheated, not yet.”
“Well, you be sure to tell me if you decide to throw everything we have away.”
“I will,” Kyuhyun snapped as he quickly turned and rushed out the door.
******************
“Don’t think or feel anything,” Jaejoong ordered, holding up his hands.
Yunho, who was sitting with Jaejoong at the table inside their quarters, looked at his mate, who was making exaggerated facial movements. “The baby?”
Jaejoong shook his head and motioned for his mate to hush.
Yunho took a sip of his coffee and asked, “Who are you eavesdropping on?”
“Yunho, do I have to knock you unconscious? I am trying to read thoughts here!” Jaejoong fumed, irritated at his mate. “The Chos are getting a divorce…they feel terrible. I could feel Ryeowook’s sadness all the way down the hall…and Kyuhyun…Kyuhyun is a mess.”
“You should not be eavesdropping on-a divorce?”
Jaejoong slumped back in his chair. “It’s horrible…the baby must have distracted me because I had no idea it had gotten to this point.”
“Divorce…” Yunho repeated.
“It looks that way. Kyuhyun wants to have sex with this other man…and I can’t even be rightfully appalled for Ryeowook, because Kyuhyun sacrificed himself for Changmin. If it hadn’t been for that sacrifice they would be happy together.”
Yunho knew he should start preaching about how wrong it was to eavesdrop on the private conversations of others, but he felt so bad. “They were both very close to Changmin. I will never forget when Ryeowook started at the academy…he and Changmin were little nerdy friends together. They were so cute.”
“My son was not a nerd.”
“He was.”
“Apparently primitive humans couldn’t appreciate his superior genius.”
Yunho sat his coffee down on the table. “Stop being a snob.”
“Snob? I am not a snob. I am the Royal Prince-”
“Of Joong, blah blah blah,” Yunho interrupted, finishing for Jaejoong. “I am just trying to say that the loss of Changmin probably didn’t help the Cho marriage any. Poor Kyuhyun did so much to spare Changmin…it must feel…I can’t imagine how it feels...now that Changmin has been lost anyway. I am just sad their marriage has ended in divorce.”
“Well, they haven’t declared divorce yet. It’s up to Kyuhyun. If he cheats on Ryeowook then it is divorce.”
Yunho frowned. “Who would he...what crew member would be so…what crew member would have sex with Kyuhyun knowing he is married to Dr. Cho?”
“Would you like a list? Would you like it in alphabetical order?”
“No!”
Jaejoong studied his mate, and then asked, “Marriage? This earth custom holds great importance with you?”
Yunho nodded his head. “It does. When humans from Earth decide to commit to each other and form a family they marry. Not all humans hold marriage in the same high regard; some humans find monogamous relationships tedious.”
“Both Ryeowook and Kyuhyun seem very sad at the possibility of their marriage being dissolved. I hope Kyuhyun will overcome his urge to jump that burly monk on Eternity.”
Yunho grimaced, fighting the urge to ask.
“Raoul,” Jaejoong answered, noticing Yunho’s internal struggle.
Yunho scrunched his face in dislike. “He’s so…so…”
Jaejoong sighed, rolling his eyes. “Manly.”
“Umm…I suppose; definitely not my type.”
“No,” Jaejoong agreed. “We all know your type, but your latent homophobia is being increased with my more feminine Joong form.”
“I do not suffer from latent homophobia.”
Jaejoong just tilted his head and smiled at Yunho.
“I just like beautiful men.”
“And beautiful women…”
“Not anymore, not ever,” Yunho quickly, responded.
“Yes, I know. I am curious to see how you adapt to me switching back to my previous form after the baby is born.”
“Why? You are always so quick to tell me that it is the form I chose.”
“It is,” Jaejoong said, defensively.
“Then there will be no adapting; I would love you in any form.”
“Good answer.”
“It took more then these ravishing good looks to make it this far in Starfleet.”
“Yes, it did,” Jaejoong agreed. “It took a destructive space anomaly and a causality list that consisted of most of your superiors.”
“Hey!”
*************
“I think Sungmin is finally getting his revenge,” Lieutenant Donghae declared after watching Sungmin toss Kyuhyun on the floor none too gently.
Eunhyuk, who was sitting beside Donghae, nodded his head. “It’s payback time.”
“Ensign DongWoo was supposed to be evaluating Kyuhyun, but then Sungmin stepped up and said he would personally be in charge of Kyuhyun’s evaluation,” Junsu explained with widened eyes. Junsu, who had been freed from sickbay, but who had still not been released to return to duty, had been in the gym when Sungmin had surprised everybody with his announcement.
Eunhyuk turned to Junsu, who was sitting on the other side of him on the bleachers, and asked, “Did Kyuhyun look scared?”
Junsu shook his head. “No, not really, but I bet he was. I mean, imagine you thought you were getting nice, goofy DongWoo as your instructor only to find that you were getting the man you dumped.”
“I would have wet my pants,” Donghae admitted, after seeing Sungmin fling Kyuhyun over his shoulder as if the commander weighed nothing.
Junsu watched as Sungmin easily wiped the floor with Kyuhyun. “I thought they had made their peace though.”
“I guess Prince Tall, Dark, and Handsome hasn’t completely rid Sungmin of all the memories of the men who came before him,” Eunhyuk snapped bitterly.
Donghae cringed, looking away as Sungmin put Kyuhyun’s body in a position that…that looked immensely painful. “But…but…after what happened to Kyuhyun…wouldn’t Sungmin be nicer? Isn’t this a little cruel?”
“Yes,” Junsu answered.
“No,” Eunhyuk answered at the same time as Junsu. “Commander Cho hurt him a lot.”
“So,” Junsu replied. “Sungmin is an adult. We all warned him and he chose not to listen to us.”
“True,” Donghae agreed with Junsu. “He’s still being too rough. I am going to call the captain if he doesn’t tone it down.”
“Oh, brother,” Eunhyuk grunted, disgusted with them. “Commander Cho can order him to stop anytime he wants.”
“Can he even talk at this point?” Junsu asked, looking at the winded commander.
“You act like he is beaten to bloody pulp or something. He isn’t even bruised, I bet,” Eunhyuk protested. “He’s a commander; he will be leading away teams again…he needs to be tough.”
Donghae turned and gave his friend a severe look and bluntly told him, “Sometimes I wonder about you-when it comes to Sungmin.”
“What do you mean by that?” Eunhyuk demanded.
Donghae looked back to the gym floor and focused on Sungmin. “No offence, but you act like you are in love with him half the time.”
“What!” Eunhyuk screamed, standing up. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me,” Donghae replied, looking up as his friend.
“I have often thought the same thing,” Junsu agreed. “He’s a little too interested in Sungmin’s sex life, if you ask me.”
Donghae sighed in relief, realizing he wasn’t the only one that had noticed Eunhyuk’s weird fixation with Sungmin. He looked away from Eunhyuk to focus on Junsu. “I know! Nobody is ever good enough for Sungmin.”
“I hate you both,” Eunhyuk hissed as he stormed down the bleachers, walked onto the gym floor and yelled at Sungmin, “I don’t think this is the place to air your personal grievances. It isn’t very professional.”
Everybody in the gym stopped what they were doing and turned to gawk at Eunhyuk.
Sungmin forgot about Kyuhyun and just stared at his friend. “I’m not doing that.”
“Well, that is what everybody is thinking, so maybe you should let somebody else evaluate Commander Cho’s combat skills.”
Commander Cho was lying on the practice mat gasping for air.
Ensign Kangin, who had been watching with the other men from security, stepped up, agreeing, “You are being a little rough on him.”
Sungmin exhaled a breath and nodded his head. “Ensign DongWoo, allow Commander Cho a small rest and then you resume with his evaluation.”
“Yes, Sir,” Ensign DongWoo quickly responded from beside Kangin.
Eunhyuk turned around to face the bleachers and subtly gave Junsu and Donghae the finger and then stormed out of the gym.
Donghae and Junsu looked at each other with widened, shocked eyes. Donghae asked, “Do you think we might have hit a nerve?”
“I think so.”
Adventure Twelve: The Passing of Days Part 1 of 2
Author: Aquariuslover
Pairings: Yunjae, KyuWook, WooGyu
Rating: R
Genre: Crossover, Science Fiction, Adventure, Romance
Beta: tahoeturquoise
Length: Chaptered
A/N: This story is inspired by Star Trek and members of the Kpop community, but the story-line and the characterization are my own.
Summary: New love takes birth, timeless love grows stronger, and old love is bent to the breaking point.
Siwon gently bumped into Sungmin’s shoulder and asked, “Should I be jealous?”
Sungmin, whose eyes had been locked on Kyuhyun, looked up at the tall prince. “No, not at all.”
Siwon peered down at his lover. “I did not think so. You are staring at him…but not with want.”
“No.”
They were on the planet Eternity and were taking a refreshment break between negotiations. For two weeks Commander Cho and Siwon had headed the diplomatic team in an attempt to persuade the council to give them permission to see if the source of the Guardian’s power could be discovered. Commander Yoochun was convinced that the Guardian of Time must draw on a massive power supply to provide it with the ability to send people traveling in time, across space, and to other dimensions. Since the Expectations’ dilithium crystal supply had been completely depleted during their race to save the planet, he was hoping to discover something they could use or adapt to power the ship.
Unfortunately, the people of Eternity saw the Guardian of Time as a spiritual being and strictly guarded access to it. The fact that Jaejoong had mentally manipulated them on his first visit to the planet and that Changmin had beamed directly to the Guardian of Time without asking for their permission did not sit well with the governing council or with the planet’s young princess.
That the Expectations had saved the planet from certain ruin did soften their stance, but it did not completely obliterate it. Captain Jung, who was still devastated from the loss of his son, did not take part in the negotiations leaving them in the hands of Prince Siwon and Commander Cho.
Siwon watched Kyuhyun, who was across the room talking to one of the younger members of the council. Siwon recalled that the member of the council that had all of Kyuhyun’s attention was named Raoul. Raoul was a handsome, dark skinned, masculine young man in his late twenties that was very assertive in the meetings.
Siwon’s eyes narrowed. “Is he-”
“Trying to seduce the council member,” Sungmin finished.
“Is he?”
Sungmin, who knew Kyuhyun’s predatory tactics better than most, nodded his head. “I fear he is.”
“I am assuming Dr. Cho is not aware of this.”
Sungmin shook his head, and let out a sigh. “No, he would not be.”
“Theirs is not an open marriage,” Siwon asserted, remembering the devastation Ryeowook had felt at finding out Sungmin and Kyuhyun had been lovers during the time he was presumed dead.
“No,” Sungmin confirmed. “This will break Ryeowook’s heart.”
Siwon looked down at his lover and whispered, “Will you not tell the good doctor?”
Sungmin shook his head. “I’m not telling him. I have been in the middle of Kyuhyun and Ryeowook too many times as it is.”
Siwon frowned. “That is of course a wise decision on your part, but I might find it difficult not to insert myself into the situation. Dr. Cho saved all our lives while we were stranded on the planet. I consider him a dear friend.”
“As do I, and that’s why drop-kicking Kyuhyun is not out of the question.”
***************
SooYoung stared down at the lifeless form of her cousin. It had been two weeks since she had returned to the ship; since she had assisted Changmin in his attempt to avoid being lost to time, only to find upon her arrival back to the ship that Sulli had been lost.
The stasis field around Sulli prevented physical contact as it encased her body in a protective shield that maintained her body. In the days that had passed SooYoung had learned that Changmin and Sulli had shared something; no one had been willing to call it the great bond that Joongs shared with their mates…till now. In the moment that Changmin had faded away, Sulli had fallen into a deep sleep.
SooYoung had not forgotten Changmin’s last words to Sulli. He had ordered her not to leave the exam room. SooYoung did not doubt that Changmin knew exactly what would happen to her young cousin.
“Coffee?”
SooYoung looked toward the door to see that the young doctor had entered the room, holding two cups of coffee. “That would be nice.”
WooHyun handed the lieutenant a cup. “How are you?”
“Ready to be out of here.”
He nodded his head. “You and Junsu; he’s becoming extremely irritated.”
“He doesn’t feel like he was violated…isn’t that good thing?”
WooHyun shrugged. “I don’t know. This ship contains knowledge that I can’t even begin to grasp.”
“That’s not true. You will master it perfectly in time, look how accomplished you are with the replicators already,” SooYoung said with a warm smile, holding up her cup of coffee.
The young doctor let out a laugh. “Ah, if only all the technology was as nice as the replicators; all you need to do is ask and it delivers.”
SooYoung turned around and gave her cousin one last look before she led the doctor out of the room. “So when will you be free to roam the ship? I know you have been allowed out for briefings, but when do you get to move into your own quarters?”
“I’m okay with staying in here. It’s a great learning opportunity.”
SooYoung stopped, turned to face him and arched her eyebrows. “Really? I thought you would be eager to get out of here so you could chase after Ensign SungGyu.”
WooHyun blushed.
“Knew it.”
“I am not really bothering to hide it.”
“No, you are not. Not hiding it at all.”
Junsu came around the corner and asked, “What is he not hiding?”
“His crush,” SooYoung replied.
“On Ensign SungGyu? Nope, not at all,” Junsu said with a chuckle, but his laughter quickly faded. “Lieutenant, I heard that you are going to be released today.”
“It’s true.”
“Will you be taking over as Chief Science Officer now?” Junsu asked.
SooYoung nodded her head. “Yes, not exactly a promotion I can celebrate.”
“No,” Junsu agreed, sadness filling his voice as he remembered Changmin.
*******************
Commander Yoochun looked at Siwon with scorn and declared, “Let me go to the next meeting. I will make them see it our way.”
“That would not be wise,” Commander Cho told him from across the conference table.
“Why? Because I wouldn’t hesitate to remind them that they would all be nothing more than space dust if we hadn’t saved their asses, and maybe we won’t be so eager to help them out next time if they don’t stop being pricks.”
“Yoochun…” Yunho warned from the head of the conference table.
Yoochun continued, “Actually, we don’t have to ask for their permission. The Guardian is a sentient being and it doesn’t belong to the planet Eternity or its inhabitants.”
“But they believe otherwise, and if I am correct-one of the Federation’s primary directives is to respect the beliefs of other civilizations,” Siwon stated, calmly.
Yoochun folded his arms and insisted, “I have the ship back in perfect working order…except for the fact we have no dilithium!” Yoochun turned to face the captain. “We have got to find another energy source unless you are ready to crawl to Trysor. We need to step up our game plan. We have wasted two weeks dealing with these imbeciles.”
Yunho rested his hands against the table and asked, “I will not threaten the people of Eternity, so what would you suggest?”
“I think your baby momma needs to pay them a visit,” Yoochun answered.
Yunho frowned. “Even if I were okay with using Jaejoong’s telepathic powers to manipulate the people of Eternity, he wouldn’t do it.”
Yoochun groaned. “Captain, with all due respect, have you even tried to talk him into it? I’m pretty sure he would do anything for you.”
“When it comes to the Guardian, Jaejoong has very firm beliefs that he will not waver on. The thought of us trying to harness the Guardian’s power to fuel the ship…he’s not going to help us. He considers it sacrilegious.”
“He would do anything for you,” Commander Yoochun persisted.
“If I were in danger, which I’m not.”
Siwon, who had been listening attentively, offered, “Perhaps there is another way.”
“What?” Commander Cho asked.
“Captain, I do not want to rush you in your time of mourning, but you hold a special position of respect with the people of Eternity; perhaps if you handled the negotiations personally…”
Yunho kept his face completely still. He had not been off the ship since discovering that Changmin had faded away. The loss of Changmin had made him physically ill, and not even Jaejoong’s healing powers could completely rid him of the side effects of the parent-child bond being ripped away.
“He shouldn’t even be at this meeting, much less going on missions,” Yoochun spoke up protectively. His eagerness to harness the Guardian’s power did not override his concern for his oldest friend. “He’s almost green with nausea now.”
“I am fine,” Yunho claimed, turning to face Commander Cho. “I will attend the next set of negotiations.”
Commander Cho nodded his head. “Yes, Sir.”
“You are all dismissed,” Yunho informed the other men as he stayed sitting. Commander Cho and Siwon got up from their chairs and left the room.
Commander Yoochun stayed behind and regretfully told Yunho, “I didn’t mean for you to go…are you sure it’s a good idea?”
“I am fine.”
“Forgive me if I don’t believe you.”
“I am just sad…I feel like I will never stop being sad, but the physical side affects diminish everyday and they were never severe to begin with. Not like poor Sulli.”
Yoochun reached across the table and squeezed Yunho’s hand. “You know Changmin was my favorite robot, so I give you permission to be sad for as long as you want; forever if you want.”
Yunho blessed Yoochun with the smallest of smiles. “It will be okay.’
“You and your incessant whining,” Jaejoong hissed as he stormed into the conference room, glaring at Commander Yoochun. “Could you have nagged him more?”
“I was not nagging! I was being a supportive friend!” Yoochun declared, letting go of Yunho’s hand.
Jaejoong walked up behind Yunho and started massaging his shoulders. “After you got what you wanted.”
“I wanted to go down to the planet myself,” Yoochun informed the Joong.
“You wanted me to go down there,” Jaejoong said, correcting Yoochun. “That’s what you really wanted.”
“Well, you won’t go, so Yunho is going in your place.”
“Like I would ever let him off this ship without me; he’d probably get kidnapped again!” Jaejoong hissed. “He is never leaving this ship without me again…EVER.”
“Jae…”
“I will manipulate any mind I have to, including his,” Jaejoong continued. “Near death experiences…I am not a fan of them.”
Yunho just shook his head, but couldn’t help relaxing as the bond and Jaejoong’s hands worked wonders on him.
“So you are going down there with them?” Yoochun asked hopefully.
“Yes, and I am going to make sure they don’t change their minds,” Jaejoong told Yoochun with a wicked grin. “The Guardian of Time is not some device you can use to power this ship! It is a timeless being of immense power!”
“It gets its power from somewhere! I don’t want to steal its power…I just want to see if there is a way we can harness a similar power.”
“Too bad it isn’t happening; I will make sure of it.”
Yunho groaned. “Jae…”
“No, I am not changing my mind. The ignorant fools of Eternity should be honored that I even bothered to manipulate their simple minds in the first place.”
Yunho’s mood darkened and he snapped, “Can you please stop? You are not going to manipulate anybody’s mind. We are also not going to threaten them. The people of Eternity will come to their own decision.”
“Yunho, don’t be so grumpy,” Jaejoong told his mate as the captain got up from his seat. “I was just messing with your sleazy engineer.”
Yunho, who was walking toward the door, told them both, “You both make me tired. It’s amazing how similar you two are. I am surprised you aren’t the closest of friends.”
Jaejoong watched as Yunho exited the conference room and turned to glare at Yoochun.
Yoochun just leaned back in his chair and told the fussy Joong. “What? It’s totally your fault. We were having a nice moment then you barged in all bitchy.”
Jaejoong tossed his head. “I am pregnant! I can be as bitchy as I want to be.”
*******************************
WooHyun stared at the hundreds of scans that Dr. Cho had prepared for him as he sat at the conference table in Dr. Cho’s office. “I have to memorize all of this?”
“Yes.”
“Today?”
Ryeowook patted his new assistance on the shoulder. “No, you have ‘til tomorrow.”
WooHyun swallowed nervously. “Okay…”
“I don’t know why you don’t just implant an intelligence chip in him,” Heechul, who was leaning against the doorway, commented. “They have been used before.”
“They are only to be used in case of memory loss,” Ryeowook reminded Heechul. “WooHyun hasn’t lost his memories.”
“Yes, but he is a primitive human…” Heechul paused to look down at WooHyun, giving him a weak smile. “No offence.”
WooHyun slumped in his chair. “None taken.”
“His brain isn’t primitive. His IQ far exceeds Starfleet minimum requirements. He will be able to assimilate the knowledge without any difficulty, it’s just the amount and details he finds intimidating,” Ryeowook explained.
Heechul walked away from the doorway and over to WooHyun and ruffled his hair. “He’s so cute, though. He should be out making new friends instead of being stuck in here.”
WooHyun grinned. Heechul was one of the strangest and most eccentric people that he had ever encountered-and that was saying a lot, but he liked him. “No, it’s okay. I want to be the assistant. I want to help you guys out.”
“Such a darling,” Heechul said, beaming down at WooHyun.
Ryeowook silently sighed in relief. He was extremely grateful that the ever unpredictable Heechul had taken a shine to the young doctor. He needed the young doctor’s help, and the fact that Heechul was not going to make sickbay into some kind of battleground was a great relief.
“I require you,” the voice of Jaejoong called out as he walked into the room.
Ryeowook looked up and asked, “The baby?”
“Nooo,” Jaejoong replied with a snort. “As if I would need your help with the baby.”
Heechul brought his arms up and hugged his own chest. “Oh, you are already showing. Little Baby Changmin is growing like a weed.”
An alarmed Jaejoong immediately looked down at his flat stomach. “I am not!”
Heechul pranced across the room and patted Jaejoong’s tummy, much to the Joong’s displeasure. “Whatever you say little momma.”
“I am not a momma! I am the birth-parent!”
“First time parents are always so nervous, but you will embrace motherhood in time; I have every confidence in you,” Heechul replied with a wink as he excited the room.
Jaejoong clenched his fists. “I loathe him.”
“No, you don’t,” Ryeowook replied, shaking his head.
“Yes, I do.”
“No, you don’t,” Ryeowook repeated, and then asked, “What did you need?”
“I want to complain about our mates.”
“Jaejoong, you have to give Yunho time. He needs time.”
“Yes, I know…but Changmin didn’t die. Changmin hasn’t even been born yet.”
“Yunho shared a lifetime of memories with Changmin…a life spent together. Plus, he shared a parent bond with Changmin; he is feeling the after effects.”
“He is completely fine physically…he’s just moping. I can’t snap him out of it. We are not even having sex.”
“Patience, my friend.”
“We all know you are the king of patience. Two years now-” Jaejoong said with a grimace and a shudder. “I can not even imagine.”
Ryeowook glowered. “Can we not talk about that?”
“Okay, let’s talk about how I have to go down to Eternity. You know how I hate those religious fools and they are going to be all over me.”
“I thought they were pissed at you from your last visit?”
Jaejoong’s eyes narrowed. “The Guardian of Time is not subject to their beliefs nor are the Joong…we the only beings the Guardians acknowledge.”
“Not true.”
“Yunho doesn’t count. He’s bonded to me…he’s like an honorary Joong now.”
“I am sure he feels special.”
“He does,” Jaejoong told Ryeowook as he stared down at WooHyun. “Are you trying to overwhelm this new human?”
“No,” Ryeowook insisted. “He’s completely capable.”
“If he’s too hard on you let me know; I still owe you for saving my Yunho’s life,” Jaejoong told WooHyun. Jaejoong had had very little interaction with the young doctor other than reading his mind and determining he was no threat to the ship.
“I am not being too hard on him,” Ryeowook stated as he took Jaejoong by the arm. “Let’s go, Doctor Nam needs to study.”
Jaejoong let Ryeowook lead him from the room and into an exam room. “I am not letting you scan me.”
“Humor me.”
“No.”
“Don’t you want to see baby Changmin?”
Jaejoong gave Ryeowook a deadpan look. “He’s a mass of cells at this point.”
Ryeowook laughed and told the Joong, “That is something he would have said.”
Jaejoong brightened. “It is, isn’t it?”
“Go ahead, you know you are curious,” Ryeowook told his friend as he patted the exam bed.
“Okay,” Jaejoong declared, relenting quickly as he jumped up on the exam bed. “But you better not try any of your prehistoric mumbo jumbo.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Ryeowook drily informed the Joong as he studied the readings. “This says you are eight weeks pregnant, but it also says you are a regular human…a regular human that just happens to have functioning sexual organs of both genders.”
“I assure you, I have only been pregnant for the last two weeks.”
“How long does a Joong pregnancy last?”
“It just depends. The shortest are around three months, but a Joong can be pregnant for two years.”
An alarmed Ryeowook asked, “What determines the gestation period?”
Jaejoong shrugged. “Nobody knows for certain; there are some theories-and I am not sharing them with you.”
“I am-”
“No,” Jaejoong said, interrupting. “Most Joong pregnancies last five months to a year.”
“It’s very interesting,” Ryeowook admitted, looking at the readings. “Going by these readings Changmin could be born as early as two months from now.”
“No, he won’t.”
“But going by this rate-”
“Joong development always starts off fast and then slows during the last weeks of pregnancy.”
“He’s only half Joong, remember.”
Jaejoong shook his head as if he was dealing with a child. “I assure you, nothing would make me happier than having only a ten week long pregnancy, but it isn’t going to happen.”
“We will just have to wait and see,” Ryeowook stated without conceding completely.
Jaejoong looked up at the screen and complained, “Technology bores me; I want a visual.”
“Okay, okay,” Ryeowook replied with a laugh and almost immediately the baby growing inside of Jaejoong appeared. “There he is.”
“Oh, that is amazing-what is that?” Jaejoong asked, pointing to the scan of the baby.
“That’s the tail.”
“The what!” A horrified Jaejoong exclaimed, jumping off the exam bed. “A tail! Joongs don’t have tails! If he has a tail he inherited it from Yunho!”
Ryeowook covered his mouth, trying is best to control his laughter. “All embryos have them.”
“You all had tails? What do you do with them? Is there some primitive ritual where you cut them off?”
“No, they just go away by the ninth week…well, in most cases.”
Jaejoong plundered Ryeowook’s mind telepathically to reassure himself. “Some babies are born with tails.”
“That is extremely rare.”
Jaejoong shook his head and telepathically contacted his mate. “Did Changmin have a tail?”
“What? No. Why?”
“That’s a relief! I can’t imagine having a child with a tail. If any other Joong found out I would be humiliated. You know I come from the most ancient and royal house on Joong.”
“Why did you ask me if Changmin had a tail?”
“Ryeowook coerced me into getting on an exam bed and we were looking at the baby…the baby that looks like a small tadpole.”
“You are looking at the baby without me?”
“Umm…yes.”
“You suck.”
Jaejoong grimaced, feeling Yunho’s disappointment from several floors away. “Ummm…you know I am always happy to suck you.”
“Jaejoong.”
“Darling, come see the tadpole and then we will go down and deal with the primitives.”
“He isn’t a tadpole.”
********************
“So how does it feel to be out of sickbay?” Ensign SungGyu asked as he sat down at the table in the mess hall opposite of Lieutenant SooYoung and her brother Ensign Minho.
SooYoung leaned back in her chair, grinning. “It feels nice.”
“Big shoes to fill though.”
“The biggest,” SooYoung agreed.
Minho beamed at his older sister and said confidently, “She can do it.”
“No,” SooYoung interjected. “I won’t ever be as brilliant as Changmin…very few are, but I can hold my own.”
“I have no doubt,” Ensign SungGyu agreed.
“So, have you been to sickbay lately?” SooYoung asked, innocently.
“No,” SungGyu informed her. “Commander Yoochun has me very busy in engineering running test after test.”
“You are in Engineering again?” Minho asked.
SungGyu shrugged. “Until the energy crisis is solved, I suppose.”
“And longer if Commander Yoochun has his way,” Minho added. It was well known aboard the ship that the Chief Engineer had every intention of keeping Ensign SungGyu assigned to Engineering.
“Is Engineering not your specialty?” SooYoung, who had been off the ship for over a year and had not ever gotten acquainted with any of the cadets, asked.
“No,” SungGyu answered. “I was taking command courses at the Academy.”
SooYoung’s eyes lit up. “How many times did you have to test for the command courses?”
“I didn’t; my entrance exams determined it.”
“Wow, that is very rare,” SooYoung told him, highly impressed. “If I am correct, Yunho is the only other person on this ship that was placed in command courses based on the entrance exams.”
“That’s what I hear.”
Minho asked, “Did you always know you wanted to command?”
SungGyu shook his head. “Nope; I was debating on selling shoes or joining Star Fleet.”
“Selling shoes!” The Choi siblings both exclaimed at the same time.
“It’s our family business. We have been making and selling shoes since the 1800’s,” SungGyu explained. “I sometimes regret my decision to join Star Fleet. The shoe business is far less stressful and you get to sleep a lot more. I never get enough sleep these days.”
Minho laughed and SooYoung just stared at the young ensign, who had been given one of Star Fleets greatest honors only to complain about the lack of sleep. “If you are having difficulty sleeping, perhaps you should visit sickbay. I am sure WooHyun would love to help you out.”
“Oh, I have no difficulty falling asleep. I just like to sleep eight hours a day, and that just doesn’t happen in Star Fleet.”
“No, that doesn’t happen,” Minho agreed, unable to keep from chuckling.
“You should still visit sickbay…I am sure WooHyun would enjoy a visit from you,” SooYoung persisted.
“You think so?”
“I am certain of it.”
****************
“Where is it?” Jaejoong grumbled as he searched through the cooling device in the kitchen for the dish he had prepared earlier.
A very happy Yunho, who was sitting at the dining table inside their quarters, informed his mate, “We should look at him everyday, so we can keep track of how fast he is growing.”
Jaejoong held up both of his hands at a loss. “I know I put it in here.”
“Soon he will be the size of an insignia.”
“Did you eat it?”
“Then he will be the size of a phaser.’
“Yunho!”
Yunho, who had been lost in his own world, turned to face Jaejoong. “What?”
“Did you eat it?”
“Eat what?”
“Do you ever listen to me when I speak aloud to you?” Jaejoong demanded as he combed through Yunho’s mind for the answer to his question.
Yunho, who immediately felt the fuzzy feeling of Jaejoong’s telepathic prying, protested, “Hey, now!”
“You didn’t eat it,” Jaejoong declared. “What happened to it?”
“Happened to what?”
“Dinner! I made something absolutely perfect for us to eat and I can’t find it. It’s not here,” Jaejoong explained.
“Oh…”
“Computer,” Jaejoong stated, calling for the ship’s computer. “Who has been in these quarters?”
The computer promptly replied. “Please specify a time period. There have been 594 sentient beings in these quarters since the ship was first constructed.”
“In the last-”
“I am not that hungry…let’s have sex instead,” Yunho suggested, interrupting Jaejoong. Yunho’s mood had brightened considerable since seeing his unborn child earlier in the day. Plus, he had a pretty good idea who had enough guts to steal food out of their quarters and he wasn’t interested in the fall out of Jaejoong finding out. “I did successfully persuade the people of Eternity into letting us examine the Guardian of Time, so I think I deserve a little reward.”
Thoughts of food vanished from Jaejoong’s mind as he eagerly walked over to his lover. “You did.”
“Plus, you promised you’d suck,” Yunho reminded Jaejoong as the other man approached him.
Jaejoong reached out his hand for Yunho as the other man got up from his chair. “I did, but I am going to require some effort on your part, also.”
Yunho allowed Jaejoong to lead him into the bedroom. “I am at your command.”
“As you should be,” Jaejoong stated confidently, licking his lips in anticipation. “We are doing it man on man style tonight. I am tired of vaginal sex.”
********************
Kyuhyun was lying on the couch on his and Ryeowook’s quarters staring at the ceiling, but he quickly shut his eyes when he heard the door to the quarters swoosh open. He felt Ryeowook walk over to him. He kept his eyes shut pretending to be asleep.
He fought the urge to tense up when he felt a gentle hand reach out and touch his arm.
“Kyuhyun, you should go to bed,” the soft voice of his husband could be heard saying.
Kyuhyun rolled over on his side, away from Ryeowook. “No, sleep here,” he muttered as if his mind was clouded with sleep.
“Okay,” Ryeowook agreed, relenting. Kyuhyun sighed in relief as he listened to his spouse head into their bedroom.
*****************
“It’s delicious,” WooHyun declared as he scooped up more food from the bowl that was sitting on the bedside table in Junsu’s sickbay room.
Junsu was sitting in his sickbay bed with his arms folded tightly across his chest. “That’s not the point.”
WooHyun muttered with a mouthful of food, “This is so much better than replicator food.”
“I told him I didn’t want it.”
“I want it,” WooHyun told the fuming ensign as he stuffed another spoonful in his mouth. “After hearing you and SungGyu describe Commander Yoochun on the planet I envisioned him to be some sort of…insane, perverted tyrant, but instead he seems really nice.”
“Believe me, he isn’t.”
“What if he is trying to change?”
“I will admit he probably doesn’t like what happened to me.”
“See, he cares for you.”
“No, you misunderstood me.”
“He seems genuinely concerned about your wellbeing.”
“He cares in his own strange, possessive, deviant way, I suppose.”
“He just offered you a gift.”
“I didn’t want it.”
“Why not?”
“He might get the wrong idea.”
Sauce dripped down the side of WooHyun’s mouth as he took another bite of the delicious food.
“I made it very clear that I am not interested in him,” Junsu clarified. “Any ideas he has regarding the two of us are clearly his own. I like women. I don’t want anything from him.”
“Don’t want what?” SungGyu asked as he walked into the room. WooHyun immediately put down his spoon and started wiping his face, but not before SungGyu cast his gaze in the young doctor’s direction. “Hungry?”
WooHyun turned red.
“Commander Yoochun brought it for me, and I wish he hadn’t,” Ensign Junsu explained.
SungGyu stared at the food with more interest now. “I didn’t know Commander Yoochun could cook.”
“Oh, he can…and like an angel,” WooHyun quickly volunteered. “It’s delicious.”
Ensign Junsu rolled his eyes. “He obviously stole it. He’s too busy sexually harassing people and obsessing over his engines to cook.”
“He isn’t that bad,” WooHyun protested, refusing to believe that Commander Yoochun was all bad. “I think he really likes you.”
“Only because he wants to-just never-mind why,” Junsu spat out.
SungGyu walked towards WooHyun and the bowl of food. “He fancies Junsu’s gluteus maximus.”
Junsu winced. “That’s putting it way too nicely.”
WooHyun’s eyes were glued to SungGyu as the other man approached him. “I am sure he likes all of Junsu.”
“WooHyun, you are just…you are just too romantic minded,” Junsu grumbled.
The young doctor opened his mouth to protest then closed it…because it was the truth. He had always been a romantic.
SungGyu smiled at the doctor as he reached up and wiped food from WooHyun’s face. “You missed some.”
“Thanks,” WooHyun whispered weakly, as he turned redder.
Junsu watched the other ensign and the smitten doctor. “SungGyu, I heard you got promoted.”
SungGyu shrugged, turning back to face Junsu. “I did.”
“I still outrank you,” Junsu teased.
“Oh…oh…that’s true,” WooHyun stuttered, still flustered by having his face touched by the object of his affection. “Although…although…I…I would never have thought that on the planet.”
SungGyu laughed at WooHyun’s choice of words. “Thanks.”
WooHyun whirled around to face the ensign that he had inadvertently insulted. “No offense.”
“None taken; I don’t want to captain starships, I want to fly them,” Junsu explained, feeling real excitement for the other ensign. “So did you move up a whole level?”
“A whole level,” SungGyu confirmed.
WooHyun held out the bowl of food. “You should celebrate by eating some of this. It’s really good.”
SungGyu took hold of the spoon that was lying inside the bowl and immediately tasted the food. “Oh, that is delicious.”
The doctor smiled at Junsu. “See, I told you.”
“I can’t eat something he gave me…even if he stole it.”
Ensign Gyu walked over with the bowl in his arms and asked the other ensign, “Why are you in bed?”
“He’s pouting,” the young doctor explained on Junsu’s behalf.
“Why?”
“Why? It’s because I am being held hostage! There is no reason for Dr. Cho to hold me here. I am perfectly fine! I wanted to have sex with her!”
SungGyu slowly chewed his food and swallowed it down, while thinking over the other ensign’s words. “You only wanted to have sex with her after Victoria manipulated your mind. You were truly outraged at first at her suggestion, but then the Joong intervened changing all that.”
“I didn’t want to because…because the captain was dying…not because I didn’t desire Taeyeon!” Junsu insisted adamantly. “If the captain had been well…I would have been all for it.”
“But the captain was not well, and you were not all for it,” SungGyu gently reaffirmed for the other ensign. “It’s wonderful that you don’t feel victimized by what happened to you but still, it was not done with your consent.”
Junsu sighed. “I just…I just don’t feel like I was raped. I know I didn’t…I know I didn’t consent…but it wasn’t bad.”
WooHyun sat down on the bed and asked, “So Junsu, you were attracted to the woman before the Joong manipulated you?”
“I was,” Junsu confirmed.
SungGyu grunted. “So? I was attracted to WooHyun also and I didn’t run off to the woods to have sex with him. The point is that you would not have done such a thing of your own free will either. You might have found the experience enjoyable but it was still rape. She compelled you to do something against your wishes. I am sure Dr. Cho is just waiting for you to acknowledge this fact.”
WooHyun looked up at SungGyu and repeated, “Was attracted.”
SungGyu arched his eyebrows and told the young doctor, “I was providing an example.”
Junsu pondered the SungGyu’s words. “I just…it didn’t feel-I suppose you are right though.”
“I usually am,” SungGyu informed the two other men, nonchalantly. “Now, let’s eat.”
“I don’t want any,” Junsu, who appeared to be in deep thought, mumbled underneath his breath.
WooHyun smiled at SungGyu and announced, “More for us.”
*****************
Early the next morning Ryeowook walked back to the quarters he shared with his husband. He had gotten an early call to come to sickbay after a crewmember had suffered a fall while changing out an exhaust vent in the torpedo bay. The injury had been quickly dealt with and now Ryeowook was focused on his husband. Kyuhyun had been very distant in the last three weeks, since resuming his duties. And even before then Kyuhyun had been very angry at his husband for not letting him return to work earlier. Kyuhyun’s continued unhappiness with him was leaving Ryeowook feeling very unsettled.
Ryeowook paused and sighed as he reached their door; he wasn’t sure how to reach out to Kyuhyun. He knew his husband was a very complex individual. An individual that required much more therapy, but he also knew all the therapy in the world would not help Kyuhyun-until Kyuhyun was ready to accept help. Kyuhyun was clever and even as a child he had known how to pass psychological tests with flying colors when he was far from well. Sadly, Ryeowook also knew that Kyuhyun’s duties would not suffer from his refusal to seek further help; only their relationship would.
He stared at the door before entering, hoping that Kyuhyun would be more receptive this morning and agree to go eat breakfast with him. Ryeowook found his courage and stepped up to the door, expecting it to automatically open.
The door stayed shut.
Ryeowook frowned and commanded, “Open.”
The door stayed shut.
Ryeowook stared at the door for only a moment before summoning the ship’s main computer and invoking his medical override, “Computer, this is Dr. Cho; open the door to my quarters.”
The door whooshed open.
He cautiously entered his quarters; he immediately heard sounds coming from his bedroom that could only be described as moaning. “Kyuhyun…”
“Fuck! Ryeowook stay out. Give me a second,” Kyuhyun immediately responded in a panicked voice.
Ryeowook stayed in the living area of their quarters, not moving forward. He felt a mixture of relief and concern. Kyuhyun was masturbating, which was a relief because his husband had displayed no interest in sex since the rape and torture he had suffered at the hands of ZhouMi. Masturbating was good; his concern was with the fact that Kyuhyun was obviously embarrassed by it. Which was very concerning since they had been married straight out of the academy and Kyuhyun was not shy.
“Did you think maybe I had the door locked for a reason?” Kyuhyun asked heatedly from inside the bedroom.
“I didn’t really think about it,” Ryeowook confessed as he heard Kyuhyun slam stuff around in the bedroom. “I am sorry. I used my override privileges without thinking it through.”
Kyuhyun grunted from inside the bedroom. “It’s only one of the many disadvantages of being married to the Chief Medical Officer.”
Ryeowook winced and questioned, “One of the many?”
Kyuhyun, who was now fully dressed for a workout, emerged out of the bedroom. “Yes, it seems like there are a lot of disadvantages these days.”
“And what would the others be?”
Kyuhyun closed his eyes and cooled his emotions. “I am being an ass…just forget I said anything.”
“No, I will not just forget it.”
“I am sure there are many disadvantages in being married to the spoiled whoring son of admirals, too.”
“Whoring?”
“I meant...you know how I was when we first met.”
“I do, but you are not like that anymore.”
Kyuhyun opened his eyes and met Ryeowook’s gaze. “You would not have said that before ZhouMi decided to use me as his toy.”
Ryeowook flinched. “I was hurt…and when a person gets hurt they act irrationally. I should not have held such a grudge for so long. I was relenting…I would not have made us wait a year.”
Kyuhyun maintained eye contact with Ryeowook, while still keeping his distance. “You put too much emphasis on fidelity. What I had with Sungmin…it was sexual. It didn’t mean anything to me.”
“It meant sex.”
This time Kyuhyun flinched. “Yes, it was sexual release, but you have always insisted on associating sex with love, which is preposterous.”
“You haven’t always thought this way.”
Kyuhyun looked away from Ryeowook. “No, for a while…I got everything I needed from being with you. Love and sex.”
“And now?”
“I should get to the gym, I have to recertify,” Kyuhyun uneasily replied, ignoring Ryeowook’s question.
Ryeowook’s eyes narrowed and stated, “You weren’t thinking of me.”
Kyuhyun looked back at Ryeowook, swallowed nervously, and shook his head.
“I don’t care,” Ryeowook told Kyuhyun truthfully.
“You don’t?”
“No, you have suffered from immense sexual trauma for the second time in your life and you have refused to continue your therapy. I am not surprised that thoughts of me do not get you aroused.”
Kyuhyun’s eyes lit up. “So you aren’t mad?”
“No,” Ryeowook answered honestly. “You have also suffered the loss of Changmin, a friend that was very dear to you…a friend you sacrificed a great deal for. I understand that your feelings are all over the place right now.”
Kyuhyun’s relief was visible. “I just…this is a huge relief.”
“I don’t care who you fantasize about, as long as it sticks to fantasies.”
The relief vanished and Kyuhyun asked, “And if it doesn’t stick to just fantasies?”
Ryeowook’s heart broke as he easily read his mate. “Then I would relieve you of all the disadvantages that being married to the Chief Medical Officer imposes on you.”
Kyuhyun froze.
“I know why you would be attracted to men that you have no emotional attachment to, but my understanding nature only extends so far.”
“So even though…even though you know why I feel the way I do…you would not reconsider your stance on fidelity?” Kyuhyun asked, unable to hide his dread. “Even though you…you more than anyone else knows what happened to me.”
“I love you, but if you have sex with anybody else…our marriage is over,” Ryeowook stated firmly.
“That’s…that’s so nineteenth century Earth!”
“Monogamy is not an outdated notion! Many races, including billions of humans, respect it! My planet of birth believes firmly in it!” Ryeowook exclaimed. “You knew who I was and what I believed in when you married me.”
“Things have changed since then!” Kyuhyun yelled at his husband. “If you loved me half as much as you say you do…you would understand that my desire to fuck other people has nothing to do with my love for you.”
Ryeowook closed his eyes, controlled his hurt and whispered to his husband, “If you loved me half as much as you say you do you would get the help you need…and not destroy everything we have built over the years due to some itch you want scratched.”
Kyuhyun stormed across the living area and stopped before exiting the room. “You make it sound so easy. Even now…you are such an innocent. You have never known true lust…lust that makes no sense, but just consumes you and makes you crazy with want.”
Ryeowook took a moment to mull over Kyuhyun’s words and responded, “That’s true. Before I met you I was very inexperienced. And I loved you long before I desired you…and I have only ever truly desired you. You are the only person that I’ve ever been intimate with.”
“I know that…I love that, but I am not you.”
“No, you are not,” Ryeowook said, turning to Kyuhyun. “Have you betrayed me already?”
“No.”
“Are you going to?”
Kyuhyun darted his eyes away from Ryeowook. “I don’t know…probably, I will…I don’t want to hurt you…but I don’t know if I will be able to stop myself.”
The anger Ryeowook had been controlling rose up and erupted out of him. “You are responsible for all your actions! You are not the helpless victim in this! If you decide to cheat on me it will be your choice to do so! So hurry and make up your mind! I have a life to live also!”
“What?” Kyuhyun asked, looking back to face his husband. “What do you mean by that?”
“Once you decide to end our marriage, it will be time for me to move on…experience new things.”
“Are you threatening me?”
“No, I am just simply stating that once our divorce is finalized my belief in monogamy will be as dead as our marriage and all the promises we ever made each other.”
Kyuhyun’s breathing increased. “I haven’t cheated, not yet.”
“Well, you be sure to tell me if you decide to throw everything we have away.”
“I will,” Kyuhyun snapped as he quickly turned and rushed out the door.
******************
“Don’t think or feel anything,” Jaejoong ordered, holding up his hands.
Yunho, who was sitting with Jaejoong at the table inside their quarters, looked at his mate, who was making exaggerated facial movements. “The baby?”
Jaejoong shook his head and motioned for his mate to hush.
Yunho took a sip of his coffee and asked, “Who are you eavesdropping on?”
“Yunho, do I have to knock you unconscious? I am trying to read thoughts here!” Jaejoong fumed, irritated at his mate. “The Chos are getting a divorce…they feel terrible. I could feel Ryeowook’s sadness all the way down the hall…and Kyuhyun…Kyuhyun is a mess.”
“You should not be eavesdropping on-a divorce?”
Jaejoong slumped back in his chair. “It’s horrible…the baby must have distracted me because I had no idea it had gotten to this point.”
“Divorce…” Yunho repeated.
“It looks that way. Kyuhyun wants to have sex with this other man…and I can’t even be rightfully appalled for Ryeowook, because Kyuhyun sacrificed himself for Changmin. If it hadn’t been for that sacrifice they would be happy together.”
Yunho knew he should start preaching about how wrong it was to eavesdrop on the private conversations of others, but he felt so bad. “They were both very close to Changmin. I will never forget when Ryeowook started at the academy…he and Changmin were little nerdy friends together. They were so cute.”
“My son was not a nerd.”
“He was.”
“Apparently primitive humans couldn’t appreciate his superior genius.”
Yunho sat his coffee down on the table. “Stop being a snob.”
“Snob? I am not a snob. I am the Royal Prince-”
“Of Joong, blah blah blah,” Yunho interrupted, finishing for Jaejoong. “I am just trying to say that the loss of Changmin probably didn’t help the Cho marriage any. Poor Kyuhyun did so much to spare Changmin…it must feel…I can’t imagine how it feels...now that Changmin has been lost anyway. I am just sad their marriage has ended in divorce.”
“Well, they haven’t declared divorce yet. It’s up to Kyuhyun. If he cheats on Ryeowook then it is divorce.”
Yunho frowned. “Who would he...what crew member would be so…what crew member would have sex with Kyuhyun knowing he is married to Dr. Cho?”
“Would you like a list? Would you like it in alphabetical order?”
“No!”
Jaejoong studied his mate, and then asked, “Marriage? This earth custom holds great importance with you?”
Yunho nodded his head. “It does. When humans from Earth decide to commit to each other and form a family they marry. Not all humans hold marriage in the same high regard; some humans find monogamous relationships tedious.”
“Both Ryeowook and Kyuhyun seem very sad at the possibility of their marriage being dissolved. I hope Kyuhyun will overcome his urge to jump that burly monk on Eternity.”
Yunho grimaced, fighting the urge to ask.
“Raoul,” Jaejoong answered, noticing Yunho’s internal struggle.
Yunho scrunched his face in dislike. “He’s so…so…”
Jaejoong sighed, rolling his eyes. “Manly.”
“Umm…I suppose; definitely not my type.”
“No,” Jaejoong agreed. “We all know your type, but your latent homophobia is being increased with my more feminine Joong form.”
“I do not suffer from latent homophobia.”
Jaejoong just tilted his head and smiled at Yunho.
“I just like beautiful men.”
“And beautiful women…”
“Not anymore, not ever,” Yunho quickly, responded.
“Yes, I know. I am curious to see how you adapt to me switching back to my previous form after the baby is born.”
“Why? You are always so quick to tell me that it is the form I chose.”
“It is,” Jaejoong said, defensively.
“Then there will be no adapting; I would love you in any form.”
“Good answer.”
“It took more then these ravishing good looks to make it this far in Starfleet.”
“Yes, it did,” Jaejoong agreed. “It took a destructive space anomaly and a causality list that consisted of most of your superiors.”
“Hey!”
*************
“I think Sungmin is finally getting his revenge,” Lieutenant Donghae declared after watching Sungmin toss Kyuhyun on the floor none too gently.
Eunhyuk, who was sitting beside Donghae, nodded his head. “It’s payback time.”
“Ensign DongWoo was supposed to be evaluating Kyuhyun, but then Sungmin stepped up and said he would personally be in charge of Kyuhyun’s evaluation,” Junsu explained with widened eyes. Junsu, who had been freed from sickbay, but who had still not been released to return to duty, had been in the gym when Sungmin had surprised everybody with his announcement.
Eunhyuk turned to Junsu, who was sitting on the other side of him on the bleachers, and asked, “Did Kyuhyun look scared?”
Junsu shook his head. “No, not really, but I bet he was. I mean, imagine you thought you were getting nice, goofy DongWoo as your instructor only to find that you were getting the man you dumped.”
“I would have wet my pants,” Donghae admitted, after seeing Sungmin fling Kyuhyun over his shoulder as if the commander weighed nothing.
Junsu watched as Sungmin easily wiped the floor with Kyuhyun. “I thought they had made their peace though.”
“I guess Prince Tall, Dark, and Handsome hasn’t completely rid Sungmin of all the memories of the men who came before him,” Eunhyuk snapped bitterly.
Donghae cringed, looking away as Sungmin put Kyuhyun’s body in a position that…that looked immensely painful. “But…but…after what happened to Kyuhyun…wouldn’t Sungmin be nicer? Isn’t this a little cruel?”
“Yes,” Junsu answered.
“No,” Eunhyuk answered at the same time as Junsu. “Commander Cho hurt him a lot.”
“So,” Junsu replied. “Sungmin is an adult. We all warned him and he chose not to listen to us.”
“True,” Donghae agreed with Junsu. “He’s still being too rough. I am going to call the captain if he doesn’t tone it down.”
“Oh, brother,” Eunhyuk grunted, disgusted with them. “Commander Cho can order him to stop anytime he wants.”
“Can he even talk at this point?” Junsu asked, looking at the winded commander.
“You act like he is beaten to bloody pulp or something. He isn’t even bruised, I bet,” Eunhyuk protested. “He’s a commander; he will be leading away teams again…he needs to be tough.”
Donghae turned and gave his friend a severe look and bluntly told him, “Sometimes I wonder about you-when it comes to Sungmin.”
“What do you mean by that?” Eunhyuk demanded.
Donghae looked back to the gym floor and focused on Sungmin. “No offence, but you act like you are in love with him half the time.”
“What!” Eunhyuk screamed, standing up. “What did you just say?”
“You heard me,” Donghae replied, looking up as his friend.
“I have often thought the same thing,” Junsu agreed. “He’s a little too interested in Sungmin’s sex life, if you ask me.”
Donghae sighed in relief, realizing he wasn’t the only one that had noticed Eunhyuk’s weird fixation with Sungmin. He looked away from Eunhyuk to focus on Junsu. “I know! Nobody is ever good enough for Sungmin.”
“I hate you both,” Eunhyuk hissed as he stormed down the bleachers, walked onto the gym floor and yelled at Sungmin, “I don’t think this is the place to air your personal grievances. It isn’t very professional.”
Everybody in the gym stopped what they were doing and turned to gawk at Eunhyuk.
Sungmin forgot about Kyuhyun and just stared at his friend. “I’m not doing that.”
“Well, that is what everybody is thinking, so maybe you should let somebody else evaluate Commander Cho’s combat skills.”
Commander Cho was lying on the practice mat gasping for air.
Ensign Kangin, who had been watching with the other men from security, stepped up, agreeing, “You are being a little rough on him.”
Sungmin exhaled a breath and nodded his head. “Ensign DongWoo, allow Commander Cho a small rest and then you resume with his evaluation.”
“Yes, Sir,” Ensign DongWoo quickly responded from beside Kangin.
Eunhyuk turned around to face the bleachers and subtly gave Junsu and Donghae the finger and then stormed out of the gym.
Donghae and Junsu looked at each other with widened, shocked eyes. Donghae asked, “Do you think we might have hit a nerve?”
“I think so.”