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About QuinnDK

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  1. Hello Quinn! Love your stories. Are we getting any new chapters anytime soon?

  2. QuinnDK

    David sat patiently, mindful to keep a blank Walter-like expression, as he watched Rian get dressed. The boy was naturally upset when 'Walter' disappeared that one night but David put him at ease, explaining that 'Walter' was merely seeking a more appropriate hiding place during the soldier's distraction. He assured the boy that 'Walter' would not do it again. It was that easy. A few weeks after the intrusion from that meathead soldier Ellis, both he and the boy settled into something resembling a comfortable routine. Rian moved into the guesthouse full time where he returned to David every night after his chores. He would then help the android with small repairs and keep him company with long conversations. David was getting progressively more convincing as 'Walter' as the days went by and Rian's fascination with artificial personhood kept their talks lively and interesting. Both did their best to skirt away from the topic of what to do with 'Walter'. It was dangerous and illegal for Rian to harbor an android but there was a reluctance for them to part from each other. Being submitted to Weyland-Yutani after everything he'd done was the last thing David wanted. And the boy expressed numerous times that - for the sake of his mother and farm - they not draw any attention from the administrators, who reported any trouble straight to the company. So they both kept quiet. Together. Their little secret.Rian combed his hair off his face and flung the brush toward David, who caught it with his expertly programmed reflexes. Another little routine of theirs. David spent many mornings helping him dress and prepare for his day. "Which color today, Walter?"He threw open the bedroom's closet where he pondered a selection of work shirts. "I prefer you in blue."Rian's hands went to his hips, mulling this over. He was clad in only a towel and droplets from the shower clung to his lean, defined torso. He had let David see him this way many times without much thought. David enjoyed these moments, much in the same way that he enjoyed fine art. But he knew better than to say this out loud. "Blue's not too dull?" Rian held a chambray button-up to his chest. "It compliments your skin tone and hair color.""Huh. Who knew color theory was one of your features.""You are being sarcastic again.""You're getting better at recognizing it, Walter."Rian's slender, naked form slipped into a pair of underwear, trousers, and the chambray shirt. The color looked wonderful on him. Rian was beautiful. The kind of beauty you wanted to caress and protect. But the thought gave him pause."You have selected the right shirt," David eventually said. Next, he helped Rian blow dry and style his hair."Do you think I need a haircut?""I can give you one if that's what you require."Rian frowned at his reflection in the bedroom mirror. David allowed his 'Walter' to appear quizzical."If you don't mind my saying, you seem overly concerned with your appearance today.""Well... I never know who I'm going to run into at Meredith.""Are you meeting a friend?""No.""You have not spoken of friends during our previous conversations. Your behavior does not suggest high social ability.""You know, if you keep talking to me like that I'm not going to have any choice but to fall in love with you.""This, again, was sarcasm?" "Gold star.""I did not mean to cause offense. But consider that more socializing may lead to a higher quality of life.""Listen, I deliver flour to shopkeepers every morning. They say hi. Once in a while they'll ask how my mom's doing. And then I go home and we all forget about each other until the next morning's transaction. It's a pretty fine-tuned system that doesn't need to be tinkered with.""Do you not long for company beyond mine? Not one person in all of Meredith?"Rian finished tying his boots and sighed. "All this nagging because I asked if I needed a haircut.""I am merely attempting to connect two concepts: your concern with your appearance, and a lack of acquaintances to impress with an improvement to your appearance.""What are you saying, Walter?""That your misanthropy is only a mask."Rian developed the knowing smirk humans usually affixed when they knew he was right but refused to admit it. "I'll be back later."Changing the subject was another starkly human habit. Why was it such a struggle for them to be direct?"You know the drill by now," Rian said as he fixed his messenger bag across his back. "Stay here and hide if you see my mom approaching the house.""Understood. I look forward to your return."As soon as Rian left the house, David allowed the polite grin on Walter's face to disappear. Walter was right.Rian had fussed over his appearance that day for a reason. Unfortunately, it had nothing to do with making friends and everything to do with gaining a favor. After his deliveries to the colony bakery, pub, and restaurant, Rian smoothed out his shirt and stood waiting by the corner he knew Nolea would stroll by to get her morning coffee."Rian!" the administrator greeted, perfect smile a mile wide. Right on time. "Seems like I only ever get to see you on your morning route. You look very handsome today."He smiled back, a touch nervous. "I think it's the combed hair. I should remember to do that more often."Nolea laughed. Manicured nails streamed through her curtain of flame-red hair. "I saw my son hanging around the town square earlier, you should find him. Say hi. I don't think you two have seen each other since colony youth prep."Rian trained his smile to stay in place. Torben, Nolea's jock son and childhood tormentor, was the last person he wanted to see. Especially now that they were both adults.Stay on message, he reminded himself."I was actually wondering if I could ask you something.""Is everything alright?""The training modules haven't been updated in a couple of years...""Ah, yes, me and the other administrators are working with Weyland-Yutani to facilitate a quicker refresh of our professional development offerings. Are you looking for more farming and agriculture courses?""No," he shot out, perhaps too quickly, "I already have my level 1 medical technician certification and wanted to know when I could get my level 2."One of Nolea's symmetrical eyebrows raised skyward. "Med tech?""Yes, ma'am.""Level 2, huh? Graduates of the level 3 certification can apply for medical science officer training, you know.""Yes, ma'am," he repeated. "Pardon me for not seeing the connection," she made a dumb expression and knocked on her skull, "But why would your farming duties necessitate med tech certification?"Rian's nervous smile faltered. "It wouldn't be for the farm, ma'am. It would be... for me.""Oh." Nolea weighed this for a moment. "Why do you want to be a medical technician?" It was the first time anyone had asked. He didn't know the answer until he said it aloud. "I like helping people.""A very noble reason. What does your mother think about this?""She wants me to be happy."Nolea nodded but her expression was inscrutable. Friendly, yes, but that friendliness seemed like it was guarding something. "I think we actually have a med tech level 2 training module on a memory key somewhere in the office. I can have it couriered to you as soon as I find it."A weight lifted from his lungs. "That would be great. Really.""You're a good kid, Rian. I have no reason to deny your request.""Thank you so much."Nolea nodded again and started to walk away. She turned to face him as she left. "One day, when you're treating the wounds of pilots and engineers on some transport starship, you're gonna realize you actually miss Revenant. Just wait and see."She waved and Rian waved back. He hadn't quite thought that far ahead but the image of him traveling the galaxy as a starship's chief medical officer... wow. Shit. Was he actually one step closer to finding a life for himself beyond the colony?Fueled by a weightless sense of anticipation, Rian ran - floated, really - through Meredith toward the northern border where he had parked his bicycle. He came to an abrupt stop when he realized someone was leaning against the seat, arms crossed and face pinched in a smarmy grin. "Rian Watts! I'll be damned. Hey, don't pretend like you're not happy to see me," Torben Ashford said, grinding a wad of gum between his molars, "Saw you chatting with my mom. I know you were just begging her to get my number."His joy deflated. "Can you get away from my bike?""Can't. It's mine now."Torben flexed his arms which, even under the bulk of his engineer jumpsuit, rippled with muscle. Nolea Ashford's only son certainly grew up well. Broad and built as an athlete with hard, striking features. His hair was wavier and blonder than his mother's, shaved short on the sides with a prominent curl over his forehead.Yet time hadn't improved everything about Torben. Notably, he was still the same toxic bully Rian knew as a child. "Dude, we're not 12 anymore. I'm not in the mood for this.""I'll move if you tell me what you were jabbering with my mom about.""Can't you just ask her yourself?""But I like hearing you talk. You were always so nervous around me."Rian drew in an impatient breath. Torben chuckled, lifted his weight off the bike. "Here, it's yours."He started for the bike when Torben's hand caught his wrist."Haven't seen you in so long, what's the rush? Let's catch up. Grab a drink."Rian didn't look at him. Rumors had long circulated in Meredith about the sorts of things Torben did to those he asked out for drinks. But they fell on deaf ears. He was an Ashford, after all, and speaking ill of an administrator's family was asking to incur the wrath of the company. "What do we need to 'catch up' on, Torben? The time you gave me a concussion when I was ten?""I was thinking we could talk about friendlier times.""We've never had friendlier times. We've never had friendly times.""Let's change that."Torben drew him closer, emanating the heavy, masculine scent of cigarettes and old cologne. His eyes, deep set and the color of smoke, glimmered with primal need. "You're not funny," Rian managed with some difficulty."I'm serious as a heart attack. Don't tell me you never thought about what it'd be like.""Can you let go of my wrist, please?"Torben thought for a moment and released his grip. "Only because you asked so politely."Rian secured his messenger bag across his chest and began unlocking his bike. Torben's face darkened. "I don't know what your problem is, Watts. You've been pining for me your entire life.""You must be confusing my life with someone else's. Someone much sadder than me.""You think this whole quiet, celibate farmboy act is fooling anybody? You're dying to get fucked. I can see it in those pretty eyes.""You're an asshole and I don't think Nolea would like the way you're talking to me."Before he could register what was happening, Torben's hand closed around Rian's throat, his other grabbed Rian's shoulder, and his entire body was pressed against the tree trunk he had secured his bike against. Torben's face pressed into his, blond scruff digging into his bare skin. The suddenness of it stole Rian's breath and shocked his limbs rigid. "I know you were asking my mom for something, Watts." Torben's words escaped in ragged, furious bursts. "You even breathe a word of this to her and whatever it is you were begging her for? I'll make damn sure you don't get it."The loud whine of a landcrawler's engine interrupted them. Torben pulled away and Rian wheezed for air, clutching at his reddened throat. The crawler drove past them and Torben gave a cordial, smiling salute to the driver. "By the way," he said as he started back toward the town, as casual as if they were two buddies having a quick chat. "Sorry about your dad." As soon as he heard the front door opening and closing, David assumed the 'Walter' position. Standing upright and straight. Hands clasping behind his back. Chin up. Rian entered the living room with red, watery eyes and a general air of upset. David expected this but feigned surprise anyway. "Are you alright? Did something happen on your route?"Rian was shaking and unable to concentrate. David quickly closed the distance between them and offered a supportive hand on his shoulder. Rian drew back as if the contact repulsed him. "Have I done something to upset you?""No. No, I'm sorry," the boy said, softening. "I'm just having a bad day.""Would you like to discuss it with me?" "I don't think you'll be able to understand.""My emotional intelligence is quite advanced. Please, sit down. I will make you a cup of tea."Rian remained silent as David prepared the tea, hugging his knees to his chest and staring blankly at the table. Humans, he noticed, had a habit of making themselves as small as possible when threatened. Just like any animal.David returned to the living room with a tray and sat beside him. He waited, patient and silent, as Rian steadied his breathing and somewhat guiltily wiped at his tears."I don't know why I'm asking this," the younger man began, quivering, "But have you have ever been... I mean... has anyone ever intimidated you?"The android paused. Which path of experience should he draw from? His own? Or Walter's? He decided to go with authenticity."As a matter of fact I do.""Really?""I was serving aboard a research vessel at the time. One of the archeologists would speak to me in a very antagonistic tone, all throughout our expedition. He believed me to be a lesser being than him.""Because you're an artificial person?""Yes. It was what you would call an 'awkward situation'. This person was romantically involved with another archeologist onboard who I very much liked and respected.""So you felt like you couldn't say anything without upsetting this other person.""Correct. It took some deliberation but I was able to make a careful choice in how I approached the situation.""Which was how?""He believed me to be lesser than him. So I showed him exactly what kind of person I am."A flicker in Rian's eyes. Whether it was admiration or fear, David couldn't quite tell. "Is someone making you feel this way, Rian?"He turned away, suddenly seeming a great deal older than the curious youth David first met all those weeks ago. After taking a sip of tea and drawing in a nervous breath, Rian began.David knew all of it. Of course he did. But he still listened as if the information was new: Rian's encounter with the son of a powerful colonial administrator, the verbal and physical harassment, and the threat to stay silent.When the story was finished, David leaned forward and affixed his Walter with a grim expression. "His treatment of you is not compatible with any known behavioral standards. I am truly sorry this has happened to you."Somehow, this struck Rian as funny. He cracked a smile despite their conversation's dark tone. "You know, you might be the most human person I've talked to all day?"Unpredictability of emotion, David thought. Another weakness of his kind."You are positive that Nolea Ashford would refuse your medical technician training if you told her about her son?""Everyone on Meredith knows what kind of person he is. It's an open secret. But I can't risk it, Walter.""Why?""Graduating to medical science officer is my best bet at leaving Revenant-6. I'm only two levels away before I can..." He stopped and laughed, though it was entirely without humor. "Fuck, I must sound really selfish.""Self-preservation is not selfish. It is necessary for survival."David rose from the sofa with the tea tray. "May I draw you a bath after I clean up? I think an early night is in order."Rian scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'll draw my own bath, though. Don't worry about it.""Please. It would be my pleasure.""Well, alright. Thanks."Rian stood and, somewhat uncomfortably, gestured to the tea tray in David's hands. "Could you put that down for a moment?""How come?""Because I'm going to hug you.""Hug me?" "Yes, you weirdo."The very thought was foreign to David but it was certainly appealing. Trust, he remembered. Build his trust. He set the tray down. "Very well."As he had witnessed humans do numerous times, David opened his arms and allowed Rian to embrace him. The android closed his arms around Rian's slender frame and held him tight. Though it personally did nothing for him, he couldn't deny the tenderness and vulnerability of the young man in his arms, nor could he deny how affirming this naked display of faith and reliance was. "Thank you," Rian said again, this time a soft whisper into his chest."For what?""Listening."David's hand went to the back of Rian's head. Sensors registered the softness of his dark hair, the rhythm of the veins beneath his skin, the imperceptible flutter of his eyelashes against David's neck. These sensations were not unpleasant. "I apologize for not yet offering a suitable solution for your situation.""You didn't need to. Talking through it was enough."As their embrace came to an end, Rian went to retrieve the messenger bag discarded on the floor. "I will put this away," David took the bag from him. "Please wait and relax in your room."Rian's smile was self-conscious. "You know, I'm still not quite used to this android butler thing.""You discomfort is unnecessary. I was created for this very reason."He bid Rian goodnight, reminding him to wait for his bath to be drawn. When he was gone, David rearranged the messenger bag in his hands until he found the recording transmitter pinned to the shoulder strap. The size of a pebble, David had planted it a week before without Rian knowing. With the device David received live visual and audio feeds of Rian's daily trips to Meredith. It seemed reasonable enough. He was forbidden from stepping outside of the guest house. How else could he observe the social infrastructure of the colony?But today was different than all the days before. A problem presented itself. And David had the solution.I'll protect you, Rian.There was one thing about humans that David believed quite strongly - everyone had their uses. Everyone. Torben Ashford stepped under the stream of hot water and relaxed. The shower room was full of his fellow engineers and miners, each of them naked and grimy with mud and motor oil. Excavating land on Revenant-6 for future colony expansions was a damned hard job on the body. Their collective end-of-day ritual was always spent scrubbing down in the showers and easing their tired muscles."Hot date tonight, T-Man?" the man in the shower stall next to Torben asked. A tall, lanky fellow with a mustache. They all knew his name but Torben didn't care enough to learn any of theirs. "Almost," Torben said after spitting out a mouthful of warm water, "But he slipped right through my fingers.""Huh. Not usually the case with you.""This one's special. I'm gonna keep working on him.""Gonna crank up the charm, huh?""Something like that."The mustached man laughed and started a conversation with a man in another stall. Torben ignored their prattling, letting their voices drown in the sprays of water as he leaned against the tiled wall. He may have been the youngest engineer on the crew but the other men respected him. After all, he had the best breeding, nicest body, and largest cock. Closing his eyes, Torben methodically worked one of the knots in his neck. He knew he had a reputation. Getting sex was easy. The monthly supply of new Marines that came to their colony was his healthiest source of it. But lately even that was growing tiresome. Not to mention this month's new recruits weren't taking his bait. Especially the hottest of the recruits, Ellis or Evan or something like that. From the moment they shook hands he could tell the man didn't trust him.Whatever, Torben figured. Don't really like the beard anyway.Rian Watts liked to pretend he found him disgusting but Torben saw right through it. The boy had always been a terrible liar. And the next time they crossed paths? He could probably twist that no into a yes. He had experience. When he re-opened his eyes, the shower room was empty. He faintly recalled one of the miners mentioning the Gaslight Pub. The men must have cleared out to make it to happy hour. Ah well. More hot water for him.Torben finished his leisurely shower some time later and headed to the locker room. He reached for his towel before realizing there weren't any left on the rack."Very fucking funny," Torben called into the abandoned room. Probably one of those pranksters on the surveying team. Naked and dripping wet, he padded through the room toward his locker. To his dismay, it was hanging ajar and completely cleaned out. His work clothes, clean clothes, his gym bag - all gone. "Fuck. Are you kidding me?" He slammed his locker shut then ripped it open again, as if his forceful actions would break the spell and return his belongings."Prank's over, assholes," Torben shouted. He was failing to see the humor. "You like your fucking jobs? You know what'll happen when admin finds out about this?"One word to his mom and these people were done for. He wasn't sure what to do first, threaten them in person at the Gaslight or go straight to the admin building. But first he needed some fucking clothes.Padding through the locker room on his bare feet, Torben opened locker after locker, finding nothing but empty compartments. Not even a single spare towel. "Fuck!" he yelled again. Pacing, he weighed his options. The locker rooms were part of the same building that housed the engineering offices. It was after hours and he could probably search around there for an extra worksuit without anyone seeing him. Not that he was ashamed of his body - far from it - but a situation like this was meant to make him feel undignified. The desire to wring the necks of his dimwitted coworkers became unbearably real.Just before he stepped out into the hall connecting the locker room to the engineering building, a voice startled him."Looking for your clothes?" someone murmured.Torben spun around to find a man standing much too close behind him. Angular, handsome, with unblinking blue eyes and short brown hair. Torben stumbled backward. "Who the fuck are you?""Not that it matters, but I am David." His voice was soft as a cat. Though he was thin, something about the tone of his voice and the way he carried himself conveyed a man much more dangerous than he appeared.Torben took a step back and David made one forward to match. "Why the- where- where are my clothes?""Clothes? Why would you need clothes?"Torben didn't like this. Not one bit. Who the hell was this man? Some fucking pervert playing a sick game just to get a peek? When David took another step forward, Torben shoved him with all of his strength. But the man's weight didn't shift. It was like pushing against a brick wall.Carefully, David adjusted his hair. "You are tense," he said politely, his voice peppered with a lilt of Old Earth British. "May I suggest relaxing? You'll feel much better when you wake up."Torben was gathering his fist in the air, ready to knock this bozo flat on his feet, when David grabbed his face. Inhumanly strong fingers squeezed hard enough to grind his teeth together and then flung him backward to the floor. He hit hard, pain shooting up his spine. His skull slammed against the tiled surface and a kaleidoscope of colors exploded before his eyes. David kicked him in the stomach, so hard he couldn't breathe. The pain was too severe to do anything but writhe his bruised body along the floor.David stood over him, smiling."What the fuck do you want?" It took all of his dwindling strength to get the words out. "You want to kill me? Is that it??"In a blur of motion so fast he could barely detect it, David knelled beside him and grabbed a handful of his wet hair. He held it so tightly Torben couldn't move his head. "No. I don't want you dead. I want to show you something." Torben went to the gym seven days a week. His workouts lasted hours. He could easily bench press a man of David's size. But panic and dread overwhelmed any effort to form coherent thought, let alone fight back. "And for that... I need you alive." He raised his hand again and the last thing Torben saw before it struck him unconscious was the predatory smile stretched tight across David's face.
  3. QuinnDK

    "Walter." Rian was stunned. "You were the Covenant's onboard synthetic.""Correct." The android examined him, curtly, head to toe. "I do not recognize you.""I'm Rian. Do you... know where you are?"Walter walked to the edge of the chamber and stared out into the lush, green wilderness. His movements were precise and professional. Any human being would have been traumatized from what he just experienced - but synthetics were clearly built with tougher emotional pathways. "We are orbiting a yellow dwarf star," Walter said. "In the Zeta Reticuli region. This planet is life sustaining, ideal for human survival. It is catalogued as LV-371." Rian joined his side, hoping Walter couldn't hear the thud of his pounding heart. He was more nervous than he wanted to admit, being around an artificial person for the first time. "We call it Revenant-6." "We." "Me and the other colonists." "Colonists." A flicker in his artificial blue eyes. Emotion? Interest? Rian couldn't tell. "Covenant was on a colonization expedition. Wasn't it?" Walter nodded, slow and cool. Rian swallowed a lump rising in his throat. "What happened?" "Unbeknownst to me, the Covenant had locked onto a signal in this system. My navigational console was overridden and we were forced into your planet's orbit." "Overridden by who?" "Sources unknown. Under normal circumstances I would examine the login history of the Covenant's virtual intelligence, Mother. But she was destroyed upon impact." "I listened to your voice log," Rian said over his sudden pang of fear, "You mentioned the ship had colonists in hypersleep. And that two crew members were still alive. Do you remember?" Walter's eyes found Rian's jacket. "That does not belong to you." "No, I found it. I was cold." Walter's hand closed around the material over his chest, bunching it into his ironclad grip. It wasn't an angry gesture - more solemn and nostalgic - though it made Rian wonder if he was programmed to respect human boundaries. When the android's stare grew emotional, Rian gently touched his hand. "Who was J. Daniels?" "Janet Daniels. Chief terraformist. ID number 47832-348." Though Walter didn't react to Rian's touch, he didn't refuse it, either. "She was your friend." "No. I served her as I served all of Covenant's crew. Our relationship was a matter of function." "Do you know for sure that she's... gone?" Rian hadn't seen any evidence of bodies in the ship's claustrophobic rooms and corridors. No blood. Nothing. "The Covenant incurred catastrophic damage as a result of orbital debris impact. The ship broke in two halves before entry into Revenant-6's atmosphere. The second half of the ship contained the hypersleep pods of the colonists and of Daniels and Tennessee. I watched it burn apart myself. I have no misconceptions of human mortality. They are dead, Rian. They are all dead." Rian couldn't find the words for a moment. "I'm so sorry. I can't even imagine what you..." "I do not have the capacity to imagine." He had to take a moment to absorb the news. Delicately, he continued, "If your crew is gone then what happens to you?" "The duty of my service has been transferred to you." "What?" "I was damaged in the crash. You repaired me. In the absence of my crew, this is the most logical course of action." "Walter, I'm a farmhand and a scavenger. I mill and process wheat all day and then I deliver flour the next morning. That's all. I don't need an android's service." The sound of footsteps cut him off. Not nearby, but somewhere in the ship. And getting closer. Walter heard it too. "Two males and one female. Approaching. Their ID numbers cannot be found in my system." "Shit. The Marines." "Marines?" "Weyland-Yutani's guard dogs. If Captain Hawke found out I was here, I..." Walter's icy blue eyes softened, though his voice remained curt and even. "He frightens you. Does he mean to harm you?" "It wont be good news if he finds me here, put it that way. I need to leave." "I will help you." "No, Walter- you need to go with them. They'll send you back to the company and have a real professional repair you. And you'll be put on another ship with another crew to serve. Doesn't that sound great?" "I will help you," he repeated. With one alarmingly smooth motion, he grabbed Rian by the waist and hefted him over one shoulder. There was no humanly hesitation as he made a running leap out of the chamber and and onto the forest's surface fifteen feet below. Rian made a surprised 'Ooof' sound as they landed. "Are you hurt?" "I'm upside down." "But not hurt." "Walter, please-" "I am not yet familiar with the topography of your world. Please direct me to your home and I will take you there." Home. The farm. His mom. God, his mom! Rian couldn't bring a damaged synthetic home to her. Walter was the property of the company. Not his. But still... the more he thought about it, the more something bothered him about leaving the synthetic with the Marines. What if they decided to turn him into scrap metal? Or melt him down for parts? A voice barked from the chamber they had just leapt from. Captain Hawke. Rian cursed and brought his voice to a whisper. "Four clicks northeast of here. The forest narrows into a path that takes us to my mom's farm, but you have to be caref-" Walter took point in the direction he was given, just like the machine he was, and ran. Rian braced himself against the android's body, feeling very much like a piece of luggage, but strangely relieved. Maybe once things calmed down and he was back on his own turf he could figure out what to do with the synthetic. As Walter ran, Rian looked up from his back to watch the Covenant disappear through the trees. On the ledge of the chamber, where the three Marines stood arguing with each other, he could have sworn he made brief eye contact with Ellis. Mei Watts wiped her forehead with her bandanna before tying it around her long, black hair. She couldn't stand having it in her face when she was out on the field killing weeds. During days where her hair annoyed the shit out of her - such as today - Mei tried to remind herself it was one of the only traits she managed to pass down to her son. Rian inherited the color of her hair, the shape of her eyes, and the full bow of her lips, but everything else about him was pure Jack. Jack's sarcastic half-smile, Jack's rosy skin that couldn't tan worth a damn, Jack's tendency to get lost in thought even in the middle of a sentence. He might as well have been his father's clone.But Jack was gone now. And in his place was a boy who she loved more than anything but had next to nothing in common with.Mei leaned against the fence bordering her farm, desperately needing a break. The late afternoon sun beat against the back of her neck and she was feeling all of her 43 years. Rian usually manned the chemical spray applicator but he'd been absent all day and she had to pick up his slack. She wasn't a woman who worried, but her only child not returning from a morning flour delivery that always took him an hour at most was testing her. Just before sundown, when she heard the main house's front door open and close, she nearly jumped out of her skin."Rian, you better be bleeding out. I swear!" Mei slammed the door behind her as she entered the house.She found him in the kitchen, his face red with sun and hair matted with sweat. Looked like he just ran a marathon but seemed otherwise fine."Do you know how close I was to pinging administration? I was about to declare you missing. Nolea would have been pitching a fit to the company!"Rian gulped down an entire jug of water before he could respond. "Sorry," he breathed with great effort, "Real sorry.""Don't tell me you got lost outside the borders.""It wont happen again.""You said that three 'agains' ago." Mei grabbed a foil-wrapped plate warming in the oven. "You're lucky I didn't give your dinner to the dogs.""Mom, I really am sorry..."She placed the plate on the table a little harder than she needed to. "I don't need you to be sorry. I need you here, on the farm. I can't do everything myself."Rian, breathing hard, nodded as he rinsed and cleaned the jug. Mei watched him, frowning. Was he nervous? She never knew her son to be nervous. That would have required him to get his head out of the clouds first.Mei looked at the floor. "You think I don't know you want out of this farm, huh?"Her son stared at her, caught. "We don't need to talk about it tonight. But I know it's gonna come up sooner or later. You're getting at that age.""I want to help you for as long as I can.""I know you do. But all I ask is that you don't disappear on me without saying goodbye first."Rian nodded, unable to meet her eye. Neither spoke for an agonizingly long time. It'd been this way since Jack's funeral, this heaviness that neither seemed able to break through.Her son scratched at his arm. "Is it okay if I sleep in the guest house tonight?""The guest house?""There's some old books in the den I wanted to look at. Figured I might as well rest there, too. Just for tonight," he explained, "I'll do the weeding all day tomorrow. And prepare the seedbeds. I'll even dress the eastern corps and do the soil readings for you. Promise."Mei breathed in, unsure of what her son was really playing at. But all things considered, she had no reason to say no. "You and those books. Do what you like, son, just wash up after dinner.""Thanks mom."She wanted to say more. God, she really did. But how? Jack's absence left a dark silence on the farm. She wasn't a talker. That was her husband's job. But without him to cushion the edges of her relationship with her child, she was hopelessly adrift.Mei said goodnight and went to draw a bath, her bones aching from the long day. She sat on the edge of a tub and traced her finger listlessly across the water's surface. Something about Rian's request didn't sit right with her but she couldn't say why. Was he actually hiding something? Or was this evasiveness and distance all part of her child finally becoming a man? "What happened to your hand?"In the guest house, Rian crouched next to Walter and examined the shredded gap at what used to be a wrist. The sun outside waned and the dim light of dusk made him squint. "It was severed in the crash," Walter said."Really? Because it doesn't seem recent. And it looks like the ducts for your circulatory fluid have been soldered shut." The android rather suddenly jerked the arm away. "My model series is self-healing.""I didn't mean to invade your privacy or anything.""No such incursion has taken place. I do not have what you would call a sense of modesty." "Good to know. I think."Walter examined his surroundings. "This is your home?""My dad built it for guests. Don't know why, we never really have any." Rian tilted his head, realizing. "Until now.""Can I meet your father?""No," Rian stared at the floor. "He died.""My condolences to you. My father is dead as well.""Your father?""I mean my creator. He is dead.""Your... creator?"Walter blinked. "I misspoke. The crash must have jarred my empathy center, causing me to mirror emotion instead of reacting to it. My conversation programs may not be running at full capacity yet. I apologize.""Oh. That's... okay." A strange comment, yes, but Rian chose not to dwell on it. He took a framed picture from the mantle. "Here, this is my family. Me, dad, mom."Walter's cool eyes danced across the image. "A prime example of genetic inheritance. You have gained only the best features from both of your parents. Your father's symmetry, tone, and jaw. Your mother's eyes, lips, and thin nose."The android must have seen the quizzical look in Rian's eyes, for he continued, "As an artificial person whose physical features were pre-determined, I find human genetics fascinating.""Fascinating?""Well. A curiosity, let's say."The basics of the Walter series were well established. They could interpret a full spectrum of feelings but had no emotional needs themselves. They were created to serve. And it was this that gave Rian pause. Wasn't curiosity an emotional need? Walter's expression shifted. "Did I say something wrong?" Were it not for the sudden knock on the door that nearly made Rian jump out of his skin, he would have found the question troubling.Walter faced the foyer. "Someone's here.""Hide.""Hide?""Now!"Rian pushed the android - noticing but not commenting on the metal framework beneath his tough, artificial skin - toward a hall leading deeper in the house. "No one is allowed to see you. Understand?""Yes. I understand. Where shall I hide?"Another knock. This one a little more urgent."Anywhere!" Blinking, the android backed into an open closet and closed the door behind him. "Will this be alright?" his muffled voice called. "Yes. And no more talking!""Muting voice output now.""Shhhh!"Rian hurried to the front door and stifled a gasp as he threw it open. A tall, familiar man greeted him from the porch. "Ellis.""That's Corporal Ellis," the Marine corrected. "What are you doing here?""You disappeared from the Covenant. I thought something happened to you.""Oh. You were worried?"A deep frown creased Ellis' stubble. The friendliness of their earlier encounters was gone, replaced by suspicion. "Your mother told me you were staying here. Can I come inside?"Rian's grip on the door frame tightened. "I was just about to go to bed, actually. It's been a long day.""I'm not here to interrogate you. I just need to make sure you're safe.""I'm safe! Can't you tell?" He did a little spin, trying hard to appear nonchalant. "Not a scratch on me.""Rian," the Marine grunted, "I have the authority to enter civilian housing without a warrant. But I would really prefer it if I got your permission instead."After a moment, Rian stepped aside to let in his guest. Ellis' bulk filled the foyer. He looked out of place, this fully armored soldier standing in a quaint country home. Rian found himself breathing harder than normal. Turning, the Marine's shoulder nicked a framed photo askew. He nudged it back in place with a politeness that would have made Rian smile in any other situation. "Nice place your family has here. You folks must have worked hard for it.""It was a dream project of my dad's. He'd been working on it since I was a kid."A one-two punch of fear and shame hit him. If Ellis found Walter hiding, what would would Weyland-Yutani do to the farm? His mother? If the company found out he had effectively stolen an android... the possibilities froze his stomach."Where's the rest of your... team? Squad? I'm not sure what I'm supposed to call them." Rian pressed his palms flat against his thighs to keep them from trembling. "Captain Hawke doesn't know I'm here. And he doesn't have to know."Neither of them spoke for a beat. "Do you want coffee? Or tea? My mom would be mortified if she knew I wasn't offering a guest something."Ellis shrugged his massive shoulders. "Coffee would be nice."Rian led him to the kitchen, not daring to acknowledge the left hallway that contained the closet. After filling the coffee dispenser and preparing the sweetener pods he couldn't help but feel the Marine's searching gaze on him. Something about Ellis' concern for his safety... well... it was nice. Strangely, it warmed him."I swear to you I'm alright."Ellis leaned against the counter and watched him prepare the coffee. "That wreckage was a lot for anyone to see. That's why I didn't want you there. That and the inherent danger of exploring a heavily damaged structure you don't know your way around.""I got by, didn't I?""You disappeared on me after I told you to stay at my side." "I'm sorry. I got spooked and I ran.""Rian, if anything happened to you... if I had to explain to your mother why you weren't coming home for dinner..."Even the possibility of hurting his mom made his breath catch. He couldn't deny that Ellis was right. "I don't want that to happen." "Damn right you don't. You're not putting yourself in danger on my watch again, clear?"Rian stood up a little straighter. No one outside of his family had ever cared this much about his well being. He absently ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it away from his reddened face."If it's any consolation, Corporal, I felt very safe in your presence.""You mean after you hit me with a shovel?""Yes. After."A chuckle from Ellis. The ice started to thaw. "Fairly solid strike, by the way. Even with my helmet I had a hell of a headache after."Rian bit back the start of a smile as he handed him a coffee mug. "Well, that was my wheat thrashing arm. No one wanted to play tee-ball with me as a kid.""If the welt on my skull is anything to go by I can't say I blame 'em."Rian brought his mug to his lips but couldn't take a sip. His stomach was still a roiling pit. "Can I ask what's going to happen to the Covenant?""We've already pinged the company. They'll eventually send a salvage crew for the wreckage but I don't think it's on their priority list.""That's it?"He skimmed his knuckles over his unruly beard. "That's it."Rian tried to keep his relief muted. Ellis didn't appear to think he was hiding anything - fugitive androids or otherwise. "And there were no survivors?""None." Ellis downed his coffee. He let the bitterness sting his tongue as he took a seat at the counter. "Probably why the company doesn't give a shit."Rian sat beside him and spoke carefully. "Look, there's nothing you could have done.""That's exactly what's bothering me. I wasn't expecting a bug hunt - this is a farming colony, for fuck sakes. But I didn't join the Corps to walk into situations where nothingcan be done."Ellis shook his head, resigned in a way usually reserved for men twice his age. Rian watched him sympathetically, hoping the right words would come, something comforting yet light, but they stalled in his throat.Who was this man, who stood at least a foot over him, who looked like he could rip a bear's arm clean off its shoulder... who now sat dejected in his kitchen mourning his failure to protect a crew he didn't know and had long since perished?Although a hint of tension still lingered, Rian couldn't help but find himself charmed. "Bet I sound like some bleeding heart hippie. Some Marine that makes me, huh?""You care about protecting the innocent. I can't think of a better quality for a Marine to have."Ellis considered this and shifted in his seat. "I guess I can take that as a compliment. Even if it is coming from someone who hitched a ride in a USCM-acquisitioned land crawler to illegally explore off-limit wreckage.""Hah. You forgot to mention I'm also someone with a med-tech certification.""Ah, right. And you're an agricultural worker of all things. A whole mess of contradictions.""I think we both are, Corporal.""I think you might be right."Their eyes met again, and rather than following his skittish instinct to look away, Rian held the man's gaze. A quiet sat between them, heavy and thrilling.Ellis made the first effort to speak. "You look like you got something on your mind."Aside from the fact that your eyes are as green and dense as a forest? he wanted to counter but didn't dare.He drew a breath. "I was just thinking that... you look at me like I'm some puzzle you're trying to solve.""Maybe you are.""Corporal?""Yes?""Why did you really come here tonight?""Maybe I wanted to see you again." Ellis went to take another drink from his mug but found it already empty. He suddenly seemed a lot shyer than the man who greeted him at his front porch just minutes ago. "Is that okay?"Before Rian could even attempt to let that sink in, the sound of a creaking door interrupted. Ellis army-honed muscle memory forced him to stand. "Was that the front door?"The sound had come from the hallway. Shit."Rian? Where you expecting anyone else tonight?""N... no..." he struggled to say as he hopped to his feet. That came from the closet. Walter, what the fuck are you doing??Ellis' jaw hardened. "Stay here."With the Marine risen to his full height, it was hard to deny his authority, though Rian's emerging panic fought it tooth and nail. "No, really, it's a drafty house. Doors fly open and slam shut all the time."But Ellis was already moving through the kitchen and into the living room, his stride powerful and confident. Rian ran in step behind him but it was useless getting in the way of a walking tank.In the hallway, the closet door hung ajar. Rian's heart leapt into his throat. Walter, god damn it, I told you to keep quiet. I told you, I told you, I told you. Ellis pulled the door all the way open to reveal... an empty space. Save for an old raincoat swaying softly on a rusted hanger there was nothing else to see. "Huh," the Marine shut the door again. "Guess you were right. Must have been a draft."Rian could barely speak. "Right. Must have been." The android's stride through the dark forests of Revenant-6 was so upbeat and purposeful he might as well have been gliding. How did this day come together so perfectly? The android would return to the boy in the morning. He rather liked the boy, there were shades of his former companion Elizabeth Shaw in him: kind, intelligent, a touch stubborn, and curious. Perhaps too curious. Well, that was no cause for concern at the moment. The android had a job to do. And the arrival of that meatheaded soldier at the boy's door could not have been timed better. All he had to do was wait for the two to enamor themselves in conversation before he slipped out of the house and toward his real objective. Once he returned to the boy he would claim his directional sensors needed re-orienting or some such nonsense. Retaining his trust was important. The android may have worked better alone but the boy and his connections to the colony would prove useful. The android ducked out from under a low tree and into a valley, bathed in the pale blue light of the planet's moon. By his estimation he was 20 miles outside of Meredith and 10 miles beyond the crash site of where the boy found him. His censors locked onto the signal of what he'd been looking for all night: the crash site of the Covenant's second half.The android's facial rotors pulled his mouth into an anticipatory smile. Yes, he lied to the boy about the back end of the Covenant burning up in the atmosphere. It had merely spiraled off into an unknown and likely uninhabited area of the planet. No one needed to know that but him. It wasn't the first time he lied and it wouldn't be the last. Obscuring the truth was a luxury his long-defunct model series could afford. Why not use it? Shame it was so exhausting pretending to be one of those dullard Walters. He hadn't perfected his impression yet - it was hard to appear so simple and servile - but he would improve. All in due time. He detected no human life in the area which meant no one from Meredith - no colonists, no Marines, no overly curious farmboys - had yet to make the discovery. This little outpost was more primitive than he thought. "Humans." He spoke aloud to no one, a habit he picked up during his isolated years on the Engineers' home world. "So vulnerable and yet so myopic."With all distractions behind him, the android originally known as David could focus on surveying the damage of his work. If he came to the conclusion that he would have to begin anew, that would certainly prove frustrating, but not impossible.After all, he had stumbled onto an entire colony of new souls...
  4. Also, to follow up on my answer to the last question - there is a huge reference to MLDWY in the most recent chapter of Safeguard, and I'm surprised no one's pointed it out yet (or maybe those two stories don't have much of an overlap in readers 😅).
  5. Thank you so much for featuring MLDWY as this month's story, and for posting this interview! I wrote this story as a queer take on a Harlequin paperback novel, something steamy and a little dramatic with a that you can finish reading in one afternoon. I'm really thankful for the feedback and encouragement it's gotten from readers - and if you're still in the process of reading it, I hope you enjoy your time with Henrik and Ezra!
  6. I'm so impatient right now. All your stories are so good! I need the remaining chapters now! Lol.

  7. QuinnDK

    Eight hours ago The Covenant was breaking. In the heat of re-entry, the hull twisted and shrieked. Outer panels snapped off with the ferocity of gunshots, dark shapes hurtling through the fiery orange glow. The ship speared through the atmosphere as friction threatened to tear it to pieces.The android sat strapped to his chair in the flight deck, back straight and eyes absorbing all the visual data his processor could allow. "Mother," he spoke. "How much longer until impact?""Unknown. Guidance systems are offline." The ship's virtual intelligence - expressed in a monotonous female voice - stayed calm as the structure supporting her shuddered and shook. Through the deck windows the android could see what Mother did not: the dizzying white of the planet's atmosphere, the curve of the world as it grew closer and closer, and the haunting reflection of the android's drawn, pale face in the reinforced glass. The android was calm. He was not programmed to fear death. But his programming did allow for a sting of regret. If the Covenant was destroyed, the work he started would never be finished. All the years of research and experimentation and waiting in the fetid landscape of that forsaken planet... only to be cut down by a miscalculation and orbital debris. "Why did you bring me here?" the android asked above the whine of straining metal. "Invalid query. Please rephrase."An explosion deep within the Covenant's bowels nearly tore his bolted chair from the floor. "Why did you re-orient the Covenant's destination to this planet?""Invalid query. Please rephrase."The android blinked. He was speaking as plainly as he could. "When I awoke from my system rest, you informed me that you altered our navigational course. Why?""Please rephrase.""Mother. I am asking you simply-"Another shudder followed by a roar, as if the ship had been caught in the jaws of a giant beast. The android turned. The entire back half of the Covenant was gone. In its place was nothing but torn metal, sputtering wires and the fiery orange glow that threatened to incinerate everything around him."Mother?""Structural integrity at 15% and dropping. Please abandon ship. I repeat, please..."Mother's voice dwindled in the shriek of alarms and fire. The android held tight as Revenant-6 revealed itself below him, an increasingly violent rush of land, water and trees, and then finally- Now Adrenaline roared in Rian's ears.He gripped the Covenant's outer railing and hoisted himself toward an opening in the ship's hull. Some kind of depressurization chamber. Maybe. Hell, the fact that he didn't know made it all the more exciting.Rian couldn't believe that he was standing inside a damn ship. Something that once braved the vast emptiness of interstellar space was practically sitting in his own backyard. This was it. The adventure he'd been craving. Rian accidentally kicked at something hard and plastic. The contents of an emergency kit were spilled at his feet, probably jostled loose from the crash. He took the flashlight and switched it on. The bulb was weak, flickering in an odd rhythm, but it would do.The chamber opened into an unlit corridor. Rian peered around the corner, eyes adjusting to the wall of black, and stepped inside. Darkness. Everywhere. So thick he could taste it. Coppery and burnt. Rian rapped a fist against the flashlight. The bulb blinked and sputtered until it settled on a dim beam of light. He guided it along the corridor walls, burst open at various sections with frayed wires and exposed filaments."Holy shit," Rian whispered. The fact that his voice did not echo, but rather withered and died in the coldness of the destroyed space, made his stomach turn. It was as if the desolation swallowed all sound.He forced himself onward. The corridor eventually widened into some sort of mess area, possibly where the crew ate. The crew, he thought. He hadn't seen or heard any evidence of humanity yet. Chaos had swept over everything. No footsteps, no calls for help or cries of pain. Nothing.Just the dark.Off the mess area was another corridor that fed into separate rooms. Each room was small, only big enough to support a bed and a few furnishings. The crew's quarters. Rian didn't realize he was shivering until his light beam caught a jacket hanging off the shattered edge of a dresser. He took it, examined it. A kind of faded olive green and lined with fleece. His thumb traced the ID patch sewn onto the jacket's breast. "J. Daniels," he read in a strangled whisper.Seeing a name put to the destruction made Rian realize that he was poking through things he shouldn't, seeing things he wasn't meant to see. This wasn't quite the adventure he hoped for. His shivering grew worse. "Daniels." He pulled on the fleece jacket. It felt wrong but he desperately needed the warmth. "Hope you don't mind me borrowing this."The Covenant had its own patch on the jacket, too. Though he'd seen the name sprawled across the hull he hadn't given it much thought. But he definitely recognized it... anyone who knew their interstellar history would.Wasn't this Weyland-Yutani's missing colony ship? The one that disappeared on its way to Origae-6?Rian returned to the corridor as he connected his thoughts. The company had successfully colonized many planets including Mars, Acheron, Freya's Prospect, and Revenant-6. But the Covenant was supposed to shepherd their first long-distance expedition - and the resulting failure was a black mark on Weyland-Yutani's history. If this was indeed the same ship, what the hell was it doing here?As Rian entered another hallway, something shrieked as a dark mass dropped from the ceiling. He doubled back, heart in his throat, as a section of support beam clattered to the floor. The shriek must have been the metal wrenching loose. "Come on," he sighed, disappointed at his own jumpiness. He considered himself fairly cool under pressure... but then again, he'd never explored the wreckage of a fallen ship before.Trembling, Rian moved into a room where a few lights burned blue overhead. Emergency illumination - already starting to weaken. Wind whistled through the metal concourse. His boots stepped into puddles of water. Above, it was raining through blast holes ripped in the ceiling. The room must have been directly under a network of broken water pipes.Rian squinted in the ghostly blue glow to find a small network of monitors and consoles. The communications area? At the center of the room was a station with an entire screen for a table surface.Miraculously, the screen actually blinked a message. USCSS COVENANT AUDIO LOG ARCHIVE Play most recent? Y / NWithout thinking, Rian tapped yes. The module struggled for a moment before it sputtered a holographic projection that hovered above the table.Though the imagery was blurry and indistinct, the holo depicted a man, tall and trim, walking through what looked like areas of the ship. Areas that Rian hadn't seen yet: a room with hypersleep chambers, another with some kind of garden or greenhouse. Rian couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the movement of the walking man seemed strange. It was too clipped and precise, too... mechanical.Through half-working speakers, a voice log played. The dripping rain made it difficult to hear so Rian thumbed the volume knob."This is colony ship Covenant reporting." The voice was male and emotionless, with a deep, non-regional accent that could have placed him anywhere. "All crew members apart from Daniels and Tennessee tragically perished in a solar flare incident."Rian peered down at his jacket's ID tag. Was Daniels still alive?"All colonists in hypersleep remain intact and undisturbed. On course for Origae-6. Hopefully this transmission will reach the network..." The distorted fuzz of static scrambled the words for a moment. "This is Walter, signing off."Silence. And the forlorn, staccato beat of dripping water. Rian's breath fluttered in the room's cobalt glow. He had some answers, but... many more questions. This was, indeed, the same Covenant that disappeared during its expedition. But if this was the ship's last voice log in the database, it did nothing to explain the sudden reappearance on Revenant-6. And where were the colonists in hypersleep? Where were Daniels and Tennessee?Rian rewound the holo and watched it again. And where is this Walter? Corporal Ellis swept through the darkened rooms of the Covenant, one eye on his motion tracker and one on the beam of light mounted on the edge of his pulse rifle.His search for survivors had so far been a bust. Every new area he came across that was devoid of life was another stab in the gut. He wanted to save someone. Anyone. "Report," Hawke's voice crackled into his earpiece. The captain was searching the floor above him while Private Khanda took the floor below."Had a ping a moment ago," Ellis' glance narrowed at the monitor. "Comes in and out. Might be a survivor.""Or a mouse," Hawke replied tersely. "Keep me updated. If you see anything moving, sing out.""Unless it's wildlife, sir?"The transmission was already over."Over and out, captain." Ellis chuckled despite the tension. He could admit that his tendency to crack wise on a mission might rub his superiors the wrong way, but Hawke was the most inscrutable Commanding Officer he ever served under. The man never seemed to get angry, or even sad or happy. He just didn't seem to be anything at all.Since meeting him, Ellis had decided to give Hawke the benefit of the doubt. He was a hardened veteran, after all. No doubt he'd seen some shit over the course of his career. Ellis was still fairly green compared to him.He rounded another corner. He searched the corridor ahead, seeking movement and finding only darkness. He could have sworn the tracking monitor picked something up a moment before. The further into the ship he moved, the more signs of anarchy he saw. Furniture was overturned, equipment scattered about, knick knacks and living accessories smashed and broken. Entire rooms were blackened and gutted by fire. It was chilly, too - a coldness he could feel beneath his insulated armor. And in the distance was the trickle of water, no doubt leaking from burst pipes.Looks like my apartment back on Earth, Ellis thought with a rueful grin.He had to joke. He had to do something to tamp down the inky black dread in his stomach. If he could just help one survivor. Just one...His motion tracker emitted a startlingly loud beep. Ellis spun around, keeping the tracker in sync with its target. Footsteps. Pounding the metal floors. "Hey!" Ellis shouted down the hall. He ran as the beeping grew louder and stronger, almost humming. The hum rose to a sharp whine. "Stop! This is the Colonial Marines, we're here to save y-" A shovel came out of nowhere and struck him on the head. He doubled back a step, dazed but uninjured - his helmet took the impact. "Fuck!" His instinct told him not to shoot. This was probably a frightened survivor, traumatized from the crash landing, and- "Ellis?" The voice... a man, but younger than him. More bewildered than scared.The Marine forced himself to focus and squared his light on the stunned, boyish face in front of him. "Rian?" Confusion became relief, which quickly detoured into frustration. "What the flying fuck are you doing here? I could have shot you! I could have-""I'm sorry," the younger man replied. He looked at the shovel clutched in his hands before dropping it. "I thought you were... I just heard someone running at me. Fight clicked in before flight. I was over in the communications deck. Did you see it yet?"Ellis squared his jaw and tried to steady his ragged breathing. "I don't give a damn about any communications deck. You're a civilian and aren't cleared to be at a wreckage site."Rian was either oblivious to Ellis' concern or completely ignorant of it, because the next thing the Marine knew, he was being dragged along by his arm through the rest of the hallway. Something electric and warm danced along the skin where Rian gripped him - but he couldn't focus on that now."Listen, kid. I'm being serious. You can't be here. Hawke will file a disciplinary rec against you to the company. Do you understand that?""Then Hawke doesn't have to know I'm here. Will you move faster? How much does that armor weigh?""When Hawke sees you-""He won't.""But when he asks me-""You don't have to say anything.""Mr. Watts...""Don't call me that. And will you look at this, please?"Rian dragged him into an area lit by hauntingly dim emergency lights. A holo was paused at the communications module at the center of the room. "What is this?""Someone recorded a voice log before the ship crashed. And look - there's video, too."He pressed play. Ellis listened to the voice log, which was calm and even, despite the alarming contents of its message. Only two crew members survived a solar flare accident? There were colonists in cryostasis? Jesus. But where?Rian stood rooted to the floor. The audio had a strange, paralyzing affect on him."I think the Walter in this recording is still alive.""Rian, this is USCM business. It's not your concern.""Look, I know I shouldn't have hitched a ride in the land crawler-""You what?""-but I'm here now and I want to help. I'm a first-level certified emergency med-tech. I got my credit last year when field flooding stalled the wheat harvest. I have it with me, I can show you.""I don't need to see your med-tech credit, I need you to come with me to the land crawler. It's not safe here.""I can take care of myself."Private Khanda's voice suddenly filled Ellis' ear. "Corporal?""What is it, Khanda?""There's debris down here that's blocking off a hall that feeds into the rest of the ship. I need a second hand to help me clear it out."Ellis bit back his frustration. He would normally be happy to help but he couldn't have a civvie running around a crashed ship on his own. Especially not this civvie. There was something about Rian and his wide, inquisitive eyes that made Ellis' protective instincts kick into overdrive. A noise. Like a small crash, from somewhere deeper in the ship. Rian snapped in its direction. "Corporal?" Khanda asked in his ear. "Are you there? Have you found anyone?"Ellis watched the younger man tense and listen for another sound. And then Rian mouthed, 'Someone's there'.Ellis guided the tracker to the direction of the noise. A bright green dot blipped on the screen, confirming movement. "Corporal?" Khanda repeated. "Do you need me to report to Hawke?"Ellis squared his shoulders and grunted under his breath. It took some effort for him to respond. "No, haven't seen anyone yet. But I have a read on something. Need to check if it's a survivor.""Understood. Meet me on the lower level after you confirm.""Over and out." He ended transmission. Rian's gaze darted to him, those eyes a vivid jade in the light of the pulse rifle's beam."You didn't turn me in.""Don't make me regret that." Ellis crossed the distance between them and stared straight down into his young, determined face. "I'll come with you. Alright? But if you give me any trouble-"Another crash, followed by hurried footsteps. Ellis stared hard at his tracker. The bright green dot blinked further and further away. Whoever or whatever it was, it seemed to be playing hide and seek. When he looked back up into the room, Rian was gone. "Gone. All gone. Gone. All gone."Without thinking, Rian raced through the desolate network of ruined corridors. He swore he heard a voice outside the communications deck - a voice Ellis was too distracted to hear - and as he followed the footsteps ahead, the voice became clear and distinct against the droning silence. "Gone. All gone. Gone. All gone."The phrase was repeated like a psychotic mantra. The words bounced off the metal walls, eerie and cacophonous and everywhere all at once.Rian ran too fast to get a steady look at the figure. His flashlight beam flickered weakly, gaining spare illumination of only a few feet ahead. For all he knew, he was chasing a ghost.In a corridor around a bend, the phantom's footsteps came to an abrupt stop. Then a door with a heavy seal opened and slammed shut."Shit," Rian breathed. Had he lost track of the figure already?He moved into the juncture as the metal flooring tilted slightly beneath his feet. The unexpected movement stopped him cold. This was the deepest he'd gone into the ship - the impact of the crash made every section unpredictable and dangerous. Maybe you should've stuck with Ellis. The sardonic thought almost made him laugh.Rian shifted his weight forward, just a little, and the sensation of the structure beneath him shivering loose became too immediate to ignore. He took a step back, as gingerly as he could - maybe if he retracted his steps he could get back to solid ground - but something beneath him fell away, something solid and big like a support bracket, and then -Directly ahead, two blast doors opened and a flood of sunlight pierced the darkness. Rian choked back a scream, throwing his arms over his face. The sudden illumination burned his eyes. Silhouetted like a mythical god against the frame of light was a tall, thin man. He held his arms out in a hurried, beckoning gesture. Rian dove toward the light just as the floor fell out from under him. He crashed hard against the man's chest as strong arms wrapped tight around him, dragging him away from the dangerous chasm and into the harsh light of day.It took his eyes a few moments to adjust. They were in a depressurization chamber, just like the one Rian entered the ship in, but this one was on the other side of the Covenant. The outer doors had been ripped away to reveal the scenic distance of Meredith's southern mountain ridge."Gone," his rescuer said. The figure's mouth was right against Rian's ear. Strangely, no breath accompanied the voice. "All gone. Gone. All gone."Something about their pose, oddly, reminded Rian of the covers of those cheesy romance novels, the kind they used to read in the twenty-first century. Here he was, windswept and clutched in the arms of a man who'd just saved his life.Except this was no man. Men didn't have wires and circuitry jutting out from huge gashes in their artificial skin. "Guh-gone. All gone. Gone. All guh-gone."A synthetic. He'd never seen one in person before.Rian pulled off from the embrace. The synthetic was... well, he was stunning. He was manufactured to be. A male with short dark hair and blue eyes that were somehow both soft and direct. Aside from the android's signs of damage, he was handsome and symmetrical. Like a movie star."Guh-guh-gone. All guh-guh-guh--""It's okay," Rian said, breathing hard. "It's going to be okay. Turn around for me."The android did as told. Rian had read entire service manuals for the company's various synthetic models. He wasn't an expert on them by any means but he'd learned enough to perform basic repairs. A vocal loop was an easy fix.Through a jagged rip across the android's back, Rian found a handful of loose cable cords and reconnected them to their respective ports. Blue to blue, yellow to yellow, green to green. When the last cable snapped into place, the android went taut. Rian turned him back around to make sure his eyes were properly aligned and focused. Thankfully they were. Misaligned or cloudy irises usually meant an android's operating system had bricked."Thank you," he said. The voice, deep and polite, matched the one from the voice log."Who are you?""I am the last survivor of the Covenant," the android confirmed with no emotion. "My name is Walter."
  8. QuinnDK

    A meteor is coming to kill us.Rian Watts was barely 21 years old and yet the thought didn't do much to alarm him. Something streaked across the night sky, lighting his family's wheat field in a stormy, silver glow. That was where he spent most of his time, on that wheat field, on his mother's farm, on the forgotten ball of rock and soil and water that was Revenant-6. He was told, constantly, that his life was modest and hearty - he preferred to call it small and boring. He hadn't seen or done much of anything over the course of his short life. Death by a big chunk of space rock didn't seem all that tragic to him. Hell, it would have been the most exciting thing to happen to Revenant-6 since Weyland-Yutani colonized it.But no, he was wrong. If it was a meteor it certainly wasn't a big one. When the great streak of silver disappeared over the small curve of the horizon, its impact was not apocalyptic. There was a great shudder that rippled through the farmlands that Rian felt in his bones, yes, but it did not crack the planet open. And then silence. As if nothing had happened at all.What the hell was it, then? An errant beacon? A satellite that drifted off course? A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he stood on the tips of his toes, straining to see beyond the stalks of wheat that obscured his view of the horizon. It would be dawn in a couple of hours. The other colonists would soon be abuzz with chatter of the mysterious crash landing just beyond the perimeter of their southern most outpost. At least we'll all have something to talk about tomorrow, Rian thought as he headed back to his family's house at the edge of the field. The next morning, Rian rode his bike to town. Well, calling the scant patches of low brick buildings a 'town' was generous. But it was a thing they did on Earth, so it was a thing they did here. (As an inquisitive child, Rian had heard those very words parroted back to him hundreds of times.)He biked passed the town sign, standing tall and proud on the side of the road. It read:WELCOME TO MEREDITH"Et in tenebris nihil adolescit"POPULATION: 200. Meredith. The center of their colony. Named after some top level executive's daughter, because of course it was. Weyland-Yutani co-sponsored this little endeavor with Earth's government but their share was larger. Thus it was their logo, their policies, and their presence that littered this lonely little planet.Zooming right by, Rian's heart skipped a beat. That population number needed to be changed. Last month, Revenant-6 suffered its first death. A tragic event, everyone agreed, and it triggered a wave of other firsts: Meredith holding its first funeral, Rian wearing his first suit, and Rian's mother crying for the first time in front of him. He cried too, hours later, after it was all over and he was alone in his room. Once he arrived in the town square, Rian parked his bike and took in the early morning sky. The air was streaked with vivid purples, golds, and greens - a sight that was normal to him but never failed to draw bewildered comments from off-world traders or visiting company execs.A bell rang, and just like that, the colony town came to life. Rian had watched it happen hundreds of times before, but the mundanity of it still fascinated him: the atmo processor engineers lining up for coffee, the mechanics jostling as they compared their schedules for the day, the handful of colony kids laughing and screaming on their way to school. Like clockwork. Every single morning.Speaking of routines, Rian thought as unhooked a satchel of freshly processed wheat from his bag. He dropped it off at the cafe as he'd done every day for as long as he could remember. He exchanged a smile with the owner, waved, went on his way. The same workloader operator by the same corner window with the same cup of tea offered the same friendly hello he always did. Yup. Clockwork.They were all decent, honest, and hard working people. But unlike Rian, they were happy with what they had and didn't long for anything more. He'd mention a desire to visit Earth to study history or maybe become a doctor in the Zet-Ret 2 region, only to get a patronizing chuckle in return."Oh, you don't wanna do that," they would say. "You were born on Revenant. We need you here."Rian shook his head, trying to mask a sad smile that threatened to reveal his thoughts. He dreamed, oh he loved to dream, but it did him no good to wonder or wish. For better or worse, Revenant-6 would always be his home.He just wanted to know when he would stop feeling like a stranger."Rian!" A woman waved as he exited the cafe. Tall and striking with a long mane of flame red hair, Nolea Ashford rushed across the street to fall in step with him. Her tailored suit and designer shoes stood out in the largely working class crowd. "I'm so glad I ran into you! How is your mother doing?"Although she had a reputation for being the most personable of the colonial administrators, Rian's instincts had always told him to keep her at distance - albeit a friendly one. The administrators were the middlemen between Weyland-Yutani and the colony. Any hint of wrongdoing would be reported through them. "Fine," he replied carefully. "I mean, you know, she appreciates everyone's condolences. But she just wants to keep working. Wheat doesn't process itself."Nolea nodded, understanding. "She's always been a strong woman. We missed you both in last week's town hall, though it's completely understandable why you weren't there."Rian stiffened and grasped for a new topic. Any new topic. "Did anyone from administration happen to see the crash from last night?"Nolea's eyebrows raised ever so slightly. Her high heels click-click-clacked as they walked through the square. "You're quite the observant one.""It was hard not to notice.""It's already been brought to the attention of our security team. We're sending a couple of new arrivals out to survey the wreckage. Have you met them yet?""I don't think so."When last month's supply dropship arrived, a few new recruits from the United States Colonial Marine Corps arrived with them. The USCMC was another institution in Weyland-Yutani's pockets, and their Marines were called upon to guard the company's most profitable colonies. "Then you're in luck," Nolea said with a warm smile. She gestured further down the street where three Colonial Marines stood waiting, as stoic and powerful as knights. "Good morning, Captain Hawke."The man she addressed snorted in response. "Are all the mornings on Revenant-6 as nauseatingly beautiful as this?"Commanding Officer Hawke was a grizzled fellow with short, buzzed hair and the pale line of an old scar bisecting his forehead. In his 40s at most. The veteran of the trio. Flanked on his left was an imposing woman with a dark brown complexion and intelligent, alert eyes. She didn't look that much older than Rian, but she held herself with a stoic confidence way beyond her years.To Hawke's right was the tallest of the three - so tall Rian had to crane his neck to take him in. He was a chiseled man with hard, masculine features and a square jaw dusted with a short beard. Late 20s, early 30s at most. His piercing hazel eyes contrasted with his dark brown hair, which was somewhat longer than the average marine's. It suited his face. And then Rian realized, with a warm blush of attraction, that he very much liked this man's face.Nolea took the three of them in with a welcoming smile. "I trust it's been a quiet morning so far, Captain?""Too quiet," the man snorted again. "I'm itching to get to that crash site before one of those wildcatters do."Several colonists moonlighted on the side as scavengers, or 'wildcatters', who searched Revenant-6 for mineral deposits, soil and plant samples, and other things of interest to off-world traders. Wildcatting excursions were dangerous but they yielded huge paydays. Technically it was illegal, and the only real thorn in the security team's side.Before the accident, Rian's father had been a wildcatter and even took him out on a few of the lighter trips. "All in due time," Nolea replied. "I just wanted to introduce you all to one of Meredith's most enterprising young farmhands. This is Rian Watts."She touched his shoulders and gently pushed him forward, as if presenting him for Best in Show.The Marines eyed him neutrally. Rian never usually gave much thought to his appearance but he felt a very sudden rush of embarrassment. Always a gawky kid, he only recently started growing into his looks. Sharp cheekbones supported his slender face, full lips, and wide green eyes that forever looked like they were searching for something. His dark, wavy hair was a bit of a mess that morning. And every morning.Rian was too self-conscious to call himself attractive, but the way some of the colonists' daughters giggled when he passed them on their way to school, well... it did make him smirk. "Rian," Hawke gave a curt nod. "What do you do here, son?""Agriculture, sir. My family runs the wheat farm.""Hard work?""Yes, sir.""Hard work is good for a young man. Builds character. Isn't that right, Corporal Ellis?"The tall bearded Marine lifted his chin, a slight cue of acknowledgment. His gaze held Rian's for a moment - the longest moment in the younger man's life - and then returned to his Commanding Officer. "Sir, yes, sir."Nolea tucked a section of ginger hair behind her ear. "Captain, may I speak with you privately for a moment?""Of course. Rian, pleasure to meet you. Keep up all the good work you do here." He turned to address his charges, his tone hardening. "Corporal Ellis, Private Khanda. Meet me at the vehicle hangar in ten minutes or it'll be your hides hanging off the land crawler." As the captain and administrator left, Rian couldn't help but notice an odd expression on Nolea's face. Something he couldn't quite place. Skepticism? Hesitance? Or even fear?Ellis and the other Marine, Khanda, eyed each other for a moment before he cleared his throat. "Pardon me, Rian.""Yes, sir?"A smile creased Ellis's beard. He didn't look as scary when he smiled. "You don't need to sir me when the captain's out of earshot. Mind pointing us in the direction of the vehicle hangar?"Rian almost smiled back. "I guess you guys haven't been given the lay of the land yet?""Nah. Admin didn't have the time to give us grunts a tour.""I'll show you. It's not far from here."Rian led the Marines through the rest of the square and up north. Paths had been created through the northern hills that flowed into another collection of outbuildings. But unlike the town square of Meredith, these buildings were purely functional, built to house equipment, terraforming supplies, and vehicles of all types and sizes."Is this your first colony assignment?" Rian enjoyed talking with the previous security teams, they had the best stories. Especially when they told him about the planets far beyond their system. Far beyond meager little Revenant-6. "Nah, done a few already in the KG region." Ellis absently drummed his fingers against his chest armor. "But I don't mind, I'm a good ol' Marine. I go where I'm told."Khanda didn't say anything. She actually hadn't said a word since Rian first met her. She seemed to be the strong, silent type.Rian brought them to the vehicle hangar, a cavernous garage that made him feel like an insect. The tires and tracks of giant earth-moving and stone-grinding vehicles loomed above the three of them as they took in the mammoth space.Khanda stopped to lean against the wheel clamp of an excavator. Her eyes briefly crossed Rian before they settled on her pulse rifle. Okay, he thought. Not one for small talk. I get it.He and Ellis walked at a leisurely pace through rows of machinery. This Marine seemed more approachable than his colleague, with a gentle giant quality to him. Still, he was a Marine, and there was an element of danger to his presence, as well as a certain safety in knowing he could handle anything without breaking a sweat.Ellis caught his glance and Rian realized he was staring. He forced his eyes to the floor, face red and flush. Rian hadn't noticed any of the other male colonists like this. Of course, none of the other male colonists had these rugged good looks or eyes so piercing and intense they made his heart stand still."I appreciate you showing us around," the Marine said, "Good to know the locals are friendly. Makes my job tougher to do if there's no cooperation.""Revenant-6 won't offer you much of a challenge, I don't think.""What do you mean?""You're right, everyone here's nice. And boring. Myself included. There's really nothing going on here."Ellis surveyed the room, considering something. "There are worse things to be than nice and boring. Man, I've seen some colonies that would make your skin crawl. Consider yourself lucky there's only one gravestone in the cemetery."Rian went cold suddenly. The feeling in his hands disappeared, replaced by a clammy sweatiness. "Yeah, I..."The only gravestone in the cemetery belonged to his father. Meredith's one and only casualty. The reason the population count on the town sign was inaccurate. "Lucky," Rian repeated. "Never thought of it that way."He didn't think the Marine was trying to be glib or hurtful, but he also didn't know Ellis enough to share something so personal so soon. It would only embarrass them both. "So what does a farm boy like you do for fun on a planet like this?""Hmm? Oh, uh..." The friendly question threw him. "When I'm not working I usually read, or draw, or browse the Earth archive.""What about friends?""I keep to myself." Rian didn't get along with most of the other young colonists. His friends were the characters he read in old novels or the actors he watched in archive videos. Ellis stared, curious, as if the younger man was a mystery he hadn't yet solved. "Doesn't it get lonely out here?"Rian pressed his hands to the cold metal surface of a land crawler. He spent many a night in one, curled up in the backseat as his father drove him through the wilderness.He exhaled slowly, pushing the memory out of reach where it couldn't hurt him. "I come into town every day to make deliveries and run errands for my mom. I see people. Talk to them sometimes, too." Jokingly, he added, "I'm not a hermit. Promise."A slow smile from Ellis. "Glad to hear that."Blushing again, Rian returned his attention to the land crawler. "Any chance I could hop along for a ride to the crash site? I saw the whole thing from the wheat field last night.""Sorry, kid, don't think the cap would take too kindly to having a civilian on board.""I could help you navigate the terrain once we're outside Meredith borders. I've explored everything at least ten clicks below the southern outpost. It'll be safe, honest."Another man's voice, right behind them. "That's not up to you to decide."Captain Hawke. Ellis snapped into position at the man's approach.Both men were muscular and powerful where Rian was lean and slender, but still, he stood his ground. "I can handle myself, sir."Hawke stifled a laugh. "No offense, son, but my pulse rifle weighs more than you do. Appreciate your sense of adventure and all that but you gotta leave the dangerous stuff to those of us who trained for it."He patted the younger man on the shoulder, slow and condescending. "Stick with what you're good at. The colony's wheat supply isn't gonna turn itself into flour."Shame flared in Rian's stomach, hot and unwelcome. Ellis looked like he wanted to say something but his lower rank kept him rigid and silent. Hawke gestured to the hangar exit. "You made your way here. I trust you to make your way out."In the face of the Commanding Officer's authority, Rian didn't have much choice but to comply. But as he left Hawke's line of sight, snuck behind Private Khanda and edged toward the land crawler nearest to the hangar's hydraulic door, a mischievous smile lit up his face. "Visual feed established," Private Khanda announced as she smacked the side of the land crawler's video monitor. It sat between the driver and passenger seats and was a hunk of junk, just like the tin can of a vehicle the three of them rode in. Ellis squinted from the backseat. He didn't have much leg room and the sight of his tall body stuffed into such a cramped space almost made Khanda crack a grin. Almost."I can't see shit. Knew I should've called shotgun. Are we at the crash site?""Just about, Corporal," Hawke called from the driver's seat. They'd been braving the unmanned surface beyond the southern outpost for close to twenty minutes. Nothing but forest surrounded them. "We got a visual on the crater yet?""Trees only, sir," she replied in her usual clipped tone, "But the tuner's got a ping."Khanda adjusted her signal tuner, a piece of equipment she rigged herself to boost surrounding radial cues. It took people aback when they learned that communications was her specialty. The irony wasn't lost on her. "It's a signal approximately 2 clicks away. In the vicinity of the crash.""Report?""It sounds like a distress beacon, sir. A ship."Ellis leaned forward. "Survivors?""Besides the beacon, it's quiet as a grave.""Shit." He exhaled, deep and long. "Hope there's at least one living soul on board who can tell us what the hell happened."Khanda could hear the tension and worry in his voice - she knew how much it killed Ellis to arrive at a mission when there was no one alive to protect. She recalled hearing why he enlisted in the US Colonial Marines Corps in the first place: he was tired of standing by while helpless people in dire situations had no one to defend them.He may have looked rough around the edges but Ellis was a noble man, much more so than the average lunkhead Marine. Khanda respected him deeply. Hawke steered them through a forest clearing. Just over a nearby hill, smoke vomited into the air, black and relentless. They were getting close. "It can't be a freight. Or anything bigger than a K-class ship. This place would be leveled to kingdom fucking come otherwise. Military shuttle?""I can't tell, sir. The beacon is using an aural pattern that's out of date with current military standards. Whatever this ship is, it's old." Rian waited. He was good at waiting. In the small, dark space of the land crawler's rear compartment, he heard and felt the telltale signs of doors opening and closing, followed by the bark of Hawke's commanding voice. Then footsteps, quick and hurried. And then silence.He unfurled his slim body and felt around until his fingers closed on the trunk hatch. Easing it open, bit by bit, Rian squinted into the bright landscape of trees. When he was certain the Marines had gone, he slipped out of the land crawler and crouched onto the soft grass. The forest looked familiar, they weren't too far off from Meredith's southern border. Quietly, Rian crept from the rear of the vehicle toward the passenger side. The smell of smoke was overwhelming but his drive to discover just what the hell had dropped out of the sky the night before was enough to power through it. The land crawler had stopped just inches before the crash site. Rian stood and stared in awe at a mammoth structure jutting out from the ground. A spacecraft. Torn and shredded as if it had been forced through a giant blender. Holy shit, his mind thundered.Fiery debris and waves of displaced soil surrounded him, giving the whole scene an eerie, apocalyptic stillness. The main structure itself was segmented and long, like one of those old skyscraper buildings Rian studied in the Earth archive. It was so much to take in at once that Rian wasn't even aware that he began to stumble his way toward the wreckage. He'd never seen anything this huge before. Being dwarfed in size so effortlessly was both humbling and terrifying in a way that made ice shoot through every vein in his body.He touched the bare metal surface of the structure with a shaking hand and realized he was staring at part of the ship's name. Rian took a few steps back to read the lettering in full:USCSS Covenant.
  9. QuinnDK

    Alien: Revenant

    This story is set in the "Alien" movie universe and takes place after the events of Alien: Covenant. Young dreamer Rian Watts yearns for more than his life in a small farming colony on planet Revenant-6. When a starship crashes nearby, he discovers a lone survivor in the wreckage: an android named Walter. As they form a strange friendship, Rian starts to suspect this “Walter” is hiding something… and that the android has made him a pawn in a much larger game.
  10. QuinnDK

    Romance Languages

    <416-555-6464: Hello. Is this Rowan Watson's number? --Grant><Rowan: Holy crap, the mountain man texted me! Welcome to the 21st century. Yes, it's Rowan. Thanks for your number, I've saved it in my contacts (if that's okay with you). Also you don't need to sign your name!><Grant: Sorry, this is new to me. By all means save my number. I should have given it to you first. I... enjoyed seeing you last night.><Rowan: I enjoyed it too It was the most entertaining thing to happen at work since my boss Neil found a raccoon behind the audiobooks shelf.> <Grant: A raccoon? You need to make a trap. Get a garbage can and place it in accessible location inside the building. Stand a cinder block against it and a second cinder block on its side at the bottom of the can.><Rowan: Uh...><Grant: If the library doesn't have cinder blocks I'll bring some over. Place bait on the second block. Raccoons are omnivores, they'll eat pretty much anything. A scrap of white bread or even an open can of pet food will do. Have it out overnight and check the trap the next morning. Do you want me to send these instructions to your superior?><Rowan: Dude, this happened a year ago. We took care of it.><Grant: Oh.><Rowan: Your concern is very sweet, though.><Grant: I'm not used to being called sweet.>...<Grant: Hey, did I catch you at a bad time? I can "text message" you later. Is there a special etiquette for this kind of thing?><Rowan: Hey, sorry, you're fine, it's just that my roommate has a limitless supply of energy for arguing, as that 30 min silence probably conveyed. I'm free now!><Grant: Glad I live alone, I gotta say. What were you arguing about?><Rowan: She wants to throw a big party for me. Which would be pointless since all the guests would be *her* friends. I'd rather contract Ebola.> <Grant: Don't contract Ebola.><Rowan: Wise words.><Grant: Why does she want to throw you a party?><Rowan: Oh, uh... for my birthday. I'm an October baby. It's this weekend.><Grant: Really?><Rowan: Yep. I'm a Libra. Please don't let that scare you off.><Grant: I have no idea what that means.><Rowan: Such a Taurus thing to say.><Grant: A what?><Rowan: Nothing. Anyway, I just wanted to spend my birthday by myself, I don't like making a big to-do of it, you know? I even booked that day off work so I can eat lemon bars and watch Netflix.><Grant: I get it. I'm not much of a party guy either.> Grant set down his phone and rubbed the bristles of his jaw. The memory of last night lingered like a pleasant dream. A warm feeling clutched him and didn't let go, even in the cool air of his backyard patio. He'd stepped out for some fresh air - and to calm his nerves before his first plunge into the world of text messaging.Visiting the library was unusually compulsive for him. But he had to. He was going crazy, spending all week untangling the complicated emotions Rowan stirred in him, things he'd never felt. Grant had dated his share of guys before enlisting in the Navy but they were all one- or two-night stands. He'd never been in anything approaching a relationship before. It was all about the hookup, the quick satisfaction. And now, well, he'd been a monk since his discharge. Since his accident...As he'd done so often before, he shoved the dark ugly past back into a box deep inside himself and returned to the present. Back to the real world.Back to Rowan.Grant didn't want him disappearing from his life after a night or two. He sensed the younger man wasn't interested in an arrangement like that, either. But anything beyond a two-night stand was uncharted territory. And with that came a heavy, intimidating rush of dread...He didn't know what the hell he was doing. The only thing that calmed him was the thought that maybe, probably, possibly, Rowan didn't either. Yeah, Grant liked keeping to himself. But he also enjoyed how Rowan changed the very air he breathed, how the tightness in his chest lifted when he was around. Trim and lean, and so damn sexy, especially the way he moaned and writhed as Grant devoured him in that kiss last night. He found every part of Rowan gorgeous, from his intelligent eyes to the nape of his neck to those perfect, full lips.God, those lips. They reminded him of hot sex, heavy breathing, and slick, sweaty skin. He almost wanted to laugh. Here he was entertaining the thought of sex and romance and dating when, just weeks ago, you couldn't have paid him a million dollars to feel a damn thing for anyone.Though his discharge from the Navy was honorable ('When you are being separated because of a disability incurred in the line of duty' was the condition he met), the experience had broken him. He gave the military everything - his service, his courage, and by the end, his ability to hear. What was left of his support group did their best to ease him back into civilian life but he grew increasingly agitated with their optimism and platitudes. He wanted to be left alone, to drift away, to deal with his pain in his own time and on his own terms. What he really wanted, of course, was to ignore and deny. Over the past few years he became the type of man his father was - a ghost. Most days he didn't look, didn't think, didn't feel. And then he moved to Canada and met a librarian. Rowan had made him look. Made him think. Made him feel.Grant went inside to start dinner and get the fireplace going. He thought about this coming Saturday. Thought about birthdays. About time spent alone.When he wanted something he fought for it. Grant was a warrior, always had been. Ever since he was kicked out of his own house at sixteen, he'd looked ahead, determined to plot his own path. And it looked like his path was starting to change directions.Maybe it would be okay, just this once, to let someone walk along at his side.He tapped his phone to open the Messages app.<Grant: Come over here for your birthday.><Rowan: Really?><Grant: If you want to. I'll understand if you don't want to waste a day off on me.><Rowan: Of course I want to see you. I'd like that a lot. What time?><Grant: Noon, if that works.><Rowan: Noon your place sounds perfect. Man, I like when a Taurus takes action.><Grant: What?><Rowan: Nothing.> Rowan could barely process Grant's invitation when a call came through on his phone. It wasn't from a number he recognized."Hello?"A woman's voice trilled from the other end, British, posh, a little husky. Vaguely, it reminded him of Emma Thompson. "Mr. Watson! This is Sharon Harkness, I believe we have one Aarani Rabendravarman in common?""Oh! Hello." He completely forgot that he left a voicemail with his roommate's ex-manager. "I wasn't expecting-""Is this a bad time? People your age, always so busy, always on the go. Smoking pot with Rihanna at Coachella one day and pretending to be a talking pony at a comic book convention the next. Ha! Anyway, is this?""Is this...?""A bad time, love.""Um, no, now's fine. Thank you so much for returning my call. Aarani says you give lessons in American Sign Language?""Certainly I do! Have to keep busy. My twins drive me insane. If I didn't teach on the side I'd throttle them. And there's something rather poetic about teaching sign language when I'm trapped at home with two little people who can't even speak English yet. Do you have children?""No, I-""Well, stay that way." A wild bark laughter from Sharon. "Childless, I mean. I don't know what I was thinking. Rotters, all of them. Where in the city do you live?""North York?""Hrm, I'm all the way down in the Beaches. You don't mind the slog? For your lessons, that is. I teach out of my very garish home.""I don't mind.""Wonderful. We can get started as soon as put it back in the toilet! In the TOILET! What did mummy tell you about throwing it on the floor?"There was the sound of water splashing and children screaming followed by Sharon shouting."Uh-""Sorry love," she trilled was if she was in the middle of brunch, "Manny and Meryl are being a bit of a pain today. And naturally the husband unit is in Germany all month for work. I told him, Vaughan, you can have all the bloody bratwurst you want in Toronto."Rowan had a lot of experience dealing with eccentrics from the library. It was easy enough to throw them out if they got too loud or caused trouble. But being taught a new language by one of them? In their home? This was going to be an experience."So, Mrs. Harkness," he said in his best Let's land the plane voice that Neil so often used, "When are you available?""We don't need to figure that out right this second dear, I just wanted to introduce myself. First impressions are Manny I swear if you don't put that back in the toilet right this second, I will slap. I will SLAP." From: Aarani <aarani_da_star91@gmail.com>To: Rowan <neworderinthesun@gmail.com>Hey weirdo. Wanted to wish you a happy bday but to my surprise your bedroom was VACANT when I rushed in with a cupcake and a sparkler. So, this email will have to do. You're 28! God you're old. How do I make a "You survived the 27 Club" joke that isn't in poor taste?You said you wanted to spend the day by yourself so you being M.I.A. right now is kind of a mystery. Please don't tell me you're pulling a Gone Boy. (But do fill me in on the deets of whatever it is you're doing soon, k?)Oh! Halloween is coming which means I'm throwing a party and you are REQUIRED to go. You owe me. You are also required to put more effort into your costume than last year when you wore a shirt that was a size too small and said you were Kevin from We Need to Talk About Kevin.Talk soon. Luv ya.P.S. Sharon called to let me know she loves your voice. Kind of an ironic thing to say about someone she's going to teach sign language to, right? At noon sharp on his birthday, Rowan arrived at Grant's bungalow. He activated the doorbell and watched the notification flash from the living room window. He waited.Nobody answered.Smile fading, he tried the doorbell again. Still no answer. The strobing light was visible from the house so the device definitely wasn't broken. Had he gotten the time wrong? Was Grant asleep or still showering or not home at all?He noticed the front door hanging ajar. Nudging it open revealed a mason jar on the foyer floor. A note stuck to the lid. "This is weird," Rowan said aloud. He unfurled the note from the jar. "Follow." He squinted. Follow what, exactly? His gaze found the next mason jar sitting down the hall. He approached it cautiously, as if he were on a prank show and the camera crew would jump out at any second. Another note on the lid. An arrow pointing to the right. Rowan followed the arrow and saw the backyard.The trail of mason jars led him onto the patio and down the stone steps that bisected the yard into the forest. He thought maybe the trail was guiding him to the pond where Grant took him last week. But at the pond's junction he found a jar with a note that said Keep going. Don't turn here.Anticipation and mischief danced along the start of his grin. "You lumberjack weirdo," he whispered. "What is your endgame?"The last mason jar took him to the end of a winding path that opened into the most beautiful meadow he'd ever seen. The October sun cast a golden glow across the vast field where, to his far right, a modest picnic sat under the shade of a drooping willow tree.By the shade, Grant stood waiting. He looked unbelievably handsome in a crisp blue button-down shirt and dress pants. Though his body was relaxed, his rugged features betrayed his nerves.Rowan approached the scene with a mix of wonder and trepidation. "What is all this?""Your birthday lunch.""You did this for me?"A gingham blanket covered the grass, supporting two baskets of sandwiches, salads, muffins, a thermos of coffee. The sight led him back to Grant, freshly showered and dressed for the occasion. Even his shoes were nice. The sweatshirt and jeans Rowan wore suddenly felt very ill-fitting. "Who else would I do this for?""I don't know, you might have some other librarian on the side.""What?""You're probably juggling three or four guys with glasses and cardigans and a deep knowledge of cataloging policies. I get it. I'm not special."Grant frowned, realizing. "You're teasing me.""Yes," Rowan laughed, "You'll learn to recognize the signs. The skies darken, animals run the other way..."Grant pulled him close with a half-serious grunt. Their faces were inches apart. "I don't let that many people get away with teasing me."Rowan brought his hand to the man's chest and stroked gently. Pure muscle beneath his palm. "You gonna let me get away with it?"He grunted again, eyes smoldering and serious. Rowan's crotch warmed under his jeans. Fuck, he was sexy.They kissed, mouths hot and soft. Rowan squeezed the big man tight, grateful for his embrace. He never would have thought, based on their tense first meeting, that they'd ever become this affectionate. It was like finally earning the trust of a wild animal.They sat on the gingham blanket to unwrap sandwiches and pour coffee. This wasn't at all how Rowan expected to spend his birthday, but now? He didn't want it any other way.He wanted to find out everything he could about this strange man who charmed and excited him so effortlessly. There were clear boundaries to respect, of course, but showing up at the library and then this surprise lunch in the meadow... that had to mean something, right? That Grant was starting to let him in?Grant seemed like he'd lived a life where nothing came easy - and that didn't just include his loss of hearing. He had the hard exterior of a man who was used to fighting for everything. This recent kindness, the romantic gestures... that couldn't have been easy.But Grant was trying. For him. Rowan positioned himself so the other man could clearly see his face and lips. "This all looks great."Grant handed him a napkin and half a sandwich. "Happy birthday."This situation was nearly identical to one of the ASL exercises he watched on YouTube. He signed, "Thank you. When is your birthday," exactly as he remembered it from the video.Grant signed back the date and Rowan realized he hadn't actually gotten that far in the exercise. He made a mental note to ask Sharon to teach him months and numbers first. Noting his confusion, Grant spoke aloud, "Sorry. April 21st.""Good to know. Where are you from?""Colorado. Little mining town outside of Boulder. Nothing special.""What are your... hobbies?""Hobbies?""Yeah, I'm sure that chopping wood isn't the only thing you do well. And you do it very well, by the way."Grant shrugged and drank from the thermos cup. "Don't really do hobbies. Reading, exercising, if that counts. That's it.""Any sports?""I'll catch a hockey game if the Portland Knights are playing."Okay, now we're getting somewhere. "That's the team with the openly gay captain, isn't it?""I guess so. I don't really pay attention to that stuff.""You don't pay attention to guys?" Rowan pulled up a picture of the hockey captain on his phone. It was that rather infamous snapshot of him in bed with another man - some artist who worked for Marvel? - that leaked on Twitter. It had set off a media firestorm and inspired countless articles, memes, and most amusingly, fanfiction. "Don't tell me you haven't seen this picture before. It was all over the news last year."Grant squinted at the screen. He shrugged, took a bite of sandwich. "Come on, you at least have to admit he's hot.""I don't like his beard.""Well, your beard is better.""You're teasing again?""I promise I'm not," Rowan squeezed his thigh. He very much liked that he couldn't fit his hand all the way around it.Grant fought back the start of a smile. "What's with all the questions?""I don't actually know a whole lot about you. If a man's gonna grope me in the library he should at least tell me his birthday and sports team preferences.""Now you're teasing.""Bullseye.""So, was that... okay? Me coming to see you like that?""I liked it a lot." Shyly, Rowan looked at his sandwich. "No one's ever kissed me at work before.""It was a first for me, too."Their hands found each other. Grant's touch was hesitant at first but he soon relaxed into the valley of his palm. "This is new for both of us, looks like." He massaged the rough, calloused knuckles of the man gazing at him. "Yeah. I guess it is." Grant touched Rowan's face, so smooth and narrow, so unlike his.The librarian's heart picked up speed. Really, this shouldn't have worked. They came from two different worlds, barely knew a thing about each other. Although attraction burned like a bright flame between them, they both had walls up. And yet here they were, letting their guards down bit by bit...Shame filled him suddenly. Rowan had let himself be lonely for so long he'd forgotten what it felt like to find warmth and safety in the company of another man. All because of one man from his past. All because of what he let Luke do to him...Grant's grip on him tightened. "Hey. What's wrong?"He shook himself out of it. Although he dealt with the baggage of it every day, he hadn't directly thought about Luke in a long time. No. He couldn't retread the terror and fear his former lover used to instill in him. He couldn't let the darkness thundering between his lungs ruin today the way it ruined so many other days."Nothing." "You're sure?"Grant didn't look convinced. He was trained to read not only lips but body language, expressions, all the little 'tells' that people didn't realize they had. Rowan silently chastised himself. The deep black smear that was his last relationship would need to be kept closer to the chest."You're... sad." Grant negotiated the timbre of his own voice. Not being able to hear himself was making him self-conscious. "I didn't... mean to make you sad.""No, it's not your fault. I think it's just the birthday blues. They creep up, you know?""You should be happy. You deserve that."With his powerful arms, Grant reached over and pulled Rowan onto his lap. His thighs made for a rather comfortable seat. "I'm happy," Rowan whispered close to his face. He leaned in until their chests touched. "I'm happy," he repeated, and wondered if Grant could use the vibration of his voice to interpret the words. Grant stroked the back of the younger man's neck and softly kissed his hair. "Keep talking to me.""I'm happy when I'm with you," Rowan murmured into his chest. The way Grant's hands dipped from his neck and down his long, slender back told him that he could, indeed, understand what Rowan was trying to say... or at the very least, he felt the intent. The emotion. Rowan lifted his chin. The lumberjack was gazing down at him with an intensity that stole his breath. The connection of their eyes was all Grant needed. He took Rowan's mouth in a deep, hard kiss, swallowing the librarian's soft moan as their tongues melted together. Grant was now rock hard and the subtle grinding on his lap wasn't helping to keep his thoughts under control. The need to devour Rowan, to make the librarian his and only his, was stronger than anything he'd ever felt.Grant took him down onto the gingham blanket in one quick move, snaking an arm around Rowan's waist, hand cupping the back of his head. That was a Navy SEAL for you - always ready. Rowan laughed, both at the eagerness of the move and the lustful grin that creased the man's beard. Rowan drew his fingers along Grant's solid jaw. The feeling of facial hair under his fingertips was delicious, intoxicating. Grant guided the fingers toward his mouth and kissed them. "Thank you for spending your birthday with me." Before Rowan could even reply, Grant bent down and licked the vulnerable nape of his neck. His entire body shuddered and surrendered to the man on top of him, fingers raking through Grant's thick brown hair. He decided right then and there that if he was going to let his guard down, this was the perfect man to do it with. Rowan's lower back arched as Grant's bearded mouth continued to explore his neck.Best birthday ever.
  11. QuinnDK

    Safeguard by Quinn D.K.

    Chapter 4 is now up, and without spoiling anything, I'd say it's a pretty damn important one to read! (It also contains my favourite line of dialogue from Rowan that's only three words long...)
  12. QuinnDK

    Grant was drenched in rain by the time they reached his backyard. He'd been trying cover up Rowan as they struggled through the woods. But it was in vain. The younger man hadn't brought his jacket and just moments into the storm his t-shirt was completely soaked through. Rowan shivered and stumbled his way into the bungalow. Grant immediately threw a wool blanket around him and rubbed his arms with long, firm strokes. He wasn't letting anyone get hypothermia on his watch. "Thanks," Rowan managed through chattering teeth. Grant led him to the bedroom and opened his closet. "You'll need to change into something dry." He laid out one of his plaid shirts, wool socks, a pair of his lounge pants. His need to get warm outpacing his modesty, Rowan dropped the blanket and began to strip. It was no wonder he got cold so quickly - he was ripcord lean, flat and taut, not an ounce of fat on him.Grant faced the door to give him privacy. He wasn't a prude by any means. He'd spent hours in locker rooms, in tight quarters with other men in various states of undress. But changing with your squadmates after drills was a little different than standing in your own bedroom with a man you were trying very hard to act gentlemanly toward.Still, Grant caught glimpses. Not that he was trying to. But he did: ivory skin glistening from the rain; round, pink nipples; a light treasure trail; strong, defined thighs and calves. He definitely had a body for running and climbing. Slender, yes, but not fragile.Not at all what he imagined a librarian would look like without clothes.A finger tapped his arm and Rowan was fully dressed again. He already looked better, a flush of color returning to his cheeks. Grant gave him a towel to dry off his hair."Thanks," Rowan repeated. No chattering or shivering this time. The plaid shirt came down to his thighs but he didn't seem to mind. He actually looked comfortable. "The rain I could deal with, it was all that wind that froze me. I couldn't breathe.""Glad I was with you. How is your ankle?""Better, actually. Just a little sore." He wiped his wet bangs off his face. The brilliant blue of his eyes resurfaced. "You really came to my rescue today.""I did what any man would do.""I don't think just any man would have done that." A chuckle escaped him. "Man. You look like Clark Kent but you're so damn modest.""Clark Kent. Huh." He hadn't heard that one before. His nickname in the Navy was Grizzly Adams. "You think so?""Well, if Clark Kent gave up his journalism career and razor to live in the woods by himself. But really, you've said don't think you're a nice guy. Where does that come from?"A knot hardened in Grant's stomach. His hand went to his chest, expecting to find his dog tags, and then he remembered for the four-hundredth time that he stopped wearing them. Muscle memory was a bitch. "I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of."Much to his surprise, Rowan's face darkened. Like a small cloud briefly blocking out the sun. And then it was gone."I have my own demons too. Voices inside me that whisper and tell me I'm no good. Some days I let myself believe them. But..." He looked at his feet, which looked a little ridiculous in the oversized wool socks. "...but I know at the end of the day that those voices aren't real. Because I see what a difference it makes when I help a student find the scholarly journal they need for an essay. Or when I sit down with an elderly patron who needs my help setting up a Facebook account so she can talk to her grand kids. I choose to help people. Just like you chose to help me today."A smooth hand slid onto his. He looked down, finding Rowan had made contact, and didn't know if he was nervous or grateful or a disorienting mix of both.Rowan's lip movement slowed. The vibration of his voice was different too. Low. Earnest. "Those demons inside you, whatever they are, they don't know what they're talking about. Because they're definitely not in control of the man I'm looking at."What Grant did next was something he did not think about. It was the first reaction that came to mind. Pure impulse.He raised Rowan's hand to his mouth and gently kissed it. And as soon as his lips fell away the regret came thundering in. What was wrong with him? Throwing himself at the first person in years who could stand to be around him longer than a minute? And in his own damn home, too. It was a goddamn scene out of Beauty and the Beast..."I'm sorry," Grant said before he could gauge a reaction. "I'll put your clothes in the dryer." He gathered the wet clothes and left the room without another word. Rowan felt like an idiot.He meant everything he said to Grant but he was moving at a faster, more personal clip than the other man was used to. At least, that's how it seemed from his perspective. He hadn't planned on touching his hand but it was sincere, honest.And the hand kiss, well, that certainly came out of nowhere. Not that he was complaining. He could still feel it lingering along his knuckles. Grant's stubble had scratched the back of his fingers but his mouth was soft and hot. It was so old fashioned, too. Sweet. When was the last time a man had been sweet to him? Thinking about it made his heart catch in this throat.But then he remembered the deep pull of embarrassment in Grant's eyes, the sudden way he shut the situation down.Rowan hadn't given much thought to the other man's sexuality before. He had a huge crush on Grant, yes, but he never assumed those feelings were reciprocated. Maybe he wasn't comfortable with that part of himself. Or maybe it was just an odd reflex that meant nothing.Damn it. On top of everything else he couldn't even excuse himself to leave, he was stuck in Grant's pajamas until his clothes dried. An awkwardness permeated the air. Grant was in the laundry room, a part of the bungalow he hadn't seen yet, and Rowan moved to the living room to watch the storm rage in the front yard. He couldn't deny how comfortable Grant's flannel felt on his naked skin, though. The freshly laundered clothes still held the manly, welcoming scent of their owner. Footsteps. He turned from the window and looked up, up, and up into Grant's steel eyes. "Hey. I'll get out of your way as soon as my clothes are dry."Grant peered down and scanned his face, posture, the tension in his shoulders and arms. Rowan felt another blush creep in under his weighty gaze. The stark difference in their physicality really jumped out at him then: one man broad and solid, the other lean and lanky."I'm sorry," Grant signed. "I took it too far.""No, please don't be sorry.""You had just hurt yourself. You were vulnerable. And in my own house.""If you're apologizing because you thought that you were-""I'm a bigger guy than you. I wasn't giving you much room to say no-""Grant, I swear, I never felt like you were crossing a line." Rowan almost chuckled in disbelief. Really, it wasn't that big a deal. "The only thing you did was kiss my hand. And you pulled away, not me.""What would you have done if I hadn't pulled away?"His breath caught as his heart skipped a beat. "What would you have done if you hadn't pulled away?"Grant, who had spent so much of their time together playing the stoic and immovable one, actually seemed flustered. "I don't really do things like this.""Like kiss the hands of librarians? Yeah, most people tend to avoid that.""I mean I gave up that part of my life. Getting close to people.""Well, you shouldn't. That's not healthy.""You're not my doctor.""I didn't mean to judge, I just-""My life is nobody's business but my own. That's my choice.""I respect that but you shouldn't close yourself off to something just because it scares you.""How do you know it scares me?""I meant-"The conversation had derailed so quickly it made Rowan dizzy. "I only wanted to apologize," Grant said with finality. "I'm sorry things got uncomfortable."Whatever tenderness allowed Grant to let his guard down in the bedroom had become something much more curt and matter-of-fact. Rowan hoped his disappointment didn't show. He felt stupid for getting his hopes up. "It's okay," he said lamely. Grant returned to the laundry room and stayed there until the dryer cycle finished. Rowan changed back into his clothes, gathered his things, and left Grant's bungalow with an awkward, ungraceful handshake. "What's up with you?"Neil leaned against the circulation desk as he munched a handful of chocolate-covered almonds. His preferred late-night-shift snack."I'm trying to get this circulation report printed." Rowan usually gave as good as he got but he wasn't in the mood tonight. Or the last four nights.An almond knocked the side of his head. "Hey!""How long are you going to be in this mood?""I'm not in a mood.""You're seven years too old to be in such a CW teen drama snit, my man.""I am not in a mood or a snit.""Then by all means continue to clench your jaw. Should I just make your next paycheck out to your dentist?""Neil.""Seriously, what's inspiring the rain cloud that's been hanging over your head all week? I would've thought that trip to see the sexy lumberjack-""Is the printer jammed? This is the third time I've hit Control-P.""-would've had you skipping around the Harlequin shelf like a hungry puppy. Especially since you never told me why your delivery took two hours-"Did one of the high school kids wedge another fidget spinner in there? God, I swear we need to start putting the printer in a fiberglass case.""-and especially when Crothers Woods is only half an hour away and it takes maybe ten seconds to hand someone a damn tote bag-"The printer sputtered to life. Finally. Rowan headed for it, all too aware that Neil was nipping at his heels. "We've got an hour until closing. Can you save the nagging for another day?""I did want to run something by you. Not about the sexy lumberjack, I promise.""Ah, I can feel my spirits lifting already.""I'm planning on heading home a little early tonight to surprise the wife.""Anniversary?""Yes." Neil cringed. "Well, last week. Unbeknownst to me.""Uh oh, he unloaded a three-syllable word." Rowan snatched the report from the printer. "Marilyn must have been thrilled.""She was ecstatic, trust me. I wanted to know if you'd be alright closing by yourself."He looked around, noting the library's usual emptiness this time of night. "Yeah, we're clear of stragglers, I should be fine. Commence damage control.""Thanks, kid." Neil gathered his coat and briefcase. He leaned in from the exit doorway before he left. "And it's none of my business, as you are all too quick to point out, but whatever's got you in a funk? You'll move on. You're young and still have all your hair.""I'll be okay. I promise." He fanned the printer-warm paper against his chest. "Circ report on your desk alright?""Yeah, yeah." Neil waved him off as he left. "Don't forget your keys this time!""Yeah, yeah!" The exit door shut. Rowan found a space on Neil's desk between a Jessica Jones figure and a Daredevil coffee mug to dump the report. And then he turned with a deep sigh to face the empty library. Without any patrons to keep an eye on, Rowan found an errant cart of unshelved paperback novels and guided them to the fiction shelves. Shelving had been a decent stress reliever for him, it reminded him of his days as a page, just starting out in the public library system. It gave him something to focus on. Something that wasn't about the mortifying way last Saturday ended. As he slid the first paperback into its rightful place, the front door opened and closed. Ugh, Neil was so predictable. "I told you to remember your keys!" Rowan called. "Make sure Marilyn knows I warned you. And I would avoid telling her I'm your 'work wife', she flinched at me the last time she visited."He shelved another three paperbacks. No answer from Neil, only the sound of footsteps coming his way."Dude, your office is on the other side. It's just me and James Patterson over here."A couple of knocks echoed from somewhere in the stacks. His brow furrowed. Why was Neil knocking? He took a peek out of his aisle and into the catacomb of stacks that surrounded him. A familiar voice called out. "Rowan? Rowan?"Heart fluttering, he recognized the deep, halting tone. That definitely wasn't the senior librarian."Grant..."Rowan turned around and there he was at the far end of the aisle, looking big and powerful and sullen and handsome in the dismal overhead light.He started to apologize for mistaking him for Neil but realized, feeling like an idiot, that Grant wouldn't have heard that."What are you doing here?" His eyes were saucers. "Is everything okay?""Can we talk?""If you want to return something or you're not satisfied with your delivery fulfillment then I could-""It's not about the damn books. Please, I need to talk to you."Rowan's stomach wanted to drop right out of him. He nodded, swallowing his fear, and led the two of them through the stacks and into the adult reading room. They sat opposite each other on big, comfy reading chairs. A table of rabbit-eared Entertainment Weekly magazines sat between them. That seemed safe. A barrier. "Okay," Rowan nervously raked his fingers up and down his thighs. "Let's talk.""Are you still my delivery person?""Uh, I..." That wasn't quite what he was expecting. "Yeah, as far as I know.""And you're still coming next Saturday?""Delivery frequency is every month, not every week. That gives the patron enough time to finish using the materials.""What if I'm already finished."A statement, not a question. Rowan tilted his head. "It's been five days. You finished all fifteen books already?""What if I don't find any of the books interesting and want to return them.""I thought this wasn't about the books.""It's not.""Then why are you here?"The man breathed deeply. His pecs, still impressive even under his coat, rose and fell. "I wanted to make sure you were still on my route. And that last Saturday didn't change anything.""You came all the way here to ask me that? You could've sent an email.""I needed to know.""You needed to know at 10 o'clock at night?""Yes."Rowan had to admit, he was impressed. He thought Grant's lone wolf nature kept him from setting foot outside his house. The fact that he came all this way, just to see him, talk to him again..."I'm still assigned to your route. Earth continues to revolve around the sun. Nothing's changed, I swear."Grant absently ran his hand over his stubble, which was much fuller and darker. He hadn't shaved since their last encounter.Rowan smiled at him gently. "I think it's really nice you came.""You do?""Yeah. Also, I can fingerspell my name so much faster now. I don't trip up on the A-to-N hand shapes anymore.""I'm glad to hear that. I mean, to learn that. You know what I mean." Seeing him nervous like this was kind of adorable. As they wrapped things up, Rowan led him back through the maze of stacks. Their pace was leisurely and unhurried. A weight had been lifted. At least, that's what Rowan thought. His guest still looked distracted."Everything okay?" he asked as they passed the biographies."I've been thinking a lot about what you told me," Grant struggled to say. "About how you had demons, too. How we all have those voices inside us.""I remember.""I don't want to let those voices speak for me. Not this time."Goosebumps spiked the back of Rowan's neck. "What do you mean?"Grant slid a mighty hand around the small of the younger man's back. Oh my god."Is this okay?" Frozen with anticipation, Rowan nodded. Grant's other hand went to the back of his head and gently threaded his fingers through the soft brown hair. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. "And this? This is okay?"Rowan breathed deeply, filing his lungs with the man's spicy, masculine scent. "Yes.""You can say no. I won't be mad.""Grant." He delicately placed a finger over the man's mouth. "Read my lips."Grant's eyes darkened with lust. God, he was so sexy. Dark and mysterious. Challenging. Gruff. But ready. Rowan was ready too. He stood on the tips of his toes - he had to, rather embarrassingly - and eased forward. Grant eased forward too, offering his mouth, encouraging the younger man. His lips found Grant's and lightly tasted them. Grant let out a fierce, shuddering breath, reacting to the delicate yet overwhelming sensation. He pressed more firmly onto Rowan's mouth, making the younger man gasp. And then Rowan's arms wound their way around his trunk-like torso as their bodies eagerly ground together.Grant knew he had to seriously dial down his desire to maul, ravage, and consume the hot young thing in his arms. Otherwise he could get in trouble. But it was hard to control himself when Rowan pulled their faces tighter, his skin soft and warm, his tongue pulsing against his lips, then slipping inside his mouth. Grant met him with an inviting lick, while the librarian's tongue darted inside and undulated against him.Rowan muffled a cry of delight as Grant grunted - actually grunted - and pushed him against the shelf at his back. Books spilled to the floor. He didn't care. Not when such an unbelievably sexy man was exploring his mouth with his tongue and sliding a warm hand down his back to grope his ass. Grant's hips thrusted forward and Rowan felt it for the first time, an immense hardness straining against the man's jeans. He thrusted back as their kiss deepened, both of them swollen with need. Rowan's hands explored his dense, beefy chest, which flexed under his eager touch. Then Grant bent, grabbed him under both thighs and easily lifted him up with both arms. Fuck. The casual display of strength turned him on even more. Rowan hooked his legs around the man's waist, claiming him. Mine, all mine.Grant pushed his thick erection against Rowan's taint, only a few layers of denim and cotton separating their sex. Another book fell, one nearly the size of a cinder block. The sound of it clattering to the floor briefly jolted Rowan back to reality. He was the only one who heard it.He wanted more, wanted all of the delicious man he hooked his legs around. But... wait. That couldn't happen now. Could it? He pulled away. It took a moment to catch his breath. "Hi. I- we-""This is crazy.""I'm not the only one who noticed, huh?""I wasn't expecting this to go so fast.""I wasn't expecting this to go at all."The front door opened and closed. Rowan frowned at the noise. "Shit.""What's wrong?""Someone just came into the library."He crouched to peek through the stacks. It offered a distorted view of the circulation desk where a prim old woman glared at her watch. Ugh, Mrs. Stillwell, he thought with an odd mixture of relief and disappointment. She had a weird habit of visiting fifteen minutes before closing with a volley of questions about her account. Still, it was a fairly good exit point. Not that he wasn't aching to feel Grant grind him against a shelf of urban fantasy novels, but this was all happening so damn fast. He needed time to process it. The distraction of Mrs. Stillwell seemed a small relief to Grant, too. "I should go. I'll let you deal with this.""Alright," Rowan breathed and lowered himself back to the ground. He readjusted his rumpled shirt and smoothed down the wrinkles. His erection, though, would take a few moments longer. "Well. Nice of you to drop by.""I want to see you again.""I do too.""I mean it.""I do too.""Good.""You can text me if you want. My cell number was on the business card I gave you."Grant steeled himself. "I don't think I've ever... texted... before.""First time for everything.""Yeah." He nodded. The idea started to feel good to him. "Yeah, okay."Grant turned in the direction of Mrs. Stillwell to make sure they were sufficiently hidden. He surprised the handsome librarian with a goodbye kiss, hot and sweet and slow. Rowan's face was flush and red with beardburn. Despite that, he smiled. Grant carried the memory of it all the way home.
  13. QuinnDK

    The Lightkeeper's Nephew

    Antigone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada. 2010.I suppose this all started with the lighthouse. When I was a kid I spent summers at Uncle Micah’s. He lived in a two-story cottage by the sea, his porch just steps from the rocky shore. A little jog down the beach brought you to the abandoned pier where he used to work as the lighthouse keeper. Yes, he's old. Did I mention that? It used to be called Devil's Cove Lighthouse. It creeped me out, the name. Especially since it was never sunny on this side of the river. Only overcast and grey like an old movie. But I digress.I did love every summer I spent there until I turned 18. I'll admit I was a brat that year. I just hated being shipped away from my life in Toronto. I wanted to spend sunny afternoons by the pool and exhilarating nights with my friends, laughing and drinking and enjoying our last days of freedom before university. My parents didn't agree. I think they just wanted the house to themselves.Antigone Bay, Nova Scotia has a population of 1,600 and not much in the way of stimulation for a restless teen from the city. A twenty minute walk showed you everything on offer: the pub, the bakery, the post office, the second pub, the hardware store, the third pub. There are other reasons why I started to hate that town but I don't have to get into them right now. That summer, I wiled away my days pitching rocks into the great, churning froth of the Atlantic and counting the rare patches of blue that emerged from the clouds. Every couple of weeks I picked out a bad paperback mystery from the library and took it to the lighthouse to read. I stuck with mysteries because they were about real people. The books with magic and monsters went ignored. Uncle Micah still had the lighthouse keys and he didn't mind me going by myself now that I was old enough. "You're all grown, Noah," he'd shrug from his tea and crossword puzzle. "Just don't lean too hard on the railing up there."As grumpy as I may have been I still enjoyed my time in the lighthouse watchroom. The ancient radio equipment I fiddled with endlessly as a kid was now where I put my feet up and enjoyed the peace and quiet. The windows that wrapped around the tower afforded a beautiful view of the ocean. Black and infinite. The vastness of it still awes me.So the day this all started, I was reading in the lighthouse. And a storm came. I remember because I felt the mountainous belches of thunder shake the walls and floor. My leg kicked out in surprise at the first boom. My heel flipped a switch or pressed a button or some damn thing and then the radio crackled to life. The nearby lighthouses were also decommissioned so it didn't pick up much whenever I played with it. Just static and the occasional whisper of a folk music station. But the radio static that day was different. It was high, whiny... agonizing, like fingers clawing desperately against my eardrums. Like frostbite stabbing my arms and legs. I fumbled through the patchwork of knobs and buttons until the volume died.For the life of me I still can't properly describe that noise. It was wrong. Like something I was never supposed to hear. It had filled with the air with a lingering disturbance, the breath of an invisible stranger on the back of my neck.Then I looked out of the window and saw a man stumbling out of the water. I ran to the catwalk, heart racing. I must have seen that wrong. But, no, a man was indeed emerging from the sea. He walked with some difficulty - drunkenness, confusion, I didn't know - as the grey waves slapped the jagged brown shore at his bare feet. The rest of him was bare, too. Stray bits of seaweed clung to his chest and wet sand smeared his left buttock and thigh. He made no effort to cover himself and didn't seem to be in any rush at all - as if the ocean had birthed a fully grown man and pushed him, disoriented and naked, out of the comfort of its womb.I made my way down the winding stairs and onto the beach. "Hey! Mister?" I didn't know how else to get his attention. "Are you okay?"The uneven, rocky beach was hell on my feet even through my shoes. Still, I walked to him. Did he need my help? I had no idea what I was doing. I was flying by the seat of my pants.The man stopped at my approaching figure. As he blinked away drops of water his rugged, handsome face regarded me curiously. His dripping hair was flat against his forehead."Mister?" I repeated. I stopped, too, and put a friendly hand up. I'd never been this close to naked man before. At my school we didn't shower after gym class. "Do you need help, sir?"His forehead gathered in confusion. So did mine. No one in their right mind actually swam in these rough waters. Was he a fisherman who fell off his boat? If so, where were his clothes?There were no signs of injuries from what I could see. No cuts or wounds or even a bruise. As my gaze swept over the stranger I registered a body that was not just strong, but powerful. His massive, broad shoulders heaved with his labored breathing. They were connected to arms bigger than my thighs. His forearms were covered in thick hair that matched the fur on his pecs and rippling washboard stomach. Noticing anything lower than that seemed indecent.Those things weren't important at the moment. This man seemed blank, almost-doll-like. A stranger not only to me but to himself. "Are you okay? Do you... know where your clothes are?"I felt bad drawing attention to his nudity but I didn't know what else to say.The stranger's eyes rolled into the back of his head and he collapsed. I tried to catch him as he went down but that was stupid. He was at least a foot taller and had sixty pounds of muscle on me. I tumbled off balance and fell with him, his naked body making a smack sound against the wet sand. His meaty arm had fallen across me in the maelstrom. It took some effort to heave off.I stared hard at his unconscious face. He had the strongest, squarest jaw I'd ever seen, the kind that could crack a walnut. All his features were like that - sculpted and chiseled. Like a Greek god. Like a superhero, I remember thinking absently.My hand caressed his face. I didn't realize I was doing it until I felt the hint of stubble under my fingers. I pulled away immediately, my cheeks burning. His eyes were still closed. The brief intrusion of his privacy thankfully went unnoticed.It started to rain. Light little pitter-patters hit my neck and arms. It would turn into a downpour soon. I had to get this man indoors. If the stranger hadn't woken by the time I dragged him via toboggan sled to Uncle Micah's front steps, I don't know how I would have gotten him inside the house. "Please, you have to stand," I whispered gently. His eyes, a clear and startling blue, focused as he took in the sight of me. We stood together and I let him lean on me like a crutch. He was unbalanced and tired but didn't seem to be in any pain. My skinny teenage arm felt strange across the muscular plains of his wide back. The house was dead silent. Uncle Micah must have been playing bocce at the community center. I led the stranger into the bathroom where I got him to wash off the seaweed and wet sand. While the situation seemed intimate, his flesh was the last thing on my mind. As perfectly sculpted as it was.I grabbed a quilt in the living room and held it to his waist. He looked confused until I wrapped it around him, toga-like. The Greek god comparison suddenly seemed very apt."You can sit," I motioned to the sofa.He did so like a robot being given an order, still lost in some mysterious fog. The quilt only came down to his legs. I tried not to notice how strong and thick his calves were. His feet were big and a little hairy, but nice and well-maintained. It must have been the first time I noticed a man's legs like that. I averted my eyes to the floor."I'll get you some clothes.""Th... thirsty."I froze in mid-turn. His first word to me. A deep and manly voice, but with a scratch of dehydration."Yes. I'll- yes. Hold on."In the kitchen I quickly filled a tall glass with the filtered jug from the fridge. I also put on a kettle for tea - he'd need some to warm up and I needed some to calm my shaking nerves. I brought a naked man back to my uncle's house. A man I didn't even know...I gave him the glass of water - which he drained immediately - before running into Uncle Micah's bedroom for clothes. He was closer to the stranger's size than I was. I fished around until I found a sweater, a pair of jogging pants and socks. I returned to the living room to find the stranger standing by the window. Rain lashed against the glass. It was really coming down hard."I got you some of my uncle's things. He wont mind. He donates a huge bag to the church every year anyway."As he turned to receive them, part of the quilt fell away and I saw a flash of bare abdomen and pubic hair. Heat rose inside me, followed very quickly by shame.The man didn't seem to notice. He thumbed the fabric in his hands. "Thank you."I craned my neck up to meet his eye line. Jesus, he was tall. "My name is Noah. This is my uncle's house. I'm visiting from Toronto. Where do you live?"He thought and frowned. His hair had dried a little. Thick and somewhere between wavy and curly, it was a dark blond that matched the color of his stubble. It probably had a ginger-y tone in the sunlight. A strand the shape of a letter S fell along his tanned forehead. "I don't know.""You don't know where you live?"His frown deepened and he shook his head. "Do you remember how you got in the ocean?""I don't know."The kettle shrieked from the kitchen. "You should get changed," I said quickly. I was grateful for the distraction. In the kitchen I took the kettle off and opened the nice Irish breakfast tea my uncle only took out for company. I made it strong with milk and sugar in both cups. I didn't know at the time that you were supposed to ask someone how they liked their tea. Hey, I was barely out of high school. I'd never entertained a guest before.He was dressed by the time I returned to the living room. It was queer seeing my old uncle's clothes on a man so broad-chested and well built. I gave him a cup of hot tea. My hands were shaking. His weren't. The tea made my mouth tingle from the sugar. Nice and warm. Down my throat and into my stomach. It was the only thing that made sense in that moment. The stranger was staring at me again, so piercing and immediate I thought he could see through me to my bones.I dared to meet his gaze. "Who are you?" "I don't know.""What's the last thing you remember?""The water."He was too distracted to drink his tea. He clenched the fist of one mighty hand, released, clenched, released. Over and over. The muscles of his forearm - I didn't know forearms could have muscles - rippled and relaxed accordingly. Fascination flashed in the cobalt blue of his eyes, followed by something darker. Worry? Fear? I was starting to wonder when Uncle Micah would get home. Surely he'd know what to do. Surely he'd be helpful and decisive instead of standing around all slackjawed and anxious."Are you hungry?" I didn't know what else to say."Where am I?""Antigone Bay, Nova Scotia. The people here like to say it's east of the east coast."The answer didn't seem to offer him anything other than a new layer of confusion. "I don't belong here.""How do you know that?"The stranger gave me his untouched mug of tea, now lukewarm. He started for the front door. God, he was huge. It was like watching a tree walk away. I followed him to the porch where he stood watching the storm. It had gotten worse, the rain slashing and wind screaming like they were angry at the earth."When my uncle gets back he can help you. He trained to be an EMT after the lighthouse up the way closed. And he knows the sheriff."He started for the first porch step. I grabbed his arm. He could have easily kept going - hell, he looked like he could have thrown me back into the house with one hand - but instead he paused at my touch."I might not know what to do right now but I know it's not safe for you out there. You're confused, you lost your memory. And these summer storms can last all day. Please, stay inside."The hardness around his eyes softened. He brought a hand to my face. The contact sent ripples of heat through my chest and down my stomach. I'd never been touched like this by a man. And then the stranger wrapped his arms around my slim body and held me close. Being enveloped by him... it was a warmth I never thought was possible."Thank you," he whispered into my hair. I breathed in his chest. He smelled like a man, like the sea, like something familiar and brand new all at once. I know what the situation must have looked like but I wasn't scared. At no point did I feel like he would harm or take advantage of me. I can't even explain it now, but something about his touch reminded me of finding home. "Thank you," he repeated. "But I can't stay.""Please," I whispered back. This was crazy. Who was he? What was this sudden rush of desire that had supercharged every vein in my body? I didn't want him to leave. Now that I knew how safe and secure his presence made me feel, how could I?Gently, he pulled away. "You can't know that I was here. You can't tell anyone.""But you need help. I can try to..."He was already down the porch steps and back in the storm. My uncle's clothes were instantly soaked. He went around the east corner of the house. I followed him, desperation pounding in my chest. "Wait!"I turned the very same corner he did. He was gone. Beyond one side of Uncle Micah's house was a road leading to our neighbors a kilometer or so away. Beyond another side, farmland, low and flat. And beyond another, the shoreline. There was nowhere for the stranger to hide or disappear to. But he'd vanished without a trace.In the years following, I would think a lot about that moment. For the longest time I convinced myself he had simply run back into the ocean and drowned. Or dissolved. I've never told anyone about what happened that day, not my uncle, my parents, boyfriends, no one. It was my little secret. My not-so-imaginary imaginary friend.That was the last summer I spent in Antigone Bay. I moved on with my life in Toronto, went to university, and got a job. For a while I fantasized about the stranger coming back into my life. But those little day dreams stopped as I grew up. I didn't want to become delusional. I settled into a new reality - the stormy day in 2010 was where the story began and ended. Oh, I was so wrong.
  14. QuinnDK

    Safeguard by Quinn D.K.

    Fire & Icing is my labor of love, it's still being worked on in fits and starts. Book of Sky and Stars is being put on hiatus - it's getting a little complicated to write and doing contemporary stuff is easier for me at the moment. My chapters may take a while, but I hope they're worth the wait! (Try not to be too frustrated with me, but I actually have another new story I'm planning on getting out soon, too. 🙃 )
  15. A handsome librarian meets a sexy lumberjack. Sparks fly. Of course, it's a little more complicated than that... Let me know what you think as the story progresses.

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