boxofmisfits | Cipher Nine and the Ambassador

It felt almost like being back at the beginning of what he could only call quite a trip, with the ship as big and empty as it was now, silent without everyone. Without Kaliyo, mostly, as she'd been louder than anyone else, and at any hour, as well. It was a miracle that any of them had gotten any sleep with her aboard. When she'd left, she'd said she'd be back eventually.

"Just you and the bug boy? You're gonna go crazy, agent, and I'm not entirely convinced you're not halfway there already."

He'd told her that she in fact did not need to ever come back and that she would not be missed. Aden didn't regret those bitter words upon parting ways, nor did he regret threatening to flush her out of an airlock, should she inconvenience him from ever so far away. He certainly had the connections to be able to make that promise.

The silence was something that needed adjusting to, but his blood pressure was rather grateful for it.

Work was never done, of course. Disconnected as they were from the Empire's intelligence operations, there were still certain requirements that needed to be met. That had been the deal, and a little work for a lot of peace and quiet was more than a good enough deal for him.

He was coming out of one such period of a little work, having locked himself away in the Phantom's conference room for quite a few hours chasing leads over the holonet.

The realization that getting up to stretch his legs would be a good idea only popped into his mind when he realized that his eyes were hurting from the intense focus.

Vector's presence had him startling ever so slightly when he stepped out, breath hitching briefly, before he sighed, and smiled- a small smile as per usual, but a smile none-the-less. He was glad that Vector had chosen to stay. His company was ever soothing, and despite being used to being alone, he was happy that Vector was there. With him.

"You don't seem to be entirely focused on your reading, Vector. Anything in particular on your mind?"

Vector looked up from his datapad, a slight smile forming on his lips. "Hello, Agent." Even after so much time together, Vector sometimes had a habit of calling his companion Agent.

Putting his datapad aside, Vector stood and approached the chiss. Here they were, two people not even of the same species, and yet that had never been a barrier between them. Just as Vector being part of the killik hive might have disgusted most, but not this man before him.

"Some things, yes. It is just you and us now, and we face the unknown. We wonder where we are to go from here, and, more importantly, we hope that you will not get too lonely now that we are your only companion."

"All part of the excitement, isn't it? The unknown. At least we're the ones choosing the path this time around."

No one steering them toward one objective or another. Or yanking his chain and steering the entire crew into trouble. That had been the worst part- the danger his companions had been in through it all. The rage he'd been filled with, the hatred toward Ardun Kothe, and then toward Hunter especially... If anything had happened to... Well, anyone except Kaliyo and Scorpio. But Vector in particular...

Well, it was best not to dwell on what could have been, and he had personally seen to it that Ardun Kothe and Hunter were left as only memories. Nightmares. Unable to hurt anyone, any more.

Still, as it was now... Choosing where to go, how long to stay. Work was work, but in-between? There were certainly sights worth seeing, out there. Places to go, people to meet. Adventures of their own design rather than anyone else's.

"Lonely?" He questioned, arching a brow, "Vector, you're the most pleasant company anyone could possibly ask for. The idea of being lonely with just us... It's the furthest thing from my mind."

"It is just that you had many companions on your travels, and now they've all left. But we are glad you're content to just have us. We do not intend to leave you."

Vector would follow the Agent anywhere he went, from the Core Worlds to the Outer Rim, all the way to the ends of the galaxy. He cared about his companion, after sharing so much with him, every moment of fear and weakness, and every victory. After every mission, Vector was there for him.

"I imagine most of them are only a holocall away, should we have need of them."

By which he meant backup, if there was trouble on the horizon. Aden was serious, when he said that Vector was the most pleasant company he could ask for. The thought that he might become lonely hadn't even crossed his mind, before Vector brought it up.

"You don't have to worry about me, Vector. Certainly not to the point where it distracts you from your reading."

He offered a slight smile, reaching to gently pat the other man's cheek- playful, friendly. Fond, even. It certainly wasn't something he did with many others, much preferring to keep his distance, to not touch. "If anything, I think you're the one who'll end up missing- well, a few of the others, at least."

Certainly not Kaliyo, or Scorpio. Those two were in a league of their own so far as unsettling went. But Doctor Lokin at least. The two had seemed to get along well.

"... Still, thank you. For sticking with a man who might just be in the running for the title of Galaxy's Angriest Chiss."

Not entirely accurate, of course. Anger played a very small part in the aggression that sometimes guided his hand. Still it was a decent enough joke to alleviate the... Well, he didn't know what to call the mood that Vector's sincerity had evoked. Something that made his heart rate quicken, at least.

He doubted that was intentional.

Vector almost leaned into that slight touch, and found himself wishing the Chiss would do it again. That little contact made Vector's heart flutter, as if Aden had given him a soft caress instead of a friendly pat.

"We confess, sometimes just being in your presence is a distraction to us. We find you to be pleasant company, and cannot imagine ourselves being anywhere but at your side."

He certainly liked Aden, and considered him a friend. But no other person had had such an effect on Vector. Or at least, not to such a degree.

That sounded like something, certainly. More than feelings of friendship, at least. But surely Vector didn't mean it like that. So far as Aden knew, Vector had never made any indication that he wanted something more. And he wasn't particularly dense about such things.

At least he didn't think he was.

Of course it wasn't something they'd particularly discussed. It had never occurred to Aden to ask Vector about his sexuality and there was no particular conversation where that question could have sounded natural, and not like he was prying into business that wasn't his.

He tilted his head as he looked at the other man, a bit of a puzzled expression on his face.

Had Vector assumed the same? Simply thought that there was no fitting time to ask?

Or perhaps just assumed that he wasn't into men, perhaps. Aden's flings tended to be women and he'd had more than just a few.

"Has anyone ever told you you've got a lousy taste in men?" He asked, tone teasing, and brows raising ever so slightly to match his playful tone, "Tall, dark, and handsome seems to be the standard that people find to be a distraction. Certainly not whatever descriptor fits me."

A slight bit of a joke, but also a not quite subtle way of asking without simply asking outright. This could very well be lack-of-Kaliyo-making-a-ruckus jitters, for all he knew. The lack of noise giving them both way too much time for introspection.

Was Aden hitting on him? Vector wanted to believe so, but he could have been misreading the Chiss. After all, they were of two different species, and Vector was a Joiner. The latter alone would have turned off anybody. To love him would be to love the entire killik hive.

But Aden had never made a big deal out of it before. He never gave Vector any indication that he was disgusted at him being a Joiner. Vector didn't want to get his hopes up, in case the Agent really was just kidding, and to make the wrong assumption would lead to them both feeling great embarrassment.

"You say that like you don't fit that criteria," Vector replied. "You are certainly handsome."

Dark eyes traced the scars on Aden's face, before meeting his red ones.

Vector hadn't given any thought to romance after he joined the hive. He never thought anyone would want to be with someone like him. He was different, part of something greater than himself alone.

Lack-of-Kaliyo-making-a-ruckus jitters it was apparently not. This had passed into being flirtation now, he was sure of that much. And Vector didn't seem to be shying away, or bothered, by that fact. If the way he was looking at him was any indicator, it seemed that he found the idea intriguing.

A faint flush rose to Aden's cheeks, and he crossed his arms and averted his gaze, raising his shoulders ever so slightly. He wasn't feeling defensive so much as... Something else. Being seen blushing as though he was a child with a crush was humiliating, but he couldn't exactly help that.

Romantic or friendly, Vector meant more to him than any of his other companions, and more than any of his flings put together.

Caring that much for a person that was not himself was already terrifying enough. If they were to be more, and something happened... But still. The feelings were already there.

"I ought to say you'd better get your eyes checked but... Wouldn't want to give you the wrong idea."

The wrong idea being that he was rejecting this development. The truth was quite the opposite, after all.

Vector must have not heard that right. Was Aden actually blushing? Was Vector seeing what he thought he was?

"What would the wrong idea be? That our connection goes beyond mere friendship? Because if that's not how you see us, we will understand."

While Vector would certainly have liked their relationship to go beyond mere friends, he wouldn't push it if Aden didn't feel that way about them, and simply hope to push through any awkwardness.

"The wrong idea would be that our connection doesn't go beyond friendship. I didn't want to say to get your eyes checked in a way that seemed like I was rejecting you."

Honesty. Sincerity. Not concepts he was entirely familiar with. A lack of connection, secrets. Those were an agent's key to survival. Even now that the situation had changed, no shadowy Cabal breathing down their necks, no Imperial Intelligence, no Sith waiting in the wings ready to strike him dead for some imagined slight or another... Well, habits were hard to break.

Still, for Vector's sake, he was willing to try.

"I care about you, Vector. As more than merely a friend."

Vector was special. Aden cared about the others too- Lokin, Raina. Not Kaliyo or Scorpio, admittedly, but he doubted either of them really cared. But Vector... Vector made Aden want to be a better person. Half the time, whether he knew it or not, Vector served as Aden's moral compass. The people who owed their very life to Vector's presence was well into the double digits by now.

"I'm just surprised that you seem to feel the same as I do. I... Well, you never gave any indication before this that that might be something you'd be interested in. And I never thought it to be my place to inquire whether or not you're into men."

Vector felt his heart skip a beat. Aden cared about him as more than a friend. Surely this was a dream.

"It never seemed the right time. So many things were happening to us, and there were times you were in great distress, and we were unsure if you even felt the same way."

Though, there had been times when Vector thought he saw a hint of attraction from Aden. But Vector hadn't wanted to jump to anything and have it turn out that Aden wasn't attracted to him after all.

"You had a mission to do, and then more missions after that. We weren't even sure we felt that way about you at first, but then, as time went on, we knew that we were. But, likewise, we weren't sure you were into men. Nor did we even think it was the right time for romance. So we kept it to ourselves."

Well, many things happening wasn't exactly false. At one point it had felt like they'd only just gotten themselves out of one mess only to step right into the next. He didn't think there was any time he'd been particularly distressed though. Of course he was a fairly poor judge of his own moods most of the time, responding to violence with violence, sometimes in excess. He had always been rather volatile, especially when hurt or even just threatened. Changing that habit was... Something he was working on.

He supposed it made Vector the better judge though- more easily able to see when he was genuinely distressed or not.

"I guess you're not wrong-" He said, looking thoughtful, "Still... I would have made an effort to make sure there was the right time for romance, had I known."

How often had he disappeared off with a fling, too. Vector didn't strike him as the jealous type, but he knew that he wouldn't have been able to watch someone he liked wander off with someone else (or multiple someones, even) without at least feeling a little bitter and also maybe feeling like putting poison in said someone else's drink.

He wouldn't, of course. But he'd feel like doing it.

No real use in dwelling in the past though, he supposed. After all, they were being open about their feelings now. And there was just them and the droid. Being open about these feelings without a certain someone there to make a fuss about it was probably better.

He smiled then, looking up into Vector's eyes as he reached to put a hand on his cheek, gently brushing his thumb over his skin, "But I suppose there is no time like the present?"

If being more than his friend was something Vector wanted now... Aden would be more than happy to oblige. If he merely wanted the feelings out in the open... He could live with that too. He just wanted Vector to be happy, that was all. It was why he was trying to be careful- to not push. Vector's happiness was more important to him than his own- and it wasn't often Aden felt that way about a person.

Vector leaned into the touch, his fingers stroking the back of Aden's hand. The Agent's hand felt so good on his skin, blue touching pale tones, mainly due to how deprived Vector had felt denying himself the other man's touch. He felt like an utter fool for not making his feelings known, and having to wait until now to get things out in the open.

Leaning in, Vector pressed their lips together. The kiss was gentle, caressing his lips softly against Aden's. He took in the other man's scent, closing his eyes and just enjoying his presence.

He was really doing this. He was kissing this man at last, letting him know how he felt, and Aden had sounded like he didn't want Vector as just another fling. Which was good, because Vector wanted more than that.

He made an ever so slight noise, when Vector's lips touched his- a soft almost whine, entirely pleased and- humiliating, really. What was he, some sort of affection-starved teenager? He should have outgrown that long ago. Still, to finally be doing this felt almost like a dream. Like he'd wake up, find that the ship was indeed still filled with all his companions, and that all this was the result of Kaliyo spiking the caf with something or other.

Or maybe that he'd been in a coma and had in fact been dreaming for a long time, in which case, what was wrong with him that it had taken him so long to dream this scenario up.

He made a mental note to pinch himself at the earliest convenience, but for now was all too happy to close his eyes and lean into the kiss, free hand moving to grasp Vector's shoulder lightly, while the hand on his cheek moved, fingers sliding into his dark hair, coming to rest at the back of his head- holding onto his hair lightly, as an indication that he didn't want him pulling away yet, but still light enough that he could should he wish to.

If this was a dream, then he didn't want to wake up.

Vector never wanted the kiss to end. He wanted to show Aden how much he loved him, how much he wanted him. The kiss was an expression of how much he'd wanted this, the gesture filled with the pent up want and desire too long denied.

One of his hands rested on the Chiss' waist, while the other pressed up against his back, pulling Aden in closer. He brushed his tongue past Aden's lips, deepening the kiss. A low moan escaped his throat as they kissed, brushing his tongue along Aden's.

His last fling hadn't been that long ago- recent enough that he shouldn't be feeling like this from something so small, like he hadn't been touched in ages, like he was starved for it, a shudder working its way down his spine as Vector pulled him closer, fingers tightening their grip on his shoulder, all to eager to deepen the kiss.

His heart had to be near beating out his chest, this was different. Calling it exhilarating came close. Before he might have disregarded it, even laughed, if someone had suggested that kissing someone you were genuinely in love with, being close to them, felt different from kissing someone random, a one-night stand. Now though? He believed it.

Vector's scent, his heat, the way that low moan had sounded... Did he even have a clue what he was doing to him?

With some hesitation, he pulled back- needed to catch his breath, and while he was doing so tilted his head to nuzzle along the other man's jaw, "What are you doing to me, hm, Vector? Making me lose my composure so easily..."

His voice was a low, seductive purr. He did not sound like he minded one bit, and he certainly didn't, either. Quite the opposite- he loved it.

"Our first kiss, our first time so close... And already I don't ever want to part from you."

Sappy? Sure. But with how long they'd both kept these feelings pent up, he couldn't help it.

Vector nuzzled the Chiss in return, running his hand through Aden's hair. Never had he heard Aden speak so lovingly, not to him nor anybody. Vector felt his heart swell knowing that Aden saved this side of himself for Vector and no other being had the privilege.

"We would keep you in our arms forever, if we could. Your aura is so bright, we are drawn to you as the moth is to a flame."

A gloved hand came up to trace one of Aden's scars, stroking it lovingly. His was a face that told a story, and proved that Aden was a survivor. The scars didn't diminish from the Chiss' handsomeness. If anything, they accentuated how good looking he was.

"We are your's, now and forever." Vector hadn't thought he could feel as strong a connection as this, as strong of a connection as he felt to the hive.

Had anyone else been around to hear, he would be embarrassed. Aden was many things- sarcastic, standoffish, rather volatile even at the best of times. Individualistic, definitely. While he certainly could be merciful and even kind, it wouldn't be most people's first choice in describing him. But with Vector... Vector made him want to be a better person. Aden couldn't say that about anyone else.

So even if being openly loving was rather embarrassing when he was so used to being prickly, Vector was the only one deserving of seeing this side of him. Loving, affectionate, and open about how he was feeling and the love he felt.

"Now and forever... I like the sound of that," He said, looking up at him with a genuine smile, and with genuine affection, and he reached to put his hand over Vector's, "I feel the same. Yours, now and forever. Only yours."

Sleeping around was something that might have just seemed like a quirk of Aden's being. On every planet, and on nearly every mission, he'd ended up in someone's bed, come slinking back to the crew afterwards... But now? Now he had Vector and he was happy to be only his. He didn't need anyone else.

"We love you, Aden," It felt so good to finally be able to say those words. How long had he wanted to say them? So he said them again, "We love you."

So often, Aden had gone off to some affair, Vector hadn't been able to help but feel a little jealous. There was the worry that this one-night-stand would be different, and Aden would take them as his one and only, and Vector had told himself to just be glad for his friend if it happened.

But Aden never did anything serious. And now the Chiss was his, and his alone.

"Would you have us, knowing what we are? Someone forever tied to something larger than us..." A moment of concentration. "Larger than I?"

Love was a strange concept. Not one he was particularly familiar with, either. As a child, familial love had been a foreign thing- parents competent enough, but hardly the openly loving sort. They'd seen him to adulthood and then Aden had set out on his own- away from the Ascendancy to be someone who was of use, and he had been alone.

Humans, he found, were worse than he could ever have imagined. They said Chiss eyes were eerie, cold, but nothing came close to the hatred he saw in those humans he easily ran circles around. As time passed, he became closed off- he began to put his own needs first, became individualistic, and the notion of love got put in a box and kicked into the back of the closet to gather dust. The closest he'd come were his affairs, but they were always just physical. A comfort, more than anything else.

The person he'd been when he first met Vector was so much more cynical than the person he was now.

Back then Aden had found the other man to be somewhat of a curiosity- not so much what he was as how he was. Charming and charismatic- perfect for a diplomat, but beneath that he was truly kind. It had been the first time in a long time that Aden had looked up to another person in more than just a physical sense. Kindness was something Aden had come to see as a weakness, despite being capable of it, but Vector... Vector was good at making it seem like a strength.

Vector had become a friend before he knew it, a form of love. Then Aden had started feeling something more- attraction had always been present, Aden wasn't blind, but... The nature of the love he felt had changed. He'd thought he couldn't have it, and had buried himself in work and distracted himself with affairs and at points, the frustration he'd felt had made him want to scream as love decided to stick around, grow stronger, rather than diminish over time.

And now here he was. In the arms of the man he loved so much he could scream declarations of it from the tallest building in Kaas City.

Sappy. Better to keep that particular fact under wraps. He still had somewhat of an image to maintain, best to not let Vector know that he was, in fact, an idiot.

As for Vector's question..., "I... Have I ever given you any indication that I mind?"

He didn't think he had. Their relationship had been friendly rather than romantic, but still.

"I love you, Vector. I have for some time now. So yes, I would have you, knowing what you are, knowing you're tied to something larger than yourself. If you thought I'd come into this with a list of terms and conditions, then I might start to wonder if you've taken relationship advice from Kaliyo."

Despite the jovial nature of his statement, he was serious- he loved him. All of him, as he was.

"No, never," Vector assured him. "You have always accepted us as a Joiner and Dawn Herald. You have never wanted us to change. We were merely expressing an insecurity we've had for some time."

Many outside the Hive found Joiners to be unsettling, and Vector had sworn he'd gotten a few looks before, even though he had more free will than most Joiners. Even those outside of Alderaan found his eyes to be creepy.

Vector tightened his arms around Aden, never wanting to let him go, daring the universe to take the Chiss from him. He leaned in to kiss him again.

Well, it wasn't like he didn't understand having insecurities. He had plenty himself, after all. About his height, certainly, being rather short for an adult of... Nearly every species, really. But also about his species itself, given how so many Imperials had issues with anyone who wasn't human. Having been alone and having lived so long among humans, there were certain insecurities that had come along with that, that he certainly didn't have before.

He didn't really speak of these insecurities, of course. He never saw the need to, and before she'd proven herself completely untrustworthy, his only friend had been Kaliyo. And even back then, he'd known he'd only been laughed at if he tried to hold a mature conversation with her. That was the sort of person Kaliyo was, after all.

But his own insecurities seemed unimportant, now.

The way Vector looked at him made Aden feel wanted, as he was. Vertically challenged, blue, and all. It was a fantastic feeling.

The way he tightened his arms around him made him smile, loving how right it felt to be held by him, and as Vector leaned down to kiss him again, he was more than happy to lean up to meet the kiss, eyes closing as he wrapped both arms around his neck to keep him close, moving a hand to rest at the back of his head. He was in no hurry to pull away and if any pressing business decided to rear its ugly head, then even that would have to wait.

Vector moaned softly into the kiss, tongue brushing Aden's lips, before sliding past them and gaining entry. His hand ran through Aden's hair, tangling in the blue locks, his other hand resting on the small of his back. He never wanted this to end, and wanted to show Aden just how much he'd wanted him, and for so long. That they were doing this now, it made Vector feel like he was inhaling intoxicating pheromones.

Their insecurities, the initial hesitance, all that time denying this, it didn't matter now.

When the kiss broke, Vector leaned his forehead against Aden's, taking in his smell. "We would have you tonight. If you wish it."

That soft moan was a wonderful sound, sending a little shiver down his spine, and a soft little noise of pleasure escaped him as well, taking the way Vector's hand rested at the small of his back as encouragement to press closer to him, to curl his fingers into Vector's hair, a somewhat tight grip though careful not to pull- he liked having his hair pulled, but knew from experience that not everyone enjoyed the slight sting of pain.

The soft whine that escaped him when Vector pulled away from the kiss would have been humiliating around any other partner. Aden very rarely pleaded, but the whine was nearly like a wordless plea to kiss him again, though he didn't pursue- letting Vector set the pace for the most part.

His question came as a bit of a surprise, however- a very obvious and striking flush rising to his cheeks. How it was that this man and this man alone could make him feel like this, he didn't know, but he wasn't complaining.

"I think the normal progression of a relationship is to go on a date first, you know," His words were entirely playful, and so was his tone, for the most part, though his voice had dropped to a seductive pitch that more than said that he absolutely wished it. There was nothing at all he wanted more, in fact.

"We can take you on a date, if you wish," Vector replied, a hint of gentle snark in his voice. There would be time for proper dates later, when they neared a planet, or got the chance to get food for a romantic evening in. Right now, he was feeling the need of desire too long denied, and aching to be satisfied. He could see that Ader felt the same way.

"If you will give us some time, we wish to make things perfect tonight. Our first time should be one we remember for a long time." Vector was a romantic at heart, wanting to please his new lover and show him a good time.

That ever so slightly snarky tone made him smile, and he couldn't help but let out a little huff of laughter- Vector already sounded so charming to him, that voice that Aden could listen to for hours, the lilting tone that no sane person could ever tire of. With that added bit of snark, how could he ever be anything but utterly spellbound?

However spellbound he was though, he couldn't help but raise his brows- "I--"

A first time together being one that should be remembered was something of a... Well, he supposed he understood the sentiment behind it. It was just that while flings were common for him, proper relationships were an utter mystery. His very first time and indeed many times after that were fragmented, barely remembered blurs, as he was usually so drunk by that point that he could barely remember his own name, much less anything else.

Vector had probably seen Aden in at least part of that state before, though Kaliyo had usually been the one dragging Aden back at the end of the day.

"Of course," He said, a second later, his flush deepening, embarrassed by his initial hesitation. Still he pushed through any awkwardness to lean up and kiss the corner of his lips, "Don't keep me waiting too long, though. I think we've both had about enough of waiting, hm?"

"That we have. We promise that we will only need less than an hour to set things up. We are just as eager as you are to express our love." Vector held Aden for another moment longer, not wanting to let him go, and kissed him again, letting it linger, wanting to savor it before he left.

"We will contact you when we are ready." As Vector pulled away, he let his hands linger on the Chiss until he was no longer within arms reach.

It thankfully didn't take long to set things up. Vector went to Aden's room, lit some incense, made the bed, and, this part was the hard part, concentrated until he could no longer feel his connection to the hive, his eyes turning back to their natural smokey grey color. Even if Aden had made it clear he accepted Vector as a joiner, Vector feared that Aden might want a bit more privacy in intimate matters.

Taking the comm-link, Vector keyed in to Aden, "It's ready."

Waiting was very nearly like torture. Every second felt like a minute, every minute like an hour. A bit melodramatic, perhaps, but it was how he felt.

So Aden paced around. Tidied anything he felt that needed tidying- like the droid didn't clean and tidy enough, so that there was almost never anything that needed to be done. He went to check himself in the mirror and fussed over his appearance. Then it was back to pacing.

He considered making himself a drink, and then decided against it- wanting to be fully present.

When Vector finally called for him, it took a lot of effort to not sprint to join him, though his pace was definitely hurried- though he paused as he reached the door, hesitating when he saw his eyes- their color was beautiful, but-

"Vector?"

"Hello, Aden."

Vector looked nervous. He didn't want to disappoint Aden, be it because of their lovemaking, or because Vector was letting the Chiss see him as he was before he became one with the hive.

"I thought you might want some privacy." Vector never used singular pronouns. Since he'd become Dawn Herald, using such pronouns felt strange to him, unnatural. "You see, as I'm connected to the hive, I don't have true privacy. I can suppress my connection to them for a short while, so you can just have me."

Vector toyed with his hands, watching for Aden's reaction.

Privacy was... Well and fine, he supposed. But not having it didn't bother him either- at least, not nearly as much as Vector might have thought.

He moved over to him, reaching to gently take a hold of his hands to keep him from fidgeting, leaning up to press a kiss to the corner of his lips, "Vector, what matters most to me is that you're comfortable. If suppressing your connection makes you uncomfortable, then I'd prefer if you didn't do that."

Vector was too good for his own good. Too kind, Aden thought, for the sort of world they all lived in. And certainly too good for him, though Aden was working on being better- someone more deserving of Vector's friendship, and now his love as well.

Vector made him want to be someone kinder. And Aden couldn't say that about anyone else.

So he truly wanted Vector to do whatever felt most comfortable to him.

"Do you mean that?" The question was rhetorical. Vector could see it in the Chiss' face and in his eyes. Aden really accepted all of him, connection to the killiks and all. It didn't matter to him that this would become a memory that all killiks shared, and part of the killik hive forever. "Thank you, Aden."

Closing his eyes, Vector concentrated, and when they opened, they were back the solid black Aden was more familiar with.

"Shall we, then?" Vector placed his hands on Aden's arms, pulling him in close and holding the Chiss against him, leaning down to kiss his neck.

It was a question that needed no answer- it already had been, after all. Aden accepted all of Vector- now, as he always had. The change in the nature of their relationship wouldn't suddenly make him wish Vector was different. Wouldn't make him seek to make Vector deny a part of his very being- after all, so far as Aden was concerned, Vector could no more stop being a Joiner and Dawn Herald than he could stop being Chiss.

To ask him to deny that part of himself during such moment, or to wish to change him, that would be cruelty.

Aden loved him- as he was. He always had. Ever since he'd first laid eyes on him on Alderaan, he'd felt drawn to him.

And now here they were- finally together, "We shall-" He replied, softly, a pleased little sigh escaping him as Vector's lips brushed his neck, head tilting back as a shudder ran through him. Even just this was somehow almost intoxicating- he couldn't help but press his body closer to Vector's, arms wrapping around him, slipping beneath his clothes to trace his fingertips along his back, trailing lightly up along his spine.

If it was like this for him, he certainly hoped that it was the same for Vector. He hoped to see the other man lose his composure entirely, before the night was over.

Vector trailed his lips up Aden's neck, to his cheeks and then found his lips. The kiss was soft, with just a hint of tongue, brushing across the agent's lips. His hand ran through the dark blue strands of hair, while his other hand trailed down, looking for the hem of Aden's shirt.

Pulling away for a moment, Vector started to remove his robe, letting it fall to the floor. Thankfully he'd worn a rather simple outfit today, consisting of a robe over a simple tunic and pants.

"We wish to see you. All of you." He tugged at Aden's clothes, eager to see the Chiss lain bare before him.

"Impatient," He purred, teasingly, a slight smile playing on his lips. Even though he said that, he wasn't exactly any different, watching the other man intently, stepping closer to lean up and peck his lips, before moving back again to grant his beloved his wish, undoing the fastenings of his shirt, eyes locked on Vector's.

There was a deliberate slowness to his actions, taking his time, even if he was just as impatient- there was a greater part of him still who was a tease.

After all, he was nothing if not playful, in all things. Even this.

"We have longed to see you lain bare before us," Vector purred. His hands slid under the Chiss' shirt, sliding it off him slowly and exposing his body. Black eyes gazed down at his lover's body, his skin the loveliest shade of blue and his body lean.

"You are lovely." Vector leaned down to kiss Aden's neck, lips trailing along his shoulder, his hands resting on the other man's waist.

Vector only pulled away so he could unlace his own shirt and slide it off him. He had a little muscle on him, but didn't have a trace of a scar. His robes were surprisingly protective, it seemed.

"Only longed?" He asked, unable to suppress a slight shiver as the other man moved to slide his shirt off, delightfully forward, and delightfully impatient. He liked that, after all. It was so different from how he usually was, and Aden adored it.

"Not fantasized about it?"

Still with the teasing- he couldn't help himself, even as he shuddered as Vector's lips trailed along his neck and shoulder, breath hitching slightly, another soft noise of complaint escaping him as Vector stepped back, though it was gone in a second, those intense red eyes watching with interest as he slid his shirt off.

"You're far more lovely than I am," He said, stepping closer again to lean up as though to kiss him, only to tilt his head slightly to the side to kiss the corner of his mouth, before trailing those gentle kisses along his jaw, "A more lovely man than you does not exist."

"Perhaps we have fantasized a little," Vector replied, a sly little smirk on his face. He tilted his head into the kisses, while his hand ran through the Chiss' blue hair. Such lovely blue hair. Everything about Aden was beautiful.

Vector trailed a hand along Aden's cheek, locking eyes with him. "Your skin is reminds us of the night sky over Alderaan. And your eyes, they are so beautiful. They sparkle like two rubies."

Vector suddenly got down on his knees, undoing Aden's trousers. "We wish to taste you."

Aden had had things he meant to say- he'd meant to ask what type of fantasies Vector had had about him, and he had meant to call him sappy for likening his skin to the night sky, his eyes to gems. Seeing him sinking down to his knees in front of him however, anything he'd meant to say slipped his mind.

He hissed a soft curse, fairly certain that this sight was akin to a religious experience.

"You're going to drive me insane at this rate, you know that, right?" He asked, voice soft and breathy as he reached to run his fingers through Vector's dark hair.

As if reading Aden's thoughts, Vector purred, "We have often fantasized about doing this to you. Tasting you, touching this part of you with our lips and taking you into our mouth."

Vector pulled out Aden's cock, marveling at it for a moment, just admiring the color. This wasn't the first time he'd done this, but it was certainly the first time he'd done this to a Chiss.

Leaning forward, Vector ran his lips along the shaft slowly, his lips just brushing along the length. He then kissed the tip in a way that could be considered chaste.

His breath hitched, that soft purr sending a shiver up his spine. Just that voice alone could be the end of him. When Vector ran his lips along his cock, such a light, teasing touch, he cursed under his breath in Cheuhn, running his fingers through the other man's hair again.

"Vector," He uttered softly, voice almost the normal sultry one, though it had an unusual impatience to it, more a desperate little plea than anything else, however much he tried to keep it under control.

He had teased the Joiner about being impatient, but it seemed he was hardly any better himself.

Vector kissed the tip again, this time a little more firmly, just to get the Chiss riled up a little more. That and he just liked the feel of the head against his lips.

Deciding that Aden had enough teasing, the Joiner wrapped his lips around the head, taking it into his mouth. Slowly, he slid down the shaft, lips caressing the length of flesh, going slowly, almost agonizingly so.

One of his hands went to Aden's waist, just resting there for now, while the other held the base of his cock.

Cipher Nine and the Ambassador

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