TimeLabs Inc (Romantic Sci-fi - LGBTQ)

Alien Love Story Part 2

Over the next few weeks, Kel accompanied the Envoy whenever she left the security of the Embassy's private quarters.  

To his dismay, he found the more he learnt about her, the more he was attracted. As well as being physically beautiful, she was everything he admired, intelligent and generous.  

He tried his best to hide his feelings and project an air of polite respect. Not only would it be entirely inappropriate to make any sort of advance while he was her bodyguard, but they were different species!  

He had no idea what the sexual practices were for her race, let alone what courting behaviour was acceptable. Did the woman or the man make the first move? Did they even have a similar biology to humans? He tried to find out as much information from the net as he could, but although their political and economic systems were described in lengthy detail, there was surprisingly little about Araean personal customs. Evidently they valued their privacy. 

He discovered that they had a custom similar to marriage - a contract entered into between two persons, but only once both parties had attained the age of thirty-five. Before that, they apparently engaged in short term contracts of about two years. He wondered why two years. Was there a reason or simply tradition? 

In any case, he had no idea if his interest would be welcome. As far as he could tell, the Envoy liked him well enough, but nothing more. 

He was in the Embassy, sitting in the small room that had been allocated to him for the duration of his assignment, when Ziva appeared on the monitor, outside his door. 

"Can I come in, Kel?" She spoke softly. 

He was supposed to be off duty for the night but Kel leapt to his feet and opened the door. "Of course, Envoy. Do you need me for something?" 

Ziva's eyes were wide and her lips were parted. If she had been human, Kel would have thought she looked distressed. Damnit! She was distressed. 

"What's wrong?" Without realising it, Kel stepped forward and took her hands in his. 

"I wanted to tell you in person. I have been recalled to Arae. I leave tomorrow." 

For a long moment they stared at each other, misery reflected on both their faces. The next moment they were in each other's arms. Kel didn't know who had moved first. 

Ziva was kissing him, so that was one thing their two races had in common, he thought hazily, through the rush of passion which was flooding his senses. 

"I wasn't going to do this," murmured Ziva. "I told myself you were out of bounds but ... I can't help myself. Can I stay with you tonight? It will be our only chance to be together." 

"Are you sure?" Kel held her tight. "Are we compatible? Physically, I mean?" he asked, suddenly hesitant. 

"Well, we aren't exactly the same as humans," said Ziva cautiously, "but I've watched a few of your holovids and I think you'll find the basic principles will work just fine. I'm willing to try if you are." 

Kel flushed. He'd tried to do the same thing, but he couldn't find any holovids about Araeans. " I can't think of anything I'd like more." He kissed her again, then paused. "I don't know what your customs are," he told her. "You'll have to tell me what to do." 

Ziva relaxed into a smile. "All right." And she took off her gown. 

~~~ 

Kel stood in front of the view port, staring at an alien world. Unlike Earth, the planet was a ball of oranges, reds and yellows with bands of green running across the surface. No oceans that he could identify.  

It had been two years since he had seen Ziva Juul. Two long years that he had spent trying to get onto the next spaceflight to Arae and here he was, finally. He knew Ziva had expected that night to be their farewell, that she would never see him again, but he hadn't been able to let go. If she couldn't stay with him, then he would go to her. 

He'd told her his plans two months ago, when his passage had been confirmed, but her response had confused him. Not cold exactly, but definitely cool, wary.  

He tried to be realistic. Two years was a long time and they had only known each other for those few short weeks. Perhaps things had changed once she was back on her own world, amongst her own people.  

But she hadn't told him not to come.