Page 20 of Farborn

The stylus, which he had been manipulating through his fingers throughout our walk, falls still. “Wow!” he reverently gasps. “It’s even prettier like this.”

I nod. “It is a beautiful sight. I frequently come here when I am not on duty. It is even more beautiful seeing it in person.”

“I’d love to go down there.”

“There are multiple shuttles daily.”

“Are you going there soon?”

“I have just recently returned from leave. It will be a few weeks before I travel to my family’s home.”

“Oh.” Once again, I hear what sounds like a twinge of disappointment from him.

“Why?” I ask.

Davies shrugs. “Always nice to have a tour guide who knows the area.”

“Humans are not uncommon on our world. You could hire a guide, if you desired.”

Davies leans against the wall, but he is staring up at me now and has tucked the stylus behind his ear again. “Is that a polite way of giving me the brush-off? I mean, it’s okay if it is.”

“I do not understand.”

Davies’ focus returns to Pfahrn below us. “I’m gay. And I’ve had plenty of non-human sexual partners. I’m really attracted to you, but I don’t want to be an asshole and hit on you if you’re not interested in me.”

“Hit on me?”

“Make a pass at you.” He looks up at me again. “A sexual advance. I mean, I get not jumping right into bed with me the first night we meet. No problem with that. If there’s zero hope of me having anything other than friendship with you, it’s okay to tell me that.”

This leaves my mind spinning with curiosity. “You are sexually attracted to me?”

Davies laughs. “Yes. If you said you wanted to, I’d hop into bed with you right now.”

“Really?”

“Absolutely.” Now he looks confused. “Hasn’t anyone ever hit on you before? I mean, you must get that a lot working on a space station.”

“In the past, I have had two Pfahrn approach me and inquire about contracts for casual relations, but I did not enter into agreements with either of them.”

“Why not?”

“At the time, I was not desiring that kind of relationship with anyone, not just them.”

“And now?” There is an intensity in his gaze as he stares at me that …

Let me admit that it produces an interesting reaction within my own body, one that I have not felt about another person since…

Well, since I came of maturity and slaked those biological needs with my contracted partner.

Certainly, Pfahrn masturbate. It is not that I never feel sexual urges.

I just never feel them about anotherperson.

I have never felt them before about a human.

Until now.

“You intrigue me, Davies,” I eventually admit. “I do not understand why that is, but I find it pleasant. I will not have sexual relations with you tonight. However, I am definitely interested in spending more time with you during your stay on the space station. Getting to know you better.”