Raining Stars

Trea’k sank onto the bench behind Dustin as he fussed away with ordering a plate of snacks and some drinks for the three of them. So engrossed was he in his task that he didn’t notice the woman’s movement until strong arms wrapped around him and he found himself pulled gently back to rest his head against the softness of her chest. “You really do worry too much about taking care of us all sometimes, li’ah’a” Meli mused as she swung a leg over the bench to sit facing away from him, before lying back to rest her head in his lap. “While food and drink would be nice, I think Trea’k and I would be happy enough just to watch the stars with you.”

Dustin took that on advisement, hit one more button on the tablet to ensure that whatever he’d currently ordered would arrive shortly, and let the tablet drop to the floor. Settling back and running a hand idly through Meli’s hair, he glanced up to see a gentle smile on the face of the Vex’ess woman above him. Seeing his gaze, she winked (or was it blinked? Does it count as blinking to close two eyes when you have four of them?) and spoke softly. “Meli’a is correct. Simply being here, being close is nice. Were it just the two of us I believe it could be considered a second date according to human mating rituals.”

That comment earned an exasperated sigh from the Velca woman in Dustin’s lap. Waving one arm idly, Meli responded “as I explained to you in the lab earlier, at length I might add, normal human rituals do not apply when engaging with non-humans. Technically, what could be considered Dustin’s second dates with Rye and Emely both ended with them having sex with the rest of us as well. On the other hand” she added, feeling Dustin breath in to begin to speak “if you do not count those periods of intimacy as dates then there was a significant length of time between first and second dates.” Then she chuckled and and added “actually, from what I understand from talking to the girls, if you don’t view the time I was also with them as a second date, the next major occasions they spent alone with Dustin both involved some light bondage. How do you feel about being tied up?”

Trea’k spluttered for a moment and Dustin mused that for all her normal calm and regal bearing was attractive, the insect woman (much like Emely) was utterly adorable when flustered. Getting herself under control, the Vex’ess replied. “I am unsure. It is… not a practice that my kind usually engage in, although I am aware from the memories the overqueen gave me of the principles. If this is something you desire to engage in with all your mates captain, I will of course study further and…” Dustin shook his head, vaguely aware of the motion sending ripples through the massive breasts he was resting it on as he replied. “No, not at all Trea’k. I did it with Emely because she really likes taking the submissive role, and with Rye…” he hesitated, trying to find the right words before concluding “she can be a brat sometimes, and when she’s like that then bondage makes a good way of ending the banter as far as she’s concerned.” It wasn’t exactly a perfect description of the bunny girl’s attitude to being tied up, but it’d do for now.

At that point, Meli pointed up and the conversation trailed off as the trio’s gaze turned to the sky above them. Far overhead, the first sparks of light lit the night sky as smaller pieces of space rock flash-vaporised or exploded from the friction heat of entering the moon’s muggy atmosphere. “The larger pieces should start in a moment” Dustin breathed as Trea’k wrapped an arm around him and Meli snuggled into him from the front. Silence filled the room as they watched, fragments of debris tumbling in one or two at a time - and then all at once the sky lit up as the mass entering the atmosphere grew to the point where it looked like the stars themselves were cascading down like rain.

“It’s beautiful” Trea’k murmured from somewhere above his head; Meli gave a small murmur of agreement from further down. Dustin’s eyes were filled with stars, and his heart was full of contentment as he stretched his arms out - one above him to stroke the insect woman’s cheek and the other down to gently brush his fiance’s hair. “It is. And so are both of you.” He half-whispered, earning a happy nuzzle from the Velca woman and a sudden dampness on the back of his raised hand. Glancing up as best he could from where he was lying, he saw Trea’k’s eyes wet with tears and a smile on her face; thinking back, he suddenly remembered her insecurities about how he would view her appearance.

It wasn’t like he couldn’t understand how people might have found her unattractive - she was a giant insect woman after all, and a lot of species had hard-wired distaste for bugs built in by evolution over the years; it was just that to do so would have meant ignoring her personality, her face especially when she smiled (and, his baser instincts reminded him, the oversized chest) and everything more than just “bug lady” that made Trea’k be… well, Trea’k. Moving his hand slightly further up, he pulled gently at the back of her neck.

Meli shifted out of his lap - she’d clearly looked in Trea’k’s direction and realized what was going on - and moved to allow him to half-twist his body around so that he could bring his face up as the Vex’ess woman lowered hers at his insistence, their lips meeting in a tender kiss. Her lips were soft against his, and for a moment he let himself sink into that softness as he tried to reassure her with his actions that she was indeed highly attractive. Trea’k broke the kiss a moment later, turning her head to one side. At first, Dustin thought he’d misjudged the situation somehow - but then saw that the reason for her action. Meli had moved around while they had been kissing, and as soon as Trea’k had moved her head back the Velca woman had ensured that the Vex’ess turned so that she could lean in for a kiss of her own.

Dustin made a mental note to keep an eye out for more meteor showers in the future; watching his first love and the woman he was currently getting to know kissing tenderly by the light of falling stars was certainly a highlight of the week. Meli broke the kiss first, moving back with a pleased expression on her face before turning to him and pulling him in for a far more passionate kiss than the emotive ones that the pair of them had shared with Trea’k. Toes half-curled at the things promised by that kiss, Dustin had a dumb grin on his face when the Velca broke it, glanced upwards, and smiled. “We haven’t missed the best part of the shower still. And now you’ve had a proper second date Trea’k - you’ve even shared him with me just like everyone else.”

Meli’s voice had been so deadpan that it took Trea’k a moment to realize she was teasing, at which point the Vex’ess broke into soft ripples of laughter. Wiping her eyes a moment later she nodded. “Indeed. Thank you both. I did not realize how much fear I was carrying about not being accepted or sufficient for your relationship.” Dustin sighed and turned back around, allowing the woman’s arms to pull him into a hug as he gazed up at the display in the sky overhead. Meli too returned to her previous position - before shuffling up so that Dustin could wrap his arms around her. As the intensity of the shooting stars ramped up, the Velca woman gave a contented sigh before raising her head slightly to speak. “For the record, Trea’k, you can drop the honorific from my name. Certain activities aside, you’re basically part of our relationship already; normally I’d wait until we had gotten… closer, but I’m going to make an exception in your case.” Above him, the insect woman shifted slightly and one of the arms around his chest moved to give the Velca woman’s shoulder a gentle squeeze. “I am honoured. Thank you, Meli.” And with that, the three sat in silence watching the stars rain down until the robot arrived with a hamper of drinks and snacks.