1.3 - Cheaters Never Prosper. But Do Playboys?

~~*~~

Jim had just finished class and was heading to his dorm to relax since it was the last lesson of the day for him when he heard shouting as he approached the library. He almost ignored it, not wanting to get involved if it didn't have anything to do with him before he heard that unforgettable silky voice that caused him to stop and check on what was happening.

Not too far from the little library that he had seen them together at first, he noticed the blueish boy with his boyfriend. It physically pained Jim to see him look so upset, hear so much distress in his voice as he continued his argument with his partner, "I can't believe you would do this!"

The other man looked confused as he shouted back, "Do what? We're in an open relationship!"

"That doesn't mean you get to sleep with anyone anytime and not say! It means that we talk! You didn't. You cheated on me!"

"You said I could sleep with whoever whenever!" he countered angrily; his confusion being defeated quickly by annoyance at the other man.

"Yeah, if you talked to me about it. I always tell you before I'm gonna go after someone in case it makes you uncomfortable, that's what you're meant to do. That's what we said we'd do when we started this! I would have very likely said yes if you asked if it made you happy to have another long-term partner I would have said yes! But you didn't feel like telling me—"

"—That's not true—" he interrupted, appearing even more pissed but the other kept going, ignoring him,

"—You thought you'd just be with someone behind my back. For two months! That's not open, that's cheating!"

"Like you can talk slut." He spit out venomously, his distressed face morphing to a glare aimed at the other man.

The silver-haired-man suddenly froze. His face dropping as all fight abandoned him. Anger sizzling out with shock as he barely managed to whisper "Wha—?" with a broken voice.

"You've probably slept with everyone in the academy. Like I'd want to be with used goods."

"I—"

"So, fuck off. I'm done with you." He finished angrily, giving one final glare before storming off in the opposite direction leaving the man looking broken and alone, tears staining his cheeks as he stared after his boyfriend, his ex boyfriend.

Jim couldn't stop himself from glaring at the retreating man on behalf of the upset one before his eyes softened to worry, looking back at the man who had him so captivated. He watched him just stand there for a second before he looked at the ground, whipping the tears from his eyes and cheeks with his sleeves and palms. He took a deep breathe and Jim watched in horror as he smiled that same bright smile that Jim had fallen in love with as if nothing had happened.

That broke Jim. That fact that that beautiful man could be standing there crying and then just smile as if nothing had happened, hurt. To hide himself so easily. To even need to know that skill. To be so good at it. What had his life been like that he'd learned so proficiently to hide his emotions behind such a beautiful smile so effortlessly?

He watched as the boy walked inside the library and disappeared inside. Jim stood frozen, not sure what to do in that moment after witnessing that, before realising he was being an idiot and quickly hurrying inside after him.

~~*~~

As usual, there were very few people in this particular library and the few that were there all had their heads buried in their PADDs and computers trying to focus on their work. He scanned the room for a moment by the entrance before he spotted the familiar head of darkened silver hair sat at an otherwise empty desk in the very corner of the room. He observed him for a moment, noting nothing that would even suggest the argument Jim had just witnessed having ever taken place. Steeling his nerves, he slid on his usually smirk and approached, slipping into the seat directly opposite.

His sudden appearance caused the boy's head to look up rather quickly and shock to dominate his features before he noticed who had decided to sit with him and it turned to curiosity and confusion as Jim greeted him with a simple "Hi."

"Hi." The man replied, offering a small warm smile with it, though the curiosity still prominent on his handsome features.

Jim flashed the best smirk he could as he introduced himself, "I'm James Kirk."

This caused amusement to cover the boy's face as his smile grew. "I know, I remember you."

Jim's smirk faltered for a small moment as he mumbled out a "Right," making the man's amused smile grow slightly. But Jim continued before the man could open his mouth to offer his name in return, "Well, I have to admit that you're at an advantage there. I was too drunk to remember your name."

This caused the man to laugh before finally giving Jim a name to match to his attractive face, "I'm Caliaire, but please, call me Cali."

"No last name where you come from?" he questioned, getting more into his flirting than he realised.

"Nah, some of my people give themselves one to blend in better with other cultures, but I couldn't be bothered."

Jim couldn't help himself. He'd been wanting to use the line for so long that it just slipped out, "Well, if you really need one, you could always have mine."

Cali couldn't contain his laugh as he raised his eyebrows at the confident flirt, "Cocky."

Jim smirked again, raising his eyebrows suggestively for a moment before he remembered why he had approached the man in the first place. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good, been studying." He replied, looking down and indicating the PADD set out in front of him, "I would ask if you're doing the same, since you're in a library, but I get the impression you're not the studying type of guy."

Jim gasps dramatically and places a hand over his chest in mock offence, "I am insulted you would insinuate such a thing, sir."

Cali laughed again causing Jim to join in, happy to be getting such a reaction out of the man. "Sorry darling."

Seeing the relaxed smile dance across Cali's face made Jim smile. "Fine, I forgive you. If." He stopped for a moment in dramatic pause, "You let me buy you a drink. Say tonight?"

Cali looked at him with a smile and a suspicious raised eyebrow, having ignored the implications of the flirting until now, "I thought you weren't gay."

Without missing a beat or losing his flirtatious smile, Jim replied confidently, "I'm not. So, drink?"

Rolling his eyes Cali found himself replying before he even had to think about it, "Sure, why not, you're cute. Bar at 9?"

"Perfect. See you then, Cali."

"See you then, darling." Replied as Jim flashed him one last smirk before slipping out of his seat and walking out of the library, a cocky smile on his face, genuinely happy about his later date. Cali turned around in his chair to watch him walk away, a small thankful smile on his face. He had really needed that.

~~*~~

Back in his dorm with Bones, Jim was sat on his bed doing work for his class the next day on a PADD when Bones spoke up. "Hey, you wanna do something later?"

Jim looked up, at his friend as he was immediately reminded of the fact he was meeting with Cali in a few hours. "Uh, can't tonight."

Bones looked over at him with narrowed eyes for a moment before coming to a realisation. "You have a date?"

Jim paused for a second before smiling almost dreamingly, "Yeah, I do."

"Poor girl, I'll vacate the room then." Bones joked looking back to his work.

"Nah, don't worry, don't know if we'll make it back."

"You going back to hers?"

"Don't think so." He replied before noticing Bone's suspicious glance and quickly corrected himself, "I don't know."

"I'll be gone just in case." He answered, rolling his eyes and already planning in his head who he was gonna go to so that he wouldn't be in the same room.

"Whatever you want Bones." Jim replied, thankful that he hadn't questioned it further.

~~*~~

By a quarter to nine that evening, Jim was already at the bar, sitting at a table in the corner. His eyes were practically fixed on the doorway in anticipation, knee bouncing. He had barely been able to stop himself from getting there even earlier as his nerves tried to get the best of him. However, as soon as the familiar head of silver hair entered, and a warm welcoming smile was aimed in his direction it was like all his nerves vanished and his usual smirk laced his lips once more.

Cali greeted him with his silky voice as he slid into the chair opposite Jim at the selected table. "Hi, looking good." Jim replied, looking Cali up and down.

The man was no longer wearing his red cadet uniform, opting for much more attractive clothes. He wore a black shirt, long sleeves rolled up to his elbows revealing several thin bracelets, its top couple of buttons undone to reveal the top of his chest. Over it was a stylish grey waist coat, buttons done up. Tight black jeans covered his legs, form fitting showing Jim how alluring his behind was, with black matte formal shoes underneath. Once again, he wore a thin line of black eyeliner around his electric blue eyes that Jim was beginning to think he never took off. The front sides of his silvery hair was pulled behind his head and tied with a black band revealing his ears that he hadn't noticed were very slightly pointed before, not as much as a Vulcan's but the point was there.

"Thank you, pet." Cali smiled, letting his eyes looks over Jim before smirking slightly, "I have to say the same for you." Also opting out of wearing his uniform, Jim went for a more casual look. A plain pale greyish-blue t-shirt was covered by his favourite black leather jacket. He also chose to wear jeans but his were a faded navy and looser on him slightly covering his faded white trainers that were turning grey from ware and tare.

Jim smirked flirtatiously back. "I'll get drinks, what'd you like?"

Cali hummed, biting his lip slightly in thought for a moment causing Jim's eyes to be drawn to the small action. "I'll have a beer please."

"Two beer coming right up." He announced as he got up to order for them. Cali's eyes followed him as he moved, drifting downwards slightly when Jim leant forward on the bar's edge to order.

~~*~~

Later in the evening, the two were still in the bar, laughing genuinely, several drinks in, somehow still having an actual conversation despite how drunk they were slowly getting. They'd both found the other quite easy to talk to, first starting off with meaningless things before the topic of their pasts were brought up.

"You actually drove it off a cliff?" Cali managed to ask through his laughing, his cheeks hurting from smiling so much over the night.

Jim smirked again, taking a swig from his drink nodding. "Yep, got in so much shit for it."

"I can bet, your uncle must have been furious. How old were you?" He asked, brining his bottle to his lips to take another swig of his drink.

"Twelve."

"Twelve!?" Cali shouted in disbelief, almost spitting his drink back out in shock, a hand raising to cover his mouth just in case before managing to swallow it. "I don't believe you."

"I was!"

Suddenly less giggly, Cali looked Jim over, as if he would see any scars from so long ago, "Gods, were you alright?"

"I was fine," he answered casually, waving off the concern with his tone, "couple of scrapes and bruises from jumping out of it but nothing serious."

Looking off to the side distractedly, Cali drank some more, "If that was any of my kids, I don't know what I'd do."

"You're kids? You a parent?"

"Oh, no. I'm too gay to have kids." He replied dismissively, waving his hand, causing Jim to raise an amused and suggestive eyebrow smirking, but Cali continued on his explanation not noticing, "On my planet, literally everyone looks after the children in the village. The ones you look after become your own in a sense."

"Huh," Jim looked at Cali thoughtfully, taking a sip of his near-empty beer, "what is your planet like?"

Looking at him, Cali thought for a moment before replying in a nostalgic voice, "Very different from Earth. While we are a technically advanced civilisation, everything is revolved around looking after the younger generation, making sure their lives are the best they can be."

"Really?"

"Yeah, children are worshiped. Literally. Even our gods are children. Well, two out of the three."

"Interesting." Jim replied, looking interested before his eyes widened as If remembering something, "Wait, I just realised I don't even know what species you are."

"I'm a Polyvore."

Jim narrowed his eyes in thought, "Don't think I've heard much of those before."

"Well, not many leave Donum, our planet, so you don't see many about. And even then, what is known about us, I've found, is often very wrong and kinda offensive."

"I'll try to ignore gossip about you then." He stated with a smirk.

"Mm, please. Especially about me specifically. It's all bullshit." His words had a bite to them, but they just made Jim laugh.

"What was it like being raised like that then?"

"Normal?" He questioned gaining a laugh out of Jim again, "I don't know. Kinda brilliant. I always got loads of attention. Someone to fulfil my every wish and desire. It's like a paradise when you're little."

"But not when you're older?" Jim questioned, sensing the meaning at the end of his words.

"When you're older, you look after the new kids. Your life revolves around fulfilling their every wish and desire."

"Sounds like hell."

"Nah, it was alright. I enjoyed it. Doesn't mean the two years I did it wasn't more then enough for me though. It was tiring work."

"I'll drink to that." He laughed, raising his glass so that the two bottles chinked before they both downed what was left in them.

Looking down at their empty bottles, Cali got up. "My turn I think." He commented before making his way over to the bar to order more.

Jim watched him walk away thoughtfully. He was very much enjoying this date. Learning about Cali's world was fascinating. Though he couldn't honestly decide if it was because it was an interesting planet or because it was Cali's silky voice explaining it so passionately that made him gripped by the stories.

Cali felt the same. Learning about Jim's early life in Iowa with his uncle was enthralling. He loved listening to Jim talking about all the times he got into trouble growing up. He also loved when Jim spoke about his father. While you still mourned when your birth parents passed on his planet, they were not the only parents you had and you were never particularly closer to them than anyone else so he couldn't imagine what it was like not growing up with a father when you also didn't have any others.

Drinks in hand, he returned to the table and the stories continued. Both sharing more about their pasts. Jim more tales of his misadventures. Cali of what it was like growing up with a dozen siblings and three dozen parents. Jim also found out that Cali was currently studying to become a xenolinguistic, while Cali found out he was aiming to become a Captain of his own star ship.

By the end of the evening as they left the bar, the two were much closer. Completely content in each other's company, they didn't even question it when they ended up in Jim's room together, going with the flow and ending up under the covers in a passionate dancing embrace.

~~*~~

Cali's now been introduced along with a bit about his culture. Everything about Cali and his culture is completely my own work, his species does not exist in canon Star Trek. Also, I'm not planning on making up an entire new language for Polynese, especially since Cali barely speaks his native language on Earth, so it's just gonna be Latin. I'm lazy. Sue me.

Also, sorry for the fade to black but I'm aroace so smut isn't really my forte.

Translation:

Donum means Home