~13~

The shiny purple glow of my ray gun illuminated the whole cabin.

I can only guess to the type of expression on my face, but all sense of warmth and hospitality whipped away from theirs at the sight I presented before them.

"Okay, wait, hold on a minu-" The golden one tried to speak reason, but was quickly silenced by his silver companion thrusting a protective arm in front of him and shoving him behind his back.

I'd have thought it was sweet if half my brain wasn't currently preoccupied with making a conscious effort not to fire my weapon.

As much as I wanted to keep myself safe, I didn't want to accidentally start an intergalactic war because I accidentally killed the prince of an alien space race or something.

What would be the odds?

Maybe that was why NASA, and more specifically Carol, were blowing up all communication avenues to me right now to not be too hasty and do something stupid.

Welp, too late for that, I guess.

I lift my gun higher.

"You didn't answer my question." I repeat with a sterner tone.

The silver-coloured one glared at me with an intensity that would've made me scream and run for cover any other day of the week. But I was standing behind a mighty weapon, so that means I'm safe and I win.

Right?

My gung-ho attitude and fake bravado were quickly slipping away.

"NOM!" The golden-haired one bit into the shoulder of his friend.

"OW!" The silver one cried as he flinched from the pain, and the golden one used it as an opportunity to stand back in front.

He lifts one hand up to me in a defenceless gesture, and used the other to slip into the pockets of his pants that I didn't even notice he'd been wearing.

Honestly, I didn't even register them wearing clothes at all.

He brings out a small device that suspiciously looked like a phone and his fingers swiftly glide across it in rapid motion. Like the speed of a 14-year-old texting her friends the latest gossip.

Immediately in my peripheral, as soon as he stops typing, a golden comment pops up to the top of my chat box. Overshadowing all the rest.

Still keeping my weapon precisely aimed, I take a quick glance at my screen.

[💛We come in peace.💛]

"I FUCKING KNEW IT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

My two "guests" didn't share in my victorious emotions as they cautiously manoeuvred their way out of the line of fire of my weapon.

"Move out of the way," I then say to them, making the gesture for them to get out of the way with my gun.

"What?" The golden one asked.

"I need a clear path to the door," I simply respond.

"That still doesn't make any sense to me-"

His friend shoved him out of the way mid sentence as he fell back in the opposite direction, clearly understanding want I intended to do.

I press down on the ray gun's trigger and fire the energy blast clear through the door, it travels for several miles into the unending dark void before a mighty explosion sounded off several kilometres away.

Both men look back at me with sheer fear in their eyes.

"You were gonna fire that? In here!?" The silver one cried out. "You would've died WITH us!!"

I puff out my cheeks and wave my hands dismissively at his concern.

"I-I surely would've found a way out. I've gotten myself into stickier situations and survived just fine," I say with mock confidence, desperately trying to hide the huge wave of embarrassment washing over me.

"Barely." Silver guy deadpanly responded.

I gasp.

"THE GOOD THING IS-" The golden one cheerfully interjected, "Was that no one died! Yaaaay!"

"Yet." His partner added coldly.

"Why must you ruin everything with your cynicism?" Golden guy said.

"It's literally in my job description bae," he snarkily chuckled.

Hey! Wait!! BAE!? Was that his name??? Or were they confusing a term of the English language???

Focus, Mel, focus!

There will be time to be concerned and horny LATER!!!

But I hungered for answers that didn't matter to the grand theme of the plot!

"Okay, wait. Who are you people? What are you doing here? WHY do you choose now to contact me after months of being here? How do you know English!? Why do you look vaguely human!?!? How did you get into my stream chat! Are any of you sing-"

I cut myself off with the last question and masked it with me running out of breath from all my questions and gasping for air. Which was slightly true.

The two of them gave each other a look again.

But this time it didn't hold any negative energy that made me suspicious of them.

"Would you allow us to come back tomorrow and answer all your question?" The gold one sweetly asked as the two of them made their way backwards to the door.

The boldness took me aback.

"The audacity. How smooth. How bold. Okay fine." I quickly caved, walking swiftly after them as I'd dropped my gun on the nearest table. "But at least answer me one simple question then?"

The both of them already began to dive back into the water as soon as I'd said okay, but looked back up at me expectantly. The bottom half of their body already completely disappeared from my line of sight under the black water.

They shared another look and the gold one looked up at me with a bright smile.

"If it's short and quick? Okay!" He said.

"What are your names?"

Warm smiles quickly spread across their faces at the question as I squat down with my knees tucked in to be closer to their eye level.

The gold one spoke first.

"My name is Leonidas. But I prefer to be called Leo or Leon." He said, then waves his hand through the water to gesture behind him. "My dark and mysteriously brooding partner over here is called Dionysus. But everyone calls him Dion. Pronounced Die-o. The N is silent."

So when he says 'partner', does he mean it like a companion? Orrr....?

Good God, why do I have such a one-track mind???

"Well hello Leo...n? and Dion. Hehe, cute. It rhymes." My observation was met with mild blushes and looking in opposite directions.

I try and fail to suppress my giggle.

"Well, you already know what everyone calls me. But I'm Melissandra. But we can just stick to Mel."

"Well, Mel," Leo says, swimming up to the ship's door's step as I slightly bend to be more levelled with him. "It was very nice, and eye-openingly terrifying, to meet you!"

He gently takes one of my hands and kisses it.

I feel a burning sensation shoot straight up from it and scorch a path up my arm.

No, I wasn't getting infected by some strange alien virus. Something much worse was happening.

I was feeling the strong and violent pull of lust and attraction.

Before I knew it my other hand was taken from my lap. Dion swiftly kisses the back of it, then taps it to his forehead.

I am going to implode.

But just as quickly as they'd done it, they'd let go.

The interaction barely lasted more than 5 seconds, but I wanted to scream for them to continue and not ever let go.

I tuck both of my burning hands into my waist section under my stomach after waving a meek goodbye, leaning forward in my squatting position as they waved back and disappeared under the pitch-black ocean water.

I wait for just a minute, not seeing any bubbles or indication of them having just been there surfacing up from the water, before I got up and went inside. Solidly slamming the door behind me and making sure all the latches and locks were shut.

Not that I think it made any much of a difference in keeping me safe.

I had no intention of dealing with anyone after my...unique interaction. I go to shut off my livestream, and disconnect all my calls so I can be left in relative peace, and actually be able to think calmly and rationally.

Now that the silhouette of a man is gone along with any inklings of testosterone, I could finally think like a semi-functioning normal human being. And not be clouded by my womanly urges.

No matter how badly deep down I wanted to give in.

I walk up to hit the end stream button when another golden comment pops in.

[💛It was nice meeting you!💛]

I snort at the sheer audacity and chuckle deeply.

"Fuck you Leo," and I hit the button.