FIC: The Reason Why, Archer/Reed, R
Nov. 16th, 2006 11:59 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cloudy_ficTitle: The Reason Why
Author: CloudyJenn
Fandom: Enterprise
Pairing: Archer/Reed
Rating: R
Prompt: Drowning Malcolm
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Paramount. I am making no profit from this fanfiction.
Warnings: None
Summary: An away mission on a watery planet.
Author's Notes: This isn't really the story I set out to write, but I think
I like it anyway. Enjoy!
In no time whatsoever, they arrive, their shuttlepod landing on the
clear pad with a small thump, like it was any ordinary ground
surface, but Malcolm knows better. Stepping out, seeing miles of
endless ocean stretching out in front, behind, underneath-Malcolm
knows better. Archer bounds out after him and he's smiling like he
can't imagine anything more fun than this. And he probably can't.
Malcolm knows that Archer is as attracted to the water as Malcolm is
repelled by it.
One step, two, three, Malcolm refuses to look down, refuses to slow
his pace. The sound of moving water pounds into his head and if he
closes his eyes he could easily imagine he is standing on a lone
boat thousands of miles from land.
He keeps them open.
***************
The Raoqutians are very pleased to meet Humans. Another race from a
watery planet! they exclaim, their purple eyes blazing brightly.
Malcolm wants to snort, but does not. It's not the same.
Iria, Raoqutia's Capital, is a maze of gigantic glass buildings,
each one supported by thick beams plunged deep under the light green
water. The feeling of instability, as if he'll fall through the
transparent floors, eats at Malcolm, filling his mind with near
constant panic and he wonders if he ought to have taken Archer up on
his offer to allow him to stay aboard Enterprise. He wonders if he
can get through the next three days.
****************
They are taken into the President's Chamber. Plans are made for an
official tour later that afternoon, but first, the President asks,
would you like to see your rooms? Their best rooms are on the lower
levels beneath the water. There's nothing quite like waking to the
wavering of water-filtered light, he says. Archer is intrigued,
Malcolm can see, and asks to see them. As they walk away, Archer
catches Malcolm's arm. Its ok, Malcolm, he whispers, filling
Malcolm's ear with warm hot breath. I'll ask for a different room
for you.
But it won't do any good to put the security man so far from his
charges. Malcolm takes a deep breath and plasters a smile on his
face. No, Captain. It's fine. I don't mind.
He wonders if he'll get any sleep at all.
****************
Malcolm doesn't remember anything from the tour. His eyes are open,
but he doesn't look at the scenery or the buildings or the thousands
of metres of water calling his name. The only thing he lets himself
see is the people, keeping his senses alert for threats.
Nothing physical threatens. The only thing to fight is his mind.
*****************
Dinner is fish, of course. Malcolm's colleagues are delighted.
It's so fresh, Hoshi comments happily. Archer agrees, taking
another portion of something flat and grilled. Trip doesn't say
anything at all, just eats with a blissful smile.
Malcolm tastes nothing. He eats dutifully, answering the polite
questions coming at him from the Raoqutians. Yes, this tastes
wonderful. No, I don't think I've tasted the like before. Yes,
your world is lovely, just like home. I'm so glad we had the chance
to see it.
Under his feet, his dinner's living relatives swim and swirl.
*****************
That night, he and Archer make love in the Captain's room. He
hadn't meant to do this on an away mission, but he couldn't breathe
alone in his room. The ceiling showed nothing, but the dark
oppressive water and panic set in again. If he slept alone, he
might drown, his mind told him. The ceiling would crash in and he
would die alone.
Archer does not look surprised when Malcolm crawls into his bed and
when Malcolm begs him to make him forget where they are, Archer
complies immediately. Slowly at first, too slowly, too much like
the lazy waves of the ocean, Malcolm needs faster. All he has to do
is ask and Archer's hands are everywhere, his mouth moving rapidly
over Malcolm's skin. It's quick and it's hard and for a moment, all
Malcolm can think is oh god more, Jon, please, harder, faster, oh
god and he lets pleasure pour over him because it doesn't frighten
him. He accepts everything Archer has to give and he forgets.
After they finish, Malcolm is exhausted. He can sleep now, he tells
Archer and pulls the other man's arms around himself. The fear has
crept back in, but it is not as strong and it doesn't matter as much
because he is not alone anymore.
****************
The next day is meetings. Information is exchanged, discussions of
differences are had. Malcolm sits beside his Captain and whenever
he begins to fidget, he feels Archer's hand squeeze his knee.
It is the only reason Malcolm makes it to the end of the day.
****************
He doesn't bother going to his room that night. Instead, he goes
straight to Archer's room, strips naked and waits for the Captain to
return from an evening meeting with the President. They do not talk
about how Malcolm is doing or how he feels about the mission so
far. Archer walks across the room, pulling his uniform off and he
lays Malcolm back.
He does not have to be told what Malcolm needs.
****************
When they meet the President the third day, he asks if they would be
interested in seeing a match of jela. Jela, he tells them, is a
game played entirely in water. Malcolm thinks Archer's eyes are
going to bug out of his head. The Captain agrees quickly.
Just think, Malcolm, Archer says, rubbing his hands together
happily. Alien waterpolo!
The game is a quick boat ride away and Malcolm hates it, except he
enjoys seeing Archer so excited. He focuses on those smiling green
eyes and it's harder to hear the voice in his head screaming that
they are close, so close and it would take so very little for their
small boat to be lost to the angry waves.
Malcolm holds Archer's hand during the match and he doesn't care one
bit who sees it.
****************
They do not make love their last night there. Instead, Malcolm runs
his hands over Archer's body and asks him to talk. The Captain
tells him stories about growing up, about his father, about missions
Malcolm already knew all about. Soon enough, the rhythm of
Malcolm's strokes matches the rhythm of Archer's voice and they both
fall asleep during his story about the time he broke his leg on a
ski trip.
Right before sleep claims him, Malcolm remembers to be afraid, but
then he hears Archer mumble sleepily about how he still likes to ski
and his body relaxes.
****************
They leave early the next afternoon, after a long ceremony
celebrating their new friendship with the Raoqutions and maybe some
other things, Malcolm isn't sure. His mind is already back on the
ship, the only part left here watching out for potential threats.
Because nothing, not even debilitating fear, will stop Malcolm from
doing his job.
When they climb back on the shuttlepod, Malcolm realizes that he is
not as tense as he thought he'd be and when Archer sits beside him,
taking his hand once again, Malcolm thinks he knows the reason why.
END
Author: CloudyJenn
Fandom: Enterprise
Pairing: Archer/Reed
Rating: R
Prompt: Drowning Malcolm
Disclaimer: These characters belong to Paramount. I am making no profit from this fanfiction.
Warnings: None
Summary: An away mission on a watery planet.
Author's Notes: This isn't really the story I set out to write, but I think
I like it anyway. Enjoy!
In no time whatsoever, they arrive, their shuttlepod landing on the
clear pad with a small thump, like it was any ordinary ground
surface, but Malcolm knows better. Stepping out, seeing miles of
endless ocean stretching out in front, behind, underneath-Malcolm
knows better. Archer bounds out after him and he's smiling like he
can't imagine anything more fun than this. And he probably can't.
Malcolm knows that Archer is as attracted to the water as Malcolm is
repelled by it.
One step, two, three, Malcolm refuses to look down, refuses to slow
his pace. The sound of moving water pounds into his head and if he
closes his eyes he could easily imagine he is standing on a lone
boat thousands of miles from land.
He keeps them open.
***************
The Raoqutians are very pleased to meet Humans. Another race from a
watery planet! they exclaim, their purple eyes blazing brightly.
Malcolm wants to snort, but does not. It's not the same.
Iria, Raoqutia's Capital, is a maze of gigantic glass buildings,
each one supported by thick beams plunged deep under the light green
water. The feeling of instability, as if he'll fall through the
transparent floors, eats at Malcolm, filling his mind with near
constant panic and he wonders if he ought to have taken Archer up on
his offer to allow him to stay aboard Enterprise. He wonders if he
can get through the next three days.
****************
They are taken into the President's Chamber. Plans are made for an
official tour later that afternoon, but first, the President asks,
would you like to see your rooms? Their best rooms are on the lower
levels beneath the water. There's nothing quite like waking to the
wavering of water-filtered light, he says. Archer is intrigued,
Malcolm can see, and asks to see them. As they walk away, Archer
catches Malcolm's arm. Its ok, Malcolm, he whispers, filling
Malcolm's ear with warm hot breath. I'll ask for a different room
for you.
But it won't do any good to put the security man so far from his
charges. Malcolm takes a deep breath and plasters a smile on his
face. No, Captain. It's fine. I don't mind.
He wonders if he'll get any sleep at all.
****************
Malcolm doesn't remember anything from the tour. His eyes are open,
but he doesn't look at the scenery or the buildings or the thousands
of metres of water calling his name. The only thing he lets himself
see is the people, keeping his senses alert for threats.
Nothing physical threatens. The only thing to fight is his mind.
*****************
Dinner is fish, of course. Malcolm's colleagues are delighted.
It's so fresh, Hoshi comments happily. Archer agrees, taking
another portion of something flat and grilled. Trip doesn't say
anything at all, just eats with a blissful smile.
Malcolm tastes nothing. He eats dutifully, answering the polite
questions coming at him from the Raoqutians. Yes, this tastes
wonderful. No, I don't think I've tasted the like before. Yes,
your world is lovely, just like home. I'm so glad we had the chance
to see it.
Under his feet, his dinner's living relatives swim and swirl.
*****************
That night, he and Archer make love in the Captain's room. He
hadn't meant to do this on an away mission, but he couldn't breathe
alone in his room. The ceiling showed nothing, but the dark
oppressive water and panic set in again. If he slept alone, he
might drown, his mind told him. The ceiling would crash in and he
would die alone.
Archer does not look surprised when Malcolm crawls into his bed and
when Malcolm begs him to make him forget where they are, Archer
complies immediately. Slowly at first, too slowly, too much like
the lazy waves of the ocean, Malcolm needs faster. All he has to do
is ask and Archer's hands are everywhere, his mouth moving rapidly
over Malcolm's skin. It's quick and it's hard and for a moment, all
Malcolm can think is oh god more, Jon, please, harder, faster, oh
god and he lets pleasure pour over him because it doesn't frighten
him. He accepts everything Archer has to give and he forgets.
After they finish, Malcolm is exhausted. He can sleep now, he tells
Archer and pulls the other man's arms around himself. The fear has
crept back in, but it is not as strong and it doesn't matter as much
because he is not alone anymore.
****************
The next day is meetings. Information is exchanged, discussions of
differences are had. Malcolm sits beside his Captain and whenever
he begins to fidget, he feels Archer's hand squeeze his knee.
It is the only reason Malcolm makes it to the end of the day.
****************
He doesn't bother going to his room that night. Instead, he goes
straight to Archer's room, strips naked and waits for the Captain to
return from an evening meeting with the President. They do not talk
about how Malcolm is doing or how he feels about the mission so
far. Archer walks across the room, pulling his uniform off and he
lays Malcolm back.
He does not have to be told what Malcolm needs.
****************
When they meet the President the third day, he asks if they would be
interested in seeing a match of jela. Jela, he tells them, is a
game played entirely in water. Malcolm thinks Archer's eyes are
going to bug out of his head. The Captain agrees quickly.
Just think, Malcolm, Archer says, rubbing his hands together
happily. Alien waterpolo!
The game is a quick boat ride away and Malcolm hates it, except he
enjoys seeing Archer so excited. He focuses on those smiling green
eyes and it's harder to hear the voice in his head screaming that
they are close, so close and it would take so very little for their
small boat to be lost to the angry waves.
Malcolm holds Archer's hand during the match and he doesn't care one
bit who sees it.
****************
They do not make love their last night there. Instead, Malcolm runs
his hands over Archer's body and asks him to talk. The Captain
tells him stories about growing up, about his father, about missions
Malcolm already knew all about. Soon enough, the rhythm of
Malcolm's strokes matches the rhythm of Archer's voice and they both
fall asleep during his story about the time he broke his leg on a
ski trip.
Right before sleep claims him, Malcolm remembers to be afraid, but
then he hears Archer mumble sleepily about how he still likes to ski
and his body relaxes.
****************
They leave early the next afternoon, after a long ceremony
celebrating their new friendship with the Raoqutions and maybe some
other things, Malcolm isn't sure. His mind is already back on the
ship, the only part left here watching out for potential threats.
Because nothing, not even debilitating fear, will stop Malcolm from
doing his job.
When they climb back on the shuttlepod, Malcolm realizes that he is
not as tense as he thought he'd be and when Archer sits beside him,
taking his hand once again, Malcolm thinks he knows the reason why.
END
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-11-18 12:30 am (UTC)sarah :D
no subject
Date: 2006-12-03 08:25 pm (UTC)*hugs*
Jenn