“So what are you and Kyle doing for Valentine’s Day?”
Hal raised his eyebrows at Dinah. They were in the basement of the Queen’s home, watching Ollie and Mia target practice. “It’s Valentine’s Day?”
“In less than a week!” she scolded. “Don’t tell me you almost missed your first Valentine’s Day together!”
“They’re men, Dinah,” Ollie said. “They’re not going to remember this stuff. I have enough trouble remembering, and I have you and Mia to remind me.”
“Then I’m reminding you now,” Dinah said, patting Hal’s knee.
Hal shrugged. “What am I supposed to get him? Everyone else I’ve dated has wanted girly things—flowers and candy.”
“You can do other things,” Dinah sighed. “Make dinner, watch a movie...”
“Sexy underwear,” Mia said. “You can’t go wrong with sexy underwear.”
“Ooh, yeah!” Dinah exclaimed. “Sexy underwear! I bet Kyle will look real good in something skimpy.”
“Something to show off his cute butt,” Mia said. Dinah and Mia looked at each other and giggled.
“Do we really need to discuss Kyle’s butt?” Ollie asked.
Dinah ignored him and turned back to Hal. “You should go surprise him! Show up at his door with some sexy underwear and have your wicked way with him. I bet he’d like that.”
Hal shrugged. He certainly wouldn’t mind seeing Kyle in sexy underwear—though it probably wouldn’t stay on him for very long. He’d have to try to get some leave on short notice, but at least he had some days left to use—the bad guys had been good about causing trouble outside work hours this year. “Okay, I’ll go.”
“So what are you and Hal doing for Valentine’s Day?”
Kyle looked up at Arisia. They had ended up sitting together for lunch at the bar. “How do you know about Valentine’s Day?”
“I did spend some time on Earth,” she said. “And Guy asked me for some advice on his present for Tora.” She leaned forward, a big grin on her face. “Are you getting something for Hal?”
Kyle shook his head. “I hadn’t really thought about it.” He hadn’t remembered, actually, but he wasn’t going to admit that now since even Guy apparently remembered the holiday. “I mean … I guess we’re just not all mushy and romantic.”
“Then this is a perfect time to start.” Arisia said. “And I know Hal can be romantic when he puts his mind to it, so you can’t use that excuse with me!”
Kyle nodded. He had forgotten Hal had dated Arisia for a while. “So what should I get him?”
“You’re going to have to decide that,” she said. “Something from your heart.” She squeezed his hand. “I’ve seen your paintings, so I know you’ve got a romantic side.” She grinned. “Why don’t you paint him something?”
“Something romantic?” Kyle frowned. He didn’t think Hal would be all that impressed with a painting of a sunset or flowers.
“Paint how he makes you feel,” she said.
“I suppose.” He sighed. “But it won’t matter anyway, because I won’t get to see him for another three weeks.”
Arisia snorted. “Let me talk to Salaak. And I’ll get Kilowog to help if I have to.” She winked at him. “We’ll get you the time off.”
Hal was in the BX, picking up polish for his boots, when he decided to follow Dinah and Mia’s advice about the underwear. He had managed to get a couple days off and all that was left was getting a gift.
He wandered into the men’s section to look at underwear, but nothing was jumping out at him as particularly sexy. He was about to give up, resigned to have to try one of the porn shops in town, when he saw a display at the end of an aisle that was a sea of red. He almost passed it by, but decided to give it a second look—red means sexy, right?—and was glad he did. He grinned and grabbed one of the items from the shelf. Okay, so it may not be sexy by Dinah and Mia’s standards, but it would be particularly meaningful for him and Kyle.
Kyle stared at the blank canvas. Arisia had somehow convinced Salaak he needed a few days to go to Earth, so now he had to come up with a painting.
Paint how he feels about Hal… He could easily come up with the myriad of emotions he felt for Hal—brotherhood, friendship, joy, fun, excitement, desire, love—but how to represent it in a way that Hal would appreciate it? He sighed. Hal was always supportive of his art, could always find something encouraging to say about Kyle’s work, but Kyle knew art was something that Hal really didn’t get. Just like he didn’t really get the need to fly a billion dollar hunk of steel through the air at a couple hundred miles an hour. Though he was learning to appreciate it, especially since flying was a major turn-on for Hal and Kyle got to enjoy the benefits of that. He was actually starting to look forward to their flights, because being in the plane was a lot like being with Hal—fun and exhilarating and just a little intense…
He smiled and picked up his brush.
“Hello?” Hal called out in Kyle’s apartment. No answer. He sighed. Well, he supposed he couldn’t expect Kyle to be sitting home, pining away for him on Valentine’s Day. He’d try the bar.
It was full, as usual, but he didn’t see Kyle anywhere. He frowned.
“Hal!” Arisia ran up to him and grabbed his arm. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see Kyle. It’s Valentine’s Day, and—”
“You’re not supposed to be here! Shit!”
Hal raised an eyebrow. She must be spending way too much time around Guy.
Arisia tightened her grip on his arm and dragged him out of the bar. “You have to get back to Earth.”
“Why? Where’s Kyle.”
“On Earth, Hal! He was coming to surprise you!”
Hal groaned. “Shit.”
“Hello?” Kyle shut the door of Hal’s apartment. There was no answer. He frowned. He must be out kicking someone’s ass. He set his gift on the table and was about to call Hal on the ring, when he got an incoming message.
“Hey,” Kyle said to Hal’s image. “Where are you?”
Hal gave him an apologetic smile. “I’m, uh, standing outside the bar on Oa. I was going to surprise you.”
Kyle groaned. So much for a surprise. “I guess we had the same idea. I’m standing in your apartment.”
“Yeah, Arisia told me.” Hal sighed. “Okay, stay there. I’ll be home as fast as I can.”
It was night by the time Hal got home. The rings made the journey fast, but it still took a couple hours. So he’d spent his and Kyle’s first Valentine’s Day flying through space. Not exactly a romantic day.
The apartment was dark. He made his way to the bedroom, his ring lighting the way. Kyle was sprawled out on the bed on his stomach, naked and fast asleep.
Hal smiled and gently sat on the edge of the bed. He set the gift on the nightstand, then leaned over to kiss Kyle’s spine just above the curve of his ass.
Kyle shifted under the kiss. “You’re back,” he mumbled into the pillow. He rolled onto his side and smiled sleepily at Hal.
Hal glanced at the clock. It was twelve minutes to midnight. “I made it just in time,” he said.
Kyle grabbed him by his shirt collar and pulled him down for a kiss. “Sorry about the mix-up,” he said against Hal’s mouth.
Hal ran his hand down Kyle’s side to rest on his hip. “I guess we’ll have to make it up to each other.” He smiled. “But first …” He turned on the lamp, then grabbed the gift and held it out to Kyle.
Kyle blinked in the light. “You got me something?”
Hal laughed. “Don’t look so shocked. I can be romantic. Sometimes.”
Kyle sat up and took the gift. He made quick work of the wrapping, opened the box … and laughed. He pulled out the red boxers with white text on one leg. “‘Remove Before Flight’?”
“Dinah and Mia said I should get you sexy underwear, but I saw those and…” He shrugged. “I figured that was more us.”
“Especially with you and your airplane fetish.” Kyle grinned. “I love them.” He leaned forward to kiss Hal. “I love you.”
Hal touched Kyle’s cheek and gazed into his green eyes. “I love you, too.” They kissed again and Hal started to push Kyle back down on the bed, but Kyle broke the kiss. “Wait. I have something for you, too.” He got out of bed, the boxers still in his hand. He stopped suddenly and turned around. “While I’m gone, you might want to deal with the problem that you’re way overdressed.” He grinned and was gone.
Hal chuckled and quickly pulled his clothes off. Kyle came back just as Hal was getting into bed. He had a large, brightly wrapped package in his hands. He was also wearing his new boxers. “Here you go.”
Hal took the gift and unwrapped it while Kyle got back into bed next to him. “I hope you like it,” Kyle said. He sounded nervous.
It was a painting of a plane flying in a night sky. Hal grinned. “It’s our plane.” The plane he’d first taken Kyle for a flight in, back when they were just starting to form their strong bond of friendship. And it was the same plane that had initiated their relationship—their first kiss and a weekend of mind-blowing sex.
“So you like it?”
“Of course I do!” The pilot part of his brain appreciated the plane—Kyle had an incredible eye for details—and he was amazed at the depth of the sky. He set the painting on the floor, leaned up against the nightstand, then turned to embrace Kyle. “I have a lot of good memories from that plane.” He kissed Kyle and pushed him back on the bed. Kyle didn’t interrupt this time.
Hal rolled on top of Kyle and Kyle slid his arms around Hal. They lay pressed together for a while, their tongues dancing togther, then Hal moved the kisses lower, working his way down his lover’s chest, tasting him and inhaling his scent, all the while exploring with his hands. He came to the boxers and pushed himself up to kneel between Kyle’s thighs. “Time for a pre-flight check,” he said. “Make sure all the equipment is working and ready to go.”
Kyle laughed. “I think you’ll find everything in working order.”
Hal shook his head. “Oh, no. A good pilot always checks his equipment before flight.” He tugged at the edge of the boxers, just below the text. “That’s what these tags are for.” He ran his hands down Kyle’s thighs, then back up to the boxers. Kyle’s erection was pushing against the fabric and Hal brushed his fingers down the length. Kyle sighed and opened his legs a little wider. Hal smiled. “You’re right. It seems to be working okay. But I think we need a visual inspection.” He slid his fingers under the waistband of the boxers and pulled them down. Kyle lifted his legs so he could wriggle out of the them. Hal chucked—he had been right, the underwear hadn’t stayed on for very long.
Hal tossed the boxers aside and grasped Kyle’s cock. He ran his thumb over the tip, spreading around the bead of semen, and Kyle moaned. “Definitely working okay,” Hal said. He bent down and ran his tongue over silky skin.
“Hal…” Kyle moaned again and thrust up into Hal’s mouth. Hal swirled his tongue around Kyle’s cock, teasing him a little before leaning over to get the lube from the nightstand.
Hal teased Kyle a little more with his fingers, making him squirm and moan. Then he pushed into him and reached down to grasp his length. “Let’s see how the stick handles.”
Kyle laughed and ran his hands over Hal’s chest. “I guess you’ll have to take it for a spin and find out.”
Hal put one hand on the headboard, holding himself up so he could stroke Kyle’s cock while he fucked him. His hand matched the rhythm of his thrusts, and soon both of them were breathing hard, a sheen of sweat on their skin. God, this was amazing… It wasn’t long before Hal could feel his climax building between his legs and prickling in his spine.
“Coming … in for a landing,” Kyle panted and then they were both coming, their gazes locked together while Hal pumped into him and Kyle spurted over his belly. Hal leaned against the headboard, breathing hard. Simultaneous orgasm? At least something had gone right today. When they’d caught their breath, Kyle smiled up at him. “Did you enjoy your flight, Captain Jordan?”
Hal smiled back at him. “Yep. Handles real well. I think I’ll keep this one.” He bent over to kiss Kyle. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
Kyle threaded his fingers into Hal’s hair and pulled him down for another kiss. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”
