Penumbra by Dan Ackerman

Author:Dan Ackerman [Ackerman, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, future, gay fiction, space stations, servitude, lgbtq science fiction, autocracies, dying planets
Publisher: Supposed Crimes, LLC
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“Sugar, you’ve got to breathe,” Oggie scolded.

“I am breathing,” Arden lied through gritted teeth.

Oggie said, “I can feel you not breathing.”

“It hurts.”

Oggie eased up. “Hurts like we should stop or hurts like it’s mild discomfort and you’re a big baby?”

“Like I’m a baby,” Arden admitted.

“Last one. Roll over.”

Arden rolled onto his stomach and Oggie twisted him into another stretch he promised would help with Arden’s back.

“I worked for three years doing PT in the med center on deck seven,” he’d told Arden. Then he’d taken it upon himself to torture Arden with a series of stretches.

When Oggie finally released Arden, he had to admit his back did feel better. Much better. He’d slept funny, or done something during practice, he didn’t know, but the stretches had worked. He’d heard it got easier to do these sorts of things as he got older and thirty-six wasn’t as far off as it had been.

He lay on the floor, his arms folded beneath his chin. “Why don’t you work in PT anymore?”

“Mmm. I might have gotten fired.”

“For what?”

Oggie declined to answer.

“For what, Og? I can just look it up.”

“I might have been stealing things, but you know, they never proved it.”

Arden snorted.

Oggie kissed the back of his head. “You’re tense all over, sugar. I can fix that, too.” He smoothed his hands down Arden’s back, his fingertips warm through the thin fabric of Arden’s undershirt.

Arden nearly said yes.

Oggie dug a knuckle into Arden’s back so hard that Arden whimpered, high and breathy.

It felt terrible and blissful all at once.

Oggie did it again.

Arden rolled away. His skin felt empty where Oggie had touched him, cold where it should have been warm, and raw and yearning all at once. He wanted that pressure back. He shouldn’t have.

Oggie watched him, green eyes trained on Arden, lips slightly parted.

“Ow,” Arden said pointedly past the lump in his throat.

“Didn’t you like it just a little bit?” Oggie asked.

“It hurt.”

The bright, hungry look in his eyes faded. He dropped his gaze. “Sorry, sugar,” he whispered, sounding more disappointed than apologetic.

Arden pushed himself up and scooted closer to Oggie. He nudged his leg with his knee. “My back feels better.”

He cheered a little and smiled at Arden. “I told you to trust me.”

“It’d be a lot easier if I didn’t think you liked hurting me,” Arden accused gently. He’d meant to keep that thought in.

Oggie blinked a few times. “I…It’s. Not like that. I don’t want to hurt you, not…Never mind.” He started to stand up.

Arden put a hand on his arm. “Not never mind. Go ahead.”

“I’d never do anything that…that really hurt you. You know. Not the kind that lasts. It’s just, I don’t know, sometimes I just, I just want to do something. Just to see what would happen, or just to…to feel it.”

Arden didn’t understand that at all.

“I don’t know, Arden, I don’t. I’m nothing put spare parts zipped up in a nice exterior.”

“Well, maybe ask next time.”

Oggie pressed his lips together, then chuckled. “Sure. I’ll ask,” he agreed without sounding sincere at all.

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