Best-Solution - 1. Chapter 1

My leg still ached, but I was able to push up on my hands without pain making me feel like the muscles, tendons, and ligaments were trying to detach from the bones. Moshe and Lisco were curled up together on the other side of the bed. Lisco’s hair was still damp from our late-night shower. He’d insisted on cleaning up after we finished fixing the fences and getting the cattle back where they belonged.

Then he’d showered again after I made the whole mess of yesterday up to him. To be fair, between me and Moshe, he’d been quite filthy. Water was always at a premium here in the Interland, but they’d hooked up some sort of system with their shuttle which reclaimed and recycled the water, making it fit for use in the shower again. I still didn’t know how, exactly, but since we’d had plenty of water for our showers yesterday and last night, I wasn’t going to complain. That was one indulgence I had enjoyed in the city.

Sleeping in was not a city habit I picked up, though. I grew up on a stake, and I’d taken as many morning classes as I could cram in during my years in the city, so I was used to being awake early. They were still adjusting to life away from the night’s hustle and bustle. Now that the pilltock juice that had infected my hands during their ill-conceived courting hunt back in the city had worked its way out of my system, I could finally manage on my own.

Having another man help you go to the bathroom was damn humiliating, not that it seemed to have bothered Moshe or Lisco. Though, they weren’t men in the traditional sense. I stared at their faces; Moshe was curled behind Lisco, cradling him in his arms. Without seeing them shift, I’d never know Moshe was a gigantic white caterpillar-like creature or that Lisco resembled a sapphire blue snake with wings. In their human forms, they looked utterly normal—handsome—but normal.

Time to start the day. I sighed and slid off the bed, wincing as the cold floor chilled my bare feet. I wasn’t standing long, though. The hover chair was parked by the bed, and I was able to swing right into it. The directional pad on the arm let me reverse and glide silently out of the room instead of having to use voice commands.

A trip to the bathroom to dress wasn’t quite as easy. I awkwardly struggled to get my pants over the boot protecting the healing muscles in my leg, but finally I was ready for the day. The smell of coffee could wake Moshe and Lisco, so I decided to forgo a morning cup.

The chill in the air was enough to shock me out of any lingering doziness anyway. I shivered. Maybe I should’ve grabbed a thicker flannel, but I decided not to go back in. If I were fit to work, I’d be sweating in no time. As I was still confined to my hover chair for at least a few more days, that was out. A little cold wouldn’t kill me. I could check the cattle and the plant starts in the barn, though.

It was nice to have a few moments to myself to enjoy the quiet of the pre-dawn. The sky was lightening to the east. The sun was just rising behind the herd and the mist of their breathing hung like a low fog over the mass of critters huddled together for warmth.

I made a quick pass through the corral, grabbing the water bucket, and checked the tank; the water level was good, meaning the canals Moshe dug from the river to the fields and barn were hopefully all full as well. We’d have to check them later. The dipper had a bunch of holes punched in it to water the plants; Interlanders made do with low-tech equipment when we had to. No need for fancy gadgets, for the most part. I did really like the new holo pad Lisco had given me.

One row of stalls were opened, and I’d placed all the plants in there in rows with just enough room to hover between them so I could water everything. Tiny bunches of yellow sprouts filled each cup. A few had taller sprouts beginning to turn green. I pressed a finger into the soil in a few cups and then brushed the dry dust off. I gave them a good soaking, and then unlatched the shutters fastened over the windows so they could get the morning sun.

Done with the morning chores other than feeding, I still didn’t want to go inside. I steered the hover chair out of the barn, stopping at the edge of the barn. The wind kicked up, blowing dust devils between the house and shuttle and creeping chilly fingers under my flannel. Definitely should’ve worn something warmer; I should’ve known better. I grew up on a stake just like this. The landscape was bleak—all dirt and tall weeds.

What drew the shifters to this place and made them want to stay? It wasn’t much to look at. Not even a garden. Single story whitewashed house, a bunch of cantankerous beasts, and a barn still stinking of ancient manure. Maybe I could plant some grass around the house; it would cut down on the dust. Summertime would drive Lisco nuts. When I first toured the stake, it’d been the midst of the hottest months, and the fine dirt invaded everything and everywhere.

But anything green was hard to come by in the Interlands.

I sank back in my chair, frowning. Greens were hard to come by, and the fresh salad fixings would’ve wilted by now if we’d brought them with us. So how had Lisco been getting them for our meals? There was no sign in the dirt around the shuttle to indicate it had been moved, and besides that, I would’ve heard the engine—even as quiet as it was—if he’d flown back to the city.

Plus, the kinds of foods he made were expensive. I hadn’t asked them how the alien shifters made a living; they’d been on Earth for six years, and for three of them, I’d lived in one of the cities they made home. But I couldn’t tell you much about them, other than what Lisco and Moshe had shared about their constant need to flee their enemies, the Tarquiek, to escape extermination all for a political misunderstanding.

That might be the only silver lining there was in the war that had apparently created a wide contagion barrier around Earth for most species of aliens. Shifters were different; that could take on human form, and were able to cope with the ravages the chemical wars had done to our bodies, forever altering us. They found a new life here on Earth.

But if they’d left their jobs to take care of me and come here to my stake, then I needed to take care of them in return. I leaned forward, resting my head in my hands. What if I failed? The bio-engineered grains would have to be nurtured carefully, if we were going to have enough to feed the hybrid cattle I’d hope would be birthed late next winter. That meant starting the breeding as soon as possible. If anything happened like a drought, storm, or pests… I’d be sunk, and I’d take them with me.

The weight I’d already felt on my shoulders grew heavier.

A sharp crack broke the silence. I jerked my head up; that screen door really needed fixing. One of these days it was going to startle the cattle. Lisco stood on the edge of the porch. He scrubbed a hand over his face, and then yawned, stretching his arms upward as he got his whole body into the stretch. He was wearing tight pants and a small shirt that crept up and bared his belly as he flexed backward.

Coming out much quieter—ever watchful of his size and strength—Moshe grabbed Lisco from behind and picked him up. Lisco yelped and then laughed. He squirmed around to face Moshe, wrapping his arms and legs around him. Just one of Moshe’s big hands was wide enough to cup Lisco’s taut ass. I watched as they held on to each other, kissing and groping for several minutes. I’d never been voyeuristic before, preferring to look away when people were intimate in public, but they were so hot together. And this was our home.

I pressed the palm of my hand against my aching erection. Damned thing was caught up in my pants. I couldn’t rearrange it from outside, so I had to open them. The relief was instant, but the temptation to stroke my iron-hard shaft was impossible to resist. Besides, they weren’t looking at me, and even if they did, the sun was behind me. I just needed a little relief.

While I couldn’t hear them, I figured they could probably hear me if I made any noise. I bit my lip, holding in the whimper that desperately wanted to come out, as I wrapped my hand around my shaft and pumped. Pre-come welled up in my slit and glistened on the head. It was cold, but my flesh was hot, heated by need. I panted silently, squirming in the chair. I’d missed this sensation, though the excitement of having two men to touch—and touching me—had left me more than satisfied.

Damn! Moshe let Lisco slide down his body, and they both started across the porch, heading for the barn. They wouldn’t see me from that angle, but did I want them to catch me playing with myself? My cheeks were already flaming; cursing silently, I hurriedly refastened my pants, trying to ignore the sharp need as my body screamed out for satisfaction.

I’d gone my whole life without a private place to get myself off, and I was getting orgasms every night. I was not deprived, no matter what my body seemed to think. I just needed to find some self-control.

Before they could see me, I backed up and pushed the hover chair to the fastest setting, zipping over to the tank. I slid my hands in the water, yelping. It was cold! The cool drops felt good on my cheeks though. I ran my hands over my face and into my hair, slicking it back from my forehead.

“Hey Miah. You got up without us this morning.” Moshe’s voice was a deep rumble.

“I thought you guys might like to sleep in for a bit,” I said. “I was awake, so I thought I’d get up. I already watered the seedlings; we just have to feed the cattle before we check the rest of the fences and the canals.”

Moshe was sniffing the air. Lisco’s gaze zeroed in on my crotch, which was tenting my pants obscenely. “We can definitely see you’re up.” Lisco smirked when my face grew even hotter; I must’ve been as red as an apple.

Making a point of perusing them, from their puffy lips to the bulges in their pants, I just winked. Lisco’s mouth dropped open, and Moshe began to laugh. I might be shy, but I was learning how to hold my own against Lisco’s glib tongue. Lisco smirked and shook his head.

Besides, I had better methods of revenge.

“Let’s go feed.”

Lisco’s biceps flexed as he staggered into the corral with his hay bale. He walked a wide berth around the herd, though it added quite a few extra steps. I kept telling him they were more likely to slobber on him than to bite—much less gore—him, but only time would ease his fear.

Of course, I still felt a little more payback was in order. I didn’t say a word about the little heifer approaching. She butted him in the back, trying to get to the hay he was still flaking apart. Lisco hissed and jumped about waist high.

Then he landed in my lap, clutching at me, burying his face in my neck. I grunted, my thighs aching from where his knees had smacked down. “Go, go, go!” he shouted. “They’re all around us!”

I snickered, wrapping one arm around his waist. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

“Says you!” he snapped.

There were several cows already gathering around us, mooing excitedly for their breakfast, but we were far from being in the thick of the herd. With my free hand, I slowly maneuvered the hover chair away from the pile of hay drawing them in. They simply moved around us, splitting apart.

Once we were out of the corral, Moshe closed the gate behind us. “All safe now.” I squeezed Lisco.

“Are you sure?”

Silly alien. “Yes. I promise, no cows with big eyes and soft noses here to touch you.”

He lifted his head, looking around. “You forgot to mention the long, pointy horns.”

“That sweet girl barely had any.” I rubbed his back, suppressing my amused smirk.

“She brought friends that did!”

I massaged his neck, ignoring the faint twinges in my hands. I didn’t want Moshe and Lisco to know they weren’t fully healed quite yet. “Well, then I guess I saved you. Do I get a kiss for that?”

Lisco narrowed his eyes. “You’re teasing me.”

It took everything I had not to break out in the grin desperately trying to crack my serious demeanor as I nodded solemnly. “Absolutely. But I still think I deserve a kiss.” Fear might have prompted Lisco’s initial reaction, but I think a good part of his distressed act was just so he could sit in my lap. I brought his head down to mine, pressing our lips together firmly. I nipped at his lips, caressing and sucking on his bottom lip until he couldn’t take it anymore.

He dug his fingers into my shoulders, hard enough I bet I’d find marks later, but then Lisco moaned and melted against my chest. The pleasure I felt watching him kiss Moshe returned, and I deepened the kiss. He opened to me, and I delved inside, prodding at his tongue with mine until he responded, twining our tongues together in a sensuous slide.

Moshe’s rumble swept over us, and I knew he was enjoying what he was seeing, even if I couldn’t understand any words, exactly. I broke the kiss, gasping for air as my heart pounded in my chest.

“Is that… was that a mating call?” I glanced over at Moshe who was unashamedly rubbing himself.

“Yes.” He shrugged. “I couldn’t help it. You two look amazing. I want to see you naked again. I want to kiss Lisco, and you, and watch you kiss, and touch your organ and his… but most of all, I want you inside me, like you were with Lisco last night.” He dropped to his knees beside my chair, still tall enough to look me right in the eye. “I want to make you feel so good.”

I groaned, my pants already uncomfortably damp. Now they were soaking wet as my cock throbbed with every word. I could see it in my mind, clear as day, how good it would feel, all his tight heat and restrained power as Moshe let me do that to him.

“Only if I get you inside me,” Lisco said to him.

That right there shorted out my brain. I groaned. There was no way I was going to last long enough to satisfy anyone. I shook my head. “I can’t….”

“Can’t what?”

Screw it; they knew I was basically a virgin. I’d only been inside one person, Lisco, and that was just the night before. It was good for all of us then; it would still be good. I’d find the will to hold on long enough to not be selfish in my orgasms.

“Bedroom. Now.”

I pushed the hover chair as fast as it would go. Lisco stayed on my lap, but Moshe’s long strides ate up the ground, and he got to the front door ahead of us. Before long we were all in the newly expanded bedroom. There was enough room to maneuver now, but that big bed still took up most of the space, and I was glad of it.

Lisco proved he didn’t actually need Moshe to put him on the bed, jumping up from my lap to strip and then swiftly clambering onto the mattress. I caught a glimpse of his long, slender erection swaying between his legs as he knelt on the edge of the bed. He looked over his shoulder at me and Moshe.

“Well, are you coming, or what?”

Jgyp, I hoped so.

In the interest of getting naked sooner rather than later, I let Moshe help strip off my clothes and get up into the bed. At least for now, I did need the help. But soon I’d be on equal footing with my aliens, without any health concerns slowing me down.

Then we’d see how cocky Lisco was capable of being.

“Scoot over,” Moshe told Lisco. I couldn’t kneel, so we stuck with what had worked before, with all three of us on our sides. This time, Moshe and Lisco weren’t going to suck each other, though. “Just in case, we’re going to get each other ready. Besides, this way you can watch, like you did earlier.”

“You saw me?” I closed my eyes, my face heating up.

“Of course we did. And smell your arousal.”

“Getting any work done is going to be a real challenge while we’re bonding, isn’t it?” There was no way I could suppress the way they made me feel; how much I loved that they wanted me, and how much I wanted them in return.

Lisco shrugged. “No one will starve.” He paused, slicking up his fingers with lube. “Probably.”

Moshe rumbled, laying face to face with Lisco. “Stop teasing him and me. Inside. Please.”

I pushed up to watch as Moshe pulled Lisco in closer and slid one hand over his hip, spreading him, so he could spear two fingers inside Lisco’s ass. Lisco gasped, his eyelids falling to half-mast, then he let out all his air in a low moan. “Damn it. Yes, Moshe, right there.”

“You’re still stretched from last night when Miah was inside you.” Moshe’s arm muscles flexed; he must be driving those two thick fingers in and out of Lisco’s ass. I wished I could see it better, but then Lisco got into the rhythm and was able to finish slicking his hands. He dropped the tube of lube behind Moshe’s back and then reached between his spread legs.

He started off with one finger, slicking up the wrinkled flesh, teasing Moshe with light pressure. I wondered how it would feel to be prepped, knowing one of my lover’s cocks would be fitting inside me after I was stretched.

I knew it felt good for them; Moshe’s push back into Lisco’s touch and his contented sound when Lisco finally began opening him up with one and then two fingers made that clear. Last night, Lisco had come as I pushed into him. I hadn’t hurt him. I wouldn’t hurt Moshe.

They wouldn’t hurt me.

I took another step closer to that moment when I’d be able to offer myself to them willingly, but right then, I needed inside Moshe something fierce.

Finally, we were ready. I gave Moshe more lube, and I slicked myself up too. I watched avidly, plastered against Moshe’s back with my cock pressed to his ass, while Lisco sank back on Moshe’s thick shaft, sweat glistening on his forehead as he struggled to take it all.

Then it was my turn.

Moshe was tight, and it took strength to muscle my way between the thick curves of his ass to his opening. I tried to be as careful with him as he’d been with Lisco, but Moshe reached back and palmed my hip, tugging me forward. “Harder,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt.” His muscles rippled around my length, damn near sucking me in.

I wrapped one arm under his and across his chest, taking him at his word. I pushed forward, sinking in until my hips were firmly pressed against his ass. Then we started moving. It took several thrusts, but soon we’d worked out a mostly smooth rhythm of me pushing into Moshe, who pushed into Lisco. My arm was trapped between them; I wished I was big enough to wrap my arms around them both, but I enjoyed the fact I was touching both my lovers as we took our pleasure in each other’s bodies.

If there was a way to do this forever, I’d want to. Lisco added a hip wiggle, rocking in a small circle, when Moshe bottomed out, and I tried to copy it, to make that caress echo inside and out. Our giant shifter shivered and damn near melted between us, and I had to look away. I rested my forehead against Moshe’s shoulder, fighting to hold on to my orgasm, just moments from consuming me.

“Close,” I gasped.

“Mmm.” Moshe rumbled, the vibration actually sending a shiver down my spine that lodged deep inside. My balls drew up hard, and the first spurts of come slicked up the hard, jabbing thrusts as I lost control of my rhythm.

Lisco’s arm was nearly a blur as he stroked his shaft while he rocked onto Moshe’s. I watched, exhausted, as my two alien lovers took their pleasure from each other in their human forms. If I could get stiff again, I would’ve been diamond hard, it was so arousing. I had no idea how they held out; I couldn’t imagine lasting more than minutes when I was buried in the perfection of their bodies.

When Lisco came, he hissed and undulated, pulling a shout and a convulsive shudder out of Moshe. I was plastered against his back, kissing his neck and gentling him while I stroked what I could reach of Lisco’s arm.

“So damn sexy,” I groaned. “I’m never going to get anything done, if it gets better than that.”

Moshe made a loud gurgling noise; I pushed back, lifting up on one arm to look at his face. “Was that your stomach?”

He shrugged. “I’m hungry.”

“Looks like we better get some breakfast made, before the big lug eats us.” Lisco was the first to move. “I’ll start the shower.”

“Actually, I was thinking we should check the canals again, and we need to walk all the fences as well before I set up my lab this afternoon.” What money I’d earned had all gone into that equipment. I’d packed it carefully. Without it, my experiments would be impossible to monitor. My plan required close watching to ensure the genetic splicing I was doing was successful. “We’ll just need to shower again.”

Lisco wrinkled his nose. “We’re messy.”

“We could just clean up with a cloth, and then shower together later. I’ll wash your back,” I offered. They’d washed mine enough. I still itched to touch them, relishing the feel of their skin against mine.

“Fine. But I’m going to fly the fences again; it’s faster.”

“Can I watch you shift?” I never got tired of that.

“Only if you get up and help make breakfast.” Lisco went into the bathroom. He threw out a wet washcloth. I should’ve been the one to clean the traces of our passion from Moshe’s skin, but he caught the cloth and began to wipe me down. This sort of intimacy was as foreign to me as sex was; I’d been washing my own balls since I was a young boy.

Moshe pulled away, and I shivered. He’d put out a lot of heat, and the cool air on my damp nipples was unpleasant. They could probably cut glass. He folded the washcloth and made quick work of cleaning himself up. “Let me help you up,” he said.

“I got up this morning on my own.”

“I know, but now I’m here to help you.” Moshe smiled, and I couldn’t tell him no. I could see helping us gave him satisfaction. I’d seen that sort of expression before, when Mom had made a hearty meal in the good times and watched my dad eat. Relationships were about give and take; I’d always wanted that, even if I never expected to find someone who wanted me like Moshe and Lisco did. I’d take it for as long as they’d let me.

By the time we were dressed Lisco had thrown together a quick breakfast. I sat in my holo chair in the living room, eating eggs with veggies in some sort of wrap. It was delicious; the eggs were creamy, the veggies crisp, and the sauce had a smoky bite to it. We were all too busy fueling up for the day to talk much. I finished first and sat back in the chair, groaning a little and patting my full belly.

I had to get the splint off my leg soon, or I was going to end up with a belly. Besides, I’d much rather be on the couch with Moshe and Lisco than in my chair, even if it was easier. With my hands better, I could probably make it. Maybe later I’d try. I glanced around the living room as I maneuvered my chair into the kitchen area to put my plate in the cleaner.

A few paintings hung on the walls, and there were plants in the small front windowsill. A yellow kettle sat on the warming plate, and there were blue towels hung on a rack next to the sink. The plate I slid through the cleaner was blue with a yellow spiral on it.

The table, a pale wood square with four chairs, each with a blue or yellow cushion, was set in the corner.

While we’d spent time outside working on the stake, Lisco had been busy in the house, making it a home. I’d seen it but hadn’t really noticed. I did now. How did he get everything here? Even the cubes couldn’t pack everything, like that table.

“Hey guys… Where did this come from?” I stopped my chair next to the table.

“What do you mean? I thought you wanted us to make this place home.”

Did Lisco really think I mean the décor? “I did. You have. But where did it come from? Things like the couch, and bed, and all the fresh food you get all the time.”

Moshe and Lisco both looked up. Lisco’s face was blank, but Moshe wasn’t so good at hiding his expressions. He looked guilty.

“Guys?” What were they hiding?

“We’re aliens.” Lisco shrugged. “We have tech you don’t.”

I narrowed my eyes at them. “I thought you shared your tech with us when the Earth Unity Coalition allowed shifters to seek asylum on our planet.”

“Some things,” Moshe said reluctantly. “But, Miah, there are things humans are not capable of using wisely. Things that are better left in the hands of a race who won’t abuse them.”

I crossed my arms over my chest. “Am I allowed to know what these things are?” Or were they going to keep secrets from me? I’d shared everything about me with them, even embarrassing stuff like being a virgin, and invited them into my life. I wanted us to be equal partners.

What did they have that was so bad? Weapons? Powers we didn’t know about? Were the Tarquiek even real? My stomach churned, and it was hard to breathe.

“Whoa, whatever you’re thinking, please stop.” Lisco and Moshe both jumped up. Lisco took the chair next to me and Moshe crouched next to the other side of my chair. I didn’t reach for them, and they didn’t touch me.

“If you give us a few minutes, we’ll show you. It’s not a big deal; it’s just not safe for humans. We’re not keeping anything dangerous from you; I could tell you are afraid of that. We have a matter transporter. It’s not safe for transporting people, but it works perfectly for goods. We simply scan the objects and an exact destination, and poof, the object disappears and appears where we want it. It’s how we got the bed and couch in the shuttle, and how I’ve been getting fresh food.”

I gaped at him. A matter transporter? “That’s real?” It sounded impossible.

“We are far more adept at molecular technology than humans. But we didn’t share transporting, and we never ever do it around any humans, because of the repercussions among your people. You were once—in the recent past—many nations at war. If there was an untraceable way to send weapons, or even troops of soldiers, into areas that were once locked in strife, then war could break out again.” Moshe sighed. “We want no part in destroying your people. We filtered what technology was safe to share for that reason, not for any advantage on our part.”

“You said you can’t transport people,” I pointed out.

“Perhaps I should’ve said shouldn’t. It’s not safe, and bad things can happen to some organic matter when it’s transported. I had tomatoes explode the other day. Would you want that to be your head, much less the heads of a hundred soldiers the government trained to protect you?”

The mental image was horrific enough; I shuddered. “No.” I took a deep breath. “No, you’re right. I can see why you’d hide this information from us. But why tell me now?”

“We’ve bonded, Miah. You’re part of us, and we’re part of you. Shifters will recognize our bond, and that makes you… family, for lack of a better word.”

Family. I’d always wanted a family, but I didn’t think I would get it. But wasn’t it a little soon to be saying stuff like that?

“I’m sorry I jumped to conclusions,” I said. “I trust you guys; I do. It’s just—”

“A lot has happened in a very short amount of time since we met, not even two weeks ago,” Lisco said.

“Yeah.” I nodded.

“Good things, though, right?” Moshe put his hand on my leg, covering my knee and partway up my thigh. I placed my hand over his and reached out for Lisco. He wove our fingers together and squeezed my hand.

“Very good things.”