Cuddlefish - 18. Chapter 18

"That was so amazing!" Jasper said as he flopped into a seat on the bridge of the ship that he and Tilbei now considered theirs. The half-Polkin smiled sweetly up at his Nubra. "It was beautiful how Zay and Pip swam together. And Zay learned his part so fast! I know he said he had lots of practice swimming and that they changed some of his motions to things he could do more easily. But still, it was like they were dancing in the water. And then when Pip turned into his little Sepida self and waved his little arm-tentacles around and changed colors and patterns! So cute! And Zay held up those colored shells and rocks that matched Pip!" Jasper made a happy chitter and slumped back with a smile that slowly faded. He looked at his lover with concern. "I...I don't think I can swim as well as Zay, Bei…"

The Nubra finished up setting their course towards Jasper's home planet. As much as he longed to perform the same ceremony with the lovely hybrid, they still needed to get permission from Jasper's parents first. "Don't worry. We don't have to perform it completely submerged. I can survive out of the water for long stretches of time," he reminded. "And I'm so small that, if you really wanted to, you could keep me in a small cupped puddle in your hands for the entire dance with only your feet in the water."

He immediately reached out to thread their hands together. His heart swelled at the thought of being mated to Jasper. "Any version of the dance is accepted so long as it's with the consent of the family," Tilly concluded. "And I can't imagine dancing with anyone else. I love you, Jasper."

The hybrid's lavender eyes grew misty, and he blinked furiously. Stupid overactive tear ducts. Jasper had always been a sensitive soul, but he'd been more emotional since his captivity. Jasper didn't understand it. While the Hunnars had held him, abused and used him, he'd been so focused on making it through the next day, even the next hour, he hadn't been so weepy unless one of them had been hurting him. Jasper only felt safe, now, when Tilbei was close.

The half-Polkin knew it was ridiculous to be so jumpy all the time. They couldn't have been safer on Tilbei's planet during the party following the national ceremony. Yet, when Tilbei had left for only a few minutes to do a traditional dance with the other Nubra present, Jasper had nearly had a panic attack when he'd lost sight of his lover, and some poor elderly Sepida woman had bumped into his tail. Jasper had startled the stuffing out of her when he'd yelped and jumped a mile. Thank goodness Tilbei hadn't seen, and Jasper thought he'd hidden his impending freakout enough that the Nubra hadn't noticed. Jas didn't want to be weak and clingy, and he was downright terrified of driving Tilbei away.

"I love you, too. So much," Jasper said softly. He swallowed hard. "You know how you said maybe I should talk to someone, like a professional, and I said no way?" The hybrid fussed with his tail, combing his fingers through the soft, thick fur. His stupid tear ducts were acting up again, but he continued. "Maybe you're right…maybe it would be a good idea. I don't want to bother you so much because I'm nervous about stupid things."

The Nubra immediately shook his head. "No, I want this," he countered. "I want you to be honest with me and tell me all of your fears. You promised you would, remember?" He gently ushered the hybrid into a warm embrace. "I'd be right there with you, if you wished. Stars know I'm not perfect, either. I have some repressed anger about the Hunnars and many fears of losing you. I rarely express it, but that's more than enough of a reason to see a professional, as well.

"You think mom and I haven't noticed?" Tilbei continued. "We both want you to be happy. Not pretend happy or happy for our sake. But, well and truly happy. And I want to be with you every step of the way."

"I am happy… a lot of the time. When I'm with you, I'm happy." Jasper took a breath and shared the worry that made his chest ache. "I'm so scared you'll get tired of me being so needy. Like some clinging baby. I hid it at the party, but after that dance you did with the other Nubra I was a mess. And it was for no reason. You were out of sight, and a little grandma bumped me. Polkin are supposed to be brave, but I'm not anymore. My ma will be so disappointed in me." Jasper hid his face in Tilbei's warm chest, ashamed.

Tilbei frowned. Though he and is mother had seen Jasper's "jumpiness" on other occasions, the hybrid hadn't told him specifically about his insecurities during the dance. "Jasper, I want nothing more than for you to tell me whenever you feel that way. I don't mind your clinginess. You can cling to me whenever you wish. Always." He insisted. "But, I really do want you to trust me with your fears."

"It makes me feel dumb to be afraid of things I shouldn't be scared of," Jasper admitted with a small sigh. "But I'll try." He peeked up at Tilbei then hid his face again, his medium-sized rabbit ears tickling the Nubra under his chin. "I get scared when you're not close, especially if you're out of sight. Even when I know I'm perfectly safe. And I don't like it when anyone except you or a friend is behind me. It makes it hard to breathe, and my heart beats too fast. And you know how I feel about kitchens and dining rooms." Jas pressed his cheek, hot with embarrassment, against Tilbei's skin. "Those are the big things that have been problems lately."

"Then, I'll be sure to keep by your side no matter what," Tilbei responded. "At least until you start feeling a little better about it. I'm a Nubra...our kind are clingers. Didn't you see how Pip never strayed far from Zane and kept touching him? Being close all the time is usually our problem." He admitted as he ran a hand over the half-polkin's back in warm circles. "It was careless of me to have allowed myself to be dragged into the dance without keeping you with me. I'm sorry, Jas."

"No, don't be sorry." Jas offered an uncertain but hopeful smile. "Nubra really are clingy? It's really okay for me to be glommed onto you all the time? Because I like it." He rubbed his cheek against Tilbei's shoulder. "I really like being close to you, as close as I can get."

"Yes, I love grooming you all the time," Tilly confessed. "It's one of the things I look forward to the most every day." He snuggled against the hybrid. "I also love having you near me like this as often as possible."

A weight seemed to leave Jasper, and he slumped against Tilbei with a soft happy noise. Jas gave the Nubra a squeeze and sat up, sliding to straddle Tilly.

"I like this, too." Jasper's smile had lost its uncertainty, and the worry had left his lovely lilac eyes.

It made Tilbei suck in a breath. The half-Polkin had always been beautiful to him, but the shift in his lover's posture and something in his expression radiating a change in him. There was more confidence there and something else that Tilly couldn't quite identify, but it was beautiful. Jasper looked stunning, smiling down at Tilbei with his lavender hair hiding one eye.

"I like being even nearer," Jasper said softly, leaning closer and rolling his hips against the man beneath him.

The Nubra felt a thrill rolling down his spine. "Is that so?" He gently teased as he grinded against his lilac lover. "Because I very much enjoy our being even closer, as well." He reached down to eagerly rake his fingers along a sensitive spot on the hybrid's tail. With his other hand, he dexterously untied the segment where Jasper's cloth was secured. The fabric immediately fell down the half-Polkin's body as quickly as the curtain of a theater.

"The bed is too far," Jas said, a little breathless. He was already hard, a drop of precum at his tip. "I can't wait that long to have you in me. I love you, Bei. I want you." He bit his full lower lip, eyelids fluttering as he pressed forward, rubbing his length wantonly against Tilbei's flat stomach.

"How do you want me?" Tilbei hissed as he lifted Jasper by the thighs and then sat them both in the pilot's chair. "Tell me what you want me to do. One shaft, two? Long thrusts, soft?"

Jasper couldn't hold back a moan, grinding harder against his dark-skinned lover. "Stars, Bei, both. I need both of them, long and deep. I want to feel you as close with me as I can." He arched back to look into Tilbei's eyes. "I need it, give it to me."

Tilly allowed the commands to wash over him as he reached down to stretch his lover. The two of them were sexually active on a regular basis, so he didn't have to do much. Not a moment later, both of his shafts slid into the hybrid's depths as far as they could go.

Jasper cried out in surprised pleasure. He didn't even think of where Tilly had been keeping the lube in the cockpit or how he'd applied it so quickly. Jas just knew it felt perfect. He felt full, connected to Bei in a soul-deep way that was just as good as the thick cocks stretching him. Tilbei rubbed against all the best sensitive spots inside him.

"Feels so good," Jasper moaned, his head falling back as his body arched and shifted as he rode his Nubra.

The Nubra wasted no time in working up to a long and hard pace for his beloved. By, then, he knew just where to aim those thrusts and when he needed to move faster. Tilbei had never been aroused enough for his third shaft to appear before he came across Jasper. The appearance of his third shaft was a common occurrence those days.

"Jas," Tilly hissed after he nipped one of the hybrid's ears. His hand reached down to take both his third shaft and Jasper's shaft and began to stroke them at the same pace as his thrusts.

Jasper shuddered, a raspy moan falling from his lips. His body rippled around Tilbei as the hybrid moved faster, his thighs trembling as he sank down onto Bei's lengths hard and fast. The Nubra's third shaft rubbed against Jasper's balls with every thrust and Jas was nearly mindless with pleasure. Everything felt light and foggy as sparks jumped in his vision.

"Bei," Jasper gasped. "Gonna come…"

"Then come, love," Tilbei rumbled huskily as he continued to piston into the half-Polkin's depths. "See the goddess."

"You, too," Jasper said, voice rough as he kept up his frantic pace, the sound of their bodies coming together and their harsh breaths filling the cockpit. "Come with me. Fill me up and cover me with it. Please, Bei!" Jas begged as he began to lose his rhythm, beginning to fall into the bliss that was consuming him. He cried out as his body tightened, but continued to force Tilbei inside him deep and hard as his orgasm roared over him.

The Nubra's own release wasn't far behind Jasper's. He continued to drive himself deep into his lover, as deep as was possible. A mere moment after Jasper's seed spilled between them, Tilly's own seed shot along the hybrid's chest and stomach. The inky-hued man's chest lifted and feel as he took in shuddering breaths of bliss.

"After we land, I'll end up being the clingy one," Tilbei admitted. "Should you decide to stay and live near your parents, I'll follow you anywhere."

Jasper giggled softly, mountains of anxiety and insecurity lightened from his mind. He knew he still needed to talk to a professional. There were a lot of fears that still lurked inside him. However, his insecurity and worries about his relationship with Tilbei were gone. The Nubra wanted him and would stay with him forever. Bei loved Jas and Jasper loved Tilbei. It was going to be okay.

A goofy smile lingered on Jasper's lips as he gazed up at his lover, his mate. "You should probably get through meeting my parents before you volunteer to live nearby."

::

By the end of day, Tilbei didn't know if he was in Jasper's parents' good graces or not. The hybrid's world was unlike anything he had ever seen. But, it was just as amazing. The People were energetic at times, adorable, hospitable, and quite amorous. They caught many couples boffing in broad daylight, and it was absolutely normal there. As the celebrations went on and night fell, Tilly saw many groups of people entering one of the larger huts.

"What's going on in there?" He asked Jasper softly.

"Hmm?" Jasper looked to where Tilbei was gesturing. "That's the love hut."

"The love hut?" The Nubra questioned, confused.

"It's where people... ummm..." The hybrid blushed a pretty mauve. "If someone needs to make some really good friends..." Jasper shook his head and grabbed his mate's hand. "Why don't I just show you?"

Tilly allowed himself to be led by his mate as they approached the hut. The two of them peeked inside, and the Nubra's peach eyes went wide. "I should have known..." He whispered at the sight of several groups of 'the People' touching and kissing one another.

They dawdled there at the entrance, both wanting to watch just a little longer. It was an incredibly erotic sight. A dozen of the rabbit people were in various states of undress. No one seemed to be having full intercourse, but everything short of that seemed to be going on in the dimly lit building.

"What are you looking at?" came a rather loud whisper from directly behind them. "Are you going in? Can we play together?"

Tilly and Jasper turned around to see yet another shocking sight, an albino rabbit. "I'm sorry, what was that?" The Nubra asked.

"Are you going in?" the lop-eared rabbit asked with a little bounce. "Wow, you are both amazing."

The pale man's flower-pink eyes sparkled as he stepped close to them. One pale hand stroked Jasper's soft lilac, and white hair then rubbed the hybrid's ears. The white rabbit's other hand traced the orange spots on Tilbei's cheeks, then began tracing the tentacle petals on the Nubra's head.

"So, beautiful," the albino hummed under his breath.

The Nubra felt quite strange to see someone so beautiful calling him beautiful. "Th-thanks? I'm Tilbei...mate to Jasper right here." He greeted as he took hold of the Polkin's hand.

"I'm Phenner! Or, you can call me Phen," the albino announced with a wide smile.

::END::