Dare: A M/M Sci-Fi Romance (Mindset Duet Book 1)

25. Chapter 25

Dare saw Jason every day, usually in the afternoons when he had no clients and Lewis was on duty. They worked on Stravetta”s family ”issues” some of that time. Dare shared his own parental problems, noting that they were nothing next to Jason”s family”s toxic response to him. The empath made sure he spent extra time with his almost-lover after each of those sessions.

Like so many, Jason did not like his family, but still deeply craved the connection with them. He knew that was impossible, but hope took a long time to die, and did not let go without damage. Dare supported him using his gifts, when necessary, but mostly reminded him of his strength, abilities, and compassion. The Mindset also held the older man when the pain was too much, finding that helping Jason also helped him to heal as well. He, too, wished for a connection that would never happen now, as he would never return to Earth.

The Mindset arrived at the Stravetta suite today just as quickly as he could. His morning sessions had gone well. He”d completed his notes, gulped down some lunch, and rode the lift to Jason”s deck, filled with his usual anticipation.

Lewis always had a smile for him when he arrived. ”I”m glad to see you, Dare. Mr. Stravetta received a message from his family this morning. I”m pretty sure it was nothing good. He told me just to let you in, so here you go.” He opened the door, letting the empath pass him, getting only a glimpse of his boss sitting on the couch before the door slid shut again.

Jason stood as Dare came towards him, holding his arms open for a hug. ”I”m happy you”re here. It”s been a shitty morning. Sit down, no, here, next to me, and I”ll fill you in.”

Dare sat next to the older man on the couch with some space between them. Jason snaked out an arm to pull him closer. ”You don”t mind, do you?”

The empath smiled warmly. ”If I did, you”d know. Lewis said you got a message from your family. I”m guessing none of it was good.”

Jason leaned his head back against the cushions, closing his eyes. ”There”s no way to sugarcoat this. They know about you, thanks to fucking Derek. They want me to deliver you back to Earth, using whatever means I need to, including using my position to coerce you. They intimated that sex might work, too. Nothing like being pimped out by your family. Needless to say, they can fuck off. Neither of us is going back to Earth.”

Dare, his eyes wide, glanced up at the other man. ”I thought…I mean, I assumed you”d be returning to Earth. You know, I”m supposed to go down to the planet with the colonists.” He dropped his eyes to Jason”s chest. ”I don”t want that now, but I don”t know if I can back out.”

The older man hugged him tighter before kissing the top of his head. ”Don”t worry about that. I”ll go down with you if I have to, but I don”t think that”ll be necessary. You”re training another Mindset, so they won”t go without one. Remember the conversation I had with the captain? I”m working on a plan that will free me from the family forever. It will mean that I can”t go back to Earth, but truthfully, that”s not much of a loss for me. I don”t have fond memories of the place, and there”s no one I regret leaving. I would only regret leaving you, and that I will never do.”

The Mindset sighed, not looking up. ”Are you sure? You”d be giving up so much to protect me. I mean, I”m a fugitive, but you don”t have to be.”

”I”m not giving up anything that matters to me, and I”m gaining you. I”d say that is an equitable arrangement as long as you agree I can stay with you.”

Dare was quiet for several minutes. His face turned into Jason”s soft shirt. ”No one has ever wanted me like you do or wished to care for me. I”ve always been alone, apart. I don”t know if I”m worth that sacrifice.”

The older man pulled him into his lap, holding him firmly. ”Let all of that go. I want you, will care for you, and I”m not sacrificing anything. I just want to be with you, and to…to love you as you deserve.”

His voice muffled in Jason”s shirt, Dare murmured, ”Is it love or just the help I”ve given you? How do you know? Are the feelings I have for you love? I”ve never felt this way about anyone else.”

Jason gave the younger man a little shake. ”I didn”t tell you I love you for you to say it to me. If you feel that for me, great. If not, I”ll still love you. You”ve helped me so much, but what I feel goes beyond that. Only you can figure out what you”re feeling. Tell me when you know for sure.” He smiled down at the top of Dare”s head. ”I suppose it would be crass to ask when you can spend the night with me now.”

His chest vibrated with the empath”s soft laugh. ”I can”t tonight, but I”ve arranged to take the next two days off. I”ll see my morning clients tomorrow, then I”ll come up here, provided that”s alright with you.”

Stravetta chuckled. ”Of course, it”s fine with me. Will you stay with me both days? I”d like that if you can.”

”How could I pass up such a lovely invitation? I”ll be with you the entire time, and probably won”t want to leave.”

”Someday, I hope you won”t have to.”

The following morning crawled by for Dare. He”d packed a bag the night before, stowing it under his desk when he came into his office. Riis knew of his schedule change, and reluctantly, the empath told him where he would be in case of some emergency. The assistant looked only a little surprised, his smirk changing into a smile, before wishing his friend a wonderful time off, mentioning he”d say nothing to anyone. Dare gravely thanked him, giving him an affectionate glance as Riis waved him out of his office, citing he had work to do. It was good to have a friend like Riis.

Working methodically, Dare finished up his notes, dismissed the idea of lunch, and left for his rendezvous. He was excited and anxious at the same time, taking deep breaths as the lift inched its way up to Jason”s suite.

Lewis was at the door, his expression professional, although his eyes were twinkling. ”I understand you”re spending a few days with Mr. Stravetta. Enjoy your stay, Dare.” He grinned. ”I”m sure you will.”

Dare nodded, swallowing audibly. ”I hope…I think I will. Thank you.”

Lewis opened the door, giving the obviously anxious young man a comforting smile. ”I”ll be out here if either of you needs anything. I”m happy for you.”

The empath nodded again, just as Jason”s voice sounded. ”That”s great, Lewis, but for Gods’ sake, let the man in.”

Lewis answered with a very civil ”Yes, sir,” as the Mindset hurried through the door, stopping just inside, dropping his bag with a thump.

Jason was suddenly right there, taking him into his arms. ”I”m so happy you”re here.”

Dare murmured, ”Me, too,” just as his stomach grumbled loudly. The younger man cringed, stepping back. ”I”m sorry. I didn”t take time for lunch.”

The older man laughed quietly. ”I didn”t either. We”re quite the pair. I”ll go ask Henry or Lola to make us some sandwiches or something. Will that suit you?”

The Mindset let himself be drawn in closer. ”You know I”ll eat just about anything, so yes.”

Jason towed him over to the couch to sit before going into the kitchen area. Dare heard soft voices, then Jason was back.

”Henry is a mind reader, no offense, Mindset. He was already making some sandwiches for us and reheating some soup. It will be ready in a few minutes. You ready to be away from responsibility for a while?”

”I don”t really know how that feels, but I”m still looking forward to it. And you.”

Stravetta”s eyes heated a little. ”Gods know, I am. We need to get on the same page, though, don”t we?”

Dare stared at him for a moment, then smiled. ”Let”s do that after we eat, okay? I”m too hungry to focus on serious topics.”

Jason nodded agreement as Henry brought out a laden tray, setting it on the table in front of the couch. ”Do you wish to eat here, Mr. Stravetta, or the dining area?”

Stravetta glanced at the Mindset, then looked at Henry. ”I think we”ll eat in here. We can serve ourselves, thank you, Henry.” Henry smiled, before heading back to the kitchen.

Jason piled two sandwiches on a plate, handing it to his lover. He put the bowl of chips in between them on the couch, then poured two glasses of cider. ”Dig in, Dare. I”m starving, too.”

The sandwiches disappeared quickly, but not without some extra licking of lips and seductive smiles. Dare finished first, used to eating on a timeline. He sipped his cider, enjoying its bite as he watched Jason finish his meal. He smiled when the older man met his eyes, his tongue smoothing over his lips for the last bit of sauce, as he chewed his last bite. His libido spiked when he thought of where he”d like that tongue. Sternly telling himself to calm down, he gave the older man a warm glance.

”Thank you, J. I feel better. I”m ready for that discussion if you are. I”m feeling ready for other things, too.” Jason, drinking his cider, let his eyes rove slowly over the younger man”s body before making a ”go ahead” motion with his free hand. Dare sat up straighter, drawing in an audible breath, before turning towards the other man.

”I”ve only had sex with other empaths, and that, not frequently. I don”t think we should have penetrative sex right away, not because I don”t like it, but due to not knowing how I”ll react with a non-gifted lover. If my shields drop with another empath, they can compensate. I don”t want to hurt or overwhelm you inadvertently. My shields have gone down before when I”ve bottomed, and it”s a lot for even another empath to deal with. Otherwise, I”m good with blow jobs, frottage, using our hands.” He paused, giving Jason a searching look. ”I want you, J. To touch, hold, see you cum. What I feel…is more than that, but I don”t have the words.”

Jason moved closer, bumping their knees together. ”I”ve likely had more experiences than you since I”m older, but I”m fine foregoing penetration right now. I don”t want to do anything that will make you uncomfortable. Hands and mouths are fine with me, but mostly I just want to be with you, however you”ll have me. I really want to see what”s under that less than flattering jumpsuit.”

They stared at each other wordlessly for a moment, before Dare licked his lips, then leaned in to kiss the other man. The younger man whispered against Jason”s lips. ”Show me your bedroom, J. I”m ready for whatever you give me, and I”ll do the same for you.”

Jason looked into his eyes, then smiled. He stood, taking the empath”s hand to pull him up. ”I will show you everything and give you more.” He sauntered into the bedroom, stopping by the bedside.

The bed was freshly made, with multiple pillows. A myriad of colors shone from the duvet, glowing in the muted lighting. Nightstands bracketed the bed with the bath located to the right. The room itself was a light yellow, shining as though it was an early dawn. Dare took all of this in, sighing. ”This is a beautiful room, and that bed looks amazing. Can I undress you? It will only take me seconds to get out of this flight suit.”

Mouth suddenly dry, Jason nodded. Dare stepped in front of him, close enough to feel his body heat. He carefully unbuttoned the light blue dress shirt, pulling the tails out of the other man”s pants, then delicately lifted it off his shoulders and over his arms. He saw the prosthetic for the first time, looking at it with curiosity. ”Does it cause you pain anymore?”

Jason shook his head. ”The doc realigned it and it”s been fine ever since. If it creeps you out, I can put a sleep shirt on.”

The empath laid a gentle hand on Jason”s bared chest. ”It doesn”t upset me to see proof of your strength and resilience. What would you prefer to do?”

The older man sighed at the understanding in the Mindset”s expression. ”I”d like to take it off. I don”t use it for anything intimate. I don”t have that much fine control.”

”Go ahead and do that. I”ll take a seat on your sinful bed and watch–unless that bothers you.” Jason shrugged.

”Most people don”t want to see how it looks. I mean, it”s capped with the interface, but it”s still kind of ugly.”

Dare frowned. ”I”m not ”most” people. This is part of you just as much as any other. How can I care about it less?”

Jason pressed above where the prosthetic sat, then twisted. His amputation was below the elbow, giving him unaided flexion. Holding the faux arm/hand in his right hand, he nodded towards the bath. ”I”m going to charge this overnight. Makes it function more smoothly.”

When he returned, he had a blue sock-like piece of cloth covering his amputation site. ”I can”t get the nodes dirty or it takes forever to clean them. Don”t want to snag you on them either.”

Dare stood, tugging him closer to the bed. ”You”ve still got too many clothes on, Mr. Stravetta, now hold still.”

The younger man kneeled to help him slip out of his shoes, then had him sit on the bed to remove his socks. Every touch was gentle, reverent. As he stood up again, he caressed Jason”s back and chest, causing his nipples to peak as the other man shivered with want.

He traded places with the older man, sitting on the bed to undo Stravetta”s trousers, slowly pulling down the zipper, revealing an engorged cock held in place by black underwear. He reached out, carefully touching the cock before him, feeling it grow in his hand. Jason gasped in a breath, his voice low.

”You keep doing that, and this will be over before it starts.”

The younger man regretfully let go. ”We have all day, J. Don”t worry about that.”

Without pausing, the empath pulled down the perfectly tailored trousers, baring firm abs and muscled thighs. Jason”s legs were long, and only slightly hairy, giving way to strong ankles and well-formed feet. Leaning in, he inhaled the musky scent that said ”Jason”, before pulling down the underwear carefully, freeing Stravetta”s cock, watching it bob and flex. Jason wasn”t huge, but neither was he small. The girth of his shaft was more than Dare had encountered in the past, and his mouth watered at the thought of taking him in.

Shaking his head, Dare stood again. ”Go ahead and get in bed. I”ll peel off my ”uniform” and be right with you.”

It took seconds for the empath to step out of his ”suit’ and shuck his underwear. He stood where Jason could see him, turning without haste. Dare”s body was slender, but well-muscled, all because of a consistent workout schedule. He had no chest hair, but his cock was wreathed by wiry curls of dark hair, matching his head. Smaller than Jason, Dare”s cock was cut and the image of perfection. As he turned, his back showed two dimples above a rounded, firm butt.

Jason eyed him fully before throwing the covers back and growling, ”Get in here so I can taste you.”

Dare hesitated. ”Do you want me to pick up our clothes?”

The older man”s eyes narrowed. ”Leave them and get over here before I explode.”

The Mindset grinned, then slid into the bed without another word. Jason pounced, slipping down the empath”s body, taking his cock into his mouth. Dare arched under him, making an indescribable sound, gasping out the older man”s name. It was obvious that this was not Stravetta”s first time sucking cock. He used his tongue to tease, and alternated between licking, sucking, and swallowing, making Dare writhe. Using his weight to hold his lover still, Jason brought him to the edge several times before finally taking a deep breath and deep throating the younger man. Dare cried out, his cum filling the other man”s mouth to overflowing, his shields dropping enough to pull the older man into his own climax. Jason swallowed all that he could, as he shuddered through his own orgasm, then gently pulled away, wiping his mouth. He”d felt Dare”s shields drop a little, comparing it to feeling a warm, soft breeze. It was invigorating.

Glancing up at Dare, he saw the empath lying with complete abandon, his hands clutching the bedsheets, his legs splayed. Eyes closed, he was slightly flushed, his breathing quieting even as Jason”s did. The sight of the Mindset so open and unguarded made his breath catch with a mixture of lust, need, and love.

Dare”s eyes opened, blinking several times, as Jason moved up his body, taking him into his arms. The deep blue eyes searched the older man”s face for a moment, then smiled. ”You…that was…amazing. I”ve never let go like that before–I know my shields dropped a little, but…” He hesitated, ”you”re alright, aren”t you?”

Jason leaned in to kiss him before answering, sharing the taste of him. ”Never better. I felt something change just before you pulled me into my orgasm. It felt good, like an exchange of energy. I have no complaints about that, believe me.”

The empath snuggled closer. ”Good. Sex makes it difficult to maintain my shielding because I have to be vulnerable to enjoy it. You make me feel safe, J. That”s a gift to me.”

Stravetta grinned, looking pleased. ”I”m happy to give you that, be it with sex or in life. You will always be safe with me, Dare, as I will be with you.”

The Mindset gave the other man a lingering kiss. ”May Gaia always make that so, for both our sakes.”