Dazzling Light

by: Vema

Authors Note: I had an issue with my computer and lost all of my third and fourth chapters for my Dragon Age fanfic, Blessings, which I had planned to update soon. So, to ride out the frustration before I finish that, I was trying to write a one-shot slashy fic. Unfortunately, it turned into a multi-chapter. Or fortunately if you like it. Review please! :)

Disclaimer: Don't own it, not making money, please don't sue. And DON'T READ if you're not into male on male romance or alien on human romance. Or any combination of the above, lol.

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A year had passed on Planet 51 before Charles Baker came back. A year of growing and learning. A year where Lem and Neera's relationship blossomed, then withered, a teenage whim that had never been real love. A year that saw Lem fall farther and farther into a melancholy he couldn't explain. He was working full time at the planetarium and attending classes at Snarg University part time during the evenings. By all accounts he should have been happy.

Majoring in Astronomy had seemed like a good idea two months ago, but now he wasn't so sure. He loved the stars, and loved the idea of space travel. But his professors were always talking about space in terms of thousands of stars, or hundreds of miles, when he knew better.

Chuck had taught him that.

He got into trouble when he questioned the teachers, asking how they could claim Space was only 500 miles wide when Charles Baker had told him it was trillions. He sat in quiet, seething rage as they made claims he no longer believed to be true about intelligent life in the universe. He stared up at the stars and felt an aching emptiness in his chest, and he knew he would never feel whole again.

Sometimes it threatened to overwhelm him, the sorrow and pain. Chuck had been a vibrant light in his life. He had saved his life. The thought of the human would send his antennae quivering, and he often had to hold back tears as he thought of the sound of that deep voice.

Lem was there in the planetarium that day, a little more than thirteen months following the "Alien Incident", as the media were calling it. He was looking at the stars, tears leaking down his cheeks, emerald eyes searching the sky for... What? Hope? Solace? There wasn't a day in his life that he didn't think of the large alien. Lem still remembered the feel of his hands on his shoulders as Chuck pretended to remove his mind control; the look in his eyes as he nodded, waiting for Lem to condemn him to save himself. The amazement he felt when the soared into space, and Chuck showed him the view out the window for the first time. The huge arms around him as he hugged Chuck goodbye. The tearing in his gut as he watched the flying saucer glide away, never to return.

It was as this thought crossed his mind that a brilliant light caught his attention in the clouds above, and the loud roar he had only heard once in his life sounded again. His ears twitched and his chest swelled as he watched the descending craft, heading towards the suburbs, where his parents house was.

The glare of the ship reflected in the mirror of his eyes. He had to get there.

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Nearly falling as he leapt to his feet, he shot down the stairs. He burst through the doors, knocking down Skiff, who shouted out, "Whoa! What's going on? Lem?"

Suddenly, he saw Rover speeding out in front of him. "Go, Rover! Help me find Chuck!", Lem shouted, hearts pounding so hard it might break out of his chest.

Adrenaline pulsed through him as he followed the small machine through the streets, dodging cars, jumping fences. His lungs burned and his legs ached and he thought, I have to keep going, I can't stop now...

And then, as he rounded a corner, he saw it. He was still a block away, but the ship had successfully landed. The hatch was open, and there he was.

Lem stopped and stared, unable to believe what he was seeing. The human was shaking hands with Mr. Gorblag, who lived down the street from Lem's parents house. He seemed very happy to be greeting Chuck, a large smile plastered across his face. Chuck, for his part, looked pleased and excited too. He seemed to be politely asking for some information, and Mr. Gorblag was glancing around, searching for something as his little dog yapped and sniffed at the astronauts feet.

Lem was frozen. He should shout out. Run forward. Anything but stay perfectly still, but he couldn't move. If he moved it wouldn't be real, he knew it. How many dreams had he had like this? Of course, Mr. Gorblag never starred in them, but his imagination could be getting more sophisticated. And so he was still, and silent, and watching Rover happily zoom right up to the other two men.

At the sound of the canine-like probe, Chuck turned. "Rover!" he cried, smiling. Then looked up, directly at Lem.

And the younger man was trapped in Chucks eyes, like sapphire oceans. What was that feeling, a fire balling up in his chest? Like nothing he'd ever felt before. It grew and caused his cheeks to flush dark green as the astronaut grinned widely, just for him.

It was in the exact moment that Rover, ecstatic with excitement, jumped up and knocked Chuck onto his back. "Ooof! Oh, Rover..." He laughed and tried to push the over-eager robot off as Lem ran over, finally able to find his feet.

He reached out a hand to help Chuck up, but he hardly needed it and he jumped up, imposing as ever. Lem was immediately crushed against the spaceman's chest in a smothering bear hug. "Missed you, Lem," he whispered, his breath hot on Lem's ear.

Despite the discomfort of being squeezed against a rubbery space suit, his toes curled and he swooned as he was swept off the ground, brain beyond thinking again. He turned his head into the alien's neck, his lips brushing the warmth and causing goosebumps to break out across the peach skin. As soon as he'd done it, he jerked his head back. What was he doing? He was just happy to see his friend again.

Chuck dropped him and coughed, and Lem finally noticed the huge crowd that had gathered and blushed even more deeply, wondering how many had witnessed that little bit of shame.

Luckily, Chuck was more prepared than ever to be the center of attention. "Citizens of Planet 51!" Chuck bellowed, "I come in peace, as ambassador of Planet Earth. My mission is to learn your customs and teach you of our people, and to foster friendly relations." He brought out a small tube, presumably some sort of official document. Not that it mattered, since no one would be able to tell whether it was authentic or not, but the gesture was impressive. He turned and smiled again at Lem. "I choose Lem as much guide and assistant."

And just as suddenly the crowds attention was on him again. He smiled sheepishly, gulped, and felt like fainting. "Um...hi..."

"Take me to your leader!" Chuck finished with a flourish, looking at Lem.

"You mean...like...the President?"

"Oh, you guys have one of those too, huh? This is pretty amazing. All right then, to your President!"

This caused Lem to stare at him blankly. "Chuck. If someone showed up on your planet and just announced they wanted to see your leader..."

"Oh." He frowned. "I see your point. Well, surely the evening news can work for us and not against us this time, right?

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"And so, I'm here to spread peace and mutual understanding between our two peoples. I look forward to reporting back to Earth about my interactions with the local leadership." Chucks voice came out of the small TV Lem had in his one bedroom.

Lem flipped it off. "Okay, now what?"

"Well, I gave out your phone number."

"Don't remind me."

"I figured people would be calling us themselves in no time!"

Lem sighed. "But will it be the right people?"

Chuck put his arm around Lem's shoulders. "For now, it's late, I'm tired, and I haven't showered in weeks. May I?"

There it was again. Burning; burning and aching. "...Sure. There's towels in there."

"Great!" He started to strip down.

"What are you doing!"

Not pausing, he answered, "I thought you could wash my clothes while I'm showering. And can I borrow something? I can't run around in the nude." His clothes were piled on the floor by the time he had finished his statement.

"Go to the bathroom, Chuck." He was trying not to stare at the astronauts body, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore.

He laughed and walked towards the restroom door, pausing for a moment halfway in. "I really did miss you, you know?" And then he was gone.

Lem listened to the shower start, pushing the palms of his hands against his eyes. He almost wanted to regret offering Chuck a place to stay in his apartment, which was located off the campus, thankfully. But as he listened to Chuck singing in his bathroom, belting out lyrics to some Earth song that echoed from the tile room, he found himself smiling for the first time in what felt like forever.

"...packed my bags last night, PRE-FLIGHT! Zero hour, nine AM..."

The smile stayed with him as he went to the closet. He spread out a sheet across the couch and and placed a pillow and a blanket on the arm. It wasn't much, but it would have to do for now. In a few days, perhaps he would even have his own place to call home...

But that thought caused an uncertain sadness in him, and he pushed it away as he laid his head back. His eyes drifted closed as he listened to the out-of-tune warbles issuing out amidst dripping of the shower.

It was late, and Lem must have dozed on the couch while he was waiting for Chuck to finish. When he woke up, he was snuggled up against a large chest, with a heavy arm across his back, and the blanket he had laid out for his new roommate was stretched across both of them. He looked up and found himself nearly face to face with Chuck, who was fast asleep, his head inclined towards Lem.

The hearts in Lem's chest fluttered dangerously. He couldn't help but stare at his soft, pink lips.

Did this mean he...?

How could...?

Then he shook his head. Earth was no doubt a strange place. He knew this must be considered normal behavior between two friends on Chuck's planet, no matter how it caused Lem to feel. It wouldn't be fair to push anything more on his companion. And what more was there?

And why was it that Lem felt everything he was supposed to feel for a woman when he looked at Chuck?

He laid his head against the massive chest and listened to the deep rumbling of his heartbeat and breathing, a feeling of contentment settling over him, and spoke in a voice so soft he almost couldn't hear it himself.

"I missed you too, Chuck."

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TBC! :) Let me know what you think!