Back in their quarters, Ily began working her way out of her suit. Unzipping, unlatching, shimmying. It fit just right and looked good while protecting her, but getting in and out of it did take some doing. She'd sealed the door, just in case of a breach elsewhere, so it was fine to lose it. Basically living in the suit wasn't that bad, but it was still so nice to take it off. 

As her hands and limbs ran through the procedure on muscle memory, her thoughts turned to her partner. 

"That idea with the engine is amazing. They're so great. I'm so lucky. They care so much and are so smart and funny and hot and sweet. I don't deserve them. I'm just lucky they think I do."

Xiv fiddled idly with their own suit and the room's controls, trifling with the light and temp settings, pretending not to be watching Ily strip. Their eyes might be pointed away but it was easy to remember they were just for show when Xiv still paused and sighed and reacted to small reveals and progress as bit by bit more of Ily came into view. 

Xiv similarly thought Ily's body was amazing and adorable. 

That cute face, that mop of spiky tomboy hair, the cute little dollops of boob rounding out her chest, and all of that toned, lean muscle she used so well. Ily may have enjoyed Xiv’s wobbling curves, but Xiv was always fascinated seeing Ily’s muscles flex and shift under her skin with every movement. It unintentionally made every motion outside the suit a show for her lover. Xiv had nothing like that and thought Ily’s body was amazing in its own way, regardless of how much she gushed about how versatile Xiv’s body was.

But the best thing about Ily’s body was who was inside it. 

“I’m glad Ily’s feeling a little better. I can’t believe she still doesn't believe in herself about all that stuff. It's so sad. She’s so great. I'm so lucky. She cares so much and is so smart and funny and hot and sweet. I don't deserve her. I'm just lucky she thinks I do.

I hope I can help her feel better after she’s helped me so much.”

Xiv felt so lucky to have Ily to handle all the convoluted people stuff and keep track of all the markets and routes. Xiv might be able to get machines to sing for them and people liked them, but clients would always push Xiv around. They never seemed to know how or when to stand up for themself or when to roll over. All the shifting rates and relationships and politics that affected doing business were not what their head was made for, not like the solid machines they loved tinkering with.

Ily felt so lucky to have Xiv handling all the dizzying technical wizardry to keep them flying, while she just had to line up jobs and plot courses and do the talking. Ily didn't necessarily like all the people they worked with but she knew how to handle them: which ones to play nice with and which ones to stand firm so they didn't walk all over you. Maybe it was just easier for someone with a backbone to have a backbone, but she never said that. It always felt like it might be insensitive. Xiv could keep all those zillions of technical details in their head and Ily would just keep reading market reports and news and star charts and be thankful Xiv appreciated it.

What Xiv really appreciated was how Ily could see the big picture and dream big instead of getting lost in the details like them. She could dream big enough to imagine who Xiv could be outside of a dingy maintenance job. Big enough to leave the crew the two of them had been on and get their own ship. Big enough to suck you in and take you places you'd never dreamed. She could be so sure others could do great things, but couldn't see how great she was herself. 

Xiv wished Ily could see herself the way Xiv saw her and how great she was.

But right now Xiv could also see how hot she was. Ily shimmied the waist of her suit down over her hips and Xiv stifled a giggle, watching bits of Ily jiggle delightfully.

A few cycles ago, after a big payday, she had splurged and gotten a hermaph bodymod out of curiosity. It had made peeing trickier at first, and eventually the novelty of having a dick wore off, but she had never regretted it. Why would you regret an extra set of genitals to play with and enjoy? She joked about having the sampler pack: a bit of everything.

Xiv loved sampling all of it.

While Ily finally finished and the last of the suit came off, Xiv took the cue to stop stalling and join her. They simply bent over and flowed out of their suit while inverting; their head smoothed and split and became feet that rained onto the deck. Arms shifted, rejoining a torso to squeeze out and then splitting from new shoulders that used to be hips. Old legs came out and fused and bunched to form a new head. New hands reached up and finished the flip by sweeping the suit back off over their new hair, letting it land in a heap on the deck behind them.

"Ah," Xiv sighed in relief and contentment. "It's so much better seeing all of you with all of me. Every time." They had explained before that since all of their slime could see, when Xiv was out of the suit, they could see Ily from every angle at once. From the top of their head (like normal) down to the tips of their toes and out to their fingertips. Xiv had said the only thing nicer than seeing Ily was seeing more of her, and they enjoyed it whenever they could.

They smiled at Ily and stalked over, savoring the view and the approach as an unconcealed, unadorned, exposed Ily returned her warm smile and waited invitingly for them.

Underneath, Ily tried to just be there and not give in to her nagging thoughts. 

“Still not really up for this, but maybe I can get up to it. Xiv can be very convincing. And it could be a good way to feel better, either by letting go, or by forcing it out. Maybe.”

This time, as Xiv approached instead of walking away, they slightly bounced down and stretched up instead of sloshing to the side. With each step they ended up a little taller, their legs extended more and more. Xiv matched Ily's height, if not her proportions, by the time they reached her. That meant they were lined up perfectly, so Xiv could wrap their arms around her shoulders and pull her into a passionate kiss. Finally.

Xiv may have been fluid, but Ily melted into her. 

The ship may have been secure and the suit up to code, but wrapped in her lover’s arms was the one place she felt truly safe. Her body relaxed into Xiv’s grip and she hugged back, one arm around their back, and the other beneath the short torso, under their ample butt. Their tongues sparred, and lips worked against each other. Xiv slid their fingers up through the short hair on the back of Ily's head and pressed her harder into their kiss. Their soft, warm body molded itself against Ily's, squirming gently against her. Ily sighed into Xiv’s mouth, leaning into them for support as she soaked in their affection. She could almost forget everything and feel like it would be ok. Almost.

The moment seemed to stretch on, just holding each other, being warm and close and together. A dry, safe, cozy shelter from the endless rain of hassles. It felt wonderful. A momentary escape. 

But as nice as it was, Xiv wanted more.

As they made out, arms holding them together, fingers restless, feeling warm, firm goo pressing and sliding on bare skin, Ily could feel that goo begin to ripple and shift. From the two arms around her shoulders, there weren’t just two hands, one on her head, one on her back, anymore. There was at least one more, now stroking opposite the other on her back, and there was the gentle touch of a fourth starting to reach for her ass. Xiv’s own ass was not just squirming against her arm, but little fingertips were starting to emerge to stroke along her arm and fade back into the globes. Between them, Xiv’s large plush chest squished against her own, and similar little nubs and tips were beginning to trace around the curves of her own chest and teasingly avoid her nipples. More roving points caressed her sides and ran up and down Xiv’s legs along Ily’s. 

She knew Xiv was hungry, but they were starting petting her so gently.

Even if it was still everywhere.

It was so nice. And it was so hot.

She moaned between them, and squirmed back against Xiv’s embrace, pressing into the touches, holding Xiv tighter and urging her on. Xiv met the rising heat, and pushed further, their tongue splitting and further exploring Ily’s mouth as the strokes from their body became less circumspect. They traced paths over her chest to flick over a nipple before continuing. They dragged fingers down her tummy that split, one set going down the inside of one thigh and the other down the length of her shaft before slipping over her crown and continuing down her leg. Elsewhere, Xiv’s touches ran up her side and then down the arms on her spine and finally around her ass. Ily could feel her heart pounding as Xiv’s touches fed her own desire.

But she had to say something.

With effort, Ily broke their kiss and pulled back to look at Xiv. She caught her breath and looked her lover in their ersatz eyes.

“I love you,” she gasped, eyes twinkling. Xiv’s strokes slowed their paths over her body.

“I love you too,” Xiv said and squeezed her. “So much,” they laughed.

“And I love being with you,” Ily continued, “and I, ah, I want to 'celebrate' but I, uh, I don't know if I feel up to,” Ily looked away, “to, um, to, to ‘driving’," she finished weakly.

"You don't want to pound me with that fat cock?" Xiv crassly teased, trying to lighten the mood. To add emphasis, a hand grew out of Xiv's leg around Ily's stiffening cock and gave it a few tugs, drawing a gasp out of the self-conscious pilot.

When Ily still didn’t look at them, Xiv relented. A tendril poked out of the arm around Ily’s shoulder and nudged her chin back toward Xiv’s face. 

“Hey,” Xiv said more softly. ”Hey, that’s fine. I love being with you too. I know I pushed, but if you just want to cuddle in bed, that’s ok, ok?”

Ily perked back up. She met Xiv’s sincere, caring look sheepishly. “Ok.”

“Ok. And thanks for telling me.” There was a pause, as Xiv’s body kept gently caressing Ily. “I wasn’t going to ask you to ‘drive’ but even if I was, it's always ok to change your mind,” they reassured her. “Do you want to just cuddle?”

“No, you feel amazing and I want to-” Ily swallowed. “I love you and I want to be with you, I’m just, I’m still not…great…right now.”

“I know. That’s why I want to help. Do you just want to lay back and let me make you feel good?"

"I, yeah, if that's alright. This time. At least, at first."

"Sweetie, whatever you need," Xiv promised. "Just do try to enjoy it.”

“Mmm,“ Ily nuzzled Xiv’s arm. “I’m already enjoying it. You’re the best.”

“I disagree,” Xiv teased back, “but somehow I don’t think you’ll be convinced. Maybe if I distract you enough…” and now it was very clearly not a fingertip but a long, wet tongue that left a trail up the inside of Ily’s thigh, around the root of her member, and then delicately brushed between her folds and over her swelling clit. 

“Ooo,” Ily cooed, trying to look back at Xiv with lidded eyes. The myriad caresses picked up their pace again all over her body. 

“Oops, but that’ll distract me too.” Xiv’s voice grew huskier. “Winding you up is my favorite part.”

“It is?”

“Oh yes. Right next to everything else we're going to do together. It's all my favorite part.”

Xiv grinned, then leaned in and squeezed Ily tight again, cheek to cheek, nuzzling against each other. As their bodies rubbed together, the filigree of fingertips dancing over her were joined by lips, trailing kisses along Ily’s body. Down the side of her head and neck as it ground against Xiv, leaving her mouth free to squeak and pant. Up her legs. Down her back. Down her shaft and around her knob. Ily resumed making out with Xiv, more haltingly, needy and distracted as Xiv’s attentions became more insistent, engulfing and sucking on nipples, grasping and stroking the length of her firming cock, and continuing to lick her lower lips. Ily shifted her own grip, one of her hands kneading Xiv’s rear while the other slid around the front, over their chest and down to the cleft between Xiv’s legs, her fingers finding an accommodatingly wet slit there. 

Xiv continued to stroke Ily all over as they played with each other. They did love to tease her, especially when they were on the way to getting what they wanted. 

Xiv shifted to the side to let Ily’s hard-on pop up from being trapped between them against her thigh. It tasted cool, open air and then Xiv covered it again, pressed between their bellies as Xiv resumed stroking it. Ily groaned into their mouth. The fingers shifted to dozens of tongues licking its length, curving together to enclose it, and swirling around her tip. One licked down and stretched as it continued, joining the other on her pussy to lap up and down past each other, tasting her delicious juices. Then a third joined to focus on toying with her clit. 

Ily tried to just enjoy it. Much like the ship, Xiv knew just how she worked and how to push her buttons. How to touch where and when, and right now they were clearly trying to make Ily want them more and more. And it was working. She was getting so hot and needy but she could also feel some obscured hitch remaining in the back of her mind. Some twinge holding her back from letting go. Maybe she just needed to power through.

Her hips began to hump, hungry for more around and inside her. Ily hooked her fingers into Xiv and jerkily tried to pleasure them as her own heat was expertly stoked. Xiv's passage was so tight yet giving around her fingers. All of Xiv rippled as Ily’s fingers sawed in and out, the vibrations only adding to what Xiv was already doing to her.

Xiv broke the kiss to unnecessarily gasp and give her a cheeky look.

“I thought you were letting me make you feel good?”

“I, I, I wanna, I-”

“I suppose it’s my own fault. You wanted me to ‘drive’, so I should start,” Xiv cut her off. Still sucking and licking, they pushed off the floor with one of their feet, shoving Ily. Ily stumbled backwards to stay on her feet as Xiv held on to her tightly, keeping her clasped to them and stimulated. Ily dug her fingers into Xiv to hold on, jerking and twitching. Then Xiv turned them and kicked off harder, smirking as she directed Ily's janky footwork and maneuvered the two of them until the back of her calves hit the side of the bed.

"Mm, there we are." Xiv purred, regarded the bed and Ily's full, pulsing erection between them.

"Let's put that to good use." They released Ily and took a step back, but before she could do more than register the cool air between them, Xiv jumped up and pounced on her. Ily squealed then giggled as Xiv knocked her down onto the bed, and hopped over her. They landed sitting on Ily's abs and bent over to resume making out and teasing the blushing, horny girl beneath them.

Xiv’s rear rippled, pressing back against Ily's shaft, grinding into it. That rear finally abandoned the pretense of humanoid anatomy, unfurling dozens of tendrils to curve around and work on Ily. To wrap around her dick and pump it ready for them. To open her cunt and tantalize it. To resume licking her. To stroke her thighs and ass, exciting her further. Xiv's chest engulfed Ily’s and caught and licked and sucked both nipples. 

Ily knew what was coming and loved the anticipation of it. Knew Xiv and knew Xiv knew her, and knew Xiv wasn't just teasing anymore. Now they were hot and hungry and toying with her clit and glans in that infuriatingly good way that made her start panting and her eyes start to glaze over. The way they loved to see Ily feel. The way that only made Xiv want to go even harder.

Xiv’s hands found Ily's hands and their fingers knitted and locked, holding each other tight. They pushed Ily's unresisting arms back onto the bed and out to the sides. They still held tight as Ily felt more hands on her shoulders, palms pushing her down as Xiv broke the kiss and leaned back.

"Are you ready?" Xiv husked down at her gasping partner, not relenting even a little down below as she waited for a response. They watched with intensity, their purely performative face still unable to hide their need and enjoyment as they expertly manipulated Ily, making both of them want even more.

Ily shook and twitched and made small noises expressing her own need. Eyes clenched, open mouth panting, she gasped out not agreement but a request.

"All-Ah!... All, All of it. I…. I, I, I want all of it." Ily finally managed.

"Really?" Xiv raised an eyebrow. Normally, they enjoyed teasing everywhere, but focused on one thing at a time before adding more. The building did make it better, after all. "Right away? Are you sure?"

Ily's brow furrowed more as she clenched her eyes shut tighter, nodded feverishly, and swallowed. She gasped out “Uh-huh.” 

There was a hesitance at the back of Xiv's mind about the tone and need. They knew Ily and wanted her and knew Ily wanted them too, but they could hear an edge in her voice. An edge that told Xiv she was asking out of a need to run away from something else, not to run toward them. 

While it registered, it was only a thought, though. When your beautiful, desperate lover asks you to ravish her after you invited her to bed, it's hard to say no. Ily was literally asking for it, verbally and physically. She was so hot when she was needy like this.

Even so, Xiv still preferred doing things in quick succession to simultaneously. Giving each its proper attention and savoring it, if only for a moment, rather than trying to do everything at once. First, Ily felt the tendrils pull back from her cock as a pair of tight lips kissed the tip, then stretched around her as they pressed down. All of Xiv was warm and moist but this passage was slick and hot and tight. Made for her to fill it. To feel it stretch and clench around her. It pressed down to the hilt and held there, both of them savoring the feeling. They throbbed against each other, then Xiv pulled back and began to fuck. It wasn’t just a sheath, but still had the mass of hips around it, slapping down and pulling back. The tightness had weight pressing down around and onto her. Grinding her into their depths, milking and undulating, then pulling back and impaling itself again. And again. Needy. Playful. Enjoying the dick that was enjoying them.

Below, while the tongue on her clit kept time with the thrusting above, the ones tracing her folds were replaced by something blunter and firmer. It began nudging its way between them, brushing up and down as if looking for its opening. It's head grew wet with Ily's anticipation, stoking her lust before finding its mark. It pushed just inside as Xiv's hips above drew back further, and then the shaft sank deep inside her wet cunt as she impaled Xiv's cunt again. Ily groaned at the entry, feeling Xiv slide deliciously into place. She loved it. She loved it even more as Xiv pushed from both sides, and began thrusting in rhythm, filling Ily and being filled by her. Great feelings that enhanced each other. Ily joked sometimes about fucking in stereo, using both channels. Right now she just moaned. Her fingers gripped Xiv's more tightly as Xiv set a deliberate pace, making her feel each inch in and out and out and in. 

But there was still more. Even lower, a tongue that had been playing between Ily's firm cheeks had shifted from licking to probing. Rather than one large thrust like the other two, it eased in, a little more each time. Loosening and lubing the way for the next thrust and pulling back. From testing its way in, to pushing into her ass and growing and pushing further in that same deliberate rhythm. Filling her even more as the others continued until her ass was just as full. Xiv’s double members sawed in and out of Ily's wet holes, smooth as could be except for delightful bumps and edges Xiv had learned to put in just the right spots. Spots to make Ily gasp as they went back in and found their targets inside her.

Xiv was right that normally they built up to this and Ily's head swam at the flood of sensations. The tight, wet, slickness around her throbbing cock, pistoning up and down her, hungrily chasing her cum. The firm thrusts hard and deep in her own wet pussy, sending sparks up her spine with the way each filled her and hit just the right spots again and again. The second intruder in her ass, filling her even more, tightening everything, hitting its own spots, heightening everything. Any of it would have been wonderful, but together it was glorious. All of it together washed over her as Xiv held her down and worked her pleasure wracked body.

Her bleary eyes tried and occasionally did focus on Xiv as she tried to ride the waves of pleasure her lover was giving her. Xiv watched Ily from above with intense lust and rocked in their own rhythm, using their grip on Ily's top to add oomph to the thrusts down below. They kept working her nipples to squeeze even more heat into her, to build her up that much more, as they leaned in close. 

Xiv caught Ily's gasping mouth with her own and pressed her mouth over Ily's as she groaned her approval of everything. With a mix of satisfaction and hunger for more, Xiv pressed their lips together, to couple even more, even closer. Ily tried clumsily, distractedly to meet their kiss, and it only seemed to entice Xiv more. To see and feel how uncoordinated Ily was from the pleasure. Then Xiv’s tongue softened into something less coherent, more fluid, filling Ily’s mouth, surrounding her own tongue, and inching down her throat. It became more solid again, no longer a tongue, but a shaft, a tendril, something long and firm pressing its way into her and beginning to saw in and out of her throat in time with the others. All together pulsing into Ily. 

Xiv broke the kiss and pulled back from Ily, the new tendril's base flowing out Xiv’s lips and down to their chest. They sat up for a better view, still rocking with that unified rhythm. Their eyes remained locked on Ily’s, translucent jaw open, panting, not with a need for air, but just to express their hunger and heat. As Ily writhed beneath them, full of them, inside and around them, Xiv kept going, entranced by them both. At how the two of them could join like this. At how she could make her beloved Ily feel and how it made them feel. At how much joy they brought to each other in bed and outside it. At the impossibility of trying to physically express how they felt about Ily, but the joy of trying. 

Ily was almost lost under Xiv’s vigorous affections. At being so full and so close and so hot and hungry for each other. She was almost lost in the pleasure just the way she wanted. Almost like there was no ship and nothing beyond it: her whole world was just her and Xiv and how good everything felt. Her body ached and shuddered and her lust spiked, approaching her peak... but she felt it slip away. She was only dimly aware of it, as Xiv continued and roused her further. Built her right up to the edge again. Then Ily felt it slip away again. Something was still holding her back. As much as Xiv passionately assaulted her body, as much as she tried to let go and be present, as she tried to just enjoy being together, something remained. A splinter in her mind, nagging at her, small, but unable to be fully ignored. An unwanted anchor to the outside world.

Ily released one of Xiv’s hands and tapped Xiv 3 times, the signal she needed to say something.

Xiv slithered back out of Ily's throat, letting her moans and gasps fill the room unmuffled as they kept riding and thrusting, slower but still continuing almost everywhere. They looked down expectantly. 

Ily shook her head back and forth and flexed her jaw as she fought through the waves of pleasure, working up enough frustration and coherence to speak. Finally she gasped out, "It's good but ... I, I can't quite, I won't -Ah! ... mmm, you don't have to stop, but I, I, I…" looking pained.

Immediately, soft hands caressed her cheeks and then pressed her face against an inviting bosom. ”Shh shh shh, hey, it's ok,” Xiv softly soothed her distraught lover. They knew what she meant. It wasn't the first time. They reminded her what'd they discussed before about this.

“It's ok. We’re here to feel good, right?”

“Uh-huh.”

“And you’re feeling good, right?”

“Uh-huh. Ah!”

“And I feel, mmm, so good with you,“ Xiv briefly purred and preened, arching what currently passed for their back a little more and adding some force back to all three sets of thrusts. Ily writhed under them. “Mmm. Sooo good.” 

Then they relented again.

“Yeah…I, I just...” Ily still had that note of sadness, even through the panting lust.

Xiv still didn’t stop. The rhythm seemed relentless. They considered Ily, half lidded eyes shaped by concern and gentle care.

“Is my amazing but anxious little girl still having trouble letting go?”

“Uh huh,” she nodded, eyes tight, brow knotted. It hurt to admit it. It felt like failing even though she knew it was ok. Xiv said it was ok. She knew it was ok. But it didn’t feel ok. It felt like she couldn’t do something important. Something she wanted to do and Xiv wanted her to do. And that wasn’t fair, but that’s how it felt. Like she wasn’t able to relax and just enjoy this and be with Xiv. Like she was failing and flawed. 

She wasn't but she felt like it.

She felt like she was trying to run from her problems instead of dealing with them and she couldn't even do that right. That her own emotional internal bullshit was causing problems for her wonderful partner. Xiv deserved someone who could cum like they wanted, and she couldn’t even do that right.

Xiv didn't actually see it that way of course. They weren't disappointed or let down at all by Ily, just concerned and hoping to make it better for her. They wanted to help her feel better, to help her let go. They were just sad for Ily that she hadn't gotten there. Xiv still wanted to do better.

Well, there was still something else they could try.

Ily felt unworthy but there was no judgement in Xiv's voice. Just concern and love and comfort as they asked, “Do you want me to do The Ear Thing? Like before? To help?”

It had been a while since they'd done that. It was quite a suggestion.

Ily considered it, with what little brainpower she had left.

"I... yeah. That'd, that'd be nice." Tomil conceded between pants.

"The Ear Thing" meant Xiv ear fucking into her living brain.