Jackson Kez - Space Diplomat Ch. 03

[From the author: Thank you so much for the enthusiastic response to the first two chapters! It really motivates me to keep the story going. :) This is a long one and I hope you'll agree it was worth waiting for. Please enjoy, and don't hesitate to leave a comment if you have something you like, questions, or suggestions!]

Warmth and pink light woke Jackson in the morning. He couldn't remember ever feeling so comfortable, like he was wrapped in the most perfect quilt ever made. His eyes opened and he blinked a few times, trying to focus. He couldn't see clearly, just vague shapes, his vision totally blurred. And everything had been colored pink, like a photo filter. What was going on? In his groggy state he lacked the energy to be too concerned.

"Hey, good morning!" Vera's voice came from somewhere behind him. Like she was still beneath him, maybe. Jackson remembered falling asleep on top of her, and his morning wood twitched as he remembered other things about last night.

The pink faded away around him, and the room came into sharp focus. It immediately got a lot brighter too and Jackson put his hand over his eyes, blinking a few times as they adjusted to the sudden change. "Oof," he said. Speaking made him realize just how thirsty he was, not surprising after last night's exertions, and he rolled over onto his side, trying to get his bearings in the unfamiliar environment. Was there a pink blanket on the bed? It looked like he'd been wrapped up in it, but it was shrinking, somehow.

As he stared, propped up on one elbow, he watched the blanket slide off of him and coalesce into a cylinder. It twisted and turned, parts contracting as other parts expanded, and a familiar face took shape. Vera's golden eyes opened up and she smiled at him as the rest of her body formed, still very naked, and she let Jackson stare at her for a second before she reached back and pulled a blanket over herself.

"There's water on the nightstand," Vera said, one of her hands emerging from the covers to point past Jackson before she slipped it back into the warmth of the bed.

Jackson turned, rotating his torso. As Vera said, a glass of water waited for him. Jackson didn't think it had been there when they went to bed, but he also had a lot of more important matters occupying his attention last night. He grabbed the glass and took a long drink, downing most of the water in a series of loud gulps. He wiped his lips and set the glass down, pulling the blankets back over himself and rotating to face Vera again. "Did you get this for me?" he asked.

Vera nodded. "Humans need a lot of water, you're always getting sweaty and just giving it up."

"Mmm," Jackson said, "there was a lot of that last night. Thanks for the water, Vera."

"Of course," Vera said, "I didn't even have to get out of bed." Seeing Jackson's befuddled look she clarified, "I mean because I could just stretch into the kitchen and grab it."

"Oh, right," Jackson said. "Sorry, my brain takes a few minutes to start working in the morning."

Vera nodded. "We have time." After a second she got a concerned look on her face and asked, "Hey Jackson, how... was it? Last night, I mean."

The question surprised Jackson. He took a moment to answer, but he must have had a very positive expression because Vera giggled.

"I'll take that as a good review," she said. Vera wiggled closer to him, until they were almost touching beneath the warm blankets, but not quite.

"Yeah," Jackson said, his smirk turning into a broad grin. "Amazing is a better word for it, I wasn't expecting... anything like that."

"What were you expecting?" Vera slid one leg forward, putting her toes on top of one of Jackson's feet. She felt cooler this morning, but not ice cold. Almost refreshing.

"I don't know, getting absorbed? When I put my weight on you I was worried I'd just fall in."

Vera laughed and poked him in the chest playfully. "You might!" she said. Her arm retreated back under the blankets immediately after delivering her taunt. "Sela are capable of physical co-mingling and I've heard it's a lot of fun for the monoform involved."

Jackson raised his eyebrows, feeling deeply skeptical. "Uh-huh. Are you sure I wouldn't get, uh... digested?"

"Hey!" Vera gave him a light kick in the shin with her foot. "First of all, very rude." She glowered at him, almost managing to conceal her smile. "Second," she continued, reaching deeper beneath the blankets to lightly trace one finger along his cock, "you didn't have any hesitation about sticking this thing in there."

Jackson inhaled sharply when he felt her cool finger touch him, and his cock, still morning-hard, twitched beneath her gentle touch. "Fair point," he said, "in my defense, I was extremely horny."

Vera wrapped her hand fully around his dick. It stiffened in her hand, drawing a quiet moan from Jackson. She looked into his eyes and bit her lower lip. "Was? Seems like you still are."

"Why don't you come over here and find out," he said, reaching out for her. But before he got his arms around her she slid under the covers.

From beneath the sheets, Vera's hand tightened around his cock, squeezing it and stroking up and down. "Morning wood," she said with a giggle, her voice muffled by the heavy blankets. "Such a fun term."

Jackson groaned as she teased him. "Vera, I—"

"We can talk more later," she said, "as your ambassador I can't let you start your day without proper... relief." He was still laying on his side and he felt her moving lower until her head was level with his crotch. Her feet nearly poked out of the blankets at the edge of the bed. Vera's hand let go of his hard cock and he gasped as he felt the wet heat of her supple mouth engulf the head of his dick. She didn't take the whole thing into her mouth yet, lingering on the tip and sliding her smooth tongue across, over, and around it.

Jackson started to lift the covers to watch the show but Vera grabbed the blanket and pulled it back down. "Mm-mm," she said, her mouth full. He felt her release his cock and he groaned, wanting nothing more than to feel her lips around his cock again.

Vera's head emerged from under the blanket. "No peeking," she said. "Just relax and let me enjoy you." She slid back under the covers and her mouth re-enveloped his dick. Jackson moaned again. Her tongue slid across and then under the head of his cock. Her warmth, the tightness, and her tongue's limitless flexibility gave Vera a talent for blowjobs. Jackson could feel her whole body vibrate when she groaned with pleasure, obviously enjoying it almost as much as he was.

Slowly, agonizingly slowly, she slid down his dick. Her lips, soft and full, moved along his shaft and Jackson moaned once more. Her mouth only got warmer the more of his cock she pulled in. He wanted to grab her, to reach down and take hold of her hair so he could force his cock into her alluring mouth. But this was her show, and he let her run it. Vera softly cupped his balls, her fingers silky smooth and gliding over him. She took his cock deeper and Jackson gasped as he bottomed out in her. Her lips pressed against his crotch and she held it there, her tongue flicking up and down the underside of his rigid erection. Jackson knew Vera didn't actually use her mouth for breathing, but he hadn't considered the practical implications until they were all over him.

Time seemed to stand still, Jackson fighting not to blow his load so he could enjoy even one more second of Vera's perfect skills, until suddenly Vera moved back. Her lips dragged along his shaft and her tongue circled his cock all the while. She had so much more flexibility in her mouth than Jackson expected, and he almost came instantly when her tongue fully encircled the head of his cock and squeezed. Then his cock popped out of her mouth once again and he felt her hands on his waist, nudging him to roll over onto his back.

Jackson obliged, repositioning himself. The brief respite backed him down from the edge but he was still perilously close. He saw Vera moving beneath the blankets, felt her climb on top of him, straddling his legs. She was down near his ankles, on all fours, her breasts pressed against his thighs as she descended on his cock once more. Nothing tentative about it this time, she paused only for a moment as her lips passed over the tip and then she plunged down, taking his entire length into her throat. No human could be that vigorous, the intensity caught him off guard and his balls tightened. Her tongue spiraled around his entire length, and he gasped. His cock twitched between Vera's lips and he felt her giggle, the vibrations traveling through her whole body.

The weight of Vera's breasts on his thighs intensified as she moved her hands, fully laying on him. She stretched up, sliding her hands up and over his stomach, palms flat, fingers spread. Her lips were still against the base of his dick, her tongue winding around his cock and stroking it up and down. Then, without easing the pressure from her tongue at all, she started bobbing her head on his hard shaft. Her perfect lips caressed him, squeezed him, and the way her tongue lingered on the most sensitive part of his cock, right beneath the head made him buck his hips into her. She moaned and the vibrations ran through his dick.

"Oh fuck," he said, forcing his hips up farther, trying to push himself deeper into Vera.

She spoke, somehow, despite her mouth being full of cock. "Cum for me, Jackson," her voice was clear, muffled only by the blankets, and full of hunger. "I want every drop in my little mouth."

He didn't have time to wonder how she'd pulled that trick, hearing her talk dirty sent him far, far over the edge. His cock pulsed in her mouth and she lapped up his hot load eagerly. Almost desperately. Three, four, then five, he lost count of how many jets of cum he fired into her waiting throat. Vera couldn't get enough, her tongue slipping over and around the ultra-sensitive head of his cock. Jackson let out a small yelp. "Too much, too much," he said.

Vera released him. She crawled forward, her body gliding up and over him until her head emerged from the blankets next to his and she straddled his waist. Her breasts were constrained on either side by her arms and they pressed against his chest, giving Jackson an eyeful of very accentuated cleavage.

"You taste good," Vera said. She gave him a quick kiss. "Maybe I should eat you." She licked her lips and made a show of looking him up and down.

Jackson's head was still fuzzy, full of post-orgasm bliss. "Honestly, go for it," he said, a little dazed but very, very content.

"Hmm," she said, one of her hands tracing slow circles on Jackson's skin. "Maybe later, I'm pretty full right now." Vera giggled before nuzzling into his chest. She relaxed her arms, putting her whole weight on him. Her lightness surprised him. Jackson expected her to weigh about what a human woman would, but it felt like a comfort blanket and not an entire person draped over him.

"I hope one of these days you'll teach me what makes you feel good," Jackson said.

Vera's hand stopped moving. "What do you mean?" she asked without looking up.

Jackson frowned a little, that wasn't the response he expected. "I mean," he said, putting a hand on her back to reassure her, "last night, when I was thinking about going down on you, I only just realized that probably wouldn't do anything for you. I've never been with a Sela, I want to learn how to do it right."

Silence followed, hanging in the air. Jackson's frown deepened. There was definitely something on Vera's mind, something she'd been hiding. Maybe this was a one-time thing, and as disappointing as that was, Jackson wouldn't take it personally. Jumping to conclusions wouldn't help anyone, he reminded himself, so he just waited, one arm wrapped around Vera.

"Jackson, I..." Vera said, but she paused.

"It's okay," he said, "take your time."

"No," she said, "it's not okay. I shouldn't get into it. I'm sorry if I'm ruining the mood." She looked up at him. "I just wanted to do something nice this morning to say thank you for..." her voice trailed off.

"For what?" Jackson asked, his voice quiet and gentle. He reached up with his other arm and found one of her hands with his own. He entwined his fingers in hers and squeezed lightly.

"For being here," she said, almost too soft to hear.

That was one of those vague statements that could mean a lot of things. Rather than try to figure it out, Jackson just asked, "What do you mean?"

A long pause. Vera shifted on top of him, repositioning slightly. Jackson waited.

"Sorry if I startled you." She said, finally looking up. She saw his confused expression. "When you woke up, I mean. I was hoping I'd wake up before you and you wouldn't have to see me transform. We get shapeless when we sleep."

An abrupt topic change, but Jackson let it slide. If Vera wasn't ready to talk about what was really on her mind, Jackson wouldn't to force it. He knew she was a good communicator, so whatever it was, she must be terrified of bringing it up.

"I wondered what that was. Did you... cocoon me?" He wasn't sure that was right word, but it was the best he could come up with.

"I did." Vera blushed, and turned her eyes downward. Jackson could see the currents of deep purple running through her cheeks. "I just..." she looked up at him, and the sadness in her face caught him off guard. Maybe not sadness, she looked almost guilty. "I felt very close to you last night," Vera said, struggling to maintain eye contact. "Sela like to intertwine with their," she paused again. "With their mates, when we sleep. And it's kind of scary going to sleep in a human bed because we get so fluid I could drift anywhere during the night. Normally I'd sleep in my pod, but I didn't want to just leave, so I kind of... anchored myself around you."

Jackson wasn't sure why any of this was something to feel guilty about and, not for the first time, he regretted not paying more attention to his briefing. He reached out and brushed his hand slowly across Vera's cheek.

"It's okay, I'm not upset," Jackson said. "I don't even know why that would be upsetting."

Vera took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, clearly relieved. "It's a significant gesture for Sela, and it's not done without permission. I should have asked first. I wanted to ask, but you fell asleep so quickly."

Jackson chuckled. "Yeah, that's a human thing. Especially when the sex is really, really good."

There was a particular way Vera wiggled her shoulders when she was pleased with herself. "You're not so bad yourself, Mr. Diplomat." Vera had calmed down a little, but it was clear from her expression that something was still bothering her.

Jackson shifted his position under her, getting more comfortable. She moved off of him, sliding down and to his left, rolling over to lay on her side, facing him. He mirrored her, rolling over toward her so they were in similar positions.

"What's up, Vera?" he asked, "If you're comfortable sharing I'd like to know what's on your mind."

She pulled the blankets tighter around herself. The quilt came up slightly over her chin, her lips just barely visible.

"I think," she said, frowning, "I'm not a very good ambassador."

"What would make you think that?" Now Jackson was frowning too, wondering if he shouldn't have slept with Vera. The Stellar Alliance didn't forbid its diplomats from local involvements, but honestly, even the rules he did have were pretty loose. Diplomat training focused more on ethics and empathy than rigorous doctrine, which is why Jackson knew getting close with Vera might cloud his judgment and influence his approach to negotiations between the Sela and Rhorak.

"You weren't even on our planet for one day and I practically forced you into bed." Small tears started welling up, the droplets the same golden color as her eyes, and she looked away. "And we didn't talk about boundaries first, I thought it would be fine if we just kept it vanilla, but then I had to make things kinky because... I just wanted you to dominate me."

"Vera, I—"

"I've always wanted a human to do that and I saw my chance and I took it. I'm selfish." She was crying now. Soundlessly, and without the spasms that would wrack a human, but definitely crying. Shimmering tears flowed freely, and her cheeks had faded from their usual jubilant pink to somber blue. Her whole body shifted colors, turning a deeper blue every second. The sadness practically radiated off of her, crashing into Jackson.

His stomach sank, and he took a deep breath. It wouldn't help her if he broke down too right now. "Yeah, but I liked it," Jackson said, "I wanted it too."

Sex could bring out intense emotions in a lot of species, it looked like the Sela were among them. Jackson remembered several nights and mornings-after spent crying in bed with a lover after an especially powerful connection. How he couldn't help but be vulnerable with someone who'd just made him feel so safe, so seen. The way a heavy burden that had been building and building suddenly came free, and like an avalanche of stone crashing down a mountain, it brought immediate relief and an equal amount of chaos.

Those experiences had been powerful and healing. They got Jackson through some of his life's most difficult challenges, and Jackson held a special reverence for these moments of raw openness. As heartbreaking as it was to see Vera suffering, he felt trusted. He felt important. If he wasn't, Vera wouldn't be sharing this. She would have just left.

"It doesn't matter, Jackson." Vera stared at him. She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, absorbing some of her tears back into herself. They dissolved quickly, specks of gold twinkling like stars. "This problem is bigger than me. More important. When the council put me on this assignment I told them I could control myself and I couldn't. Not even a little bit."

When Jackson reached out for her she pulled away. It hit like a punch in the gut, but he knew she needed space. Jackson reminded himself this moment wasn't about him. What Vera needed was kindness and understanding, she didn't need him to add his own hurt and confusion into the mix. Whatever this was bringing up for him, he and Vera could talk about it later. Fortunately, his diplomat training prepared him for this, and Jackson had a lot of experience compartmentalizing his emotions until it was the proper time to address them.

"Vera," Jackson said, soft and gentle. When she didn't respond he said her name again, with just a bit of sternness in his voice. "Vera!" Not to be mean, but to shake her out of what looked like a pretty rough spiral.

Vera tore the blanket away from her face, glaring at Jackson. "Don't try to make me feel better," she said, nearly growling it at him. "I already feel like a disaster for telling you all of this. It's not your responsibility to help me sort out my baggage. You're supposed to save our entire species and I'm using you as my personal therapist."

Jackson let her talk, trying not to react. He kept his breathing steady and forced himself to relax the tension in his shoulders and jaw. Just keep asking questions, he reminded himself, a mantra from his training surfacing from his subconscious: the more they're talking, the more they're processing.

"What do you mean?" Jackson asked. He wanted to understand, and he tried to make sure that came through in his tone.

"I mean that you're here to solve a real problem. The fact that we're at war and we're escalating the conflict. The fact that despite our lofty opinions of ourselves we're going down the same road that brought so many species to extinction. Even if the conflict seems small and far away, that's just what it's supposed to look like. The President doesn't want us to panic, she's lying to us all the time, the council can't do anything to stop her, and I'm..." She looked away again, staring at the ceiling for a long, fraught pause before she said, "I'm just a sad girl who wanted to fuck a human before we all die."