#kiosho toma

[captain-cerrillo]

Hey, Captain.

I just wanted to say thanks for letting me be a part of this op. Luca tells me this is your home and... Well, it's good to be a part of something that matters.

So. Thanks.

Hope we don't all die and shit.

-K. Toma

I laughed out loud. Hope we don't die and shit, indeed.

Hey. Do me a favor? Find the skyline. Look for the tallest building. Imagine what life in a metropolis looked like a year ago. And then what it looks like there today.

To every one of those people, you are an answered prayer.

Thanks for being a part of this, Kio.

[luca-moreno]

op: reaperfall/terra nova

X

[before]

“I can’t believe the first fucking spacewalk I get to do in my life and it’s to stick bombs to this thing,” Luca complained as he welded the rigging to the batarian freighter. It had been stripped back to its bare bones, anything salvageable taken away by the drones and ferried over to the Berlin’s mass effect shielded open bay and converted to remote flight with control tethered to the Berlin’s systems and Ryan’s deft hands.

Kiosho floated nearby, tethered like Luca was but far braver as he fired his boosters and leaped across the ship’s hull.

“I can’t wait to see this fucking thing light up.” Even from a distance Luca could see the flash of his teeth behind his helmet. “It’s gonna be fucking awesome. Boom, boom you fuckers. Whatever our code doesn’t get, this shaky, leaky bastard will.”

“I hope so,” Luca said. He finished his task and stood up, tapping a command into his ‘tool. He switched his coms to the private subspace band he’d commandeered for himself and Ryan weeks ago. “Hey, LT, can you see me?”

He peered into the darkness, trying to spot the Berlin where she lurked in the shadow of a planetoid. She was running dark, not quite on auxiliary power but dimmed enough to stay secure while they prepped for the mission to liberate Terra Nova.

A small crackle preceded his lover’s voice and Luca threw his arms up, waving because he knew Ryan would be watching on the enhanced sensors in the cockpit.

“Aye, love. I see you. I ken you’re the prettiest thing on that sorry excuse for a ship.”

Luca grinned. “You can tell Cap and the Commander that we’re finished here. Boom Boom is officially ready to go boom right up that reaper’s huge metal ass.”

Ryan laugh was soft in Luca’s ear. “Aye, roger that. See you when you get back.”

Luca motioned to Kiosho to head back to the shuttle. Harris and the rest of the crew that had been roped in to assisting them were already there. He gave one last wave towards the Berlin.

“We’ll be back before you know it.”

--

[now]

“Luca, you’re up.”

Everyone was moving the moment the klaxons started blaring. Luca’s world turned red and Luca hand was tugged just as he was scrambling to his feet.

Ryan cupped his face, planting one long, chaste kiss against his mouth in the middle of the chaos. Panic tried to claw it’s way up Luca’s throat before he resolutely shoved it back down. They’d all been waiting for this, they knew what they would have to to.

“Be safe,” Ryan said softly, drawing back. His blue eyes told Luca more than his words ever could. “I love you, boy.”

“Love you, too,” Luca whispered back. There was another quick peck against his mouth and then Eva was pulling on his arm.

“Come on, Lulu, we gotta go.”

“Yep, yep, I got it, let’s go.”

They folded into the crowd hustling through the corridors and suited up quickly. The ajax armor Luca wore wasn’t space worthy but it didn’t need to be. It would be a straight shot to the surface then they’d separate into individual teams. He caught Kiosho’s look, helmet tucked under his arm, his mismatched eyes tight at the corners.

“The fuck have you been? Sucking face again?”

“Shut up,” Luca laughed, because it his nerves were already so frayed if he didn’t laugh he might start to cry instead. “You ready? Where are the drones?”

“In the shuttle, were the fuck do you think they are?”

“Good to roll?”

Kiosho gave him a grin as the shuttle quickly filled. Luca cycled through the preflight checks quickly and set the engines into gear. He could hear Isaac in the rear, already issuing orders and he didn’t bother to complain when his brother flopped down heavily in the copilot seat beside him. He cast Kiosho a narrow look.

“Kalahira tits, it’s still weird seeing you in Alliance get up,” he told him.

Kiosho snorted. “Funny, I was gonna say the same thing about your puny ass.” He paused then caught Luca’s gaze and held it. “Scared, little bro?”

“Fucking terrified,” Luca said honestly. “But what else is new?”

“What are we waiting for, anyway?”

Luca looked up and gestured through the shuttles windows. Striding into the cargo bay were the phoenix, a phalanx of color bright enough that they almost looked like a walking flame. Gold, scarlet, burnt orange, midnight and electric blue armors, helmets held loosely against their hips, faces beautiful and impassive like the marble gods so many of them were named for.

Luca jerked his chin and Kiosho looked over. “Them.”

[flyingblakeryan]

What is Christmas like? I've heard some of the crew talking about it, and there are holos of it on the extranet but ... Well, it wasn't something the humans I knew on the citadel celebrated.

But, um, it looks fun. Maybe.. something we could do together sometime... maybe...?

I’m sorry guys but it’s Christmas and I’m just going to let them go. This is absurd and so far from canon but my tired, sad little heart needs it and my ocs are loud.

“Where are we going?” Luca whined as his boyfriend led him, blindfolded, through the Berlin’s empty halls.

“Hush now, love.” The pilot’s thumb stroked the engineer’s soft knuckles as they turned another corner. “We’re almost there.”

-

It wasn’t perfect, by any means. It was patched together with hull epoxy and the back half was burnt, but once they’d shoved it into a corner and decorated it with every sparkling bit and bauble they could wrangle up, it wasn’t a half bad replacement for a real evergreen.

“And you just want it to what? Twinkle?” Mismatched eyes inspected the almost-tree warily.

“Can you do that?” Marie was probably the most visibly excited. She’d directed the placement of every ornament with a careful eye and a handful of old Earth carols that most of the crew had never heard.

“I mean.” Kiosho ran a hand through his blue-tipped hair. “Obviously, I can do that. But why would I want to?”

“You don’t know about Christmas, either?” Isaac let the satisfied drain from his stance as he cast a glare to the engineer.

“Easy, Toast.” Archer chuckled. “Not all of us were boy scouts.”

-

Ryan offered an uncertain smile when Eva met them at the doorway to take one of Luca’s hands.

“This way, Lu. I can’t wait for you to see.”

“Evie what’s all the fuss about? Should I be worried because I feel a little worried.”

“Don’t be silly.” She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially and both of them giggled. “It’s about Christmas.”

“You ready, son?” Luca’s smile widened at Isaac’s voice and his hands went out, stretching for his family with his eyes still covered.

Ryan settled easily behind him and pressed small, chaste kisses to the back of his neck for the few seconds it took his deft hands to work the ties free from Luca’s blindfold. “Merry Christmas, my boy.”

[callsigntitan]

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO so my bro said we had some new blood on board and I liked your handwork with the sims. Let me know if you wanna train again, newbie. -Kio

Don't take this the wrong way, okay. I mean, thank you. But also oh goddess, no thank you. If you like to eat or are into plants or wanna watch a movie or something I'd love to have another friend!

[rafe-the-destroyer]

months ago 

"So this is where they send the rejects."

"I like the term loner better."

"Same thing."

"Good to see you again D'Angelo."

“You too Cerrillo.” Rafe reached out a hand and Isaac didn’t hesitate to take it, letting it pull him up from the ground. “So what objective did the Alliance feel the need to get a mercenary involved?”

“That.” Isaac pointed at the shimmering shield, and the what looked like an army of Krogan behind it.

Rafe sighed before his helmet hissed into place. “I knew I should have stayed in Rio.” 

-

present day

From backwater to ass-end-of-the-universe. Rafe wasn’t sure why he took this job after he and Isaac had completed the last one. He had wanted nothing more than to get back to where the worst of his problems was sand between his ass cheeks. He missed how the quiet of the ocean was pierced with his lover’s loud laugh. The man he would die for. The man he had gotten separated from and now had no way of even trying to search for. He regretted everything. The money wasn’t good enough to be risking his neck this far out. To be fighting just to stay alive. 

“You need to get that looked at D’Angelo.” The woman watched the red trickle blend into the red stripe down his armor. 

“I will. As soon as I get the energy.” Rafe dropped his helmet into the dirt and tied back his long dark hair. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had a shower or a decent meal. 

“Coms are finally back up Rafe,” said a man behind him. “But we don’t know for how long. So if you need to check messages or call someone, now’s your chance.” 

- 

“Fuck.” Rafe saw the name on the message, and debated opening it. There was no way in hell he was going to take another job so soon after this one, if he survived this one, but for some reason he always had a hard time telling Isaac Cerrillo no. In the end of his struggle with his concious, he tapped on the glowing ‘received’. 

“Rafe. I don’t know if this will reach you, but if it does, I was told to pass along a message that someone is looking for you.” 

Rafe’s heart thumped in his chest as he read the name. ‘Kiosho Toma.’

[cdrmiller]

KIO AND MARIE HHEHEHE brotp

who cooks normally?: 

once again.......

how often do they fight?: 

pfft. i never see them fighting. even play fighting. they have way too much fun together.

what do they do when they’re away from each other?: 

every now and then kio get a message that says 'i miss your hair' and every now and then marie will get a message that says 'i need to go dancing'

nicknames for each other?: 

i dont think kio would call her anything other than marie or lieutenant lol, or maybe not lt now that he's not really in the alliance idk. she calls him cutie.

who is more likely to pay for dinner?: 

hahah probably marie

who steals the covers at night?: 

i think that would be a fight

what would they get each other for gifts?: 

marie would get kio some special tech to play with only alliance can get. probably stole it from pete. kio would get marie...probably a short leather skirt or something. she's his own little barbie doll

who kissed who first?: 

im sure she was drinking one night when they were out dancing and smooshed his face and kissed him on the cheek. im sure that's happened more than once.

who made the first move?: 

they are both social butterflies but probably kiosho

who remembers things?: 

marie  has an alliance lt -trained mind so she's really good at remembering little and a lot of things at a time

who started the relationship?:

they were both drawn to each other and got along from the start.

who cusses more?: 

marie loves her curses but kiosho all the way. potty mouth

what would they do if the other one was hurt?: 

i think they would be pretty calm about it but definitely be there for the other and get them whatever they needed

[captain-cerrillo]

“You can find people, right?”

Isaac finished the paragraph he was on before looking up at the blue-haired boy that had just stormed his office. “That is…” Isaac sat back with a sigh and folded his hands in his lap with an exasperated look. “A very vague question.”

“Soldiers. Enlisted soldiers.” Kio tried again, desperation clear on all of his frayed edges. “Can you find an enlisted Alliance soldier? Even someone in special ops?”

“Most likely.” The serious concern on Isaac’s face shifted into something more casual, more curious. “Who, exactly, are you looking for?”

Kio started to answer, mouth hanging open at the captain’s outstretched finger as he continued his thought.

“And the most important question.” The captain leaned forward, putting his hands heavy on the wide desk between them. “Why.”

“He’s a.” Kiosho shifted under the older man’s heavy gaze until he finally stuffed his hands in his pockets to mutter, “He’s my. He was my. We’re friends.”

“Ah.” Isaac leaned back, relaxing his tense frame before he stood with a sigh. “Friends.” He extended a hand across the desk to Kio. “Give me what you have. I’ll do my best.”

“His name is Rafe. Rafael D’Angelo.”

“The Destroyer,” Isaac finished with an odd little smile in his voice.

[luca-moreno]

op: kio

X X (since we all want to wrap this up consider this as the abridged version of what exists in my head i guess)

 --

Kiosho held the binoculars to his eyes as the blue thunder and gunfire raged in the streets below. There were two parties, converging on one single point and Kiosho had no doubts as to who was the target.

“Luca, you stupid, clanless, barefaced, vorcha ass,” he swore under his breath. “There’s no way to avoid this now.”

--

When the dust settled, Luca was hunched over on the thick concrete, breathing heavily at Eva’s side. Hurricane stood over them, wrists crackling with cold blue fire. Luca tried not to look around, the carnage was enough to make him want to dry retch into the gutter and the smell of blood almost did. He grabbed Eva first, dismayed at the congealing blood on the shoulder of her once pristine white jacket but she gave him a tight smile at his worry.

“It’s not mine,” she started to say but then her head snapped around and then she was blinking away.

He saw them the instant she landed in the captain’s arms, curling around him with a rough half sob and a laugh. He hugged her back gratefully for a moment then his eye caught Luca’s over her shoulder. Luca didn’t remember moving but suddenly he was pushing his way to his feet and running, almost slipping on the rivers of blood in his haste.

“Cap!”

Isaac gripped him tight, an arm around his neck. “Jesus, son,” he whispered gratefully into Luca’s hair. Luca clung to him tightly. “We’ve been looking for you.”

“How... how did you find us?”

“It’s a long story. We’ll talk about it later.”

“But-“

“Later,” Eva said softly. She was watching Ben, his stance shifting into something wary as a shadow lurked in the entrance to the nearby alley. It couldn’t have been too much of a threat, Luca decided. The phoenix fanned out around them - and even the major -  were alert but not primed to attack.

Luca squinted into the distance as the shadow moved and stepped into the light.

The blue streaked messy hair, patchy beard and mismatched eyes were what gave him away first.

Luca blinked. “Kiosho?”

--

Kiosho ignored the not-quite-human watching him as he walked forward. He ignored the woman with the pink waves and the contingent of distinctly not-your-average humans gathered around them. He kept his eyes on Luca, and his stomach churned with a sickening mixture of relief and rage and sheer frustration.

He was older now, Kiosho realised belatedly as he took Luca in. Somehow in his brain, Luca was still the fresh faced kid with too lanky limbs following him around the docks like a shadow. His dark curly hair as unruly as ever and he was still slim but with a sharper line to his jaw that hinted of more sharp lines to come. Luca broke away from the group gathered around him and started walking towards him.

He didn’t get far before Kio broke into a run. It wasn’t the embrace his little brother was hoping for, it was a fist full of his black leather jacket and a slam to the ground under Kiosho’s furious weight.

“What the fuck are you doing here, Luca?” he snarled, ignoring the bristle of the sudden biotics and weaponry around them. He had been watching them, he knew they wouldn’t try to off him without just cause. He knew that whatever Luca was to them was important enough that they would listen.

Under him, Luca wheezed slightly, his dark eyes wide. “What the hell, Kio!”

Kio lifted him slightly and shoved him back down again. “The alliance,” he hissed. “You fucking brought the alliance here? The alliance and… whatever the fuck they are?!”

“What? Yes... Kalahira, get off me you asshole!”

He glared into Luca’s face for a heartbeat longer before releasing him with a flick of his fingers. He rocked back on his heels, still in a squat. Luca sat up and the accusatory look in his eye threw Kio right back to when they were barely teenagers and Kiosho had told him he couldn’t make the jump. He couldn’t, but he tried anyway, and they’d had to spend a long, cold night in C-Sec’s cold cells.

Stupid, impulsive Luca. He hadn’t changed a bit.

“Seriously?” Luca shoved at him, angry. Kio couldn’t blame him. “I haven’t seen you in six years and that’s what I get?”

Kiosho pushed down the flicker of guilt over that. His worry and his anger were far louder than his relief at seeing Luca again, but he couldn’t make Luca understand that.

He lunged at Luca again. “I fucking told you to stay away!”

Luca glared up at him furiously. His jaw ticked. “Hema said-“

“Hema? Fucking Hema? Kalahira, Luca, what did you do? You stupid fuck, what-”

A heavy pair of boots shifted into Kiosho’s periphery and Kiosho didn’t need to look up to know there was the barrel of a gun pointed at his temple. It was one of the freaky amped up biotics, he realised and he straightened up slowly.

The man who had embraced Luca earlier stepped forward. Kiosho didn’t know who this guy was, who he was to Luca other than someone important but Kio had had the shit kicked out of him by enough officers to smell the Alliance on him.

His lip half curled. “If you’re here to drag me back for a court martialling, you’re wasting your fucking time.”

The man regarded him calmly, never taking his dark eyes off him. “Easy, son. That’s not what we’re here for.”

“Yeah?” Kiosho sneered but he glanced sharply at the pink haired woman as she stalked to Luca’s side, shooting him daggers as she helped Luca up. “Then what else are you here for?”

[flyingblakeryan]

When he's done humping your leg, can you send turdburger my way? Tell him I'm in the medbay.

-//K

You're the only turdburger I know, mate.

❤️ -future brother in law

[rafe-the-destroyer]

Why aren't you home yet? When are you coming home? I need you. Babbbyyyyy -K

Well I still need a new heat sink chamber for rosie....but it depends. 

How badly do you want ramen?

[lt-davison]

∞ (hahaah - take your pick?)

(Oh, god you cruel person. XD)

Peter felt like a dirty old man as he looked down at the young, muscular body underneath him, smirking as he let his normal hand slide up over the flesh, watching the man squirm.

Oh yes… He liked this.

He leaned down to press a kiss against Kio’s lips, then chin and finally down his throat, making sure that the metal side of his face was caressing over his skin.“Do I scare you, little buddy?”

“No…”

The voice was low, a whisper, but not from fear. It was thick and hoarse with desire and Peter could feel the evidence against his thigh.

He closed his eyes as he felt Kio’s lips against the seam on his shoulder, where flesh met metal, moaning as he felt the curious hands over his body. Fingers following that seam, mouth moving downwards towards his groin. A curious tongue licking around his shaft before warm lips covered his dick.

Peter had never been so confused when Spot’s alarm went off, almost shooting out of the bed. He looked down at his groin and glared.“Traitor! Come on, he’s a fucking kid!”

Man, he hoped Frank came home soon… 

[cdrmiller]

Is there one person in your life that can always make you smile?

Maddy. That ass clown. Or Kio with that irresistible, dumb toothy grin. Or Pete with his awful, dirty sense of humor.

[captain-cerrillo]

Follows x, x - Kio and Luca in Isaac's Office

“You asked for me?”

Isaac glanced up to wave the head of blue curls into his office. He closed a screen, ending a phone call as the newest wayward boy in his life crossed the darkened threshold, obviously wary.

“Luca is on his way but, I wanted to talk to you first.” Isaac gestured to the empty seat across from him. “Welcome to sit but I understand if you’d rather not.”

“Why don’t you just get to the point.” Kio reminded Isaac of something wild – too nervous to believe it was safe to slow down.

“You’re not in trouble, Kioshio.” Isaac paused, considering. “Not with me. Not on the Berlin.” He folded his hands together on top of the wide desk. “But we need to talk about what happens next.”

-

“Cap,” Luca’s brown eyes were reddened, and Isaac had to watch the floor before he found his voice. The brothers shifted uncomfortably in front of his wide desk. “What happened to Hema?”

“I understand that he meant a lot to you, Luc,” Isaac started, pushing himself back and folding his hands in his lap just the way they’d taught him.

“Meant?” Luca’s voice nearly cracked. “What do you mean meant?”

“Good fucking riddance.” Kiosho spat on the floor at his feet.

“No.” Luca’s voice finally broke. His ragged sigh came out like a small sob.

“Luca.”

“No!” He screeched this time, eyes nearly spilling over with hot, complicated tears. “Why would you do that?” He moved closer to Isaac and for half a second, they all wondered what Luca would do.

“Creepy fucking fucker had it coming.” Kio stalked like something feral behind Luca, his full lip curling in disgust.

The captain didn’t wear it on his face, but he felt the hatred just the same. “Kids, Luca. There were seven children in the cargo hold of that ship. The youngest was three.” Isaac had to pause just to control the emotion that swelled in his voice. “The ship and its cargo, including its undocumented passengers are already in the custody of the alliance. We’ll figure out who they are and where they come from but, Luca. Are you telling me you had no idea about any of this?”

Of course, Isaac didn’t think Luca had any conscious part in child trafficking. But he figured well enough that the boy had likely been a victim and the thought was already too much. He cleared his throat, waving a dismissive hand as he stood to say, don’t even answer that. “It’s irrelevant, now. That ship will be scrapped for parts and its crew will never see sunlight again.”

Luca wiped away a stream of hot tears on his reddened cheeks, his mouth falling open but snapping shut before the words could form – so very unlike him.

“Son.” Isaac reached a hand across the table only to drop it as Luca backed away with a new wounding in his eyes. “I know this wasn’t the result you wanted, but it was the right call.”

[luca-moreno]

48

If this person were to get into a fist fight, what is their fighting style like?

Kiosho taught Luca to fight, and Kiosho fights dirty so Luca won’t hesitate to go for the low blow. Nine times out of ten, he’s smaller and weaker than his opponent, so he has zero qualms about getting ugly on the mat.

His fighting style really tightens up under Eva and Ben’s training though. He becomes much better at evading and he learns to read his opponents better in order to use his speed and size against them instead of attempted force and shock tactics.

He doesn’t like fighting though. He hates, hates, hates getting smacked around. Doesn’t seek out pain at all.

[flyingblakeryan]

[image attached: a dark vaguely human shape under a blanket, alliance Ajax armor and curly hair.]

Hey. Lieutenant Ryan,

Thought you might want this shot of your boy. He's finally getting some sleep. He's safe for now.

-//priv. K. Toma

Thank ye, Kio.

(he will never admit how many times he read this message or how much it means)

[rafe-the-destroyer]

Labels

early alliance days

It was one of the things he loved most about the ocean. It eventually infiltrated every sense, you began to smell and taste like it. The sea became a part of you. The crashing of the waves became as familiar as conversation. And after a while, as Rafe’s lips trailed down the hard planes of the chest wriggling beneath him, he couldn’t tell where Kio ended and the sea began.

“Rafe…”

A hum was the only response as his teeth scraped against Kio’s hip bones before sucking at the soft flesh between hip and pelvis.  

“When we get back,” Kio gasped, finding it harder to breathe the more spots Rafe’s mouth found to mark. “…what are we…I just mean, are we together or…”

Rafe stilled, licking his lips that still tasted of salt before sitting up. His jade green eyes found the blue skies outside their room that reflected the deeper azure of the water beneath it. Every muscle was tense as he tried to find the response that he knew he would need at some point, but was secretly hoping would never come, at least so soon.

“You should know I’m not good at this sort of thing Ki. My last... relationship…” He shut his eyes against the glare of the sun and instead found visions of blood stained walls. “It didn’t end so well. And even that was a very long time ago.”

“We don’t have to talk about it okay, I mean… I was just curious.”

He turned to the prone, naked man and not for the first, second or even tenth time wondered at the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. “I just don’t know when or how to…what to call…or-“

“Boyfriend? It’s not a curse word Rafe,” Kio said with a chuckle that fell flat. Rafe could hear everything that was the opposite of what a sound of happiness should be, and it surprised the hell out of him how much that killed him.

“No, those are easier.”

“We can just…figure it out as we go. It’s no big deal,” Kio finished with a shrug.

“Ki…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

He could tell Kiosho was trying but he couldn’t hide his disappointment from anyone, much less Rafe, an expert poker player who had quickly learned all of his little tells in the few weeks of shore leave they had together. The demons inside of his chest howled, mocking the possibility of pushing away the one thing that had brought him happiness in years, to the fear he always passed off as something else. Sometimes independence, sometimes indifference, anything other than it’s true face. His eyes fell on the beside table, and the drawer in which the bracelet lay. But he could already feel his resolve weakening, if there was any there to begin with, when hands on his shoulders distracted him.

Kio pushed Rafe onto his back and swung a leg over his torso, settling himself against the hard flesh between Rafe’s finely sculpted thighs. “I wish we didn’t have to leave,” he whined. “Can we come back one day?”

“I won’t be able to if you kill me first…haven't you heard of taking a break every now and then-” Rafe groaned, his hands sliding up Kiosho’s legs to splay across his hips and gripping them when the smaller man smirked and began to move. “…at least I’ll die happy.”

*****

“So you and D’Angelo huh?”

A large, blonde man slid onto the bench beside Kiosho, letting his tray drop with a clatter that drew annoyed glances from the varying degrees of blue and grey clad bodies around them.

Normally he would be jumping at the chance for conversation but there were two reasons his fingers curled tighter around his fork, determined to be on good behavior. Even he knew he was walking on thin ice between his third mark and the brig. One, he hated the man currently speaking to him with a passion. They had been at each other’s throats – and each other’s competition, since day one.  And two, he had promised himself he would put aside the fact that all he wanted  was for every single person to know Rafael D’Angelo belonged to him - and downplay their relationship as much as possible, for Rafe. His heart  sank with his shoulders with the realization that he wasn’t even sure he had the right to that claim.

The mess hall was loud and hungry, ornery soldiers were trying to cram in as much as possible as quickly as possible before getting back to their work. He hoped this conversation would be the same way.

“What makes you say that,” Kio responded to his fellow engineer, keeping his tone as casual as possible and his eyes on the plate of food in front of him.

“Oh please. Even if someone was living under a rock and failed to hear how you two spent shore leave together or how you’ve been caught in a dark corner more than once or see the way he looks at you…“ Kiosho refused to glance in Rafael’s direction, though he could feel eyes on him from across the crowded room. “…then that certainly makes it clear enough.”

Kio’s eyes snapped back up to the man, heavy brows furrowed in confusion and followed the gaze down to his wrist.

“What?”

He knew he was missing something important with the sharp sigh and the dramatic roll of the other man’s eyes. “It’s an infinity bracelet, Toma. Pretty much tells the world you are taken and to stay away. Though it seems like the only one in the world who doesn’t know is you. I'll never figure out how a shit head like you got the famously hard to get D'Angelo into bed anyway,” he finished with a disgusted snort before moving away.

Kiosho stared after him for a moment, thumb unconsciously brushing over the metal and leather at his wrist as last night played over in his mind.

*****

He was in a daze. Rafe’s ministrations had a way of doing that to him. He didn’t even feel the sharp edge of the crate digging into his back anymore, and the dim lighting of the cargo hold disappeared entirely as his eyes slipped shut when Rafe’s mouth found his neck.

"This is wrong."

Kiosho's eyelids fluttered open and he tried to focus on something other than the fact that Rafe's teeth were no longer scraping along his collarbone.

"Hmm?" he hummed distractedly, before realizing that the bracelet was being slipped off of his wrist.

"It goes this way."

By the time his mind got past being indignant that his clothes weren’t currently being ripped off by the larger man and onto why Rafe would care about which way his bracelet was on, he didn’t care anymore. Lips were on his with a hard kiss and hands were on his zipper with the only answer Kiosho cared about.

*****

Finally he turned slowly to meet the gaze he had felt on his back, breath stuck somewhere between his throat and gut as Rafael stood, the brief, upwards twitch of his lips almost indiscernible to anyone else before turning to leave.  Kiosho shook his head, not even trying to hide his own wide grin as he turned back to his food.

Maybe his boyfriend wasn’t so bad at this kind of stuff after all.