"Best Friends"
By S
Note: Anger challenge
Fandom: Voyage To The Bottom Of The Sea
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Lee/Chip
Best Friends
by S
"Lee, I can't meet you tonight after all. I forgot that I already made plans with Jennifer."
"But, Chip, you said we'd go out for a drink!"
"I know, but it slipped my mind that she wanted me to take her to a concert."
"Concert? But you've got a tin ear!"
"I do not!"
"Yes, you do. I don't know why you keep going out with Jennifer. She's not really interested in you."
"I suppose you think that she's interested in you?"
"What? What do you mean? I don't care about her."
"Oh of course not. That's why you danced with her three times at the USO Benefit!"
"I was just being polite."
"That's Lee Crane all right--Mr. Do-Right. Never makes a false step.Always does what the Admiral tells him. Number One at Annapolis.You're just so perfect!"
Crane exploded. "Chip, I'm not perfect. I make TOO many mistakes. Why would you say that?"
"Everyone knows that you're the Admiral's fair-haired boy."
"That's enough, Mr.Morton. I'm the Captain. You are the Executive Officer. I am not going to discuss this with you anymore."
"Fine. Sorry, I forgot my place. I'll leave now. At least Jennifer doesn't pretend to be something she's not."
For an instant, the Skipper saw red. He took one menacing step forward, then reined himself in.
Morton smirked, "I knew you wouldn't do anything. You just remembered how Nelson feels about brawling between officers, didn't you?"
Lee Crane's anguished brown-gold eyes stared into the crystalline blue eyes of his best friend. No word was spoken until Morton broke the spell. "Goodbye, Sir. I'll report back on duty tomorrow."
The slender Commander slumped down on his bunk after watching the XO depart from his cabin. **Dammit, what's the matter with Chip? It's almost like he wanted me to get mad at him--accusing me of being perfect.** Running his hand through his thick black hair, the Captain continued his unhappy thoughts. **Look at the times I've almost destroyed SEAVIEW.**
Being the commander of the formidable nuclear submarine was sometimes a heavy burden, but Crane had always thrived on responsibility and no one had been more supportive than the Exec. Had that all been a lie?
Drained by the emotional scene, Lee decided to take some time for himself by heading to his apartment. He had thought that he and his best friend would be going out for drinks and dinner. It had always been one of his favorite ways to relax, but of late Morton had called off several times, mainly due to dates with Jennifer Maddox, a tall woman with jet-black hair and dark eyes. She and the blond made quite a striking couple together.
After making sure that Lt. O'Brien knew that he would be away overnight, Crane left the gray lady, using his red convertible to cover the short distance to his apartment.
The rather austere place was an immediate reminder of the sometime loneliness of his life. Certainly, he had many acquaintances and frequently dated, but somehow he had never felt able to find a woman who would subject herself to the life demanded of him. Harriman Nelson asked much of himself and his officers and crew. Lee Crane always did his best to carry out Nelson's wishes, even sacrificing his own plans at the Admiral's call. As a result Lee's schedule, while in port, was always tentative. Many times he had been called away from dinner or a social event with a charming companion so that SEAVIEW could carry out a vital emergency mission.
For the most part the Skipper knew it was part of his job, but there were times, like now, when he wished for a more normal life--to be able to take the time to get to know someone, someone to feel comfortable with, someone like Chip.
As soon as the thought entered his mind, Lee scoffed at the idea since it seemed that Chip no longer wished to be with him. That led to another revelation. It wasn't so much that he objected to Chip's scathing remarks about his so-called "perfection," but that he wanted to truly be with the XO. He was actually jealous that Jennifer would be spending the evening with Morton when Lee wanted to be with his friend.
Crane walked over to the fridge, pulling out a bottle of ice cold beer.In two gulps it was down. He grabbed another, cosuming it in the same way then made for the shower so the hot stinging spray would wash away his rampaging thoughts.
Soaping up, he let the caressing bubbles slither across his broad chest. One hand whispered at a tightening nipple while the other slipped to his rapidly lengthening cock. Taking himself in hand, the Skipper began to pull at his member, but soon realized it wasn't going to work. His own hand wasn't enough. He wanted a hot mouth, licking and manipulating him to orgasm--and he knew just which mouth he wanted and needed--the one probably kissing Jennifer Maddox right at that moment.
Turning the spray to cold, he watched his arousal flicker and wilt. Toweling off quickly, he donned a shirt and shorts. Frequently some rigorous exercise helped so he decided to head down to the indoor hardball courts where there was nearly always someone who would enjoy a game, but that plan went immediately out of his head when he walked into his living room.
Sitting there on his couch was the objects of his lingering thoughts--Chip Morton. "Chip? What are you doing here? I thought you were with Jennifer?" He hadn't meant to sneer, but it was plainly evident as his lips curved around her name.
"I told her that I had prior plans. Sorry I let myself in, but when you didn't answer I thought you were out so I decided to come in and wait."
"I don't understand. You wanted to go out with her. You dumped me for her."
The blue eyes opened slightly wider at the word "dump". Embarrassed by Lee's bluntness, Chip hastened to defend himself. "Sorry about that. I didn't really want to be with her. I just wanted you to think I did."
The brown-gold eyes flared at that remark. "Well, you did a damn good job of it! The question is why did you want me to think that?"
"To make you jealous."
Now, it was Crane's turn to be embarrassed. "Jealous? Why would I be jealous? I don't even like Jennifer."
"But you do like me, don't you?"
"Of course, I do. You're my best friend."
"Is that all?"
"You're my...Exec."
The blond stood up slowly then walked over to stand right in front of the brunet. "And?"
"And?...."
The cerulean eyes seeemed to look right throught him. "I think you have stronger feelings than that for me."
"Why...why would you say that?"
"The way you looked at me when I said those things to you, especially right before you almost hit me. I know you were angry, but I imagined there was more. Was I right?"
"You just said you had imagined it."
Morton stepped back. "I see. Well then, I'd better go." Picking up his lightweight jacket, the XO headed for the door, only to be tackled by his commanding officer. For a moment the two young men wrestled around on the floor. Then Crane grabbed his friend tightly and held on. "You don't have...to go."
"Yes, I do. The Exec shouldn't be talking of such things to his Skipper."
"Is that all I am to you--the Captain, a Do-Right, a perfectionist?"
Morton pulled one arm loose from Crane's hold. Caressing the shadowed cheekbones, he admittted, " You've been more than that to me for a long time."
Releasing the other man, Lee whispered, "How much more?"
Rolling the brunet onto his back, the blond proceeded to ravish the enticing mouth beneath him. Crane's mouth welcomed the invasion of Chip's probing tongue as he sucked at it gently. Suddenly, Morton pulled back to gaze down at his friend.
"Chip, is...is something wrong? I thought...."
With gentle little kisses and nibbles aling the firm jawline and elegant neck, Morton reassured the dark-haired man. "There's nothing wrong. I just want our first time together to be in your bed, not here on the floor--although I wouldn't mind trying it here sometime in the future."
For an instant Crane hesitated. "Are you sure that's what you want? I...what about Jennifer?"
Morton rose to his knees, catching Crane by the hand and drawing him up as well. "I guess we should talk first. I really am sorry about using Jennifer to try to make you jealous. You always seemed to want to do things with me and yet...I guess I couldn't take anymore. I've been in love with you for a long time so I thought if there was any spark between us you might show it if you thought Jennifer and I were a hot item."
"So you really aren't interested in her?"
"Lee, she's my cousin."
"What?"
"She just moved to California. We got to talking and I confessed that I had feelings for someone. She suggested that I pretend to be interested in her and...."
"She didn't know you were interested in a man?"
"Uh, not at first, but after we went to that USO Benefit together, she asked me if it was you. I guess she picked up on the fact that I wasn't pleased to see you dancing with her. When I took her home, she just flat out asked me. I didn't deny it."
"She's okay with it?"
"Sure. She's a military brat so she knows how tough it is to have a personal life. She told me to tell you--if we got this far--that she thinks we'd make a great couple."
"And what do you think?"
Taking the handsome face between his two hands, Morton kissed Lee. "I think we'd make a superb couple. How about you?"
"Who am I to argue with my Executive Officer?"
"Then let's go try out that bed."
As they stood up together, Lee looked wistfully at the floor. "Well, now I guess we know why the Admiral issued that directive about no brawling between officers--just look at what can happen!"
"You're right and I can hardly wait."
As soon as Chip had his friend in the privacy of the bedroom, he had the skimpy shorts and shirt off the beautiful body. His breath caught at the sight of the incredible man he loved. Pushing him back on the bed, the blond began an immmediate exploration at all of the fascinating areas underneath his hands and lips. He had only just begun when with one large heave, the XO found himself on the bottom with the erotic sight of a naked Lee Crane on top of him.
"I'm the Captain here and I'm issuing you an order, Mr. Morton. Get those clothes off or I'll rip them off."
In his best mild-mannered voice, Morton replied, "Aye, aye, Sir." He began to do so in earnest, but that still was not fast enough for the highly-aroused Skipper. Soon both men were rubbing and pleasuring each other with abandon. Remembering his need to feel a certain hot mouth on his cock, Lee motioned the other man to turn around so that they could taste each other easily.
The two men were so hot in their need for each other that their climaxes were not long in coming although both tried to hold back for as long as possible until in almost-pain and ecstasy they spurted their cum into each other's mouth. Slumping down with the release, Morton pulled a sheet up over himself and his lover. "Umm, I told you that you were perfect."
"Chip, please don't say that. You know I'm not."
Seeing the hurt in the brown eyes, Morton backed off. "All right, so maybe you do have a few little flaws, but I love you for what you are--flaws and all."
"That's good because I love you--big flaws and all."
For an instant the adjective didn't register, then Morton jerked back. "Big flaws? What do you mean--big flaws?"
"You're overprotective and stubborn."
"Look who's calling who stubborn!"
"Are you saying I'm stubborn?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying. Who persists in risking his life when there are others who could go out and do the job just as easily?"
Lee kissed his friend gently. "And I don't suppose one of these "others" might be named Chip Morton?"
"Well, I...it just kills me when I see you out there risking your life. I wish you'd let me go sometimes."
"But don't you understand? It's my job and I don't want to see my best friend put in danger any more than necessary."
"And I don't want to see my best friend get himself killed by taking too many risks."
"It really bothers you, doesn't it?"
"Damn right and I just have to stand there looking unperturbed and now it's just going to be that much worse."
Locking his arms tightly about the blond, the Captain tongued the swirl of his lover's ear. "I promise you from now on, I'll be more careful. I really don't want to worry my best friend."
Morton smiled. "I'll believe it when I see it, but at least now my best friend knows how I feel--in more ways than one."
"You bet I do. Now what do you say we take a little restorative nap and then I'll challenge you to another wrestling match--and the first fifty falls don't count!"
Chip chuckled as he tucked his head under the other man's chin. "How about we make it an even 100?"
THE END