September 22, 2007

Birthday Candles by Alex Draven.

Mack and Keir appear in the story 'Skin' in the first Men in Uniform anthology.

***

"You woke me up to bring me cake?" Mack took his hand away from his forehead, where it had been shading his eyes, and blinked up at Keir. The corner of Keir's mouth quirked.

"I bought you cake and caff, to your pod, early enough that we can enjoy it before you're due on shift."

"It's very early," Mack pointed out, redundantly.

Keir nodded, and the pair of cupcakes that had been floating in front of Mack's face were replaced by a steaming mug of caff. Mack latched on with both hands, which made Keir chuckle.

"I don't even get a kiss, and you're grabbing for the caff without a please or thank you ..."

"You are the person who woke me up," Mack pointed out. Then he swallowed one blisteringly hot sip before asking, "Why did you wake me up? And where did you get cake?"

Keir leaned in to the bunk to kiss Mack on the temple.

"Sometimes it's good to have friends," he said cryptically.

Mack looked up at him over the edge of the mug.

"I just know some people, people who owe me a couple of favours. And someone in Ops tells me that your crew's getting a new mission, so I wanted to see you before you ship out. In any case, all birthdays
should start with cake and blow jobs."

"Oh," said Mack, blinking. He didn't remember ever telling Keir when his birthday was. "Cake and blow jobs?"

Keir was flat out smiling as he nodded, and Mack couldn't help but reply with a grin of his own.

"Oh, in that case, I guess you do get a kiss, then."

Keir lifted away the mug, and deposited it on the floor of Mack's pod, along with the cakes. He paused with one knee on the edge of the bunk.

"So, am I forgiven for getting you up?" he asked.

"I don't know." Mack winked. "How good's the cake?"