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“Forty on the first twelve,” said that even, sonorous voice. Murmurs spread through the crowd surrounding the table.
“In that case,” said the old man with the slightly muffled voice – probably from a beard. His words were tinged with amusement. “I think I’ll try twenty on the first twelve myself.”
It had taken Geordi a while to notice that the man the other customers were calling ‘the albino’ was developing one of the most ridiculous winning streaks this casino had ever seen. He usually didn’t care much who won what, and with this man, he was far more interested in the pleasant sound of his voice than what he was betting on.
“Alright, ladies and gentlemen, no more bets.” Geordi let the ball go and heard it roll around the wheel. Years of practice let him pinpoint almost exactly where it was and he could reach towards it a split second after it landed to feel the subtle rise of the painted number above it. So quick that no one would catch it. “Three.”
A few scattered groans and a whole bunch of laughing and whooping sounded around the table. Geordi worked his way down the winning bets, counting chips with his hand and adding the right amounts to each stack.
He risked raising his face to where the winning man would be as long as he hadn’t moved, and smiled. “What now, Mr Lucky? Ready to tap out?”
“Not quite yet.” Geordi had guessed the position of the man’s face exactly right. “Baby needs a new pair of shoes.”
Oh. Oh. Did this guy just…? The way his voice went down slightly, his words directed straight at Geordi. It couldn’t be an accident. Or could it?
He went through the motions of the next roll like he was sleepwalking. Apparently, that the last win had been enough to convince the rest of the table that the pleasant sounding man’s luck was holding. Everyone followed his bet, and against all sense, he won again.
A roar of excitement rose around the table. “You lucky son of a gun!” the old man laughed. “Are you absolutely sure you’ve got no Irish blood in you?”
“I am certain,” the gentle voice said, completely without excitement. The quick ‘click-click-click’ of him collecting his chips sounded through the crowd. “This shall be my last bet.” The crowd protested, but the man would not be convinced. “One hundred on red.”
“The color of love,” Geordi commented. It was risky, but something about that voice made him happy to take risks. Maybe some of that good luck could rub off on him.
“It is the winning bet.”
“Confident, are we?”
“Yes,” the man said, matter of factly.
Geordi’s heart was beating faster. The wheel spun and it felt almost like the ball was whirling around inside his head. He didn’t need to check where it landed to know that the man had won. “Well, what d’you know. Lady luck really is on your side tonight, mister…”
“Data,” the man answered, seemingly unaware of the people around him, begging him to continue playing.
“Data,” Geordi echoed. “Would you like a hand moving all those chips to the cage?”
The man didn’t answer for a beat. “Have I broken some kind of rule that warrants imprisonment?”
“I- What?” Geordi’s mind was so far down a different track that it took him seconds to realize what the man was confused about. “The cage is where you change your chips for cash.”
“Ah,” Data said, comprehending. “Then, the cage is for security purposes.”
Geordi couldn’t keep the amusement out of his voice. “It’s not a literal cage! Have you actually been to a casino before?” If the boss was within earshot, a rude question like that would get him fired on the spot. But his luck was holding.
“I have not,” Data said plainly, completely unembarrassed.
“Guess I’d better show you the way then.” Geordi let his voice go a smidge lower.
“That would be appreciated.”
Geordi waved to call another croupier over and grabbed an extra bag from under the table. He leaned towards the other employee – Oscar, unless someone else had decided to try that terrible cologne. “I’ll be taking my break now, alright?”
“Sure, bud,” Oscar replied.
Geordi and Data transferred the somewhat comical amount of chips into the two bags. As they moved through the casino, Data’s shoulder kept brushing against Geordi’s. Each time, it made Geordi’s heart skip.
The cashier was slightly overwhelmed by being asked to hand out this much cash in one go. Geordi waited until they were a few steps away from the till, surrounded by loud, drunk gamblers who absolutely wouldn’t pay them any mind.
“So…” His voice failed him, despite his confidence. If he had read Data’s signals wrong, he might be about to get himself into a massive amount of trouble. But then again, that would require Data to be not a queer but still be in the know about code. “You're a friend of Dorothy?
Data was silent for a moment and Geordi could have had a heart attack.
“Are you referring to the principal character of the story ‘The Wizard of Oz’?”
“Y- Yes.” Okay, so he’d been wrong, but at least Data didn’t seem to know what he was actually asking.
“I have been compared to the Tinman on multiple occasions.”
Geordi laughed, half in amusement, half in relief. “You don’t say.”
“If you mean to ask if I am interested in same-sex romantic and sexual relation-”
Geordi grabbed the back of Data’s neck with one hand and covered his mouth with the other. “Are you insane!?” he hissed. “You can't go blurting it out like that!”
Data let out a comprehending hum that made Geordi’s palm tingle. He pulled his hand away to allow Data to speak. “Such behaviors and emotions are heavily stigmatized in this era, necessitating the use of different forms of code to communicate safely with individuals with similar desires.”
“What? You forgot?” Geordi was smiling, despite the scare he’d just had. He let go of Data and stepped away.
“I do not have the capacity to forget things.”
Geordi laughed and continued walking. He sensed Data catching up to walk next to him.
“Have I said something amusing?”
“Oh, lots of things. You’re a regular Sid Caesar.” He could sense Data’s confusion. This guy really didn’t get out much. “He’s a comedian.”
“I see.” Data was quiet for a moment, seemingly deciding to change the subject. “Query: For what reason did you ask if I am- Dorothy’s friend?”
Geordi forgot his amusement. He slowed his steps. They had almost made it to the lobby now. “Can’t you guess?” He turned his face to Data.
Data leaned into his shoulder and whispered, “I do not know how to answer that question without breaching previously established etiquette.”
A shiver ran down Geordi’s spine. “I asked because I’m a friend of Dorothy and if you are too, I thought maybe we could head back to whatever hotel you’re staying at and… discuss that.”
He sensed Data’s gaze on him. “I have no objections.”
Geordi’s heart leapt. “And you don’t mind waiting for me a bit? It’d look suspicious if I left without finishing my shift.”
“I do not mind. Shall I wait for you outside?”
“Probably best if you head back to your hotel. Don’t wanna be standing around out in the street with a pocket full of cash, you know. Just, tell me the hotel and room number and I’ll join you in a little while.”
“The name of the hotel is King Oscar. I am staying in room 221.” Data hesitated a moment. “Will you be able to safely navigate to the hotel alone?”
Geordi smirked. “I know this town like the back of my hand.”
“Very well. Then I will see you later tonight.” His tone was strangely businesslike, but Geordi didn’t mind.
“See you soon, Mr Data.”
—
He knew about the King hotel, though he’d never had any reason to go inside. It was a nice place – far from the most high-end in town, but if anything, that was a point in its favour. It fit Data, who seemed like a neat, practical kind of guy.
Geordi was still dressed in his work uniform, except for the tie-clip with the insignia of the casino. Hardly anyone questioned if he was in the right place as long as he walked with confidence and looked like he might be on some kind of work errand.
His heart pumped in his chest as the elevator took him to the second floor. He almost never did this kind of thing and some small part of him was screaming that it was a terrible, terrible idea. But then he thought of Data’s voice and his honesty and lack of self consciousness, and it was impossible to imagine him as anything other than a kind, gentlemanlike person.
“Calm down,” he muttered to himself.
He walked down the corridor, touching the door numbers once in a while until he felt the shapes of 221. After one last steadying breath, he knocked on the door, only to feel it slide open on its own.
Immediately his mind rushed ahead to imagine the worst of scenarios. Someone had followed Data from the casino to rob him – probably beat him up while they were at it. They had overheard his and Data’s conversation and were still waiting in the room, ready to off him too. If Geordi had had any sense at all, he would turn and run right now, but he wasn’t about to abandon someone in danger, even if he probably could do very little to help.
He threw the door open and barked, “Hey! Who’s in here!?” He was ready to grab the nearest object and take a swing at anyone who tried coming near, or take a run at them.
“I am,” said Data, sounding perfectly normal, except his voice was coming from the floor. “Hello, Geordi. I had not expected you so soon.”
“Um… Hello there.” Geordi felt awkward. It seemed like there wasn’t anything to worry about after all. He shut the door behind him. “Why was the door unlocked?”
“I did not have time to close it properly before I collapsed.”
“Wait. What!?”
“I did not have time to close it properly before I collapsed.”
Geordi kneeled on the floor and shuffled over to where Data was lying. “Oh god! Are you okay? Do you need a doctor?”
“I…” Data trailed off. “I am not precisely ‘okay,’ but the issue is quite minor and not something a medical doctor will be able to help with.”
“Can you move?”
“Not at the moment.”
“Then how exactly is it a ‘minor’ issue!?”
“It can easily be amended with the right tool.” He paused. “However, because I do not currently have the use of my hands, I am unable to perform the procedure.”
“Ain’t that always the way?” Geordi was feeling a little bit less panicky, since apparently Data didn’t see any reason to worry. “Could I do it for you?”
“With my instructions, it should be possible. There is a desk approximately 8.2 feet to your right. The desk is approximately 4.91 feet wide. On the lower left quarter there is a cylindrical tool approximately 1.18 inches in diameter, with a bent end.”
Geordi walked over to the desk while Data was still talking, moving his hands over the objects on the desk. “Do you describe everything in such exact measurements?”
“I am working on a system for delivering suitably accurate values in different situations. It is based around metric measurements, which causes less satisfying results when the values are converted into another system.”
Geordi was smiling like an idiot. “I was more talking about the diligent use of the word ‘approximately’.” He found what felt like the right tool, right next to some strange contraption he didn’t recognise.
Right as he settled back down next to Data, something occurred to him. “Hey, the way you described where the desk and tool were… How’d you know I’m-” He cut himself off. He was suddenly feeling very exposed. It had taken him years to perfect disguising his blindness best he could. He’d thought he was pretty good at it.
Data waited for several seconds for him to finish his sentence before trying, “Are you asking how I knew you are visually impared?”
“Yeah.”
“I observed that you use touch, sound and memory to navigate and perform tasks, rather than visual indicators.” He said it very matter of factly, without a hint of smugness, as though it was obvious to anybody. Geordi wasn’t sure if that was better or worse.
“I see,” Geordi said blandly. He exhaled and raised the tool. “So, what am I supposed to do with this?”
“Ah, before we begin, I must warn you that the procedure might initially appear distressing.”
“Just tell me what I gotta do.” Geordi tried to sound reassuring.
“If you feel along the right side of my head, above the ear, you will find an access panel that opens when pressure is applied along the edges.”
Not for the first time this evening, Geordi was rendered speechless. After a long while, he managed to choke out, “You want- You want me to open your head up and have a poke around?”
“In essence, yes. Although it would be more accurate to say that I am asking you to access the surface of my skull. Although, it is not as invasive as that description makes it sound.”
Geordi gnawed at his lip. This was insane, right? He should get out. But he never could leave well enough alone, and Data was definitely not ‘well enough.’ He brushed his fingers against Data’s temple and backwards through his hair. It was soft and neatly combed back.
Insane as it was, he felt a seam in the scalp and when he pushed against it, part of Data’s skull popped out, hair and all. Geordi almost squeaked. “Okay, what’s next?”
“There is a small indent towards the front of the area which the tip of the tool plugs into. Insert it and press the button on the side of the tool. Continue pressing until I instruct you to stop.”
“Um…” Geordi felt along the surface – covered in little bumps and ridges, perfectly dry, and giving off a faint hum. He found the indent and gently plugged the instrument in. “Like that?”
“Affirmative. Please proceed.”
Geordi pressed the button and the tool in his hand made a high-pitched noise. An awkward silence settled over them. Geordi’s mind was full of so many questions that he didn’t know where to start. Except maybe with the one that seemed the least… mind bending.
“So, you figured out I’m blind. How come you didn’t bring it up?”
“It was not pertinent to anything we discussed.” Again, said very plainly. After a beat, Data added. “From your response, I gather that your disability is something you were attempting to keep hidden. I apologize for invading your privacy, if that is the case.”
Geordi laughed dryly. “Don’t know if it counts as an invasion of privacy to observe blatantly obvious fact.”
“Would it be of any comfort to you to know that I possess a far greater observational ability than most people? I am certain few people would notice the things I did.”
“Alright, Sherlock Holmes,” Geordi laughed. “Can’t fault you for lack of confidence.”
“Thank you,” Data said with perfect genuineness. A shudder went through his body. “You may stop now.”
Geordi removed the tool and closed the panel. Data sat up.
“So, you’re just fine now?”
“Yes. I should function for the next 24 hours.”
“So, you’re not fine,” Geordi said flatly.
Data was silent for a moment. Normally, Geordi would listen for movements to judge other people’s feelings, but Data apparently wasn’t a twitchy kind of guy. “Considering my current circumstances, I am as well as I am presently capable of.”
“And you’re sure you don’t wanna go to a hospital?”
“Yes. A doctor is not going to be able to help me,” Data said, without any bitterness or worry.
Geordi hesitated, before laying a hand on Data’s shoulder. “Hey, uh…” He licked his lips nervously. Might as well take the plunge and say the thing that was bouncing around in his head. “This is gonna sound crazy but, you’re not all human, are you?”
Data was quiet for a while and Geordi thought he might have even stopped breathing. “I am not at all human,” he said finally. “I am an android.”
Geordi hadn’t been prepared for such a straightforward answer, and he wasn’t really sure how to proceed. He probably ought to gape and sutter and pinch himself a couple of times. “As in, a living machine?” he said simply. “Like in the space shows?”
Geordi had listened to plenty of radio plays about this stuff. But, the robots in those stories were clunky servants or monsters who tried killing the hero or kidnapping his girl. Data, with his pleasant voice and ability to pass for a regular --albeit strange – human, did not fit the bill.
“Essentially, yes.”
Geordi leaned in closer and lowered his voice. “Did you escape from a secret lab somewhere? Or-” A sharp shiver ran down his spine. “Are you some kind of Soviet spy?”
“No. I was brought to this time and place by accident when the starship I am stationed on encountered an anomalous energy pattern.”
“So you’re from the future?” Geordi’s voice filled with wonder. His head filled with spaceships and mysteries of the great unknown.
“Yes. The 24th century, to be precise.”
Geordi sat back, touching his forehead as though it would stop his mind from spinning. He must be losing it, because the more insane stuff he was hearing, the more sense it all made. “That’s why you didn’t know about cashing out at a casino, or that you can’t just go blabbing about being a queer in public! Say, what were you doing in a casino anyway?”
“I am building a device that will allow me to harness the residual energy from the anomaly that brought me here and use it to open up a passage back to the time and place I was pulled from. I knew what tools and materials I required, however, I lacked the funds to purchase them.”
“And you thought the best way of making money in 1954 was gambling?”
“Yes. I required a method for quickly earning a significant amount of money legally and without attracting unnecessary attention. Casino games seemed like the most suitable alternative.”
“From where I was standing, you were attracting plenty of attention.”
“That is true. But I expect that the incident will be largely forgotten within a few days. I am not the first, nor the last, to make a substantial amount of money through gambling, and most persons present where inebriated.”
Geordi hummed in surprise. “That actually makes a lot of sense.” He would likely have forgotten Data if it hadn’t been for his pleasant voice and the prospect that he might gay. “I wouldn’t have forgotten you, though.”
“Of course. Meeting an artificial lifeform in the 20th century is quite an unusual occurrence.”
“That’s not what I’m talking about.” Geordi placed a hand on Data’s lower arm, caressing it gently. “If I hadn’t worked up the courage to talk to you…” He hesitated only for a moment, “I’d’ve wondered for a long while where you’d gone to and if you’d ever come back.”
“Why?”
The perfect obliviousness in his voice was enough to drag a giggle out of Geordi. His other hand found Data’s cheek. He’d been right in his expectation that Data had a tall sorta face. “‘Cause even without knowing all that, you were already like nobody I’ve met before.”
He leaned forward, guided by his hands, and laid his lips on top of Data’s. For a moment, Data remained still, then he leaned into the kiss. His lips were thin and nimble, and kissed with a sweet curiosity. Geordi felt his nose, tall and sharp, press into his cheek. Data smelled of something not-quite-metallic and motor-oil-but-cleaner, and his body vibrated faintly, like a guitar that had just been strummed.
They parted, foreheads just barely touching. Geordi could feel Data cocking his head to one side. “Why did you kiss me?”
“Well…” Geordi licked his lips. “That’s why we’re here in the first place, right?”
Data’s head twitched again. Geordi thought he could feel his mind working through his skin. “I believe you expressed an interest in discussing our shared same-sex attraction.”
Geordi nearly choked on his own tongue. “I- What? Did you think I was being literal?”
“Ah, I believe I understand now.” Data’s voice was perfectly even, but the words were coming out quicker now. “Your request was another use of coded language.”
Geordi burst out laughing. He buried his face in Data’s shoulder, muffling the sounds best he could. He wanted to tell Data that he was kinda, strangely wonderful, but he couldn’t stop laughing. “You really are from a different time, huh,” he gasped out finally.
“I apologize,” Data said. “Metaphorical language is something I have always struggled to comprehend.”
Geordi felt bad for laughing. “To be fair to you, I’ve never been terribly good at the whole innuendo thing myself.” He pulled his face away from Data’s shoulder, putting some distance between them.
Data shifted slightly. “Does knowing that I am not human not quell your interest?”
“Nope.” He wondered if Data was asking because Geordi was from a less technologically advanced era, or because Data was used to being rejected in his own era. Hopefully it was the first one.
Data hummed in a ‘well, what do you know’ way. “Then, would you like to resume this sexual encounter? This discussion?” he amended.
Geordi’s cheeks hurt from smiling. “Would I ever,” he murmured, wrapping his hand around the back of Data’s neck.
Data allowed himself to be pulled into another kiss, and placed both hands on Geordi’s hips, like he was about to pull him into a dance. His grip was strong yet perfect in its gentleness.
“Wanna move to the bed?” Geordi murmured into his mouth.
“Yes.”
They stood – Geordi’s legs tingling as blood flow was restored. In keeping with his dance-like hold, Data moved him one step to the right, before clasping one of his hands and guiding it to the foot of the bed.
“Thanks,” Geordi breathed. He sat down and took his shoes off before hopping backwards to the headboard.
In a moment, Data had followed him, kneeling over his lap and kissing him again. He kissed like he was trying to learn a new language, shaping his lips with slow deliberateness, waiting for Geordi’s responses. It had never felt this good to kiss someone. Was this what Data was like with everyone? Had he been created deliberately to be gentle and understanding and forthright? To be so strange yet so appealing?
A terrible thought suddenly struck Geordi. “Wait, wait, wait,” he gasped, pushing Data’s shoulder.
Data sat up. “What is wrong?”
“You-” Geordi paused to think about how to phrase his question. “You want this, right? I mean, you’re not just a servant built to do whatever humans tell you to, right?”
“I am an autonomous lifeform, capable of making my own choices.” The fingers resting over Geordi’s ribs shifted, feeling their contours. “I enjoy your company a great deal.”
Geordi’s heart melted, just a little bit. "Me too," he murmured. He laid his hands on Data’s cheeks, fanning his fingers out to feel his features – from the delicate jawline, to the large, sharp nose and petite mouth. Data sat perfectly still, silently allowing the exploration, not even breathing.
“You’re beautiful,” he sighed.
Data’s lips parted but no words came out. Geordi leaned up to kiss him, but just before their lips were to touch, Data spoke, in a small voice. “My understanding of beauty is lacking. But I find that I am compelled to analyze your features in greater detail than I normally do with new acquaintances.” It sounded like a question. Like he wanted to check with Geordi if his sentiment was good enough.
Geordi kissed the bridge of his nose. “I think I understand what you mean.”
They got back to their necking. Geordi moved to get rid of Data’s shirt, only to find that there were no buttons to undo. He pulled out of the kiss with a smack. “What on Earth are you wearing?”
He just knew Data had cocked his head to one side just now. “My uniform.”
“Feels like pyjamas.”
“My colleagues claim that they were very comfortable. I would not know.”
Geordi decided to forgo commenting on how such strange clothes probably didn’t do Data any favours in terms of remaining unnoticed. “Well, I reckon you’d be a lot more comfortable without it.”
“Ah, that is a flirtatious remark. I believe your shirt would look very good on the floor.”
Geordi giggled at the cheesy line delivered so plainly. “Well, why don’t you take it off, then?”
Data undid his tie with care, rather than just loosening it and pulling it over his head. He unbuttoned Geordi’s shirt and ran his fingers over his chest in featherlight exploration. Geordi shivered as he touched his nipple. He tugged at Data’s shirt, trying to figure out how to get it off.
“It unzips in the back,” Data offered. His hands left their caressing work and the fabric beneath Geordi’s hands shifted and moved upwards.
Geordi felt the shape of his naked chest. He realized Data’s skin was slightly velvety to the touch. It was strange, but not in a bad way. Data leaned down, kissing him more, and pushing their chests together. Geordi moaned and wrapped his arms over Data’s back. The texture of Data’s skin felt amazing, actually, he decided. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt like this – turned on in that relaxed kind of way.
His hard-on was starting to ache, though. He slipped his hand between their bodies and tried to undo his belt one handed. It took him a couple of tries, but he finally managed it, sighing in relief.
Being with Data felt profoundly comfortable, and that made Geordi want to take this further than he usually did. “Would you, uh…” He fumbled slightly, trying to think of some way of expressing himself that fit with Data’s oddly polite way of speaking, and he landed on possibly the worst phrasing, “…Like to whitewash my kidneys?”
Data went very still, and very quiet. “I do not think that would be medically feasible, nor advisable,” he said, deeply serious.
Geordi leaned his head back against the pillow. “Yeah shouldn’t have phrased it like that,” he said through gritted teeth, his face burning. He breathed deliberately, covering the lower half of his face with his hand. “I’m asking if you’d wanna stick it in me. Your dick, that is.” Just to be absolutely crystal clear.
“Ah,” Data said. “I am quite capable of performing that act.”
“Quite capable, huh?” Geordi smiled like a fool before he remembered something. “Shit, do you have vaseline on you, or something?”
“I do not have vaseline, however…” He paused. “My internal lubrication can be used for sexual purposes.”
“Practical.” Geordi figured when you’d had your hand inside a guys head, everything else seemed less strange after. “How, um- Do you need me to do anything?”
“I will apply it myself, with your consent.”
“Go ahead.”
Data slipped his fingers under Geordi’s waistband, caressing his hips before pulling his pants all the way down and off. A hot, nervous shiver shot up Geordi’s legs and spine, as Data shuffled down the bed. Strong hands wrapped around Geordi’s thighs and guided them to rest over Data’s shoulders. Then something soft and slippery pressed against his hole.
Geordi gasped. “God damn, is that your tongue!?”
Data pulled back. “Yes. I thought it the most efficient way to apply the lubricant.”
“I see, well, that makes sense, go ahead,” Geordi said rapidly, voice brittle and trembling.
Data bent back down and continued licking around Geordi’s entrance, spreading a thick coat of some kind of oily substance over it. Then he pushed right against the hole, slipping inside with incomprehensible ease. The tongue squirmed deeper, coating every surface.
Geordi pushed his head back into the pillow and let out a gargled moan. His legs twitched around Data’s back, trying to pull him closer. He’d never felt anything like this. The squirming caress stretched as far in as it could reach, and then started pulling out.
Geordi gasped brightly as it pushed back in, working more lubrication into him. “Data! God, Data!”
Data’s tongue reached its deepest point again and did something that felt like a full 180 twist.
Geordi groaned. “You gotta stop! I’m gonna-”
Data pulled his tongue back out, and that pushed Geordi even closer to the edge. “Is something wrong, Geordi?”
Geordi let out a breathless laugh. “It’s just a little too good. If we had more time, I’d be begging you to keep going, but…”
“As this will be our only sexual experience together, you wish to ‘make the most of it,” Data finished.
Geordi reached down to caress him. “I want you to feel good, too.”
“This is already one of the most pleasurable experiences of my life.” He said it so matter of factly that it was impossible to not believe that he was being a hundred percent sincere.
Before Geordi could think of anything to say in response, he noticed a low whirring noise coming from around where Data’s face would be. “What’s that noise?”
The whirring continued for a few more seconds before Data replied. “I was cleaning and disinfecting my mouth. Because I would like to kiss you again.”
Never before had Geordi felt simultaneously so strange and ordinary. A ‘normal’ person would probably be put off by Data's plain way of speaking, but Geordi found that he liked him more and more with every word he said. It felt like he had finally met another person like him – someone who's very way of understanding the world was different from everyone else's.
Had Data felt lonely too?
“Please do," he said in response to Data's words.
Data let Geordi’s legs slide off his shoulders and moved back up the bed. He was running hot now. Geordi felt dry heat hovering above him, and then a kiss that tasted of cool, clear water took his mouth.
“Do you have any preference for a particular position?” Data asked against his lips.
“Like this. Face to face,” Geordi replied.
“Yes,” Data said in an almost adamant tone of voice.
They moved together, Geordi’s thighs settling atop Data’s hips. Data leaned over him. The blunt tip pressed against Geordi’s hole, lingering for a moment before it sunk into him. Geordi hummed as Data moved deeper, luxuriating in the pain-pleasure stretch.
Data slowed slightly. “Are you feeling good?”
Geordi laughed, because what kind of question was that? “Yeah. You can give me more.”
Data pushed into him again, until he bottomed out. Geordi’s breathing was ragged. He tried to allow himself enough time to adjust, but he was already aching with impatience. “I’m ready. Please.”
Data held his hips and pulled back a few inches, giving him a sort of assessing thrust, as though gauging Geordi’s reaction. Geordi moaned, pawing at him. “Baby, please, move!”
Finally, Data did. He fucked Geordi tenderly – it was the only word that fit. His thrusts were steady and gentle, and his breathing deep and slow, as though he was under some kind of transe. Again, he moved like he was trying to learn the right way, changing his angle at even intervals, until he ghosted against Geordi’s prostate.
“Oh!” Geordi gasped. “Baby, that’s amazing.”
Data kissed him and rolled his hips again, swallowing Geordi’s moans. Geordi arched his back for a better angle and Data’s arm moved to support his backside, easily holding him at that perfect tilt. Geordi moaned his approval, melting into the warm pleasure swelling from his core. “Harder…”
“Yes.” Data’s voice vibrated against Geordi’s mouth. He adjusted his legs and fucked him harder.
Geordi leaned his head back into the pillow, loud noises forcing their way out his throat. God, he hoped this hotel had thick walls. “Data! Baby, baby,” came bubbling out of him. “You’re amazing!”
Data let out a loud, inhumanly even hum. His voice sounded like a distorted radio signal. “Y- Y- ouyou are lah- ike no one…” His hips stuttered. “…No one I haaaah- ave ve- ever mh…” His hands crept up Geordi’s ribcage, settling just under his armpits, where his chest was the widest. His voice crumpled into a series of garbled syllables, as his thrusts grew halting and clumsy.
Geordi thought it must mean Data was close, and the thought made his own pleasure spike. “Baby, I’m almost there,” he grunted.
Data made an incomprehensible noise, like a series of words crashing into one another. Geordi figured it meant something like ‘me too.’ Then, a final jolt of pleasure shot through him, causing his muscles to spasm. Geordi came with a groan, shaking his head side to side. Data thrust into him one last time, before going completely still.
Fingers graced over Geordi’s cheeks. “…Met before,” Data said. His breath was dry and hot on Geordi’s face and chest.
Geordi was confused, until he realized that Data was finishing the sentence he had been trying to say earlier. From another person, he would have thought it was just flattery or emotional exaggeration, but from what he understood of Data, that wasn’t how he talked.
Data carefully slipped out, and before Geordi could so much as let out a sigh, he had left the bed. Geordi could hear naked feet move across the room, and then the sound of running water.
Data returned, bringing a wet towel that he used to clean up Geordi’s lower body. His touches were gentle and soothing and Geordi might have fallen asleep if Data hadn’t spoken. “May I ask you a question of a personal nature?”
How could Geordi not laugh? “I think we’ve well and truly reached that point.”
Data ran the towel over Geordi’s thigh. “Why do you disguise your disability?”
The reminder of the outside world put a damper on the afterglow, but Geordi felt no ire. He breathed deeply. “Makes it easier to get a job, and less likely someone’s gonna try and take advantage of me. Also means I don’t have to deal with a bunch of pity and unwanted help from well meaning strangers.”
“I believe I understand,” was all Data said in response. He finished cleaning Geordi up before speaking again. “You do not need to force yourself to remain awake.”
Geordi hummed. He really ought to leave before it got too late, but the thought of dragging himself back to his lonely, too large for a single person, apartment held very little appeal right now. “Wake me in an hour or so?”
“Of course.” After a beat, he added, quietly, like he was trying it out, “Baby.”
Geordi found Data’s hand and gave it a squeeze. He wasn’t about to point out that a pet-name in the throws of passion was a little bit different from one spoken in regular conversation. “Thanks, babe,” he murmured.
Data’s hand slipped from his grasp, and he rolled onto his stomach, tucking one arm under the pillow. Rarely had he fallen asleep so easily.
—
A gentle touch settled on the back of his shoulder, and a warm presence hovered over him. Geordi’s body tingled in response, even in his barely awake state.
“Geordi?” Data whispered, right in his ear. “Do you have any dietary restrictions or preferences?”
“Mmm, what?” Geordi slurred, lifting his head off the pillow.
“This hotel offers a so-called ‘room service.’ It is now 20:17 hours. One hour has elapsed since you fell asleep. At your request, I am waking you.”
Geordi rolled onto his back and rubbed the tightness from his forehead. "I'll eat pretty much anything. Is there any kind of fish?"
"Yes. They offer a shrimp cocktail, tuna sandwich, and salmon fillet with roasted potatoes, among other things."
"A sandwich would be great right now."
Data picked up the phone and rang for service. Geordi could have easily slipped back into sleep if he wasn’t careful. Between the comfortable bed and the soft murmur of Data’s voice, he felt dangerously relaxed.
He propped his head up on his hand and waited for the click of the phone being set down before speaking. “So, what’s it like working on a spaceship?”
Data moved across the room, and stood next to the bed. “I have not worked in any other place than aboard starships since I completed my education, which I started eight months after my activation. Therefore, I have nothing to compare it to.”
Geordi frowned, perplexed. “You started training to become an astronaut when you were eight months old?”
“I already possessed 100 gigaquads of information on various subjects, including language banks, advanced mathematics and the collected logs of the colonists of the planet where I was discovered.” Data shifted his weight thoughtfully. “You might say that I was ‘born’ perfectly prepared to pursue higher education.”
Geordi reached out, taking Data’s hand, and pulled him down towards the mattress. “Still, eight months isn’t a long time to decide what you’re going to do with your life.”
Data sat down on the bed. “I was… impressed by the officers that discovered me. They had elected to devote their lives to exploration and broadening their understanding of the galaxy, and to reach out to other lifeforms peacefully.” He turned Geordi’s hand over, resting it on his lap. “Their ideals appealed to me. Thanks to them, I had been brought to consciousness. It seemed only logical that I should devote the gift of my existence to those same ideals.”
Geordi exhaled shakily. “Makes sense.” It felt like a paltry response to such a declaration, but he could not think of anything better to say. “So, what is it like?”
Data didn’t answer for a drawn out moment. “My day to day work consists mainly of analysing sensor readings. I have been made to understand that most humans find it monotonous, however, I am often fascinated by the endless variation present in the universe. I also take part in away missions and diplomatic encounters, which I also find fulfilling.”
Geordi tried not to feel too envious. As Data talked, he let his free hand wander around Data’s waist and caress his thigh. It was soothing to touch him and feel that electric hum under his hands. “What about down time? Got any hobbies?”
Data shifted, lifting his foot on to the bed in a position that moved his thigh outwards giving Geordi easier access. “I do not require sleep or relaxation. For that reason, I have elected to take on extra shifts for the benefit of my fellow crew members. My captain insists that I spend at least six hours a day off duty. In that time, I study Earth culture and humanoid behaviour.” He paused for a beat. “In the casino you made a comparison between myself and Sherlock Holmes. Arthur Conan Doyle is one of the writers whose work I have studied the closest.” Somehow it sounded like a very private confession.
“I know a couple of those stories. You really do have something Holmsian about you.”
“To me, that is a very high compliment,” Data murmured.
Geordi sat up, wrapped both arms around Data’s chest and pressed a firm kiss to his cheek. “Oh, I’ve got a whole lot more nice things to say about you.”
Data’s body buzzed in response.
A sharp knock on the door interrupted them. "Room service!"
"Alright." Geordi rolled off the bed and stretched his arms toward the ceiling. “I’m gonna take my stuff and hide in the bathroom.”
“Why?”
Geordi smiled at the innocent confusion. “Remember what time you’re in, Data.”
Data let out a soft hum of understanding. He waited for Geordi to gather up his clothes and slip into the bathroom, before moving to the door.
“Here you go, mister,” said an overly chirpy man. “Gotta say, I thought it was a mistake at first when I saw the room number on this.”
“Why is that?” Data asked.
“You’ve been here five days and you’ve not ordered so much as an apple. We were starting to think you don’t eat.”
“I see,” Data said flatly. “Although your confusion is understandable, it is somewhat strange that you would come to such a conclusion. After all, all humans require food.”
“R- Right,” the bellboy stuttered.
Geordi covered his mouth to keep from laughing.
Data thanked the man and the door clicked closed. Geordi stepped out of the bathroom. “All that talk of avoiding drawing attention to yourself and you can’t even keep the hotel staff from finding you strange.”
“It seems that I failed to consider how innaction can attract attention similarly to how strange behavior might.” Data set the tray of food down. “I took the liberty of ordering a bottle of mineral water along with the food. I will continue working on the rift stabilizer now, but I will still be able to maintain conversation.”
Geordi sat down in the bed and moved the tray onto his lap. “Thanks.” He took a bite from the sandwich and chewed. It was a little too fancy for his tastes – with a lot of pointless extras – but still nice.
Conversation lulled. Geordi finished the sandwich and washed it down with a few gulps of water. He set the plate and glass aside and moved over to the desk. “Can I check that out?”
“There are no hazardous elements while the stabilizer is inactive, however, some of the components are fragile. Please be gentle.” What a line to say to someone you’d just had sex with.
“I’ll be careful.”
Geordi felt his way over the strange machine, asking what each part was and what it did. It was mind-bendingly complicated, as you might expect from a machine of the future. But most of the components had been created in the current era, which went a long way towards allowing Geordi to understand the entire contraption.
“So, uh, these – modified induction coil, right?” He poked at the piece in question.
“Correct.”
“Do you think you’d get a more even field generation if you decrease the pulse frequency?”
Data made the adjustment. “You are right. How did you know?”
Geordi crossed his arms. “Lucky guess.”
“I am having some difficulty believing that.”
Geordi hummed in question.
“In the two hours and twenty six minutes you have assisted me, you have made four similar ‘lucky guesses.’ And in addition, you displayed a remarkable level of confidence while helping me reset my motor-centre.”
Geordi turned his face away to hide whatever discomfort might be visible in his expression. “I find machinery and electronics interesting. I’ve got a little kit at home I mess around with when I’ve got time.”
“Then you are self-taught?”
“Oh, not at all. When I was a kid, there was an older gentleman living in the same building. He worked as an electrician, and let me badger him into teaching me.” He laughed at the memory. “Eventually, we moved on to him just reading out loud from textbooks from the library.”
“I do not mean to disrespect your mentor, but he could not have taught you to intuit the functionality of 24th century technology.”
“Well, it’s all wires and tubes, isn’t it?”
Geordi could almost hear Data blink in perplexed silence. “It is not.”
“Why are you so curious about how I’m guessing stuff?” Geordi asked, somewhat sharply.
“I am trying to understand,” Data said, words careful and searching. “You clearly have a great interest and talent for engineering. Yet you do not work in any related field.”
Geordi laughed bitterly. “Yeah, well, talent doesn’t matter much when you’re a black, blind guy with no family.”
Data was quiet for a long time. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft. “In the time I come from, humanity has overcome many of the prejudices that plague this era. Same-sex relationships are not stigmatized, and race does not limit a person’s ability to move through the world. Many technological advancements have also been made that allows disabilities to be compensated for.”
Geordi clenched his fists over his knees. “Sounds almost too good to be true.” He tried to keep his tone light.
Data laid one of his strangely smooth hands on Geordi’s cheek, turning his face toward him. “You are crying,” he said, softly.
“Yeah.” Geordi cleared his throat and tried to laugh the heavy atmosphere away. “I guess, ‘cause I’m glad that the world becomes a better place to live at some point in the future. But hundreds of years is a long time to wait.” He paused for a moment. “Tell me, is any of that stuff going to change in my lifetime?”
“The nature of the world is that it is always changing. In the coming decades, some progress will be made, but it is as you said: hundreds of years is a long time.”
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Geordi turned his face to press his lips against Data’s palm. He was filled with an overwhelming sense of both wonder and loss. Here he was, with a strange and wonderful man – an android ripped from his rightful place in a bright future, brought here, to this time and place, by random chance. How lucky was Geordi to get to meet such a person? And how unlucky that he’d never meet him again?
He rubbed his eyes angrily. “It’s getting late. We’ve been at this for, two hours was it? I’d better get home if I’m gonna be ready for my shift tomorrow.” He stood up and moved to the bed in sharp motions. “Now, where’s that tie…?” he muttered.
After some fumbling, a smooth hand settled over his, tucking the wayward tie into his grasp. Data stood next to him in silence for a moment. “Will you allow me to walk with you to your home?”
Geordi wrapped the tie around his neck. “That’s alright.” His chest ached faintly, and he wanted to both run out the door and crawl back into bed and stay there as long as he could. As ever, when he wasn’t sure what to do, removing himself from the situation seemed like the safest option.
“Thank you. I will be ready to leave whenever you are.”
Geordi’s hands stilled in the middle of tying a knot. It took him a moment to realise how Data had misunderstood his meaning. The phrase had slipped out without him thinking about how someone without full cultural context might interpret it.
Had Data asked again if he was sure, or promised that he ‘did not mind’, it would have been easy to reiterate that he really was fine on his own. Now, he couldn’t do that without first explaining that in this time period the phrase ‘that’s alright’ was a polite way of rejecting help.
He huffed out a laugh. Data seemed to have outsmarted him without even realising it.
—
Geordi couldn’t remember the last time he’d walked with someone, although it couldn’t have been that long ago. He felt somewhat awkward for the first few blocks – walking with one arm hooked around Data’s – but Data seemed to adjust his movements to synchronise with Geordi.
The night air was cold and heavy – not really ideal for a walk. Even so, the walk to Geord’s building felt terribly short.
"Well, here's me." Geordi unlocked the door and let him and Data into the kitchen. “Sorry about the mess.”
Data moved to the centre of the room. “Did you once share this apartment with others?”
Geordi knew that there were plenty of signs around the apartment of his parents – the table for four, the TV set his dad had insisted on buying (ludicrously expensive compared to a radio), the books and magazines he hadn’t had the heart to pack away.
“Lived here my whole life. My parents… They’re not around anymore.”
The awkward silence that usually followed that reveal didn't come. “I believe the correct response is, I am sorry, although I had no part in causing your parents death.” Data's voice was calm, maybe even cold to some people. But Geordi wished everyone he'd told had reacted the same way.
Geordi hummed a laugh. “Yeah, it’s a funny thing to say, isn’t it. People say that a lot, when they don't know what else to say. Are you going to ask how they died?” Geordi would have expected Data to ask with no hesitation.
"No. I understand that death of close friends or family members can be deeply traumatic. I have no wish to cause you discomfort by recalling distressing experiences.”
Geordi felt no relief. Suddenly, he was filled with the strange need to tell Data as much as he possibly could about himself. Because Data was going back to his own time, to continue his life. Data would be the only person to remember Geordi then, and that memory would be all that was left of him.
“Eh, I’m already recalling it. Might as well tell you the rest.” He grabbed a beer and sat down at the kitchen table. After a long swig, he started talking. “My mom worked in a factory during the war – Dad was stationed in Scotland while mom and I stayed here. We were so relieved that they didn’t send him somewhere more dangerous, but we were still really worried about him. Mom nearly drove herself to insanity keeping up with all the news and conspiracy theories. We didn’t even consider that we could be in any danger back home. We were away from the war!” He paused and breathed deeply. “One day there was a fire in the factory. She was too busy trying to help everyone else to get herself to safety.”
“She risked her life to save her colleagues,” Data said. It sounded almost like he was thinking out loud, translating Geordi’s vague mumblings into plain, straight forward language. “That is very nouble.”
“That’s Silvia La Forge – nouble to the bone.” He paused for a while. “The war ended. Dad came home. We made do together – kept each other moving. Then three years ago, he caught a bad cough the doctor couldn’t seem to figure out. He was stuck in bed for a couple of months, and… that’s that,” he finished awkwardly.
“Do you want physical comfort?” Data was standing near the sink, at an awkward distance for this kind of conversation.
“It’s not- I’m alright,” he mumbled, tightening his grip on the bottle.
Data sat down next to him. After a beat, he started talking in a smooth flow of words. “I was discovered in a devastated colony on a planet far from here. All the colonists were dead or missing, and there was very little information about what had killed them. I have no memories of my creation, or any time before the salvage crew activated me. The person who made me is likely dead. And I have no memory of them.”
Geordi took his hand. “I’m sorry, even though I didn’t have – or won’t be having any part in it.” He smiled slightly. “Whoever made you must’ve been a brilliant person.”
“That would seem self-evident. I am a unique marvel of robotics and cybernetics.”
Geordi pressed his forehead against Data’s shoulder, humming in amusement. “Yeah, you are.” God, he didn’t want Data to leave.
“I am uncertain, however, if they would consider me a successful invention.”
“Why?”
Geordi felt Data lower his chin. “It seems self evident that I was designed to interface with humans, but I often fail to respond correctly in social situations.”
Geordi’s chest tightened. “Well, you seem to ‘interface’ with me just fine.”
Data leaned down, probably looking at him. Geordi turned his face towards him and smiled. He listened to the hum of electricity running through the shoulder under his ear.
“That is true,” Data said. “I find it significantly easier to interact with you than with any other person I have met.”
Geordi bit his cheek to keep from sighing forlornly. "Me too." He wanted to ask Data to stay.
He had no idea how long they sat there, but inevitably, Data said, "I must return to the hotel now, to continue my work."
"Of course! Of course." Geordi got up. He placed the half drunk beer bottle in the sink. "I should probably get to bed. Got some errands I need to run tomorrow before work." He was speaking too quickly to sound natural.
Behind him, a chair scraped against the floor. Footsteps moved across the floor, so soft that it was tricky to pin their position. When Data spoke, he was closer than Geordi expected. "May I kiss you?"
Geordi blinked forcefully. "Of course." His voice trembled.
He turned around, reaching out until Data took his hand. Data kissed him firmly, but kept his lips closed. Geordi's heart jolted painfully and he pushed closer. If this was going to be goodbye, he would make it count.
Data's mouth still tasted fresh like water.
Too soon, Data pulled away. Geordi breathed, and tried to muster up the strength to speak. He felt stupid, for not knowing what to say other than asking something imposible – stupid for already feeling so strongly about a man he’d only just met, and would never see again. There had to be something he could say that wouldn’t be completely pathetic.
Data laid a hand on his cheek. “Would you return to the 24th century with me?"
"What?"
“Would you return to the 24th century with me?” Data repeated, in the exact same tone of voice.
“No, yeah, I heard you the first time.” Geordi leaned back against the sink, trying to gather his thoughts. “I meant something more like, can you do that?”
Data lowered his hand and shifted into something of a lecturing tone of voice. “The instrument I am building can very easily be modified to be used by two persons.”
“No, Data.” Geordi placed his hands on Data’s chest and leaned back into his personal space, lowering his voice. “Aren’t there rules about this sort of stuff in your time? About interfering with the past and all that?”
“There are. However, the Temporal Prime Directive will not be instated until the 23rd century. At present time, there are no laws pertaining to time travel in any nation on this planet.”
Geordi couldn’t keep from smiling. “I can’t help but think that whoever wrote this ‘Temporal Prime Directive’ must’ve thought to make their laws applicable to the past.”
Data was silent for a moment. “As I do not currently have access to the relevant files in my ship’s computer, I cannot confirm that.”
Geordi laughed. “Real convenient, huh?” He felt dizzy. Surely, this shouldn’t be an option? Not for anyone, and certainly not for someone like him. “Can’t help but think I’d be a little out of place, if the 24th century is as dazzling as you’ve made it sound.”
“That is incorrect,” Data said plainly. He covered Geordi’s hands with his own. “You embody many qualities Humanity upholds above all others. You are curious, open to new experiences and accepting of those who are different from you.” He paused for a split moment. “As you pointed out yourself, your opportunities are unfairly limited in this era. Your abilities are overlooked, your quality of life and life expectancy are diminished by prejudice.” He squeezed Geordi’s hands, firmly. “I believe you would be happier in my time. You would not have to hide any aspect of yourself. You would be free to pursue your talents and interests to their full extent." How could he ever have missed the aching tenderness in Data’s voice?
Geordi swallowed. Two futures rolled out ahead of him. One, strange and bright, terrifying and tempting – a skip into the distant time, far beyond anything he was ever meant to see. The other, the one that was rightfully his, continuing as he were for however many more years he’d live.
In some stories, the person who tried grabbing at something that wasn’t meant for them ended up punished by the universe. But Geordi had always liked to think that the world was kinder than that, and that if you got your hands on something good you oughta hang on to it best you could.
Data seemed to misunderstand his hesitation. “My offer is not transactional. I wish for you to be happy, in whatever time and place would be most conducive to that end.”
Geordi kissed Data’s unmoving lips. Data didn’t reciprocate, because he was waiting for an answer still.
“Yes,” Geordi breathed. “I wanna go with you.” He cupped Data’s jaw in his hands, brushing his thumb over his lower lip. “To be honest, I probably would have asked you to stay here if you hadn't asked."
Data cocked his head to one side. "Why?"
Geordi hesitated, only for a moment. "Because I think I've already started falling in love with you."
The hum in Data's skin shifted pitch, like an engine building up speed. "I… I do not experience emotions," he said, achingly tenderly. "I know not how to adequately respond to your deceleration."
"Will you let me stay with you? If I come with you?"
"Of course," Data said, like that was self-evident. "I would gladly have you remain with me for the foreseeable future."
Geordi smiled softly. “That’s all the response I need.”
—
The relief Picard felt at getting Data back was short lived. To be precise, it lasted only a couple of seconds – from O’Brien’s “Sir, we’ve got him!” to the soon following, “And, uh, he’s brought a… friend?”
“Hello, Mr O’Brien. The anomalous energy field we encountered opened up a localized rift that sent me back to Earth in the year 1954. Fortunately, the anomaly left behind enough temporal energy to harness with a primitive-”
“Friend?” Picard cut in. “Who is this ‘friend’?”
“Sir,” Data said, calm as ever. “Some aspects of the incident would be appropriate to explain in person. May I reconvene with you in your ready room?”
Picard covered his eyes with his hand and held back a sigh. “Of course. Please come by at your earliest convenience.”
Troi gave him a mildly sympathetic smile from the seat next to him – the kind of expression that seemed to say ‘certainly it’s frustrating, but you can’t honestly pretend to be surprised.’ Picard responded with a sigh.
“You have the com,” he muttered and moved to the ready room to await being introduced to Data’s newly acquired ‘friend.’