Malcolm Reed stared at the light blue water just a few inches from his feet. The water was completely still. It glowed gently with the lights set beneath the surface of the pool.

A meter, Malcolm, just a meter. No one drowns in a meter of water, he told himself.

Shifting his weight slowly from foot to foot, he stared down into the water beyond, his toes lined up with the edge of the pool. He just had to bend down and get in. It wasn't much more deeper than a proper bath. His eyes glanced further down the length of the pool, but then he quickly snapped back to looking just below his feet. He didn't have to go into the deep end. There was no need to scare himself.

A few more minutes passed, and still Malcolm couldn't get himself to bend down and get in. Damn it, he knew how to swim. He wasn't going to drown himself. But he just couldn't get himself to move. The "what ifs" floating about in his head were driving him mad. One could drown themselves in a bucket of water, if they were so unlucky. With the right errors, a meter of water could kill him too.

Malcolm sighed heavily and looked up at the stars. He'd like to stop this blasted fear of his, but then again soon enough it really wouldn't matter. He'd be up there. His father would finally stop his badgering about leaving Starfleet while he still could. He'd be an officer, and he'd get off this water-covered rock.

The noise of a door shutting behind him echoed in the open-air pool, and it surprised Malcolm enough that he jumped. He lost his footing on the slick cement, and before he could stop himself, he fell with a smack into the pool. He flailed for a moment, in shock at suddenly being in the water, and he kicked without thinking, stubbing his toe against the nearby pool wall. With a slurred swear, Malcolm came up for air, righting himself and standing on one foot. His wet hair sopped water down over his eyes, but he was busy inspecting his bruised big toe. "Bloody fucking—"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," interrupted a contrite voice.

Malcolm looked up, then wiped his face after only seeing a blurred image of a man. He blinked to clear his eyes as he snarled, "These facilities are off limits after 2200."

"I'm sorry; I wasn't told. I just wanted to see the pool. I've never seen one. Do you need a hand out? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. What do you mean you've never seen a pool?" Malcolm blinked his eyes one last time, and then finally looked up at the young student standing in purple swimming trunks. In only purple swimming trunks. Purple swimming trunks that left little to the imagination. Malcolm swallowed and tore his eyes away from the dark skin and up to looking the man in the face.

A disarmingly warm smile greeted him. "Well, I went swimming once when I was twelve but it was in a green lake on Trillius Prime. Not *exactly* the same thing."

The man was gorgeous when he smiled. Malcolm forced himself to focus on the conversation. "Trillius Prime?" He quickly put the pieces together. "You're a Boomer?"

"Yup," the man answered simply, before looking around the pool. "It's bigger than I thought it would be."

"Pools do vary in size," Malcolm replied, not realizing he was teasing until he spoke.

That warm smile was back and aimed at Malcolm once again. "Is your foot okay? Do you need a med kit?"

"I'm fine," Malcolm answered automatically. He sounded a little too dismissive, and the smile disappeared from the other man's face. Clearing his throat, Malcolm reached up his hand to shake the freshman's hand. "Cadet Malcolm Reed."

"Cadet Travis Mayweather." Travis shook his hand jubilantly, the grin returning. "Nice to meet you, Malcolm. It's my third day here."

"Really? Would never have guessed." Malcolm half-grinned up at Travis as they pulled back from the handshake. "Do you even know how to swim?"

"Does the dogpaddle count?"

Malcolm chuckled lightly. "No. Or at least you'll never pass any swim exam I know of with that stroke."

"Stroke?" Travis asked. The word came out of Travis' mouth sounding far more intimate.

Malcolm refused the urge to feel flustered by Travis' misunderstanding. "A swim stroke. Breaststroke, backstroke, sidestroke…" And now he really was embarrassed. How had those words never sounded sexual before? He swallowed as he saw the spark in Travis' eyes. He grasped for a clean definition. "They're just different means of swimming and getting around in the water."

"Oh, I see." Travis sat leisurely at the edge of the pool, dangling his legs into the water, and still looking quite pleased with Malcolm's embarrassing explanation. "Do you swim often?"

"Not really," Malcolm answered. Suddenly, he realized he'd carried on the entire conversation standing in a meter of water. He glanced around himself, wondering how he could become that distracted, when Travis lowered himself completely into the water beside him. Travis was about half a head taller than him, and seemed to radiate positive, dare he say flirtatious, energy.

"Would you mind giving me a quick lesson on a few of those *strokes*?" Travis emphasized the last word with a smirk.

Damn, flirt indeed. Was the man always this open? "It might take you more than one lesson to learn." Had he just flirted back?

"I'm a quick study." Those brown eyes were fixed on him, and Malcolm couldn't look away. "Unless you'd like me to leave…"

"No, I could show you a thing or two." Malcolm made a quick tactical decision. They were alone. No one would bother them. He really wanted to run his fingers over Travis' flat stomach, let alone a few other choice parts. And one really should give younger cadets a proper, warm welcome. He smiled invitingly. "Why don't we start with the backstroke. Turn around and lean back."

Without hesitation, Travis turned and leaned back slowly. Malcolm reached out and guided Travis with a hand behind his neck and on his lower back.

"Just float?" Travis asked.

"For now. When I let go, kick with your legs, but keep them out straight. Roll your arms around in a circle like this one at a time." Malcolm released Travis' back to demonstrate as he stood there.

"Easy enough. I thought this was going to be a challenge." Travis winked.

Malcolm smirked. "We'll just see how easy it is, hm?" He let go of Travis and stepped back. Travis awkwardly attempted the stroke. Malcolm kept up beside him, fearing the man might stop and go under. Travis' technique wasn't the best, but it only took him a few attempts to get a good rhythm down. Malcolm was quietly amazed.

Before Travis hit the opposite pool wall, Malcolm stopped him and took one of Travis' hands in his, placing them both on the wall so Travis knew where the wall was exactly. Travis bobbed under but then pulled himself back up, tossing his head before wiping the water off his face. "Nothing to it."

Malcolm kept his hand on Travis', subconsciously to keep Travis from dunking back under too far, but mostly because he liked the smooth feel of the man's wet skin against his. "A little cocky aren't we?" Malcolm tilted his head as he teased.

"Just a little…" Travis moved in closer to Malcolm.

"Should we move on to the breaststroke?" Malcolm managed to sigh, unable to tear his eyes off Travis.

"Is it anything like this?" Travis purred, caressing his free hand slowly down Malcolm's chest, stopping as it pressed flat against Malcolm's stomach.

"Mmm, not exactly." Malcolm pulled Travis into a deep, questioning kiss.

Travis returned it enthusiastically, tongue flashing against Malcolm's as he opened his mouth. He stroked his hand up and down Malcolm's chest, playing with a nipple as they broke the kiss for air.

"I'd have to say you're strokes are much more fun," Malcolm panted.

"I'm sure you could stroke me just fine," Travis whispered into his ear before nibbling on the soft flesh.

"My, you're very forward for freshman." Malcolm hooked one leg around Travis', pressing Travis' back against the pool wall. He slowly rubbed his other leg against Travis' trunks and the firming erection beneath. "Don't you have any respect for your upperclassmen?"

Travis moaned against Malcolm's neck, his hands moving to stroke Malcolm's back. "I'll be skipping quite a few classes. Boomer know- how and my plain old genius." His hands moved down to cup Malcolm's ass. "I'm not a novice."

Malcolm laughed lightly before capturing Travis' lips again. "No, I get the distinct impression you're not a novice." He played one hand along Travis' chest, enjoying the firm skin under his fingers. "Should we move to the jacuzzi?"

Travis frowned just slightly, an adorable confused look on his face. "The what?"

Malcolm smiled. Travis seemed to be an interesting mixture of knowledge and experience, of innocence and ignorance. He traced a finger along Travis' jaw. "A much smaller pool with warmer water." He tilted his head toward the hot tub over Travis' shoulder.

"Oh, sounds nice." Travis snuck in another kiss before reaching back and pulling himself out of the pool.

And then it hit Malcolm. He was in the deep-end. Shit, he'd barely noticed. Almost frantically he pulled himself out after Travis, clawing to get out of the water.

"Hey, I'm not going anywhere." Travis reached to help Malcolm onto his feet, steering them toward the nearby jacuzzi.

"I'm…just not a fan of the deep-end." Malcolm tried to compose himself, but he couldn't stop from looking over his shoulder at the now disturbingly deep blue water of the pool, the gaping hole in the ground.

Travis watched him thoughtfully while he pulled Malcolm up the few steps and into the hot tub. "It's nice and warm and comfy here. Just sit down and relax," he told Malcolm. Travis sat on one of the built- in benches and pulled Malcolm down onto his lap in the water, arms wrapping around Malcolm's middle.

Malcolm looked away from the pool and at the beautiful man beside him. "It is rather nice right here." He turned to straddle Travis' hips, draping his arms around the man's shoulders.

Travis caressed his hands up and down Malcolm's back in quiet reassurance. He licked his lips before tracing a pattern of kisses along Malcolm's neck and throat. "It's *very* nice here."

Malcolm, sighing, tilted his head back and closed his eyes. He couldn't agree more. Travis caressed Malcolm's back and thighs as he worked his way kissing down Malcolm's neck to his shoulders. Travis had an expert touch for a man so young. He would make one fabulous pilot or engineer with those hands.

Malcolm sucked in a breath as Travis' mouth wrapped around his left nipple, teeth teasing the flesh. Malcolm dug his fingers into Travis' shoulders as he rocked his hips against Travis. The water splashed between them with the movement, disturbing the gentle flow of the jets.

"No one's watching us, right?" Travis purred as he kissed his way across Malcolm's smooth chest to his other nipple, tracing spiraling circles before sucking deeply. He grabbed Malcolm's hips and ground himself back up against him.

"No," Malcolm managed to pant, "No security cameras."

Travis released his nipple to breath huskily in his ear, "Are you sure?" His hands slid down underneath Malcolm's blue trunks, cupping his ass.

"Oh, yes, quite sure." Malcolm leaned down into a more frantic kiss, fingers finding Travis' nipples and returning the teasing.

Travis moaned, the sound amazingly open and erotic. Without breaking the kiss, he slid down Malcolm's trunks. Malcolm managed to get them off completely and tossed them to the side of the tub. Then his hands were quick to work off Travis'.

Soon as the second trunks joined the first, Travis rolled them until he was straddling Malcolm. Forward as ever, Travis' hand wrapped around Malcolm's erection, working up and down beneath the hot water.

Damn, Travis was more than just a flirt. Malcolm's composure cracked, and he groaned deep in his throat, hips rocking with the strokes. "Not…a novice," he managed.

Travis chuckled deeply. "Hm, no, hun." He suckled on Malcolm's earlobe as he continued his stroking. "Didn't we figure that out already, Mr. Reed?"

"Yes," Malcolm moaned as Travis' free hand rubbed his sacks. "Don't stop, Travis."

"We're just starting." But then Travis moved back, releasing his holds on Malcolm, standing back in the deepest part of the circular jacuzzi.

Malcolm snapped to attention, his eyes quickly opening and seeking out Travis. The mouthwatering sight of a wet, hard Travis submerged up to his nipples made Malcolm shiver. "You're gorgeous."

Travis looked just barely embarrassed by the enthusiastic compliment, and he pulled Malcolm against him as Malcolm moved to join him. "You're pretty beautiful yourself." Travis flashed his grin, hand sliding down Malcolm and gently between his ass, finger circling the opening. "Mind if we try this stroke?" He wagged his eyebrows playfully.

Malcolm would have laughed if it weren't for that finger pressing up inside of him. Instead, he moaned as he clung to Travis. He was going to make a witty remark in return, but all sense left him. He arched back into the probing touch. "Hell no."

Travis kissed him as he added another finger. Malcolm managed enough thought to reach and stroke Travis' length, teasing and stroking until he earned another incredible moan from Travis.

Water splashed as various hands fondled and probed, pulling and stretching. Moans mingled together through the kiss. Malcolm barely registered when he was turned around and positioned over Travis as he sat back down. He did quickly notice when the heavenly fingers disappeared. His whimpered complaint was cut short as he felt the solid pressure of Travis' wet cock pressing into him.

"Oh, yes," Malcolm groaned, leaning his back against Travis chest. He felt himself be lowered down, Travis' fingers clamped onto his hips. Far too damn slowly Travis pushed his way inside until he was buried to the hilt. He could feel Travis panting for control, chest heaving, breath cool against his shoulder. God, it felt good to be filled. Malcolm circled his ass slowly in Travis' lap.

"Shit, Malcolm," Travis moaned, biting none too gently at Malcolm's neck. "Give me a moment."

Malcolm pressed more firmly back against Travis, moving himself up and down a few centimeters along Travis' erection. "Fuck me now or I'll fuck you," he teased, licking his lips.

He could feel Travis tremble before Travis took over, pulling Malcolm up and down his length, pace achingly slow at first.

Malcolm tried all he could to encourage a faster pace. He arched his back. He pushed with the down stroke. He dramatically moaned. Being overly vocal seemed to do it. Travis grunted as he gave in. The water around their hips slowed the faster pace, but it was still faster and Malcolm tossed his head back with the pleasure. The radiant young cadet deep inside him. He definitely should have learned to give proper welcomes long ago.

One hand still clamped on Malcolm's hip, Travis reached the other hand around to slide down Malcolm's chest to his cock, stroking in time with the thrusting. Malcolm could feel water splashing around them, but he was losing his grasp on reality as he neared the edge. Such skillful hands…Did they get put to good use often? Would be such a pity if they weren't.

Travis' moans rolled into a deep growl. For a flash, everything became harsh and frantic as they both struggled for release together. When he came, Malcolm felt as if his skin, inside and out, had been lit on fire. He gasped for breath to voice his overwhelming pleasure, but his lungs couldn't suck in enough air. The orgasm seemed to roll on and on. He could hear Travis' shaky panting as Malcolm pulled him along with him, milking Travis all he could.

It wasn't until they were both completely drained did they slump back. Malcolm felt limp and thoroughly satisfied. He never wanted to move. He bobbed gently with Travis' breathing, back against his chest. Malcolm closed his eyes, and he drifted off to let the feeling sink in.

Hands caressing his chest pulled Malcolm back to the present.

"Enjoy the warm welcome to the Academy?" Malcolm sighed.

"Mmm, yes indeed." Then Travis' voice turned sheepish. "Would you mind if we moved? This jacuzzi gets kinda hot."

Malcolm smiled softly. Confident and yet not really. He pulled himself off of Travis and climbed out. He found his trunks nearby.

"Didn't mean you had to get dressed," Travis smirked, watching Malcolm put on the wet trunks.

"Oh, you'll live without a clear view of my bum."

"I dunno…" Travis pulled himself out of the tub and reached for his own trunks. "It's a really nice 'bum.'"

Malcolm chuckled at Travis' attempt at his accent. "It's getting late. Don't you have classes tomorrow?"

"Yeah…" Travis looked around the pool before returning his gaze at Malcolm. "Mind helping me find my way back to my dorm room?" He grinned.

"Well of course. Can't have you youngsters getting lost." Malcolm winked as he pulled Travis towards the door by the hem of his trunks.