Date: Mon, 18 Oct 2021 20:59:00 +0100 From: Andrew Passey Subject: Andromeda Three Part Eight (Young Friends) (Science Fiction) As is often the case, the wheels of bureaucracy turn slowly. James and Jess had managed to get me a comms band, my own data tablet and registered on the ships systems so I actually existed. But as they told me over our first dinner together, it would take a while for everything to be sorted. Not that there was a massive rush, it wasn't like we were actually going to be off this ship for many months. Enrolling for school would take a couple more days so I'd be at home with the data table able to study on my own like I normally would. Something that I was more than happy with although Dix sulked about having to go to school when I didn't. Having never been to school, as far as I could remember anyway, I was more than happy to study at home even though I knew I was only a short stay of execution. James and Jess had said they'd make sure I didn't forget all the science and tech stuff I'd learned and they'd tutor me in parts of it at home so that was good to know. At bedtime that first night I cleaned my teeth and said goodnight before Dix did the same. Then it was just the two of us alone in his room in our suits. I was about to take mine off when I saw he was looking at me nervously and I couldn't work out why. "Er, there's a bit of a problem. I, um, usually sleep naked. Well on Earth I'd wear pyjamas but we were encouraged to bring as few clothes as possible. I've got pants I wear under the suit but I was planning to put them in the cleaning vent so they're fresh for the morning." "What's the cleaning vent?" I asked, having absolutely no idea what he was talking about. "It's that slot in that corner. You put clothes in and it cleans them overnight. Fuck knows how, but it works." "Sounds amazing!! So what's the problem with cleaning your pants?" I still didn't know where he was coming from with all of this. "Well I'd be naked in bed with you." "So? It's a big bed and neither of us are big fat bastards or anything like that." "I know but um....you'd .....see me naked," Dix could barely stammer the words out but at least he'd now said what the problem was. From his perspective anyway, it didn't seem a problem for me. "Look Dix, it's not a problem for me. I'm not remotely bothered about nakedness in front of boys. I had to use communal showers every day for the past two years. I slept naked sometimes, not alone. You know what I've done with other boys. I'm intending to sleep naked and I'll definitely use the cleaning vent for my pants. There's nothing to be alarmed about or shy. We're both boys. I've seen more cocks than you could possibly imagine and I'm really not bothered about seeing another one. So just relax, take your suit off, put your pants in the cleaning vent and let it all hang out." I hoped that would satisfy Dix but he still stood there looking reluctant. "Well...I'm a bit embarrassed about being naked. At school before we came to space some of the boys used to laugh at me when they saw my cock and I'm a bit paranoid about getting naked." "Seriously Dix. I'm sure you have nothing to be ashamed about. It's just a cock. All boys have one. Why did they laugh?!" I asked. I knew boys could be mean but dick size was one thing that might seem really important but eventually we'd all be the same size. Give or take an inch or two anyway. Dix looked embarrassed still and could barely mutter the words out. "Because they said I looked like I had an elephant's trunk." "What do you mean?!" I asked. "Well my cock was quite a bit bigger than theirs." "Really? Look, just get it over with and show me! I promise not to laugh and there's nothing to be worried about. You've got to get used to being naked in front of me." I was being very patient and it seemed to work as he reluctantly nodded, He was blushing bright red as he slowly stripped down before pulling his pants off to show his dick. I didn't see what the problem was at all. Yes it was big for a thirteen year old. But not outrageously so. Big for his age and given he didn't have that many pubes it was slightly surprising. I suppose it was getting on for 3 1/2 maybe even 4 inches soft. However it wasn't some unnaturally large monster dick or anything, "Honestly Dix. There's no problem at all with it. It all works doesn't it?" He nodded blushing again."Well I've seen bigger but seriously boys taking the piss out of you because you had a bigger cock than they did?! What sort of crazy fucking school did you go to? Ha ha ha you've got a bigger cock than me! Fucking weirdos!" Dix looked relieved and put his suit and pants in the cleaning vent as I stripped off and did the same. I could see him eyeing me up. "Have a look, Dix," I said, turning round to give him a full frontal. "See there's nothing to be embarrassed about being naked together. We're sharing a room so that's going to happen a lot. Your cock is bigger than mine, I've got a few more pubes. Honestly you'll get used to being naked and seeing me naked in a few days and it'll feel like the most natural thing in the world. Now which side of the bed should I have?" Dix couldn't tear his eyes off me at first before composing himself and smiling at me, "Um, you're the guest, up to you!" "You're slightly older and it's your room. And you've got a bigger cock than me! You choose. Actually, it's probably best to choose whichever side you face if you sleep on your side. Otherwise that thing might poke me in the night!" I said with a giggle pointing at his big soft dick. I wanted him to feel relaxed about the whole thing and realise it wasn't remotely an issue. It seemed to work as he smiled shyly and chose the side furthest from the door. I got in under the covers and he just said "lights" and then it was pitch dark. I could hear his breathing in the dark and I was tempted to hold him. He'd done so much to help me and it had been such a whirlwind. Now that it was just in the dark I felt the enormity of everything. I was free! Away from Earth and heading towards a new life. "Dix, thank you for today. Thanks for helping me. You didn't have to." "I know but I wanted to. Of course I'll be regretting it at the first fart you do but there you go!" He said with a giggle. I giggled as well and resolved to try and not fart in bed with him. Well not tonight anyway! I slept well despite sharing a bed. The best I'd slept for a long while. Certainly better than my night on the toilet the night before or the nights I spent with Grant. When I awoke Dix wasn't there. He'd laid out my clean pants and suit for me and I put them on before going out to find the toilet and see where everyone was. No one was there so once I'd used the toilet I had a shower before getting changed again. My comms band was flashing and I realised I had a message. "Hey lazy bones! I left you sleeping, figured you could do with it. Mum and Dad have gone to work and I've gone to school. You know how to open the door and get food so try not to get into too much trouble doing it!" I smiled at that and with some trepidation I went back to the food hall from yesterday. This time there was no one there but thankfully the screen was working. I scanned my band, used the screen and food appeared soon after. After eating my food I went for a walk to try to explore. In reality there wasn't much exploring to do though. This was a working ship, a ship on a mission. It wasn't full of wide open spaces or amenities like one of those ships I saw adverts for that flew people around the inner solar system as a holiday. It was mainly just corridors and more corridors with pods and rooms off them. I suppose it was slightly disappointing that there wasn't a big viewing area or something like that. I did understand that it would have been a waste of resources but it would have been nice. So I headed back to the pod and looked for the data tablet that I'd been given. I couldn't find it and wondered if Dix had accidentally taken it. Sure enough I found his under the sheets and realised mine was clearly with him at school. No problem, I thought, I'll just use his. So I trawled around doing studying and reading more about the mission, what they would tell us anyway. After a while I got bored and explored what else was on Dix's tablet. I found one entry called video diary dated the day we launched. I knew it was wrong and I knew I would feel guilty for doing it but I clicked on it anyway. Dix's face appeared, he was lying down in bed holding the tablet close to him. "So it's my first night onboard the ship and it sucks. I'm in a tiny pod with my parents. You could fit this whole space in my room at home. I don't have my own shower. I don't have my own toilet. I've got my own bed but look how small the room is." At this point he moved the camera around to show the room then brought it back round to his face. "I don't want to be here. I want to be back home. I don't have any friends. I'm probably not going to make any. I was taken from home before I'd got a handle on who I am. I am just so fucking confused about everything and a spaceship is clearly not the best fucking place to work it all out. Shit being a teenage boy sucks. Ha sucks. Maybe I could suck a teenage boy or have one suck me? I don't fucking know. I don't mind if I am gay. Mum and Dad won't mind. I think I am but just wish I KNEW for sure. There's no fucking chance of meeting anybody on this fucking place and even if I did there's no space to do anything. Not that I've ever done anything anyway. I've never even held a girl or boy's hand let alone kissed one. And all that shit before we left about us being the next generation and fathering children. What if I don't want to? We can do all that with science anyway. It's my cock and it should be my choice what I do with it! Not that I've been able to do anything with it apart from the usual. Maybe one day I'll meet someone and work it out. How am I supposed to know? I don't know why I'm talking to you anyway. All you're doing is filming my words and the only person to hear them is me anyway. This is a fucking waste of time." The screen went blank and I felt really bad. Dix had confided about his confusion with his sexuality. This was an intensely private thing and he hadn't told me, I'd found out through my nosiness. I clearly couldn't let Dix know that I knew and I couldn't start acting weird without him noticing. I just needed to forget what I'd heard and put it to the back of my mind. I knew one thing though. I realised I was like Dix. Unsure about things. Was I gay? I'd certainly done a lot of gay things but that was mostly through no choice. That night with Grant was fun though. I also thought about whether I'd ever wanked off thinking about girls. I realised I hadn't but I hadn't really met any so was that a surprise? How much of what I was feeling was from who I actually am and how much from how much my environment has shaped me? Dix was definitely right about one thing. A spaceship clearly isn't the best fucking place to work all this out.