Fic: Work

[saylee.livejournal.com]

Fic: Work
Pairing: Rimmer/Lister
Rating: R
Summary: Rimmer picks a fight
Notes: This was written as a gift for dark8nightshade's birthday month. She requested a fic where Rimmer and Lister argue and make up again, with an established relationship and make up sex. Thanks to horselizard/fecklesheckleshacklesschmeckles for giving me a hand with a part that was giving me difficulty.

Lister was sat at the console table, tools, metal parts and circuitry piled in front of him, frowning in concentration at a complex diagram, when Rimmer entered the bunkroom.

"Oh, there you are, Lister," said Rimmer in a voice that immediately put Lister's teeth on edge, snidey-ness turned up to max. Apparently his lover was in a Mood. "I was starting to wonder if you were still on the ship."

"I've been here the whole time, man," he said, deliberately not engaging, most of his attention focused on the fiddly bit of wiring he was attempting to hook up.

"Yes, exactly," Rimmer agreed. He leaned down close to Lister's face. "In here, mucking about. Not in the drive room, helping to figure out where this crate is going. Certainly not on D-deck helping me with the numerous repairs I've been working on all day. Explain yourself, miladdo."

Lister let out a breath through his nose. Stay calm, he told himself, feeling irritation creeping in. "Can it, Rimmer. I've been busy working on this."

Rimmer wrinkled his nose at the incomprehensible tangle. "Busy working on what, exactly? That mess had better not turn out to be some toy, Lister. If I find out you've been slacking off while I've - "

"Oh for smeg's sake." Lister put down his tools with a thump, swivelling to face the man properly. "It's for my robotics course, you twonk."

"Oh, of course," Rimmer intoned, with heaping servings of sarcasm. "Your robotics course." His face hardened. "A likely story, Lister. Any excuse to slob around, and you'll take it."

The man could give a GELF a headache. "You telling me I'm lying?" He ground out.

"Just admit you can't be bothered to help me out, you lazy goit."

"Is that what you think?" Lister growled, rising from his seat.

"You've got the motivation of a three-toed sloth and the ambition of a carrot. You only signed up because daddy dearest made you. Do you really expect me to believe you're going to become a mech engineer?"

His fists balled. "What did you say to me?"

Rimmer's eyes widened as Lister stalked towards him, but his upper lip twisted in a sneer. "You'll never do it."

"Oh, is that what this is about?" Lister demanded through gritted teeth.

Rimmer's nostrils flared in indignation. "What the smeg are you on about now?"

"You don't actually want me to pass my course, do you, Rimmer?" he drew out Rimmer's name the way he knew he hated.

"You're delusional, Lister."

He smiled grimly. "I don't think I am. I think you don't want me to pass. I think you know you're never going to pass your astronavs, so you want me to fail, too."

Rimmer recoiled as if he'd been hit.

"Did I get it right, Rimmer?" he challenged.

Rimmer was trembling with some emotion. "You - you - you -" His usual aptitude for insults seemed to have deserted him.

"Rimmer -" Lister started, with some concern.

There was a small spasm around Rimmer's mouth, before he suddenly whirled on his heel and disappeared out the door.

"Rimmer -"

But he was already gone.

Sighing heavily, Lister subsided back into his chair, his anger draining away, leaving him empty. Well, they'd made a right mess of things, hadn't they? If only Rimmer hadn't insisted on being such a prat. He sighed again. He'd maybe gone a little far himself. Twonking smegheads, the both of them.

He forced himself to pick up his tools and examine the diagram again. At least he could attempt to salvage this project.

One or two halfhearted tries and some pointless poking at it later, he abandoned it with a huff. There was nothing for it, it seemed. He couldn't concentrate on his coursework with their fight hanging in the air. He would have to go look for Rimmer and see if they couldn't hash things out.

---

He found him in the observation dome, looking listlessly out at the stars.

"Hey, man," he greeted him quietly.

"Hey," Rimmer echoed in a toneless voice, without turning away from the view. Blackness stretched out before them, dotted with the tiny points of light that were always unfamiliar stars.

He had to say something. "Look." Lister cleared his throat and shifted from foot to foot. "That last bit, what I said, it was pretty harsh. For what it's worth, I'm sorry."

"Heh." Rimmer shrugged. "It's true, though. Who am I fooling? You were right. I am never going to pass my exams." He shook his head. "You've got potential, miladdo, whatever I may have said. Me, I'm useless." His face was bleak.

This wasn't right. "Hey, don't be like that." Lister cajoled, stepping closer and putting his arm around him.

Rimmer instinctively leaned into him, heaving a sigh. "I'm sorry, too. It's just been a long day, and I could have used some help." A hint of a whine crept into his voice. "I'm tired, Listy. This ship is a wreck." His shoulders slumped.

"I know, guy." Lister pressed a kiss to the side of Rimmer's head. "You know," he offered, "once I've passed this course, I can build us some help."

"You could start by fixing the skutters so they're actually useful."

"There you go." He laughed. "I know what you need to stop you from going around picking fights. What do you say we go back to our room and I give you a backrub?"

Rmmer graced him with a tiny grateful smile. "That would be nice."

---

"Mmm," Rimmer hummed as capable hands rubbed the knots out of his neck, Lister's weight pressing down pleasantly on the backs of his thighs.

"Feeling better?"

"Mm-hmm." He felt like he was melting into the mattress as Lister worked him over.

"So-o." Lister was enjoying having his lover spread out before him, pliant and bare from the waist up, and decided to press his luck. "Just how tired would you say you are?" To make his point, he gave a slow roll of his hips against Rimmer's backside.

Catch in his voice, Rimmer replied, "I could be persuaded."

"Yeah?" Lister leaned down to press a slow, open mouthed kiss between Rimmer's shoulder blades, then licked his way up to the shell of an ear. "How's that for persuasion?" He whispered.

Rimmer moaned low in his throat in response. "I'm convinced."

"Good." Lister smiled. He kissed his way along Rimmer's spine until he reached his waistband. "Lift up," he urged, easing Rimmer up onto his hands and knees, and reaching around to unfasten his trousers and slide them down narrow hips. He took the time for an appreciative grope, before stripping himself off quickly and draping himself over Rimmer's back.

Rimmer groaned as Lister's warm weight settled against his back, pushing his hips back against the firm erection that slid between his cheeks.

Pressing his lips to the skin beneath them, Lister wrapped an arm firmly around Rimmer's chest as he began thrusting against him. He used his free hand to encircle his erection, stroking him slowly. Rimmer made a stuttering breathy noise, his head dropping forward.

"Listy," he practically purred.

Hips moving steadily, Lister groaned against his back. "You feel so good. Tell me it feels good."

"Yes. Smeg, yes, Lister." He gave a thready moan, rocking back against him. "I need you. I need -" He gasped sharply. "Oh yes, like that."

All his senses were focused on the man beneath him, the slick heat of his body, the sounds he was making. "Arn," he breathed, licking the skin beneath his mouth, tasting salt and a faint static tingle. "Love you."

Rimmer shivered. "I don't want you to fail, Listy," he choked out.

He almost laughed. It was as good as a declaration of love, coming from Rimmer. He kissed where he could reach. "I know." He twisted his hand.

Rimmer gasped. "Again." Lister repeated the action, and he gave a long, drawn out moan. "Listy." One more stroke and he was spilling over Lister's hand, shaking in his arms.

Smeg, Rimmer was gorgeous like that, spent and panting. Lister bit back a moan, using his now free hand to grip Rimmer's hip firmly as he thrust against him more forcefully. Rimmer braced himself on his elbows, and Lister found himself breathing Rimmer's name over and over as he moved.

"Come on," Rimmer urged, still breathless. Lister's grip on his hip and around his chest tightened, and he let out a wordless shout as he came. "O-oh," Rimmer sighed, feeling wet warmth spill against his skin. He collapsed forward onto the bed, and Lister followed moments later, laying his cheek against Rimmer's spine.

He lay atop Rimmer letting his breath even out. "I love you, man." He let his eyes fall shut, feeling a deep sense of peace.

Despite himself, Rimmer felt his lips curving upwards. "I love you, too, you goit." They lay like that for some time before he felt Lister push himself upwards and exit the bed. "Where are you going?"

"You'll thank me in a minute," Lister promised.

Rimmer closed his eyes, listening to the sound of water running briefly, then feeling a warm wet cloth land on his back. "Hey," he muttered, but without heat, groping for the cloth and levering himself upwards to clean himself off. Lister was in the process of pulling his clothes back on, so he concentrated on his projection to reform his uniform. When it shimmered into place, Lister tugged him into a loose hug.

He ran a hand through the back of Rimmer's hair, something he knew the other man found soothing, even if he would complain about the state of it later. "I promise I'll be more help once I pass my course, guy."

He could practically feel Rimmer light up at that.

"I could make you a study chart," he offered. Lister laughed and hugged him tighter.

"Okay," he agreed. After all, he could always ignore it. Or convince Rimmer to add plenty of breaks for shagging. Sex as a reward for studying, maybe. Oh yes, he could see the possibilities already. For now, he just held his armful of neurotic hologram close.

Comments

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

This is just so them - Lister knowing what buttons to press both when arguing and having sex. And the Series X setting fits the married vibe perfectly. :)

[saylee.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.