**************************************************** Disclaimer time once again!   Ninety-first verse same as the first . . everybody *sing*: I don't own these characters, (chorus) Paramount does! I don't own this venue, (chorus) Paramount does! I am making no money off of this, (chorus) Paramount does not either! This story involves love and sex and affection between two men, aka: slash. If that is *not* your cup of tea, sweet as it is, then don't read it! (simple, ain't it??) Feedback is *very* much appreciated, and always answered.  Flames will be passed around to friends and chuckled over.  :) Thirty-eighth story in the Stage Direction series.  Sequel to 'Ssst', 'Growl', 'Chuckle', 'Sob', 'Grin', 'Sigh', 'Smile', 'Yawn', 'Whisper', 'Groan', 'Hover', 'Waffle', 'Comfort', 'Fidget', 'Grimace', 'Sizzle', 'Glare', 'Shrug', 'Doze', 'Snort', 'Whack', 'Stretch', 'Snicker', 'Pace', 'Hug', 'Clink', 'Wonder', 'Kiss', 'Doubt', 'Surprise', 'Cuddle', 'Ahem', 'Confer', 'Recover', 'Rant', 'Soothe', and 'Hold'. 'Whistle' by Amirin **************************************************** I never knew that Talaxians kiss with their eyes open. Neelix told me, earlier, when I noticed he was watching me kiss him. I'd just opened my eyes for an instant, like you do, and his were staring back at me. I had to push a bit to get him to tell me why.  Hell, I used to kiss like that, until a former lover said it gave her the creeps.  So, I got out of the habit. Neelix promised to help me get back into it. I'm . . . at something of a loss, here. I don't know where to begin. Honestly.   We were on the couch and I'd just tossed my boots halfway across the room. I was undoing his jacket and his hands were running over my stomach.  I got the jacket off and was working on his shirt, when he pulled mine over my head and grinned . . . "You've got spots, too."      "Neelix, they're called 'freckles'."  "Whatever.  I think they're rather . . . intriguing. Smaller than mine, but it looks like you have more of them."  "Probably." "How many?"  "I have no idea."    "We could count them." "You're joking."    "Aren't you?" . . . He hunted for, found, and kissed every freckle I've got. Six-hundred-and-eleven kisses later, he declared himself to be done.  I was a wreck.  And so damned distracted, I didn't even realize I was naked until he started mapping my body with his hands.  It was the first time I ever worried about how a lover saw me. I'm not Talaxian, by any stretch.  Who's to say their standards of what's good-looking and what's not are anywhere near a human's?  But all I saw on his face was tenderness mixed with a soft smile. Until I finished undressing him. And cursed everyone I'd ever heard make a comment about the way he looked, when I saw the doubt in his eyes . . .  "Neelix?  I like the way you look.  I *do*."  "I'm Talaxian."  "I know.  And I'm Terran." "I've got spots." "I've got freckles." "I'm furry."  "Neelix, *I've* got more body 'fur' than *you* do."    "I'm shorter than the average human."  "And I'm taller than the average Talaxian."  "I'm stockier than . . ."  "And I'm thinner than . . ."    "Neelix, knock it off. You're no more alien to me than I am to you."  "So stop pointing out all the differences in your body and love me with it.  Dammit."     . . . He touched me everywhere.  Stroked me til I sighed, kissed me til I moaned, and made love to me til I came.  Loudly.  I made more noise with him than I ever did before with any other lover.  He likes the noise.  Talaxians sleep almost silently.  No snoring, no mumbling, nothing.  But, damn, do they make up for it during sex.  And that whistle through his nose . . . Shocked the hell out of me.   Now, I know why Kes was so surprised the first time she heard me whistling. I was propositioning her as a Talaxian would and didn't even realize it. Oh, I've got to tell Neelix about that. He's the only lover I've ever had who can whistle and kiss me at the same time.  He offered to try and teach me to do that, but there's no way.  The human nose isn't capable of it. But, I can whistle at him my way and make him blush.   It was wonderful.  Just . . . wonderful.  And I don't give a damn what the crew says or thinks . . .     I'm keeping him. ***********************end