Morning Coffee And Sweet Surprises (Closed to Poprockz)

[Drobabes]

From the look on his face, she was expecting the worst. In a way, she was almost hoping for it. If he was mad at her it would be easier. It would hurt, yes, probably just as much, if not more, than when he had asked her if he was nothing more than a joke. But...it would be easier to walk away. It would be easier for her to run away if he told her to scram, and though she certainly didn't want her last memory to be of her friend telling her to screw off, she might have been able to handle that. What she got instead, however, was a level of empathy and understanding that was so genuine, and so heart felt, that it absolutely cracked through every last wall that she had been struggling to keep up.

"Cora, I was kept prisoner by Kuznet too, and though it was only for a short period, I got just a hint of a taste of what you might have had to deal with...He killed people in front of me, then he cooked them and tricked me into eating them."

"He...what?.." she breathed, her eyes widening in disbelief. Though it wasn't so hard to believe, was it? They were his 'special toys', the ones whom he had done many disgusting things with that she both could, and could not remember. And she knew, on some level, that even those most horrific things that only ever came came to her in her deepest nightmares, had never gone so far. Where they as depraved? Perhaps. But what he had done to Sabastian was not even something that she couldn't have conjured up as a fear of what he might have done to them if they weren't compliant.

Rape. Torture. Murder. These were things that she knew and could have predicted, but that. That was a whole knew level, one in which she perhaps never wanted to imagine could happen. And yet it had.

Tears began to leak down her cheeks and she wanted to go to him. She wanted to wrap him up in a warm hug and tell him that it was sick and wrong, and she was so sorry. What kept her rooted to the spot, though, was his need to keep going and she didn't know if she had the strength at that moment to interrupt him.

"If Damien was abusing you, I know you would have already found a way to get away from him because you've had a shit-ton of opportunities."

Though she hadn't quite looked away from him, his words brought her eyes up to meet him full on as her own mouth started to twist with the barely controlled sob that wanted to burst out from her lips. Perhaps Sayori and Quint had not had enough time to see it, but why did it feel like Sabastian was the only one who got this? Who understood her? Because he was exactly right. If Damien had continued to be cruel to her...she would have found a way to get away from him. And yes, it was a possibility that he could have come after her, but she had had years to plan how she would run.

"I'm not gonna lie, I'm fucking disgusted about his actions, and that was part of why I was so angry yesterday...What I do know though, is that Damien ran into a burning building to save your brother's life."

Her shoulders started to shake as her arms went to hug herself and her tears became stronger. The relief that she felt in that instant-the validation, the knowledge, that she wasn't completely crazy and wrong, and that the good she saw in him was real, was damn near enough to bring her to her knees. She stood there, though, willing to let him go on because she needed to hear it. She needed to hear it from someone else who knew the bad, but wasn't a coward and could admit the truth as well. She needed her friend.

"so what if people look at him like he's shit? Prove them wrong! Show them that he can and will be better. Fight for what you know is right for you! You don't have to choose between him or us- you just have to stand your ground and let time show people that you were right!"

Prove them wrong? Do something that was good for herself? Cora didn't know if she had to the strength to be that strong, and yet, she had never wanted something so badly in her life. Sabastian seemed to believe her capable-he believed that she had strength, and it was because of that that Cora found herself wanting to do just that. To prove them wrong, just as he said, and wanting...Damien. Was it wrong to want him? Was that why she had been so scared? Because she was afraid that it was wrong to want to be with him? To be happy?

"Don't go."

A loud sob was heard before she suddenly closed the distance between them, and her arms went around Sabastian in a tight hug as she let loose against his shoulder, her whole frame shaking as she tried to just breath in enough air to speak, though the words that came out were nothing so flattering as what he had just beat into her.

"Why are you so stupid?!" she cried, all of her pain, anguish, fear, and love seeming to pour out through that simple sentence. She could only hope that he would understand, just as easily as he had saw through her before, because she was scared. She didn't know if she truly had the strength to do this, but she wanted to try. For Damien, for her friends, and for herself.

 

[Poprockz]

Upon hearing those words, Damien was rooted to the spot. He had never expected for Sabastian to actually say such kind things about their relationship- it was assumed that he hated the idea of it due to Damien's past. To hear that Sabastian actually supported them and that he respected the love they shared, it made a lump form in his throat. Was it too risky to hope that maybe someday Sabastian might think of him as a friend too? He wasn't sure, but what he did know was that Sabastian was an incredible friend to Cora and that he was grateful for the little man.

Off to the side Sayori mulled over Sabastian's words as well, looking away from them with pursed lips. So Sabastian was endorsing this? She had conflicting feelings about it all. While she still thought he was a creep, she couldn't deny that going into the shed had been a pretty selfless act, a very dangerous one to boot. If he was truly irredeemable, would he have risked dying to make sure Cora's brother was safe? Perhaps even awful perverts had potential for bravery given the right circumstances. That wasn't going to change the way she felt about him at this point though.

"Why are you so stupid?!" Sabastian replied in a choked voice, his arms going around her as well. His extra arms joined, wrapping around her back and holding her snugly, one's tip even gently resting on her head somewhat like how a hand would. Cora's crying was infectious, the blonde now crying in full force against her, the two of them leaning on one another as they simply expressed themselves through a salty avalanche of tears. He didn't want her to feel so afraid of their judgement that she had to run.

Sabastian himself had never dated before Vin, but there had been a time in high school in which he had unwillingly been involved in a toxic relationship rife with humiliation and bullying. It had been a painful experience, and in the end he had been crushed and disappointed. That being said, he knew what it was like to have feelings for someone who was simply using the other person, or perhaps was a really shit person in general. This wasn't it. He could tell that Damien loved her and that he actively sought to express this in what he did and said.

Whether or not Damien would reform was still up for debate, but it there was no denying that he seemed to be trying. He had also had the opportunity to have sex with Tiffany, or even if he had been offended, he could have held her down and forced her roughly as punishment for trying to manipulate him. He had been absolutely devastated when Cora got bitten, his concern for her well-being having been entirely genuine.

"I can't lose my favorite member of the midnight club," he said with a choked laugh, pulling back from her for a moment to look her in the eyes. "And... I never would have been able to tell Vin I loved him if it weren't for you."

 

[Drobabes]

His choked laugh was met with one of her own, her hands coming up to wipe the wetness from her face as he went on. Though she was still crying, she managed to give him a smile at the news, sniffling a bit before she said, "you finally told him?"

She laughed again, her emotions making it tight and not quite as jovial as the situation should have called for. But she gave herself a pass this time. After all, she had just been ready to give up a huge portion of her life, and she was still reeling a bit from it all.

"I'm sorry..." she breathed, wiping her face again.

"I'm just..."

Cora wanted to say scared. Terrified, really, but instead she just let out a little sigh and dropped her arms down to her sides.

"I just...hope I'm even half as strong as you both seem to think I am..."

 

[Poprockz]

"You finally told him?"

"Yeah," Sabastian answered a bit sheepishly.

"I'm sorry... I'm just... "I just...hope I'm even half as strong as you both seem to think I am..."

The half-zombie smiled and patted her shoulder. "You are, Cora. And when you're not feeling it, you can borrow some strength of mine. Or Damien's." He looked up at the steely-eyed man and frowned for a moment. "Speaking of which: dude, you need to more actively participate in this shit. I understand that you think you're a pile of shit too probably, but to me it looks like Cora's all by herself, fighting for the both of you while trying to convince you that you're worth the effort. It sounds fucking exhausting, so if you really love her and want to help then fucking step up, man."

Sabastian sighed, rubbing the back of his neck before gesturing to Damien. "Come here."

The steely-eyed man had looked a bit guilty when Sabastian reprimanded him for his passivity, understanding that he he was basically saying that he needed to be more like a team with her. It was true- in a sense he realized he hadn't been advocating for his relationship like he really should have been. He hesitated for a moment, unsure of why the little man could be calling him over.

"I said come here. Jesus, I'm not going to do anything bad, so get your ass over here." The little blonde commanded, a bit annoyed that Damien was stalling.

Damien nodded and strode over cautiously, stopping to Cora's side and waiting for whatever it was Sabastian wanted to say. He had to admit that despite what Sabastian had said, he still felt the need for caution due to the fact that several hours earlier he had been slammed against the car.

Two tentacles were retracted while the other two removed themselves from Cora and lighted upon Damien's shoulders. Gently but firmly, he turned the man around so he could see his back, his face cringing when he saw just how bad the burn was. He hadn't been aware that it was that bad, though at the same time he wasn't sure how bad he had thought it was.

"I'm not like Quint, so my stuff isn't going to heal like his could, but it'll prevent it from getting infected, and make it so that it doesn't hurt when it brushes up against shit or when it's pressed on." With that, one of the tentacles hovered over Damien's back and started to ooze the sticky goop onto his skin. It was uncomfortable for a moment, the warm liquid feeling unpleasant upon the burn, but when it was sufficiently spread and coated upon it Damien let out a sigh of relief.

...

In the background, Sayori's expression was a bit unreadable. On one hand, part of her thought that he should have kept the burn as-is. Damien deserved whatever punishment he received for his past misdeeds, no amount of punishment ever being enough to outweigh the amount of suffering he caused. However, she felt a bit guilty for wanting Damien to be in pain. It was a cruel thought, and she didn't want to be the sort of cruel person that delighted in the pain of others. She felt justified in her feelings, but the feelings themselves didn't feel like they were part of who she wanted to be as a person.

Turning, she gave a backwards wave and silently walked back to the structure in which she and Quint had been sleeping. She didn't know how she felt about all of it, but she was too tired to go through it all and sort out her feelings at the moment. Quint seemed to be fast asleep, but when she approached her own sleeping bag, the snake lifted his head from Quint's chest and looked at her, those jeweled eyes watching her get into the bag.

Once she was in it, she stared at the ceiling for a moment, almost too afraid to go back to sleep. While she was very tired, the nightmares were almost unbearable. They hounded her and made it so that she didn't feel safe even in slumber. Turning her head, she looked at Bowie and whispered, "Bowie... Would you... sleep with me tonight? I'm scared." Sayori thought to herself that maybe she was being silly, assuming the snake understood what she was saying, or even for assuming that if the snake understood that he would leave Quint's bag and come over to hers.

To her surprise though, the noodle raised himself up and bobbed for a moment before slithering over, slipping into her sleeping bag head-first before making a U-turn at the bottom and coming back up. The snake was a bit cool, but Sayori didn't mind as long as she had that comforting presence next to her. For Bowie, it was nice to have a warm body to lay next to. The giggle one was precious, but he wasn't very warm unfortunately.

Reaching out, Sayori put her hands under him and gingerly lifted him, turning to her opposite side and loosely holding the snake against her chest, the rest of his body draped upon her waist from being pulled around her. He snuggled up a little closer to her, letting his head nestle in the crook of her neck. She smiled to herself and whispered, "thank you," a warmth growing in her chest for the little noodle. It didn't take long for her to fall asleep and when she did, no nightmares came to plague her while her new serpentine guardian watched over her.

 

[Drobabes]

"...but to me it looks like Cora's all by herself, fighting for the both of you while trying to convince you that you're worth the effort. It sounds fucking exhausting, so if you really love her and want to help then fucking step up, man."

She couldn't help but blush a bit, giving Sabastian a bit of an embarrassed look before she glanced over at Damien. The urge to stick up for her lover was immense, but she bit it back, knowing that her friend was right. Still, she felt like they were both pretty knew to this and it wasn't exactly Damien's fault for not having pulled his load when neither of them had really figured this all out just yet. Cora herself probably wouldn't have even thought that about him until Sabastian had brought it up, but now that he had, she realized she was just grateful. He was being more supportive than she ever could have imagined and she barely knew what to do with all these new feelings.

When Sabastian told Damien to come over, she too got just a bit nervous. Sure, he might have supported them in their relationship, but she was much too used to her brothers anger. It wasn't completely out of her mind that he might try to put a bit of healthy fear in Damien, so when he instead just turned him around to look at his back, she couldn't help but let her shoulders fall a bit in relief.

"I'm not like Quint, so my stuff isn't going to heal like his could, but it'll prevent it from getting infected, and make it so that it doesn't hurt when it brushes up against shit or when it's pressed on."

Her eyes went a bit wide for a second, almost not believing that he was willing to help, and then she started to cry again. It seemed as if Sabastian was just trying to wring her out for every tear she had, because once again, she was overwhelmingly grateful to him.

"Thank you" she sniffed, reaching up to wipe her face again and trying to smile through the tears.

"You don't know how much that means to me Sabastian..."

She was so overcome that she almost missed Sayori giving them a bit of a wave and walking off. Wiping her face again, her hazel eyes watched her head back towards the building where her brother was sleeping and for a moment, Cora felt a terrible pinch of guilt in her chest.

Despite what Damien had done to her, Sayori had tried so many times to help Cora. And perhaps some of that was a fear for Cora herself, that she was being manipulated by Damien, but there had also been times in that house when she hadn't needed to help her, but still did it anyway.

A kind gesture here, some words of comfort there. It wasn't a lot, but it also wasn't as if Sayori could have done more for her. And honestly, given the circumstances, in a way it actually was a lot. No, it was much more than that, in that, Sayori had really given her hope when Cora had felt as if there was none to be found. And not only that, but Cora wasn't blind to the way in which the little women cared about her brother. When Damien had gotten him out of that shed, Sayori looked as if she were holding the very world in her arms. She held him like she loved him.

Sniffing a bit again, she crossed her arms and looked down at the ground, her brows furrowing a bit. She wouldn't change her mind on her relationship, but that didn't mean that she couldn't reach out to Sayori, and try to at least make it known that she appreciated her. Cora wasn't sure how long she would be with them, but she wanted her to know how grateful she was, before she left, and she resolved to try and tell her tomorrow, hopefully while it was just the two of them.

 

[Poprockz]

“It’s all good,” Sabastian replied, glancing as Sayori left as well. He hoped the little woman didn’t feel betrayed by his actions, as he had already chosen the direction he was going to go in. In their time together, he had found her to be a very sweet, considerate woman, so he was indeed hoping that she would be understanding when it came to him helping Cora and Damien.

Since the gel was now coating Damien’s back, Sabastian turned back to Cora and was deep in thought for a moment. How was he going to tell Vin about this in the morning? If there was one thing he didn’t want, it was for Vin to be disappointed in his decisions. That being said, like Sayori, he wasn’t going to go back on what he thought was right just because others disagreed with him.

It was entirely possible that the nomad wouldn’t be happy to hear that Sabastian wanted Damien to stay in their party, that fact even having the potential to drive a bit of a wedge between them, but when he looked into Cora’s hazel eyes, he knew he was making the right decision. She seemed so tired and desperate, wanting nothing more than to have the man she loved at her side. It was obvious that she wanted to protect him, and to foster the part of him she knew could grow to be a decent person. She had so much faith in him, so much unshakable faith that she was willing to leave behind her friends and family for him. If that was the case, then it was worth it to give Damien a chance to prove that her faith was warranted.

Another sigh left Sabastian before he reached out and patted Cora’s shoulder. “I’m going to wake your brother up so he can keep a look out. That’s why I happened to be up around this time. I’m... not going to mention this-“ he gestured at the three of them, “tonight because lord knows none of us would get any sleep if I did. Still, I don’t know if Sayori will say anything tomorrow morning or not, so you may want to get in front of that. Whatever happens though, I support you.” He smiled a tired smile, glancing at Damien before continuing.

“I don’t think Quint would try anything... but if he does, I’ll step in. I haven’t really tested my strength against another zombie, but I’d be willing to bet that I could knock him on his ass enough times for him to get a clear head.”

Damien cleared his throat and nodded raising his hand as though he was going to mimic Sabastian’s shoulder pat, though he rescinded that decision and put his hand back down. Now that things were out in the open, he was unsure about how familiar he could treat anyone. It could be that their relationship was back to square one in a sense, the man needing to earn back their trust and friendship. If that was the case, then he thought to himself that perhaps he shouldn’t do any familiar gestures.

“Thank you, Sabastian. I’m really grateful... for everything.” His smooth voice was very sincere, wanting the blonde to know that his support of both himself and Cora was invaluable.

 

[Drobabes]

"I’m going to wake your brother up so he can keep a look out...I’m... not going to mention this tonight because lord knows none of us would get any sleep if I did. Still, I don’t know if Sayori will say anything tomorrow morning or not, so you may want to get in front of that. Whatever happens though, I support you."

Cora smiled down at him, not having the words to express how very grateful she was to him for everything he had done, and what he was doing. As for the mention of her brother, she simply gave him a nod. Indeed, she would have to talk to him before Sayori, and she thought that maybe she should just do it now and get it over with, otherwise tomorrow would only be harder.

"I don’t think Quint would try anything... but if he does, I’ll step in."

"You won't have to step in Sabastian" she said after a moment, a fire in her tone as her eyes all but burned into the building where he was sleeping. Quint had always been stronger than her-but that had certainly never stopped her before. Not only that, but this was different now. This wasn't some 'maybe' boyfriend that she thought she loved. This was her love, her life, her future. Quinton could try to hurt him, and maybe even succeed, but if he did, he was going to experience a world in which no one else had ever been able to make him beg for Mom.

With a little sigh, which if one were looking closely they might have even spotted a bit of ash coming out on her breath, Cora turned to Damien and gave him a tired smile as she reached out for his hand to squeeze it.

"Why don't you get some sleep in the car? I probably got more sleep than anyone here in the past few days, so I'm going to stay up with Quint. I...need to talk to him."

What she wouldn't say out loud is that she was going to apologize. It didn't matter if she was wrong or right, the fact of the matter was that she had hurt him deeply and betrayed him in a way that she had never wanted to. It didn't change how she felt about Damien, but Quint's own feelings were not unjustified either.

 

[Poprockz]

"You won't have to step in Sabastian"

The blonde shrugged. Based on the way her eyes had heated up, he imagined that she would eat him alive if Quint so much as hinted at harming Damien, but he knew that if Quint really lost his senses, there was still a possibility that the man would fly off the handles. After all, they were both talking about the man who had mentally flipped him off when he was first told about Damien. Although he supposed flipping someone off and flipping their body two miles into the air were two entirely different things.

"Why don't you get some sleep in the car? I probably got more sleep than anyone here in the past few days, so I'm going to stay up with Quint. I...need to talk to him."

Damien looked at her for a few moments before nodding. He wished he could go with her, but he knew that this was something between herself and her brother and that his presence would only be a hindrance to her efforts to make up. None of this was easy for her, he could tell, and there was no real way he could lend a hand in this case. All he could do was let her know that he would be waiting for her when she got back.

Moving close to her, he loosely cupped her face and gave her a lingering kiss. Though it wasn't deep or passionate, it was steady and heartfelt. Despite the cool temperature that night her lips were warm and inviting, just like her.

He drew back and moved his lips to her cheek, giving it a kiss before moving on to her ear. "I hope it goes well. I know how important he is to you and I want you two to be okay. I love you." The man kissed her cheek once more before letting his hand slide down her cheek and back down to his side, smiling and adding an affectionate, "goodnight Cora," before turning and making his way to the car to sleep.

Sabastian shifted, having looked away when they were being intimate. It felt a bit awkward to just stand and look when two people were kissing, so he had tried to find something else to focus on.

"Well, if you're headed over that way anyway, do you mind waking him up? I promised I'd come back to Vin tonight, and I am super sleepy. Carrying people up and down a cliff will do that to you," a little grin was given to Cora before he wished her goodnight and plodded off to the room where he knew that Vin was waiting for him, even if the rugged man wasn't doing so consciously. Upon entering and closing the door softly behind him, Sabastian took off his shoes, jacket, and pants, wiggling into the sleeping bag and cuddling up close to that hot furnace. It wasn't necessarily that he planned on being frisky, but he didn't really like sleeping in anything other than a soft t-shirt and boxers. Pajamas were fine because of the material (though he preferred pajama shorts), but regular clothes were just too restrictive.

It was so nice and toasty in that bag, the blonde hoping that his own cool body, further cooled by the night air didn't bother Vin. Within minutes, he was lulled into sleep, the man breathing easily and feeling more at peace than he had in a long while.

 

[Drobabes]

Her hands came up to his own as he kissed her, her body relaxing from that simple and intimate touch. She would have stood there all night with him if reality had allowed it, lost within the depths of his warmth and love, but soon enough he was pulling back slightly and all she could do was close her eyes and let out a soft sigh.

"I hope it goes well. I know how important he is to you and I want you two to be okay. I love you."

"I love you too" she whispered, her hazel eyes soft with affection as he bid her a goodnight. She was so caught up in her feelings for that handsome man that she almost missed Sabastian's request. When she did turn back, though, she still had the ghost of a smile on her face as she gave him a nod and wished him a goodnight.

Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness a bit, but she still almost tripped over the two when she came in. It was only because Bowie had lifted his head up and pushed against her shin that she hadn't given Sayori a very rude awakening. Bending down, she used both of her hands to affectionately rub his scales along the sides of his head, giving him a little smile as she did so.

"You keep her safe, Bowie" she whispered, before moving to Quint's side and giving him a few gentle shakes. To her surprise, he woke much faster than normal and she had to quickly tell him to hush, lest he wake Sayori.

"Sabastian asked me to wake you up, so you can take over guarding everyone."

In his sleepy state, he had all but forgotten his anger with her, so with a little nod, he got up and sleepily shuffled outside. He then watched as Cora went to the car and retrieved not one, but two sleeping bags, before making her way back over to him and gesturing that they sit on the bench together. He took the blanket, but now that he was awake, he was back to being pissy and barely have her a glance as he walked over.

When she sat down, she wrapped the warm fabric around her and let out a sigh. For a long moment, they simply sat in silence.

"Quinton?"

He didn't look at her, the purple of his eyes simply staring out towards the road they had come down.

"Quint...I'm sorry."

Still no answer.

"I didn't do this to betray you Quint, but I know it-"

"If you say 'feels like it', you're going to wake up with a bald head. You did betray me Cora."

Tears came to her eyes, but she swallowed hard and nodded.

"I did. But I didn't do it with that being my intention. I wasn't looking to fall in love with him, it just happened."

He finally looked at her, his gaze glaring down in the dark.

"Accidents happen Cora. You spill your drink on someone's shoes? That happens. You back into someone's car and bust their tail light? That happens. You chose to be with him. Don't sit there and fucking play that game with me."

His words were so angry and venomous that she couldn't bring herself to say anything for a very long time, and when she did, it was simply a very quiet, "I'm sorry..."

Minutes passed once more, and soon those minutes turned into five, and then ten, and then twenty. Quint didn't say anything further, only sitting there and keeping watch. He was just about to get up and move away from her, and maybe she sensed that, because the next thing he knew there was a vulnerable little hand finding his own, her trembling fingers shaking as she gripped his so hard. He didn't move, but he didn't pull away either.

"I just...needed to tell you before Sayori does..."

His eyes whipped down to her, expecting the worst. If that piece of human garbage had done anything to either of them, he would throw that fucking car right into the lak-

"I tried to leave a little while ago."

"What?!"

"I...wanted to go. Sabastian stopped me."

"Cory!"

She hated the way his voice rose in pitch like that, but she hated it even more when he reached up and turned her face towards him, looking her right in the eyes where she couldn't hide from his pain.

"I just...I just thought you would be better off without me here" she started sputtering, fresh tears coming to her eyes.

"I know what you think I'm doing is wrong, and if I stick around, it'll only be like rubbing it in your face, and hurting Sayori, and...and..."

"Cory stop it!" he said, his tone barking for a moment as tears came to his own eyes.

"Look at me," he said, reaching up to push her hair back from her face.

"Don't you ever do that. Ever. You are my sister, and I fucking love you, and nothing, nothing, will ever change that."

He pulled her close to his chest, wrapping her up into a tight hug, and much like with Sabastian, she couldn't stop herself from letting loose with full on sobs.

"Don't you know that by now?" he said, his own chest heaving as he gently rocked her.

"Do you know how much that hurts, Cory? You hurt me with what you did, but please don't go away and take away my own choice in forgiving you El Stupido."

She clung onto him tighter, rocking him in a similar way as to what he was doing for her. And together, they stayed like this for quite some time, just letting it all out.

When she felt exhausted and drained, she pulled back from him and reached up to take his face between her hands, planting a small kiss on his forehead. Afterwards, she sniffed and reached inside her sleeping bag, where she had laid her phone down on her lap.

"I saved something. Before I left my apartment."

Scooting back a bit, she opened up her sleeping bag and wrapped them both in it before wiping her nose and then situating the phone down on her lap so that she could pull up a video. She could feel that Quint was still crying when he laid his head down on her shoulder and waited for her to pull up whatever it was she wanted to show him. When he saw her click on a file titled 'We Love You', he started sobbing again.

...

"Is it on?" her mother's voice spoke, a bit deeper, but no less beautiful for it's richness. When the screen suddenly lit up, she saw her father's face, looking at the camera lens with his brows furrowed before he suddenly lit up with a grin and stepped back.

"Yea."

The twins watched their father step back and take a seat on a hotel bed, right next to their mother, who sat with a very swollen belly.

"Hello my babies" she said, almost sounding awkward as she diverted her attention from the camera and down to her stomach.

"You aren't here yet, but you will be soon, and we're both so excited to meet you!"

Their father gave her a soft, affectionate smile, and reached over to put a hand over hers.

"And...well, we're making this video in the hopes that one day we can share it with you. And we can watch it and laugh at how awkward I'm being."

Both Quint and Cora let out a choked laugh, almost in response to her soft request, though they both knew what was coming next.

"But, we're also making this video,"

Here, she paused, looking over at her husband as if to ask for strength.

"Because we both know that life is not always kind or fair. We may not have the chance to tell you both what we want to tell you, in our own time, so just in case, we're making ourselves a little insurance policy."

They shared a tender look, and then it was their Dad's turn to look at the camera.

"You are coming into an amazing world you two. But it's a hard world, with a very hard game you have to play."

"It is. And we are going to do our best to teach you the rules of the game, in the hopes that maybe someday, you can come up with your own rules. Maybe even better rules!"

"But no matter how you choose to play the game," his hand moved away from her large belly, first stroking her cheek, and then reaching over and picking the camera up. There was a few seconds where the view was a bit shaky, and when it came back into focus, he was holding it closer to their faces.

"We just want you to know, from the very deepest, deepest parts of our souls-we love you. And we will always, love you."
...

_______________________

Tommy was awake pretty early that morning. His light blue eyes were staring out the window, and though he saw no clouds, he could sense there was a storm brewing.

He was feeling a lot better. Francisco had handled the situation and they wouldn't need to evacuate, but him and Jameson has still tested getting him up on his feet that night. It had been extremely difficult, but if forced, he could have hobbled out of there and into a truck. And now that he was feeling better, he knew that it was time to face the consequences of what he had done. He felt as if Jesse had been holding back her own storm, simply waiting until the time was right to rain her thunder and lightning down on him, and he knew he couldn't hide from it anymore. Even if he tried, he wouldn't be running very far before she caught him.

"Don't leave me alone man" he had practically begged Kyle, after they had had breakfast that morning. And for once, his friend didn't fuck with him or tease him, and this only left Tommy in a near shaking state when Jameson dragged him away for his own comeuppance.

 

[Poprockz]

When Jesse woke up that morning, she had eaten some breakfast in the "cafeteria" and trotted along to her morning trainings. Stanley was overseeing the majority of her training, especially the mundane parts like jogging around the complex, strength exercises, and mock fighting. Since she was already proficient in using rifles and pistols, they were focusing more on her physical strength and trying to put her in a position where she could use her weapons more for combat than hunting.

Every little bit of ammo was precious, so they didn't really want to use much of it if it wasn't absolutely necessary.

"So, how did the evacuation drill go with Tommy?" Jesse asked on a heavy breath, wiping her brow. She had just had a sparring match with him, and it was only by the good grace of the padded mats beneath them that she wasn't covered in bruises. Stanley may have been a bit older, but he was damn fast and damn strong, much more so than Jesse was able to handle at the moment. She could tell that he was reining himself in for the sake of training her (had he not, it would have simply been straight-out bullying in her opinion), but she still very much struggled to land even a single hit on him.

"It went really well. The man hobbled along like a real trooper. That goop seems to be really effective in getting him back up and running." The man picked up a canister of water and tossed it to her, the woman catching it and taking a few drinks before wiping her mouth off with her arm.

"Good."

He raised his eyebrow and crossed his arms, "so. Were you waiting until he could try to run away to talk to him?"

Jesse got a bit of a furrowed brow, "not like that, but yeah. I just really need to get him to understand where I'm coming from." She fiddled with the bracelet on her wrist absentmindedly, thinking about when the best time to approach him would be.

"Hm... Well, all I'll say is that the kid has guts." The larger man shrugged and took a drink of his own cannister.

"... Guts don't mean shit to me." Jesse answered, looking in the direction of the hospital. They both knew what she meant. Contrary to the words she had used, it wasn't that she didn't appreciate Tommy's bravery and courage, there were things that just really bothered her about what he had done. "Anyway, if we're done here, I need to head out."

She waited for him to dismiss her before stalking away.

....

After washing herself off a bit so she wasn't smelly and sweaty, she made her way over to the medical building and walked to his room. At a glance, no one else was in the room and Tommy himself was laying there, staring out the window.

She assumed that now would be an opportune time to have a conversation with him about what had happened. Flipping the little sign on the door to "do not disturb," she then walked in and shut the door behind her, locking it as well. If there was one thing she didn't want, it was someone just walking in and derailing things, especially if it was her dad. Jesse didn't need him standing there and defending Tommy's actions as she wanted to hear it straight from Tommy's own mouth.

"Morning, Tommy. Sorry to bug you so early in the day, but we really need to talk about what happened now that you're stable. I didn't want to bring it up until now because I was worried about your recovery, but there are things I need to get off my chest with you." The woman moved closer to him as she spoke, eventually standing there at his bedside, looking down upon him. Her expression was dead-serious, a frown having taken residence.

"The first thing I want to know, is... whose idea was it to trick me, and when was the decision made? Was it you, or my dad?" Those light-brown eyes of hers watched his face intently, the woman wanting to know who exactly was the mastermind here. Obviously, Tommy would have been the one to tell her dad that shit was dangerous at the base, but it could have been either one of them who had the bright idea to whisk her away. If her father was the one who had pressured Tommy into it, she felt like she might be able to be a bit more lenient on him. If not... then she had a few choice words for him.

 

[Drobabes]

Tommy had honestly considered trying to hide. It hurt to hobble around on one leg, and of course, he was...missing a hand now, but he considered it! There wasn't any good nooks and crannies in that little medical room though, so he would have to figure out a way to get across the compound. Maybe to where they were keeping the supplies? If he found the right boxes, he could possibly stay there for a few days, maybe a week, if he didn't piss in the same spot everyday and leave a trail. Of course, all that meticulous planning was thrown out the window when she came into the room and hit him with that frown.

He swallowed a few times as he guiltily looked away, the thought crossing his mind that he could lie. Just lie his ass off, and hope for the best. Unfortunately, he was too much of a good boy to do something like that to Jesse, and especially considering that it would be Randy then taking the heat. Finally looking back to her, he let out a sigh.

"It was me...but Jesse, you don't know what he was doing! If I didn't get you out of there before I tried to go digging, he might have...he..."

Whether it was the look on Jesse's face that made his throat go dry, or the thought of what the General would have done to her had he even suspected Tommy of betraying him, he wasn't sure.

 

[Poprockz]

The frown on her face only darkened into a scowl as he started to try to explain himself, his words seemingly only digging him further into a hole in her eyes.

Her own voice was livid as she started in on him like a hawk swooping in upon a mouse. "Don't you "but" me, Tommy. You are on thin fucking ice. You lied to me. I was just traipsing along giving you cookies while you were planning on how to get me out of the way so you go on your personal mission. You didn't even send me off or say goodbye to my face, you just left it to Kyle and my dad to trick me into leaving the base like I was a fucking baby!"

Near the beginning of her rant, she had begun pacing back and forth across the room, as though the furious energy within her was simply too great for her to remain in one spot, lest she lunge across the room and slap some sense into him. In between her little paces, she would shoot looks at Tommy and gesture furiously, occasionally pointing at him with the fearsome finger of condemnation.

I know why you did it. You don't have to give me that, "but I only cared about you, Jesse" bullshit. My dad gives that to me enough and I'm sick of it. You didn't get Kyle out, now did you? Are you seriously telling me that you don't care about what would happen to him? You think that just because he's got a rooster tail between his legs and I've got tits on my chest that we're all that different? He knew what he signed up for, but so would I! IF you would have just fucking talked to me, Tommy!"

 

[Drobabes]

"I didn't lie to you! " he retaliated, starting to move his legs to the side of the bed so he could sit up. Though upon hearing the words coming out of his own mouth, he paused and then held up his own hand.

"Ok, that's not true, but-"

"...while you were planning on how to get me out of the way so you go on your personal mission. You didn't even send me off or say goodbye to my face..."

"Jesse! If I had came to you to say goodbye, he would have known something was up! He could have followed y-" Tommy said, trying to get his own argument in. He knew he deserved a lot of what she was throwing at him, but her tone and the way she was getting so worked up was in turn working him up. He might have been a shy, naive, boy, but he was also a soldier trying to do what he thought was right.

"You didn't get Kyle out, now did you? Are you seriously telling me that you don't care about what would happen to him? You think that just because he's got a rooster tail between his legs and I've got tits on my chest that we're all that different?"

Not only did that hurt Tommy to hear, but it also pissed him off. Unlike Jesse, who had no training, Kyle and Tommy had been in the army since the day they turned eighteen, before everything happened. On top of that, they had both been looking to join since they were sixteen. They may have been green by army standards, but to him, he was definitely better equipped to handle this stuff than Jesse. And it had nothing to do with her being a women or a man, but everything to do with her just not being equipped to handle the situation yet. On top of that, Tommy felt as if there wasn't enough time to get her ready, nor a way to train her without making it obvious what he was doing.

"I didn't get Kyle out because I didn't think Kuznet could hurt him like he could you! Me and Kyle signed up knowing there was a chance we could get sent to war and die, Jesse. You didn't come into the compound looking to sign up for that, you came here with your dad as a civilian, and I just..."

He trailed off, his hand on the bar of the bed shaking. She had already said she knew he cared, so there was no point in trying to argue that angle.

"If I had came and talked to you Jesse, what would you have done?"

Tommy had been staring at the ground, but his blue eyes traveled up to her, without really moving his head. His voice dropped down a bit in volume, and took on a harder tone.

"Would you have tried to help? What if I had told you that you couldn't? You probably wouldn't have listened to me. And if I had told you that you could help, could you have? Could you have walked around the compound without ever shooting anyone a suspicious look, or getting a tremor in your tone, or stopped yourself from looking in certain directions or at certain buildings? At certain people?"

He lifted his head up a bit then, his brows furrowing as he tried not to outright glare at her.

"I didn't have the time to train you, so how could you have helped Jesse? You would have just gotten in the way."

It was hard, and mean, and he almost regretted saying it. No, he did regret saying it, but, it also needed to be said. She had only been there with them for a short while, had only seen a bit of carnage. And it wasn't as if Tommy himself had seen a whole lot of bad shit yet either, but he was also ready to see it. Or at least, that's how he felt.

 

[Poprockz]

"If I had came and talked to you Jesse, what would you have done?"

"I-!" Her speech stopped abruptly as Tommy started to lift his gaze. The slow and deliberate way in which he moved had caught her attention, the woman taking note of the look in those earnest blue eyes. That and the way his tone lowered made her want to hear what he had to say, her own reply being postponed.

"I didn't have the time to train you, so how could you have helped Jesse? You would have just gotten in the way."

Jesse simply stared at him for a moment, a look of shock and pain on her face.

She would only have been in the way.

Jesse knew she was a capable and strong woman, but she couldn't deny that she didn't have the same training that Tommy did. Being good at firing a pistol and being capable of espionage were two entirely different things, as he had aptly stated. She knew she would probably have unwittingly made a mistake, dooming the infiltration in its infancy. Her desire to be there to support and protect him would have only done the opposite, and even in her anger she realized this.

Still, the truth hurt and it was certainly painful to hear those words come from his lips. During the apocalypse, she had been suppressing her own feelings of helplessness and inadequacy, trying to put on a brave face. All of a sudden in life, she was moved from an environment where she had a lot of control over herself and her future, to one in which she found herself being blindsided by fate or the machinations of those around her. No one looked at her and thought that she was vital or necessary, just another civilian.

When they had moved her from the base, it had only been hammered in- the fact that she would be forced to defer to those around her who were more experienced. To feel like a pawn that was moved here and there to suit the needs of others (while not even being very useful) was not a familiar feeling and was upsetting on a deep level. She wanted to be able to change fate with her own two hands, but being told that she wasn't in a position to do so was very disheartening.

Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes, but her expression changed back to more of a scowl, as though she was trying to hold herself together. Though her tone was still angry, it softened to a more frustrated tone, the woman stopping her pacing and reaching up to wipe one of her eyes and sniff before continuing.

"Maybe I would have fucked things up, I don't know... But it's not just sending me away that I'm angry about, it's the fact that you weren't even taking care of yourself! You were working to get on the inside of Kuznet's plans and stuff, and then you blow it all on a rescue mission that you don't even take more than a day to plan. I'm happy Sabastian is safe, but by all rights it should have ended in disaster!" Her hands curled into fists and more fire came to her eyes, though it could be assumed that the fire was fueled by intense feelings of fear from within herself.

"Even if you decided to go with some kind of grand rescue plan, why didn't you sit and think about it for more than a hot second?! It was fucking dumb to just jump and go in half-cocked! Your plan was full of holes, as shown by Kuznet coming back early, and you guys not having much time to begin with. The only reason you guys made it back alive was because of that... that "Ken" guy or something, that zombie he was keeping down there that talked to Robert. If he hadn't been there, who knows what would would have happened?"

She paused, glaring before continuing with her speech. "You know what, no. You want know what would have happened? You all would have died or been captured and tortured, every last fucking one of you! Sabastian and Robert would have been knocked out and locked up, Genevieve would probably have been tortured to keep a leash on Robert, and You and Kyle would have been killed by Niles when he tried to drag your bloody pulp of a body out of that place. Zac would have been the only one to even have a chance of getting away." At the words "bloody pulp" her voice broke, giving away a bit of her fear for his safety. When it all boiled down to it, she cared about him so much, she didn't want anything to happen to him. And yet, despite safely tucking her away, he himself had almost ended up as just another of the dead bodies he was tossed in with.

At that point, despite her anger, tears streamed down her cheeks. "Even if it was a success, you almost died! YOU ALMOST DIED! Your heart almost gave out on the drive over and they had to keep giving you chest compressions to keep your heart beating! I gave this bracelet to Kyle to give to you, and you didn't even give it back to me, I had to find it in your pocket as I watched you lay there all bloody, bruised, and broken!" She threw the bracelet at the bed, though not directly at him nor hard enough to hurt him if she somehow aimed wrong. It bounced on the bed with hardly a sound, settling against the stark white of the sheets. It was a simple bracelet, made of little wood beads that were dark brown, sandy brown, with a few dyed turquoise.

 

[Drobabes]

"You were working to get on the inside of Kuznet's plans and stuff, and then you blow it all on a rescue mission that you don't even take more than a day to plan. I'm happy Sabastian is safe, but by all rights it should have ended in disaster!"

Yea, Sabastian was out of there, out of Kuznet's reach. Did she not understand how important that was? Did she not know how strong he was? Or what Kuznet had planned for him? Probably not, but her ignorance of the situation didn't make him feel any less angry about the way she was talking to him. He didn't want to be angry with her, but he didn't feel like she had a right to be yelling at him about things that she wasn't a part of.

"You know what, no. You want know what would have happened? You all would have died or been captured and tortured, every last fucking one of you! Sabastian and Robert would have been knocked out and locked up, Genevieve would probably have been tortured to keep a leash on Robert, and You and Kyle would have been killed by Niles when he tried to drag your bloody pulp of a body out of that place. Zac would have been the only one to even have a chance of getting away."

Tommy got up off the bed and turned away from her as she continued to rage, his own cheeks heating up with a flush as he tried to busy himself with getting a cup of water. He still wasn't embarrassed, more angry than anything, but her words were starting to sink in. Yes, it had been stupid. He hadn't gained enough intelligence before diving in, and he had made assumptions that he shouldn't have. Still, he had seen an opportunity to shoot and he feared the consequences if he had hesitated. Even now, Roberts words echoed through his mind. What he had told him was on those clothes that he was washing...

"Even if it was a success, you almost died! YOU ALMOST DIED!"

He flinched, the cup in his good hand rattling a bit as he tried to bring it up to his lips. His eyes stared down at the blood mess that was left of his once good hand, and for the first time since waking up, he finally felt a cold shiver of fear for his own life run up his spine. Up at until this point, he had simply been running, ignoring his own trauma in order to do what he thought was right.

"I know Jesse..." he whispered, setting the cup down and wondering if she had even heard him.

"I gave this bracelet to Kyle to give to you, and you didn't even give it back to me, I had to find it in your pocket as I watched you lay there all bloody, bruised, and broken!"

His head turned slowly, his blue eyes misting over as they simply stared down the little beads for a long moment. After a long moment of hesitation, he finally turned around to face her again, pain in his expression as he hobbled over to her and pulled her into a sudden hug, not giving her a whole lot of time to argue or run away from it.

"I'm sorry Jesse" he said, his voice strained.

"I just wanted to do the right thing, and I...imagined it was you down in those cells. Those clothes I was washing at the river" he said, his voice choking as a sob suddenly worked up through his chest.

"They had things on them. I couldn't see it, but Robert could smell it. I couldn't," he sobbed again, his chest shaking.

"Leave whoever it was down there, to be treated like that!"

 

[Poprockz]

"I'm sorry Jesse. I just wanted to do the right thing, and I...imagined it was you down in those cells. Those clothes I was washing at the river-"

At first, Jesse was a bit stiff in his arms. However, when she heard the sob coming from his chest, her body relaxed and molded more to his, her arms going around him to hold him gently. His body was warm, just as it had been when she was sleeping on his chest. The fact that he could hug her like this, standing and moving on his own was a miracle. When he had first come back, it was debatable whether he would ever be able to move his own body again. Even though she would have stayed with him and been happy he was alive, she knew that if Tommy truly had been completely crippled, he might not have been able to live with that.

"They had things on them. I couldn't see it, but Robert could smell it. I couldn't- leave whoever it was down there, to be treated like that!"

Though Tommy hadn't actually specified what was on those clothes, it didn't have to be said for Jesse to understand. There was only one thing on them that would be difficult to see that Robert might be disturbed about having smelled- semen. It reminded her of the time that she was in the caves on the way out of the base. The General had given her a once-over to check for injuries, his hands lingering on her shoulders for a bit longer than necessary. She had tried to discount it or assume she was misreading things, but now she knew that her gut instinct hadn't been wrong. Kuznet had wanted just a few more seconds of her soft skin. The very thought of it made her stomach feel just a bit queasy, finding the very idea of the General lusting for her to be gross.

That being said, those clothes weren't hers, so whoever it was down there was either being abused by him or one of his officers. Either way, it was cruel and unjust, and part of her was proud of Tommy for having been so moved for that unknown person's plight. One of the many things she liked about Tommy was his sense of righteousness, that heartfelt desire to help others. The way it had lit up his eyes with hope and determination had been made her heart flutter for him in the past. He was an empathetic sort, not one who was cold and calculating, and thus he let his heart be his compass. She only wished that Tommy had had someone more calculating on the inside of his group that had balanced out his brashness.

It was hard to stay angry at someone who had so strongly tried to do what was right and to save someone from a horrible fate, especially when they were apologizing so earnestly. Her arms squeezed him slightly and she sniffed once more.

"Damn it, Tommy. Your heart's too big for your own good." Jesse sighed and pulled back just a bit. Her body was still pressed against his with his arms around her, but she reached up and put her hands on either side of his face, redirecting his gaze to her own stern one.

"When I think about what you did, it makes me so angry. It makes me want to throw things and kick things and... it just makes me pissed. But I'm pissed because I was so fucking scared." The young woman swallowed and looked down for a moment before her brown eyes came back up. "I was scared that I was going to be in this camp and get a message that you had ended up getting killed, and there was nothing I could do about it. And when I finally got a message about you, it was that you were here and that you were in critical condition. My worst fear came true and there was... Nothing I could do."

 

[Drobabes]

The four of them were seated around Kuznet's coffee table in the living room, though no hot beverages were being served that morning. Instead what they all held in their hands were pictures. Screenshots, more specifically, of the many ways in which they had all failed.

His ice cold eyes stared each of them down in turn as they took in the details of the photos, not sparing anyone even a hair of mercy. Francisco knew he was safe from the fury bubbling under the surface of Kuznet's calm demeanor, but that was only because he had been 'thoughtful' enough to bring the girls a snack, and just so happened to be in the right place at the right time. If he hadn't 'been here' when the explosion happened, they might have lost a very powerful resource and doomed the area from any population attempts for years to come. Still, he was never truly safe from a madman's trigger finger, and it was only because he never forgot that simple fact that he was able to survive all these years.

"Why didn't the dogs alert you?" he asked, looking over towards Jonathon and Niles so as to shift the spotlight off of himself and get the conversation started. They had been doing nothing but sitting there for ten minutes straight, taking in the details after their cleanup crew had left, and he knew Ray was in no hurry to break the silence.

"Haven't...seen them" Jonathon wheezed.

"Since early...yesterday."

Of the three of them, he had sustained the most injuries. Francisco hadn't been able to get the tree off of him until some back up had arrived, and Niles had been absolutely useless. Infact, the way that the dark eyed officer had looked down at Jonathon, with a certain lust in his eyes, made Francis wonder if he didn't want him to die under that log. He wouldn't have been surprised, but if he was looking to take them out (which was another possibility that Francis never forgot), there were better and more efficient ways to do it. And more opportune times.
_______________________________________

The young soldier sniffed, trying to get himself under control. How embarrassing would it be for Kyle or Zac to walk in on him right now and see him crying like a toddler being held by his mommy? Though, when Jesse pulled back and gave him that look, he suddenly thought that a little embarrassment might be worth it.

She made him feel so weak, but in a good way, and it only further hammered in the fact that he wanted to protect her. When he saw her brown eyes twist with pain, he brought his own hand up and hesitantly cupped her cheek. He didn't have the full confidence of a man yet, not knowing if his touch was the right thing for that moment, but he did know that he wanted to touch her and take away that fear in her eyes.

"I'm sorry Jesse."

He really didn't know what else he could say at this point, or even if words were enough. What he did know, though, was that she was beautiful, and despite him having told her that she would have only been in the way, she was amazingly brave and strong. She hadn't run and hid when they were escaping the last base. Instead, she had been proactive and asked for a way to protect herself...and him. Maybe he should have tried to talk to her; maybe she was right. Even if it hadn't have worked, he could have gotten her out afterwords. He should have put a little more trust in her.

 

[Poprockz]

"I'm sorry Jesse."

And he truly looked it. Those tears in his eyes and the way he reached out to touch her, it was all very earnest. Though he had lied to her, he hadn't done so maliciously, nor out of a desire to control her. He had simply thought it was the noble thing to do- to get her away and protected from someone they all now knew was a very dangerous person. Though she was still a bit angry and hurt, his apology greatly soothed her feelings, putting her in a place where she was ready to try to move forward with him.

"I told you before: you're a strong soldier and I know I can count on you. You can protect me all you want, but from now on, you need to let me protect you too. Or at the very least, you need to be honest with me so I can figure out a way to support you." Jesse's gaze softened.

"Just remember that I'm not a little girl that needs to be protected- I'm a woman, Tommy."

Reaching up, she took his hand and slowly pulled it lower, lingering down her cheek, past the smooth skin of her neck, and further still. He would soon find his hand being guided to her chest, her hand positioning his upon one of her soft, round breasts. All the while, she continued to look into his eyes, arching her back slightly and pushing her chest out to sensually rub against his palm.

The man could have had several girlfriends before her, what with how handsome and kind he was, but as a more shy man she knew it was best for her to initiate to let him know that it was alright. She wasn't sure how far she intended to take things today, but it simply felt right to have that large yet nimble hand of his upon her. Her tan-colored tank top she was wearing was made out of cotton and wasn't particularly thick, allowing Tommy to feel where her nipple hid under her shirt.

She wasn't worried about anyone walking in; after all, she had locked the door on the way in.

 

[Drobabes]

"Neither of you thought to check the perimeter? The fact they both wandered away from the yard should have been an obvious red flag."

Niles lowered the picture in his hand down to his lap before his eyes slowly panned over to Fran. With a glare that was one part bored, one part stuck up, he stared the older man down for a moment before responding.

"I was just taking over a shift. Maybe if Jonathon wasn't so wrapped up in his science experiment, he would have been able to perform his duties."

Johnathon's head whipped over towards him, a look of pure rage in his eyes. They had worked side by side with each other for many years and for the most part, didn't have any problems between them. Jonathon did his work as needed, and Niles...well, Niles just learned the stay the hell out of his way. It was a good partnership, one that didn't need adjusting. Until now.

"I am not...a pet sitter. I had a...a job, to do."

"Your job" Ray said, his tone quiet as his eyes zeroed in on the two in front of him.

"Is to follow my orders."

Francisco didn't flinch, nor did he gulp, but he did set his own stack of photos down on the table before casually leaning back into the couch and away from his, depending on how this meeting went, possibly former work buddies. Much like being cornered by a snarling dog, he knew the wrong move could put him into the bite zone, so he tried his best to simply blend into the background. It wasn't very hard, really. Just sit pretty and shut the fuck up. Besides, if him and Ray had some...misunderstandings, between the two of them, they always sorted it out like big boys behind the privacy of a closed door, and with clear communication.

"Have you both forgotten who gave you this life? These, luxuries? Money. Weapons. Resources. A very plush life considering what you both came from-dirt."

A long silence followed after that, and no one made a move until Kuznet reached forward and took the pictures. Only then did everyone breathe a collective sigh of relief, watching as he stacked them neatly into a pile and knowing that, for the moment at least, the worst of it was over.

"I expect payment in the coming weeks."

It was a dismissal, one that everyone was quick to jump on. Johnathon looked over to Francis, knowing he would get no help from Niles. The brown eyed officer gave him a nod before standing up and then leaning over to help him. Niles stood as well, but he simply stared down at the two with disdain. Once they were ready, the three of them headed for the door. Johnathon and Francisco exited first, and Niles was about to follow behind them when he suddenly felt a huge hand on his shoulder. With genuine fear in his dark eyes, he looked behind him, meeting Kuznet's gaze as the big man gave him a soft smile.

"Stay, Niles. We need to work on your aim."

When the two officers out front heard the door slam behind them, they didn't bother to look back.
___________________________

"I told you before: you're a strong soldier and I know I can count on you. You can protect me all you want, but from now on, you need to let me protect you too. Or at the very least, you need to be honest with me so I can figure out a way to support you. Just remember that I'm not a little girl that needs to be protected- I'm a woman, Tommy."

He could only nod in agreement at first, not quite understanding where she was taking their conversation until she started to pull his hand down. At first he thought she just wanted to hold it, and at the moment, that sounded pretty nice. However, when he felt the softness of her neck and the way her pulse was racing under his fingertips, his tears dried up in an instant. Perhaps the moisture being pulled to his mouth, because all of a sudden that felt really dry.

His light blue eyes weren't really noticing the way she was looking at him, as their attention was drawn down to her own small hand and where she was taking him. When she stopped he almost didn't know what to do, his own body having become a bit rigid until she pressed up against him which caused him to swallow hard and finally meet her gaze.

The way that she was looking at him made him feel a bit dizzy, and though his cheeks were turning a bit red, he had the good sense to not completely freeze up. His hand squeezed her soft mound gently, familiarizing itself with how she felt; and by god she felt amazing. She was soft, much softer than he could have ever imagined, and the way in which her pert nipple rubbed against his palm made his dick twitch with need.

Swallowing again, his eyes moved down to her lips. Those beautiful pouty lips that left him feeling absolutely dopey when she smiled. He didn't know how far she would let him go, but for the moment, he wasn't concerned with that. All he knew was that he had a gorgeous young women in front of him that was letting him have his first taste of second base, and he found himself craving a taste of her soft lips as well. The kiss they had shared before had been all too brief, and very rudely interrupted.

Bending down slowly, his eyes flicked up to her own for just a brief second before he closed them and sought out her mouth, giving her a very sweet and soft, lingering kiss as his hand continued to softly stroke her.

 

[Poprockz]

The way his cheeks lit up in turn made her own become slightly rosy. Though she was arguably the more confident of the two when it came to sexual encounters, this was still the guy she liked in front of her- the man she wanted to give herself to completely. While it didn't seem like now was an appropriate time for them to go all the way (mostly because of the possibility of being interrupted), she still wanted to touch him more and become a bit more intimate with him.

Tommy had never mentioned whether he had much experience in these things, and her dad had considerately kept Tommy's lack thereof to himself. While Tommy was a virgin, Jesse herself was not. She'd been fingered (unskillfully) several times, given her boyfriend some hand-jobs, and had her first time with that same dude at prom. He had ended up not having endurance on his side, their encounter lasting all but twenty seconds before he busted his load. That would have been fine if he hadn't selfishly assumed that his own orgasm was all that mattered. Jesse had tried to guide the man's hand in-between her legs, but he had been disgusted at the thought of having to touch his own semen, a really juvenile reaction.

That guy ended up being kneed in the junk after having tried to keep her from storming off in anger. When she phoned her dad to pick her up early, Randy had seen the look on her face but hadn't said anything. Instead, he had pulled over at a gas station, excused himself, bought some ice cream, gummy worms, snacks, and a movie and took them home. They had sat on the couch together, eating ice cream and watching a ridiculous comedy movie. She knew he had seen, but her dad had pretended not to notice the tears on her cheeks, instead putting his arm around her and silently letting her know that she wasn't alone.

She too closed her eyes when she saw him moving in, the woman noticing that his hand too had started to acclimate to the situation. It felt nice, his sweet lips caressing her so tenderly while his hand massaged that plump breast. Maybe her heart was melting for him because her pussy had become so hot. Kissing him back, she sucked on his lip teasingly before letting it go and resuming their make-out session. The hand that wasn't still lingering upon Tommy's rested on his chest, rubbing him affectionately before pausing. He may not have noticed, but she had slowly backed him up until the backs of his legs bumped against the bed, her fingertips starting to curiously slide downward, teasing the skin of his abdomen through the fabric of his shirt. It was getting lower and lower, finally stopping at the precipice of his pants.

At one of their breaks for air, she whispered, "I want to touch you, Tommy... Can I?" Though she was still a bit nervous, her desire won out and she was able to lift her head and meet his eyes once more.

 

[Drobabes]

He felt a bit weird trying to keep his hand where it was while simultaneously moving his feet, (or maybe it was more that he couldn't do that while also kissing), so he let it lower down to her side a bit. He still kept his hand on her, shyly rubbing her skin with his thumb as she teased his lower lip and caused a rush of hormones flood his already fuzzy head.

Oh man, was he doing this right? Could she tell that he wasn't very practiced? He was only just barely letting his tongue come out for fear that his inexperience would make him come across as too aggressive, but he wanted more. Her hand on his chest was making his pants almost painfully tight and it was only getting worse as it traveled lower, causing the young man to swallow hard as he opened his eyes. He was panting a bit hard, despite not having really exerted himself, but all the same, he felt like he couldn't get in enough air.

"I want to touch you, Tommy... Can I?"

He swallowed again, his eyes widening just a bit before they briefly glanced behind her at the door.

"In here?" he whispered nervously, before stumbling nervously through a shaky sentence.

"I mean, uh, yea. Yes. I mean, if you want to, I don't...want to, pressure you..."

He swallowed hard again, trying not to look away from the desire in her eyes as he stabbed himself in the foot.

"I mean,

 

[Poprockz]

"In here?"

"I mean, uh, yea. Yes. I mean, if you want to, I don't...want to, pressure you..."

Oh, it was absolutely endearing the way he was tripping and stumbling over himself. He looked like she had zapped his brain, rendering him unable to process the feelings that were rising in his chest... and his pants. It made her want to tease him a bit, but she thought that it might be a bit cruel to do so. After all, he was trying so hard to be a stand-up guy, talking as though he was worried about making her uncomfortable.

"I mean-"

It was time for her to put him out of his misery, the woman 's left hand curling around his neck and up behind his head, her fingers interweaving into his hair before holding him in place. At the same time, she struck, moving forward and pressing her lips against his once more to put his lips to better use. The nervous chatter was only going to make him feel more flustered the deeper he got into it, so it was best to reassure him that she found him hot as hell and had no doubts about what she was doing.

She had thought she might have been imagining it, but as she kissed him again, she affirmed that he felt a bit hesitant as though he was holding back. Why he was doing so, she wasn't sure but she had a good guess that it was his nerves. To help him out, her tongue flicked and stroked against his, her mouth tasting vaguely of mint (the woman having taken a couple tic-tacs before coming just in case). If there was one thing she had been complimented on in the past, it had been how good she was at kissing, dominating his mouth without being overpowering.

Having been given the green light for her to press onward, she did so... literally. Her hand turned so she could press her palm against his belly, her fingers splaying out as her gentle pressure slipped lower still. It passed the border between his shirt and pants, moving until it found the bulge that was trying to make its presence known. She personally didn't care how big he was in that department, but it seemed as though his bulge was somewhat hefty.

Up and down, she caressed him, her cupped hand moving seamlessly over the soft fabric of his pants. She couldn't wait to hear the sounds of his pleasure, to see a different side to him, one that likely only a handful of people had been able to see until this point. It made her feel special, as though they were sharing an intimate secret, and in a way they truly were.

Pulling back to catch her breath, she kissed his neck and softly panted, "I locked the door on the way in, and there's a "do not disturb" sign out there too. I only meant to have some privacy when I talked to you, but I'm glad I did now.

"Also..." Her hand gently squeezed his cock, pressing more insistently against him at the same time, though certainly not enough to hurt him. Her head tilted sideways and she raised her eyebrow, a bit of a flirty look being directed at him.

"I wasn't raised to take shit from stupid boys who don't care about anything but their pride and their dicks... I was raised to go for what I want, and I want a man. You."

 

[Drobabes]

Kyle wasn't planning on going within a hundred feet of that building after he had left, but unfortunately luck just wasn't on his side today. Jameson had caught him on his way out and ordered him to go grab his writing pen that was still attached to the little notebook near Tommy's bedside table. It was a useless task, something that the older man could have done very easily on his way through himself, but that wasn't the point. The point was to remind Kyle that he was on bitch duty; from now until his senior officer felt it appropriate to ease up on him. And for the most part Kyle was taking it like a man. At least, on the outside he wasn't showing any disgruntlement.

He saw Robert heading towards the same building and with a sudden smile on his face, he made a beeline towards the man. If he was going to go back in there, maybe it would ease some of Jesse's wrath if he were accompanied by another.

"Morning!" he said cheerfully, pulling a bit of a dumb teenager move and not expecting the man to possibly be angry with him in the same way that Jameson currently was.
________________________________

That kiss was just what the doctor ordered, Tommy soon finding himself relaxing enough to close his eyes again and let his hands roam her slender form once more. Well, one hand at least. The other one kind of just awkwardly tried to pull her closer as his hips unconsciously sought out the heat of her body.

The minty taste of her tongue made him slightly nervous about his own breathe, but seeing as she wasn't pulling away from him in disgust, he took it as a good sign as simply relaxed into the kiss. Very soon, his tongue was joining hers, gently sliding against her own in a dance of curiosity and passion. She was a very good kisser, or at the very least, didn't make him feel uncomfortable, and he wanted to learn. Jesse was the first girl he had ever kissed open mouthed, and he hoped that by taking the time to learn what she liked, she might be willing to teach him more in the future.

Her hand traveling down his stomach derailed any line of thought he was having, his tongue momentarily losing it's more purposeful movements as his free hand squeezed her skin gently and he let out a little sound of need, his hips pushing forward slightly. He craved her touch badly, and he really hoped that she would find him worthy in that department. Amongst his peers, he wasn't the biggest, but of course, like many young men often do, he compared himself. And yes, he measured it too, and was relieved to find that he was at least seven inches. Not huge, but definitely at least above average, though his friends insisted it wasn't the size that counted. Tommy might not have believed them, except that one of them was actually quite small in comparison to the rest of them, and yet, he always seemed to be landing girls left and right and they always seemed to come back for more. Lucky bastard.

Her hand reaching down into his pants made him groan, and when she pulled back to kiss his neck, his hand snaked up behind her to pull her into a bit of a hug, his breath heaving slightly as he made little noises of pleasure. Jesus christ, if he hadn't rubbed one out in the bathroom that morning (learning his lesson not to leave it on his clothing, even if he couldn't see it), he might have soiled his pants from the soft touch of her warm hand.

"I wasn't raised to take shit from stupid boys who don't care about anything but their pride and their dicks... I was raised to go for what I want, and I want a man. You."

Those kind blue eyes of his stared down at her with a bit of shock for a moment, before his expression seemed to shift to something akin to pride as a smile lit up his face. For once, Tommy didn't seem to be plagued with anxiety or shyness, his face open and inviting as he seemed to beam from her compliment. Before he said anything, though, he reached his hand up to weave it through her hair as he gently pulled her into a kiss, his lips lingering for a moment before he pulled back. With that same smile still lighting up his face, he said,

"A man, huh? I think I can be that."

Bending down to kiss her again, he turned the tables on her and moved their bodies until she was the one against the bed. He then moved his hand down to her waist and put a gentle pressure on her hip, nudging her to sit down as he continued to taste her, following her down. Once she was on the bed, he broke the kiss briefly to share a look of desire, his breath heady before he came in for more and his body began to move atop hers. He wasn't necessarily looking to take things all the way, but he couldn't deny the heat between them right now, and he wanted to show her that he could take charge.

 

[Poprockz]

"A man, huh? I think I can be that."

That look of pride on his face made her heart flutter, Jesse herself feeling really proud of herself for having articulated what she wanted very well and in turn making him feel like the man she saw in him. She closed her eyes when his lips came for her, his movements seeming more confident now as he slowly turned them, switching their positions. Jesse was used to being the one who took charge most of the time, so it felt a bit unfamiliar to be the one who was leaning back on the bed, his warm body on top of her. If it was physically possible, her heart might have beat out of her chest, her pulse racing from the excitement of touching and kissing the man she liked.

When they shared that moment of rest, she could only look into his eyed with a hooded look of her own. God, he was fucking hot, and she adored the way his gaze seemed to say the same thing, though it was clear that sexual desire wasn't the only thing either of them were feeling.

What Jesse wanted to do now was see what made Tommy a man. Her hands had gone to the bed as she leaned backwards, but now she returned them to him, feeling briefly until she found the edge of his underwear. The woman's right hand slipped in and she soon found something hot and hard in there, the thing twitching at her very touch. Pulling his waistband down with her other hand, she guided his cock out and let the band rest underneath. Her eyes went to it, appraising his tackle with a look of desire.

After bringing her hand to her mouth, she spit in it and reached back, coating his cock with her saliva before beginning to stroke it. In her lust, she hadn't quite thought about the fact that she was now underneath him; if he came, he was going to cum all over her shirt, though those considerations hadn't occurred to her in the heat of the moment. The slick sounds of her strokes were only interrupted by Jesse's own lust-laden voice. "You have a very handsome cock... I bet your other girlfriends almost creamed themselves when they saw it."

------------------------------------------------------------

At Kyle's greeting, Robert simply looked at him with a bit of scowl for a moment. It wasn't the fact that he was greeting him that made him a bit irritated, it was that cheerfulness. A man who put the entire compound in danger shouldn't have been so chipper in his opinion. It wasn't as though he wanted the young man to be wallowing in self-hatred or anything like that, but he felt it wasn't too much to ask for him to be a bit more contrite.

"Kyle." The man nodded at him in greeting, his tone even. Though he could tell that something was bubbling up within him that he couldn't stop. After a moment of trying to restrain himself, he couldn't help but launch into a bit of a chastisement.

"I find it surprising that you're so cheerful this morning considering that this entire compound might have been deserted at this very moment, the army moving somewhere safer. It's a blessing that we didn't have to pick up yet thanks to contacts Jameson has, but it was very close, as you know. I haven't been able to voice my feelings too you yet, but I hope you know I'm very disappointed in your decision to protect your friend at the cost of putting everyone at risk. I understand that you love your friends and don't want to see them punished, but there are far higher stakes right now. If Kuznet had followed your friend back, he has the power to decimate all of us if we were caught unaware. I'm really just saying that I'd like for you to really reflect on this and decide for yourself whether your actions are something you're proud-"

"Robert! Kyle! How are you two doing on this lovely morning, hmm?" An arm was slung over each of their shoulders, bringing them both a bit closer to the man in the middle who had seemingly appeared out of thin air- Dave.

The red-haired zombie shut his mouth after being interrupted and cleared his throat, still wishing he could have continued his conversation (one-sided though it was). "I was just telling Kyle about the importance of responsibility and duty to one's allies and friends, and how safety is more important than any "bro-code" or anything like that.

"Oooh, yeah I heard about that," the bartender's eyes slid over to Kyle and while he retained that charming smile of his, his eyes became a bit more serious. "I think Kyle is the sort of person who will take this situation to heart and really think about how he wants to act next time. I always found it funny that sometime soldiers refer to themselves as just a link in the chain, but they never stop to think about what link they are. Sure a link off each end wouldn't change much, but take out one near the middle and you've got two smaller chains that aren't capable of reaching very far anymore."

 

[Drobabes]

He was torn between wanting to continue their heated kissing and wanting to watch every erotic move she made. Watching won out, of course, and as her warm hand found his pole, he couldn't help but groan. Fuck it felt good. The skin to skin contact was absolutely electrifying, and being free of his restraining clothing just made it all the better.

The way that she looked down at his throbbing member made him feel both vulnerable and extremely turned on. Hell, everything she was doing was turning him on and though he recognized that a part of it could have just been from the fact that this was his first real taste of sex, he also thought that a lot of it was her. She was so confident and sexy, and in turn, it made him feel more confident.

When she spit in her hand and brought it back to his aching member, he couldn't help but groan again, his hips jumping a bit from her tight fingers and slippery touch. Within just a few seconds, she had him panting again and struggling to keep himself still.

"You have a very handsome cock... I bet your other girlfriends almost creamed themselves when they saw it."

A shiver of excitement and lust went up his spine, the look on his face mirroring this back to her as he breathed hard. He opened his mouth for a second before shutting it and swallowing hard. Tommy almost blurted out that she was his first girlfriend, but was that true? We're they dating? Although they were obviously more than just friends at this point, the young man still wasn't quite clear on where they stood as far as their relationship was. He really liked where it was going, though, and didn't want to fuck that up, so he opted to just leave out the need to clarify things. At least for right now.

"I haven't had any girlfriends yet" he panted, his cock twitching at a particularly nice stroke of her fingers that left him needing to take a deep breath before he creamed her.
____________________________________________

That cheerfulness dropped right off his face when he received such a cold greeting in return. After that brief pause where nothing else was said, Kyle was going to open his mouth to try and break the ice, but quickly shut it when Robert started to lay into him.

Throughout his speech, Kyle's pale face went through a multitude of shades, first a light blush which then changed to a deeper, darker shade as he tried over and over to swallow and moisten his throat, his light green eyes looking away lest the disappointment in Roberts words burn his soul. Not that he would have needed that judgement-Kyle already had plenty of it to go around.

By the time that Dave popped up out of nowhere, Kyle's face had gone back to being pale once more, and his shoulders were as stiff as a...well, a soldiers. His eyes were staring straight ahead now as they walked, though the comment about the chain made him briefly glance over before they continued on.

"I fucked up" he said after a tense moment, pausing briefly to look at the both of them.

"Bad. It won't be happening again."