Mable: Here's a request for Unavoidablekioshi, whose birthday is today! I sort of had this idea for a story a while back, so it felt great to finally put it out there in the world. Unavoidablekioshi, I hope you enjoy and have a very happy birthday! I don't own 9, Enjoy!

Maelstrom

The sky was heavily clouded with thick, dark clouds and the air contained an almost impending static on it. The coming rain could literally be smelled and the two Stitchpunks stuck sitting out on a street knew it. Here they waited for the others who had separated to lead away a stray Beast, one that didn't seem threatening enough to fight. It had been simple; the oldest two would wait here, the ones who couldn't fight would move somewhere else, and the ones who could fight would lead the Beast off. Unfortunately none of them returned.

"What on Earth could be taking them so long?!" The Stitchpunk's narrowed optics scanned the street in frustration. Two suspected that this frustration was covering worry. Unlike the leader who continued to stand and wander around the sidewalk, Two sat on the curb, head resting in hands while his arms rested on his knees. It had to be going on an hour by now and he was growing concerned as well. Regardless he spoke with, "They'll be back. We would've heard something if anyone was injured. Maybe you should sit down."

One promptly reacted with a frown in Two's direct. "Don't concern yourself too much, Two," he remarked sarcastically and followed with a small huff. He then turned away to scan the street once more until a low rumble came from the sky. Two shivered a bit at the sound, "The storm is rolling in faster than I expected… We may have to find shelter." Though One immediately put his foot, and staff, down firmly. "We can't leave the street. If we leave the street and hide somewhere else they won't find us when they do return." He was firm so Two didn't argue.

Things had been tense between them after the Machine War. There were a few reasons why, but Two believed it was mostly their lack of personal time together. They used to play chess, to talk, to do anything together and now with all the work needing done on the Library eating their time this was practically impossible. In fact, this was the longest that One and Two had been alone together. One paced behind Two a bit longer before suddenly coming to an abrupt stop behind Two. The Inventor assumed he was staring him down and looked back.

Instead, One was staring down the road at the thick storm clouds further down. "Hmm?" Two hummed with inquiry and One inhaled as he spoke, "Lightning." The shorter male's reaction was immediate. His optics widened and he quickly stood to his feet, "We need to get inside." He wasn't fond of storms. He was very familiar with the weather and knew a good deal about the signs and types, but in his case education didn't suppress his instinct to become worried. One pursed his lips and didn't make any attempt to move, still staring down the way.

"They will have to return eventually. Eight wouldn't leave me here," he added in. At this exact moment a soft tapping crossed the cement sidewalk. Two looked upwards and caught a raindrop on his optic lens, One stared down and scowled as he saw the wet spots on the concrete. "Of course. It couldn't wait even a moment longer to start to downpour, could it?" He was cut off by Two's hand on his arm. It was gently and reassuring grasp, one that caused One to just stare at it instead of pulling back. He then looked to Two who spoke.

"Let's find shelter. It's safer than standing in the rain," Two softly insisted as to not have One again resist. Instead One found himself staring at the shorter male, at his wide and pleading optics, and settled with a nod. "Very well… But one of these buildings. We can't go too far." Soon they were hurrying to check which of the shops were open enough to slip in. It was the nicer side of the city that had been mostly evacuated during the war, which unfortunately and fortunately meant the buildings, and doors, were still quite intact.

Two made a beeline for one shop in particular, though not because of the broken glass in the lower panel of the door. He stepped in eagerly while One paused to look around the street one last time. It was raining harder and the others were still clearly missing. With a sigh he followed the shorter in and allowed his narrowed optics to scan the shop. It was some sort of knick-knackery shop from the numerous assorted items along the walls and in displays. "Look at all of this!" Two spoke excitedly as he hurried over to a glass case.

"I didn't think we would find any of these left in the world. Look at how lovely!" Two pointed out the items in the case, looking like some sort of porcelain or glass discs. One grew somewhat curious as he approached and stared at them, "What exactly are they? Porcelain?" The Inventor looked a little surprised, "They're seashells, One. Have you never seen them before?" Naturally One hadn't and was about to scoff and remark on it, but instead fell silent as he saw the look on Two's face. He looked so interested with wide eyes and a small smile.

He was so delighted about a simple item that they were able to find here. Instead One replied much quieter, "No, I haven't, but you seem to have." Two chuckled and gave a nod, "Somewhat. Oh, One, you wouldn't believe the wonders of the ocean. It's a shame I was only born with the memories and not with an actual ship." His optics scanned the walls and started into the center of the room, staring at the shelves high above. Glass bottles with miniature ships in them lined the shelves, along with the occasional framed photo.

"It's almost like the storm, the ocean is," Two explained as he wandered across the room with his hands folded behind his back. Indeed, the storm began to pick up as well, with growing thunder as the rain came down harder. One almost felt like the entire world was setting the mood for Two, as though to stage a performance he was witnessing. Indeed, somehow watching Two wander about with inspiration in his optics captivated One more than he knew it should've. He found himself following the Inventor without a word.

"One moment it is a peaceful beauty. Cool waves, deep blue and stretching on for miles, kissed by the sun. Then it becomes tumulus and rough. The sky fills with clouds as the sea becomes angry beneath, fighting against ships and the like. Sometimes it can tip a ship. Sometimes it completely takes them under…" Two looked back at One with that small smile. "That would be a maelstrom. A sudden, violent tug of currents fighting against one another, sucking them down into unfathomable depths. I'd assume any ship would cave."

One tightened his grip on his staff as he stared at Two in the darkness. There was another reason he had pointedly tried to distance himself from Two and now it was coming back with a vengeance. Then, suddenly, Two asked as innocently as could be, "One, is something the matter?" The smile didn't change and One stared back as he replied. "…No. I was just considering that- What you were saying. I haven't ever heard you mention the ocean before now." There was actual curiosity as well and Two got a slightly sad look.

"Well… No, I don't bring it up. As much as I love the ocean, as much as one can love something else, there is a separation. I don't have a ship, I don't have the means, I am not equipped to go sailing the seven seas… If I did I would lose what I have now, and I am content." His optics dropped towards the floor, "But it is difficult to pine over something that you want so badly but cannot have. Every part of my body tells me I was made for it, but better judgement always takes over in the end… Then I try to push it out of my mind." One knew it too well.

An extremely loud boom of thunder nearly rattled the windows. Two closed his optics and shivered in response. "Dear me, that storm is getting worse. Speaking of maelstroms, you may get to see one if the street starts to flood!" He playfully joked and headed towards the back of the store. "We should keep away from the windows and, perhaps, find a bed. Are you coming?" One finally looked away, "Yes, I just… Need to check outside one last time see what you can find." The shorter nodded and headed off, leaving the leader alone.

One knew what was happening much too well. It had happened before, but never this intently. Then again, he had never heard Two go on such a passionate speech about oceans before. One had a feeling he would never be able to hear so much as a word about the seven seas without envisioning Two. Only for a moment did he stare out at the growing storm to make sure the others weren't coming. If they were it would save him from the trapped feeling beginning to suck him downwards into his own fabric. He then headed after Two.

The storm seemed to drain any noise out of the room that it didn't create itself. All One heard as he approached the back was hundreds of raindrops pouring down on the roof. Then he turned the corner by the edge of what looked like a desk and found Two behind it. The younger Stitchpunk seemed to have pulled a pillow out of a display case, leaving the jewelry upon it to rest on the wood unprotected. Currently he was patting down the pillow, staring over the silky, baby blue color of it, still smiling as he had been before.

One didn't recognize when the staff left his hand. There must have been noise as Two looked upwards. His optics, wide and full of life, almost immediately dragged One over. Two didn't say a word and simply stared back curiously. The Leader' pulse pounded as he approached and stood before the Inventor. One looked into his optics with his own widening in alarm. He knew what those men had felt when staring into the maelstrom. Then he leaned down and his lips were suddenly onto Two's. He had been dragged under the waves.

All of the passion, the need, the fear of rejection, of judgement, it all suddenly released once the action was done. One had claimed Two, Two clearly knew everything now, and yet he didn't move. One rested his hands on Two's shoulders as to keep him a close as he could. After a moment he realized that Two wasn't making an effort to push him away, and then felt Two's hand touch his neck. It slowly slid around, softly caressing the fabric and metal, and then gripped at the back of his neck to hold him securely. He felt something as well.

Their lips continued to ravish each other as One led Two back towards the pillow. The shorter followed suit until he was stopped by the edge of the pillow. It took a few second before One decided to lean over holding Two securely as to lead him onto the pillow. Eventually he was bent back enough that One was fully holding his weight and lowered him onto the softness of pillow. One now took a moment to pull back and stare down at the smaller male laying before him. As expected, he looked beautiful; lightly panting with a ghost of a green glow on his cheeks.

"One…" Two spoke in between gasps. There was a questioning in his optics and One knew he had to explain. "I've had that same feeling. The need, the want to have something but knowing I cannot…" Two optics slightly widened and he went to speak, but One cut him off. "And I know what you're going to say already. We're too old, we share a Creator, we're both male, and I have thought over these things many times as well. I just… I have spent so many years being quiet and, Creator Two, you had to wait until now to go off on a tangent about the ocean!"

Two chuckled pleasantly and reached upwards for him. His hands cupped One's gaunt face. "Oh One, oh no. I wasn't going to say that at all. I don't… I don't worry about those sorts of things. I am comfortable who I am, who you are, and I don't worry what the others will think…" He hesitated a moment, looked away, and then looked back, "One, I consider you very much like the sea." One furrowed his brows, "Two, you do remember how you described the sea, do you not?" He wondered if this was some sort of joke, but the other nodded.

"Yes, but still… I find myself swept away by thoughts of the sea… I find myself swept away by thoughts of you." Then his face marred in confusion, "But One, for years I've been trying to make it clear that I was interested, so I just assumed that you weren't!" One looked away, Two sighed in response. "But you just explained why that was… So I'm happy." The smile returned once more, livelier than ever. One felt a strike of guilt and slowly exhaled, "Oh Two, what are we doing to each other?" Two shrugged, "I assume the same thing that we've been doing since birth."

"I won't pretend that I wasn't interested in you when we were younger. You were such an adorable newborn." His affectionately stroked over his side and he pressed their foreheads together. "But you used to drive me completely insane. You still do. Somehow I'm staying afloat." Two released a noise like a purr, a warm sigh filled with delight, and One could no longer hold back. He pressed their lips together again and fully embraced the smaller male against his buckles. The warmth was amazing and he couldn't imagine pulling away again.

His hands moved down to trace over Two's hips, gently coaxing his legs apart so that he could be given full access to everything he wanted so desperately to have. He could already feel the growing heat in his core, spreading downwards and pulsing through his body. It was a part of him that had never been engaged in such a way. Never had he even considered mating and even now he wasn't fully certain what everything entailed. Mostly instincts nudged him forward and guided him on what he was supposed to do.

Two reached forward to undo One's buckles in an affectionate manner. There was a growing straining lower in his fabric and the Inventor was set to free it; though One was a bit confused to note that Two did not have the same issue. There was a brief self-consciousness that passed when his rod came free and was clearly visible. Two looked over with a curiousness in his optics and One clenched his lips closed and bared through it. For a moment there was the overwhelming urge for Two to touch him, but the smaller male didn't even dare to.

Instead, he slid back a little bit, trying to get more comfortable as he looked to the Leader. He was starting to look a bit shyer, something that was very unlike him, but at the same time he seemed to be giving One access. So One took the opportunity to caress his legs, smiling in contentment as Two's breathing became heavier and fulfilled. That was, until One noticed something had changed between his legs. Instead of smooth fabric there was what looked like a metal opening; a cylinder.

This took One off guard. Usually females were supposed to have these and males would have rods. There was no questioning of Two's gender either. It was a choice that the Scientist had made, to make Two with a female part. As though he naturally imagined he was to be with a male. Slowly One's narrowed optics widened and Two chuckled nervously, "I don't suppose this is a problem?" Instead he answered with a sputtering, "Father knew." Two blinked in confusion, "What do you mean?" The Leader insisted, "He made you with- With this. He knew that we were…"

"Oh… Oh!" It suddenly kicked in and Two flinched. Something about their Creator knowing was both endearing and a bit unsettling. "Well… I feel unclean, but not enough to stop," he teased with a tiny smile. One scoffed a bit in response, "You certainly know how to kill the mood." It was a playful comment though and he slid forward to bring them together. His open front pressed to the other's closed one, he briefly played with the ties. Their breathing mingled into one as their pulses raced together.

Slowly One moved his hips forwards and pressed his erection against the opening to the cylinder. He took Two's lips with his own before actually starting to push inside. Two gripped him tighter and arched against the pillow; One couldn't tell if from pain or pleasure. Regardless, he moved gently in his efforts, slowly pushing deeper into the other's body. His own pleasure was intense with the tightness that had literally wrapped itself around his rod. Such a perfect fit, so firm, and he was practically trembling by time he was fully in.

There was a flash of light that filled the room. At first One thought it was from his own pleasure, but when the thunder suddenly followed he realized it was the storm. Two clenched around him with a soft gasp, surprised by the sudden boom even though the light had been there to foreshadow it. One knew that he needed to stop and comfort him. He hesitated for a brief moment and used this time to kiss over the shorter male's cheek. He didn't say a word because he truly didn't think he could speak.

"I-I'm okay," Two squeaked out. "Please, don't stop now." One complied eagerly as he started to slowly move back out, then press back inside once more. He found an easy pattern and continued it eagerly, feeling as Two reacted with shivers and groans. Once the smaller started to thrust his hips forward, One began to try and gain speed. He lifted Two's hips and continued to thrust inside, pressing him further into the soft pillow beneath. It didn't give the best leverage, but it was much more comfortable than the floor would've been.

Two's hands moved to clutch the pillow as though to keep himself righted enough to push back. He attempted to thrust back again his mate, but it was awkward to do, and it seemed that One was doing well enough on his own. His rod was large and firm, swiftly and eagerly massaging against his interior. The heat was growing with a rushing pleasure through his body; Two wondered if this was what it felt like to have blood. He felt lightheaded from the pleasure, but in a pleasant way as though he was as light as a feather.

One clutched him a bit tighter and buried into his neck so that he could inhale his scent. Everything was so fulfilling, everything was so wonderfully Two-like. He could only smell his scent, could only hear his gasping and begging along with a light bit of rain, and could only feel the tightness of his inner metals. It was as though he lost the feeling in everything other than what was directly touching, or inside of, Two. Two was starting to look more and more dazed. He thrashed his head around and began to grow louder and louder.

Just seeing him was driving One to a point he had never expected. He felt like he was going insane, losing himself again as he stared at the beautiful sight before him. Two glanced back to him, getting a slight smile for a moment. Then something suddenly hit him. His optics widened before abruptly closing tightly. His body trembled as though it was being wracked with waves. As though the storm had somehow gotten inside and was only affecting him alone. "One!" It was the only actual word that he managed to get out through everything.

His cylinder grew tighter, hotter, and suddenly the pleasure increased dramatically. It dragged One in further and smothered him in whatever was overcoming Two. He couldn't breathe as he attempted to continue thrusting and simply failed at it. Two was too tight around him and he was too trapped to move. The blinding shock of pleasure hit him as whatever pent energy burst inside of him. It took him a few moments to ride it out, even if it felt like an eternity until he was collapsed atop of Two.

Two managed to sober and cuddled One to him. He kissed along his lips and stroked over his back and shoulders with adoration. One held him a bit tighter around the middle as he slid out of him and laid down beside him on the pillow. He coaxed Two to rest his head on his chest, so that he could have him as close as possible. "That… That was amazing!" Two gasped out. "Thank goodness the others weren't nearby or they would've surely heard us… Or, well, me." The Leader lightly chuckled in full contentment, fully relaxed and unconcerned.

"They will be fine, wherever they are. They can handle themselves." Two retorted with his own playfulness, "You won't be saying that an hour from now when the euphoria wears off and they're still gone." One pursed his lips in disagreement, which only amused Two further. He leaned upwards to kiss him once more. When he started to move back, One suddenly announced something more. "Two, I promise on my life and soul, I will get you to the ocean. I cannot promise a ship, I don't even know how we could make a functioning one at our size, but I will take you to the shore."

He caressed Two's cheeks with his hands, watching as a soft amount of color began to appear underneath them. "Oh, One, you don't have to do that. I'm not that dedicated to seeing the sea. It would be nice, but with time and everything…"He briefly trailed off before smiling more confidently. "One, you and the sea do differ a bit. I don't need the sea to be happy." He could hear the older male's delighted purr in response and relaxed once more against him. One held him close and listened to the storm rage on outside of the building.

For the moment they were safe and together, and One would make sure it stayed like that. If he was like Two's ocean and Two was his own maelstrom then they were created for each other. Born to stay like this.

FIN

Mable: Now time to work on my other requests. One, in fact, being for someone else whose birthday is also today. O.O It's actually a pretty small world when you think about it. Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed!