WARNING: This fic is set about 6 months after the conclusion of Gears of War 3. THERE WILL BE SPOILERS! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!
NOTE/DISCLAIMER: I don't own Gears of War or these characters, yadah yadah, you know the drill. This fic is rated M for Sexual Content! Once again, very citrusy but still classy.
OK! So it's been a bit since I finished "Definitely Unexpected" and I'm sorry for that. I started graduate school in January, so I've been ridiculously busy. But I'm taking the Maymester off so hopefully I'll get this story written before the long term starts mid-June.
A special shout-out and thank you to the amazing folks who followed "Definitely Unexpected" so fervently and kept urging me to write the sequel as soon as I could. I finally decided to finish and post this snippet as an answer to your requests. Hope you like it!
This is an intimate scene between Sam and Baird after they arrive back at Anvil Gate from Delta Squad's exploration of the Deadlands Post Gears of War 3!A sweet shower scene. For now it will serve as a One-Shot. I know there is mention of an OC in the beginning. No worries! You'll learn about him in the full story.
As always, I tried to keep the characters as close to their game selves as possible. And again, I encourage everyone who loves Gears of War to read Karen Traviss' books about GoW. They make the story so much more meaty and help you understand the connections that aren't shown in between the games. They're awesome!
Please comment and favorite if you like it. I'm open to feedback but please no bashing. If you don't like the pairing, sorry. I think they're friggin' perfect for each other. Enjoy!
Ohhh yes! Uggh thank you God!
Sam stood with her face up, eyes closed tight, relishing the feel of the hot water against her skin. Her arms and nose were a bit sunburned but it didn't matter. The last time she'd had a hot bath was when they were camped out in that old ghost town in the Deadlands. She shook her head.
In other words, too friggin' long.
She braced herself against the wall with her arm. Seeing Ziggy again had brought a lot of things back. She wasn't sure she was ready to think about them just yet.
Not to mention he obviously makes Baird uncomfortable. Can't say I blame him though. It's always weird meeting your girlfriend's old mates... especially if they used to be the romantic mates.
She squinted against the water that ran down her face. She hoped that things wouldn't be tense with the two of them here. Ziggy was from a different era of her life – her past - and Baird was her present.
...and future possibly. I don't see us breaking this off any time soon. But right now, it is what it is. I like him a lot. Can't say I've ever liked anyone as much.
She let out a short sigh. We've gotten pretty close since we got past all that awkwardness stuff. She smiled to herself. ...I don't know what I'd do without him.
She furrowed her brow. She'd actually been a bit worried about him. He had been acting a bit off since they'd arrived. Maybe it was because he wasn't used to being around so many different people again. Maybe he was having flashbacks of the last time they were all there like she and Anya were.
She sighed. Maybe I'll ask him when I get out of here...
Heavy footsteps jogged her out of her musing. The stalls were fairly tall and had doors so it wasn't like someone could just walk in on her, but still she went on guard. As they closed in, the weight and stride seemed to match with a man's. As she looked down at the floor, the person's shadow – whoever they were – stopped outside her stall.
Uggh there is no friggin' way, asshole...
"Sam? Is that you in there?" Baird's voice instantly brought her relief. She let out her breath; she hadn't even realized she'd even been holding it. She moved a bit closer to the door so she didn't have to yell.
"Yeah it's me. What do'ya need, Baird?"
She heard him lean against the doorframe. "I, uh, I was just wondering if you were ok."
She creased her brow and turned the handle. The door swung out a bit, steam pouring out into the room. She couldn't help but laugh at his surprised face when the door opened. She could swear he was blushing a bit.
She smirked as she coyly eyed him from around the door. "Why, Damon Baird?! You'd think you'd never seen me naked before from how quickly your ears and cheeks just caught fire."
He snapped his mouth shut and gave her a snarky look. "Hey, the ears are sunburned. The cheeks too..." He glanced away. "The neck, not so much though." She glanced down and saw that it was beat red. She chuckled as he cleared his throat.
"Uh... what was I asking you again?" He kept trying not to look like he was glancing towards her chest.
She cocked an eyebrow. "You were wondering if I am ok."
"Right! Yeah, I guess you've just seemed... kinda distracted or upset or I don't know, just not yourself since we got here."
Sam smiled at him. God, he's actually quite cute when he's being all sweet and genuine.
She rested her head against the side of the door between them, wrapping her hand around it for support. "Yeah I'm all right. Just... being back here just dredges up a lot of things from my past." She rolled her eyes slightly. "Seeing Zig doesn't help. It's just weird thinking about how much my life has changed in the past three years, let alone since before E-Day." She grimaced as she glanced up at him. "It's just a lot to soak in and have brought back all at once, you know?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
She offered him a sideways smile. "What about you? You've been sort of in a strange way yourself. Everything ok?"
He looked stunned for a second, almost like he didn't expect her to notice stuff like that. He grimaced and shook his head.
"Nah just got stuff on my mind, you know. It's nice to not have to be constantly looking over my shoulder anymore...though I can't seem to stop looking over my shoulder. Having solid walls around us and a real roof over our head is nice too... though I guess it feels a bit claustrophobic."
She let out a laugh. "Yeah I know what you mean. Every time that damn intercom goes off, I jump out of my skin."
He nodded then fell silent for a moment. He glanced up at her and gave her a small smile. "Well I know I'm not the most soothing person to be around but is there anything I can do to help you with your... uh, nostalgia, I guess?"
She raised her eyebrows a bit and gave him a helpless smirk. "Just put up with my weird mood for a bit longer?"
He scoffed and grinned. "Uh I've been putting up with your weird moods since I met you, Sam." He scrunched up his nose. "Think I can manage for a bit longer."
She grinned and moved around the door. She took his face in her hands and kissed him fully, feeling the coolness of his armor against her chest and his finger-less gloved hands slide around her waist, a mixture of skin and leather. He started to move his hands up her back before she suddenly realized something. She pushed away slightly, trying not to feel bad about the bewildered look on his face.
"What? What did I do?" he asked, his face creased with confusion.
She shook her head and made a face. "It's what you haven't done. And that's taken a bath yet. Ohh and I'm all clean and I'm kissing you. Uggh!" She stepped back into the protection of the stall and grabbed the handle, flashing him a sassy smirk. "I'm sorry, Baird, but you can't touch me again until you've bathed."
She stifled a laugh as his face took on a "you've got to be kidding" look. She held her shoulders up in a shrug and made a face.
"Sorry, mate. Catch you later." She stepped back under the water, instantly loving the near scalding heat on her now cooled skin.
A sudden draft from the door hit her back. She was about to turn when a large hand held her shoulder in place while another reached past her, a bared chest graze against her back. Her grin broadened as Baird put his chin on her shoulder, holding the soap out in front of her.
"Need help scrubbing your back?" He murmured huskily. She nudged his head a bit.
"Sure."
Moving back a step, he began sliding the tar soap as smoothly over her skin as he could. He was methodical, making small circles over every inch of her shoulder blades, middle and lower back and even down the backs of her arms. His other hand rubbed over the path of the soap, massaging places when he felt knots. The soap wasn't the only thing lingering on her skin though. She felt herself flush a bit at the feel of his eyes following the soap as he worked, taking in every inch of her.
"What are you thinking about?" She asked just loudly enough for him to hear her over the water.
He sighed. "I was just thinking..." his voice sounded far away for a moment and she had to keep herself from bristling. He sighed slightly and massaged a section of her lower back.
"I was thinking... that you have a much more manly back than I do. So muscular." She could hear the smirk in his voice and turned slightly to meet his eye. The smirk smeared his eyes as well. She shook her head.
"Just means I'm tougher than you."
She heard him scoff before he murmured, "You might be... but your nails certainly aren't."
"What was that now, Baird? I couldn't hear you over the sound of your masculine insecurities."
He scoffed back and rubbed a little harder for a second on her shoulder blades to punctuate his words. "Insecurities, huh? Pretty 'tough' talk coming from my girlfriend who won't even face me during an intimate moment in the shower. What's wrong? You feeling shy, Saman-"
At that, she turned and looked him square in the face, hands on hips. The abrupt sight of her chest must have startled him because he actually stepped back a couple of steps, almost tripping into the doorframe. His eyes darted over her quickly then back to her face.
"Not at all, Damon. Not. At. All. Ha! How do you like that, smart ass?"
He stared at her a moment. Then a wicked grin slid onto his face just as the realization swept over Sam.
"I like it quite a lot actually."
She shot him a disbelieving look. "You are such an ass, Baird."
His grin took a slightly triumphant turn as he nodded. "Yes... Yes I am."
Sam shook her head and snatched the soap from him. "Well you've had your look. Guess you should be heading off now." Making a face, she turned her back to him once more and began to wash her front.
Before she could do much, two large hands wrapped around her waist from behind. Baird's strong muscular chest pressed against her back; she could feel his calloused skin from wearing armor move over her scars. His stubbled chin rested on her shoulder once more and rubbed against neck. She felt a grin spread across her face as Baird kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear, his voice a mock whine.
"But I wasn't finished." He took the soap in one of his hands and proceeded to wash the front of her body as he had her back; one hand ran the soap over her skin and the other smoothed it over the area in slow circles.
Reaching up, she ran her hand over the back of his head and down to his chin, which responded by rubbing her cheek once more. His hands kept migrating all over her chest and stomach. She felt her heart skip as the soap ran over her breasts. His other hand followed, massaging more than smoothing. Her breath quickened as he focused his attention there for a few minutes.
Ever since their talk in the Tower that day, they'd been together several other times, but she always marveled at how perfectly his hands fit her body.
Not just specific parts either but OH! She gasped as he suddenly gave her breast a slight squeeze, strangling her ability to think for a moment. She was let out a shaky breath. Uggh that's not important right now, is it -?
She suddenly realized his other hand had discarded the soap and was now moving downward, swooping over her abdomen. Before she could prepare herself, his hand reached further down until...
Sam stifled a moan as his hand slid between her legs. Despite her attempt to keep control, she found herself squirming, her breath starting to come out in ragged spurts as he moved his hand against her. Baird slid his other hand up and down her side, over her love handles and back to her chest. At his second touch, her arm shot out to the wall as she tried to steady herself. She suddenly felt something pressed against her backside...
But before she could register anything else, she felt Baird's lowest hand move in a way she wasn't expecting. She let out a moan and threw her head back against his shoulder as she felt a deep tug from her abdomen. She could barely breathe. He leaned up a bit and nipped her neck before murmuring a path up to her ear.
"...Samantha..." He whispered against her ear lobe.
She let out a heavy breath.
And that was all it took.
In one movement, Baird removed both of his hands, turned her around, and steered her towards the wall adjacent the shower faucet. She gasped as he pinned her against the cool tile. His hands and mouth were everywhere at once, burning trails wherever they touched. She raked her nails up and down his back, desperately trying to breathe. One of his hands connected with her lower region again and she whimpered despite herself. She reached down and ran her fingers along his abdomen and down, coaxing a throaty moan out of him. He ground against her, his hands kneading her breasts as his mouth captured her own, cutting off what little oxygen she had.
She could hardly stand it. He was driving her wild. She managed to wrench her mouth away from his as she grabbed the back of his head and brought her mouth to his ear, sucking on the lobe.
"Damon," she groaned breathlessly into his ear. "Damon..." Suddenly his hands stopped exploring and shot around to hoist her up. She cried out as their bodies connected and wrapped her legs around his waist. She clung to his neck and panted in his ear, his own ragged breaths hitting her shoulder as he barreled into her. At one point, she stifled a whimper and he almost stopped.
"Sam..." He whispered hoarsely.
Her voice didn't work anymore. She responded by molding her mouth to his.
He grunted and rocked into her even more. She suddenly felt him tense and grip her back even harder. She hung on for dear life as he moaned into her shoulder, picking up the pace to the point where his feet almost came off the floor. The tension threatened to rip her apart and just when it seemed it would, he cried out, her own cry echoing in kind.
He groaned heavily into her shoulder and slowly let her down. He supported himself against the wall but let his body stay flush against hers. She held him to her with what strength she had left. He was shaking. She pressed her head up against his and tried to slow her breathing.
"Sam..." He whispered her name into her hair over and over. She ran her hand up into his as she felt his arms wrap around her waist. He pulled back and looked at her, his expression a mixture of everything.
"Sam..." He ran a hand over her wet hair, wiping a stray section from her face. "I..." He shifted his gaze, unable to speak. She kissed him slowly, feeling his eyes flutter closed as his lashes brushed her cheek. He clasped her to him in what seemed some desperate attempt at...something.
She pulled back. "Baird... what's wrong?"
He merely looked at her, his eyes searching hers.
He swallowed. "I..." He searched a moment more and seemed to not be able to say what he needed to.
He shook his head. "I just... we definitely need to do that again." She grinned at him as his voice took on its normal tenor, though shaky from their moment.
But his eyes... Sam's heart ached for a moment as she locked hers with his. They screamed something she'd never seen before. Something he couldn't say. She couldn't quite place it. But whatever it was, it made her heart ache.
Sam reached up and ran her fingers down his cheek, searching his face before leaning in and kissing him again. She could feel a pained expression cross his face as he passionately deepened the kiss and drew her closer to him, the desperation slightly leaking into his embrace once more. Her heart contracted.
Fuck this hurts... what is this? What is going -?
Suddenly it clicked. It had been something she'd known since the day they had made up in West Tower. Something she had known throughout the past five months on the road.
Something she had known... but had never acknowledged.
Bloody hell... I'm in love with Damon Baird.
Well that's the first snippet/One-Shot to introduce my upcoming sequel to Definitely Unexpected. It will involve the group returning to Anvil Gate after their time exploring the Deadlands. It will more than likely follow not just Baird and Sam but also a bit of Anya and Marcus and their final big day. Once I write the wedding chapter, I'll post that as another One-Shot.
Hope you folks liked it! I'm excited to finally be getting back to this story after several months away. Feel free to leave comments!
See you soon!