"You're late" he muttered, the drying blood on his lips making it difficult to be heard through his broken helmet.
"I didn't want to be, but orders" even without seeing her face North knew it was compressed in a tight frown that had made Arkansas known as the Matron. There was no doubt she was best pilot in the squad. Rising to the rank of Ace Pilot in less then three years out of the academy was unheard of.
North admire that, respected it, but more over, he simply adored Ark
Stretching in the cockpit, she turned and glance behind her again, as if to assure herself North hadn't moved. "I'm not going anywhere" he chuckled harshly. A slight pause, followed by a humph meant the famous frown was back.
North shifted slightly in his armour, feeling the latex underlining grip almost tighter to his skin. The blood running down his chest was drying and causing friction against the armour plating. He hated it, a necessary evil, South had worn hers proudly since the day they'd graduated. His mind eye still replaying the photographer asking if South wanted to remove her helmet for a final photo with their family, she refused.
"Approaching Mother of Invention, awaiting clearance. Clearance received, buckle up kids – this is going to be bumping" Arkansas voice broke his train of thought. "South jump behind, strap him down, try not to move him as much as possible, entry going to be tricky"
North winced, when an Ace Pilot said tricky it meant damn near impossible. "That's what she said" he managed to spit out as his twin buckled the strapping around his body.
Arkansas snorted, and took a tighter grip on the throttle, "If I manage this landing, I owe you a beer ND."
Mother of Invention wasn't a difficult military docking – but in a registered UNSC Pelican landing in an open field was a challenge. Arkansas eyes strained as she watched military service men dashing back and forth along the run way, moving vehicles and stacking blocks of compressed foam and garbage at the back of the run way.
Breathing deep, she nudged the throttle forward and felt the slight lunch in the ship's engines. Machinery had always been easier to read then people, if a machine had a problem you could fix it, if not, then time to say good bye. People were different, harder to read, you could never tell what was occurring in the unpredictable mind of a human.
The port-side torrent was hanging lower in the atmosphere, putting more pressure of the back hull engines, Ark made a note for the techs to look into that, if they landed safely. Tipping further the shipbegan a slight nosedive with a steady approach.
"I think we're landing too fast" Ark heard South whisper as they hit an air pocket and were bounced several feet. "Calm down South" came North's always docile reply "Ark knows what she's doing."
A zing of confidence spread through Ark as heady as the adrenalin. North had faith in her, he was in pain, possibly dying, she needed to help him, he was relaying on her. She could do this.
Another air pocket and a tight yelp from North "Sorry" Ark said a little shyly, she was trying to help him not cause him further pain. A quick recalibration and she pushed them into a steady decent. Ice had began to form on the outsides of the screens. Factoring ice, she pushed further through, until the ship's nose edged across the narrow docking platform, lowering wheels and and crunching the breaks.
Everything had been quite while Ark processed the landing actions she'd practised through a million times before, it was only when she let out a sigh of relief and let her head rock back against the cockpit seat she registered that South was screaming.
"We're going to die! You've killed us all" Unbuckling her harness Ark stepped out of the cockpit as the medics and loading crew boarded. Slipping quickly off vehicle she took stock of the ship condition in reference for her report.
"That was some mighty fine flying I must say" Standing to attention Arkansas quickly turned and was greeted with a stare from the Director himself.
"Thank you sir, just doing my job" She straighten her back as much as it would allow her. He watched her through the lenses of his glasses and slowly nodded. "It's my understanding agent, that when requested no vehicle or ship on this sector was available or operational." He blinked and glanced at the ship"Which begs the question where did you procure the ship?"
Ark glanced forward as a stretcher carrying North was offloaded and rushed off in a crowd of medics.
"I stole it" she replied "from the UNSC" The Director shook his head.
North lay on the spotless white sheets of the infirmary ward, South was off in the training squad headquarters and as yet no one had come to questions him on South's draft report of the operation's events. Eyes closed and sighing in a quite moment of privacy, he relished the feeling without armour. The light breeze of the air-con, the smooth texture of cotton sheets, the warmth of skin on skin…
His eyes blinked open, Ark stood above him, her features blurry via the bright med lights surrounding them, but he knew it was her. She was clad in a simple rank uniform, none too flatter to her figure but it was her.
"Hey," he drawled, attempting to sit up, only to be forced back down, "don't" she said softly "they plugged up all the holes in you as best they could, don't go undoing their handy work." Laying flat in surrender, he watched as she paced the room.
"You have to be more careful" she pleaded, moving from behind the light, North could now see her more clearly, the deep red highlights in her hair, the sprinkle of freckles along her nose he loved but she hated, and intelligent grey eyes that bore no argument.
"I had no choice, South…" he got no further, Ark let out an agonised groan "I know ND, I watched over the footage, she's an idiot!"
North found himself again rising off the pillows, "yes, she is, but she's also my sister! It's my job to protect her"
Ark scoffed "even if it costs your life?"
North didn't miss a beat "Of course" Ark shook her head and turned, exiting the ward "that attitude will kill you one day."
He was frustrated, angry and far to warm. With the bullet holes in his chest still healing, he was being forced to sleep on his back, which induced snoring that kept everyone else in the ward awake. He did even bother to try sleeping. He was mad at South, mad at Ark but mostly mad at himself, and the medics had left the heating up to high, even if he'd wanted to sleep it would have been impossible. Eyes closed he tried to focus on his report, but the whisper of footsteps approaching his door caught his attention. It wasn't a member of the military, boots would clunk and echo and it wasn't a medic. No this was the sound of bare feet on the soft metal of the ship's floor.
His door was opened, a dull stream of light seeped in and in it's spotlight was Ark. She obviously been to bed, her hair mused all to one side and her lips a perfect soft pink, swollen with sleep. North closed his eyes, but felt with a contained awkwardness that he too was beginning to swell.
"ND" she slurred, hell she even sounded asleep
"Hey Ark, not sleep walking are you?" he was caught off guard by the gentle tickling laughter that filled the room. "No, not this time."
She moved forward and North felt with unspeakable dread that it was certain she's notice his now pounding erection. The beautiful tones of that sweet and easy laugh had set his blood alight. As if all the anger and frustration was gone, replaced by arousal, growing in heat as she moved closer.
"I'm sorry I was so angry" she said, leaning close to his bed, her face brushed his as she manoeuvred herself along side him. Her knees were bumping his thigh and her hands her were grasping the sheet over his bare chest. Her face was pressed against the nook of his shoulder and neck. He could feel her breath against his skin, the warmth of her body adding to the already intense heat pumping through him.
"That's ok" he whispered, demanding his hands stay at his side, but his body didn't listen. The same as in a combat situation, the mind shuts down as the body takes over a primal need, to fight or in this case, mate.
His fingers slid along the threadbare cotton of her sleeping fatigues, over the groove in her hips, around the soft lobes of her arse. His hand paused, gently digging his fingers into the flesh, and was rewarded with a sensual moan somewhere close to his ear. "I just don't want to lose you" followed by sleep swollen lips against battle worn skin.
He melted, the mental chant 'you killed men today, yeast infections, grandma, the Redsox at the play offs' which had been playing in his mind ceased, a primal urge was rising. The fingers gripping the sheet was now circling in lovely motions over his chest, they paused. "You're far to hot, are you fevered?" She moved her hands to grip his face, she had a callous on her right middle finger, a pressure point while flying, but beyond that, she had wonderfully smooth hands, small, petite, with slender fingers that were being run all over the dips and panes of his face.
"It's just the heating" he told her calmly, a lot more calmly then he felt, if he didn't keep it together no matter how much pain, he'd jump her bones.
"Then why have the sheet silly" and then in a whoosh of fabric, the only thing between North and Ark was gone. The sudden change in temperature caused a quick run of goosebumps of flourish along his skin, it also caused his erection to bob involuntary, drawing her immediate attention.
"Maybe" he struggled to choke out "maybe it'd be best if you left"
Ark's eyes grew wide at the sight of North's beaten body, stitches and surgical tape covered much of his upper torso, the flesh that could be seen was a mattered blue and black with bruising. His arousal had not gone unnoticed, but men did that all the time in preparation for sleep, she thought.
No, it was the brutality of his wounds that was causing her pause with amazement, she barley registered his words.
Her head jolted up "why?" His ice blue eyes blinked slowly and she thought of all the medication he'd been given, how doped was he?
"Because if you don't go I am running the risk of ruining my stitches, causing a greater risk of infection" it was delivered in North's usually calm, confident tone, but it felt tease, almost in pain.
"Why? What's wrong? Is there something I can do?"
She was so beautiful kneeling beside him, the look of deep concern and worry on her matron face. It made his heart flutter. He chuckled, attempting to secure her, before she did something silly and called the medics. Humour, Ark always responded well to humour "Nothing sweetness, but unless your offering a blow job, I don't there's anything you can do" he finished with a smile, allowing her to see him unguarded. She smiled back, but it wasn't one laced with warm laughs and giggles. It was of hot, unadulterated sensuality, a cocky grin that caused North to almost doubled back, had he not been so turned on.
"Then I think I can help" was all she muttered as she moved down the bed.
Gently, lovingly she kissed down his stomach, careful to avoid stitches and any particular heavily bruised areas. She heard him take a quick inhale, what could have been pain if not for the sight of his cock continuing to lengthen and harden as she lingered over it.
He was a delicate peach colour, deepening red at the head, with a tiny bead of pre-cum ooze just begging to be licked. She looked up at him one more time, seeing the deep flush in his pale cheeks, his ears a hot red against the near white of his blonde hair. She was filled with a gush of heat, between her legs becoming damp with the erotic thoughts and motions running through her mind. She smiled at him, then lowered herself over his cock.
Her lips were his downfall, from the minute she's snuck in and he'd noticed her lips, he'd prayed he'd see them over the length of his cock. And there they were, sliding up and down in a tight sheath, causing the nerve endings all over his body to twitch and pulse in desire. Her tongue circled the head, playing along the sides of his foreskin, he bucked slightly, unintentional and Ark hummed in delight. He's hands fell into her shock of hair, twisting, entangling, his fingers gently pressed to her scalp. This was too good, his head rocked back and his hips began to sway, much to Ark's enjoyment by the sound. A low groan began at the back of his throat, "Ark," he pressed his hips deeper, the sucking intensified, did she have no gag reflex?
He groaned again, feeling everything beginning to speed up, tease up, including Ark, she knew – she must have known, her tongue almost frantic in speed and the heat, it felt so good.
"Ark," he spoke harshly as if completing a marathon "Ark, I'm going to cum, please, just a little harder. Never felt so good…"
Pleasure is different for everyone North was aware of a warm wash of feeling and colour across his body, an amazing throbbing complete with a heavy shot of cum, which left him sleepy, satisfied and more at peace then he ever had before.
Ark's pleasure was a sore jaw, accompanied by North's comment "I'm going to cum" Four words which she's longed to heard from those calmly controlled lips for so long. He tasted smoky, musky and with a bitter after taste she willing swallowed. He actually looked better, no longer tense, or even in pain, he's arms loosely propped behind his head, eyes closed with a happy smile across his beaten features. Her smile widened and she slowly removed herself from the bed. "Hey," he sleepily mused "not staying? I promise I'll make it worth your while" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her and was rewarded with a laugh. "Maybe next time ND, when I'm sure you won't fall apart of me" He smiled back "well stay with me anyway? I'm sure I can make room"
She shook her head, "in this standard medic bunk, forget about it North" she moved across the room and turned down the heating. "There, that should make it a little more comfortable" picking up the discarded sheet, she carefully tucked him in and was about to pull away, when he caught her hand "Thank you Claire" tugged her further down and kissed her. His lips were dry and warm with a tongue that tipped through to gently lap at her lips.
"I will make this up to you" he said, their foreheads resting soothingly against each other. Ark smiled "you'd better" after a time, she stood and left, leaving North possibly the luckiest man on the 'Mother of Invention'