Still

by markovgirl

There was a calm after the storm they created. (M for adult themes, smut, language. Alternate end and beyond.)

Set after the detonation of the atomic bomb. In this fic, no headaches, no debilitating, degenerative disease. Five is still deceased.

Not much plot here, more slice of life.

-0-

It has been three months since Nine and Twelve saw their plan come to fruition. They fled the city soon after and took residence in the Settlement for a week. The trio watched from afar and waited, expecting to be chased, caught, executed - but it never came. What did come, on the seventh day at the Settlement, was Shibazaki, alone. Nine heard the crunching of feet on gravel first, Twelve and Lisa were still curled up together on the disused couches. He walked calmly out of the Settlement, hands in his pockets, pulse steady.

"I thought I'd find you here," Shibazaki greeted, raising his right hand. A small rucksack was slung across his shoulder. A long plume of cigarette smoke spiraled out of his mouth. "Quite a scene you caused back there."

Nine leaned back against a half-collapsed exterior wall and pushed his glasses up his nose. "I'm surprised you didn't come sooner."

"There was things to be doin' back in the city," he replied, flicking his cigarette butt to one side. "There's still a lot to do. No casualties though, so there's a silver lining."

The two men stared at each other silently for a moment. Shibazaki let out a sigh and reached into his top pocket for another cigarette.

"Where's the cavalry?" Nine asked, crossing his arms in front of him.

The older man sparked up and flicked his lighter shut. He took a thoughtful drag of his cigarette, then raked a hand through his hair. Nine noted the exhausted look on his face. His reflection wore the same.

"There ain't no cavalry," he answered.

Nine frowned. "What do you mean?"

"You're a clever boy, I'm not gonna repeat myself," Shibazaki commented, rubbing his forehead with the back of his hand. He shrugged off the rucksack and threw it toward Nine, who caught it deftly. "Get outta here. There's keys, bit of cash. You boys are pretty good at lookin' after yourselves, so I won't worry too much."

"Worry?" Nine repeated, confused. "I don't understand. Surely, you are here to arrest us."

"You kids have done more than enough time in prison," Shibazaki murmured, glancing at the entrance to the Settlement behind the other man. He looked back at Nine and fixed him with a stern gaze. "There are a few of us who know where you are, who you are, but to the majority - you're dead. Both of you, dead as dust. But that's it, right? Your message is out, no more-"

"The mission is complete," Nine affirmed, fingers clenching around the rucksack. "There is nothing else to do."

Shibazaki chuckled gruffly and cocked his head to one side. "There's plenty of things to be doing, uhh-"

"Nine," he finished. "I am Nine."

The detective frowned slightly. "Maybe the first thing to do is to get yourself a name."

"What's the use of a name?" Nine hissed, coldly.

"What's the use of a number?" Shibazaki replied. "Look, I know you've every right not to trust people like me but, truly, there are good people in this world. We're not all out to hurt you."

Nine looked back at the man and observed him silently. A gust of wind scattered the leaves at their feet and he blinked. His mouth quirked into a small smile. "Thank you."

Shibazaki grinned and flicked away the ash from the end of his cigarette. "Well, that's all I came to do. Make sure you get yourself out of the city. I'd recommend staying up in the mountains, or the countryside - someplace far from here. Good luck, Nine. I hope we do not have to meet again."

The older man turned away from Nine and waved his hand briefly. He slowly began to make his way back down the path.

"There's a car down at the bottom of the hill," the detective called out. "It's an old piece of shit that my Father left me, so don't worry about tracking devices."

Nine stood stock still until the detective had completely faded from sight. When the environment grew silent and still, he hastily re-entered the Settlement and dashed to the room where Twelve and Lisa still lay asleep.

"Wake up," he murmured, gently nudging his friend with the toe of his shoe. As the other stirred, he moved across the room and set the rucksack on the table.

"What's on?" Twelve mumbled, groggily. As the man sat up, pain shot through various areas of his body. He hissed loudly and clutched his side, drawing Nine's attention.

"Are you okay?" a small voice asked from beside him.

Twelve looked down to see Lisa looking up at him with concern. He smiled back at her, wearily. "I'm fine, nothing to worry about."

Nine rolled his eyes. His friend never let anything get to him, at least superficially. He would have to check out his ribs later, the motorcycle crash had most likely broken them. Twelve looked back at him then, and gave him a big grin.

"So, what's up?"

The darker haired man leaned back in his seat and nodded toward the rucksack on the table. Twelve shakily got to his feet and began to move toward him. Lisa seemingly noticed his physical distress and ran to his side, ducking under one arm so that she could support him. Though she had initially been a hinderance, Nine found his affection for the girl growing, most likely a result of the way she cared for Twelve. To see him happy and tended to by another sparked no feeling of jealousy within him, in fact he found it rather pleasant.

"Shibazaki came to say goodbye," Nine said.

Twelve's smile dropped slightly and his grip around Lisa's shoulders visibly tightened. "G-Goodbye?"

"Indeed," he replied. He unzipped the rucksack and emptied the contents onto the table.

The injured man looked down at the items with confusion. Keys, a flashlight, a wad of bills, a few bags of trail mix, a small first aid kit and some water. He looked back up at Nine, who had strangely begun to smile. "What is this?"

Nine pushed his glasses back up his nose. "He said good luck, then he left."

"That's that?"

"That's that."

There was a moment of silence as the information sank in. Twelve let out a short burst of laughter and looked to Lisa, who smiled back. He shook his head in bewilderment. "We did it."

Nine watched the pair quietly, as they hugged one another. He noticed one of Twelve's hands snake into Lisa's hair and press her further into his chest. The other clutched the back of her dress tightly. Nine glanced away when he saw a glimmer of tears in the corner of his friend's eye. Watching them in this intimate moment felt intrusive, it would be best to leave them be for now. He sighed and began to gather the items back into the bag.

"There's is still a lot to do. Gather your things, we need to leave soon."

-0-

It had been six months since Shibazaki left them at the Settlement. The trio had stayed together, knowing that they could no longer leave each other's sides. Twelve had dreams of the ocean, thus they travelled far, to the port city of Otaru. On their way, Nine had insisted they retrieve his safety deposit box from an establishment on the outskirts of Tokyo. They had been successful in their mission, as not all of Sphinx's assets had been seized - most were still unknown. The deposit box contained more money than Lisa had ever seen, which Twelve sheepishly divulged was pilfered from a number of online sources. They used the cash to purchase a cosy apartment by the coast and saved a little for expenses. Their home was a little worn around the edges, but it was large enough for them each to have a separate room as well as a kitchen, a bathroom and a lounge with a stone took on small jobs that would draw no attention; Nine working in a bookstore, Lisa in a bakery and Twelve at a grocery store near to their house. It was enough to live on and to save a small amount, but they didn't care if their lifestyle was simple. It was bliss compared to what had come before.

Nine had the hardest time adjusting, as he often felt at a loss with what to do. His mission was complete, the future was murky, uncertain. For a man who planned everything to the second, the thought was terrifying. What now - a family, a career? He debated if these were even options for him at this point, and whether they were things he would enjoy. For the time being, they were pushed to the back of his mind, faded ideas that were still yet to ripen. Though many basic devices and systems had been reconnected, the country was still rebuilding its electronic platform, so Nine decided to wait until the situation had advanced before attempting to move away from simplicity. They still had their 'Toji Hisami' and 'Arata Kokonoe' documents to hand, so registering for University or a job wouldn't be too difficult. Those identities had never been associated with their 'Sphinx' personas, so those names were safe at least. Nine mulled over ideas for the near future often and always found himself settling on medicine. It was fitting that he should use his induced intellect to help, he thought, to ease the dreadful practice committed by the medical staff at the Settlement.

Twelve was simply elated to be free, the future had yet to properly cross his mind. Sure, he'd thought about it briefly, but he was too focused on enjoying the present to form any solid plans. It didn't matter. He was alive, he was unrestrained by the guilt and anger that had followed him for years. The majority of his time was spent wandering the beach, listening to the sea and the sounds of life from the boardwalk. He always made sure to drag Lisa out with him, not willing to let her out of his sight for fear of losing her again. Lisa didn't mind, she too was elated to be free of her former life and to have found happiness. Nine and Twelve no longer felt like strangers, the journey had bought them a lot closer together. The tension she felt with Nine had dissipated, in fact he seemed to enjoy her company and spoke with her a lot these days. Twelve - he was still his usual, cheery self, slightly flirty but always respectful. But, occasionally there were glimmers of something strange.

It started in the car, on their way to Otaru, his hand on her thigh, thumb stroking her knee softly. Then, a fleeting look of longing when she was out on their balcony having a coffee with Nine. The look turned to jealousy when she congratulated Nine with a hug upon getting his job and the bespectacled man awkwardly ruffled her hair. A number of times she felt Twelve's gaze lingering on her. Then there was the physical teasing. They were never unwanted touches, in fact she wished he would take them further than the gentle brushes he gave now. Twelve's hands lingered on her waist when he hugged her, his favourite place to lounge was with his head on her lap, breath warm on her legs. Lisa recently found herself biting her lip when he drew absent-minded circles on her upper thigh as they relaxed together on the beach. As always, the sensations were removed too soon and she was left frustrated. She didn't broach the subject with him for fear of upsetting the peace in the house, something she treasured and was unwilling to skew.

Staying silent grew more difficult as time went on. A week prior, she had been invited to go out for a drink after her shift at the bakery with her colleagues; an older couple who were also the owners, two women and two young men. It was a rather new and exciting concept for Lisa to have friends, so she relished the opportunity. It was difficult at first, she found socializing rather anxiety-inducing, but after the second glass of wine, she started to relax. After an hour had passed she left, wishing her new friends farewell. Upon arriving home, she headed to the kitchen and warmly greeted the two men inside. Twelve was sat on the countertop, lightly stirring a bubbling pot of sauce that was on the hob next to him with a wooden spoon. Nine was sat at the table, focusing intently on the book in his hand.

"Lisa!" Twelve called, happily. "You're late!"

"Sorry," she replied, placing a plastic bag onto the kitchen table next to Nine. The bespectacled man looked up at her curiously. "We had some leftover buns, the ones you like. Help yourself."

"Thank you," Nine said, giving her a small smile. He immediately reached out and delved a hand into the bag.

"Anyway, sorry - I was invited to go out for a drink with my co-workers," Lisa explained, flushing. "I know I probably should have stayed in but-"

"Did you have fun?" Nine asked, raising an iced bun up to his mouth. She was never able to discern his emotions as his tone never changed.

"I had a lot of fun," she answered, brightly.

Nine hummed in appreciation. "That's good. We need to start leading more 'normal' lives."

"We should go out one evening. It was really lively in the centre of town," Lisa shrugged off her coat and hung it over the back of a dining chair. "I need to shower. Go ahead and eat without me!"

She walked out of the kitchen and shivered as the cooler temperature of the living room hit her skin. Their shared bathroom was situated in between Nine and Twelve's rooms, just down the corridor from her own. It was surprisingly easy to share a home with the two men - though Twelve was messy, Nine was clean. Nine's sense of decor was barren and rather plain, whilst Twelve's was busy, full of life. They balanced one another perfectly and Lisa fitted comfortably in the middle. She entered the bathroom and turned on the tap that hung over the bathtub, waving her hand beneath the stream to check the temperature. Quickly she shed her clothes and moved into the water, sighing as it warmed her skin. Bathing had always been her preferred method of relaxation. There was nothing quite like closing her eyes, slipping under the warm, perfumed water and drifting off to some imaginary land. She emptied the last of the bottle of bubble bath into the water, reminding herself to ask Nine to pick up some more when he went to work tomorrow. Bubbles sprang up from amongst the froth as she swirled it around the tub. The steady stream of water was loud enough that she didn't hear the door click shut behind her. When the bath was nearly full, Lisa turned off the tap and relaxed into the water, closing her eyes.

Her thoughts drifted to a place she found herself frequenting often. Twelve. The relentless teasing was really getting to her. This week alone she had woken up three times in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat, due to dreams filled with images of him. Her body ached for his touch but she didn't know how to broach the subject with him. Lisa let out a soft sigh and slipped further down into the bath. She smoothed her fingers down her chest, drawing small circles around her breast. Her other hand moved lower, gently running over her cunt.

He would take his time, encouraging her to cry out. He would stay silent, wanting to hear her-

"Twelve," she hummed lightly to herself.

"Yes?"

Lisa shrieked when she heard his deep voice reply from across the room. She slipped under the water in a fluster, quickly pushing herself upright. Gasping slightly, she wrapped her arms around her chest and drew her legs up to cover her body.

"Twelve?" she cried, face flushing a deep red. She shook the water from her face and caught sight of the top of his head. He was stood near the doorway, leaning back against the wall, looking at her intently. "What are you doing here?"

"You called my name, I thought you wanted me," he said. He approached the bath and bent at the waist so he could lean down to place his hands on the rim. Lisa noticed the smirk that rose on his face. "I was right."

The girl spluttered, shrinking back until her back hit the end of the tub. "You were mistaken!"

"Hmm," he mused, coyly. "You sure 'bout that?"

Lisa drew her bottom lip in between her teeth, nervously. Twelve chuckled and tilted his head to one side. He reached forward and clamped his hand around her wrist. Without warning, he jerked her toward him, pulling her through the water to the other end of the bath. Lisa shrieked and tried to cover her chest with her free arm. The man laughed lightly and placed his other hand on her cheek, turning her face toward his. He was so close that she could feel his breath on her lips. Her heart was racing and she could feel her face flush with a mixture of embarrassment and arousal. Twelve smiled and stole a glance down at her naked body.

"You're beautiful, Lisa," he stated, softly. "Don't hide from me."

"I-" she mumbled, swallowing thickly. "Thank you."

The hand on her cheek stroked its way down to the base of her throat. She let out a shaky breath, enjoying the sensation of his cool fingertips on her skin. Twelve was looking at her strangely, his usually bright, friendly expression had darkened with what she assumed was lust. His fingers spread out across her neck so he was holding it loosely.

"I want to-" he paused, as if he had just realised what he was doing. His hand twitched, then he drew back and quickly stood back up straight. He looked away from her and hurried toward the bathroom door. She caught a glimpse of his panicked expression before he bolted out of the room. "Sorry, I should leave you in peace!"

Lisa let out a ragged breath and looked vacantly at the closed door. She pressed her fingers gently to her neck and frowned. Once again, he had left her alone. She ran a hand through her hair and let out a noise of irritation. Goddamn, Twelve. She reached down and pulled the plug out of the bottom of the tub- there was no point continuing with the bath, there was no way she would be able to relax now. As the water began to drain, she stepped out onto the cool tiled floor and wrapped a large towel around her body. She stood in front of the mirror and reached for her toothbrush, deciding to go straight to bed.

The door clicked open, startling her. She turned her head in time to see Nine entering the room, shielding his eyes from her.

"Lisa?" he called. "Are you decent?"

The woman nodded, nervously tightening her hold on the large towel around her chest. "Yeah."

Nine dropped his hand and looked down at her seriously. In the heat of the bathroom, his glasses steamed up slightly. "Are you okay? I heard noises."

"I'm fine," she answered, running a hand through her wet hair. Nine sighed, seeing straight through her.

"This doesn't excuse his recent behaviour but Twelve isn't used to dealing with new emotions," Nine said, removing his glasses. He wiped the lenses gently with the hem of his shirt.

"New emotions?" Lisa repeated.

"Despite our superior intelligence, we are obviously not emotionally advanced. Twelve is either happy, sad or angry. He knows very little in between," Nine explained. "He doesn't know how to react to his crush on you."

"I don't think Twelve thinks about me that way," she said, drawing her bottom lip between her teeth.

Nine chuckled deeply. "He is such a child when it comes to these things."

"These things?"

The man nodded and placed his glasses back on his nose. "We've never slowed down or had time to consider a normal life. Thus, Twelve has never had the opportunity to address his 'baser' needs."

Lisa blinked, not fully understanding. "I, uh-"

Nine sighed and leaned to the side, resting his shoulder on the doorframe. "Do I really have to spell his out?"

The woman nodded sheepishly. "Sorry."

"He doesn't understand how to act on feelings of attraction or-," Nine paused and furrowed his brow. "Arousal."

Lisa flushed, her cheeks turning a deep scarlet. "I-oh, I see."

-0-

A week had passed since that night and Twelve had barely spoken to her. During that time they had been working conflicting shifts, but the few hours they did spend together, he didn't acknowledge her. At first, she had been upset by his behaviour but after another evening of silence, she grew annoyed. Nine was holed up in his room, reading and Lisa was bustling round in the kitchen making dinner. The woman had become quite good at cooking in the recent months, a far cry from the burned rice of the past. As she closed the oven door and set the timer, she heard a scuffle behind her and stood upright. Twelve entered the room and stared at her blankly for a moment before crossing the kitchen toward the sink. He was dressed in his usual home attire - a thin t-shirt with a cute logo and cargo shorts. His hair was wet, indicating he had just come home from swimming after work. Twelve blinked at her slowly, then swiftly poured himself a glass of water and began to leave.

"Wait!" Lisa called, sternly.

The man paused and turned slowly to face her. "What?"

"What do you mean 'what'?" Lisa spluttered. "You've been ignoring me all week. Why?"

Twelve shrugged and took a large gulp of water. She noticed a faint blush had spread across his cheeks. "I don't have to talk to you if I don't want to."

"I suppose not," she answered, trying to remain calm. She circled the kitchen table and leaned back against the surface. Nine was right, he was acting childish. "But if you're in a mood because I did something to offend you, I do hope you would speak to me about it."

"A mood?" he repeated, icily. His handsome face darkened when his mouth twisted into a nasty scowl. "I am not 'in a mood'."

"Then why are you being so stroppy?" she grumbled, crossing her arms over her chest. Lisa had never been a confrontational woman, quite the opposite, but his immature actions were pushing her a little too far. After all they had been through together, she expected honesty and trust at the very least.

Twelve placed his water down on the counter and moved toward her. Lisa stiffened when he placed his hands down on either side of her hips and gripped the table. His face stilled just in front of hers, a cold expression plastered across it.

"I am not being stroppy," he hissed, accentuating every word. The scowl on his face pulled up into a jarring smile that did not match the intensity of his stare. "I've just been thinking about things."

"What do you mean?" she asked, stomach squirming uneasily. The woman tore her gaze from his and looked to one side, an action which irked him. He slid one of his hands upward to grab her chin and jerked her head up to face him. He tutted lightly, smile still in place.

"I want you all to myself," he murmured, thumb softly stroking the side of her jaw. He chuckled lightly, tightening his grip.

Lisa tensed, confused and uncertain of how to proceed. "I'm not a possession, Twelve."

"My little Lisa doll," he responded, absently. The hand still on the table moved and grabbed ahold of her hip, hard enough to cause her to squeal. Her reaction was one of melded pain and satisfaction. Though his grip was rough, it was warm and close, She felt safe with him. Twelve let out a small sigh and rested his forehead against hers. "Do you know how lovely your voice is when you whimper like that? It's the most beautiful shade of yellow, like buttercups-"

"Twelve, please, I-" The hand on her chin moved down and rested lightly on her throat. She shivered at the feather light touches that drifted over the thick veins that ran down toward her heart. His fingers gripped a little firmer and he ground his hips into hers, now standing flush against her body.

"I really want to-" he began, smile dropping into a smirk. Lisa froze and swallowed thickly. She felt her hands shaking at her sides - she was torn between pushing him away or pulling his lips down to meet hers. Twelve made the decision for her and suddenly moved back, completely releasing his grip on her neck. The smirk had vanished and was replaced by one of shock. His large, childlike eyes were wide with panic and his mouth was hanging slightly open. "I'm sorry, Lisa-"

"Twelve, it's-"

"Before you say it - no, it's not fine," he interrupted, running a hand through his hair. He turned away from her and walked to the sideboard to pick up the glass of water he had left there. With a nervous laugh, he span back around to face her. "Some of the things I'm thinking about - jeez, I dunno."

Lisa gave him a gentle smile. Twelve had some cracks in his playful facade that she was starting to notice. He was a lot more fragile than he liked to appear, a lot less confident. She took in a deep breath. It would be easier to speak openly with Twelve, it would make him more comfortable. "What have you been thinking about?"

He eyed her carefully and rolled his head to one side. "You, Lisa."

"What about me?" she asked, licking her bottom lip nervously. Her mouth always dried out when she grew anxious. She looked at the glass of water in his hand, then back up at him.

The man hesitated. "I like you Lisa, a lot. You're the first friend outside of Nine I ever had."

Warmth filled her chest. "You're the first real friend I ever had."

"Which is why I'm tryin' to ignore all the things I've been thinking. I don't want to spoil anything or hurt you," Twelve continued, quickly.

"And what-?"

"Well, I do want to uh - that's the problem," he continued, looking up at her through his long lashes. Lisa knitted her brows, confused, but remained silent. The nasty smirk pulled at one side of his mouth again. "I like the way you tremble when I touch you, Lisa. You get this look in your eyes when you're scared-"

"I'm not scared of you, Twelve," Lisa interrupted.

He stared at her blankly. "But-"

"I'm don't shake because I'm frightened of you," she stated, glancing down at the floor. "It's because I like it when you touch me. It feels good."

Twelve blinked, slightly shocked. "You like it?"

Lisa looked back at him, feeling more confident with each word. "I do. And I would not be adverse to you doing it more."

"But, I - I don't want to push you too far, Lisa," he exclaimed, running a hand through his hair again. It seemed to be an automatic reaction to moments of confusion. "Some of the stuff I want-"

The man trailed off and looked down at the floor, as if disappointed with himself. Lisa rolled her head to one side. He seemed so perturbed by his own thoughts, it made her wonder what exactly his desires could be. She was not particularly confident in matters of the heart herself but she had experienced a few crushes, her Mother had given a 'the talk' multiple times and she'd read plenty of novels which described such things. Her desires didn't scare her - was Twelve just incapable of rationalising normal human feeling, as Nine had suggested, or was it something else?

"I'm going to bed," he sighed, whirling around. "See ya."

"Wait! Don't you want any din-" Lisa barely had time to move before the kitchen door closed behind him.

-0-

Twelve barged into Nine's room soon after he left the kitchen. He shut the door noisily behind him and stumbled into the middle of the room. The darker haired male swirled around in his desk chair and leaned an elbow back against his desk, upon which lay a dismantled laptop.

"Learn to knock," he scolded, frowning.

"Oh right, uh - sorry," the other replied, grinning at him. He placed his glass of water on the bedside table and collapsed onto the bed with a dramatic sigh. "Nine, what am I gonna do?"

"I take it you're still talking about Lisa."

"Obviously," Twelve replied, leaning his head back against the wall. He drew his knees up into his chest and wrapped his arms around them. "I tried to talk to her earlier but I just ended up running away."

"You're an idiot," Nine chided, resting his cheek against the flat of his fist. "Just tell her what you want. It's obvious she likes you. I can't believe I'm having this conversation."

"It's not exactly that easy," Twelve grumbled.

"Why?" Nine asked, curiously. His friend's face darkened into an expression he had rarely seen throughout their entire time together. "Twelve, why?"

"See, I like Lisa very much but all the things I do to her in my dreams are horrible," he explained. He glanced at Nine and grimaced. "I keep thinking about choking her."

Nine raised a brow. That was not what he expected at all. He paused, mouth open slightly, trying to form a sentence. Twelve was looking at him with wide eyes, as if silently praying for validation. "You think about strangling her?"

"No, not - I don't wanna kill her," Twelve sighed. He raised his hands and formed a circle with his fingers, as if she were in front of him. "It's just the idea of watching her gasp and her eyes get all big an' scared."

"Hmm," Nine mused, the noise barely a rumble in his chest. "So you want power, control over her?"

"Well not really, not in anything else," he answered. "It's just that one scenario, plays over and over."

"Does anything else happen in this scenario?"

Twelve flushed deeply and dropped his hands back into his lap. "Uh- well, yeah."

Nine smirked, rather enjoying his friend's discomfort. "And that is?"

"C'mon, Nine, you know what I'm referring t-"

He chuckled and sat back up straight, dropping his arm to his side. "Look, I don't know if I'm going to be able to offer any help here. But I don't think your "fetish" is uncommon. Talk to Lisa about it and try not to get carried away if she consents to it, that's all I can say."

"Not uncommon?" Twelve repeated, confused. "How do you know that?"

"We spent a lot of time on computers over the past few years, Twelve. Did you really never-?" he paused, seeing his friend's baffled expression. "Never mind. Now get out of my room and go to bed, then talk to Lisa at some point. I'm sick of you two silently fawning over one another. And please stop telling me about your sexual wants, Twelve, it's starting to irritate me."

-0-

Her hair was soft, her limbs smooth as they moved underneath him. He trailed his hands down over her breasts and circled them, thumbs rolling over her nipples. The woman let out a soft sigh at the slight pressure. He chuckled and leaned down, wanting to nestle his head into the watch?v=3m5qxZm_JqM of her neck. His right hand moved up into her hair whilst the other remained on her breast. Slowly, he began to apply more pressure to her nipple, squeezing it between his thumb and forefinger. She started to whimper louder, her voice now more than just a whisper in his ear. As her mewls turned to shouts when he started to twist his fingers, he pressed his lips against the side of her neck. He loved the feeling of the large vein beneath her skin, the feeling of her blood pumping rapidly through it. When she let out a loud hiss of pain, he released her sore nipple and rubbed it gently with the flat of his palm.

"Ssh," he cooed, lips brushing her neck. "You'll wake Nine."

"Twelve, I-" she groaned, grinding her hips up into his. "Please."

He leaned back and looked down at her from his position between her thighs. She looked beautiful, her face flushed, skin saturated with sweat. Her left breast had turned an angry red from his ministrations which stained the creamy white expanse of her torso. The look she fixed him with was one of pure hazy lust. He could barely contain his excitement at the sight of her.

"Ready?" he asked, gripping her hips. She nodded briefly and raised one hand toward him. Eagerly, he threaded his fingers through hers and position his head at her entrance.

"Please," she repeated, as he leaned over her.

The woman let out a slight gasp as he slid into her. He smirked and thrust into her roughly, groaning as her wet cunt surrounded him blissfully. With his hands placed on either side of her head, he sunk down onto his forearms, wanting to place his lips against hers once more. His strokes were hard, rapid and deep enough to hurt slightly.

"I want you. I've wanted you for so-," he panted, rocking his hips up sharply to keep up the depth he was hitting. "-so long."

The woman laughed lightly and dragged her nails across the back of his neck, causing him to gasp. He shuddered and bit down harshly on the side of her neck in return. The woman's hips rolled underneath him and she let out a loud noise of satisfaction, clearly enjoying the sensation. Her insides tightened around him, signaling her oncoming peak. He raised himself up, sitting back on his knees, slowing but not ceasing his thrusts. His hands moved up her torso and gripped loosely around her throat. He leaned forward and looked into her eyes, rolling his hips roughly into her. The woman stared back through half-lidded eyes. He tightened his grip and started to pick up his pace once again. She gasped at the sudden pressure, breath raggedly leaving her lips. He leaned down again, face hovering just above hers so he could feel the warmth of her breath. As he pounded into her, spurts of air forced their way from between her lips and his tight hold meant she could not easily draw them back in. Soon, her eyes widened and her skin flushed. The position, the feeling of his dick inside of her and his fingers around her throat - he was so close, the feeling was nearing unbearable.

"Fuck," he growled, clenching his fingers tighter around her neck. She wheezed again and reached up to scrabble at his hand, scratching the skin of his knuckles. "God, Lisa, I'm going to come."

A strangled moan rattled out of her lips and he felt her walls clench rhythmically around him. Her body twisted under his grip as he continued to thrust into her, eyes never leaving her reddened face, her bulging eyes until-

Twelve's slumber was fitful, as usual.

-0-

It was two days until she saw Twelve, due to their conflicting shifts at work. It was a miserable Friday, rain splattered hard against the windows and the wind howled outside. Lisa had never been a fan of stormy weather but it was rather mesmerizing by the shore. From the window of her bedroom she could see the sea in the distance. It was wild this evening, swept up into a frenzy by the wind and smashed against the rocks. The noise of it could be heard even with her windows shut - a mixture of crashing cymbals and violent wails. It was not an calming event, but there was something about the angered wind and water that she could not take her eyes from.

Lisa was sat at her desk, reading a book in one hand, eating soup with the other. It was a cold evening, so she had pulled on a thick sweater over her flannel pyjamas and covered her feet with a pair of woollen socks. A loud bang rang out from her doorway, causing her to jump and drop her spoon into the bowl. The metal clattered against china but luckily the bowl did not break. Lisa looked over toward the door and saw Twelve standing a few feet away from her, the door now closed behind him. He was wearing a pair of black jeans, rolled up at the cuffs, and a soft-looking red jumper. As usual, he also wore a wide grin.

"What do you think you're doing?" she exclaimed, placing a hand over her racing heart.

"Aww, did I startle you?" Twelve cooed. He chuckled deeply and moved over to her bed. "Sorry, you were so engrossed in your book you didn't seem to hear me come in. How was your day?"

"Fine, thank you. There was hardly anyone at the bakery today because of the storm," Lisa said. She closed her book and swung her chair around so that she could fully face him. He was now lounging on her bed, odd-socked feet dangling off the side, back against the wall. The man smiled at her warmly and cocked his head to one side.

"It's a pretty storm."

"How was your day?" she asked, returning his smile. It was pleasant to have him acting in a friendly manner again, she had missed it.

"Pretty exhausting," he replied, faking a yawn. "Haven't been sleeping too well, so I nearly dropped off whilst restocking the yams."

Lisa laughed lightly and pulled her legs up onto the swivel chair so that she could cross them. "Poor thing. Have you been feeling sick?"

"Not exactly," he answered, vaguely. He fixed her gaze. "I wanted to say sorry. Y'know, about the way I've been acting."

"You don't have to say sorry, Twelve," Lisa said, shaking her head. "I was worried about you."

He chuckled and held a hand out to her. She stood slowly and moved across the room to take his hand. Gently, he tugged on her arm and pulled her down next to him on the bed. Lisa let out a squeak as she bounced against the mattress and her back hit the wall. They sat shoulder to shoulder in content silence for a moment, Twelve still holding her hand tightly. It was Lisa who broke the quiet.

"You know you don't have to bottle things up, Twelve," she said, softly. "I'm not going to run away."

"You're not?" he asked, nervously. "Even if-"

"If what?"

Twelve glanced at her from the side and noticed that she had her eyes shut contently. "If I want to be with you?"

"I'm not going to run away from that."

He laughed but it came out as a nervous giggle. Why was he nervous, he thought, talking to her had been easy enough so far. Still, his heart didn't slow. "What about if I want to touch you?"

"Definitely not."

"What if-?" he trailed off, weighing up his options. "What if I hu-?"

The woman opened her eyes and furrowed her brow. "You don't have to worry about hurting me Twelve, I'm stronger than I look."

Lisa felt him stiffen and turned her head to look at him. She barely had time to noticed he was already looking at her before he pressed his lips against hers. The movement surprised her initially, but soon she closed her eyes and relaxed into the kiss. The feeling of his lips on hers at last was bliss, it was as if all the tension that had Twelve seemed to notice and tilted his head to the other side. His free hand moved to cup her cheek and his thumb began to gently stroke her skin. She opened her mouth and he followed her lead, allowing their tongues to intertwine. Twelve pulled back after a moment, panting heavily.

"I've been wanting to do that for a long time," he breathed. His hand moved from her cheek and trailed down her throat until he reached her collarbone, where he dropped it to his lap. "I want you Lisa."

"I want you too," she whispered. Her blood was pounding in her ears, heart racing with excitement and nerves. She raised a hand and smoothed it through his hair. He seemed to like the feeling and nuzzled against it like a cat. "If you go too far I'll tell you and you can stop."

"Of course," he agreed, squeezing her hand. He started to ramble. "I marvel at your ease with all this. I kept overthinking things. It was confusing and I was scared that I - I guess I needed some time to work it all out. Still, sorry. I acted unfairly."

"It's okay, really."

He laughed lightly. "It's strange - I can help organise a series of explosions but I can't even tell a girl I like her. Stupid, huh?"

Lisa gave him a small smile. He really was unaware of how to handle new emotions, Nine was right. Their strange life had prevented them from growing up in the normal manner, learning through interaction with others, from television and books. It had only ever been the Settlement, or the mission. Twelve was entirely lost when it came to discerning desires for himself. It was almost blinding innocence.

"Idiot," she giggled, punching him lightly on the arm.

Twelve sighed softly, a smile spreading over his face.

-0-

The two of them lay asleep next to one another that evening, his head resting on her chest, her arms wrapped around his shoulders. They had been too exhausted to do anything further, so fell into a deep slumber around midnight as the storm raged outside. By morning, the clouds had cleared and the sea had calmed into a still, sparkling blue. Lisa woke first, albeit briefly. Her room was always dark, thanks to her thick curtains, but as no sound came from outside, she assumed it was the early hours of the morning. Initially, the heavy weight on her chest confused her, until she caught glimpse of his outline in the shadows. A small smile crept over her lips. She reached to one side, trying not to move him too much and pulled the extra blanket out from beneath their feet so that it now covered their bodies. Though it was cold, their clothes were thick so the makeshift cover was enough. When she felt the warmth of Twelve's body next to her and the tickle of his hair beneath her chin, she closed her eyes and drifted back to sleep, enjoying the closeness of another. They both stirred a few hours later, their eyes meeting in the dark as they woke. The dawn had still not broken outside and the streets were still silent. Twelve snuggled deeper into her chest and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"This has got to be the nicest way to wake up," he mumbled, voice muffled by her jumper.

Lisa giggled and began to stroke his back lightly with her fingers. Though it was only through his jumper, he seemed to enjoy it thoroughly and began letting out a purr-like hum. She felt a breeze of cold air around her stomach for a moment, which was soon replaced by the feeling of his fingers crawling up her bare stomach. The sensation was so pleasant she had to bite her bottom lip to stop the whimper that threatened to leave her lips. His fingers explored her tummy for a while, then rested on her waist, just below the swell of her breast.

"You're warm," he whispered, voice just loud enough to hear. Lisa could tell he was still drowsy by the slowness of his speech. "S'nice."

Lisa hummed in response and stroked her fingers back and forth through his hair. It was wiry and thick, not as soft as she had imagined but the feeling was nice, nonetheless. She rolled the curls around her fingers and chuckled when he let out a breathy moan.

"F-feels real good," he murmured.

"You're like a cat," she commented, slowing her movements. Twelve was fighting sleep, as was she. Her eyes dropped and she let her head fall back against the pillow. "Promise you'll wake me when you want to get up."

"Promise."

-0-

Part Two coming soon.