Three days.

She had managed to avoid the commander for three whole days.

Houdini didn't regret what had happened. But the impression she got from Ocelot - from the way he had looked at her in the helicopter - left a sour taste in her mouth. She wondered if he had slept with any other recruits...Indeed, she wondered when he had last come so close to anyone. Her gut told her it had been a while. It also told her it would've been another while yet had she not been there.

For her it hadn't mattered - the commander was attractive and wanted her. That was her only reason for lying with him. If another of the soldiers on Mother Base had been there on that night… she would've done the same.

But it hadn't been one of them, had it? It had been Ocelot, who had looked at her in That Way since she first arrived. Her stalwart admirer. Did she like the way he rested his eyes on her, taking in her every curve, watching without watching? Did she find some satisfaction when they came close, and she noticed his focus falter ever so slightly? Yes and Yes. Yet that was not what he sought when their gazes met. He wanted something more. The guilt of knowing that made her push their night together aside. Made her cringe at the thought of him. Made her want to run away.

"There you are!"

She suppressed a groan at the sound of his voice. He stepped out from where he had been loitering (lurking?), and caught her round the waist, drawing her into the recess of a darkened doorway. Almost three days.

He dipped his head, claiming her mouth. Rather than protest, she found herself kissing him back, looping her arms around his neck, opening her mouth to him, heat pooling in her gut at the low growl that shook his chest. She should stop this. This would only make things worse. Try to explain to him that -

Ocelot shoved her up against the cold surface of the wall. As he pinned her with his weight, hands squeezing her rear, the only sound that came from her mouth was a muffled moan. He came even closer, tongue caressing hers eagerly, and she only parted her legs, allowing him to stand between them. He thrust firmly against her so that she almost cried out, biting down hard on his lip as she clamped her mouth shut. He hissed, clearly more aroused than in pain, and slipped a hand under her t-shirt, caressing her breasts as he ground her into the wall, watching as she fought to stay silent.

"Come on." A firm hand on her wrist. The sound of a door opening, and she was plunged into semi-darkness.

A supply room. Of course.

The commander sat on one of the crates, pulling her with him. He tugged her shirt off with a fluid movement, kissing and biting at her stomach as he undid her trousers. Houdini's hands were on his head, holding him to her instead of pushing him away. She even undid her own bra, relishing the feel of a warm mouth sucking and lapping hungrily at her perked nipples.

Her belt hit the floor with a clatter, and the commander lifted each of her legs in turn, casting her boots aside with a soft thunk thunk. She was now completely naked before him.

Rather than cover herself, or tell him to stop, Houdini reached out and removed each of his gun belts in turn. Shirt, scarf, and gloves followed. He eyed her when she opened his trousers and pulled him out, kneeling in front of him to put his cock in her mouth.

So she had him right where she wanted him; practically naked and gasping her name as she sucked mercilessly. All of the worries that had been haunting her melted away as she raked her nails down his bare chest, watching him buck, his control waning. She touched herself at the sight of him and thought: I could finish him like this. We'd both be satisfied, and it wouldn't be the same as…

But no, that wasn't enough for her. She stood up and mounted him, his eyes going wide at the suddenness of it. He didn't stop her when she took him in hand, lowering herself onto him with a long moan. He just sat up straight, so that they sat entwined, chest-to-chest and mouth-to-mouth. And though that voice inside her told her to stop, that she was only hurting him more, Houdini found herself riding out her pleasure, kissing him deeply as he shuddered inside her. He said her name a dozen times. Had she said his at all? No. Of course not. That would be too familiar.

It was over, and Houdini hurried to dress. Ocelot followed suit, though at a slower pace. She caught his eye, words faltering on her tongue, and looked away.

"What?"

She faced him, searching his posture, his face for a moment, hoping the right words would come. What were the right words? "I want to keep fucking you, but only if you don't get soppy on me" or perhaps "Stop looking at me like that, it's distracting me from your dick"?

Ocelot frowned, reaching out to take her hand. "What?"

She kept her hand in his as she said. "We can't keep this up."

He sat back, puzzled. "Why not?"

"We have a job to do here…"

He groaned, letting his head fall back against the wall. "That's all."

"'That's all'?" Houdini echoed.

"Look." Ocelot squeezed her hand. Don't do that. "I like that you want to be professional, but I think both of us are capable of doing our jobs while still… enjoying each other's company."

"But what if they find out?"

"What if who finds out?"

"The Boss...Kaz… the troops...anyone...everyone!"

"Quiet already knows."

"She won't tell anyone."

"So you're worried about your reputation?" He pulled her closer, taking her other hand.

"No...yes...maybe." She stammered. "Yours, too!"

"Well I just see that as motivation for both of us to keep doing the same stellar work we always do!"

"Stellar?"

"Mostly." He conceded, kissing her hands in turn. Definitely don't do that.

Just tell him the truth, idiot.

"What if…" Houdini started. "What if something happens…"

"...to one of us?" The commander finished.

She nodded, too frustrated at her inability to speak truthfully to keep trying. She just wanted out of this closet. Away from those eyes.

He stood up and kissed her. Stop it. "Houdini, we could both be lawyers and there'd still be a chance of something happening to one of us. I don't see that as any reason not to continue."

She wasn't speaking and he wasn't listening. So what was the point? That was why she smiled and responded. "I suppose you're right…"

"I suppose I am." He agreed, kissing her once more. "Now we'd both better get a move on, see to our stellar work."