"Come on! We're nearly there!"
"Ok, just relax! Didn't you just have an operation? Should you be jumping around?"
"I've just received stitches that's all, that biofoam really did its thing. Thanks again!"
"Sure."
"You don't seem that talkative at all now."
"Let's just say I've not been able to rest and I've been fighting since three days straight in the jungles!"
"Then why didn't you say so! Come we're almost there!"
They reached a house similar to Paolo's but neater and larger, probably perks of being an officer in the resistance.
"Mama!" The little Fernandez ran over to her and slammed into her like a little freight train.
"Child! I'm so glad I can see you!" She hugged him.
Fernandez noticed Horus.
"Ah! The white haired hero!"
His mother giggled to herself.
"Yes, he saved your mama! Have you said your thanks?"
"Thank You, Hero brother!" He just couldn't get the hero thing out of his head even after he told him it was not the case.
"It's Horus, kid."
Maria brought Fernandez in front of her.
"Horus, this is Fernandez. The jewel in my life!" She introduced him to her son.
"I've already said my name but not where I came from. I'm a combatant of XCOM."
"XCOM?! Really, those alien fighters?!"
"Really!"
The child Fernandez zoomed around the house excited.
"Why don't you rest in one of our rooms for now, then I'll call you out for dinner!" Maria suggested.
"That sounds nice, but I'll need to inform Paolo I changed my mind."
"That's alright, I'll call and tell him later. Follow me!"
She took him to a room with a large bed.
"Rest now, I'll call you when I'm done!"
"Thanks, Maria." She waved him before going to the kitchen.
Horus took apart his harness and armor with his weapons strapped to it and dropped them in a neat pile near the dressing table and fell onto the bed.
The bed had a fresh and sweet smell to it and he instantly felling a deep sleep from the pleasant aroma.
Five hours passed.
"(muffle)…. Horus!" Horus heard a child's voice call him and he instantly got up.
"Dinner's ready, come over. Everyone's waiting for you!" Fernandez said brightly.
"Ok. Let me get my wash my face first."
The child nodded away his head and left to report to his mother.
Horus washed his face in the en suite bath and looked up in the mirror to see someone else in it. It was the first time he looked at a full mirror to see his complexion and he was surprised to see the tremendous change to his features. Perhaps you could say he was more well featured and handsome, his jaw line was sharper and this eyes had a bright and beautiful vibrant color it was almost as if his eyes were jeweled amethysts. But something else was different, they had the power to attract or bind a person. He was feeling the affect it had on himself, was Maria under the influence if it too?
He wiped his face with a towel and arranged his hair neatly as possible for supper, he was after all in someone else's house as a guest.
Horus arrived to find a wide spread on the table.
"Sorry you had to wait."
"Not at all, your just in time, I asked Fernandez to call you minutes before I was done." Maria smiled.
"Smells lovely!" He complimented her.
"It's Mama's after all!" Fernandez said.
"That's right! Who else but me could cook so well!" She cheered.
They sat at the table. And placed their hands together to say a short prayer. Little Fernandez thanked the lord for bringing his mother home safety….
"…and thank you for bringing me a Papa!" The kid's words shocked the living hell out of Horus and Maria.
"Fernandez I think that's a little too much!"
"But I want a Papa! All the other kids laugh at me for not having one!" He said in a sad tone almost about to cry.
"But you already have a father, kid." Horus replied.
Maria and Fernandez did not understand.
"He made you through his love for you mother, that can never be wrong. Perhaps he's far away or he had gone to heaven, but he still is your father and you have a father. So there is nothing to be upset or angered about when your friends tease you." His words had a powerful effect from his tone and mannerism that it had soothed the boy's broken heart and he smiled again. Maria who thought the dinner conversation would end for the worst did not expect Horus to save the situation.
"Besides, what does it matter if your Papa may not be around when you have the best Mama among the inhabitants! When she's home, she cooks for you and tucks you to bed at night. In the day, she fights and leaders the men fighting the alien menace by herself, does that not make her great?"
"Mmm! You're right! I do have the best Mama!" Fernandez announced loudly.
Maria blushed heavily from their comments.
"Then a toast, to the best Mama!" He raised his glass.
"To the best Mama!" Fernandez did the same.
"To the best Mama!" Maria declared.
They chimed their glasses of juice. Horus wasn't picky about the foods, as a matter a fact they tasted great, there was no regret in staying with Maria.
"Horus was your Mama ever this good at cooking?" The boy meant no ill intentions when asking.
His moment stopped when the boy mentioned his mother. Maria noticed what was wrong and wanted to correct the boy but Horus looked at her to tell her it was alright.
"She was, one of the best cooks in the region. Nothing tasted like hers. It's been so long since I had a chance to taste it again."
"I'm sure you'll get too!"
"That might not happen, you see. My parents disappeared one day."
The boy looked shock at Horus mentioning his parents not around, he could not comprehend a life without his Mama.
"But they did tell me something before they left, a mission if you will."
He took out his medallion and gave it to Fernandez to look at.
"She said that as long as I held this medallion they would always be with me in spirit, and one day we might meet again if the conditions are right."
"That's so cool!"
"It is, isn't it! A quest to find my parents!"
"You're really like a hero, Horus!"
"Didn't say I wasn't!" He smiled at him.
"You're my hero, Horus!" The child declared which surprised him.
"I don't really see myself as a hero, but if I were to become one it would only be for you, Fernandez."
"Wow! My very own hero!"
"Ok, then I'll be your exclusive hero then, huh?"
Maria watched as the two boys got along fine, she shed a tear silently because she had not seen her son become so joyful. She gazed at Horus and though he would be a wonderful father figure for her son, if not for his need to depart.
The conception of her child was through a rough adventure she had with a young sweetheart who she ran away with to another Haven and had her child, the Haven got attacked by ADVENT and her husband took up arms and never returned. She had problems with others in the community for her single status and a fatherless child living in the communities. And yet Horus had shed new light on their existence, a different perspective to Fernandez's problems at the local school for the other children teasing him.
If only he could stay….
He played around with Fernandez at hide and seek with Maria as well. They both hid in the closet and Horus pretended to be a big bad wolf looking for them, he opened the closet and grabbed them both and flung them on the bed. Maria sent away her son by sacrificing herself, and Horus diabolically cackle the would do horrible and perverted things to his mother and it awakened the boy's heroism, he took the pillow to fight off the evil wolf who perished to his soft and cushiony blade.
They transitioned to other games like guessing games which Horus was horrible at much to their glee. Fernandez was so excited that he fell asleep while doing some guesses.
"I guess it's time for this one to go to bed!"
"Mmm. Show me his room, I'll carry him." He picked up Fernandez softly and supported his head while following Maria to the kid's room. He placed him gently into the bed as the child still murmured in his sleep about the great time he was having. His mother couldn't help snicker a few.
"It's time for us to turn in as well!" Maria said.
"Agreed."
Horus walked to the room Maria had given to him for the night but for some reason she followed him.
"Is your room nearby?"
"Yes it is!" She smiled.
Horus reached his room and for some reason Maria did too and she took some clothes out of the wardrobe and changed on the spot, as if he wasn't there.
That's when Horus realized. This was her room!
"I'm going to sleep outside."
"I'm not going to let a guest sleep outside!" She blocked his way.
"But this is your room!"
"If your uncomfortable I'll sleep outside then."
"No. Please don't, this is your room. Don't make me send its owner out to the sofa."
"Good, then we'll sleep together." She said it like a fact.
He didn't want to argue. He climbed into the bed and she did too after turning off the light. He closed his eye trying to fall asleep.
"Hey. Wanna do it?" She asked, he could believe what he heard from her. She had just given him an advance.
"Are you serious?"
"Mmmm….. And here I am in bed with an attractive and muscular man! I'm also sexually frustrated."
"Maria, I have someone that I like back in XCOM." He told her bluntly. Hoping it would stop her.
But she wrapped her arms around him instead. "Does she know you do?"
"She will as soon as I get back." She kissed his neck upwards until she reached his lips.
"Also… I'm a virgin." He added.
"Oh! Then you should at least know how it's done first before giving it to her. You wouldn't want to spoil your first intimate moment with her would you?" She pushed on and bit his ear loop.
"Then allow me to give you some directions on your way to pleasing a woman, dear." She said.
"….." She waited for his response.
"What should I do?" She pumped her fist to celebrate a victory in her mind.
"You can start by caressing me and kissing me." Horus wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her towards him, she gave a playful squeak from his rough movements and then he kissed her on the lips and played with her tongue. Maria was surprised by his sudden assault on her mouth, and resisted by fighting back with her own to entwine with his.
When Horus released his tongue kiss she gasped heavily for air. "You sure you haven't done this before?"
"Nope." He answered truthfully.
"I'm sure she'll be pleased with your mouth then." She licked her lips.
"Next is the foreplay, to build up the excitement to make the experience more enjoyable, pleasurable and memorable." She chuckled as she reached for his hands around her waist and placed them on her chest and made the rubbing motion around her bosom. She moaned when he used his own strength to massage her, and thought about taking it up a notch. So he kissed her neck the way she did to him, now she was moaning was twice as loud. "Do you want to wake up Fernandez?" He cautioned her to which she giggled.
"Wouldn't it be thrilling to get caught?" She seductively cooed. This woman, he thought.
It didn't stop him from his pleasuring of Maria and he moved down to kiss her lowered body from her neck down to her chest then along her navel. She was thoroughly enjoying his foreplay with her. She pushed him back against his back to pulled his pants down.
"Now it's my turn. And my! Look how big you are!" She held his shaft and stroked it gently at first but sped up the rhythm until she did it vigorously.
Horus enjoyed the pleasure of being stroked by her thin smooth hands. She took it up the next level by placing it between her cleavage and continued to rub with her soft smooth surface of her mammary glands. She kissed the tip of his man shaft that could not be covered up, which added to the pleasure that was given, Horus could not endure after a ten-minute assault on him. "Urgh! Maria!" He released in her mouth. Maria took a while to swallow the fluids and licked his shaft clean. "Remember to warn before releasing."
"Now for the fun part!" She took off her clothes revealing her tanned and smooth skin under the pale moonlight. "You're very beautiful tonight." She smiled at his honest compliment.
She positioned herself over him and lowered her waist and plunged her crotch into his shaft. She huffed heavily from the unfamiliar object in her. "You alright?"
"I'm fine, it's just that I'm not used to it after so long, my husband-." She wanted to cry from recalling her sweetheart.
"Say no more. I'll take it from here." He said responsibly. He turned her around to a missionary and thrusted his hips at her. She moaned sharply as her insides were being pulled along with his shaft.
"Ahhh! Ahhh!...Even though I'm supposed… to be the one teaching you…..Ahhh! Ahhh! Hyiii!" Horus sucked on her nipple while playing with the other. She tried to suppress her moaning as the thought occurred that her son would really wake up and find her out. But it made her more aroused and she overloaded with pleasure, her eyes rolled from the sensation rushing to her head.
Maria panted after being made a fool by Horus who she had offered to school in pleasuring a woman, so far he had only over achieved. But there was only so much a woman with her pride could take so she pushed him against the bed again and straddled him.
"Now it's time for payback." She sweetly whispered and began thrusting her hips while she kissed him again to take away his breath. She was determined to get even with him for making her come first.
Horus didn't want to lose to her and counterattacked as he smooched her navel from her cowgirl. She was inclined to hold his head to support herself or she feared falling backwards turning into a face-off.
Later they were both sitting with Maria on top of Horus but facing him, her legs and arms wrapping around him in a yoga-style. She began to notice his eyes glisten in the moonlight. "I can't help but gasp at those amethyst like eyes, it feels like my soul is being drawn into it. Look at me more, Horus!" She became captivated by his dazzling irises.
There little contest for who lasts longer ended with a draw. "Ahhh! Horus, arghh…..aaaaahh!"
"Urgh!..."
Horus was panting as heavily as Maria was, in the end she refused to be beaten by a beginner and just made it to the borderline.
"You did excellent for your first but I must inform you solemnly, once might not be enough for most girls." Horus pressed her against the wall, she squealed in delight. "Does that include you?" he lifted her legs and pushed his rod up into her crotch again and reciprocated while she hung on to him for support, her fingers pierced into the skin on his back as the pleasure rushed to her head from an explosive orgasm after much pounding from using her own body weight.
"Mama?" A call from the other side of her room's door caused her heart to thump wildly, the door knob turned but was unable to move the door. She sighed in relief as she had remembered to lock the door. She walked to the door on the other side.
"Yes, child? Um….Mama is having a bad time in the restroom. Hyi!..." she yelped in surprise.
"Mama?"
"It's nothing Fernandez, just the cold breeze blowing in that's all."
"Mama, where is Horus? I couldn't find him anywhere when I woke up."
"H-Horus went out because he was called by Uncle Rodrigo…Ahh!"
"Mama? Are you not well?"
"I'm fine, child. It's just…. I was in the bathroom when you called… and I don't have any pants on…. Can you sleep on your own? Do you need me to tuck you in again?"
"Mm! I'll be alright Mama! Goodnight!"
"….Good…night!"
Maria sighed in relieve that her son had finally left. While that was happening Horus had been playing with her the entire time, taking advantage of her helplessness while she answered her son.
"You! You're just pure lust!" She pounded his chest with her hands which he grabbed hold of and kissed her lips again. "Didn't you say it would be thrilling to be almost caught?" She warmly welcomed his mouth as she stopped her struggling.
After the after hours game they played for two hours they lay in the bed facing each other. She played with his soft hair and developed a fondness for his eyes she kept gazing into. "Thank you, Maria."
"Hmm?"
"You've given me a chance to feel what it was like to have a family." Her heart thumped.
"No, thank you Horus." She started to tear. Horus pulled her into his chest in an embrace.
"Just for tonight… hold me like you would her."
"Maria….. alright."
I just how Fernandez doesn't catch us in the morning, he thought.
The next morning, he was up the moment the cock crowed. Because there was one somewhere in the camp, doing its duty to announce the morning to avoid becoming someone's chicken meal.
He put on his clothes after having a shower and donned his combat harness. "Here, let me help you." Maria clipped his harness from the back for him, she had yet to dress and was covered with the blanket.
"Thanks, you'd better get dressed before that sunshine of yours wakes up."
"Mmm. Right!"
Horus was leaving the room when Maria asked. "Horus!"
"If…. That girl had not existed would you come back here?"
"This would be the first place I'd stop." He said before leaving the room. A smile escaped her lips.
Maria bathed to wash the sweat from their night activity and donned her combat fatigues, she could smell a sweet aroma of food coming from the dining.
When she came out she saw Horus at the kitchen frying some sausages. Her son was already seated at the table waiting for breakfast.
"Morning, dear."
"Morning, Mama! Horus is cooking breakfast for us, I can't wait!"
"Me neither." She sat at the table. Just as Horus dropped the sausages evenly amongst the three plates, there were already bacon and eggs on the plates.
"Continental breakfast!" Horus called it.
"It's nice!" Fernandez chewed happily on the sausage.
"The ingredients were good to begin with."
"That's just being modest!" Maria laughed.
Horus took a drink from the juice in his glass as they enjoyed a breakfast with more than two persons usually.
"Maria."
"Yes, dear?"
"I want to ask you not to go for today's mission." Maria dropped her utensils.
"Can you follow me for a moment? Child, I'm going to excuse ourselves for a while, ok?"
"Um!" He nodded while he spooned another mouthful.
Horus and Maria were now alone in the backyard garden.
"Why?" She asked.
"I can't help shake the feeling that something dangerous will appear today at the factory."
"Everything is dangerous out here, Horus!"
"Not this time, I've been around the world and you've seen me fight. But I'm telling you something that even scares me might be there."
"Do you want me to just stay home as I deploy my men out in the field without a care or thought for my own safety?"
"No. I-."
"I will not leave them and I certainly not leave you alone as you go there to do a probabl-!"
"I don't want Fernandez to become like ME!" He shouted as he gripped her shoulders.
He panted as he lowered his head.
"When my parents disappeared on me that was the roughest time of my life, I forgot to cry, to laugh, and to shout. Every night was filled with the thought of my lonely existence. No one was there to tell me off or teach me to do things any longer. It caused my heart to harden, and it only took twenty years to soften. Please don't do the same to your boy!" He pleaded.
Maria embraced him as she cuddled his head she replied to him. "I've always thought of this whenever I venture out, but another thought also occurs. My men too have families, should I let their loved ones suffer in place of me?"
He could not refute her any longer, her duty was to her men's wellbeing after all.
"I guess I can't change your mind then." She smiled wryly.
"When have I been so gullible to fall for such convincing words!"
"Isn't Fernandez the product of that?"
"Urgh!" Maria fell on her feet.
"Let's get back to the dining, the boy might be wondering what's going on here."
They returned to the dining to finish their breakfast, Fernandez did not notice a thing.
When they were at the front door, Fernandez heard the news of his departure.
"No! NO! Why must you leave? Weren't you going to stay with us forever?" Horus patted Fernandez head.
"Silly boy, just like your Mama I have my unit that's depending on me!"
"Why can't you be in Mama's group then?" He asked innocently.
"There are monsters out there, Fernandez. Viler and cruel than the one's your Mama faces. I need to face them or there will be more children without mothers or fathers. And of course, to keep their grasp off your home and your Mama."
"I see…"
"Fernandez."
"Yes?"
"I'm going to give you a quest!" He recognized what he said and what he was about to say, when he mentioned his family before.
Horus took out an empty cartridge case fashioned into a necklace and placed it in the young boy's small hands.
"I'm going on a voyage, this voyage has no time no limit. This voyage holds the fate of everything I hold dear to me so I must leave you behind. You and your mother are part of everything I hold dear. Hold this medallion and treasure it with your life. And one day I may reunite with you." He repeated the lines his mother once said to him.
"Ok. I'll hold this medallion until we meet again!"
"Good boy, one day I'll show you a world that once existed. Until then, I'll be off."
Horus stood up from his knee and walked with Maria to the rendezvous point. He did not turn back to look.
"Thank You for all you've done for Fernandez, Horus!" She told him.
"Don't mention it."
They reached the rendezvous point where trucks had been waiting to send troops to the specified location near the ADVENT weapons factory.
"Horus, Maria. I trust that you had rested well enough?" Rodrigo greeted.
"She and Fernandez have been every welcoming."
"Morning, Commandante!"
"Morning." Her commander responded.
"Are these all the troops you'll be bringing?"
"Fifty handpicked men. I trust this would be well enough."
"I hope so too, ADVENT always has a way of surprising us with unsuspecting variations."
Rodrigo nodded his head in agreement.
"Then hop on board. We move out immediately!"
"Sir!" Maria saluted and walked after Horus to the 5-ton truck waiting with her squad members.
They boarded and sat next to her squadmates, while the support crew loaded the explosive provisions.
Paolo looked glum for some reason. "You did tell Paolo I was staying over at your place, right?"
"Yup!"
"What did you say to turn him in like this?"
"He was a bit upset you were staying with me so I threatened to tell his wife he saw me naked." She said so casually. Horus couldn't help but feel sorry for Paolo.
The wounded buddy of theirs Tris had returned to the fight due to quick healing and some morphine. It reminded him about Maria's injury.
"How's your injury?" Horus asked Maria.
"It seemed fine last night." She rubbed it unconsciously.
"Last night?" Paolo caught her words.
Both of them were thinking, shit!
"You two were-…!" His mouth gaped, while the others made cat noises.
"This was just a one-time thing!" Maria declared, but it admitted to them they did. Horus placed his hand to support his head.
The entire trip the girls forced her to reveal the nature of their night activity. They squealed at her description, as Maria held her hands to her cheeks to hold back the blushing.
Horus had given up on the group and Maria, he went to checking his weapons and unique ammunition to which seven bolts remained for the bolt caster. His axes were the most important to him, they were the weapons he'd use the most while the bolt caster was used to do the killing blow or hit heavy infantry. The shadowkeeper pistol was used to regain the element of surprise or avoid sudden attacks.
The Elerium cores in them really were long lasting, were they like some sort of crystallized nuclear power? None of the earth batteries could last this long. Could he somehow utilize the Elerium cores to power his EXO suit, giving it increased output? He could then carry several cores as replaceable batteries during combat.
But first he needed to return to the AVENGER, he needed to return to Alicia and he also needed to kick the shit out of William for his betrayal. Maria watched from afar his serious focus attitude and thought back to their one night together. Their relationship had to come to a close she had trouble accepting it for the entire night after the deed but came to understand that both of them had priorities and commitments that could not keep them together.
And so came a close to they're one-night stand under the moonlight.
