"What the fuck are you doing with this, Vik? You been getting high?" The puffer she held between them, presented to him, was obviously stamped 'rejected', bold red ink.

He lunged towards her, the longest appendage of his surgical exoglove managed to scrape along the chem canister as she rapidly pulled back her hand. Leaving him empty handed, reaching hand clenched in frustration, as she'd stopped him. Palm on his sternum, arm stretched out. He attempted to pull her hand away from his chest, finding himself overpowered,
"Snooping around my shit, V?!"

"Don't change the subject on me, we can discuss my punishment later. First, you answer me, you hypocrite."

He grunted, sighing, nerves creeping up on him, shook his head at her,
"It's not what you think it is."

"Of course it's not, it's never what it appears to be. Does life suck this much, Doc? You need uppers? Or is this a downer?"

"Will you let me explain? Good god, woman." Trying not to laugh, he rubbed his temples and forehead, appreciating her concern all the same.

The stifling of his short lived joy went past her, too curious to let this go,
"Sure, yeah, explain your way out of this. Go on, don't have anywhere better to be."

Holding onto her hand and wrist with both his hands now, Viktor hoped to distract V whilst he inched towards her as he spoke,
"I keep in contact with some old medical academy buddies, few of them work in pharmaceuticals together. It was designed to be a new sedative but, they couldn't get the formula right. Asked me to try it, figure it out, see where they went wrong. Now I need you to understand, V, it's not addictive. It's not harmful either. It's just not working as intended. They're not sure if it's worth patenting like this or if they're better off getting rid of… the kinks, so to speak."

She glared at him, realizing his new proximity,
"Why did you say it like that?"
Stretching her arm to replenish the distance between them, stumbling him back. V looked at the label again, trying to figure out the chemical names, then back at him. More curious than ever,
"What does this do, Vik?"

He scratched his nose, pushing his sunglasses all the way up,
"I-I'm not comfortable telling you."

"Oh my god…" Easily pushing the heavyweight aside, she walked past him, rubbed her eyes, sarcastic grin on her face.
"The guy with an MED is shy of- Jesus, Vik!"

"I know…" he'd also given up on straight up taking it back, should've hidden it better.

"So. It's not harmful."

"Unless you have congenital heart conditions and are above 100 years old."

"And it's not addictive?"

"The chemical itself does not create dependence, however its effects might be... desirable enough to want to replicate, maybe use it recreationally. But nothing that discipline and minute prescriptions and micro dosages couldn't fix."

"Put quite some thought into this…"

"It's what I put in my report so far."

She rattled the puffer, finding it to be less than half full,
"How often have you used it already?"

Stoic as ever he admitted to so much by saying practically nothing,
"I plead the 5th."

"That stopped being a valid right since before you were born. Try again."
She put the puffer to her grinning lips, never faltering in holding his stare.

"V, stop! Please don't do this." His hands pleaded with her, almost as if he'd start praying then and there.

"You gonna tell me what this is then?"

"I can't, it's- yeah it's an upper, of sorts. Just, I beg of you, put it down."

"Why?"

"Because I'm not going to be able to deal with the effects in you! I have no idea what the results could be. I'm practically unprepared. Please? Try it any other day, just not today! I'd also need you to sign a waiver and NDA, for your own sake and my license."

"Sounds like a bunch of horse scop to me, Doc." She pressed the button and inhaled deeply, seeing his expression go from genuine concern to doomed. She let him snatch the puffer from her this time, watched him gently shake it beside his ear en route to his workbench,
"Aw shit, here we go."

Defeated, he took a seat on his desk chair, placing the chem dispenser next to his surgical exoglove. Took a good look at his watch before he detached the tool pouch from his belt, laying it beside his other items left there.

Still holding her breath, she wondered aloud,
"If what I just took is fine, why do you look like I'm about to die again?"

As she exhaled, he sighed, leaning over and looking up at her,
"Not you, V, me."

The woman scoffed,
"Pardon? What did I just suck on to worry you, Doc? Hehe, suck on."

"Damnit, it's already taken hold of you. Of course, younger subject, enhanced metabolism. Perhaps sex influences it too? Cyberware definitely could. Hmm, need a bigger sample size to determine anything." He'd manically started taking notes, genuinely fascinated by her experiences so far.

"Oh, that's not bad,"
She licked her lips, still looking at him,
"tastes like cherry, and it feels nice. I feel nice…" V touched herself somewhat, initially just her arms, platonically. Its sensation started to spread however.

He looked over at her, gentle humming drawing his attention, her half closed eyes disconcerting as her hands began to wander herself. Glancing away from her his eyes fell back on the inhaler,
"It would be a great moment to do a comparative run, but it's a little late to get your consent." He stood up, grabbed a diagnostics terminal, and walked over to her with determination.

"Nonsense Doc, don't you remember? I signed a persistent consent form the first time I helped you test something."

Jacked the device's wire into her neuralport, trying his best to keep her at arm's length with a hand on her shoulder.

"Besides, we're friends, I took it on my own accord. You got cameras here that recorded all that. Not gonna sue you or anything."

Enjoying touch a little too much, she raised the shoulder with his hand and tilted her head towards it, rubbing his hand with her cheek whilst pressing it into her.

Viktor stretched his index finger to poke her in said cheek, pushing her head away a little, to her dismay,
"Sure V, that's definitely reassuring, but that's not the kind of consent I was hoping to get."

Her charts were disconcerting, hormone levels that dictate arousal were already through the roof, but not all of the substance had yet been metabolized. There was no telling how long or short this could last. Her pout was quick and definitely influenced, cute though, before it slipped into a smirk,
"Just spit it out already, Viky, or swallow, I'll do either if you ask nicely…" she'd placed a hand on his, trying to caress her way towards the rest of him.

"And it's progressing."

He unplugged the diagnostics terminal from her skull, placing it in a tool tray, withdrawing his hands from her in the process,
"V, what you took is effectively a synthetic aphrodisiac."

"Ha, you perv, fucking called it."

Whereas her eyes were smug, his were angered, with a touch of shock,
"You knew what it does?!"

"Mhmmm, makes me wanna do this."

Much stronger than him, thanks to her cyberwares, she easily shoved him towards and against a wall. With her hand on the back of his head, cushioning his impact, she pulled it to his right, freeing up his neck for her lips and teeth to land on and sink in. Drawing grunts, moans, gasps from the poor guy.

Reluctant yet in a panic, he pulled on a handful of her hair in attempts to keep the woman at bay, though letting go instantly, not prepared for the way she moaned at that,
"You're gonna give me a heart attack, woman! Can you at least try and control yourself?!"
His hand slipped from her hair to her shoulder, pushed, trying to create some space between them.

She loosened her own grip, gaining enough distance to gain a view of him, hands now on his chest. There was genuine regret in her voice, her brow furrowed as though she'd instantly cry at the thought of upsetting him,
"Heart attack? But why, baby? Am I scaring you? W-what if I can't control myself? Or rather, don't want to?" Part of her still seemed sober enough to struggle with the intensifying desire, but the pain...

Viktor had never heard her voice this sickly sweet before, not sure if to fear it, or find it endearing,
"If only you knew, V, I-"

"Yo Doc! Is this a-" The clinic's shutter door had slid open, letting River flow in at just the wrong time. He immediately spotted them against the wall, V's leg nearly wrapped around the heavyweight, who was leaning away from her as best he could. Viktor's head snapped towards the young man, finding him an element of relief.

"This is a bad time, definitely. I'll come back later."

V didn't even turn to the guy behind her, eyes locked on the one between her and the wall,
"Yes, please, bye Riv."

"River, wait!" He reached for the younger man, arm as stretched as far as it could,
"I need your help."

River scoffed,
"I don't know about that Doc, you seem to be doing just fine. 'Sides, I ain't a bull and I don't tag team."

"I just need you to answer some questions, please? For science."

"Sure Doc, but don't let me hold you up. She's lookin' antsy.."

The woman's whisper tickling his skin, rattled his nerves,
"Antsy to get in your pantsy…"

Viktor cleared his throat, pushed her leg down,
"Are you two like at all attracted to each other?"

"Nah."

"Nope."

He didn't expect them to answer at the same time, nor negatively of each other.

"Why's that? Can you tell me what your bond is like?"

"Reminds me of one of my brothers too much, contrary to Nomad stereotypes, that's not one of my kinks." She winked at Vik out of River's sight.

"Yeah, besides a good friend and solid partner, ain't much else there for me, Doc. You on the other hand, she never shuts up about you."

"Shove off, Ward." She seemed embarrassed, but still smiling however shyly, voice less so, yet still sweet.

"Before you puffed that, V, what was your opinion of me? How did you see me?"

"Well I've always respected you, boo, but the longer you're gonna leave me hanging, Viky…"
The woman had the saddest pout, tugging his collar ever so lightly,
"I don't know how much more waiting I can take. As for how I saw you? Not nearly as often or naked enough… should really hang out here more, when you're working your boxing bag. Could show me some moves..."

"So it helps manifest latent attractions… Intriguing." The cogs in his head lost the creak as they'd picked up speed,
"V, do you like like me?"

He'd managed to take her aback, literally as well, backing off of the man but not stepping away,
"I-I mean, yeah, what's not to like about you? Funny, charming, big brain… Realist."

"Can I go now, Doc? This is getting more awkward by the minute."

"No, please!"
He managed to slip from her grasp, hurriedly made his way to the young man, admitting in hushed tones and whispers,
"I think if you leave, she'll shred me to pieces. Sexually."

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing? I'm confused, might not be attracted to V, but I can see she's attractive."

"That's not up for debate, kid, it's… I've already-" 2 dainty hands snuck up on his sides, gliding from his back around toward his chest, he took them by the wrists, trying his best to break their touch of his pecs and abs. His whisper grew even softer, but would it be enough?
"...taken care of my business today, twice. I'm not your age anymore, I don't think I could handle a third round. Let alone with her... especially hopped on, uh, aw shit…" In self-defeat through a slip of the tongue, he hung his head.

"Hopped up on what, Doc? Did you drug her?"

River stepped to the Doctor, who stood his ground, looked the young man dead in the eye,
"No. It's a long story."

"I'm here still, got time." He crossed his arms and curled his upper lip. Didn't faze Vik though.

"Basically V drugged herself, correctly assuming it was an aphrodisiac of sorts. Not listening to her Doctor, nor consenting beforehand." His words were mostly aimed over his shoulder, at the vixen still successfully groping him, who easily pulled her arms back around his torso, despite his grip. Leaving him to sigh out his frustration.

"I ain't buying it, Vik."

"But it's true! And I'll do it again~! Soon~!"

"No you're not, missy!" This time he tried yanking at her arms, damn implants were too strong, leaving him with grunts in his futile effort.

"Hell yeah I am! Riv harshed my mellow… didn't even get to ride the high, coming down hard, Vik." She tugged on the front of his jeans as she leaned her head on his shoulder, breasts pressed up against his back.

River chuckled, not just at Viktor's overwhelmed expression, but having bonded enough with V to know what she was up to, up for,
"Looks like you got your hands full, Vik, so I'm out. Call me if you need back up. Like, guns 'n shit. Whatever this is, I ain't touching. G'night lovebirds."

Vik watched his only possible savior wave and walk out of his clinic, starting to fail in trying not to let the woman grinding up against his backside get to him,
"Wish you were still here, amigo…"

In her arms, he turned to the woman, gripping her shoulders,
"V, you gotta knock it off."

"Make me…" she turned the tables, grabbing his wrists, maneuvering the man to the side and backing him into his operating chair.

"V, whatever you're thinking, it shouldn't happen."

"Why not? You don't want this?"

With very little choice, he backed up as far as he could, ending up lounging, with her climbing onto the chair as well. Onto his being. Viktor tried to keep his arms stretched between him, and the woman he literally strengthened himself.

"Didn't say that. Said I can't."

His well trained legs no match for her modified thighs, now straddling him. The moment she realized his hands wanted to touch her, be it to caress or grip, she released his wrists from her vise like hands. The warmth from his palms seeped into her trapezoidal muscles, her high drawing a new peak at the thought, the touch of his hands. Feeling like her brain was getting pulled to the ceiling, her eyes were about to roll to the back of her head in ecstasy, yet instead got pulled back to the man beneath her. Eyes and fingers drawn to the buttons on his shirt, slowly popping them, one… by... one.

"V, you didn't consent to this with a clear mind. You're still in there, somewhere under all that fake horny, y'know it's wrong."

"Don't feel fake to me, so… How about we take two wrongs, and make it a night? There's enough left in that puffer for both of us…"

He slowly increased the pressure he exerted on her shoulders, hoping to pierce through to her,
"If you really want this, Valerie, you're gonna have to fight the drugs, fight the urges."

What the hell? The way her name rolled off his tongue, she didn't think hearing that could possibly be enjoyable again, not in this lifetime. Doubted it was the drugs, it had to have been the man.

"Come get it when you're sobered up. Okay?"

The pain hidden among the pleasure in her face was real, real heartbreaking as she stopped moving, tensed up, jaw clenched tight,
"But it hurts to resist you…"

"I'm sure it'd hurt you more, if you end up hurting me by acting on this."

Picturing the guilt she'd collapse under, V fought hard, painfully managing to separate the psychological and physiological highs, squashing the former, struggling with the latter. She couldn't face him, looking away in her shame as best she could, trying to contain the drive her body had for him and his.

"Shut them down," she'd already been gripping the chair with white knuckles, now forcefully stretching her limbs in painful contortions to give the man space to slip out.

"What? Your cyberwares?"

Grunting on every move, pained efforts to constrain herself, he took the opportunity, rushing for his exoglove on the workbench.

"Everything that makes me too strong for my own good. The last thing I wan- Gaah!" Her clenched teeth could've started cracking under the pressure for all he knew,

"The last thing I want is for us to hurt, or regret, however we get together."

"Get together? V, I…" he didn't expect the chance to finish his sentence, as it turned out she was too pained and focused on containing her arousal to interject this time.

"I don't know what to say to that."

He'd been feeling along her spine for just the right vertebra, inject a little custom Vector designed code right there and she'd be quadriplegic for as long as needed.

"Nothing is usually a lot less awkward than the wrong thing, I've noticed."

Vik took her words to heart, using the silence to mull over his next words and following moves. Jacked in, the code started executing, deactivating her cyberwares, paralyzing her limbs to an extent, he'd caught her in time though, favoring to drop the semi-expensive diagnostics terminal over carefully holding her tight.

"Here we go, slowly."

With her limbs out of business, he gently lowered her onto the operating chair, jacking out of her spine before placing the woman on her back. Finally relaxed again, everything about her turned out sad, disappointed, mostly with herself,
"So much for being spontaneous and quirky."

"What did you even hope to accomplish? You'd really think I'd not demand you to give consent sober?"

"Honestly hoped it'd be covered by the waiver already."

He playfully shook his head,
"Not at all the same, those are two consents with a world of difference between them."

"Well maybe if you lead with 'it's an aphrodisiac' next time, I won't try to call your scop bluff. Hm?"

"Next time?"

V seemed to have lightened up, but he couldn't rule out the drugs just yet.
"Yeah, soon as we've both recovered from today, no 'ifs', 'ors' and 'buts'... you are going to pack up that puffer, pick up some sushi, mosey on over to my place… conduct a little research together. Notes, recordings, Vik, I'll compile you a BD to send your pharma Corpo fuckboys if that'd help, on one condition."

"Sounds... intriguing. Don't know if I'll like your condition…"

"At least pretend that you have feelings for me? Y'know, like, the deep kind? Don't care if it's not truly mutual, just wanna feel like it is for a night."

Surprising the woman, Vik brushed a few fingers through her hair, tucking it back alongside her ear,
"That high really messes with your hearing, don't it? What makes you think I don't already? It's why I tried stopping you, the whole consent speech. Don't wanna start this off on the wrong foot either."

Her Kiroshi's twisted and turned around the pupils, lighting up slightly. V was scanning him, his features for a tell, a hint of whether he was lying or not,
"Damn you're convincing. Shame they don't give out Oscars anymore."

Artificially immobilized from the neck down, she could still feel everything, from him gently taking hold of her hand, to flutters in her stomach as he leaned into her lips. Vik caught how she angled her head back on his approach, as though presenting him with a safe landing zone. Lack of patience giving away how eagerly she'd been awaiting this, his lips.

She didn't taste like cherries at this point, from prior, personal experience Viktor knew that meant the psychoactive substances had finished reacting, stopped intoxicating. Yet the way she expressed her cravings, reaching for his lips with hers, the sad sounds V made whenever she felt him gain too much distance. Almost seemed as if she was still climbing.

The aftereffects of this substance lasted quite long within his own slow, 'ganic system, had him ponder how she fared in this situation. Not knowing a tingling sensation had been growing from her loins, heart and cheeks alike, setting fire to the rest of her, as his lips were the sparks and hers the tinders. Ready to burn bright with him, though preferably long instead.

"Do you believe me now?"

"Suppose I might, may need anoth-"

Vik may have been letting V get to him a bit too much, fast, but his patience had also been wearing thin. Finding himself right back at her, his hand traveling up her arm, leaving twitches and goosebumps in its wake. Ardour, containing it for so long, wore him out worse than a Corpo 9 to 5 could. But her lips? Her tongue's playful attempts at dominating, taunting his? If it weren't for sustenance, sore muscles and an eventual dry mouth, he would go at this for hours.

Couldn't tell if the hum came with her moan, or vice versa, but he could tell the reluctance she had in withdrawing her tongue, her side of the kiss. Took her some deep breaths to get going, inadvertently patting his back, padding his confidence.

"This is giving me such Bone Collector vibes… kinda digging it."

"Wow, that movie's a bit before even my time. Can't remember how it ends."

"Could watch it after our trials? Tomorrow? You did say any other day…"

"Pretty sure I won't be capable of much else besides sleeping, after then. Don't you feel exhausted already?"

"Unlock my spine and we'll find out?" When their eyes met, hers fled past her rosy cheekbones, down, he followed where they landed. They found his hand cradling her neck, off to the side, thumb rebelliously caressing her cheek. Swore to himself he wouldn't get close, deep in with her. So much for wisdom coming with age.

Placing her right hand under her left cheek, the one he'd been touching absentmindedly, he prepared to roll her into the recovery position. Lifting her knee, pulling the woman onto her side,
"Here goes, 3-2-1-"

To feel his fingers slide over her muscles, grip her, pull on her limbs, closer towards him. Chems may have faded, but the feelings hadn't, the way her breath slowly escaped her. It wasn't quiet, not casual, definitely not unnoticed. He could've let go of her knee seeing as he needed to access her back again, but he made it there by way of her thigh. Fingers brushing over her jeans, landing at her hip, squeezing his grip, it's like he was trying to get her to blush even more.

Couldn't even get her to look at him though, even when knelt down right in front of her, picking up the diagnostics terminal. He watched her look anywhere but at him, before looking back down at the device in his hand himself.

"I made a fool of myself, haven't I?"

"V-" Vik looked back up, her expression suddenly several degrees sadder again. The Doctor realized she was actually crashing now, voice shaky.

"Shouldn't have snooped through your shit, I know, but I really was worried at first. I'm sorry, Vik."

"Hey,"

She finally looked at him, surprised he'd want her attention.

"The concern is appreciated. Taunting me? Sure, cute, I'll admit. Drugs get involved? Not exactly a laughing matter for me." Shame drew her gaze away from him again, noticed her nod though. Getting to his feet, letting go of her hip to extract the device's wire, he sighed,
"Either way, apology accepted. Just glad you were right about the puffer."

The Doctor caught a glimpse of her tepid smile as he reached over her side, jacking into her spinal port,
"Purging the code, give it a few. So, how did it make you feel?"

She looked at him with a rather blank stare, trying to recollect all the 'its' that made her feel that evening.

"The Bufotenin? The drugs you puffed?"

She realized what he meant at the same time she realized she could move her limbs again, clenching and tenderly stretching her extremities,

"Right, that makes more sense. Uhm, how to put it… I'd say sensually..."
Pushing herself off the backrest, she managed to sit up,
"fearless. I mean, I've done things today I never would've in real life otherwise."

"Real life? So, you've considered pinning me against a wall in your dreams?"

"More like fantasies. Jesus, Vik, you're not exactly the easiest to flirt with."

"I don't get what you mean by that, V. Honest." His sheepish smirk and chuckle seemed to enforce his honesty.

"Suffice to say, I've lost count of the amount of times you turned me down, or turned an attempt of mine into a deflecting joke. Took it as a hint to give up."

Looking back upon her casual visits, persistent invites, cheesy one liners, he realized something. Bunches of things, not to say that he was exactly blind to her advances either. Vik stepped closer, placing his hands on her shoulders, being rewarded with her upwards gaze,
"Guess I never thought you could be serious about that. I mean, what's a walking heart attack like you want with an old-timer like me?"

V's legs had already seemed to have taken a liking to his, now getting her to her feet, so that they may brush up against his. This time wrapping around him tighter,
"Can't leave a ride this shiny in the garage for the rest of his life. Should be taken out for a spin regularly."

"So, it's just for my stunning good looks then?"

From her shoulder, his right hand slipped up towards the side of her neck, his thumb brushing her jaw. V couldn't fight the urge to press her cheek into his palm, eventually sliding his hand there, moving his left to her neck instead. After which her own grubby little claws made their way to the waistband of his jeans.

"No, I like me a sober guy with his feet on the ground, heart in the right place, massive brain in charge of all that. Add the quirks that he knows how to crack a joke in between his griping, and that he doesn't know when he's charming. The looks are just a neat bonus to me."

Bare legs entangled with each other, between sheets, arms wrapped around torsos, head resting on a shoulder, fingers twirled locks of hair. Content sighs left arched lips, between stubbled cheeks,
"That was… a whole new experience. Never had a... y'know? Just... Wow."

"Me neither, to be honest. So, Doctor…"
Running her finger along, across his bare chest,
"When do you wanna start testing the Bufotenin stuff?"

The man chuckled as he pressed, pulled her even closer into him with both arms,
"Not any time today, I am high enough as is. Just wanna lay here, like this."
He kissed the top of her head.

"How long for?"

He heard the smile in her voice, as well as felt its crease against his chest,
"Forever."