"When do you have to get up?" The soft hissing of Amira broke the man's stupor.
The doctor blinked his eyes open, his mind hadn't entertained a singular logical thought for a while now. He lifted his head from the floor and looked upon the looming serpent. She had draped her long body over the man, shifting every so often.
"At about seven," Nilian yawned. "What about you, aren't you going to be late?"
She only huffed in response, before nuzzling the tapering snout against his neck. "Eh, they won't mind if I come in a little later."
"Should we...get cleaned up," Nilian smiled towards the serpent, motioning to their very sweaty and very sticky undersides.
"Yes, please," Amira said as she brought her body straight above the human. "This smell is driving me insane," a little mischievous glare crept across her features.
As much as the human tried focusing his fragile willpower not to, he couldn't stop his eyes from wandering to the exposed snake. The taught abs of her stomach were glistened over in sweat and various other fluids, while the globes on her chest fought desperately against gravity. The pattern of scales along her frontside was different from the rest of her body, not only in their white coloration, but the scales seemed even more smooth. Though the clearly segmented lines running down her body reminded him of armored plates, only pliable and far prettier.
"You go ahead, I just...need a moment," The human sat up, but quickly felt how much his legs were hurting.
"I was hoping you'd join me," Amira shot him her signature glare, squinting her eyes and pulling up her lips.
Nilian coughed and shook his head. "You are..." He couldn't find the word, the serpent's teasing had done its job.
"Unbelievable, I've heard it before," Amira finished his sentence, with feigned confidence. "Now come on." The heavy tail of the serpent lightly wrapped around the human's lower stomach and helped him up.
Although still rather shaky, the man composed himself and cocked his head at the sight of his couch. Stains galore, tossed pillows, and a knocked-over nightstand painted the picture of the scene of a chaotic wrestling match. The snake noticed the direction of the man's attention and slithered into view. The hypnotizing stare immediately pulled the doctor's attention and the dismay of having to clean faded into the background.
She gave him a quick nod towards the bathroom, to which he rolled his eyes in resignation. When he didn't respond at first, she opted to let part of her tail fall into his hands, wrapping around his palm. Having the man essentially on a leash, she began slithering to the door at the end of a corridor.
"Unbelievable," a quiet whisper escaped his mouth, as he trailed behind her. He experimentally squeezed the scales in his hand, feeling the thick muscle. He was surprised to find the long limb reciprocated the touch, it was a strange sensation, her entire snake-half was essentially a muscle, so she was able to move any part separate from each other.
The serpent led her human through the bathroom door, before admiring the spacious interior. The dark blue tiles lined the walls and floor, while the room was split by a glass wall, separating the rain shower from the toilet, bathtub, and sink. Unlike the rest of the human's apartment, the bathroom had definitely been designed with other species in mind. The tub was the size of a small pool for the human, while the showerhead had been built into the ceiling behind the separating wall.
Amira pulled the man to the shower, before turning to him with a cocked smile. Nilian gave an inquisitive look at the serpent, still holding her tail. Suddenly, the ropey appendage flung itself over his arm and was pulled taught, the dexterous limb wrapping around more and more of his forearm. The doctor, not expecting this maneuver, stumbled forward. He attempted to catch himself, but Amira was faster, bringing the rest of her body to his front while curling herself around him once more.
With little protest from the man, the snake continued to wrap around his body, soon his entire body rested on the scaly coils. The snake brought her arms to his shoulders and rose a few inches above him, still this mind-boggling look in her eyes. Once he was entirely wrapped in the muscular coils, Nilian relaxed his own body, letting the serpent carry him beneath the showerhead. As soon as they were firmly planted, Amira turned around and activated the water.
Warm water began flowing from the ceiling, running through the coils and along Nilian's bound body. The black and silver scales of the cobra became slick and glistening, as the shifting binds undulated with the warm liquid. Amira flared her hood and closed her eyes, clearly enjoying the sensation.
"You just gonna keep me tied up?" Nilian sounded out, interrupting the serpent's basking.
"What are going to do about it, struggle?" Her flaming green eyes bore into Nilian deeply, while her lips pulled into a predatory smile.
Nilian's face flushed once more, as the serpent squeezed him a little tighter, not painfully so, simply letting him feel who was in control. Her wet scales rubbed against his skin, the sensation proving once more that the doctor was helplessly enamored with her. The heat rising from his loins was obviously noticed by the serpent, as her eyes shifted from his face to his lower body, raising a playful eyebrow.
"Now you're pushing it," her otherwise slow and deliberate tone was undermined by the sly tugging of the edges of her lips. She brought her long snout close to his face and let her tongue graze the tip of his nose. A shudder, supported by a small wiggle, ran down the doctor's body, though his movement was limited. The suppressed movement elicited a huffing chuckle from the viper, who cocked her head to one side.
Before the human could mouth his protest, the serpent struck, delivering a quick kiss. Her entire body began shifting, as she softly knawed at his comparatively soft lips. He felt her arms reach around his back, the claws gently ran along his skin, until they landed on the back of his head, supporting, but also greedily pushing his head into her. Nilian knew what was coming, the coppery taste of her slick organ brushed against his mouth, only teasing the eventual intrusion.
Before she continued, however, she pulled back, leaving the man to open his eyes in a blinking manner. She crackled at the man's exaggerated breath. Through his shamefully desperate expression, he looked up at the serpent, water pearling from her hood like an umbrella. The viper loomed overtop him, while she let the tongue slither from her mouth slowly. The forked tip flicked up and down, creeping closer to the man's face. There was no hiding his excitement, as the pink appendage tenderly pressed against his lips. The sensitive tip continuously tickled against him, as if prodding to see the man's reaction.
From his lower position, Nilian had to tilt his head to look up at Amira, who had her mouth slightly agape. The serpent's tongue hung from the fleshy sheath, shifting and twisting, as it drooped from her maw. The teasing brushing grew more and more intense, the strong muscle parting his lips and exploring the gums of his mouth. She had control over his body and his mind, but Nilian wasn't entirely helpless.
Using the one free part of his body, Nilian pushed his head forward and used his lips to capture the snake's tongue in his mouth. Careful to avoid accidentally biting her, Nilian held her in place with his lips and tongue. The pause in Amira's demeanor and amused look on her face betrayed that the sight of Nilian sucking on her tongue was more than a little humorous. Though she quickly regained her composure, lowering the rest of her head to him, connecting their lips, as the roaming organ began doing its job.
The false confidence, that had caused Nilian to invite her tongue inside, was quickly replaced by the endlessly extending feeling of his head being overtaken. Slippery and dexterous as always, the limb began roaming around the man's mouth like a snake in its own right. His legs grew weak, though he was already leaning on her for support, as his eyes rolled back and closed. His cheeks bulged, his tongue was subdued easily, and his mind followed the pleasurable fullness.
Through his love-drunk thoughts, he felt her coils loosen around his arms, though she still clutched him all around. Using his now freed hands, he brought them to her slender face, cupping the wide cheeks, running over the slick scales. He continued to explore her features with closed eyes, before moving up to where her face and hood connected. The soft and wet tissue was warm and incredibly smooth, each scale being almost too tiny to feel on its own. He noticed that his exploration had effects on the snake, as her arms pulled more heavily against the back of his head, tugging at his wet hair, while her lips knawed more intensely.
Within a very short moment, her balled-up tongue uncurled and retracted, leaving the man's mouth with a pop, a strand of saliva connecting them. Her breath was warm and irregular, hitting Nilian with the snake's excitement. One of her hands ran through his hair, tugging tenderly and collecting handfuls in her clawed fist. He dared to sneak a glance downward and was immediately met with another sign of want on her side, the inflamed mound below her waist seemed to wink at him. His face grew heated and he looked back up with a widened expression, which was met by Amira's intense eyes, that demanded to be stared into.
"Do you...want me to take care of that?" Nilian motioned downwards, giving his best imitation of the teasing smirk the viper adorned.
"Now, now, don't get impatient," Amira teased back.
The serpent's body raised above the man, covering the water flow. Her silver scales reflected as the water pearled off of her, as she pulled her wide lips apart and revealed the thin fangs from their sheath. Nilian blinked and let his mouth hang open slightly, staring at the towering figure. Amira let her tongue drift from her open maw and began slithering it down her own body until it met her left breast. With her glowing green eyes, she glanced downward, forcing the human to follow her tongue, as she began to encircle the soft globe.
Nilian couldn't help but stare, as she began to squeeze and cup herself, slathering spit all over herself. She let out a few suppressed hisses, that sounded deep from her throat. She increased the moaning vocalizations more and more, until her hand trailed down her body, letting her claws run over the tight abs. Nilian's eyes flicked frantically between the two visuals until he couldn't tear himself away from her hand when it eventually reached below her waist.
He gulped and raised his eyebrow towards the smug expression, that soon lost its composure. Amira periodically closed her eyes, as her tongue began squeezing more frantically, while her fingers softly trailed her entrance. Thanks to her claws, however, she couldn't do much besides rub slowly, as she would otherwise hurt the sensitive flesh.
The human felt the heat radiating off of the serpent, but also from below his own waist.
The huffing breaths of the serpent became deeper and heavier and her coils began to constrict the human more tightly. The soft-yet taught-flesh rubbed slowly against the man's member, perhaps deliberate, perhaps without thought.
But his arms were freed and the man was done being a passive watcher, as much as he enjoyed the show. He began by grabbing fistfuls of the scaly butt, squeezing the fatty tissue with a smug stare. The viper let out a surprised squeal, staring at the human with the gaping maw, pretending to be offended.
"What did I just say?" Her tone sounded scolding, but the lingering hint of euphoria remained.
Nilian gave an apologetic smirk, but his hands were quickly restrained by the thick tail. His arms were pushed to the side and he was now quickly wrapped up in a winding cocoon. Amira unwinded her tongue from her chest and sucked it back in, while her long finger finished a final circle. She brought the hand, her fingers now dripping with sticky fluid, to Nilian's face. The snake leaned in close and put her hands on the human's cheek, before beginning to trace his lips with the sticky digit.
Nilian didn't think twice, he knew what she wanted. He let her clawed finger part his lips and slip inside his mouth. He immediately recognized the coppery taste of the serpent's juices, along with the earthy taste of her scales. The human closed his lips around the long finger and ran his tongue over it. Amira cocked her head to the side, as she observed the obedient human intently.
"Oh my," she huffed and withdrew.
Nilian quickly flushed with red, realizing the lewd outlook he had just given the reptile. 'Great, another thing she'll tease me about.'
An idea visibly ran across the viper's mind and she rose above the doctor once more, but this time, she aligned her waist with his head. Her hips hovered over Nilian, showing off the pink slit directly above him, but just out of reach. A thick globule of clear, viscous liquid dripped from the twitching vulva. Amira held herself suspended sideways and let her hand roam again, parting the scaly lips. The winding flesh beneath was soaking wet and Nilian couldn't do anything but watch.
"Use your tongue, little human."
Nilian paused and his mind froze in whatever thought he was on previously. There was no way he could have reached her from this distance, but he complied anyway. The human stretched out the comparatively tiny organ as far as he could but didn't even get halfway.
"You know I can't reach," Nilian complained.
"You're just not trying. Here, a little motivation," Amira replied and brought her head back around, now completely upside-down.
Before he could laugh at the upturned expression, the viper struck forward. Somehow, she seemed even more excited than before, as the rope filled the man's head. She began exploring his insides and Nilian didn't try to resist. No matter how strange this felt, no matter what his throat told him, he absolutely loved this.
Simultaneously, something slick and winding rubbed against his manhood very deliberately. Nilian groaned into her mouth, though it was more than a little suppressed. He felt how Amira increased the infernal teasing, enjoying the reactions she got from playing with him.
After what seemed like an infinity, she retreated from his mouth and throat, winding her head back to an upright position. Her own inflamed loins swayed above the human, lubricating themselves in water and her own secretions.
"Motivated?" She inquired and bared her fangs again.
Nilian didn't respond, he was happy to try to play the snake's game. He instead stuck out his tongue again and pushed his chin out as far as possible. Perhaps out of impatience, perhaps pitty at the human's attempt, but Amira finally relented and pressed her womanhood atop him.
The smell was the first thing Nilian sensed, as his face became completely buried in the vent. Soon, the cacophony of fluids ran down his cheek and his neck, as Amira bucked her hips against him, her upper body writhing in pleasure, as the man sucked and licked at the undulating flesh. He worked as if his life depended on it, as he felt his breathing impaired by the snake. His mind was a blur, he clenched the small ball of nerves, but that only made her grind harder and squeeze him tighter.
A sheepish sounding moan came from above, a noise Amira tried to suppress but couldn't hold back.
"If you're gonna bite," Amira let the human breath, strands of saliva and grool connecting her hip to his mouth. She brought her head to his ear and pricked his ear, "then don't be surprised if I do, too."
The warm breath, the cold hardness of her teeth, and the knowledge that she could envenom him within a second, all combined to send goosebumps down his body. A shudder followed and Amira chuckled quietly. The human huffed, as the endless unfocused stroking and rubbing continued, not giving him the necessary stimulation for anything more than mind-numbing frustration. Amira wanted him to work for it, that much became clear, as she pressed her crotch into his mouth again.
And work he did, exploring every inch of the serpent's tunnel, inhaling the heated air, and lapping up the euphoria-inducing juices. Again, his air supply was limited, but that concerned the human very little. He wanted to give in to the snake. He basked in the way her body responded to each of his movements, the way her scales became warmer and warmer, the hot breath that made his skin tingle, the sharp, hollow points of her teeth pricking his ears repeatedly, while her claws drew red lines across his back.
Insanity, there it was again. The way his mind simply seemed to take a backseat, giving up control of his own body to instinct and the will of the snake.
The everpresent feeling of pressure on his member, which was pressed tightly against the soft underbelly of Amira's tail, quickly disappeared and was soon replaced by the shape of the serpent's four-fingered hand. The slender digits, which ended in sharp talons, wrapped around his base. She only held him still for a few moments, feeling the blood pumping through the appendage, until she slowly circled the tip with one of her claws.
Nilian had to take a pause, feeling his lungs almost depleted. He tapped the serpent on her coils with his fingers, as he couldn't have moved any other part of her body. Amira realized this and unwrapped her waist from him. Nilian inhaled deeply and blinked, as the light returned, along with the shower's water. Amira had also stopped her soft squeezing of his rigid member, looking to the man with the teasing smirk.
"Amira..." Nilian didn't know what he wanted to say, he just wanted to say her name.
"You're doing good," Amira softly affirmed the man, as she began...patting him. Nilian couldn't help but let out a small chuckle, as she let her hand run through his soaked hair, brushing some of his black hair from his forehead.
"What are you doing?" Nilian smiled at the viper confused.
"I like your hair," she replied absentmindedly.
"And I like your scales," Nilian retorted.
Amira pulled her scaly lips up in a smile. "Are you saying that cause I've got you in my hands?" She glanced down.
"You haven't done anything yet."
"If you don't want it to stay that way, prove it," Amira finalized and returned her snake-waist to the man.
Finally, she accepted his offer and began to slowly stroke his member. Nilian closed his eyes and mouthed softly, then, in short intervals, more forthcoming and aggressively. Amira reciprocated his advances with a tight grip, her wet and soft scales rubbing against the man's flesh. The long fingers were able to completely wrap around him, thin and slender.
Nilian quickly felt the effects of the prolonged teasing, as he began to thrust his hips into her soft palm, eliciting an amused huff from the snake. But he wasn't alone in his rising pleasure, as Amira could do nothing but indulge in pushing herself onto him. With his comparatively short tongue, he couldn't reach into the clenching tunnel very far, but he still felt the powerful internal musculature attempt to pull him inside, something he remembered feeling on his member.
She essentially sucked on his tongue with her insides, but the doctor resisted and prodded against the walls instead. The contracting of her vent was often followed by hissing moans, that sounded shaky. As her swelling arousal rose, Nilian felt the increase of speed on his pulsing manhood, forcing him to contract his muscles in unison.
He noticed her coils shifting around his body, constricting his already limited airflow when she clutched the man tightly. He knew what was coming, or rather who.
A cacophony of hisses, constricting scaled flesh, and clenching insides finally came to a climax, followed by a fountain of internal fluids. Nilian was almost out of air but didn't dare to try and leave the serpent at that point. Simultaneously, Amira tugged sharply on the human, frantically and without rhythm, though that was enough.
Nilian groaned into the overflowing tunnel, letting out the rest of his air and allowing the coppery fluid to enter his mouth. He bucked his hips, as if it would help in furthering his pleasure, into the tight grip and shot out strings of sticky white.
Her entire body shivered and pushed, as every one of her muscles rode out the electric pleasure of her orgasm. She flopped around the man's body like a fish out of water, while Nilian went almost completely limp in her grip. His vision had become nothing but a blurry mess of dark spots and stickiness, thanks to his quickly fading consciousness and insurmountable pleasure.
Amira noticed how his body had slumped and pulled herself off of the man's airway, still twitching. She brought herself on eye level and cupped his cheeks, trying to make eye contact. But the man was unresponsive.
"Oh, don't you go yet," Amira lightly slapped his cheek.
When he once again didn't respond, Amira grew a little concerned. Although the man's expression was a stupor-induced smile, his head only swayed softly from one side to the other. He mumbled something unintelligible, but Amira was done letting the man rest. She locked lips with him and shoved her tongue down his throat.
The doctor's eyes immediately shot open and the control over his body returned. Due to the sudden intruder, Nilian tried to shake his head but was held in place. Soon enough, his rationale returned and he simply basked in the sensation of being subjected to the viper's kiss.
She let the shower reach the both of them and finally began to clean herself. With her tongue still deep inside him, she slowly uncoiled and dropped to the floor. After a moment of blissful afterglow, the slippery organ retreated from the man, though she still held onto his face. Nilian opened his eyes to the wonderous sight of her emerald eyes staring back.
"So much for getting clean."
The snake smirked at this remark and proceeded to brush her scales, after letting him go. Nilian barely moved, too weak in the legs to properly stand and too focused on the serpent to concentrate on himself. He reached to his back and found small marks all over his back, not deep enough to draw blood or be painful, simply something he had not noticed before.
"Did I pass out just now?" He inquired.
"I think so, but you were breathing and I felt your heartbeat. I just gave you a little wake-up call," Amira explained nonchalantly.
Nilian simply stared at the viper's statement, his jaw slightly agape.
He made little effort to avoid staring, his willpower had left the doctor's mind. Amira caught the glances and made a show of cleaning around these attention-grabbing parts of her body.
"Remember what I told you, that you'll be fascinated with more parts of my body?"
"Clear as day, just...not like this," Nilian chuckled.
"Well, that still holds true. Today was...a taste," Amira whispered.
The man had to take a long pause, the sly grin of the serpent hit its target like so many times before. Eventually, they finished their shower, though Nilian didn't feel that much cleaner. Amira's long body proved a challenge to dry correctly, but after three different towels, she seemed satisfied. The human slipped into his pants and escorted the serpent to his bedroom. Amira chose to not put on her blouse for sleeping.
The bed was indeed too small to fit the both of them separately, so Amira told the man to get in first. Nilian chose to toss the blanket, already expecting what the serpent's plan was. And indeed, she began to coil around him from head to toe, until she was wrapped around him. As a finishing touch, she rested her comparatively massive head above him and cupped the back of his head, flaring her hood out to provide a scaly pillow.
"This is oddly comfortable," Nilian thought out loud.
Being this close to her let him feel the reverberating chuckle throughout her body.
With the shared heat from their body, the snugness of her coils, and the soft breathing of his partner, Nilian soon felt the comfort of sleep wash over him. Dreams unintelligible goodness came in the night, though they left the man's mind as quickly as they entered.
The chirping sound of the doctor's alarm awoke the two. Nilian could only move slightly, as the cobra's body was still coiled around him. She started stretching her long muscles but stopped when the human groaned upon being constricted.
"Sorry," she quickly let the man go and slipped out of bed.
The doctor yawned deeply and kicked his legs off the bed. He soon found the soreness of his muscles, as he began to stretch. He also found more red marks on his shoulders and felt the dents on his back had not disappeared.
"I...got a little carried away there," Amira's tone sounded almost sheepish.
She traced his back softly and ran her palm over him in an apologetic manner. Her hand eventually came to rest on the man's head and drummed lowly, while twirling his hair.
"That's cute of you, but I know you were trying your best to not hurt me." Nilian smiled warmly and planted a kiss on her scaly snout. "I'm not that fragile," he added, though the hurt of his body confirmed that this was perhaps an exaggeration.
"I hope that's true, wouldn't want to break you right at the start," the soft breath brushed against his ear.
The man held his breath upon trying to stand, then stretched his spine one more time. He looked outside the massive window and onto the rising morning sun, that would disappear once he got to the ground floor. Amira joined at his side, he caught the reflection of her eyes. Then, his eyes fell upon her-still very much nude-body.
Despite the lack of nipples, the serpent's voluptuous chest was more than a little eye-catching. An interesting fact Nilian noted, was that the genitalia slit below her waist looked no different from the surrounding scales, when not in use.
"People used to-and still-think that your breasts are venom storage," Nilian commented.
"That's stupid," Amira scoffed, before cupping one of them and pretending to inspect herself, though it was clearly just a ploy to have the human stare at her.
Despite the serpent's attempt at staling, Nilian managed to tear himself away from the rotund objects and make his way to the living room. He heard her slithering behind him and decided that a quick breakfast would be appropriate for his guest.
"You're actually the first person to sleep over at this apartment since I've been here," Nilian explained, while activating the coffee machine. "Do you drink coffee?"
"Yes, thank you," Amira put on her blouse, slipping it over her contracted hood.
The artificial bean powder was quick to filter, so Nilian soon held two cups of steaming caffeinated liquid, which he placed on the table. Amira took a seat on the small chair, while Nilian grabbed a shirt. He sat down opposite the viper and sipped his coffee. She leaned her long neck on her hands and slowly tilted the cup, only being able to sip in small gulps.
"I...feel like I should say something," Amira broke the silence, her tone once again indicated that she was feeling uncertain.
"Me too," Nilian chuckled, a little relieved that he wasn't the only one. "I suppose I will ask if...you liked it"
There it was again, a light flash of color on the viper's features. Despite the many differences in their biology, the concept of being flustered or embarrassed seemed to be somewhat universal.
"I-I did," Amira attempted to imitate the confident tone she had previously adorned. "I never thought a human could...make me feel these things."
"You've done these things before?" The doctor inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"Similar, with other vipers, yes. The detention centers put us in big barracks, it got...lonely," Amira reminisced.
"I thought there weren't any males in your species."
"There aren't..." Her eyes trailed onto her cup.
"O-oh," Nilian turned red.
The snake sipped again, playing oblivious to the human's coughing.
"But you are a lot more fun. There are so many things that I can do with you and many parts of your body are...enticing."
"Well for one, that tongue of yours," as soon as the human brought it up, the appendage flicked out, making him pause. "Longer than I thought," the man jested.
"You haven't seen the half of it," Amira teased, regaining her confidence.
"I'm sure you'll show that to me another time," Nilian finished his coffee.
"Speaking of, where will you need to go? I promised to arrange your ride home, but I can assume that you'll head straight for work, right?" Nilian pulled up the taxi service on his PC.
"My agency is in the stacks, I usually slither there. But if you get me to Roundhouse Plaza, it'll work." Amira now also finished her cup.
"When do you have to be there, I still got half an hour before I need to leave," Nilian checked his watch.
"That depends..." Amira trailed off and got up, slithering to her PC. The holographic display showed multiple missed messages and calls. "Oh, must have accidentally put it on silent." Her smirk betrayed it was far from an accident.
"You in trouble?"
"Nah, they're just mad that I ignored them," Amira deactivated the display and attached it to her wrist. "I have all the time we need. What do you have planned?"
"A nice slither and walk down the street or maybe we just stay on the balcony and have some breakfast. I think I got some artificial eggs and bacon in the fridge," Nilian suggested, remembering how much the viper had enjoyed the view.
"I thought you couldn't cook," Amira prodded.
"I still can't, but I doubt I could mess that up."
Although a little doubtful, Amira let the human attempt to prove his promise and slithered towards the balcony.
"Grab a blanket, the air is cold in the morning," Nilian shouted after her.
While the viper coiled herself up in the blanket on the outside couch, Nilian cracked open a few eggs, fishing the shells out afterward, and fried the bacon. He was right, it would have been hard to mess these things up, yet he somehow did. The eggs leaked the yolk and the bacon was taken off a little too early, but he still retained some level of pride, when he served the food on plates.
The air was indeed cold, but Amira let the human slip under the blanket next to her and promptly began to farm his body for heat. Despite the obvious flaws, Amira complemented the human's attempt and threw the pieces of bacon down her gullet.
Their small breakfast finished, the two put the plates away and chose to simply let their view wander the skyline. The bright yellow sun shot Ray's of gold over the walls, reflecting off the tall glass buildings and flowing rivers.
Amira shuffled closer to the human and lightly draped her tail over his legs and around his ankles while leaning onto his shoulders. Her scales, though naturally cold, felt nice on his skin, a close pattern of armor, which gave to the hard muscle beneath.
'I should probably start working out,' Nilian thought to himself, remembering how out of breath he had been the previous day.
Along with the fact that the serpent clearly took care to keep her frankly incredible figure, Nilian felt that she deserved that he'd at least regain some of his old muscle. In the war, he had taken the effects of physical labor for granted, but the junk food and little exercise he was used to now, had driven those out.
"I've never actually asked, what exactly do you do at your hospital?" Amira asked quietly, her eyes still focused on the incoming light.
"Besides a lot of management, I am the head doctor. Currently, thanks to the severe lack of staff, I fill in wherever I'm needed, but if we had the personnel to fill all the necessary roles, I would be the `Extraterrestrial expert´. I have the most experience when it comes to alien biology and anatomy amongst the staff, so I take care of surgeries and I'm the first person to ask on how to proceed on such topics."
"Just a fascination with all aliens?" The viper prodded further. It surprised Nilian once again, the fact that she actually seemed interested in him and his work.
"I suppose so. I used to be scared of them, they were beings that inspired horror stories amongst the resistance, mostly because they symbolized death. But when I got into my position at Xcom, they were...explained. What used to be creatures of terror became simple biological, carbon-based beings. I never hated aliens, so when it became apparent that they were as unwilling as could be, I felt obligated to help."
"So you aren't scared of them at all now?" An underlying sense of seriousness was present in her tone, though her inquiry seemed genuine.
"Not much more than of a human. Can't be denied that they are biologically superior predators. But I understand that they have little reason to wish harm on me. I help, I expect to be allowed to do so," the doctor finished his train of thought.
The serpent contemplated for a second, still staring out at the slowly awaking city.
"You're nervous around me," she added quietly.
This took the man with surprise and he looked at her with confusion. She didn't turn to him, but the side of her face was enough to tell that she was more serious than previously.
"Amira, I'm not scared of you," the human began. This had the desired effect of the reptilian turning towards him, though the otherworldly eyes betrayed deep-seated worry. "The only reason I could be considered nervous is that I am afraid I'll say something stupid."
Nilian knew he had to change this look, he didn't like seeing her in concern. His mind raced to find the right words, something to prove that he was truthful.
"I will say it as many times as I have to, Amira. You are the most wonderful person I have met in my life. I do not care what you are, or if you are dangerous," the snake turned to the ground.
"Nilian, I...I've hurt people. I've killed and I am confronted with doing it again every day. I'm scared that I will hurt you." Her tail dropped to the floor.
"An old human saying is, that unless one is capable of doing bad, they cannot be truly good. Every single person has done bad, some less, some worse. I don't believe we have to be defined by our worst moments, but the times that we choose to change." The human spoke to the serpent but accepted that she probably didn't want to face him.
"Why? Where does that come from?" Her voice cracked a little.
Nilian paused and took a deep breath. "Because I have done terrible things as well. A person..very close to me, died for my actions. Someone who I had always considered better than me, more valuable, lost his life directly by my doing. It ate me up, it still tears at me, but I know that there is nothing more I can do to change what happened. Time doesn't move backward and the more you try to linger on it, the less of it you have left." The man felt something hot run down his cheek.
"I-I'm sorry, I think I understand," Amira looked to the human, unsure of what to say to comfort him.
"Don't be. I just wanted to put it into a perspective. I accept what happened, I dislike it, but I am ready to move past it. And unlike me, you had no say in what you did, there should be nothing that still holds you to those times. That is the same mindset those xenophobes have, they can't move on. We have to prove that it is not like that, that whatever anyone did is no longer important. If everyone is a bad person in their own head, then the world loses a lot of its joy. And that would be truly terrible." Finally, he wiped away the small tear, noticing that the viper was once again looking at him.
"I...thank you. When I woke up from the psionic network, I was in the middle of scouting. I slithered through the desert for hours, completely confused on what I had been doing. The realization that...that I had killed so many, all for the purpose of subjugating another race. Xcom began looking for rogue units like me and I was found by a woman. She took me as a prisoner, but, since I complied with her, I was put into the detention camps as soon as they were established. I wanted a life, I wanted what humans had, but I never stopped hurting people."
The snake's voice completely gave out. Nilian wanted to say something but paused when he spotted a drop of clear water ran down her scales.
"It just...it feels like I'm still a monster."
"Who told you you're a monster?" The human burst out.
"I...a lot of people. I know the way humans look at me, the whispers they think I don't hear, the smell of fear when I talk to them," Amira began listing off, her view still on the ground.
Nilian sensed the tension from the serpent, it reminded him of how the conversations with some of his alien patients felt. Tense, coming from a heavy topic. The human wasn't a therapist, nor trained in these conversations, but he knew that he would have to find the right words.
"You aren't a monster. And if I am the first person to tell you that, then I am sorry," the human hampered his voice, this needed to be serious. "But monsters wouldn't feel bad, monsters would not be kind to anyone the way that you are to me," he turned to her and waited till she looked at him," and monsters don't cry."
Her black slitted pupils switched between the human's eyes frantically, searching for something.
'Ok, that worked. Time for a solution,' the human remained unchanging in his expression.
"Do you want to work somewhere else?" Nilian asked after a moment.
"I...don't know. I am good at what I do and it is fun in the moment. I just don't know what else I could do," she replied in an uncertain tone.
"That is ridiculous," Nilian blurted out. "You made the best meal I have ever eaten just yesterday! And I doubt that you couldn't learn to do anything you put your mind to. I wasn't kidding when I said you could open a restaurant, maybe you can ask if you can take over the day-shift at the inn or go work at Terrestrial tastes."
"You mean that?" The viper sounded genuinely taken aback.
"Amira, I have not said a single thing I don't mean yet and I don't plan on starting," Nilian offered a warm smile.
Amira paused and inhaled deeply, before raising her head again. Although she hesitated for another moment, she eventually lifted the edges of her thin lips. And again, Nilian saw a small glistening droplet beneath her eyes. Nilian reached out with his hand and wiped her tear away, gently brushing against her scales.
Without another word, Amira leaned in and planted a small peck on the man's cheek. Content that he had managed to comfort the woman, Nilian let his posture relax a little.
"The way you say these things, it feels nice," the serpent whispered to the man.
"And you deserve every last one of them," Nilian responded, looking up at the skyline. "Everyone in this world has suffered, I want to make right by as many people as possible. And if you let me, I would like to start with you."
He felt her tail wrap around his leg again.
Finally, they simply laid back on the couch, watching as a new week began and the city slowly awoke.
Eventually, they had to take their leave, entering the elevator together, this time without the interruption of a xenophobic resident. Nilian had ordered their rides separately, as he would have to drive in a different direction.
In the lobby, they were once more greeted by Jaar.
"Good morning, Mr. Arlar," he turned to the viper. "I never caught your name, will you be a... regular visitor?"
"That depends on Mr. Arlar," Amira tried to pronounce the man's last name, nudging him with her shoulder.
"I believe so, this is Amira," Nilian explained.
The sectoid nodded and noted something on his computer. He said his goodbyes and the pair left.
"Did he put me in the register?" Amira turned to the human, once they stepped out onto the road.
"I think it's just formal management stuff. But I wouldn't mind if you stayed over more often, might need to get a bigger couch, though."
"And a bigger bed," Amira added.
"Oh, you don't want to cuddle?" The doctor teased.
The viper crackled.
The pair walked and slithered along the sidewalk and onto the corner of Highland main, where Nilian's ride was already waiting. A viper sat in the front and rolled down her window as they approached.
"I will message you once I get off work, then," Nilian explained and got ready to enter the cab.
"Hold on, you forgot something," Amira sounded adamant.
The human spun around and looked confused at first, but he quickly realized that he had been tricked, when the cold scales of her lips interlocked with his. It looked awkward from the outside, thanks to the size difference, but it felt right to the two.
After a momentary bliss, the human's world returned, though the only thing he could focus on were the deep verdant globes. Her pink tongue flicked out a few times and her lips pulled into a smile.
"I'll see you later for the rest of that," the serpent let the forked tip brush against the man's nose and turned on the spot.
He looked after her for a moment, watching the undulating motion of her tail and waist, until he snapped back to the fact that his driver was waiting. The doctor jumped inside the cab and apologized to the viper.
Throughout the man's rather uneventful workday, Nilian did more of the mind-numbing digital paperwork, took in the early morning clients, and ate alone in the break room.
For the latter part, however, he would have to substitute for one of the post-surgery doctors once more, meaning more visits to rooms upstairs.
The PD officers were always rather friendly, telling their stories from work any opportunity they got. Nilian did his best to listen and make small talk but caught himself repeatedly thinking to his serpent. Simultaneously, he noticed that his body complained at the pace he was trying to go, still very sore.
Though soon, he made it to the room that their viper agent was stationed. Nilian was certain that he would remain much more professional this time, now that he didn't freeze at the sight of any other viper.
He knocked on the door, as her records showed that she was no longer under anesthesia, but had to remain over the weekend, due to a leftover piece of shrapnel in her hood.
"Yes," sounded through the door and Nilian entered.
The long reptile sat straight and her amber eyes focused on the man as he closed the door behind.
"Ah, the fearless doctor returns," she greeted sarcastically.
"So you remember me, good." The human took her vitals, preparing for some idle conversation.
But only the sound of her tongue flicking in and out, faster than what was normal for her species, filled the air.
"Oh my..." The viper blinked towards the doctor, a small smirk forming on her lips.
"Something wrong?"
"Just a scent I didn't expect to see on a human," she replied, her tone carried a suppressed chuckle.
Nilian's eyes went wide and he felt his heart rate quickening. 'Of course, she can smell that.'
"I...don't know what you're referring to," he tried to play oblivious, hoping the snake would just let him off the hook.
"If that were true, I would be very concerned. Are you ashamed of it?" The snake raised an eyebrow.
"No, no, no. It's just...something which shouldn't be mentioned in this environment. I apologize for not having considered this...scent." Nilian sighed and lowered his tablet.
"I understand, doctor. But a little advice, every viper that gets close to you will be able to tell."
The man could not contain the crimson rising to his head. 'Any viper? What about my driver today, what about my coworkers? Oh god...' Although there weren't many, they did employ viper nurses at the hospital.
"I appreciate the warning," Nilian responded in a professional manner.
"Nothing to thank, I am most satisfied with how I was treated here. But I have to ask when I will be eligible for leave, I dislike staying in one place and I want to continue work," the viper inquired.
"You are recovering very well from surgery and the x-ray scans don't show any leftover scrap. As I mentioned last time, it will take a while before your hood recovers and it is unlikely that it will grow back fully. Other than that, I will sign your release today." Nilian finished typing on his tablet and flashed a smile.
"I'm glad to see humans warming up to our species. Goodbye, doctor."
The rest of his shift retained the mundane nature of his constantly shifting position, though he made sure to keep clear of their viper staff. Eventually, he returned to his office and activated his PC, while checking the end of the day's emails.
Amira had sent him a message a few hours ago.
-I just wanted to thank you again, for what you said today. I will be working at the inn this week's evening. If you want to come over there at around nine, we can hang out.-
-No problem, I'll be there as soon as possible.-
Nilian set his PC down and began answering emails. Sick leave, medication prescription, applications...
But an unrelenting smile was plastered on his face throughout his evening. Perhaps in anticipation of seeing and with his viper again, maybe just the remaining afterglow of yesterday's escapade. Nevertheless, his world felt different, forever changed by choices he never once thought to take back. And, although not without trouble, he knew that together, they would be just fine.