RECOMPOSE
by Ladywolvesbayne
DISCLAIMER: I am most definitely a terrible person. This chapter is dedicated 90% to something like smut. If you are not fond of this, skip everything until the last two scenes. Otherwise, enjoy the ride, I tried my best to reward your patience in the most memorable of ways that I could think of. See you at the end!
29. FROZEN TIME
(special thanks to SL4Y3R for proofreading the last bits, you rock!)
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2558
LOCATION: UNSC BASE IN RIO DE JANEIRO
NCOs LIVING QUARTERS
6:13 PM standard time
The water was cold, yes, but the touch of her hands was pure fire.
Did he ever stop, just for one second, to consider how good was to know (to feel) that she was alive? How much alive he felt, just holding her like this?
He'd never been so grateful for anything else, ever. And right there, when Cortana tilted her head back to soak her hair again under the raining water, he was overwhelmed by relief. She closed her eyes, sighing, and just enjoyed the moment. John followed the audacious droplets running his fingers along with them, down her cheek, her neck, her collarbone, deep into the valley between her breasts. Slowly, carefully. Then he headed back up, gently brushing his knuckles against her wet skin, watching her every reaction. She shivered under his touch and smiled.
It would be marvelous to spend the entire day just staring at her, like this.
Cortana let herself fall back knowing that his arms would catch her and laughed when John pulled her to stand on her feet again, one of his rough hands now grabbing her slender waist. He still had the soap in the other hand, for some reason. When their eyes met, she gave him one of her trademark playful smiles.
That mere sight made his heart race, blood rushing everywhere.
"If I had known it was this easy to get in a shower with you..." she snickered.
John left the soap aside and ran the now free hand along her waist and up, until he found her face again and took a moment to underline the full curves of her lips with a gentle stroke of his thumb. There was an implicit fascination in the gesture, a deep sense of wonder. She was warm, and soft. So soft.
Personified perfection.
"Cortana..."
"Hmm?" she kissed his thumb, lost in the caress.
She was real. Yes, she was real.
They've been there before, right? Then why it felt like something new?
"Should we pick up where we left off the last time?"
She giggled. "I think we better start over. Double the fun."
Cortana pushed herself grabbing his forearms and reached up, leaving a small kiss on the corner of his mouth. John turned his head only to brush his nose on her cheek. Like a poorly practiced dance, they followed each other until their lips met again under the curtain of water. She managed barely a step and a half before her back found the wall and her SPARTAN's shadow covered her, the kiss remained unbroken, unyielding. He pushed forward, trying to bury himself in her welcoming smoothness, until a bigger need made her push him back, only far enough to catch some air.
"That almost seems like you've been practicing." Cortana mocked.
"Maybe I'm just naturally talented." he propped an elbow against the wall, beside her head.
"Show off."
A soft laugh rumbled inside his chest, she felt somewhat outsmarted.
Her hands roamed the wide, strong surface of his chest anyway, tracing the faded scars here and there. Cortana leaned in to plant a kiss over his collarbone, the sound of the water raining over his back and hitting the shower's floor was loud enough to silence everything else. She closed her eyes and stepped closer, sticking each inch of her warm skin against John's body, minding the thrills running up and down her spine. Made to fit in perfect harmony, made for each other.
She pressed her cheek over his heart, just listening to the revolution inside.
John picked up the soap again and rubbed her back with it, while his arms circled her. He always had to be doing something, being idle wasn't his thing; Cortana smiled, as she closed her eyes and let him work, just enjoying the ministrations. Up and down, in slow circles, fingers crawling everywhere. Absentmindedly, Cortana's fingers drifted down across John's stomach, following the muscular frame of the narrow 'v' between his hips and far below.
This time, he only flinched a little when she found his manhood.
She peeked down and smiled.
"Almost there." Cortana whispered, content. Then she looked up, finding his sharp eyes. "No interruptions this time?"
John shook his head. "No interruptions."
"You promise?"
He pulled her closer. "Trust me."
Cortana stepped on her toes again and hugged his neck, smiling.
"I do. That's the most amazing part, there's nobody I trust more than you." she whispered. The feel of her soft breasts pushing on his own flesh was exhilarating. He just dropped the soap and seized her to claim her mouth, a raw hint of anxiety disguised in the enticing roughness of his hands. Cortana fought to maintain control but gave up in no time, she scratched his forearms in sheer excitement and pulled back, breathing heavily. He tried to kiss her again, but she ducked and bit his chin instead, provoking him. "Pick me up." she ordered, her voice ragged. "Come on, pick me up, John. I need you closer."
Without hesitation, he slid his hands beneath her rear, pushing onto the wall. Cortana allowed him to lift her off the floor, John handled her as a weightless mass and she managed to circle his waist with her strong legs, their faces now at perfect height. He ran his palms across the supple length of her thighs to ease the tremor that made her flesh shudder. The kiss that followed was equally rough and intense, yet sloppy.
She couldn't help but smile a little; such a long way to go.
"Keep going." Cortana murmured, breathing heavily. "I want more."
John growled something when she scratched his back with her restless hands.
His mouth moved to her jaw and neck, he buried his nose in her skin and breathed on her luscious, clean scent. She writhed, pushing her back on the wall, sticking her breasts out for him to reach. Female, fragile, at his complete mercy. The mere thought shot another bolt of heat down his waist, sending yet more blood where it was required the most. Her moaning sighs just pushed his nerves up to the edge, the heat of her core brushing against his manhood every now and then was driving him insane.
Who would say that desire was such a destructive sensation?
It almost hurt. He felt so close to snapping and losing control, that...
No, he couldn't do that. If he got carried away, he could crush her and break the goddamn wall too. John tried to pull himself together. He didn't want to hurt her.
He'd never hurt her.
"Where?" he demanded, trying to focus.
"Hum... right here?" she said, her mind not entirely there.
"What?"
"You're right, the wet floor is dangerous. Room."
John propped her on his forearm and reached out to shut down the shower, while she kept kissing and drawing a small trace of playful bites around his ear and jaw. Then he stepped out of the cubicle, spraying a trail of water from the bathroom into the next aisle. No time for towels or pretty much anything else.
It was still early, the room was coated in golden afternoon sunlight.
The room was indeed made for a SPARTAN but the bunk-like bed sure wasn't made for two; nonetheless he quickly sat on the thin mattress. The frame squeaked under his colossal weight, Cortana chuckled; she was safe between his arms, no harm would come to her. Finally, John turned around, laying the woman on her back and started over, kissing his way down her chest and belly, rejoicing in her scent and heat. He'd found that it was incredibly satisfying to touch her, to kiss her, to hold her this close and smell her. It didn't feel wrong. To acknowledge her life and presence, to desire her, it came to him as natural as breathing. And she was enjoying herself too, which made it all the more exciting and rewarding.
She arched her back in pure delight when his nose brushed her bellybutton.
"Hm, use your teeth."
"What?" John almost didn't hear her.
"Use your teeth, your tongue. Careful, don't bite me hard."
It took him only the blink of an eye to grasp the idea. Mere seconds later, he was making his way back up to her neck between nips and tentative licks. She kept pulling him towards her breasts and John couldn't do anything else but comply, truth be told, there was something quite interesting about those soft mounds of hers. Alas, Cortana seemed to enjoy when he used his tongue on them, too.
She seized him again, tangling her legs around his waist, pulling him down.
A desperate kiss blew John's mind in pieces, but it was the way Cortana kept raking his skin with her nails what distressed him the most. The air was burning, when they finally separated to breathe, she cupped his face with both hands and pressed her forehead against his.
"Either you've been practicing with somebody else, or you pick up fast."
"Thank you?"
She snickered again, making him smile.
"Okay, listen up." Cortana started, her voice only a whisper. "Remember when we talked about this? The things I explained to you? The video? The mechanics are pretty much like that, it's not rocket science. Are you with me here?"
He nodded sharply, serious.
"Good. I'm ready." she planted a brief kiss on John's chin and shifted under him. "And you sure as hell are ready too."
"Are you sure?"
Cortana bit her lower lip, trying to hide a smirk. She grabbed his hand and lead it deep into the space at the apex of her thighs, testing the flesh. John arched an eyebrow when he perceived a warm, sticky moisture on the tips of his fingers, it had nothing to do with the shower. She was biting her lip harder, her breath hitched.
"See? I'm ready." Cortana managed to say, her voice low and husky.
"Alright."
He grabbed one of her legs, pulling it up to find a better stance, but...
"Hum, John? I think it will be easier if I'm on top."
"Why?"
"... because that way it will be easier for me, I suppose."
John just grunted in acknowledgement and moved when she sat on the bed, to shift their positions. He wasn't sure of what to expect out of this change of setting, but he sure was willing to follow. Once he was on his back, mildly leaning against the wall, Cortana took a deep breath and crawled on top of him with care, balancing her weight over his stomach, palms flat over his chest.
John approved. The change of perspective was appealing, to say the least.
Curious thing, he was so focused on her that he didn't remember that awful dream in which something quite similar happened, but the woman was the absolute opposite and instead of enjoying, he felt almost sick. It could be said that at the time, there was no room in John's mind for anything else except Cortana and her gleaming blue eyes, so full of concern. Which was for the better.
She actually looked a little concerned, but in the end, she nodded.
"Here we go." Cortana murmured.
He caught his breath when it first happened. Moist, burning heat brushing against his manhood again, then a wary nudge. She swallowed hard and pushed down, leaning in to reach his face; moved by a raw impulse he met her halfway and took over her lips. She was trembling. John pushed himself up to sit on the mattress without breaking their contact, and grabbed her by the waist. They both gasped when she lost her balance and slid down on him even more, sending a delicious shiver up John's spine.
Her fingers dug into the flesh of his arms, her breath spiked.
That was just...
"Feel that?" she moaned, with a crooked smile. "Perfect fit. So good."
John's hands headed down, caressing the generous curves beneath the small of her back. She stirred under his touch, rewarding him with another delicious shiver, and then she shifted over his lap, lifting her weight up.
For a fraction of a second he panicked, thinking that she was about to leave.
A rare possessiveness took over him. Instinctively, John grabbed both her elbows and pulled her back on top of him, she squeaked at the sudden thrust that pierced through her sensitive flesh but ended up melting in the sensations it ignited. Her eyes were on fire when she looked up.
"Calm down, Chief." Cortana demanded, firmly. "This is it, no going back now."
"No going back." he grunted, his nose brushing hers.
She circled his neck with her arms again and he embraced her waist, brushing the streams of sweat running down her back. When she moved again, he found her eyes and stared deeply into that ravaging blue, losing his mind a little more every time their bodies crashed together. Cortana left the shyness behind rather quickly as the pace of her thrusting became quicker, working up their combined breaths.
So warm, so soft. Diving inside her was the easiest thing in the world.
And most likely, the most gratifying thing too.
It wasn't long before John started feeling 'funny'. When he realized, it was too late.
"Cortana, I think..."
She shut him up with another kiss, paying little attention to what he was about to say. Maybe that's why she was so shocked when he gripped her hips violently, sending a bolt of sheer pain through her nerves, and pressed deeper, seizing her completely. When she realized what was going on, Cortana couldn't help but smile a little and just stare at the faces John was making, eyes wide shut. A different kind of warmth filled her, now the big, bad super-soldier was the one trembling and it was such an interesting sight that she couldn't look away.
Until John took a profound, relaxed breath and blinked back to reality.
"Earth to Master Chief, everything alright?" she said, humorously.
He absentmindedly ran his hands up and down her back and blinked again.
She repressed a surprised laugh. No, he wasn't entirely there, not yet.
"All green." he said, after a full minute.
John let himself fall back, dragging her along, and rested his weight on one elbow while his other free hand kept caressing her waist. It was as if losing hold of her would mean falling into despair, or something worse. She just stood very quiet, almost afraid to move and break the delicious connection between her bodies.
When their eyes met again, this time in full consciousness, he frowned.
"I think I just..."
"Yes, you did." she finally laughed and leaned to rest against his frame, relaxing her weight on his sweaty skin. She placed a comforting kiss on his cheek as her fingers dived in his short hair. "You sure did, Chief."
Outside the sky darkened with clouds full of rain, but in the mean time, they just laid there, together, enjoying a little bit more the feeling of each other's heated flesh.
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2558
LOCATION: UNSC BASE IN RIO DE JANEIRO
NCOs LIVING QUARTERS
7:06 PM standard time
The room wasn't bright or filled with the scent of sweet vanilla, like the one in her dream. This place was dark and it smelled of standard issue soap and salt, you could hear the soft clatter of rain over a metallic surface, outside. Rain happened all the time in Brazil and sometimes right out of nowhere; but the air was still hot. She felt sweaty, sticky, somewhat tired.
It couldn't have passed more than twenty minutes since...
Her eyes quickly found the clock on the intercomm's screen. Barely past seven. Cortana ran her fingers swiftly across the bulge of the masculine arm tangled around her and sighed, thinking herself incapable of feeling any more joy. Her heartbeat spiked again when she noticed how carefully John was holding her; his large hand sprayed over her chest, nested above her ribs. His thumb was carefully tucked right between her breasts, for some reason.
A delightful shiver ran down her spine as she remembered how he held her under the cool water of the shower. He was careful, trained to manipulate some of the most dangerous materials ever designed by both Humanity and the Covenant. Cortana was pleased to notice that John acknowledged her as delicate enough to be handled with care, yet not as fragile as to prevent himself from a fair share of impulsive roughness.
But he was oh, so delicate with everything else. Eager to learn, attentive.
Cortana took a deep breath and closed her eyes, just enjoying the sensations that flooded her mind again.
Buried deep beneath Halsey's hardwired indoctrination there were still the most basic instincts of John's nature, resolve and boldness. The scientist maybe took away his innocence, his identity and his future to turn him and his teammates into the perfect war machines, but she couldn't obliterate the genetic memory inherent to what he was in his deepest essence.
There was clumsiness, yes, but it made it all the more alluring.
It was difficult for both, despite her vast knowledge and his stubborn willpower. Awkward. Sloppy, uncomfortable, rushed. Those were the right words. It was nothing like they could have expected. It was all there, enough fuel to fire up the flames, but that first time was for sure the strangest thing they ever experienced, both in flesh or digital response. There was more adrenaline involved than in any combat situation he'd ever faced, and more sensations than she could bear in one single moment.
Curious thing to acknowledge, the thrilling mixture of pain and pleasure, fused together in a new kind of feeling. Explosive, addictive.
It didn't last much, and yet overall it was utterly glorious.
"John?" she whispered, softly.
His response was to quickly press his hand harder over her chest, squeezing her frame against his body. I'm here, he meant to say.
"Are you alright?" Cortana asked, turning her head a little up.
"Yes."
She was about to point out that he hadn't said anything ever since they collapsed together over the sheets, but it was pointless. There was no need for words, what were they supposed to say, anyway?
After a short while, however...
"Are you alright?" he inquired, with caution.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine." she moved, trying to turn around to face him. He loosened his grip on her, Cortana worked her way out to twist her body without hitting any sensitive spots. It was shocking to realize that it was more difficult to do such things in real life than in dreams, even more so if her skin was slippery with sweat. So much for glamour. "Just let me..."
"Watch your knees."
"Sorry. You know what? Stretch your arm under my neck." when he complied, she leaned her head against his biceps and guided his other arm around her waist again, closing the distance between them. The feel of the hardened muscle on her own flesh made her spine shudder. "Yes, that's it. Much better."
Cortana congratulated John with a bright, satisfied smile and the light touch of her fingers along his collarbone and up his neck, absentmindedly rearranging the chain with his dog-tags. He seemed oddly calm, facing her, resting on his side. There was tension across his shoulders, as if he was ready to pounce and stab someone, perhaps he was uncomfortable. He was staring at her face with estranged, clear blue eyes, looking for something that maybe wasn't even there to begin with.
He looked kind of lost, to be honest. Maybe he was just waiting.
For what? A compliment? No, John didn't care about compliments. Confirmation of his performance? That would be more likely, he was used to be evaluated after every mission. Her cheeks warmed up.
But then, she felt her stomach sink and the sweat over her skin almost froze; what if she forced him to do something he didn't want to do? He wouldn't refuse because he was trained to follow orders and she pretty much jumped on him. He did everything she asked for, listened carefully to her demands and counsel all along. She realized that not even once he had tried to do something out of his own will.
She couldn't help but feel horrified. Cortana pressed her lips together, upset.
A blunt question might settle it all, but...
"That was nice." she ended up saying, trying a small smile to test the environment before going any further. 'Nice' was a harmless word, poor but still harmless. She traced the line of his clean-shaven jaw with her index finger. "It felt good, didn't it?"
At least, she considered it was good. She had no other data to compare.
A spark of pride shone in his eyes, still, John remained quiet.
That little reaction was even more interesting. Outside it kept raining, lazily. Cool wind came through the open window and washed over them, relieving the heat. Cortana waited a bit more and then gave up, playing his game made her feel guilty and she didn't want to think that the fun had been one-sided.
Sighing, she placed a finger against his forehead, right between his eyebrows.
"I wish I could be here now. So I'd know what you're thinking."
"You could just ask." John answered.
"Then I ask. What are you thinking?"
"Can we do it again?"
She blushed to the roots of her hair, feeling her cheeks on fire this time.
"Oh my, aren't you smug?" she managed to say, drawing a confused smile.
A devilish smirk (so improper of him) broke on his lips, which managed to stir up evenly devilish feelings inside her. He wrapped both of his arms around Cortana's body this time, one hand tangled in her hair, pressing her as close as possible to his own skin. She became intensely aware of her own size compared to his, of how fragile she was now and how careful he'd always been regarding her. The embrace felt both arousing and protective, overwhelming in every sense; she couldn't help to let out a soft gasp between her teeth. It was so raw, so natural and beautiful.
He never hugged her like that before, not even...
It was intimate and passionate, but not lustful. It felt like genuine cherish, his own way of saying that she was precious to him.
Her sight got suddenly blurry and a devastating need to hug John back possessed her, Cortana hid her face in the curve of his neck, eyes tightly shut to prevent the tears. She could see how hard it was for him to let go, free will wasn't exactly something he exercised a lot (sort of speaking). She knew very well that SPARTANS weren't trained to think about themselves, it was mandatory to leave everything behind for the sake of the mission, even their own lives.
Well, at least for a couple of hours, his life belonged to him and he was free.
Cortana waited until the tears vanished, happy to notice that his grip on her hadn't loosened one bit. However, when she softly pushed back, he didn't resist.
"You're not on duty, John; you can do whatever you want." she reassured him, in a soft whisper. Cortana considered that he might get confused with such alien concept. "However, it's very considerate of you and important to ask first. This is something you need permission for."
John nodded, acknowledging.
But he just stared at her, quiet, almost admiring her.
"What is it now?"
"Nothing, I'm just... looking at you."
Oh, no. He wasn't just looking at her, Cortana felt the tips of his fingers wandering up and down the curve of her back, waist and beyond. Another pleasant shiver traveled through her body, she licked her lips in anticipation; unconsciously, she placed both of her palms on his chest, feeling the steady beat of his heart. She brushed her nose against his. A pleasant heat exploded deep down her belly when his breath stuttered.
That scent of male sweat and rain, mixed together. Delicious.
"And you like what you see?" she whispered, recalling an old conversation.
He nodded again.
"Good. Did you like what happened earlier?"
John swallowed, and then nodded once more.
"Not that I doubted it, your little 'trip' was enlightening enough." she smiled. "Are you sure you want to do it again?"
This time, it was a straight answer: "Yes."
Such a short word, so full of promises.
"Then, what are you waiting for? Permission granted, Master Chief."
His now serious look was almost daunting, as he closed in.
They didn't break eye contact, at least, not until his drifting hands found the right place beneath the curve of her hips and gripped her flesh, pulling her up. He evaluated her reaction carefully; Cortana gasped something and he considered that it was his mark to go. He barely grazed her lips, almost making her heart stop; but quickly resolved to go all in and kissed her deeply, free of restraints. Cortana moaned indecipherable words and her hands crawled up, digging into his short hair. She arched her body up when John turned her onto her back, watchfully pressing his weight above her.
With another loud gasp, Cortana sunk her head in the pillow, her breasts clashed against his chest. Her legs were trembling but she managed to move and open up for him, lending him the space he required; the fast and erratic beat of her heart, thunderous in her ears, wasn't exactly helping her to keep any composure. He didn't care much, it was by now a given fact that sexual intercourse wasn't supposed to be elegant or clean, but a thrilling, messy experience.
Soon Cortana realized he wasn't kissing her anymore, but he was very close.
His breath on her skin was as tangible as the touch of his fingers.
"John..." she moaned.
"Let me." he growled, with a voice that didn't seem his.
His hands roamed over her with renewed boldness, rougher than before, tracing every curve from her slender shoulders to her generous hips and thighs in more precise caresses. It wasn't a reconnaissance anymore. He was taking his time, not teasing her but testing the limits, kneading the flesh and kissing the skin above. How far before pleasure became pain and he had to retreat? The coarseness of his thumbs rasping over her breasts made her back arch in an even more enticing angle, the air came out of her lungs in a muffled cry.
Maybe it was Cortana who felt in a rush, adrenaline was kicking in again.
She tasted the sweat dripping down her own brow, her skin and blood boiling. The rain was so far, far away...
Such a stunning sensation, she could drown in the feelings and die happily. They had been very close before, blending into one perfect being on the battlefield, but this closeness was quite different. It was absolute. No barriers, no limits, nowhere to hide, just blunt reality and truth.
Cortana almost let out a yelp when John's fingers brushed the most sensitive part of her body, right up between her thighs. The sudden contact shot like a lightning bolt through her over-excited nerves, earth-shattering. He retreated his hand right away, she opened her eyes only to find the darkened room, it took her a few seconds to realize what was going on. Her senses spiked again.
"Cortana?"
Her fingers found his jaw and her throbbing heartbeat eased up a little.
"Cortana, talk to me." John asked, a little alarmed. "Did I hurt you?"
"No, no. I just wasn't expecting that, how did you...?"
"I was checking if you were ready."
"Of course." she chuckled, delighted.
"Should I stop?"
Cortana seized him with a look that he could see just fine. "Don't you dare. Come here, John." her fingers grasped the chain around his neck and pulled him closer. "Do that again, but slowly, and press harder. Stay with me, please."
"I'm not going anywhere."
This time she found his lips, she circled his neck with her arms and pushed herself up until her breasts brushed his chest again. His skin was as slippery as hers, her fingers kept sliding no matter how hard she tried to grab a hold of his shoulders. Cortana placed a long line of raw kisses along his jaw and neck. As she ordered, John resumed his task and caressed that sensitive, moist spot once more, his fingers slid easily against the hot flesh. This time, after a few minutes, Cortana broke the silence to cry out his name, over and over. The reaction was so unexpected that it almost startled John, but he didn't back away. And for if it wasn't enough spectacle, she fell rigid in his arms, quivering out of control with her voice as ragged as her breath.
John frowned and just waited, this... this hadn't happened before.
She didn't seem in pain but the other way around, and the mere sight of it inspired dangerous feelings to crawl eagerly beneath his skin, like taunting, compelling voices. In the darkness he observed her pale, striking figure again, her skin gleaming with sweat and the scent of the female inflaming his nostrils, pushing his self-control to the border of snapping. That throbbing sensation below his waist only grew more ravenous. It was making things easier, truth be told, the drive of adrenaline didn't only make his blood run faster but also his common sense to shut down.
He wanted this. He wanted her.
There it was, the hunger, pushing him over the edge.
Now she was breathing heavily, the tremor of her body receded as time flew by, as if she was coming out of a trance-like state. He was about to ask, but she caught him off guard and tried to push him:
"Lie back, I don't want to play anymore." Cortana puffed.
He gave in, reacting to the comminatory tone of her voice, although when he fell on his back and she straddled his waist, impatiently, John grasped the idea. No, ma'am, not this time. He seized the woman by the shoulders and quickly turned her onto her back, laying her on the bed. She locked arms with him in an absurd attempt to resist, confused...
"John, lie back." she repeated.
"It's my turn." he retorted, sliding a hand across her leg until he grabbed her knee.
Surprised, Cortana raised her eyebrows.
"Alright… fine, you can be on top. I don't mind." she admitted, happily, when she caught his line of thought. She leaned up to steal a quick kiss, excited. "Go ahead. Just a little reminder: you are nearly one hundred and fifty pounds heavier than me, and my bones can break. Get it?"
"Yes ma'am." he softly squeezed her knee, feeling the bone beneath the flesh.
One kiss, two, three. She let herself go, collapsing on the mattress, and tangled her fingers in his dog-tags one more time. John followed her, a little nervous, resting his weight in one elbow, hovering right above her. Her sparkling blue eyes called his blood with an unnatural force, out-worldly, her look was a deep reflection of true trust and understanding.
Did it have a name, by chance? How should he call this overpowering sensation? He wanted to ask. He had so many, many questions; his mind created so many scenarios and wished for the opportunity to try them all. The first time they laid together, Cortana guided him all along, she told him exactly what to do, where and how to touch her, how much strength to apply, when to move and when to leave the rest to her. He learnt about kissing, nipping, biting, licking and lapping; so many different tactics with the same target. Altogether this learning curve was one of the most nerve-racking experiences he could recall. Many words that he had considered meaningless for most of his life finally became important, useful.
However, although he was a good soldier who intended to please his commanders as much as he could, every now and then he felt the need to revolt against her authority. He felt like he should be in charge, for some reason.
And now he was. She gave him the privilege.
So he did as before and found his way inside of her soft, welcoming heat for the second time that afternoon. It was as good as the first time, maybe even better.
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2558
LOCATION: UNSC BASE IN RIO DE JANEIRO
NCOs LIVING QUARTERS
7:58 PM standard time
She woke up at the feeling of a careful nudge on the back of her neck.
She hadn't been sleeping, more like suspended in that mid-state between reality and dreams, but the thrilling touch yanked her to the world of the living and breathing (and exhausted) people again. Her hand immediately shot back, finding the comforting presence of his hip, for if the warmth wasn't enough hard evidence.
Hard was the keyword. He was there. Okay.
Cortana sighed, relieved. Once more she found herself lying on her side, trapped between John's arms, back pressed against his chest and stomach; her eyes couldn't find the intercomm's screen but tripped with the bathroom's door. It was full night outside, the rain must have stopped but she didn't notice, the only sounds inside the room were their combined breaths.
She relaxed, rejoicing in the warm feelings. The nudge returned.
"What are you doing?"
"Does it bother you?"
"No, I just don't have eyes on the back of my head." she stared at the faint blue gleam of the emergency light lit inside the bathroom. Slowly, her eyes were adapting to the darkness. After a few seconds, she realized that, every now and then, John touched her either on the shoulder or on the nape of her neck, probably with his lips or nose. A lot of little wings fluttered inside her belly, happily. "Aren't you tired?"
"Should I?"
He moved, rearranging one of his arms, and it became too damn obvious.
"Are you…?" she started, stunned. "Seriously, John? Again?"
"What? Is it wrong?"
"No, of course not, it's... rather healthy, I'd say."
And she was quite impressed (and curious), but considering all, it was reasonable too. Blushing was an absurd concept after the events of earlier that night. Cortana traced the contour of his arm over her waist and chest, appreciating again that little gesture of his thumb that now, quite relaxingly, was caressing the skin between her breasts. This was the epitome of peace, really.
Could it last forever, please?
So irrational of her to believe in such fantasies. They had until around ten o'clock, but Cortana tried not to think about deadlines.
"Is it too soon, then?"
She chuckled. "It's never too soon, or so I've heard."
Cortana stirred like a lazy cat, snickering, elongating her arms above her head. She stretched against him, rather aggressively. What a marvelous feeling, and the rough touch running down her ribs and waist made it even better, sending microscopic tremors deep down her flesh and bones. John's hands slowly stopped at her hips and after a short indecision, he pressed her down on his own lap, testing the boundaries.
He was much more confident now, and it thrilled her to no end.
John understood that it wasn't a matter of repeating the same procedure over and over, and that was the most enticing perspective of all. Well, some procedures were the same, but they could be combined. It didn't have to end always the same way, either. Sex could be unpredictable; John never really liked unpredictable events but this one was worth to be caught off guard. And besides, it felt better when she was the center of attention, writhing under his touch.
To think that he never minded about it before. It was kind of funny.
"So..."
"I thought you'd never ask, Chief." she smiled at the darkness.
Cortana caught her breath again when his brave fingers brushed the well known spot between her thighs. She quickly closed her eyes and angled her hips, to grant him full access, and let herself go. He knew exactly what to do and the first, strong push felt gentle but a little rough, he slid in so easily that it was like magic; a raging wave of wild sensations pulsed across her whole body.
It didn't take much more to have her moaning his name, panting and sweating, until they both exploded again, this time, together.
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2558
LOCATION: UNSC BASE IN RIO DE JANEIRO
NCOs LIVING QUARTERS
9:23 PM standard time
She opened her eyes, by the third time that night, startled by a strange noise.
Her body felt cold, but she was sure that what she heard was the window closing.
"John?" her voice came out louder than what she intended.
He moved in the shadows and turned the lights on. John was already wearing his uniform's pants, t-shirt and jacket in hand. His hair was damp, there were small droplets of water splattered over his shoulders.
"You were cold." he commented, pointing at the window.
"Where are you going?" Cortana asked, a little lost.
"I have to report back at ten, it's already twenty-one-thirty."
She groaned under her breath. How come two hours went by so fast?
"I should get going too, I'm not supposed to be sleeping here." she said, as she scrambled to get out of the bed.
Whoa, the muscles of her thighs protested with soreness, as if she had just been running for hours. Under John's watchful look, she managed to get to the bathroom again and made it into the shower, literally thinking about the three minutes she needed to wash off all the sweat and everything else from her body. The water kept her mind blank for a little longer, even though a part of her was eager to get back to the Infinity and check on Sigrid's simulation results. As soon as she finished, Cortana came into the room again, rubbing the towel over her arms and breasts quickly.
She found him dressed and ready to go, standing by the door in SPARTAN mode.
"Just a minute." she shushed.
The Chief only nodded, rather amused. Her hair was like a bird's nest.
She had no more choices than to wear again the clothes she had discarded earlier that afternoon. After jumping into her underwear and shorts, Cortana tossed the shirt over her head, but the cloth twisted and she was now having trouble to roll it down her back. She puffed, upset, and struggled a little more until two big hands grabbed her waist from behind and untwisted the shirt with expert precision. She closed her eyes, enjoying the feeling. She could think that she had enough of him, given the past few hours, but this just proved her wrong.
John rolled the shirt down and his hands rested on her hips again, dragging her back until she hit the warm and solid wall of his presence.
"We're not made for civilian life, you and I." John whispered.
"No, I guess we're not. This is way too ordinary for us."
And it was true. A vacation every now and then didn't sound that bad, but blunt inactivity would make him miserable, of that she was certain. Cortana figured that she probably wouldn't like it either.
He placed a kiss atop her head.
"Thank you"
Cortana frowned. "What for?"
"Being patient."
"Hey, we were both in the same page here."
"No, we weren't. I was just following your lead."
She turned to look at him over her shoulder. "Maybe I have a better grasp of the theory, but you did fine by yourself. I'm looking forward to what's next."
Her smile was worth a million credits.
John just stared at her sparkling blue eyes, in silence. He wasn't exactly thinking about a 'next time' because he felt quite satisfied and at ease, relaxed. It was done and fixed, right? He promised Dr. Quinn that he would handle the issue and he did, things should be back to normal in no time. And right about in time too.
He snapped out of it when Cortana stood away from him and stretched her arms.
"I'm so hungry." she moaned. "Do we have time for a cup of coffee, at least?"
"We can grab something at the tram station."
SEPTEMBER 14TH, 2558
LOCATION: UNSC BASE IN RIO DE JANEIRO
GENERAL OSORIO STATION TRAM PLATFORM
9:47 PM standard time
After picking up Charley from the base guard, they made it to the station. The dog was unusually excited and kept running in circles around them, sniffing their clothes with annoying insistence until John ordered it to stand down. A little flustered, Cortana did the math about dogs, sensitive noses, hormones liberated during sexual activity and time-frames.
Well, as long as it was just the dog...
Coffee in hand, Cortana propped herself on a long concrete bench, sheltered from the humid, cold breeze by John's massive jacket. She asked and he gave it up without hesitation, the memory made her smile again. The Chief remained on his feet by the bench, the dog sitting at his right side with her ears straight up.
"You seem to have a nice relationship with that cap, Chief." she chirped.
"Are you jealous?"
"Maybe a little."
John touched the edge of the cap's shade. It would never replace his helmet, but it felt right to have his head covered.
"Only you could be jealous of an inanimate object." he deadpanned.
Cortana chuckled, amazed by his good mood.
While sipping his coffee, the Chief eyed a small group of Marines close by. The tram was scheduled to arrive in five minutes so it was normal to see personnel coming back from shore leave, waiting for their ride. The Marines looked at him (at his strong, intimidating stance) and at the giant dog (maybe wondering about the size of the hidden fangs) with curious eyes, but chose to remain at a somewhat respectful distance. It didn't seem like a good idea to stare at the beautiful woman sitting on the bench with such bodyguards around.
Cortana relaxed and drank her coffee, nipped a bagel. It tasted great. She felt like she had a hole in her stomach or something.
Then, out of the blue, she heard him speak again:
"I remember her." John whispered, calmly. "My mother. I remember her face."
"You mean you didn't remember her before?"
John shook his head, eyes fixed up front.
"You think the HARPY had anything to do with it? It fixed my memory."
"Maybe. I haven't seen her with this clarity in ages."
Cortana's heart sunk; suddenly the jacket wasn't enough to keep the cold away. Of course he wouldn't remember, he was only six years old when they ripped him from his family. A sudden rush of anger made her blood boil, waking up her most protective side, and she took an angry bite of her bagel. She munched on the sweet dough as a way to wear the anger off. It didn't work at all.
"Sit down." she ordered, a moment later. "Come on, John. Sit with me."
John snapped his head to look at her, serious. She insisted, serious too.
Catherine Halsey. People had a way to describe someone like her: 'piece of work'. Yes, Dr. Halsey was quite a piece of work indeed. The smartest human in recent history, yet an amazing mind haunted by brilliant ideas, ghosts and remorse. Cortana knew that, it was quite clear despite the typically cold personality of the so-called good Doctor. She couldn't help but feel both hate and admiration regarding her creator, and she was the machine designed to perform beyond imagination.
In the end, he complied and took a seat. Charley sensed the mood and approached too, laying her head atop the Chief's thigh, both dutiful and alert.
Cortana recalled voicing out bits of her hatred for Halsey close to the final stages of her rampancy, so there was no point in hiding her feelings from John.
"Did you miss her when you were in boot-camp?" she asked, carefully.
"A few times."
Charley whined, sad. The Chief petted her head, calming her down.
But Cortana's anger snapped, she put the rest of her bagel and coffee aside:
"You had no idea what Halsey was going to do to you." she started, evaluating his reactions. A nerve twitched on his neck. Delicate subject. It only made her angrier. "She didn't give you a choice. And even if she had, you couldn't have made a choice like this by yourself. You were six, John, your only interest was maybe to go home, kiss your mom goodnight and be there the next day to play with your friends. And it wasn't just you, all of your comrades too." Cortana paused when the shadow of an irritated frown crossed John's brow. She waited a few seconds and then resumed, after reconsidering her approach. "I know you don't feel that way. SPARTANS were the miraculous answer to all of Humanity's problems... you stood strong against the Insurrection and the Covenant and won. There was hope because you succeeded. I watched you for a long time, I saw you become our savior and I always knew you'd be magnificent. But it doesn't make any of this any less terrible."
'Great.' Cortana thought, annoyed with herself. 'For if it wasn't enough, I'm not just a damaged piece of who I once was, turns out I'm a reflection of someone else's guilt too. Just peachy.'
"This is my purpose." he said, with a solid trace of stubbornness in his voice.
"Oh, you're not wrong there. You believe this is what you were meant to be, that you were chosen for something great. And you are the best and bravest, but I need to get this out of my chest because no one will ever offer you an apology." Hesitantly, Cortana leaned in a little and propping her elbow across the bench's back, she cautiously brushed her knuckles above his ear, grazing the short strands of slightly graying hair right under the border of the cap. "I want to apologize, John. I used you as well, remember? I'm so sorry and yet I'm so damn proud of you… you have no idea. I picked you, I led you into hell over and over again, and yet here you stand. That's my pride. That's my sorrow too, you know?"
He didn't relax much but she felt his temper ease, at least, judging by the way he kept his hand nested between Charley's ears.
"I don't need any apologies. I did what I saw fit to do, what was required to win."
She traced a slow, broken smile. "Yes, I know, Chief. And nobody deserves to enjoy the fruits of victory more than you, trust me."
'I just don't want to see you get hurt anymore.' she mused to herself, a painful knot tied her throat.
John looked at her, sensing something in her sudden silence. Maybe he was about to speak, but right then amber lights started flaring on the platform, a soft ring of bells came through the speaker system; an AI announced the arrival of the transports, inviting the passengers to step behind the yellow lines and wait for the trams to stop and the doors to be fully open. The Chief stood up right away.
"Let's get back to work, Cortana." he changed the subject, serenely. "And when this is over, we'll figure out the rest."
She picked up her coffee and the bagel, and hurried to walk right beside him.
"Don't make a girl a promise..."
TO BE CONTINUED
Okay, guys... 8200 f***ing words. LONGEST. CHAPTER. EVER.
Our SPARTAN stud finally got the girl! Yeah! Oh my God I'm drained. You have enough smut here to die happily, so you better say something nice to this poor author. I think I deserve it. Also, I was literally crying over the last bits, don't ask. I don't know where that came from. There's two real people to be blamed for this but I won't disclose their names, they are the sinners behind this rollercoaster of sex and overflowing feelings. I'm going to Hell because of them and my perv readers! :P
Guest; You honor me to no end, Rhadamir :) if you think the story is in the lines of canon and well made, then it must be true, I can't say anything else but thank you for your words and for stopping by -hugs-
Daninras; They deserve a happy ending more than anyone, right? I hope we get to see some real closure in canon. Thanks for stopping by, don't go MIA.
Rory; IKR? You already know I'm evil, I don't know what surprises you so much xD I bet he forgot about the bait because he was too focused on the girl xD well, you tell me, was this as epic as you expected? I'll make sure Seven gets a copy xD
RandomGUy; yey! He finally did it! How come didn't you guess that there would be sexy content coming? The signs were all there xD Alright, I hope you had fun with today's episode :P
Mr fuck stic; thank you very much!
Kat; NOW TELL ME, ARE YOU HAPPY? ARE YOU? Because I sure am. Cherish these moments, there won't be many more opportunities for fluff (although I will make them happen, I promise). Thanks for your support, darling ^^
Nico; you stand strong here every weekend, I appreciate that very-very much :)
Stay tuned for the next week's update, we'll have a game-changing (pun intended) situation. Don't forget to leave some thoughts, Marines! I think I deserve at least a pat on my back or something xD