WHOOOOO!
THANK GOD!
This chapter is both done, and edited! I was worried sick about finishing this baby, since without it I couldn't continue the story!
Now, something you all should know about these next chapters will be development chapters, for the characters in Team RAIL. This one will belong to the redhead Lucy, then Raven, then Ivan and finally Aiden. I wish to develop their characters a bit before continuing the mini arc, though I guess its almost a whole arc at this point. But hey, you all have an extra long chapter to read, so don't complain!
Anyways, lets go, shall we?
Chapter 70 - Do You Remember?
Nico scowled, his Amour no longer on his person. 'Again… it's one of these dreams again…' he thought to himself as he stood within the middle of the mirror world once again. He hadn't been here since Lastation. This time, there was no chair, no wind, nothing but the mirror-like surface and the skies above.
He had hoped that Biko would have been able to stop him from having these dreams, but he guessed his mind had been that fucked up by recent events or something. The last thing he remembered before waking in this world was going back to his tent after a tense, heavy silence overtook the camp fire. He'd laid there in his Tent, inside his hammock, for what had felt like an eternity, before sleep had claimed him against his will.
Now, he was here.
"You know, I guess you've gotten further than we expected."
The sounds of a child's voice echoed throughout the area, making him spin around towards the source. There, standing behind him, was the same child that he'd seen since his last venture into this Mirror World. He had the same cold expression on his features, but there was also something else, something different about this child that he had noticed. It was like a great change had begun to occur within him. His eyes, while cold, held a faint flickering flame within them, almost like a spark.
Though this time, it seemed that he had been to the cleaners because his red hair no longer had blood stains on it, nor did he wear hospital rags. Instead, he wore a simple dress shirt, pants and shoes. Almost like a businessman, something that made Nico cringe in his head. He NEVER wanted to be a businessman, especially not one like Ganache.
Just thinking about that bastard filled his mind with rage, never would he become like that monster…
Nico almost snorted in derision when he made that comparison, like he had room to talk.
"Further?" the teen questioned, deciding to ponder his thoughts later. Right now, what he needed was answers. Answers to why his mind was doing this to him. "Not quite sure what you mean there, buddy."
The child rolled his eyes, his expression shifting to one of derision, ironically, and… disappointment? "And we call ourselves observant." He spoke scathingly, and Nico swore he felt a bristle of irritation escape his lips against his will. Like he was subconsciously agreeing with the child. "What we mean is that you've begun the first big hurdle. The hurdle that marks the beginning of our return."
Images flashed through his mind, images showing him confessing his dream to the others. He also remembered the thoughts that followed those images, accompanying him like ants running along his brain. While he was like this, the child walked past him, causing Nico break out his thoughts and turn behind him. "Its not how we wished for it, but finally te first hurdle has been cleared. We can now begin our recovery for reals this time. We have been waiting for this day for a long time, and now, finally, it has begun. Our mental recovery."
The teen gazed at the child's back, his eyes never leaving that spot. He wanted to shout, to bawl and yell at the child for not making any sense. Yet, for some reason, the words would never form within his throat. Instead Nico decided to ask something else instead, something that had been bothering him for a while. "This path of the monster stuff I follow… why do I…?"
"That's easy: it's a path, simple as that." The child replied, turning around to face the older Agent. "It was meant to keep you on the right track, to not let any distractions get to you. When you would diverge, we would be reminded of our true goal. A promise, a promise we must not break. They occur around those outsiders you keep with you because we feared that you would diverge from your predetermined path. Now, now you have reached the first hurdle, and overcome it. Now, recovery has become possible."
All this stuff the child was telling him began making Nico's head hurt. It felt like he was beginning to get torn in half from the inside out, at a turtle's speed. Not a pleasant experience to have let's be honest here. He didn't understand, what the heck was this kid talking about? Was it connected to his dreams? Must be, considering that was what he was getting from this whole situation.
He needed more information, and to get that information he had to speak more to the child in front of him. "But, I always thought that… Those dreams…" he began to say, until he noticed something about the child. At the front, he looked like a younger him, but when he looked at the child from the back… why did he get this fearful dread in his gut? Like something was about to happen and he wouldn't like it? Even though this was his own mind…
Wait, since his mind was fucked up anyways… yeah, best keep his guard up.
"Well, we guess its also a form of atonement." The child, as if sensing his unasked question, spoke before turning completely to face him. His expression no longer held that warm spark in them. Now, they looked dead to the world, just like the first time he met with him. "We failed to protect those we cared for. We weren't strong enough. If only we had power, maybe then they wouldn't have had to suffer…"
As the child continued to speak, Nico found himself gritting his teeth as a headache began to grow within his mind, like a parasite. It ate away at his composed façade until it showed in the form of a grimace, accompanied by a twitching brow.
Nevertheless, the child continued, unimpeded by the teen's state. "We have a long way to go, we have many hurdles ahead of us before we are 'whole' once more. The first 'hurdle', Admittance, has been cleared. There will be more in the future, that fact is a certainty on the path that we travel: The path of the monster. Remember this well, we can never escape what we have become, so we must prevent others from becoming like us. We deserve nobody, we deserve only to be alone… alone… alo…ne…al…"
As seconds passed, the child's voice grew increasingly distant and distorted. Everything began to spiral around him, losing focus and integrity. Eventually, it was all a blur as Nico gripped his head with both hands, gripping fistfuls of it while biting back the urge to scream as he fell to his knees.
Soon enough, he couldn't take it anymore, and everything became black…
Eyes shot open with a gasp, and Nico once again found himself within a familiar setting. This time, it wasn't the Mirror World that he wound up in, but within the moderately warm confines of his Tent. There were little heat sources nearby, save for his own clothes used as a makeshift blanket, while the cold air blew through the tent from the open flaps.
The constant flapping of the flaps was something that the teen focused everything he could on, while he tried to regain control over his breathing. It usually helped him, focusing his mind on something irrelevant, when he had those intense dreams.
Nico shuddered, not from the cold though, as he remembered the dream that he had this time. While it wasn't as… intense, as they usually were, the teen couldn't help but feel like it had a whole different bite to it compared to the others. The usual dreams he had about his mental state were more like hot furnace's, kind of like the Hellfire powers his DPU form commanded. This time, the dream felt cold, colder than the ice powers that Raven possessed.
He gave a small groan, holding his face in one hand as he struggled with his recovery. '#huff# #huff#... Man… those dreams, they never get any easier…' Nico thought in mild annoyance. Seriously, couldn't he just have a break from these dreams for once?
There have been many times that he had dreams, dreams that often turned into horrible nightmares. He'd tried many things to stop it, taking medication, talking to specialised professionals, but nothing seemed to work. In fact, talking to people about his nightmares only seemed to make the dreams worse, and he'd spend way longer trying to recover from them. That was why he hadn't tried talking to the girls about them throughout the course of his journey. Not just out of paranoia, but fear that his nightmares would get worse than before.
However, on the rare chance he didn't get dreams, the male would find himself in… strange settings. Settings that were both familiar, and not familiar to him at the same time. He got a feeling that they were to do with his repressed memories but didn't think too much about that. Some of the settings he'd find familiar would be a list of the following:
A Cell
A Lab room
A dark room with a single chair
A large, ruined city landscape
A massive, lush green forest, tainted with blood.
More shudders ripped through Nico's thoughts, spine and back, breaking him from his thoughts while he clutched his arms, trying to stop himself from losing all semblance of control he had JUST managed to regain from his recent nightmare. He never liked thinking too hard about those dreams, none of them. True he thought about a lot of things, it was what had helped him survive for so long on the battlefield. But those dreams, they were one of the few things he NEVER wanted to think about, but once he did he just couldn't stop himself.
These were the most common ones, but there were sometimes those that were nothing but static, like when a TV has no signal and thus becomes a screen of black and white. In THOSE dreams, he instead hears voices in his mind, ones that feel more like sledgehammers whacking away at his brain whenever he hears them.
They each said weird, confusing yet oddly familiar things, like:
"Prepare the subject."
"Time to play, my little bug."
"Papa loves you, you know #mocking laughter#"
"ARGH… UGH… UGH-UGH-UGH!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Once again, a new wave of shivers travelled down his spine, and this time he couldn't stop some of his control from slipping. His whole body shook, trembling at the mere memories of those dreams, as well as the impact that they left on his psyche. It was like they had burned themselves onto him like those symbols that are branded onto slaves' bodies by their masters via hot iron. Both painful, and unforgettable. Just one hint towards them and Nico would clam up faster than a turtle receding into its shell.
The teen glanced down at his clothes, the ones he used as a makeshift blanket anyways. They consisted of his Trench Coat and shirt, while his boots were standing upright and attention at the bottom side of his hammock. That meat that his upper body was completely bare, exposing the well-oiled machine that was his physique.
As he glanced over to his boots, several things registered in his near-panic induced mind, things that quickly set off alarm bells in it.
First: There was a second pair of boots alongside his own. Compared to his large, rugged boots that just screamed 'I'm a man, a soldier, and I'm proud of it!' these boots were significantly more slender, and equipped with stiletto heels. These boots just oozed sensuality and seductiveness, like their wearer was someone who knew how to get someone else's attention.
Second: There was heat, body heat to be more exact, over towards his right side. The kind of body heat only someone of close proximity could provide. There was also the fact that this source had extended its body heat around his legs, entangling itself around them to prevent them from moving.
Third: There was the faint sound of snoring, soft and serene…
And then Nico realised what was going on.
'Whoa, what the fuck?!' With speed and reflexes that he forgot he had during that short moment of vulnerability, Nico flipped off the bed and took his makeshift 'covers' with him, swiftly putting both on in mid air before he landed in a crouch. Standing up, he reflexively donned his armour and Deployed his Plasma Claws, pointing them in a defensive stance towards the offender.
Said offender was still sleeping – fortunately still clothed in everything save her boots – with her crimson red hair sprawled across her back while sleeping soundly. Well, that is until his shouting woke her up. If he had just stared at her like a creepy person, Nico would have noticed how peaceful she looked. When she wasn't trying to seduce him or tease others, or goddess forgive try to exercise her 'control' over them, one Lucy codename VERONICA was pretty nice when she slept.
Slowly, she began to wake back into the realm of the living, her eyes tightening as she released an irritated groan from her lips. She reached out with her left hand, trying to grab something that wasn't there. "Hmmmmm…" an irritated moan escaped her lips during the process. "Come ack warmth, I'm not done yet…"
Only a sweat drop was the teen's response. This girl could be both adorable and a pain in the ass at the same time… how the hell has Raven not snapped yet? 'Ugh, this has got to be a joke…'
With the absence of her heat source, Lucy eventually began to stir from her slumber, lifting herself into a sleeping position and rubbing her eyes to dry them of any residue. She then opened her eyes after stretching a bit to get the stress out her arms, catching light of the defensive male. Instead of reacting negatively though. She instead just giggled as she sat on the side of his hammock, one leg crossed over the other. "Awww, glad to see you're finally up sleeping beauty…" she remarked, a faint upturning on the corners of her lips. "You were so cute when you slept I just had to join in."
"I don't get the feeling that Raven would have allowed you to come here on your own." Nico stated bluntly, his face set in the deadpan (-_-) position as he looked to the crimson haired beauty while she put her Boots back on. The way she did it though, was slow and filled with sensuality. She clearly was trying to get a rise out of him, his theory being proven by the thinly veiled sultry look in her equally crimson eyes.
Once she had her boots on, Lucy stood up from the bed, kicking the ground with one boot then the other to make sure her feet were properly fit into them, before she began walking towards him. "Anyways, while we can save the fun stuff for later, I suppose…" she began, shrugging her shoulder with an expression on her face that Nico assumed meant hat she knew he'd fold eventually. He didn't know how she thought that, since he'd resisted her all these years, but he'd let her fantasise.
But then, much to his shock and surprise to the point his sole uncovered eye widened while the iris shrunk to a dot while violently shaking… her demeanour changed.
Her eyes darkened, losing their previous seductive gleam as she aimed a look of concern, a look of pure, genuine concern, at him. She stopped right within proper talking distance. Her mouth opened, and the words that came out sent him into stunned silence. "There's something more important than that. Nicky-Dear… what happened? I went in to check on you, and saw you shuffling in your sleep. You were sweating profusely, and the look on your face…"
At this point, she trailed off, and a pained grimace formed on her features. She shook her head to clear it however, returning her attention to him. "You looked like you were in serious pain…" she told him, her previous demeanour completely gone at this point. This was one of the few times he'd ever seen her so serious.
Nevertheless, his natural defences kicked into overdrive, and Nico hurriedly tried to make a reply. One of denial. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. I'm fine." His helmet opened to show her his easy-going smile, however it didn't fool Lucy in the slightest, and he instantly realised this fact. Still, he didn't want to talk about his dreams, he never did. He never wanted to talk about something so personal, more personal than his instincts, his hidden secret, as well as his recent revelation about his dreams.
His mental barriers had been briefly lowered in that moment, and Nico had been exposed.
Not something he enjoyed, not in the slightest. He didn't like being exposed, being stripped bare to his mere essentials. It made him feel weak, vulnerable, helpless. He didn't like those feelings, nope, he didn't like them at all. He'd rather plough through his problems on his own, its what he had been doing for all his life ever since his time from back then, when he had been recently found by those people…
"Nico."
… now THERE was something he never thought he'd hear from Lucy in his long life. From the start of their… relationship, and no not the lovers kind, not once had she called him by his real name, often using her nickname of 'Nicky-Dear'. The teen brought his attention back to the redhead before him, and to his surprise her expression once again had an uncommon mix to it.
Both sternness, and annoyance.
"You know, you've got it in spades yourself, but you're not the only one who can get behind people's masks. I know when people are lying to me, and right now you're doing that." She stated to him bluntly, her arms folded in front of her chest. "I may not be Raven, but even I don't take crap from anyone. Especially not from those I care for. You should know that I only have a limited few for a reason." Her eyes flashed with something, but Nico couldn't identify it in time before it passed. "You know I can't stand lies… so tell me, what happened Nico. I can help you with it…"
…
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…
"…PFT!"
Honestly, he didn't know what came over him, but the moment that Nico heard those words from her lips, something in him broke. The teen suddenly burst into laughter, holding his sides like they were about to burst, hunching himself over as he tried to catch his breath. Needless to say, Lucy didn't expect this, thus she took a startled step backwards. "Hahaha! Ahahahahahaha! Hahahahahahaha! Ahahahahahahahahahaha!"
He laughed, laughed until his voice became hoarse, which didn't take long due to him not having anything to drink since he woke up. But still, he kept going. The pain that his vocal chords seemed to scream that they were in, the pain that he could feel from his system, all that pain to him, was not just pain, but a welcoming.
A welcome change from the absolute shit head that he felt himself as.
It took a whole five minutes before he managed to stop himself from continuing. Although a few faint snickers did escape his lips while his healing factor took care of his sore throat. "Hahaha… #exhale# whooo, haven't laughed like that in a while…" he remarked under his breath, before remembering why it was that he had been laughing in the first place.
"Listen, Lucy…" he began to speak once more, his breath naught but a whisper. Lucy made to speak, to interrupt him, but all thoughts pertaining to that were dashed when he looked up and into her eyes. Her own mouth snapped itself shut, her eyes widening with dread and horror when she saw his own. They looked… empty, practically lifeless. Like all the joy, wonder, innocence, and every other happy emotion he had was sucked out of him against his ill by brute force.
It was a horrible sight to witness, especially when it was someone she was close to.
When someone saw their loved ones sad, their instinctive reaction was to ask them what was wrong, to console them and assure them that everything would be alright. They'd appreciate the gesture, even if they believed that things weren't going to work out like they wanted them to. It was the kindness and support the gesture gave that people appreciated more than the gesture itself. The effects were obviously worse when the people involved had romantic feelings towards one another, as love could be considered stronger than something like friendship.
Nico continued, unaware, or maybe he just didn't care, of the woman's face as he spoke. He probably didn't even register the woman's response to his current demeanour, for his expression looked like he was staring out into a hazy and empty void. Nothing could have gotten through to him at that moment, not even the words of a loved one.
In his mind, Nico could feel himself getting lost within the 'pool' that was what usually happened within his dreams. Only this time, it was in reality, he was fully aware of his sinking self. But this time, he didn't do anything to stop himself, there were no scary beasts in his mind trying to drag him to the depths, there was nothing but his form, sinking faster than that once said 'unsinkable' ship.
But he didn't stop, no, his mouth moved practically on autopilot, his mental form sinking deeper with every word. "Even if I told you, there's no way you could help me. Nobody can help me, not you, not Raven, not anyone. Not even my mom can help me, this is something that only I can deal with. I'm alone on this particular battlefield, and I've long since embraced that." He told her, his tone just as empty and broken as his words. "So please, don't kid yourself into thinking you can help me. This battle is one I must fight alone, nobody else. Only I should hurt, nobody else. They deserve that much, only I should be the monster, only I…"
BUMP!
In his mind, something reached down through the darkness of the ocean depths, grabbing him by the neck. Nico's eyes widened when this happened, and the something proceeded to bring him back to the surface. With a gasp, his mental self suddenly saw a pair of red eyes eyeing him from above the water's surface, eyes unlike those that he was used to. He could only see them for a brief second, before the thing that pulled him above the surface just… wrapped itself around him, dissipating the pool of emotions below to replace everything with a hazy and yellow void…
Just like how Lucy was hugging him right now.
"Wh… wha…?" Nico's mouth opened, but words did not come out. Not completely anyways, instead he could only speak in this broken form of the language. The sudden surge of warmth, the warmth he had only felt when he was being touched by someone, invaded his being and almost engulfed his power of reason. Yet, there was a single thought that anchored him, a thought that was to do with what just happened as awareness came running back to him.
'Was that… a hallucination?'
Biko did once comment that his mind would project hallucinations, a long time ago in fact. If he remembered correctly, Biko said that because he refused to listen to what his mind was telling him, it would resort to hallucinations instead. But what was it trying to tell him this time? And, who was hugging him right now?
Maybe it was true: that the quietest people really did have the loudest minds.
Thinking back, Nico could only think of one person as he mentally dispelled the remaining cobwebs the hallucination left on his mind. Looking down, his theory was confirmed when he saw a familiar set of crimson hair, its owners head embedding itself into his chest plate.
"Don't…"
Nico's stunned ears almost didn't perceive the word that was muffled into his chestplate, but he didn't have to ponder for long because Lucy was not looking up at him, her eyes shining with emotion that completely floored him. "Don't ever think I can't help you, Nico. You know damn well how I feel about loneliness." She told him firmly, almost scathingly as her grip on him tightened. Her hair shadowed her eyes as she linked her forehead with his chest. But despite this, the teen could still sense that she was gnashing her teeth together.
This was NOT something Nico had expected to happen on this trip. He'd need a lie down after all this was over, so much had happened on this mission that he couldn't process it all. Yet, it didn't seem like it would be stopping anytime soon. A part of him stung with guilt, something he didn't like one bit. At first, Nico hadn't a clue why he was feeling guilty… but then he remembered who this woman embracing him was. Then his thoughts clicked into place, and Nico began to feel like a complete idiot. 'Grrr, goddamnit, how could I forget? Why should I be complaining about loneliness to LUCY of all people? If Raven heard this shit I'm spouting, she'd likely skin me alive for my stupidity.'
Nico made to say something, to apologise and call himself a complete moron for not realising sooner, but she stopped him by continuing. "I know loneliness better than most people, Nico. You know that. You practically stated it that one time, you remember?" pausing her speech, Lucy looked up at the teen, her eyes shining this time with hopeful curiosity than what she was showing before. From all around them, nature seemed to blossom. The grass became more vibrant and lifelike, and there was a slight fresh aura coming from the woman's flesh. It reminded him of the early morning wind from a spring day, fresh and rich with pure life. "You do remember, right? How we met?"
Nodding, Nico gave a simple response, his hands landing on her shoulders. "Of course, how could I not?" he remarked, nothing but honesty in his tone. Seriously, that was something he could never forget even if people tried to erase it from his memory.
(Flashback)
Humming to herself, Lucy walked through the guild hall with a heavy sway in her step. She hummed with satisfaction and pleasure, evident by the afterglow of her time with her previous 'Specimen' before she had gotten bored and walked off. Her walk practically oozed sensuality and seductiveness, one that could only be matched by the legendary prowess of the ladies of the night themselves: The Succubae.
All around her, she could tell that male Guild Agents of varying appearances, personalities and even marital statuses were giving her their complete, undivided attention. She even noticed a few women giving her some appreciative looks, something she soaked up like a sponge to fuel her own ego. She loved attention, she loved the passion and control that she exerted over others. It was her blood, it was her thrill. She loved the faces people made when she dominated every inch of their worthless lives. She equally loved it when they lose all sense of purpose and direction when she kicks her specimens to the curb, moving on to the next topic of her interest.
It had been that way for her for a long time now. It was practically her way of life, at this point.
Her most recent 'specimen' was her recent Quest giving Client, a Nobleman from Leanbox. If she weren't surrounded by potential targets, Lucy would have scowled at the reference to the people she despised more than anything. Lucy HATED nobility, she hated them with a passion. There were few things that could piss her off more than anything, but noblemen were way up on that short list.
It was why they were her favourite Specimens, to drain their funds dry for when they'd spend their fortunes on her, to keep her around for carnal pleasure. Then, she'd up and disappear before they even realised it, leaving behind nothing but a lot of debt as well as evidence of any wrongdoings on them throughout the internet. It was a powerful tool when one knew how to use it and use it she did. She would laugh in glee when she'd read in the Guild News how Nobles she'd 'seduced' would end up on the streets, penniless and utterly humiliated for their troubles. In her eyes, all Nobles deserved such treatment, nothing more, nothing less.
Also, it would hep that they satisfied SOME of her cravings.
In her opinion, the best Specimens came from either the Guild or the military. They were the ones that held way more 'stamina' than those pudgy, fat pigs who did nothing but sit in their comfy seats and comfy homes while people like the soldiers did all the work. All they did was sit and argue, in her eyes, something Lucy despised. Then, there were the Spec Ops Agents, Agents whom Lucy could only have a grudging respect for.
Those Agents, who forsook their faith in the Goddesses of their homelands (with some exceptions) for their own ideals, to set their own path in life as they saw fit. They were the type of people whom Lucy saw as somewhat more tolerable than the idiotic devotees to the CPUs. They were both good in, and out, of bed in her experiences, though as a trade-off she had to work her backside off to et them to submit to her.
It helped that she had some ways of 'hypnotising' the more stubborn ones to see it her way.
Walking up to one of the Quest Clerks, a young woman in her late 30's Lucy believed, and one of the women who'd been eyeing her, Lucy gave a sensual smirk while placing a hand on her hip. "Hello dearie, I'm here to complete my Quest." The redhead stated, procuring her Phone from her skirt pocket and showing the details to the Clerk.
"O-Oh, right, I apologise. Anyways, here, I'll verify it for you." The Clerk stammered, a minor blush of embarrassment at being caught staring as she took her phone, shuddering when she brushed her hand against Lucy's gloved one, before running the checks on a nearby monitor. The sound of computer keys being pressed filled Lucy's ears for a brief moment, before the Clerk handed her Phone back to her. "Aright, Quest details have been verified, the rewards shall be transferred into your account. Please have a pleasant day."
Lucy nodded cordially, her smirk ever-present on her features. "Yes, thank you." She stated, turning on her heels, before she remembered somethings she'd noticed on her way here. "Oh, by the way, is it alright if I inquire about something, my dear? I noticed that there's a bit of commotion near the Guild Entrance, is there something going on?"
Blinking after momentarily (much to her pleasure and embarrassment) fantasising about an Agent and her getting it on in her flat, the woman regained her composure and tried to answer calmly… failing miserably at that. "U-Um, yes, of course! Its just that DEATHSTROKE is returning from a Quest, to slay a 100-year-old Abnormal that's been causing us trouble."
"DEATHSTROKE?" Lucy blinked, surprise on her features. She'd never heard that name before, so she wondered what this person was like. From the fact this person had a codename she assumed that it was a Spec Ops Agent, but why hadn't she known about him before? Surely, she would, with her reputation.
The Clerk nodded, practically beaming in excitement if she didn't try to keep a professional demeanour too. "Yes! His name's Nico, and he's quite good at what he does, though a bit of a loner if you know what I mean. He's not as well known as the other Agents, but he gets the toughest jobs done." The clerk explained, and now Lucy's interest in the man was piqued.
This DEATHSTROKE character... this person, judging by the way the Clerk spoke of him, seemed to be someone who she could see as her next target. The thought of taking a Spec Ops Agent to bed with her, of dominating this person regardless of Gender nearly made her all horny from the lust building up inside her. Lucy LOVED control, especially in the bedroom, but the best part was if the person she was doing it with was completely mesmerised by her, under her spell for eternity.
A moment later, the doors to the Guild Hall were opened, and a new target stepped through, according to Lucy's eyes as she glanced in their direction. Boy did she find herself wanting this person sexually, for when she first caught sight of him, she KNEW that she'd found her next target.
Clad in orange/black armour, a Mask over his face to hide all but one eye, the Agent that she'd heard about just now walked through the Guild Hall with a purpose, a long, confident look about his stride that spoke volumes about his military training. Just from how he walked, and the way he held his hands like they were seconds away from summoning something to fight with, told Lucy that this Agent knew how to fight, and was ready for a challenge no matter the time, date or location.
But what got her attention the most was not his body like so many other Agents she'd taken to the bed, but something else entirely:
His eye.
That eye, which cast its gaze across the hall with nothing but a blank stoic demeanour, a cold indifference that almost made her shudder down to her very core. Briefly, their eyes met, and Lucy had to work her backside off not to show her pleasured reactions right then and there. It was so... electrifying, the way he looked at the people in the room, the way that he callously dismissed them as unimportant, even herself.
Those kinds of people she loved to dominate, maybe even more so than Nobles.
She eyed him like a wolf hungering for meat as she watched him silently hand in a Quest via those strange armoured Bracers on his forearms, the Clerk servicing (she didn't refuse the dirty thoughts that sprang from that last word) him, blushed slightly with a minor dreamy look in her eyes. She looked to have done a better job in hiding it than the one she had did, but that just confirmed something in Lucy's mind.
Lucy loved attention, she loved pleasure, dominance, control over the situation. But right now, she had found a Specimen who would challenge her dominance, who would take more work than she'd ever had to put in before.
And she would have him.
Now...Lucy hadn't expected this.
She hadn't expected this at all.
"Hello handsome, what say you and I-"
"Apologies, but I am uninterested in anything to do with you at this present time."
That was the gist of how their first conversation had went. Lucy had memorised his entire schedule by 'laying on the charm' on those of the Clerks that associated with Nico. (She'd almost laughed at how easy it was for them to be brought under her thumb). That way, she'd be able to find the perfect opportunity to get him alone and... convince him to come into her little web of domination. Like all the others she had seduced and milked for her own carnal desires.
She had to hand it to him though, that DEATHSTROKE should really socialise more. She could hardly find any proper moments to get him alone at all, as apparently he would just stay long enough to get his next quest, then venture off without even talking to anyone. Those that tried getting close to him (usually with the help of his adoptive mother, she might add. She'd like to meet this woman herself one day, just to see if she could get anything out of her) he would just shrug them off coldly before leaving to continue his business.
Just like he had done with her.
Lucy didn't believe it. No, it was more accurate to say that she couldn't believe it, that a guy had refused to talk to her when she made the effort of trying to find the perfect time to get him alone with her. Nobody had done this before, nobody, not a single soul in her many years of being a Spec Ops Agent. She would be constantly surrounded by horny men, and some women that Lucy took a fancy to every now and then. Thus, she had no shortage of a fan base, her appearance wasn't much of a deterrent either, she had to admit, not that she cared. Lucy knew she was attractive, and she made sure others knew she knew as well.
She could seduce practically anyone she wanted into her bed:
Men
Women
Nobles
Girlfriends
boyfriends,
Fiancés
Married Couples
Even the other CPUs if she managed to catch them if they ever leave that pathetic, boorish war they were waging up in Celestia. Nobody had been safe from her, nobody at all, not a single soul.
None... save for Nico, codename DEATHSTROKE.
She'd caught him while he hadn't donned that intimidating Armour of his yet, getting a good luck at his true appearance, and what a sight it was. That body he had, it wasn't just for looks nor for show. From her countless male submissions, Lucy could identify when one just had good looks or had a mix of looks and heavy duty training to refine their bodies, to the point where they were literal weapons in their own right. Where she could even grind cheeses or sharpen her nails on their abs without damaging the flesh one bit.
Nico's body was one of the latter.
Lucy had been so looking forward to riding that body of his from day and night, possibly for an entire week without rest. With her many conquest came lots of experience, and... commendable stamina reserves. She could go for longer if she put her back into it, but there weren't many people that could satisfy her truly. The people that came the closest to that would have to be the Spec Ops Agents in Leanbox, who were well known for their stamina, though they lacked technique. Lastations had technique, but not much stamina, while Lowee's had small amounts of both. Planeptune's had both in abundance, but not enough to completely satisfy her, which made them a viable place to become a Spec Ops Agent for.
She thought that Nico would be as simple as the rest.
She thought he would fold like everyone else, that she could dominate him till she was tired of him then move on to her next Specimen.
Sadly for her, she was wrong.
The male Spec Ops Agent had taken one look at her attractive body, her seductress, trained form that could entice practically anyone regardless of their marital status, and shrugged it off like it was no big deal. He simply stated that eh wasn't interested before twisting on his heels, his Trench Coat flapping in the same direction like some sort of Badass before he walked away from her.
Girl had never felt so shocked before in all her life. Her seductress body had been completely ignored by someone who prioritized his duties over carnal pleasure. Just how the heck was that a thing? Part of her rationalised that Nico had bee indeed confirmed to be... inexperienced with the pleasures of the flesh, a complete virgin she might add, so maybe that was the cause. When she'd heard that, Lucy had been disbelieving at first, not believing for a minute that a guy his age would not have anything to do with sexual desires. Heck, she'd admit to herself that she'd been a little turned off at the time by this, since it would mean that she would have to spend time teaching him about sex first before the fun stuff began. Not something she would want to do on a hot passionate evening.
However, instead of getting angry over this, her reaction was... different. Well, it would be a lie if she said she wasn't angry at all. She DID feel sort of pissed that he had ignored her advances so coldly, along with the desire to utterly smack him where the sun don't shine with the back edge of her Cleaver, then ride it for her own pleasure while listening to his screams of pain/pleasure. Okay, maybe she was a LITTLE bit pissed, maybe just a TEENY TINY bit...
But, more than that, there was this other sensation boiling in her gut, pushing through the anger like a wall giving way to a Battering Ram. It spread through her like an overflowing flood, not giving anything else a chance to take over. Her form shook as she looked down at her right hand, and to her surprise she saw that it was trembling. Why was she trembling? She wasn't scared that her charm was failing, was she? 'No...' the woman thought while shaking her head, her hair swaying wildly behind her as she did do. 'This doesn't feel like fear, but instead it felt like... excitement?'
Perhaps excitement was too big a word for her to use right now, maybe it was more to do with thrill. Yes, that word seemed to fit much better in this situation than mere excitement. She couldn't help but let a smirk, full of predatory hunger, seductive glee and venomous anticipation spread onto her lips. This was... this was something she hadn't dealt with before, something new, completely unknown territory. One of her prey dared to resist her in a way that truly stung... and instead of it daunting her...
She felt... GLAD!
This revelation stunned her for a moment, but it didn't last. Honestly, Lucy had begun to notice that the thrill of dominating others had begun getting stale as of late, like there wasn't as much fun as it used to be anymore. It had gotten almost TOO easy to dominate the male and female species, there was no challenge to it anymore. Not like that had bothered her enough to warrant any attention to be brought onto the matter before, since she LOVED the fact that she was in control. That she was the dominant predator on the sexual market.
But... the fact that someone had FINALLY come with a will to resist her, to refuse her advances and not fall into her web, as well as strike in a way that utterly slapped her in the face...
Well, one could say that her instincts being set alight like a white hot furnace was an UNDERSTATEMENT.
'Oh, just you wait, my dear DEATHSTROKE...' She thought, licking her lips hungrily as a gleeful giggle escaped her lips. "I'll be getting you yet, you haven't seen the last of me. Don't you worry about that... Ufufufu fufufu..."
Nearby passer-by's almost shuddered when they heard that dark seductive giggle from nearby, although they didn't know where it was. Instead, they focused more on getting to somewhere private to 'relieve' themselves.
Throughout the week, Lucy had begun her hunting of Nico like a huntress catching her prey.
She would hound him when he was in the Guild, almost magically appearing near him with her charm on full blast, no restrictions on it like she would usually do to make the attempt a little more entertaining. It barely even fazed the guy as he would just curtly greet her and shrug her off, continuing his Spec Ops work. It didn't hinder her though, as Lucy was NOT a quitter by any means. She'd get what she wanted, either through perks or hard work and dedication. Both felt great in their own ways by the end goal, you know.
When Urgent Quests came in, she'd make sure that she'd be paired up with Nico, giving her an extended amount of time to try and seduce him out in the field... maybe even impress him with her Skills. Sophie may be a seductive, controlling woman, but by no means did that make her a slouch. There was a reason why she was able to ascend through the ranks of the Spec Ops Agents as she had done, and that DIDN'T involve seduction of any sort. Lucy HAD noticed that Nico would show more of a reaction to her when she fought alongside him, like a raising of an eyebrow or a small curling upwards of the corners of his lips. Sometimes she would see how he would be eyeing her combat styles appreciatively, as well as faint flashes of respect flicker in his lone uncovered eye, as Nico would be under his Spec Ops Armour all the time.
She couldn't wait to finally strip him of that... and everything else when they were in the bedroom.
Of course, dealing with Spec Ops Agents like this meant that Lucy had to be wary of Fangirls (and fanboys, there's no judging here) that tried to impede her efforts at attaining her goals. They sometimes did it through civil conversation (Read: Death threats and loud shouting) while other times they would assemble into fighting groups to try and halt her progress. It was so cute, the way they thought that they stood a chance against her. Those women, those kids-girls, girls compared to a woman like her-would never succeed in their attempts, and would be sent to the medical wings of the Guild more often than not. How they hadn't lost all their Credits for medical bills, Lucy would never know.
Then, there was the overprotective mother.
Lucy had NEVER felt such power from a normal human when she first 'met' with Nico's adoptive mom, Helena Dawson. She was someone who radiated such power that it even made HER think twice about trying to seduce her. It probably didn't help that Helen had known her MO from the beginning, so she knew how to handle her subtle attempts at control through seduction. It honestly grinded her gears, more so than Lucy had ever expected, to have not one, but TWO people able to resist her. Though, she had to admit she felt better that it was Helen that could resist her, since she WAS Nico's adoptive mother. It made the phenomenon easier to understand in her mind. It looked like mental fortitude ran in the family it seemed.
Right now, however, after a whole 6 WEEKS of constant hounding and subtle pressuring, Lucy had finally reached the near-end phase of her plans, cornering Nico on top of a random building that he'd been visiting. She didn't care what it was, not at this stage in the game. What was important in her eyes was that she was finally going to get something she had been working towards for a long time. She had to hand it to him, Nico had lasted longer than she had ever expected before. For the first 4 weeks there was little to no reaction from him towards her advances, but then subtle changes began to happen across the last 2.
And now, with his eyes faintly showing an expression similar to a deer caught in the headlights, Lucy finally felt that smug feeling of eager anticipation for the night to come.
"Well, Nico... this has certainly been a fun time for me." She began, slowly walking towards him while swaying her hips sensually. She had that smirk on her lips, that smirk any sexually experienced woman had when they wanted their partners to know that they would be riding them all night. Nico had the decency to step backwards slightly, but she would just press forwards. His form had tensed, just seconds away from either donning that Armour of his, or summoning one of his many demonic/normal weapons in his Void Storage. "But, I think we both know that the Spider has finally got her prey on the ropes..."
"I am... unsure as to what you mean..."
The redhead rolled her eyes at the response he gave her. It had lacked the usual carelessness, that ice, that his usual ones had, meaning that she was finally whittling him down to his core. If she went at it a little more, he would finally, FINALLY be putty in her hands... Though, why did that sense of satisfaction also have a thin layer of disappointment and sadness underneath it?
'No, don't think about it, focus on your prize, Lucy!' The said woman chided herself as she saw Nico now backed against the roof's railing. The building they were on looked like one of those stereotypical highschool rooftops with barely anything there save for the railing. "Oh come now, my dear. I'm pretty sure that, since we've known each other for so long, that ou know what I want from you... and you should know how FAR I'm willing to go..." The way that she said the word 'far' sent chills down the male's spine, she could just HEAR them. It made this hunt all the more worth it in her eyes.
"I... I guess..."
Yes... Yes, yes, that's it. That was what she chanted in her mind like it was a spell or something as Lucy got ever closer to him. She was practically 6 steps away from him right now, a couple more and she'd be right before him, willing to take what was finally hers. She was a predator, a sexual predator, and in this jungle she reined supreme. Nobody would resist her for long, especially not the many studs in the world. "Just... one quick question..."
Before she could reach out and grasp his chin in her right gloved hand, Lucy heard him ask that question barely over a whisper. Was it just her, or was that tone just a little bit strained? It looked like he was resisting her more than she had thought possible, and honestly, Lucy found herself both happy and disappointed by that fact for some reason. "Okay then, ask away... though you'll be doing OTHER things with me soon enough..." she said, leaning up to him so that her lips were quite close to his. Their faces were inches apart, her smug smirk enhanced by her lipstick thick with seductive venom while her eyes danced heavily with lust.
"Why...?"
"Yes...?"
"Why do you never smile?"
Now THAT stopped her lips from finally claiming his. She blinked, momentarily surprised by the question he'd asked. That was a rather... bizarre query, what was he talking about? Despite everything, Lucy had found herself asking that question while pulling her head back a little. Though, she kept their bodies closely linked together, with her waist touching his and her boobs pressing against his chest. "That's a silly question..." she stated, rolling her eyes in slight annoyance. "I smile quite a lot... as well as do other things with my mouth."
"No you don't, for as long as I've known you, you've never once truly smiled." Nico shook his head, and to her surprise, his resistance slowly came ebbing back into his voice, bleeding into it like an open wound. "True you smile like a predator, you smile when you see people try to resist you, but not ONCE have I seen you truly smile. Its like you... don't have anything to be happy about, like you have this emptiness about you." Lucy didn't show it, but his words began hitting places that hadn't been hit in some time. She kept the seductive, if slightly confused, look on though, but it didn't seem to faze him one bit.
Instead, Nico continued, strength gradually seeping back into his voice. "You weren't the only one hunting, I also did my homework. You joined the Spec Ops and ascended to a high position in record time. You have skills that take years of training to gain, with a record of killing tough Abnormals to match. Yet you put those behind a façade of this seductive temptress who wants to literally control everything. You only doo things for the sake of carnal pleasure while never making any everlasting bonds with people. Its honestly like you have a craving for something, something only absolute control ca somehow grant you. No... its more like you crave something specific, more than control, more than domination. Its like you're crying out... like a child bawling their eyes out in a field of crimson flowers... shrouded in darkness and despair... you seem... lonely."
Lonely...
Lonely...
Lonely...
Lonely...
Lonely...
Lonely...
Lonely...
Lonely...
That word. That word, she heard it ring continuously in her mind, almost like a Basilicom bell chiming throughout the middle of the day. Each time felt more and more like a punch to the gut the more she heard it, making Lucy metaphorically bend over. In the real world, her eyes were full-on shock mode, shrunken to the size of dots while she stepped back several times, stopping just short of conversation range which gave Nico the chance to catch a breather. Although he refused to let his guard down just yet.
Not when things were about to get real.
As she heard that word, that horrible, disgusting, revolting word over and over again in her mind, Lucy's composure all but shattered. She remembered things that she hadn't thought of for so long, so long in fact that she had practically forgotten them. Though, considering what those memories were, it probably would have been best if she never remembered them one bit.
But hey, at least she began to realise just WHY she had been disappointed at the start of all this, as well as thrilled for the chase at the beginning.
"You don't..." she began, at first being shocked and absolutely taken aback by his words, but as seconds passed that shock faded away and was replaced by something else: Anger. White, hot rage burning brightly within her chest to the point where it threatened to suffocate her, smothering her entire being with its embrace. To her though, that was way better than what had been creeping out from the depths of her mind. "You don't have the right..." she gritted her teeth, clenching her fists tightly as her arms trembled. Her words grew hostile every second that past, to the point hat they would become worse than even a bullet to the head. "You have NO right to say that about me!"
"Are you certain? Because you're reacting..."
She cut him off right there, not willing to let him talk further, to break her further. Memories she NEVER wanted to recall, memories of pain, loss, agony, despair, loneliness (that dreaded 'L' word!) breaking into the forefront of her mind's eye no matter how much she tried to resist. "SHUT UP, SUT UP, SHUT UP!" She yelled, glaring heatedly towards him. All forms of lust and seduction were wiped clean like mess on a bench by a wet cloth now, replaced by utter fury. "YOU DON'T GET THE RIGHT TO LECTURE ME ABOUT LONELINESS! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT ITS LIKE, YOU KNOW NOTHING AT ALL!"
Feelings, feelings and emotions she hadn't felt in a long, long time returned to the surface, suffocating her by denying any and all air from coming into her lungs. Her throat tightened till the ability to speak barely remained usable, but Lucy didn't care. She couldn't, she wouldn't and she didn't. Not with what she was remembering, not after everything she had been through and what she had been reminded of. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this angry at someone before, not ever. Everything she had built up till this point, her reputation as a seductive temptress, her desire for control, to dominate, her image as an Apex Predator, everything down to her being had been utterly unravelled like a set of bandages, exposing the ugliness that dwelled deep within her. An ugliness that's he had long since thought buried, buried so deep that nobody would find it.
Looked like that wasn't true, now.
Lucy was on a roll as she pointed a hand at him, glaring at him with so much hate and vengeful wrath that it made those who committed the sin of wrath green with envy. The redhead's eyes were literally pits of flames right now, emotion burning bright within them to the point where if looks could kill, Nico would have died a thousand times over. "THIS IS WHAT I HATE THE MOST ABOUT YOU ASSHOLES, THE LOT OF YOU! MEN, WOMEN, YOU'RE ALL THE SAME! YOU THINK YOU CAN JUST TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT, THAT NOBODY CAN STOP YOU, THAT YOU'RE ABOVE EVERYONE ELSE, EVEN THE LAW! WELL NEWS FLASH, YOU'RE NOT! NOTHING CAN SAVE YOU FROM THE LAW, YOU PATHETIC SCUMBAG! YOU DON'T GET TO LECTURE ME! ME! ABOUT LONELINESS! NOT WHEN YOU'VE NEVER LOST ANYTHING PRECIOUS TO YOU, NOT WHEN YOU'VE HAD IT EASY! NOT WHEN YOU DON;T KNOW WHHAT ITS LIKE BEING USED AND DISCARDED LIKE TRASH! LIKE YOU'RE LIFE MEANS NOTHING BUT A FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT! HUMANITY SHHOULD JUST ROT IN HELL, THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU! YOU ALL SHOULD DIE, JUST FUCKING DIE, DAMNIT!"
At this point, Lucy couldn't shout anymore, her voice had been too clogged up as she fell to her knees, glaring down with pure fury written over her face at the ground like it had done some injustice to her. She may looked like she had let out quite a bit, but there was still more, so much more than she could possibly convey with words. What she DID managed to convey though, was the ugliness hidden inside of her, the darkness deep within her heart that she had buried so long ago. The darkness that Nico's words painfully brought back to life.
She remembered what it was like when everything went to hell. She remembered having been used and taken against her will, then discarded with nothing but what was on her at the time, which was barely anything at all, when they were done with her. She remembered losing those precious to her, of those who she thought were her friends turning out to be her enemies, of when everything she knew went to shit. She remembered the feeling of being trapped in a cage of noting but despair and agony that smothered any innocence she could have salvaged, beating into her the lessons that she took to heart.
That people were terrible, no ifs or butts about it.
Lucy LOVED control, she loved to dominate, to utterly crush those when they were at their peak just to see their reactions when it all comes crashing down on them. She always got the feeling of 'hah, how'd you like that, bitch?!' whenever she crushed those Nobles in Leanbox, or when she destroyed corrupt businesses in Lastation, when she took out criminals in Lowee and Planeptune. Because, in a way...
She was trying to get something back, something she had lost long ago.
All this time, Nico remained silent, not saying a word during that rant she did. She didn't know why, nor did she care at this point. She was too emotionally spent from both the chase and the emotional rollercoaster in the making she had just went through. Honestly, Lucy felt like utter shit right now, and a good long rest in a cosy bed sounded really good right now.
Then, the sounds of his boots stomping on the ground indicated that he was moving towards her. Lucy tried to look up, to glare at him with the ferocity of a wild animal, to show him that she wouldn't take any more of his shit. Lucy was a strong woman, a woman whose strength was built upon tragedy, betrayal and bloodshed. She'd killed before, and she enjoyed it. She enjoyed inflicting pain on those that hurt her, it honestly felt more like therapy than vengeance to her. Not like that changed the whole picture though, the world could rot in hell for all she cared. However, just as she made it up to look at him...
#HUG#
Nico's arms wrapped themselves securely around her back, pulling her head into his chest thanks to him kneeling before her like a knight would to his queen. His head buried itself in her shoulder, leaving her own to gaze at the space behind him. Her rage, depression and anguish among her other emotions all vanished without a trace, replaced by stunned shock as her body tensed up, ready to react to any sudden dangers.
However...
"You're right."
Her eyes widened even more when Nico spoke those two words. Two simple words, but were enough to get a massive impact from the redhead. What was he talking about? What did he mean when he said she was right? She knew she was right from the get go, seriously, he didn't need to confirm what she already knew-!
"You're right about me not knowing how you feel. From what I can tell you've been hurt in a way that nobody ever should. The pain you feel, the loneliness and helplessness, nobody deserves that, least of all you. In all honesty, its taking all my power not to go on a bloodthirsty rampage right now, listening to your rant."
She wouldn't have believed Nico's words for a second, if she didn't feel the tightening of his hug on her. His form shook, like a powder keg waiting to blow, but Lucy wasn't focused on that. Instead, she focused on something else. "Y-You...!"
"I get it, I really do. I feel the exact same way you do, the world really is full of sick fuckers, horrid assholes who would do anything for their own ends, no matter how many innocents they stomp on to do so. If i was in your shoes, I'd probably do worse to those people, worse than I do to the criminals I track down when not fighting Abnormals. All the scum of Gamindustri, and still I feel like your pain is much greater than any innocent victim I've both failed to save, and rescued before a horrid fate befalls them."
That bit of information caught Lucy's attention, instantly. She didn't know THAT part about him, that he hunted human criminals as well as Abnormals. She could understand though, as she had always known there was a slight brutality about his personality. She'd seen it in play several times during his spats with Abnormals and other Agents in the Guild. But, where was he going with this? What was his...
"You want control because you want to take something back, even if it proves impossible. That's right, isn't it?"
No matter what, he seemed like he'd know the answer, so Lucy silently nodded. She didn't trust her own voice anymore.
"You wanted something you've been denied your whole life, something you didn't even realise until the moment you went through hell. You wanted something... or someone, I believe, who could understand you. Someone who could help you see the world in a better light, to help you escape the dark pit you had found yourself in. What you want, more than anything... is someone you could let your guard down around, to freely admit your secrets to, to be able to talk without fear of being stabbed in the back. What you want... is a friend."
...
...
... Just how perceptive was this bastard?
That was what Lucy thought in her head when she heard his words. She just couldn't believe that he had figured all that out about her just from 6 weeks, when nobody had been able to do so for years. Nobody had clued in, nobody had seen the truth behind the veil, the her that hid behind the Mask of a seductive temptress. She loved control, Lucy knew that, she accepted it. But there was one thing Lucy ADORED more than control, and that was trust. Trust in someone who would always do right by her, trust in that they would always be there for her when she needed it most.
But here was someone who did what people failed to do in years, in a mere 6 weeks.
Just... where was this guy when she needed it back then? Why couldn't he have been around sooner? Maybe then, things would have been so much better for her...
"I'll do it."
"Eh?"
Pulling back, Nico stared deeply into Lucy's surprised crimson orbs, his own light blue ones full of intensity while his hands gripped her bare shoulder. Not in a discomforting way, but more of a supportive gesture. His lips were set in a firm line, complimenting the expression on his features right now.
"I'll be that person you're looking for. If you need help, come to me and I'll gladly do so. You want someone to talk to, I'll be there to listen. You want someone to just hang with, to take a break from the idiots in the world with, well, sign me up I'll be there."
His lips curved into a smirk, his eyes shining with a light that hadn't been present since the first time she saw him.
"After all, beating up assholes, kicking ass and taking names is a bit of a specialty for us Spec Ops. It'll be better if we do it together, right?"
Lucy stared, she stared deeply into his eyes, which never broke away from hers. They weren't meant to, they only meant to convey the truth in his words and they did it splendidly. No matter how much she tried, Lucy couldn't find any deceit in his eyes. Not once did he display any of the tics that indicate deceit, and she had a LOT of experience dealing with those.
A small light formed deep within her heart, radiating a weak warmth.
But that light gradually grew with the passage of time, the warmth it radiated intensifying tenfold.
It grew...
grew...
grew...
Eventually, Lucy realised that this light, this warmth spreading through her chest, it was hope. Hope, joy, relief, happiness, all of those emotions hit her al at once. She couldn't take the onslaught, especially after that last one. She just couldn't, and that wet feeling that she got before began to return. Only this time, it went down her cheeks as thin trails of wetness.
A soft, caring smile formed on Nico's lips, as his own Mask came down, showing her that he too was willing to drop his Spec Ops persona just to prove that he was being truthful to her.
The trails expanded, becoming larger than crocodile trails...
and finally, the damn broke.
"Ugh... Guh... Ugh-GUH... uuuuuuwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa! UUUUUUUWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
Tears. Tears for the first time in... well, she couldn't remember when, but at this moment she didn't care. It felt amazing to find that she could cry still. Lucy wrapped her arms around him again, pulling her head into his chest as she let her emotions spill over. What was once a violent waterfall cascading out of her heart, had become a furious maelstrom, more emotion her heart had ever experienced gushing forth with no signs of stopping. Nico just kneeled there, stroking her back while nudging her with his cheek, assuring her that this was alright, that this was real. For she sometimes cried the question 'This is real, right?' during her wailing.
He kept his emotions in check, but deep down, he made a vow right then and there, to be there for this lonely young woman. To be the person she could trust above all others.
She earned that much.(Flashback END)
"Ufufufufu, and that's when I began my hunting of you… only for a different reason." Lucy chuckled weakly, remembering the times that followed. She couldn't remember how, but she had fund herself within a hotel room close to the Guild after that event, with Nico sitting beside her, on a chair, with his head on her lap. Her lap that was covered by the blankets. Her memory hadn't been too good at that moment, so she assumed he was one of her flings and tried to remove him from her lap. Only then, she remembered who he was and what he had done for her...
It never failed in making her heart soar with joy she had not felt in many seasons.
Ever since that time, Lucy had doubled her efforts to seduce him, to bring him into her bed... but not just out of lust anymore. She had lust in her that was just part of who she was. Plus she still liked control, to dominate others, it was part of her personality now. But Nico? Nico was a special case, she wanted him o sleep with her for a different reason, one to do with how he made her open her heart like the way he did.
He made himself someone she could trust, to open herself up to...
And he had NEVER let her down.
When she had learned from Helen (after explaining what he did for her, though she was uncharacteristically flustered about it) about how Nico didn't show it, but he was a man who followed the rule of being 'a real gentleman' with loads of macho stuff, Lucy found herself wholeheartedly believing it. Nico's heart, he showed her that it was much more innocent, much purer, than the people she had surrounded herself with. Someone like him, was a rarity these days, and THAT was something.
"Yeah, you were kinda adamant about it, weren't you…?" Nico remarked. Back then he had been returning from a particular fight against a monster that JUST WOULDN'T DIE for Goddess sake. It was a monster that, once one hit was dealt, it would split, use those parts to reform while trying to hit the enemy, then try punching that enemy when it was reformed. It had him exercising extreme patience trying to kill it while also dodging its makeshift bullet hells.
Thus, he hadn't took the time to notice that there was a literal panther in the same room as he was, much to his future misfortune… and gratitude.
For the next 4 weeks, he dreaded having to run into her. She would never leave him alone, always trying to seduce him like the queen spider that she was. This persistence though, was something that honestly intrigued him, though he didn't admit that to himself till 3 weeks in, in which he had decided to do a little digging of his own. He had found out her obsession for Control, how many victims she had, among other things, made a few precise guesses, and formed a picture of her in his mind. Or rather, the Mask she put up to fool others.
There was a reason why he was able to see past those.
Then, on the last few weeks, when he realised that she was hiding behind that Mask of hers, Nico didn't know when or why, but... he began to see her in a different light, he began to yearn to help her, to give her some form of light to illuminate the darkness she was in. To show her that there was still something to smile about. He didn't know why, even up till now, but he did at that time, and that hadn't changed. It never would, not if he had anything to say about it.
Once that confrontation happened, he had been trying to resist both her advances... and the treacherous thoughts in his mind, too. He wasn't a complete dense idiot like people thought, he could tell when a girl was truly beautiful and when one was fucking ugly. And Lucy? She was in the middle, as she had physical attractiveness, but there was a darkness overflowing from her heart, corrupting her personality and warping it from what it used to be. He had assumed she wouldn't have noticed, which was why he prodded her till she dropped the Mask... which she did all too easily.
THAT was something that alarmed him. Just how much pain did one have to go through if they would drop their Mask at the drop of a hat like that? Just how desperate was she to find some form of good in the world? Nico didn't know the answer to those questions, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Nonetheless, Nico knew that without a doubt, that without that Mask on, that Lucy was just someone who was lonely and wanted friends. Friends she could trust and rely on like they'd rely on her. Once she got that...
Her inner beauty skyrocketed, increasing her attractiveness level in his eyes.
"Anyways, my point is… don't think I can't help with loneliness, Nico." Lucy stated, her eyes hardening once more. "I bet you I can do much more than you could think, you just have to let me in…" She paused her sentence, tightening her grip since she noticed it had slackened during the flashback. "Just like when I let you in, way back then."
Furrowing his brows, Nico bit his bottom lip, hesitation shining in his eyes. He didn't know what to do, should he tell her about his dreams? Or not? Normally he would have stated that he was fine or something to deflect the question. But with that memory, and the emotions plus the desires in his gut right now, his logical side was in chaos. He didn't know what to do! What can he do?!
What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!What can he do?!-
'Nico...!'
'Oh thank God...' Nico mentally sighed with relief, hearing Biko's voice after so long in that flashback, made him a sound for sore eyes. Great timing, too, something else he appreciated about him. 'Biko, what is it? Can you give me an answer, please...?!'
'Nico... trust her.'
Biko's presence faded back into his inner world, but those two words were enough. They MORE than got his message across, and after a moment of deliberation, Nico finally relaxed into Lucy's hold. She must have been surprised when he did that, honestly, but he didn't pay that much heed as he told her about his dream. He told her about how he'd sometimes have dreams to do with his forgotten past, and how they sometimes lead to horrible nightmares that would scar normal folks for life. He even admitted the hallucinations that the dreams would create occasionally, something that completely floored her.
In the end, Lucy gaped at him, keeping her arms wrapped around him. Honestly, Nico started to feel like he liked that feeling, the feeling of Lucy's arms wrapped around him like this. "That's... concerning. Have you told anyone else, about this?" she asked him. The teen wondered if he should tell her about Biko, but refrained for the time being. He wanted to have proof of his existence that he could provide her first before that bombshell was dropped. "No... you're the first person I've told..." That was true, not even Helen had known about his nightmares. He never told her outright, but he suspected that she had an inkling to it.
Hearing his response, a surge of warmth swelled within Lucy's chest. More so than when he helped her back on that building rooftop. The feeling of being the first person Nico has opened up to about his problems felt REALLY good right now. She knew, she was no fool, that Nico had secrets, secrets that he refused to share with anybody. Even close friends would not be privy to them unless he TRULY trusted them. So, to hear that he was opening up to her... it was more than a little tear-jerking. "I see... thank you for telling me." she told him, her lips curving into a sweet, caring smile filled with affection.
He smiled back, his smile equal to hers. "Heh, I should be thanking you for listening to me..."
"Lets agree to disagree, then."
"Yeah..."
The atmosphere around them was tense, heavy and almost suffocating around them. It was like a heavy weight was in the air, with something expecting to happen that involved them. Nico and Lucy stared deep into each others' eyes, losing themselves in their individual orbs. Lucy's crimson orbs shined in his eyes, and vice versa. It was almost mystical how the two got drawn into each other's eyes like this. Slowly though, they began to edge closer, bit by bit. Nico, normally, would have resisted this temptation with every fibre of his being. Hell, the logical side to him that would say to be wary for IT could get involved, was oddly silent right now.
Their faces were inches apart now, their noses briefly tracing each other as they tilted their heads, eyes slowly closing and lips slightly parting. They could feel each other's breath on their skin, sending chills down their spines. The tension in the air increased in its previous descriptions the longer this little foreplay of theirs took, each second feeling almost like an eternity.
Finally... their lips connected.
It was funny, Nico never noticed it before, but every time he kissed those girls, Neptune, Compa, and now Lucy, he always felt this zapping sensation. This thought soon vanished though, thanks to the allure of the woman's lipstick-covered lips. Their kiss started off as slow, soft and gentle, showing more and more emotions than a passionate make-out ever could. It was almost as innocent as two children playing in a field of white flowers, as Nico and Lucy held each other. Nico wrapped one arm around her back, placing his hand just below her nape, pulling her closer, while the other rested on the back of her head. Lucy meanwhile, had one arm around her crush's neck while the other went onto the back of his head too, softly grasping some tuffs of it.
The sounds of soft kissing filled the room, filled with the two participants' emotions, like two whirlpools colliding with one another in a violent, jaw-dropping explosion.
Lucy pressed her body against his, her corset-covered breasts digging into his chest area. He could feel them touching the outer legs of his Armour Module, as well as his bare chest. Her heartbeat clearly could be felt with his own, both pounding away like gattling gun rounds being launched at their targets.
Eventually, the two broke away, just barely though so their lips were just inches apart. The two opened their eyes, staring deeply into them once more. Both searched each other's eyes, silently asking if they wanted to stop. To continue with their mission, the mission that neither of them felt to fondly about. Their answer? Returning to kissing. Nico moved the hand on the back of her head to her cheek, keeping the other one on her back. For some reason, he found that kissing Lucy felt... freaking amazing. She knew how to chaste kiss, something that not many would assume given her usual seductive, teasing nature.
As for Lucy, she was on cloud nine, kissing the one man she had ever loved. She had both arms around his neck now, pushing them onto his hammock with her on top. She straddled his waist, never ceasing her possible favourite activity aside from screwing. None of the other fucks she had were close to the heavy chemistry, the romantic attraction, that she had for this boy right in front of her. No, not a boy, a man, a real man. A man who, sadly, didn't have much experience in the ways of girls.
Well, she planned on changing that.
Gradually their kiss started getting heated, with Lucy pouring more and more passion, love and affection into her movements. She wanted to convey just how much she truly cared about the man below her, how much she really loved him. It was so much that it nearly physically hurt her, how much her heart longed for him to return her feelings. Now that his barriers were slowly coming down, she was finally getting just that... and it was GLORIOUS!
Nico meanwhile, couldn't believe the emotions that were overflowing through him right now. He had always found Lucy incredibly attractive, beautiful and all that, but he didn't expect to react THIS much to her! Was this what it was like? Was this what it was like to be with a woman, something a lot of Spec Ops Agents talked about with their mates, knowing he'd overhear? If it was, he would understand better why they like it so much.
Lucy reached down while opening Nico's mouth to initiate a tongue battle, finding the male's coat and began to try and push it off him. Her gloved hands felt amazing on his skin, and Nico began to worry that he'd get addicted to it.
Just as she managed to convince him, however...
"VERONICA... what are you doing to DEATHSTROKE...?"
Both suddenly froze (pun intended) when the temperature of the tent plummeted to Lowee-level colds. Breaking the kiss, Lucy looked to the source and pouted in annoyance, while her lover was staring up in shock. The sudden intrusion managed to snap him out of his lust-induced state, enough to make him think clearly once again. "Aw, c'mon, just when it was getting good, you just HAD to come, didn't you Ravey?"
Standing by the flaps, with a hand itching to draw her Odachi, Raven practically glowered at Lucy, her form surrounded by a misty blue aura. Her eyes shone behind her Mask, which was on by the way, with a circle of Ice spreading across the ground around her feet. She had wondered what was taking those two so long, since everyone else was outside and waiting for them, so she went to their tent to check up on them...
Only to see Lucy having enacted a plan to seduce Nico.
Lets just say... things were going to get hectic right now...
Chapter end!
Whoo! Man, is it getting hot'n'cold in here?
#BU-DUM-TSSS!#
... Ugh, that was terrible.
Anyways, that's the Lucy segment for you. Hints of her backstory, identity, and what she was like before meeting our protagonist. Hopefully, as a character, she is more developed than she was before, but believe me there will be more to come. Raven will be next, so I'll have to think for a while, how to do her little chapter.
This one actually made me sweat a little with how steamy it went. Wonder what would have happened if Raven hadn't cock blocked Nico like this, hmmm...
Well, odds would be that he'd no longer have his V card.
Speaking of which, Lemons WILL be a thing. I've read quite a few lemon fics, so I know how to do them, and it'll likely be between either Neptune or Lucy, as Compa is a bit too innocent at this point in time. Those two though, they're more forward with what they want, one of them more than the other. Don't worry, I'll warn you when they're coming for those who don't feel comfy about Lemons.
Anyways I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. This I feel, is one of the better romance-based chapters in this story, the buildup to the kiss scene as well as the emotional drama that followed it was a nice touch in my eyes.
Hope to get some more reviews, and if so tell me what ya think! I like hearing them.
Peace out!
