A/N: Wow. I just realized it's been a long time since I last updated this fic (or any fic for that matter...) Truth is, I got terrible writer's block, and the muses were either way too horny, or not horny (only fluff). And since this chapter requires a very delicate balance between romantic and sexy...suffice to say, I just couldn't find the right mindset or energy to work on it for a long time. But hey, I write when motivation and mood strikes, so...luckily I found the right atmosphere. Also, I split this chapter; it was, once again, going on for way longer than I anticipated, and I know some of you are probably eagerly awaiting updates so I thought ah hell, why not.


Her breathing seemed to be easing into a steady state, Adam nearly falling asleep before catching himself in time. Everything that had been plaguing him, since even before Asao-san went missing and the turmoil that accompanied it...they all seemed so trivial now, even though they'd just had one of the most difficult, complicated conversations he'd ever experienced so far not more than fifteen minutes ago. If it weren't for the underlying severity of the situation, he would've been giddy; after all, didn't they just literally confess their feelings for each other?

To hear her say those words for certain, that she loved him in the same sense he did...Adam wondered if it was wrong to feel euphoria so soon, but he couldn't help it. At last he knew the truth, that his feelings and actions all this time hadn't been in vain. Still, there was a lingering sense of guilt for being jealous of Asao, and anger at his own insecurities. Why did it have to take Sio spelling it out for him despite all the evidence, before he could truly believe it? Though she admitted her feelings for the dark-haired girl were stronger than a normal friendship, he trusted her now to know it was not meant to interfere or compete with her feelings for him.

"Heh...I'm a bloody moron, you know." Her head peaked up slightly as his voice punctuated the silence. "Th' whole time, the one thing I've wanted the most was right in front of my damn face...but I was too blind in my own insecurities to see it." He scoffed a bit, unable to keep a wry smirk from his face. "Somehow, it always has to take you beating it over my head before I come to my senses..." Sio's brows furrowed with guilt but he silenced her with a shake of his head. "No; I appreciate your sentiments Sio, but I know it's true; in the end, I still have a hard time letting down my defenses, even around you..."

"I—Adam..." She didn't know what to say, instead hugging him even tighter than she already was. "Don't blame yourself anymore; after all, I know that feeling, too...it's hard to let your guard down when you're...different. You and Asao-san...you're the only two people I've been able to completely trust, you know."

Adam didn't respond, only sighing deeply and resting his chin on her head. "I know you're sick of hearing it, but I'm sorry...for making you feel like you had to choose between the two of us; Asao or me, your friend or...your lover," a faint blush of heat as the unfamiliar term slipped from his mouth, even if it was true. "I can't take back my actions, but I can promise you, I'll...try to be better about communicating with you."

A small nod, the girl in his arms shifting a bit too. "N, No, it's...I should be apologizing too, for my selfishness...this whole time, I was taking your feelings for granted, instead of considering what you need from me...in fact, I was only thinking about myself..." There was a sniffle, Sio's lips wobbling a bit before she sucked the tears back. "B-But you're right...we, need to be honest with each other...instead of always selfishly assuming... So please, Adam, from now on, promise me...if, if there's ever anything you need to tell me, don't be afraid... I swear, I'll listen."

That fragile but determined tone, matched with the same, unwavering gaze. For the first time Adam was a little startled at how much she seemed to have matured, but it was to be expected after all this time; no longer a newbie, but a veteran now. Not hardened and jaded, but coming into her own after being tossed into situations most people would never encounter in their entire lifetime. He gave a silent nod, before leaning down and touching their foreheads together.

"I promise, Sio. And same goes for you; if you're ever suffering, or just want to talk about anything...I'll be here for you. And the others as well; you're never alone here, Sio Ogura. Even if you feel like there's nothing else...trust me, we'll always have your back."

Perhaps it was a coincidence, but Adam's words were nearly identical to the same ones Asao told her, way back before she'd joined DOGOO and was uncertain about her future as an e-gene holder. 'Even if you feel like there's nothing left, I'll be here,' her friend promised warmly, and Sio felt the pricks of guilt crawling up; that she could have been so caught up in her own darkness as to forget those promised words—the biggest irony perhaps being it came from the very person she lost herself over.

"I, I will, Adam...thank you." A sob, before she turned against his chest and cried, Adam gently rubbing her shoulders and wiping away her tears before the sadness subsided. "S, Sorry...it's just, I can't believe it took me so long t-to, remember that...Asao-san, she said the same thing too, b-back when I was considering if I wanted to join DOGOO or not..."

"Well, she's right you know. She really is a good person...an' I'm glad she's someone else you can trust. Perhaps this isn't right of me to say, but...I'm glad you two were able to meet and become friends. And...I'm sorry it had to end this way..."

Even if Asao-san didn't have much time left...in hindsight, it was better than literally killing herself over the unknown. The tortuous nights she spent wondering, and wondering...all the could'ves, should'ves, would'ves, berating herself for not acting sooner or thinking of better solutions...

"...Say, Adam," Sio steadied herself in his arms, Adam giving her a questioning look but didn't say anything, "I...now that we've both...agreed to be more open, I want to know...if, if there's anything you need from me, in this...relationship. A-And I mean it, anything...I want you to trust me with your feelings." Round maroons peered resolutely at him, her face all at once both vulnerable and mature.

"...Eh?" The sudden statement caught him off-guard. If she was serious...no, she was; just as he'd been when he promised Sio that she could always speak her mind. "You're asking this now...?"

"Well, yes...I mean, especially after you said all that...I realized, I've never once thought about what you want. I just made assumptions..."

"I see..." Adam felt a bit guilty, despite everything. It felt like he was blaming her for all his self-loathing, even though that was hardly the case. But like they say, it takes two to tango; and he knew going forward that they needed to have these conversations, even if they were uncomfortable and awkward. "Well, I think we already covered most of it..."

"Right, I'll try to be more—er, affectionate with you—"

"I, uh—it's fine—"

"—O-Oh, but was there...is there anything else," she glanced at him shyly, her eyes now wide with curiosity, "that I can do for you? Or that you want to do?"

Adam fell silent. His mind was still scattered from the whirlwind of emotions and revelations; what he wanted right now (aside from rest) was probably the last thing on his mind.

Except, maybe...?

He glanced down at their hands, which were still intertwined. The smooth skin of her fingers, and how small they looked again his own when he stroked them...now, more than ever he knew his feelings were true. The affection he held for her, sometimes overwhelming...he could express them with words, sure, but now it didn't seem to be enough. He wanted something else, something more...tangible, to make her understand just how he felt about her.

The fantasy of the two of them spending their first night together popped into his mind, and Adam blushed with both embarrassment and irritation. It was completely normal of course; as their relationship progressed such thoughts became more frequent, but his moral side berated him for wanting such things at a time like this.

"Don't worry about it Sio, we can—let's talk about that later. I think we could both use some rest..." To his surprise however, the sniper merely shook her head, eyes steadfast as ever.

"You can't fool me anymore, Adam Muirhead. Please, I want you to be honest with me...instead of always pushing it away for 'later'."

Adam swallowed nervously. She really was serious, huh. Then again, that was what made her so attractive to him: her sincerity, earnestness, and unwavering resolve. Smiling a bit to himself, he could only give a small sigh.

'Ah hell. Might as well just say it aloud...'

"...I know this sounds every bit the most selfish, indulgent, baseless male need—and this is probably the worst time to even be talking about such things, but...I, want to take our relationship to the next level, now. I'm...ready," he gulped, realizing for the first time how nervous he really was.

"...Ah?" Her head tilted to the side in that slightly quizzical manner of hers, when she was trying very hard to look like she understood but probably had no idea what he was talking about.

"Er, I-I mean, well…" He stuttered, face starting to turn pink and a strange numbness overtaking his limbs. Surely Sio could understand the concept of being…well, intimate, right? It didn't take a genius to figure out the girl never had a boyfriend before him, let alone any other experiences aside from the unpleasant tongue-tangling greetings of Newton, but Adam didn't need to spell it out for her…or so he hoped. Sio may have been socially-inept, but she wasn't stupid.

"I, I mean…like, going to…third, base?" Another quizzical stare and tilt of the head, Adam feeling stupider by the minute. "Ah hell—I mean, doing it…together. Y'know…? That?"

"'That'…ano, you mean…uh, um…" Sio was nodding but still sounded unsure, though her cheeks were also starting to turn a pale pink. "Sore...s, sono…"

"—I mean having sex. Like, with you. Together…" He added awkwardly, his heart pounding so hard he couldn't even hear his own voice.

"A-Ah...umm...mmm..." Sio made a variety of noises, none of which he could discern. At least she wasn't freaking out or bashing him over the head with a pillow; instead cheeks turning a very rosy blush as she pulled the edge of her nightgown downwards, perhaps feeling shy now knowing that he thought of her in more than just an innocent, romantic manner. Part of him wanted to take back his words, but he knew it was too late; besides, what was the point of open communication if he denied the fact that yes, he wanted to be intimate and closer physically, aside from just cuddling and kissing?

"S...Sio? Are you...all right?"

"H-Huh? A-Ah, n, no...I mean, I'm...daijoubu..." She took a deep breath, but it wasn't helping her nerves. On one hand she was kind of freaking out, and on the other she was...also freaking out. But in a good way? If you could describe the shock that Adam actually found her sexually attractive to be good. 'I-I mean, I know we've...kissed before, but still...he actually thinks about me like, like...that?!' Unconsciously her gaze shifted a bit to her incredibly modest bust, before another burst of heat bloomed across her cheeks.

"U-Um...w, wow...I, I didn't...know you actually thought I was...well, attractive...like, that," a nervous giggle escaped before she could stop herself, and Sio couldn't help but avert her gaze while simultaneously berating herself for giving such an awkward answer. "Uh, um, I, I...didn't think you would think of me like that, to be honest...I-I mean yeah I know we've, kissed and held hands and stuff but like, that's just typical dating stuff right, like I mean this, going that far and doing that...stuff..." Her brain was whirling a million miles a minute, Sio unable to even keep track of what she was saying; only the stream-of-consciousness was making itself heard as she glanced at every possible object in the room except for his face.

"I-I mean...this, is real...right? You, you're...serious about this..."

A single nod. "Yeh. I'm completely serious."

"Uh..." Her face flushed, and suddenly she felt nervous and anxious all over again, similar to when they first kissed. "Y-You...you're sure that, you're...okay with d-doing s-something like that with, me..."

"Sio, I've never been more serious in my life." Gently, he took her hand into his. "Of course, only if you're all right—"

Sio shook her head. "N-No, it's not that...well okay, I am a little nervous, but I mean...I guess I'm just really surprised you'd, actually want to...with someone like me," she replied in a small voice. "I'm not really what you'd consider pretty, or even cute...and I'm totally inexperienced..."

There was a muffled laugh, Sio glancing up in surprise. "Oh, Sio...you really do worry too much, you know? I find you pretty, and cute, and...many other things as well. There was a small smile gracing his face, one she hadn't seen for a long time. "I...love you, Sio. And now, I'd like to...show you, physically. I mean, ah," he shook his head, but the smile was still there. "...I don't know what it's like for you, but for me...I, want to make love to you."

Sio couldn't help but blush to her very roots; it took all her willpower to not turn away, those words replaying itself in her mind. Making love...Sio thought such flowery language only existed in paperback romance novels, but somehow when Adam said it, it made her feel cozy as well.

"U-Uh...um, I, I don't know if it's the same feeling as you, but I think...I feel the same. Or, er, similar! Ah, uh, I-I mean..." She wished the same courage she'd felt during their do-or-die battle could apply to other areas of her personal life, but apparently discussing sex was not one of them. "I mean...I've, thought about it too...d, d-doing it, with you...s-so, I guess...we both feel the same..." To her surprise, she no longer felt as anxious—if anything, being open about her feelings made her feel more confident. "I...I love you too, Adam; I really, really do. A-And now, I feel I'm...I'm ready to experience new things, together with you..."

Maybe they were jumping the gun a bit after such an intense, emotional conversation, but it felt natural at the same time. She didn't jump when a warm hand gently cupped her face, though her heart was pounding in nervous excitement.

"...May I kiss you?"

Those piercing emeralds, unwavering but kind as he waited for her answer. For once Sio did not shy away, not anymore; there was no need to be shy and nervous now. Her body seemed to move automatically, head nodding a slight yes, and then his lips closed around hers, soft and warm and she sighed into the feeling, of comfort and warmth and a need to be with him. It wasn't their first kiss, but somehow it felt different; Sio couldn't describe it, but there was a new feeling, one that made her body heat up and want to feel him more. Perhaps it was their newfound confidence and trust in each other that allowed those old feelings of insecurity fade into the background, and let her explore these new, passionate sensations, such as running her fingers through his hair and pulling him closer.

Are we really going to do it? Personally, Sio would've been satisfied if they stopped right there, but she wasn't pulling away, and neither was Adam. If anything, their bodies seemed to be more entwined: she was now sitting in his lap, his arms wound securely around her waist while she combed his hair behind his neck. Most of their previous kisses had just been quick pecks, or a single kiss, not actually making-out like this (Sio blushed a bit at the realization) but now she understood why people did it. It was warm and pleasurable, being able to feel Adam so closely, physically...

Gradually, she became aware of a heavy warmth against her bare thigh, gently stroking the soft skin underneath her old nightgown. Sio sighed from the strange but welcome sensation. 'Too bad my nightgown's so plain and childish...wait...'

'We're going to do it? Just like that? After everything that happened, just like this...' No romantic candlelight or trail of rose petals, no poetic declarations of everlasting love beforehand; just two complicated people with messy feelings that lead to messy decisions, including what was probably going to happen regardless.

"What is it—did you change your mind?" Adam cast a worried glance at her sudden pulling away. "Sorry...this is too sudden, isn't it?"

'Of course it is you idiot, d'you really expect her to be in the mood after literally spilling her heart out to you?' A sarcastic voice barged into his head, Adam feeling ashamed he'd let his physical wants get the better of him, especially since this was probably not the best nor most romantic situation for their 'first time'.

"Chigau...actually, it's not that at all..." Sio bit her lips, trying to get her emotions under control but at this point she no longer had any energy to keep them in check. "Oh Adam...it's just...I wish it were better than this!"

"H-Huh?!" The look of bewilderment upon his face would have been comical, if not for the mood. "Wh-what do you...mean?" He hoped Sio wasn't referring to his lack of experience—nevermind her own; while they never outright discussed it, Adam was pretty sure she'd picked up on the fact that he was a virgin by now.

"It-it's just...I guess, when I was imaging our...f, first time together," she squirmed nervously, "I wanted it to be all nice and, and...fancy and romantic; with roses, in a luxury hotel somewhere, maybe even getting all dressed up and stuff... Not like, after a life-or-death battle, me wearing my ratty, old nightgown... and my hair's not even the right color anymore," she sighed, fingering the split ends. "I guess, I just want our first time to be...special." There was strange noise, until she realized Adam was laughing.

"Oh...oh Sio...Sio Ogura," he repeated, a smile growing on his face. "Sometimes, you just...say the darnedest things, love." He pulled her into a warm hug, which she returned eagerly. "Of course that would be nice—I mean, I thought of similar things myself: a nice dinner, maybe going to the cinema or something cliché like that; but after all this time, I've realized, I don't care what it is we do or what we have—as long as I'm with you," he whispered, touching their foreheads together. "It doesn't matter to me what you're wearing, or how your hair looks—hell, in my mind there's no way I'd be doing this with a 5 o'clock shadow, but," he shrugged helplessly, "it is what it is. If there's anything I've learned these past few months...it's we can't predict everything in life, nor can we control it. But that doesn't mean we can't make our own choices, still." Gently, he took her hands into his.

"And my choice is to be with you, right now, regardless of anything else."