A/N: Will this actually be the fic that I update at a regular schedule? Who knows?

"Um, s-sorry about this..."

"Nah, it's fine. Though, maybe I should be askin' if you're alright with this...yer quakin' like a leaf."

"A-Ah, uh..."

"..."

The girl shook her head. No, this was her idea in the first place; it would be rude to back out now...especially after all the trouble they went through to acquire the supplies. "No, I'm...sure. So, please do your best, Adam-san...I'm in your hands, literally..."

Adam was not sure if the sniper was aware of her word choice and the innuendo it carried, but nodded solemnly anyway. Armed with a comb, hairdryer and specifically, a pair of sharp hair-cutting scissors, he tied a sheet around her neck and spritzed the girl's unruly bob down, prepping it for a trim.

After two weeks of trying and failing to clip her hair back, the sniper had given up and then sheepishly asked him to help her trim it. At first he was confused as to why she didn't ask Jess, considering the woman was a model, but one look at those round maroons and he agreed before he knew it. Though Adam didn't have much experience with hair styling in general, he had trimmed his own hair before on occasion, and reasoned if she just wanted it shorter, then he'd probably do all right.

Probably.

"Eeek! Th-That was a bit too close of a shave," the sniper squeaked as the scissors chopped off a good chunk of her bangs. "...You didn't cut too much off, did you? My forehead feels more bare than normal..."

"Uuhh...n, no, you look...fine." Adam tried to make his voice sound neutral, but one look at the sniper's face and he instantly knew he'd fucked up. 'God fucking dammit...real smooth, Adam.'

"...Well, worst case I guess it'll eventually grow back." Sio muttered, now seriously wondering if it had been a good idea to ask the guy who housed the soul of a throat-slasher to help cut her hair. 'But you'd think a guy who's so skilled with a blade on the field would be dexterous enough for hair cutting...'

"Hey now, you're the one who asked, squirt; I'm doin' you a favor here...cut me some slack," Adam muttered, still smarting over his mishap. "I ain't a hair stylist or anything, surprised you asked me instead of someone like Jess..."

"W, Well, th-that just shows how much I trust you!" Sio blurted out, before realizing what exactly she'd just said. 'Oh crap! I hope he doesn't read too much into that...'

Of course, Adam read exactly as much as Sio feared he would. "...I'll try. Just...don't expect anythin' fancy." He had to pretend to busy himself with sweeping away the hair to stop himself from shaking. Did she really say she trusted him? 'What the hell does that mean...well, I guess it means at least she doesn't think I'm a total arse anymore...' Thankfully, the rest of her hair was easier to contend with, though it was hard not to get distracted as he hovered in front of her face, doing his best to make sure the ends were even and not ragged.

'Oh boy, he's standing so close...! I can feel his breath on my face...and that nice scent...' The sniper gulped nervously as Adam pulled her ends and squinted, trying to determine if it was level or not. 'I wonder if that scent is from his shampoo, or laundry or...maybe he wears cologne?'

He didn't seem like the type though, upon further thought. Or maybe that's his natural scent, a naughty voice in her head joked, and it took everything fiber of her being to not just jump out of the chair (lest she get another too-close shave). She prayed her face wouldn't turn red as Adam moved to the back, now cutting off another inch or so.

"Hmm, is this good? You said you like it just below your ears, yeh?"

"H-Huh? Oh yeah, that's good. I just want it away from my neck...it gets so itchy otherwise."

"Right. Got it." Brushing away the loose hair, he picked up the scissors. "Gonna see if I can give you some more layers back here...otherwise, it'll look bad within a week..."

Sio sat nervously as she watched bits and pieces of brown hair litter the yard. The sun was shining; not too high yet, but she hoped they would finish before it got overhead. The days were definitely warming up, and more than once Adam came downstairs complaining of how stuffy the attic was, to which Mahesh could only reply that he'd made the choice to take it.

"I did ask you when we first arrived, and you were the one who said you were fine so..."

Something soft brushed against the nape of her neck and she squealed. "Th-That tickles...!"

"Sorry; anyway, think I'm almost done. Just need to clean it off..." Adam blew off the rest of the hair, before combing everything neatly back into place and then gave a final nod of approval. "Alright, I think that's good. Hm, not too shabby, if I do say so myself." He handed the girl a small mirror. "So, verdict?"

"Oh..." Sio studied her own reflection, turning this way and that. Aside from her bangs (they were definitely too short, she sighed), it wasn't half bad. He'd actually managed to give her bob a bit of an angle, so it was slightly more stylish than the flat cut she usually had. "Hey, not bad. I like it...well, the bangs are too short, but..."

"I'm sorry, alright? It's a bit hard to get it right when you're squirming around so much..." Adam grumbled. "Next time, when I say don't move, I mean it."

"Well, it's not my fault my neck got itchy," Sio stuck her tongue out briefly, but Adam knew she was just joking. "But still, thanks...finally, I have short hair again! It feel so nice..." She brushed the back briefly, enjoying the puffy strands. "Heh, I think your hair is now longer than mine," she teased, glancing at his silvery-white strands that now just touched his shoulders. "Sure you don't want a trim as well?"

"No thanks; I've seen what you can do with a knife, I'd rather not risk it," he replied flatly, cleaning up the supplies.

"Hey! Jerk," she muttered, but he had a point. If it'd been up to her, she'd probably just have gotten the kitchen scissors and chopped it all off in one go. When she announced her original plan to Adam, he stared at her for a few seconds with thinly concealed horror, before managing to convince the girl that it would be worth it to get a pair of scissors just for this.

As Adam returned everything inside and swept up the stray hairs, something brushed against the back of his neck ."What th—" he jumped in surprise, before realizing the sniper was combing his hair.

"Your hair sure is getting long, though. Maybe you should tie it back; after all, don't you know your vision's gonna go bad like that?" She scolded, fingers running through his bangs that were, admittedly, starting to become a nuisance.

"...That's just an urban legend," he murmured, trying not to blush. Her fingers were delicate and small as they touched his skin, then through his scalp as she smoothed everything out with a brush. He nearly moaned as they brushed down his neck, but he bit it back just in time. "If you're so concerned, then why don't you tie it up for me?"

"W, Well then, I might just do that!" With a steely glint in her eye, the sniper returned with a hair tie and comb, now determined to make this work. "Seriously, how do you even see half the time?" She raised an eyebrow as she pulled his bangs back. "Oh hey look, you do have two eyes! Who'd've thought."

"Right. Sure." He rolled his eyes, trying to maintain his cool. Her cute little face filled his vision as she squinted those maroons in concentration, pulling his hair back. It felt nice to have someone brushing his hair, and even moreso, when she ran her fingers through it...he shivered slightly as the sniper started to rub his head a little more...

"Uhn...wh-what are you—"

"Is it nice? I read that head massages are a great way to relax...and it's super easy to do," she cooed into his ear, and that definitely sent a shiver down his spine. Was it just him, or did she suddenly seem more...mature than usual? This couldn't possibly be happening, could it? The Sio he knew was shy, awkward and bumbling; the only time she ever showed any dominance was during battle...

'Wait a minute, don't tell me she's being influenced by her e-gene even when we're not in battle?'

Adam didn't have anymore time to ruminate on that, however, as Sio massaged his scalp in earnest. His eyes fluttered shut, but he still had enough control left to not just start moaning, though it did feel really good. Just before he passed out though, she pulled his strands back a final time, tying it into a low ponytail just around the nape of his neck.

"There, all done. Huh, you look kinda different with your hair all back like this...but, not bad. It's...different, but I like it." She smiled as she handed him the mirror this time. "You should grow it out really long!"

"Heh, well at the rate things are going, who knows..." He glanced at the reflection. It did make him look different, but at least he didn't look like one of those hipster 'bros'. Also, it was true that he could see a lot better now, as much as he didn't want to admit it. "Thanks, Ogura."

"Mmn hmm. Consider things between us even now."

Both Jess and Mahesh commented on their new styles as they went back in, although Sio was still very self-conscious of her now-bare forehead.

"I don't think it's that bad, dear. Besides, you have a cute forehead! Just think of it as not needing a trim for a while." Jess consoled.

"Trying for a new style, Adam? I think it suits you. Maybe you should try the 'man bun' next, I hear those are in," the Indian teased, getting out of the way before their leader could throw something else at him.

"Do you two wanna get your hair trimmed?" Sio offered, but they shook their heads. Jess already had long braids, and Mahesh, well, he apparently couldn't care less how disheveled he looked.

"It's not like we'll be going anywhere or seeing anyone, aside from just...well, us. I don't see the point, frankly." The group was lounging about the living room, most still in their sleepwear; Mahesh still didn't wear a shirt, but at least he threw on a jacket, and Jess had graduated from knickers to short shorts. Sio was making herself some toast and jam while Adam was busy with his Final Fantasy VII file, everybody else watching in great amusement or else shouting at the screen.

"Dodge dodge! No wait, do a counterstance!"

"Whoa, that's a lot of damage..."

"That's a lot going on at once on the screen."

"Oy, would you all shut yer traps?! You're not helping," Adam groused, narrowly avoiding a game over with a phoenix down. "If you're not going to be giving me useful advice, then can it!"

Sio giggled slightly to herself, taking in the scene before her as she ate her bread. 'Even though it's not the best of circumstances, it is nice to be able to spend time with everybody, like this.' Back aboard the Logan, or even the Forrester, everyone mostly kept to themselves, except for perfunctory meetings or battle. To live an everyday existence with her teammates, and get to know them beyond their e-genes... Sio felt a warm glow within her, glad she got to experience this.

At last Adam stopped for food, lunch consisting mostly of leftovers from the night before and whatever they had lying around. Sio slowly finished a packet of instant ramen with spam, as Adam made a smorgasbord out of leftover breakfast items.

"Y'know, if it weren't for the fact that we're kinda forced to be here and the circumstances, it feels a bit like uni," Jess commented as the group sat around the table. "Though I can't say I experienced much of 'traditional' university life."

"Hn; yer romanticizin' it too much," Adam retorted. "Trust me, actual dorm life with a bunch of other strangers wasn't exactly something I enjoyed. There's a big difference between living in a giant dormitory versus a single house..."

Sio perked up at the conversation. 'That's right, Jess said Adam was just beginning college when he left for DOGOO...I wonder what his school life was like?' The sniper herself hadn't even begun to think about university, even before everything happened, and now she wasn't sure if college was in her future. Not that she had an inkling of what she might study, anyway.

"Um, so what is it like, anyway? College?"

"Thinkin' of applying after this is all over, squirt? Well, let me tell you it's not all fun and games," Adam warned as he finished off the rest of his plate. "Especially if you're not used to taking care of yourself..."

"Th, that's—are you implying something..." She met Adam's eyes with a stare, which was returned in equal fervor. "A-Anyway, I doubt I'll have to think about that for a while...who knows if I'll even go back after all this." Most of her classmates were already talking about their final senior year trip abroad, which, from the sound of things, might actually include San Francisco—once the pandemic was over, of course. "I'm not even sure what I'd major in, or where to go..."

"Well, it never hurts to think about your future after all this. With any luck, we'll still be able to get on with our lives...eventually." Mahesh commented breezily. "Who knows, maybe you'll come out of this whole EIO thing with a better idea of what you actually want."

Sio pondered those words over in her mind as everybody picked up their empty plates. 'What I actually want...' Well, for the immediate time being, it would be to get through this pandemic without dying. And maybe (hopefully?) figure out how to navigate her increasingly-complicated relationship with Adam. 'Urg...I know I really shouldn't be entertaining those thoughts, but still...I can't help it if I feel this way. Is it really so wrong to like him?'

She climbed the stairs up, debating if she wanted to relax a bit before she hit the gym, or play games, or go for a walk. It was interesting to realize that, despite not really being able to go anywhere, she still had a fair amount of choices and autonomy within her daily life here. Even small things, such as deciding what to do for meals, or how to spend her free time, were things she never really considered back when every other second was spent fighting.

"Oh baby, can't live without you baby,
I'd give it up for you...
You know I love you—"

"Huh? Where's that sound coming from..." She cocked her ear up, realizing the sound was drifting through the attic door. "Oh, I guess Adam's listening to music." It was some low-key, jazzy R&B in English; she never would've guess Adam was into anything other than rock, but curiosity got the better of her, and before Sio knew it she was knocking on his door.

"Eh? What's up, Ogura?" Adam looked at the girl in surprise, not expecting her to come knocking. "Need something?"

"Ah, uh, not really...I was, um, just..." She squirmed, hoping she didn't sound too forward. "Just, I heard music coming from your room...a-and, I...was curious to what it was..."

Oh. "Ah, sorry about that...guess I should turn down the volume," but Sio shook her head.

"N-No, I like it...er, well, from what I've been able to hear, anyway...a-and it's not like you're disrupting me or anything, just..." She shyly looked down at her feet, wondering what was the best way to invite herself in, if possible.

"...You, wanna come in?" The sniper looked up in surprise, face blushing a pink before she could control herself. "Since you're curious about my taste in music and all," he teased, but she simply nodded, and Adam stepped aside. "I'll admit, I kinda messed up in choosing this room, 'cause it's hot as fuck when the sun comes in...but eh, whatever. I don't feel like movin' everything all over again...plus I doubt Mirza'll be interested in switching, anyway."

"Oh! I'm sorry to hear that...I mean, if it really bothers you, I'd be willing to trade rooms?" The sniper looked up with those round maroons, but Adam merely smiled and shook his head.

"Nah, I'm just grousing. It's fine, don't worry about it, squirt." He picked up a jacket and pair of pants off the bed. "Sorry for the mess; wasn't expecting a visitor."

"A-Ah, s, sorry..." Though, just a quick glance around and Sio thought Adam must have very high standards for cleanliness. The bed was made, no dirty laundry piled anywhere, and the desk was neatly set up with a couple documents and a laptop, which was playing the music. 'Seriously, if he stepped inside my room, he'd probably pass out first...'

"Well, make yourself at home; I'm just taking care of some stuff from DOGOO..." Adam muttered as he scanned the latest email from Saint-Germain, which contained details about an all-hands to discuss the Objects' next potential moves. "Seriously, what the hell? They want to meet 10pm our time..."

Sio stood around nervously, unsure if she should just leave if he was going to be busy, until Adam caught sight of her just standing to the side. "Oh, feel free to sit on the bed or whatever; it's fine by me."

"O-Oh, okay..." She resisted the urge to just flop into it, but the moment she sat on the coverlet she could smell the scent that was very familiar by now. 'Oh no...of course his bed is gonna smell like him...!'

"Anyway, MONKEY MAJIK's playin' right now, but if you wanna change the tunes, let me know." Adam turned the volume down slightly. "You heard of them before? They're actually founded by two Canadian brothers who went to Japan to teach English, but ended up starting a band." As if to emphasize it, Adam changed the track to a Japanese/English one.

"Nanoni kokoro mitasa rezu
Nakushita kakera sagashite
Mitsukedasenai
Dubai Paris Shanghai"

"Eh? Whoa, they're so good..." The music wasn't bad, either; it was definitely a departure from the stereotypical J-pop that she heard so often, or even the J-rock songs she liked to listen to. "Heh, it's actually kind of fun to listen to, if you can understand both languages..." Smiling, Sio closed her eyes, simply enjoying the music.

"Dokoni ite mo I need your love
Umi wo koete I'm giving you love
Donna toki mo, soba ni iru yo
Kore kara mo share my life with you..."

Sio blushed as she listened to the lyrics. 'I'll always be with you, and share my life with you. I wonder if Adam knows what the words mean...' Actually, he most likely did; she knew Adam could speak and understand Japanese at a near-native level, which was impressive considering he'd only ever studied it in school. 'Although, I guess I'm not half-bad with English, considering I never used it until now...'

As much as she enjoyed MONKEY MAJIK's romantic, R&B tracks however, she was starting to become just a bit too self-conscious, as each track seemed to be more passionate than the last. "Er, um, A-Adam-san? Sorry to bother you...but, I was wondering if...if we could listen to something else?"

"Oh yeh, sure." Adam swiveled around on his chair. "What're you in the mood for? Alt-rock? Top 40? Pop?"

"Uh, I was wondering...you know that song that you played when we were doing VR? Beat Saber?" Adam looked confused as he searched for his memory, until he finally his mouth made an 'o'.

"Ah, you're talking about Camellia then. Japanese EDM? Didn't know you were into that..."

"Well, I don't know about that, but it sounded really good...also, you sure like Japanese music, don't you Adam? Are you one of those people who got into Japanese culture 'cause of anime and games?"

At that comment however, the white-haired main spun around, a rather annoyed look on his face. "Alright look, I can see why you'd say that—and yeh, I'll admit I first got into it 'cause I watched a bunch of anime on the telly after school and I did study Japanese. But I am definitely not one of those waifu-worshipping Japanophiles who think it's a paradise and can do no wrong. It's a country like any other, just like the U.K. It's cool and all, but it's not perfect."

Sio nodded timidly, not wanting to upset him. "Of course, Adam-san...I'm, actually glad you think that, 'cause as somebody who is from Japan...yeah, it's definitely got some serious problems..."

"Sorry; I didn't mean to badmouth your homeland like that..." Adam sighed and mentally berated himself for letting his mouth run, again. "Anyway, there's several songs in the game apparently, but my favorite album is the first one, Crystallized."

"Rain of Amethyst..." Sio muttered to herself as she peeked at the track listing. "It sounds really pretty..." As the music chimed in though, she decided not only was the title pretty, but the song itself was beautiful. The delicate chimes mixed with piano, before the synthetic notes burst in; all accompanied by a heady, thumping bass track. It was quite different than what she usually listened to, or even heard in Japan. Not being one to frequent nightclubs or similar places that would feature this type of music, Sio found herself falling into a trance almost, concentrating on the echoing chimes and sounds that she never knew could exist.

Even though the songs barely had any lyrics worth mentioning, they were just as layered and nuanced, if not more so. All the different layers of sound, music, notes and beats combined seamlessly, the music's flow never stopping, it seemed. Certain tracks made her feel like she was flying through space, or time, the way it washed over her. Notes flowed like water, occasionally interspersed with delicate piano or other crystal-like tones; then all of a sudden the music's beat would kick up, sending a rush of brilliance through her ears.

'Oh, it's this song...!' Finally the track Adam had been playing started; she recognized the gradual piano build-up, before the song dove headfirst like a rollercoaster into a seemingly-impossible combination of beats and notes. Closing her eyes, the sniper didn't even realize herself sinking onto the bed, too caught up in trying to absorb the music as rapidly as it slipped her by. 'It's amazing...I never knew music could make you feel like this...'

"Well, that's the album. Did you like it squirt?" The music finally ended and Adam turned around, only to find the sniper curled on her side on his bed, seemingly fast asleep. "Uh...squirt?" He looked at her slumbering visage, eyes closed and a peaceful expression on her face, and smiled to himself.

"Heh, you're really somethin' else, Ogura." Gently, so as to not disturb her, he pulled a light blanket over her, then quietly went downstairs.

What th...where am I? She was floating in a nebulous space, darkness all around but it wasn't frightening at all. Beyond the horizon, a faint glow stretched into forever, her view lit with the glow of countless stars.

She looked down. Her body was nude, but she wasn't embarrassed or cold. No, it was natural after all. It was perfectly normal. Making a wave-like motion, she discovered just a simple movement could propel her at what felt like light speed, and she struggled to stop herself from flying off into infinity.

Whoa! Slow down, get a hold of yourself... But it was like moving through molasses; each movement greatly exaggerated no matter how careful she was. In the end, she decided it was easier to go with the flow instead of fighting it. She shot forward like a rocket, marveling at the blurs of light that flew past her vision.

Suddenly she could see the Earth; only this time, there was a web crawling around, like a sinister shadow. Hey...what's going on? And before she knew it the planet was sucking her in like a black hole, no matter how hard she tried to stop it. It was like being sucked into a whirlpool, a vast, endless depth of blue-black water (?) and though she didn't know how, it felt like she'd become the planet itself, integrated with the very life force of Earth.

Wait...stop, what's going on? Why am I like this? Am I trapped...? When can I get out? There was no answer, only an unsettled feeling that somehow never grew into a full panic. This can't be real...no, I don't believe it, it's not real...!

"...Ah. Uhn...huh?" A low rumble of voices combined with the occasional clink of silverware greeted her as Sio opened her eyes, still bleary with sleep. "What th...that was one whacked-out dream." She didn't forget it like last time, but even then it made little sense. Floating in space, and then becoming part of...the planet? Even though she knew it was just a dream, probably influenced by the ethereal tones of the music she was listening to, it was still slightly disturbing. "Nnn...remind me to maybe not listen to music that gives me an out-of-body experience before bed..."

Still yawning, the sniper descended the stairs, realizing it was already past dinnertime. The skyline was a barely visible twilight now, and the smell of food made her stomach rumble.

"Oh...sorry guys, I somehow overslept..."

"Sio! Don't fret, we figured you'd probably want food eventually, so there's plenty." Jess got up and pulled a chair for the sniper, along with a bowl. "It's curry tonight; Mahesh made it less spicy so we wouldn't die."

"That was some kip you took, Ogura. You feelin' alright?" Adam cast her a curious look as she piled her bowl high with fragrant basmati rice and the thick, creamy-orange chicken curry. "Also, nice bedhead..." Sio's hand flew to her hair at his comment, frantically trying to smooth out the stubborn strands.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm okay...though I wasn't expecting to just pass out like that... I guess your bed is just too comfortable, Adam-san," Sio said innocently, unaware of the weight her words carried. Adam choked on his tea, and Jess and Mahesh raised an eyebrow at each other.

"...What? Is there something on my face? Why's everyone looking at me?"

"...Nevermind, squirt." Adam sighed and prayed the other two wouldn't say anything else, though it was too late to try and deny that anything happened, even if it was all completely innocent in nature.

"I did have a really weird dream though...it wasn't exactly scary, but...well, it was just weird." The sniper frowned, trying not to get pulled too deep into it. "Meh, oh well. Oh man, Mirza-san, this is soo good...I could eat two bowls of this..."

"Well, help yourself, there's plenty. I'm definitely taking that as a compliment. Sure you'll still be able to sleep tonight?"

Sio laughed sheepishly. One thing she never said no to was more sleep. "I think I'll...manage." Besides, if she needed to release some pent-up energy, there were definitely ways to do that, her brain suggested naughtily.

As she helped clean up the table, Jess and Mahesh now finally pitching in regularly as well, she noticed Adam was still at the table, quietly sipping his tea and seemingly lost in thought. "Hey, you...okay?"

"Hmm? Oh, it's nothing. Sometimes you just wanna ruminate a bit..." He shrugged, reaching for a biscotti to dip into his tea. "Although, this means you missed today's training, squirt..." Sio groaned dramatically, but Adam only laughed. "I'm just kidding, Ogura. I know you didn't do it on purpose."

"Then why do you keep reminding me," she grumbled, lips formed into a pout. "Do you enjoy making my life miserable?"

"Hn. Depends on what you mean by that..."

"Jackass," she muttered under her breath, but there wasn't any real anger behind it. Truth be told, he was a lot better than say, the beginning of this quarantine. Perhaps living as normal people for once had a mollifying effect on everybody's personalities? Given how stressful their lives were most of the time, it made sense that everybody's real natures would come out, when they could relax and be themselves.

"...Is it wrong if I wish this could go on longer?"

He raised a white eyebrow at her. "You mean you actually enjoy voluntarily being imprisoned in this house?" She was about to retort when he laughed. "I know I know, I'm just teasin' ya; sorry, but you are just a bit too easy sometimes..."

"Baka." Then, before he knew it, she stole the latter half of his biscotti, causing the man to let out a cry.

"Oy! Get your own biscuit!"

"Hmph, that's what you get for being a meanie," she stuck her tongue out at him, before chomping the treat up in two bites.

"If gettin' outta here means I don't have to worry about you stealin' my food, then I'm all for it," Adam muttered. "...But I know what you mean. It's been a long time since I've lived like a 'normal' person." He gave a rueful smile. "Sometimes, it seems like I've almost forgotten about my life before DOGOO..."

Certainly, his life before all this hadn't exactly been exciting, and oftentimes a younger Adam secretly wished for something to happen, to have some guiding direction in his mundane life. Be careful what you wish for, huh? Who would have thought that all it would take was a spontaneous cruise trip, right after his freshman year of college, and everything turned upside-down? Sometimes Adam wondered what life would've been like, if he hadn't discovered his powers; would he still be wishing for something to break up the ordinary, everyday monotony?

"Well...that's why, we should take advantage of it now. 'Cause I'm sure, even though right now I'm complaining about being bored...once we go back to the Logan, I'll be missing this, a little bit..." Those maroon eyes seemed a bit more melancholy, her face a bit more mature for once.

"Hn. Same Ogura, same."