Chapter 6: Sync.
"Had a great night?"
The voice behind her made Kokoro shriek a little. "Miku! Don't scare me like that!" It was a good thing she didn't slip on the tiled bathroom floor.
"I can't believe you stood Miku up." The redhead mumbled as she stood beside Kokoro. "And we were supposed to be best friends!"
"I'm sorry, Miku." Kokoro smiled apologetically. "I...I have no excuse."
"Is he really that good in bed that you'd forget about your best friend?" She pouted a little.
"Miku!" Kokoro looked around the bathroom, double checking there was just the two of them.
"I'll forgive you...if you'll tell Miku how big his cock is."
Kokoro could only stare at her friend with a shocked face. Of course, this was Miku, the years of friendship and familiarity between them sort of gave her the audacity to ask such questions. But still...
"Don't act so innocent. Is it big or small?" The redhead persisted.
"Not sure how long...but he's quite thick." Kokoro vaguely replied. Mentally, she tried to recall details from last night.
Two hands...and a mouth.
Blushing, she looked away before Miku could notice.
"Are you feeling sore down there?"
"A little bit." Kokoro admitted, she really shouldn't be surprised after two nights of sex, but Mitsuru had been really careful with her last night. Despite the soreness, she's actually looking forward to their next romp between the sheets. What's happening to her? Is she becoming depraved?
Miku gave her a knowing look as Kokoro blushed.
"Hmmm, figures. So how thick is it?" Miku asked as she turned on the shower.
"Do I really have to tell you?" Kokoro gasped, pausing mid-action from picking the handheld showerhead.
"Of course, I'm your best friend aren't I?" Miku almost smiled, obviously enjoying making her squirm.
Kokoro sighed, trust Miku to use the best friend card now of all times.
"Umm...well, he's about this thick, more or less..." She curled her fingers to form a C.
"Seriously? And how did you know? You gave him a handjob or a BJ?"
"Miku!" The questions were getting more and more explicit.
"Not letting you off the hook until you tell me..."
"But..."
"Did you have trouble fitting him into your mouth?"
Abruptly, Kokoro turned away, cheeks flaming red. "Miku, I know you're just checking if I'm alright. And really, Mitsuru is good to me. So...don't worry anymore."
"Okay fine." Miku blew the bangs from her forehead as she relented. "Just tell me one more thing. Did he go down on you? Was he good?"
Kokoro's eyes went huge, if she could blush any harder, she would. "Miku!"
"No need to answer." She smirked then turned on the shower once more.
Kokoro shook her head and secretly smiled. She's dying inside to tell her friend all the dirty deeds, but a part of her held back. Mitsuru has always been a private person, and she sensed that he'd prefer that she kept their sex life private as well.
But it was so hard not to talk about it, and it wasn't really fair when Miku had been open about her relationship with Zorome. Still, she didn't give away too many details, right? Kokoro wondered to herself as she lathered her hair.
"Mitsuru asked me to show you how to put on a Pistil suit." Miku said as she began to scrub her body. "So meet me tomorrow at the stairs around 10...before lunch, not before midnight!" She added.
"Alright." Kokoro smiled, glad for the change in subject.
"We're also assigned to prepare dinner this evening. Tomorrow, it's the boys' turn. We alternate chores every other day."
"What shall we make? Sukiyaki?" Kokoro asked.
Miku was obviously pleased, she has suggested it as it's one of her favorite dishes. "Miku would love that!"
-o-
"Nana has scheduled our compatibility tests on Monday, probably along with Naomi and the others." Mitsuru said as they walked out of the mess hall after breakfast. "But we can start with the basic training right away."
"Alright."
They were quiet as they walked back to his room, each lost in their own thoughts.
"This is pretty boring, but got to give you a crash course about Franxx, sweetheart." Mitsuru said as they entered his room. "But first..." He simply pulled her close and kissed her, giving in to the craving that had raked him with cruel talons since that morning.
"It's pure torture to sit beside you and not touch." He muttered beneath his breath when he finally released her lips. "God, I barely tasted the food, all I could do was watch these red lips..."
Kokoro smiled as she ran her hands down his chest, for a moment she touched the ring that now hung around his neck suspended with her necklace. It had pleased her to know that he kept the ring despite their separation, the rings had been a symbol of their promise to one another. A promise to marry one day.
"Now...where were we?" Mitsuru almost smiled sheepishly.
"About to give me a boring lecture on Franxx." Kokoro teased as she pulled out her phone. She has downloaded a few guidebooks but found them too tedious to read for long.
"That's a Franxx." Mitsuru pointed at the picture in the screen.
"It's piloted by two people, a boy, and a girl. Any other combination will not work. It always has to be a Stamen and a Pistil. The Pistil will embody the Franxx, and the Stamen will control the movements. It's like, she's the body, he's the mind."
"The Franxx becomes my body?"
Mitsuru frowned and chose his words carefully. "Listen, this is important. The Franxx essentially becomes your body when you connect to it, so if it sustains any damage, you will get hurt."
He saw the fear in her eyes before Kokoro looked away.
"I'd rather switch places with you so you won't have to, but..."
"It's alright." Kokoro touched his hand. "I know you'll do everything to keep me safe."
Mitsuru entwined her fingers with his.
"That's the cockpit." He pointed at the picture on the next page.
"Why are the pilots positioned that way?" Kokoro gasped.
"Because Dr. Franxx is one horny old bastard." Mitsuru said succinctly.
"Huh?"
"There were rumors that while designing the Franxx, the old geezer submitted the wrong plans and was too proud to retract his mistake. Personally, I think he submitted one of his BDSM gear designs on purpose."
"Mitsuru!" Kokoro gasped, she didn't know how to take his words.
"Thanks to him, we now have to pilot doggy style each time." Mitsuru grunted.
"It does look awkward." Kokoro blushed. Then she looked at him. "Have you piloted with any of your ex?"
"No." Mitsuru said, "I don't mix the two. Except you, of course. Why do you ask?"
"Nothing." Kokoro merely smiled. "So you're saying we cannot switch places? The Pistil always have to...um, be on all fours like that?"
"Yeah." He nodded his head, then remembered something. "It's rumored that the 9's can switch positions. Zero Two once joked that they're hermaphrodites."
"Are they, really?" Kokoro asked, her eyes huge. She has never met anyone who has both sex organs before.
Mitsuru shrugged his shoulders. "Not sure. They look like ordinary dudes to me, Alpha doesn't have boobs...and I don't really care to know what's in between their legs." He shuddered slightly.
Kokoro laughed a little.
"Miku will help orient you with the Franxx controls. There will be some physical exercises to strengthen your stamina and...well, to get you used to that um, doggy position."
She smiled at his obvious discomfort. A rare sight indeed, especially from one who's usually so cold and mean.
"We can do the connection exercises once Miku has shown you how to put on a Pistil suit. What time are you meeting up with her?"
"Tomorrow around 10 in the morning."
Mitsuru reached out and wrapped a stray lock of long ash blonde hair around his finger. "Any other plans today?" He asked in low voice.
She released a small sigh and then smiled. "Yeah...I still have to finish unpacking my things."
"Need my help?"
"I think I can handle it." Her eyes were bright as she looked up at him.
Mitsuru kissed the curled lock of hair around his finger and released her. "Alright, baby...I'll see you later. I'll be here in my room all day."
Kokoro rose on tiptoe and gave him a brief, affectionate kiss. Mitsuru smiled and caressed her cheek then let her go.
But before Kokoro could open the door, she remembered something and looked back. "Mitsuru?"
"Yes, sweetheart?" He looked up from his desk.
"Why do you design so many guns? Isn't one enough?" There she has said it. It has weighed heavily on her mind since she first saw his blueprints.
Mitsuru sighed, hesitated for a moment then decided to be honest. "I sell them in the Black Market."
It shouldn't have surprised her, but Kokoro felt her fears rise higher at the revelation. The penalty for owning guns is severe enough, but to be involved in the Black Market?
"Mitsuru..."
"Don't look so scared, sweetheart. I won't get caught." He walked over to her and clasped her hand. "Mostly it's just customized designs, but before I can sell a new one, I have to construct and test the gun first."
"But why do you have to sell? Do you need the money?"
"No...I don't need money, I exchange them with other stuff." Mitsuru shook his head, his eyes silently asking for her understanding.
"Other stuff?" What else could he possibly need?
"Yeah, like diesel for old generators, sometimes spare parts for Hiro or Goro's ancient computers, but mostly raw materials or stuff like booze and cigarettes. Things that aren't manufactured anymore since APE phased them out." Mitsuru replied as he reached out and cupped her face. "Don't look so scared, baby. I won't get caught." He said again.
Kokoro held his hand and pressed her cheek against his palm, knowing that despite his assurances, she would still worry.
-o-
He found her asleep in his bed some hours later. Mitsuru smiled as he rubbed his wet hair with a towel, then draped it at the back of his chair. Kokoro has slipped back into his room while he had his bath. He didn't want to disturb her rest, but unable to stop himself, he reached out to brush the hair off her face.
He felt the breath leave his body in a rush as her eyes opened and looked at him. Even sleepy-eyed and with messy bed hair, she looked so amazing to him, he couldn't resist kissing her surprised lips.
"Nap with me?" Kokoro smiled lazily as she stretched on the bed.
He wasn't particularly tired at the moment, but climbed up the bed anyway, nuzzling the back of her neck as he laid his arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Kokoro sighed and pillowed her head on his arm then turned around to face him.
His breath hitched at the throat as she nuzzled his neck. "You smell so good." She whispered, her breath soft and warm against his skin. Mitsuru groaned as he felt the tip of her tongue, licking the pulse beating at his neck. The gesture of affection was so unexpected, so spontaneous he was instantly excited. But...
"Kokoro..."
"Hmmm, you taste good too." Her breath tickled his skin, making him shiver a little.
"Baby...I'm trying to behave." Mitsuru groaned as he reached for her hand and bit her fingertips.
"Why?"
"I noticed you walked a bit different."
That surprised her, was she that obvious?
"Was I too rough last night?" His voice got husky, low pitched.
Kokoro shook her head as she dropped small kisses on his chest. "Last night was amazing." She whispered then looked up at him, her eyes shimmered with memories. But she had been already a little sore to begin with, yet had wanted him so much, it drowned out the protests her body made.
"Sweetheart, if you're in any pain you must tell me." He reached up to caress her cheek.
"Your need to take...and my need to be taken. Is there a middle ground to this? Or am I just too greedy?"
"The feeling is mutual, sweetheart." Mitsuru brushed his lips against her hair as his arm tightened around her. "I guess...we'll be like this for quite a while."
He made a harsh sound as she nuzzled at his throat again.
"Kokoro...baby, if you do that..." His breath hitched as she began tracing the outline of the muscles of his abdomen.
"How did you get this scar?" Kokoro paused her exploration when her fingers brushed against it.
Mitsuru sighed. "A fight that got nasty." He had been calm and collected until the punk dragged her name. Bloodlust was such a tame word to describe what happened next. Rampage? Berserk? Or maybe all of those things. He just wasn't rational when it came to her.
His thoughts scattered when she reached up and traced the bridge of his nose up and down. Then raised her head to plant a soft kiss.
But before he could react, the sudden knocking at the door made them pause. "Mitsuru?" It was Goro on the other side. "Free now? Hiro wants to start the meeting."
"Be right there." He replied back, then smiled ruefully at Kokoro. "Looks like we'll have to continue this later." He kissed her surprised lips before rolling out of bed in one fluid movement.
"What is this meeting all about?" Kokoro asked as she sat up.
"You'll find out soon." He walked towards his closet and pulled out a shirt. "Ready to go sweetheart or you need more time to prepare?"
-o-
"Everyone here? Shall we start?" Goro asked as they all gathered in the conference room.
"I'm not sure I should be here." Ikuno said quietly, "I mean, you guys don't trust Futoshi yet, and he's my partner."
"That's alright Ikuno." Ichigo assured her. "Just tell him when you feel it's the right time."
"Alright."
Hiro stood up from his chair and called their attention.
"Alright guys, these are highly sensitive information, so be careful what you do with it." Hiro passed along some folders.
"We have about one month left before Spring Break. You've probably already heard about the Hunt, right? Usually, Parasites who want to be deployed to defend cities rather than the more dangerous extraction sites, hunt down Conrad class Klaxosaurs to secure the limited slots. However, before the next school year begins, we must hunt a Moho class Klaxosaur."
"Zero Two and I will help. It's going to be dangerous, but the risk would be worth it. Dr. Franxx hasn't disclosed this to the public, I don't think even APE are aware that he has built more unique prototypes. But as you can see, there are 9 more unique Franxx."
Hiro asked them to look through the pages. "This is a memo sent by Dr. Franxx to his personnel. Anyone who would succeed hunting down a Klaxosaur this year's Hunt, they would reward their efforts by assigning these Franxx."
"Are these better than the ones we already use now?" Miku asked as she looked at the various models.
"Yes." Hiro said. "Each one has their own pros and cons, but ultimately have higher defense and offense power than the standard Franxx."
"If we succeed in this, I call dibs on the pink one!" Miku said, smiling broadly.
"Then I'd like this one, if we're going by favorite colors." Kokoro chimed in, pointing to a black model with green highlights. She looked at Mitsuru for confirmation, he merely reached out and touched her hand. He didn't care which Franxx she chose, as long as it will protect her better. Genista seemed like a tank type with a weapon for crowd control. And that coat like design gave it additional armor, although most likely at the expense of speed. He didn't care much for speed, if it meant she won't get hurt as easily.
"Aren't Moho class more dangerous than Conrad?" Ichigo asked in concern.
"Yes." Hiro said simply, no point in sugarcoating the situation. The threat was real and could cost them their lives. "But if we could plot out a strategy and work together, we should be able to take down a Moho class."
He showed them a map. "This area is notorious for a worm type of Klaxosaur that sometimes shows up. No one has been able to take it down. APE specifically wanted that area cleared to make way for a facility known only as S Planning."
"I've heard of that worm type Klaxosaur." Ichigo said, "Nobody knows exactly how long that thing is, or how to kill it. How can we take it down?"
"Zero Two proposed a plan. If you guys can hold its mouth open, Strelitzia can charge through inside and destroy its core."
"You mean you'll rip through that thing with Strelitzia?" Goro asked, "Isn't that dangerous?"
"It's better than facing it blindly." Hiro said. "I think it would work."
"Alright." Ichigo reluctantly agreed. "We can fine-tune the strategy later, for now, we must focus on training. Mitsuru, if you and Kokoro need help don't hesitate to ask."
"Thanks." He said quietly with a slight nod.
"Futoshi has a good Parasite score, right?" Ikuno appeared contemplative. "Perhaps he wouldn't be too hard to train. If not, I'll request for another Stamen."
"He's kinda spoiled." Miku said, "Good luck Ikuno."
"Oh boy." Ikuno shook her head.
"Actually, from what I've observed," Goro said, "Futoshi responds well to the voice of authority. We've got to keep an eye on his eating habits though. He hid a huge chunk of bread in his luggage, among his clothes of all places."
"He's eating for comfort." Hiro said. "It's his way of coping with the sudden change in environment."
"As long as he can pilot, I don't really care what he wants to do with his life." Ikuno said.
"Alright guys, any more questions?" Hiro asked.
-o-
"Nana has assigned Locker no.10 to you." Miku said as they entered the changing room.
"Changing into the Pistil suit is really easy, you just stand over there and let the machines do all the work. However..." She opened Kokoro's locker and picked up something black and handed it to her. "Changing into this underwear is the hardest part. They're so tight!"
"What if I can't connect with the Franxx?" Kokoro asked worriedly. "What will happen?"
"You know...I've never heard of any Pistil who wasn't able to connect with the Franxx. It's like you'll connect to it the moment you get into position, whether you want to or not."
"Really?" That sounded ominous to her ears for some reason.
"Yeah. That's why it feels strange...like being filled up or touched with a thousand hands or something. You'll know what I'm talking about when you do the connection exercises with Mitsuru."
Miku reached for the hairbrush and began to brush Kokoro's hair.
"However, what you should worry about is whether you can connect with Mitsuru." Miku said, gesturing with the hairbrush in her hand, unconsciously emphasizing the importance of that sentence.
"Miku...what happens if I'm not compatible with him?" Her blue eyes met Miku's as they both looked at the mirror.
"You mean if you two can't connect?"
Kokoro nodded her head.
"Like I said, the Pistil kinda connects automatically to the Franxx." Miku said, "It's assumed that if there are any connection problems, it's mostly on the part of the Stamen. However, there are cases that the Pistil simply doesn't trust her partner, so she won't be able to connect naturally."
"Naturally?" Kokoro's eyebrows creased in confusion.
"Listen," Miku released a long sigh before continuing. "This is not common knowledge outside, but APE has formulated drugs for unwilling Pistils. I think Mitsuru would rather see you partner with someone else than inject you with that drug. It's that bad."
"What's in those injections?" How bad could it be that it would override Mitsuru's possessive streak?
"We don't really know, we heard it's some sort of hallucinogen. Zero Two said it's like your mind getting raped, normally we sort of have this mental shield thing that wouldn't let just any Stamen to connect, but with that drug? It's a free for all...mind fuck—her words."
"Is that even legal?" Kokoro was horrified beyond measure. Mind fuck?
"It's APE. They justify the procedure by saying the injections only ensure that the pilots can sync together...when in truth, it's just rape. Who can say it was only her mind, but not her body? It could be both and she won't even know it."
"And since APE leaves the partner shuffling to the Stamens, they simply supplied them the drugs to inject the unwilling Pistil. Rather than get drugged, the girls will choose to cooperate."
Oh lord, just how much more messed up can this get?
"What happened to those girls who got injected?"
"You do know that the Franxx becomes the Pistil's body once connected right? Unlike us who will get hurt if the Franxx gets damaged, Stamens are relatively unscathed unless the cockpit takes a direct hit."
"So when a Pistil gets injected, she becomes mindless and her partner takes complete control over her and the Franxx. Some Pistils were injured beyond recovery, others have died as a result...because they were too messed up to call for help, and their partners had been too careless."
"That's...terrible." Kokoro covered her mouth in shock. How could they allow such things to happen?
"Yes...that's why there's a huge disproportion between Pistils and Stamens. It's getting more dangerous for us these days. So never give away in public that you're a Pistil. You'd become an instant target for those jerks." Miku sighed. "Ikuno is working on an antidote, or whatever it's called to counter that drug."
Now Kokoro was beginning to understand why Mitsuru was determined to collect guns. Most likely the other boys have some in their possession too.
It had hurt her when Mitsuru refused to let her join APE with him, but now she finally understood why he was so against it. It wasn't just the danger of the war against Klaxosaurs they have to face, but also the twisted, dark nature of their fellow humans.
Kokoro didn't know which one was worse. But she's already here with no way out...they can only look for the safest path through this convoluted madness.
-o-
"Hey sweetheart." Mitsuru kissed her cheek as they met at the elevator that would take them to the Sync testing room. "Did Miku wear you out with talks about Zorome?" He teased, seeing the shadows in her eyes.
He wore the dark Stamen suit with confidence, unlike Kokoro who felt so body conscious, had to wear a coat over her Pistil suit on the way to the testing room.
Seeing him, Kokoro felt her fears fade away. Still, she couldn't resist just sliding her arms around his waist and lean on his chest and just breathe.
"Kokoro are you okay?" Mitsuru asked as he felt her tremble slightly. "Do you want to rest first?"
She shook her head and just rested her cheek against his chest, and simply listened to the beat of his heart. "Just tell me something." She whispered finally.
"Anything, sweetheart." He rubbed his chin against the top of her head, smiling as the scent of apples rose from her hair.
"I tried to volunteer as a Pistil." Kokoro began. "But my application has been ignored twice." She paused as she felt his body tense up. "Did you have anything to do with it?"
Mitsuru neither denied or confirmed it at first, was simply quiet as he held her close, then sighed as he caved in. "I asked Hiro to hack APE, yes. He planted a bug in the system, to automatically trash any application with your name and code number. He did the same for Naomi too."
"Hiro can do that?" Kokoro asked in surprise.
"Yeah. Had he been given enough warning about the Parasite score, he would have altered your biometrics in the system too. But it takes time for him to hack without getting detected, for reasons I couldn't understand so I can't explain either. Sometimes all he needed is a day, sometimes a whole month. But he gets it done. Only a matter of time."
"But there's a limit to what level he can gain access to right now. Hiro's ultimate goal is to somehow be able to hack into APE's main system and erase all data about us...so we can live relatively normal lives, but I'm not sure he can pull that off, not with that ancient pile of junk he calls a computer."
Kokoro smiled reluctantly at his disgusted tone, but there was no denying he's fond of Hiro too.
So now she knew why her applications had been unanswered. She really shouldn't be surprised, Mitsuru will stop at nothing to keep her safe. He will give up his life if he had to, but he will keep her safe. She wanted to protect him in the same way.
-o-
"What is that thing?" Kokoro pointed to what looked like a padded, small table, a design she'd never seen before.
Mitsuru followed the direction of her finger and chuckled slightly. "That, sweetheart, is what Zero Two calls a spanking bench...or a bondage horse, I forgot which."
"Why does that sound so...kinky?" Kokoro whispered, feeling guilty for some reason.
"Because it's meant to be kinky." He laughed a little. "The girls have removed them, but that furniture originally came with cuffs. I think Zero Two still has them."
"Why is it here?" Kokoro couldn't help but be fascinated. Cuffs? It sounded so naughty, so illicit, so...taboo.
"Remember the Pistil position?" Mitsuru asked as they walked over to the padded bench, "The girls usually warm up on this before doing the connection exercises."
Kokoro blushed. "While wearing this suit?"
"Yeah." Mitsuru smiled at her. "Usually only partners are here, not in a group. So...it shouldn't be that bad."
"So do I just climb onto it and then?" Kokoro looked at the bench, unsure what to do.
"Yeah just hop onto it for a few minutes as if you're piloting, got to find the most comfortable position for your muscles..." He paused as Kokoro unbuttoned her coat and slid it off her shoulders.
The Pistil suit was like a second skin, revealing all her curves, the sensual lines of her body. Mitsuru could only stare for a moment, almost forgetting to breathe. Any other girl he could have dismissed easily, but this was Kokoro, everything about her pleased him.
"This...feels awkward." Kokoro said shyly as she knelt astride the padded bench. It was surprisingly soft but firm.
"Lean down until your stomach rests on the bench." He couldn't help the sudden gruffness in his voice. Groaning slightly as Kokoro moved, the position raised her hips upwards, his eyes drawn to the sensual curves of her legs and butt. Her breasts swayed slightly as she sought the most comfortable position, completely unaware of the effect she had on him.
Her body would lead the most pious to sin. And he was not by any means, a virtuous man.
"Relax your muscles, sweetheart." Unable to reach her shoulders beneath that Pistil hood, he touched her back instead. "You're so tense."
She shivered as he caressed his hands down her arms. Kokoro didn't know whether it's the strange position she's in or the Pistil suit, but her skin felt more sensitive than usual. Nothing painful or uncomfortable, on the contrary, his slightest touch felt good. Too good.
"Is this part of the warm-up?" Kokoro gasped as he continued to stroke her until his hand rested on the small of her back.
"No." Mitsuru leaned closer and squeezed her butt with both hands. "I just want to touch you."
"Mitsuru!"
"I want to rip that suit off of you, but I risk harming your soft skin...else I would already have done so. God, you're so damn beautiful." He almost hissed as he ran his hands down her thighs.
"You're making me ache." Kokoro gasped as he reached below her waist, gently stroking her upwards. "Mitsuru!" She flinched as he cupped her breasts, the bra beneath her suit kept her nipples hidden, but that didn't stop his fingers from seeking them.
"You think it's easy on me, to see you like this?" Mitsuru groaned, "I want you so bad right now. It's killing me."
Unable to resist, he knelt before her parted thighs.
"Mitsuru? What are you do—" She screamed a little as he licked her. She didn't understand why she was so sensitive, why the feelings were much more intense than usual. It shouldn't be like this...she shuddered again and called his name as he bit her butt, raking his teeth against the material of her suit.
"Are you wet for me, sweetheart?" Mitsuru whispered against her as he reached between her legs and began to rub her. "Can you feel me through the suit? God, you're so soft." He made a sound of frustration, unable to go any further, he longed to sink his fingers into her, where she wanted him, where he wanted to be.
After getting her all hot and bothered, Mitsuru knew he just can't leave her frustrated, not when he can do something about it. There won't be any relief for him but doesn't mean she has to suffer the same.
Her clit was clearly outlined, a sweet, pearl of flesh pressing against the material of her suit.
"Easy baby...I'll take care of you." He promised in a low voice, then gently began to rub her through her suit.
Kokoro gasped then writhed against his hand as he continued to stroke the sensitive bud of her clit.
"Mitsuru!" The urgency in her voice made him pause.
"What is it, sweetheart? Am I being too rough?"
"I don't know..." Kokoro said honestly, "It just feels...different."
"How different?"
"Like I'm twice more sensitive." She said after a brief moment of thinking. "I'm about to jump each time you touch me."
"That sensitive, huh?" Mitsuru murmured, "How about this?" He touched her again, lightly this time.
Kokoro shivered and tried to bite back the sounds that escaped her lips.
"That horny old bastard!" He didn't know exactly how the suits were designed, but if the doggy position was any indication...
The old geezer was soon forgotten as Kokoro arched against his hand, silently begging him for release.
"Lie on your back." He whispered, somehow sensing his fingers would be too much for her.
Kokoro looked back at him with a confused expression, but did what he asked. She blushed when he pulled her legs and rested them on either side of his shoulders.
"This...this can't be part of training." She gasped as she felt his breath against her most sensitive flesh.
Mitsuru released a short burst of laughter. "Definitely not, sweetheart. But then again, we're more than just partners..."
He licked the fleshy outline of her pussy, making her shudder. "Better, sweetheart?"
"Oh god...Mitsuru, please..." She almost wailed, her hips arching against him in a silent plea.
She could only hold the top of his head as he leaned closer to give her what she wanted, what she needed. Release this way wasn't as deep as when he's inside her but was sweet enough to ease the ache. Kokoro shuddered, hips arching one last time as the sexual tension in her flesh gave way to a delicious rush of warmth and pleasure.
For a moment they just stayed that way, she lay on her back on the bench, while he knelt beside her and caressed her face.
"Baby...you're so sweet to touch." He murmured against her hair as he continued to stroke the curve of her hip.
"But what about you?" She looked down at his suit. "Does it hurt?"
"Just uncomfortable." Mitsuru admitted with a sigh. "Like wearing a very tight pair of jeans."
Kokoro shyly reached down to touch him.
"I won't feel a thing." Mitsuru whispered, stopping her. "This suit either numbs down my skin or it's just that old geezer's idea of fun. To tease our very eyes from their sockets and yet be unable to scratch the itch."
He smiled at the mix of shock and concern on her face. "Don't look like that, baby. I'll live. You can help me with it later." Mitsuru kissed the side of her neck before helping her get off the bench.
"Time to try out the real thing." He said as he led her to the testing room. This one had the actual cockpit seats except they were connected to computer terminals, not to any Franxx.
"Alright sweetheart, get into position, remember where to lean and rest your muscles so you won't get cramps..." Mitsuru instructed as he typed into what looked like a keyboard.
Kokoro was a bit startled when the hood that was over her shoulders suddenly moved forward to cover her head and something at her hips rose up like two flaps.
She looked behind her and saw Mitsuru smile at her reassuringly as he reached for the strange pair of handles that were connected to her hips.
"This is how I control your movements sweetheart. Now close your eyes, and just listen to my voice. Do what I tell you."
Kokoro looked forward again and obeyed without any question. She saw nothing at first and wondered what would happen next.
"Can you see a pinpoint of light?" Mitsuru asked.
"Yes..."
"Alright, now imagine you're walking closer to it. And as you do, the light gets larger and brighter."
"Mitsuru? I feel strange..." Kokoro gasped, at the edge of her consciousness she could feel something, a force, an entity separate from her own, and only a thin barrier separates them.
"It's alright baby...it's just me. Come to me, Kokoro."
Shivers of sensations ran through her as they connected, making Kokoro cry out softly. What is this?
Oh god. Mitsuru groaned. He has never been bothered when his co-pilot made sounds like that, sometimes he found them annoying, but coming from Kokoro...
But there was no more time, as their minds connected and synchronized, he felt his heart clench when her most cherished memories flashed before his mental eye. The first day they met, the day he asked her out...their first kiss. The taste of his tears when he first took her—damn, he can't allow himself to be distracted, it would disrupt their sync.
"I didn't know," Kokoro whispered suddenly, "that you watched me sleep the whole night."
A blush tinted his cheeks, he didn't want her to know, she might think he's weird or something for doing it. But that very first night, he watched her sleeping face until morning came.
Mitsuru was about to speak when the computer announced that the test was complete.
"Congrats, sweetheart. You did it." He smiled as he released the control handles and helped her to stand up.
"That was surprisingly easy." Kokoro said with a smile as she looked at him. "I thought I'll mess things up."
"Hmm. We're just really compatible." He kissed her forehead as he placed his arm around her waist. "Shall we go?"
They were quiet as they waited for the elevator, their hands entwined. But as they got on the lift and the doors closed, Mitsuru reached for her.
"Have I told you how hot you looked bent over like that?" He whispered against her ear as he pulled her close.
"Mitsuru..." Kokoro felt a bit nervous, wondering if the lift had any sort of hidden camera. If her suspicions were correct, who knows who's watching behind that lens?
"It will be a long time before I get that image of you out of my mind." He breathed against her ear. "Your fault. So take responsibility."
Before she could respond, the elevator doors opened.
"Meet me in my room." Mitsuru murmured in a husky voice. "If you're not there in 15 minutes...I'll chase after you, and you won't like the consequences."
The almost silky threat made her heart race. His words excited her, though a part of her felt a bit apprehensive.
"Why do I have a feeling you're up to something?" She asked, her smile shy.
"Of course I am. It's time for your punishment..."
"What did I do?" Kokoro gasped, she didn't know what she expected him to say, but this certainly was not it.
"For teasing me with that adorable butt of yours. You showed me no mercy, now expect none. 10 minutes, Kokoro. Be there." He finished with a dark smile that promised her wicked delights.
A/N: World building chapter tends to make the muse rebel. So yeah, tried to add some naughty elements. ;)
Yeah, the old geezer aka Dr. Franxx didn't make much sense in the anime, or I was too lazy to backtrack and piece stuff together. Frankly, I just wanted to see the ending of my favorite couple, and though Hiro2 had been bittersweet and errr, let me say it - unsatisfying! - Mitsukoko's ending delivered, complete with babies, haha. :D
Anyway, I tried to explain away the pilot position, the sync thingy, even if it's silly, I hope you were able to suspend disbelief if only for a brief while. ;)