Finally, another chapter is up and rolling. I'm very sorry for the delay but as I told you the last chapter; my computer is in the land of scrap metal and don't know when I can get another one. Right now am I borrowing the computers on my school but in the confined time to be able to read all of your stories, homework and writing this one has not been that easy.
Disclaimers: Once again; I don not own AVP, Predator or anything in that direction. I'm only borrowing the universe and mold it to fit my own little fantasy…
Chapter 6 – Scars
The weather started to get even worse as time went by. Max looked out of the window; it would be dark soon and she was starting to miss the big guy. Toh had left just before the sunrise to hunt a couple of rapists. Max felt proud; she had convinced him to only hunt criminals like they had done on her first real hunt. They still hunted together but during all the work she had on her hands, she was forced to let him go by himself.
-
"Toh?" Max called outside the house. The sun was about to set and Max was starting to get a little worried about her friend. It was cold and snow was on its way. A soft growl told her that her calls had been heard and in front of her stood her favorite alien. He de-cloaked and in front of her stood her friend with two decapitated heads in his hand; looking like he was very cold.
"God, you look like you're freezing, come let us get inside and get some warmth." Max said while she dragged the yautja with her inside. She took off his armor that he had around his torso in the same time disposing him of the single decapitated head that he had chosen for trophy; guided him further inside the living room. Letting him down on the couch she found their covers and a couple of blankets to warm Toh. He just let the female drop another blanket over him as he was frozen and could barely feel anything. He cursed his mesh, it had just stopped working and within no time he had been frozen into his bones. Max stood for a second; sizing if he needed one more blanket beside the three he already had around him. Then did something very surprising; she dropped her jacket including her jersey and now stood in front of him only in her pants and a tight dark green top. She placed herself upon his lap, crawled under the covers with him and started to rub his arms and chest.
"Just what I needed." He purred enjoying the feeling of the female as she embraced him with her body.
"Shut up, I'm using my own body heat to warm you up." Max frowned but it was soon replaced with a smile, thinking that he had purred a great deal lately and if he even had noticed it himself.
"What ever you are doing, just keep on doing it." Toh held her closer to him using her own explanation as an excuse for having her near.
Sensing the yautjas intension Max decided to play his game for now. They had been talking, discussing and fighting (literally) over his prefer of calling her 'woman' and that he didn't hide his attentions or affections for her. Therefore, now it was her time to have a say. Letting him support her bottom she leaned even further onto his torso, feeling his breath quicken as she ran a hand down his arm, playing with his bulging muscles along the way.
Toh could smell Max heating up and when she allowed him to touch her like he did, he became more aroused than he admitted as a small piece of him told him that she was an ooman and the only reason he wanted her was because he had been without a female for a long time by his standards, but that soon was discarded as he felt her rub her body up against his own.. He roamed her bottom, letting a hand travel down her thigh and leg, feeling her snap as he let a claw gently trace her body.
She let out a soft moan. "I knew you wanted me woman." Toh said pleased with the reaction the female had given him.
She hadn't thought that he could have aroused her like he did and she was using all her will power to control herself. Never had a man made her feel like this male did and it made her uneasy with herself and doubted her own self-control once again but when the feeling of a hand starting to tug in her top and trying to crawl inside the soft material to roam her back, she knew it was time to stop.
Never had she let a man touch her back ever since her childhood. "Toh stop!" She said loud enough for him to hear she meant it.
Taken aback the yautja looked at her still with a dreamy look on his face. "What?" He asked, still letting his hands stroke her thigh and bottom.
"We need to stop." Max said, suddenly feeling very hot various places she didn't wanted to feel hot right now. Pushing at his chest she stood from his embrace, the blankets had been lost at some point; she couldn't remember when. Max couldn't look into the male's eyes; afraid that he would be able to read her mind if she did, afraid that if she did she would disappear into them and they would drag her back into his strong arms. All she could do was leaving him, acting as if nothing had happened.
Steadying her heart beat, Max let out a sigh the same moment she came out of sight. Well that was not was I had expected. She thought; not able to stop a smile from appear. Why am I acting like this I shouldn't be happy but terrified. But god it felt good and feeling his touch, when had anyone touched me like that? Max felt the blush, which she had tried to contain in front of the man, come upon her cheeks all warm and making her feel like she was on fire. Shit! No please tell me this is not true, I'm not falling for him. I refuse to fall for anyone; get in, get out. Get in get out. She repeated inside her mind. Never did the thought of him being an alien cross her mind. She didn't see him like that. He was male and she female and that was bad; real bad.
-
In the mean time, Toh sat on the couch with his hands behind his head; pretty pleased with himself. He had enjoyed the feeling of Max upon him and his fingers still tickling by the touch he had had on her almost perfect body. He played the scene over and over again in his mind; he knew that she had enjoyed it as well but something held her back and he knew when not to push her. He could still smell her scent in the air mixed with his own musk and that made him aware of his hardened member.
In that moment the woman stepped inside the room with more color on her cheeks than she had before they had started. She looked at him; opened her mouth to say something when her eyes traveled down his body and rested just south of his waistline and the color spread to the rest of her face.
"Uhmm… I'm going to do some work, there're some leftovers in the kitchen if you're hungry." She said still staring at his bulge between his legs.
Toh tried not to laugh as he relaxed even further into the couch and a funny noise that could interpret as a sort of groan came from her when she turned leaving him with his growing ego. He chuckled she was a really funny woman. Either was she over confident and everything seamed easy for her or she acted like a shy little girl. The later was mostly when he showed her his want for her; normally she just laughed at him or scolded him for his lack of modesty but sometimes she was like this. Shy and acted like a little girl that was afraid of her first mating.
Listening to the sweet sounds of a song playing from the bedroom he relaxed, knowing that Max would be working the half a night. Toh turned on the TV, but let the sound off as he liked the music that streamed from the other room. The earthen music was so different from the yautjan's. The oomans was more singing and a different flow that made it sound so alien from what he was used to.
-
The time went by and Toh had not wanting to disturb the woman in her work so he had forced himself awake while watching one bad movie after another. Why did they make aliens so ugly and not realistic? He saw another so called sci fi movie where the actors was acting all out of key; you didn't leave a battlefield without either annihilate the enemy's fleet or making them pay for their doings. And the plots were just too much; hyper-drive didn't give off a broad spectrum of colors when activated like a rainbow. It was only white and a couple of blue, red and yellow occasionally.
The soft music had stopped a while ago and after the third poor movie in row Toh thought she would have had enough time to be herself again. He turned off the screen and walked into the dark room. Their, in her favorite chair sat his sleeping woman with her laptop on her lap; lighting up her face in a soft white-blue light.
Turning off all other light, Toh clicked gently to see if he could get her to walk over to their bed by herself. The only reply was a soft whimper in protest. How lovely she looked still only in her green top, with her hair down that spread out around her like a wail. With gentle hands, he pried the computer away from her and scooped her up in his arms. She was not sleeping in the chair, not if he could help it.
-
The sunlight faintly reached inside the room as Max and Toh slept. Toh had made sure that Max not would freeze during the night as she had their cover over her and he had placed himself as close as he dared to give her all the warmth that he could.
"Toh…" The female mumbled as she cuddled further up against the warmth beside her. A low purr was her reply which gained a smile.
"Are you sleeping?" She asked still half asleep herself.
"I was." He whispered, flaring his mandibles in an inaudible yawn. He had had the most beautiful dream about Max and being waking from it was not something he had liked, but feeling the light touch of her hands up against his right arm and side, he decided that real life was with no doubt better than dreams. He suppressed to purr, as she rose on one arm hovering over him. He could feel her hair play over his shoulder and the as she drew closer he had the wonderful view of the top of her breast that was trapped by the tight fabric that she wore. Her smile was something he always had loved and was please as she did just that; smile.
"Good morning." She whispered.
He was lost from words; trying to hold his musk from emerge as he knew it would only drive her away and though he knew he couldn't have her like he really wanted to, he could save this moment.
-
Max had forgotten the previous tiredness and of some kind of reason she felt more alive than she had been for a long time. She had this kind of happiness that flowed all through her body.
"I've been checking the towns wanting list and according to them theirs a band of criminals in the area if you could be up for another hunt?" She said with a glint in her eyes.
Toh like the way this female thought. "And is this hunt just for me or would you honor me by joining me?" He asked.
The smile almost doubled. "I would love to. I think I have been working way too much these last days and a good hunt would defiantly make up for it."
"Then by nightfall we'll go." He couldn't stop himself as he let a gentle clawed hand trace the outline of her face; from her brow to her jaw. Before Max could let out any protests he was up and disappeared behind the bathroom door.
-
That day was spent in the anticipation of the upcoming hunt. And that evening they both were ready in their armor. Max's armor had been changed to fit her even better that it had done the first time they had been out on her birthday. She had a tight but warm blouse on under her chest plate and instead of a loincloth that Toh always wore she had a couple of jeans which fitted the rest of the outfit. Her hair was up in a ponytail with a few stay locks that didn't fit wouldn't fit into the rest of the bunch.
The night was very cold and Toh had only made his mesh working on half power. He had cursed over it the most of the day and finally taken Max's offer on having cloths on. He felt uncomfortable as the jeans were too tight some places and the hooded sweatshirt was too loose as the fabric fell slightly over his hands. How Max had found cloths in his size was in a wonder but he didn't ask. He had his armor over the whole thing though Max had made him loose the loincloth as she told him that it looked too weird with both that and the jeans on.
"Ready?" She asked, looking at her friend. If someone had told her about her current life 3 months ago she would have laughed at them in their face before telling them to seek professional help. But look at her. She was getting ready to go on a hunt with her best friend that also was an alien. This was almost too unbelievable even for her, but she loved it. She liked the life she had with Toh, she liked having him around and liked that he didn't mind of all her not so normal traits.
-
The hunt had been successful and the two was had two trophies each to show off. Toh had showed her how to clean the skulls and in the little shack they had assigned two walls for trophy-walls. Toh smiled by the memory of how well the woman had fought that evening, he had almost ripped the ooman he had in his own hands in two by the look of her handling her combo spear as she did. The graze that she had possessed when she drove the pointed end inside her prey and he was grateful for strong smell of blood and musk of aggression. It had been hard to keep his thoughts clear from images containing his little huntress and woman and that had made it impossible for him to hold his musk of want in bay.
"What are you thinking of?" Her small voice cut into the hunters thoughts. Toh looked at her unable to hold his smile from appear.
"Nothing." He didn't wish for a discussion at that time. They had been so good together, why ruined it with making her mad?
"It didn't look like nothing." She said a little quieter than before.
They walked a little longer in silent. The playful whistles and thrilling songs from the small birds grew louder as the sun started to show its first light. They had followed a steam that soon would turn into a small river "We must watch out from now on Toh; there's quicksand like mud puddles around this river." She stated.
Toh looked at the river and the surroundings. Nothing looked dangerous or out of the usually. "Are you sure? It all looks like the same to me." He asked; scanning the area once more just to be sure he hadn't missed anything.
Max stopped, crossing her arms across her chest; only looking at Toh.
First a couple of steps ahead Toh noticed that Max wasn't walking beside him but standing behind him with a not that pleasant look painted on her face. "What?" He was lost, what did he said to offend her this time. Sometimes she was just like this. He had just pointed out the obvious. There were no visual puddles as far he could see.
"Are you telling me that you know this area better than I. I have been living here for the past 5 years and have been one several rescue missions to this place just to find already dead bodies almost buried in these puddles." Max stated.
The yautja stared at the woman for a second before the words hit him and he realized his mistake. How could he be that stupid? Walking back to her, he started to apologize. Who was he to question her on her knowledge of an area that she had known for a lot longer that he had?
Max saw the sincerity in the male's eyes and by that softened. His apologies were unnecessary but it was nice for a change to hear him admit his mistake. Placing a hand on his shoulder she stopped him from saying 'I'm sorry' for the 10.'th time in less than two minuets. "Com lets go home, it's pretty cold and I can't wait to get a nice hot shower." She smiled, letting her hand linger a few nanoseconds longer that she had intended. But feeling the male close to her ruffled a feeling that she had missed for a long time. Safety.
Max walked off and Toh followed; or at least tried to. He moved his legs but couldn't get anywhere. Looking down he saw his feet coved with a thick layer of mud. And as he struggled to get one foot free the other dug even further down in the brown semi pasted liquid.
"Max!"
The female turned her head to Toh's voice to see what was wrong. The sight of her friend trapped now to the knees in on of the deathtraps that she had warned the male about just moments about, a gasp escaped her
"Toh don't move!" She called, hoping that he wasn't too far down for her to get him up alone. The yautja obeyed instantly however Max could see the nervous in his eyes and didn't blame him. It was almost impossible to get another person out of these traps. Once they had you, they didn't let go that easy.
The feeling of something pulling you down would get to the best of anybody and Toh was on the rim of trying anything just to get out of this hole from hell. He looked at Max with pleading eyes, she was desperately trying to find a way to get him out of there but it was risky as she jeopardizes to be trapped along with him too.
"Lend me your hand, maybe together we can get you out of there." She said, reaching out to grab his bigger hand in hers.
It seemed to have been working as Toh got one foot free but the other was stuck and eventually he was forced to step the once freed foot down in the mud once again not to fall over. Max let go of his hand remembering something she once learned one a long time ago.
"Toh I know it sounds crazy but I need you to lay down." Max said all serious.
"You're right that sounds crazy." He replied not liking the thought of getting down in the strangling mud willingly.
"Please Toh. If you even your body weight out on a bigger area we will be able to pull you out, I'm confident that it will work." She pleaded; seeing that the brown mass was pulling him even further down into its depth.
Unwillingly Toh lay down, feeling the mud sink into his armor and soak his clothes.
"Now give me your hand." Max called, herself kneeling on the dirty ground.
He did and as Max pulled he helped as much he could. Toh could feel his body move slowly but looking up at Max he saw his woman slip just as slowly closer to the puddle herself.
"Max stop, let go. You're going to get yourself caught." Toh said, letting go of her wrists at the same time.
The woman looked at him with the same fire. Same determination she had when she was on a hunt or when she was working with something she just knew she could solve but hadn't found out how yet.
"Shot up and help me Toh!" Max clenched her teeth trying to use the rest of her strength to get him out.
"But…"
"Get your ass out of there Toh'el'ach or you'll be sorry, do you understand? I don't want to loose you." Max yelled, feeling her grip slipping and the growing panic rise inside of her.
Just the tone of her voice made the male take a hold on her wrists once more. Thoughts invaded his mind as he struggled to get out. She had denied to give up, to let go. With joined force the mud lost its grip and Toh stumbled onto Max, both covered with sweat, leaved and mud.
Toh looked down at Max; she kept on surprising him, where did this strength come from? Her hair was plastered to her face, small leaves and branches clung to her dark blond locks.
As they walked home Max was just as surprised as Toh had been, seeing the male trapped and the feeling of loosing him gave her so much strength and willpower that she had lost all reason afterwards. The panic she had felt when Toh had let go of her had been unbearable and the power that forced her to get the male not to give up had almost overwhelmed her in the same time. She realized that moment; she would be lost without him. Without the friend that she always had wanted.
"God I have mud places I didn't even know existed." She burst as they saw the house. A nice hot shower would do miracles. Before entering she stopped her friend from entering.
"Take off your armor and all other clothes you can spare; I'm not having mud all over the house." She ordered; taking off her own clothes. Max stripped down to only wearing her black panties and red tee before entering her home. Second later the male followed.
"Who get the shower first?" He asked walking past the female. Max stopped mid track, mouth hanging open, not sure how to comprehend what se was looking at. "I… Ah… Toh?" Max's eyes were glued on the yautja. His dreadlocks swaying heavily behind him. His molted skin in perfect harmony with the black patterns that followed all the way down his back. Every muscle worked beneath the skin as he walked and how his perfect body also had been blessed with a perfect butt. Max tried to clear her thoughts as the square naked yautja disappeared into the bathroom.
"Max?" He asked, not quiet catching what she had said the first time. She blinked a couple of times before feeling the familiar feel of overheating on her cheeks.
"Um…" She didn't want to point out the obvious as he clearly didn't mind showing off like that. "You just go ahead, I can wait." She called not sure what to do in situations like this one.
Moments later she heard water hitting the stone floor and in her imagination, her naked friend as well.
It didn't take many minutes before she got her turn and how wonderful it was to get rid of all the now dried mud and who knows what else she had on her. Her hair soaked in the nice hot water and feeling all her muscles relax she felt so good. The image of Toh traveled to her mind, but didn't pry them away. It was nice in a way, although he could be a little of a pain in the ass he had always been there for her and she had a liking to the big guy. The image of the naked form crept up in front of all other memories; frowning she turned off of the water and started to dry herself off.
Walking out and into the bedroom she had thrown the towel lightly around her body. Normally she had the towel all around her shoulders to hide her whole body from the male's eyes but this time she had tied it around her torso, sure that it didn't revealed any of her secret. Toh sat on the bed clad in his loincloth watching.
The woman walked to the table to find her brush, turning her back to the prying eyes. Just in that moment she felt a tug in the towel on her back. Turning around to snap at the male she felt his strong hands guide her to sit.
"Toh what are you doing?" He voice trailing as she felt the ends of the tied fabric loosen, Toh kept forcing the towel away from her back.
In all the time he had been with the woman he had never seen one scar on her like these. Yes she had small scars showing her previous battles but these were much more. These were beautiful.
"Stop looking at my back." Max said not as strong she had been before.
"If you tell me about yours I tell you about mine." Toh grinned as he trailed one of Max's scars, all the way from her right shoulder to the small of her back.
With a small shudder Max tried to cover her exposed back with her towel, but just as quickly was it removed by the hunter's strong hands.
"Why do you hide them? Scars are to be carried with pride and shown for all to see." He said roaming two more with his fingers.
"Not these. These are only reminders of a past that always will come back no matter what I do." Max answered in a whisper, looking down, making sure the rest of the cloth covered her front.
"What do you mean? What happened?"
She smiled a pained smile by the thought of how her memories hunted her mind. "I guess it is time to tell you everything." She turned that she now was sitting in front of him, face to face.
He just stared into her eyes waiting for her to continue. "My scars are not from some great battle, well not all of them anyway. They are punishment…"
"For what?" Toh interrupted her; wanting to know what she possible could have done wrong when she always had been the most honorable, fairest and kindest soul he had encountered.
"For telling the truth and please don't interrupt." She said a little harder than she had meant to. "I along with my brothers and sister are not what you can call normal among humans. We are experiments, from an era that no longer exist. The former World Alliance knew from the start that they had only very little chance of winning the war; therefore they started something no one had ever dared to do, alter human DNA. I was the first and Dr. Thomas always said that no one knew how many modifications I had or how to duplicate my success. The 5 of us were altered to be stronger, faster, smarter and more skilled than normally humans. They trained us from our first breath and made sure that we followed their standards." She paused
Taking the opportunity he asked. "So it was these oomans that hurt you?"
She looked away. "No. besides training the scientists thought that interacting with civilians would prove good for us, like lesion in how to be normal; therefore when I was about 7 I was sent to a foster home, a family who took me in." She frowned with the last words. Toh noticed her less of pleased expression.
"My 'family' was not that thrilled to have me. They didn't know about my abilities or that I was genetic created, only that they had in exchange for a large sum of money taken me in and supposedly raise me as their own. Karin was nice enough I suppose but Frank didn't like me; he saw me like a freak. It was him that found it necessary to remind me of who was in control." She still avoided eye contact.
"What were your punishments for, Max?" Toh asked gentle, tilting her head up to look into her eyes. They radiated pain and hurt that he never had seen in her before and all he wanted was protect her from all that hunted her.
She fought to hold her tears back. "For telling the truth." A tear fall and crossed her cheek.
Toh wiped the tear away not carrying if she was crying, if she was weak or not. In his eyes she would always be the braves and most honored female he ever had encountered. He cradled her into his arms, holding her as she let her silence tears fall. He didn't know the full extension of the story but for what he could tell, it wasn't pretty and gave his strong female a fear he wanted to but couldn't understand yet. In an effort of soothing her, he started to purr.
Max tried with all her might to hold her tears as the memories of the past waved in over her once again, but to no wail. They came silently and under no control. She felt so stupid; yet crave the touch and soothing of the man in front of her and when he closed her form in his embrace she felt safe and cared for. The purring rumbled throughout them both and she soon forgot her being half naked; her memories disappeared and all that was left was Toh and her. All that she cared about was the closeness of their two bodies and how good it felt when he stroked her hair, nuzzled her sensitive skin. She wasn't afraid anymore; no she wanted to feel more.
In an unknown time the two sat there neither wanting to move. They both just sat with each other; the yautja kissed her soft skin on her exposed shoulder with his mandibles. He wasn't aware of his own doing before he felt the female move so he had more room to reign over. He felt her hand on his chest, moving up and found a dreadlock to play with. The power this female had over him was unbelievable as her touches made him want her even further. This was what he had wanted for so long and he was feeling even more satisfied with the thought of being able to pleasuring his mate than just relieve himself and if he was planning of doing that, they needed to take it slow enough for her to be sure and not only acting on her primal instinct. He was confused of himself; wanting her acting on her primal instincts was exactly what he had wanted all a long; what had changed? He had, his feelings, this was not like any other woman he had been with. No she was something special, she was the one he wanted not only as a mating partner but as a companion in life. He just hopped she felt the same way, that she would let him care that much for her.
He held his urge to kiss her skin once more; instead held her close and enjoyed the feeling of her warm body against his. The tears slide silently down her cheeks and down on his chest and Toh couldn't care less. He had his female in his arms and that was all that mattered. He purred and saying random things to sooth her and after a couple of minutes Max sat still in his arms.
Max opened her eyes not sure of her feelings in the moment. Her head told her to get the hell out of there, away from the male but her heart told her to stay where she felt safe. To stay in his arms and give in for all the feelings that she had locked away for so long.
She looked up at him and he looked back with beautiful amber-colored eyes. He smiled at her and stroked a tear away from her cheek with a thumb. Before he could remove his hand she leaned into it to savor his touch.
They still held each others eyes and both knew that no words were needed. He knew she needed him in this moment and she knew he was there for her. That he would hold the memories away if only for tonight.
Toh saw that Max was exhausted and without asking permission he lay down; taking her with him. He covered them both with the covers. He could feel the towel shift between them, it still held a thin separation between her naked body and his own body; only covered by his loincloth. Her fine hair spread across her back like a sea of silk and he stroke it gentle. The other hand rested on the small of her back supporting her as she lay halfway on him; resting her head on his chest.
"Thank you." She whispered.
Toh looked down at the smiling woman and she circled her hand on his chest letting him purr in pleasure, before resting it where his heart was.
"No, thank you." He whispered just before he saw her fall asleep; he soon followed.
-
Max let out a sigh she must have been dreaming, it was a nice dream though; having Toh close to her like she had. She smiled at the thought of his touches and the feeling of his body against her own only separated by a towel. Not opening her eyes Max snuggled into the warmth beneath she thought back to what she had believed was a dream. It had felt so real, real enough that she still could smell him all close and feel his touch? Doubt started to wave in on her. She inhaled deeply; just before feeling what she had thought was a pillow shift a bit under her.
It hadn't been a dream; it had been real. Max opened her eyes looking up she saw Toh sleep peacefully with a small smile on his mandibles. His arms was around her body, holding her close to him and it was here Max noticed that something wasn't right. The towel between them was not where she left it the evening before and she lay all naked up against the yautja. First a deep blush crept up on her cheeks as Max thought of numbers of ways to get the piece of fabric back in place. But after a couple of seconds she relaxed. The feeling of Toh beneath her was not too bad and he defiantly wouldn't mind their position; would she?
The answer was no she wouldn't. Not anymore. It was not like she would go any further than this. Yes she loved the way he kissed her skin and his hands roaming her body but that was it. Right? Slowly she relaxed and again felt sleep waving in over her.
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That's it for this time. Please Review!