AN: Sorry about the delay! I know it's been a while. But I promise this story will be completed. xD We're not giving up. There's only like 2 chapters left anyway.
Chapter Ten:
"—reports of Eclipse activity in the Tuhi district. Caution is advised for all civilians in the area..."
"Hey, The, are you okay?"
The sound of Lycoris's voice broke Athena's focus. She had been scanning the area for an out-of-the-way place, but the terminal had caught her attention. It was flashier and more insistent than most of the ones on the Citadel. In fact, everything on Omega so far seemed to be competing for her attention. While the Presidium was a clean, organized, welcoming sort of place, and the Silversun Strip had an air of class, Omega was bustling and overcrowded. There were plenty of places to hide amidst the flickering lights and overhanging pipes, but people and the items they had for sale seemed to be bursting out of every corner.
"I'm fine," she answered, dodging a burly batarian on her left. "It's just busier than I expected." While trying to regain her footing, another figure tried to catch her attention, a salarian with a kiosk full of strange devices.
"That's Omega for you," Lycoris said, taking her arm. "Just walk like you're in a hurry to get somewhere and people won't bother you."
After a moment, they broke through the worst of the throng. Athena breathed a small sigh of relief. She wasn't quite sure what she had expected, but this definitely wasn't it. "Maybe we should have gone back to your room after all," she said, once again failing to find any discrete alleyways. All the ones they passed already seemed occupied. "Or maybe we could rent something for an hour?"
The tips of Lycoris's cheeks tinged with a blush. "That's a little seedy, don't you think?"
Athena smiled. Of course Corrie would be more embarrassed about renting a room in some dive than sneaking down a sidestreet and ducking behind a building. The first option involved actually talking to an employee who would know exactly what they were up to. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked, leaning affectionately into Lycoris's shoulder.
"Well, you could let me give you that tour we're pretending to go on. You can see things here you won't find anywhere else in the Galaxy."
"All right, but only if we keep looking for somewhere to slip away. You owe me." The purr she added to her words had the desired effect. Lycoris stiffened against her, letting out a soft whimper. Athena suspected that if she slid a hand down to check, she would discover that the bulge between her lover's legs was a little bigger than before.
"Deal."
Together, they wove their way out of the crowd and down a few of the less-populated paths. The small kiosks gave way to larger buildings, and the ceiling rose out of sight. "This looks industrial," Athena said, gazing around in surprise.
"Tuhi's got storage as well as shops. I just thought it'd be a little less crowded on this side of the district. And who knows? Maybe we'll find an unlocked door somewhere."
"And how is sneaking into a storage bunker less offensive than renting a room like normal people?" Athena asked. "Or even going back to your parents' apartment?"
"Oh no," Lycoris said, a look of fear crossing her face. "No more sex while either of our parents are home. We were taking a huge risk on the ship, and we've already been caught once."
Athena found herself agreeing with Lycoris's assessment, but she couldn't resist teasing. "Not even if we're really, really quiet?"
"You, be quiet? Ha. That's a good one," Lycoris snorted, looking around at some of the smaller vendors they were passing.
"I guess you're right. I can be a little loud," she admitted, leaning into Lycoris's side. "But can you blame me when I have such a fantastic lover?" She ran her hand down Lycoris's abdomen, gently cupping the swell at the front of her pants.
Lycoris froze. A shiver shot through her body, and a groan cracked in her throat. When Athena looked up at her face, she had to stifle her laughter. The quick feel she'd just copped had left Lycoris dark-eyed and dazed. "Come on," she whispered, breathing hot against Lycoris's neck. "Let's find somewhere a little more private."
To her left was a shop that was closed. Taking a chance that there might be less traffic since the business wasn't open, Athena tugged Lycoris in that direction. The alleyway wasn't completely empty, but a quick flare of her biotics had the last two vorcha holdovers scurrying away. Athena drew Lycoris far enough down the alley to keep anyone who was casually passing by from getting a good look. The idea of putting on a show was kind of exciting, but she didn't know if Lycoris's poor heart could take it.
Before Lycoris could say a word, Athena dragged her in for a kiss. She had been primed and ready to go since their encounter in the shuttle, but the smooth heat of Lycoris's mouth made her tingle all over again. She closed her eyes, savoring it until the need for breath forced her to pull back. "Time to earn all the praise I've been giving you," she rasped when they finally broke apart. The taste of Lycoris's mouth still lingered on her tongue, leaving her dizzy with want. "Ready to return the favor?" She leaned back against the nearest wall and lifted her skirt, grateful she had decided to get rid of her ruined underwear earlier.
"Goddess," Lycoris breathed, staring at her with a look of wonder. Athena's face flushed. She loved the way Lycoris was so obviously in awe of her every time they were intimate. It gave her hope that her feelings weren't one-sided, that Lycoris wanted more than sex and a close friendship. But what Athena loved even more was how Lycoris's trembling fingers reached forward, skimming through the slickness that already coated the lips of her azure. "Wow, The," Lycoris murmured beside her crest. "You're already so wet..."
The small shake in Lycoris's voice made Athena's heart skip a beat. Lycoris sounded just as eager to touch her as she was to be touched, and she had to force herself not to meld early. Their combined desire would be too much to bear, and Athena wanted Lycoris inside her before they came this time. As much as she loved swallowing Lycoris's release or letting it spill over her hand, she loved feeling it flood her azure even more. "What are you waiting for, Janiris? I want you in me now."
She removed Lycoris's hand from between her legs, and although her muscles fluttered in protest, she had enough command of her shaking fingers to lower Lycoris's zipper. The soft sound sent a jolt through both their bodies, and Lycoris gasped in surprise and approval. Athena enjoyed the sound, but she didn't waste any time. She eased Lycoris's shaft out through the opening and into her fist.
"Fuck, careful," Lycoris groaned. Her length pulsed, and Athena felt the twitch against her palm. "You're gonna make me come all over myself again..."
"Don't you dare," Athena said, hurrying to line the broad, dripping head up with her entrance. "It's my turn this time, and I want you in me."
Finding the right angle for Lycoris to push inside took a few awkward attempts. They had never had sex standing up before, and it required some getting used to. But finally, Athena tilted her hips in a way that worked, and Lycoris discovered how to ease forward. The fullness stole Athena's breath, but her lips formed Lycoris's name soundlessly. She fisted the back of Lycoris's shirt, trying to yank her closer. She needed Lycoris's muscular body pinning hers to the wall almost as much as she needed the cock that was starting to stretch her open.
"The," Lycoris said again. "Oh Goddess, The, y—you're so tight around me..."
Athena couldn't resist. She squeezed down deliberately, clutching around the top half of Lycoris's length. Lycoris let out a strangled groan, jerking forward on instinct. Athena cried out as the last several inches slammed into her, filling her completely. Her patience unravelled, and she reached for the light of Lycoris's soul without thinking, desperate to be bonded with her. The urgent need she felt was much too intense to keep to herself.
As soon as she made contact, a wave of fresh lust crashed over her. Lycoris was just as overwhelmed as she was. Athena could tell that her hips ached to move, and the pressure building in her cock grew more unbearable with every thrust. She continued tightening around the shaft, enjoying the flares of need that raced across their connection whenever she did. 'Move,' she thought, half-begging and half-ordering. She need friction to go along with the fullness, and Lycoris was the only one who could give it to her.
She didn't have to wait. Lycoris started pumping at the first sign she was ready, lifting one of her legs for better leverage. The new position left her more exposed, but it also allowed Lycoris to push even deeper. She hooked her knee around Lycoris's waist, gripping her shoulders for extra support.
They fell into an awkward rhythm for a moment, neither one of them quite knowing the proper mechanics, but both incredibly eager to strive toward the promise of their shared pleasure. 'Goddess, I don't care if it's awkward. There's no one else I would rather learn how to do this with.' There was no one Athena trusted more; no one she could be more herself with than her best friend. It was an embarrassing thing to think, especially with Lycoris in her head, but she couldn't help it. Lycoris undid her in ways she couldn't describe.
'Fuck. Me too.' Lycoris started trailing kisses along her shoulder, traveling up her neck and pausing to linger at her pulse point. Her hips moved in a slow, circular rhythm, one that put pressure straight on Athena's clit and made both of them moan in appreciation. It was almost too much—Lycoris's mouth on her throat, Lycoris's greedy hands wandering along her thighs, Lycoris's cock sliding in and out of her. Lycoris was driving her crazy, and this time, she couldn't bear to hold off.
She came in trembling shudders, a little embarrassed by how fast it had happened, but too greedy to stop herself. The ripples overwhelmed her, spreading out in pulses of heat, and she clenched hard around the thickness filling her up. Her clit twitched with each contraction, trapped against the base of the shaft, and Lycoris throbbed with her. A surge of warmth rushed inside her, and she almost clawed through Lycoris's shirt. 'Goddess, Corrie. Love it when you come inside me...'
'Love coming inside you.' Lycoris kept spilling, and Athena couldn't help squeezing tighter, savoring their shared release for all it was worth. 'Love feeling you come around me...'
The words replayed over and over again in Athena's mind, circling and shifting until only two were left. 'Love feeling you come... love feeling you... love... you...' She wanted it to be true. She was almost certain it was. But she couldn't trust the meld, and she wouldn't let herself believe it until Lycoris said them out loud, in her own voice.
Since she didn't have the courage to say them first, she sent Lycoris all the lust and desire and affection she could, hoping it would be enough. Even if all they could have was this, it was the most wonderful thing she had ever experienced, and she couldn't bear to give it up. Luckily, Lycoris seemed to feel the same way. She made no attempt to break their connection even as the height of their pleasure passed and a calmer mood overtook their frantic need.
It was unfortunate that the meld couldn't last forever, but at least it drifted away slowly, leaving Athena with a sense of happiness and peace that she wasn't used to feeling. She wondered if it was because had finally admitted to herself that Lycoris really was more than just a friend that she enjoyed having sex with. Athena had known for a while that her feelings ran deeper, but this was the first time she hadn't tried to tamp down those emotions during the meld. Instead, she had offered them up wholeheartedly.
She stared into Lycoris's eyes, their silent connection as potent as what they shared during the joining. Athena knew that if Lycoris looked hard enough, her lover would be able to read everything in her gaze, but that thought no longer scared her. Any fear of rejection was overshadowed by the certainty that this was the real thing, and while she wasn't ready to say it out loud, she could show Lycoris how she felt in other ways.
Athena leaned forward, closing the short distance between their faces and moved her lips across Lycoris's. It was a slow kiss, one that was filled with passion, but of a different sort than the physical possession they'd just taken of each other. Athena shared more of her true self in this one kiss then she had at any other point in her life, with anyone else. And the knowledge that Lycoris was seeing her at her most vulnerable was both terrifying and absolutely right.
Lycoris pulled away from this kiss first. She had brought her hand up to cup Athena's cheek while they'd kissed, and Athena pushed into the warmth of her palm. She smiled as the pad of Lycoris's thumb brushed across her lower lip. Their eyes never broke contact, and what Athena saw swirling in those dark depths had her heart fluttering with hope as Lycoris breathed her name. "The… I—"
Their little bubble of happiness was shattered by the sharp sound of gunfire. Lycoris jerked away and pulled out, turning toward the noise and unconsciously keeping her body between Athena and the possible threat.
Athena immediately missed the warmth, but she wasn't stupid enough to let herself dwell on that loss. She pulled down her dress, letting her biotics flare to the surface of her skin. "What's going on?" she whispered, watching for any sign of the combatants while Lycoris fumbled with her pants. It would have been almost comical in any other circumstances, but the gunfire they'd heard had been close.
"I don't know," Lycoris said as she finished adjusting herself.
"Disputes on Omega sometimes get settled like this, but not usually in this area. Tuhi's industrial. There isn't a lot of fighting here."
Athena stole a glance over her shoulder. The other end of the alley was closed off behind them. She had appreciated the privacy moments ago, but it put them at a tactical disadvantage. The only way out was to go forward. "That isn't what the terminal said earlier. What do you think? Hide, or try to sneak away?"
Lycoris leaned forward, listening closely. "I'm not sure. I don't hear anything. Maybe we should—"
The sound of falling footsteps cut her off. They shared a terrified look, but before either of them could move, three shadows stretched across the mouth of the alleyway. The willowy silhouettes were padded with armor, but Athena couldn't make out the bulk of any weapons. Light pistols. That probably means asari commandos. Eclipse? She clenched her fists, and blue light gathered around them. Through the fog of fear, one of her father's frequently-uttered phrases came to mind. We're in deep shit.
She and Lycoris waited, holding their breath and remaining completely still, but it wasn't enough to save them. The commandos rounded the corner in a tight formation, decked in yellow-patterned armor that confirmed her earlier guess. One of them turned her head right, and Athena knew the moment they were spotted. The asari stopped and aimed her pistol at them almost dismissively, and her companions followed her lead. "Put the biotics away, little girl. You won't be needing them."
Athena's mind raced. She knew how to fight, but she didn't want to attack first and regret it later. Negotiations might still be possible. She opened her mouth to speak, but Lycoris stepped forward before she could, standing between her and the commandos. "We don't want any trouble, okay?" she said, holding up her hands. "If you leave, we won't stop you. Or you can let us go, and we'll stay out of your way."
It was the wrong choice. The commandos did a double take when Lycoris left the shadows, and one of them actually gasped. A hole formed in the pit of Athena's stomach. Oh no. They recognize her!
"Well, things just got interesting," one of the other commandos said, smirking in triumph. "Who would've thought we'd find the Princess of Omega fucking in a random alley on one of our patrols? Think Cythia will give us a bonus if we kill her? I could use a new amp."
"More if we bring her in alive," the first commando said. "You remember what happened when Tevos was abducted by that crazy human a century back? Aria lost it."
"Do you remember what happened to the human who did it?" Athena said, thinking quickly. "He ended up dying a very painful death. You don't want Aria to come after you like that, do you?"
The second commando rolled her eyes. "Shut up, kid. His mistake was being human. Killing a human's easy. The ones with biotics can barely use 'em."
"Tell that to Commander Shepard," Athena said.
"Athena, don't—" Lycoris began to say, but there wasn't time to finish. The third commando, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, lowered her pistol and summoned her biotics. The move was lightning fast, and Athena wasn't prepared. She froze, eyes wide with horror as a crackling ball of blue streaked toward them.
It never hit. There was a muffled, hissing boom, the smell of singed air, and a heavy jolt that almost knocked her off her feet. It took her several moments to realize what had happened. A solid wall of rippling energy had shielded her, absorbing the impact of the warp. It flickered out almost immediately, and she cried out in shock as Lycoris collapsed beside her.
Athena's heart dropped through her stomach. Lycoris had poured every bit of power into reinforcing the middle of the barrier, leaving herself vulnerable. If they weren't in such a dangerous situation, she would have railed at Lycoris for being such an idiot. She couldn't stand to see Lycoris hurt, and she felt utter panic course through her as she stared at the crumpled form of her lover.
Not giving much thought to the three commandos who were still blocking the mouth of the alleyway, Athena fell to her knees by Lycoris's side. She felt utterly helpless as she reached out, hands hovering over Lycoris's limp body, afraid that touching her might cause more harm than good. But when she saw Lycoris struggle weakly to get up, blood leaking from her nose, Athena couldn't stop herself from pulling Lycoris's head into her lap.
"You're okay," Athena said, fingers fluttering over Lycoris's face. "You're okay, Corrrie, I promise." The words were a prayer that she said over and over again, trying to convince herself that they were true. But Athena knew something was wrong. Lycoris's eyes looked dazed and far away, like she couldn't focus, and she showed no signs of actually hearing her. She wasn't even attempting to get up anymore, and that scared Athena more than anything else. Lycoris was a fighter, a survivor, and she was too weak to protect herself.
"The," Lycoris said, her voice so weak that Athena had to lean down to hear her. "The… I—I love you." Then her eyes closed, and her head fell back.
"Corrie," Athena cried, barely stopping herself from shaking Lycoris's shoulders. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't care enough to dash them away.
"Well, that didn't take long. Stupid brat. Bet her father goes down easy too without all those bodyguards."
Athena was abruptly reminded of the commandos' presence. A red hot fury replaced the icy numbness that threatened to consume her, but she gently laid Lycoris's head back on the ground before climbing to her feet. Blue energy was already crackling around her fists as she stood and faced the commandos.
"Ooo, it seems like the little one wants to play, too," the Eclipse mercenary taunted. "You should calm down before you hurt yourself."
A cold smile tilted one corner of Athena's mouth. She was the daughter of two decorated war heroes, who had demanded she learn to defend herself from the earliest age possible. She knew how to fight, and she had never welcomed a confrontation so much in her life. These commandos had no idea who they were dealing with, and they would pay dearly for what they had done to Lycoris.
"Lycoris gave you a chance to leave," she said, staring holes through their heads as they fumbled for their pistols. "You should have taken it. I'm not as nice."
When the third asari prepared to send another warp in her direction, Athena was ready. She formed her own shield, crouching in front of Lycoris to keep her safe. The barking rounds bounced harmlessly from the barrier's surface, and the warp merely hissed and spat as her biotics absorbed it. The commandos stared at her in surprise, visibly recalculating their choice to attack.
"Wait, what—?"
Athena dropped her barrier and raced forward, summoning all the strength she could. Her arm snapped forward, and power pulsed from her open hand. Unlike her enemies, she didn't miss. The commando who had done a double take went sailing backwards as the blast collided with her chest. Its force carried her off the ground, and she streaked toward the nearest warehouse, crashing into a metal wall.
The commando fell, but Athena didn't bother checking to make sure she stayed down. She whirled around just in time to see the end of a pistol aimed at her head. Her eyes narrowed. This was the same commando who had insulted Lycoris, and her anger bloomed. Before the asari could fire, Athena sent a singularity rocketing above her head. It pulled the mercenary off her feet, and her gun clattered to the ground.
Athena drew her arm back, preparing to detonate the bobbing purple sphere, but movement caught her eye. The third, silent commando had decided to cut her losses and run, hurrying toward Lycoris's frighteningly still body. The thought of anyone taking her lover away sent Athena into a rage. She forgot the precision of her mother's training completely, and her fists balled in anger. "No!"
The asari froze in the middle of hauling Lycoris up, but it was too late. Athena charged. The commando summoned another warp. Everything exploded in a flash of blue, but Athena barely felt it. She was moving too fast to stop. Her eyes locked on the asari's shocked face, and that became her target. The next thing she knew, blood was streaming down over her eyes, and her entire head screamed with pain.
It didn't matter. Her enemy was sprawled on the ground in a daze, and Athena managed to aim despite her blurry vision. One warp later, there wasn't much left of the commando's armored chestplate, or anything underneath. Athena cleared her blurry eyes with the back of her glove, taking in the scene. The asari before her wouldn't be getting up. The first one slumped against the wall hadn't moved. The second one was still floating in midair, trapped by her singularity and looking absolutely terrified.
Athena didn't bother finishing her off. She dropped to her knees beside Lycoris and placed a hand on her chest. Tears mixed with the blood running over her face when she realized her lover was still breathing. "Just hang on," she whispered, activating her Omnitool and administering a dose of medigel. Some of the pain-lines on Lycoris's face smoothed out, but she remained unconscious. "I'm going to get help..."