A/N: Yes, I am still alive...and still writing. It's just this year so far (yes this entire 6 months) have been A Lot for me personally, so I just really have not had the energy nor mood to write; all I can say is that I am still actively working on my chaptered fics, and I'm hoping now that things have (finally) settled somewhat I'll have the time to write more.
'Damn…maybe it is too short?' Adam grumbled to himself, turning this way and that in the mirror after he'd finished wiping away bits of loose hair. As much as he didn't want to admit it, perhaps he had been a bit too zealous with the scissors the other day when he finally trimmed the sniper's hair back to its usual length—or rather, the length it used to be before all that shit went down. The day had been breezy and warm, Adam finally clean-shaven himself as he'd taken a sheet and scissors, and cut off the extra inches she'd gained while in the midst of her fervent search for Kaoru Asao in the ruins of San Francisco. It turned out alright he'd thought; Sio's hair had always been kept in a simple bob anyway so how hard could it be he reasoned—and for the most part the end result had looked the same…
'Ah! Adam, did you have to cut my bangs so short?' She'd turned around with a bit of a frown, Adam feeling a mite narked at both her comment and himself. So her bangs were slightly shorter than they used to be, was it that big a deal? The hair would grow back soon enough anyway. Besides, he was doing her a favor okay, would it kill her to show a little bit of gratitude? He'd said all this to her that day, much to the amusement of the rest of the Second Platoon who'd gathered around to see the results. And now it seemed he was 0 for 2, as his hands brushed against the bare skin along the back of his neck. At least his own bangs looked more-or-less the same, but as he once again felt the rough stubble of his newly-shaved undercut, Adam suddenly wondered if he'd taken off too much at once. For most of his life he'd kept his hair rather long and shaggy, only trimming it back until it just touched his shoulders and hid his ears; now, as he nervously glanced at his own reflection, it was just—gone. His neck felt exposed and vulnerable, and were his ears always so prominent? Scowling, Adam attempted to tug his remaining bangs around to the side more, in an effort to disperse the now-empty space framing his jawline.
"Bollocks…way to go, mate," he sighed, and resigned to taking his own advice that Sio had given him so much flack for. At least the dye job had gone a lot smoother, the girl's hair now back to her signature shade of brunette from the silver tresses that came about as a result of shock from Asao's then-disappearance…
Hands stilled and his eyes grew melancholy, Adam still wrestling a bit with his internal feelings even though both of them were back safe and sound now. 'Sio…please be alright now…' Despite the chaotic battle, (where neither of them wore any sort of protective gear), Adam felt, for the first time, that he had faith in their relationship at last; that no matter what happened from here on out, they trusted each other fully. Though, he wished it hadn't come at such a cost; that it didn't take the crisis of Sio's 'runaway e-gene' incident for them to finally be honest with each other, that it didn't result in Asao-san's terminal radiation poisoning.
Well, what's done is done he thought, and laid down the towel after wiping his neck one more time. Perhaps he was overthinking all this, and it wasn't really as bad as he feared; certainly Nightingale seemed to think so, the nurse clucking in sympathy as she tried to hide her amusement at his attempts to look fashionable. Besides, she consoled, Sio wasn't the type of girl who judged people based on appearances, so what did it matter in the end? It wasn't like he was trying to court her at this point, what with both of them having consummated their relationship at last. In any case, there was no point in sulking now; if he really hated it, well, it was as he told Sio—the hair would grow back in a couple of weeks.
Adam took a deep breath and opened the door, hoping the halls would be emptier than usual. The Ripper hated being at the center of attention as it was; he did not need to give people one more reason to turn and gawk.
"Oh wow! Adam, did you get a haircut too? Wait, don't tell me you gave yourself a trim as well…?" Speak of the devil. The second Adam stepped into the galley, hoping to making a cup of hot chocolate to soothe his nerves, the sniper was already there, making some tea for herself.
"Ah, Sio—"
"—Whoa, it's so, so…uh, short in the back…" Her eyes grew wide as she took in his new look in full, especially as she got to back, where a good chunk of it had simply been shaved off.
Adam blanched at her comment; he couldn't tell if the pause was good or not. 'Shit! I guess it really is too short…!' Unconsciously his hand went to his neck, feeling a strange emptiness there now instead of the familiar comfort of his previously long locks.
"Y-Yeh, I uh, thought I might as well give myself something different…though, maybe it's a little too different," he muttered, cheeks turning faintly pink. "I guess it is pretty short, huh…"
Sio blinked. Adam's new style was unexpected, but definitely not unpleasant. If anything, it freshened things up a bit, and gave her a better view of his neck and strong jawline. While she'd always joked about his uncanny resemblance to a wolf with his fluffy, shaggy hair, this new look gave him a cooler, almost edgy vibe. She was impressed he'd managed to give himself such a close shave without any help. 'Then again, he is pretty dextrous with blades…' His bangs were still layered as always, though she could tell they'd been neatly trimmed, and he'd even managed to give the rest of his hair some more layers to lighten it up. The stark contrast between his longer strands and the sharp line of buzzed undercut caused something to stir within her, and Sio felt her heart skip a couple of beats as she realized how attractive he looked.
'Ohmygod…he looks so hot!' The girl stood there in silence, mentally drooling a bit as she drunk in the sight of this new, edgier Adam. 'The undercut look is totally in right now, and it really shows off his neck…!' Adam seemed uncertain though, if the blush on his face was anything to go by. 'Aww, is he embarrassed? He's soo cute when he's all shy and blushing like this…!' Sio resisted the urge to squeal out loud. Though he'd mellowed out considerably after she got to know the 'real' Adam, it was unusual for him to lose his composure or act self-conscious like this. Especially now with the whole runaway e-gene incident finally behind them, he seemed to have taken on the self-appointed role of her personal guardian; even Jess and Mahesh had commented more than once how Adam was acting more overprotective than he used to. Her euphoria dropped a little as a thread of guilt wormed its way into her heart, Sio clutching the edge of her cape slightly. 'Adam, you don't have to worry so much about me anymore, you know…' She knew he still felt guilty for hurting her like that, even if it was to save her life; ever since that incident she sensed he was trying to act stronger than he really felt, but sometimes she wished he didn't have to try so hard for her sake.
Adam however, mistook her silence for shock and his expression dropped. "Yeh, it doesn't look so good, does it; I guess you were right squirt, maybe I overdid it with the cutting—"
"—Nuh uh! That's not true!" Adam jerked his head in surprise at the sniper's excitement. "You, you look so cool! I think it really suits you!" Sio was positively jumping up and down with excitement, circling Adam every which way as she admired his new haircut from every angle. "I mean, I like your old hairstyle too, but this looks so...different! I-In a good way of course," she added hastily, before Adam could take it the wrong way. "I think it's a nice change of pace, since I'm so used to seeing you with longer hair…" She said earnestly, giving him one of her shy, genuine smiles.
"I-Is that so…" The sniper always found the most unexpected moments to take him by surprise, even now. Of all the possible scenarios, he had not expected Sio to react with such enthusiasm to his new look; the zeal with which she admired and complimented him was a tad overwhelming, but Adam welcomed it warmly. Besides, it was worth the initial embarrassment to be rewarded with one of her rare smiles, which made his whole body flush in a very pleasing manner. "W, Well if you like it, then I suppose it's fine…" He rubbed the back of his now-bare neck sheepishly. "T'be honest, after I cut it, I realized I probably did overdo it when I cut your hair…apologies…"
The sniper touched her own bangs at his comment. "Eh…? Oh, it's okay; I mean, you were right, after all; my hair does grow pretty quick, and I've gotten used to it now, so…I'm fine with it." Sio twirled a strand of hair around her finger, now self-conscious of her own appearance. "And also, I was the one who asked you for the favor in the first place, so…I really appreciate it. It was nice to just do something simple like that again…together…" She whispered the last part, face now beet red as a myriad of emotions coursed through her.
Adam felt his own face grow warmer as well. "…Same here. Even though it sounds rather mundane, I…I enjoyed it. I didn't mind at all, even if you were miffed. It was good to be able to spend time together with you again…"
"Ah, Adam…" Sio stilled, now caught off guard by Adam's sincerity. A puff of heat went through her entire body and seemed to 'poof' through the top of her head. 'Wahh! So cute! It's so rare for him to act like this in front of me…!' Sio couldn't help but squirm nervously, fidgeting as she attempted to control her emotions.
"Er, Sio? Are you alright?" Adam was bit perplexed at the sniper's rapidly changing behavior.
"H-hai! I-I mean yes, I'm…I'm okay. Sorry," she smiled nervously, "it's just, you look so good…this hairstyle makes you look really handsome, in my opinion…" The sniper's gaze turned shy, her eyes now aimed at her shoes but Adam could see her smile still, along with a healthy pink across her cheeks. "You did a good job…otsukaresama…"
There was nervous chuckle from the man, before he returned her smile with one of his own. "Well, that's a relief; at first I wasn't sure what to make of this, but…" he ruffled his now-shorter locks slightly, "it is growing on me. I can't recall the last time I had hair this short, but I suppose it is good to change things up every now and then."
"It looks really good! Trust me!" Sio emphasized, and Adam laughed. "Though, I am curious; what made you decide to cut it like this in the first place? Especially since you said you normally keep your hair longer."
"Ah er, well I—" Now it was Adam's turn to act all flustered, as the sniper looked on in amusement. "It's nothing, really…but I figured, since we're all back in action now, long hair might get in the way and it's less work to keep clean, a-and—" Adam could hear Nightingale's teasing him about how worried he was about looking 'cool' for her, and rolled his eyes slightly. "—it wasn't just because I wanted to look good for you—"
By the time those words gained meaning it was too late; Adam gulped, while Nightingale laughed in his mind at his faux pas. "…I mean, um…"
"—You, you did that…for me?" Sio squeaked out, barely able to contain her excitement at this point. "Ah, er, um….y-you didn't have to, but hearing you say that really makes me happy…!"
"…Of course love; maybe this isn't something big, but if it makes you happy then—oomph!" Adam nearly fell over as Sio tackle-hugged him from behind. "O-Oy, careful there…"
"Mmnn…Adam, you're so cool, and strong, and kind…you're the best, you know?" The sniper muttered against the fabric of his jacket as she nuzzled his back. "It's true that it doesn't matter what your hair looks like, or how short my bangs are…but I definitely like seeing you look all cool and handsome like this…" She laced her small fingers within his much-larger hands, and Adam warmly closed the grip.
"Well, that makes me feel loads better. At first I seriously thought I messed this one up…but it seems things always have a way of working themselves out, yeh?" He could feel Sio nodding against his back, Adam greatly relishing the warmth of her arms around him. Well, it seemed like undercuts it was, then. At least for the next couple of haircuts.
"…Also, there is one other thing I like about this haircut." Just as Adam was about to untangle their bodies, he felt Sio sidle up firmly against his back. "And that's because, it allows me to do…this." He only felt the warmth of her breath against his bare neck for a few seconds, before her soft lips pressed a kiss against the line where his hair was shorn. His whole body tingled and Adam was sure he let out some weird, animal noise, but none of that mattered when electricity was jolting through his veins and his heart pounded furiously in his chest. Vaguely he heard Sio giggling in the background, finally letting go as Adam attempted to regain his composure. "Wow, your ears are turning red! Did that always happen? I guess I just couldn't see them until now…"
"S, Sio…! Seriously, can't ever let my guard down for even a second, 'ey…." Adam wheezed, trying to control his pulse. "Don't just do that in public…!"
The sniper giggled, but look no less abashed. "You know, you're just sooo cute when you get all flustered like this!" Her eyes took on a mischievous sparkle, and was it just him or did her voice drop in timbre? "Given how often you teased me back in the day…consider this payback."
"Hah…karma, 'ey?" The sniper took advantage of the moment and planted another kiss, this one along the side of his neck behind his ear. "Oy! Hanninmae!" Why did she have to smell so good, her lips so soft and supple as she gently nibbled his now-exposed earlobe, causing his whole body to shudder. "S-Sio please…!"
Adam stilled as Sio continued to breathe along his exposed skin. "Ho~? So you like this, don't you…?" Her voice continued its teasing lilt, now followed by hands that were ever-so-slightly wandering in places they probably shouldn't be. Like his belt. "Hmm…wanna take this somewhere more…private, then?" He felt her lips form another row of slow, sensual kisses down the side of his neck; no doubt she could feel his pulse thrumming, especially when she ran her tongue right along the vein.
That tone of voice; it was the same one she used when she was in the heat of battle as Nobunagun…and also when she was getting in the mood. Despite his apprehension, his own lips curled into a slow grin, revealing his slightly-pointy teeth. "Well well well…it appears our sniper is more than she seems, yeh? Just remember, you were the one who suggested it." And without another word he lifted her onto his back, carrying her at a half run to the nearest quarters while Sio squealed in delight.
"Oh, Jack! Sporting a new style, I see?" He was greeted by Gandhi in the galley the next day, Adam having just finished brewing a cup of tea for himself. "Not bad, not bad at all! Did you cut it yourself?"
"Eh, yeh I figured since I cut Sio's hair an' all, might as well give myself a trim…" he responded nonchalantly. "Wasn't sure if it was a good idea at first, but…I think it turned out alright."
Gandhi nodded in agreement. "I'll say! I never took you to be into the latest trends, but it suits you. And it seems like it's got Sio-chan's seal of approval as well?"
"H-Huh? What d'you mean…" Adam's hand immediately went to the back of his head in alarm. "I mean yeh, the squirt said she liked it…"
The Indian had to conceal his grin behind his own cup of coffee. "Ah, well I mean you didn't have to tell me that, 'cause it's rather obvious just from looking at, er…well, let's just say she left some pretty clear 'marks' back there, yeah?" Gandhi watched in amusement as the Ripper flushed about ten shades of red in about as many seconds.
"What th—that's, I—" Damn it all to hell; he should have known she'd end up leaving a mark here and there. He never had to worry about love bites before, since his hair had always been long enough to cover up anything suspicious (unless she was feeling particularly frisky and left it somewhere lower) but now Adam realized he'd have to pay closer attention. "…Yeh, well there you go."
Gandhi gave his friend a pat on the shoulder in sympathy. "Well, to be honest it's not much of a secret at this point, but…yeah." Another glance at the hickeys that showed just behind the Ripper's ear and neckline. "You wanna borrow some concealer from Newton or something?"
Adam scowled at that suggestion. "No, I'd rather not borrow anything from Newton; I'll just…deal with it…"
Gandhi let a low whistle. "That's pretty ballsy, but whatever you say, Jack." Just as the two men were about exit, the sniper flew in; her cape flared out behind from the speed and her hat sat askew.
"A-Adam! There you are! Ah, and Gandhi-san…"
"Oh, good morning Sio! You're in an awful rush—"
"—Th, this is…all your fault! Adam!" She screeched and huffed and pounded her fists against his chest, much to Adam's bewilderment. "You didn't have to go that far!"
"What?! What did I do now?" He grumbled, wondering what the sniper could possibly be mad about. Wasn't she just fawning and cooing all over him yesterday as she complimented his new haircut? He should be the one complaining about all the love marks she left.
The sniper however, was unfazed. "Don't play dumb! Y-You know what I'm taking about…"
Adam raised an eyebrow. "…Do I?"
Sio glared at him from underneath her visor, before she pulled it and her cape off. "Well, you should, mister…" And without caring that Gandhi was still in the room, she turned around and brushed her own hair aside, revealing a myriad of similar looking bruises. "Did you really have to be so, so…aggressive?"
"Oh my…well Jack, it seems you and Sio-chan might have some issues to work out." Gandhi laughed nervously as he slowly made his way to the exit. "I'll just put this out there one more time, but you're always welcome to borrow concealer from Newton…" The Indian sprinted out of the room before either of the two could say anything else.
Adam stared at the marks he left, a mixture of guilt but also pride swirling inside his chest. I did a pretty bang up job he thought smugly. He knew for a fact there was bound to be one or two more hidden by her shirt, as he explicitly remembered trailing down her back, kissing between her shoulders as the sniper squirmed underneath him, pinned in place by his weight as they—Adam coughed and forced his mind to stop going there. As Gandhi said, their relationship wasn't exactly a secret at this point, but if there were still any lingering doubts…
"Well, given the…enthusiasm you showed yesterday, can you really blame me? Like they say, revenge is a dish best served cold. Or I suppose, hot in this case," he gave her a knowing smirk, and Sio blushed. "Also, you're hardly one to talk," he groused, before turning and revealing her handiwork. "Unlike you, I don't even have a cape to cover it up, so I don't see what you're complaining about…"
"Th, that's, I…" Sio sputtered for words, but she had to admit Adam had her beat. "…W, Well, I didn't think it would actually leave a mark…"
"Tit-for-tat, squirt," Adam remarked dryly. "I guess we're both even. Look, if it bothers you that much, why don't you go ask Newton for some makeup? I'm sure she'd be thrilled to lend you some."
The sniper reacted in the same manner as Adam had earlier. "…N, No thanks. I'll just…try to cover it up for now…"
"Hn. Suit yourself. Anyway," he pulled her close and this time, it was the Ripper who breathed slowly against the sniper's ear, "I suppose, maybe we should both consider leaving our hair long again?"
"…Adam, you're such a perv."
Adam could only laugh at that. "As are you, love. But that's fine by me."
