A/N: continuation of Knowing How You Feel (see chapter 20); this time more from Adam's POV
cw: aphrodisiac-effect themes (does this even count as cw)
"Oh ho, if it isn't Jack the Ripper; ain't often ye come down an' pay me a visit..." The doors to the below sea level chambers of the C. Forrester swung open a with a creak, as the e-gene holder strolled in. "So what brings ye here?"
"Business mostly," came the bored reply, the Ripper keen on getting in and out as soon as possible. The dank, dark hold always smelled of strange chemicals mixed with the slightly-rotten odor of half-dissected Objects—and Adam, having just come off lunch, was not keen on losing it anytime soon.
"Mostly? Ye sure ye dinnae want another go with those, ah...specimens?" A knowing grin lit Hunters face as the secret curtain was flung back, revealing multiple canisters of small, (mostly) harmless EIOs that some of the male holders had taken for use in...personal pleasure, so to speak. "Want another size or—"
"—Definitely not," Adam replied flatly, dumping a folder of printouts onto the table. "Already told yeh, I'm not interested in trying anymore. 'Sides, Command asked me to deliver these to you—since apparently, you're the type who sends files to the printing room but never retrieves them..." He eyed the surgeon with a glare.
The anatomist could only respond with a sheepish laugh. "Och, a'ight Muirhead, s'ppose I owe ye one; tell ya what, I'll send ye off wit' a glass o' me good stuff—some gud ol' Scotch, that'll set things right." From some mysterious cabinet behind the shelves, Hunter produced two glass tumblers and a small jar of amber liquid.
"What is that...?" Adam took a whiff. "Whew, where'd you get your hands on something like this? I doubt it's standard issue..."
The other man leaned in close and wound an arm around his shoulder. "Ah, dinnae tell no one, but it's from me granddad; they dinnae make this stuff no more, gotta ration it out now..."
Adam took another sniff, before downing a shot—and promptly choked as the fiery liquid burned in the back of his throat. "Blimey, yeh weren't kiddin'..." He coughed again as the last of the Scotch finally made its way down.
"Ay, ye ken in the ol' days they said this stuff'll get ye goin' in the sack..." Hunter raised an eyebrow, a suggestive grin on his face as he elbowed the other man. Adam nearly spit the drink into the anatomist's face. "Oi oi, nae need t' spray it..."
"...Uh huh. Right." Adam muttered drily. It tasted alright, but seriously—aphrodisiac properties? Most of those rumors were probably just old wives' tales. He didn't believe in any of that crap—at most, likely exaggerations on the general effects of alcohol. "Anyway, thanks for the dram—always appreciate a stiff drink."
He waved casually to Hunter, who was still going on about how this 'special brew' was honestly the real deal—but Adam wasn't paying much attention to that. No, there were more important things right now—such as how the hell was he going to make a better impression on that newbie, Sio Ogura? Last time he'd managed to make her hot cocoa without making any jabs; but then during the following mission, he'd ended up chewing her out for a rookie mistake as soon as they landed back at base. He sighed, tugging at his collar and wondering when would he ever learn to control his temper.
Mahesh joked once that Adam was always hot-blooded and ready to pummel someone should they cross him, but the truth was, Adam was actually quite laid-back. Yet something about becoming an e-gene holder—or no, maybe it was because he'd been burdened to be the holder of Jack the Ripper, that he felt compelled to put up this...front. To mold himself into the aggressive, alpha-male leader of the Second Platoon, and whatever stereotypes that went along with that role...
Adam pulled at his tie again. Was it just him, or did the temperature rise all of a sudden? That can't be... Maybe it was his imagination, but he realized his clothes were sticking a bit to his skin and he was oddly sweaty, even though his gait was casual and relaxed. As he walked a bit faster, brows furrowed in confusion, he nearly collided with a petite figure who was just coming out of the gym.
"Oh—I-I'm s, sorry Jack-san—I didn't see you there..." That timid, stuttering voice... Adam felt his heart jump into his throat as he looked down, and there was the sniper he'd been so desperately trying to get closer to. Her brown hair was sweaty and sticking to her face—and judging from the tracksuit and the towel around her neck, she'd just finished a workout.
"Oy squirt, watch yer—" he caught himself before another insult could leave his lips—"I mean, be careful, yeh? Don't...hurt yourself..."
Her face bloomed into a brilliant pink, the girl once again caught off-guard by his unusual sincerity. "A-Ah, um J, Jack-san...I, uh...I'll be more careful next time...thanks..."
She blinked those enormous maroon eyes at him, those soft lips curving into just the smallest of smiles; before he could even attempt to return it though, Adam felt his trousers start tightening. The smile froze on his face as a cold sweat of fear ran down his spine, as he realized he was getting one hell of an erection just from a simple exchange of words.
'Shit! What the fuck is going on...?!' He desperately need to leave, now, before the squirt could notice the tent between his legs.
"Ah—J-Jack-san? Are you feeling okay? You're, you don't look so good; in fact, you look pretty flushed...!" As if the situation couldn't get more strained, the sniper suddenly reached up and put her small hand across his forehead. Adam nearly moaned at the sensation, of her warm palm smoothing across his sensitive skin, how close she stood to him now so that he could count every single eyelash, and smell the musky odor of clean sweat, along with something else...
Just before he lost it the girl pulled her hand back in shock. "Aaah, Jack-san—I, I think you should go to the hospital wing! You're burning up!"
"—No, I don't—I, I'm not..." Adam grit his teeth, desperate to ignore the fact his groin felt like it was about to burst. "I'm alright...I just, probably had a bit too much to drink; was chattin' up Hunter, and he offered me a glass..."
The sniper looked up again with that shy, concerned expression, and Adam had a sudden vision of the two of them, naked and rutting like animals on his bed. Did she know how bloody effective that look was?! Why did she have to be so goddamn adorable—and why did he have to be such a grade-A arse?
"A-Are you sure? I mean, maybe you should go get a checkup just in case..."
"—Trust me, I'm fine, squirt," Adam ground out, hoping he didn't sound too harsh. Truth be told, it was starting to get difficult to act normally; all his senses felt distorted, some muffled while others were hypersensitive. He was having a hard time concentrating on anything other than this desire to breed—preferably with the girl right in front of him, right this minute.
"I'm just, gonna go lie down for a bit..."
Her face immediately fell a little, which temporarily shook him out of his strange mood. "Oh, I...I see. Well just...t, take care of yourself Jack-san..."
No! He messed up again! Just before Sio could make her gloomy exit, he forced himself to collect his thoughts first, before opening his mouth.
"I...I'll be fine. But I appreciate your concern...Nobunagun. Thanks."
He wanted to stick around and see her reaction, of whether or not she would take his words to heart—but as it was, Adam could only use the opportunity to beat a hasty retreat back to his quarters, hoping to hell Sio didn't suspect anything else.
It was too bad he had to leave so soon; for if he'd only stuck around for just a few seconds longer, he would've seen her face pinkened with a warm blush, complete with a small smile.
"Hah, hah...bloody hell, what is going on?!" Panting, Adam groaned with relief as he sank onto the cool covers of his bed. "Am I really such a pervert that I'll get off just by talking to the squirt?" He grimaced, trying to take off his uniform with some difficulty. "No, that's not it...I always run my mouth whenever she's around...this is something else..."
As he finally loosened his tie and popped open the top buttons for some air, Adam remembered Hunter's bragging about the supposed aftereffects of the 'secret spirit' from his family's cellar. 'Impossible...don't tell me he was actually telling the truth...!' Still, at this point it was clear he was quite aroused—almost painfully so. Just the rustling of fabric across his skin caused him to shiver with pleasure, and the heat that the squirt had been so concerned about—well, he was definitely sweating, even with his shirt half-open in the air-conditioned room.
"God damn it...next time I see Hunter, I'm going to kill him..." Adam growled under his breath, now resigned to taking care of his little 'problem' before it got out of hand.
Might as well...
He kicked off his trousers and flopped onto the bed, the cool sheets a welcome relief against his burning skin. Even without touching anything his erection already stood at an impressive attention, stiff and throbbing and begging for stimulation. As soon as his fingers wound themselves around the hot, velvety skin, Adam couldn't help but shiver. "Fuck..." Moaning softly, he started stroking his cock, which was already wet and leaking well before he'd even returned to his room. The air conditioning did little for the heat, which continued to build and course through his entire body as his hand moved faster. "Nng, fuck—it feels so good...!" Had he always been this sensitive, or was it really the effects of the Scotch? Writhing around on the bed, the edge of his shirt brushed against his nipples, and he jumped with a start at the sensations.
"Wh-what the..." Taking a break, Adam slowly looked down at his chest, poking a stiff nipple with a finger—and shuddered from the sensation. "You've gotta be kiddin' me..." Not only were they much more sensitive than normal, but as he rolled the tip between his fingers, he swore they felt more tender and swollen than usual, as well. If he weren't so hazy with lust at the moment, Adam would've been a bit concerned at how prominent they were, but as it was, he was currently enjoying the extra pleasure that teasing them brought.
"Ah, tha's good..." The extra hand was now alternating between each nipple, teasing one until he could take it no more and he would switch to the other. Pure, heated ecstasy coursed through his veins, his clothes now more than a little damp with sweat as he gasped for breath. Gripping his engorged cock, he pushed down on the swollen head with his thumb and spread the precum all over—which nearly pushed him over the edge in the process, Adam letting out a sharp cry as his hips jerked.
"N-No...no, not yet...!" Chest heaving, he forced himself to take a break, sinking back onto the mess of pillows as he caught his breath. What would the sniper think if she saw him now: shamelessly wanking himself off while drunk with lust, a slave to his body's desires?
"Sio...no, you're too good for that...for something like this..." She was just an innocent girl, and his teammate at that—there was no place for her in something as vulgar and sleazy as this. That shy, almost-smile she graced him with just before he had to depart flashed in his mind and Adam groaned, feeling his cock pulse just from thinking about her. How pathetic; pining after a girl whom he could barely even hold a decent conversation with, and who probably would never return his feelings—yet here he was, once again fantasizing about her while masturbating. She was too sweet, honestly; there was no way he'd be good enough for her, to treat her the way she really deserved.
And yet... Adam found himself thinking back to their previous battle, wherein right as the situation seemed dire, the sniper did a complete 180—all confidence and brash attitude, her infamous Three Line Volley shooting with reckless abandon and filling the air with bullets. She'd even quipped a cheeky comment afterwards, something about how men could be counted on to start a job but never finish it—"just like how you can never finish by yourself, hmm~?" she'd leered, knowing full well that he'd understand the double-entendre.
There was no way the normal Sio would ever be so bold or talk back to him like that. But it was clear now, that when Sio took to the field of battle as 'Nobunagun', she didn't let any of those insecurities hold her back.
In fact, as Nobunagun, Sio Ogura could be quite the dominant one.
An image of the sniper appeared in his mind once more—but instead of the timid, shy schoolgirl, she was haughty and self-assured. Dressed in a skimpy, black sling-bikini paired with high-laced boots, her crimson eyes glowed with an almost-sadistic quality; those lips curved into a more of a sneer than a true smile as she sauntered up to him.
"Ara ara, so these are your true colors? You, who's always been so insolent to me, and now you're begging for my attention? How pathetic."
"Y, Yeah...you're right, I am pathetic..." Adam mumbled, his mind starting to blur the lines between reality and fantasy. Part of him knew this wasn't real, that it was all in his head, but his body certainly responded to the fantasy. His cock twitched underneath his hand as he imagined Nobunagun towering over him, a look of contempt across her face.
"Since you have the audacity to use me as wank material, show me how you get yourself off then. At least your body is impressive, even if your manners are atrocious."
His thoughts were running wild now as Adam fully indulged in this Scotch-fueled delusion. Precum was leaking all over his length and between his fingers, letting him pull the foreskin back and slide it over the tip with ease—he hissed through his teeth from the sensations as he pumped faster, while his other hand pinched a swollen nipple and he yelped from the pain-pleasure.
"That's right, show me how you jerk off, you slutty dog," she grinned, a wicked smile on her face. "Does it feel good~? You're leaking so much..."
"Y-Yeh, it does...it, feels real good Sio!" Sweat dripped off his pecs and down his abs, his fingers now slippery with precum as Adam continued this fantasy of being absolutely dominated into submission by the proud, confident Nobunagun. "I-I'm sorry for being like this...for using you like, this..."
She leaned down, kneeling right next to him. "Ho~ Now you're sorry? Why now? You're so cowardly you can't admit your true feelings to my face, yet you're so shameless in exposing yourself like this?"
His nail dug into the tip and Adam grunted, both from pain and pleasure. "Mmph—n, no, it's not that...I, I just don't know...how..." He trailed off helplessly, pausing to wipe a bit of drool from his mouth. "I, I want to tell you...how I, feel..." A strange feeling of physical pleasure mixed with guilt seized in his chest and Adam writhed on the sheets, clutching the edge of his jacket.
That was the truth, wasn't it? Deep down, Adam knew he had feelings for Sio—no, it was more than that. No matter how much he tried to deny it, or write it off as just friendship, at this point he was falling in love with Sio Ogura.
"Yet you remain as disparaging as ever."
"I, I know—agh, shit—!" Another bolt of pleasure shot through his body and his sharp teeth bit into his lips hard enough to draw blood; the salty, metallic taste flooded his tongue as a drop of crimson dripped down his chin. He was panting and gasping for air, his body still physically trying to reach that peak even as his heart quarreled with itself on the rights and wrongs of what he was doing. Why was he so cold-blooded towards her? Being irritated by her inexperience was one thing, but she'd improved by leaps and bounds since the beginning. And that alone didn't warrant the constant sarcastic jabs and condescending remarks.
So why...
"I-I don't, I'm...I'm, scared..." That last part was whispered out before Adam even realized it; his true self coming forth as his mind became disarmed from pleasure.
"Scared? Of what, lil' old me?" She teased, now lying down next to him. "How amusing; London's infamous phantom killer, frightened by a mere schoolgirl..."
Even though he knew he was all alone, Adam swore at that moment, Nobunagun was right there in the room with him. His vision blurred from his building orgasm, further impacted by the alcohol in his system—he blinked a drop of sweat away and for a second saw her hand right on top of his, both of them stroking his throbbing member.
"Wha, what are you..."
"Shh, don't think. There's no need to think so hard on anything. Just focus on how you feel, right now."
"How...what, I feel?" The fantasy threatened to evaporate as fear seized his heart, and Adam felt his stomach churn. Suddenly he didn't really want to continue anymore, instead pulling his hand away and stared with disbelief at the precum stained all over it. "...No, I can't; that's impossible—"
"That wasn't a suggestion, Adam Muirhead. It's a command."
Her cold tone pierced his ear and Adam swung around, but there was nobody there. As he tried to get a sense of what was going on, his hand seemed to move on its own, resuming the strokes along his cock and he fell back onto the bed. "Gah! What's happening...!"
"You need some practice. Here, I'll even help you." Her hand grasped his, and used it to stroke in long, deep movements. "Tell me, what are you doing right now?"
It took a few seconds for Adam to regain his breathing long enough to speak. "I-I'm, you're...I'm stroking m-my...c, cock..."
"Very good," she purred, and sped up the pace slightly. "Now, tell me how that feels? Is it good? How so?"
"Nngg—it, it feels...ah, good...when you move, faster...my cock, feels really good...!" Fingers grasped the swollen tip and twisted the edge slightly; his back arched on instinct as Adam threw his head back from ecstasy. "Fuck—it's so sensitive...!"
"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Long, slender fingers drew themselves up his torso. "Shall I take care of your nipples as well? They're so swollen...at least your body is honest."
"I...hnng..."
"What was that? I told you, be honest with your feelings. What do you want me to do?"
"Y...Yes, please..." Adam swallowed hard and forced his pride down his throat. Some part of him refused to be humiliated like this, but at this point all he wanted was release, to lose himself in the pleasure of this fantasy. "Please, touch my nipples..."
A feminine giggle sounded in his ear, before pricks of heat spread across his chest and throughout his entire body. His balls ached between his legs, reminding him of their eventual need for release. He tried to tell her, that he really wanted to come soon, but all that came out was a deep, throaty moan. His entire body thrummed with a tense energy, twitching and shivering as his hand moved faster and faster.
"You're close. You want to cum, don't you? To shoot your seed out all over the place..."
"Y-Yeh...I'm close...I'm, gonna cum soon..." Thick, sloppy sounds of precum echoed through the room as a few drops splashed onto his stomach. Everything was tense and quivering, the heat in his groin swirling like liquid fire as Adam felt his balls start contracting slightly in anticipation.
"...I don't think so." Her eyes narrowed and she pulled his hand off. "Not until you answer me honestly: what is Sio Ogura to you?"
Adam cried out in despair at the loss of stimulation. So close! But no matter how hard he willed his hand to move it just lay there, like a dead weight by his side. "No...! I don't—what do you mean?!"
"I mean exactly that: tell me, who is Sio Ogura to you? What does she mean to you?" That blood-red gaze, now deadly serious as she hovered above him. "Or is your heart really that weak?"
"Sio Ogura..." The newbie. Rookie. Hanninmae, as he had a penchant for calling her—though 'half-baked squirt' was hardly a pleasant thing to say. An innocent bystander who had no business thrusting herself into such danger—and yet it was she who 'borrowed' his AU ball, nevermind the fact she had no battle experience and didn't even know what an e-gene holder was—she only knew that she had to save her friend, Asao-san, all because they hadn't exchanged emails yet. Later on they'd learn how important this girl was to the sniper, how she motivated Sio to train harder; to push past her doubts and come up with a brilliant strategy that bested even Vidocq's. Stone Forest, as she'd dubbed it, because even after presenting a winning strategy she still couldn't hide her otaku passions: guns and tanks, tokusatsu shows and kaiju films...
A mere Japanese schoolgirl whom just happened to be the e-gene holder of the infamous Oda Nobunaga, and inherited his tactical prowess for both politics and warfare. Not to mention that obsession with guns—her Three Line Volley was a formidable armament, even among the wide variety of AU weapons from other holders. And yet she never considered herself to be the best, or tried to martyr herself. No, she knew the importance of teamwork, of actively forging better relations between everyone; not just to make them stronger but because she earnestly wanted to be friends.
Despite the haze of lust clouding his mind, Adam's lips curved into a genuine smile. "Heh...she's bloody brilliant, honestly; she's stubborn and quirky, even though that otaku obsession's weird as hell... But she's...sincere. And kind. Plus she's got the most god damn amazing smile, when she actually shows it...
His heart ached in his chest, that tug of emotions even stronger than his current libido. It was deeply embarrassing to admit, but at this point Adam could no longer deny the truth. He had to tell someone, even if she was just a figment of his drunken imagination born from his burning desire for her.
"Sio...I, want you to become someone important to me...and I hope, I can...be the same to you..."
Her expression was inscrutable, but it was no longer cruel or stoic. "...Well done."
Nothing more was said; instead she took his hand back up and this time both of them were stroking him, together; her fingers intertwined with his as they moved faster and smoother, Adam feeling his breath catch in the back of his throat as the crescendo rose steadily. "Hnng...fuck yes—oh god, Sio I'm...mmmnn, c...cumming...!" His hips bucked unsteadily as he dug his heels into the mattress. "S-Sio!"
"Don't hold back, Adam; let yourself go."
His head swam and with a single gasp his climax exploded all at once; there was nothing he could do but jerk violently, feeling the warm sperm drip all down his hand and wrist, oozing between his fingers. Teeth remained clenched as Adam breathed hard, feeling his balls tighten and contract repeatedly throughout the orgasm. Thick ropes of cum shot out onto the sheets as he thumbed the head, leaving him breathless and shaking.
"Oh god, fuck! Guh—I'm cumming so hard...!" It was almost a little too intense; Adam whimpered from the hypersensitivity as his hands gradually slowed, still slick with sperm and precum as he milked the last few bits of pleasure out. Something soft and warm brushed his bangs in a soothing manner, and Adam swore he heard a soft whisper of reassurance—but he eyes were firmly shut and so he could only wonder if it was real, or just his imagination.
"Good boy; perhaps you do have what it takes." Slowly she stood up, licking the last traces of his sperm from her fingers. "Don't let me down, Adam Muirhead..."
"Hah, hah...oh, Sio..." He blinked a few times, chest still heaving as he lay curled to one side. The sheets were an absolute disaster at this point, as was his uniform—a few buttons had popped off some time during his little 'session' and were nowhere to be found, and that wasn't even counting the white stains that were everywhere. Adam winced a bit at the mess, but was too exhausted to care.
Damn. He really did have the hottest sessions whenever he thought about her.
With a grunt Adam forced himself to at least strip off his ruined uniform, shoving it off the bed where it joined his trousers as he pulled a comforter over his sweaty, naked body. Sleep sounded real good right about now...with a deep sigh he laid his head down on the pillow and closed his eyes.
Maybe one day—soon, hopefully—he'd finally screw up the courage to tell her how he really felt.
The energy in the atmosphere finally settled after such a passionate bout. The room was quiet and dark, save for the low hum of the ship's engines. Only a deep breath every now and then punctuated the silence, the boy fast asleep after what was probably one of his most emotionally and physically intense masturbation sessions to date. It was perfectly normal of course, and healthy for a young man his age to masturbate regularly, and explore his own desires via a variety of fantasies. It was much safer after all than say, attempting to replicate some of them in real life.
Still, as time went by, it became clear that Adam might be needing a bit of a push in the right direction if her vision was to come to fruition. She'd already hinted to the boy, when they'd been passing over Japan once, that someone down there would become 'the most important thing' to him; yet when boy actually met girl, the nurse had to admit even her confidence dropped a little. Perhaps she'd been mistaken...? But the Voice of God was never wrong, per say; it showed her what the critical point was, but didn't give any indication as to how to resolve it.
Florence Nightingale rubbed her temples. That stubborn boy... Normally, her reincarnation was fairly amenable to her hints and suggestions; but apparently confessing one's feelings was still as perplexing as ever, even more than a century later. Not that his alpha male behaviors were helping, either. At times she wanted to box his ears and demand he drop the whole Jack the 'lone wolf' Ripper act, but in a way, she understood his need to put up this semi-charade; to protect both his own heart and her secret.
His feelings for the sniper were no secret to the nurse, though. She knew his thoughts, emotions, even his deepest, most intimate desires—including his masochistic tendencies. In a sense, they were one and the same; he was her reincarnation and she existed in a spiritual form to guide him, and though she no longer had a physical body and they had separate minds, their souls were still impossibly intertwined together. She'd been watching from the shadows with baited breath, cautiously optimistic as Adam slowly became aware of his own changing feelings; the annoyance mellowing out into grudging acceptance, then bloomed with shocking speed into respect and even love.
'And yet you still haven't paid the poor girl a single compliment.' Well, one couldn't rush love, after all. She had faith that it would all work out, in due time. Though, the nurse had to admit, it probably wouldn't hurt to give him just a bit of a nudge to get things moving.
She looked down at her vessel's sleeping visage. His brows were smooth and relaxed, a rare look of serenity upon his usually-scowling face. He must've been exceptionally exhausted... The nurse felt a bit of pity as she recalled his rather...exciting fantasy. 'Perhaps I overdid it a bit...oh well...'
So maybe taking advantage of her reincarnation's drunken state, and the aphrodisiac's effects to project herself as a dominatrix version of his crush was a bit over-the-top. But then again, Adam was a masochist—even if he hadn't quite realized it himself. And she knew that, for all his brash, aggressive behaviors, when push came to shove he'd have no qualms about being a submissive one in a relationship. Besides, it finally got Adam to consciously admit his true feelings for Sio, so that was a victory in her book.
Though, Florence Nightingale did hope that would be the last time she'd have to pull such a stunt. Though she wouldn't deny its effectiveness (who knew BDSM could also double as a psychotherapy session), she didn't want him to get the idea that Sio Ogura was actually a sadist (or was she; there were times the nurse sensed something darker lurking within the girl, but she wasn't certain). Moreover, interfering with her vessel's private 'alone time' was practically an unspoken taboo; even if they were technically one and the same.
She'd put it down to that dodgy glass of whisky the anatomist had offered Adam. The nurse made a mental note to berate Dr. John Hunter the next time she saw him.
Her hostile thoughts towards the anatomist were temporarily forgotten, as she heard Adam mumble in his sleep. "Hnn...Sio..." Gently, she reached a single hand out and patted his hair soothingly. To her surprise he responded as if he had felt her, turning and sighing towards her direction. Well. Adam was unusually sensitive—perhaps the most sensitive, amongst all the holders. To the best of her knowledge, none of the others conversed with their respective e-genes to the extent they did, so perhaps she shouldn't be surprised that he could sense her intentions, as well.
'...Sleep well, my dear.'
