AN: Be aware, I HAVE changed the rating of all the ongoing fics to "M" now, giving me the freedom to write nonsense like this. This is set immediately after 4D12C chapter 540, "I Can't Do the One-Two Step"; the bit of the story Oswin DIDN'T tell Eleven.

OSWIN & FLEK

Horizon Station, Titan, 5116

"I'm sorry," Flek Phisj whispered, releasing Oswin's face with those soft hands of hers. The opera continued to hum softly, but now it felt like Oswin was listening to it from miles away. "I shouldn't have-"

"You really should have," said Oswin right back, overcome with relief and lust – an intoxicating mix. Oswin stood on tiptoes to kiss Flek again, for only the second time, a kiss that got deeper and deeper and deeper.

They were wrapped up in each other before long, hands everywhere, stuck like magnets and falling back onto the sofa with Oswin now on top of Flek and in control – even though she hadn't made the first move. Flek had her legs around Oswin, keeping her as close as possible, while Oswin snaked a hand underneath Flek's shirt. Her skin was unbearably soft.

"Wait, wait," Flek stopped kissing her, "I don't think we should stay down here. What if someone comes in?"

"Nobody else is here, they're away," said Oswin, enjoying Flek running her fingers through her hair to keep it out of her eyes, long as it was.

"We should go upstairs, though."

"Your room or mine?" she said quietly, smiling an overpowering smile. She was just as good at making Flek melt as Flek was at making her.

"Yours is a bit…it still smells," she bit her lip, "Sorry."

"It's from those dirty plates. I've got rid of them now, though," said Oswin, aware Flek was trying not to offend her. She kissed Flek's neck, and Flek shivered. It looked like sex itself was on the cards, not just second base. "I haven't seen your room, though," Oswin breathed in her ear, "You can show me around."

"Show you around the spare room of your own house?"

"Exactly," Oswin smiled. She sat back up, pulling Flek with her, Flek who kissed her once again before they left the sofa completely. "I've never been into the spare room."

"You don't want to finish listening to your opera?"

"There are more important things than opera," said Oswin, leading Flek upstairs by the hand. With Oswin one step higher, they were nearly the same height. She left the music playing.

She didn't have time to take in the scenery of the guest bedroom, though. They were all over each other again far too quickly for that.

No, it wasn't until after that she could have a proper look around.

Not until after Flek's first orgasm from Oswin's hand inside her, or after Oswin's first, from Flek going down on her for an age.

Not until after half a dozen more orgasms, split equitably between them, and not until after over an hour of pleasure and exploration and pure release. The weeks of build-up, it finally came out, the pressure valve opened – and steamy would be putting their encounter lightly. It was a white-hot explosion.

Then Oswin saw Flek's bags and boxes, stacks of medical textbooks, her personal computer, her clothes and a few boxes of hydrogen peroxide and bubblegum-pink hair dye.

"I see," she said quietly, much later, pointing out the dye, half sat up in bed and resting on her elbows. "This isn't your natural colour." Flek laughed next to her.

"No. Sorry."

"Well," said Oswin, leaning back down, "I still like you anyway." She kissed Flek again. For the thousandth time that day. God, that smell. Cream soda. She could drink it up forever. "What colour is it naturally?"

"A secret."

"Go on, I won't tell anyone."

"…I'm ginger."

"Ah. That explains the freckles. And green eyes – they are naturally green, aren't they? Not contacts?"

"They're natural."

"I've never seen eyes so green. I could get lost in them. I've been getting lost in them since I first saw you."

"I've always liked brown eyes, myself."

"Then we're a good match, aren't we?" said Oswin. Flek frowned at that. "What?"

"The way you're talking…"

"Now we finally can talk," said Oswin, lying down on her side to face Flek, who had a pillow curled up tightly under her head.

"We talked before."

"But not properly, because of… because it's been hard for me to be around you. I have this monstrous crush. It's better we've fucked. Eased the tension."

"Jesus…" she looked away from Oswin for a moment, blushing furiously, "You've worked through it, then? Your crush?" She was scared Oswin would say 'yes'.

"Not remotely. But we can be more honest now, can't we?"

"About what?"

"I don't want this to just be sex, or a one-off. I want you, all of you, all the time – it's been driving me mad."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"…What if I don't feel that way about you?"

"You do," said Oswin, cocksure.

"I might not."

"You do," she repeated. "Or else, why am I here in your bed? Naked?"

"Just for the sex."

Oswin nodded, "Well, if we're not on the same page, there's no point in me staying, is there?" She made to leave, calling Flek's bluff. Flek pulled her back into the bed and kissed her again; Oswin returned the favour, and it went on for minutes. "Have you not got bored of that yet?" Oswin whispered eventually, arms around her.

"You'll have to work a lot harder to bore me."

"Challenge accepted – but, not right now." She released Flek from their embrace.

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" Oswin laughed, "I'm exhausted. You can keep having your way with me when we've rested a bit."

"Once we've rested, DOMS will kick in, and by the time that's over, everybody will be back," said Flek, "Your whole family."

"Flek," said Oswin, half-serious, "They sent you here to sit around and stop me from running off. I'm sure that within that remit, we'll have plenty of opportunities to liaise."

"But if we get caught-"

"Why would we? By someone coming to check on me in my room? They never do that. You're supposed to do that."

"Your brother, the tall one-"

"Fyn's my best friend. I trust him more than anyone. And why would the Spores care, even if they found out? If you're shagging me, I can't disappear, can I? Not that I would anyway, with these threats over my family." Flek didn't say anything to that. They didn't talk about the Spores; even so early on, that was a clear boundary.

"…Can I ask you something, Oswin? Something you won't like."

"You can – but that's not a great pitch, for future reference."

"You don't seem like you're… was that… I know that wasn't your first time." Not actually a question, but Oswin didn't say that.

"Grilling me about my past sexual encounters?" she laughed.

"I'm surprised there have been past sexual encounters, with you locked in this house."

"You wanted to be my first? Wanted to waltz in here and rip my virginity right out?" Flek made a face. "Sorry to disappoint."

"I'm not disappointed, I thought that's why you were being so awkward."

"You were the one being awkward," said Oswin.

"Me? I was trying to make normal conversation with you, and you've barely been able to string a sentence together. What's your excuse if that wasn't your first time?"

"That I'm infatuated with you." Flek stared at her. Oswin cleared her throat. "Anyway. It used to be a lot easier to sneak out. Before the cloud rolled in. There was this boy, one of Dret's friends, when I was fifteen. And then there was a girl. Nina. We were together for ages. But then it, she…" Oswin sighed. "I don't like talking about it. She wasn't very nice."

"Someone hurt you?"

"Lots of people have hurt me." Flek touched her face gently. "Don't pity me. I can't bear it. Keep thinking about how great I am."

"You're amazing," Flek humoured her, "And you're hidden away here. They told me you weren't just a genius, you're the genius. The most intelligent human being anybody's ever seen."

"Yeah. They tell me that too."

"Do you think it's true?"

"I hope not. It would be a curse. Sex is good for it, though; makes my brain quieter."

"It's not a medical condition, being clever."

"Too clever. So much going on, all that torment. I can't always keep the noise out."

"What do you mean?" she asked quietly.

"It's too loud sometimes. Then I go into these… moods."

"Angry, you mean?"

"No. Numb. Everything empties out, and I wish it would stay that way." Flek was getting upset. Oswin forced a smile. "Enough about that. I'm okay. Better than okay, even, because I've cum about six times in the last hour."

"Six? That's a record for me."

"Well, half of it's down to what you were actually doing, and the other half is down to the raw, uncontrollable attraction between us."

"Fifty-fifty? You only had three real orgasms, then?" she joked.

"If you want to eat me out again to boost the number, I won't complain."

"You're ridiculous. I'm getting up, I need to drink some water."

"Oh, stay in bed, it's the middle of the night. I'll be right here until the morning with you."

"I need some water," Flek reiterated, "Come with me."

"Come with you to get a glass of water?"

"A date. It'll be extremely romantic. I won't even put my clothes back on, since the house is empty." When she did leave Oswin's side to get out of bed, Oswin couldn't help but stare. "…Oswin?"

"Hm?"

"You're making me self-conscious now."

"Self-conscious? You're gorgeous," Oswin hastened to get up and join her, also not putting her clothes back on. "Let's go get that water, shall we?" She took Flek's hand again, squeezing tightly, crossing the hall into the bathroom.

"Ugh, I didn't bring a glass," said Flek when they were in there, the light switching on automatically when it sensed movement.

"It's the strangest thing about bathrooms," said Oswin, leaning on the sink with her back to the mirror, facing Flek. No clothes on either of them. "They're usually so busy. Especially when you're sharing them with eight other people." Oswin, her five brothers, and their parents.

"What are you getting at?"

"They're back tomorrow night," said Oswin, "But now, it's empty. Flek, do you understand? This could be our only opportunity to have sex in the shower. Ever."

"You were the one who said you needed to rest."

"I know, but then you're talking about getting water from the bathroom, and me coming with you, and us conveniently already being naked – it just seems like the obvious next step," Oswin nodded at the shower, tantalising as it was.

"I've never understood shower sex. It's slippery and you could choke."

"Maybe I enjoy being slippery and choking," she crossed her arms.

"…I appreciate the point you're trying to make. But hydration is important. And my mouth's very dry."

"Didn't seem all that dry to me earlier. I had my tongue right in there, so, I'd know."

"You're inappropriate. Has anybody ever told you that?"

"Of course," she nodded, "It's part of my schtick."

"How do you have a schtick when you never leave your room or talk to anybody?"

"I'm talking to you right now! And I'm not in my room. I left it hours ago. I think you like it, anyway. In fact, I know you do, because I can see your nipples."

"It's cold in here," Flek defended herself.

"Excuses. The shower's nice and warm."

"I'm not rejecting you, Oswin. I'm asking for a water break."

"You'd better go and fetch a glass, then, hadn't you?" said Oswin, "If you can bear to leave me."

"What if you're tricking me?" she said, "You could run out."

"Without any of my clothes? Even I'm not that arrogant."

"…I'll be right back," she said, leaving, taking one last look at Oswin as she did. When she was gone, Oswin smiled to herself. She took in her own reflection while she waited, trying to fix her messy hair, but Flek came back quicker than expected and caught her at it. "Not that arrogant, you said?"

"I was trying to be modest," Oswin grinned at her in the mirror.

"Got my glass," said Flek, approaching from behind. Oswin didn't move. Flek reached around her to run the tap and Oswin's heart raced. She was so warm, and right there. Oswin didn't say another word, watching her down an entire pint of cold water, utterly transfixed.

"Better now?"

"Much. You should have some."

"I think I'm wet enough." Flek glared at her. "You like it! You sit there, thinking, you can't wait to hear what I'm going to say next."

"I'm a doctor, you need to drink more water."

"Please, keep telling me about how you're a doctor; that'll get me to stand here and drink an entire glass of water instead of dragging you into the shower and dousing us in scorching water while I play with your-"

"Alright!" Flek cut her off before she could finish. "I don't need to hear everything you come up with." But she just stood there in silence.

"What?" asked Oswin.

"I thought you were going to drag me into the shower? Or is that just another thing you say and don't mean?"

"Say and don't mean?" Oswin approached her, "I mean everything I say." She made good on her promise, pulling Flek with her into the cubicle and switching the water on full blast.

In hindsight, Oswin's first evening with Flek was the best night of her entire life (and the best sex). It was her favourite memory from all twenty-six years she'd actually been alive. She replayed that shower in her head ad nauseam, even decades of death later. The innovations two people stuck alone together in a house for days could come up with were still the stuff of Oswin's daydreams.