This certainly merits the T rating. So look away if you're not into low-key JC smut.


He leans against the balcony, his lab-coat thick with sweat.

There's a little spot of grease on the nape of his neck but it's so him that she doesn't want it to be wiped away.

Technically, she's supposed to be monitoring some chemicals for him as part of their joint experiment, but she can't focus. There's something almost sensual about the way he's tilting his head back, gripping the cast iron railing.

She figures she can leave the bunsen burners on for just a few minutes, while she heads up to the second floor.

Setting her clipboard and pen down, she makes her way up the winding stairs. He clocks her coming out of the corner of his eye and his mouth curves into a self-assured grin.

"I assume the reaction was successful?"

"I'd say." She presses a hand to his chest and sidles up to him.

"Cindy." He gulps. Her sudden closeness is surprising, but not unpleasant. She smells like jasmine. He thinks he can also detect a faint hint of methyl anthranilate, but is too flustered to tell.

"Lab coat off. Now." She shrugs it off his shoulders, throwing it over the side of the parapet.

"Cindy—shouldn't we talk about this for a minute?"

"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what's about to happen, Neutron." She taunts.

"Did you turn off the—"

"Vox," She yells out, frustrated, "Turn off burners, please."

After a moment, there is a hiss. "Burners deactivating."

"Geez, you're more polite to my computer system than you are to me." He points out, half-joking, half-serious, pulling her in by the waist.

"Oh come on. The whole bitchy thing turns you on. Don't even pretend otherwise."

"What about the experiment? Our results will be skewed, Vortex." He complains, even as he presses his lips to her neck and trails a series of kisses down to the soft skin right above her sternum.

"Well, we're conducting a different one now. Get with the program." She tries to conceal a low moan. Even after all these years, she can't let Neutron have the satisfaction of knowing he's done something right. Call it a reflex, if you will.

"My working hypothesis is that someone is feeling very frisky today." He smirks as she presses into him and cuts him off with a kiss. Scientific method forgotten, he kisses her back, fiddling with the edges of her fluttering blouse.

"Stuff it, James." Her cheeks blush a deep shade of red as she twines her arms around his neck and grazes her nose against his gently.

"My, my, getting a bit rude and impatient, aren't we, Cynthia?" He starts to unbutton her blouse, the elegant green silk giving way to the sight of her black lace balconette bra.

He's speechless for a few seconds before he composes himself.

"What's the big deal, King Cranium?" She snorts. "You've gotten to second base before."

"Is admiring my girlfriend not allowed now?" He demands. Then, he looks up. "Vox, access file HEF. And dim lights."

She lets out a laugh. "You can't be serious. Same file from Valentine's Day when we were kids?"

"The very same. I've made a couple modifications for comfort and for aesthetic purposes, but nothing drastic." He concedes, guiding her to the holographic sofa (which feels entirely real).

She takes charge, pushing him back onto the cushions and easing herself onto his lap. "Always been a playboy, haven't you, boy genius?"

"Even geniuses could do with getting some brain." He flashes her a rakish grin.

Her eyes grow wide. "Wow, I did not expect you to know that terminology."

"I know a lot of things, Cindy."

"Good. Put them to use." She challenges.

He rises to the occasion as always, never one to miss a beat. "Gladly."


Later, once they are sated and the hologram has begun to fade into static slightly at the edges, she lays against him, his slightly erratic heartbeat slowly returning to its usual pace.

"We got no work done." He remarks with a sigh.

"Well, I wouldn't say that." She grins.

"Is everything you say today loaded with some double meaning, Vortex?" He looks at her lovingly, amused.

She squeezes his hand affectionately and brings it up to her lips to lavish his knuckles with a gentle peck.

"Only with you."

He holds her close to him. "Good."

"Experiment successful?" She falls openly into his embrace.

"Very. Would recommend a second round to confirm results."