(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="http://i.imgur.com/bMlkHcn.png" width="85%" alt="Hero Worship" />
#Hero Worship
an explicit X6-88 fiction
With the Brotherhood and the Railroad gone, the Sole Survivor has become the Director of the Institute. But life is lonely at the top and there's only one person in the Institute the Sole Survivor truly tolerates.
---
In this bit of writing, the protagonist is the Sole Survivor and has a vulva, clitoris, vagina, etc. (but no mention of breasts).
I am about to ask you some questions about the protagonist on the next page, including you/your Sole Survivor's pronouns.
What you enter will show up in the rest of the piece, so make sure you capitalize correctly, etc.
These variables will stay the same for the rest of the piece.
It may also seem a little name heavy, but that was necessary to accommodate all the pronoun options and have all the actors be clear.
<center><span class="white">[[3rd Person->Options]]</span> | <span class="white">[[2nd Person->Options2]]</span></center>]What is your character's subject pronoun?
(dropdown: 2bind $She,"She","He","They")
What is your character's preferred honorific? (Uppercase)
(dropdown: 2bind $Maam,"Ma'am","Sir","Director")
What is your character's preferred honorific? (lowercase)
(dropdown: 2bind $maam,"ma'am","sir","director")
Was your spouse Shaun's "mom", "dad", or another term? (lowercase, without quotes)
<input type="text" data-varname="dad">
Which of the following best fits Shaun's other parent (Uppercase)?
(dropdown: 2bind $dadhe,"He","She","They")
What is your character's first name?
<input type="text" data-varname="firstname">
What is your character's last name?
<input type="text" data-varname="lastname">
What is your character's hair color? (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="haircolor">
What is your character's hair length? (short, chin-length, long, etc.) (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="hairlength">
What type of hair does your character have? (wavy, straight, curly, etc.) (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="hairtype">
What color are your character's eyes? (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="eyecolor">
(link-goto: "Done", "aPlayer")
<script>processInputElements();</script>''This is what you entered:''
Pronouns (Uppercase): $She, $Hernotposs, $Herposs, $Hers
Pronouns (lowercse): $she, $hernotposs, $herposs, $hers
Honorfic: $Maam, $maam
Shaun's other parent: $dadhe was a $dad
First name: $firstname
Last name: $lastname
Hair color: $haircolor
Hair length: $hairlength
Hair type: $hairtype
Eye color: $eyecolor
$firstname $lastname ran $herposs hand through $herposs $hairlength, $hairtype $haircolor hair, $herposs $eyecolor eyes staring across the Wasteland.
If that looks correct, please [[Start Here->Page One]]
If ''not'', please click the curved back arrow above in the upper left hand corner to re-enter the information.$firstname lay in $herposs bed, staring at the sterile, white ceiling above $hernotposs. When $she took over the Director's Quarters, $she removed all of the boxes in the back rooms and gave the place a complete overhaul. A proper bathroom, an actual bedroom, some tools that were much nicer than what $she had grown used to on the surface, and the place started to feel a little like a real home. There wasn't much $she could do about the barren sense of desolation, though. That was a core issue with the Institute itself. As much as they considered the surface a hellscape, at least it had some personality.
"$Maam?"
$She sat up and swung $herposs feet over the side of $herposs bed, rubbing the side of $herposs head. X6 had become a good ally over the months, though he wasn't exactly a good person. Hell, $she sometimes wondered whether //$she// qualified as a "good person." The Brotherhood got what they deserved, there was no doubt about that, but what the Institute did to the Railroad kept $hernotposs up some nights.
"Yeah, what's up, X6?" $she asked as $she rounded the doorway to $herposs bedroom, finding him standing in the foyer of $herposs quarters.
"Chief Engineer Filmore asked me to come find you. She said you were scheduled to have a meeting with her an hour ago," X6 said, his voice as calm as ever.
"Shit," $she said. "Was that today?"
$She hurried over to $herposs computer and punched up $herposs schedule, then groaned as over a dozen messages popped up. Defeated, $she fell into $herposs chair, spinning around to face the large bay window overlooking the concourse. $She showed zero signs of answering any of those messages or hurrying to $herposs late meeting.
"$Maam," X6 said, his tone so polite it was almost pointed.
$She looked up at him, folding $herposs hands in $herposs lap. With the Railroad gone, the coursers had much less work to do. Patrolling the Wastelands was a waste of their skills, so most of them spent their time idle around the Institute. $She tried encouraging them to learn new skills that piqued their interest, but it felt like beating $herposs head against a brick wall.
X6 hadn't picked up any new hobbies, but he had always preferred doing nothing to expending any effort. At first, $she thought he liked peaceful resolutions. But $she heard the excitement in his voice whenever they found a gunfight--the man loved mowing down raiders. It wasn't that he was peaceful. He would just choose to do nothing at all.
"They know to send you, don't they?" $she asked. "You're the only one I can't ignore."
Other than their history of working well together, $she always found him to be particularly handsome. Especially at this moment, zipped up in a crisp, white uniform with a high neck that nearly bumped his chin. His ever-present sunglasses were nowhere to be seen, which made things worse because $she could see the look he was giving $hernotposs. No one else in the entire Wasteland would have been able to interpret his expression; it came across as flat and unenthused, but //$she// could see the disapproval on his face.
"$Maam," X6 said. "I am about to suggest something I will regret later."
"Go on," $firstname said.
"But I believe you need some time on the surface."
"Holy shit, do I ever," $she said. "Will you go with me?"
X6 sighed, his steel-grey eyes wavering the smallest amount.
"Who else is going to keep you safe?" he asked.
$firstname stood and grabbed his arm, grinning ear to ear. After slapping his bicep a few times, $she headed out the door with a wave of $herposs hand, intent on finding Filmore. After all, $she had fallen behind schedule and had some catching up to do. That left X6 standing in the Director's Quarters, his stare as blank as the wall in front of him. He let out another sigh, the Wasteland's softest, and trailed behind $hernotposs.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[[Continue->Page Two]]]]''Point gains/losses''
tasty cakes +1
selfish +1
peaceful +1
charistmatic or intimdating +1
hacking +1
modifying weapons and armor +1
using powerarmor +1
helping institute +1
generious (to others) -1
nice (to others) -1
helping settlers -1
give people items -1
murder nonhostiles -2
addicted to chems -1
chem usage -1
healing dogmeat -1
nudity -1
using vertibird -1
Impartial to pickpocketing and theft
Impartial to violence but likes peaceful solutions
Impartial to being mean to people
Hates the idea of flying, doesn't like heights
Doesn't like being wet
Bored by the idea of films/TV
Doesn't understand bowling
Not impressed with books (terminals at Institute)
Doesn't understand purpose of a fountain
Doesn't like beer. Thinks alcohol and chem use are the same, disapproves.
"cool" "detached" "Deadpan" "smug"
520 words in BS$She tried to stay out of Boston proper; it was too messy to go into town. Sure, $she had forged many good connections with people before becoming the Director of the Institute, but it was a stretch to pretend it didn't strain $herposs relationships. Everyone hated the Institute, and they would for a long time, even with $hernotposs at the head of it. Things didn't change overnight and it was too difficult to see the disappointment on people's faces.
Instead, they went north to Winchester and Woburn, small villages that barely made the map. No one lived out here and $she would be surprised if they saw a raider. What the area did have, however, was nature and lots of it. Even before the bombs fell, the area was known for its parks, and when $she needed to get away from the demands of life, $she just had to drive up here.
$She crouched near the bottom shelves of a dilapidated corner market, digging out debris. Sometimes, if a person was lucky, they could find something wedged in the far corner. $She got on $herposs side, the dust billowing up around $hernotposs in a cloud, making $hernotposs cough a few times. X6 looked over the shelves from where he stood to make sure $she hadn't gotten in any trouble.
"$Maam?" X6 asked.
"I'm fine," $firstname said.
$Herposs fingers scraped something in the back, something smooth. It was cardboard. $She snagged it and pulled it out with a triumphant cry, then held it above $herposs head. A box of Fancy Lad Snack Cakes. $She didn't know what $she had expected, but a pack of waxy snack cakes that hardly tasted good in 2077 wasn't $herposs idea of a prize. A box of industrial shortening, the kind that had no expiration date, would have been better.
With a sigh, $she...
[[shoved the snack cakes in $herposs backpack->cakes]].
OR
(set: $cakes to "false")[[tossed the snack cakes back on the shelf->Page Three]].
Fancy Lad Snack Cakes, packaged in a pink box with a white border. Each letter on the front was superimposed over an image of a cupcake. Good memories.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="http://i.imgur.com/DQm5XIT.png">]
(set: $cakes to "true")[[Into the backpack they went.->Page Three]]"What are we looking for?" X6 asked as $firstname got to $herposs feet and shook the dirt from $herposs $hairlength hair.
"Nothing. Everything. Anything," $she said. "I know you hate scavving, but let me live a little. We'll find a gunner for you to shoot later."
"You don't need to worry about me, $maam," X6 said. "I'm only here to escort you while you have your... fun."
"Bullshit," $firstname said as $she slapped him on the chest lightly and stepped over the crumbled wall to the street--the front door was in ruins. "One, I worry about you and you'll never stop me from doing so. Two, I know how much you hate the surface, but I also know you enjoy shooting your rifle."
$She pointed at an old stone water tower on a hill, then shouldered $herposs backpack. $She couldn't see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but $she could see the way X6 pressed his lips together in a long line. He hated heights. He never admitted it outright and never would, but made plenty of statements in the past for $hernotposs to connect the dots. It made sense, given he spent the bulk of his life underground.
"You can wait at the bottom," $she said.
"Why would I do that?" X6 asked.
$She shrugged and started the hike up the hill, X6 right behind $hernotposs. $She could feel his annoyance form an aura around them, but it didn't bother $hernotposs. $She didn't spend time with X6 because $she found him to be warm and affectionate. He was confident, dedicated, and never hesitated to share his thoughts. Given how $she put $herposs life in his hands, those were good traits for him to have.
After cresting the hill, $firstname examined the water tower entrance. It sounded as empty as it looked, the door having long since been removed. $She unholstered $herposs 10mm, a gun $she had spent so much time working on that it may as well have been an additional appendage.
[["Stay here and watch for trouble," $she said.->Stay]]
OR
[["Look X, your favorites. Water and heights. C'mon," $she said.->Accompany]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 1)X6 stared up at the old, brick water tower and squinted. He then steeled himself and shook his head, unslinging his laser rifle from his back. He breezed past $firstname, who fell in line behind him as they began climbing the rusted steel staircase.
"No offense, $maam, but my job is to protect you," X6 said.
"Oh, I like it when you're insubordinate," $she said.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Four]]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value - 1)"Was that a joke?" X6 asked, deadpan.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," $firstname said with a chuckle.
X6 unslung his laser rifle from behind his back, saying nothing else, and followed behind $hernotposs as $she started $herposs spiraled ascent.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Four]]]The light filtered through the old windows punctuating their walk around the old standpipe. It didn't take them long to reach the top, a circular platform littered with someone's old garbage. By the look of it, they hadn't been here for a long time. So long that there was no rot or stench, just junk.
"This is nice," $firstname said, leaning out one of the old windows to catch the breeze on $herposs face.
"If you say so," X6 said as he tried to find a place to stand where he couldn't see down the steps, down the reservoir, or out a window of the hundred-foot-tall structure.
$firstname motioned for him to come closer, which he did with some reluctance.
"Stand right here," $she said, grabbing him by the arm and leaning his shoulder against the wall between two windows. "And just focus on me."
"While you're halfway out that window. Great plan, $maam," X6 said. "Now I have nothing to worry about."
"You know, you can use my name," $she said.
"I'm not sure that would be appropriate."
"When it's just you and me?" $she asked. "Come on, X. You're not my bodyguard. You're my friend."
$She reached out and adjusted the stiff collar of X6's courser jacket. $Herposs fingers lingered on the heavy material as the sunlight warmed $herposs other arm in the window. There was nothing other than the two of them around for what felt like miles. It was the sort of tranquil afternoon $she could nap through, a luxury $she hadn't had in a very long time.
"Director $lastname."
"Oof," $she said, holstering $herposs 10mm. "Not sure that's an improvement."
$She walked from window to window, leaving $herposs bodyguard where he stood until $she made the entire rotation and ended up back at his side.
"Let's go. I didn't see anything except blue skies," $she said.
"Ready to go when you are."
They climbed back down and strolled through the old nature reserve, ignoring the mutated wildlife as much as it ignored them. If it didn't bother $hernotposs, $she didn't lift $herposs gun. Whatever paths had existed before the bombs dropped were grown over, so $she stuck to the ridges. Eventually, $she sat and took a long, deep breath. As strange and radiated as it was, the surface still felt more like home than the artificial thrumming of the Institute.
(if:$cakes is "true")[[[$She gave X6 the Fancy Lad Snack Cakes.->Give]]]\
(if:$cakes is "false")[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Five]]]]$She set $herposs bag onto $herposs lap and rummaged through it until $she pulled out the Fancy Lad Snack Cakes $she had squirreled away earlier. $She shook them gently until $she had X6's attention, then thrust them at him. He took them with the Wasteland's faintest smile. Being a courser put him in a unique position to actually find the snack cakes, something all Gen 3s liked for some reason. But $firstname always kept $herposs eye out for more, for him.
"The eggheads can't figure out why you all love them so much," $firstname said. "It's because they didn't know Shaun's $dad. $dadhe //loved// Fancy Lad Snack Cakes. Somewhere in all that genetic code they lifted from Shaun, mashed with FEV, is a preference for stale, waxy cake."
"Really?" X6 asked, his curiosity genuine.
$She nodded as the courser opened the pink box with careful hands and withdrew a single cake. No one except $hernotposs had ever seen X6 eat one of the things. He took a large bite, eating half of it in one go.
"In a small way, my family lives on in all of you," $she said. "I appreciate that."
$firstname reached up and brushed some crumbs from the corner of his mouth. $Herposs reaction was instant, $she didn't even think about it until $herposs fingertips were on his face. X6 stopped chewing and $she retracted $herposs hand, $herposs face flushing.
"Sorry," $she said.
X6 swallowed his bite, then removed his sunglasses and folded them in his other hand. The way his brow knitted meant he was thinking of the right thing to say. He was never subtle, but saying more than one or two sentences at a time about anything in-depth brought out a different part of him.
"I didn't have friends or a family. I had my duties and Father," he said in measured words. "With the changes you've made to the Institute, you've essentially nullified my duties. Since Father is also gone… I'm left with you."
"One part family, one part friend," $firstname said.
"And my only real remaining duty."
"You didn't deny it," $she said.
"What was I supposed to deny?"
"I've never heard you refer to me as a friend," $she said.
"$Maam," X6 said. "You know I admire you. We're not going over that again."
"I don't give a shit whether you admire me or not," $she said. "I don't want to be just Shaun's mom or the Director of the Institute to you. I want to think of us as equals. Partners in crime. Friends."
"You are mortal, $maam," X6 said. "Which means someday, just like losing Father, I will also lose you."
"Yikes," $she said with a grimace. "Well, Institute science is pretty good at extending people's lives, so I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
$She took the box from him and tucked it into $herposs bag, watching as he finished the rest of his cake in silence. X6 had no further comments on the topic, which came as no surprise to $hernotposs. There was no point in pushing him. It was more than enough to know he worried.
(set: $cakes to "false")(set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 1)
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Five]]]"How much longer are we going to stay on the surface?" X6 asked.
"It's only been seven hours, X," $firstname said.
"You aren't planning on spending the night up here... are you?"
"Can I at least watch the sunset?" $she asked. "Then we'll go. I promise. Okay? We won't dally."
"If you say so, $maam," he said.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="http://i.imgur.com/pLAwYt1.png">]
$She didn't mean to take any more time than necessary. The sunset slid down the horizon, and $she threw $herposs bag on $herposs back and got to $herposs feet. That was when a frag grenade landed in the dirt in front of them. With lightning reflexes, X6 punted it away from them and they bore a fraction of the blast. $She grunted as the explosion hit $hernotposs, sending waves of pain through $hernotposs as $herposs ears rang. Had X6 not acted as fast as he did, $she would have been in even worse condition.
From their left, bearing a pipe rifle with a scream fueled by Psycho, came a man dressed in makeshift armor and clothes that were barely more than rags. He barreled down the ridge toward them like a cannonball, but before he could get anywhere near them, X6 lifted his rifle and took a single shot. The man stumbled and finished his approach by rolling down the hill. Once he reached the bottom, he knocked $firstname off $herposs feet and landed directly on top of $hernotposs. $She wheezed, already injured from the frag grenade.
The next few moments were a blur. The weight of the man's body was gone--he had been thrown from $hernotposs so quickly $she didn't even see it happen. What $she did see was X6 standing over $hernotposs, his rifle aimed at the man. The gun discharged several blue bursts of energy and $she heard the man grunt in pain before he fell completely quiet.
"Stay down, asshole," X6 said.
He then knelt over $hernotposs and grasped $herposs shoulder.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
$Herposs ribs screamed with pain and $herposs wrist throbbed, sending sharp stings with each pulse. But even in $herposs state, $she detected urgency in X6's ordinarily calm voice.
"Just a few cracked ribs," $she said through gritted teeth. "Could I get a stim?"
X6 immediately dug through $herposs bag, pulling out several stimpacks. One by one, he administered them with unwavering hands at the sites of $herposs injuries. After a few moments, relief set in and gave $hernotposs enough strength to take several deep breaths and sit up.
"You've got to be more careful," X6 said, his voice filled more with concern than judgment. "If you die, I won't have anyone left."
$She couldn't help but smile.
"It'll take a lot more than a few broken bones to kill me, X," $she said.
X6 sighed, regaining his composure once he saw $she could still maintain $herposs good mood. With his aid, $she got to $herposs feet, though $she felt a little unsteady. X6 tugged $herposs bag onto his shoulder, carefully observing $hernotposs. Shoving $herposs wrist against $herposs stomach to stabilize it, $she took a few steps and winced. Everything still hurt even after the chems, but $she refused to transport to the Institute lying down.
"You can take care of me once you get me in bed," $she said.
"Yes, $maam," X6 said as he activated the relay home.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Six]]]
The bruises on $herposs ribs were a mean shade of purple and green, but they were on the mend, much faster thanks to Institute medicine. What would have required weeks of recovery before the bombs now only needed a handful of days of minor inconvenience. $She poked at $herposs skin as $she stood nude in front of $herposs bathroom mirror. They were still sore, but $she would have never guessed they had been broken.
$She turned $herposs head, hearing the front door to $herposs quarters open. Walking in unannounced meant it was X6, which also meant he was standing in $herposs foyer and any second now, he would ask...
"$Maam?"
"Hold on a second," $she called, poking at $herposs ribs one final time, then ran $herposs brush through $herposs $hairlength $hairtype hair a few times, as if it made any difference.
[[$She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around $hernotposs.->Towel]]
OR
[[$She strolled nude from the bathroom out into the foyer.->Nude]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 1)"You should see the bruise on my ribs, X," $she said. "It's //huge//."
X6 spun on his foot to face $hernotposs as $she exited the bathroom, still cinching the large towel around $herposs frame. He backed up several steps, then bumped against $herposs desk. With nowhere to go, he quickly looked away, his cheeks tinged with a sudden splash of russet.
His reaction made $hernotposs stop dead in $herposs tracks. $She had never seen him behave in such a way before. Instead of harassing him over it, $she continued past him into $herposs room and dug through $herposs clothes for something to wear.
Something that wasn't a Director's uniform.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Seven]]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value - 1)"Look at this bruise on my ribs, X," $she said.
X6 spun on his foot to face $hernotposs as $she exited the bathroom, then averted his gaze as soon as he realized $she stood there nude. Instead, he stared out the bay windows, his body language awkward from head to toe.
"This is not appropriate, $maam," he said, his voice strained.
"These are my quarters, X," $firstname said.
"The entire Institute can see you parading around."
$She scoffed, waving $herposs hand at the courtyard outside.
"I didn't design this place! I didn't put all these windows in!" $she said.
"Please. Put some clothes on before anyone other than me sees this."
"Fine," $she said, moving past him toward $herposs bedroom. "But you didn't even comment on how amazing my bruise looks."
"Forgive me," X6 muttered.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Seven]]]"What do you need, X?" $she asked as $she returned, this time fully dressed. "Is someone looking for me? Have I blown an appointment? Is Robotics mad at me again?"
"No, none of that."
"Well then, what?" $she asked as $she fixed $herposs sleeves.
"I've been thinking for the last several days, and I have a request."
"Oh?" $she asked as $she sat on $herposs nearby sofa.
"Please stop going to the surface."
$She folded $herposs arms behind $herposs head and let out a long sigh, crossing one leg over the other. $She had also been thinking over the last several days about one particular thing X6 said that nearly broke $herposs heart: //If you die, I won't have anyone left//. If $she died, then for the first time since he was brought into this world, he would have no one to look up to, to structure his existence around.
"I'm not sure I can agree to that," $she said. "But I'm not going to leave you, X6. You've got me for a long time. You'll probably get tired of me."
"As things stand right now, I can't imagine that happening," X6 said. "You would have to fuck up pretty badly, $maam. And I mean, pretty badly."
$She stood and wandered around the upper loft, clasping $herposs hands behind $herposs back. $She bumped them against $herposs behind as $she walked, in rhythm with $herposs steps. $She finally stopped and motioned out the window, tapping the glass at the far end with $herposs knuckle.
"You know the biggest problem with the Institute?" $firstname asked.
"Go on."
"I do //not// want to sleep with any of these people," $she said.
"That's your biggest problem?" X6 asked slowly.
"If I'm going to live down here for several more decades, it'd be nice to have... a companion," $she said. "You... have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? The SRB must program it out of you."
"It," X6 repeated.
"Yeah, you know. //It//. Yearning. Physical desire for someone else. Lust," $she said, pumping $herposs fist slightly at $herposs side. "No?"
"Yes. I am familiar with the feeling," X6 said, his confession as detached as any other statement he might make.
"You are?" $she asked, surprised.
"While this seems a highly improper conversation, yes. I am."
"Oh for fuck's sake, X," $she said. "Stop thinking of me as the Director for half a second."
"I wouldn't be sharing this information otherwise."
$She lifted $herposs hand, then dropped it as $she felt a little shame for $herposs harsh response. Returning $herposs attention out the window, $she felt embarrassed at his admission, though $she couldn't pinpoint why. Maybe $she expected him to say "no," and that to be the end of it. The idea he was capable of that type of desire reframed him in $herposs mind, from someone easy on the eyes to...
"Fair point," $she said, trying to get away from $herposs thoughts. "What's on the agenda for today?"
"I guess it wasn't that big of a problem," X6 said, the corner of his mouth turning upward ever-so-slightly.
"X," $firstname warned as $she crossed the room to $herposs desk and sat in front of $herposs terminal, intent on getting to work.
"I believe Mr. Holdren is single."
The lead tip snapped off the bottom of $herposs pencil as $she attempted to make a few notes on an internal memo sent up by Facilities.
"Mr. Oberly is also single, though I do not care for him much," X6 continued.
"Are you going to list every eligible bachelor in the Institute just to bother me?" $she asked, exasperated as $she spun around in $herposs chair to face him. "Alright then, here's one: X6-88."
"Very funny."
"Why not?" $firstname asked.
"You are the Director," X6 said, as if the answer was obvious.
"Well, there's only one of me, isn't there?" $she asked.
"You're human--"
"And you're a synth," $she said, finishing his thought. "Who cares?"
"I imagine many people care."
"Who is the Director?" $she asked.
"You are, $maam."
"And who barges into my quarters every day without knocking?" $she asked.
"I do."
"I'm sure half the Institute already thinks we're up to something," $she said. "And don't give me the whole 'we can't have children' bullshit. Believe me, after the year I've had, I'm good. The Institute can take all the DNA it wants from me. Easier that way."
$She turned to $herposs work and sharpened $herposs pencil, scratching on the paper memo again. That left X6 standing behind $hernotposs, staring at $herposs back, processing everything $she said to him.
"Oberly and Holdren can't shoot a gun to save their asses, anyway," $she said. "How am I supposed to be attracted to that? ...Are you still there?"
"Yes."
"Since we're already having this incredibly uncomfortable conversation, care to share who the object of your desires is?" $she asked, glancing over $herposs shoulder.
"You aren't serious," X6 said in cool disbelief.
"Should I not ask?" $she asked.
"$Maam, if you are acting dense on purpose, please stop."
"I don't want to make any assumptions!" $she cried, throwing $herposs arms out to the side.
$She heard him move for the door that led out of $herposs quarters, which made $hernotposs stand and take several long strides, reaching for him. $She grabbed his wrist, unsure what $she would do next, but having him go now seemed like the worst option. X6 wouldn't say it out loud and $she wouldn't force him, yet $she couldn't have him leave just like that.
"I'm sorry," $she said.
"I... was giving you shit, too. You don't owe me an apology."
"If it //is// me, though," $she said, "you should know I think you're quite... attractive."
"Who else would it be?" X6 asked as his posture stiffened.
"These things have a way of surprising you," $she said.
$She let go of him and stepped backward, clearing $herposs throat. They both stood there, several feet between them, neither sure what to do or say next. If $she wanted to be a coward, $she could make an excuse and go back to $herposs duties, but where would that leave X6? As awkward as it felt at that moment, this was a process $she knew going back to school. X6 had absolutely no frame of reference for any of it.
"Well," $she said. "If you ever want to... try something, I'm more than willing. You know, if you're curious about... any..."
$She faltered as X6 squinted at $hernotposs.
"What I'm trying to say is I'd let you do just about anything to me, X," $she said, blurting out the words $she meant. "And good lord, there is a long list of things I would like to do to you."
"I should go."
$She nodded.
The courser hesitated as the door to $herposs quarters slid open, as if he had something more he wanted to say, but left before he put it to words. $firstname sighed, flapping $herposs arms several times, then retreated to $herposs bedroom. $She felt exhausted. A nap would make things better.
Hopefully.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Eight]]]$firstname sat on the lower level patio of $herposs quarters, enjoying a glass of brandy as $she read a book that had survived the ravages of time. It hadn't come from the Institute--$she had to drag all of $herposs books from the surface. $She still didn't know what people did for fun here. Nobody read casually, nobody watched films or television, all they did was work. They had plenty of leisure time, and they threw themselves into their work.
$Herposs door slid open upstairs and $she watched as X6 took the loft stairs down, his eyes finding $hernotposs right away.
"A book, how quaint," X6 said.
"Wanna get a dig in about my alcohol, too, while you're at it?" $firstname asked, holding up $herposs tumbler.
"You're only human," he said as he sat in the nearby chair, crossing his foot over his knee, looking smug.
"I wondered when you'd arrive. A little later than normal. Though, the only time I don't expect to see you is when I'm asleep. Don't you get bored being awake twenty-four hours?" $she asked.
"Yes."
"You're perfectly capable of sleeping, you know," $she said.
"Seems like a waste of time."
$firstname shrugged, then looked around the heart of the concourse before her. It bustled as people went about their day.
(if:$x6_value is 3)[[[$She wanted to go somewhere more private.->Page Nine]]]\
(if:$x6_value < 3)[[[Staying on the balcony felt most appropriate.->Page Ten]]]"Better than being bored," $she said as $she slapped $herposs book shut. "C'mon."
X6 got back up and followed $hernotposs, confused but ever-diligent. $firstname led him out of the Director's Quarters, brandy and book still in hand, and wound through the Institute until they arrived at $herposs old quarters, the ones assigned to $hernotposs when $she first arrived. It wasn't like there was an influx of new blood to the Institute, so $she kept them when $she needed some peace and quiet. It only had a small balcony and not a single damn window.
"Better," $she said as $she tossed $herposs book on the desk. "Now the whole concourse isn't watching us."
$She sat on one of the white sofas as he stood in the center of the room.
"What do you want to do tonight, X? Target practice? Fuck around with some capacitors and see if we can blow up a laser pistol?" $she asked, draping $herposs arm along the top of the sofa.
X6 had a look on his face $she saw so rarely, hesitant and sheepish.
"Out with it, tough guy," $she said.
"It's about what you said yesterday."
$She couldn't help but smile.
"Where do we start?"
"With me peeling that uniform off of you," $she said, patting the spot next to $hernotposs.
X6 sat as instructed, and $firstname tugged the white top of his uniform over his head with his help, revealing more of him than $she had ever seen at once. His skin was a rich, sepia brown and was warm to the touch as $she ran $herposs hands along his strong back. $She swept $herposs hands across his shoulders and let out a long, wistful sigh looking at him from behind.
"I just want to establish a baseline," $she said. "No one has ever... touched you like this before, right?"
"No."
$firstname sat up on one knee and rubbed his neck and shoulders with enough pressure for him to feel it. X6's reaction was so immediate that it almost startled $hernotposs. His head fell forward and he muttered something unintelligible as $herposs fingers found knots up and down his trapeziuses.
"This is a problem we could spend all night on," $she said.
$She wrapped $herposs arms around him, kissing the side of his neck. He turned his head in $herposs direction and $she kissed his cheekbone where it met his ear. $She could feel his slow, even breathing through his back where it met $herposs chest.
"I could do that," $she said. "Or, I could do other things."
"I'm not going to ask what the 'other things' are," X6 said, "but go ahead and do them."
$She pushed him against the sofa and hummed softly as $herposs eyes wandered down his defined chest, then up to his grey eyes. $She leaned against him, brushing $herposs lips against his as $she moved $herposs hands to his waist, $herposs fingers sliding across the tops of his pants. X6 let $hernotposs kiss him, not responding as $she savored him, eventually taking his full lower lip between $hers.
"Kiss me, X," $she said.
"Must I?"
"Okay, not your thing," $she said, sitting back. "He's got the world's most kissable lips, but not into kissing."
$She started unbuttoning $herposs own shirt, then stopped as $she passed $herposs chest and checked X6's face. He had found a wall across the room to stare at, and quite intently at that. $She tapped his collarbone until he looked at $hernotposs, realizing $she had stopped undressing.
"You can't stand it when I show any skin," $she said. "How is this going to work?"
"I certainly disapprove of you being nude where everyone can see."
"It's just you and me, X," $she said.
"I'm not sure I deserve it."
"I want you to look at me, X," $she said.
"Fine," X6 barked at $hernotposs as his patience wore thin.
"Maybe this was a bad idea," $she said, leaning away.
"It's a terrible idea," X6 said. "But one both you and I want very badly. Obviously, I'm going to have a lot of strange ideas about the whole process."
With a grumble, $she resumed undressing and did not stop until $she kicked off every piece of clothing into a pile on the floor in front of them, sitting next to him fully nude. X6 still had a difficult time looking at $hernotposs, but $she let his attention wander. Every now and then, he took a peek in $herposs direction, which was good enough.
$She then slid onto the floor between X6's legs and grabbed his belt, unbuckling it. His gaze floated over $herposs head as he did his best to ignore what $she did. It became impossible when $she unbuttoned his pants, then reached inside of them and found his cock. His eyes went wide as he stared down at $hernotposs, as if for some reason, he couldn't have imagined this outcome.
"Too much?" $she asked.
"Fuck no," X6 said.
$She yanked at his pants until $she had him free and then pushed his thighs wide, leaning in so $she could get a good grip on him. He had been soft moments ago, but now that $she wrapped $herposs fingers around him, he rapidly grew hard. Whatever hangups he had seemed to have vaporized as $she rested the head of his cock against $herposs lips.
"I take it back," X6 said.
"Which parts?" $she asked.
"All of them. This is the best idea we've ever had."
$firstname let out a soft laugh as $she caressed his shaft, $herposs touch light for the moment. X6 groaned as $she ran $herposs tongue along his head, still hidden by his foreskin. When $she wrapped $herposs lips around him, he clutched $herposs $haircolor hair. He then dug his other hand into the cushion at his side as $she took him into $herposs mouth, inch by inch, playing $herposs tongue along his length. $She locked $herposs $eyecolor eyes with his as $she let him pop free from $herposs mouth.
"Is there anything you want, X?" $she asked.
"I trust your judgment //completely//."
[[$She continued where $she sat between his legs.->HB]]
OR
[[It was too difficult to resist climbing onto his lap.->Lap]]"$Maam?"
"What's up?" $she asked.
"About what we discussed yesterday."
$She sipped $herposs brandy, waiting to see where this went.
"It might be best if we forgot that conversation entirely," X6 said. "I respect you as the Director of the Institute, and I'd like it to remain that way."
$Herposs level of relaxation was visible as $she slid down several inches in $herposs chair. On the one hand, it would have been nice to explore... certain aspects of their relationship. On the other, he just freed $hernotposs from having to worry about it any longer.
"Looks like I'll have to go up to the surface every now and then," $she said, returning to $herposs book.
"I really can't win, can I?" X6 asked.
"Nope," $she said with a smirk $she knew would irritate him.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:purple)[Platonic Ending]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(link: "Restart")[(reload:)]]Having grown hard, his head was fully exposed, and $she swirled the tip of $herposs tongue along its underside. $She stroked his sensitive ridges, then swept $herposs tongue down his erection, $herposs other hand on his stomach. $She could feel his muscles twitch involuntarily as the excitement built inside him.
"Damnit, this is a lot," X6 hissed.
"I can stop," $she murmured into his skin.
"Do not stop."
$She took him into $herposs mouth again and moaned, moving up and down him, swallowing as much of his length as $she could each time until $she had him all. When $she slid him out, a long line of fluid trailed from the head of his cock to $herposs bottom lip. He was transfixed by the sight as $she licked $herposs lips and pushed his cock against $herposs cheek.
"X, you have a nice dick," $she said.
He remained silent as $she kissed the base of his cock.
"I am very, very glad you let me see it," $she continued.
"This goes beyond just seeing it," X6 whispered.
"And I've got more ideas that go beyond this," $she said, $herposs kisses trailing up toward his cock's head.
[[But right now, $she wanted him to finish.->HBC]]
OR
[[$She needed to ride him, //now//.->Lap]]$firstname slunk $herposs frame against his as $she got up from $herposs knees, grazing $herposs body over his erection and along his muscular chest until $she straddled his lap. $She took his chin in $herposs hands, kissing him again, not sure what to expect. He responded this time, although clumsily.
"You don't feel obligated in any way to do this, do you?" $she asked as $she broke the kiss.
"Hell no," X6 said, his "no" strained as $she reached down and pressed his shaft into $herposs labia.
$firstname groaned as $she rubbed $herposs clit along his length. Finding himself at a loss for things to do or say or even think, X6 let his arms fall to his sides as he sat there, allowing $hernotposs to toy with him. When $she grabbed his shoulder, his gaze shifted down between their bodies and he watched as $she nudged his head inside $hernotposs.
"You are going to kill me," X6 muttered as $she lowered $herposs weight onto him.
"Is that all it takes?" $she asked, throwing $herposs arms around his neck. "Mmm, you feel good. I've been thinking about this for a long time, you have no idea."
"Yes, I do."
$She covered him in kisses as $she hit his lap and let out a deep, dulcet sound. X6 choked slightly at the sensation, then coughed, not doing a good job keeping his cool. After waiting a few moments, $she leaned $herposs upper body against his and rocked up and down, $herposs pace slow to start. He felt wonderful, his cock filling $hernotposs.
"$firstname, this isn't going to last long," X6 said through gritted teeth as he grabbed $herposs hips, his short fingernails digging into $herposs skin.
"Holy shit," $she said, slowing to a stop as $she flexed $herposs muscles around him. "You just used my name."
"Do you want me to call you $maam right now?"
"Say it again," $she said.
"$firstname," X6 moaned, squeezing $herposs hips.
$She resumed, increasing $herposs speed until $she pounded him. $Herposs tongue curled over $herposs top lip as $she let out one breathy whimper after another, slamming $herposs body down onto his. X6's mouth fell open and he panted, his head rolling backward.
$firstname's intentions were clear.
$She had never seen anything more gorgeous than X6 at that moment. His face pinched as he rumbled, his eyes shut tight. He wrenched $hernotposs down onto his lap by $herposs hips while thrusting himself into $hernotposs at the same time. $firstname was locked into place, X6's hold on $hernotposs ironclad. X6 shouted a series of incoherent expletives at the top of his lungs and he clutched onto $hernotposs tighter.
When he opened his eyes, he found $firstname staring at him, looking pleased. $She patted his chest, then grabbed his hand and pulled it to $herposs mouth. $She let him rest as $she kissed his fingers, enjoying how languid he was.
[["Don't think you're done yet," $she said.->DC]]"Do you get yourself off?" $she asked.
"What?" X6 asked, furrowing his brows.
"Do you stroke yourself until you orgasm?"
Panic crossed X6's face, as if $she interrogated him.
"Relax. I'm not the SRB, X," $she said. "I want to see so I know what works for you, that's all."
$She sat back on $herposs heels and watched as X6 hesitated, then took his cock in his hand and stroked it slowly at first, up and down his entire length. As the minutes went by, $she watched his movements grow more urgent as his fingers rubbed the edges of his head with each stroke, working the upper half of his shaft with a greater need. $She reached out and clasped $herposs hands over his, stopping him. As much as $she wanted to just watch him come, $she wanted to be the one that did it.
He let $hernotposs take over, moaning as $she first drew him back into $herposs mouth. When $she let him free, he glistened in the light, a sight $firstname found wildly arousing. $She wrapped $herposs fingers around him again and did $herposs best to mimic his grip and movements. It wasn't long before X6 slouched, his breathing unpredictable.
"$firstname," he mumbled.
$firstname looked up at him in surprise, and at that moment, X6 gasped as he came. Fluid covering $herposs hand, some of it landing on the side of his well-defined abdomen. $She stroked him a few more times, enjoying the mess he made as his body shuddered, then stopped when $she sensed it was too much.
"Damn X, you are gorgeous," $she said.
$She stood and wandered across the room, where $she cleaned up and found a towel. Upon returning, he had managed to sit up straight, the fog lifting from his face. $She knelt next to him on the sofa and handed him the towel, which he took and with some embarrassment and wiped himself off.
[["Now it's my turn to show you how to please me," $she said.->DC]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 97)\
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," $she said, "I'm going to show you how to use your hands on me. I know you can be selfish, X, but not when it comes to me."
"I don't even know--"
"I know you don't," $she said. "You have a pretty good excuse."
"$Maam."
"$Maam!" $she said. "We're back to $maam already?"
"$firstname," X6 corrected himself.
"Do you not want to do this?" $she asked.
"I never even considered it."
"Ho boy, X," $she said. "We can stop here. I'm not going to force anything on you."
"Just show me what I'm supposed to do," X6 said, impatient.
$She stood and pulled at his hand until he joined $hernotposs, leading him to the small bedroom. There, $she crawled to the head of the bed and pointed at the foot, where X6 sat, finally removing his boots and pants. He didn't need $hernotposs to tell him to do so--it seemed strange to still be half-dressed.
$firstname lay down and prodded him with $herposs toe until he paid attention. When he looked at $hernotposs, $she spread $herposs legs and he stared at the sight before him. If $she were anyone else, he wouldn't care at all, but he admired everything about $hernotposs. Yesterday, it was almost impossible to be in the same room with $hernotposs without any clothes on, his admiration made him so uncomfortable. Today, he was doing the unthinkable.
"Give me your hand," $she said, reaching out for him.
He moved closer and put his hand in $hers, then watched as $she nestled his fingers in $herposs pussy.
"This," $she said. "Feel this? See this? Are you looking?"
"Yes, I'm looking," X6 snapped.
"Rub this. It'll make me orgasm," $she said.
"Nothing else?"
"Focus on this for now," $she said. "You don't have to worry, I'm //very// turned on."
X6 pushed his index and middle fingertips into $herposs clit, making $herposs eyelids flutter. $She hadn't given him much instruction, so he rubbed the bud back and forth with mindful yet precise movementst. His touch felt good, so $she let him continue on like this for a while.
"A little harder," $she said after a bit.
"Like this?".
"Oh my god," $she whined as he applied more pressure and sped up.
"I've never heard you make that noise," X6 said with an almost sinister smirk.
He climbed over $hernotposs until he found the perfect angle from $herposs side where he could dig in and play with $hernotposs in a seamless, fluid motion. He knew virtually nothing about the finer details of $herposs anatomy other than the basics he was required to understand as a courser. None of that had covered any of this. Still, it only took minutes of listening to $herposs breathing and mewling as he stroked $hernotposs to understand what $she liked.
"X," $she whimpered as $she clutched his arm.
He sat up to watch $herposs face, his hand still moving at the same speed. $She made it difficult for him as $herposs back arched from the bed while $she whined again, $herposs voice reaching a pitch X6 hadn't heard before. $Herposs final whine turned into a cry and $herposs back fell to the bed. He left his hand on $hernotposs but stopped rubbing, feeling $hernotposs pulse under his touch. As if to escape, $she finally rolled onto $herposs side and curled up as shudders periodically jolted through $herposs body.
"Are you alright?" X6 asked, putting his hand on $hernotposs.
"Oh my god, yes," $she said from within $herposs fetal position.
"You know," X6 said, "I have another erection."
$She unfurled from $herposs ball, a mess of limbs, and sat up to look at him. $Herposs pupils were black from ecstasy, $herposs cheeks ruddy from the adrenaline. $She grappled at X6 and discovered he told the truth. And he looked beyond satisfied with himself.
"Seems like all that Courser training's paying off," $firstname said, $herposs voice dreamy.
"You point, I shoot," he said, sounding the most eager $she had ever heard him.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:purple)[Happy Ending]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(click the curved back arrow above if you want to explore a scene you didn't read)]{(if:$She is "They")[(set: $she to "they")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $she to "he")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $she to "she")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $Hernotposs to "Them")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $Hernotposs to "Him")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $Hernotposs to "Her")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $Herposs to "Their")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $Herposs to "His")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $Herposs to "Her")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $Hers to "Theirs")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $Hers to "His")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $Hers to "Hers")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $hernotposs to "them")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $hernotposs to "him")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $hernotposs to "her")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $herposs to "their")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $herposs to "his")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $herposs to "her")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $hers to "theirs")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $hers to "his")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $hers to "hers")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $was to "were")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $was to "was")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $was to "was")]
(if:$she is "they")[(set: $was to "were")]
(if:$she is "he")[(set: $was to "was")]
(if:$she is "she")[(set: $was to "was")]
(if:$She is "They")[(set: $wasnt to "weren't")]
(if:$She is "He")[(set: $wasnt to "wasn't")]
(if:$She is "She")[(set: $wasnt to "wasn't")]
(if:$she is "they")[(set: $wasnt to "weren't")]
(if:$she is "he")[(set: $wasnt to "wasn't")]
(if:$she is "she")[(set: $wasnt to "wasn't")]
(if: $firstname is 0)[(set: $firstname to "Nora")]
(if: $lastname is 0)[(set: $lastname to "Howard")]
(if: $hairlength is 0)[(set: $hairlength to "soft")]
(if: $haircolor is 0)[(set: $haircolor to "vibrant")]
(if: $hairtype is 0)[(set: $hairtype to "luscious")]
(if: $eyecolor is 0)[(set: $eyecolor to "brilliant")]
(if: $skincolor is 0)[(set: $skincolor to "supple")]
(if: $dad is 0)[(set: $dad to "dad")]}(append: ?SideBar)[\
Affinity: $x6_value/3
]What is your character's preferred honorific? (Uppercase)
(dropdown: 2bind $Maam,"Ma'am","Sir","Director")
What is your character's preferred honorific? (lowercase)
(dropdown: 2bind $maam,"ma'am","sir","director")
Was your spouse Shaun's "mom", "dad", or another term? (lowercase, without quotes)
<input type="text" data-varname="dad">
Which of the following best fits Shaun's other parent (Uppercase)?
(dropdown: 2bind $dadhe,"He","She","They")
What is your character's first name?
<input type="text" data-varname="firstname">
What is your character's last name?
<input type="text" data-varname="lastname">
What is your character's hair color? (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="haircolor">
What is your character's hair length? (short, chin-length, long, etc.) (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="hairlength">
What type of hair does your character have? (wavy, straight, curly, etc.) (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="hairtype">
What color are your character's eyes? (lowercase)
<input type="text" data-varname="eyecolor">
(link-goto: "Done", "aPlayer2")
<script>processInputElements();</script>''This is what you entered:''
Honorfic: $Maam, $maam
Shaun's other parent: $dadhe was a $dad
First name: $firstname
Last name: $lastname
Hair color: $haircolor
Hair length: $hairlength
Hair type: $hairtype
Eye color: $eyecolor
You run your hand through your $hairlength, $hairtype $haircolor hair, your $eyecolor eyes staring across the Wasteland.
If that looks correct, please [[Start Here->Page One2]]
If ''not'', please click the curved back arrow above in the upper left hand corner to re-enter the information.You lie in your bed, staring at the sterile, white ceiling above you. When you took over the Director's Quarters, you removed all of the boxes in the back rooms and gave the place a complete overhaul. A proper bathroom, an actual bedroom, some tools that were much nicer than what you were used to on the surface, and the place started to feel a little like a real home. There isn't much you can do about the barren sense of desolation, though. That is a core issue with the Institute itself. As much as they consider the surface a hellscape, at least it has some personality.
"$Maam?"
You sit up and swing your feet over the side of your bed, rubbing the side of your head. X6 has become a good ally over the months, though he isn't exactly a good person. Hell, you sometimes wonder whether //you// qualify as a "good person." The Brotherhood got what they deserved, there was no doubt about that, but what the Institute did to the Railroad keeps you up some nights.
"Yeah, what's up, X6?" you ask as you round the doorway to your bedroom, finding him standing in the foyer of your quarters.
"Chief Engineer Filmore asked me to come find you. She says you were scheduled to have a meeting with her an hour ago," X6 says, his voice as calm as ever.
"Shit," you say. "Was that today?"
You hurry to your computer and punch up your schedule, then groan as over a dozen messages pop up. Defeated, you fall into your chair and spin around to face the large bay window overlooking the concourse. You show zero signs of answering any of those messages or hurrying to your late meeting.
"$Maam," X6 says, his tone so polite it is almost pointed.
You look up at him, folding your hands in your lap. With the Railroad gone, the coursers have much less work to do. Patrolling the Wastelands is a waste of their skills, so most of them spend their time idle around the Institute. You've tried encouraging them to learn new skills that pique their interests, but it feels like beating your head against a brick wall.
X6 hasn't picked up any new hobbies, but he's always preferred doing nothing to expending any effort. At first, you thought he liked peaceful resolutions. But you've heard the excitement in his voice whenever he found a gunfight--the man loved mowing down raiders. It isn't that he's peaceful. He'd just prefer to do nothing at all.
"They know to send you, don't they?" you ask. "You're the only one I can't ignore."
Other than your history of working well together, you've always found him particularly handsome. Especially at this moment, zipped up in a crisp, white uniform with a high neck that nearly bumps his chin. His ever-present sunglasses are nowhere to be seen, which makes things worse because you can see the look he is giving you. No one else in the entire Wasteland would be able to interpret his expression; it comes across as flat and unenthused, but //you// can see the disapproval on his face.
"$Maam," X6 says. "I am about to suggest something I will regret later."
"Go on," you say.
"But I believe you need some time on the surface."
"Holy shit, do I ever," you say. "Will you go with me?"
X6 sighs, his steel-grey eyes wavering the smallest amount.
"Who else is going to keep you safe?" he asks.
You stand and grab his arm, grinning ear to ear. After slapping his bicep a few times, you head out the door with a wave of your hand, intent on finding Filmore. After all, you've fallen behind schedule and have some catching up to do. That leaves X6 standing in your quarters, his stare as blank as the wall in front of him. He lets out another sigh, the Wasteland's softest, and he trails behind you.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[[Continue->Page Two2]]]]You try to stay out of Boston proper; it's too messy to go into town. Sure, you had forged good connections with people before becoming the Director of the Institute, but it was a stretch to pretend that title didn't strain your relationships. Everyone hated the Institute, and they would for a long time, even with you at its head. Things didn't change overnight and it's too difficult to see the disappointment on people's faces.
Instead, you go north to Winchester and Woburn, small villages that barely make the map. No one lives out here and you would be surprised if you saw a raider. What the area does have, however, is nature and lots of it. Even before the bombs fell, the area was known for its parks, and when you needed to get away from the demands of life, you only had to drive up here.
You crouch near the bottom shelves of a dilapidated corner market, digging out debris. Sometimes, if a person was lucky, they could find something wedged in the far corner. You lie on your side, the dust billowing up around you in a cloud, making you cough a few times. X6 peers over some shelves, making sure you haven't gotten in any trouble.
"$Maam?" he asks.
"I'm fine," you say.
Your fingers scrape something in the back, something smooth. It's cardboard. You snag and pull it out with a triumphant cry, then hold it above your head. A box of Fancy Lad Snack Cakes. You didn't know what you had expected, but a pack of waxy snack cakes that hardly tasted good in 2077 wasn't your idea of a prize. A box of industrial shortening, the kind that had no expiration date, would have been better.
With a sigh, you...
[[shove the snack cakes in your backpack->cakes2]].
OR
(set: $cakes to "false")[[toss the snack cakes back on the shelf->Page Three2]].
Fancy Lad Snack Cakes, packaged in a pink box with a white border. Each letter on the front is superimposed over an image of a cupcake. Good memories.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="http://i.imgur.com/DQm5XIT.png">]
(set: $cakes to "true")[[Into the backpack they go.->Page Three2]]"What are we looking for?" X6 asks as you get to your feet and shake the dirt from your $hairlength hair.
"Nothing. Everything. Anything," you say. "I know you hate scavving, but let me live a little. We'll find a gunner for you to shoot later."
"You don't need to worry about me, $maam," he says. "I'm only here to escort you while you have your... fun."
"Bullshit," you say as you slap him on the chest lightly and step over the crumbled wall to the street--the front door is in ruins. "One, I worry about you and you'll never stop me from doing so. Two, I know how much you hate the surface, but I also know you enjoy shooting your rifle."
You point at an old stone water tower on a hill, then shoulder your backpack. You can't see his eyes behind his sunglasses, but you can see the way he presses his lips together in a long line. He hates heights. He'd never admit it outright, but he's made plenty of statements in the past for you to connect the dots. It makes sense, given he's spent most of his life underground.
"You can wait at the bottom," you say.
"Why would I do that?" X6 asks.
You shrug and start the hike up the hill, X6 right behind you. You can feel his annoyance form an aura around you, but it doesn't bother you. You don't spend time with X6 because you find him warm and affectionate. He is confident, dedicated, and never hesitates to share his thoughts. Given how you put your life in his hands, those are good traits for him to have.
After cresting the hill, you examine the water tower entrance. It sounds as empty as it looks, the door having long since been removed. You unholster your 10mm, a gun you've spent so much time working on that it may as well be an additional appendage.
[["Stay here and watch for trouble," you say.->Stay2]]
OR
[["Look X, your favorites. Water and heights. C'mon," you say.->Accompany2]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 1)X6 stares up at the old, brick water tower and squints. He then steels himself and shakes his head, unslinging his laser rifle from his back. He breezes past you, and you fall in line behind him as you climb the rusted steel staircase.
"No offense, $maam, but my job is to protect you," he says.
"Oh, I like it when you're insubordinate," you say.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Four2]]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value - 1)"Was that a joke?" X6 asks, deadpan.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," you chuckle.
He unslings his laser rifle, saying nothing else, and follows as you start your spiraling ascent.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Four2]]]The light filters in through the old windows that punctuate your walk around the old standpipe. It doesn't take long to reach the top, and the circular platform is littered with someone's old garbage. They haven't been here for a long time, by the look of it. So long that there's no rot or stench, just junk.
"This is nice," you say, leaning out one of the old windows to catch the breeze on your face.
"If you say so," X6 says as he tries to find a place to stand where he can't see down the steps, down the reservoir, or out a window of the hundred-foot-tall structure.
You motion for him to come closer, which he does with some reluctance.
"Stand right here," you say as you grab him by the arm and lean his shoulder against the wall between two windows. "And just focus on me."
"While you're halfway out that window. Great plan, $maam," he says. "Now I have nothing to worry about."
"You know, you can use my name," you say.
"I'm not sure that would be appropriate."
"When it's just you and me?" you ask. "Come on, X. You're not my bodyguard. You're my friend."
You reach out and adjust the stiff collar of his courser jacket. Your fingers linger on the heavy material as the sunlight warms your other arm in the window. There's nothing other than the two of you for what feels like miles. It is the sort of tranquil afternoon you could nap through, a luxury you haven't had in a very long time.
"Director $lastname."
"Oof," you say, holstering your 10mm. "Not sure that's an improvement."
You walk from window to window, leaving your bodyguard where he stands until you make the entire rotation and return to his side.
"Let's go. I didn't see anything except blue skies," you say.
"Ready to go when you are."
You climb down and stroll through the old nature reserve, ignoring the mutated wildlife as much as it ignores you. Whatever paths had existed before the bombs dropped are grown over, so you stick to the ridges. Eventually, you sit and take a long, deep breath. As strange and radiated as it is, the surface still feels more like home than the artificial thrumming of the Institute.
(if:$cakes is "true")[[[Give X6 the Fancy Lad Snack Cakes.->Give2]]]\
(if:$cakes is "false")[(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Five2]]]]You set your bag onto your lap and rummage through it until you pull out the Fancy Lad Snack Cakes you squirreled away earlier. You shake them gently until you have X6's attention, then thrust them at him. He takes them with a faint smile. Being a courser put him in a unique position to actually find the snack cakes, something all Gen 3s like for some reason. But you always keep your eye out for more, for him.
"The eggheads can't figure out why you all love them so much," you say. "It's because they didn't know Shaun's $dad. $dadhe //loved// Fancy Lad Snack Cakes. Somewhere in all that genetic code they lifted from Shaun, mashed with FEV, is a preference for stale, waxy cake."
"Really?" X6 asks, his curiosity genuine.
You nod as the courser opens the pink box with careful hands and withdraws a single cake. No one except you has ever seen X6 eat one of the things. He takes a large bite, eating half of it in one go.
"In a small way, my family lives on in all of you," you say. "I appreciate that."
You brush some crumbs from the corner of his mouth--your reaction is instant, and you don't think about it until your fingertips are on his face. X6 stops chewing and you retract your hand, your face flushing.
"Sorry," you say.
X6 swallows his bite, then removes his sunglasses and folds them in his other hand. The way his brow knits means he's thinking of the right thing to say. He is never subtle, but saying more than one or two sentences at a time about anything brings out a different part of him.
"I didn't have friends or a family. I had my duties and Father," he says in measured words. "With the changes you've made to the Institute, you've essentially nullified my duties. Since Father is also gone… I'm left with you."
"One part family, one part friend," you say.
"And my only real remaining duty."
"You didn't deny it," you say.
"What was I supposed to deny?"
"I've never heard you refer to me as a friend," you say.
"$Maam," he says. "You know I admire you. We're not going over that again."
"I don't give a shit whether you admire me or not," you say. "I don't want to be just Shaun's mom or the Director of the Institute to you. I want to think of us as equals. Partners in crime. Friends."
"You are mortal, $maam," he says. "Which means someday, just like losing Father, I will also lose you."
"Yikes," you say with a grimace. "Well, Institute science is pretty good at extending people's lives, so I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
You take the box from him and tuck it into your bag, watching as he finishes the rest of his cake in silence. X6 has no further comments on the topic, which is no surprise. There is no point in pushing him. It's more than enough to know he worries.
(set: $cakes to "false")(set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 1)
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Five2]]]"How much longer are we going to stay on the surface?" X6 asks.
"It's only been seven hours, X," you say.
"You aren't planning on spending the night up here... are you?"
"Can I at least watch the sunset?" you ask. "Then we'll go. I promise. Okay? We won't dally."
"If you say so, $maam," he says.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[<img src="http://i.imgur.com/pLAwYt1.png">]
You didn't mean to take more time than necessary.
As the sun slides down the horizon, you throw your bag on your back and get to your feet. That's the moment a frag grenade lands in the dirt in front of you. With lightning reflexes, X6 punts it away, but not before you bear a fraction of the blast. You grunt as the explosion hits you, sending waves of pain through you, your ears ringng. Had X6 not acted as fast as he did, you'd be in even worse condition.
From your left, bearing a pipe rifle with a scream fueled by Psycho, runs a man dressed in makeshift armor and clothes that are barely more than rags. He barrels down the ridge toward you like a cannonball, but before he can get anywhere near you, X6 lifts his rifle and fires a single shot. The man stumbles, finishing his approach by rolling down the hill and knocking you off your feet. You wheeze as he lands on top of you and exacerbates your injuries.
The next few moments are a blur. The weight of the man's body is gone--he's thrown from you so quickly you don't see it happen. What you do see is X6 standing over you, his rifle aimed at the man. The gun discharges several blue bursts of energy and you hear the man cry out in pain before he falls silent.
"Stay down, asshole," X6 says before he kneels over you and grasps your shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Your ribs scream with pain and your wrist throbs, sending sharp stings with each pulse. But even in your state, you detect urgency in X6's ordinarily calm voice.
"Just a few cracked ribs," you say through gritted teeth. "Could I get a stim?"
X6 immediately digs through your bag, pulling out several stimpacks. One by one, he administers them with unwavering hands at the sites of your injuries. After a few moments, relief sets in and gives you enough strength to take several deep breaths and sit up.
"You've got to be more careful," X6 says, his voice filled more with concern than judgment. "If you die, I won't have anyone left."
You can't help but smile.
"It'll take a lot more than a few broken bones to kill me, X," you say.
X6 sighs, regaining his composure once he sees you're still in a good mood. With his aid, you get to your feet, though you feel a little unsteady. X6 tugs your bag onto his shoulder, carefully observing you. Shoving your wrist against your stomach to stabilize it, you take a few steps and wince. Everything still hurts after the chems, but you refuse to transport to the Institute lying down.
"You can take care of me once you get me in bed," you say.
"Yes, $maam," he says as he activates the relay home.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Six2]]]
The bruises on your ribs are a mean shade of purple and green, but they are on the mend, healing much faster thanks to Institute medicine. What would have required weeks of recovery before the bombs now only need a handful of days of minor inconvenience. You poke at your skin as you stand nude in front of your bathroom mirror. Your ribs are still sore, but you would have never guessed they had been broken.
You turn your head, hearing the front door to your quarters open. Walking in unannounced means it is X6, which also means he is standing in your foyer and any second now, he would ask...
"$Maam?"
"Hold on a second," you call as you run your brush through your $hairlength $hairtype hair a few times, as if it made any difference.
[[You grab a towel and wrap it around you.->Towel2]]
OR
[[You stroll nude from the bathroom out into the foyer.->Nude2]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 1)"You should see the bruise on my ribs, X," you say. "It's //huge//."
X6 spins on his foot to face you as you exit the bathroom, still cinching the large towel around your frame. He backs up several steps, then bumps against your desk. With nowhere to go, he quickly looks away, his cheeks tinged with a sudden splash of russet.
You stop dead in your tracks. You've never seen him behave in such a way before. Instead of harassing him over it, you continue past him into your room and dig through your clothes for something to wear.
Something that isn't a Director's uniform.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Seven2]]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value - 1)"Look at this bruise on my ribs, X," you say.
X6 spins on his foot to face you as you exit the bathroom, then averts his gaze as soon as he realizs you are nude. Instead, he stares out the bay windows, his body language awkward.
"This is not appropriate, $maam," he says, his voice strained.
"These are my quarters, X," you say.
"The entire Institute can see you parading around."
You scoff, waving your hand at the courtyard outside.
"I didn't design this place! I didn't put all these windows in!" you say.
"Please. Put some clothes on before anyone other than me sees this."
"Fine," you say, moving past him toward your bedroom. "But you didn't even comment on how amazing my bruise looks."
"Forgive me," X6 mutters.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Seven2]]]"What do you need, X?" you ask as you return, this time fully dressed. "Is someone looking for me? Have I blown an appointment? Is Robotics mad at me again?"
"No, none of that."
"Well then, what?" you ask as you fix your sleeves.
"I've been thinking for the last several days, and I have a request."
"Oh?" you ask as you sit on your nearby sofa.
"Please stop going to the surface."
You fold your arms behind your head and let out a long sigh, crossing one leg over the other. You've also been thinking the last several days about one particular thing X6 said that nearly broke your heart: //If you die, I won't have anyone left//. If you died, then for the first time since he was brought into this world, he would have no one to look up to, to structure his existence around.
"I'm not sure I can agree to that," you say. "But I'm not going to leave you, X6. You've got me for a long time. You'll probably get tired of me."
"As things stand right now, I can't imagine that happening," X6 says. "You would have to fuck up pretty badly, $maam. And I mean, pretty badly."
You stand and wander around the upper loft, clasping your hands behind your back, bumping them against your behind as you walk, in rhythm with your steps. When you stop at the far end, you motion out the window and tap the glass with your knuckle.
"You know the biggest problem with the Institute?" you ask.
"Go on."
"I do //not// want to sleep with any of these people," you say.
"That's your biggest problem?" X6 asks slowly.
"If I'm going to live down here for several more decades, it'd be nice to have... a companion," you say. "You... have no idea what I'm talking about, do you? The SRB must program it out of you."
"It," X6 repeats.
"Yeah, you know. //It//. Yearning. Physical desire for someone else. Lust," you say, pumping your fist slightly at your side. "No?"
"Yes. I am familiar with the feeling," X6 says, his confession as detached as any other statement he might make.
"You are?" you ask, surprised.
"While this seems a highly improper conversation, yes. I am."
"Oh for fuck's sake, X," you say. "Stop thinking of me as the Director for half a second."
"I wouldn't be sharing this information otherwise."
You lift your hand, then drop it as you feel a little shame for your harsh response. Returning your attention out the window, you're embarrassed by his admission, though you can't pinpoint why. Maybe you expected him to say "no," and for that to be the end of it. The notion that he is capable of desire reframes him in your mind, from someone easy on the eyes to...
"Fair point," you say, trying to get away from your thoughts. "What's on the agenda for today?"
"I guess it wasn't that big of a problem," X6 says, the corner of his mouth turning upward ever-so-slightly.
"X," you warn as you cross the room to your desk and sit in front of your terminal, intent on getting to work.
"I believe Mr. Holdren is single."
The lead tip snaps off your pencil as you attempt to make a few notes on an internal memo sent up by Facilities.
"Mr. Oberly is also single, though I do not care for him much," X6 continues.
"Are you going to list every eligible bachelor in the Institute just to bother me?" you ask, exasperated as you spin around in your chair to face him. "Alright then, here's one: X6-88."
"Very funny."
"Why not?" you ask.
"You are the Director," X6 says, as if the answer was obvious.
"You like that about me," you say.
"You're human--"
"And you're a synth," you say, finishing his thought. "Who cares?"
"I imagine many people care."
"Remind me who the Director is?" you ask.
"You are, $maam."
"And who barges into my quarters every day without knocking?" you ask.
"I do."
"I'm sure half the Institute already thinks we're up to something," you say. "And don't give me the whole 'we can't have children' bullshit. Believe me, after the year I've had, I'm good. The Institute can take all the DNA it wants from me. Easier that way."
You turn to your work and sharpen your pencil, scratching on the paper memo again. That leaves X6 standing behind you, staring at your back, processing everything you said to him.
"Oberly and Holdren can't shoot a gun to save their asses, anyway," you say. "How am I supposed to be attracted to that? ...Are you still there?"
"Yes."
"Since we're already having this incredibly uncomfortable conversation, care to share who the object of your desires is?" you ask, glancing over your shoulder.
"You aren't serious," X6 says in cool disbelief.
"Should I not ask?" you ask.
"$Maam, if you are acting dense on purpose, please stop."
"I don't want to make any assumptions!" you cry, throwing your arms out to the side.
You hear him move for the door to your quarters, and you stand, taking several long strides as you reach for him. You grab his wrist, not sure what you'll do next, but having him go now seems like the worst option. X6 won't say it out loud and you'd never force him, but you can't have him leave on that note.
"I'm sorry," you say.
"I... was giving you shit, too. You don't owe me an apology."
"If it //is// me, though," you say, "you should know I think you're quite... attractive."
"Who else would it be?" X6 asks as his posture stiffens.
"These things have a way of surprising you," you say.
You let go of him and step backward, clearing your throat. You both stand there, several feet between you, unsure what to do or say next. If you wanted to be a coward, you could make an excuse and go back to your duties, but where would that leave X6? As awkward as it felt at that moment, this was a process you knew going back to school. X6 has absolutely no frame of reference for any of it.
"Well," you say. "If you ever want to... try something, I'm more than willing. You know, if you're curious about... any..."
You falter as X6 squints at you.
"What I'm trying to say is I'd let you do just about anything to me, X," you say, blurting out the words you meant. "And good lord, there is a long list of things I would like to do to you."
"I should go."
You nod.
The courser hesitates as the door to your quarters slides open, as if he has something more to say, but leaves before he puts it to words. You grumble, flapping your arms several times, then retreat to your bedroom. You are exhausted. A nap will make things better.
Hopefully.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[[Continue->Page Eight2]]]You sit on the lower level patio of your quarters, enjoying a glass of brandy as you read a book that has survived the ravages of time. It hadn't come from the Institute--you dragged all of your books from the surface down here. You still don't know what people do for fun in the Institute. Nobody reads casually, nobody watches films or television. All they do is work. They have plenty of leisure time, but still throw themselves into their work.
Your door slides open upstairs and you watch as X6 takes the loft stairs down, his eyes finding you right away.
"A book, how quaint," X6 says.
"Wanna get a dig in about my alcohol, too, while you're at it?" you ask, holding up your tumbler.
"You're only human," he says as he sits in the nearby chair, crossing his foot over his knee, looking smug.
"I wondered when you'd arrive. A little later than normal. Though, the only time I don't expect to see you is when I'm asleep. Don't you get bored being awake twenty-four hours?" you ask.
"Yes."
"You're perfectly capable of sleeping, you know," you say.
"Seems like a waste of time."
You shrug, then look around at the heart of the concourse before you. It's bustling as people go about their day.
(if:$x6_value is 3)[[[You'd like to go somewhere more private.->Page Nine2]]]\
(if:$x6_value < 3)[[[Staying on the balcony feels appropriate.->Page Ten2]]]"Better than being bored," you say as you slap your book shut. "C'mon."
X6 stands and follows you, confused but ever-diligent. You lead him out of the Director's Quarters, brandy and book still in hand, and wind through the Institute until you arrive at your old quarters, the ones assigned to you when you first arrived. There isn't exactly an influx of new blood to the Institute, so you keep them for when you need some peace and quiet. It only has a small balcony and zero windows.
"Better," you say as you toss your book on the desk. "Now the whole concourse isn't watching us."
You sit on one of the white sofas as he stands in the center of the room.
"What do you want to do tonight, X? Target practice? Fuck around with some capacitors and see if we can blow up a laser pistol?" you ask, draping your arm along the top of the sofa.
X6 has a look on his face you see so rarely, hesitant and sheepish.
"Out with it, tough guy," you say.
"It's about what you said yesterday."
You can't help but smile.
"Where do we start?"
"With me peeling that uniform off of you," you say, patting the spot next to you.
X6 sits as instructed, and you tug the white top of his uniform over his head with his help, revealing more of him than you've ever seen at once. His skin is a rich, sepia brown and is warm to the touch as you run your hands along his muscular back. You sweep your hands across his shoulders and let out a long, wistful sigh looking at him from behind.
"I want to establish a baseline," you say. "No one has ever... touched you like this before, right?"
"No."
You sit on one knee and rub his neck and shoulders with enough pressure for him to really feel it. X6's reaction is so immediate that it almost startles you. His head falls forward and he mutters something unintelligible as your fingers find knots up and down his trapeziuses.
"This is a problem we could spend all night on," you say.
You wrap your arms around him, kissing the side of his neck. He turns his head in your direction and you kiss his cheekbone where it meets his ear. You feel his slow, even breathing through his back where it meets your chest.
"I could do that," you say. "Or, I could do other things."
"I'm not going to ask what the 'other things' are," X6 says, "but go ahead and do them."
You push him against the sofa and hum as your eyes wander down his defined chest, then up to his grey eyes. You lean against him, brushing your lips against his as you move your hands to his waist, your fingers sliding across the tops of his pants. X6 lets you kiss him, not responding as you savor him and take his full lower lip between yours.
"Kiss me, X," you say.
"Must I?"
"Okay, not your thing," you say, sitting back. "He's got the world's most kissable lips, but not into kissing."
You start unbuttoning your own shirt, then stop as you pass your chest and check X6's face. He's found a wall across the room to stare at, and quite intently at that. You tap his collarbone until he looks at you, realizing you've stopped undressing.
"You can't stand it when I show any skin," you say. "How is this going to work?"
"I certainly disapprove of you being nude where everyone can see."
"It's just you and me, X," you say.
"I'm not sure I deserve it."
"I want you to look at me, X," you say.
"Fine," X6 barks as his patience wears thin.
"Maybe this was a bad idea," you say, leaning away.
"It's a terrible idea," X6 says. "But one both you and I want very badly. Obviously, I'm going to have a lot of strange ideas about the whole process."
With a grumble, you resume undressing and don't stop until you kick all your clothes into a pile on the floor and sit next to him, fully nude. X6 still has difficulty looking at you, but you let his attention wander. Every now and then, he peeks in your direction, which is good enough.
You slide onto the floor between X6's legs and grab his belt, unbuckling it. His gaze floats over your head as he does his best to ignore what you're doing. It becomes impossible when you unbutton his pants, then reach inside of them and find his cock. His eyes widen as he stares down at you, as if he couldn't have imagined this outcome.
"Too much?" you ask.
"Fuck no," X6 says.
You yank at his pants until you free him and then shove his thighs wide, leaning in to get a good grip on him. He was soft moments ago, but with your fingers wrapped around him, he rapidly grows hard. Whatever hangups he has vaporize as you rest the head of his cock against your lips.
"I take it back," X6 says.
"Which parts?" you ask.
"All of them. This is the best idea we've ever had."
You laugh as you caress his shaft, your touch light for the moment. He groans as you run your tongue along his head, still hidden by his foreskin. When you wrap your lips around him, he clutches your $haircolor hair. He digs his other hand into the cushion at his side as you take him into your mouth, inch by inch, playing your tongue along his length. You lock your $eyecolor eyes with his as you let him pop free from your mouth.
"Is there anything you want, X?" you ask.
"I trust your judgment //completely//."
[[Continue where you sit between his legs.->HB2]]
OR
[[You can't resist climbing onto his lap.->Lap2]]"$Maam?"
"What's up?" you ask.
"About what we discussed yesterday."
You sip your brandy, waiting to see where this goes.
"It might be best if we forgot that conversation entirely," X6 says. "I respect you as the Director of the Institute, and I'd like it to remain that way."
You visibly relax as you slide several inches down in your chair. On one hand, it would have been nice to explore... certain aspects of your relationship. On the other, he just freed you from worrying it further.
"Looks like I'll have to go up to the surface every now and then," you say, returning to your book.
"I really can't win, can I?" X6 asks.
"Nope," you say with a smirk you know will irritate him.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:purple)[Platonic Ending]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(link: "Restart")[(reload:)]]Now hard, his head is exposed, and you swirl the tip of your tongue along its underside. You stroke his sensitive ridges, then sweep your tongue down his erection, your other hand on his stomach. You can feel his muscles twitch involuntarily as the excitement builds inside him.
"Damnit, this is a lot," X6 hisses.
"I can stop," you murmur into his skin.
"Do not stop."
You take him into your mouth again and moan, moving up and down him, swallowing as much as you can each time until you've taken all of him. When you slide his length out, a long line of fluid trails from the head of his cock to your bottom lip. He is transfixed by the sight as you lick your lips and push his cock against your cheek.
"X, you have a nice dick," you say.
He remains silent as you kiss the base of his cock.
"I am very, very glad you let me see it," you continue.
"This goes beyond just seeing it," X6 whispers.
"And I've got more ideas that go beyond this," you say, your kisses trailing back up toward his head.
[[But right now, you want him to finish.->HBC2]]
OR
[[You need to ride him, //now//.->Lap2]]You slink your frame against his as you get up from your knees, grazing your body against his erection and over his muscular chest until you settle in his lap, straddling it. You take his chin in your hands, kissing him again, not sure what to expect. He responds this time, although clumsily.
"You don't feel obligated in any way to do this, do you?" you ask as you break the kiss.
"Hell no," he says, his "no" strained as you reach down and press his shaft into your labia.
You groan as you grind your clit along his length. He's at an apparent loss for things to do or say and lets his arms fall to his sides as he sits there, allowing you to toy with him. His gaze shifts between your bodies when you grab his shoulder, and he watches as you nudge his head inside you.
"You are going to kill me," X6 mutters as you lower your weight onto him.
"Is that all it takes?" you ask, throwing your arms around his neck. "Mmm, you feel good. I've been thinking about this for a long time. You have no idea."
"Yes, I do."
You cover him in kisses as you hit his lap and let out a deep, dulcet sound. X6 chokes slightly at the sensation, then coughs, not doing a good job of keeping his cool. After waiting a few moments, you lean your upper body against his and rock up and down, your pace slow to start. He feels wonderful as his cock fills you.
"$firstname, this isn't going to last long," he says through gritted teeth as he grabs your hips, his short fingernails digging into your skin.
"Holy shit," you say, slowing to a stop as you flex your muscles around him. "You just used my name."
"Do you want me to call you $maam right now?"
"Say it again," you say.
"$firstname," X6 moans, squeezing your hips.
You resume, increasing your speed until you pound him. Your tongue curls over your top lip as you let out one breathy whimper after another, slamming your body down onto his. His mouth falls open and he pants, his head rolling backward.
Your intentions are clear.
You have never seen anything more gorgeous than X6 at that moment. His face pinches as he rumbles, his eyes shut tight. He wrenches you down onto his lap by your hips while thrusting himself into you at the same time. You can't continue even if you wanted to, his hold on you is ironclad. He shouts a series of incoherent expletives at the top of his lungs and lets you go.
When he opens his eyes, he finds you staring at him, looking quite pleased. You pat his chest, then grab his hand and draw it to your mouth. You let him rest as you kiss his fingers, enjoying how languid he is.
[["Don't think you're done yet," you say.->DC2]]"Do you get yourself off?" you ask.
"What?" X6 asks, furrowing his brows.
"Do you stroke yourself until you orgasm?"
Panic crosses X6's face, as if you are interrogating him.
"Relax. I'm not the SRB, X," you say. "I want to see so I know what works for you, that's all."
You sit back on your heels and watch as he hesitates, then takes his cock in his hand and strokes it slowly at first, up and down his entire length. As the minutes go by, you watch his movements grow urgent as his fingers rub the ridges of his head with each stroke, working the upper half of his shaft with a greater need. You reach out and clasp your hands over his, stopping him. As much as you want to watch him come, you'd like to be the one that does it.
He lets you take over, moaning as you draw him back into your mouth. When you let him free, he glistens in the light, a sight you find wildly arousing. You wrap your fingers around him again and do your best to mimic his grip and movements. It isn't long before X6 is slouching, his breathing unpredictable.
"$firstname," he mumbles.
You look up at him in surprise, and at that moment, X6 gasps as he comes. Fluid covers your hand, some of it landing on the side of his well-defined abdomen. You stroke him a few more times, enjoying the mess he's made as his body shudders, then stop when you sense it's too much.
"Damn X, you are gorgeous," you say.
You stand and wander across the room, where you clean up and find a towel. Upon returning, he's managed to sit up straight, the fog lifting from his face. You kneel next to him on the sofa and hand him the towel, which he takes, and with some embarrassment, wipes himself off.
[["Now it's my turn to show you how to please me," you say.->DC2]](set: $x6_value to $x6_value + 97)\
"What do you mean?"
"I mean," you say, "I'm going to show you how to use your hands on me. I know you can be selfish, X, but not when it comes to me."
"I don't even know--"
"I know you don't," you say. "You have a pretty good excuse."
"$Maam."
"$Maam!" you say. "We're back to $maam already?"
"$firstname," X6 corrects himself.
"Do you not want to do this?" you ask.
"I've never even considered doing this."
"Ho boy, X," you say. "We can stop here. I'm not going to force anything on you."
"Just show me what I'm supposed to do," he says, impatient.
You stand and pull at his hand until he joins you, leading him to the small bedroom. There, you crawl to the head of the bed and point at the foot, where he sits, finally removing his boots and pants. You lie down and prod him with your toe until he pays attention. When he looks at you, you spread your legs and he stares at the sight before him. Yesterday, it was almost impossible to be in the same room with you without any clothes on, his admiration made him so uncomfortable. Today, he is doing the unthinkable.
"Give me your hand," you say, reaching out for him.
He moves closer and puts his hand in yours, then watches as you nestle his fingers in your pussy.
"This," you say. "Feel this? See this? Are you looking?"
"Yes, I'm looking," he snaps.
"Rub this. It'll make me orgasm," you say.
"Nothing else?"
"Focus on this for now," you say. "You don't have to worry, I'm //very// turned on."
X6 pushes his index and middle fingertips into your clit, making your eyelids flutter. You haven't given him much instruction, so he rubs your bud back and forth with mindful, yet precise movements at first. His touch feels good, so you let him continue like this for a while.
"A little harder," you say after a bit.
"Like this?".
"Oh my god," you whine as he applies more pressure and speeds up.
"I've never heard you make that noise," X6 says with an almost sinister smirk.
He climbs over you until he finds the perfect angle at your side where he can play with you in a seamless, fluid motion. He knows virtually nothing about the finer details of your anatomy other than the basics he is required to understand as a courser. None of that covers any of this. Still, it only takes minutes of listening to your breathing and mewling as he strokes you to understand what you like.
"X," you whimper as you clutch his forearm.
He watches your face, his hand moving at the same speed. You make it difficult for him as your back arches from the bed while you whine again, your voice reaching a pitch he'd never heard before. Your final whine turns into a cry and your back falls to the bed. He leaves his hand on you but stops rubbing, feeling you pulse beneath his touch. As if to escape, you finally roll onto your side and curl up as shudders periodically jolt through your body.
"Are you alright?" he asks, putting his hand on you.
"Oh my god, yes," you say from within your fetal position.
"You know," he says, "I have another erection."
You unfurl from your ball, a mess of limbs, and sit up to look at him. Your pupils are black from ecstasy, your cheeks ruddy from the adrenaline. You grapple at him, discovering he told the truth. And he looks beyond satisfied with himself.
"Seems like all that Courser training's paying off," you say in a dreamy voice.
"You point, I shoot," he says, sounding the most eager you had ever heard him.
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(text-colour:purple)[Happy Ending]]
(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[(click the curved back arrow above if you want to explore a scene you didn't read)]