carl@fire

"You brute," Emma murmured.

Drake reached up and stroked his claws through her tangled blonde hair, and she made a pleased sound in response, planting a wet kiss on his jaw. "That was different," he said.

She giggled and leaned forward over his bare chest on her elbows, slowly bringing her lips to his as she stared into his eyes with the same teasing grin that had driven his passion. "Indeed," she half-whispered after they parted. "I'd not imagined you'd rise for my benefit a third time, Mister Storm."

"Had to make up for ripping your dress," he said with a grin as he shifted his head against the carpet on the floor.

"So you'd do the same for any woman whose dress you'd torn off, would you?" she asked, frowning slightly. "I've the sense you've not truly given me your full effort."

"That so?" he said. One of his hands trailed his short claws down her pale back as the other brushed her hair away from her ear, and she shivered.

"Mmm, yes, Mister Storm," she said, closing her eyes with a smile on her lips. "I'll be demanding you put forth your utmost from this moment forward."

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" he said.

"Perhaps," she said with a small moan as she shuddered. "I'll inform you of your performance once I've ensured you've truly exerted yourself to your limits."

"Might have to wait a little while."

"I've a strong dislike of waiting, Mister Storm," she said, leaning into his hand that was stroking along the back of her ear. "But fear not, I've a means of encouraging you," she continued. Her lips curved into a smirk. "You've some confidence in your prowess, but I've considerable confidence in my own proficiencies," she said as she began to slide down his torso, leaving a trail of lingering kisses as she went.

"I believe," Emma panted, "that was adequate, Mister Storm." Her legs trembled fiercely, and she sank to her knees before flopping onto her side, continuing to shiver as she squeezed her eyes shut.

Drake's chest heaved, and he leaned heavily against the wall over her. "Adequate?" he growled with incredulity. He prodded at the underside of her foot with his toe, and she let out a loud moan, arching her back as she convulsed.

"S-satisfactory, then?" she said when she regained some control over herself. Her eyes cracked open, and she squinted up at him with a slight smile. "Yes, I'd perhaps be willing to say such a thing if you'd do me the favor of c-carrying me to a bed rather than leave me to lie on the floor like some manner of invalid," she said, her body shivering intensely halfway through.

"You really won't admit defeat, will you?" Drake said with a chuckle. He stood for a moment as his own legs trembled briefly, then reached down to collect her.

"I've no desire to change who I am, Mister Storm," she said as he held her across his arms. Her hands came up to his face, and she pulled him down for a slow kiss so intense that he had to lean his back against the wall to avoid falling over. "Yes, I believe I've improved to a significant degree, wouldn't you say?" she murmured once she'd pulled away, continuing to stroke his jaw lightly with her nails.

"Fuck," he said as he caught his breath.

"I believe I've improved in that as well," Emma said with a hint of her usual teasing tone. She gestured imperiously towards the bedroom. "Onward, lest I have the desire to make you rise once more!"

"You're bluffing," he said as he started on unsteady legs in the direction she'd pointed.

"Am I?" She looked up at him with an exceedingly smug expression. "Perhaps…" She looked around. "Stop, the bed's there," she said, pointing as they walked past the bed.

"Not while you're all sweaty like that," he said. They passed through the bathroom area and into the massive shower. "Can't have you getting my sheets all gross."

She swiveled her head around, returning her eyes to his to give him an outraged stare. "You've simply the intent to count me among your tally of showering partners! Unhand me!"

"It's too late," he said as he reached under her to turn the shower knob.

Water began streaming down on them at the perfect temperature and from nearly every angle.

Emma let out a small shriek, lapsing swiftly into giggles, and she tugged him down for another kiss.

Emma yawned. "I'll not say I'm appreciative of the manner with which you decided to shower me against my will, but I've no desire to become a petty woman who dwells on past grudges." She rolled over and snuggled her face onto his shoulder.

Drake chuckled. "You're more fun than I expected." In more ways than one.

"Mister Storm, is it not customary to say such things and woo a woman prior to putting a child—or, perhaps in this case, many children—inside of her?" she said, letting her fingers play across his other shoulder.

He looked down at her, and she stared up at him with an earnest expression for a few seconds before burying her face into his shoulder and starting to snicker. "Oh my, you'd not even considered, had you," she said between giggles. "Fear not," she said, resting her cheek on his shoulder and returning her lips to her usual small smile. "I've had a fertility ward upon me as a precaution since the age of twelve. You'll need to settle for continuing to impregnate other champions if you've such a hobby." She made a sound like she'd had an interesting idea. "Perhaps that's the method by which you might keep our Vol as a human. Simply—"

"No, I don't think… Yeah, that's not gonna work," he said as he started to laugh after a moment of surprise. That's definitely good in both cases. Actually, I wonder how Rai and the others are doing…

"Good," she murmured. "We'll consider the matter in full upon waking," she said more loudly. "You've my word on that. You're certain thirty minutes is all we'll be needing?"

Drake yawned, bringing a hand up to stroke through her hair and along her back. "Yeah. Should be enough."

"Well then, sleep well, Mister Storm," Emma said. "Pleasant dreams." She closed her eyes, but a smile lingered on her lips.

"Same to you," he said, feeling a matching grin on his face.

He was Drake Storm.

It was a given that he'd be able to succeed against even an impossible woman like Emma, who had tried more than once to kill him.

He never failed at anything, after all.

The timer went off, and its soft buzzing brought Drake back to a fully-refreshed wakefulness that he hadn't felt in some time. He opened his eyes, and the softly-illuminated gray walls of his current bedroom greeted him. Emma's nude form shifted against him, and he grinned as he looked down at her peaceful, sleeping face on his shoulder. She's really…

He stroked his claws along her back repeatedly, and she began to stir. After a moment, she stiffened, her eyes opening wide as she frantically looked around, but then she closed her eyes and let out a sigh, returning to a relaxed state. "Morning already, Mister Storm?" she murmured.

"Something bothering you?" he asked, continuing to trail his fingertips along her smooth skin.

"I'd had a strange dream," she said. "Though…it seems I'm unable to remember it now that I've come awake. How vexing." She pushed herself to a more upright position soon after, and the sheet fell away, drawing his eyes to her nakedness. She met his gaze, then glanced down at herself before pulling the sheet up to cover herself with an amused expression. "If you continue to fondle me with your gaze in such a manner, it's entirely possible I'll loose my restraint," she teased.

"You say that like you had any," he said, rolling his eyes. That wasn't restraint in any universe or world.

Her brows drew down, and her expression changed to a frown as she swept her eyes over his sheet-covered body, lingering on his waist for a moment before she shook her head. "No, no, Mister Storm, you'll not tempt again me so easily," she said. She slipped out the side of the bed, taking a moment to stretch during which she slowly twirled around in place, then shot a smirk over her shoulder and crouched down. "Fortunate for me I'd thought to leave some manner of attire here previously," she said as she stood back up holding the red dress she'd been wearing some time ago.

Drake got up off the other side and stretched his arms out, smirking when he caught Emma eyeing him. "Keep that restraint," he said. Inventory.

"Please. I've already proven exhaustively now that you've no ability to resist me whatsoever," she said with a wide grin as she continued to stare even more brazenly while she adjusted the straps of the dress.

"Seems like the other way around now," he said. "Weren't you saying you'd obey my every whim as long as you're here?"

"You've yet to invoke that, I'll note," she said as she sat on the bed, watching with interest as he dressed himself.

"Is there any point if you're already doing what I want?" he flirted, ogling her just as overtly.

She turned and leaned forward slightly, giving him a better view of her cleavage. "Perhaps you've the desire to dominate a woman stronger than yourself? One you've remained unable to subdue by other means?" she asked with one eyebrow raised.

"Now you're just making it too easy, Emma," he said with a smirk as he finished pulling his pants up.

She grinned, and it was the brightest, most pleased smile he'd seen on her. "If you've the continued need to refuse such a privilege as I've never granted to a man previously, then I'll resume leadership over our group."

He gave her a look. "Two people's not really a group."

"And my first whim to be obeyed," she continued as though she hadn't heard him, her grin turning sly, "is for you to come give me a kiss."

Drake walked over, leaned down, and gave her a two-out-of-ten peck on the cheek. "Alright, let's get some food," he said as he headed towards the door with a grin of his own. "I'm starving."

There was a sharp intake of breath behind him, followed a sound like an annoyed woman growling after not getting what she wanted. "Yes, a splendid idea," Emma said as she followed behind, taking a moment to put her heels back on before walking through the opened door he was standing beside. "I do believe I'm feeling slightly famished as well, though I've no notion as to why."

"Yeah, you've gotta watch for that after any kind of hard exercise," he said while he pulled the door shut and started towards the stairs.

Emma came up on his right side and cleared her throat noisily.

"Hm?"

"A gentleman should always offer an arm to the lady he's escorting," she said, looking up at him with anticipation.

"Oh, okay," he said. After a moment, he draped his hand over her shoulder and pulled her roughly against his side.

"No, Mister Storm," she said somewhat crossly, "that's not how it's done."

He stroked his claws along her bare upper arm, and she shivered lightly, just as she always seemed to from the sensation. "That's how it's done in my world."

"You've quite the confidence upon waking," she said when they reached the stairwell. "And perhaps its my imagination, but it seems as though your speech has grown slightly less refined as well."

"Well, it's like you said, Emma," Drake said, letting his hand drop while they climbed the stairs, "I am who I wanna be. This is how I talk when I'm with my friends, and we're…all sort of friends here."

"Oh, so we've become friends, have we?" she bantered. "Had you decided that immediately following the first of our most recent couplings, or did you require several more to come upon this decision. Unilaterally, I'll note, as I've come to no such decision on the matter."

He snorted a laugh and looked down at her, now easily able to see the smirk in her eyes beneath her affected scowl. "If we're not friends, what are we?"

"I'll inform you once I've determined it for us," she huffed.

"Right, right," he said, letting loose a more definite chuckle. This is some of the most fun flirting I've had in a while.

The unlimited cafeteria came into view, and they both came to a stop.