PROJECT: CAYRO

Raven Skitchatory:

October 19, 2025

00:06 EST

Langley AFB Barracks Complex

Langley, VA

I sat at my desk, glaring at the memorandum glowing on my newly purchased tablet. Sergeant First Class Helsing had sent it to the group, and I could almost hear her sharp, no-nonsense voice as I skimmed the text. Helsing had an aura about her that made you want to stand a little taller, fight a little harder. She was a badass through and through—Army Special Forces, Ranger tab, Airborne, Air Assault certified, and a bunch of other patches displayed proudly on her OCPs like a walking résumé of combat prowess. Yeah, I wanted to be like her one day, but that day felt a million miles away as I looked around my still-bare room.

Twenty-five feet long, fourteen feet wide. The space felt more like a hotel than home—impersonal, bare, and waiting for something to give it life. I hadn’t yet found the time to hit the Base Exchange or Commissary for the kind of stuff that made barracks livable. Hell, the only thing in my space right now was my determination not to fall behind and the thick field manual Sergeant Helsing had assigned. It sat there on my desk, taunting me to crack it open.

Just as I was about to dive into its pages, a knock sounded at the door. With an irritated sigh, I tossed the tablet aside and went to answer, already annoyed by the interruption. Ray stood in the doorway, grinning like an idiot. He wore black flip-flops, brightly colored swim trunks that looked like they belonged in the middle of summer, and a white t-shirt with a palm tree plastered across the chest. In one arm, he held two towels—one pink, the other a light grey. I just stared at him, eyebrows raised like he’d completely lost it.

"What the hell are you wearing?" I asked, one eyebrow cocked in disbelief.

"What does it look like?" he shot back with a smirk.

"Seriously? You want to go swimming? In September?" I asked, incredulous.

"Yup. Now get dressed," he said, tossing the pink towel at me like it was the most natural thing in the world.

I caught it with my left hand and stepped aside, letting him waltz into my space. He acted like he owned the place. Well, technically, Ray acted like he owned everything when he walked in—no matter where it was.

I sat back down in front of the manual, giving it one last, longing glance. "Do I have to go?" I grumbled, trying to stall. My muscles still screamed from the week’s operation, and all I wanted was to lose myself in this damn field manual.

"Come on, Raven, the Colonel pulled some strings to get us night access to the gym pool. Plus, swimming’s therapy. It'll ease the soreness," Ray said, practically begging now.

I sighed. Damn it. He was right, and we both knew it. The doctors had said as much—swimming would help with the recovery.

“I don’t have a bathing suit,” I lied, hoping to weasel my way out.

Ray didn’t even miss a beat. “You’re full of shit, Raven. I know you bought that lime green one after basic. It’s in the top drawer,” he said, marching over to the dresser like it was his mission in life to make me go.

I shot out of my seat and snatched the suit out of his hands before he could dig it out completely. Stomping back toward my desk, I gave him a look that could melt steel. “Fine. I’ll go,” I snapped, clearly annoyed at how easily he won.

With the swimsuit in hand, I dragged myself over to the closet, pulled out a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door just hard enough to show my irritation. Truthfully, I didn’t mind getting undressed in front of Ray. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen it all before—multiple times. We’d been sleeping together regularly for months. But I wasn’t about to make it easy for him. If he wanted me to go, I was going to make him suffer for dragging me out when I was still sore.

I changed quickly, pulling the shorts and t-shirt on over the suit to cover up. I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of seeing me in it until we got to the pool. That’s what he got for being stubborn.

When I finally emerged from the bathroom, Ray looked up, smiling like a smug bastard. “Took you long enough,” he teased, knowing full well he’d been a pain.

“Shut up,” I growled, snatching my bra off the bed and slinging it at his head.

He didn’t even flinch when my bra hit him square in the face, draping over his head before slipping to the floor. A slow smirk stretched across Ray’s lips, revealing his elongated canines—something that still took me off guard every time I saw them.

“Smells good,” he teased, his voice low and mischievous.

“You’re such a perv, Ray!” I exclaimed, exasperation laced with amusement.

“You threw your bra at me, Raven. Kinda hard not to get a nice whiff of you from it,” he shot back, still grinning like the smug bastard he was.

I marched over to him, closing the distance and standing on my tiptoes to meet him eye to eye. I wasn’t backing down from this little game. “Don’t start something you can’t finish,” I whispered softly, my tone daring.

His right eyebrow arched, a spark of challenge lighting up his eyes. “Is that an offer?” he asked, his voice taunting, tempting me to push the line further.

The thought of him pinning me to the wall and taking what he wanted sent a rush through me, but I quickly turned my back on him, teasing him with the opportunity I wasn’t ready to give. Not yet. Instead, I walked to my desk and bent over to grab my wallet and phone, deliberately giving him a view of my ass as I did so. I knew exactly what I was doing.

“Come on, perv. Let’s go,” I said with a sly smirk, standing up and swaying my hips as I strode toward the door.

Ray stood there for a brief moment, his eyes hooded with a mixture of amusement and desire as he watched me with that infuriating smirk still plastered across his face. He loved the chase, this constant back-and-forth that we played. And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love it too.

“Stop staring at my ass, Ray. I know it’s nice, but hurry up,” I called over my shoulder, snapping him out of his trance. I knew he enjoyed the torture, the slow burn of this game we played.

But it was more than that. What we had wasn’t just some casual fling, yet we never defined it either. It wasn’t dating—not in the traditional sense, anyway. We didn’t need labels. We thrived off the competition, constantly trying to one-up each other, pushing boundaries, and testing limits.

In PT, I always pushed to beat him, especially after that last PT test where I managed to top his score by two points. He came in second overall, and I’d been rubbing it in ever since. It was our dynamic—challenging, competitive, never dull. It kept us both sharp, always on edge, waiting for the next move.

Ray finally let out a resigned sigh and followed me out the door. By the time we reached the entrance of the barracks, it was nearly twelve-thirty. The base was quiet, except for a few of our group outside, smoking and sipping coffee as they started their day. The night sky above was illuminated by a full moon, its bright light making my eyes ache. I’d noticed the sensitivity to light ever since the operation. My body had changed in more ways than one, and the light was just the beginning.

We reached the gym, its dimmed interior a welcome relief from the brightness outside. The pool was the only thing lit, its soft blue glow casting eerie reflections across the water. Somehow, that lower light felt… comforting. Beautiful, even. Ever since the operation, I’d developed a strange affinity for the dark.

I picked a table near the pool and set my towel and phone down. Ray did the same, already tugging his shirt off, standing at the edge of the pool with that infuriating grin, waiting for me.

I bit my lip, knowing exactly how I was going to play this. Hooking my thumbs under the waistband of my shorts, I slowly slid them down, giving him a full view. I bent over deliberately, drawing it out, before standing back up with smooth, fluid motions. Crossing my arms, I grabbed the hem of my shirt, lifting it over my head slowly to reveal my bikini underneath.

“Stop staring, pervert,” I teased, tossing my shirt onto the table and sauntering up to him.

“Sorry, can’t help it. You’re just too damned perfect,” he shot back with a cocky grin.

I didn’t hesitate—palm flat against his chest, I shoved him hard. Ray stumbled back, crashing into the pool with a splash. Lucky for him, it was the deep end. He resurfaced a moment later, looking less than pleased, but before he could get a word out, I dove in after him.

The water wrapped around me as I arched my back, swimming upward. I broke the surface right in front of him, my body sliding up his like it belonged there. I met his eyes, locking onto that familiar glint of mischief, and wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling him in close.

Without another word, I kissed him hard, my teeth grazing his lower lip before I bit down gently, teasing, challenging, and daring him to take things further.