Run and Hide Again (A MGE story ft. Razgriz and Umbrale)

The Mantis had yet to stop, or even notice his presence in the least, as he began to watch. Her fingers had only sped up; sinking knuckle-deep into herself, even amidst the forcefull pushes of her hips against them. The ripples that rapidly spread out from her almost matched the heavy, frantic-like panting from her. Before long, he could hear her soft voice mutter in an almost annoyed fashion; "...Hngh.... N-Need... more...", as the fingers if her free hand closed about a nipple, to tug on gently.

Eventually, her eyes snapped open, and she suddenly sat up right; her fast actions stopping momentarily. She sniffed the air once, twice, and her cloudy eyes came a bit more into the present. Slowly, she removed the hand from between her legs--looking almost relunctant to do--and brought it up to her mouth; licking what remained of her juices, that the water didn't run off. As she did so, he could hear her, more clearly, call out, "J-Jackson... are you... there?" Her voice, however, held a husky, warm tone within it, one that was sheerly dripping in a sense of raw eroticism, and promises unvoiced to anyone that responded. In fact, if he looked closely, he would see her face flushed with red; her mouth hanging open slightly with a kind of wild, carnal passion.

Jackson's hand continued to caress his own length, underpants now down around his ankles as he watched this Mantis, this Mamono, quite literally fuck herself. He was starting to grow jealous of her fingers, wishing it was something else that was plundering that tight hole of hers. The aroma continued to assault his olfactory senses, driving the primal lust burning in all males higher and higher. His grip worked the thick meat harder, a small stream of pre starting to dribble out of the bulbous tip and increase the potency of his musk.

However, his hand stopped when she straightened: Seeing her eyes snap open, looking around before tasting her previously probing fingers of her fluids. And then she called his name, making a slight chill run down his spine. Before he could stop himself, he said, "Yeah, I am" almost too clearly and quickly. His other hand came up to his mouth, his mind cursing at him for blowing his cover as he ducked behind the thick brush.

But...He knew she heard him, and would probably kick his ass if he didn't show himself for peeping. So, he steeled his resolve and after closing his eyes, he pulled up his underwear and pushed forward through the bush, stopping within it so that his arousal wouldn't be seen by her. And for a moment, he would say nothing, a small bead of sweat running down his temple. His mouth opened as if to say something, but then he thought better of it and just kept it shut. Waiting to hear her call him stupid...Or punch him, or kick him, or whatever.

When his musky scent increased in the air, he could've sworn the Mantis shivered in delight. It was enrapturing to take in a male scent, as her body drove her wild with mating need. It set her very nerves afire; had her lithe body positively aching for the very male she had tended to for the last two weeks.

When he called out to affirm her, she almost moaned in delight; her eyes not glassy anymore with pent-up need, but sparking, with ecstatic anxiety. Her body was almost shaking with desire, the honeypot between her legs once again seeping sweet juice. Finally, the solution to her problem was within sight--quite literally--and she just had to get to it.

"J-Jackson!", she exclaimed, before shooting into action. One flash--not nearly as fast as she could've before, but the raging hormones throughout her body beat out the numbed bit of a pain her thorax caused--and she was on her feet. A second flash, and Jackson was hit square in the test; being forcefully taken to the ground.

Practically before he could register the impact--or, she started it in mid-air-- he would feel a delicate, smaller hand wrap around the sign of arousal in his underpants. When the jarring action finally settled his eyes, he would come to focus on the Mantis straddling his legs; eye aflame with raw desire and need, as her hand was stroking up and down his length, through the thin clothe. Not even close to what she wanted, the non-injured arm flashed up, blade extended.

What might've been an impromptu castration, was instead, a cutting of surgical accuracy. Without so much as scratching him, she removed that thin garment in a flurry; reducing it to shreds. Now, this might create a future nakedness problem; but she didn't care in the least. With the manhood she had seeked now revealed in the warm noon air, the Mantis took but an inch back, to preview her conquest.

A loud exhale left the Marine as the Mantis tackled full-force into him; he was so close to going over the edge that his head hung just over the lip of the small hill. His vision swam for a moment from the heavy hit, but soon refcoused to see the Mantis on top of him. She was so fast that he didn't even hear her call out his name, his eyes wide and staring at this naked monster girl on top of him, feeling her hand rub his thick length, the sensation more than pleasant as the silk-like fabric rubbed over his swollen meat.

His eyes then widened in fear, seeing her raise her blade; no way...No way he was going to be turned into a eunuch! "H-hey! Come on, don't do that!" he cried out in a panicked tone; he imagined she'd be upset but he didn't think she'd go this far! And before long it swung down, Jackson closing his eyes and letting out a yell at what he thought was the pain of his manhood being severed...Though he could still feel a pressure down there, one eye opening to see she had scooted back, those silver hues fixed on his fully-erect eleven inches of prime male arousal.

"F-for crying out loud! What'd you do that for?!" he shouted, seeing his last article of clothing scattered around, continuing onward "You damn near emasculated me! You wanted them off, all you had to was ask!" Even with this, his cock was riddled in small but prominent veins feeding the sizable flesh, the entire length pulsing visibly as the heated air wrapped around it, the sperm-heavy balls hanging freely beneath it and full of potent seed perfect for mating.

The Mantis heard none of his cries, none of his angered retorts at her removing his clothes. No, her attention was focused vividly on the throbbing, masculine pillar present before her. Right there was the solution to her aching problem; for the copious juices that were leaking down her fit thighs. A soft, almost whining, moan drifted from her lips at the sheer sight, before she suddenly moved forward.

As quick as always, the Mantis wrapped a hand around his schaft, and leaned in; dragging her tongue slowly up the underside. She was almost tasting it, it seemed; admiring every little facet and vein of his impressive length. Her tongue was dextile, soft, and a touch on the long side; curving to lap heartily at his swollen tip.

It was but a moment before she opened her mouth, and before Jackson knew it; the Mantis' cute mouth had buried every inch of him within her. Not a Mamono explicitly built for sex, a sharp gag did retort to her around his member. She seemed to ignore it, though, and it did only serve to contract the warm, wet sanctuary of her mouth about him. She seemed content to sit there for a long moment; swirling her tongue about him, and enjoying the musky source.

Eventually, however, she needed to breath, and she pulled fully off; a single strand of saliva connecting her bottom lip to his manhood. She was gazing up at him now with a sultry, almost predatory look in her eyes. Yet, deeper, was a spark of sincere adoration; an almost yearning look to please. However unknown by humans, any monster girl could be dominated. Even the toughest, even the strongest, would relinquish dominion to a male that could best them; and that Alpha-ship only served to strengthen their bond.

Of course, with the absolutely voracious look with which the Mantis eyed him, this particular time possibly wasn't the best opportunity for it.

Jackson was understandably furious, feeling like she had intentionally done that aspart of her payback for cushioning his fall. Which he soon found out not to be the case, since those wide silver hues were now locked onto the flesh column sticking up into the air. A muted gasp ripped from him as he felt her tongue wash over the turgid length, tracing every little bump and vein with that fleshy muscle.

And when she swallowed his member entirely, his hips bucked a little, fingers starting to claw at the ground as her throat practically constricted him, the walls milking his length. Thick spurts of pre-cum would gush out from the head, drenching her tongue and cheeks in the loose, salty fluid. Her mouth was so hot and tight that she was almost able to make him blow right there, before long lifting her head with a wet 'pop' as she released his manhood, the thick tube underneath bulging with desire to spew its payload.

And for a few moments, both of them stared at each other, the Mantis looking ready to jump his bones and him with more than just a hint of surprise, the head of his cock just inches from her plumped lips. It would seem that he was indeed wrong, and her words from earlier now clicked for him:

"All of those girls..."

They want your dick."


And with how heatedly she was staring at him...It was clear she now fell into that category. The old him would have definitely tried to fight her, using teeth, fists and feet if he had to get her off. But the him now? He didn't seem to have as many issues, at least not obvious ones.

"So...Now it all makes sense. I had a hard time figuring out why you were acting weird, but now I get it..."

A slight smile crossed his face as he laid his head back, chuckling a little. "I can't believe it; I'm actually considering fucking a Mamono. What the hell happened to me?" There was no malice in his voice, not even a hint of self-loathing. Instead he just asked the Mantis, "Well? You gonna just stare at it, or do something with it? Ain't going to go down by itself, now that you've gotten me all worked up...You wanna go all the way, you won't hear any complaints from me."

Even in her aroused, lust-driven state, the Mantis couldn't help a haughty scoff at his words. A smirk made it's way across her lips, before she moved up his body, straddling his thighs; so as to place him manhood directly before her. Her soft hand once again wrapped around it, and began to stroke slowly, almost teasingly so; but with the raging lust of a firm, insistent grip.

"Y-You..."She mumbled, leaning over him, to place her head above his, and stare him down heatedly. "Are... insufferably...." She paused again, licking her lips, as her fought to catch the breath stolen from her longs by her aching body, "...Hard to please..." Her sharp retort concluded, and her head shot forward; pearlescant teeth snapping just short of his nose, in an act of impassioned anger.

The sweet scent of her body in raging heat filled the air; like roses, in full bloom. Of course, this signaled her urge to mate, in full-bloom, the only thing holding her back was her insistent discipline. Yet, it was quite clearly crumbled away; copious juices of the sweet Mantis making their way down her thighs, even as her hand worked dutifully on his member but a few inches away. Now was the tense, fragile, time before she fully lost control; before her intellectual skills faded to that of a prime beast of lust.

Jackson seemed to smirk right back at her as she teased his member, stroking it gently yet insistently; it was clear that she was getting him ready for her. Not that she needed to, seeing as the insides of her thighs currently looked like someone ran a layer of vinyl coating over them, so wet were they from her own raging need. "Maybe I am..." he breathed out, his own chest rising and falling as he inhaled her scent, the switch flipping more and more to a pliable mating mindset and adding "Or maybe I'm liking seeing you all worked up and want to keep it going, haha".

With her lips so close to his, he couldn't help but reach one hand behind her head and pull down. Letting her feel their tongues dance as he forced them into a deep kiss, their teeth knocking together once or twice from the passion of it all. His other hand soon came to join the party, gripping her breast firmly and letting the rock-hard nipple rub firmly against his calloused palm while his fingers kneaded the soft creamy titflesh. And for a short while, this continued until he could hardly hold back, breaking the liplock with a thin string of saliva connecting them.

The hand on her head soon dropped down to cup her pert rear, helping to move it forward until her soaking nether lips were just hovering over the tip of his swollen member, his voice teasing as he whispered, "Like I said...Are you gonna just play with it...Or do you want me to sink this inside you? Because I know which option I'd take". To emphasize, his hand gently pushed her more, letting her snatch tease the fat tip in a small circular motion.

A soft shudder ran up her body, as she listened to his words; even that communication of lusty desire sending her body into a more enflamed state. Yet, she was promptly pulled into a kiss; and subsequently moaned into it, when he fondled her breasts. Pressing down upon him, she forced her chest a bit more against his hand, and even fenced with his tongue, between their passionate lips. When he pulled away, a soft, low hum fill the air; a vibration-like purr that stemmed from within the Mantis.

Slowly, she sat up; only her knees keeping her from his throbbing manhood. As it was, she listened to his playful taunting and teasing; a soft whimper of a moan being torn from her, as her heated folds rubbed over him. Just a moment longer, and the Mantis tensed, before plunging her hips downwards, rather forcefully. Yet, even with that rough, sudden buck of her hips, only a few inches of him slipped into her, before her body tensed up. In fact, she went completely rigid; her eyes widening, and a pained gasp being torn from her. It was a solid minute, before she moved in the least, her eyes drifting down to meet the Marine's. From them, the impassioned, burning frenzy had faded; being replaced with a loving, almost adoring gaze, of the same impassioned need. From their coupling leaked just a touch of blood; but the Mantis seemed to not notice. A crimson, true blush drifted onto her cheeks, as her hand came down, being placed gently on his chest. Leaning down over him,the Mamono found herself at a lack for words; normally cold, or only slightly-emotioned gaze radiating a warmth of love.

The Marine's mind began to turn to mush as the flowery scent of a Mantis in heat overwhelmed his senses, making his body desire one thing and one thing only. At the very least, it was obvious his touch was affecting her, her body shivering as their combined heat banished any inkling of chill from the air surrounding them. Any that might happen to wander close too, would know to stay clear; as desperate as they were, none would ever think to stop the mating of a Mamono and her chosen mate.

And when she pushed down, himself feeling his throbbing length tear through her hymen, he looked up at the Mantis as she looked down at him. "Guess we're doing this" he joked, the hand on her breast leaving to come rest on the one she had placed on his chest. Leaning up a little to kiss her again, he just grinned "Let me know if it hurts too much, alright?" Before long, both hands then came to rest on her pert butt, his hips starting to draw his member back out, then push up into her, keeping the thrusts shallow for now as he would try to work his full length into the Mamono's tight passage.

The Mantis shuddered at the sensation of even that small amount of him within her. As he leaned up to kiss her, she melted eagerly into it; letting out a soft moan. Her hand came to clutch at his, squeezing it gently in her passion, before letting it move to her ass. Many did not know, since Manti' were rare Mamono, but their cold demeanor ended with their first mating. After their hymen was torn, either by rape, or the one they had chosen as a mate, their lives would change forever. They wouldn't live to survive in isolation any longer, but rather, would live for their mate; would live to please and keep them safe in love.

That was the spark of eager, warm love, that brightened her eyes, as she leaned far into the kiss. She gave a breathless nod to his inquiry, before allowing him to pull her down. A soft, whimpering noise of pain drifted from her lips, but she allowed him to; a small smile coming to her lips. She shuddered gently, then slowly let loose a moan, a sweet, gentle thing that drifted from her. She was indeed tight, her body almost like a glove about him; but copiously wet. As a Mamono, her walls almost subtly milked him, sucking and clinging like electric velvet to his length.

Jackson continued to keep the kiss up as she leaned against him, her breasts lightly pressing to his chest as the pair enjoyed their newfound closeness. He was doing his best to help her adjust, letting her move her hips as she could to help his fattened length sink further and further inside, every inch of him slowly disappearing into her freshly-deflowered pussy. Feeling those hot walls squeezing around him, letting the Mamono feel every pulse of him, every throb of the veins along his shaft as her walls tightened the further he went into her.

After some moments of them going slow, Jackson felt himself stopped by another barrier inside her, their hips sitting completely flush with each others; unknown to him, the thick tip of his manhood was now seated against the mouth of her womb, intent on pumping his seed as deep into her as it could. He didn't bring this up, only breaking the case so that they didn't suffocate each other. "H-hey...You still alright? Not hurting too much, are you?" he then asked her, his voice full of caring and a hand now caressing her cheek with the other still holding her rear and her body close to his own. His heavy sack swollen as the flowery scent put his body into full breeding mode.

A soft, whimpering, moan of pleasure drifted between their lips from the Mantis, as he sunk his length into her. It was agonizing; oh-so-deliciously agonizing, as each inch of him stretched her velvet-lined walls. Throughout the kiss, she seemed to be melting into it more and more; her passion undeniable, and her loving embrace all the more so, as her hands came to clutch at his shoulders.

Finally,when they broke the kiss, she panted softly, chewing on her lip as she listened to his inquiry. Eventually, she nodded, and explained, "N-No... it's not... that bad...", before she paused for a moment and leaned down, ghosting her tongue over his lips almost teasingly."... Let me... make you happy..." She panted out in a rather sultry, warm tone,before she tensed, and began to lift her hips off him. She raised them, until just the bare tip of his length remained within her; visible just on the entrance to her folds. She held there, allowing a moment to savor the act to come. Before it would slip out, she let herself drop with a only a slightly-pained--more-so pleasured--cry, sinking every inch of him back into her, till his tip came to contact with her cervix once again. She shuddered there, tongue flitting out to lick eagerly over her lips, before turning her gaze to his. Once more, she began to lift her hips...

Jackson continued to writhe slightly under the Mantis, feeling her tight body clench his member each she would bring her hips up, and groan when she would push back down. The way she was moving: So teasingly, so deliberately slow, it was starting to drive him mad. Had he made her feel this way? Made her want to actually have him take her virginity? Her words and body language certainly expressed that in spades.

Licking her lips one last time as she might engulf his manhood fully, he started to push inside her more and more, his hips beginning to work in such a way that they would rise up just as she was coming down. Allowing for maximum contact and friction between them, the thick tip bumping against the entrance to her unprotected womb. "I've...no more...patience for your teasing" he then growled at her playfully, gently snapping his teeth in front of her nose just as she had done to him. His hands started to work them both into a faster rhythm; not too much faster because of their injuries, but enough to show that he too was serious about becoming her mate.

However, it wouldn't last much longer; he felt that tingling in his groin, his cock starting to twitch and pulse within the grip of her tight wet pussy. "Da-damn, I think...." he breathed out, unable to finish his sentence as he was trying to hold back until they could both go over the edge together.

Her body was on-fire with a loving passion; her nerves alight with a bombardment of all these new sensations. She would surrender willingly to his hands, as he began to pick up the pace. Of course, she didn't just let him have all the fun. As she rose and fell to his pace, she began to gyrate her hips in small rotations; occasionally bucking them down to force his member home just a bit harder.

His impassioned moans, the way he snapped his teeth back at her, made her feel all aflutter. Or, of course, that was the massive manhood plunging within her core. Either way, she adored the feeling. She adored the way his hands fit her ass, the way his swollen tip prodded at her untouched womb. It all felt so right, so perfect, in the grand of scheme of things. To her, he was built to fit; perfect in every way. If a bit of a dick beforehand, but what could she say? She enjoyed fixin' things.

With all this stirring of impassioned emotion--and new sensation--the mantis' normal pool of stamina was quickly being depleted. Hastily, she planted her hands on his chest--fingers scratching gently at the skin there--as she began to move in time with his thrusts. With each ricocheting plunge of his member into her, sweet cries filled the air; tension growing in her nether regions. When she heard him stammer with ecstatic shudderings, her own body responded promptly. She leaned in, and closed her lips with his; kissing him rather roughly. As she did so, her body was wracked with a tensed, enraptured feeling. Her back would arch, but she wouldn't pull away, as her hips pressed down to meet his solidly. Her pussy tightened and milked around his manhood; eager, in the Mamono way, to embrace his seed.

Jackson's thrusts began to pick up more and more, feeling the lovely Mantis starting to return his efforts as their heated coitus began to reach a crescendo. Even though he'd spent so long trying to run and keep from being caught, to hide wherever he could and strike against them whenever there was opportunity, he seemed to be completely different now. Like all those years of hatred just...vanished.

And when it came, she seemed all too eager to keep him inside, feeling that lithe but fit body pressing against him as she kissed him deeply. His member seemed to pulse quite harshly inside her, reacting to the spasming of her inner walls as the heat within him finally boiled over. The engorged head and shaft of his manhood throbbed, the former seated firmly against her cervix as his release overtook him. Within moments, the first rope of hot sperm shooting out and coating her womb in thick white, his hips pushing up to make sure it all went inside her as her walls tightened rhythmically around him. And it wasn't long before that was followed by another and another, his groans muffled as they were stolen from him by her heated embrace, like his body wanted and was trying to fertilize her. The amount reached a point where a thin trail of white could be seen leaking down the inside of her thigh, the cloud liquid evident of its identity as his high began to wear off.

When his climax subsided, his body seemed to relax; oddly enough, it hadn't hurt as much to mate with her like this, and he felt oddly satisfied. Breathing heavily, a smal grin was on his face as she laid on top of him, "D-damn...Guess that ship sailed, huh?" He was of course, referring to the fact that he severely contradicted himself and that she lost her virginity to said human. What a reversal of fortune, for both of them...Little did Jackson know what this meant for him, but even if he did, the rather pleased expression on his face heavily suggested this would not faze him in the slightest.

The first coating of hot seed to her womb, and the Mantis shivered in delight. Sweet, lewd moans of satisfaction drifted back to his groans of ecstacy; even as her own climax faded with his. That humming sound that came from her happiness filled the brush they were in, and the Mantis eventually broke the kiss.

Pulling back just a bit, her flushed, crimsonly blushing gaze came to meet his; adoration shining in them. One of her hands drifted down her, sliding gently along her lower abdomen, as if to savor the sensation of her stuffed womb. Her heated body was satisfied for the moment; pumped full of the substance it was desiring, and ravished to her liking alongside it.

"I-Indeed...", she murmured softly, leaning back in to lay flush against his body. Almost possessively, she began to rub her cheek against his, whispering softly. "M-Mine... you're mine..." The Mantis was making no effort to pull her body away from his, or him out of her, for that matter. Nay,she seemed all the more content to snuggled against her newfound love; and if he allowed, she seemed liable to fall asleep in his warm embrace. Energy spent by the acquisition of her long-sought release, he'd be lucky to get the Mantis off him, anyhow.

*Location: Sol System, Earth. Date: Wednesday, August 25, 3648. Shuttle Designation "Viper-Two-Two" on approach to Locklear UNSC Facility. On board: Lance Corporal Adam Kinsey, Warrant Officer David Williams, Gunnery Sergeant Dmitri Bolsov, and Second Lieutenant Damon Richards. First Lieutenant Jackson Whitelock and Squad Captain Marcus Redwin listed KIA*

And while Jackson currently bathed in the afterglow of pleasure with his newfound mate...Earth was going to hear a very different story.

A small hole appeared next to the Earth in the vacuum of space; about five dozen small shuttles carting the last of the escapees from Deseus making their way back home. On shuttle "Viper-Two-Two", the rest of Jackson's unit sat in silence, having come out of cryo-stasis not long ago. It took them a while, even traveling through subspace, to finally make it back to Earth. Even with four years of travel time, they just thought of that last sight: Jackson jumping into that ATLAS without a second thought, abandoning himself to those...things...in order to save them. "Hey, come on, guys...I know he's gone, but I'm sure he's still...." Kinsey, a relative greenhorn to Delta Force but still a fierce soldier, tried to speak, but Williams just snapped, "Shut it, rook...Damn it, first the Squad Captain and now our El-Tee. Talk about a Pyrrhic victory". Bolsov removed his helmet, revealing his ruffled short brown waves and dulled grey-blue eyes, and replied in his thick Russian accent, "Dolbo yeb.....It wasn't even a victory; we had to run with our tail between our legs and we still lost two comrades".

"Enough, you two...They both threw themselves to the wolves to make sure we got home safe" said Richards, also removing his helmet but revealing a buzzed blond head and sea-green hues. "Kinsey, I know what you're trying to say and I agree. We all know Whitelock; he ain't the type to go down without a fight. Still...I don't have to remind you what Command said about those who got left behind. So, any volunteers?" Another period of hushed silence; no one liked being the bearer of bad news. "Alright then...I'll do it. But only for the family....One of you three can handle the ex" was Richards' only reply; no objections were had. They would decide on who would get that duty once their boots hit the dirt.

Soon enough, they landed; as the unit disembarked, they made their way to check back in and do a head count. In total of the five hundred and thirty thousand total standard UNSC Marines and Delta Force soldiers deployed to protect the colony...three hundred and seventy six thousand made it back. And who knows how many colonists were abducted. The group made their way to the barracks after going through decon, their armor sterilized under a UV lamp and subsequent heat blasting, where they could all dress down into less cumbersome wear. After their armor was stripped off and they were redressed in rather old-fashioned camo fatigues and standard shirts, their holotags hanging from their necks - minus Richards, who was dressed in a duty uniform to go meet with his other commanding officers and give a report to the brass - the three remaining soldiers made their way to the mess hall for some grub.

As they got their meals - pretty good, considering the rations they dealt with on Deseus - they all sat down and ate in silence for a few moments. They needed some time to think of how they were going to break the news to his ex; their relationship might be over, but they still cared about each other to a certain degree. Kinsey then looked up and asked, "So...How do we want to decide this?" "The only fair way...Rock, paper, scissors" was Williams' response; Bolsov snorted and retaliated, "What are you, a child?" "Oh, so you want to volunteer then?" "Me? No, no, I don't go anywhere near her". Bolsov saw the two of them grinning at his refusal and at this he spoke, "Past' zakroi, she and I....Well, we just don't like each other, and she might think I'm just trying to fuck with her. Stupid blyadischa, I don't want to deal with her shit".

Forced to stay grounded. Forced to stay out of the fight. There was no greater agony to a true soldier. No greater shame, then having to sit idly by, while so many others were abducted; presumed either dead, or MIA. But that wasn't enough, no... they had to Jack, too. They couldn't let her go, but they had to take Jack from her. Sure, they didn't always get along. There was always cussing, arguements; they were two peas out of a pod, after all, and were just about as stubborn as one-another. Yet, that night he got his orders--and she, hers--they had fought, harder than ever before. Never, had they come so close to fisticuffs, then that night. Kayla begged him to stay. She pleaded and sought, telling him to ditch the orders, convince them to let her come along, or even just run off with her.

He had left; left her alone, and went off to battle. Just a couple of years ago, it was, but she had never forgotten. They had always fought, but in truth, they did love one another. Even though they had broken up, the two had continued to live together; that little apartment they shared... Then the news. The front had broken, and the colonies were being evacuated. How could it be that bad? The Mamono--information had been passed back, of course, during the peaceful years-- didn't use much more than crude weapons.... but, they did have extraordinary abilities, that baffled even scientists. That had to be it... but Jackson was an incredible soldier. A fearless fighter; top-brass, if he wasn't such a brick-head when it came to teamwork. Why, then, did that twist of fear tear at her gut, when the news came? No. No! She wouldn't believe it. She couldn't believe it... rather, to save hope for Jackson to return... then she could tell him...


------

The moment she got word of the shuttles returning, she had sprung into action. In but a few hours, she had urgently gotten ready, dressed in those simple camouflage-military-casual-wear, and rushed out the door. To the start-port section, she had ran; practically hovering off the floor, with her speed. Brown, hazel hair whipped in the wind, flying just past her shoulders, in complimenting with the soft, exotically-tan tone of her skin. As if she hailed from an little-known isle somewhere, the 5'9" female always stood out in the crowd. Especially those eyes; heterochromatic, one of a deep, peerless green, and another of a crystal-blue. Those eyes peered deep into the soul, or with precision down a barrel; which was, in turn, going to shoot that soul. Kayla was fit, of course, with enough muscle tone to show off, but it only gave her a curvaceous form. Even under those un-revealing pants, shirt, and cap, her tauntingly grab-able hips, and that ass to die for, could be hinted at. Long, admirable legs, and and easily C-cup busom, served to round-out her appearance.

The starport, was where she sat for hours, staring, as marines flooded through the entrance-ways from De-Con. Never, did her confidence wane, did her eyes droop with exhaustion, until the flow began to trickle. Slowly, that fear crept into her heart, that dark clutch of agony. No, she didn't want to think about it. The shuttles left in waves, of course, they couldn't all launch at the same time. Perhaps he was just in the next round... yeah, she would come back together. A sigh from those lips, and she rose; only now realizing that her stomach rumbled with pain. Hours had passed, but she hadn't so much as rose; now her body demanded the biggest fucking cheeseburger that it could manage. A sigh, a soft rubbing of her eyes, and she headed off to the Mess Hall.

Upon arrival, she instantly spotted them at one of the tables. Her face uplifted into a bright smile, her eyes flitting between them, before noticing Kinsey. The rookie, that light-hearted fool, who thought he could always play with the big-boys--albeit, a hell of a crack-shot-- was so down in the dumps...why did he seem so depressed? So, broken-hearted... That fear returned. That clutching hand of darkness that closed around her... but of course, she was roused by the cursing of Bolsov. That idiot. That egotistical Russian, who had pressed the moves on her more than a time or two; of course she had rebuffed him. Her heart was on one ma---"Where is he!?"

She almost hadn't noticed, that she was by the table. It blurted straight out from her, and her hands slammed down on the plasteel of the furniture. Her voice cracked, eyes almost tearing up, as her heart vomitted out her throat, in place of anything the mind could do. Her eyes drifted over the crew, but found Williams; he was a joker, and a bit of a slack-off, but she knew he was always the most loyal. Trustworthy to a "T", and one of the kindest, despite his occasional jackass-ery; he was the only one he could hear it from.

The team members were still sitting around trying to decide how exactly they wanted to approach Kayla, Bolsov adamantly refusing to do so given their past interactions. It was true he did find her attractive, but he also knew better than to actually try and steal Kayla from a man he'd come to respect. Very few people could handle Bolsov's brash nature and rein in his aggressive alpha-male personality, but Whitelock was one of those people he'd fall on his sword for. And it was only because he knew the man would do the same.

And needless to say, her suddenly coming up to the table and slamming her hands down, her voice - wracked by grief and anger - echoing around the mess hall and making the trio jump out of their seats almost. Looking up at the woman with surprise. Most stopped and looked, only to go back about their business. And given how she was practically boring a hole through Williams, it was clear that she was looking to him to provide.

"Ty che, blyad? Look at you, barging over here and deman--” Bolsov started to yell, pissed off that she was even here to begin with, until Williams placed a hand on his shoulder and shook his head, the Russian looking back and sneering a bit before sitting back down. Except no he wasn't hungry; he was trying not to blow up at her too much. It was clear that she knew exactly what Williams was about to tell her, and honestly? He was trying to respect the wishes of a man that threw away his life to let them all be back here in the first place.

"Kayla...I'm not really sure how to tell this to you. So I'll just go ahead and say it: He didn't make it. We were overrun and and he stayed behind to make sure we got out. We tried to stay and help, but he ordered the pilots to take off..." the man stated somberly, explaining the situation. Kinsey didn't know what else to add, only pushing his food away now that the truth was being brought to light as his eyes fell to stare at the table. Jackson was one of the few, along with his other squad members and the Captain, that actually understood and pushed him to greater heights. It didn't seem fair, right, just, any of those!

Kayla simply paused. She seemed frozen in time for a long moment. Those differing hues of eyes that seemed to pierce William almost glazed over. Lost in thought, in a different world for a long minute. She was never one to freeze up. The squad knew that. Almost as hard-headed as Jackson, in some aspects, she never bowed under pressure. But, now, her entire body was tensed. As if someone had staked her with a lightning rod, and ran a current throughout her. Not a movement, not even a blink, until her eyes began to tear up. Even though she didn't move, even though her eyes didn't even quiver; they began to glint with moisture. The tell-tale signs of a sadness far too soon, far too earlier, far too evident to be anything but a forlorn edge of what one could barely call existance. Why else, would she simply sit, in an un-coaxed sorrow, an anxious pacing, when her ex went away; if it 'twas naught for love?

Finally, she sniffed, and her eyes closed. With those soul-piercing hues hidden from the world; it all seemed a touch easier to the mind. No longer did they bore a hole through Williams, but twitched restlessly behind her personal shutters. It hurt, like nothing before. Not like a bullet through the stomach, or a cut to a limb; gods, this pain that tore her heart in two was something far worse. Yet... he wasn't dead. She believed--nay, she knew--that he wasn't dead. He couldn't be. Jackson wouldn't die, he was too tough, too strong. He wouldn't go down without taking the whole damn planet with him; or she'd be damned to have called him her lover once. "No...", she finally broke the silence, eyes snapping open to reveal an inner fire that burned with a passion. Quickly, she snapped her neck back-and-forth; shaking her head with a vengeance."No, no, no, no! He's not...", she paused, as if the word itself held a distinction that only she could appreciate to its utmost of meaning."...dead. Jackson... he wouldn't die. NO...", her voice cracked, and she cleared it, before she turned from the table, and began to move quickly.

Thoughts of the squad left her mind, as she stormed towards the exit of the Mess Hall. They were annoyances, as they were, something that could only get in her way, so she didn't bother to refute them farther. To let them see the pain, that agony that so twisted her mind in a narrow corridor, would have been pointless. Better, was it, to proceed down that corridor, with but her own mind, her own anger. To the Hangar... they'll let me in... I'm not a pilot, but I'll make them... She thought, a tear running down her cheek, as the whole world grew cold about her. Diluted greys and blacks, it seemed, nothing else held the color that so profusely lit her world before. Now...now there was nothing to hold her to this forsaken planet. Screw the base, screw the squad, screw her menial job pushing buttons on a goddamn computer. Screw being the IT Combatant... The cold metal reveled in the touch to her hip,the smoothness of skin meeting its own solid rigidity. One could say Kayla loved hard objects rubbing against her; but that reassuring weight, hidden under the slack of her pants, lent her peace of mind. Even at her hip,it could be drawn at but a moments notice; hidden as it was, within that lax uniform. In fact... her mind drifted, twisted now, as the corridor only lead in one direction; there were no curves or twists. ... Screw the goddamn military, if it doesn't give me a chance... just one fucking chance...

Everyone could see the pain, the wanting to believe that they were just messing with her, and no one - not even Bolsov - would fault her for it. Anyone who was as close as these two had been, even after their relatively nasty break-up, would have reacted the same way. And had the situations been reversed - with Jackson having been grounded and Kayla the one who was listed KIA - they knew he would have denied her being dead. That he would have called them liars much as she just did to them.

Kinsey especially, the little softie greenhorn, started to tear up a little as she openly spoke her denial. Saw those vibrant heterochromic begin to swim before she turned away and stormed off. He wanted to go after her, to let her know that she wasn't alone. That they felt his loss too...Only for Williams to reach across and grab his wrist, Kinsey's gaze turning to his senior. "Don't man...She's grieving right now. Just give her time some time; she'll need to process this." he then said in a somewhat sagely manner, Kinsey looking away from Williams back to see that Kayla had gone.

Indeed...This was a wound only time could heal, and even then sometimes it never really did. Not fully.

Unaware that her plan involved something else, something besides sitting just idly by.

---

---

*UMBRE*

The next day, Jackson slowly woke with a slight grogginess, feeling the soft furs beneath him; weird, wasn't he in a bush or something? Oh right, he'd just laid a Mantis that not fourty-eight hours earlier he had planned on murdering. And strangely enough...Those feelings had largely gone, and even the memory of having them felt alien to him. Why did he despise that woman so much? If anything, he should have been thankful from the get-go.

And that wasn't the only thing he'd noticed gone; his body still didn't feel fully repaired yet, as even stretching and trying to move his limbs was still painful, but nowhere near the degree he was before. Whatever was in that medicine she was using was some really good shit, he mused to himself mentally. And with a slight groan, he slowly shifted until his legs hit the cold wooden floor. Now unbidden by casts and wraps, he was able to feel the moderately-cool morning air hit his flesh; in a way it was missed, especially since before now he had almost always worn that bodysuit or his armor. THe limbs still looked rather beaten, but the coverall bruising had mostly been treated, the former pale-tan coloration returning in large swathes, though there was still some splotches of black and blue.

And it was here that he realized too that he was completely naked, everything about him on full display. Not surprising given what had happened, but he would need to find something to wear. "Huh...Did she go hunting? Wonder how long I was out this time..." he then muttered groggily, rubbing his eye to clear the remaining bleariness; the massively dark bags had significantly gone away as well, his face looking less sunken and more like it was supposed to. Still a ways to go before complete recovery, but these past few weeks had done him quite the large amount of good.

Come to think of it, he still hadn't give her a name, since she apparently didn't have one. What was it she said?

" 'Tis nice to know your name, Jackson, but..."
"I'm afraid I can't return the favor. I, uh... I don't have one."
"I've never really been around people; so I've tended to never need one. There's been no need to address myself, so I haven't thought of one, either..."


He hadn't give it too much thought until now, but something had to be better than just 'Mantis'. He had something in mind...But wasn't entirely sure how she might like it.

Of course, it was only natural for Jackson to rationalize that the Mantis had brought him back, after their little endeavor. After all, he couldn't have climbed the tree, even in that state. But, that was self-evident, and his attention was distracted by his new-found friend returning. Into the opening-doorway she sprung. Albeit, she was backwards. Ass-first, she came in, landing spryly--it seemed she, too, had recovered, even if the bandage still graced her thorax--before bending over. That, obviously, gave Jackson the show of her fit ass, even clad in that emerald chitin, that he now knew could be retracted it but a moment's notice. Auburn hair, as well, cascaded down, to frame her cute face; even as her antennae twitched about. As it was, she was bent over a small hook in the floor; tying off a green rope-like fiber. On her shoulder was strung a foraging bag, of the simple type akin to colonist's laptop-bags.

Eventually, she seemed to finish, and turned about, to find him standing in stark nakedness. To his surprise, her cheeks instantly flushed up, and she looked down, almost as if embarassed. Hell, even her breathing rate rose noticeably; flustered in his presence."Morning, lo...E-Er...", she seemed about to greet him for the day, but lost her momentum, and instead, hastily muttered, "...I got a ladder strung up, so you can go down, now that you're healed... but..." Again, she paused, and cleared her throat, taking a moment to swing her bag around, and open its flap. This promptly revealed fruits and parcels of leaf-wrapped meat, as well as a few tubers."...It's still a long way down... so you should wait, till you've recovered more...I got you somethin' to eat, too...", she finally finished. Promptly, the Mantis fished out on of the parcels of meat, and offered it to him. Surprisingly, it wasn't blood-soaked. And it smelled rather good, too; cooked steak! Sloppily cooked, and still a touch raw, yet cooked, nevertheless! But, to that note, he'd now notice a new bandage--he hand't applied it the night before--laced around her palm; anchored at the bridge of her thumb.

Jackson's eyes went to the entrance, greeting by the small but toned butt of the Mantis; were he not so tired from yesterday, he probably would have shown her that there was more wood in here than just that in the tree. Seeing her flounder, he gave a tired smile; seemed she still wasn't too used to him like this. Wasn't surprising, given the rather quick turnaround of events from two days ago...Wasn't like they were going to know exactly what to do right off the bat, after all. Though he would admit she was definitely cute, that much was undeniable.

"I got ya...I'll try to not fuck myself" he then replied in a joking manner; the scents of food hit his nostrils and his belly reacted by letting a rumble loud enough to wake a sleeping bear. "Yeah, yeah...At least let her wind down first, then we can eat...Looks good by the way." he then complimented her; though he had to stifle a laugh upon noticing her bandage. "You went and burned yourself, didn't you? Once I'm more up and about I'm going to show you how to properly cook meat, ya goof." the Marine teased her, adding "But let's eat, yeah?"

And as the two might dine on the Mantis' kill and gatherings, there was a small period of silence while they enjoyed the bounty of the land. Eventually though, Jackson paused and looked at the woman, saying "So...Remember how you said you didn't have a name? Something about not needing one because you were never around people? Well...Since I won't be going anywhere for a while, I was thinking of...well, heh, giving you one. Granted, I've only given people nicknames as insults. Playful, sure, but insulting all the same."

Pausing once more, he concluded with "So I apologize if this seems completely out of left field, because it probably is...But do you mind if I call you Taki? I don't know, it just seems...Fitting, somehow."

A giggle was quick to resound to his joke; almost too quick. It seemed she was far more flustered by his general presence than anything. While her eyes did move and linger on his manhood--for quite a while sometimes, despite the fact that her gaze didn't glaze-over--she seemed to not mind that as much. She just seemed shy now, like a person in front of their biggest crush; uncertain of how to act. One wrong move, in their mind,could ruin it all. Of course, that wouldn't be any good. Promptly, a smile in response to his jest at her. "Well, Manti don't cook their food...",she explained, almost objectively. While it did sound textually, as logically cold, like the days before that last night; it held a tone of warmth. Some type of loving compassion; emotion, that had lacked from her words before. Nevertheless, she did break out the food with him; and sat with some fruits, to eat.

Midway through an orange, pulpy fruit, and half a string of grapes, his question was posed. At first, her mind wandered at the name. Not of its implications, but of the fact that she had heard it before. One of the poachers she had slain, had a bag labeled that. At least, she assumed that was how you pronounced the word. A strange, crinkly bag. Of course, the Mantis smelt something within its not-quite-airtight design, and slit it open. Of course, attempting to devour the strange tube-like crisp inside, caused a torrent of hellfire upon her tongue; so she was prompt to ditch the horrendous food. Better to let another animal eat it; save her the effort of trapping said-beast.

But, in the split second she had thought of that, his words hit her. He was giving her a name. A name! That meant something. That meant something important; that he accepted her, that he... he also said he was going to stay. At least for a while. Gods, if her eyes could have turned into beating, tear-filled, emoji-eyes; they would have. As it was, she busted from her chair and tackled him. Thankfully enough, she was light. If she had been heavy, she could've injured Ty all over again. Tackling him, her arms wrapped about his neck, and her legs about his waist. Hugging like a monster(girl), she clamped about him, and nuzzled happily against his cheek. "Oh, Jackson! I love it! It's perfect!" She remained against him for a long moment--that stirring, almost purr-like hum filling the air--before she seemed to notice their closeness. Almost immediately, she sat up, and her eyes drifted down to meet his; her hips straddling over his. Almost comedically in the ensuing silence, Taki's cheeks lit up to a rosy red.