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Her lovers’ eyes were lost in the gleaming seam of uneven purple energy once again.
Those protective shutters that kept the entire ship from an early and sudden demise seemed to become more like an obstacle to Iessenia Kurchatova every day. Her tasks were always fulfilled with a dignified ease, managing the Agarthicite core in a way Nina could never see as anything but beautiful. But some days, when the Brigand was sailing freely, when every system showed no strain and needed no immediate attention, she saw the way Iessenia’s gaze drifted back to that line that was even now casting a gentle shadow over her figure.
Nina found it hard to take her eyes off of Iessenia in any light, but truthfully, she never seemed more alive than lit by the uneven flickering of death mere feet away. The way the purple light played across the lines on her face, those adorable wrinkles, the handsome scarring leading from her hairline to her cybernetic eye. Taking it all in disarmed Nina every time. But she was practiced in how to draw Iessenia’s attention by now- it took merely the touch of her fingertips against Iessenia’s shoulder to draw her Chief’s attention to her, a gentle, lovely smile gracing those soft lips. The way she shifted against the mobility aids she’d been resting against, the gentle twitch old aches acting up caused in her expression, none of it escaped Nina’s gaze as she silently let her hand slip to the small of Iessenia’s back, supporting her.
“Nina, dear?”
“Iessenia…”
Some urge in the back of her mind still wanted to say ‘professor’- like she had murmured out only a few years ago, in a hushed and strained voice, vividly recalling the dark of the office and the closeness, the scent of sweat and candles, the… she cleared her throat, pulling herself back to the present, hoping the gentle flush of her cheeks was hidden by the relative darkness of the room and her olive skin tone as she began speaking steadily.
“Iessenia, the Brigand’s arrived at Aachen without any difficulties, and I’ve fully finished transitioning to the less intensive reactor use protocols, so barring any alerts or other issues, now would be a good opportunity to get some rest. I’ll type up our report to the Captain and Chief Engineer, you should lay down for a while.”
“Mm.” Iessenia made a sound of assent but made no immediate movements. Nina simply stood quietly, hand tracing gentle circles against Iessenia’s back, utterly content.
The steady motion of her wrist allowed the mobility aid to fold up as Iessenia let her weight rest against the left. She lifted her right hand, palm brushing Nina’s cheek. Nina let her eyes rest for a moment as she leaned into the touch, Iessenia’s thumb idly rubbing against her lower lip as she teased her former student.
“And would my dear Petty Officer object to an old woman’s desire for company? If your superior officer told you that those reports could wait just a short while, would you keep me warm for a time?”
“There’s no need to pull rank just to say you want to cuddle.” Nina spoke without opening her eyes, a slightly embarrassed expression growing on her face as she felt compelled to continue.
“I…I’ll keep you company for as long as you will have me.”
The gentle circling touch of her former professor’s thumb stopped, and the growing silence eventually grew too much: Nina let her eyes open slowly, gazing back at the warmth and love in Iessenia’s expression without wavering, the Agarthic light playing across the room as they simply enjoyed each other’s company for a few moments. Iessenia’s gaze never strayed from Nina’s eyes.
There were two beds in their shared quarters, both with rather high quality, natural sheets- however, Iessenia’s bed held all of the pillows in the room at its head, blankets folded slightly unevenly, while the bed intended to be Nina’s seemed practically untouched. Iessenia was often reluctant to make excessive use of the luxuries afforded and granted without review to her, but a larger bed (“For my comfort.”, she’d typed into the portable, and it had been ferristitched and installed the very same day.) had been one of the few things Nina hadn’t had to wear her down to request.
With practiced ease, Nina shifted over, adjusting the pillows, previously stacked to allow the beds occupant to sit up and take her medications and eat breakfast in bed, into a more relaxed sleeping arrangement. With that done, she returned to Iessenia’s side as her lover removed her mobility aids, setting them in a drawer, letting her coat slip from her shoulders into Nina’s waiting grasp, hanging it, and allowing Iessenia to continue to undress herself before her.
“Sometimes it feels as though you never stopped being my intern- It feels like you’re about to pull out a portable and take notes on my body every time I undress.” Iessenia chuckled, unbuttoning her top as she set her tie down with her other hand, facing away from Nina.
Nina didn’t let the teasing provoke a reaction- a pouty desire to say she didn’t need notes, repressing the want to express that every time she closed her eyes, she could see the shape of Iessenia’s thighs and hips, tights just removed, of every single scar and line, to the point she could practically trace over them purely from memory. And yet… she still found her gaze drifting over Iessenia’s body every time, the shielded door to their quarters blocking the light of the reactor, meaning the only light in the room came from Iessenia herself.
The level of Agarthic salts in her body from years of working with reactors let that lovely purple glow softly illuminate the room- first from her neck as she let her top slip down, then exposing her wrists as Nina removed it completely, followed by her bra. Iessenia’s smooth motions stopped here as she hooked her fingers into her skirt, Nina silently stepping forward, tugging it down so Iessenia didn’t need to bend over (yet), letting it remain crumpled on the floor as she slowly brought down Iessenia’s tights and panties next, rolling them down to expose her lovers’ legs, and the dim purple glow emitted from the sinews of her calves slowly lit Nina’s squatting figure, fingertips unable to resist tracing over the lines of purple beneath the skin.
“Ah- At least let me lay down before you start, Nina-”
Nina rapidly stood back up at the gentle chastisement, hands in position to support Iessenia as the older woman simply chuckled and swayed over to the bed without assistance, sitting down with a peaceful little smirk as Nina began stripping down herself.
“I swear, with this and how often you decide to enjoy time with me in the shower, I do wonder if you have some sort of fetish for forcing yourself on an old woman standing up… and wreaking havoc on her hips.”
Nina, once again, restrained herself as she undid her pants, tugging them down as she responded curtly, “And who keeps inviting me into a shower built and sized for one?”
Iessenia chuckled, her gaze remaining on Nina’s body as her panties were kicked off as well, Nina’s cock twitching gently as she pulled herself into bed, on top of Iessenia, staring into those mismatched eyes, marked by crow’s feet and scars, the cybernetic eye’s solid color contrasting that purple contamination creeping into the pupil of her right eye.
Nina knew what would happen, without any doubt- Iessenia’s body would continue to gather Agarthic salt until it reacted, horrifically maiming her from the inside out, leading to the familiar slow and painful death of a Core Engineer. And more than anything on Aer, Nina wanted Iessenia to be in her arms when it happened. Hopefully, after enough extended work with the reactor allowed the salts even now beginning to gather in her own body to react in turn.
This was a desire she would never vocalize to Iessenia. But every time she looked into her lovers’ eyes, held her in her arms, and saw the glow of Iessenia’s body reflected on her, the thoughts came unbidden.
“Nina, dearest… your expression’s rather severe. Have I been such a bad girl today? I took my medications without protest, and I didn’t even ask you to feed the pills to me.” Iessenia teased, her arms tenderly wrapping around Nina’s neck as their bodies pressed together, Iessenia’s slight chest flat against Nina’s softer, fuller breasts.
“Mhm, thanks for the reminder- before I get on the reports, you need to take your medications for the evening.”
Iessenia huffed a bit, her left leg shifting to rub ever so gently at Nina’s crotch with her thigh, “Thinking about getting on reports while on top of a beautiful woman? I fear that Commissar has been a very bad influence on you… she doesn’t seem like the type to have any fun.”
Nina grimaced gently, even as her cock began to stiffen from the gentle, even attention.
“Don’t talk about other women while I’m on top of you, it’s weird.”
“Oh? Nina, dear. Are you jealous? She’s not my type at all, honest.” A twinkle in those mismatched eyes, a slight curl of her lips.
“No. It’s the principle of it.” Her response was firm and serious, gaze unwavering as she met Iessenia’s teasing expression, watching as it melted into an even more gentle smile.
Nina couldn’t resist any longer, leaning forward to meet that smile with her own lips, hungrily pressing herself into Iessenia’s body beneath her, hips moving in tandem, grinding into her as she forced her tongue into Iessenia’s mouth.
In these moments, their bodies pressed together, heart pounding against her ribs, able to feel Iessenia’s beneath her, the thirty years separating the pair seemed to evaporate in the midst of the heat and muffled gasps as Nina’s hand hungrily groped up to Iessenia’s wrist, pinning one down as she held her in place, pulling away for a breath.
“Nina...really, what do you see in this old woman?” Iessenia's words were breathy, gasped out, a glowing expression on her face as she slowly spread her legs beneath Nina.
She was met with a withering gaze and grimace. “You know. Don't make me say it.”
Iessenia giggled, free hand drifting down to wrap around Nina’s cock, stroking her gently, drawing soft gasps as she teased, “Mmm, I suppose you're right... from the first time this cute, scrawny student of mine was awkwardly trying to pin me on my desk and stumble through foreplay. And afterwards, it was so adorable how you were panicking and apologizing, swearing to apply for marriage…”
Nina huffed, “I wasn’t…I’m not… scrawny…”
Her partner’s smile only grew, leaning up to kiss her. “Of course, of course, you’re my powerful lover who pursued this lonely woman with unending desire.”
Nina’s expression went through several contortions, deciding to not dignify that with a response, instead letting her hips press forward, Iessenia’s breath catching as Nina pressed inside of her. Nina’s free hand drifted down, groping at Iessenia’s spread thighs, fingers brushing against her entrance, letting out a low breath as she began to press her hips in, staring as Iessenia’s teasing expression melted away with each gentle thrust, staring as her eyes squinted with pleasure, her lower lip wobbling, Nina unable to resist leaning in further for another kiss, teeth dragging across Iessenia’s lip.
Her body was moving rhythmically, cock twitching inside of Iessenia, the way her lover’s body lifted to meet her own, the taste of her lipstick, everything just made Nina want to be even rougher with her, to truly… wreak havoc on her hips. She pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavily, staring at the sweat building on her partner, lying flat and gasping for breath.
“Ah, Nina, dearest, please… please…”
Her thrusts became more hurried, less controlled, Nina slumping into the crook of Iessenia’s shoulder, kissing at it and leaving gentle bites, feeling each shudder of bliss coming from her lover. The sensation of Iessenia's hips hungrily lifting to meet hers every time she pulled away provoked gentle shivers of pleasure running through her body as she felt her mentor's body finally slump into the bed. Iessenia gasping for breath as Nina lifted her head, staring into the glazed over, content expression on her face for a moment, heart skipping a beat, cock twitching inside of Iessenia. Then pressing her head back into the nook of her neck, digging her teeth in one last time, groaning as she came, hips snug against Iessenia’s.
She caught her breath for a few minutes, content to lay in Iessenia’s arms, feeling the gentle, cool touch of her fingertips running over her back muscles. Slowly, she managed to lift herself up, pulling out of Iessenia and rolling to her usual place beside her in bed, waiting only a moment before shifting and cuddling closer to Iessenia.
“You need to take your medication before you sleep. Don’t drift off.” She spoke up as Iessenia started getting comfortable in turn, provoking a wry smile.
“Oh, believe me, I’ll be up for a good long time- even if only because of soreness.” Iessenia teased as she reached to feel the various bites left along her shoulder.
“…I could give you a massage.” Nina offered, feeling suitably chastised.
“Hmm… I think I would appreciate your humble ministrations, if you don't mind.”
“I would be happy to.”
It took a few minutes for for Nina to pull herself out of bed, to methodically count out pills in the nude and hand them to Iessenia along with a glass of water gotten from the shower. She also lit a few candles in the room, to give her a bit more light to work by. This done, she returned to bed, setting a portable she’d grabbed down and shifting to lay a bit lower than normal, hands pressing into Iessenia’s thighs and gently rubbing at them. Nina exerting effort to keep her eyes away from the sight of a few beads of her cum drooling from Iessenia, losing herself as she massaged and rubbed her palms into her mentors’ legs.
Iessenia’s gentle groans of contentment were all Nina needed, letting Iessenia roll over while slowly working her way up as her hands kneaded into the woman’s back, fingertips tracing over liver spots and the contours of her shoulder blades, along the few singular lines of purple starting from her spine before fading.
“You’re gorgeous, Iessenia.”
“Oh? Trying to get a second round out of me? Apologies, dear, I am feeling rather tired after taking my medicine like a good girl. Don’t let that stop you, though, if you must.”
“No, I… I just…” She found it difficult to say the words, falling silent as her hands worked over Iessenia’s shoulders and upper arms before finally laying back down, feeling Iessenia’s gaze on her as the older woman wrapped an arm over her, pulling her close. She didn’t ask for any more or say a word, merely brushing some of Nina’s curls from her face and admiring the younger woman. Enjoying this attention for a few moments finally provoked a statement from Nina.
“I would.”
“Hm?”
“Marry you. You don’t need to be… carrying my…” Nina trailed off before clearing her throat, continuing with far less composure than usual.
“I don’t think the Commissar would be happy, but she agreed to be the notary for those insane security girls, s-so she wouldn’t turn us down. I think. And they wouldn’t be able to replace or separate either of us, so-”
She wasn’t able to look at Iessenia, but the sudden withdrawal of the hand from her cheek made her heart freeze up, unable to stop herself from meeting Iessenia’s eyes. Her face was etched into Nina’s mind by this point, but the expression on it now, one of shock and… the flush, visible even in the low candlelight of the room, on her pale cheeks, hand over her mouth as she seemed at a loss for words.
Seeing Nina’s nervous expression, though, Iessenia’s hand fell away, revealing an awed smile as she leaned in, kissing Nina, a kiss happily reciprocated, lasting a few long moments before Iessenia leaned away.
Iessenia couldn’t help but giggle at the more relaxed expression on Nina’s face, letting her head rest against her lover’s shoulder.
“I’ve never seen myself as the type of girl for marriage, but… if you’d like to… when we return home, we could.”
Nina’s heart soared in her chest, relaxing completely and leaning into Iessenia, feeling the steady breaths of her partner against her collarbone as she idly felt around her side of bed for the portable, lifting it and turning it on, brightness already lowered completely, and began typing up a report of the day’s activities with a soft smile on her lips.
