Archive of Our Own ^beta

               Katsuragi wasn’t even sure why she agreed to this assignment in the first place.  It was going to be cold, boring, and there wasn’t even incentive pay to make up for it.  Not to mention the anxiety she could feel twisting in her gut as the ship surged closer to the pier.  While there was hardly anything left of the Antarctic continent, the memories of the last time she was here still flashed visibly behind her eyelids.

               But she had her orders.  She was a Captain for Nerv and she had to do it, had to be brave, but the fear of having some sort of breakdown still irritated her already nervous stomach.

               Dark eyes glanced over to her old college friend who was sitting in the corner of the bridge with her, contently typing away at her laptop.  ‘At least she’s here with me,’ Misato mused, allowing her eyes to linger for a beat too long.  There was no one else she’d rather be assigned to accompany, especially here, and a part of her hoped this would give them a chance to finally catch up. 

               Then again, Ritsuko’s been about as cold as the lingering ice outside. She thought they had left on good terms when they graduated but it seemed the years in-between hardened her friend more than Misato wanted to admit.

               With a sigh, Misato rested her chin in her palm and returned to staring out the window – not that there was much to see.  The pitch black was only broken up by the spotlights of the ship, illuminating the red ocean as it rippled with the ship’s wake.  Huffing against the window, her breath clouding the glass, she couldn’t help but wonder aloud, “Why red?”

               “Iron.”

               The word was low and confident and Misato immediately perked up in surprise, “Huh?”

               Never looking away from her screen, Ritsuko expounded across from her, “The water is rich in iron.  Well…technically ferric oxyhydroxide.”

               “What?” She scoffed, the word sounding made up, “From where?”

               “Ancient seawater trapped inside the continent itself to put it simply.”  A small smile graced her features as she finally looked up over her glasses, “Salt cryoconcentration essentially made it a hypersaline fluid - oxygen-free and rich in sulfate and ferrous ions.”

               Misato rolled her eyes at the excessive jargon, “Well, don’t you just know everything.”

               Her lips curled into a smirk at the familiar response, “I could go on if you’d like…”

               While her knowledge of the subject could be deemed interesting, Misato quickly shook her head, “No, thank you.  You lost me well after your oxy-BS.”

               “Suit yourself,” Ritsuko shrugged before closing her laptop, the click drawing Misato’s attention again.  “It looks like we’re getting close.”

               “Yeah,” Misato confirmed, standing up with a stretch, “Ice Base 013, right?”

               The scientist hummed in agreement, safely slipping her computer into her bag, “Despite the unlucky number, it was the only one that didn’t fall into the ocean with the meltdown.”

               “So Director Ikari said.”  Her eyes fell to the window again, taking in the approaching lights of civilization glinting through the darkness.  The facility looked eerily familiar even as she forced herself to understand it was nothing more than a blueprint arctic base.  Against her will, phantom echoes of screams and explosions filled her ears and Misato was certain she would have spiraled if Ritsuko hadn’t moved into her peripheral.

               “Misato,” she called out, soft and almost intimately, “You didn’t need to come.” 

               She swallowed, forcing herself back to the present as she returned flatly to the window, “Yes, I did.”

               Ritsuko took a small step back, running a hand through her hair as she did so.  It was obvious she wanted to comfort her but didn’t know how.  As she moved to turn away fully, Misato reached out to grab her hand, “Ritsuko.”  Their eyes locked together with the contact, Ritsuko’s almost questioning the desperation in her grip.  Relaxing, she finished softer, “Rits…thank-you but I’ll be alright.” 

               Akagi smiled at the college nickname, a fondness quickly rippling between them as she answered, “Okay.”  Just as quickly, she acknowledged the heat of Misato’s fingers around hers and she carefully pulled away.  An all too familiar feeling came with her touch, one that stirred up butterflies in her stomach and a pain in her heart.  ‘It didn’t happen then, it won’t happen now.’

               Apparently unaffected by the faint tension, the captain reached down to zip up her jacket with a certain, “Well, let’s get ready to go.”

               Snow crunched under their boots, the crisp sound a testament to how cold it still was.  Ritsuko had mentioned Second Impact made it warmer than usual but it was still well below zero here.  Despite this mental preparation, Misato still shivered with the chill, “Brrr!  How can anyone live here!?”  Clouds of her breath puffed with her complaint and she could already feel the inside of her nose stiffening even with the scarf wrapped around it.

               Ritsuko smirked behind the collar of her jacket where she kept her face tucked, “Imagine if it was windy.”

               “Stop!” Misato whined, crossing her arms to press her insulated jacket closer to her body, “That makes me colder just thinking about it!”

               As they neared the crude but sturdy facility, a young lieutenant quickly approached them with a salute, “Captain Katsuragi; Doctor Akagi.  We’ve been expecting you.”  Just as quickly as he approached, he turned on his heel and said, “Allow me to show you to your quarters.”

               Grateful for the skip in small talk, the temperature easily making Misato irritable, the two followed him closely to the door.  While they mirrored his action of using a boot brush to remove the snow from their soles, he began to apologize, “I hope you can forgive the accommodations.  We are limited on space, so you’ll need to share a room.”

               “That’s fine.” 

               While Misato’s words were unbothered on the surface, beneath them she felt a twinge of…something.  She couldn’t put it into words exactly but she felt like she was a freshman in college again being paired with a random roommate.  Except, this time, the roommate wasn’t so random…

               The interior of the building was just as simplistic as the outside but very obviously lived in by researchers.  Almost every surface was covered with some kind of apparatus or data collection, with more than one neglected coffee mug sitting amongst it all.  Smiling to herself as they crossed the room, Misato noticed how Ritsuko immediately became absorbed in the fleeting glances she was granted as they passed.  Katsuragi imagined she was already analyzing what she saw, eager to get on with whatever it was Ikari wanted her to discuss.

               A narrow hallway flanked with doors led them away and at the end of the long corridor, the lieutenant turned to open their quarters.  The red light from the hallway spilled into the space before he flipped on the lights, informing, “Bathroom is across the hall and Commander O’Neil will be meeting with you in the main room at 0800 tomorrow.”

               “Thank you, Lieutenant,” Misato nodded with a small smile while Ritsuko moved into the room first.  “Goodnight.”

               He saluted in return, “Goodnight, Captain,” before promptly leaving down the hallway.

               Finally entering herself, Misato instantly noticed the elephant in the room.  The simplicity and small size wasn’t a surprise given the type of base they were on but what struck her more was the single bed.  Something, in retrospect, she should’ve expected.

               Closing the door, Katsuragi looked over to gauge Ritsuko’s reaction and found the scientist taking in the twin-sized mattress with an almost amused interest.  “Well, well, looks like the powers that be have a sense of humor.  One bed, really?”

               As she pulled off her knit hat, immediately shaking her golden strands back into place, Misato complained lightly behind her, “They did know there were two of us coming, right?”  Before Ritsuko could answer her, Katsuragi’s eyes lit up as she spotted a mini fridge tucked under the table.  “Dude!” 

               With an excitement that was borderline excessive in Ritsuko’s opinion, Misato dropped her duffel and rushed past her to investigate, bumping her aside as she did so.  Regaining her footing, she watched as her friend eagerly pulled open the door only to deflate upon discovering an empty interior.  “Damn it!”

               “What?” Ritsuko chuckled, setting aside her backpack, “Did you seriously think there’d be beer in there?”

               She huffed and nudged the door shut, “A girl can dream, y’know.” 

               Her friend merely hummed in response, her focus drifting to figuring out a way to settle into the cramped space.

               Rising back to her feet, Misato turned to face the room again, set to unpack as well, but found herself lazily watching Ritsuko instead.  A nostalgic filter fell across her eyes as hazy memories altered the scene before her.  Ritsuko’s crisp clothes reverted into the loose sweats and t-shirt she’d wear around their dorm – some foreign band scrawled across the front...  The light jingling of a zipper became the necklace she used to wear – a simple, silver cat charm…  ‘I wonder if she still has that…’ 

               Drifting on their own accord, she caught herself checking her out the way she always would: noticing the curve of her hips as she moved, the way she’d brush her bangs out of her eyes as she leaned forward…  It was a curious gaze, respectful; or so Misato kept telling herself…

               Noticing the lack of movement from Katsuragi then, Ritsuko turned to look at her.  Their eyes met instantly and Misato’s memories didn’t need to change a thing.  They were still the same sharp green that always seemed to see more than they should…the same green Misato daydreamed about being above her…below her...

               “What?”

               Her voice was calm, inquisitive, but it startled her regardless.  With a quick blink to seemingly pull herself back to reality, she eased the tension with a chuckle, “Sorry, nothin’…just thinking.”

               “That’s dangerous,” Ritsuko teased, tossing her gloves with her hat on the table beside her.

               Following her lead, Misato unzipped her coat with a grin brought on by the humor of the situation, “It’s been a long time since we’ve shared a bed, y’know?”

               She exhaled into a soft laugh and faced Misato with an almost sentimental look, “5 years at least.”  Her eyes narrowed playfully then, “Though I assume you’re still a blanket thief.”

               Scoffing, Misato rolled her eyes and said, “I wouldn’t need to steal them if you knew how to share, Rits-chan.”

               “Oh, whatever,” Ritsuko countered back, that frisky streak Misato remembered resurfacing. 

               Unbeknownst to her, it wasn’t the only thing reviving inside her old friend.  As much as Ritsuko tried to bite it back, view this as nothing more than an inconvenience they’d deal with professionally, she could feel her heart reacting differently.  She could feel it racing, warming up her chilled skin as the familiar fuzziness she felt around Misato threatened to overwhelm her.  It was just a silly crush, one she was certain she got over after graduation, but now that she was faced with this moment of intimacy, Ritsuko realized it never left.

               She forced herself not to steal glances at her, something she had perfected in college, but was now sorely out of practice.  Akagi couldn’t help it.  Misato always had this pull, this magnetism that made people want to look at her, even if they weren’t necessarily sexually attracted.  Smiling faintly, Ritsuko’s gaze traced over the rebellious, purple highlights fading in her hair and down to the steel cross she still wore, the shape glinting where it fell perfectly between her breasts…

               ‘You’re staring,’ her mind snapped and she immediately looked away in attempts to dislodge the stubborn feelings.  ‘You don’t have time for this shit.  Knock it off.’

               Misato crossed in front of her then, rubbing her arms frantically as she glared at the thermostat, “Are you cold?”

               “No,” Ritsuko returned, the word distracted as she plugged in her laptop.  ‘Quite the opposite actually…’

               “Ugh, well I’m still freezing!” her friend complained, giving up on trying to figure out how to work the foreign design. 

               Turning around, her friend offered, “I could hunt down some coffee?”

               “Nah, that’s okay,” Misato waved her hand before tucking it back into her crossed arms, “I really need to sleep.  The trip here was awful.”

               Ritsuko looked her over sympathetically, “Maybe it is a good thing we’re sharing a bed.”  Her lips curled up a little as she finished playfully, “I wouldn’t want you freezing to death.”

               “Oh?”  Misato grinned, taking a step forward as she teased, “Are you offering to warm me up, Akagi?”

               Fighting back a blush, Ritsuko ruffled her bangs as she stepped away from her, countering lightly, “If you return the favor...”

               She giggled, “Oh, I would,” before backing off to finish getting ready for bed. 

               The banter was familiar and just tiptoeing around innuendo, a common occurrence throughout their college years.  While it was almost always Misato instigating the conversation, Ritsuko rarely backed away from it; something, looking back, that seemed rather out of character for her friend.  Akagi wasn’t exactly someone Misato would consider flirtatious.

               Regardless, it never failed to make Misato giddy and it was evident again as she continued to smile through the mundane task of pulling out her black long johns. 

               “Which side do you want?” Ritsuko asked her then, steering them back to a more appropriate conversation as she changed. 

               Misato glanced over to the bed, considering the side flush against the wall or the edge.  Memories influencing her, she decided, “You can have the edge.”

               “You’re sure?”

               Her friend pulled off her clothes, not bothering to turn away from Ritsuko.  Living together in college vanquished that kind of modesty between them.  “Of course,” Misato replied, “You get up in the middle of the night a lot.”

               Ritsuko blinked at her, “You…you remember that?”

               “Why wouldn’t I?” she fondly returned, slipping on her thermal shirt and flipping her hair out of the collar.  Their eyes met again and, feeling an affection washing over them, Misato quickly fended it off with a humorous, “You’d always wake me up, that’s why.”

               She scoffed, her heart rate relaxing slightly, and she continued getting dressed with, “Sorry ‘bout that.”

               “Don’t be,” Misato winked, slipping on the last of her pajamas, “It would give me the opportunity to steal your blanket.”

               Ritsuko laughed then, a genuine warm laugh much higher than her usual tone of voice.  Misato perked up at the sound, her mind struggling to remember the last time she heard her laugh like that.  And, for a brief moment, her heart wanted nothing more than to make her feel that kind of happiness for the rest of her life.

               ‘Calm down,’ her brain warned, ‘You’re just friends.’

               Misato made her way over to the bed then and crawled across to her side.  While it was comfortable in the room, she still couldn’t shake the chill she had caught earlier when they landed.  Quickly snuggling beneath the blankets, she asked behind the fabric, “Wanna get the light?”

               Akagi nodded as she sat down on the bed, reaching above the wooden bedframe for the switch.  As the lights faded out, a faint, red glow bleeding under the door became more noticeable as it provided a weak respite in the otherwise dark room. Their eyes adjusted quickly with it but the near-blindness still seemed to amplify their other senses, making them hyperaware of every little shift as they settled.

               The mattress was hardly big enough for two adults, so they couldn’t avoid touching each other, and the rustle of blankets almost seemed loud in the quiet space as it blocked out the distant groan of generators.  It was strange being this close again after so many years but it wasn’t necessarily uncomfortable, just…volatile.

               Keeping her back to her, careful not to touch her more than necessary, Ritsuko closed her eyes.  The sooner she fell asleep, the sooner she’d be able to ignore the growing tension between them.

               After a few moments of motionless silence, she felt Misato shudder behind her before she turned to purposely snuggle closer under the blankets.  “Fuck, Rits; can we cuddle?” Misato whispered, her teeth nearly chattering.  “I swear I’m getting frostbite.”

               Ritsuko tensed against her in the dark, surprised by her boldness, but soon relaxed with a soft, “I guess.  But…,” she faltered a little as Misato slipped an arm over her waist, “I’m still not very good at it.” 

               Her warmth seeped into Misato’s chest as she eagerly curled closer to Ritsuko, stirring the hair near her ear as she smiled softly, “I don’t mind.”

               The words reassured her and she allowed herself to push further into the embrace, their curves aligning perfectly…too perfectly actually.  Misato bit her lip as Ritsuko’s ass shifted back into her pelvis as she relaxed, alarms ringing in her head that she was entering dangerous territory. 

               Willing herself to calm down and recognize the position as merely one to share body heat, Misato closed her eyes in an attempt to focus on the sound of Akagi’s steady breathing rather than the subtle rise and fall of it.  But, with every breath, she brushed lightly against her, the entire length of her body sending shivers through Misato even as the warmth of the touch chased away the chill.

               With a mind of their own, the fingers resting over her stomach began zigzagging slowly back and forth; feather-light but with a restlessness that reflected the inner turmoil of their owner.

               Ritsuko could feel her mind racing in time with her pulse as her body swooned at the touch.  It was familiar, friendly even, but brought an unmistakable shift to the energy between them.  Every nerve ending was acutely aware of the curve of Misato’s breasts against her back, the heat of her thighs behind her own…  They’ve been here before, in this position, in this moment of intimate uncertainty, but it was a long time ago and they were both extremely intoxicated.

               Misato found herself thinking about the same thing and, while they had admitted their attraction to one another then, they hadn’t gone through with anything other than a drunken kiss…or was it two…?  She couldn’t remember.  Misato just knew they had stopped.  After all, she was with Kaji and Ritsuko was…well…she never really said.

               She didn’t speak now either, even as Misato’s fingers continued to wander higher on her stomach.  Every few seconds her nails would snag faintly against the thermal fabric and it effectively distracted Ritsuko from any form of sleep.  It was driving her insane, intentionally or not, and she couldn’t help the way her body was reacting insistently to her friend’s touch.  Curiosity burned in her veins in the form of a lusty hypothesis and it was quickly forcing its way out of her control. 

               She needed to know.

               Testing it, she pushed her hips back further, rubbing her ass against Misato just enough that it could either be taken as a seduction tactic or just her shifting innocently.  It was Misato’s decision.

               The hand on her stomach tensed, the fingers flexing slightly as Misato felt her libido kick starting with the movement but…surely Ritsuko didn’t mean it like that.

               Testing her back, Misato increased the pressure of her hand as she pulled her closer, nestling her face deliberately in the crook of her neck.  Remnants of her perfume tickled her nose and Misato nuzzled even closer but never past the fragile line separating platonic and romantic.

               A shockwave seemed to ripple through Ritsuko’s body as she sensed Misato’s lips so close to her neck, the carnal desire for her to close that distance almost overwhelming.  Katsuragi’s perceived hesitance kept her still, however, and the two remained nearly tangled together, the air thick with pent-up longing and faint uncertainty.

               They were like live wires waiting to surge and Ritsuko went first, her hand coming to rest on top of Misato’s.  Their fingers laced together without a second thought and Misato smiled against her hair as she responded, touch for touch, by barely brushing her lips against her neck. 

               Her breath hitched quietly at the contact and she tilted her head slightly to give her better access.  Misato didn’t hesitate this time and eagerly took the invitation, breaking the ice with an unhurried kiss to her skin.

               Ritsuko’s hand tightened around Misato’s at the contact, her body fully giving into the sensation as she let Misato continue.  She moved slowly but confidently, her teeth grazing against Ritsuko’s pulse with another kiss that drew a soft moan from her.  The sound sent a rush of blood straight to her clit and if Misato wasn’t hot before, she was burning up now.

               She repeated the motion and felt the faintest pull on her hand in return.  Submitting, Misato allowed Ritsuko to guide her hand higher before she stopped under her breast.  She didn’t release her though, the proximity a tease, and instead rolled her hips back, deliberately grinding against Misato this time.

               “Fuck,” Misato breathed, immediately pulling away from her neck as the lust overpowered her.

               Following her lead, Ritsuko moved with Misato’s retreat until she was turned back enough for Misato to find her eyes in the dim light.  They locked onto each other, their quickening breaths grazing over parted lips as they froze, questioning the other.  They knew they should stop, knew there was no alcohol to blame this time…  But they didn’t care. 

               They moved at the same time, opening up to each other immediately as their kiss became a crash course rather than something they were going to take slow.  Years of attraction exploded with the contact and it quickly became desperate, as if set to make up for all that lost time.

               Ritsuko tilted herself back further, releasing Misato’s hand to reach up and tangle it in her long hair.  Her hand freed, Misato immediately found her breast and smiled into their kiss as she squeezed. 

               Her body grew hotter with her touch and Ritsuko could feel herself losing control with the escalation.  Tearing herself out of the passionate makeout session, Ritsuko whispered heavily, “Misato…  What are we doing?”

               Misato’s following pant was playful as she continued her hot kisses along her neck, “Cuddling.”

               She scoffed through her grin, “Oh, is that what we’re calling it?”

               “Did you have something else in mind?” Misato teased, adjusting herself so she was able to slip a knee between her thighs.  Her following grind rubbed against Ritsuko with a precision that made her whimper and she barely managed to quip back,

               “Several things.”

               Misato moaned into her neck, her grip on her breast tightening as she pulled her impossibly closer.  She wanted to consume this woman, literally and figuratively.  “Really?” she smirked, “I’m surprised you didn’t jump me earlier then, Akagi.” 

               Her heart fluttered under Misato’s palm, betraying the calm demeanor she was trying to maintain as she answered, “I never thought you’d…be interested in me like that.” 

               Pulling away from her neck to find her eyes again, Misato voiced her shock softly, “Are you serious?”

               She took a breath, “Well, considering Kaji and…,” she looked away, the vulnerability she was feeling uncomfortable even with Misato, “I never wanted to ruin our friendship by asking.”

               “Oh, Ritsuko,” Misato scoffed, her voice heavy with longing as she tilted her face back to her, “I always wanted you to ruin it...in the best way.”

               She let her inhibitions go with the confession, her hand returning to Misato’s hair in order to tug her down to her lips.  Her brain protested, insisting they needed to talk about it more – slow down, but her body overruled with Misato falling right with her.

               Between fervent kisses they adjusted themselves fluidly, pushing aside the smothering blankets until Ritsuko was fully on her back with Misato straddling her.  Managing to untangle her hands from Katsuragi’s long hair, she slid her hands down to her hips in an attempt to gain some leverage.  While Misato wasn’t heavy, the weight of her held an almost possessive intent and Akagi was eager to match that energy.

               Pulling away slightly, Misato breathed against her lips, “Damn, I love kissing you.”

               Ritsuko smiled into their next kiss, following it as Misato sat up before she had to break away, flopping back against the pillow as she did so.  Panting softly, she gazed ardently up at her friend, the faint light from under the door outlining her features in the dark. 

               Her thumbs moved in slow circles on Misato’s hip bones, riding up the hem of her shirt with each rotation before finally slipping underneath to touch skin.  Misato shivered at the contact and Ritsuko whispered a teasing, “Still cold?”

               Tsking into her chuckle, she retorted, “Oh, gods no,” and emphasized it by reaching down and pulling her thermal shirt up and over her head.

               Ritsuko inhaled sharply at the movement, her hands tightening their grip on her waist.  Most of her body was in shadow but she knew what her friend looked like and the weak lighting she had to work with was enough to fill in the blanks and remember.  She relished in the ability to finally touch her and her hands moved slowly up her sides, following the red contours of light as she breathed, “You’re so beautiful…”

               Misato scoffed softly, leaning forward to brush her naked breasts against the fabric covering Ritsuko’s, “You can barely see me.”

               “I don’t have to,” Ritsuko whispered, gently scraping her nails along her back, “I know.”

               Misato felt her heart swoon with her words and she pushed forward to capture her mouth again with the passion of that pure feeling.  She wanted to touch her, wanted to take her, and her hands eagerly found the hem of Ritsuko’s matching thermal then.  Teasing her, she drummed her fingers playfully along the edge for a moment before finally slipping underneath.

               Ritsuko rolled her hips up into the contact and, anticipating her need, Misato slid down a little to allow Ritsuko to sit up with her.  She willingly lifted her arms for her and Misato swiftly pulled the warm shirt up and over her head to toss it somewhere near her own.  Almost immediately after, Misato pinned Akagi back down, the feeling of skin on skin, their breasts pressed together, sparking through them like lightning.

               Dodging her lips in favor for her neck, Katsuragi kissed along the length of her carotid before sucking a soft mark into her skin.  Her friend moaned at the sensation, tilting her head back further for her to continue, and she did.  Smiling against her, Misato moved across her collar bone and down her sternum, each kiss and flick of her tongue sending ripples of pleasure through Ritsuko’s body.

               The steel cross around her neck was cold between them as she descended, a momentary distraction as it tickled their flushed skin.  Shaking her long hair out of the way, Misato shifted her weight to one hand in order to knead her breast with the other.  Ritsuko arched into her with a quiet whimper and Misato pleased her further by sucking it into her mouth. 

               Patience wasn’t Misato’s strong suit but, while she wanted nothing more than to rush ahead in her excitement, she grounded herself in taking the time to explore her friend.  Ideally she would have more than tonight to do so but mornings could be sobering.

               Ritsuko’s hands threaded through her hair, keeping it out of the way of her kisses, before she rolled her hips against her again with a soft, “Misato…”

               It wasn’t a plea exactly but rather a hint to what she wanted and Misato picked up on it instantly, for she wanted the same thing.  Splitting up, she trailed her lips back to her neck while her hand slid its way down her abdomen.  She bumped into the hem of her pants and, without hesitation, pushed past the weak barrier. 

               Her fingers registered the first contact with her underwear as warm and soft but when they dipped lower…

               “Fuck, you’re wet…”

               Her voice brushed against her neck and Ritsuko gently pulled back to see her face as she purred, “It’s your fault.”

               Those lust-heavy words made Misato feel feral and she fervently captured her mouth in time with a hard grind of her hips.  Ritsuko whimpered into her kiss and Misato swore she was being set on fire.  Her hand withdrew just enough to slip into her panties and, with a quick prod of her middle finger, she slid through the length of her wet folds before settling on her clit.

               The following moan was stifled by their kiss and Misato couldn’t help but smile against it.  Ritsuko rolled her hips in time with Misato’s circles before untangling her hands from her hair to reach down and push at her pants.  Breaking away from her lips as she did so, she demanded somewhat breathless, “Get these off.”

               Pulling her hand out of her clothes to comply, Misato teased, “Always ordering me around…”

               Ritsuko scoffed before lifting up for Misato to pull her pants and underwear over her hips and down her legs.  After dropping them off the side of the bed, Misato sat back on her heels and took a moment to gaze over her friend.  The pale light from the door highlighted her curves in red, allowing her to make her out, but Misato almost had the urge to turn on the lights anyway.  She liked being able to see her lovers, especially when she knew how gorgeous they were.

               Leaning over her, brushing their breasts together, Misato whispered, “Do you know how much I want you right now?”

               Her friend let out a conceited hum, dragging her nails lightly along her back as she challenged softly, “Show me.”

               Misato almost moaned and met Ritsuko’s mouth again, letting her lead as she focused on bringing her hand back to her clit.

               Spreading her legs further for her, Ritsuko could feel her world narrowing to just her touch as it fluctuated in pressure and speed as Misato deciphered her body’s cues.  Misato would always complain about herself in college, saying she wasn’t a fast learner, but her ability to adapt now made Akagi question it.

               Needing to breathe through the pleasure, she tilted out of their kiss and Misato trailed her lips down along her jaw without breaking stride.  Her fingers lowered a short distance too and Ritsuko could feel her body burning up with desire.  She couldn’t believe how much she wanted this, how much she’s always wanted it.

               Misato swirled her fingers along the soaked edges, torturing her in the most blissful way, before finally sliding one inside her as far as she could reach.  Ritsuko hissed, her nails digging into her shoulders, and Misato slowly slipped it back out only to bring a second finger in with the next thrust.

               She bit down on her neck with that hard curl upwards and Ritsuko couldn’t restrain a sharp gasp of pleasure, much louder than all the others.  Misato moaned in response as she continued to hunt down the spot again and again, encouraging as she lifted her head, “You like that…?  Don’t be so shy, Ritsuko.  Let me hear you.”

               Whimpering, Ritsuko pushed her hips up into her hand, her eyes snapping open briefly as they rocked together before falling shut again.  Misato watched as her expression rippled with pleasure, her bangs falling into her eyes and her teeth clenching every few thrusts.  She was focusing, chasing after her orgasm alongside her lover, but Akagi allowed herself to be louder.  Not contrived, but less controlled; and Misato swore the sounds alone could make her come right with her.

               With a brief scratching of nails, one of Ritsuko’s hands left her back as she brought it up to her mouth.  She needed to bite down on something and as her lower muscles were thrown into that pleasure-filled spasm, she latched onto her palm in order to ride out the intensity. 

               Misato talked her through it in husky whispers and Ritsuko swore she had never come this hard before.  Gazing over her friend, Misato felt an affectionate form of satisfaction ripple through her and she slowed her fingers to barely flutter against her walls as they gradually eased their squeezing.

               With a sigh, Ritsuko released her fist to let it flop beside her head, her whole body tingling and weightless as her body relaxed into euphoria.  Her lover removed her fingers then and Akagi groaned softly at their retreat before turning to look up at her.  She found her sucking them off and it stirred the embers of her desire once more. 

               Reaching up for her, she looped a finger through her necklace and whispered with a tug, “Come here.”

               Humming contentedly, Misato followed her pull and met her lips in a kiss so much softer than all the other ones they had shared.  She could feel herself melting into it and she slid her arms beneath her to hold her closer as Ritsuko wrapped herself around Misato like a bear cub.

               It felt perfect, right, and Misato quickly felt herself craving more again as her tongue grew bolder.  Ritsuko responded by biting her lip and, with a hiss, Misato ground her hips roughly into her in fervent retaliation.  Pulling back, Ritsuko brought her hands down from her shoulders to glide over her breasts as she praised, “Damn, Misato…you’re good.”

               “Was there ever any doubt?” Misato winked, catching one of her wandering hands and bringing it up to her lips. 

               As she kissed the mark she had bitten into it, Ritsuko answered playfully, “Nominally.”

               Her friend chuckled at the technical terminology before teasing, “Of course you would doubt something so good for you, Akagi.”

               Ritsuko’s smile was dazzling as she returned, “I could make up for it?”  In a quick move, she grabbed hold of Misato’s biceps before pivoting their hips in a way that allowed her to roll Misato onto her back.

               Impressed, Misato laughed at the martial technique and reached up to hold Ritsuko’s face, her thumbs stroking her cheekbones before pulling her in for another kiss.  Ritsuko broke it rather quickly, eager for something even more intoxicating, and worked her way down her neck, her tongue pulling the rope of her cross into her mouth.  She tugged at it playfully before nipping and sucking at the skin below it, peppering her with speckled bruises.  Misato moaned through her bites as each mark sent a fresh wash of heat straight to her clit and she greedily arched into her in a silent beg for more.

               Her tongue and lips moved down, deliberately making a detour to lavish attention across her perfect breasts.  Misato shivered against the points of her canines as they grazed across her nipples, her hands readily coming up to fist in her hair.  With a final swirl of her pebbled skin, Ritsuko moved to continue her decent but when her lips returned to her sternum, she hesitated.

               Ritsuko remembered her scar, had seen it before, but never this close and personal.  It was jagged and white, and the realization they were in the very place Misato received it…  She took her time then, following the soft ridges with her tongue, kissing it with such gentleness Misato couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of comfort.  The hands gripping her hair relaxed to caress the tresses instead as a strange sense of healing tingled along the mark Misato tried so hard to ignore.

               While Ritsuko’s lips continued to move slowly, her hands moved much faster as she lifted herself off Misato enough to find the hem of her pants.  Bringing them back down from the smitten atmosphere, she cut to the chase and braced herself up further to slip her hand efficiently past both the thermal material and her damp underwear.

               Misato’s breath hitched into a whimper as she ground back against her hand, Ritsuko’s name a soft plea on her tongue as feral lust and soft affection collided within her.

               Akagi grinned against her skin before leaning up to capture her lips again, practically purring into her mouth at how wet she was.  Her finger dragged through her folds, starting with the softest pressure against her opening and ending with a painfully slow swirl of her clit.  It was too much and not enough all at once.

               Gasping out of the kiss, Misato almost begged, “Please, Rits…”

               She hummed, all too satisfied with the effect she was having but quickly showed her mercy.  Easing off Misato’s legs, she brought her hand back out to the hem and proceeded to peel off the last of her clothing with Misato eagerly bending her legs up to assist her. 

               Once tossed aside, Ritsuko slid her arms under her warm thighs, easily holding their weight as she spread them further in order to settle in-between.  Looking down at her, Misato could feel her heart throbbing in time with her clit, an excited realization washing over her at what Ritsuko was about to do to her.

               She moved with dangerous precision, the first swirl of her tongue around Misato’s clit betraying her hidden experience.  Katsuragi’s hands tangled themselves in her hair again as she lapped and sucked at her, the equally wet contact making her see stars.  Misato rolled her hips into her face, matching her pace as her fingers curled tighter, holding her head through the motions.

               Shifting a little, Ritsuko slipped an arm out from under her thigh to free her hand and Misato immediately wrapped that leg around her – keeping her locked in place.  As her tongue continued working wondrous circles on her clit, she brought two fingers down to her vagina, swirling briefly before pushing inside.

               Her pleasure was immediate and vocalized as she moaned with her thrusts, “Oh f-fuck…you’re…ungh…”

               It became apparent that Misato was considerably more vocal than her and Ritsuko found her pride fervently latching onto it.  Smiling against her, Ritsuko increased the pressure on her clit with her mouth while curling her fingers perfectly underneath it.  Misato’s soft walls fluttered in response and she continued to whimper above her, blissfully lost in pleasure,

               “Mmm, right…there…  Oh, Ritsuko…you feel so good…”

               Her lust-filled encouragements seemed to increase her endurance and Akagi continued to fuck her relentlessly, her own lust mounting with her words.  She could feel Misato growing wetter by the second, her body clenching and relaxing under her before she cried out,

               “Ritsuko…I…fuck…!”

               Misato curled forward, pulling Ritsuko closer to her as her hands tightened in her hair, her body wrapping around her in more ways than one.  Ritsuko could feel every tremor ripple through her as she came, Misato’s high pitched gasps just barely kept quiet enough that no one would hear.

               Holding her through it, she stilled her fingers inside her, letting the muscles keep them captive, while slowly licking through her folds in attempts to soothe her.  Misato shuddered with the overstimulation before finally untangling herself from her lover’s body to collapse back against the tangled sheets.

               Akagi took her time kissing her way back up then, retracing every step, before finding her way back to her lips.  Misato had no strength to kiss her back properly and lazily returned the strokes of her friend’s tongue as it roamed along hers.  Katsuragi moaned into her mouth at the taste of herself and, as she broke away, she watched in a lustful haze as Ritsuko sat back and slipped out her fingers. 

               “That…wow…,” was all Misato could pant out, provoking Ritsuko to chuckle,

               “You’re speechless?  That’s a first…”

               She proceeded to bring her fingers to her mouth, her tongue darting between to remove every trace as she sucked them clean.

               “Fuck, Ritsuko,” Misato groaned, her pussy clenching in response to her provocative display.   

               “Again already?” She teased, rolling her hips gently against her.

               Misato moaned through her chuckle before whispering, “Give me a minute.  I’m not as young as I used to be.”

               “You’re younger than me!” Ritsuko laughed softly, laying down to cuddle into Misato’s side.

               Her friend scoffed, eagerly nuzzling into her neck as she still tried to catch her breath.  After a beat, the residual pleasure loosening her tongue, Misato breathed, “God…I’ve wanted this for so long.”

               “Mmm,” Ritsuko hummed, kissing her collarbone, “Me too.” 

               Misato pulled her closer, her honesty filling her with joy as she sighed, “We're both such idiots."

               "I know," she scoffed back, watching her nails as they traced lazy patterns on her skin.  Teasing her, she added, “I’m glad you got cold, Katsuragi.”

               She laughed at the truth in her words, “That’s really all it took, huh?”

               Ritsuko tilted her head back to catch Misato’s eye, smirking, “I won’t complain.”

               “Good…,” Misato leaned in, her voice dropping to a purr, “Because I think I’m getting cold again…”