Shrapnel

The two Turks, the rookie and the boss, searched for hours in the not-quite-deserted streets of Midgar. A cold rain began to fall, chilling Tseng and Elena through their linen uniforms. It had grown dark, but Tseng, always prepared, had brought out night vision goggles for them both. The goggles helped them to see, but they gave the ruined city and eerie green glow that stretched already tense nerves even tighter. Added to that was the fact that though they knew Reno was up there somewhere in the chopper, their communications with him were down for some unknown reason. They were on their own in enemy territory.

They knew that while they were stalking, they were also being stalked. Both Turks could feel it, though in the disaster area Midgar had become, tracking was difficult. It wasn't that there was no sign of their quarry, it was that there was too much sign. The lowest of the low made the ruins their home, and they were all potential enemies.

When it happened, it happened quick. A shot rang out from an upper window of a building, whining off the street between Tseng and Elena. There was no need for words between them. They took cover behind the hulk of an abandoned truck and returned fire, using the muzzle flashes from the window as an indicator of where to aim. It was only moments before the flashes stopped, and Tseng and Elena saw through their goggles the rifle fall from the window and hit the pavement below. Before they could even release pent-up breath, they heard someone from behind them shout, “Light it! Light it!”

“Run, Elena!” Tseng jerked her to her feet and shoved her toward the doorway of the building up the street. She hadn't taken even two steps when she was hit with what felt like pebbles in her right hip and buttock. From the Wutain curses she heard from behind her, she knew that Tseng must have been hit as well. Then he was beside her, grabbing her arm and pulling her into an all out run. Elena could feel blood running down her leg and knew she'd been hit with something other than pebbles.

When they reached the doorway, Tseng nearly flung her inside before dashing inside himself. Elena shut the door, looking for a lock and finding none. “Help me,” Tseng ordered, and Elena turned to see him already sliding an old refrigerator toward the door. She went to assist him, and with the two of them working, it was only a matter of seconds before it was in place against the door. “That should hold them back for a few minutes if they find us,” Tseng said. “Now where the hell is Reno with the chopper?”

Elena saw then that the front of his pants were bloodstained, and her own blood ran cold. “Sir? Where were you hit?” she asked.

The dark haired Turk looked down at himself for a moment. “Nowhere...vital,” he answered, knowing what she was thinking. “Don't worry.” He looked around the room they were in. The walls were cinderblock, and there were only two small openings in the front wall. It must have been a storage building of some kind, he decided. But its former function didn't matter. What did was that they were fairly secure, and the room was defensible.

“What did they shoot us with?” Elena asked.

“A shrapnel gun,” he told her. “A homemade weapon. It's basically little more than a metal tube filled with nails, broken glass, bits of metal. Add either gunpowder or gasoline and...boom. It rarely kills anyone, but as you can feel, it's quite painful.”

“Why did we run, then?” Elena asked.

“In case they had more than one,” Tseng answered. “That could be fatal, and if I'm going to die, I'd rather it be with a clean shot.” He pointed toward the nearest opening in the wall. “Now get beside that window and listen for anyone approaching.”

Elena obeyed his orders, and heard him come up behind her. “Drop your pants,” he said.

She snapped her head around to look at him, thinking she must have misheard him. He had taken off his jacket and was in the process of removing his shirt. “Do what, sir?” she asked.

Under other circumstances, the look on her face would have made him laugh. As it was, it only made him impatient. “I have to get the shrapnel out,” he told her, ripping his shirt in half. He handed her one half and began folding the other half into a square pad. When she still hesitated, his voice grew harsh with exasperation. “Elena, you might have a beautiful ass. Since I've never seen it, I wouldn't know. But let me assure you that right now, covered in blood and embedded with shrapnel, there isn't a damn thing arousing about it. So, please. Drop your fucking pants before I cut them off you!”

Steeling herself, Elena unfastened her slacks and pushed them down, followed by her panties. She only hoped Tseng's goggles didn't show how much she was blushing. The blond glanced down as her boss kneeled behind her and pulled a knife from his sleeve. “Be still, Elena,” he murmured before laying his hand on the firm swell of her buttock. She gasped as a thrill shot through her at the contact in spite of the pain, and he said, “What was that for? I haven't even started yet.”

“Just nervous about it,” Elena answered. “Go on, do what you have to do.” She felt him lay the makeshift bandage his shirt had become on her backside, pressing firmly to stop the bleeding. It hurt, but at the same time felt wonderful as it stopped the maddening trickle of blood down her legs. When he felt that the bleeding had been slowed enough, he slung the pad across his shoulder.

“There's not that much here,” he told her. “I'll be quick.” With no further words, he began removing the shrapnel, using his fingers on the pieces he could grasp, using the knife point to dig out those that had went deeper. Elena stood there, trying to focus on the sounds from the street. The problem was that there were no sounds from the street other than the pouring rain. Either they weren't being pursued, or their enemies were holed up just as they were, waiting. It made it hard to ignore the pain of Tseng's efforts at first aid, along with the fact that the man she'd had a crush on for months, her boss, was now on his knees at eye level with her ass. Elena was actually grateful for the pain, knowing that otherwise her sex would be soaking wet from the intimate touch of his hands.

“Are you finished?” she asked when she heard the knife being slid back into the scabbard hidden up his sleeve. Sweat was dripping from every pore of her body from his knife digging into her flesh; she sincerely hoped the job was done.

“Not quite,” he answered, once more using his shirt to stanch the bleeding. “There's one left, and I can't get it with the knife.” He pulled her belt from her slacks and handed it to her. “Put this between your teeth and bite, Elena. I have to use my fingers to get the last one, and it's going to hurt.”

“And it hasn't up until now?” she asked, but did as he ordered. It was a good thing, because otherwise she would have screamed at the agony of his fingers digging inside the wound. It seemed to go on and on, though it was actually only a matter of seconds before she heard him grunt in satisfaction.

“Got it,” he said, and handed the piece of glass to her. Elena took her belt from her mouth and looked at the jagged chunk of glass for a moment before tossing it away. Seeing it made her feel a bit ill.

Tseng once more pressed the square of cloth against her wounds. “Hold that,” he said, and Elena reached down to do so. Tseng got to his feet and bent to pull up her underwear for her, holding the cloth in place, and making Elena blush harder than ever. As soon as he stepped back, she jerked her pants up, not able to look at him.

“I did the best I could, Elena.” He put his hand under her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. “I hope it doesn't leave scars. You do have a cute behind.”

“Thank you, sir?” she replied, uncertain of what response was warranted, and her boss snorted laughter.

He pulled the knife out once more and handed it to her. “Now's your chance to get revenge,” he told her. “But do I have to tell you to be careful, considering where my injury is?”

“No,sir,” Elena answered, taking the blade from him. Tseng then unbuckled his belt and undid his fly, letting his pants fall to his ankles. At the sight of him standing there, all but nude, Elena froze. He was beautiful. Broad shoulders, wide, muscular chest, strong, toned arms and legs, and his manhood, even flaccid, was enough to cause her to feel weak with more than blood loss. Now she felt herself become wet, her breathing became faster. Helplessly she met his eyes, and she saw an answering response in them.

“Elena...” he whispered, reaching for her. She allowed herself to be pulled into his arms. Her grip on the knife loosened and it clattered to the floor. “I lied,” he whispered into her ear, and she shivered from the sensation of his breath against the sensitive area.

“About what?” she asked, not really caring, only wishing crazily that she hadn't already pulled her own pants back up.

“When I said there was nothing arousing about your ass,” he answered, his hand cupping the uninjured cheek and pulling her against his now-hard cock, only wincing slightly as she pressed against his injury. “I lied.” Tseng tore the goggles from his face before removing hers, plunging them both into darkness. Even now, when he was aroused, he wasn't careless. Instead of dropping their equipment, he bent slightly and put it on the floor before straightening and claiming her lips.

Elena moaned as she finally felt what she had fantasized about so often; his lips covering hers, his tongue gently coaxing her to open for him. She felt weak again when he slipped his tongue into her mouth, finding hers and stroking it, tasting her. Elena gasped, taking his breath into herself, and it was Tseng's turn to moan. She brought her hands to his chest, covering his nipples, and delighting in the feel of their hardness against her palms.

Tseng moved his lips to her cheek and whispered against her skin, “So sweet. Do you want me, Elena?” When she couldn't force the words past her lips, he answered for both of them. “Yesss, Elena.” He kissed a path down the side of her neck to the hollow at the base of her throat. His tongue felt like fire against her skin as he licked her there and she whimpered, plunging her hands into his dark hair as if to hold him against her forever.

A burst of static followed by Reno's voice over their headsets brought them both back to reality, and they jumped apart as if the redhead had actually entered the room and caught them. “Hey! Either of you guys hearing me yet? Come in, Tseng. Elena?”

“We hear you, Reno.” Tseng answered. Elena knelt and began feeling around on the floor until she found the goggles. She put hers on first, unable to resist taking a look at Tseng's erection. The sight of him caused another gush of wetness between her legs, but she tried to ignore it and stood. The other pair of goggles she pushed against Tseng's hand. He took them absently and slipped them back over his eyes, not looking at her.

“Give me your location,” Reno was saying. “I've been worried about you guys up here. Something was jamming the signal, yo, so I've been flying in circles like an idiot.”

Tseng told him where they were hiding, then added, “Hurry, Reno. Both of us have injuries. Not life threatening, but painful.”

“You got it,” Reno said, then the headsets were silent once more.

Tseng picked up the knife from the floor, handing it to Elena. “You should have time to take the shrapnel out of my hip before he gets here,” he said. The desire was fading from his expression, and he was once more all business. Elena felt a sharp pain of regret, though she didn't know if it was because they hadn't been allowed to follow events through to the conclusion, or if it was because they had begun it in the first place. Elena got on her knees in order to see his injuries, the position and the sight of his still hard cock making her shudder with lust again. As if he had sensed it, Tseng said her name.

“Yes, sir?” she answered, her voice a little unsteady.

“It's best we didn't finish what we started,” he said, and oh, how those words hurt! Much more than the shrapnel wounds on her backside. But his next statement eased the pain somewhat, gave her a thin thread of hope. “You deserve better than to be taken on a dirty floor in these foul ruins.”

***************

“What the hell happened to you guys?” Reno asked as Tseng and Elena climbed aboard the chopper, both of them wincing from their injuries.

“We were hit by a shrapnel gun,” Tseng answered. “We had to remove it since we didn't know when you would show up.”

“Hey, it's not my fault communications went down!” Reno protested.

“Did I say it was?” Tseng replied. “I was merely stating a fact.”

Reno noticed then the way Elena was sitting, all her weight on one side, her right buttock not touching the seat, and grinned. “Don't tell me you got shot in the ass, rookie,” he said. Elena's glare was answer enough, and Reno laughed as he took the chopper up. “So Tseng had to play around with your ass, huh? Was it fun?”

“Give me a knife and drop your pants and then you can be the judge,” she snapped, in no mood for his smart mouth.

Reno wasn't fazed, however. “So were you hit in the ass, too, Tseng?”

“No,” his boss answered shortly. “The hip.”

“And Elena had to dig the shrapnel out? Did you sneak a peek at the goods, rookie?” Reno asked, laughing again.

“Enough, Reno,” Tseng said before Elena could answer. “I won't be held responsible if she shoots you.”

“All right, all right, yo,” Reno said. “Be cool, Tseng. I'm just kidding around. She knows that.”

“Just get us back to headquarters, Reno,” Tseng said, leaning back and closing his eyes.



Later that night, Elena lay in bed, unable to sleep. She wasn't in much pain, thanks to the potion Tseng insisted she take, but she was unable to lie on her back because of the injury. That wasn't what had kept her awake, however. It was what had happened, or not happened, between her and her boss. Tseng, seeing that she wasn't able to sit without pain, had driven her home, saying he didn't think she could drive safely while balancing her weight on one side. They had not spoken on the way to her apartment, and Tseng gave no indication that anything less than professional had passed between them. He had walked her to the elevator once they arrived, only saying, “Good night, Elena,” before she boarded.

Her mind returned to the kiss they had shared, and Elena moaned at the memory of his lips against hers, the feel of his erection pressed against her—and then herself on her knees in front of him, her face on a level with his hard...

Elena turned her face into the pillow and pounded on the mattress at this thought, irritated at her body's useless response to it. As if she wasn't uncomfortable enough, she had to go and add sexual frustration to the list. Oh, what the hell? she suddenly decided. At least she could do something about that. She carefully rolled onto her left side and slid her hand down her body, briefly caressing her breasts before going lower and finding the little bundle of nerves between her legs. Closing her eyes, Elena pictured her boss's face, the look he had worn right before pulling her into his arms and kissing her. “Tseng,” she whispered, stroking her clit faster, wishing with all her heart that it was his hand touching her, urging her toward a climax.

A loud knock on her front door jerked her out of her fantasy, breaking the mood. “What the fuck!” she cried in frustration. She got out of bed and wrapped her robe around her nude body before taking one of her guns from the holster on the bedpost. If it was an intruder or an enemy, she was going to blow their head off. If it was Reno, who sometimes showed up at her door to sleep it off when he had drank too much, she was going to shoot him. In the foot. Maybe the thigh. Perhaps then he would find a bar farther away from her home. At least he didn't try to come on to her anymore, not since the time she got fed up with his advances and kicked him in the nuts. Not hard enough to cause damage, of course, but it had gotten her point across.

“Who is it?” she called when she reached her front door, flipping on the light at the same time. Expecting it to be Reno, she was shocked to hear another voice instead.

“It's Tseng. May I come in, Elena?” he asked.

She unlocked the door and opened it for him. His eyes dropped at once to the gun she held. “Taking no chances, I see,” he remarked with approval. “Did I wake you?”

“N..no,” she stuttered. “I wasn't asleep.”

He looked closely at her face. “You're very flushed, Elena. Are you in pain?”

“No, well, yes, a little, but—why are you here?” she blurted, knowing her face was turning even redder. She told herself that Tseng couldn't possibly know what she had been doing to herself in bed, but with his penetrating dark eyes on her, it didn't help much.

Tseng held up a small bottle. “I was thinking that the medication I gave you earlier might wear off in the night and that you would need more. I don't want you to be in pain.”

Elena bit her lip as she took the medicine from him. “Thank you, sir. That's very thoughtful of you.”

He nodded. “May I come in for a moment?”

“Why?” she said, and immediately wanted to kick herself.

He didn't answer at once. Instead his gaze traveled down her body. Elena knew the thin robe did little to hide the outlines of her breasts and hips. She started to cross her arms over her chest, and forced herself to stay still, to let him look at her. “Elena,” he finally whispered, “I think you know why, don't you?”

“Sir,” Elena whispered, feeling as though she might melt into the floor. She had to be dreaming. That was the only explanation. She'd fallen asleep without knowing it and was dreaming.

It didn't feel like a dream when Tseng stepped inside her apartment, closing the door before he took her into his arms. “Drop the 'sirs', Elena,” he whispered. “Call me by my given name.” Before she could do so, however, he was kissing her. He removed the gun and bottle from her hands and Elena felt him toss them toward the easychair behind her. She had time to hope that the gun wouldn't go off, then all other thoughts were driven from her mind as Tseng opened her robe and pushed it off her shoulders. She thought about protesting, but her body had ideas of its own, and she stepped into him, winding her arms around his neck.

His arms tightened around her waist, and his kiss became more demanding, his tongue thrust between her lips, finding her own, stroking it, claiming it, leaving her weak and clinging to him for support. When he brought one hand to her breast and rolled her hard nipple between his fingers, Elena's knees buckled and she would have fallen if he hadn't immediately bent and picked her up in his arms. “Where is your bedroom?” he asked, and she pointed toward the end of the hall. He carried her easily, and once there laid her carefully on the mattress, mindful of her injury.

He lay down beside her, looking at her naked body with admiration. Elena blushed, and his sharp eyes noticed this as well. “What's wrong?” he asked.

“Why now?” she replied. At his puzzled look she elaborated. “I mean, just because you saw me with my pants down?”

His normally stern mouth curved in a smile. “Do you think I have so little control, Elena?” Her blush deepened. “No,” he continued. “It was the expression in your eyes when you looked at me when I had my pants down. It mirrored the desire I have had for you for so long.”

“But sir, Tseng, surely you already knew,” she said.

He shook his head. “Hearing Reno's lewd jokes about the subject of your feelings mean nothing. You never gave me any indication.”

She opened her mouth to speak again and he laid a finger across her lips. “Enough talk. I am afraid that if you think too much about this, I will lose my chance.” Tseng bent to claim her lips once more while his hand explored her trembling body.

Lose his chance? Ha! As if she could possibly turn him away! Elena lifted her hands to his jacket, pushing it off his shoulders and letting it drop to the floor before fumbling the buttons of his shirt open. Tseng broke their kiss to help her remove it, and chuckled when she spread her palms on his chest, her fingers tracing the few scars that marred its perfection. “The rookie is bold,” he murmured, with a challenging gleam in his eyes.

Elena couldn't help but answer that challenge. “May I, sir?” she whispered with a smirk, and pushed him onto his back, straddling his hips. She gasped as she felt his hardness press between her legs.

Tseng folded his hands beneath his head, his dark eyes fixed on her. “As you will, Elena,” he answered.

The near darkness in the room combined with Tseng's submissive position bolstered Elena's courage, and she leaned down to press her breasts against his chest. She flicked her tongue against his earlobe and heard him catch his breath, encouraging her to do it again before catching it between her teeth, biting down gently. “More, Elena,” he whispered, and she was happy to comply, tracing the curves of his ear with her tongue before kissing her way across his throat to the other one. After a few moments of her attentions to that one, Tseng growled softly, turned his head to kiss her again. He coaxed her tongue into his mouth and sucked, delighting in the soft whimpers this brought from her.

Elena sat up, gasping, trying to control the lust threatening to overwhelm her. Tseng didn't allow her the time. He sat up as well, locking his arms behind her back and bending his head to her breast, taking a nipple in his mouth. Elena arched her back, her muscles locked as his sucking sent rings of heat from her breast throughout her entire body. She clutched at his long black hair, pulling it without being aware of what she was doing. “Ah, Tseng, your mouth is so hot...so...ahhh...” Elena trailed off, unable to speak coherently any longer. Tseng chuckled, moved his mouth to her other nipple, sucking at that one until Elena was nearly sobbing with pleasure.

Finally, he raised his head, looking at her. Even in the dim room, he could see how flushed her skin was, the expression of consuming desire in her eyes. He traced a thin scar on her left breast, and Elena shuddered. “How did this happen?” he asked her.

“It...it happened when Don Corneo's thugs captured me. I fought them, and...was injured,” she answered, trying to think clearly.

“Ah,” he said, and bent his head once more, this time tracing the mark with the tip of his tongue. “It only enhances their beauty,” he said, and if Elena's heart had not already been his, she would have given it to him then. He kissed her again then, shifting her backward on his lap slightly and slipping one hand between her legs. Elena fisted her hands in his hair again when he found the bundle of nerves between her legs and fondled it, rolling it gently under his fingers. By the time he slid a finger inside her, she was writhing in pleasure, would have been begging if she could have formed words. Tseng rocked his hand back and forth between her legs, curling the finger inside her slightly. “You're so wet, so hot,” he whispered in her ear. “I never dreamed you would be this passionate, Elena, but I always hoped.”

“Tseng, please,” she moaned, “please. I want...want to--”

“I know what you want,” he said, and massaged her clitoris with his thumb. “You want to come. Then come for me, Elena.” His strong arm supported her as she fell back, her hips rocking against his hand as she came. He felt her tight sheath become even wetter, and smiled triumphantly at the soft, pretty cries that came from her lips. Tseng waited until he was sure her climax was complete before taking his hand away and laying her on the mattress.

Elena barely noticed that he had stood up and was removing his pants and the tight boxers he wore underneath. Tseng had to call her name twice before she heard him. She finally looked over at him, and her eyes widened in appreciation at the sight of his complete nudity. The broad, muscular chest, narrow waist, flat stomach. His lean hips, his legs. And of course his manhood. Elena smiled, her heart beginning to race again. He was beautiful, there was no other way to describe him.

“How is your injury?” he asked, concern in his eyes.

“What injury?” she replied, and he chuckled softly.

“In that case,” he said, and climbed back onto the bed, covering her body with his. Elena parted her legs for him, and he slipped between them. Hesitating only to savor the moment, Tseng slid his throbbing cock inside her waiting body. Balancing his weight on his hands and knees so as not to hurt her wounds further, he began thrusting steadily inside her. He was mildly surprised to find that she wasn't a virgin, but he quickly forgot about that unimportant detail as her muscles gripped him as tightly as if she was.

“I can't believe it,” Elena whispered. “I can't believe you're actually inside me. I've wanted you for so long, Tseng.”

Tseng involuntarily sped up his strokes at her admission, making her moan. “We wasted too much time, didn't we?” he replied, his accent becoming more pronounced with his emotion. “No more, Elena.” He continued to make love to her, wanting to make this first time with her last as long as he could. But when it became clear by her sounds, by her movements under him that she was spiraling toward another orgasm, he knew he couldn't maintain control for much longer.

“Oh, yes!” she cried suddenly. “Tseng, I'm coming, I'm coming!”

He felt the clenching of her walls around him as she orgasmed, pushing him over the edge. A harsh cry tore from his throat as he came with her. It seemed to go on and on, his come pulsing inside her, mingling with her fluids. He was unaware of saying her name each time he thrust inside her, only aware of how right it felt to be with her this way, of how there was no way he could let her go after this. The over-anxious little rookie had become a woman who had captured his heart.