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It was like having his liver pulled out through his teeth.
A unique sensation, and apparently one that only he felt. He was told breaking neural links were uncomfortable, but that…was not uncomfortable. It was excruciating.
“I don’t understand. We’ve perfected the process; you shouldn’t be like this.”
“Well whoopty shit,” had been his fully professional response as he sobbed and then vomited up his lunch. Very professional. Good job.
It still ached from time to time, but he had been reassured that the feeling would fade. Maybe it had. Or maybe he was just used to it. He didn’t know.
“Scanners indicate that there are no hostile forces in this area.”
“I know. Can you just tell me when there are hostile forces?”
“Negative. Primary directive states a continued surveillance of this area.”
God, he was irritating. Sorry, it was irritating. This Titan only responded to gender neutral designations, and insisted on being called by its full designation.
He really, really missed BT.
But he was gone. Long gone, and there was no point thinking about it. He was supposed to move on and forget about it, but hey, they were the ones that let him keep his old helmet, even with the same paintjob. There was something about the internal networking being so fried that there was a risk, but Jack didn’t want to be rid of it. Either way, he was happy to keep the helmet and its paintjob, despite the risk, a memory of the Titan that had been forced upon him.
Slumping lower in his seat, Jack tapped his fingers idly on the control panel, staring out at the same patch of jungle that he had been staring at for the past hour. The mercenaries were pretty much all gone, and there was nothing to worry about on the small moon of Harmony they had set up base on. So really, all he was ever assigned to do was just…keep watch. If he had something to do, it’s be better. Maybe then he could get over the tingly tightness that lingered in his shoulders. Strange feeling, one he didn’t recall having all that often, but it was definitely there.
Keeping watch would have been better if it was with BT.
“Your tension is distracting.”
Jack rolled his eyes, resisting the temptation to kick the innards of the damn Titan. Temperamental prick. If only it understood sarcasm because he could just rip it a-
“I am attempting to focus on an unknown Titan signature.”
That was something different. He sat up a bit straighter, positioning his hands correctly. “Titan type?”
“Unknown. The energy signature is all over. Perhaps it is a new model.”
“I doubt it. Where’s the reading coming from?”
And then there was the pause. The long thinking time. It seriously made him think that HD-7982 was stupid, though it was definitely made the same way BT was. It was hard not to lose his patience, but seriously, when it was something important, he would really prefer a quicker response time.
“It is coming from the base.”
Well, that wasn’t the best scenario, but if it was coming from base, there was probably a perfectly good reason for it. Surely they would have sent a transmission his way if it was something terrible.
Tapping up his comms, he cleared his throat. “Cooper, reporting in for a SITREP.”
The comms crackled faintly, pause bleeding into far too long before the static increased. Really, it was an alarming amount of static.
“Communications appear to be jammed, pilot.”
“No shit. Come on, we need to head back.”
“I disagree. Our last known orders were to keep watch. Until new orders arrive, we should remain on duty.”
“Wow, I really hate you.” Jack smacked his fist against the door release, hauling himself out of his seat so he could leap into the grass. A large hand swiped over his head, grabbing for him, but he managed to duck out of it, turning and sprinting towards base. It was a ways to go, but he had pretty good stamina.
“You are abandoning our prime directive.”
“You are the worst Titan ever!”
“Get back here.”
Terrible Titan. He seriously didn’t think they would have that much difference in personality, but holy shit, there was definitely a difference. HD-7982 was nothing like BT, and never would be. It was stupid. He should have kept his neural link and just gone back to being a rifleman. Sure, they were desperate for pilots, but it wasn’t worth it. BT had been his friend, and he’d really liked him. He should have just kept the link and gone on with his life. Trying to replace BT had been stupid. It was a mistake.
He’d fix it. He had to.
HD-7982 crashed through the brush behind him, just clumsy enough that it couldn’t catch up with him, which was good. He was bringing backup to base, and they were going to see what was going on with that unknown titan signature.
As they neared the base, Jack tapped the side of his helmet, pulling up his comms once more.
“Cooper, reporting to base. Come on, base.”
The static crackled for a moment, then cleared, just a little. “Oh thank god, Cooper. This is Briggs, and we’ve got one hell of a problem here.”
“I can tell. What happened to the comms?”
“We’ve got…I can’t even begin to tell you what this thing is. A titan has returned to base, but it’s not one of ours…we don’t think.”
“How can you not know? It’s generally pretty straightforward.”
“Not with this titan. It looks like a Frankenstein monster of titans. I’m seeing a Legion-class chassis, with Ronin-class legs. It’s collapsing under its own weight just trying to walk, but it’s determined. Something about it is putting off enough of a signal that it’s jamming all but our short-wave radios.” Briggs cursed suddenly, the signal cutting out.
“Hey! Briggs!” Jack cursed as well, skidding to a stop so he could face HD-7982. “Can you agree that we have to get back to base now?”
“We have not received a new order.”
“Oh for the love of…” Jack rummaged through his belt, finding his medical kit. Bouncing it on his palm, he took a step and chucked it as hard as he could into the brush. Satisfied it was out of sight, he pulled his blade from its sheath, and promptly slashed his leg. “Geezus!”
“Pilot, what are you-”
“I’m wounded and have no medical supplies. Take me back to base for treatment. Protocol three, motherfucker.”
“You wounded yourself.” HD-7982’s optics narrowed slightly before its cockpit opened. “I will take you back to base.”
“Thank you.” Hauling himself back into his seat, he settled, relieved when the titan sprang forward, sprinting towards base. “That wasn’t so hard, now was it?”
“Don’t press your luck, pilot.”
Asshole. Jack scowled as the scenery raced by, taking them to base so much faster than what he could have done on his own. They could have been there by now if HD-7982 had just listened in the first place. Stupid, willful, distrustful titan.
Finally, the base started to come into view, making it impossible to miss the trails of smoke that lifted from the field. It was even harder to miss the screech of metal on metal, the crash of titan meeting titan.
“Where-re-re is-s-s-s my pilot-t-t-t!” It was a screech, disjointed and sharp, cutting through the comms suddenly.
“Holy shit.” That didn’t sound good.
“Cooper! Over here!” Briggs frantically waved him over to a barricade made of trucks, motioning for him to get down. Thankfully, his titan complied, hurrying over and ducking low. “You have impeccable timing.”
“What’s going on?”
“That Frankenstein monster titan is destroying other titans, ripping open cockpits and completely scrambling our comms. Think you can take it on?”
“You’re kidding. You said it was collapsing under its own weight. How is it still going?”
“Crawling, mostly. It’s faster than it looks and damn determined. With your help, I think we’ll be able to disable it.” Briggs glanced down at the rifle in her hands, frowning. “Try and keep it mostly intact. I want to see what’s going on with it, see if it can be salvaged.”
“Salvage is ill advised, Commander Briggs.” HD-7982 cut in. “Hostile titans are best suited for scrap.”
Briggs stared up at the titan for a long time, lifting a brow. “This titan hasn’t hurt anyone. It’s just ripped cockpit doors off. So. Salvage it, titan.”
HD-7982 took a moment, frame shuddering as it stood. “Shall we, pilot?”
“Let’s.” Jack exhaled slowly, letting his eyes close for a moment as he focused. Just take its arms. They could do that. If it was pieced together, the connections between parts would be weak. Easy to dismantle.
A stab of pain cut through his skull, making him hiss. It felt sharp and dull at the same time, almost distant and yet not. It was weird, to say the least. And as the pain faded, the comms crackled again, desperate and broken.
“Give-ive m-m-me back my-y pilot!”
Geezus. Jack inhaled sharply as HD-7982 leaned forward, starting its lunging run towards the twisted titan. It looked so sad, crawling desperately across the concrete towards a powered down titan, hands clawing into the ground, ripping it up, metal scraping obscenely loud.
As HD-7982 bore down on the twisted titan, it shifted its attention, flickering optics focusing. It stared, hoisting itself up higher. It sparked at its joints, frame shuddering with an overworked energy core. It looked like it was in pain, waiting for them to reach it, waiting for destruction. Its optic flickered, over and over.
There was a pattern.
Jack’s brow furrowed as he tracked the flickers. The pattern. He could recognize it, it was…
His name?
“Give-ive me-e-e my pilot-t-t!” It screeched so horribly, arms crumpling just as HD-7982 bore down on it, lifting its fist like it made to pummel the monster into nothing.
“No!” Jack punched the door release, throwing both boots into the door to get them open faster. When there was enough space, he leaned out of it, standing up tall so he was visible. “BT?”
The titan faltered, and suddenly, the pain made sense. The broken neural link, the pain, the flickers. He could feel it.
He was falling forward, out of the cockpit before he even realized it, letting his weight carry him onto the broken titan. It hit his chest hard, but he didn’t much care, his hands scrabbling to grab hold of the chassis, to stay on it. HD-7982 started to reach for him, but the broken titan, BT, curled his sparking hand around its arm and squeezed hard, crushing metal in his grip.
“Don’t t-touch my-y-y p-p-pilot,” BT rumbled, letting himself collapse, his other sparking arm curling up, around Jack, holding him against his chassis. “You’re a terrible titan.”
“BT! Holy shit, you’re here. How the hell are you here?” Laughter bubbled up in his throat as he gripped at the seams of the chassis’ armor, holding on tight as BT rolled onto his back. “I saw you…” Anger flashed through him as he fought to sit up, but the arm across his back kept him down. “I said I was staying with you!”
“Protocol-ol three. What-t you-ou want-t is irr-rr-rrelevant.” BT seemed to sigh, frame cracking and creaking. “I l-looked for you-ou.”
“I’m so sorry, BT. I thought you were gone for good.”
“Pilot, I recommend creating some distance with BT-7274. Instable data platforms and improper calibrations could cause you serious harm.”
“Shove off, HD-7982.” Jack managed to scoot his way further down in BT’s grip, tucking himself by his elbow so he could turn a little. “Briggs! It’s BT!”
“What?” Her incredulous tone cut through the air, near squeaky with shock. “How?”
“That’s a good question.”
“Neural l-link.” BT’s arm jerked slightly, tightening a bit. “Re-re-remote t-t-t-”
“Alright BT, that’s enough. Just rest. We’ve got you now.” Jack patted at the twisted chassis, grinning when Briggs came jogging up. “He’s back!”
“There’s no way. He blew his power core; there should be nothing left.”
“Hey, he copied parts of his AI core into my helmet when I hopped through time. I think that saved a part of him. Isn’t that right, BT?”
“Complete t-t-transfer before-ore expl-pl-plosion.”
“See? Either way, he’s here.” Holy shit, BT was there and he was seeing him with another titan. “Geezus. We still have some Vanguard-class titans around right? We can get him properly calibrated and fixed up. We’ll get you back in one piece, I promise.”
“Cooper.” When Jack didn’t respond, Briggs moved closer, reaching up to touch his arm. “I know we owe a lot to BT for what he did, but he’s pretty broken. I’m not even sure we can…fix whatever is going on here.”
“We can try. We owe him that much. I owe him that much.”
“Jack?” BT’s voice sputtered and jerked with static, but there was uncertainty there.
“I’m here, buddy. I’m not going anywhere.” He patted his chassis a little harder, feeling an unfamiliar tightness in his throat. “We’ll get you all fixed up.”
“It’ll be rough, Cooper. Getting AI cores remotely transferred is almost impossible…but we’ll try. There is the matter of HD-7982, though.”
“In light of recent behavior, I no longer wish to have Jack Cooper as my pilot. I do not agree with his methods.” HD-7982 stepped back, its chassis closing up tight. “Requesting a neural break.”
Briggs sighed, rubbing her eyes. “Nevermind. It’s going to cost a lot of money to get BT fixed up properly.”
“Take my pay. I’m not really using it anyways.”
“Not what I was suggesting, but it’s good to see your level of devotion goes that far. Let’s get to work then, shall we?”
BT was back. He’d come home.
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Jack smiled faintly as he stared up at the Vanguard-class titan, the core slot empty and waiting. Soon. Soon it would cradle the core of his friend.
Closing his eyes, he breathed out slowly, taking in the metallic air of the machinery nearby. Titans sat in repair stations, optics dim and waiting, but they didn’t matter. He had his titan back.
Enough of that. Opening his eyes again, he moved forward, shaking the can of spray paint. Pressing the stencil against the front of the chassis, he sprayed carefully, waiting a moment before pulling the stencil away. Satisfied with the addition of the last details of the insignia, he dropped the stencil and picked up the paintbrush, resuming the detailing. Sure, there were some military standards to painting a titan, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t add a few finishing touches. If he remembered correctly, there was some orange there…
“Still hard at work, eh Cooper?”
He paused, glancing back at Briggs as she climbed up onto the scaffolding. “Have to make sure it feels like home when he’s put back in it.”
She snorted, wandering closer to see his handiwork. “Pretty sure he won’t care.”
“Pretty sure he will.” Taking a step back, he squinted at his work. “I feel like he’s missing something.”
“You’re the most attached to your first titan AI core than any other pilot, Cooper. You know that, right? I mean, we all manage to befriend them, but this is different.”
“I am also pretty sure that it goes two ways. He is the one that pieced together a workable titan frame to come find me. So.” Jack shrugged, chewing his lip. “Seriously, there’s something missing.”
“You’re both different. I don’t know if it’s because you didn’t finish training before you got your first titan, or something else. But this…this is different.” Briggs shook her head. “Are you listening to me?”
“Yeah, I’m weird. I knew that. Is HD-7982 scrubbed from my helmet yet?”
“Yeah yeah, it’s cleaned out. Was pretty eager to go. What did you do to it?” Unhooking a clip from her belt, she lifted his helmet, showing it to him, as if it proved that they’d cut the neural link.
“We just didn’t like each other. We’re allowed to not like each other. Ah, I know.” Biting at his glove, Jack dragged it off of his hand. Once he had bare skin to work with, he dipped his brush in the white paint, then stroked it over his palm. Properly covered, he stepped forward, reaching up and pressing his hand to the bare green spot beside the fresh insignia, just below BT’s core. When he peeled his hand away, a perfect mark was left, bright and white. “There. Perfect.”
“You are a strange, strange man, Cooper. I suppose there is a good match in you and BT.” She sighed heavily, reaching down to rummage in her belt. “Anyways. I think it’s time you two were reunited.”
Jack whirled around, eyes widening when he saw the glowing core offered up. “It worked?”
“As far as we can figure, yes. We pulled what we could from your helmet and from the titan BT was using. Explains why the internal networking was so shot. BT was everywhere in that thing.” Briggs shrugged. “Guess it’s good that we weren’t very good at scrubbing it.”
“Very good.” Ducking down to grab a rag, he wiped the remnants of paint from his fingers, making sure it was clean before he took the core. Rolling it over in his hand, he brushed his thumb over the laser cutting of BT’s full name in the side. “Hey, buddy.”
Briggs snorted, reaching out to swat him in the shoulder. “Go on. Put him in.”
“Right.” Jack nodded faintly, holding BT’s core tight as he went back to the Vanguard-class titan. BT had gone through a lot to get back to him, and he deserved the new body. He just hoped it was good enough.
Pushing the core in, Jack watched as it slid back, the cover sliding over it and docking successfully. The head shifted faintly, rolling in its seat a bit as the shutters flickered. The entire frame of the titan shuddered, hissing faintly as systems activated, the shutter sliding open all the way, head turning.
“Hello, Jack.”
“BT,” he sighed in relief, slumping a little. “God, it’s good to see you.”
“It is good to see you too, Jack.” The shutters shifted, his optic turning towards Briggs. “Thank you, Commander Briggs, for bringing me home.”
“Yeah yeah.” She waved it away. “I just didn’t want to deal with Cooper being all depressed if I told him no.”
“That certainly wouldn’t do.” BT looked back to Jack, staring for a long time. “Could you feel me, Jack? In the link?”
“I think so. Sometimes I felt tense for no reason sometimes. Was that you?”
BT shifted, straightening, turning his optic away. “You had another titan.”
“Yeah? I had to…” Jack trailed off, brow lifting. “Were you jealous?”
“You’re my pilot. Mine.” His voice was certain at that, stern. There was no arguing with that.
Jack laughed, shifting over so he could slap a hand against the side of BT’s chassis. “Protocol three, right? Have to protect me.”
“HD-7982 is an incompetent titan. Only I will do.” BT finally looked back, optic shifting. “Our neural link is weak. We will have to reseat it.”
“In due time, bud. Don’t worry, I’m still your pilot. Right, Briggs?”
“Pretty sure I couldn’t separate you two if I tried.”
“Affirmative.” BT looked around a bit, hand lifting to carefully poke at a paint can. “What are you doing?”
“Had to make sure your new frame looked good. Been touching it up a bit, so it feels more like you. Let me just…” Jack glanced around, letting out a pleased sound when Briggs held out his helmet. “Thank you.” Taking it, he slid it on. “Let’s make that link so you can see yourself.”
“Good idea.” BT’s cockpit opened, his body shifting to angle itself just right.
It was like going home. Jack couldn’t help but grin as he stepped in, shifting himself to sit just right. HD-7982’s Northstar-class frame wasn’t the same. Vanguard was where he was supposed to be. BT was what he needed.
“Protocol one: initialize neural link.”
There it was, the tingle, the race up his spice as ice filled his head. Static crackled in his ears for a moment, then nothing. Peace.
“Neural link successful. It is good to be back, Jack.”
“Agreed. Now let me back out so you can see if you like how you look.”
BT hesitated. He actually took a long time before opening back up, letting Jack climb out. It felt like there was some kind of awkwardness in that moment, but Jack didn’t press it. He just turned back, letting BT see himself through his helmet, letting him take himself all in.
“What is that?”
“What is what?”
BT reached up, taking a moment to shift his hand properly, then touched lightly under the handprint. “This. Is this yours?”
“Oh, yeah. I thought it suited you.” Jack shrugged. “Do you like it?”
“Yes. It is a good idea.” BT glanced around, lowering his hand so he could grab a can of orange paint. He then promptly dumped it over his right palm.
“Hey!” He and Briggs both hopped back as orange paint dripped everywhere. “What the hell are you doing?”
BT didn’t respond. He just reached out and curled his paint covered hand around Jack’s middle, smearing paint over his armor until his own handprint was left around Jack’s torso. BT slowly pulled his hand away, looking Jack over.
“There. Now we match.”
Jack blinked dumbly, looking down at the bright orange handprint around his body, positioned just how BT held him to throw him. Sentimental titan. He snorted, smirking up at BT.
“Good idea, bud. It’s perfect.”
“You two are ridiculous. I’m out.” Briggs threw her hands up as she turned to leave, stepping down onto the ladder. “You two return to active duty tomorrow. Take today off.”
“Thanks.” He waved her off as he used his rag to start cleaning the rest of the paint off of BT’s hand. “Thanks for looking for me, by the way. I missed you.”
“I could not leave you in the care of an incompetent titan. You are my pilot. I will protect you.”
“And I’ll take care of you two.” Reaching up, he pounded his fist on the side of BT’s chassis. “No more throwing me unless I ask for it, okay? If I say we go together, we go together.”
BT leaned back, as if appalled. “Such a statement is irrational. I am a titan, and replaceable. Pilots are not.”
“Yeah, well, I mean it. I’m not going to let my friend throw himself into a core alone.”
“Let us just agree that it all worked out. We are both in one piece.”
“Fair enough.” Jack shrugged, checking his watch. “Want to go grab lunch?”
“It has been some time since you have eaten. That is a good idea.” BT offered up his hand. “Climb up. Your paint is not yet dry, but I can still carry you there.”
“Sounds good.” Using BT’s hand as a step, he clambered up, finding a comfortable seat beside BT’s exhaust. Once he was settled, BT shifted away from the repair section, heading out of the hangar with a certain step. “How does this body feel, by the way?”
“Much better than what I had. None of the systems responded properly.” Ducking under the doorframe, BT stepped into the main yard. “It was sufficient to find my way back here.”
“So you pretty much were in my helmet the whole time?”
“Yes. I overloaded a few systems, but I managed to save myself just before I detonated. I did the math.”
“You sure did.”
“I tried to communicate with you a few times, but you have your share of ignorance. I transferred a part of myself into a decommissioned titan core, and used that to build enough that I could use to come find you. My mission was successful. I made contact, and you brought me home.”
“Happy to do it, bud.” Jack patted BT fondly, looking around. “You were a little crazy there, though. Ripping open other titans to try and find me…that was a little much.”
“All I knew was that you had linked to another titan. You are mine. I had to retrieve you.”
Jack chuckled faintly, but that faded away. “I didn’t want another titan. I wished I could still have you.”
“I am here, Jack.”
Smoothing his hand over BT’s chassis, Jack closed his eyes, just focusing. BT was a good friend. Not something he thought he’d find in a titan, but there it was. They shared a devotion, the bond of battle. What with how hard BT worked…
“BT?”
“Yes, Jack?”
“Did you really just come to find me because I’d linked with another titan?”
BT stopped walking, reaching up to curl his hand around Jack, pulling him down so they were eye to eye. “You once made a joke that I was in love with a new weapon.”
“I did. What about it?”
“I stated that a human’s concept of love requires admiration, attraction, devotion and respect. Conclusion: I am 100% in love with Jack Cooper.”
“What.” That came out as nothing more than a squawk, broken and squeaky. Not exactly something he expected to hear from his titan ever, but there it was. “How…what? Okay, I can understand devotion, as you’ve proved that. Respect, cool, I respect you too. Admiration is a little surprising, but I’ll take it. But…attraction? Where does that come from?”
“The definition of attraction is the action or power of evoking interest, pleasure, or liking for something or someone. I am interested in you, Jack. You teach me things. It gives me pleasure to see you healthy. I like your company, and your skills in battle. Conclusion: I am attracted to you.” BT’s optic shifted. “Are you attracted to me, Jack?”
“Holy shit, put me down we are not having this conversation in front of everyone.” That was when he started to wriggle, beating at BT’s fist until his grip relaxed enough for him to slide free. He didn’t even want to think about the fact that there were plenty of people close enough to have heard that conversation.
“Would you like to go somewhere more private?”
“Oh my god, BT.” Jack turned on his heel and hurried off, clearing his throat when he heard a giggle as he passed.
BT lumbered after, waiting before speaking again. “I upset you.”
“Embarrassed me, but it’s fine. It’s because you don’t understand certain things and how people talk.”
“Then teach me. I do not like to upset you.”
“I know. Just wait.”
They both fell into silence as they left the base, disappearing into the jungle surrounding it for a bit. They didn’t go far, just deep enough to be out of sight. Which was pretty incriminating in itself, but if Jack was going to talk to BT about those things, he wanted to be out of earshot.
“Okay.” Jack sighed, pulling his helmet off. “So there are meanings to words, and then there are meanings to words.”
“You just repeated yourself.”
“I am aware of that. There is the dictionary definition, and then there’s the unspoken definition. It is generally understood that when two people are attracted to each other, they usually become…physically intimate.” He couldn’t seriously be having a birds-and-the-bees talk with his titan.
BT stared at him, hands twitching faintly. “Asexuality states that-”
“I know. I know attraction can be a thing without physical action. However, we are still in a time period where people generally assume everyone has sex with people and all that. Plus, it is a little different when it’s a human and a titan talking to each other.” Jack sat heavily on the ground, rubbing his hands over his face. “However, if we are to follow the definition of attraction, then…yeah. I’m attracted to you.”
BT’s hands tensed, curling into fists. “Explain.”
“Mm?”
“I gave details. I want details from you. Explain.”
“Fine.” Jack dropped his hands, leaning back against a nearby tree. “I’m interested in your abilities and adaptations. It gives me pleasure to pilot you. I like your company and your dark sense of humor. I missed you when you were gone. So yes, I am attracted to you. And well, following your definition…” He shrugged. “I love you too, BT.”
BT stared at him, shutters narrowing. “Would you like to be physically intimate?”
What the fuck. Jack choked, body jerking away from the tree as he thudded his fist against his chestplate. Had to clear up the spit he’d inhaled. When it was clear enough, he squinted up at BT.
“Excuse me?”
“We are attracted to one another. Physical intimacy relieves stress in humans. You are under a great deal of stress in most situations. As I am titan, it is under protocol to take care of you.”
“BT, please.”
“Is that confirmation?” BT took a step forward. “You will have to show me how.”
“Whoa, hang on.” Jack put up his hands in surrender. “Is this normal? Do titans always offer to…get intimate with their pilots?”
“No. I was under the impression that we are not normal.”
“That’s for sure.” Jack slumped back, sighing heavily. “I appreciate you, BT. I really do.”
“And I appreciate you. I am determined to take better care of you. You are my pilot, my responsibility.” BT shifted, edging closer. “You have not answered.”
“Mm?” Jack glanced up. “Answered what?”
“Would you like to by physically intimate?”
“Oh.” Jack frowned, clearing his throat. “I…” It had been a really, really long time. There was no denying that. But BT was a titan, and definitely not a human with…the proper parts. BT was a friend, though. A willing friend, who cared about him enough to crawl his way across miles of jungle to find him again.
“Trust me, Jack. Tell me what to do.”
Right. If there was anyone he could do this with, it was BT. Sighing, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just…kneel down.”
BT obeyed immediately, his attention never leaving Jack.
How to do it? He could just sit in his cockpit and jerk off, but that wasn’t really…participating, was it? He had to do something that had BT as a part of it. But what? BT was all sharp metal, rigid and unyielding. How was he supposed to be intimate with that?
BT’s hand twitched.
Oh. That was an…idea.
“Extend your hand, BT. No, a little lower. Keep your fingers together. Curl your palm a bit.” He definitely had color rising to his cheeks as he even considered it, eyeing BT’s hand. A smooth, curved surface…he’d done worse in his youth.
“Is this good?”
“It’s what we have to use.” Jack cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck uncertainly. “So…that’ll be a good hand position for…after.”
“After what, Jack?”
“Well, when two people are intimate, there’s usually touching involved. Exploring of each other’s bodies. So. You should probably…touch me? Gently. I’m a lot more fragile than you are.”
“I will not hurt you, Jack.” BT rolled his fingers a bit, as if he was loosening them, then reached out, carefully settling his large hands on Jack’s arms. He covered them easily, reminding Jack of just how much bigger BT was.
There was nervousness in his belly, sure, but he did trust BT. What with all BT had done for him, there was no way he would hurt him. There was a gentleness to the way BT stroked his hands down, feeling him from shoulders to ankles, just light, over his clothes.
God, BT was big.
Jack shivered at that. He was planning on getting intimate with something so much bigger and stronger than him, and that in itself was thrilling. BT could crush him if he wanted to, but he wouldn’t.
“Is this correct, Jack?”
“Yeah. It’s good. You’re doing good.”
BT’s hands slid up his legs, fingers curling in until they rubbed up the insides of his legs, hitching his pants up a bit, bunching them against his crotch. Fingertips brushed up over his ass as he continued stroking upwards, shifting clothes and armor with ease.
When BT’s optic shifted downward sharply, Jack definitely blushed.
“The state of your body changed.”
“Ah. Yes it did. Why don’t you…” He cleared his throat, looking away as he started to pull at the catches on his armor. “Touch me there, since you noticed. So gently, though. Humans…I’m sensitive there.”
“Understood.” BT reached down, nudging at Jack’s ankle until he spread his legs more. Once BT was satisfied, he lifted his hand, pressing a single finger to the underside of the growing bulge in his combat fatigues.
“Geezus,” Jack choked, hands shaking a little as he shrugged off his armor.
BT’s hand twitched away. “Too hard?”
“No, no that was a good response. Keep going.” Undoing the zipper on his jacket, he shifted that off as well. He had no idea why he was getting undressed, but it just felt like it made sense. Plus, when BT’s finger pressed against his crotch again, it really seemed like a good idea.
BT’s finger rubbed gently over his crotch, the unyielding metal somehow quite tantalizing against his cock. He could do so much damage, but he was being so careful. That thought of that size, that strength made his cock twitch hard, certainly into the idea.
“Okay, get your hand into that position.” The flush was spreading, that was for sure. Getting his dick on some of that metal sounded like a pretty good idea, so he tore at his belt a bit, getting it undone. No need to be shy around a titan. He shuffled down his pants a bit, exhaling sharply when his cock slipped free.
BT’s optic hummed faintly.
“Did you just zoom in on my dick?”
BT hesitated. “That is a possibility.”
“You’re a freak, BT.” Jack flashed a grin up at the titan, nudging BT’s hand to adjust it right before he straddled his palm, shivering as he pressed his cock against the metal. “Ah, cold.”
“Is that bad?”
“I’ll get used to it. Okay.” Jack cleared his throat as he gripped the support struts on BT’s wrist, steadying himself. “Now I can just…” He rolled his hips forward carefully, letting out a soft sigh when his dick rubbed just right against the smooth metal. “Oh yeah. I can work with this.”
“I am performing correctly?”
“Yeah BT, you’re doing great. Just keep your hand like this for me.” Lowering his head a little, Jack moved his hips again, starting slowly and gradually ramping it up, pleased when his body heat started to warm up the metal a bit. It got more and more comfortable to grind, the grip of the metal just enough.
BT’s optic buzzed faintly again as he shifted, his frame moving slightly as his other hand settled lightly over Jack’s back, as if to keep him pinned against his palm.
“BT?”
“It pleases me to watch you like this, Jack.”
“Oh.” That was kind of hot.
“Explain this to me, Jack.”
Dirty talk, eh? He could do that. Jack laughed a little breathlessly, slipping a hand forward so he could press his body a little more tightly to BT’s arm, slowing his hips just a bit. “I like having you hold me like this. I guess there’s some adrenaline in knowing that you could crush me, but won’t.”
“I would never hurt you, Jack.” BT’s hand stroked lightly over his back, pushing his pants down a bit more, exposing his ass. “Your skin is very pale.”
“Yeah, I’ve got a white ass,” Jack laughed again, glancing up at BT. “Not much time to tan.”
“Your breathing has shortened, Jack. You also appear to be sweating. Are these good responses?”
“Yes, BT. You’re making me feel good.”
“Then please proceed.”
Jack’s eyes fluttered shut as he focused on humping BT’s hand. He could be crushed so easily by this titan. This titan wanted to please him, wanted him to feel good, wanted to care for him. Yeah, he supposed he did love BT. All of the aspects applied, and there was the intimacy that they were sharing.
“Talk to me,” he choked, hands slipping over BT’s metal.
“About what?”
“Tell me how you’ll care for me. Tell me, BT.” He needed his voice, or something. Then maybe he’d know he wasn’t just humping the hood of a car, or something.
“You will want for nothing, Jack. I will monitor your vital systems, and act before they become urgent. In battle, I will ensure that you do not take damage so long as I can take it for you. Whenever you need me, Jack, I will be there. Whenever you need to relieve stress, I will be there. I will hold you like this, and I will be intimate with you. Whatever you need me to do. You are my pilot, Jack Cooper. I will take care of you.”
“Yours,” Jack choked, breath shuddering out. “Your pilot.”
“Yes, Jack. You are my pilot.”
“Fuck!” Jack’s hips jerked forward hard as his orgasm hit him, shivering through his body. The voice definitely helped, and maybe the possession. Either way, he rode out his orgasm a bit, huffing hard against metal until he could start to sit up.
BT removed his hand from his back immediately, letting Jack lean back. However, BT focused downwards, his palm shifting a little.
“You are leaking.”
Jack snorted, shaking his hand. “That’s part of being intimate, BT. Humans leak. They like things stuck in places and they leak fluids. It’s a good thing.”
BT stared at the fluid, then looked back at his face. “You will have to teach me more if we are to be physically intimate more often.”
“Deal.” Jack reached down, squeezing his cock a bit to milk out the last drops of his seed. “Thanks, BT. I do feel better.”
“That pleases me.” BT stroked his hand down Jack’s back, fingertips pressing lightly along his spine. “We are life partners, then.”
“What.”
“We are attracted to one another and were physically intimate. We are life partners.” BT’s optic shutters narrowed. “Is there a codename you would prefer?”
“BT, no. What are you doing?”
“Research shows that ‘baby’ is a common codename for life partners. Would you like to be referred to as an infant?”
“BT, no. Stop that.” It was hard not to laugh, though. He had his friend back, for better or for worse. He pushed BT’s hand out from between his legs, but the titan was determined. Even with it still smeared with his seed, BT curled his hand around Jack’s middle, holding him close.
“You indicated that you belong to me. Defining ownership states the act, state or right of possessing something, which means my decisions have authority over yours, as I own you. We are life partners. I insist.”
“Well, if you insist. Now stop it. You’re getting jizz all over me.”
“Explain.”
Jack snorted, shoving at BT’s wrist, but it didn’t move. He didn’t really expect it to.