Nick had completely frozen. June had a brief, nervous moment to wonder if she had seriously over-stepped her bounds before Nick's lips tentatively moved against hers and his metal hand gently touched her back. He smelled of leather and tobacco smoke; a faint undercurrent of ozone and machine oil tied it all together into a very unique scent. She breathed against him, hands unbunching from his shirt and running from his shoulders to where they joined to his neck. His lips felt the same as the rest of him, so close to human but also alien at the same time. She wanted to touch him everywhere, feel his skin against her own.

She broke the kiss, breathing harder, and hooked a finger into the loop of his tie, loosening it. He shrugged his holster off, dropping it to the floor as June worked on unbuttoning his shirt. He closed his eyes and leaned back, drawing in a deep breath. The quiet sound of coolant rushing under his skin could be heard as his body built up heat. "June," his voice was low and rough but still relaxed. "Is this really what you want?"

She looked up, his shirt now fully open and ran the palms of her hands over his chest. The surface was interrupted by the deep geometric lines that formed the panels of his skin. She traced the edge of one following the zig zag from pectoral to rib, to waist and then down to the edge of his pants and belt which she tugged gently. "It really is," she said. "Stand up."

"Well," he said, pulling his shirt the rest of the way off as he got to his feet. "This is one system I didn't think I'd ever make use of. But your wish is my command." He spread his arms and then flapped them back down to his sides, looking a little bewildered.

June took that to mean Do whatever you want, so some exploration was in order. She stood with him and stroked her hands down the sides of his neck, feeling the torn material and the empty space below it. Around the backs of his arms, squeezing the suggestion of muscle there, and then down all the way to his hands. One feeling firm and soft like her own, the other a hard claw. The fingers twitched against hers and she looked up into his eyes, unable to read the expression there. Impatience? Fear? Indifference? Lust? Her hands moved again. Over and around the narrow hip bones then joining together in the middle to slowly unfasten the button on his pants. His eyes finally shifted away, downwards, a quick blink. She drew the zipper down tooth by tooth, savoring the look of mild panic Nick was trying to cover up.

A quick tug and his pants were bound up around his thighs. She finally looked down again, curiosity overcoming her. "Hmmm. This is a pleasant surprise." She softly drew a finger up the thick, rigid shaft and Valentine grunted at the touch. She flushed warm at the sound.

"I told you once, but it's been a while," he mumured, head tilted down and eyes half-lidded. "Synthetic man, got all the parts." A suggestion of a smile surfaced on his face. "Hope you're impressed. As far as I know, this is a one-hundred percent unique synth body."

June slowly kneeled in front of him, kissing down his body. "Yeah, I remember." She paused at his stomach, somewhat amused that he'd been given a bellybutton. Lower still, her heart was beating furiously. Looking up at Nick, he was silently watching her and drawing long, hard breaths. She answered his previous smile with one of her own. "And if you can use this thing as well as you talk about it, then I'll be impressed, you egotistical toaster."

Her lips parted and gently touched the tip of him in a soft kiss. His eyes fluttered closed and he groaned, the sound low and gravelly. His muscles didn't twitch or jump in response to the way her hand was stroking him or the hot wetness of her mouth as she took him inside, perfectly in control of his nervous system. But the noises he was making and the hands twisting themselves into her hair told her he was enjoying it. She ran her hands down his lower back, over the slight curve of the hips, and down the back of his thighs, pulling him closer and forcing her head down further. She breathed hard through her nose, blowing cool air on his hot skin as she slid her mouth up and down, teasing more moans from him.

Nick stopped her with his left hand holding her hair and the right sliding along her jaw to force her face back up to him. "Let's see if this thing is worth a damn, then." He drew her up to her feet, pressing her hips into him as she slid up his body. She rubbed against him, her skin on fire as he peeled her shirt off and she unbuttoned her pants and stepped out of them. He took her in his arms and lay them both back down on the couch, kneeling between her legs and gazing down at her body. His hand ran down her stomach, the skin there rippling into goosebumps. And further down, through the short curls of hair to her sensitive nub. He brushed against it, so slowly and lightly. She shifted her hips up, trying to chase the hand. Heat was rising through her, and her nerves throbbed and hummed as he stroked down, just barely parting her lips with his fingers. One digit entered, the softest touch, in and then agonizingly slowly back out.

"Nick," June said, breathless.

"Need somethin'?" Dismissive. He leaned down and pressed his lips to her neck, still trailing around with his hand, a little harder now. A low, needy whine escaped her. Pathetic, maybe, but she desperately wanted to feel him thrusting into her. It didn't help that it was kind of hot to be so totally at his mercy.

He murmured against her neck, sending chills racing over her skin. She could feel his cheek quirk up as he grinned. "Look, doing this with this body is brand new, I'm trying to enjoy it. Now quit ridin' me."

June dug her nails into his shoulders ineffectually, again trying to roll her hips up into his hand. "I wish you were riding me, Nicky."

"Mmh. You insatiable minx," he groaned into her throat, followed by a quick dig of his teeth, making her gasp. She felt him gently butt up against her entrance and reposition; slowly, slowly leaning forward and pressing in. He slid all the way in and stayed perfectly still just for a moment, looking down at her with his gold predator's eyes.

She gazed up at him, watching him pause there. He was so incredible. The soul of a red-blooded American man living in this strange and frightening body. "Please, Mr. Valentine," she whispered.

His lower lip caught in his teeth as he arced his hips back to draw out, then smoothly rolling them forward to plunge back in. June dragged him down to her again, lips crashing together and hand cradling the back of his skull. Nick's thumb was still tracing tiny circles over her clit, and paired with the long, sensual strokes of his cock, she could feel her climax quickly edging near. Waves of electric fire built up, pushing her closer and closer as she rolled her hips in rhythm with Nick's.

She buried her face in his neck as she came, breathing in the smell of cigarettes and hot circuitry and panting out harsh breaths and his name. The last few aftershocks crashed through her and she felt Nick's body stiffen against hers. His hands gripped her shoulders tightly and he leaned his head up, his breaths coming out hard and a quiet humming noise issuing from his chest, as if all his systems were going full force. His eyes glowed brightly, he drew in one sharp breath and finished with a few hard thrusts. He gasped loudly as his eyes flickered dark, then brighter than ever and she could hear the rushing sound of coolant flowing throughout his body. He withdrew gently, and she moved to the side on the small couch for him to drop down beside her. He did, eyes closing and head settling on her shoulder as he lay down stiffly, legs entwining with hers.

"Did you...?" She could make a guess at what had just happened to him, but then again, had never experienced anything like it before.

His head nodded against her, and she moved her arm around to circle his shoulders and lay her hand on his side. His hand touched her stomach and then down to trace delicate circles over her hip. "Of all the ways to trigger a partial system reset." He blew a breath out between his teeth. "It felt amazing."

June smiled up at the ceiling, her body feeling well and truly relaxed. She could feel the corner of Nick's mouth twitch upward as he squeezed her a little tighter. "Y'know, I don't understand you sometimes, hon," he murmured. "But maybe I'm glad I don't."