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Veritas enjoyed his position in the Intelligentsia Guild. It wasn’t the Genius Society, obviously, but as much as the repeated rejection he’d suffered from Nous stung, he knew he could have done worse. His position was high and he had access to what other researchers could only dream of.
Like now, for example. The Genius Society could get its hands on many things but a Cornerstone was something IPC jealously guarded and only the highest-ranked scholars could ever see one, not to mention observe the effect it had on an individual. As he walked to the laboratory, Veritas could feel his nerves tingling with the familiar excitement of seeing something spectacular and prodding into the endless possibilities it presented.
He pressed his ID card to the reader and heard the door to the lab open with a click. Inside, the researchers were buzzing around, adjusting the equipment and taking notes. Some of them gave Veritas dirty looks as he entered but he chose to ignore them. While they were supposed to set up all the necessary machines, Veritas was the only one who was permitted to stay and conduct the tests. It was a routine maintenance meant to check if everything between the Cornerstone and the user was in order but it still needed to be handled with care that other people might not display. It was easy to forget there was a human behind such monstrous power after all and humans were so easy to crack.
The room was circular and in the middle, there was a chamber separated from the rest with a glass wall. Due to the size of the Stonehearts under the influence of the Cornerstone’s power, the chamber floor was down below and could only be accessed from the research room by a platform that moved up and down like an elevator. The room itself was roughly at the level of the Stoneheart’s head. Veritas listened to the debrief one of the scientists gave him and then walked out to the platform to see the Stoneheart waiting below, still in their human form.
He could recognize the blond hair and the dark coat everywhere.
“Doc! Hi!”, Aventurine perked up and waved happily when he noticed him. Veritas nodded at him with considerably less enthusiasm.
It made sense they assigned him to Aventurine. The two of them had been on a few missions together and while they bickered almost constantly, it was generally known that Veritas was one of the few people who could tolerate Aventurine’s company for an extended period of time. Some people would probably say it was the other way around - Aventurine was the one who could tolerate Veritas for longer but the consensus was that they were good at tolerating each other. Still, Aventurine was a walking headache with his soft blond hair and charming yet dishonest smile. He flirted with Veritas, he threw himself into danger convinced he would emerge victorious, he got drunk and fell asleep on Veritas’ shoulder, soft and unguarded as if there was any trust between them. It left Veritas annoyed and confused but also a little fond, although he would never admit it.
He returned to the room, checked up on all the equipment, and politely let the other scientists know their work was finished. Then, he started checking Aventurine’s vitals before transformation but that was interrupted by a mic turning on.
“Doctor, I’m bored here! How long am I supposed to stand like that?”, Aventurine complained and Ratio groaned inside. He pressed the button and his voice rolled inside the glass chamber.
“As long as I need you to do so. Don’t pretend you have never done this before”, he said and turned the mic off, making further communication impossible. He could almost see Aventurine’s annoyed expression in his mind and if the fact that he had his face memorized so well bothered him, he refused to dwell on that.
The vitals were normal so they could proceed with further tests. Ratio turned the mic back on.
“You can begin the transformation”, he told Aventurine and walked out to the platform to observe. Aventurine’s body started to change rapidly. It grew and shifted, the clothes turning into full-body armor. A masquerade-like mask covered his face. When he was finished, Ratio pulled down the protective goggles that covered his eyes from the blueish glow of the released energy and took a better look.
It was the first time he could admire Aventurine’s Stoneheart form from such a close distance. It was monstrous and breathtaking, a testament of power and unyielding will. The teal and blue matched with the gold edges of the armor and the black wonderfully complimented it. The spade-shaped windows on his cape and chest shone with brilliant blue light.
“Like what you see, doc?”, Aventurine teased, turning around and Ratio’s eyes lingered on the ridiculously tall boots that covered his legs far over the knee. There was no logical reason for them to be this long except for looking provocative and Ratio hated to admit that it wasn’t… entirely in vain.
“That is irrelevant”, Veritas quickly looked back at his tablet. “Your vitals are normal. Let’s run some more tests.”
He asked Aventurine to move around and perform some simple attacks for him. Despite his huge size, he didn’t lack mobility and moved around without an issue. Ratio knew how the Cornerstones worked - the owner forged one themself, using their will and ambition, so while the opportunity was granted by the Amber Lord, Aventurine was the one fueling it. Veritas couldn’t help but be drawn to such dazzling power.
“Ratio, this is boring”, Aventurine complained and Veritas quickly returned to reality. Was he staring? He must have been. How unsightly.
“It’s a routine test. You’ve had them before, you know how it goes”, he said, sounding a little more irritated than he would normally be. It was a bad idea to let him oversee Aventurine. He’d said that many times but the higher-ups seemed to disagree.
“How about we make it more interesting?”, Aventurine asked in the tone that indicated he was about to have a terrible idea. Veritas was about to protest, reminding him that this was a procedure that needed to be conducted step by step if they wanted believable results but Aventurine had learned a thing or two as well because he didn’t let him start. “Do you want to take a closer look?”
Veritas froze. He was already pretty close. Most researchers preferred to stay inside the room where they were safe from the Stonehearts’ incredible power. Veritas didn’t believe Aventurine would willingly hurt him and had no reason to suspect his power was unstable, but getting closer was a risk and there was a reason why the tests were supposed to be conducted from a distance.
Then again, the subject would not suffer any harm from it, so what was the issue?
“I suppose it wouldn’t hurt”, he agreed finally. Aventurine laughed and leaned forward. He put his open palm next to the platform and waited. Veritas didn’t need to be told twice. He climbed into Aventurine’s hand and sat down, careful not to fall. Aventurine brought him towards his face.
“You’re so tiny, Doctor”, he said. “Barely the size of my palm.”
Veritas scoffed.
“Enjoy it while it lasts, gambler”, he said.
“Oh, I am planning to”, Aventurine laughed and Veritas wasn’t sure if it was because of this form but his voice sounded lower than usual.
When he knew Aventurine wasn’t going to move his hand anymore, Veritas stood up. Keeping the tablet in one hand, he examined the mask from up close. He was around as tall as Aventurine’s face right now - not tiny but light enough for the Stoneheart to easily hold him. He reached out, curious how the mask would feel to the touch (was it more skin-like? or did it feel like cloth? What were the implications of both of those options?) but then he remembered he was still dealing with a live subject so he stopped midway.
“You may touch me, Doc”, Aventurine encouraged. “I know you are itching to use me for your research.”
“You are getting the wrong idea”, Veritas frowned. “I will not do anything you don’t want me to.”
Aventurine laughed and it felt dismissive, almost like he didn’t believe it. Veritas wondered how many times before he had to bend his boundaries. He didn’t like the answers he came up with. He wasn’t naive, he knew about Aventurine’s past but seeing the results on his own felt more disturbing than he expected.
He wanted to do better than those people.
“May I touch you?”, he asked. Aventurine hummed.
“How polite. Of course, you may. That’s what I was brought here for, right?”
Veritas took a step closer and finally let his fingers make contact with Aventurine’s mask. He slid them against it slowly, trying to place the feel of the material he was touching. It lacked the porous texture of human skin and it wasn’t a cloth either. It felt smooth but solid like studded leather but not as rough. He moved his hand to the golden parts and those reminded him of metal, cold and hard under his fingers. It was fascinating and so unique.
“Hm. Interesting”, he said to himself, moving his hand away to take some notes on the tablet. “Is the mask removable?”
“Not at full power, no. But at half-power it is”, Aventurine answered.
“How do you speak then?”, Veritas examined the mask, looking for any entrances that could serve as mouth. To his surprise, Aventurine snorted and his hand moved, wrapping around Veritas and keeping him in place.
“Don’t freak out, Doc”, he said, and then there was something like a crack of bones and the mask moved up, showing off a huge mouth full of inhumanly sharp teeth, open so wide Veritas thought the jaw must be unhinged. Behind the teeth, there was a thick, long tongue.
For a moment, Veritas thought that Aventurine could swallow him in two bites. Then, he chided himself for such a ridiculous thought and decided not to think about why it wasn’t as distressing as it should be. Instead, he nudged Aventurine’s hand so he’d let him stand up and come a little closer.
“So the more power of the Cornerstone is used, the more inhuman the features”, he said, more to himself than Aventurine. “Tongue out, please.”
Aventurine did as he was told and only then Veritas could admire the full length of that tongue. It also seemed to have a wider range of movement than a human one and instead of a flat shape with a rounded tip, it was thicker and sharper at the end, almost like a snake’s tail.
Veritas couldn’t help but think of him as monstrous but while other people would mean it as an insult, he felt nothing but admiration for such a stunning form.
“I could eat you up, doctor. Wonder if you’d taste sweet”, Aventurine purred and Verias felt a shiver going down his spine. He glared at Aventurine.
“What are you talking about?”, he asked sharply.
“Come on, Doctor. You know what I’m talking about. We have an hour to ourselves and nobody will interrupt us. Don’t you want to do a more throughout research?”, Aventurine seemed to find amusement in teasing him. It wasn’t the first time he’d offered sex, obviously. Veritas always chose to assume that he was joking or just trying to rile him up. It was easier that way since he had no idea how he would handle professional interactions with Aventurine if they started sleeping together. But this… Aventurine knew exactly how to tempt him.
“No worries if you aren’t interested but… I’d gladly show you what I’m capable of”, Aventurine’s thumb moved, sliding against Veritas’s side. It was half Veritas’ size and he couldn’t help but think how Aventurine could just hold him while doing anything he wanted to him. It would be foolish to let anyone have this extent of control. He couldn’t be sure Aventurine wouldn’t crush him, even on accident, and yet.
“Do it, then. Show me what a Stoneheart can do”, he found himself saying. He could have sworn Aventurine’s grin got wider. The clawed thumb moved down his chest, pressing on the soft material of the turtleneck Veritas was wearing. He preferred that while walking around the base, just a sweater or shirt and a lab coat on top of it but it made it harder for Aventurine to get rid of his clothes. The claw slid under the turtleneck and Veritas shivered, feeling the cold, almost metallic touch on his stomach.
“This turtleneck is cashmere, you better not rip it, gambler”, he said, glaring at Aventurine. The claw retreated slightly.
“Well, take it off then. You can’t expect me to be patient when I was trying to get my hands on you for months now”, Aventurine said, and Veritas felt his heartbeat quicken. So Aventurine was serious about wanting to sleep with him. That was… Something to ponder later.
Veritas took off his turtleneck and lab coat without complaining and unbuttoned his trousers, to give Aventurine better access. Aventurine seemed to watch his every move and while Veritas couldn’t see his expression, there was a certain hunger in the way the long tongue moved in the maw. Finally, the claw moved digging under his trousers and pulling them down. Veritas sat on the open palm, dressed down to only his underwear for Aventurine to admire.
“Stop staring and get to it, gambler. I don’t have all day”, he scolded for good measure because the eyeless stare made his skin itch for contact. Aventurine laughed and it was a lovely sound, even while distorted by his monstrous form. Then, he leaned in and the tip of his tongue slid against Veritas’ neck. His pinkie hooked around Veritas’ leg, spreading his thighs and keeping him firmly in place. There was nothing to hold onto, so Veritas could only dig his fingers into Aventurine’s palm, completely at his mercy while the soft tongue explored his body. Aventurine licked down his chest, slowly as if he were savouring the taste. The places it touched felt hot and Veritas could feel himself get wetter, the helplessness both unnerving and exciting. He could not escape, he could not reciprocate the touch, he could only lay, limbs splayed on Aventurine’s palm and take any kind of torture Aventurine decided to inflict upon him. It felt almost freeing to have no expectations placed on him.
Aventurine’s tongue slid down his chest and made a circle below his navel with its tip. The tongue’s heaviness put a pleasant pressure that made heat pool between Veritas’ legs. He bit his lip, unwilling to make a sound. He was not broken enough for that yet. If he was too loud, Aventurine would never let him hear the end of it. Still, it didn’t seem like Aventurine was going to stop. His thumb moved against his underwear, pressing between his legs, below his pelvic bone, and sending a jolt of pleasure down his spine. Veritas sucked in a breath, fingers digging into Aventurine’s flesh even harder.
“You are always so stubborn about saying what you want, Doctor”, Aventurine murmured. “You won’t even moan for me.”
“Work harder to earn it, then”, Veritas glared at him, even though he knew Aventurine could clearly see how turned on he was. In answer, Aventurine continued to move his thumb, the claw teasing Veritas through the underwear, giving him pressure but not nearly enough friction. Then, when he was ready to try to move his hips and rub against it himself, Aventurine hooked the tip of the claw under his underwear and pulled it down, leaving Veritas completely naked with only boxers hooked over his ankle. Veritas looked away, unable to face Aventurine in such a vulnerable state.
“How handsome you are, doctor…”, Aventurine pushed the claw under his chin, turning his head to look at him.
“I will change my mind if you don’t stop fucking around”, Veritas said, moving the claw away. Aventurine was never stingy with his compliments but in this situation, they somehow felt more embarrassing than before. More genuine too.
Aventurine - for once - decided to listen, and before Veritas could brace himself, his long, thick tongue slid between his legs. Veritas let out a surprised gasp, feeling the warm, wet swipe against his clit and gods did Aventurine’s tongue have bumps? He didn’t notice it before but he could feel them now. Aventurine made sure he was unable to move, unable to grab onto him in any way so Veritas could just take the continuous teasing as the long tongue hit all the right spots. The tip moved, pressing between his folds and it felt much thinner than he imagined, sliding down to his entrance. It stopped there, testing the waters by pushing slowly inside Veritas. The tongue was soft, but meaty and the pleasant stretch made Veritas unable to hold back a moan. As if to reward him, more of the tongue pressed inside, the further part much thicker than the tip and more flexible than fingers. It filled him up well, the nubs on top giving additional friction. Over him, in a distance that other people would probably consider highly dangerous, a row of sharp teeth hovered, as if Aventurine was ready to swallow him whole. It was unreal to be spread open, naked, on the palm of such a monstrous creature. Aventurine could squish him to death with his hand alone and yet he held him firmly but gently, making sure he wouldn’t fall. Even with the teeth so close and the tongue buried deep inside him, Veritas didn’t feel fear, and any sense of danger translated into hot pleasure pulsing in his groin. His breaths got fast, his skin sweaty and flushed but it was not enough to be filled up. He needed more.
With one hand he reached between his legs to touch himself but Aventurine pushed it away with his thumb. This tongue curled inside Veritas, making him arch his back with a desperate moan and then one of the claws slid between his thighs, pressing against his clit. It wasn’t perfect but Veritas gasped, all the pleasure suddenly doubling in intensity. He dug his nails into Aventurine’s thumb and moved his hips, desperate for more. The tongue pushed deeper, stretching him while the finger rubbed against him mercilessly. The orgasm built up below his navel with every move, until Veritas saw white, cumming on Aventurine’s tongue, his thighs twitching with strain. Aventurine let him move his hips until he was completely messed up and overstimulated. He moved away then, tilting his head and watching the mess he’d made, radiating with satisfaction.
“You taste amazing, Doctor”, he said and Veritas scoffed, sitting up to look less disheveled. He searched for his clothes, but they must have fallen sometime during their intercourse because now they were on the floor.
“Care to put me down?”, Veritas asked, pulling up his underwear still miraculously hooked around his ankle. Aventurine laughed and obediently lowered him to the ground. Veritas stepped down from his hand, feeling his thighs tremble after such an intense orgasm. He looked at Aventurine.
“You can transform back now. I have already collected all the needed data and some… additional ones as well”, he said, feeling his cheeks warm at the memory. It was surprisingly nice to be cradled in someone’s hands as if he was precious. He started dressing up and when he looked over his shoulder, Aventurine was standing there in his normal form, seemingly unaffected by their little tryst. It was infuriating and Veritas felt himself long to break that perfect facade.
“Well that was fun”, Aventurine said, giving him a charming smile. “I can’t believe you agreed to have sex with me after the transformation - you are pretty freaky, aren’t you-”
Veritas wasn’t going to listen to him any longer. He pushed him against the railing of the elevator and shut him up with a kiss. Aventurine’s words turned into a surprised mph! and when Veritas moved away, his mouth was left hanging open, eyes opened wide in awe.
“You’ve talked enough, gambler”, Veritas said. He was taller now, towering over Aventurine and trapping him between the railing and his arms. “Come to my room after work. I will return the favor.”
Then he turned away and walked on the platform, leaving it open for Aventurine to follow. Behind him, he only heard a quiet, amazed “Damn.”