Her eyes focused on him and him alone. She could feel his body heat radiating against her skin with how close they were, before River pulled her in for a kiss. Her eyes grew wide at first, but thinking on his words, she smiled to herself and slowly kissed back.
It had been so long since she felt this happy and content.
His head was swimming. He hoped he'll never forget this. The salty-softness of her lips, the sweet taste of her mouth. For him this was his first kiss, head clear of the pheromones. He kissed the corners of her mouth, her brows, then back to her lips. It's perfect. She's perfect.
She continued to kiss him back and sighed softly as she pressed in closer, her arms wrapping around his neck.
"River, I like you a lot," she whispered softly against his lips, giggling as she covered his face in soft kisses.
He slid his arms around her back, "Gee," he said between kisses, "Are you sure?" His soft laugh had him accidentally graze his teeth against her lips, "I mean," he discovered that nibbling is fun too, "I don't wanna misunderstand or anything," he teased, eyes still closed.
She began to giggle a bit as he nibbled at her, nodding and kissing him back. "Wouldn't want that, right?" she snuggled and kissed his neck. Oh, she shouldn't have done that. She could smell him more now, and it was addicting.
A soft gasp escaped him when he felt her on his neck. He weakened instantly, head falling back against the window frame as his breath hitched and his hands slowly slid down her back. All these new experiences were giving his brain an overload and he wasn't sure he could handle it.
She continued to gently nibble and kiss his neck when she heard him gasp, smirking a bit at his reaction. "Sensitive here, huh?" she giggled and cupped his cheeks. "Handsome and cute? You're killing me here, River." She kissed him again right on the lips, not wanting it to end.
But end it did, by Jupiter Jim's theme song blasting from River's phone, which he retrieved with a resentful groan when he saw the caller ID and picked up, "H'lo, Ice."
"'Evening! It's yer don't-be-late call!" his best friend's voice so loud Rosa could hear, "Did I interrupt?😏"
Rosa giggled and pressed in, "Maybe you did! Hello, Ice!" she greeted the other teen, arms still around River's neck. "We'll be down in a minute," she continued, finally pulling away from her now-official boyfriend. She felt giddy at the thought.
"About time. You guys're giving one helluva show!" they heard Ice's booming voice from the sidewalk below. When they looked down they saw their bespectacled friend putting his phone away while his other hand rested on his hip, a huge smirk on his face. "But hey, Ah won't judge."
She blushed rather deeply and hid her face on River's chest, "Aw let's h-hurry. Wouldn't want to keep your friend waiting, right?" She straightened up, adjusting her cloaker, then smiled at him, offering her hand.
He took it, but did not budge an inch. "He said he won't judge tho?" his brow raised with a look of mischief. He looked back down and saw his white haired friend giving him that look, hands on hips with his trademark wide stance. "Ugh, fine! Let's go," not wanting to be pranked again, he half-smiled and stood to follow Rosa.
She chuckled and gently squeezed his hand. "I'm sure we'll have plenty of time for kisses in the future," she grinned, feigning innocence. "Maybe more," she teased, giggling as they walked down the stairs.
Following after Rosa, River reached forward and gently placed his hands on her shoulders, making her stop at the landing. Fingers ghosted over her cheeks as he bent down for a kiss, "I like you a lot too, Rosa."
Straightening up, he took her hand and walked outside to meet Ice.
She felt her whole face flush red at his gentle touch and kiss. Looking up at him with a smile, she held his hand and followed him out. "Hey Ice!" she waved at the other teen, beaming with happiness.
Lowering his glasses with narrowed eyes he glanced at Rosa then turned to River, "Dang bro, Rosa's red as a pepperoni! The HECK didja do??"
"N-nothing!" the Japanese retorted indignantly, starting to get red himself.
Glancing down at the couple's intertwined hands, Ice smirked. "We could take the subway... but it takes as much time as walkin'," Ice's white brows raised over his pale blue eyes looking at Rosa, "You ok if we take da faster route? Same as last time," he asked, pointing up.
She stopped herself from hiding her face at Ice's teasing, then looked up between River then at Ice. "Oh! Well yeah, I wouldn't mind..." she smiled shyly as she held on to River's arm. "Thank you for picking me up like this, 'means a lot to me." she grins at Ice.
"Ilaali, you are welcome," he responded in Inuktitut with a smile and a slight nod, "Ninja express it is!"
They entered an alley and River secured her in his arm before both boys fired their grappling guns skywards. They reached the lab in no time, the med student settling Rosa on the bed while Ice sat at the workstation.
Rosa made herself comfortable on the bed and started feeling nervous as she looked at River, searching his eyes for a bit of reassurance, with a pout in uncertainty.
With gentle hands & murmured 'sumimasen's River inspected, palpated, and tapped here & there, stethoscope at the ready. Examining her from head to toe through the hospital gown he lent her.
"Y'can ask all da questions ya want, we'll answer da best we can," Ice said, typing away.
"Do you guys have any idea why I mutated into a turtle??" she blinked, gently tugging on her hospital gown. "And uh... I've been feeling rather weak these past few days... I've kinda had a hunch that it's cause of the mutation.." She asked, growing increasingly anxious.
River & Ice gazed at each other, unsure how to proceed. The Asian finally responded, "A terrorist created oozesquitoes: mosquitoes that mutate people." He took off her cloaker and watched the glamour melt away to show her true chelonian form. River passed the bracelet to Ice, who backed up its data, "We're investigating the cloaker's reports of instabilities."
With her leave, he carried her in his arms and laid her on the CT scan bed, "Your body is exhibiting fluctuations." He gently nudged her arms up until she was lying with her hands overhead, against the pillow.
She blinked up at him, who had stopped moving and was staring down at her, before he blinked back, catching himself.
Blushing, he stepped away towards the control panel and continued, "I'll need your medical history to determine which conditions are post mutation from those that are not. The antidote provided stability, so I'll prescribe a course & check again after a week."
Soon they have completed all the tests and procedures they prepared for. “Welp, we’re done wi’ all the tests. I’m off ta campus!” Ice called out to his two friends as he packed up and slung his backpack on.
“Thanks, Ice. We’ll meet here again next week when we get the results,” River waved as he watched his white haired best friend walk out the doors. Asian eyes turned towards Rosa as he finished removing all the sensors off her, “Let me walk you home?”
“Sure,” Rosa nodded, taking his hand as he helped her to her feet, “Actually, I’m hoping we could um… hang out,” she looked up at him, brown eyes shining, “I could make us dinner?”
