Quaranteam - AU Ch. 05

Quaranteam: Alternating Uncertainties

Chapter 5

Potential trigger warning: Self-harm.

I like starting chapters in the morning. I won't always do it, I promise.

Also someone pointed out that Ray was a bit small in the pants for his height. That's because I added about a foot of height to him without adding extra inches too. Pretend I said 8 and not 6.5.

Also, during the chapter I mention VCE. That's the Victorian Certificate of Education, basically Victoria's version of a high school diploma. Each state has their own version, though they all are functionally the same.

Saegusa Residence, Richmond, Victoria, Australia - October 26, 2020 - 7:15 AM AEDT

--

Rayne enjoyed leisurely mornings. A warm bed under him. A warm body beside him. Another gently gyrating on top of him.

His eyes snapped open as the final thought registered and his eyes met those of his partner, smiling as she worked her hips, moaning softly.

2nd Lieutenant Simone Jennings. One of the two members of Rayne's security detail. Just 22 years old, she was of African descent, her dark skin contrasting wildly with those beautiful baby blue eyes. He gave her a soft smile as she leaned down, her black hair cascading down around her face, giving him a kiss before slamming her hips back down on his hardness. His hands immediately locked onto her ass and squeezed.

"Morning, baby. Trish and Hasumi are already up, so I'm just getting me some of you before I get a shower."

When she and her counterpart, Lieutenant Patricia Barclay, had appeared at Hasumi's door, she had seemed a little dispirited, and Ray had learned that she simply wasn't sure if he'd like her; a combination of her skin tone and the fact that she was someone he'd had no option to veto. Rayne had shot that particular notion down on the spot and had made it a point to kiss just about every inch of her skin during her imprinting. It was both to his credit and his benefit. He'd discovered several sensitive spots on her that even she hadn't known about beforehand. She had woken up happy and relaxed, and when she opened up, Rayne found the real Simone a joy to be around.

"Morning, Simone. Have you been at this for long?"

"No baby, I blew you for a couple mins to get the halfie you were sporting nice and hard for me and now I'm taking it for a ride."

Rayne drew his hands up her body, letting them come to rest on her perky B-cups. "My loss. I really love watching you blow me, Simone. And that humming thing you do? Damn."

She giggled, "Aww, does my mouth make my ginger giant happy? Well, baby, I'll be happy to teach the girls my tricks later, just let it be something special for me for a little longer, ok?"

He gazed at the ebony goddess above him, wondering for the umpteenth time how his life could have changed so much in just four days.

"Nah, you don't have to do that, Simone. If they ask you, sure, teach them if you want, but keeping it a little less known means it will stay special. I'd like that." He pulled one hand away from her breast and stroked the leg of the woman 'sleeping' beside him. "How long do you plan to fake sleep, Stel?"

Stella opened her eyes, a wry smile forming on her face. "Was I really that obvious?"

"Girl, he knew you were awake the moment he realised I was the one riding him." Simone's laughter was contagious and Ray chuckled, nodding.

"I didn't want to interrupt." Both Rayne and Simone could hear the quaver in her voice. Stella was still occasionally insecure, and the others had easily spotted this and had been actively trying to reassure her.

"Stella, you're not interrupting. This beefcake is our man. All of us, babe, adore him, and I'd like to think he feels the same about us. But you, you were the first, and he absolutely loves you. He isn't going to just toss you aside. Not now, not ever. So, stop worrying about it and let's have some fun. Get up and straddle him. Get him to put that mouth to good use. We can use ours and have a bit of a 'chat' too." She wiggled her hips again, a devilish smile still tugging at her mouth. "Ooh, he liked hearing that."

Stella gave a small smile. "You're right. I should know better than anyone here what kind of guy he is. Ok, Sim. Let's wear his ass out."

Ray could feel himself growing even harder as Stella spoke and couldn't help the grin that formed on his face. "I don't know what the odds are that three out of my four partners would be bi, but I think I've used up a lifetime's worth of luck already. Come on, Stel, don't be shy."

He started to assist as Simone reached down and pulled Stella upright, helping her straddle his face. The moment he got her situated, he clamped his hands down on Simone's hips and thrust upwards, pulling a whorish moan from her lips. At the same time, he began to attack Stella's clit with his mouth and tongue.

"Oh fuck, you're so deep! Stella, get over here and kiss me babe, or I'm gonna start screaming."

Ray moved his hands from Simone's hips and groped upwards for Stella's tits. He always loved playing with them and this was no exception. Squeezing hard, he could hear as Stella moaned into Simone's mouth and he used his index fingers to flick the nipples. He could feel her entire body shudder at the pleasure and grinned. They maintained their positions for several minutes until he alternately felt both of them orgasm under his ministrations. Stella bucked her hips as she came, and Simone must have seen his grin.

"Does this make you a happy man, baby? Groping and devouring your fiancée and railing one of your girlfriends while they're tangling tongues? Making them both cum at your mercy?"

"At my mercy, is it? Alright then."

Moving his hands yet again, he lifted Stella off him. She voiced her disappointment but it didn't last long as he sat up, grabbed Simone and spun, leaving her in the spot he was originally in. His cock slipped out in the process, but he paid it no mind.

"Get on, Stella. Let's get sassy here to work you over and let me make out with you." he looked down at Simone, who was pouting at him. He leaned in to give her a quick kiss and smiled. "In the meantime, I'm going to work you over, sexy. Don't you worry."

He lined himself back up but let the tip rub against her clit a few times. Simone groaned, grinding against his erection, and Ray reached down, letting his fingers gently caress her opening as he pushed himself back in. Nothing rough, nothing violent. Just gently pushing, spreading her, driving himself deeper into his ebony-skinned partner. As his tip bumped against Simone's cervix, he felt her squeeze around him and she gasped out, only to have it muffled as Stella bent down to kiss her. Ray started to grind against that spot, making shallow movements as he took Stella's face in his hands and pulled her up to kiss her. The movement gave her room to shuffle her hips over Simone's face, and the younger woman dove in.

"Oh god, yes! Eat me!"

Rayne continued to grind into her, short, shallow thrusts that kept his tip knocking against her inner doors. He'd found Simone loved that, so he made a point of driving her mad with it. It definitely struck him as odd that he was learning the sexual triggers for women other than his fiancée, but something about the experience felt oddly...comforting, too. The chemical interactions in his body as a result of the serum were still a whirlwind of confusion but there was something clearly pushing them together within that, fostering a sense of closeness not only between himself and the women, but between the women themselves. He knew he'd be protective of Stella and Hasumi. He had history with them. But he was already starting to feel similar emotions for Simone and Tricia, women he'd only really met two days ago.

He could hear both women moaning, and he brought himself out of his thoughts, pulling back for a much more powerful thrust as the pressure built.

"I'm almost there!"

The two women's moans grew in intensity, and Stella went off as Rayne's mouth latched on to one of her nipples while his fingers deftly flicked the clits of both women. With a final, deep thrust, Ray exploded, sending Simone into her own orgasm as he filled her. Their collective moan rumbled through the room and Stella pulled herself away from Simone's face, so Ray pulled her into his arms. It had become clearer with each day that there was a suggestion he could make that might make this entire process easier for his fiancée, and it was something that he would welcome with open arms too.

"Stel, I'll never be letting you go, so rather than worrying about something that's never going to happen, you should be planning for our kids."

Stella stared at him, wide-eyed. They had certainly discussed children, and they both wanted them, but were going to wait until they were sure their relationship would go the distance.

"Ray..."

"Stella, babe. What's more permanent than this? We're bonded for life. And you and I both know we were already in it for the long run. So why not? The world has lost an entire generation. We want kids, and our jobs don't need strenuous physical activity. They'll have plenty of family around. They'll have their mom and a bunch of stepmoms, too."

Rayne continued. He knew it was getting sappy, but Stella needed this. "I was the luckiest man in the world when you said yes, Stel. And this may not be what any of us originally wanted, but we've been blessed with wonderful people around us. It might be the worst and most self-serving thing I can say as a man in this situation, but let's try and be happy with everyone. One big family."

She looked at him for a moment and then down at the woman below her. Simone smiled, raising a hand up to caress her cheek while giving Rayne a complicated look. "It's a bit odd for me to be lying here listening to my partner? My boyfriend? Talk about having kids with his fiancée right after he's pumped me full of baby batter. That said, I'd like to be family, Stella. I didn't have anyone else, until now. Having people beside me, sisters, a partner; that makes me happy. If I got to have a couple of kids too? Couldn't be anything better."

Stella let out a sound halfway between a laugh and a sob. "I...I've just always been so afraid of losing him. I know it's irrational, because he's never given me any sign of that or reason to be afraid. But in most of the relationships I've been in, my partner was taken from me by someone prettier than me. And all of you are just...so beautiful..."

Simone sat up, ignoring the liquids dripping out of her and wrapped her arms around the curvy blonde.

"Bullshit, babe. You're fucking gorgeous. As far as I'm concerned, you're probably the sexiest slut in this house. And babe, none of us are trying to take Ray away from you. We just want you to share him with us, so we can all be Ray's sluts. Ya hear me? Can you live with that?"

Stella nodded into Simone's neck and giggled. "I hear you, and I think I can live with being one of Ray's sluts. Thank you, Simone, Ray. Were you serious about having kids?"

Ray grinned. "Damn right. Hopefully somewhere around a year from now, we'll hear some babies around here...or be close, at least. And Simone, I was including you in those words. For now, let's get in the shower and clean up. The other two are probably nearly done making breakfast and wondering what's taking so long."

Simone got up and sauntered into the bathroom, leaving Ray and Stella facing one another.

Ray smiled as he stroked her cheek. "I meant it. All of it, Stel. If you're ready, throw out those pills, okay? Think about it. Now, you should go and grab a shower with Simone. I need to make a phone call and then I'll hop through there myself."

Stella nodded, giving him a gentle kiss as she followed Simone into the bathroom.

--

Ray pulled on a pair of shorts and stepped out onto the back patio as soon as he confirmed that Stella was in the bathroom. October mornings in Melbourne could be brisk and Rayne let the cool air wash over him. Four days. In just four days he'd started to get used to a new 'normal'. Waking up beside multiple women, one literally riding him, was a dream come true for most men, but while Rayne was getting used to it, he felt no less guilty when he saw Stella struggling with her insecurities.

He glanced down at the phone in his hand, wondering if Ty would have any advice for him. No. He couldn't keep relying on Tiberius for things like this. This was his family. His problem. Still, Rayne did need to contact him. He hadn't been able to give the man a progress update last night and he was technically scheduled to be offsite today. Best to get it out of the way before he got sidetracked by something or the other.

Navigating to the familiar number, he dialled out. It only rang once before it was picked up and Ty's rumbling basso came over the line. "Morning, old mate. What's cracking?"

"Morning. Just checking in since I got busy last night and couldn't send you the update. As you know, we ramped up production yesterday. One hundred thousand doses, with us batch-testing random allotments."

Ty grunted his approval. "Not bad, but that means it will still take us some time to get enough doses to each state. Are you running at capacity?"

"I'd say this is about 50%. I'll have them hold it there for one more day and then ramp up to full capacity, just to make sure there aren't any issues."

"Sensible. What else is on the agenda?"

"Aside from that, I'm out of the lab today. I'll be heading to the second plant to help get it set up too."

"What's that, about 380k plus doses a day?"

"And then some, Ty. Once both are running, we'll get around four hundred thousand doses a day."

"Good. That should do nicely, mate. I'm overcompensating in my accounting for errors, breakages and other miscellaneous issues, but anything beyond that just gives us options in an emergency."

Ray pulled his phone from his ear to check the date. "When are you going to the public?"

"The 10th. By then your people will have built us a nice supply of the serum and we'll have organised with the docs for the actual delivery, as well as having the majority of the military dosed up to handle security. The actual rollout will begin as of the 15th of November, enough time for us to make the announcement, have people sign up on the website for their Oracle link and get through that." Ty paused for a moment. "Speaking of websites, how many of your coder mates are still kicking?"

Rayne knew there were a few of his friends still hunkered down. "Got a few here and there. What's up?"

"Get me their contact info. I got a bit of work I'd like them to do."

"What, exactly, so I can point you to the right people."

There was another pause and Ray wondered if he'd asked something dangerous.

"I need them to pick apart Oracle."

"Are you looking into having us make our own version?"

Ray could almost see the big man shrug. "As much as I'm happy to work alongside the Americans, I don't want to put all our eggs in one basket. Right now, they're the superpower. They've got all the cards. They made the serum. They designed Oracle. We've got access and they're sharing it freely because if they don't, there won't be much of anything left, but that doesn't mean they're not benefitting from it."

"But you're still looking to subvert them?"

"It's not the same thing. Right now, if we put everyone in Australia into Oracle, there's nothing stopping them from demanding we hand people over at their whim. What happens if they ask for valuable assets? Our scientists? Or inventors? IT specialists? Soldiers? They can claim good partners for them or offer them benefits and whatnot if Oracle tells them they're unpaired. I don't know how the system works, and that lack of knowledge is a problem."

"How do you even know we'll be able to do that?"

"I don't, mate. That's why I'm asking you for your code bro contacts. I plan to make it their job to suss that out for us. Now, enough about that. What else's got you worried?"

Caught off guard, Ray faltered. "Uh. Nothing."

"Don't give me that. You called me early in the day to give me an update a few lines of text could have accomplished. What's bugging you, Ray?"

Ray hesitated and Ty gave a monumental sigh.

"You're still feeling guilty, aren't you?"

"I..."

"You have got to be fucking joking, mate. The way I see it, you have two options. One, you stop carrying on like a pork chop and get on with your life. We didn't ask for this situation, but we need to make the best of it. Yes, our families are going to be a hell of a lot bigger than we ever imagined, but if that's the end of it, then we'll make do. If Stella is the one with the problem you can tell her this. The only way she's going to be separated from you is when one or both of you drop dead. And you've got decades before that's a problem, so she's stuck with you."

"I've told her that. I told her that she shouldn't be worried about that but about planning for our kids. I'm hoping that helps ease her fears."

Ty chuckled briefly and continued. "I've talked to my fam about kids as well, so I reckon that's a good bet. Now, your other option is for you to find a fix for the bonding part of the serum and make it not a thing anymore."

Ray winced. "Easier said than done. The serum is insane. Everything we're learning is just leaving us with more questions. I'm certain it's messing with our hormones and emotional balance in some way. I honestly don't know if it's even possible to undo it."

Ty's tone was flat as he continued. "Well, if you figure it out then all you'll have to do is tell your existing partners that you're leaving them for your fiancée. I don't reckon the odds of you surviving that particular conversation are any better than an ice cube's chances of surviving hell, but if that's your plan, by all means. At the very least, I'll sweep up your ashes when they're through with you. How's that for motivation?"

"That sounds altogether unpleasant."

"Well then, answer me this. Do you dislike any of your partners?"

"No? I don't know Simone or Trish all that well yet, but I certainly do like them."

"Do you wish they were different people? As in, do you feel you're incompatible?"

"No!"

"Do they make you happy?"

"...Yes."

"Do you make them happy?"

Rayne had to pause before he answered. "...I hope so?"

"Do you want to?"

A significantly longer pause, but he couldn't lie. "...Yes."

"Then there's your answer, mate. Get on with your life. Go bang out some kids with your partners and try not to worry about the things you can do nothing about. Instead, worry about what you can do to make them happy. I told you before that that's your responsibility."

Ray couldn't help the wry smile. "Can you stop being right all the time? It's really making me look bad."

"Get your head out of your ass and maybe I won't have to be." Ty paused and changed tack. "Hey. Next Sunday. The 1st. Sort out your ladies in the morning and bring the whole fam our way. We'll have a barbie or something. Make a day of it. Maybe get fucking legless once before we get bogged down in the rollout."

Ray laughed. It was just like Ty to suggest a barbecue and then use it as an excuse to drink with him. "You don't have to run that by your partners? I know my sisters would give you hell for just inviting a bunch of people without warning."

"Well, I'm the man of this household and don't need permission but considering Lettie is the one waving a piece of paper with 'invite them for dinner on Sunday' written on it in my face, I reckon we're ok on that front. We'll see you then?"

"I'll let the girls know. Expect us unless something serious comes up."