Symbiota Sapiens - 18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

I lay there, stunned, as Julian quickly dropped into a deep sleep, draped half over me.
What in the hell was that all about? I reached up and hissed at the stinging sensation where
my hand contacted the...wound, where he'd bitten me. Ouch. My hand came away bloody.

::I don't understand. Why did he bite you if he was trying to love you?:: The AI seemed as
confused as myself.

:I don't get it either. That was...strange. And not like Julian at all. How long will it
take to heal?:

::Not long. It's not actually bleeding anymore, I stopped the flow as soon as you had...
finished. I wasn't sure if the blood flow was part of one of the rarer sexual practices I've
found reference to on the mortal internet...? Should I have let it go on?::

:No. At least, I don't think so. I think he was just being...weirdly aggressive. I wish I
knew why though. It's not like Julian.:

::You didn't think he would be gay, either. Or that he would be in love with you.::

:True. Maybe this is something else he's been repressing and it just...came out?:

::Only time will tell.::

I looked down at Julian, his face soft and innocent in sleep. Not a trace of the
passionate...almost furious assault he'd made on me just a few moments ago.

How long has he been nursing his hopeless feelings for me? Watching me, loving me, wanting
me? Seeing me go out with countless women but never once looking at him the way he looked at
me? Or even...the way I look at him now. That had to be rough. It had to hurt, deep inside.

And now...now I let him sleep with me. Touch me. Hold me. Kiss me. And I do all those things
in return. All the pain suddenly turning into...all his dreams come true. Right? Or something
like that. Must be confusing.

I put a gentle kiss on the lips and watched them curve slightly upwards in unconscious
response.

"What must be going on in your head?" I whispered to him. His life is turning upside down.
Hell, MY life was turning upside down. But his...he's not even at the center of things,
unable to influence his own future. But he's caught along on my ride because he can't bear to
be separated from me. And on top of that...this.

I wrapped my arms around him and stroked his back. Rubbed my face on the top of his head.
Somehow, I was sure this would all make sense eventually. For both of us. In the meantime...
well, in the meantime I love him.

I rolled us so that this time I was half on top of him. Sprawled over him, really. He let out
a mumble of protest but it quickly became a sigh of contentment as he snuggled into me. Ah,
this is wonderful.

::If you're comfortable, it's been a while since we've gone over recent events for analysis.::

:I suppose you're right. What's new?:

::Well, the only interactions you've had with new technology since our last session has
been...Rom.::

:What about him?:

::He is very old. Very advanced. And his implants are...interesting.::

:How so?:

::For one thing, I can't begin to understand what half of them actually do. And the few I do
understand...are far more advanced than any I've seen before.::

:What about Devon?:

::Far beyond his implants. He had the basic set, plus a wide array of new ones that...I
believe were built to foil examination by other immortals. But Rom...he's completely replaced
the original implants with new versions or integrated their functions into other implants.
And his implants...he doesn't even bother concealing their design. More like...they're so
complex and so advanced, based on science we have no concept about, that it wouldn't matter
if we had the blueprints, we still couldn't reproduce them or operate them effectively.::

:Which is why you think he's so old.:

::Yes.::

:He did say he helped found Rome.:

::He did. But beyond that, I think he has to have had some sort of access to some remnants of
pre-Fall technology. Relics, perhaps. Or perhaps some knowledge, passed down from that era.::

:Wow. Okay, good to know he's on our side. But you said most of it was inscrutable to you.
Does that mean some of it made sense?:

::Oh yes. His sensors and communications array...far more advanced than ours. It is tied in
with one of the inscrutable systems, I would guess that that part monitors...different things
entirely than the electromagnetic spectrum. But the part that I can recognize, that part is
brilliant. I think a lot of the innovation went towards making everything smaller. He's got
so many implants in his small body, I guess it's hard to fit everything in there and leave
room for important organic parts.::

:Okay. Can you incorporate any of this newfound knowledge from studying Rom?:

::I think so. I can enhance your own implants to some degree. I don't think we have to worry
about making things smaller though, not yet. But we can improve upon the surveillance devices
we've been building. The next batch will be both smaller and have a much wider range.::

:That reminds me. Anything interesting from the surveillance network so far?:

::I'm getting a sense of the immortal population in this city. The bugs have come into
contact with a total of two hundred and fifty-seven immortals so far. About three times that
number of autonoids. Interestingly, the immortals seem to be largely unaware of the autonoids.
From the movement patterns, I think the autonoids are being used to keep track of the
immortals. Sort of a mobile version of the surveillance network we're building.::

:Have you figured out anything about the Guardians of this city?:

::Nothing so far. I think we'll need to have a more complete coverage and then some time to
figure that out. But Rom said he's been here before, long ago. He may know them.::

I reached out to contact Rom.

:Rom, do you know who the Guardian's are here? Or where they meet?:

::I know who was in charge during the late eighteenth century. I think she is still alive,
but no longer here. She would know who to get in contact with, though.::

:Do you think we should notify them of the autonoids? My AI doesn't think they seem to know,
from the movement patterns.:

::I agree with your AI. But let's not jump into talking to them at this point. The Guardians
are notorious for developing leaks, and we don't want to give away our presence here if we
can help it. Let's gather more information and figure out exactly who is behind this
infestation, and what they are planning.::

:Okay. Good point.: I closed the connection to Rom.

:How is the situation with the Caretaker battle, in Julian?:

::It seems to be going as expected. At this point we are losing - the hostiles are fighting a
defensive battle and still managing to continue construction. At a much slower rate, however.::

:How long until their construction takes effect and becomes...irreversible?:

::Those are two distinct questions, you realize. I think we have a while before it becomes
irreversible. First stage autonoids...the intrusion is passive, and only into their nervous
system rather than the brain. That can be healed by our own Caretakers. There's a possibility
that Julian might reach that stage for a short while towards the end. That's a worst case
scenario. I'm confident we'll destroy the last of the Caretakers before he comes anywhere near
stage two.::

:Fuck. At least there's that.:

I lay there and listened to him breathe for a while, felt his heart beating under me.

::He'll be okay.::

:He better be.:

I knew it was morning when Julian started to stir restlessly under me. I rolled sideways to
let him free but he immediately tossed his leg over my thigh, a hand creeping around my chest
to keep me close.

"Morning bro," I smiled down at him as his face screwed up in irritation at being spoken to
first thing in the morning. He grunted noncommitally. I bestowed a wet kiss on the tip of his
nose only to see it wiped on the pillow. Julian burrowed his face under my chin to avoid any
more.

"Hey, cmon, I know you're awake. Time to get started for the day." I tried to shake him.

"Stoppit." He complained.

Oh well. Maybe he's not ready to wake up after all.

"Okay. Another hour?"

"Mmmm."

I guess that means yes.

Julian slipped his hand under my armpit, as usual, and snuggled in close. I could feel his
morning wood pressed against my hip. I felt a familiar stiffening in my own boxers. Here we
go again.

"Um, Julian. You're...kind of...turning me on." I told him quietly.

"Hmmmmmm." Julian's mouth opened on my neck and I felt a warm wetness as he sucked lightly
on the side of my Adam's apple.

"Not helping."

His thigh slid up and down along my leg, the soft skin of his inner thigh rubbing against the
thin cloth that covered my erection.

"Julian, cmon, don't do that! Unless you're going to...I mean just don't do that right now!"

Julian's mouth enclosed my ear making me lose all thought for a second. When he spoke his
voice was still slurred and dreamy with sleep.

"Dont 'nless im gona do what?"

"Don't..." I couldn't remember. His hand dipped into my boxers and curled around my hard
length and started gently stroking it up and down. "AH! THAT! Don't...fuck!"

Julian slid down my body until his face hovered at my hip, his free hand dug into the
waistband of my underwear and pulled them down to my thighs.

"Mmmm, Jer'my." He burbled just before licking a stripe over it from balls to head, pushing
at the slit with the tip of his wiggling tongue for a moment. Then he went down on it.

"Fuck! You're...good at that!" I gasped.

Julian hummed in agreement, the vibrations sending delicious tingles up my spine.

::You guys, we need to get started. We've still got a lot to do today.:: Came Rom's very
unwelcome signal.

I sent back something incoherent. Julian was rolling my balls in his fingers while doing
something indescribable with his tongue.

::Jeremey is a bit busy at the moment.:: The AI informed him primly.

I groaned as Julian gave up teasing the head of my dick, lunging himself downwards to take
all of it into his throat.

::Oh. Well hurry him up okay? You know what I mean.::

The suction increased for a moment, and Julian eased up on it to slide his tongue around
the rim a few times. I felt my balls clenching as something deep inside me curled viciously
like a tensing spring.

"Gah! I think I'm gonna...Julian! Fuck, I'm close!"

Julian buried the length in his throat again and my hips jerked upwards involuntarily, my
pubic bone slamming hard into his lips as I exploded, some vague curse on my lips, mixing
illogically with his name and a number of indefinable noises as my body turned itself inside
out and the spring snapped tightly inside me, splashing my seed down Julian's throat.

Julian sucked it down, slurping happily on my cock until it was soft again. He looked up at
me, a smug expression on his face.

"That good?"

"Um..." I looked back at him, dazed.

He smirked at me. Oh.

"Well, I think Rom got the Kid to hurry things along a bit. That's why...so quick." My face
had to be bright red.

"WHAT! He did WHAT?" Julian demanded. He was suddenly sitting up on his knees, away from me.

"Um...the AI can sort of control when I orgasm."

My face was truly burning now, out of control.

:Hey! For future reference, I don't want to blush. Ever again. Make it happen.:

::Julian likes it when you blush.::

:So? That's because it means I'm embarrassed!:

"That little...he shouldn't fucking interfere when >I< am giving you head!" Julian's face was
red too, but with outrage.

::He think's it's cute.::

:It is NOT cute. It's embarrassing.:

::No, it shows what you're feeling.::

:Exactly.:

"Well...he kind of always does. He's...controlling all my bodily functions, really. If I don't
decide something on my own..." I tried to explain.

::How about you only blush when Julian is the only one who can see it?:: The AI proposed.

:Are you trying to bargain with me? Just do it!:

"Well then why can't he fucking leave you alone till you decide?" He demanded.

::But I don't want to interfere with the natural interaction between you two. That's very
important to your continued well-being. Both of you. You don't want to lose intimacy because
I'm helping you avoid natural expressiveness with him.::

:Are you trying to rationalize your way out of doing what I asked you to do?:

"Um. Tried that once, when I was masturbating. That was the time I took the four-hour shower.
Remember? Everything is much stronger...feelings. Sort of get lost in the sensations, don't
ever want it to end and not aware of time passing." My ears were warm now.

::Oh no. I did that the moment you asked me to not let you blush. It took a nearly infinitely
small amount of time...for me. I'm just explaining to you why.:: The AI informed me smugly.

Fuck. Bastard.

"So...every time...when you come...it's the AI deciding?" Julian asked slowly. He didn't look
happy about it.

"Um. I guess. Though..."

:Did you make me come last night right away?:

::Yes.::

:Why?:

::He bit you, and I felt you panic.::

"Yeah, he does." I told Julian.

"It." Julian said crossly.

"Huh?"

"It's a fucking computer! Not a person! Not a 'he'!"

I got a slow grin on my face.

"You're jealous."

"I am not jealous!" He denied.

"Julian. You're like...best friends with the fucking AI! This is the first time you've referred
to the Kid as an 'it'. You're jealous because the AI controls when I come!"

He glared at me. Crossed his arms.

"What if I am?"

I reached out and snagged an arm, pulled him down to me.

"Don't be. You have nothing to be jealous of. He's just an artificial intelligence in the back
of my head. He's patterned after your personality because it's you I love and trust. If we
believe Rom he'll eventually just be another aspect of my personality. Which is a good thing
for us, because he's been manipulating me to get together with you since the start. And he
always takes your side on everything!"

"He does?" Julian looked wary.

"Yeah. Like a minute ago I told him he should make it so I don't blush so much, and he said
no because you like it. You bastard."

He grinned at me.

"Well then. Since I've apparently got him wrapped around my little finger, I'm going to have
to have a little talk with him about...stamina."

"What!"

"Yeah...seems the last couple times I've barely even gotten your dick in my mouth before you
were going off. Pathetic."

"You didn't seem to mind it at the time!" I protested weakly. My face was burning again.

"Hmm. Yeah I do like it when you blush."

"Huh?"

Julian just grinned down at my bright red face. It got hotter.

"Bastard."

"Anyways, I did like it. But that was when I thought it was because you were losing control.
Now it turns out...the damn AI was just getting bored and decided to end things!"

"It doesn't get bored! Or if it did, it'd always be bored!"

"He, Jeremey. He's based on my personality, don't you dare neuter him."

"I...fine. He. He wasn't bored. Rom was just being annoying about getting started working
this morning. And I couldn't handle it with you...you know. So the AI handled it and made
us finish early."

"And last night?"

"Um...he was worried because you bit me like that."

"Oh." Julian checked my chest and saw the leftover smear of dried blood. "Holy fuck! I did
that to you?"

"Yeah. It's okay now." I said uncomfortably.

"I...Jeremey, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to...I mean, I guess I did but I didn't think I was...
oh fuck. I'm sorry!" Julian reached out to touch it then jerked his hand back as if it would
be burned.

I caught his wrist gently, pressed his hand to my perfectly healthy chest.

"Hey. I'm okay. Super-human stud machine, remember?"

"I don't know what got into me." Julian wouldn't meet my eyes, his face clouded with guilt.

I sat up and pulled him close, wrapping my arms around him.

"It's okay. You didn't mean to hurt me, and I'm not hurt. Okay?"

"Okay." He mumbled into my shoulder.

"If you two are about finished, could we get going on today's work?" Rom knocked annoyingly
on the door.

"Yeah, we'll be right out!" I called.

"I better take a shower." Julian said.

"Yeah, you better. Go on."

Julian jumped off the bed and headed towards the bathroom. He turned around midway to give
me a naughty look.

"We could save some time..."

I felt a twinge run through my loins at the idea but firmly repressed it.

"Go on, you know we'd end up taking longer."

"Fine, fine." Julian said, disappointed, and headed for the shower.

Two hours later, I was regretting that decision.

I stood on tiptoe, the marble-sized sensor held between two fingers as I reached to slide it
into the ventilation grate. The pedestrians ignored me as they hurried towards the train that
had just pulled up to the platform. I'd timed it just right. Just as Julian had timed his
revenge.

I groaned at the images pouring into my head from the sensor in my own living room. Julian was
sprawled naked on the couch, his long fingers sliding sensuously over his oiled erection. His
head was thrown back and his entire body writhed in time to his bucking hips and gutteral
moans as he pleasured himself.

He was very obviously putting on a show for me. Bastard.

I nearly dropped the sensor as Julian suddenly raised a leg and reached down...past his balls,
a finger grazing a tiny pink hole - no!

I gritted my teeth and tried to ignore what I was 'seeing'. And the insistent tightening of
my own, rock-hard reaction to it. Carefully, I pushed the sensor into one of the slits of the
vent, in the very corner. It stuck there properly and I became aware of my own image, two spots
of color on my cheeks, and a flush down my neck, disappearing into my shirt. Shallow breath,
and through the rest of the spectrum, I could see my own pounding heart, trembling limbs, and
throbbing erection.

:I don't know if I can handle all this input. Is there some way you can handle the...the
imagery from the sensors? Or some of them, at least?:

::You're handling it fine.::

I spun away from the sensor, disoriented. Julian was doing something with his fingers there,
under his balls...I couldn't quite see...

:It's distracting!:

::Is it?:: The AI sounded smug. He obviously knew exactly what I was talking about.

With a shudder, I walked back to the platform to wait for the next train. In the apartment,
Julian looked up for a second, narrowed his eyes, then raised his leg higher. I could now
clearly see the...where the tip of his finger teased at a tiny opening...I hunched forward on
the bench as my cock became even harder.

:Did you suggest this to him?:

::Well...not specifically. He did ask how aware you were of what the sensors would pick up.
Especially the one at the apartment.::

:You're responsible for this. Somehow.:

::I may have planted a seed...:: The Kid evaded.

Julian moaned as his finger pushed into the hole, stretching it as the digit wiggled its way
in to the first digit.

Fuck. I am not being turned on by this. That's his fucking asshole for christ's sake!

:What seed?:

::Well, we had a conversation about my involvement and control over your...activities. And I
was able to assure him that this could be a good thing rather than an invasion.::

:So?:

::He wanted examples.::

:You didn't.:

::Oh yes, we've come to an understanding now.::

:What sort of...understanding...:

::Nothing you won't enjoy.::

Julian's finger pushed farther forward, I could practically feel the warm heat as it delved
into his most secret opening, exploring. His penis lay neglected and only semi-hard on his
stomach, a small trail of pre-come dribbling from the head.

:This? It's...I mean I'm really not all that interested in his...his...in THAT!:

My groin disagreed as Julian's eyes suddenly flew open, dark and hooded with sexual energy as
his finger brushed against something inside there. His cock suddenly shot up, fully engorged
and bouncing as it visibly throbbed, a fresh bit of pre-come oozing from the tip. Julian let
out a harsh groan as he added a second finger, curling his body forward to give himself more
leverage with those fingers.

::Perhaps you should reconsider your interests.:: The AI advised.

"I know you can hear me Jeremey." Julian breathed. "I bet you're watching, right now. Are you
hard? Does this turn you on?"

"No," I breathed my denial, but my cock pounded against the inside of my jeans in agreement.

"I'm going to come like this Jeremey. Gonna use my fingers to make me come." Julian broke off
to give a half-sob as he twisted his fingers inside the clenching hole. "Wish it could be you
doing this to me...FUCK...only not fingers. Oh, God. I want you inside me. Fucking me. God.
Coming inside me!"

Julian's other hand came up and grasped his cock firmly.

"I want you to come inside me Jeremey! I want you! Now! Dammit! I want you now!"

He gave himself two hard strokes, just as his fingers plunged hard into his anus, and I felt
a harsh squeezing sensation in my balls as he fountained all over his chest. Then, impossibly,
I felt the first spurts of liquid inside my underwear as my entire body went limp and shaking,
an irresistable pounding of hot burning lava in my groin searing my brain with pleasure as my
manhood flexed and pounded against my shorts, spewing a pocket of warm sticky wetness in the
cotton enclosure as I huddled forward, holding desperately to my knees until the spasms had
passed.

"Fuck." I whispered weakly. In front of me, the train I had been waiting for closed its doors
and pulled away. Julian had collapsed backwards on the couch, the milky spatters contrasting
against his tanned skin which was glowing with sweat.

Then suddenly my consciousness was brutally expanded.

::We may have a problem.::

I saw the two autonoids appear at the very edge of the sensor's range, to the south. They were
walking up the street towards the house.

:Could they just be on their way somewhere?:

::They're both second-stage. We haven't seen these ones in this area before.::

Three more second-stage autonoids appeared from the opposite direction.

:Fuck! Tell Julian to get out of there!:

I whirled from the platform and ran up the steps to the ground level. I was just a few miles
away, I should be able to reach him in time. I heard the urgent tones of the Kid warning
Julian through the speakers on his laptop.

Two more autonoids approached the apartment through a back alley.

:Where's Rom?:

::I'm on my way. You'll get there before me though.:: Rom told me.

Julian had jumped up from the couch and was struggling into a pair of jeans. Another autonoid.
And then two more. They were drifting into the neighborhood from all directions.

:For fuck's sake! Forget modesty, get him out of there!:

I was running now, as I had when he'd been at the hospital. Buildings and bodies blurred as I
demanded every last ounce of speed from two super-charged legs. I saw six more autonoids move
into the range of the sensors. Fuck. They were serious.

Julian had the jeans on, and grabbed the bowl containing the few remaining sensors. What the
hell was he doing? He quickly fished out one of the smallest ones, the size of a bb, and in
an instant he had swallowed it. Then he was in the bathroom flushing the rest down the toilet.
And four more autonoids entered my vision, cutting off another escape.

:No time for this! Tell him to run!:

::Always good to have contingencies.:: The AI told me.

Finally, Julian was out the window and running down the fire escape.

::He can't possibly escape them, no point trying. We'll have to maneuver for maximum delay. If
you can get there in time...he'll have a chance.:: Rom told me.

::I agree.:: The AI said.

I watched Julian head straight towards a group of autonoids as they approached him, four of
them, striding coolly down the open street towards him like some everyday version of an ugly
nightmare.

:What's he going to...:

Julian suddenly sprinted towards the autonoids, leaping into them with foot extended in a
perfect high kick I'd seen him perform in countless tournaments. But I'd never seen the blur
of wholesale violence he turned into after the first autonoid fell backward, neck snapped
backwards. Fingers to the base of a throat distracted one autonoid as a spinning elbow
shattered the larynx of the one next to him. But that left the third to land a vicious blow
which Julian turned to take in the center of his chest as he pushed off the other's chest
with his foot. They both fell backwards to sit hard on the concrete as the victim of Julian's
finger-stab choked and caught his breath.

Down the street, a group of eight autonoids joined a group of four as they calmly advanced
towards the pugilists, cutting off Julian's escape even should he win this match.

Julian jumped to his feet and snatched a wrist as one of the autonoids threw a punch at him,
pulling the man off his feet and turning his body behind the passing arm, twisting it as he
placed a palm on the extended elbow and...with an audible crack the joint was broken.

Julian spun from his human shield to lash out with a low kick that shattered the last man's
kneecap, then it was one smooth high kick to break his nose and knock him out cold.

Julian scanned the area quickly, eyes narrowing at the crowd of autonoids now advancing from
both ends of the street.

::I don't think you're going to get there in time.:: The AI told me.

:Didn't you see what just happened? If he can keep it so he only has to fight small groups...
I'll be there in less than three minutes!:

Julian was sprinting down an alleyway now, perpendicular to the two large groups. I groaned
as I saw more groups converging ahead of him, preparing to cut off his escape. Julian saw them
too and hesitated a moment before taking another alleyway in another direction. Another group.

He was cut off.

Julian stood in the middle of a narrow street for a moment, brows knitted in indecision. Then,
a short nod and he launched himself through the bay windows of a small house and was pounding
up the stairs to the third floor.

The autonoids immediately changed direction to converge on the building. A minute and thirty
seconds. If he could hold off a massive crowd of zombies for that long...