Maybe This Time

[oldandnewfirm]

Fandom: Human Target
Rating: R
Characters/Pairings: Guerrero/Ames
Summary: For once, what Ames wants and what she deserves happily coincide.

In moments like these, when fear and embarrassment pinned her to the floor and left her wide-eyed and apprehensive in the face of what was to come, Ames was certain she had the rare honor of being the only person to tip-toe along the mouth of Guerrero's wrath on so many occasions and yet still remain breathing.

That the latter was true probably had more to do with Chance's cajoling than with Guerrero's personal preference; Ames knew that. She wasn't dumb. And if Guerrero didn't want to kill her, he at least wanted to be rid of her. She could read it in the tense set of his shoulders, in the glint of his narrowed eyes, in the way his words emerged like the only warning growl one might hear before the wild thing in the bushes leapt.

She never meant for things to come to this. Despite what he-- what they all-- must think of her, she really did want to learn. But it didn't always work. Respect and obedience were still foreign, chafing things, and there were days like today when it became a little too much, too soon.

She made her apologies once he'd finished: it would never happen again. And it wouldn't either. Not in that exact form, anyway. Because Ames was very good at finding new ways to needle, at plucking every one of Guerrero's nerves until she struck the one that made him sing.

That night-- mission over, threats ended, clients fat and happy in whatever hole they'd crawled from-- Ames lay in bed luxuriating in the stiff scratch of the sheets against her bare skin. One hand splayed over her stomach, while the other lay at her breast. Eyes closed, her body warm and pliant in anticipation of pleasure to come, it was easier to imagine a different fallout for her latest misstep. After all, Guerrero would only put up with her antics for so long. And maybe some day, instead of scuffing her heels during a hushed admonition in a hallway, Ames would find herself nervously trailing after him to his car. He wouldn't tell her where they were going and she'd be too scared to ask.

They'd drive.

---

They were in some dive masquerading as Guerrero's apartment. He'd told her to sit on the sofa and wait for him. She did, hands tangling in her lap, foot beating out a staccato rhythm against her calf. In the kitchen the familiar click click hiss of a gas stove igniting eventually gave way to the shrill cry of a kettle. When Guerrero emerged again there was a mug of tea in his hand. He leaned against the wall directly across from her and slowly swirled the tea bag in the water, not paying her the slightest bit of attention.

The silence seemed thicker than the air. It was getting hard to breathe. She swallowed and untangled her fingers, settling for fisting them in the fabric of her skirt.

"Guerrero--" She began.

He gave her a look. The words shriveled and died on her tongue.

The hands of the wall clock ticked on.

After a while, Guerrero took a sip of his tea. He nodded, the only concession she'd ever seen him make to something pleasurable. Then, he set the mug down on the table next to him and finally looked at her.

"You want to know what your problem is, Ames?"

She narrowed her eyes and screwed up her mouth, but otherwise didn't respond.

"You're a punk." He continued. "But worse, you're a brat. And you need to learn some manners."

"Yeah?" She said. "What are you going to do about it?"

The words sprang to her lips unbidden, her brain's reflexive response to fear. This encounter felt like her first meeting with Guerrero (in another strange room, in another chair) all over again, and she wondered if she'd pushed him too far.

And, for one bewildering second, if she'd pushed him far enough.

But Guerrero just shrugged one shoulder. His tone remained conversational, his expression untroubled.

"I figure if you're going to behave like a child I should start treating you like one."

He pushed himself off the wall and gestured to the middle of the floor.

"Stand up." He said.

Ames clenched her fists and glared at him, but ultimately stood and warily approached the spot he'd indicated.

"Good." He said. "Bend over."

"What?"

He crossed his arms and raised his eyebrows. You heard me.

The front door was tantalizingly close. Guerrero followed her gaze but made no motion to object or block her path. Instead he tipped his head towards the door as though to say, "you're welcome to it."

"This-- This is ridiculous!" She sputtered. "Do you actually expect me to-- are you actually going to-- what do you think I am, five?"

But of course he did. He'd said as much, hadn't he? And...okay, she could be immature at times. A lot of the time. And she was kind of a smart-ass. But that didn't mean--

That didn't mean that sometimes she didn't deserve it.

It was the same treacherous voice that had egged her on earlier. Ames swallowed hard and flushed all the way to her toes.

She turned her back to him, though he hadn't asked her to. She debated getting on all fours but decided that her dignity couldn't stand it, so instead she stretched her fingers towards the floor until she'd bent herself neatly in half.

She could see Guerrero's feet in the space between her legs. He was still leaning against the wall, one ankle crossed casually behind the other. He made no motion to approach her and there was nothing for her to do but wait, feeling the cool air of the room sweep under her skirt and caress her most private places.

Suddenly he shifted to a proper standing position. Ames heard the clink of a buckle coming undone, the rasp of leather sliding over denim.

Her whole body jerked as the sound of a slap rent the air. It took her a second to realize that the sound came not from impact with her skin, but from Guerrero (presumably) slapping the belt against his own palm. He did it again, and again, each slap in time with his slow footsteps towards her.

Ames' stomach flip-flopped in the aftershock of the warm throb between her legs.

He stopped behind her with his feet roughly lined up to her own. He didn't slap the belt again but she could feel him waiting. Considering. Ames tensed, closed her eyes...

...but instead of the inspected rush of pain she felt the tips of his fingers on her thigh, curling under the hem of her skirt. He hiked it up over her hips until he'd exposed her green cotton panties, the pale mounds of her ass. Goosebumps raced to the surface of her bare skin except where the warmth of his palm rested on the curve of her right cheek. She shivered and arched up slightly into the contact.

WHAP

The first crack echoed in the air, as startling in its volume as it was in its intensity. Ames yelped and rocked dangerously before managing to recover. She blinked back the tears that had sprung to the corners of her eyes as the initial shock of the strike dissipated, leaving only fire radiating across her backside.

"I'm going to do twelve." Said Guerrero. His voice was still calm. Gentle, even. "And I want you to count them. After that, we'll be done. Sound fair?"

She exhaled shakily.

"Well?"

"Yes." She whispered.

WHAP

A wet cry burst from her lips. He'd lashed the other cheek this time, and now both throbbed in concert.

"Ames?"

"Oh. Uh. T-Two."

WHAP

The blows fell to no rhythm other than the choked sound of her voice as she kept count. Four and five landed neatly on the same spot, driving the pain deeper beneath her skin. There was a pause between eight and nine just long enough for her to catch her breath before nine, ten, and eleven landed in rapid succession. And through it all Ames could do nothing but sob and whimper as the sting of the belt rang through her like a bell.

"Last one." Guerrero said, though the belt didn't fall right away. Ames couldn't decide which was worse: the lash or the anticipation.

WHAP

"Twelve!" She gasped out.

"All right." Ames winced when she felt contact on her skin once more, but it was only his hand patting one stinging cheek. "That's it."

When Ames peeled her eyes open she saw that he'd backed away, which she took as permission to begin an unsteady rise to her feet. She took stock of herself standing there: her ass was on fire. Her face was a snotty mess. Her cunt was swollen and sticky and ached to be touched, and she didn't think she'd ever been more turned on in her life.

---

Aching, humiliated, but above all horny, she'd tug her skirt down over her thighs and hesitantly face him. His expression would be as neutral as it had been at the beginning of all this, though his face would have flushed a little from exertion. From his stance, it would be easy to think that the entire episode had been nothing but a necessary chore to him. But the bulge straining against his jeans would suggest otherwise.

"Anything you want to say?" He'd ask.

"Let me suck your cock," she'd respond. Or, "I'm sorry I was a brat," or "For God’s sake, fuck me already." Or maybe she'd just stay frozen there, any words she might have said having been dislodged and scattered by the crack of the belt. But regardless of what did or didn't leave her lips (and regardless of his response-- to laugh and show her the door, or to bend her over the sofa back until she forgot how to breathe), there was one constant in the dozens of endings to this fantasy: that in the end, she wanted him. Oh god, did she want him.

Ames' body shuddered through her climax. Her fingers eased their frantic rhythm inside her, and when the last waves of pleasure had ebbed she slumped against the sheets, panting softly.

True, she never meant to piss Guerrero off. But that didn't mean that when she did a part of her didn't brighten, watching the proceedings with hopeful eyes. Maybe this time...
 

Comments

[emma-78.livejournal.com]

Hi, just read this and I loved it, there isn't any good Guerrero/Ames fic out there and this is exactly what I was hoping to read :) I'll keep an eye out for more of your stuff like this.

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it! I figure there'll be a dearth of Ames fic as long as she's public enemy #1 in fandom. If more folks ever warm up to her that might change, but in the meantime I'll sneak in a few Guerrero/Ames fics in to tide over fans of the pairing. Rule 34 and all of that.

[tree979.livejournal.com]

Lol! In her dreams I can accept this and enjoy the thrill of a delicious guilty pleasure!

In the "real" HT world I'd be screaming at him to just shoot her!

I don't really hate Ames but shipping her with Guerrero just feels wrong and not in a good way. Fantasies I can live with and yes even enjoy!

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

I'll have to see how Ames pans out over a few more episodes to decide if I sense any real shipping potential between Guerrero and Ames. As things stand now I don't think it would work too well, but if she grows as a character I'd be much more open to the idea. A relationship like that would offer lots of layers to explore, and that's just the sort of complexity I like to sink my teeth into.

[message-send.livejournal.com]

I...I love you. I think I almost fainted when I saw this. But I thank you. So very, very much.

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

Happy to oblige. ;)

not trying to sound mean plese don't take it that way

[norngirl.livejournal.com]

but I couldn't help but laugh.....
it freaked me out! I started to giggle to at some parts with the spanking and the counting

sorry I guess we all have different reactions

Re: not trying to sound mean plese don't take it that way

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

Haha, that's all right. As long as you enjoyed it. ;)

Re: not trying to sound mean plese don't take it that way

[norngirl.livejournal.com]

LOL! it's really funny that you have your jackie glove flicker and i have my bjork finger fucking

[takerlove.livejournal.com]

This:

"there was one constant in the dozens of endings to this fantasy: that in the end, she wanted him. Oh god, did she want him."

killed me. Thank you for writing this, I know everyone seems to hate Ames, and would hate them together, but you've solved that problem rather neatly and I enjoyed reading it.

I don't have to like them to together to love the idea of someone lusting after Guerrero, and you've given me that. Thanks. :D

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

Eeee! I'm so glad people are enjoying this fic. I was afraid I'd be dodging torches and pitchforks by now.

I'm still pretty neutral towards Ames. Episode three made her a little more tolerable, but I'll have to see how she pans out over the course of a few more episodes before I decide if I actually like her. In the meantime, I do think there are a lot of interesting ways to approach the relationship between her and Guerrero; whether or not people will put aside their dislike of her long enough to explore them in fic remains to be seen.

[sandrine]

Guerrero/Ames fic! *flails madly at you* I've been waiting for this ever since I saw the season premiere. This is perfect! ♥

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you liked it! There may be more on the way. ;)

[meridian_rose]

Dreams are a great way of exploring things that might otherwise be off limits. I enjoyed reading this!

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[lady-rhian.livejournal.com]

Human Target isn't usually my fandom, but Guerrero/Ames is a pairing I could sink my teeth into. Sadly, it doesn't seem like there's much fic out there - but this was positively delightful. Any chance there will be a follow up? :-)

Well done!

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely considering more fic featuring Guerrero and Ames, though whether or not they'll be a proper pairing I don't know. I'm still trying to get a feel for their relationship-- the show's near complete lack of characterization for Ames isn't helping at all-- and until I've figured out a realistic way for the two of them hook up outside the world of Ames' fantasies, I'll probably stick to gen fic with just a hint of "maybe they will, someday."

[lady-rhian.livejournal.com]

Well, more of Ames' fantasies are always welcome. I'm really hoping the show hangs on through this season.

[cchance.livejournal.com]

Oh, Ames. *amused* Nothing wrong with fantasies, especially since she manages to not let them distract her too much.

[the_scrappy]

As things stand now she'd only admit them on pain of death, or if sufficiently dosed as part of Guerrero's training. If things change in the future, she'd probably go out and select the perfect belt herself. ;)

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

(and I meant to use this journal in the first place, but!) Ahahahaha. Hopefully one without belt blades, that would be, ummmm. Bad.

(Un?)fortunately, she and Guerrero are closer to getting alone, conditionally, than getting him that pissed off.

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

This is also true. I imagine if Ames brought it up in the hypothetical future where they are very friendly, as it were, she'd get some serious eyebrow.

I'm sure that girl's got a whole stable of other fantasies waiting to be trotted out though. One thing she doesn't lack is an active imagination. Which isn't always for the best, but...

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

She really, really would. *snickers* And possibly a comment along the lines of, I always did think you didn't get sufficient spanking at the right age...

Bah. Small wonder Guerrero sees her as mini-me.

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

If they do hookup, they'd spend their bedroom life caught in a fantasy feedback loop. Hell, they'd probably make a game out of trying to top the other.

...And I'm now imagining Ames trying to talk him into bondage. I'm not sure how well that suggestion would go over, as I imagine Guerrero's dislike of handcuffs extends to all restraint in general.

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

... Chance now will slink off, saying that's way more than he ever wanted to know about Guerrero's private life.

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

I'm sure he's conjured up a few fantasies of his own regarding a certain someone in the office. ;)

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, no. Considering how difficult it is to ignore that she's in love with her husband still, that feels like he'd be encroaching on her privacy. (Plus, he's much more in-the-moment kind of guy.)

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

That relationship is on a fast train to disaster if they [as in the writers] keep it heading towards romance. I just can't see them panning out as a pairing in the long term; as you mention, there's just too much baggage.

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

... we did the fast train to disaster in the pilot episode already. ;)

*wry* One of the reasons I for now hold that Chance isn't romantically drawn to Ilsa? (Physically and even intellectually attracted, yes, but not romantically.) Is that, well, we know what he does when he starts falling in love. He goes away, like he did with Maria in the first place. Until and unless that happens, I'm all right with the events >.> But, everybody he's loved (with one exception, and that's a kind of love that has no relation with romantic) has been taken away from him, usually by deading them. So... yeah.

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the whole "Everything I touch dies" argument should've been at the forefront of Chance's mind the moment he realized he had even a twinge of feeling for Ilsa. And you're right; there's evidence throughout the season that he's worried for her, but he never reaches the sort of introverted panic we see when he's grappling with his feelings for Maria, or even the deep concern he shows Winston in Corner Man.

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

And would have come out with Katherine soon enough, too, except, what happened with Katherine only enforces things. Blar.

Chance is such a mess. Actually, all of them are. It's how they function as well together as they do.

Oh oh oh. And, heh, Chance hasn't particularly opened up to Ilsa, either. As in, revealed things about himself. Offered to be there for her, sure, BUT. Not very generous on information back.

[oldandnewfirm.livejournal.com]

I think the group functions so well because they support each other above all else. A common problem with each of them is lack of companionship whether by choice or as a consequence on their lifestyles. To that end, they keep each other from getting too lonely and more importantly they keep any one of them from straying down a path too black and narrow for anyone to pull them off of it before they get lost.


That's true! And part of that's probably because Ilsa's proven to be very judgmental when it comes to him. That kind of aggressiveness doesn't really invite heartfelt confessions.

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

A team of sociopaths! Oh joy! ... wait. ;) But, yes, very true.

... except here Chance takes it as a challenge. Bah. *pokes sws* Ilsa mun! Come back! >.>