[Authors note: I'm rewriting this chapter, as I've never truly been happy about how it reads. I've grabbed my SO's opinion on dialogue and even had her write some of Kate's spoken parts.

Basically, I wanted to make Anton sound like a 80+ year old battle hardened special forces soldier, and get rid of the "teenager" vibe I had going in previous versions of this chapter. A significant side effect that originally writing this during my Freshman year of high school had.]

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September 9th, 2090 UNPC universal calendar.

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"You're, uhmm." Anton struggled to say, perplexed.

"Yes, I'm not wearing a shirt. Is that okay?" Kate asked, standing with her hands on her hips between the kitchen area and where the bed was.

The room was simple. It had two windows in total, and a bathroom that consisted of a toilet and sink in a room you couldn't extend your arms completely out in. There was a large mostly square bedroom area immediately inside of the door. To the right of the front door was a wall that had the bathroom behind it.

Continuing inside of the room, and turning to the right put the bathroom door a little in front of you on your right, and directly in front of you was a large table, and beyond that, a small kitchen area with a island counter top in the middle, behind the table.

"Yes?" He asked more than said.

"You walk around with your shirt off all the time, there's no reason I should have to wear mine." She replied slowly. She pulled the waistband of her dark blue jeans up as she spoke.

"When you asked me if I would be fine with you not wearing a shirt, I thought you meant wearing a bra or something like that." Anton retorted. "But, I, uhh...." he trailed off.

"I don't wear bras, they're uncomfortable and are more detrimental than beneficial." She replied, "You have seen me strip more than enough times to know that." She paused. "You think I should have to wear a shirt when you can go about without one?" She supposed, a snide grin on her face.

"I'm just," he pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. "It makes me feel like a creep when I look at..." he paused, "those." He said, knowing she'd caught him in a bind.

She giggled, and looked down at the floor as she walked over and sat down next to him in one of the chairs at the table. The sound of her breathing grew louder to him over the drone of the window unit that made more noise than cold air.

"Well." She started, picking his hand up off of his thigh, her elbows on her knees as she hunched, holding his hand with both of hers. "You can stare all you want." She told him, looking him in the eye.

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She traced his much larger hand with both of hers, and shifted her gaze to it. "I like you, big man." She laughed. "You always treat me with respect, no matter what." Her tone was soft. "And I want to be more than a work partner with you."

"You should've told me sooner." Anton replied. "I might be asexual, but you can still ask me out." he laughed.

"I didn't want to get a sexual harassment allegation." She stated flatly, making him nod with understanding. She shifted her eyes to his again. "So, I waited till I was sure about how I felt about you, and how you felt about me." She spoke honestly.

He nodded, and found his face growing warm.

"That's the first time I've seen you blush." Kate said, smiling at him. He laughed, and she returned it.

"It happens." He said, prying his eyes from hers and looking away, shrugging.

"Hope I get to see that more often now that you're seeing the comfortable me." She said. "Would you be alright with me being like this pretty often?" She asked. "And by that, I mean pretty much constantly."

"I think." He nodded. "May I ask why?"

"Well." She shifted. "I've always been more comfortable without, I don't like bras, and there's the whole equality aspect to it." She said. "I do think that there's a bit more to it than that, but that's the just of it." She said.

"You mean you're not sure?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm fairly sure you don't mind staring at my tits." She said factually, still smiling.

"I can get used to them." He said. "Whatever it is to you, I'm fine with you being topless." He said, "me seeing them is just a perk."

"I want to kiss you." She said, scooting forward in the chair.

"Then do it." He said as he turned towards her.

Their lips made contact, and with each of their eyes closed, they ended up sitting in a single chair, with her right breast in his left hand, and his right hand at the top of her back, supporting most of her weight as they kissed.

They parted, and opened their eyes.

"You're a terrible kisser." She told him, her expression one of relaxation.

"Well, it is my first time." He said. "Touching this feels better than expected as well." He told her, squeezing the soft flesh twice to add emphasis.

"First time in a little while, or first time in ever?" She asked, seemingly very interested.

"Ever." He replied simply.

She leaned back. "Woah." She said, "really?" she asked, cocking her head to his right, her hands in her lap as she faced him, sitting with her butt just above the knees of his pressed together legs.

He nodded, and she leaned forwards and hugged him.

"I'm glad I can be your first, but I'm sad you had to wait that long." She told him softly, speaking into his ear with her arms around him, and his around her.

"It's okay," he replied, then smiled. "I guess I just found the right person." He told her, rubbing her bare back softly.

"I really like how your back muscles feel." He told her while rubbing her back.

"Ever noticed how I do the same thing when I hug you?" She asked, and they kissed again.

"This is better than sex to me." She told him when they parted.

"I'll take your word for it." He replied, smiling.

"Wanna cuddle?" She asked.

"Sure."

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"I'm sorry about that." He told her, trying to keep his thinly clad crotch away from her rear.

"No no, it's okay." She told him, "press it against me."

"You're sure?" He asked.

"I'm sure." She replied. "You're holding the breast of and maintaining physical contact with a nearly naked woman, that's the natural response." She said almost clinically, which he found oddly relaxing.

He gently pressed his hips into hers, and settled his chest against her back.

"Good." She smiled, putting her hand atop the one on her chest. She closed her eyes and eased her mind, feeling his against her skin.

"This is...." He paused, finding the right words. "Something I think I want to do all the time." He said carefully.

"Right?" She replied in agreement. "You'll do just fine."

What..... What is that supposed to mean?