Title: Baseline
Fandom: Monster Musume
Rating: NC-17 (NSFW)
Length: 2,825 Words
Content Notes: Smut. This is a fill for the Minister of Eros badge.
Author Notes: Implied to take place after the manga (to date).
Summary: Ms. Smith interviews Kimihito about the art of monster make-outs.

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Kinks: Speculation about human-on-monster girl relations, but the main kink here is more or less first time / virginity, since this turned into Ms. Smith / Kimihito.

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"I have no idea what I'm doing on this couch," Kimihito said, folding his hands behind his head as he turned his head to one side to look at his questioner, "seeing as to how I'm pretty sure you're not a psychiatrist." But Ms. Smith did not seem fazed by that accusation. She did nothing more than adjust her glasses, cross her legs, and look down at her clipboard. "Unless there's something you haven't been telling me."

"No, I'm not a psychiatrist at all," Ms. Smith admitted, "but I still have to get you to answer all the questions on this page, so I figured I might as well get you into a setting that's familiar." She must have noticed the expression of incredulity on his face, since she added, "Not saying that you go to shrinks on the regular. You're not crazy or anything. I'm just saying that it's the kind of setting where you'll feel comfortable answering the kinds of weird questions that I'm about to throw at you. Hopefully."

"When you put it that way, it doesn't make me feel comfortable at all, you know," Kimihito replied, "but, if this is about the girls, then, yeah, go ahead and ask."

"All right." She flipped to the next page on her clipboard. "Let's get started." She picked up her cup of coffee, had a drink of it, and set it back down. "So, Darling-kun, tell me, have you given any thought to the logistics of having sex with a Liminal?"

"Okay, what the fuck? That's why you called me here?" Ms. Smith might be a government employee, but he had always been able to speak his mind around her.

"Well, let's be honest." She tapped her pen on the top of the clipboard. "Sooner or later, it's going to happen, and I doubt you've thought of everything." She peered at him intently over her glasses. "I doubt you've had time to think of anything, in fact. You're always being pulled in a million different directions. Don't tell me that's not true."

"Oh, no, it's true," Kimihito said, gesturing helplessly at the air, "but that doesn't mean I don't think about it in what little down time I do have." She raised a brow at him. "Not ... like that." Still a raised brow. "Okay, sometimes like that. I'm human." He had a short laugh at himself. "I should rephrase that, huh? I'm ... me. And you can't blame me for thinking like that." He started giving her question real thought. "For most of them, it's pretty straightforward. Everything's ... in about the same place as a human girl."

"Not for all of them, though," Ms. Smith observed, "and some of them are pretty dangerous to be around. You've had quite a few close calls, you know."

"Yeah," he admitted, "I guess it's a little hard to think about having sex when there's always that chance of being crushed, cut open, drowned, and so on." He grimaced. "And so on. I'm glad I've got good medical coverage." He tried not to wince at memories of the ambulance rides. "But sometimes it's more about practical concerns. If I want to hug or kiss Cerea, that's one thing, but, if I wanted to do more –" His face turned red, but he continued. "– I couldn't hold her at the same time, you know? And there's an issue of angles, and –" He coughed. "Maybe I should stop talking there."

"No, that's a real concern," she replied, "especially when you feel strongly for someone. If you don't think you can even really make love to them, where does that leave you? More importantly, where does it leave them? There's got to be some hurt feelings there, right?" He had the sense that question might not be on the sheet in front of her.

"I don't want anybody to be hurt," he said, "and I'm not the only one. I mean, you've seen Rachnee around me, right?" She nodded. "Ever notice how careful she is about laying hands on me? She's always trying not to accidentally cut me or anything like that." He sighed. "And I'm sure she thinks about how that'd affect sex. How hard is it to be with someone when you have to remember that just touching them could hurt them? And that doesn't get into, you know, making love to all of a person. I mean, what if she likes to be touched in places that I can't reach? What am I supposed to do there?"

Ms. Smith paused for a second before answering, though she did not seem to be writing anything down. "I'm seeing a theme in your answers, Kimihito. Ever notice that you're thinking of them first and not really saying anything about your end of it?"

That did not strike him as unusual. "Their needs are important to me. You know that. If I'm not putting their well-being first, what does that say about the relationship?"

She laughed. "You've got a point there." She flipped another page on her clipboard, and he noticed, from the corner of his eye, that the page she flipped had no text on it, only blank space. "You know, in a human-on-human relationship, it'd be wonderful if there were a guy who thought about it the way you do. It's a shame that I don't normally see that level of consideration outside your household." She shook her head. "Japanese culture really hasn't changed that much, no matter how many Liminals there are."

"What is this really about, Kuroko?" He never used her first name, but he could not escape the sense that she had agendas above and beyond those of the government.

"This is between you and me, Kimihito," she said, setting down her clipboard, "but the agency's all but decided to give you special clearance. We know you're going to marry one of them, sooner or later, so everyone's willing to look the other way if any of you decide to fool around first." In the early stages of the project, that statement might have made his eyes bug out of his head, but it made a great deal of sense after the years that had already passed. "The real question they wanted me to ask is whether or not you've got a baseline to go from if you decide to take things to the next level."

"Baseline? Do you mean that –" It did not take long to put two and two together. "– they want to know if I've got any experience with a human woman. Is that it?" She nodded. "Um. Okay. Awkward, but I guess it was something that had to be asked."

"Right-o," she said, "and I don't think I'm wrong in guessing you don't have that experience." Before he could reply, she added, "I'm not judging you there. You're the kind of guy who wants to wait for the right woman before making a move. You don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, and you don't want to do something if your partner might not enjoy it. Am I wrong?" He shook his head. "That's why this conversation is off the record. I've been thinking about something, so ... hear me out, okay?"

"Okay." She gestured to him to sit up on the couch, and she sat next to him, resting her hands in her lap and taking a deep breath before going into her explanation.

"Look, Darling-kun, I've been your Coordinator for a long time now," she said, "and it's gotten to the point that your case has occupied almost every day of my life. I see you more often than I see anybody in my family, or even anybody at the office." The expression on her face seemed equal parts self-deprecation and exhaustion. "So, off the record, don't be too surprised if I tell you I've developed a lot of respect for you. You're willing to put up with all the shit I shovel, and I know there's no small amount of that." Perhaps the first time she had admitted to all the inconveniences she caused.

Ms. Smith continued, saying, "I see you settling down with at least one of the girls in the future, probably the near future. And I want the two of you to succeed at that, no matter which one it ends up being. The fact is, though –" She took off her glasses and looked deep into his eyes. "– I kinda like you. It's unprofessional, and it's stupid of me, but I do. I don't want to take you away from them, not at all, but what I'm saying is –" She took a deep breath. "– if you want a baseline, I'm willing to go to the mat for you."

"I –" How to respond to that admission? "– I couldn't do that, even if –" A light clicked to the on position inside his head. "– even if I feel a little of the same. And –" He hated to open up to a person who normally had him on his guard at all times. "– you're right. I'm a virgin. I've never been with a human woman, even though I've come way too close to being with Liminals on way too many occasions." Another soft laugh. "It's not that I don't like human women. I do. A lot. But I'm definitely open to other kinds of women."

Ms. Smith had a calm smile on her face that seemed at odds with how open her eyes had become. "Like I said, I'm not here to judge. No matter what happens, I'll always respect you, I'll fight for you, and I'll make sure the human-Liminal project works." The first time he had seen her show raw emotion about her profession. "It's the future, and it'll be a model for the world. And you've done so much to make it happen. I –" She looked away from him. "I'm getting a little carried away. You shouldn't let me do that."

"No, it's okay," he said, and a long pause ensued. "You're ... really okay with the idea of being with me, Kuroko? I mean –" She held out a hand, and he took it. "– we've been at odds so many times, disagreed on so many things, and you still believe in me?"

"I do, and I always will," she replied, squeezing his hand. Another pause. "I'm not kidding about the fooling around part, by the way. This office is completely private –" She winked at him in a way that made his heart skip a beat. "– in case you want to be introduced to the wonders and secrets of the human female. You know, for a change." Because she had long been aware of all the near-misses that had befallen him.

"I, uh –" He swallowed, his throat making a deep gulp sound in the silence. "– all right, c'mere." And she crossed the short distance between them at a speed that surprised him, at least until he remembered that the girls at home all did the same thing. Her kiss had a practiced ease to it, as well as a heat that seemed both familiar and quite new. He soon had his hands under her jacket, holding her close, marveling at how ... simple it seemed to be, no danger of teeth or claws or tails or any of the usual dangers.

She pushed him down on the couch, saying, next to his ear, "Just putting this out there, but it's been a pretty long time for me. Too much work, not enough play. So! If I seem a little eager, it's because I am eager." They both chuckled, and then she kissed him again, using her tongue to teach him the best way to kiss back. He found himself untucking the back of her button-down shirt and running his hands up the bare skin of her back, soft and warm and very pleasant to touch. "You learn fast, Darling-kun."

"Some things aren't that different between species," he replied, helping her take off her jacket as she shrugged it from her shoulders. "A touch ... is a touch, you know?" She had already started unbuckling his belt, unzipping his pants, her deft hands stroking him – already hard – through the fabric of his boxers. "W-wow. I mean, uh, this is –"

"C'mon, Kimihito," she teased him, "haven't you ever wanted to take a clean-cut professional and just mess her all up?" She let down her hair, and he immediately ran his hands through it. "Because ... I don't mind a few wrinkles." She shifted, switching their positions so that she lay underneath him, her hair disheveled, her business shirt untucked, riding up just enough to show off a little of her taut belly and a hint of her panties. "And this couch really is pretty comfortable, not going to lie."

"I, uh –" Words started to fail him as he leaned down to kiss her again, unbuttoning her shirt as she pulled his cock through the flap of his boxers and stroked it. "Kuroko, this is getting –" She used her free hand to unsnap the front of her bra for him. "I, uh – wait. Wait. Stop." He forced himself to sit up again, separating from her, his face as red as a beet, his cock still hard and exposed. "I don't know if I want to go so far ... so fast."

She sat up next to him, still disheveled and bare-breasted as she replied, her breathing still short and labored, "O-okay, wait a minute, wait a ... minute." She paused, took a deep breath, gathered herself. "Yeah. Um. You're right. Maybe a little too much at one time, there." She leaned on him, but she kept her hands to herself. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's all right, that one's definitely on both of us." And his shaking hands testified to that. "I should be the one apologizing to you. If it's been a long time, I don't want to frustrate you." He looped one arm around her waist. "But I don't want to rush headlong into something like this, either. Emotions would be involved, and from both of us. It would make things even more complicated than they already are –" He sighed. "– and you and I both know they're already pretty fucking complicated as they are."

"That's the truth," she said. "And don't worry about frustrating me. I can work it out with one of my toys later." That one did make him blink, and she chuckled. "Don't act surprised. Women do it, too, and I'm sure your girls at home have their own collections. You're just going to have to deal with it." She laughed openly, but it made him feel relieved, rather than slighted. "Anyway, how's that for a baseline, Darling-kun?"

"That ... sets the bar pretty damned high, Kuroko." He was not ready to start calling her Ms. Smith again, not after that. Not yet. "Even not going all the way can tell me that. Damn." He tucked himself back into his pants and zipped up, politely averting his eyes as she collected herself at the same time. "You're attractive. Hell, you're a knockout. Don't think my time with the girls has made me unable to tell. I'll treasure this, at least once I've had a chance to sort it out in my head. Once all the blood goes back up there, I mean." Because that hard-on seemed determined not to leave him in peace.

"Well, if you still can't make up your mind –" She had her hair pulled back again, and her glasses back in place, as if nothing had happened. "– don't be afraid to call on me, okay? Like I said, no matter what happens, I'm in this with you to the end, at this point." She still had a warm smile on her face – unprofessional, reserved only for him. "And, when you do make up your mind, you'd better invite me to the wedding. I'll be incredibly pissed if you don't." And he had no doubt that she most assuredly would be.

"I give you my word," he said, "though ... it'll be some time, not going to lie." They both stood up from the couch, and she picked up her clipboard again. "Guess ... I've got to go back, huh?" He took a deep breath, and, as she turned to leave, he added, "Hey, Ku – Ms. Smith. Thank you. I mean it. I feel like I've got a better perspective now."

"You're very welcome," she replied, winking, "and don't you forget it. I have very high standards." She opened the office door. "See you again soon, Kimihito."

She left, and he stood there alone for a moment before saying, mostly to himself, "See you, Kuroko." Then, he headed for home, all kinds of thoughts swirling in his head.

END.