A Means to an End

NOTE: Welcome to the final chapter! Hopefully, this brings this crazy story to a satisfying conclusion. Also posting this exactly three months after I posted the first chapter. Just to keep it neat and tidy.

In the old days, this would have been called a lemon but apparently we're not calling it that anymore. Anyway, here there be smut.

Again, I tried my best to avoid cliches (and puns, so many puns) but it is still my first attempt at writing something like this so please calibrate your expectations. If you find that it is not the worst smut you have ever read, I shall be very glad.

Almost no dialogue because everything I came up seemed either cliche, cheesy or just really, really bad. I didn't want to risk making this any worse than it already is or ruin what could be something remotely readable.

This is not a romance, far, far from it. It's not completely pointless/plotless smut though. I'd almost say this is a friends with benefits situation but they aren't exactly friends. (Ex-enemies-with-benefits? Is that a thing?) Anyway, I hope the context of the story at least made them seem plausible together. Does anything else develop from this? Who knows?

Thank you so much for reading and reviewing, Chocolate-Covered-Coffee-Beans and konstantya. And thanks for your interest and support, Radical-Rad1986. I knew there wouldn't be much of an audience for this thing considering how few we are left in the active fandom so having people support and give me feedback was lovely. Thank you so much for putting up with this little experiment of mine (both in shipping and writing). It's been an interesting experience.

No plans for a sequel for now. I have a few vague ideas of short chapters on what happens to them some time after this but not planning to write those anytime soon. I've gotten most of this crack ship out of my system but there are still a few things I could do with them (non-smutty ones, thank goodness) so that's still an option. But for now, this is my crazy contribution to the scarcity of Merlandau fics around. After all, it already evolved from a one-shot to this long-ish, multi-chapter thing.

I also made a fun little fanmix for this story on 8tracks. I can't post the link here but if you're interested, send me a message and I can send you the link.

Now, I have to go and wash my brain out with soap.

Enjoy?

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Chapter 6

There stare at each other for a few moments once the rest of their clothes are discarded, silently drinking in every detail.

Suddenly, Merle feels self-conscious under her companion's intense gaze. She cannot read his expression whereas hers is clearly expressing her satisfaction at finally seeing what she had been imagining for many nights. She knows she is attractive and yet this tense pause makes her doubt herself.

Fortunately, the moment passes and they are both on the bed, Merle on her back with Dilandau leaning over her, his lips claiming hers once more. She wraps her arms around him eagerly, trying to bring their bodies even closer. Leaving her mouth, he travels to her neck and begins to suck gently, and she lets out a soft, low moan.

He smirks into her skin as his mouth moves lower. He realizes that she responds better to licking than kissing. Of course, she does. And it's convenient that he prefers it as well. He also enjoys the unique noises she makes as his tongue explores her. Moans interspersed with meows and purrs and other not quite human sounds that make this whole experience even more exciting.

He takes one breast into his mouth and she gasps, arching her back into his wet mouth. He caresses the other breast with one hand while he slides the other to the warmth between her legs. She cries out as he starts to stroke her, first slowly, and then with growing speed and force.

He switches his mouth's attentions to the other breast while continuing his finger's movements between her legs. She groans and pants in response, her hips bucking into his hand eagerly.

Merle senses that she is reaching the edge. But as she accelerates her movements, he suddenly ceases his. She almost growls in frustration but then, through the haze of her vision, she notices that he is holding her thighs in his hands and his head is positioned between her legs. Her eyes widen and she holds her breath in anticipation.

He throws her a mischievous glance before moving his tongue slowly and maddeningly across her wet flesh. She gasps before making an almost pleading whine for him to continue. He obliges, leaving no inch of her untouched. He finds the swollen nub of flesh and flicks his tongue over it, causing her to moan even louder. He takes it between his lips and sucks and he needs to hold her in place as she twists and writhes beneath him. Desperate for something to hold onto, she extends her claws and grabs the sheets behind her. She rips part of them to shreds but she does not even care as her claws dig deeper into the mattress.

Dilandau enjoys making her squirm with the simple flick of his tongue and he maintains his attentions, curious to hear what other noises she was capable of making in the throes of passion. Her fascinating variations of meows, purrs, and growls fill the room. He also hears his name cried out and repeated in ways he would never have thought possible.

Merle can feel her muscles beginning to convulse and her hips buck into his mouth uncontrollably. She comes and her entire body is shaking. Dilandau listens with fascination and growing desire as the cat-girl's cries of completion fill the room.

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Neither of them are strangers to this. Though limited and nothing compared to what they are currently engaged in, they have experience.

Growing up in the Zaibach military, Dilandau's exposure to society was limited but adequate. There were female soldiers in the army so everyone always found ways to diffuse any internal tension. They learned to satisfy their urges as practically as possible so as to keep themselves from being distracted. He had never grown attached to any of his partners nor they to him. For them, this had simply been another exercise to keep themselves healthy, functional, and focused on their missions without the inconvenience of emotional baggage. Naturally, he had not been with anyone since the war and had not really felt plagued by such desires until recently.

When Merle first started experiencing these intense urges, she had quickly adapted to the change and had been very open-minded. In an ever evolving society, she had never wanted for willing partners since she had grown to be very pretty. And her kind always had a feral attraction to others that she took full advantage of. Though she would have preferred some emotional connection along with intimacy, she had been determined not to be repressed. But it had also been some time since she had last been with anyone and certainly not someone with whom she had a complicated history.

But fate moves in mysterious ways. Though they had never expected to have such an effect on each other, they are both enjoying the novelty, amongst other things. Any remaining hints of regret or resistance are quickly giving way to stronger and more pleasing sensations.

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Dilandau adjusts his position until he is leaning over her again, a hungry look in his red eyes. Merle grins at him and quickly pulls his face towards hers. She can taste herself on his lips and tongue. A strange taste but not unpleasant, especially since it gives her more excuse to explore his mouth. Her scent is mixed with his now and they both find this intoxicating.

He reciprocates her eagerness and brings his body even closer to hers. She had retracted her claws by now and her hands roam his back and shoulders. His pale skin is warm in her hands. Her fingers trace the scars she had seen so often while watching him train that she had memorized their positions. She had longed to touch him for so long that she is taking full advantage of the opportunity.

They release each other for a breathless moment. He holds her face in his hands and stares at her with those intense, red eyes of his, asking her silently. She stares back with desire and nods. And in case her response is not clear enough, she spreads her legs a bit more.

He gives her a quick kiss before positioning himself properly between her legs and then slowly, carefully entering her. She gasps as feels him inside her and he does not move, though he is desperate to do so. He wants to give her enough time to adjust. Fortunately, after a few moments, Merle gives him another nod and he begins to move. Merle moans as he thrusts faster and harder into her. He hits a spot deep within her and she cries out, her nails digging into his back. It does not take long for them to find a good rhythm. She moves her hips in time with his thrusts and she hitches her legs up higher on either side of him, driving him even deeper within her.

He leans and mumbles something to her but she cannot register the words at first because she is too distracted by the feel of his breath on her ear. Soon she recognizes her name being said over and over again. She holds him even tighter and can only moan his name in reply.

Soon, the ache builds in the pit of her stomach and the heat rises until she begins to contract around him. With one final thrust, he sends her over the edge and she throws her head back and all but screams his name, her hands still clutching at his shoulders. A few moments later, he follows her, burying his face in her neck. They lie on the bed with chests heaving, arms and legs still entangled.

Recovering slightly, Dilandau rolls off of her to his side of the bed then turns to see her reaction, not without some apprehension. Though Merle is still somewhat breathless, she turns to him with a grin. He smirks back and tries to hide his relief.

Merle sighs and to Dilandau's surprise, snuggles up against him, the top of her head under his chin. It feels completely natural for her to do this but she worries for a moment that he will object. But then she feels him relax and ever so lightly lean his head on hers, and she purrs contentedly.

For the first time in months, they both fall into a deep, undisturbed sleep. There are no nightmares tonight.

-FIN-