Hello everyone! I apologize for taking a while on this chapter. University recently started ramping up and having to balance things can get to be a nightmare. I still plan on finishing this story no matter what, so don't worry about any indefinite hiatuses because they are not coming.
In compensation for the belated chapter, this one includes a lemon. If that's not what you want to read and you want to skip it, they will be marked by scene breaks with (***) on the tops and bottoms of them for easy navigation.
As always, enjoy!
"Normal life. I miss it a lot. I never would have thought I'd miss getting rudely awakened by an alarm and having to force myself up so I could get to work or school but… I do. I guess that's partially why I'm doing this. Not that I ever could be normal again, not with these powers… Still, a version of normal.
"I never really thought about what my life would be like after everything. Not the same, that's for certain. Hopefully good.
"But it's not just my life I'm fighting for, I need to remember that. Normal life will have to wait. It must."
Date: February 16th
"Alright, your turn," Matthew said.
Shali leaned back against the bedroom wall on the bed, going into thought. After a few seconds, her eyes went back to Matthew who was sitting against the pillow just a small distance away from her.
Yesterday, Matthew had sent a message out to Cherrygrove City, marking another successful mission. Tomorrow would bring another message, but today, Shali had him all to herself and she had used her time to its fullest. The day was waning now, but it didn't deter her one bit.
"Would you rather…" she paused, making sure her words were in order, "Keep your psychic powers or have aura instead?"
"Keep my powers, easy," Matthew replied.
"That was quick."
"Well, I have thirteen years of experience with my powers. Starting over with aura wouldn't exactly be ideal."
"Then imagine you had the same amount of experience." Again, Shali reminded herself to include the important details with the question. Matthew had introduced the little game to her and although she was having fun, there were still some specifics she needed to lock in.
Matthew scratched his chin. "I think… I would still keep my powers, but I'd be lying if I said the idea didn't cross my mind. I bet you get a lot less headaches with aura."
She nodded. "The only time I remember having one was when a swarm of combee came through the forest and I used my aura sense."
"What was it like?"
"Like a rainbow was rushing by me, but it was way too much to take in at once. I was completely disoriented when they all flew by." She smiled a little at the memory. "Your turn now."
"Okay, hmm…" He looked up at the ceiling for a moment. "Would you rather only eat rabuta berries or durin berries for the rest of your life?"
She felt her nose scrunch up on instinct and she shook her head in disgust. "They're both just so bitter and… terrible."
Matthew laughed lightly. "Why else do you think I picked those two?"
"Must I choose?"
"That's the game, silly."
She sighed and begrudgingly mulled over her answer. When it came to the two berries, there were no positives to compare, only figuring out which one had less negatives. "Rabuta berries… Yes, that's what I'm sure of."
"Really? Even with how much hair there is on the skin?" Matthew said, an eyebrow raised.
"I'll survive. It's better than having to deal with how terrible durin berries smell." Shali shuddered; the idea of having to open durin berries for the rest of her life, each time blasted by that awful scent, repulsed her.
"Oh, I get that." He gained a smirk. "One time, we were both probably fifteen, Brian got his hands on a durin berry and bet me money to take a big whiff of it."
"Oh no. What happened?"
"I barely made it to the toilet to throw up. I felt absolutely awful afterwards, but I got my fifty pokedollars." He chuckled to himself. "I'm never doing that again. Anyway, your turn."
She closed her eyes for a moment, thinking of her next question. It needed to be good. She wanted to truly stump Matthew. A sly grin came across her muzzle as she settled on what she would ask.
"Would you rather I control your thoughts or your movements for the rest of your life?" she said.
"Well, it'd have to be… No, that wouldn't… Fuck, that's…" He ran a hand through his hair. She could practically see his brain working away behind his eyes.
"So, what would you prefer?"
"Working on it. It's just… I don't know."
Her grin widened, knowing she had been successful. "What? Do you not trust me with your thoughts or movements?"
"No, no, I… Now that you say it like that, I'm–" His body went still as Shali started an aura bind, keeping him in his place. Matthew sighed but didn't hide his smile. "I knew that was coming."
Shali couldn't help but giggle at him. "It sounds like you have a preference," she said.
"My preference is that you give some warning before you do that," he said, attempting to shift his body but to no avail. "But I guess I'm not opposed to the idea."
"If you want me to stop doing it, just say so and I will."
"I never said that."
"And so, you'd prefer me to control your movements?"
"Well, I wouldn't want to ruin this fun," he said, shooting her a look. She knew what it meant.
She moved up the bed until she was flush against his chest and their heads were just inches apart. She could feel his light breath against the fur of her neck. Her paw travelled down and met with his hand, holding it tight.
"I think it's your turn," Shali whispered. Nearly every part of her wanted to close the gap between their lips, but she held off. It would come soon enough. She released the aura bind.
Matthew took his free hand and ran it from the base of her neck and down her back. The feeling made her shiver. His eyes stared back into her own.
"Would you rather I give you a kiss on your head or on your lips?" he said.
"Guess."
And like that, they came together. A brief kiss, though enough for Shali to fully take Matthew in her senses.
But as they separated, she wanted more. And by the way Matthew was sliding his hand down her back, his eyes filled with fervor, she knew he wanted more too.
She kissed him again, this time holding it for longer and letting her paw travel from his side up to his head where it only reaffirmed their connection. Her tongue touched his lips, asking for an entrance which was immediately accepted. The sensations, the scent, the taste, it all led her to close her eyes and bask in the pleasure.
But Matthew didn't just let her have it. He kissed harder, his tongue pushing into her mouth, and his hand travelled further down until it cupped her rear, making her squeak in surprise.
She felt a fire ignite within her. A searing and primal feeling that yearned for more. More of Matthew's taste on her tongue, more of his skin against her body, more of everything.
She wanted Matthew to explore with his hand further while her paw trailed down his head and body, closer to–
The sound of a door being slammed shut made them both jolt, abruptly severing their connection.
They stared at each other, breathing light. Matthew's hand on her, while still feeling good, no longer fuelled the fire that she sought to burn brighter. It flickered, wavered, and eventually fizzled out. The fervor in Matthew's eyes had also gone.
Shali moved off Matthew, taking her paw away from his waist while Matthew took his hand off her rear.
"Brian must've gotten back," Matthew said quickly, swinging his legs over the bed. His head turned to the window where the orange light of dusk was coming in. "Huh. I didn't realize it, but it's practically evening. Where was he? He's never come home this late before."
"Perhaps he just needed to work late?" she said, slightly disappointed. She didn't hold any ill will against Brian, but she wouldn't have minded if he had been just a bit more late.
"Probably." Matthew stood up, stretched his arms out in front of him, and went over to the door. Shali watched him as he walked.
I want to grab his butt, she thought. The idea had come out of nowhere but made her smile regardless.
She found they had been getting more adventurous with each other. A touch here, a squeeze there, it was building atop each other. And Shali knew what it was building towards. She was fairly certain Matthew knew as well, and if his actions just a few moments ago were any indication, he wanted it just as much, if not more than her.
How long had it been now? Three weeks? That was more than enough time for any two lucarios to have their own passionate night under the stars. But it was more complicated than just that with Matthew. He was a human, and she still wasn't aware about all the customs regarding the subject. There were still many things she was learning about it, like how she was his 'girlfriend', and he was her 'boyfriend.' She still didn't understand why humans didn't just use the term 'mate.' It was far simpler.
Regardless, she knew it was inevitable. She hoped it would turn out well. The fire, while extinguished, had left her with the yearning to spark it again.
Matthew opened the bedroom door and peeked his head out. "Hey, Brian. Didn't know you were coming home late–"
"Shut the door!" Brian called back, a bit of panic in his voice. "I mean, just… stay in the room for now, alright?"
"Oh… okay. What are you doing?"
"It's nothing! I'll be there in a bit."
Matthew backed away from the door and closed it, a confused look on his face. He turned to Shali. "I have no idea why he's being like that."
She closed her eyes and used her aura sense, turning her head away from Matthew so that his aura wouldn't be seen. She spotted Brian's aura and Pele's smaller one right next to him. "Brian seems to be excited about something."
"Really? Not sure why we wouldn't be able to go out then."
Shali opened her eyes. "You could read his mind if you wanted to know what it was."
"It's a breach of privacy, I'd rather not," he said, shaking his head. He walked over and sat on the bed next to Shali. "Besides, he'll probably tell us when he says it's okay to come out."
"What do you want to do until then?"
Matthew smirked and wrapped his arm around Shali's side, bringing her closer. "Maybe we can continue where we left off?"
A twinge of excitement ran through her and she leaned into his face, not wasting any time. There was no buildup as she kissed him aggressively, her paw sliding up his chest. He responded in kind, kissing back with an equal ferocity. The flame within her sparked. Her mind was in a cloud, content with how everything was in that moment.
A cloud so dense she almost didn't hear the steps coming down the hall.
She pulled away and touched Matthew on the face to get his attention. His eyes darted over to the door and he took his hand away, Shali doing the same with her paw.
She sighed quietly, feeling cheated. The moment had been broken again, though she couldn't fault Brian for it. The flame within her fizzled and was doused, again leaving the same desire to reignite. Though all that seemed to pass as the door opened.
Brian stood in the doorway with Pele beside him, holding a plate of four cupcakes with a lit candle planted in each one. He smiled, stepped inside, and began… singing?
"Happy birthday to you."
"Happy birthday to you."
"Happy birthday dear Matthew."
"Happy birthday to you."
Shali was completely bewildered. She looked to Matthew whose expression was a mixture of confusion and surprise. But after a moment, it evolved into something more joyful.
"You son of a bitch," Matthew said, grinning. "Wait a second, is it actually?"
Brian nodded. "Yep, the sixteenth of February. Arceus, Matthew, I felt all guilty this morning because I had forgotten it."
"You really didn't have to."
"Well, I did. And I didn't just sing my heart out for you to not blow out these candles."
"What… what is this?" Shali asked. She looked from Brian to Matthew, trying to piece together the situation. "I don't understand."
Pele looked longingly at the cupcakes as Brian stepped more into the room. Brian looked livelier than Shali had seen him ever since she arrived at his house.
Matthew spoke up. "It's a sort of tradition for humans. You celebrate whatever day you were born on every year."
Shali thought about it for a moment. She had known some lucarios who kept track of their birthday, though she had never heard of celebrating it. "That is… interesting. Why are there cakes then? Is that just a part of it?"
Brian stopped in front of the bed and held the plate out to Matthew. "It is. And once he blows out the candles, we can dig into them."
Matthew leaned forward and blew out all the candles, leaving the wicks to send whirls of thin white smoke into the air. "Been a while since I've done that."
"I bet. Would it be alright if we moved to the floor? The bed's nice but it can't sit three people."
"That's fine."
Matthew stood up from the bed with Shali following him. She wasn't sure what to make of it. At the very least, Matthew was happy about his birthday. And so, she could be happy about it too.
They all sat down in a circle in the middle of the room. Brian placed the plate in the middle of them. The cupcakes were light-yellow in color and large, the top of them almost as big as her paw. The frosting was coral colored and had small holes as the candles were picked out of them one by one.
Pele was drooling on the carpet as the last candle was pulled out. He licked his lips and endlessly tapped his paws on the floor in anticipation. "Please, please, please, can I have one now? They're all okay now, right?" he said, turning his head up at Brian.
"Easy there, you gluttonous growlithe. I don't want there to be any slobber on the other cupcakes," Brian said. He plucked the one with the most frosting out and handed it to Matthew. He gave another cupcake to Shali and took one for himself, leaving only one cupcake on the plate. "Alright. Now you can go."
Pele didn't need to be told twice. At the drop of the last syllable, his mouth came down on the cupcake and he dragged it back to where he sat. His large bites left a mess of frosting on his muzzle.
"I guess that's the cue," Matthew said, taking a bite out of his cupcake as well. His eyes lit up as he swallowed. "Pecha berry frosting, I haven't had this in forever…"
"It might be a close second to cheri berries for me, but damn if it isn't tasty," Brian replied, taking his own bite.
Shali looked the cupcake over again. Pecha berries. It would explain the color of the frosting. She held it close to her face and took in the scent. It was very sweet, and she could hardly control her movements as she went in to take a bite.
Her mouth flared with flavor. There was a hint of tart, but it was overwhelmed by the sweetness. The frosting was soft and melted in her mouth, coating her tongue in absolute bliss. It almost felt too good to swallow.
"Like it?" Matthew asked.
"It's incredible," she said, immediately going in for a second bite.
"Blair's on main street never disappoints," Brian added.
"They're still open? Shit, I wish I could get in there," Matthew said. "It's been way too long."
"Agreed. Haven't seen that spot in quite a few years either. Had to put it off to save my body." Brian slapped a hand to his stomach.
"Come on. You look fine."
"I look fine now. Four years ago was an… unfavorable time."
"It looks like you got better. Same can't be said about Pele it seems." Matthew looked over at the growlithe who was hungrily attacking the few crumbs that remained of his cupcake.
"Nah. He's been that way since forever. Pretty sure he could've eaten all four and still have room for more."
"He sounds like myself at thirteen."
Shali looked over as she finished her second bite. "You ate a lot when you were younger?"
"When I was stupider. Arceus, when I started packing lunches for myself I had absolutely zero idea what I was doing." Matthew smiled, taking another bite. "Four cookies a day probably wasn't a great call. Did you ever do something like that, Shali?"
She nodded, quickly licking the frosting on her lips. "I may have… eaten an entire bush of magost berries when I was still a riolu. And I don't think I ever want to repeat that."
Brian chuckled. "You should've seen Matthew in eighth grade. I don't think I've ever seen another human stuff so much food into their mouth at once. The only one who has him beat is Pele."
Matthew looked down. "I guess I lost my touch." His mouth turned up in a smirk. "I bet I could still do that."
"With your cupcake?"
"Yep." He eyed the half-eaten cupcake in his hand. "I bet I could still eat it in one go."
"Come on, Matthew. Just enjoy the cupcake, yeah?" Brian was shaking his head, but his smile told a different story.
"It's my birthday. I'll enjoy it however I want, thank you."
Brian shrugged. "Well, I can't stop you. Go nuts."
Shali watched as Matthew looked over his cupcake, breathed once, and shoved the thing into his face. The cupcake was far too big for his mouth, and yet he persisted.
Tried as she might, she couldn't hold herself together and laughed at Matthew's antics. She struggled to keep her sight on him as he continued to push through, all the while smearing frosting and bits of cupcake over his face.
Matthew relented and pulled the cupcake back, his face a mess, though a smile was still shining bright. "Ah man, there's frosting everywhere. This is a pain."
"What the hell did you expect?" Brian said, his tone slightly shaky from trying not to laugh.
"Not sure. But I can't say I regret it." He placed the cupcake down and touched the hair, cringing at the clumps of frosting that he found there. "I take it back. I regret it."
Brian shook his head. "Just wash up in the bathroom. I'll make sure Pele doesn't mutilate your cupcake any further."
"Good idea. Pele, can I take your word on that?"
Pele looked up from his cupcake, which was now nothing more than a few large crumbs that had yet to be eaten. His muzzle was painted with frosting, and he was quick to lick it off. "Yep! I promise!"
"Good boy," Matthew said, reaching over and giving a quick scratch on Pele's head. He stood up. "I'll be back in a minute."
Shali watched as he left, taking another bite of her cupcake. Though delicious, it was a daunting task to actually finish the monstrosity. She looked back towards Brian and Pele, both enjoying their treats. Their company was nice, but it just wasn't the same as Matthew. Then again, hardly anything was. At least it wouldn't take long for him to return.
"He's been looking better as of late. It's good to see."
She turned her attention to Brian. "Yes, he has," she replied, carefully annunciating so that he would be able to understand her.
"Can hardly compare him with what he was like a few weeks ago. I'm happy for him." He paused, taking a small bite of his cupcake and swallowing it. "I suppose I have you to thank for that."
She tilted her head, a little surprised.
"I'm not oblivious, you know? You two have been hiding it well, but it's pretty apparent you and Matthew have a thing going on. That and those marks on your hands seem to match pretty well."
Shali froze and felt her mouth dry suddenly.
He looked over and snickered, continuing. "I'm completely fine with it, don't worry. Humans and pokemon have had relationships together far longer than you or I have been alive. If you and Matthew are happy, who am I to judge?" He took another bite. "Are you happy?"
"Yes, I am. I'm happy with Matthew," she said, letting herself breathe again. "I want to stay with him."
"You should. You two seem to be good for each other. And a good bond will get you pretty damn far." He reached over and gave a few head pats to Pele, who was just finishing the last few crumbs of the cupcake.
Shali put her own cupcake down beside her. "Do you have anyone? A mate? I mean a… girlfriend? Boyfriend?"
"I've had a few partners in the past, but not right now. Didn't ever feel right with anyone I dated." Brian shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe I'm not fit for romance. Never really thought of myself as being that kind of person anyway. Pele's the only company I need, and I'm glad that he's stuck by me all these years… and he's asleep."
The growlithe had dropped down to the ground and closed his eyes. A content smile was plastered on Pele's muzzle with just the smallest flecks of frosting left around his lips. His body stretched out on its own with little regard for its surroundings, pushing his hind legs against Brian's body.
Brian chuckled and rubbed Pele's side. "The two modes of Pele: Hungry and sleeping. And absolutely nothing in between."
"He's still young. A lot can change over years. And especially when he evolves," she said, observing Pele sleep.
"Hasn't really changed much over the time I've had him. A growlithe I can deal with but an arcanine with his appetite? Let's hope that doesn't carry over."
Shali giggled at the prospect of an arcanine devouring the entirety of the kitchen and still somehow having room for more. "It just might."
Brian shrugged. "Well, I'll have to manage then. I want to do everything I can to make sure I'm good for him."
She nodded affirmingly. "You are. You're a good parent to him."
"Thank you." He looked down and lightly pet Pele's back. "Haven't always been. The days leading up to me meeting up with you and Matthew… I wasn't in the best place, and I should've been better to him. I don't want to slip into that ever again."
"And you won't."
"Damn right I won't."
Shali smiled and picked up her cupcake. She took a large bite out of the center, getting a pure taste of cake without any frosting. Even without the pecha berry flavor, it was delicious. Although she still couldn't understand how Pele demolished the treat without restraint, she could at least see why he had done it at such a pace. It was hard not to keep eating.
She swallowed, savoring the taste as it disappeared down her throat, and continued. "He told me about how you found him. It was good of you to take him in like that."
"He was just a little thing," Brian said, looking up to the ceiling with a touch of reminiscence in his eyes. "Barely the size of my hand when I found him still in his egg."
"Less of an appetite then?"
"No, still the ravenous beast he is today. I picked some berries from nearby bushes and he practically inhaled them. I could hardly believe that so many could fit inside such a tiny pup."
The smile on her face left suddenly as she remembered another detail. "What about his parents?"
He dipped his head. "I spent hours looking around for them and couldn't find any signs of arcanines. Whatever happened, they were gone and had left their egg there. I didn't want to just leave him out there either, so I decided it would be best to bring him home."
"I think he's happy to be here with you."
"That's what I think too. I've done the best I can do, and he seems to be good. So… I think I've done well."
"You have. You saved his life."
"I guess I did," Brian said, slightly less happy than before.
A question appeared in Shali's head. One that seemed mundane but still provoked her to think about more and more. It seemed simple, but she couldn't help looking for the answer.
"What were you doing in the forest?"
There was a slight tension as Brian didn't answer immediately. Time seemed to drag as the tension lingered and mounted, making Shali start to have slight regret of asking the question.
But Brian's form relaxed, and he looked at her with a sad smile. "I needed to clear my head."
Shali tilted her head, confused.
He continued. "I was… not in a great place six years ago. A lot of things happened, and I felt like life was falling apart on me. I tried to pick myself up and keep going but it just didn't seem to work. After a while, I decided it would be best if I just… never mind." He gave his head a firm shake. "Nope. I'm not about to let myself get down on Matthew's birthday. Today's a good day, and that's final."
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push on that," she replied quickly, feeling guilt about the situation.
"Don't worry, it's far in the past. Honestly, I hardly think about it nowadays." He stroked Pele's head and lifted the growlithe onto his lap. "You said that I saved Pele's life, well… he saved mine. But he doesn't need to know that. He'll just use it to get as many treats as he wants." Brian smirked.
She smiled and giggled. The tension and guilt disappeared completely, and the jovial feeling of the night had returned. Brian was right; today was a good day.
"It appears I need to play catch up. Everyone's so much further along on their cupcakes than me."
Shali turned to see Matthew sitting down beside her with no frosting left on his face, though a few tips of his hair were still shiny with water.
"That usually happens when you eat normally," Brian said.
"Well then, I suppose it's my fault for enjoying my birthday," Matthew said, taking another bite of his cupcake. He was extra careful this time, assuring his hair was completely out of the way.
"Not at all, just don't blame the cupcake for it."
Matthew took a second bite, this one larger, and swallowed it. "You know, for how good these are, I don't think I'll be able to find the stomach room to eat it all," he said, looking over his cupcake. It was a little less than a third done.
"Perhaps shoving a cupcake in your face wasn't the best way to curb your hunger," Shali said.
"You just might be right about that."
"I can put them away in the fridge for now. We can have them in the morning tomorrow," Brian said, gently picking Pele off his lap and resting him on the ground. "Plus, it'll give me time to get something." He picked up the plate and put his cupcake on it.
Matthew put his own on the plate. "And what is this 'something?'"
"A surprise."
Shali placed the cupcake on the plate and Brian stood up, walking out of the room.
"What do you think he's getting?" Shali asked.
Matthew shrugged. "Not sure. I don't think he's about to bring out more food."
"The cupcakes were really good though. I've never tasted anything like that before. They were just too big."
"I bet we could get Brian to make some smaller versions of them. He used to bake a ton back in the day."
She took his hand into her paw. "I would really like that."
"I really like you." Matthew leaned in and stole a kiss.
A light heat ran through Shali and her smile broadened. "You're as insatiable as Pele."
"I don't think I could ever get enough of you."
The door creaked open and Brian stepped back in, a long flat and wide box in his hand. The box was cardboard that had its edges frayed; it seemed to have been reused. He walked to them and set the box down in front of Matthew.
"It's not a birthday party without gifts," Brian said, sitting back down.
"Brian, you really didn't have to," Matthew said, running his hands over the cardboard. "To be honest, the wrap job makes it seem like you didn't want to."
Brian laughed. "It was just a bit last minute and you know my wrapping skills are far below average. It'd be better not having to deal with my patchwork." He hoisted Pele back onto his lap. "And I kinda did have to. You'll know what I mean."
Gifts? Shali thought. She was able to understand eating good food to celebrate an occasion, but gifts were a surprise. Another human thing it seemed.
Matthew pulled open the tab on the box and flipped its top up.
"Holy shit."
Shali looked over the object inside. Its top half was a long wooden piece that had four knobs at its top. The knobs were connected to the four thick strings that ran all the way from the top to the bottom. Its bottom half was blue and curvaceous, rounding out at the bottom.
She watched as Matthew took the object out and laid it across his lap, looking at it with a sort of wonder. He ran one of his hands across it, the other holding the neck of the object gently. He plucked the largest string of the object, letting out a low vibrating tone that Shali could almost feel in her bones.
"What is it?" she asked.
"It's a bass guitar. My bass guitar," he said, plucking the other strings. They all made the same deep and resonant sounds as the first, but their own unique tones.
"Your dad gave it to me after you… well, after it was reported that you died. I've just had it laying around for some time. Figured now was as good a time as any to give it back. It's cleaned, has fresh strings, tuned, everything," Brian said.
"A bit messed up gifting someone their own things, don't you think?" Matthew said, still smiling.
"Well, I can just take it back then."
"Like hell you will." He propped the instrument against himself with his left hand holding the neck up. He positioned his right hand against the base of the strings and plucked all of them again. "Drop D tuning."
"Your favorite. I imagine that hasn't changed much."
"Not at all." Matthew fingers went into position and started plucking away at the strings with his left hand occasionally shifting on the neck. The riff was moderately slow and intricate, and produced a low melody that Shali found comforting. "I can't believe I still have it."
"Can you play more?" she asked. The sound was unlike anything she had heard before.
"Of course I can." He played another riff, this one much faster than the first. She could practically feel it speeding up her heart with how the sound pushed through her. The feeling was brief, however, as a pair of discordant notes sounded off and his left hand slipped along the neck. "Shit."
"What happened?"
"I don't have my calluses anymore. I'm used to them being there." Matthew shifted his hand on the neck and continued to play, this time slightly slower with occasional bursts of speed.
She turned to Brian. He seemed to be enjoying the show as much as she was. His body was relaxed and a smile was glued to his face.
The playing ended and Matthew looked over at Shali. "So. Not bad, right?"
She nodded. "It was amazing."
"Maybe you wouldn't be opposed to a little addition?" Brian asked, standing up again. He walked over to the door and reached his hand out into the hallway. He turned around and was holding what looked like a red version of Matthew's bass, though this one had six strings instead of four and they were much thinner.
"I didn't realize we were getting Binate Warmth back together," Matthew said.
"Thirteen years late, but hey, better than never." Brian sat back down and strummed a few strings from the instrument. They were much lighter in tone than Matthew's bass, though still felt oddly nice to Shali.
"What is Binate Warmth?" she asked, looking between them.
Matthew turned to her. "Our band. Well, what used to be it. The two of us decided to get together in eleventh grade and started jamming. Me with my bass and Brian with his electric guitar. It started off as just a bit of fun, but we decided to see where it went."
"But then what about the name?"
"We didn't put much thought into it, to be honest," Brian said, turning a few knobs on the top of his guitar and intermittently plucking strings. "We just took our names and rearranged the letters in them."
"I still like it," Matthew said. "For a prog-metal band, I think it sounds great."
"There's certainly been worse. I'd hate to see what it would be if we had actually gotten a drummer. Trying to fit more letters in there would've been a pain in the ass."
"True enough." Matthew's eyes lit up and he adjusted where his fingers were in a seemingly random fashion. But it wasn't random, there was a certain deliberateness about what he was doing, and soon enough each finger settled onto a string. Then, he began playing.
A moderately fast riff, mainly occupied by lower notes until the end where some high notes were played. He repeated the pattern over and over, eventually locking sights with Brian.
Brian grinned and moved where his hand was on his guitar and started playing his own part. It was faster than Matthew and added extra flair when they both hit the high notes at the same time. But it wasn't just the high notes, their combined sounds produced a harmony punctuated by the low rumbling of the bass and the sharper tones of the guitar.
Off at first, their rhythm came together in such a way that made Shali move her head to the beat of it. It was irregular, and yet was still cohesive.
The music came to a rise and, in a soft, subdued voice, Brian started singing.
"The inner calls, they begin
Whispering doubts under my skin.
I am torn, searching through
Breaths and clamors, seeking truth."
The guitar suddenly became much more pronounced, as did his voice.
"I've been writhing in my choices.
Lost in all these different voices.
I've been drowning in my own mind's sea,
Breaking down and sinking deep.
For a voice to guide me clear.
Or a sign to make it all appear.
I wanna know which path to follow now.
I wanna find the truth that I've allowed."
Matthew's bass intensified as he and Brian both sung the next part.
"Through my Binaural.
My Binaural.
Echoes clash, a constant pull
In my Binaural.
My Binaural's
Echoes ring.
They all whisper
Under my skin."
Brian's guitar took a backseat, leaving Matthew to fill in the melody. It was the same riff he had played at the beginning, but much faster and had extra flourishes. Shali could hear him take a few breaths as his fingers ran across the strings. After some time, Brian's voice and guitar came back in.
"I've been grappling with my conscience.
Sorting through this restless nonsense.
I've been drowning in my own mind's waters,
Swimming forth and breaking waves.
I wanna sense the latent clarity.
Feel where the answers would lead me.
I wanna break free from all the noise and strife.
Find the wisdom to navigate this life."
Just like before, Matthew and Brian started singing again.
"Through my Binaural.
My Binaural.
Echoes clash, a constant pull
In my Binaural.
My Binaural's
Echoes ring.
They all whisper
Under my skin."
This time, the guitar was the one taking the forefront. Brian's hands moved so fast along the neck of the instrument that it would've seemed random had the sound not been so perfect. His voice got low and his singing syncopated.
"I want to thrive, to live my days.
The give and take, it'd lead to raze.
Learning, loving, streams of tears flow.
Facing shadows, truths I bestow."
Matthew joined in with his own singing, trailing behind Brian by one beat, almost like an echo.
"Choosing life, embracing the unknown.
To give and end, into the abyss I'm thrown.
Learning, loving, as the path is shown.
Doing what it takes, in myself I've grown."
And just like that, their voices combined again.
"Paranoia and deceit's dark show.
All left behind, forward I go."
There was a pause as a low bass note rang out. Just as Shali thought the song had ended, they continued playing.
"Through my Binaural.
My Binaural.
Echoes clash, a constant pull
In my Binaural.
My Binaural's
Echoes ring.
They all whisper
Under my skin."
Then a sudden last burst of energy as both Brian and Matthew played harder than they had before.
"Hear my Binaural converging.
Reaching for the light from within.
Unveiling my true self, resolving.
Stepping through my Binaural, where I begin."
At the last word, both instruments stopped playing. The air, suddenly vacant, was filled with the quiet sounds of wind whistling by, cars driving in the night, and the light breathing of Pele who had slept through it all.
Then laughter. First from Matthew, then quickly spreading to Brian.
"Yes! Hell yes! I can't believe we still got it!" Matthew cheered.
Brian nodded. "Fuck, that felt good to play. It felt almost natural, you know? Just going and playing it like that?"
"Just like old times. You even hit the wrong note right before the bridge like always."
"I swear, you could've been gone for twice as long and you'd still hold that over my head."
"It's hard to forget. Well, I guess it's easy for you considering it keeps happening."
"See, this is why bass players are seen but rarely ever heard."
Matthew lost his breath as he continued to laugh, shutting his eyes and laying a hand on his forehead.
Shali watched him, beaming at his joy. It put her at ease, seeing act that way. He was always happy when they were together, but this was a different kind of happiness, a different flavor. It was something she enjoyed seeing.
"I loved that song. Hearing both of you at the same time and coming together like that was just beautiful," she said.
"If we had drums, it would've been perfect," Matthew said, finally catching up with his laughter. "What do you say, Brian? You managed to dig out these two relics, how about that old computer of yours with the song on it?"
Brian shook his head. "Lost to time, unfortunately. It broke down a few years after you left, and I couldn't get it repaired."
"A shame. I guess we'll need to remake it then."
"After all this Team Saber shit is sorted out? You bet we're remaking it," he said, a glint in his eyes.
"It's a deal then."
Shali went to speak but held her tongue. The way Matthew and Brian were talking was something she hadn't seen between them before. There was always an amicable air between them, but they were aloof with one another more often than not. The way they were talking to each other now, however, it seemed more like actual rapport.
They were friends, so many years ago. She remembered when Matthew told her that, and how she had a hard time comprehending why they were. Seeing them together, talking it up as they occasionally played riffs on their instruments, laughing, and smiling, it made sense to her now. They are friends.
So she let them talk. Although she couldn't fully understand everything they talked about, Matthew seemed happy about all of it. Her mind focused on more important things.
A gift. She wanted to give him one. And it wasn't hard to settle on what to give him: The one thing that they had both been building towards for some time now. There wasn't any need to wait any longer. She did come to the realization that it would be more of a gift for the two of them but felt that Matthew would likely be okay with that. And if he didn't want that? Well, that would be okay too. There would surely be something else she could do for him.
Shali hoped that the time for the two of them would come soon. She imagined she could simply be patient and wait, but she was proved wrong. Her mind, fixated on what would soon happen, was clouded in amorous thoughts. The fire was lit again, and it would not let itself be extinguished so easily.
She couldn't wait to embrace it. To embrace Matthew.
Matthew watched as Brian walked out of the bedroom door, Pele sleeping soundly in one of his arms held close to his chest.
"Thank you again, it felt really good playing with you after so long," Matthew said, holding the door open for him.
Brian looked back. "The feeling's mutual, let's make sure it's not the last time."
"Oh, definitely not."
"Anyway," he readjusted Pele so that he was better supported, "I should get to bed. This little one needs to sleep off that cupcake."
"Not a bad idea. I don't know about you, but that thing filled me to the brim."
"Oh, it did. More of a reason to wonder how Pele got it down."
Matthew snickered. "Good night, Brian. And thanks again for everything. The party, the gifts, the food, just everything. It was fun."
"Well, it was your birthday, wasn't it?" Brian grinned. "Good night, I'll see you in the morning."
"Good night." Matthew closed the door fully. There was the sound of Brian walking down the hall and then silence.
He let out a sigh. Today was good, he thought. And it really had been. Spending the day hanging out with Shali was good enough, but with the birthday party on top of that? It wasn't one he'd soon forget.
Good days. There were hardly any of them anymore, all thanks to Team Saber, but they had started to become more commonplace. It was a fact he was grateful for. For so long he felt compelled to keep going, to always be alert and cautious at every turn. And while that was still mostly the case, there was now something to look forward to. Or rather, someone.
"Matthew."
He smiled and turned around.
Shali was walking towards him, a small smile on her muzzle. The twilight hours outside gave little light into the room and in the darkness, it almost seemed like her eyes were glowing.
"Hey, Shali," he said, pulling her in with one hand on her back. "I missed you. You should've talked more with me and Brian, it was boring without you."
She put one arm around the back of his neck and leaned into his face. "I hadn't seen the two of you get along like that before. I didn't want to interrupt that."
He nodded. "We were, that's true, but I still wanted you there. You know I still wanted you there."
"I do. And don't worry, I'm not about to let you forget me so easily."
Shali closed the distance between them. Her lips pushed against his, passionate and soft. Matthew was quick to reciprocate and wrapped his other arm around her to pull her closer. Even with clothes on, her body felt warm against his.
He went to prod with his tongue, only to find Shali doing the same. They took each other in, savoring the taste of one another. Matthew let out a low groan as Shali moved her tongue further into his mouth. Although faint, Matthew could still taste the sweet flavor of the cupcake.
Matthew broke the kiss, breathing heavily. Shali looked at him, her eyes staring directly into his.
"And you called me insatiable," he said, cupping the right side of her face.
"I could never get enough of you," she echoed.
He let out a little laugh and sighed. "Hey, I've been thinking, and I want to ask you about something."
She nodded with a surprising amount of enthusiasm. "Yes, anything."
"I was wondering if… well, if you want to dance with me."
Confusion took to her face instantly. Whatever she had been expecting him to say, it clearly wasn't that. "Dance?"
"Do lucarios not dance?" Matthew asked.
"Some in my tribe did, but I didn't. I wouldn't even know where to start."
"Then I can show you, if you'll allow me."
Shali smiled. "I would like that."
Matthew looked past her to the wall where his bass was leaning against. With an outstretched hand, he focused a small amount of psychic energy on the strings. And after a moment, the instrument began playing a riff. It was slow but had a steady and consistent beat.
"Shall we start?" he asked.
"Yes." Shali moved her paws from around his back to his sides, started to move them, and paused almost immediately. "I… am not sure how to start."
"You're on the right track. Move them up to my shoulders." As she did so, he moved his hands down to her hips. "Now just sway to the beat of the music. Don't force it, just do what feels good."
Matthew moved his body to the rhythm, allowing Shali to catch on to the motions. Initially stiff and slightly off-beat, she eventually caught on. And the two of them started slow dancing.
He looked into her eyes and found himself lost in them. There was a certain shine in her red eyes, one that was far too easy to get enamored in. They were captivating, even if he couldn't put a finger on why.
"Am I doing good?" Shali asked, forcing Matthew back to reality.
"Very. You picked it up quickly."
She smiled. "I'm glad. It feels good to do this with you. Have you done it before? Dancing with someone?"
Matthew paused and scraped through his memories. "Once. And that was a long time ago. Back in my old life, really."
"Who was it?"
"A girl at my school's prom. I had been drinking, unbeknownst to me, the spiked punch for a while and it loosened my senses enough to ask her to dance." He snickered and shook his head. "She said yes, and we ended up like this for the slow song."
"And what happened after?"
"Not much, to be honest. I kinda drifted away after a few more minutes of dancing and just had fun for the rest of the night."
"What about… the girl?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Do I hear jealousy?"
She pulled herself closer to him. "I just like having you to myself."
"And you do. So don't worry about any of that, alright? I'm yours."
"And I, yours."
He leaned in and kissed her. It was brief and simple, yet perfect all the same.
They embraced each other, still swaying to the music. Matthew found it difficult to keep concentration on his psychic playing the bass. All he wanted was to just focus on Shali and nothing more, but it would be okay. Even as it was, he couldn't fathom anything ruining the moment.
"Shali?" he muttered.
"Yes?" Her voice sounded like silk.
"Thank you." He closed his eyes and held her just a bit tighter. "Today has been the best day I've had in a long, long time. I can't even remember the last time I've felt this happy. Having fun, eating good food, spending time with the ones that matter to me. It's… I don't even know how to describe it. Thank you."
"Oh, Matthew…" She returned the tightness for a second before pulling back and looking at him.
"I'm serious. Even just being here with you like this, it feels incredible. I wouldn't trade it for anything."
Shali averted her gaze from him, but she had a large smile. Matthew knew that if she didn't have her fur, he would've seen a blush on her face.
He shrugged. "But what do I know? I'm just a lovestruck idiot."
She looked back up at him. "I'll agree with that last part. It seems to be something we have in common." Her eyes shifted downwards and back up. "Would you mind if I do something?"
"What is it?"
"It's a secret."
"Does that mean you're going to aura bind me again?"
"No. I promise I will not aura bind you."
Matthew paused, considering his answer, and sighed. "Fine."
The question of what Shali was going to do was answered immediately as he felt one of her paws travel down his back and squeeze his butt. His body tensed and he had to hold back a quiet squeak of surprise. His concentration on the bass wavered, making him play a quick series of dissonant notes.
After a second to recompose himself, he stared down Shali who wore an innocent smile. "You…"
"I've been wanting to do that."
"I bet you have," he said slowly moving his hand down, "and trust me, I understand the appeal." His hand found his mark and he squeezed.
Shali didn't make any effort to hide her moan of pleasure. With one paw on his butt and the other on his back, she pulled him in and kissed him. Her vigor was immediate, pushing her tongue in without hesitation, nor any resistance from Matthew.
He reciprocated with his own eagerness. His own tongue explored and tasted her mouth with his hand still squeezing tenderly. The bass abruptly cut off as Matthew dropped his concentration.
Slowly but surely, they started moving while still kissing. He couldn't precisely tell where they were going but was too lost in the moment to care. All he knew was that he wanted it to continue.
He felt his legs hit the bed and let his body fall onto it. Shali came with him, her body flush against his. Only then did they finally come apart.
Matthew looked down. Shali's eyes were fixed on him, a fire behind them. She smiled and ran her tongue over her teeth, cleaning up the mess of their kiss.
"I want to give you something," she said, slipping one paw under his shirt and running it up his chest. "My gift."
He went to say something only to realize how hard he was breathing. Not just his breath, but his heart was threatening to jump right out of him. Just below, he could feel a tightening in his pants.
He swallowed and tried again. "I think I know what it is."
"And? Do you want it?"
The heat, the lust, the relentless pounding, everything in his mind was in disarray, yet his next words flowed out of his mouth without effort.
"I want you."
Shali leaned into his ear and whispered, "Lay down on the bed for me. Tonight is just for us."
(***)
(***)
Matthew nodded and started to move his body more onto the bed. She backed away to let him do so, watching him intently the entire time. As soon as he was fully on the bed with his head resting on the pillow, she crawled on and straddled his waist.
Holy shit, he thought. He looked down at where they were connected. There was a tent in his pants, one that Shali took a good look at before leaning down and kissing him briefly.
"Take off that shirt," she said, sitting back up.
He complied, taking his shirt off and throwing it on the floor. It only came to him then that this was the first time she had seen his bare chest. Slightly lean, he didn't think there was much special about it, yet Shali's eyes were glued to it, practically hypnotized.
She ran her paws over his chest, slowly, sensually, and going over every inch. Her touch was warm, and her fur lightly tickled his skin. She kept going lower and lower but stopped just shy of his waist.
"Your body is perfect," she said, coming close to his face again. Matthew expected a kiss, but tensed as he felt her tongue along his neck. The warm, wet contact made his nerves tingle and amplified the tightness in his pants, almost painfully so.
"Fuck, Shali…" He placed a hand on her thigh and immediately squeezed it as her tongue drew another stripe up his neck.
She went lower, licking over his collarbone and down his chest. Her tongue went across and back, trying to go over every inch of his skin. She came back up, going over one of his nipples and then the other, before continuing her descent down his midriff.
She reached his waist and, after a moment of pause, took the hem of his pants and pulled them down, his underwear coming along with them. The tightness suddenly came undone as his dick was exposed.
Matthew could feel the warmth of her breath on his tip as she stared at it. Still looking at it, she pulled his pants further down, revealing more of him. She lowered her head and nuzzled into his crotch, her muzzle resting between his dick and leg. He could hear her breathing deep.
"Your scent…" Shali muttered, "Your scent is addicting…" She put her paws on his legs and pushed herself up. Her eyes were half-lidded and there was a small bit of drool hanging from the corner of her mouth. "I need to taste."
She held his dick in one paw and gently licked along his upper shaft. Matthew tensed again, feeling his whole lower body heat up all at once. She licked him again, this time focusing on the tip, and he didn't bother holding back a soft, shaky sigh, as her tongue lapped over the sensitive spot.
Matthew felt another sensation as the paw around his member started pumping him. It was a slow pace, almost teasingly so had it not been for the feel of her soft fur around him. The two feelings, her tongue and her fur, coalesced into the perfect pleasure he wanted to indulge in. And Shali was more than willing to provide it.
"Damn it, I… Shali…" he tried to say between breaths masquerading his moans, "Your mouth… I want to feel your mouth… please…"
With one last lick, Shali took it a step further and engulfed the tip in her mouth, finally earning an honest moan from Matthew. Entrapped, her tongue moved around against his dick as she bobbed her head slightly. Her paw stroked the remaining length while her other fell out of sight and started caressing his balls. His fingers dug into the bedsheets.
The pleasure climbed, his heartbeat and breath rising with it. Without warning, she started taking him deeper into her mouth and sucking on him harder, adding a layer of tightness to everything.
He gripped the bedsheets tighter, but it couldn't stop the moans that were coming from him. The sensation was electric. His dick was engulfed again and again and again with warmth, wetness, and tightness all coming together to leave him in a dreamy ecstasy that he could barely comprehend was reality.
Then it all slowed to an almost agonizing crawl as his dick left her mouth, though her paw still stroked him.
"Why'd you… stop?" he said, catching his breath.
"You need to do your job too." She turned her body around, now facing away from him, and backed herself up to his face. She reached a paw back and spread the fur on her crotch, revealing her slit. Her folds were black and glistened with her arousal, and Matthew could see pink flesh between them. "Taste me."
He nodded, not that she could see him do it. He grabbed both her thighs with his hands and pulled her closer towards him. Her vagina looked surprisingly humanoid, despite how different their species were.
He was struck with a potent dose of her scent as his face got near. It was a tangy intoxicating sweetness that filled every inch of his nose and made heat roar across his body. He was hardly aware that he was pulling her closer, his tongue out of his mouth and ready to return the favor Shali had given him.
Though his mind was lost in lust, a thought broke through that temporarily sobered him: He had never done this before. Never with a woman, let alone a lucario.
No time like the present to practice, Matthew thought, I have a feeling that Shali will let me know if I'm doing something right.
He closed the gap and pushed his tongue against her pussy. The taste was immediate, mirroring the smell, and ignited a hunger in his mouth. He heard her moan as he licked her folds again.
Below, he felt Shali's tongue drag up his dick. Matthew shuddered as the pleasure returned to him but shook it off as he went back to work. He took his thumbs and spread her folds apart, licking greedily at the exposed flesh. There was another moan, but it was muffled as she took his dick into her mouth again.
His hands gripped her ass tighter as he felt Shali bobbing her head, the pleasure washing over him like waves. It only encouraged him to redouble his efforts, licking with a ferocity only matched by his lust. Every so often, he'd take the occasional moment to push in deeper with his tongue, drinking in her sweet nectar. With the moans he was getting from her, he knew he was doing well, which only served to encourage him further. Near the top of her labia, he noticed a small nub of flesh poking out.
I wonder…
He closed his lips around the nub and sucked on it gently. Shali's body went tense almost instantly as she let out a louder moan. Her legs quivered and her butt lowered onto his face more, not that he minded.
"Keep…doing that…" she mumbled.
That was something right.
Matthew refocused his efforts, paying more attention to the nub, which must have been her clitoris. Every few licks, he would rub his tongue against or suck on her clit, each time producing a loud moan. With each round of the cycle, she pushed her butt further and further until it was practically resting on his face.
He wasn't the only one fine-tuning their techniques. Shali had gotten bold, going far deeper than before and sending a new feeling as his dick touched the very back of her throat. It took every bit of restraint he had left not to buck his hips up at the feeling.
His senses were overwhelmed. The pleasure from her mouth, the sounds, the smell, the taste. Oh Arceus, her taste. He was enraptured, and all the while he could feel the heat within him skyrocket.
He was close, he knew that he was. Every time Shali's head went down, it got closer. If her desperate grinding against his face and trembling legs were any indication, she wasn't far off either.
It kept building and building. Each lick, each stroke, each suck bringing him closer to the precipice. The pleasure and heat rose, pushing him right to the edge.
And just like before, it stopped. Her mouth left his dick, as did her paw.
Shali pulled her butt off him, only then making him aware of how much of her arousal had been left on his face, though that was hardly at the forefront of his mind. He groaned as she turned around.
"Shali, I was–" Matthew stopped as he saw Shali looking at him. It made him forget what he was talking about in an instant.
Those were the eyes of a predator.
In fact, he was having trouble finding Shali underneath the mask of primal libido that she wore.
Her eyes were wide and pierced through his own. Her teeth were bared and from them Matthew could hear deep slow breaths. The fur on her head, which was normally well kempt, now stood on edge, erratic.
She put her paws on his shoulders and pushed down, making him very aware of the claws that laid just below the surface of her fur. She pressed his forehead against his.
"I need you," she said, a feral growl dragging her words to a tantalizing pace. "I need you inside."
Matthew paused, taking in Shali's words and feeling her breath on his face. At the wild sight before him, he should've felt concern or fear. And yet, there wasn't a single ounce of either emotion in him, only raw unrelenting desire.
"Then you have me," he said.
Shali smiled wide, a purr accompanying it. One paw reached back and grabbed his dick. She adjusted her position until her slit was aligned where she let out a shudder. Matthew could feel the heat coming from her. He placed his hands on her thighs, not that she needed any reassurance.
She slowly lowered, her lower lips parting as his dick was pushed in. He sucked in a breath as the intense heat started spreading downwards from his tip. She kept going, eventually stopping at a point that slightly pushed back against him. Her body trembled.
"My… first time…" Shali said between moans.
"S-Same…" he said, trying not to fall into the same pattern as her. "I'm with you."
She nodded. And in the next instant, she shut her eyes and slammed her hips down. The point of resistance was broken through and she took in the rest of his dick, hilting inside of her. She let out a small whimper of pain.
A shockwave of pleasure rocked through his body and he threw his head back, barely able to process the tightness and warmth that was found inside her. His nails dug into her fur, but that was nothing compared to her claws. They held onto his shoulders so tight that he could feel a series of pinprick wounds on both of them.
Shali panted quickly, her body shaking. A thin line of drool escaped her mouth and ran down her neck.
Matthew looked up at her, pushing his pleasure aside. "Are you okay?" he asked.
After a few more pants, she looked up at him with a smile. The feral look was still present on her face.
She lifted her hips slowly, making Matthew moan as his dick was squeezed against her walls. It didn't go far before she pushed herself back down.
Matthew's mind was swimming in it all. Her pussy was somehow so much warmer than her mouth. It gripped him tight, making every movement drag on forever. And with her moving up and down on him, the pleasure was at a near constant. He hoped it was the same for her and got his answer in the form of a loud drawn-out moan.
Shali increased her pace, getting more daring. She rose higher than before, leaving only the tip inside her, before going back down with more vigor. Each time he hilted inside her, he could hear a small growl mixed in with her other pleasured noises.
He struggled to make any words through all the sensations. "Damn, this… Oh, fuck! You feel so…"
"Amazing…" she finished for him, leaning in close to his face. "You feel… amazing."
One of her paws came up from his shoulder and held the back of his head as she kissed him. Their minds were one as they both took in the other's tongue and battled for dominance in their mouths. Despite having to split his already clouded focus between the two, Matthew could still feel how Shali was grinding herself against his groin with every drop.
The sound of skin meeting fur. The smell of sweat and sex. The taste of Shali and himself. The feeling of everything. Matthew was close again. But the frequent squeezes her pussy gave him, along with her entire body trembling against his, told him that she was much further along.
And then it happened. All at once, her body went taut and her womanhood squeezed him tight as she came. She moaned, nearly yelled, into his mouth. Her fluids splashed onto his groin, making a mess.
His own orgasm was still building and while her sudden tightness had given him a boost, it hadn't been enough. He tried, letting any and all inhibitions he had go, but nothing came to pass.
Shali's mouth left Matthew's and she collapsed onto him, her head resting beside his. She breathed heavily into his ear while her body came down to a rest. Matthew wrapped his arms around her as his heartbeat slowed.
"It was… so good…" Shali whispered. "I never… imagined it would be like that."
"Neither did I," he replied. Their sexes had disconnected from each other when she fell and he could feel his dick throb, begging for a release.
She picked her head up and looked at him, slightly sad. "But you… you haven't cum yet, have you?"
A devilish thought came to him. "Don't worry."
Matthew grabbed her hips and flipped their positions so that she was the one laying on the bed. He placed his hands on either side of her. Her form was splayed out beneath him, legs parted, paws above her head, and a mess on her crotch and the sheets.
She's so hot, he thought.
Shali blinked a few times before a coy smile settled on her muzzle. She spread her legs, revealing her slit again. It was still dripping wet and the pink within could be seen.
He held his dick in one hand and aligned it with her entrance. He rubbed his tip along her folds and clit, feeling every single detail.
"Don't tease me," Shali growled, looking up at him. Then, without the growl but with just as much force, "Claim. Me."
Matthew didn't waste time and pushed himself in. Tightness and warmth flooded his nerves as though it had never left. He kept going, inch after inch, until he bottomed out and his groin pressed against her fur. Her paw touched his arm and she nodded.
He pulled back and thrusted, starting his own rhythm. His pace was steady and strong, and he focused on going as deep as he could, each time getting a moan from her. After a few thrusts, she started bucking her hips up in time with him.
Wet plaps filled the air, combining with their own pleasured sounds to make a lewd melody. Not just lewd, but loud. Neither of them held back and simply let out everything that came to them. He didn't care. Right then, there was only one thing that mattered to him: Claiming Shali. And he planned to do just that.
She was perfect. Her walls, her scent, her heat. Everything about her drew him in and begged him to indulge, and he would do that and more. Every time she pushed her hips upward, she squeezed him tight, coaxing him towards his orgasm.
He had hardly even noticed how sweaty his body had become. The constant, consistent thrusting burned his arms and abdomen, but the fire inside him blazed far hotter than anything else. He needed more. He needed her.
Shali gripped the sheets, her tongue lazily rolling out of her mouth. Her expression hadn't become one bit less feral than before which only made him thrust faster. Everything about her form was irresistible, and his body was reflecting that fact.
"Fuck, I'm… I'm close…" he muttered, feeling the pleasure build in his dick once more.
She looked at him and spoke, her voice shaky and moan riddled. "Inside… inside me… please…" Any clarification was unneeded as her legs suddenly wrapped around his back, locking him in place.
Her words lit the fuse. Even with the limited room Shali's leglock gave him, he was still able to push hard into her. He let himself loose, pounding into her with reckless abandon. The tension grew, his heat rose, and all the while his mind repeated the same two words to him. Claim her. Claim her. Claim her!
The release was heaven. All at once, the tension disappeared and was replaced with a euphoria that drained his energy and practically numbed his senses. A loud moan was drawn from his throat, but he was barely aware of it. He was aware, however, of him cumming inside her. His dick throbbed in tandem with each spurt of his seed.
Shali was quick to follow him over the edge. She tightened up again, milking his orgasm out further. Her legs pulled him in harder for a moment then gave way and released him.
His arms could no longer support him, and he rolled his body so that he would fall beside her. He shivered as his dick left her, no longer being snared in warmth. He laid there, catching his breath as reality was brought back into focus. His one-track mind diverged into the multiple trains of thought, and he started being able to think again.
Shali… Arceus… That… Or perhaps a little more time was needed.
(***)
(***)
He looked over at the lucario. It seemed like she was going through the same process he was. The primal look that she once had was gone, replaced with one of utter contentment, though the fur on her head still stuck out slightly. Then again, he suspected his hair didn't look too much different. It had a slightly messy appearance on a good day; he couldn't imagine what it looked like now. No matter. He would wait until morning to fix any of it.
Shali turned over and smiled at him. She scooted closer and wrapped her paws around his body. He returned the gesture and pulled her in. Their heads touched.
They rested for a few minutes, simply enjoying the presence of the other. His heartbeat and breathing returned to their normal rates. The tiredness had started to weigh on him, though he was quick to force it out. He wanted to stay like this as long as he could, and he wanted to be awake for all of it.
Finally, he spoke.
"Not bad?" he asked jokingly.
"It was acceptable," she said, giggling.
Matthew nuzzled the top of her head. "I didn't really know what to expect out of all of this but… wow."
"I know how you're feeling. It was as if something took over me for a second. I couldn't think about anything else other than you and myself."
"It was the same for me."
"I hope I wasn't too much."
"Not at all." He thought back to how feral Shali looked. "I won't lie, you did get pretty fiery there. It was like you were completely wild."
She squinted at him. "That sounded like it excited you."
"It played a part." He would've been lying if he said anything else. Seeing Shali like that under any other circumstance likely would've turned him off, if not downright frightened him. But with them equally flushed in desire, pushing away any constraints they had on each other, it wasn't just exciting; it was damn near exhilarating.
"Then perhaps you wouldn't be opposed to helping with my heat when it comes along," she said.
"Why wouldn't I? It seems like that's one of my duties now."
She looked away. "I've been able to suppress my heat over the years thanks to a mixture of berries. When it actually happens, I'll likely get intense."
"That wasn't intense?" Matthew said incredulously.
"Intense as in more forceful, more needy, more… bitey." She turned her head up at him, "We wouldn't be leaving the bed for a few days, to put it cleanly."
He shrugged. "I'm not hearing any negatives. Well, maybe aside from the biting, but my healing can deal with that." Then again, perhaps in the heat of the moment, he wouldn't mind if she gave him a little nibble.
"If that's so, we'll have to practice. Just to make sure you can keep up with me when the time comes." She winked at him.
"Of course. It'd be irresponsible otherwise."
They snuggled close to each other. The position was familiar, being the one they always fell into when going to sleep, though for Matthew it felt much different. Wearing his clothes to bed had been staple in his routine for weeks now. Shali was always close, but he didn't feel too much of her fur with them on. Now, with his clothes stripped and on the floor, it was completely new. Her fur was warm, and though it tickled his skin, it wasn't so much that he couldn't rest. It felt good, and he regretted not at least taking his shirt off earlier.
It's quiet. In contrast to all the lewd sounds they were making earlier, it was far more relaxing. He cringed as he remembered he wasn't the only one living in the house. There wasn't any hope that Brian hadn't heard anything. Matthew was only thankful that he at least had the politeness not to open the door or interrupt them. Aside from Brian, he hoped the surrounding houses hadn't heard anything. The window was closed, and the walls of the bedroom seemed thick, but it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. He shook his head. Not worth thinking about right now.
"Matthew. After everything, what will we do?" Shali asked.
"I don't know." He never did have an endgame plan after everything was done, less so one that included a lucario girlfriend. It wasn't something he liked to focus on; just getting the next message out was most important.
Still, it couldn't hurt to think of the hypothetical.
"Maybe a house. Somewhere rural and away from so many people. Not a big one, just the size of Brian's. We don't really need much space if it's just going to be the two of us. I'm uh… not sure what kind of job I could get. Not having any work history for thirteen years doesn't look great. But I bet there's something." He was a bit surprised at himself, the answer had come rather easily. "What do you think of it?"
She readjusted herself. "It does sound nice. Our own space. Just you and I and no distractions."
"I'm glad you like it."
"What about… your powers?"
He knew she wanted to say Neo. And it was a fair question, though one he didn't know how to respond to. It was still worth trying. "With Team Saber gone, he might just leave. I mean, there wouldn't be any reason for him to stick around after that. And I guess that would be it." He sighed; he didn't even convince himself. "Sorry. I wish I knew for certain, but I don't. All I know is that the day when it becomes important is still far off. Whatever happens on that day, we'll cross that bridge together."
She went silent for a few seconds then he felt her nod against his neck. "Okay. As long as it's together."
"I wouldn't have it any other way."
Matthew started to let slumber weave its way through his head. With him exhausted from his fun with Shali, it manifested a lot quicker than he expected. Falling asleep never came to him very easily, but it seemed this night would be an exception.
He couldn't believe the day he had. The days and weeks leading up to it were far better than most any day of the prior thirteen years, but this day was on its own level entirely. The morning and afternoon spent with Shali, Brian getting cupcakes for his birthday, playing his bass that he hadn't touched in over a decade, and being able to further his relationship. Today wasn't just 'good' anymore. The day, in his eyes, was a ten out of ten. An absolutely perfect day…
…No. It wasn't perfect. There was still one more thing that needed to be done.
"Shali?" he whispered.
She shifted against him. "Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."
There. Now it was perfect.
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Peace!
-Minusbomb