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Karlach has already made up her mind, but she hesitates. Here, in a cold store room filled with crates of vegetables and sacks of flour, in the middle of an enemy stronghold and with one of the most unnerving drow she has ever met staring at her, it’s easy to question.
But she wants to live. She’s so close, and this is the deal.
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait until after? I really will burn you. I run hot. Really hot.”
Araj hums, shaking her head without ever taking her eyes off the glow in the center of Karlach’s chest. “Mmm, I know. You have no idea how long I’ve dreamed of meeting such a beautiful piece of infernal machinery.”
Karlach keeps trying to tell herself that Araj is referring to her heart when she talks like that, but you don’t “meet” a heart. She swallows. “You can fix me, though? You’re sure?”
“Of course! It will be an honor to work on you, and when I’m done, you’ll be able to touch whoever you want. But for now, I want you to touch me.”
Araj brings the palm of her hand up to Karlach’s chest, hovering a centimeter from her skin, feeling the heat of Avernus radiating through a realm it was never intended for. Her breath has quickened, and Karlach can feel it against her cheek. The fucked up part, the thing that really isn’t fair, is that Araj is beautiful. If it was just a little different, the circumstances changed, Karlach would be giddy to lift her up in her arms and kiss her.
Instead she stands still, trying not to flinch when, for the briefest second, Araj presses her palm to Karlach’s sternum.
She gasps, jerking back, but the lust and fascination on her face is undiminished. “Exquisite. It’s exquisite!”
“Your hand – are you okay?” This was what she warned Araj about, but it doesn’t seem to matter.
“Of course.” Araj flexes her hand, looking like she doesn’t even understand why Karlach asked. “More, take it off, I need more,” she says, gesturing to Karlach’s shirt.
Karlach complies, undoing the straps and stripping off the leather. She’s not shy.
Okay, she’s a little shy. Only because it’s been so, so long since she’s been with someone like this. Only because of how Araj is looking at her. This isn’t how she thought her first time in so long would go, but it’s nice to be admired, isn’t it?
Araj brushes the back of her fingernail along the curve of Karlach’s breast, and it draws out a shiver that makes her breathing hitch. Okay, that’s nice. That’s really nice. It has got to still be too hot for Araj but, undeterred, she finds her way up to circle Karlach’s nipple.
It doesn’t take much to get Karlach’s body on board. She can feel the tingling ache spreading through her veins, embarrassingly desperate after spending so long untouched.
Araj steps back, pulling at the lacing of her own clothes, and Karlach lists forward after her. She takes a breath, steadying herself as Araj undresses and makes herself comfortable among the flour sacks. When she spreads her thighs Karlach feels dizzy. Her cunt is a lovely dusky purple, puffy and so soft, just starting the glisten with arousal. It isn’t fair that the only thing Karlach can do is hurt her. It isn’t fair.
“Come here, touch me.”
Karlach takes a single hesitant step forward. “I can’t. You felt how hot I am, I’ll burn you.”
“Mmm, yes.” Araj’s eyes flash with anticipated pleasure and she strokes her inner thigh, indicating the path she wants Karlach’s fingers to follow. “Touch me.”
Araj is serious, and she isn’t changing her mind. Karlach kneels between her thighs, unsure. She knows what she’d like to do in this sort of position, and it involves her tongue and the pretty pussy in front of her, but she can’t. She raises her hand, hovering over Araj’s thigh, and as quicky and lightly as she can strokes the pad of her finger over her soft skin.
Araj gasps and Karlach sees her cunt contract and squeeze. “More, yes, make it hotter.”
Karlach swallows, and she does it. She slows her hands even though her urge is to flinch away, even though it leaves Araj’s skin flushed in her wake.
“Burn me. Burn me, now!” Araj grabs Karlach's wrist even though she really, really shouldn't, pulling Karlach's hand into place, and what else can she do? Karlach presses her fingertips to Araj’s skin and as she does Araj’s thighs quiver, her breath catches, and she comes.
When Karlach takes her hand back there are four oval welts in the shape of her fingertips marring Araj’s skin.
Karlach’s chest tightens. She loves a good fight, but this is different. She’s never done this before. She’s never hurt someone in the service of being intimate.
It makes her stomach churn.
“Again.”
So Karlach does it again. And again, each time Araj demands it, making her come over and over until at long last she lays back, mercifully contented. Karlach can barely look at her. If she does, all she sees is the burns. She doesn’t understand how anyone could enjoy that. Araj clearly did, she asked for it – demanded it – but it still doesn’t make sense. At least it’s done now. She did what she had to.
“Incredible,” Araj sighs. Karlach rocks back on her heels to stand but Araj puts her hand out, halting her. “I want to see you, next.” Araj motions for Karlach to get on with… something.
“What?”
“Show me what it looks like when that beautiful machine beats faster. I want to watch.”
Karlach stares at her, searching for any other possible meaning. “You want me to… while you watch?”
Araj nods and settles back, her gaze dropping down between Karlach’s thighs. All her body’s initial arousal and enthusiasm has long since petered out, but Karlach slides her hand down between her legs anyway. She’s so pent up it won’t take much. She just has to not look at Araj’s burns. Oh, or her face – her hungry, interested gaze is way too unnerving.
Instead, Karlach settles for imagining how good it would feel to touch her breasts. They must be so soft and Karlach would love to massage them, to trace her fingers over them, to hear Araj gasp as she takes one of those peaked nipples in her mouth – there it is. Karlach’s arousal is back, wetting her fingers and easing the glide over her clit. She closes her eyes, tips her head back, and does her best to block out the weight of Araj’s gaze; the stone floor; this whole dank tower. She’ll be able to touch again soon, and it’s going to feel so, so good.
The heat starts in her belly. It spreads down her thighs, up her back, cresting as she rubs faster. “Incredible, incredible, you’re burning blue!” Araj says, but Karlach isn’t listening to her. She’ll be free soon – freer – and she doesn’t want to think about anything else.
When Karlach opens her eyes Araj is much, much closer than she expected, her hand hovering just above Karlach’s sternum and a look of hungry fascination on her face.
It’s not the most used Karlach has felt in her life, but it’s close.
She rocks back, and Araj finally lets her go. Karlach dresses silently. Araj, at least, looks sated, even though Karlach feels more hollow than ever.
“Fix me,” she says. “Please.”
Araj smiles. “I’d be delighted. I hope you find it as satisfying as I found this.”