An Axe to Grind

As much as Charli did want to mope in bed all day for her stupidity, she knew she couldn't. She looked around the room for things to do. A small voice in the back of her head said 'Labrys'. Even her thoughts were tormenting her now. She slowly turned back to Labrys. "Could you promise me something?" she asked softly. He nodded instantly. "Could you"--she rubbed her eyes--"never do that again?" Labrys's mouth opened then clasped shut. He offered no clear reply, only laying his head back on the bed. That would have to do. "Sorry. I know you didn't mean it." She laughed softly as she played with the sheets. "But who knows if I'll even have a job by the end of today." Labrys glanced away.

Just then, Charli's phone started ringing. It was on her work desk, which was now painful to even glance at, but she figured she owed whoever was calling at least the courtesy to pick up. She ignored the stinging she felt by approaching her computer and picked up the phone. "Hello?" she greeted.

"Hey, Charli. I missed my monthly call yesterday, so I got right back to you!" a familiar feminine voice said.

"Oh. Hey. I'm doing fine, you really don't need to check up on me like this."

"It was pretty b--"

"I know how it was. Believe me. I was there." Charli put a hand on her hip.

"Right, sorry, but you know, it just makes me feel bad. If I were in bed all day I'd want someone by my side."

Charli glanced over at Labrys. "I mean, I do. You know? I'm not in bed all day either."

"OK, sure, but I was thinking someone who can talk to you." There was some shuffling on the other side. "Anyways, how's your job going? Your computer thing? Screaming?"

Charli sighed. Of course she had to ask. Did she know? "Streaming, and-- It's not the best right now. I don't want to talk about it."

"Well if you ever need work, I've got a--"

"No, no thank you. I'm fine, really. Just need to work out a few things." Charli paused. "Look, I've got to go. I'll call you later, OK?"

"Alright... See you, Charli."

"Bye."

God, the last thing she needed was her family finding out. Could she trust a cousin not to blab? Charli didn't need to think about that. She fell back onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling. She needed to distract herself. At least for a few hours. A jog was what came to mind instantly, but right now she didn't even want to show her face. There goes the woman that deepthroated lizard tongue now. Ugh, no thanks. She turned on the television and started to flip through channels. Labrys didn't react to it. He was still focused on Charli. "You know if you keep staring at me like that, I might just explode." She said that as a joke, but now she was worried it might just happen. He slowly shifted his attention away. Labrys lay his head on the bed in such a way that he could look at either the television or Charli without shifting.

It was starting to feel odd being around Labrys. Charli pulled herself under the sheets again. Sharing a kiss like that shattered that air of innocence about him. Maybe silly to think, seeing as how he was an immensely powerful creature, but he was still a close friend that stuck by her, even when she couldn't spend time with him. A kiss pushed that boundary. What was she saying? What boundary? It was a bad joke. She knew this. She... definitely knew that. Right? "Labrys," she suddenly blurted out. His eyes snapped to her. Those deep red pupils were intimidating. "You-- You comfortable?" Damnit. He snuggled his head into the bed. "Good." How could she ask? What if it wasn't a joke? Then what? What was she supposed to think about that? She crossed her legs. He couldn't have meant it as anything more than a joke.

Charli needed something more hands-on to occupy her. She sat up and looked at the mess of entertainment things that infested the space under her television. She mostly bought them for future streaming endeavors, but now that seemed unlikely. Might as well get some use out of them. She moved down to the floor in front of her bed and turned on one of the fancy black boxes and picked up what she thought was the right controller. Couldn't they have made one of these in white? Charli leaned back against the side of the bed. She could feel it shift, and then soon enough, Labrys was sitting next to her. "Not so close, please." That's what she wanted to say. She couldn't, though. That would be incredibly rude after she had already hurt him.

Wasn't it warranted?

Not wanting to dwell on that, Charli navigated through menus. She could feel the cool touch of Labrys's hard, metallic hide coming up against her. He eased against her slowly, obviously remembering how chilly he could be. That tender touch helped to cool her down, easing the fire that raged on in her thoughts. As much as it was awkward being near him now, Charli found herself relaxing up against him more and more, until she was almost entirely leaning up on him. She sighed in relaxation as her whole body cooled off.

Charli didn't exactly remember what she had put on the games box, so she chose whatever seemed familiar. Tetris was easy enough, right? Charli looked down at the controller, trying to memorize all the absurd buttons on it. It looked like it wouldn't be out of place in a helicopter cockpit. Her eyes wandered over to Labrys, noticing how their legs were right up against one another. You kiss a dinosaur once and it'll never leave your mind, she jabbed at herself. Charli forced herself to look back up at the television screen and started the game. She played fairly mindlessly at first, before she found her groove and playing properly.

Whatever worries she had started to slip away, and she quickly lost all tension in her body. Charli slowly picked up on Labrys's heavy breathing. That was normal, he was a big fellow after all, though it was oddly relaxing. Thinking this majestic beast would be so willing to simply be with her. God, you're sounding like Mom now, she chided herself. It was enough relaxation for her to gather her nerves properly. "Labrys," she started, still looking at the screen, "I gotta ask now." He hummed. The plates that made up his armor reveberated through her. "What did you mean with the uh, you know, the kiss?" She could feel his breath briefly stop.

Labrys gently pushed against her shoulder. Charli paused the game and looked up at him. "Yeah?" she said, fighting the lump in her throat. Labrys leaned forward, nuzzling his face into hers and into her neck before pulling away with a soft breath. That intense warmth came back. What was it? Embarrassment? Nervousness? The message was clear. "So it's like that?" she replied unwittingly. Labrys nodded and ran his claws down her arm. Was she blind this whole time? How do you miss a lifelong partner loving you like this? Maybe she was the one to open the floodgates with a stupid, joking kiss. He gave an inquisitive groan with a slight pitch up at the end as if to as a question, then placed a hand on his chest. Charli was dumb, but she knew what that meant.

"Well, hey now, I mean, I like you but--" Were you friendzoning a fucking dragon? She paused and thought about the absurdity. Charli had to say it plain and simple. "Look, Labrys, I love you"--he perked up--"but we're two different things, you know?" She looked down, trying to find the words to her rambling. "We're not made for one another. Alright?" She gave a placating smile, which of course, did absolutely nothing. Labrys shook his head, then stood up. "No?" He shook his head again and dropped it, as if to confirm her words, then stomped off. "Labrys? Labrys, where're you going? What do you mean no?" she called out. Off in the distance she could hear the backdoor close shut. He'll probably get over it, she figured.

Charli returned to her game in vain. The distracting nature of slotting blocks together did little to quell her thoughts on Labrys. That heat lingered on the air. "Good work, dumbass," she mumbled. That pressure returned, though instead of feeling like she was going to go homeless, she felt like she lost a good friend. This wasn't working. Charli turned off the console and stood up. A shower could help. She grabbed her towel and walked out into the hallway. Charli couldn't help peeping out into the living room to see if Labrys was there. Not a chance. She slunk into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Charli looked at the door knob before finally locking it.

"Why me of all people?" Charli asked herself in the mirror. She ruffled her hair, working out some of the tension. "Am I just an idiot?" She was half hoping her reflection would give her a straight answer. The woman pulled off her shirt and braced herself against the bathroom sink. "You've been through worse..." A splash of water from the sink calmed her somewhat. "Whatever." She dropped the rest of her clothes and stepped into the tub. The cold porcelain almost stung against her feet. She braced herself under the showerhead and let it turn on, letting out a surprised gasp as the icy water struck her. The flurry of what felt icicles slowly turned to warmth. That certainly cleared her mind.

For her third coping mechanism, a shower was going pretty well. Charli found herself relishing the water before snapping back to reality and realizing she should probably wash herself properly. A dab of shampoo to clean out her hair. Then a quick body scrub. She went over herself slowly, drawing out her escape from the world as long as she could. An errant thought crossed her mind as her fluffy loofah scrubbed her skin. It had been a while since she did it, right? Charli stopped and looked down at her groin. That wouldn't be a... terrible way to relieve some stress, would it? Just a quick touch. Charli looked at the opaque window that faced out into the backyard. Labrys was with her almost constantly, so she never really considered a quick touch. She hadn't done it since, well, the hospital at least.

What the hell. Screw it. You deserve it, Charli said to herself. She hung up her loofah and made sure to wash away any remnants of soap. Satisfied she wouldn't burn herself, she slid a hand onto her groin, testing the waters with a finger. She let out a sigh. Just barely a touch and she was already riling up. Fuck, that was sad, wasn't it? She set aside her pathetic thoughts and pressed forward, plunging a finger in. She hissed as her entranced parted, feeling that spark of excitement ride up her spine for what felt like the first time in an eternity. Charli leaned back against the bathroom wall as her fingers quickly got back into their routine feverishly. Rubbing, prodding, shoving. Anything to flood her thoughts with an overwhelming pleasure. Her breath quickened. Eventually her legs started to give and she slid down the wall and onto the floor of the tub.

Just a little more. Just a little more. Just a little more. Her other hand joined in the pleasure, pushing into her as she frantically rubbed her clitoris. Charli's woes certainly disappeared, instead being replaced by whatever erotic fantasies she could come up with. A moan escaped her lips. Something told her she should probably cover her mouth, but it was too little too late. She squirmed as her hands touched all the little spots that made her nerves jump in delight. They sped up, trying to capture every bit of pleasure that her body screamed for. "Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck," she mumbled through slurred moans.

I bet Labrys would eat me out, her brain said drunkenly. His tongue was huge. God, the way it filled her mouth, it could probably reach every bit of her. An entire muscle plunged inside of her, wriggling about. Charli pushed up against the tub. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Her conscious thoughts were too slow to catch up with her run away libido. Her clitoris practically burned as her hand went over it. She had long since given up fingering, just rapidly rubbing against her button. Charli's hips thrust forward as she reached her climax, stifling a groan while her body spasmed with repeated bouts of pleasure.

Charli's hands came to a stop, sliding away from her crotch. It was then that she realized she was in the shower. It was also then that she realized she had imagined something dreadful. She immediately stood back up and made sure to wash her hands of the whole thing, literally. You really thought that, huh? Charli grumbled. Shut the fuck up. She tousled her hair again, straightening it out from being pressed up against the wall. Charli then shut the water off, opened the curtain, and picked up her towel. She started drying off her face, but eventually stopped, letting it rest on her face. You are really fucked, you know that?

_

Fully dressed and hating herself slightly more, Charli stepped out of the bathroom and into the hallway. There, she peered out into the living room again. No sulking, armored dragons there. She whipped around, startling herself as she came face to stomach with Labrys towering over her. "Oh, hey," Charli said as casually as possible, hand over chest. Labrys held up a jug. She forgot she even had a jug up in the cupboards. "What's that?" Held inside was some water and a variety of colorful flowers. He presented it to her with both hands. First it was funny, then it was worrying, then it was cute. Labrys huffed and presented it again. Charli must've looked stupid with her wavering smile. "Uh, thanks, Labrys." She tossed the towel over her shoulder and took the jug. It was heavier than she expected. "You... collected them all for me, huh?" Labrys nodded with a proud smile. "Thank you." She pursed her lips. That was far more polite than most boys.

The Haxorus stepped aside, allowing entrance into Charli's bedroom. "Right," she said, walking in awkwardly, trying not to spill a drop of the jug. She looked around the room for a place to sit them before shoving aside a lamp and placing it on her nightstand. That would have to do for now. She wiped her hands off on her clothes. Bits of dirt were floating around inside the jug. "Is that what you were doing out there?" Charli asked. Labrys nodded, slapping his tail against the ground. It was better than him moping, like she expected. As amusing as a moping draconic dinosaur was in her thoughts, she couldn't bear to see Labrys upset. Might as well play along, at least for a tiny bit. "Thanks again, buddy," she said, pulling him into a hug. Though at his size it was more like she was just shoving herself up against him. Labrys returned the hug with a squeeze and a shake.

Charli sat down on her bed, with Labrys quickly sitting in front of her. "Uh, something wrong?" Charli asked with a tilt of the head. Labrys shook his head, then took her hands in his, interlocking his claws with her fingers. He was starting to push his luck. "We've been over this, Labrys." His grip tightened only slightly. Charli laughed awkwardly. "It's not like boyfriends and girlfriends do this anyways!" Labrys perked up. "Not that... Not that we are." He huffed. "Oh come on, Labrys. I love you, you know that, but we're not made for it." His grip tightened again, while he continued to stare. There was determination, but also a hint of sadness in his gaze. "Look, I learned this stuff in school. That's just nature."

Just when it seemed like Labrys might pull her closer, Charli's phone rang. "I'd better get that." She shook their hands. Labrys grunted and let their hands go, then crossed his arms. "I'll be right back! Don't go anywhere!" Charli grabbed her phone and ran out into the living room. "Hello?"

"Hi Charli! I thought we kinda spoke too fast last time, so I'm calling you again." Of course it was her.

"What is it, Judy?"

"I think you might be a little upset right now, so I thought you might wanna talk about it."

"Upset? Why would I be upset?"

"You uh, sound upset."

"Well even if I am, why would I talk about it. I'm not some kinda l--" She glanced back at her bedroom, where Labrys was waiting. "Sure, fine, whatever, let's talk feelings, cuz."

"Cool, cool, uh, so what's on your mind?"

Charli lowered her voice. "Look, can I ask you something?"

"Of course Charli, you know I'm--"

"Yeah, great, look, you have one of those huge what'chamacallits. The iron dinosaur."

"Aggron?"

Charli snapped her fingers. "That's the one. OK, so-- Ugh, have you ever had any problems with it?"

"...Problems?"

"You know! Like!" Charli waved her hand about like she could shake the words out. "Like it shows interest in you, but the wrong kind. The very wrong kind."

"Like it's gonna eat you or something?" Judy replied.

"No! Judith! C'mon, you know. Like it kinda wants to... love you more than it should?"

"Ohhhhhhhh. Oh. Hm. Haha, uh, yeah I know what you mean. Ahem. Gotcha now."

"And?"

"And what?"

"And what do I do?"

"What do you mean what do you do? We were talking about Aggrons. You don't have one."

"I have something similar!"

"Oh, you mean like you have a thing that likes you. Right."

"Get with the program."

"Sorry."

Charli sighed. "So what do I do?"

"Do you like him?" Charli could almost hear the shrug in her voice.

"What kinda fuckin' question is that?" Charli hissed.

A giggle came from the other side. "I mean if he likes you, I'm asking if you like him too? That's part of any relationship right?"

"Of course I like him, Judy, but not like that for crying out loud. Wouldn't be a problem otherwise, would it?"

"Yeah, I guess not, but it's not like it's a big deal. Is it?"

Charli tossed her hand up. "What do you mean not a big deal? I think that's a pretty goddamn big deal to me!"

"Relax Charli. I... know some people who like their--"

"God, don't even, Judith. I'm not some kind of..." The gears clicked in her head and she pinched her temple. "Oh no. Don't tell me you really. You didn't."

"Do what?"

"You're one of those people, aren't you? You always say this 'I know one person' thing and it's always you without fail. Every time!"

There was a pause. "Yeah, sorta."

Charli fell back onto her couch. She didn't know whether she should laugh or cry. "There's no 'sorta' when it comes to that, Judy."

"Alright, fine, you got me." Judy sighed. "I spend time with my--"

"I do not need to hear what you do with your dog."

"Uh, Carolyn is a girl."

"...Meganium?"

"Girl."

"Magnemite."

"Magneton now, actually, and neither."

That only left the... "How are you alive?" Charli asked, flabbergasted. 'What the fuck,' she mouthed. And Charli thought she herself had issues. No, this entire time Judith, her own cousin, was being rawed by metallic beast with a cock probably bigger than her forearm.

"You get used to an Aggron after a while," Judith said. It almost sounded like there was a hint of smugness in her voice. Surely not, right?

"How can you just sit there and say you've done an Aggron like that?"

"Well you kinda did ask, Charli."

Charli grit her teeth. Fair enough. "I honestly don't even know what to say."

"Hey, you wanted my perspective, you got it."

"I really didn't expect you to come out and say 'oh sure, just suck them off, works like a charm', seriously." There was some fumbling from down the hall, which hardly caught Charli's attention at all. She was too busy picturing fornication the likes of which she had never even fathomed existed.

"It takes a while to get to sucking. Can't just dive in like that."

A stupid smile splayed across Charli's face and she shook her head. "Please tell me you're joking now. The joke has gone on long enough." Though honestly a small part of her hoped it was true. She was going to get lambasted for kissing her Pokémon, but at least she wasn't fucking them.

"Oh come on, Charli, when was the last time you even had a boyfriend? Is it really so bad you have someone into you like that?"

"You don't understand, we're not even the same species. He can't even talk!"