Learning the Ropes Ch. 06

When the moment finally came, her response was, as Lai Chan herself was, atypical. Her hand was raised for half a second before she ripped it out of the ref's hand and hugged the now former champ. Not a respectful, obligatory sportsmanship hug like most fighters do. She pulled her in and squeezed her as if they they were best of friends. The dethroned Champ froze for a second before awkwardly returning the embrace, causing the stadium to cheer even louder.

It was then that HR was briskly escorted from beside the ring to the locker rooms by the assistant coach, dashing his dreams of an after match meet up with his special girl. The reasoning behind it was sound, though. Her little stunt had put him in the public eye and was no doubt probably circulating on social media and would be in the news by the morning. Like it or not, he would be in the public eye come the morrow and so they decided to extract him while everyone was distracted by her. He was then told to go home to freshen up and go to her place after.

---

Having not fully understood his new position in the world, HR did what he was told. A little over an hour later he arrived at her place, showered and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, only to find out he was severely underdressed. Apparently the gym and Meng Wei teamed up to throw an afterparty for Lai Chan that he wasn't privy to. He was ushered into a banquet hall in some wing of the mansion he'd never been to before and was greeted with the gym regulars in suits and cocktail dresses. The party seemed to already be underway as people milled about with drinks and appetizers. A loud cheer went up throughout the room upon his arrival.

He was welcomed by Meng Wei with her polite smile and it appeared she didn't mind his lack of formal wear. Veronica, as usual, glared at him for being there at all, let alone messing up the dress code. He had planned to sit off in a corner and wait for the true guest of honor to arrive but they got to him first.

The first to approach him was Mai Fan, in a cute, flowing dress as her eyes beamed with excitement.

"What did you say!?" The question came hard and fast, her enthusiasm hurting his ear drums.

"What?"

"In the ring! What did you say to her!?" If she were sitting, she'd have been on the edge of her seat.

"Oh, I just told her that she had it...?" He could have never imagined the response to his simple words.

"Oh. My. Gods! So like, you knew all along that she could do it? You believed in her and never doubted her, right? That's so romantic!"

He wouldn't have put it like that but she seemed happy with whatever fantasy she came up with in her head. Before she could hound him with more questions, she was dragged off by Veronica, who didn't want another sister being lost to him.

He was then passed around from group to group of gym members, all having either congratulatory words for Lai Chan's and his relationship or dirty/personal questions that he refused to answer. So pretty much the usual. Until he was thrust upon Alison.

It'd been a while since they interacted, but old instincts told him he needed to look for a way out. For once, his fight or flight response was wrong. The dark elf placed a soft hand on his arm.

"Relax. I'm not going to 'get you.' At least not anymore." The statement confused HR and made him want to run even more. But curiosity made him stay.

"As much fun as you are, I'm not going to ruin such a beautiful relationship. You two are so cute together." She sighed and moved her hand to his cheek, caressing it longingly. "Though I will lament what could have been, I'll always have the memories we share." He didn't think they were looking back at the same memories with the same emotion. "See you around, HR. Let me know if you two ever want a third."

Alison walked away, blowing him a kiss as she went, making sure to put a little extra sway in her hips.

He survived, surprisingly. But as people say, out of the fire, into the frying pan. His next destination was a table with Jazmin. And she did not look happy.

The model was living up to her title, red hair wavy and stunning with an extremely form fitting dress. Her face was in a scowl as her legs were crossed in front of her.

This time he really wanted to escape but her eyes gave him no choice but to sit, for fear of repercussions. They sat there for a while in silence, her glaring him down. He flinched when she spoke.

"This changes nothing."

"Wha-"

"Like I told you in the gym. You belong to me. No matter what you and your little bitch get up to." HR suddenly developed a backbone.

"She's not a bitch, Lai Chan is my girlfriend. I belong to her, not you." He saw her get even angrier but he didn't care much. Lai Chan was much too nice to be down-talked like that.

Before their interaction could escalate, Ai appeared, all smiles with a drink in hand. She casually sat in Hilbane's lap and draped an arm over his shoulders.

"Hey there, lover boy. How are you enjoying the party? " She seemed to completely miss the bad mood between him and Jazmin. With a glance/scowl at Jazmin, his response let out more venom than intended.

"Better, now that you're here." Ai's face lit up with excitement at the unintentional flattery.

"Aren't you the little charmer!" She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Better be careful or I might start getting ideas and take you for myself." Jasmin started to say something

"Act-" Ai interrupted her, looking in her direction for the first time since she sat down.

"Oh I know you! Lai Chan told me all about you." Jazmin looked surprised. A huge star like Ai knew about her? "Yeah, you're that up and coming model that people are buzzing about. Love your stuff."

"Th-thank you." Jazmin got a bit flustered.

"She also told me about the games you and Hilbane here play together. Recreation is fine, but I think you should focus juuuust a bit more on your career." Confusion spread on Jazmin's face.

"What?"

Ai continued speaking. Though she appeared to be giving advice, he sensed something else beneath her words.

"Yeah, a little work can go a long way. Don't get me wrong, you're great, but this business is ruthless. Many up and coming starlets get forgotten about and left behind all the time. All because of a little mishap here or a badmouthing from another, bigger model there." Her tone lost all friendliness. "Don't let it happen to you."

The three of them sat there in silence for a few beats, some sort of understanding forming between the two women that HR couldn't quite parse. Ai spoke again, seemingly dismissing Jazmin.

"Enjoy the party, Jazmin." Jazmin collected her handbag and walked off. HR followed her long enough to see her meet up with Flavia and Alison at another table. "I get the feeling she won't be bothering you again, Hilbane me boy."

"Really?"

"If she knows what's good for her she won't. Now, back to that line from earlier. Have any more smooth moves to lay on me? I'll trade them for more kisses." The flight response was kicking in again. Before he could attempt to escape, Meng Wei appeared next to them.

"That's enough teasing for now, Ai."

"Awwww." The older woman pouted like a scolded child. Though HR figured that was appropriate as she was literally being scolded by her mother.

"But, I do commend how you handled that. I wouldn't have been so merciful."

"What do you mean, mom?" A dark twinkle appeared in Meng Wei's eye.

"I wouldn't have given a warning."

HR turned his head to see how Ai would respond next but Ai was distracted by her phone. She lit up like a Christmas tree looking at the message. She turned towards the rest of the party and yelled out to them.

"It's almost time everyone!" The party immediately went quiet and someone cut the lights.

An echo came from the hallway as footsteps and voices grew closer.

"But I'm tirrrred. And HR disappeared after the match, I have to call him." Lai Chan's whine brought a smile to his face.

"I know, I know, but just one surprise and then you can sleep." The voice of her older brother, they were closer now.

The two of them cast a shadow in the doorway of the banquet hall. Then the lights flicked on and everyone yelled:

"Congratulations!"

Lai Chan's mood visibly improved in an instant. When the lights turned on, her visage went from exhausted back to her usual excitement. And she was even more underdressed than HR. She had changed into slippers, basketball shorts, and a baggy t-shirt. His t-shirt. Her cloud hair was in a ponytail and she had a bandage on one of her cheeks.

Much like an overstimulated puppy, everyone laughed and watched as Lai Chan looked around the room, stunned by the choices and her figurative tail wagging. Then she locked onto HR and made a beeline toward him. Meng Wei patted him on the shoulder and said, "I'll get to you shortly."

She then intercepted Lai Chan on her way to her prize. An argument ensured, one known by many a parent and child and unseemly for a champion. Though he could not hear them, Lai Chan was obviously whining and she pointed towards him several times. Meng Wei stood strong however and eventually convinced a pouting Lai Chan to greet everyone first.

She went to the center of the hall and was given a microphone. The feedback nearly deafened HR and everyone else in attendance before silence took over and everyone looked at the champ for a speech.

"I did it!" The people waited for more but none followed, just her patented smile. The audience erupted in applause and cheers. A simplistic speech, fitting on their little starlet.

She then tried to head towards her boyfriend but again was stopped by her mother. After even more pouting and whining, she was guided around the hall arm in arm with her mother, making sure to thank every guest for coming and accepting their congratulations.

Once that was completed, she moved towards him at a brisk pace. Or at least what was a brisk pace for a normal person. HR could tell she wasn't in the best shape. Her movements lacked the efficiency and technique of the trained fighter she was. This was someone who was exhausted and being propelled purely on emotion.

"Congratulations, Lil Lai!"

Her mood shifted for the worse. She went from smiling at him to glaring at Ai, whom he'd forgotten was sitting on his lap. Without a word to either of them, Lai Cha lifted Ai bridal style off of his lap and placed her on her feet. She then turned to HR. She took a handful of her shirt and spit into it, proceeding to wipe it on his face. His confusion was alleviated when the shirt came away smudged and he realized that it was Ai's lipstick.

She then grabbed HR's hand and pulled him to his feet, dragging him towards the door and glaring at Ai as they passed her.

The gathered masses cheered and jeered and whistled and did all sorts of things as the two of them left the room, HR the only one of them to react.

Ai watched them leave as Mai Fan appeared next to her.

"She's going to hate you if you keep doing that, you know."

---

HR was pushed into her room with not as much fervor as he was used to. Once the door was closed and locked, triple checked, she went about weakly dragging him to the bed. She attempted to strip him, but only managed to get his shirt off before giving up. She just barely got out of her own clothes before just collapsing backwards onto the bed, dragging HR on top of her.

HR could feel the exhaustion emanating from her. For a second he thought she had actually fallen asleep as soon as she hit the sheets but she held on, barely. She looked at him with deeply lidded eyes that somehow were still able to convey a deep rooted lust through her lack of energy.

As flattered as HR was to see her laid bare before him once more, especially after a week apart, he had obvious concerns about her physical state of being.

"Lai Chan, are you sure you're up for this? You don't need to... sleep or something?" Her response held a good bit of the fire she was missing.

"No!" As he expected, there was a lot of lust and defiance in the word, but also sadness and a desperation that he couldn't place. She reached up and laced her arms around his neck and weakly pulled him down. He went along with it and was cradled against her bosom. "You have to! Coach said so!" Coach said what, exactly? She sounded near tears and shivered against him, through both exhaustion and emotion.

"What is it that Coach said?"

"He said that after the fight you'd do whatever I wanted. Especially if I won. He promised! You have to..." She paused, and then whispered. "I worked so hard."

HR didn't wholly appreciate the coach promising him to others without his knowledge nor permission but that was for another day. Turns out Lai Chan was a normal person. With worries and doubts just like everyone else.

He couldn't, and hadn't, imagined the pressure she was under because she didn't show it. The smile hid it all. Everyone was sure she could do it, and she did. As she should have, as the new up and coming prodigy. Being so good, it's easy to forget that she's just a person doing what she enjoys. When everyone expects you to win, it's not surprising when you do. And of course such a good girl wouldn't want to let anyone down. In every match, every round, every punch thrown, she had very little to win, and everything to lose. The status quo versus disappointment.

HR doubted that even the coach knew this about her. How could she appear weak in front of the main person pushing her to be strong? No, he alone was privy to this. He alone was trusted enough to witness her at her weakest, most vulnerable state. And he recognized what this night was for her.

First and foremost, he hadn't realized how much she'd missed him in the week apart. Her texts never conveyed anything of the sort. He just figured she was busy training. Second, this was the night she demanded they reach the next and final step in their lessons. Where they went all the way. Third, and most important, this was her reward.

Years of hard work. Years of training and fighting to meet everyone's expectations without fail. Years of pressure building up to that one moment when the fight ends and she can finally relax because she won. The congratulations and pats on the back meant very little to her. So did material things. Her mother, or anyone else in her family, was able to and definitely willing to buy her anything she wanted for a prize. All she needed to do was ask. But she didn't want anything that could be bought. What she wanted was clear from the moment the match ended and she flung herself into his arms. She wanted him. In every sense of the word.

In any other moment HR would have probably crumbled under the pressure of being her cornerstone. But this wasn't any other moment. This wasn't about her. Or at least not wholly. It wasn't his moment, or her moment. It was their moment.

He pulled his head from her chest, easily countering her weak resistance, and looked down on her face. Every pent up emotion she'd ever had was displayed as she silently looked up at him with watery eyes. He used a thumb to wipe away a tear from the corner of one of them and kissed her on the forehead. She looked to him for emotional support, and all he felt were the emotions she was looking for. He told her what she needed to hear.

"Good job, Lai Chan. I'm proud of you." Then the waterworks really started. HR patiently held her as she let out all of those pent up emotions. Tears of joy and relief streamed down her face as she sobbed into his shoulder. He slowly brushed her hair as she got all of it out. Many minutes passed like this.

Eventually the tears subsided and he looked at her again. The eyes remained watery but there was a languid smile on her face now. Pure happiness.

"You okay now?"

She chuckled weakly. "Never been better."

Good, because he was just getting started. She was tonight's special girl. His special girl. And he was gonna let her know it.

"Close your eyes."

She followed directions and he placed a soft, long kiss on her lips.

"Make a wish."

"Why?" she breathed out, still holding her eyes closed.

"For tonight is just your night." A kiss on her cheek. "And we're going to celebrate all through the night."

She swooned.

"And you're right, coach did promise you. So..." He licked a part of her neck. She tasted clean. She also smelled clean. She must have showered before this. "Your wish is my command." He kissed just beneath her ear. "I'll submit to your demands." He kissed her cheek. "I'll do anything." He brought their mouths together firmly, but just for a second. His teeth lightly bit down on her lower lip and dragged it back before letting go. "You need only ask."

He knew what she wanted already. But it was her special night. Let her be in control. At least on paper. He also liked seeing her so docile. She hadn't been this obedient since their first lesson.

She responded as expected, her voice barely a whisper and shaky from his kisses.

"Fuck me."

"I'll do you one better." He could feel her curiosity pique. "I'll make love to you."That revved her engines. He felt her body shiver under him as she spoke, a tired, giddy smile on her phase.

"Like you know I want you to."

"And I'll hold you tight, all through the night." He gave her a squeeze and she melted more into the bed. "And not just tonight either. I'll make love to you when you want me to." He leaned in and whispered into her ear. "And I will not let go 'til you tell me to."

Lai Chan reached her limit. Her hands left the embrace and moved to his shoulders in an attempt to push him over. Unfortunately for her, her body had just had the workout of a lifetime not three hours earlier and her arms were not up to the task they'd done so easily many times before. HR took both her wrists and placed them above her head, leaving her at his mercy.

"Lai Chan, relax. Let's go slow. I don't got nowhere to go." He gave her another kiss. "We're just gonna concentrate on you." Another kiss. "Tonight is just your night, and I will do you right. I will give you the love of your life."

He'd felt like he'd teased her enough. Or at least it was time to get started. This was her reward, after all. While she was distracted with his kisses he slipped a hand between them. Unlike up top, he went straight for the kill, doing one quick slide up her slick folds and touched her clit.

He wasn't surprised it happened, he still wasn't used to just how loud her thunderclaps could be. Maybe the surprise made her react more extremely but despite the dull throb, the noise she let out was music to his ringing ears. It also showed how worked up she was.

Whether it was the emotional deepening of their relationship or her physical lack of stamina from the night's earlier events, HR could tell she was already very close. As much as he liked looking at her face and the feeling of her quivering around his fingers, he knew something that would make her feel a lot better.

He left one last peck on her cheek before releasing her wrists and sliding down her body. A moment of confusion spread on her face but her legs instinctually opened, her lower lips eagerly awaiting their own kisses.

Upon reaching her crotch, he got a whiff of her and like outside the ring, his mouth began to water. This time, he intended to satiate his hunger.

A long lick betwixt her folds slathered his tongue in her copious juices and filled his mouth with the taste of Lai Chan. Unable to hold himself back, his mouth closed around ther mound, creating a nice pocket of suction. At the familiar sensation, he heard another moan, another thunderclap, and felt her hands in his hair.

His tongue lavished her labias with loads of loving licks, coaxing from his lover a legion of loud, lively, lengthy, and lucid noises of pleasure at luxuriant levels. Her moans urged him on as he could hear her nearing that sweet, sweet precipice.