[Fiction] The Price

[z-Brawlzilla]

This fiction contains mature themes. Please do not read if you are offended by such or it is not legal for you to read.

"What!?" Sally growled, her fingertips turning white as they pressed against the desktop. The name-plate, Anders Zidwicoff, was framed neatly by her hands, but the actual front of the plate is blocked by Sally's shapely, athletic body.

"You heard me, Sally," the producer said, arching his fingers together and leaning back in his leather and chrome chair. "We can't have our boys pounding on some sweet, little thing like you."

"But Stellar is beautiful, and you let her fight!"

"Yes, that's Stellar's thing," Anders said softly, his tone chiding. "And your thing, the thing that sold you to all of your fans, was your face. And you've ruined it. It's valet or nothing, Sal. In fact, Gladius needs an escort. You're a good height - you'd made a cute couple."

Sally blushed so hard that she turned purple. "Fine," she seethed, "if you want Brawlzilla again, you've got her." Turning, she stomped out of the office, slamming the door behind her.

Anders cursed softly the second she was gone. "Fuckin' pop already!" he hissed, throwing a pen at the door. "I want my promotion!" And what a promotion it would be, if he could catch an eruption on camera. This idiot was his best shot, but he was almost out of patience with her.

* * *

Sally was still fuming when she knocked on Ultimax's door. But the thought of her friend - or whatever Max was - helped calm her down. Their date had gone well; the dinner and movie had been a lot of fun, and Sally had been looking forward to the next. Their schedules hadn't meshed for a while, and now, it looked like they wouldn't have anymore dates. Normally, that would depress her, but she's too happy to see Max to stay too sad.

By the time the door opened, she was even smiling a little. "Hey, Max, got a little time?"

[Ultimax]

She had a gift. Showing up when he was feeling pissed. And last time she made him feel a lot better. This time he'd just gotten off the phone with the police. No, no leads. No, nothing to trace. No, no word on who Blackfox is. Fuckers. Worthless fuckers.

But here she was, "For you, always. C'mon in."

He invited her in and offered her a seat. In that absurdely expensive white leather chair that the designer assured him went with the entertainment shrine. Not a 'system', a 'shrine'. And now it stared at a blank wall. He went over to the bar to ask her if she wanted a drink. The polished, black marble bar. With the silver inlay to complement the shrine.

Fuck. Stop thinking about it. You've got company.

He smiled wide at her and handed her a drink, "So, what's going on?"

[z-Brawlzilla]

"You were right," Sally sighed before snapping back the drink. The alcohol burned nicely has it went down, and Sally had to hide her bemused dismay at yet another sign of the overwhelming wealth he had. She purposefully kept from looking at the missing display of his financial eminance.

"Ander isn't lettin' me fight like this," Sally continued, sitting back in her seat. "So I'm goin' back to my guy, and I'm getting myself turned back. In fact, I'm doing it in a couple of days."

The ice rattled against her glass, and Sally glanced down to see her hand was shaking. With a grimace, she set the glass down on a coaster and clasped her hands together. Just say it!

"But there's one thing I want to do, first," Sally said, her heart pounding madly as her brain tried to convince her to run away. "I've never... I'm a..." Words failed her, just like they always did. Just say it! her brain screamed at her, and Sally did, blurting out, "I want to experience sex."

The tension in the room shot up several notches, disspelling the comfortable mood. "And I'm telling you," Sally ground on, "because you're the one I thought of. You're a nice guy, you're my friend, and I... I like you."

[Ultimax]

She didn't just say that.

Did she?

When the mind is presented with impossibilities it reels. It struggles to adjust to the flood of data that previously was unthinkable. And then it usually allows for an answer.

"...What?"

Not always a good answer.

[z-Brawlzilla]

Aw, fuck, Sally moaned, holding up her hands in a quick, dismissive wave. "No, nevermind. This was a bad idea, I can see that. I just... Damn it!"

Standing up, Sally stalked across the room and stopped at the window, looking out into the night sky. "Max... I'm going back to being ugly," she stated, her voice distorted by bouncing off the glass first. "I'm sorry I asked, I just..." Her voice became thicker, and Max realized she fighting to keep her emotions in check.

"They say that there's always someone who's got it worse," Sally said, her voice tight with constrained emotion. "I've had a parapalegic say, 'At least I'm not as ugly as Sally.'" She turned then, her now-lovely eyes stark as she said, "Forget I asked, but please remember... the only reason I asked because I'll never have another shot at this."

[Ultimax]

Okay, she did say sex.

She wants to have sex with me. Someone I really like, who really seems to like me, wants to have sex.

And I think I just fucked it up.

"Hey, waitaminute now." He smiles and reaches out to her, "You don't drop a bomb like that on a guy and then say never mind when he doesn't drop everything and ravish you where you stand."

"Sally, I like you. I like you a lot. I know we haven't spent a lot of time together but you're the closest friend I have here."

He manuevers her to the couch and sits next to her, "Okay, this is a little sudden, but yes, I'd love to."

[z-Brawlzilla]

The smile that crossed Sally’s face was nothing short of gorgeous. It wasn’t beauty lighting her up; it was pure joy. Her dreams were about to come true, at least for one night. One night that will last forever, she thought to herself. I’m never going to forget this. Which leaves her with another problem. “Uhh… so how do we start?”

It was a stupid question, and she wanted to kick herself when she was done. But Max didn’t laugh at her; he reached out and cupped her cheek, using it to steady her while he leaned in and kissed her. Sally’s head spun as blood pounded through her veins; his lips were a strange mixture of firm and soft, and his mustache tickled slightly. It was a long kiss, passing the first hesitant pecks that one would normally start with, and becoming full-blown explorations of each other.

Without a word, Max broke the kiss and Sally gasped, drawing a deep breath. Max wasn’t breaking just to let her breathe; his lips slid down her jaw line to her neck. Sally shivered from the new sensation; Max broke off and looked at her. “You ok?”

“Yeah,” she murmured back, “perfect.” She tried to kiss him as well as he had kissed her. She was not sure how well she’s doing, but Max doesn’t complain; instead, his hand lightly brushed over her breast. Hesitantly, her hand mirrored his, running her fingers over his clothed chest.

“C’mon,” Max said, drawing her to her feet as he stood up. “The couch ain’t the best place for this.” Sally wasn’t sure she could walk, but her legs are very eager to take her into the bedroom despite the weak feeling rolling through them.

She nearly fainted when he reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head in a fluid, easy motion. He tossed it away just as gracefully, and she found herself caught up in blankly staring at his rippling chest. She’s seen it before, but this was different. This time, it was hers to touch, if she wished. And she wished.

Her hands trailed over that flesh; closing her eyes, she leaned forward and kissed that chest. Max’s hands came to rest on her waist for a moment, before sliding upward, taking the hem of her shirt with him. Heart pounding, she helped him work her shirt off, revealing her normal sports bra. “You’re gonna have to help me,” Max grinned, hooking a finger around the front of the bra and tugging lightly. “I can never get these damned things.”

Sally reached behind herself and began to work the clasp. Her practiced fingers quickly had the bra off, and she slid it down her arms, hands shaking. Shyly, looking at the floor, she waited for him to say something. When he doesn’t, she peeks up at him. He’s staring at her, his eyes dark and heavy. Something deep in her body tightened and shifted at the heat in his gaze.

Max’s hand reached up and gently cupped one of her breasts, brining a shuddering sigh from her. He smiled at her and asked, “Doin’ good?”

“Great,” she murmured, putting his other hand on her other breast. He grinned at her continuing permission and lowered his head to her skin. Sally gasped as new sensations flooded her. Her legs nearly gave out, and she grabbed at him to keep on her feet. One massive arm looped around her waist and lifted her effortlessly, carrying her to the bed.

She landed on her back, her hair fanning out over the sheets. Max’s lips and tongue remained on her sensitive skin, drawing out a moan from her. He was between her legs, and she could feel him, pressing against her. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he continued to pleasure her.

[z-Brawlzilla]

Max lifted his face to hers for a kiss, something Sally was only too happy to give him. His hand remained on her breast, rubbing gently at her peaked flesh as he supported his weight on the other. Sally drank in the feel of that hard chest against hers that was offset by the giving quality of his lips.

His kissed left her face and trailed down her neck, and lower still. Sally groaned as he didn’t linger on her chest, but went lower still, over her stomach. He paused at her waistline, his lips lingering on her stomach for a moment before he looked at her, clearly asking permission. Sally reached down and began to wiggle out of her pants and underwear. “You too, ok?” she nodded to him. “Just to be… um, fair.”

And so that I can see, she silently added, her eyes fastened onto him as he scooted off the bed and stood up, reaching for the front of his own pants. She almost forgot to finish stripping as he straightened up and tossed his shorts and underwear aside. His naked form was both unfamiliar and familiar; she knew what a naked man looked like, but Max had his own details that made him unique from the pictures she had seen. What she wasn’t ready for was the power of his form, the intimidation that she felt. She tried to laugh it off, but looking at him, knowing what they intended to do together, made her feel strangely fragile, in a way that just standing next to him didn’t do.

Apparently, he felt the same way, because he murmured, “Wow… you’re…” He can’t seem to finish; instead he comes back to the bed, crawling to lie next to her, curling a massive arm over her body. Her skin shivered at his touch, and she hesitantly curled against him, soaking up the warmth of his flesh but unsure of what she was doing.

He kissed her again, and she turned her face into him, kissing him in return. His hand began to slide down her hip, over her thigh until his thumb was on the inside of her leg and his hand was sliding up higher. Sally gasped as his hand brushed parts of her body that have never been touched before. Max’s fingers join his thumb, slipping into the warmth of her apex. Sally moaned as his fingers gently explored her skin, slipping deep into her heat and wet.

“Oh, Max,” she groaned, the feeling of him working between her legs making it hard to think. But one thought rose over all others: “Can I… touch you too?”

“Oh, you do not need to ask that, Sally,” he murmured. “If you want to touch anything on me, just touch it.”

Nodding, Sally slid a hand down between their bodies, her hand looking for that fascinating, intimidating flesh. Now it’s Max’s turn to feel the pleasure of the body as she began to explore his flesh. Her actions excited him, to the point that he wanted to roll her under him, and slide into her, but he stopped himself.

Instead, he slid down her body, lifting her closest leg and ducking under it. He grinned as her breath caught when his fingers played over the inside of her thighs. Her eyes slipped shut as he began to lower his head, his breath playing over her skin.

[z-Brawlzilla]

Sally went rigid as he closed that final distance between them. An involuntary cry sprung from her lips as his lips touched her skin. Sheets balled up in her fists as she sought an anchor against the waves of pleasure buffeting her.

Time passed, but Sally wasn’t aware of it. Instead, she was only aware of the hot pleasure rolling through her body, and the indescribable sensations he was stirring in her body. But when his fingers joined his tongue, she was lost. All the warmth that had been gathering in her body exploded into a foundation of inexpressible ecstasy, flooding over her mind and body in a divine assault. Sally moaned and thrashed, shivered and trembled, as the bliss rolled over her body and shook her like a kitten in a dog’s mouth.

Finally, her body stilled and stopped, and Sally felt her body go liquid. “My god,” she groaned as her body started to melt into the mattress. “Wow… that was… wow.”

Max lay between her legs, smiling a little as he kissed and nibbled the inside of her thighs. Each caress of his teeth and lips made her body jerk a little as it reacted to the memory of what those lips had done for her. Sally watched him, just astonished that he was here with her, and that he was the one who had made her feel so amazing. It was like a dream; then she remembered, it was a dream. This was it, her one shot at him. “Come on,” she murmured, “I want you inside of me.”

Max looked surprised at her words, but only for a second. Desire quickly replaced surprise, and he crawled up her body. Sally jerked as she felt him come to rest against her, his length pressing against the outside of her skin. He kissed her, and she kissed back, ignoring the change in taste. It was strangely interesting, but she didn’t focus on it. Instead, her attention was on him, on the way he made her feel.

After he had thoroughly kissed her, Max rolled off the bed and opened up a drawer on his nightstand. Sally watched as he pulled out a condom; she blushed as she realized that she hadn’t thought about preparation at all. A pregnancy would have been terrible for her, and she was grateful that Max was thinking ahead.

After a moment, he was back on the bed, crawling back to his former position. “Ready?” he asked, kissing her lightly. At her breathless nod, he began to slide his hips forward.

[z-Brawlzilla]

Sally held her breath, anticipating what was to come, loving that it was Max doing this to her. He seemed to be moving terribly slowly; Sally wanted to tell him to hurry up, but she stifled her impatience. Max knew what he was doing, and she would trust him.

She felt him nudge at her, and she shivered, not sure what to feel or do. “Wrap your legs around my waist,” Max murmured, and Sally nodded, doing as he instructed. The position left her feeling vulnerable in a way she could not describe, but she trusted Max to not hurt her.

“This is probably going to hurt,” Max told her, “busting through your barrier.”

“The hymen?” Sally asked, grinning a little.

“Yeah, why you smiling like that?” Max asked, looking a little uncertain.

“I’ve had a gynecological exam, and I’ve worn tampons,” she told him. “Trust me… there’s nothing there anymore.”

“Oh, uh, ok,” Max blinked, looking uncertain. A relieved smile crept over his features. “Then this should be a lot more fun, then.” His hips arched a little bit under her wrapping legs, and then he was pushing against and somehow into her. Sally gasped and Max stopped. “You ok?”

“Yes, yes,” Sally gasped, tightening her legs around him slightly. “Don’t stop; it’s just… what I’m feeling… it’s… amazing.”

Max smiled with a mixture of pride and pleasure before he lowered his head to kiss her. “Wait until I’m done,” he murmured, “and if you can still say ‘amazing’ I’ll be pleased.”

“Ok,” Sally said, kissing him again. She doesn’t say it out loud, but just the fact that Max is doing this is enough to make it amazing. Her hands rolled over his back and shoulders, and she just trusted him, waiting for him to continue.

And when he does, she was more than satisfied. He pushed forward again, and Sally swallowed another gasp from the sensation of being invaded, but welcoming the sensation. She was being filled up, joined with and completed, and it was Max, her friend and secret love who was doing this to her. She kissed him harder, pulling him a little closer with her legs, ignoring the tightness and slight discomfort as her body tried to adjust to this new sensation.

Finally his body was stopped by hers. Max looked down at her and murmured, “How are you doing?”

“Great,” she answered, grinning broadly for him. And it was true; the feeling of holding him so close, to actually have him inside of her, was incredible. But this was nothing; when he started to move in and out of her body, increasing her pleasure. Max lowered his head to nuzzle her breasts again, and Sally moaned and arched her back against him.

She had never been happier in her whole life.

[z-Brawlzilla]

The night continued in a blur of passion and pleasure for Sally; she was lost in the moments spent with Max. Finally, near dawn, she lay curled against him, her heart rate slowly normalizing. “That was amazing,” she murmured into his chest, drawing a happy smile from him.

“Ok, now I can be satisfied,” Max grinned, tightening his arm around her. “It’s good to know I can still be amazing.”

“You are,” Sally assured him, snuggling into him. “You have nothing to worry about.” As she kissed his chest, she wished that he could have kept going. She had enjoyed it, and now it was over. She tried not to be sad, tried to linger in the joy of the moment, but already the future was looming over her, drawing her down.

For a long moment, there was nothing but the quiet intimacy shared between two people at a moment like this. Finally, Sally realized she was falling asleep, and a quick glance at the clock made her groan. “I have to get going. Dr. Preston will be expecting me to call soon.”

[Ultimax]

Max thank God that he wasn't a crier. Nothing like looking like a total wuss in front of the toughest lady he'd met, seen or even heard of then weeping like a baby.

But he felt so good!

It'd been too long and honestly it had never felt like that. Like it was worth doing.

And when she spoke he realized something.

This was a one time thing only.

She was just taking him for a joy ride in her new body.

"Uhm, yeah." He couldn't manage to sound comfortable, "Do you want me to go with you? I mean, I know this has got you upset and I'd like to be there for you."

[z-Brawlzilla]

Her heart skipped when he said he wanted to go with her, and she felt her eyes tear up just a little. Max was a friend, a true friend, and she was now torn. Did she bring her friend along when she really did need some support, or did she bring Max along to watch her beauty get stripped away?

Fuck that, she suddenly realized. She was getting ugly again, and Max had liked her before. He'd see her ugly again soon enough, anyway. "Sure," she said with a smile. "I'd like you to come with me."

It was strange - she had come here tonight prepared to say good-bye. Instead, she had walked away with a wonderful experience and a great friend. She had thought that the price of her beauty would be Max, but that was not the case.

She was a very lucky woman, and she hadn't realized it until just now.