User blog:Redknight910/WWYD Basilisk Freestyler6866

Prompt:A Lonely Blacksmith

I sent out word to my friend, telling them I had some undxpected free time, and asking if they could come visit for a while. They were usually busy dealing with some dispute or troublesome sort, but I had a feeling they wouldn't turn down an inviation.

Sure enough, the next day they arrived, the armour I'd made them on proud display, a few bumps and knocks in it, but still well maintained. She'd done a good job of taking care of my equipment, and it looks to have returned the favour quite handily. She slithered into my shop, smile wide on her lips.

"So, what caused your sudden...." Her voice trailed off as she saw my arm held in place on my chest, and I just smiled at her.

"I should think it pretty obvious." I say, standing from my seat in the workshop. "How have you been, Ashi?" The basilisk rushed over to me, looking me up and down.

"What happened? Did someone do this to you?" I put my good arm up to calm her down.

"Of course not. I just slipped with my hammer, is all. The doctor said I'll be fine, but I need to lay off work for a week or two." I keep smiling, hoping she can tell.

"Oh, oh, you scared me for a minute there." She looks at my bandaged arm, then back at me. "How did you hit your arm, and not your hand?" I chuckle, rubbing my head.

"Well, when I said I slipped with my hammer? I meant with it in my hand." I gesture to the trough of water near the forge, "Must have spilled some while I was tempering the steel. Slipped, hammer came down and landed on my arm." She looks at me in shock for a few seconds, least I assume it's shock from her gaping mouth.

"You could have really injured yourself!" She yells at me. I raise an eyebrow.

"I did. Broken arm? Can't work for a week?" She shakes her head.

"And what if that hammer had on landed on your head? Or your stomach? You could have died!" I just scoff at her.

"Every time you go somewhere, there's a much higher chance you won't be coming back than me dropping a hammer on my head." She looks down at that, sighing quietly.

"I'm sorry. It's just, if anything happened to you... I don't know what I'd do." I laugh, and she looks up at me.

"You make it sound like we're a couple." She holds for a moment, then looks down again.

"Right. So... why did you send me that message? I assume you wanted to do more than argue about what is and isn't safe." I nod, looking around the workshop. The area's well made and well organised, but I never really put much into it it's character. It's all quality equipment, but that's about it, and that, sadly enough, describes me just as well.

"Well, I remember you being the most engaged when ever you came around for a new mask, glaive or whatever, so I figured you might enjoy going out for the night?" She stands stock still, like any motion might break something. The only movement I can make out is the gentle swish of her tail-tip.

"A-are you sure you didn't hit your head?" She asks, looking me up and down. I know she can't actually see me, but her gaze definitely peirces the mask she wears. One of my more specialty pieces, most certainly.

"I mean, I hit the ground pretty hard, so that could've done it. Don't really see what that has to do with the question, though." She sighs, shaking her head.

"Gods, you're thick. It's just... you never really seemed interested in nything but your work." I shrug, earning another exasberated sigh.

"I just suddenly had some downtime, and... and I realised how quiet it is around here, without my hammer banging metal all day, and without work to keep me occupied, I've been feeling a bit... lonely lately. Figured this would be a good way to solve both problems. If you don't want to, I understand, I'm sure you're busy too-"

"I'll go out with you." She says hurriedly, rushing forward and grabbing a hand in both of hers. A small shiver works through her as she does. "Don't get me wrong, I do want to go out with you. It's just, odd to hear you ask me about it." I give her a simple smile, putting a hand on her arm, before she quickly pulls away.

"Well, that's great. I'm trusting you to know somewhere decent to hang out in town." She looks at me for several long moments.

"You live here." She says, flatly.

"Yeah. And I spend all my time in here, what's your point?" She chuckles and shakes her head.

"Right, I might have an idea of somewhere fun, but I'll need some time to sort a couple things out." I nod.

"Great, I'll be here when you get back. How long should it take?" She looks up for a moment, then nods.

"Just under an hour or so. It shouldn't be long." I nod again, walking over to my bench and taking a seat.

"Alright, see you in an hour." With that I opened a book and started sketching out some designs that had been running through my head. I heard a sigh behind me, before the door opened and closed.

Roughly an hour later and my door opened again, I turned around in my seat, expecting to see Ashi, when another woman walked in.

She was a dullahan who'd come in a few times before for pieces, and when she looked at me, her eyes widened.

"Oh, my. What happened, Master Black?" She gasped, quickly coming over to me and fussing about my arm. I waved her off with a casual motion.

"Ah, I dropped my hammer after falling over. Doctor said no work for at least a week, I'm afraid." The dullahan looked at me with shock, before nodding.

"I see, that's unfortunate, I was hoping to have a blade made for my husband to be." She pulled a paper from her pocket, showing it to me. It was a sketch of a blade, with a gemstone set in the guard and pommel. The blade flared at the base, giving it a tapered shape.

"I was hoping for something like this, but if you cn't do it just now, I understand." I nod, looking over the page for a few more moments, before nodding again.

"If you can supply the gems It's a fairly simple job. I assumme you'll be using magic gems, and the few details are simple enough that they won't require specialised tools. When do you need it?" She looked at me with a slight hint of awe.

"U-um, I was hoping in the next month or so, but if you need time to recover, I understand." I just wave my hand, shaking my head.

"I'll be able to handle it, so long as this arm doesn't take too much longer to heal.Do you have the upfront?" She nods, handing over a pouch of coin.

"Thank you so much, Master Black." I wave her off, knowing her name from when I crafted a neck brace for her. As she opens the door, I hear a collision. Turning around she's been knocked to the ground, and Ashi is standing over her, half apologising, half accusing.

"-shouldn't be bothing Master Black right now, he needs rest and can't be working on things for people-" I cut the tirade off with a gruff grunt, approaching the two with a stern glare at Ashi.

"Excuse me, Ashi, but this lady is a customer, and she was simply requesting an engagment piece for her husband. I am perfectly capable of doing what's required, after my arm heals, and I do not need you to harrass customers." They both look at me, shock clear on the dullahan's face, and what I can see of the basilisk's. She mutters a quick apology, before helping the dullahan up.

After she leaves, Ashi just stands there, looking at the ground, hands nervously fiddling with the end of her tail.

"I... I'm sorry." I just wave it off, sighing and falling into a chair.

"I'm sorry too. That was a bit harsh, but if you're going to be keeping me company like this I need to make sure you're not going to interfere with my work." I take a deep breath, then look at her with a smile again. "So, did you sort things out?" She smiles back at me, lifting her face to look at me.

"Yes. When I mentioned your name they were more than happy to set something aside for you." I arch an eyebrow.

"Who did you go talk to, exactly?" She giggles, smile broadening.

"Oh, you'll find out. Come on, let's go." she slithers over and grabs my hand, pulling me out the door and into the street.

She leads me down several streets, and most people actively stare at me. I suppose most aren't used to seeing me out of my workshop. We go through a few more streets, and find ourselves at a quiet restaurant. When the staff spot us, they give a friendly wave, before reorganising part of the room. Before long there's a makeshift private area where we're ushered into.

"Wow, they're really accomodating here." I look around, earning a soft chuckle from my companion.

"You don't really get it, do you?" I look at Ashi, who's looking at me with her head cocked to one side and a smirk on her lips. "You're famous. Everyone knows you, you're the best smith of a generation, maybe even the century. You've saved my life more times than I can count." A hand brushes her mask, giving it a quick caress. I just shrug.

"I never wanted to be the best. I just really like making things for people to protect them. It's why I made that mask for you." Looking at it, I admire the shape.

The mask sits across the bridge of her nose, up to the top of her forehead, and out, covering her eyes while leaving her cheeks bare, and wrapping around her ears to latch on from behind and over the top. This one also had large snakes engraved into it around the eyes, and a slider so she could expose them slowly if needed. Across the top were a few metal feathers still standing proudly.

"And that's what I always loved about you. You don't try to be famous, you just want to help people, and you're famously good at it." She reaches a hand out to caress my cheek, blushing slightly herself.

"So many times I've considered taking off this mask, or just even slipping the eyes open, just to get your attention..." she shakes her head, chuckling, "it's selfish, I know, but you're just so good."

"Well, thank you, Ashi. It's nice to hear you compliment me like that. So shall we make an order before we get kicked out?" She nods, waving over a waitress. We made our order and continued with simple conversations. What had been happening with her, what the weather had been, simple small talk.

But even that, just having someone to talk to about whatever and listening to them talk back. That was such a small pleasure I'd denied myself so long. We finish our meals, pay and thank the staff, before walking back to my place.

"That ws... quite enjoyable." I said with a smile, holding Ashi's hand while she blushes.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. It was nice to actully talk to you for once. Normally you're too focused on your work to hold a conversation." I chuckle, nodding my head in agreeance. We open the door, stepping into my room, where I quickly sprawl out onto the bed.

"Hey, Ashi, mind if I ask you a question?" She looks at me and shakes her head.

"Of course not, what's on your mind."

"It's just... tonight was fun. I enjoyed our meal together, and was wondering if you might want to do it again sometime."

"Like the next time you drop a hammer on yourself?" We share a laugh, and I take a hand in mine.

"Well, yes, that is a possibility. But I was more thinking tomorrow. Same place, same time.' she looks at me for several long moments, when I see something dripping down her mask.

"O-of course." She says in a shaky voice. "I would love that." I nod.

"Are you okay? You're crying through the mask." She shakes her head, smiling again.

"It's nothing. Most people I meet are too scared to ask me out, so it's nice to have you doing it, of all people." She reaches up to brush a tear away, when her hand bumps the wheel for her eye aperture. I catch a glimpse of bright, glowing red, and suddenly feel woozy.

I hear a gasp as I fall to the floor. Before I land my friend is there, catching me and holding me in her arms. I look up, and her whole body's shaking.

"So hard. I've tried so hard to control myself all these years. But having you like this, helpless, so close I can taste you...." Another deep shiver runs through her. "Y-you don't mind if I... if I have some fun, right?" She leans in, kissing me on the lips, and she may as well have kissed my cock with the shock that runs through me.

With the last of my waning strength, I reach up and caress her cheek, before knocking the mask from her face. I've never seen anything like it before. She was so beautiful, perfect, gentle features softly flowing from one to another, and those bright, crimson eyes, staring straight into my soul.

When I first met her, she'd come in seeking things to become a fighter, a simple spear, a set of ringmail, and a mask to replace the bandages she wore. Since then she'd regularly come in for new gear whenever she had the funds, staying and watching every time.

Now I think I know why. With the intensity she stared into my eyes, lips parting into a desperate kiss, I think she simply couldn't bring herself to leave me without indulging some buried need. As I felt the softness of her hand reaching past my belt, opening things as she slowly moved down into my pants to feel the now throbbing shaft within, I couldn't help but smile.

She was so stunning, I couldn't believe I'd never looked at her face before, everything I'd been missing hiding beneath a few milimeters of metal. And as she wrapped herself around me, hips lining up with mine, I knew I'd never be able to go back to living my solitary life. I don't remember much of that night, other than searing pleasure and soft skin against mine.

When I come to, I'm still deep in Ashi's embrace, my head resting in her clevage. I feel... good. Better than good, great. The dull throbbing in my arm is mostly gone, and something deep inside me feels... different.

I smile, giving Ashi a kiss on her left breast, and gently working my way up to her lips. When I locked onto those perfect kissers she responded in kind, kissing me back, gently and groggily first, then with more vigour as she woke up. I couldn't help but notice those brilliant, crimson eyes were once more hidden behind the mask.

"W-well. That was unexpected." She says, holding me closer.

"I don't think I've ever felt anything like that. And I feel like a million coins right now." I sit up, her arms letting me go as she watches me. "I feel like I could do anything." I say with a giddy grin.

"Easy, Chris." Ashi said, catching my attention with my first name. "You need to rest your arm, remember?" I shook my head. Right, my arm might have felt better, but it was still injured.

A few minutes later and we were enjoying a quiet breakfast, though it was a different quiet from before. Somehow... kinder.

"Ashi." She turned to look at me.

"Yes?" I reach over and take her hand.

"Ashi. Before you showed up yesterday, everything about this felt hollow. The silence, the feelings, all of it felt like I was being locked away from everyone else. But then you showed up, and broke that feeling. Thanks to you I actually spent some time out and about in town, and enjoyed myself with something other than smithing for the first time in I don't know how long.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is... I like having you around." She smiles warmly at me, giggling a little.

"So... is that you're extremely vague way of saying you want me to stay?" I chuckle and shrug.

"I mean, I won't complain if you do, but I'm still going to spend most of my time working." She looks away, holding a hand to her face for a few moments, thinking.

"I think I can live with that. Besides, I'll always have my secret weapon." She fiddles with the wheel for her eye apertures with a mischievous smile.

"Well then, consider it a deal." I lean over and plant a kiss on her lips from across the small table. I guess that spill was the best thing that could have happened.