Filling an empty hole

Benjamin's constant presence was by now proving tiresome. He had saved you and Jiaghan, twice now, and he seemed determined to stick around now, sure that this was only the start, not the end of the retribution. You knew deep down that he was right, but you couldn't stand his demeanor, and it was getting worse. There was just something about him, to the degree that even just looking at him and watching him stand a watch outside the apartment was aggravating. The time had come, you realized, as the sun was setting, to make one last attempt at finding where his armor had a crack and drive a dagger in it, metaphorically.

"Ben!" You shout as you stormed down the stairs. "How long are you really going to be at this?"

"I don't know what you mean" He said calmly, looking at you for a moment before turning his gaze back out to the streets.

"Sure you do. Do I need to put out a bedroll for you too, or do you plan on sharing mine? How long are you staying around here before you give up?"

Ben adjusted his posture, becoming more upright and rigid as he responded "You should ask yourself that question."

"What?" Your question was incredulous "I'm not the one going through a charade."

"Neither am I Liz." There was restrained anger in his voice that you hadn't seen or heard before "You need to ask yourself, how long are you going to lie to yourself because it's easier than recognizing the pain?"

"Excuse me!" Your anger rose right over his, and quickly "Who the fuck do you think you are, acting like you know me? You can leave right now!"

"I've been in your shoes before. I know what it's like. You tell yourself that everyone is as miserable as you are on the inside because there's solace in the inevitable. You think everyone does the kinds of things you do in order to survive so that you don't have to feel ashamed of doing them. Worst of all, you tell yourself there's no good people out there, because somehow that's better to hear than the idea that there are good people who are out there who don't care about you or your problems."

Though he didn't speak loudly or viciously, his words still cut sharp, and he could see the wounds it caused in you. "I'm staying here Liz, whether you want me to or not. I'm standing right here so that everyone can see that there are good people, and they haven't been forgotten about. I won't lie, you standing next to me would make me happy, because I can see through everything that you are a good person too. You're as disgusted by this place as I am, as everyone is. We can make real results."

"Fuck you, Ben" you replied angrily, feeling your fingers tremble. "Storming in here in your shiny armor and thinking you can succeed where everyone before you has failed, having been here for not even the entirety of a day? How fucking arrogant are you? You think we don't know how bad it is? If it was easy, we'd have taken care of it ourselves. We don't need or want you." You made a petty, dramatic shove against his armor, knowing it wouldn't move him in the slightest, before you walked away from him into the street.

"Where are you going?" Ben asked, concerned

Shouting loudly enough to be heard by most through the streets "I'm going to go get drunk, and get fucked! Deal with it!" As you were about to make a turn down another street, you looked back at Benjamin, to find that he had not come after you, and had scarcely moved at all. Whatever he was playing at, he's committed to his role, you gave him that much.

With a growing urgency to get him out of your mind, you hurried into The Pond Scum, a dingy alehouse run by an eccentric Goblin lady named Swop. It's in house brew was pungent and unpalatable to most, but it was strong, and most important, it wss cheap enough that the denizens of the Matchsticks could actually afford it. You had just barely put your hands on the tankard you'd ordered before a familiar, unsightly face came towards you. Oggal, a persistent orc from Stoneheart has been trying to get with you for a long time.

"Hey there Liz. Haven't seen you around in a few days, thought something might have happened to you. Never can tell here, after all."

"I got tied up in business Oggal, you know how it goes."

"Well, you made it out alright. You've got the gods on your side that's for sure. Hey, where's that little elvish friend of yours? You two been almost inseparable lately."

"She's at my place until she can find a new job. I needed to step out for a minute."

"Well, I'm glad you did." He leaned in to the point you could feel his hot breath on you "I was thinking I'd like to get you tied up in business one of these days."

"No. Especially in this town, I won't be made helpless."

Oggal chuckled "Fair enough. I didn't mean so literal. Come on Liz, live a little. One of these days you're going to run out of options and see I'm the best choice you got"

You took a long, heavy swig of the ale, a gross mistake that you won't soon repeat. "Fine, let's go."

You made a short journey indeed of leading Oggal out of the bar; no further than the back alley of the establishment. Without word spoken, you unbelt your pants and pull them down to your ankles, before leaning forward and resting on heavy wooden casks of ale. The cool evening air should have felt chilling on your skin, but there was hardly any sensation at all.

"Well, come along big boy" you bade him forward "You've been trying to get a piece of this since you got here, don't back out now."

"Oh don't you worry" Oggal said as he grabbed your hip with one hand, guiding his cock with another "I wouldn't dream of that". It was a sudden contrast as you felt his hefty Orc cock fill your pussy, but you felt no joy or pleasure for it being there. Not that your partner could tell, or was even concerned with it. He was enjoying himself, and that was enough for him.

"Fuck" He let out as he found his rhythm "you don't know how long I've fantasized about this."

"Sure I do" you said between grunts "from the moment you first saw me. You told me as much than, and you never learned to take no for an answer. "

"It pays to be ignorant sometimes." Oggal chuckled as he gave your ass a gentle smack in encouragement.

"Just shut up and fuck me" you were even colder with him than you had been Benjamin, not that the Orc cared. His pace quickened, and somehow, anything that happened after was a blur to you, as though you had deliberately lost conscious thought. It wasn't until you felt a sudden spurt of cum inside you that you were brought back into the here and now.

As you made yourself decent, Oggal dug into a pocket and pulled out a few silver coins for you. You surprised yourself as you shook your head.

"I'm not a whore" you muttered, not looking directly at him or the coins.

"Oh come now. This is how it works. You've never been shy about this before."

"I said I'm not a whore Oggal!" You found your voice, and your passion, your eyes locking deep into his "Now you take those coins back before you need them to pay a surgeon to sow your cock back on."

The orc was more stunned than afraid, but he complied just the same "have it your way Liz. You and I both know coin doesn't come cheaply here. I'll remember this next time."

"Shut up Oggal. There is no next time. This was it, now get out of my face." You walked past him before he could respond, heading back to your decrepit little home. Benjamin was unmoved, physically, but at least relaxed enough to have made friendly conversation with a young halfling passing through. Your body clenched in anticipation of him trying to shame you or gloat, but none came.

"Did you have a good time?" He asked politely

"No, not really" You spoke quietly, and chose to spare him the details.

"Well, I'm sorry about that. You deserve one. Maybe next go round."

"Benjamin, can I ask a favor?" you had come quite close to him, looking him right into his eyes.

"Ya, of course. Anything Tralizznt. What do you need?"

"I think I need a hug" You could his eyes shift side to side slightly, as he processed the request. Slightly taken aback he responded "Sure, I can do that, if that's really what you want."

You nodded quietly. It was an awkward affair, with him in such a large amount of armor, but the man was gentle, and quiet. There was a strong paternal instinct in him, you could see now in how he held you as a protector, not a lover. Your arms slowly wrapped around his lower body, just under his ribs, as you took deep breaths.

"I'm sorry," You began "This is just, really hard for me." You gave a gentle push, leading him to voluntarily break the hug.

"I know." His slow nod gave a show of greater patience "Like I said, I've been in your shoes. I know how despair can poison a soul."

"how did you get out of it?" You asked

Ben gave a slight chuckle with his response "A good hit to the head knocked some sense into me. Maybe when this is all over, I'll tell you all about it."

"I'd like that" You started to make your way back up the stairs. Halfway up, you stopped and turned around to get his attention.

"Benjamin?" You called, getting him to look at you "You're welcome to stay with Jiaghan and me. Just, you know, forget what I said earlier."

A smile came across his face "Thanks. I'll be up shortly."