Chapter 116

***

It was romantic love and it was undoubtedly affection.

He wanted his stomach filled with it full-time. From morning till night, until the very end of his life.

That was simply how he felt.

Thinking about it calmly, he seemed to have had quite a bit of that feeling even back when he first met her. She was cute after all, it was hard to deny that fact.

"Does your face reveal yet another dummy thought, I wonder?" She teased playfully, her hand reaching out to tickle the cheeks she slapped so hard before, her gentle eyes taking in the features of her lover.

"It ain't dumb at all. I was just thinking about you, Hu Tao. You're so adorable, it puts me in a bind."

He spoke in a sincere tone, the sincerest he could muster, hoping that his feelings reached the cute troublemaker.

"Really, now…? Thank you~"

She rolled over, coming closer to him, and rested her head on his shoulder, pulling her hand away from his cheeks to start gently hugging his side.

A sigh of contentment leaked from her cute lips as she closed her eyes, basking in his warmth.

Yomite instinctively moved his arm under her small frame and to her back, holding her close to his side.

It was only then that he felt the warmth of her touch even through the layers of clothes; a soft smile crossed his face at how much his heart soared just having her so close to himself.

His arm wrapped loosely around her and brought her in tighter.

Yomite was sure she could hear how hard his heart was pounding by now, especially as she rested her head on his shoulder and her soft breaths tickled his neck.

"Fischl was very worried...She was afraid to lose you...I'm positive she loves you as well. I don't know what we would do if something truly happened to you...So please, take care of yourself better. After all, we are all 'hopeless children', as you've stated before. We need someone to take care of us."

She tilted her head up to look him in the eyes again, making it impossible for him to look away from the entrancing sight of her flower-shaped pupils.

He didn't even know how to reply to any of her words, only being able to stare back at her while he collected his thoughts.

She looked so expectant, so the very first thing that popped into his mind came out of his mouth.

"Hu Tao, I seriously love you."

As though his body wasn't his own anymore, he started to lean in, wanting to seal his pledge with a kiss as he desired her.

Her expression didn't change, rather, it became even more expectant.

One moment the air around them was a mix of banter and laughter, as per usual.

The next, there was nothing more, but a void, a vacuum of aching and ubiquitous longing that craved to be filled.

To their very core, they wanted something attached to the sudden lack of atmosphere, permeating between them.

To focus on this emptiness and do something about it.

The moment when their lips touched for the first time was, in a word, magical, sending ripples of excitement throughout their skin, making them shiver ever so slightly.

It was just a slight peck on the lips. But in that faint ephemeral moment, Hu Tao's world lit up like the sun.

Deep and meaningful; it was that first sweet taste that sparked an unquenchable desire that transcended everything.

The beginning of their romance.

She blinked her eyes open, drunk on the sensations of love she felt in her heart. Her eyes glimmered with happiness and her smile broke into an ecstatic laugh.

Giggling, she rested her head on his broad chest.

"Hehe~"

"Is something the matter?" He asked while gazing at her wide grin, the sight making his heart beat in contentment.

"That felt nice~"

Hearing her words, he kissed the top of her head and she nuzzled into his neck; he ran his hand down from where it was resting on her bare stomach and to where it was holding her close, bringing her in tighter than ever.

Both of them lay there, enjoying each other's company and snuggling closer together.

The room was filled with a peaceful silence. There was no need for any words to be said between the two; they simply enjoyed being near each other.

It wasn't even the best time of day; it was almost night. The room was filled with the barest of sunlight that reflected off the walls in a manner that made the light glow less than usual.

Yet they lazed around, finding pleasure in each other's company.

"Oh, by the way. Do you remember the time when I gave you my lap with Fischl?"

Suddenly, Hu Tao broke the silence.

"I do, why?"

His expectations were about to be fulfilled. Yomite was about to get another lap pillow! He could feel it in his bones! Heaven was coming!

Hu Tao looked around, as if afraid someone might hear her and whispered, "I knew you weren't asleep when Iris was sitting on you..."

His expression darkened instantaneously. It wasn't a lap pillow, but a ploy! He understood that fact, albeit a bit too late.

(Oh come on...am I about to be blackmailed? Shouldn't this usually be the other way around!?)

"Is...that so... That's strange...I certainly don't remember being up..."

Yomite's expression was slowly crumbling apart, he was never good at lying, especially not to the ones he held dear.

"You don't need to pretend~ I saw you move your hand a few seconds prior to when Fischl started shouting at Iris. Besides, your friend down there for sure remembers 'being up'~"

She traced her finger down his chest, resting it below his navel, a bit further and she would reach the 'friend' in question.

She leaned to his ear and softly whispered in a coquettish tone, "Want me to sit on your face as well?"

A small, playful grin graced her lips. Her eyes held only pure desire and mischief; they were bright with anticipation of his upcoming reaction.

She knew full well he'd never actually agree to such a thing. It was way too humiliating and embarrassing.

It could be said that he was a charmer and sometimes pretty bold, but something like this was out of the question even for Yomite.

It was just another one of her pranks which would leave him angry and maybe even embarrassed, giving her delight.

She couldn't wait to see his reaction.

Still, the smile remained in place and she watched his expression shift from confusion to realization and finally a pure explosion of joy.

(Huh?)

She didn't get the kind of reaction she expected.

She felt a dangerous sense of foreboding.

It seemed like she had miscalculated.

It took a second for Yomite's head to register her words, as he almost didn't believe what she just said, before he blurted out an immediate answer.

"Absolutely!"

No hesitation, whatsoever!

That one sentence was enough to get him riled up.

He hugged her tight, tighter than he thought for it to be possible.

He didn't have time for any distractions.

Her offer was more than attractive, something he would never refuse, not to mention, they were currently alone.

Everything was just...perfect.

"...Huh?"

"I said absolutely. It's a heavenly gift. Do it! Now!! I'm waiting!!!"

"W-wait...! Yomite! I was just...! Uwah!"

Slowly but surely, something swelled up in his pants until it was bursting to get out.

The sensation was strange yet familiar, but not unpleasant to her.

She could feel the bulge growing bigger and bigger as the erection under his clothes poked at her milky white thigh through the fabric of his clothes.

She wanted to look away but couldn't tear her eyes from it, she saw it through his clothes before, and saw him naked during a few accidental occasions, yet seeing it again, it seemed even bigger and more ready to devour her than ever.

She could feel a warm blush crawl up into her cheeks, her plan had failed completely.

She was currently the one being put to test and embarrassed, not him...

All this time, Yomite was trying to hold himself back during their small talks, but her body was pressed against him the entire time.

Rather than apologizing for getting a boner, if he didn't get hard just now after her oh so wonderful request, it would be weird, rendering him to question his sexuality.

He would be a disappointment to all of mankind.

"Y-Yomite! Seriously...! Wait!"

Much to the disappointment of Yomite, Hu Tao's desperate cries were heard.

A wild Lumine had appeared!

"Hey guys, Paimon said the card game needs four players so we need someone to fill in. Would you come please?"

Lumine, his cheating protagonist companion, ruthlessly killed the mood.

Did she have a cheat for that as well?

He was going to strangle her then and there!

For ruining such a perfect mood!

Hu Tao sat up in a flash after hearing Lumine, leaving his embrace. She sighed in relief as she straightened her clothes.

"W-Well...that...settles it...we will...gladly join you~!"

Slightly abashed, she turned to Yomite stuttering as she spoke the next set of words.

"...L-let's go~!"

"...Right."

Yomite waited for his boner to die off and got up as well, murder flashing in his eyes as he made a beeline towards Lumine, hearing faint giggling of his beautiful girl from behind.

He prayed to Goddess Sia to give him the strength to restrain himself, for there was going to be a case of homicide tomorrow otherwise.