Risk Level 6: A Gentle Bath
For some reason, Harpy had asked me to go in first. I stepped into the bathroom ahead of her, but while waiting there was nothing much to do. I tightened the knot of the towel wrapped around my waist once more, fiddled with the shower to set the temperature for no reason, and soon found myself staring at the mirror with nothing left to occupy me. Come to think of it, how bad was my back?
"...What the hell is this..."
The persistent throbbing that made me miss Undine was already a bad sign, but the bruises spread across my entire back like I'd been beaten black and blue. This was going to be a problem.
"Ung-ssi... Can I come in now?"
Crap...! If Harpy saw this, she'd definitely start tearing up again...!
"...Ung-ssi?"
I quickly moved to a spot where the mirror wouldn't reflect my back and stood there awkwardly. Just then, Harpy peeked her head around the door and looked at me. Her teary expression was undeniably cute, but I didn't want to see that gentle heart of hers fill with guilt.
"Ah, Harpy. Now that I think about it, you've gotten used to calling me by name, haven't you?"
"Yes, hehe..."
"But... aren't you coming in?"
"Ah, well... I still need a little more time to prepare myself..."
Uuuu...
Preparing herself? I knew Harpy was shy, but suggesting we bathe together only to get this worked up seemed excessive. It wasn't like this was the first time we'd seen each other's bodies, and I had a towel around my waist, so... huh?
Pat.
A fluffy calf that looked like it would feel soft to the touch slipped past the door, carefully stepping onto the bathroom floor with pointed talons, almost like a cat placing its paw. That seemed to mark the end of her "preparation." Harpy finally entered and closed the door behind her, but I still couldn't see her body properly—she was covering herself with her wings.
There was a reason I'd paused, though. While she hid her chest and hips with her wings, something was clearly draped over her bare shoulders. Black... strings...? I felt like I'd seen it somewhere before. No way... It couldn't be.
That shameless scrap of fabric that barely qualified as a swimsuit...
Flutter.
"...I knew it."
As her wings parted shyly like curtains, I caught sight of the sling swimsuit. It gave off a completely different vibe from when the President wore it. I couldn't look away or even blink for a long moment.
"H-how... does it look...?"
The biggest difference was obviously her chest. Her breasts, far heavier and softer than the thin strings could handle, spilled to the sides under their own weight, lewdly pulling the fabric taut. The strings dug into the soft flesh, creating even more obscene curves.
"Um... Ung-ssii...?"
Because the chest strings were pulled so far forward, the angle between the strap running between her legs and the one across her chest widened, leaving her most private area barely covered and slightly exposed. If I stepped just a little closer and looked down, I'd be able to see everything.
I had no idea why Harpy was wearing the President's swimsuit, but somehow it was far more stimulating than if she were naked... Whoa... It's moving. The strings looked ready to slip at any moment, her breasts swaying heavily as they drew closer... and then—
Poof.
"What is it...? You keep staring without saying anything..."
It's so... so embarrassing... I'm barely holding it together...
"Ah?"
She was gone. Or rather... she had chosen to hide her embarrassing swimsuit by pressing herself against me.
"Ah... Well... How did you end up wearing that swimsuit, Harpy...?"
"..."
Harpy buried her face against my chest to hide her expression, as if the question troubled her. She didn't seem to realize how red her ears had already turned. A moment later, her delayed answer came, thick with embarrassment, from within my embrace.
"Ung-ssi... You stared so hard at the President in her swimsuit..."
That wasn't it. I had just been surprised that someone would actually wear something like that... Could Harpy actually be jealous? Harpy, of all people?
"It looks... really good on you."
"What does that even mean..."
Hehehe...
Her soft breasts were pressed directly against my bare skin, and honestly, the sight of Harpy in such a lewd outfit didn't make me think "pretty" or "it suits her." It made me think how incredibly erotic it was and how badly I wanted to push her down right now. That was the only honest reaction I could give.
Harpy lightly patted my chest in cute protest at my vague answer, but deep down she was smiling happily, pleased that I couldn't take my eyes off her.
Still... the view was dizzying. The single string somehow managed to hold her full breasts, but the way it dug in under their weight showed just how soft and pliant they were, and how heavy they'd feel in my hands if I grabbed them.
But... right. I had other plans.
"How about I wash you first today, Harpy?"
"Huh...? But..."
She had been the one to suggest bathing together, so she probably had some thoughtful plan in mind. I would've loved to receive her luxurious service, but today I wanted to serve her instead. More than anything, I needed time to figure out how to keep hiding the colorful bruises on my back.
"Seeing you dressed so provocatively made me want to touch you all over."
"...Hee."
She folded far too easily to my direct words.
...Cute.
I kept catching myself thinking how adorable and lovable she was, overflowing with affection. I knew it made me hopelessly smitten, but honestly, holding back in front of this sight would be stranger.
"Th-then... please take care of me..."
I picked up the showerhead I'd already set to a comfortable temperature and wet her body first. The sight of her skin glistening under the light made me want to roughly grab her and enjoy the slippery sensation, but right now this time was for her.
"Ah...?"
I hesitated for a moment between body wash and shampoo, but remembering how I'd washed Nero, I grabbed the shampoo, worked up a generous lather in my hands, and gently enveloped one of her wings. Her surprised reaction was quite satisfying—she'd clearly expected my hands to go to her chest first.
Today, on the way back after parting with Dorothy, there had been a trace of self-blame in Harpy's heart about the situation that forced us apart. Her hands and feet were clearly different from others, and so were these wings. I'd always wanted to help her accept them, and the opportunity had come sooner than expected.
Rustle, fluff...
While carefully reading her emotions to find the most pleasant pressure, I began working shampoo into her wings. Worried the feathers might come loose, I focused on the wing bones, feeling the shafts and feathers slip between my fingers as I thoroughly cleaned them. It was something she couldn't easily do alone, and I hoped that by touching her wings and limbs without hesitation, treating them as perfectly normal, the knot in her heart might slowly loosen.
"Hn... Uuu..."
"Does it feel good?"
"Yeees..."
She definitely didn't dislike it. Occasionally trembling, she surrendered completely to my touch, letting out soft moans of relief again and again.
...Maybe I have a talent for this kind of thing? Cooking, manicures, petting... massages, and, well, intimate touching too. At least when it comes to using my hands, I've only ever heard good things.
"Uhuuu... There... ah, right there..."
Harpy really likes it. And seeing her enjoy it makes me happy too. Careful not to use my nails, I pressed the pads of my fingers wide against her wings and scratched them thoroughly. She twisted her body in pleasure. The sight of her breasts swaying dynamically in the mirror gave me renewed energy.
Hmm... The knot on the towel around my waist was starting to feel tighter for some reason.
Whoosh...
Finally, I rinsed the shampoo thoroughly with warm water. By now Harpy had her eyes completely closed, savoring my touch.
"Harpy."
"Hee..."
Feels... so good...
"Harpy?"
"Hek...?"
Having experienced the novel sensation of having her feather roots cleaned for the first time, Harpy had been dazed and limp. Only when I called her a second time did she snap out of it, eyes wide.
"I'll wash your arms and legs too, so why don't you sit over there?"
"Okay...!"
She seemed to have developed the trust that anything I did would feel good. Whether because of that or not, Harpy obediently perched on the low ledge surrounding the bathtub just as I'd asked.
...The view from above was spectacular too. The urge to pull her into a tight embrace and bury my face between those large, sweet-smelling breasts hit me again like a crisis, but I was saved by her innocent expression as she purely looked forward to me washing her limbs.
Only Harpy could wear such a provocative outfit while making such a pure, guileless face.
"Then, this leg first..."
Calming my heart, I carefully sat in front of her. Harpy lifted her leg toward me to make it easier to wash. Little actions like that made it impossible not to fall for her.
"Oh."
Holding her foot lightly between my arm and side, I brought my shampoo-lathered hand to her calf and felt an unexpectedly pleasant sensation. A quiet thrill ran through me.
It was incredibly fluffy...
Her unusually sturdy, rough hands and feet transitioned into this soft, bright-colored fur on the parts connected to her body. I'd always been careful not to touch them carelessly in case it bothered her, but now that I had silent permission, the feeling of stroking this area was even better than I'd imagined. It was similar to washing Nero, whose fur you couldn't neglect, except even fluffier. Inside, it felt just as soft as regular skin, making the sensation all the more addictive.
"Hauuu..."
I couldn't stay focused there forever, though. After thoroughly finishing her calves in a trance, I finally got the chance to touch her feet directly.
"..."
Dark overall coloring, tough and rough exterior, talons slightly more rounded than nails. Burning with the desire to scrub them until they squeaked, I checked Harpy's expression, worried she might dislike it. When we'd first met, she'd kept her hands and feet tightly wrapped in long boots and loose clothing.
"It must be hard to wash them properly by yourself, right?"
"Yes..."
While doing her nails, I'd touched her hands plenty, so I'd thought this might be easier, but she still seemed to have some resistance to having her hands and feet directly touched. At least she wasn't trying to pull her foot away—that was admirable.
"It's fine, so please let me do it."
"But..."
"Just like how Harpy wants to do something for me, I always want to do something for Harpy too."
"..."
It wasn't just that she liked me—I liked her too.
"Once we've come to like each other, the relationship is already equal."
So I hoped she wouldn't worry or rush just because she was different from me. That was my honest feeling.
"Hyat...?"
When I gently grasped her sturdy talon, there wasn't much sensation to it, but Harpy reacted sensitively. I could tell how much it had been on her mind. The President appearing half-naked in front of her and making the difference painfully obvious had probably played a big part. Of course... I hadn't been able to look away from that sight either, but regardless, it didn't bother me in the slightest.
...I had a reputation to uphold, even if it was just a nickname.