Nero's Demand
"Nero, sorry I'm late!"
"..."
She doesn't respond at all. Nero simply sits quietly on the living room sofa, her black hair cascading down as she holds her back straight with an air of aloof dignity, gazing out the window. Just watching her like that makes me feel the energy draining right out of me.
I slip off my shoes and cautiously approach, trying to sit beside her, but her mouth opens and sharp fangs slowly emerge. It's a clear warning: come any closer and she'll bite. No doubt about it.
"..."
But this scent... "Did you shower? You smell nice."
She flinches. "...?"
Did I say something I shouldn't have? For some reason, Nero hides her fangs with a flustered expression, and the tense atmosphere that had felt like she might pounce at any moment dissolves.
.. Now's my chance.
"A-anyway, you must be hungry, right? I'll whip something up right away..."
"I'm not hungry."
"..."
Guess not.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence settles between us. At this rate, cheering Nero up is going to be quite the challenge. Truthfully, I don't have to put up with her cold reaction like this, but even when I'm exhausted, the reason I always match her mood is... well, you know. They say in relationships, the one who likes the other more loses. Whether she realizes it or not, I've already come to see Nero as family and genuinely care for her. Besides, she's not truly angry—she's just sulking like this to demand my attention.
"Why do you think I'm mad?"
.. No? She really is angry? Without being able to hear her inner voice, I'm completely helpless.
".. I was pretty late, huh? I helped out a bit with housework on the way back... haha."
It isn't a lie. The laundry and cleaning were legitimate housework. It's just that the laundry happened to be the blanket Yerin had thoroughly soaked, and what I'd cleaned up were the fluids that had dripped out during our intense session.
"You really thought I wouldn't hear you two going at it like animals?"
"That... I'm sorry."
"Sorry...? Why on earth... why..."
".. Nero?"
Seeing her hang her head and tremble, I hurry over and place a hand on her shoulder to calm her, thinking she must be truly furious this time. I'd already braced myself for it.
Clench..
"Huh..?"
What surprises me is that Nero doesn't immediately bite or swat my hand away. Instead, she grabs my wrist tightly and—
"Whoa?!"
Thud! The world flips upside down, and before I know it, I'm lying on the sofa with Nero straddling me.
"Hey.. Nero?"
She's wearing a skimpy spaghetti-strap top and dolphin shorts—practically nothing. I'd bought her proper casual clothes at the department store last time, but no matter how comfortable the outfit, it's far more revealing than that black dress she used to wear. In other words... this is dangerous in more ways than one. I always try not to let my mind wander at home, but when she pushes herself on me like this... even I have limits.
"Nero...?"
Squeeze..! I hadn't realized how strong she is. There's no way to break free. Even if Founder or the Field Team Leader call her weak, I can't do anything against her. It really drives home my position here.
"...Why? Why won't you touch me when there's a woman right beside you who's tailored herself to your tastes?!"
"Uh... uh?"
Still gripping my wrist, Nero pulls my hand to her ample chest—full enough to burst—and presses it down firmly. The sensation of my fingers sinking into that merciless softness I've only ever felt through my arm while enduring sleepless nights... is intense. Really intense.
Squish, rumble...
My five fingers are all stiff with the desperate urge to grab, but I'm barely holding back. The spaghetti strap has ridden up from the sheer size of her chest, exposing her navel in a pretty vertical line. There's no way the feeling isn't pleasant.
"Do I not look like a woman to you?"
"No... of course you do."
"Then why won't you pounce on me?"
"O-of course I can't do something like that... You're precious to me, Nero—"
Press.. She pushes down harder on the back of my hand, and the soft, overflowing flesh wraps around my entire palm, seeping between my fingers. It's more than enough to rouse me despite how many times I've already finished today.
"You're getting hard down there while touching my chest right now."
"No... this is,"
I couldn't bring myself to say "because you forced me."
"If you really think I'm precious... you should at least notice what I truly want."
"..."
"You asked if I showered earlier, right?"
"Yeah.."
I didn't understand why she was suddenly bringing that up again, but soon I realized why my random question had flustered her.
"While listening to you with that scrawny woman upstairs... what do you think I was doing alone?"
"...!"
Why she had showered... that's what she meant.
"I was imagining it was me in your arms, touching myself. What do you think that felt like?"
"..."
I couldn't offer any hasty words in response to that painful confession. Even back in the recovery room, Nero had seemed like she wanted to tell me something, but the kidnapping incident had cut it short. I'd thought we'd returned to normal life, but that had been nothing more than my own selfish assumption. After treating her like a pet for so long and giving her so much affection—seeing her as family—she had transformed into a mature woman who matched my tastes perfectly. Maybe I'd been avoiding her precisely because the situation itself made me keep casting sexual glances her way, regardless of my own will. Her genuine feelings, of all things.
".. I get it, I get it. Let's just separate for a bit first."
"Trying to run away again? I won't let you."
"I-It's not like that! Instead of getting swept up in the moment like this... I'll make sure Nero's precious first time happens in a proper, better atmosphere later!"
"..."
I barely managed to stop her as she let go of my hand and started trying to yank my pants off by force.
".. I promise."
"..."
Her sharp, suspicious glare bore into me, but I could feel the knot of emotion loosening compared to before.
"Hmph... You're just tired after having so much fun already, aren't you?"
"Absolutely not. I could go as many rounds as you want with you, Nero!"
"Y-You idiot..!"
Maybe that was going too far. She pounds on my chest with her fists curled up cutely like a cat's paws, but even though she initiated this, her face is flushed bright red and she can't hide her embarrassment.
"Hah.. hah.."
After pounding on me relentlessly for a while, Nero's stomach suddenly growls. "Grrrl..."
"Hurry up and make food.."
She really was hungry after all.
Clatter, clink.. Founder, who had been sleeping in the same bed just last night, is nowhere to be seen this morning. As for Mini Undine... technically she's here, but invisible. So having a meal alone together like this feels strangely nostalgic. Of course, it's because she's in human form.
"Still... I'm really glad we can eat together like this again."
"Munch munch, I was so shocked back then... Even now, thinking about it makes me furious."
".. Sorry. Same with the Field Team Leader, but... I really wanted to save you, Nero."
"..."
Clink. Nero sets down her chopsticks and stares straight at me with an angry look. Unlike earlier, her emotions feel much calmer now, but I get the feeling I've said something wrong again.
"You think it's fine if only you die? Then what about me? I... I would throw away my own life without a second thought if it meant saving you. Do you think I don't want to save you too?"
"No, that's not what I meant..."
"I... can't live without you... Sniff, if you really died... and I was left alone... do you think I'd be happy about it?.. Hic, sob..."
She tries to hold back her tears, but her pretty voice trembles dangerously as emotion wells up, and eventually tears roll down her cheeks.
.. I hadn't meant to make her cry. But hearing her words makes me realize I had been mistaken. At the same time, I can feel just how much Nero cares for me. The idea that I liked her more than she liked me was apparently just an illusion.
"I'm sorry. I won't ever do something like that again."
"How am I supposed to believe that.. Sniff, you're so stupidly kind... You'll just end up trying to help someone in trouble again even if it hurts you. You big idiot, idiot."
She glares at me with teary eyes, as if saying "idiot" three times still isn't enough.
".. That... I can't really deny."
"I do like that about you, but... I just don't want you to leave my side. That's all I care about."
"I'm really sorry. I made you worry during dinner."
Nero wipes her tears with the tissue I hand her, turns her head to blow her nose loudly, then picks up her chopsticks again. It's not the right atmosphere to admire it, but her slightly reddened nose tip is quite cute.
"I'm sorry too... You went through so much pain trying to save me."
"No, I'm actually glad you said that, Nero. And I want to live with you for a long, long time too. So don't worry."
"... Yeah."
After that, Nero was too embarrassed to look up from the table, so we couldn't have a deeper conversation. Still, once we finished eating, we played around on the sofa like usual until it was time for bed, then headed to the bedroom.
"That person isn't here today either... Is she keeping her promise?"
"You mean Founder? What promise?"
"Ah, it's nothing!"
"...?"
From her guilty reaction, it's clearly not "nothing," but it's a shame I can't hear her voice right now.
"Nero, are we... sleeping together tonight too?"
"Of course. Let's hurry... and go to sleep together... without doing anything."
"..."
The reason I'd been able to hold back my desires even when sleeping with Nero in human form was because Founder was always on the other side. But tonight, it's just the two of us...
"That's your punishment."
"Haha... I guess that really is a punishment."
Poof. The moment she climbs onto the bed, Nero buries herself in my arms, giving me a beautiful eye-smile as she nuzzles her head against me as if savoring my warmth. I, too, find the feeling of her body heat and her soft black hair tickling me quite pleasant.
"Tonight... both arms are mine."
Well, they're my arms, but whatever. Her voice, slightly muffled from being pressed against me, carries an extra layer of sexiness on top of its usual charm, making things difficult for me. I wonder if she'd been that bothered about having only one arm because of Founder. When I wrap both arms around her as she wants, she lets out a soft moan and draws out that sweet voice.
"Mmmnnngh.. Uuunngh..."
The voluptuous body filling my embrace, the pleasant shampoo scent, and the ripe feminine aroma rising with it all make me dizzy.
"Good night, Nero."
"Yeah.. Good night, Master."
Even if it's punishment... tonight is going to be a tough one to fall asleep.