Bad Communication...?
Awkward silence hung in the air... Once the ordered snacks arrived and our drinks were served, it was just Claudia and me left alone. True to its reputation as a spot frequented by nobles and wealthy folks seeking discreet encounters, the place was deathly quiet.
...Which meant we were just sitting there, exchanging awkward glances. To be precise, I was the one feeling the awkwardness radiating from Claudia. Back in the day, this woman would've been snuggled up right next to me by now, flirting shamelessly—instead, she was sitting stiffly at a distance, fidgeting. It felt... strange.
Not that I wanted her clinging to me like before or anything... but still, it left me a little disappointed. Yeah. That's why we'd come here to drink and shake off this weird vibe, right?
I glanced at the menu prices and boldly ordered a whole bottle, pouring a generous splash into Claudia's glass. The deep purple liquid—almost red—swirled invitingly in the fancy crystal glass.
"Ah, thanks."
Claudia took the bottle just out of my reach and filled my glass in return. This subtle distance between us... it still grated on me.
We clinked glasses lightly and tossed back the drinks. Even the cheapest option on the menu tasted pretty damn good. Of course it did—what'd you expect at these prices?
Sipping quietly while picking at the snacks, a pleasant buzz started to creep in. I blew at the stray hairs tickling my face and glanced at Claudia. She was sipping hers in tiny, tentative gulps.
...If it doesn't taste good, just say so.
I snatched her nearly empty glass and dumped the contents into mine.
"Sh-Sha'a?"
"No... if it tastes bad, just tell me..."
Then Claudia grabbed my glass and downed the whole thing in big, greedy gulps. A trickle of liquor escaped down her throat, dampening the front of her chest just a bit.
"...It's good."
"..."
It kinda looked like we'd just had a fight. ...Anyway, I refilled the empty glasses. Our glasses had swapped owners, but whether it was the alcohol or whatever, I didn't really care.
Was it the heat of the moment? Claudia ignored her freshly filled glass. I watched her for a bit, then picked up mine and slid over to her side.
Seeing the obvious panic flash across her face... it was kinda fun.
Claudia backed into the corner. I speared a piece of snack with my fork and shoved it toward her mouth.
"Eat up."
"...Sha'a. You seem a little drunk."
"Not at all."
As if. I was still perfectly fine. I rubbed the sweet fruit against her stubbornly closed lips until she finally gave in, parting them with a reluctant sigh. Feeding it to her felt like a small victory—satisfying.
Mood lifted, I chuckled to myself, speared another bite, and washed it down with a sip of liquor. Bliss.
As I chewed, I caught Claudia sighing and downing her drink. She looked a bit frustrated, her face flushed—probably from the booze. Her breathing seemed heavier too.
"That's what you get for chugging it."
I offered her another forkful. She stared at me with conflicted eyes but eventually opened up, letting me feed her.
"..."
Chewing slowly, she glanced at me sideways, swallowed, and spoke.
I figured she wanted more snacks, but no.
"...Why the sudden closeness? You used to hate it when I got near."
"Hate it? I don't think it was that bad...?"
Did I? ...Maybe subconsciously. Unintentionally, out of fear of being found out.
Claudia continued, dropping something I hadn't expected.
"Gotta be honest here."
"Huh?"
She flushed, looking uncharacteristically hesitant.
"...I'm in heat."
"...Oh."
"If you keep... getting this close... it's gonna be a problem."
Her body was rigid as she looked down. Sure enough, the bulge in her pants was obvious.
Feeling sheepish, I scooted back a little. Claudia let out a low, growly chuckle.
"I said I wouldn't touch you until you wanted it... but you're teasing me like this. Does that mean you're in the mood after all?"
Suddenly, she leaned in close. Heat and a sticky, musky scent washed over me—her beastkin pheromones.
My face burned. This time, I was the one backing away.
"N-No?!"
Claudia grinned and pulled back.
"...Fine then. Don't tease. It's... really hard right now."
"...Got it."
I meekly grabbed my glass and retreated to my side of the booth. Sipping quietly, my eyes kept drifting back to her.
...Still bulging prominently. Guilt gnawed at me. I'd been poking at her without realizing.
...Not that I'd done anything that provocative, but... ugh, who knows.
"...Still not going down?"
"...Do you have to ask? Makes me notice it more..."
"Ahaha..."
I knew the agony of that unrelenting hardness all too well... though the memory of the pressure it caused had faded a bit. But if it was her heat cycle, it must be worse than a normal guy's...
Suddenly, I felt like I'd been awful to her. As she emptied her glass and crossed her arms, straightening up like she was meditating, I refilled it and watched.
Each heavy exhale made her chest heave. But the heat pooling below showed no signs of fading—it twitched insistently. The tip looked... damp.
Seeing her try so hard to honor our promise... it made me feel ashamed for deceiving her.
Shouldn't I take responsibility? But first, I needed to come clean and see how she'd react.
I waited until she opened her eyes, hiding my embarrassment with another sip. She did soon enough.
...Still rock-hard down there. I took a deep breath—hot with booze—and spoke.
"Um... Claudia."
Her gaze met mine, eyes smoldering with longing.
"Dia... right?"
Was it okay to use her nickname now...? I pushed on.
"...Claudia, I have something to say."
"Hm...?"
She seemed miffed I hadn't used the nickname, but my serious tone made her nod, waiting.
"...It might be hard to believe."
The words stuck in my throat. Not because I was forced or needed to—doing it voluntarily for the first time felt... daunting.
After fumbling for ages, I mustered the courage. Claudia waited patiently.
"Truth is... I'm not Sha'a. I am Astarote Asha herself."
Silence. Was she shocked? Skeptical? Dismissing it as nonsense?
Maybe recounting our past would convince her... But she waved it off.
"...It's fine. I believe you without all that."
"...You can talk casual like you did with Sha'a. I don't really care anyway."
"In that case, I won't hold back."
She grinned.
"So, calling me Dia again now?"
I blinked, processing, then stammered a reply.
"...You don't seem surprised."
"Well... I kinda suspected. Lord Astarote vanishes, and his assistant drops from the sky like a comet."
She took a sip and kept going.
"A guy who never takes long breaks suddenly ditches his business for an extended trip? Suspicious."
...Still calling me "Lord Astarote" with a hint of grudge, huh. But if she'd suspected...
"Then you had plenty of chances to ask. Why not?"
She smirked.
"You think I never considered you might not even realize it yourself?"
"Huh?"
What? I must've looked like an idiot. She sighed, downed her glass, and I quietly refilled it.
"...For me, Sha'a was more advantageous than Lord Astarote."
"..."
So... she wanted to get closer? Sipping my drink, I eyed her—still stiff below. Meaning... it didn't matter if I was Asha or Sha'a to her?
...So, should I take responsibility for... that?
My booze-soaked head spun.