Chapter 281 - Zombies Incoming (1/2)
”Is this the reason why you couldn't join us in the bath?”
Shinobu welcomed Nik into her residency with a peck on his lips as she nodded at Nik's inquiry and turned her head to smile towards the jittery Aoi.
The bath had concluded with a note of cheerfulness when Nik received Shinobu's message to meet at her place. Reaching the appointed destination at the appointed time— mere moments— Nik pushed the door open only to find Aoi and Shinobu together.
”Aoi wants to say something,” Shinobu whispered as she took Nik's hand and led him to a chair. With a soft nudge, Nik sat down grandly, fully intent on hosting Shinobu on his lap chair and sit she did. With a bright smile, Shinobu coiled her arms loosely around Nik's neck and sat sideways, letting her cushy rear to press on his thighs.
”I—” Aoi gulped. Admitting something so embarrassing was hard for her but as she matched Shinobu's gaze, her lips parted once again, ”I think we should start over tonight!”
Aoi tightly gripped on the hem of her skirt while lowering her head. Nik, of course, knew what she meant and was more than pleased with himself to bring Aoi to the right path while also being more than happy with Aoi to finally admit something so vulnerable about herself.
”I decided to join that night because... I wanted to see... see Mi—”
Aoi choked slightly before coughing softly.
”Mi... Mit—”
”It is fine, really,” Nik scratched his left ear, his voice breaking off Aoi's confession. Making things difficult for such a lovely and honest girl was something Nik wasn't willing to do. She had enough courage to be open about her crush for Mitsuri and her desire to watch Mitsuri in her tender moments... there is nothing wrong with that, in fact, Nik would have been surprised if Mitsuri had no female admirers.
”You don't know what I was going to say,” Aoi raised her face slightly, mustering a bit of courage to match gazes with Nik as he smiled, ”I know it. And more than anything else, I appreciate the desire to confess.”
Before Aoi could speak further, Nik grinned wolfishly and let palms cover Shinobu's bosom into a tight squeeze, eliciting a soft yelp from the Pillar of Insect, ”But I also have my reason to believe that a little minx persuaded you to get yourself stuck in such a situation.
Say, do you want to punish her alongside me?”
Nothing to say, Aoi was struck speechless. But only for a moment. She was a person who had high ambitions and even higher determination to achieve the said ambitions. Now, she wanted to tease Shinobu and she, fortunately, retained much of her skills taught by Shinobu in the department of teasing. Of course, she also had Nik's complete support.
***
”There you go.”
The next morning, before the sun broke the dawn, Ray passed multiple sets of neatly folded articles of clothing to Nik.
These were the clothes that Nezuko raised a fuss about the other day.
”And these are properly cleaned, right?”
Nik inquired with barely-concealed suspicion.
”Yes, they are,” Ray rolled his eyes with a frustrated sigh.
They both were at Nik's usual training spot.
”Thanks a lot,” Nik mumbled out his words of gratitude, ”About yesterday...”
He continued when Ray cut him in, ”No need to worry, it was wrong of me to ask something like that.”
”No, it is not that... you can make JoJo the head of your harem later for all I care,” Nik took a deep breath, ”But, I just wished for Elizabeth to have some time with her son without any worries...
And, I hope that the more they spend their time together, the quicker she realizes...”
”That JoJo already has 'specific' interests, right?” Ray smirked while Nik shrugged.
”His clothes are way too tight... and I saw him glancing at Caesar's... stuff multiple times. Mine, too.”
”Anyway,” Nik slapped both of his cheeks and looked at Ray with interest, ”I am trying to gain as much experience I can in battle situations... do you fight dirty?”
”Dirty is a light word, try nasty.”
Ray smiled and tiptoes around Nik, ”Is it something from your rewards?” He inquired with thinly-veiled curiosity. Knowing that refusal might mean only make him look like a fool, Nik nodded.
”Ho~ More reasons for me to quickly destroy my own lineage, too, huh.”
”Yep.”