"Hi Master, is it bed time yet? I kept the bed nice and comfy for you." KuliKuli giggled while bouncing gently atop the mattress, her paws roaming in little circles across the bed sheets. Felix had entered the room with a pained face, eyes half closed and his hair hung like wet moss over his forehead. He looked silly and wet, wiping his face and parting his hair away from his eyes. He gave a faint smile in return with his hand on the door frame, seemingly about to retreat almost.
"Actually, one of the cows seemed rather upset so I went back out to ease her nerves, but in my haste I had forgotten to bring my cloak. I-I'll be in the tub." He explained before turning around.
KuliKuli hopped out of bed in a hurry, her cat ears held back as she stepped closer. "Aww, do you need me to boil some hot water for you?"
"Actually, that would be nice. But you don't have t-" Felix suddenly felt her paws push on his back, ushering him toward the bathing room. "O-Okay then?"
"Move it, the sooner we get those close off you, the sooner we can prevent Master from getting sick! Didn't your mom ever tell you it's not good to play in the cold rain?" She huffed, moving in a hurry to peel his tunic off him. Or at least she tried to, she was fumbling with her paws before sliding her tails under his ribs to help pull the fabric over his head. The feeling of her fur across his sides made him giggle and jump around momentarily.
"H~Hey!" He laughed and helped her pull his tunic away. "KuliKuli I didn't have a mother, and you know that tickles."
She grinned and kissed his cheek, rolling his tunic into a ball and tucking it under her arm. "I know, I just wanted to see you smile again. Now can you get undressed? It's not easy for me to do with these fluffy little fuzz balls."
She held her paws up and playfully nudged his arm like a cat batting at a toy. He nodded and hooked his thumbs under his waist, removing his pants while she turned around and closed the door for his privacy. Now at the main room, she walked up to the chair where Reta was fidgeting around plucking the petals off a violet flower and placing them into a mortar and pestle.
Suddenly, Reta was covered in a sticky wet tunic clinging to her head like a slime wrapped around its meal. Letting go of the flower, she pinched the tunic off her head and flung it to the ground while glaring at the Nekomata. "Do you have any last words?"
"Do you want to start on getting him to like you? Because I think I may have the opportunity." KuliKuli smiled while raising two buckets with each tail of hers. Reta's expression shifted as she raised her head, her anger fading away with a look of intrigue in its place. A moment later, both of them had returned from the well with two buckets full of water before placing them over the fire.
"You're sure of this?"
"Somewhat, just make yourself be kind to him. Don't look at him with disgust and don't be demanding. Ease into it, talk to him a bit and get to know him."
Reta turned her head away. "Why can't I just demand for his answer?"
"Because he will say no, you've been too mean and confusing for him to even consider that. It's okay to be strong, but strength comes in different ways. Don't be so strict often, now shoo! This one is ready." KuliKuli carefully retrieved the first bucket of water steaming from the surface before offering it to her friend. Reta looked uncertain but nodded her head, grasping the handle before making her way to the bathing room. She pressed her hand against the door but hesitated, turning back to see KuliKuli nodding her head and making a knocking motion with her paw. Reta sucked in her bottom lip and breathed in, closing her eyes before balling her hand into a fist.
Knock-knock-knock!
"Kuli? You can just walk in, I don't mind. Just close the door behind you."
Reta stuttered and pushed the door open just an inch. "Hai, it's me."
"Oh!" Felix had made himself comfortable in the tub with a washing rag and a wooden bowl beside him, only now he sunk into the tub to cover himself. "Now isn't a good time."
"Master! I'm just prepping some more water for you, it's okay! I told her to go in!" Shouted KuliKuli from across the cabin.
Felix looked uneasy but shrugged. "Okay, if you say so. Come in."
Reta tightened her hold around the bucket handle before stepping inside, leaving the door partially closed before stepping around the tub. She kept her eyes fixated on her prey as Felix nervously sat around, both of them seemed unsure of what to say. The moment was rather awkward for the pair, with Reta placing the bucket down while facing him.
"Your cat asked me if I could help rinse you while she prepared more buckets."
He nodded and kept silent as she reached for the wooden bowl before dipping it into the bucket, raising it over his head and gently pouring its warmth over him. He sighed and hung his head down, feeling the heat flow down his back and over his shoulders. The way he reacted seemed both pleasant and relaxing, this made Reta feel slightly better as she reached in and poured another helping over his hair. This softened the tension between the pair, she raked her fingers into his brown hair and began rubbing his scalp, being careful not to use her fingernails so as not to scratch him.
"Ah-haha, I can do that. You don't have to."
"Please, allow me." She replied, not once pausing her action as she leaned in and poured another bowl of water over him. "It is traditional for mothers to bathe their children in their youth and for wives to wash their husbands when they return exhausted from labor. You appear tired but we have yet to do any hard work in nearly a week. What clouds your mind?"
Felix looked uneasy when she asked, his eyes wandering around before offering a mere shrug. "Janette invited us to this performance show in two days."
"So, tell her you do not wish to go."
"But I do."
Reta raised her eyebrow, washing his back before rubbing his shoulders. "Then what is the problem? Are you unsure of what will happen if you bring your mate?"
"A little, yes. Just one incident caused the Farmer's Den to leave traps around and nearly send a call for a Hunter. But this show would take place at Kershin Market, there will be more shops, entertainment, more to see, and-"
"And more people." Reta moved around so that she was on her knees facing him. "Do more people make you worry?"
"I am comfortable keeping on my own, it's safer that way, for all of us perhaps."
"Well, how does your pe-" Reta paused before correcting herself, moving around to wash his side. "What does KuliKuli think about this?"
"I have yet to tell her, I know she would support me and say it's okay to stay. But I want to do this for her, it's just not easy."
"Not easy?" Reta scoffed with an annoyed look before swatting at his back.
"Ow!" Felix spun his head around to face her. "What gives?"
"There was a mosquito. The bucket is empty, I shall go retrieve some more." She calmly explained, standing up with the bucket in hand before leaving the room.
KuliKuli had just pulled out the second bucket before noticing her return. "So?"
"He is helpless," She grumbled before plucking the bucket from her paw. "Whatever happened to the man who claimed my body? He was strong and confident, this one is soft and pouty like a child."
KuliKuli sighed, rolling her eyes. "I told you to be patient. You didn't say anything bad did you?"
"It's a miracle that I did not! I had to excuse myself before I insulted him for his lack of confidence."
"Hey! I am not giving you this opportunity just so you can insult him, I was doing this because you told me you wanted more sex remember? We spoke just a few hours ago about this, I can't help you if you can't help me back. Now move, I can handle this myself."
"Wait." Reta stepped in, grabbing the bucket back from her before breathing in. "Haaaiii, fine! I just need more patience with this one."
KuliKuli frowned and crossed her arms. "Be gentle with him okay? If I hear insults, I'm marching in and kicking you out!"
Reta waved her hand in dismissal, spinning around and heading back into the bathing room. She took one long breath before pushing the door open and closing it behind her. Felix looked puzzled, staring at her wondering what was going to happen next. Once again, she calmly approached him with closed eyes before setting the bucket down, sitting on a wooden bathing stool and rinsing his shoulders. She paused and roamed her hands across his chest, feeling his many scars traced along her fingers.
"Tell me, you worry about others with a body like this. Have you seen many battles before?" She asked sincerely, lifting the wooden bowl and lifting his right arm to wash it down.
Felix waited for her to finish pouring the bowl out, her hands focused on rubbing and massaging his forearm and bicep. His arm wasn't anything muscular but he had grown lean over time due to his diet and knack for physical labor, though the way she applied pressure on his palm was a bit ticklish as it coaxed a brief chuckle out from him. She noticed that, looking down to keep her focus while the corners of her mouth raised slightly.
"You could say that in a way, but not the way you would think. I'm no knight or swordsman or spearman, I have no training in defense or combat.. The only combat I have is the one I have witnessed and experienced firsthand, in a matter of speaking." He pressed his lips together, holding still as he explained in a soft tone.
Reta had, in return, raised her hand upwards while she stroked his arm, lifting her head to look into his brown eyes. "You're a survivor? Is that where these scars are from?"
"I haven't heard someone call it that before."
"Does that surprise you?" She questioned him in a sincere manner. He nodded back as she continued, "There is honor in recognizing a fight that you cannot win, and choosing to run away if it threatens your life. Did you not seek training from your mentor?"
Felix chuckled in a way that sounded like a cough. "I didn't have one."
"What of your warriors, did you not have any warriors where you are from?"
He shook his head. "Not exactly, not on our side."
"What of your siblings? Your parents? Any friends?"
"I didn't have any." He responded.
Reta was taken aback. "No friends you mean?"
"Reta, I didn't have any friends and I never knew my family. I don't know if I have a brother or sister, and I don't know if my parents are alive. I just know what to do to manage. No teachers, no mentors, no culture."
Reta stayed quiet, lowering her gaze before reaching out and washing the rest of his back. He welcomed the way she reached out and pressed into his body with her fingers, sometimes she would squeeze a nerve and it would hurt but suddenly he would feel this wave of relief as if she had released this tense feeling under his skin. At one point he closed his eyes and breathed out through his mouth in what sounded like a moan, leaning into her hands as she continued massaging his body. She paused before sliding her fingers into his hair again, rinsing and washing the back of his head this time.
"Gods..." He hissed under his breath, leaning his head back and submitting to her touch.
Reta smiled and leaned forward, speaking to him in a softer tone. "Your hair is something that intrigues me, it's not something I see often."
"What, the length?"
"The color." She corrected him. "We have blue and violet hair, but never dark or light colors. Blonde, silver, brown, red, these only come from mixed children and those are rare to see. We keep to our own."
"You can look all you want if you keep as you are doing now." Felix teased back, enjoying the rocking motion of his head as she rinsed his hair once again.
"I am glad that this pleases you. I was beginning to think my presence was unwanted."
"What?" Felix raised his head, spinning around to face her. "What gave that impression?"
Reta seemed annoyed when he asked with a look of concern. "Don't play ignorant with me, baka. You've been neglecting me, keeping silent with me since we had sex. Did I displease you in some way, had I failed to sate you?"
"Sate me, what?" He blinked before shaking his head and leaning against the edge of the tub. "No, none of that."
"Have I been too hard on you?"
"A little, I wouldn't say you've been hard. Reta, it's not you." He claimed, reaching out to hold her arm. "I've been uneasy with a lot in my mind, but it's nothing to do with you. But it wouldn't hurt if you insulted me a little less."
She huffed back and began to pout. "The night you claimed me, I was satisfied. I found that you knew your way around a woman's body, particularly with your tongue. I wish to know more to the extent of your capabilities."
Felix blushed furiously as she placed her hands on her hips. "Why do you turn red, do my words disturb you?"
"No-no! It's just not something I speak about so openly."
"What, sex? Your mate doesn't share the same feeling about sex, she shares often about how you please each other in bed." She stated.
"It's true!" They heard from behind the door.
Felix sunk further into the tub. "I think I am about finished washing today."
"Good, because I have yet to begin." Reta claimed while reached into the tub between his legs. Felix jumped back as she dug her hand in before pulling the cork out of the drain. "I will dry you clean, you will be needed in the bedroom to confirm your claim."
"Wha-wait, wha-!?"
Reta rolled her eyes and helped him to his feet. "You claim that I am not undesirable? I need to confirm this, I want to see the man who claimed me before, I want him to claim me once again. "
"Claim you? Now?" He shrieked as KuliKuli slammed the door open.
"Does that mean we get to have fun?" She asked with a wide smile on her face.
"Of course, you will teach me his weaknesses. I want to make him squirm tonight. Besides, what better way to help ease his mind than with sex?" Reta confirmed with a smirk on her face, raising him by his arm.
"Squirm!?"
"OOOOO-HOO! Sounds like fun!" KuliKuli beamed and skipped along towards them, hooking her paw around his other arm as they both began to drag him out of the room.
"Don't I get a say in this?" He asked, to which both women answered in sync before crying out in laughter.
"NOPE!"
"Hi Master, is it bed time yet? I kept the bed nice and comfy for you." KuliKuli giggled while bouncing gently atop the mattress, her paws roaming in little circles across the bed sheets. Felix had entered the room with a pained face, eyes half closed and his hair hung like wet moss over his forehead. He looked silly and wet, wiping his face and parting his hair away from his eyes. He gave a faint smile in return with his hand on the door frame, seemingly about to retreat almost.
"Actually, one of the cows seemed rather upset so I went back out to ease her nerves, but in my haste I had forgotten to bring my cloak. I-I'll be in the tub." He explained before turning around.
KuliKuli hopped out of bed in a hurry, her cat ears held back as she stepped closer. "Aww, do you need me to boil some hot water for you?"
"Actually, that would be nice. But you don't have t-" Felix suddenly felt her paws push on his back, ushering him toward the bathing room. "O-Okay then?"
"Move it, the sooner we get those close off you, the sooner we can prevent Master from getting sick! Didn't your mom ever tell you it's not good to play in the cold rain?" She huffed, moving in a hurry to peel his tunic off him. Or at least she tried to, she was fumbling with her paws before sliding her tails under his ribs to help pull the fabric over his head. The feeling of her fur across his sides made him giggle and jump around momentarily.
"H~Hey!" He laughed and helped her pull his tunic away. "KuliKuli I didn't have a mother, and you know that tickles."
She grinned and kissed his cheek, rolling his tunic into a ball and tucking it under her arm. "I know, I just wanted to see you smile again. Now can you get undressed? It's not easy for me to do with these fluffy little fuzz balls."
She held her paws up and playfully nudged his arm like a cat batting at a toy. He nodded and hooked his thumbs under his waist, removing his pants while she turned around and closed the door for his privacy. Now at the main room, she walked up to the chair where Reta was fidgeting around plucking the petals off a violet flower and placing them into a mortar and pestle.
Suddenly, Reta was covered in a sticky wet tunic clinging to her head like a slime wrapped around its meal. Letting go of the flower, she pinched the tunic off her head and flung it to the ground while glaring at the Nekomata. "Do you have any last words?"
"Do you want to start on getting him to like you? Because I think I may have the opportunity." KuliKuli smiled while raising two buckets with each tail of hers. Reta's expression shifted as she raised her head, her anger fading away with a look of intrigue in its place. A moment later, both of them had returned from the well with two buckets full of water before placing them over the fire.
"You're sure of this?"
"Somewhat, just make yourself be kind to him. Don't look at him with disgust and don't be demanding. Ease into it, talk to him a bit and get to know him."
Reta turned her head away. "Why can't I just demand for his answer?"
"Because he will say no, you've been too mean and confusing for him to even consider that. It's okay to be strong, but strength comes in different ways. Don't be so strict often, now shoo! This one is ready." KuliKuli carefully retrieved the first bucket of water steaming from the surface before offering it to her friend. Reta looked uncertain but nodded her head, grasping the handle before making her way to the bathing room. She pressed her hand against the door but hesitated, turning back to see KuliKuli nodding her head and making a knocking motion with her paw. Reta sucked in her bottom lip and breathed in, closing her eyes before balling her hand into a fist.
Knock-knock-knock!
"Kuli? You can just walk in, I don't mind. Just close the door behind you."
Reta stuttered and pushed the door open just an inch. "Hai, it's me."
"Oh!" Felix had made himself comfortable in the tub with a washing rag and a wooden bowl beside him, only now he sunk into the tub to cover himself. "Now isn't a good time."
"Master! I'm just prepping some more water for you, it's okay! I told her to go in!" Shouted KuliKuli from across the cabin.
Felix looked uneasy but shrugged. "Okay, if you say so. Come in."
Reta tightened her hold around the bucket handle before stepping inside, leaving the door partially closed before stepping around the tub. She kept her eyes fixated on her prey as Felix nervously sat around, both of them seemed unsure of what to say. The moment was rather awkward for the pair, with Reta placing the bucket down while facing him.
"Your cat asked me if I could help rinse you while she prepared more buckets."
He nodded and kept silent as she reached for the wooden bowl before dipping it into the bucket, raising it over his head and gently pouring its warmth over him. He sighed and hung his head down, feeling the heat flow down his back and over his shoulders. The way he reacted seemed both pleasant and relaxing, this made Reta feel slightly better as she reached in and poured another helping over his hair. This softened the tension between the pair, she raked her fingers into his brown hair and began rubbing his scalp, being careful not to use her fingernails so as not to scratch him.
"Ah-haha, I can do that. You don't have to."
"Please, allow me." She replied, not once pausing her action as she leaned in and poured another bowl of water over him. "It is traditional for mothers to bathe their children in their youth and for wives to wash their husbands when they return exhausted from labor. You appear tired but we have yet to do any hard work in nearly a week. What clouds your mind?"
Felix looked uneasy when she asked, his eyes wandering around before offering a mere shrug. "Janette invited us to this performance show in two days."
"So, tell her you do not wish to go."
"But I do."
Reta raised her eyebrow, washing his back before rubbing his shoulders. "Then what is the problem? Are you unsure of what will happen if you bring your mate?"
"A little, yes. Just one incident caused the Farmer's Den to leave traps around and nearly send a call for a Hunter. But this show would take place at Kershin Market, there will be more shops, entertainment, more to see, and-"
"And more people." Reta moved around so that she was on her knees facing him. "Do more people make you worry?"
"I am comfortable keeping on my own, it's safer that way, for all of us perhaps."
"Well, how does your pe-" Reta paused before correcting herself, moving around to wash his side. "What does KuliKuli think about this?"
"I have yet to tell her, I know she would support me and say it's okay to stay. But I want to do this for her, it's just not easy."
"Not easy?" Reta scoffed with an annoyed look before swatting at his back.
"Ow!" Felix spun his head around to face her. "What gives?"
"There was a mosquito. The bucket is empty, I shall go retrieve some more." She calmly explained, standing up with the bucket in hand before leaving the room.
KuliKuli had just pulled out the second bucket before noticing her return. "So?"
"He is helpless," She grumbled before plucking the bucket from her paw. "Whatever happened to the man who claimed my body? He was strong and confident, this one is soft and pouty like a child."
KuliKuli sighed, rolling her eyes. "I told you to be patient. You didn't say anything bad did you?"
"It's a miracle that I did not! I had to excuse myself before I insulted him for his lack of confidence."
"Hey! I am not giving you this opportunity just so you can insult him, I was doing this because you told me you wanted more sex remember? We spoke just a few hours ago about this, I can't help you if you can't help me back. Now move, I can handle this myself."
"Wait." Reta stepped in, grabbing the bucket back from her before breathing in. "Haaaiii, fine! I just need more patience with this one."
KuliKuli frowned and crossed her arms. "Be gentle with him okay? If I hear insults, I'm marching in and kicking you out!"
Reta waved her hand in dismissal, spinning around and heading back into the bathing room. She took one long breath before pushing the door open and closing it behind her. Felix looked puzzled, staring at her wondering what was going to happen next. Once again, she calmly approached him with closed eyes before setting the bucket down, sitting on a wooden bathing stool and rinsing his shoulders. She paused and roamed her hands across his chest, feeling his many scars traced along her fingers.
"Tell me, you worry about others with a body like this. Have you seen many battles before?" She asked sincerely, lifting the wooden bowl and lifting his right arm to wash it down.
Felix waited for her to finish pouring the bowl out, her hands focused on rubbing and massaging his forearm and bicep. His arm wasn't anything muscular but he had grown lean over time due to his diet and knack for physical labor, though the way she applied pressure on his palm was a bit ticklish as it coaxed a brief chuckle out from him. She noticed that, looking down to keep her focus while the corners of her mouth raised slightly.
"You could say that in a way, but not the way you would think. I'm no knight or swordsman or spearman, I have no training in defense or combat.. The only combat I have is the one I have witnessed and experienced firsthand, in a matter of speaking." He pressed his lips together, holding still as he explained in a soft tone.
Reta had, in return, raised her hand upwards while she stroked his arm, lifting her head to look into his brown eyes. "You're a survivor? Is that where these scars are from?"
"I haven't heard someone call it that before."
"Does that surprise you?" She questioned him in a sincere manner. He nodded back as she continued, "There is honor in recognizing a fight that you cannot win, and choosing to run away if it threatens your life. Did you not seek training from your mentor?"
Felix chuckled in a way that sounded like a cough. "I didn't have one."
"What of your warriors, did you not have any warriors where you are from?"
He shook his head. "Not exactly, not on our side."
"What of your siblings? Your parents? Any friends?"
"I didn't have any." He responded.
Reta was taken aback. "No friends you mean?"
"Reta, I didn't have any friends and I never knew my family. I don't know if I have a brother or sister, and I don't know if my parents are alive. I just know what to do to manage. No teachers, no mentors, no culture."
Reta stayed quiet, lowering her gaze before reaching out and washing the rest of his back. He welcomed the way she reached out and pressed into his body with her fingers, sometimes she would squeeze a nerve and it would hurt but suddenly he would feel this wave of relief as if she had released this tense feeling under his skin. At one point he closed his eyes and breathed out through his mouth in what sounded like a moan, leaning into her hands as she continued massaging his body. She paused before sliding her fingers into his hair again, rinsing and washing the back of his head this time.
"Gods..." He hissed under his breath, leaning his head back and submitting to her touch.
Reta smiled and leaned forward, speaking to him in a softer tone. "Your hair is something that intrigues me, it's not something I see often."
"What, the length?"
"The color." She corrected him. "We have blue and violet hair, but never dark or light colors. Blonde, silver, brown, red, these only come from mixed children and those are rare to see. We keep to our own."
"You can look all you want if you keep as you are doing now." Felix teased back, enjoying the rocking motion of his head as she rinsed his hair once again.
"I am glad that this pleases you. I was beginning to think my presence was unwanted."
"What?" Felix raised his head, spinning around to face her. "What gave that impression?"
Reta seemed annoyed when he asked with a look of concern. "Don't play ignorant with me, baka. You've been neglecting me, keeping silent with me since we had sex. Did I displease you in some way, had I failed to sate you?"
"Sate me, what?" He blinked before shaking his head and leaning against the edge of the tub. "No, none of that."
"Have I been too hard on you?"
"A little, I wouldn't say you've been hard. Reta, it's not you." He claimed, reaching out to hold her arm. "I've been uneasy with a lot in my mind, but it's nothing to do with you. But it wouldn't hurt if you insulted me a little less."
She huffed back and began to pout. "The night you claimed me, I was satisfied. I found that you knew your way around a woman's body, particularly with your tongue. I wish to know more to the extent of your capabilities."
Felix blushed furiously as she placed her hands on her hips. "Why do you turn red, do my words disturb you?"
"No-no! It's just not something I speak about so openly."
"What, sex? Your mate doesn't share the same feeling about sex, she shares often about how you please each other in bed." She stated.
"It's true!" They heard from behind the door.
Felix sunk further into the tub. "I think I am about finished washing today."
"Good, because I have yet to begin." Reta claimed while reached into the tub between his legs. Felix jumped back as she dug her hand in before pulling the cork out of the drain. "I will dry you clean, you will be needed in the bedroom to confirm your claim."
"Wha-wait, wha-!?"
Reta rolled her eyes and helped him to his feet. "You claim that I am not undesirable? I need to confirm this, I want to see the man who claimed me before, I want him to claim me once again. "
"Claim you? Now?" He shrieked as KuliKuli slammed the door open.
"Does that mean we get to have fun?" She asked with a wide smile on her face.
"Of course, you will teach me his weaknesses. I want to make him squirm tonight. Besides, what better way to help ease his mind than with sex?" Reta confirmed with a smirk on her face, raising him by his arm.
"Squirm!?"
"OOOOO-HOO! Sounds like fun!" KuliKuli beamed and skipped along towards them, hooking her paw around his other arm as they both began to drag him out of the room.
"Don't I get a say in this?" He asked, to which both women answered in sync before crying out in laughter.
"NOPE!"
