The taste of instant ramen was the taste of being broke. Makoto slurped the cheap, salty noodles in the quiet kitchen, feeling exhausted and totally screwed.
When the front door clicked open, he didn't even look up.
"Home already?" he asked, trying to sound casual. "Late night, huh? Did you eat?"
Yuna skipped into the kitchen, a burst of energy that didn't fit the quiet room. She was wearing nothing but a huge t-shirt that barely covered her ass.
She plopped down across from him, resting her chin in her hands. "Nope! Saving my appetite."
She leaned forward just enough for her t-shirt to gape open. He got a brief, shocking flash of her bare chest. "Big bro... you're not thinking about what happened earlier, are you?"
Under the table, her foot slid up his leg, her toes wiggling against his inner thigh. Makoto flinched, almost knocking over his cup.
Suddenly, she gasped, her eyes wide with fake horror. "Oh no! Did you forget to hide my panties?"
She pointed her chopsticks at him, and a noodle dripped onto his lap. "If mom finds them when she cleans your room tomorrow..."
"I burned them, okay?" Makoto lied; the lie tasted like salt and MSG. He shrugged, hiding his face in the steam. "And don't ever mention that place if you don't want mom knowing about your... job."
His heart was hammering. He knew exactly where they were, balled up in the back of his sock drawer. Just thinking about them sent a guilty throb through him.
"Liar, liar, pants on fire," Yuna sang, kicking her bare feet up onto the table. Her shirt rode up, revealing the smooth, waxed skin between her legs.
The sight was so casual and bold it sucked the air right out of his lungs. "I bet you sniffed them before dinner!"
She slurped a noodle, letting it dangle from her lips for a second. "Don't worry, big bro," she purred, scooting her chair closer. "Your secret's safe with me... as long as you buy me a new lingerie set!"
His silence was all the answer she needed. Her hand slipped under the table, her fingers brushing against his hard-on through his sweatpants. "It's perfect for my next cosplay! And maybe..."
She leaned in close, her breath warm on his ear. "...you can confiscate it after I model it for you."
"I'm broke this month, you hear me?" Makoto grumbled, pushing her hand away a little too hard. "I wouldn't be eating this crap if I had money."
He stood up and threw the empty cup in the trash. "I'll think about it. But don't get your hopes up."
Bad move. Yuna pouted and followed him. "Aww, but big bro," she whined, pressing her bare breasts into his back as he stood at the sink.
The feeling was electric. "Think of it as an investment!"
She spun him around and put her hands on her hips. "I'll model it just for you! No customers get to see." She did a little twirl, her shirt flying up to show off her perfect, heart-shaped ass. "I'll even do a special... private cosplay show."
When he still didn't say anything, she pulled out her ultimate weapon. She dropped to her knees, clasping her hands together like she was praying. "Pleaaaase? I'll be your personal Ganyu whenever you want!"
Her hand snaked up his thigh, her fingers brushing the strained fabric over his crotch.
"And I promise..." She squeezed gently, sending a jolt through him. "...the next happy ending is on the house."
The words "private show" and "on the house" short-circuited what was left of his brain.
He swallowed hard. "I'll... find a way," he said, his voice rough. "When do you need the money?"
Yuna grinned, bouncing back to her feet and pressing herself against him again. "Next payday is fine," she said, trailing a finger down his chest.
"But the sooner, the better. I want to do my Ganyu photoshoot before the con next month!"
She leaned in, her lips brushing his ear. "Just let me know when you're ready for the show, big bro. You can even pick the costume... and how you want your happy ending."
She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and grabbed a soda from the fridge.
"But in the meantime," she added, sticking her tongue out, "you'd better hide those panties well! Wouldn't want my mom, no, our mom finding them, right?"
"Fine, fine, I'll get it by next week," Makoto mumbled, his mind already spinning with ways to scrape together the cash.
He needed to change the subject. "Speaking of cosplay, you have any... Paimon or Nahida sets?"
Yuna choked on her soda. "PAIMON?! NAHIDA?!" she shrieked, pointing at him. "Big bro, are you a lolicon?! That's disgusting!"
Then he saw it. The shock in her eyes melted away, replaced by the glint of a predator who'd just spotted a new, very profitable weakness.
"Wait... does that mean you'll pay extra for the loli cosplays?" She wiggled her eyebrows. "Because I happen to have a Nahida costume that's... very authentic."
She skipped closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. "I can even do her voice while you... inspect the costume."
She gasped, hand flying to her mouth. "Oh god! What if mom hears you ordering loli services?!"
"Hey! Don't make it sound creepy like that!" Makoto protested, his face burning.
"They're, like, a thousand years old in the lore! And they're not even real people!" He sighed, trying to sound casual. "There's nothing wrong with it."
Yuna just burst out laughing, clutching her stomach. "Sure, sure, big bro," she wheezed, wiping a tear from her eye.
"It's totally normal to want to see your stepsister dressed as a five-hundred-year-old god who looks like she's ten!"
Her laughter died down, but the wicked grin stayed. "It'll be an extra 50,000 yen if you want me to do the 'Who's Nahida's favorite customer?' voice during our private session."
She leaned in again, her voice dropping into a perfect, childlike imitation that sent a chill down his spine. "Don't forget to hide my panties, onii-chan!"
"I-I just like their voices and personalities, not how they look!" Makoto snorted, turning away from her. "And no extra pay. Don't be greedy."
"Pffft!" Yuna slapped his ass playfully. "Keep telling yourself that." She skipped backward toward the hall, winking over her shoulder. "But if I happen to catch you sniffing my panties later..."
She stopped in the doorway and struck a pose, an alarmingly accurate imitation of the character.
Her voice was a chillingly perfect mimic. "Onii-chan is such a naughty customer! Does he need Nahida to... punish him?"
Before he could even think of what to say, she giggled and disappeared down the hall.
Her final threat echoed behind her. "Don't forget my lingerie money by next Friday! Or I'll tell mom all about your little collection!"