"Friend with benefits. While the two parties have engaged in physical relations, they are not in a romantic relationship."
"The relations between the parties are solely to fulfill each other's physical needs."
In the room, on the bed, Clara lay on her side, her back turned to Firefly. She fished out her phone and, hidden from Firefly's view, secretly opened the "Interastral Peace Corporation Universal Search Engine" to look up the meaning of the term.
"So… does Firefly just see me as an friend with benefits?"
Clara looked at the answer displayed on her phone screen, her eyes dimming with a hint of dejection as she muttered the words under her breath.
Thinking back, she and Firefly had never officially defined their relationship, so naturally, they couldn't be considered lovers.
She and Firefly weren't lovers, yet they had done everything except the final step…
Wasn't that the very definition of a friend with benefits?
"Clara, what's wrong?" Though she hadn't quite caught Clara's muttering, Firefly heard the soft sound. She scooted closer and wrapped her arms around Clara, pulling her into an embrace.
Firefly had thought that after what had just happened, the bond between them had deepened. She didn't expect Clara to refuse a little hug like this.
But to her surprise, the moment she embraced Clara, before she could even properly savor the scent emanating from her, Clara pushed her away forcefully.
"Don't touch me."
The thought that Firefly might only see her as that kind of relationship stirred a blaze of anger in Clara's heart.
"Huh?" Firefly blinked, utterly bewildered by Clara's demeanor.
One moment she was letting me do as I pleased, and the next she's pushing me away like a stranger…
Firefly silently complained in her head, but her expression remained unchanged.
She asked softly, "Clara, what's wrong? Did I do something bad?"
"No. I just don't want you holding me," Clara retorted, turning her face away with a huff.
Firefly: ?
Firefly was confused. She couldn't recall doing anything wrong.
Thinking back over the recent events, she scratched her head, unable to figure it out.
"Could it be that she thought I was too slow earlier?"
After pondering for a moment, that was the only conclusion Firefly could reach.
"Or is she upset that I didn't react more to Silver Wolf's situation?"
Firefly wasn't sure, but she decided to address both possibilities.
Silver Wolf could wait until tomorrow. Right now, there was a more pressing matter at hand…
Recalling how Clara had been earlier—clothes disheveled, eyes glazed, completely surrendering to her touch—the heat in Firefly's heart roared back to life.
She swallowed hard, shifted her body slowly, and then pinned Clara beneath her.
"Hey… Clara."
"Let's continue what we didn't finish earlier."
Clara: …
Seeing the raw desire burning in Firefly's eyes, Clara felt a wave of hurt wash over her.
You awful Firefly… you really do just see me as an friend with benifits…
Clara pressed her lips together. Feeling Firefly's fingers slowly creeping closer, trying to slip off her clothes, the anger in Clara's chest exploded. She shoved Firefly away with all her might and shouted,
"Get away! I don't want to do this with you!!!"
After pushing Firefly off, tears welling at the corners of her eyes, Clara yanked the covers over herself, hiding completely beneath them.
"…"
Firefly was at a loss, stunned by Clara's outburst. Her mind went blank, utterly clueless about what she had done to make Clara so angry.
But now wasn't the time to dwell on that. Firefly reached out and gently pulled a corner of the blanket back, peeking inside to find Clara curled into a tight ball.
"Hey… little Clara, I'm really sorry. I messed up. Can you forgive me?"
Even though Firefly had no idea what her mistake was, when your sweetheart is upset, you just have to make it right~o(￣▽￣)ブ
"Hmph!" Clara turned her head away, refusing to let Firefly see her face.
"Little Clara~ I'm really~ really sorry…" Firefly put on her best pleading expression, her voice softening into a sugary, coaxing tone meant to melt Clara's heart.
"You… hmph!"
Hearing that voice, Clara's heart did a flip. Under normal circumstances, if Firefly asked for the stars, Clara would find a way to pluck them from the sky.
But right now, Clara was furious, absolutely livid, utterly incensed! So, she responded to Firefly's apology with nothing but a cold snort.
Without another word, Clara shut her eyes tight, pretending to be asleep.
"Clara~" Seeing her like this, Firefly sensed her anger had subsided a little. She poked Clara's cheek softly.
"I don't know why you're upset, but if you tell me, I promise I'll fix it."
"Okay?"
Firefly lay on her side, gazing at Clara's flawless face, a look of utter infatuation spreading across her own.
"So… incredibly cute…"
She reached out and caressed Clara's cheek, her eyes overflowing with tender affection.
"…"
Clara remained silent for a while before finally opening her eyes. With a trace of nervousness in her voice, she spoke up:
"Um… Firefly."
"Mm, I'm here," Firefly responded with a warm smile upon hearing her voice.
"Do… do you like me?" Once the words were out, Clara clenched her fists beneath the blanket, her eyes a mix of tension and hope.
As if afraid Firefly might misunderstand, Clara quickly added:
"The kind of like I mean… is the kind… between lovers…"
Firefly's eyes widened slightly in surprise; she hadn't expected Clara to ask such a question.
But she recovered quickly, her face breaking into a sincere smile as she pulled Clara into a tight embrace.
"Mm, I know."
"Whether it's the liking between friends, between comrades, or even between family…"
"No matter which kind, I like you so, so much."
"But if you mean the liking between lovers…" Firefly deliberately paused here, wanting to tease Clara just a tiny bit~
Hearing this, Clara's heart skipped a beat, her entire being yearning for Firefly's answer.
"Then my answer would be two words."
"Super, super, super, super, super, super like!"
Before Clara could fully process the words, Firefly leaned in and left a gentle kiss on her forehead.
"That was seven words," Clara said, stunned for a moment before the realization hit. Feeling the lingering warmth on her forehead, all the anger in her heart instantly dissolved.
"Who needs the affection of an illiterate like you…"
Clara reached out and actively wrapped her arms around Firefly. She closed her eyes and rested her head softly against Firefly's chest.
"Goodnight, you illiterate Firefly…"
"Mm, goodnight."
Firefly didn't mind the nickname at all. She let out a soft chuckle, closed her eyes, and, breathing in Clara's scent, gradually drifted off to sleep.
Once she sensed the person in front of her had fallen asleep, Clara opened her eyes. Gazing at Firefly's exquisite face, she couldn't help but stare in awe.
"So beautiful…"
She whispered the praise softly, then leaned in and pressed her lips against Firefly's, leaving a trace of her own presence behind.
Afterward, Clara blushed and stole a glance at Firefly. Seeing no sign of her waking up, she breathed a sigh of relief.
Why does this feel like doing something naughty and being terrified of getting caught by a grown-up?!
She silently screamed inside her head, then closed her eyes again. With her head nestled against Firefly's chest and her breathing steady, she too slipped into dreamland…
"Firefly… I… like you too…"
A barely audible whisper escaped Clara's lips.
So quiet that no one could possibly hear it…
…
T/N: There is no English equivalent for illiterate but for speaking, besides maybe Inarticulate, which doesn't really fit.
…
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