The next morning, early light bathed the room.
Alina woke as she always did, turning to look at Jeanne sleeping soundly beside her. Recalling her bold actions from the previous night, a faint blush still crept across her cheeks.
She hadn't truly anticipated pushing things that far. She had simply thought that during this trip, away from everyone else, she might finally express her feelings—and yesterday had presented the absolute best opportunity.
"Though... thinking about it now, it turned out to be a wonderful surprise," Alina murmured softly.
The blanket slipped down her shoulders, revealing her smooth shoulders beneath. She lay back, resting her chin on her hand as she studied Jeanne's peaceful sleeping face, a bright, tender smile gracing her lips.
Looking at her now, it felt as though Jeanne hadn't changed a single bit over the years. Ever since they first met, she had carried this exact same nature—a gentle, earnest presence that was impossible to dislike.
Alina reached out, her fingers gently brushing across Jeanne's cheek before trailing toward her small, delicate ear, lightly playing with it. Under her soft touches, Jeanne's face slowly flushed a deep pink until her eyelids fluttered open.
"Did you not burn off enough energy last night?" Jeanne grumbled, glaring playfully at Alina. "You don't seem exhausted at all!"
Ever since yesterday, Alina seemed to have turned remarkably bold. Was it because the dam had finally broken, leaving her free to let her heart's desires run wild without restraint?
"I don't know," Alina teased, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Someone's hair turned golden halfway through, and suddenly it was like dealing with a completely different person. You kept me busy far longer than I kept you—should I take that as proof you've harbored these thoughts for a while?"
Alina recalled how, just as she was gaining the upper hand, Jeanne's platinum-blonde hair had shifted into brilliant gold. The usually sacred, dignified maiden had taken on a strikingly different, alluring intensity in that moment.
"Well, you wouldn't stop poking at me, so I had to fight back," Jeanne muttered, her eyes darting away in mild embarrassment. But her flustered look quickly melted into a soft smile as she met Alina's gaze.
"You really are bold, you know. Before yesterday, I never imagined you held these feelings for me. When did it even start?" Jeanne traced back through their years together in her mind, yet the shift felt so seamless that she had never caught a distinct turning point.
Perhaps she truly had been a bit slow on the uptake.
"When did it start...?" Alina fell silent, sinking naturally into Jeanne's arms and resting her head against the soft warmth of her chest.
When had it begun?
Perhaps it was back when she was first diagnosed with Oripathy, terrified of what lay ahead, only to find Jeanne treating her with the exact same warmth and care as always. Or perhaps it was during those early years when Jeanne had looked after her, always carrying that bright, gentle smile.
Thinking back on those days, the corners of Alina's lips curled upward.
"Maybe it just gradually transformed while we spent time together," Alina murmured, her voice soft against Jeanne's neck. "I couldn't pinpoint an exact moment if I tried. But taking the chance while we were completely alone to say it—and to get an answer—was wonderful."
Alina laid subtle emphasis on the words completely alone, looking up to meet Jeanne's awkward, embarrassed smile.
Indeed, opportunities for just the two of them had been rare throughout their travels. Even when they had quiet moments, Blaze or the Doctor usually occupied the neighboring rooms. Had Blaze not been occupied late yesterday, the two of them would never have dared to be so reckless—after all, a Feline operator's sharp hearing would have caught every single sound.
"I didn't notice any of that," Jeanne turned her head shyly, her movement pulling the sheet down to expose her smooth shoulder, which caught the morning sun in a soft glow. "Who would have guessed you were harboring those thoughts?"
"Regardless... you look exceedingly cute like this," Alina whispered.
With a smooth motion, she pinned Jeanne back onto the bed, propping her hands on either side of Jeanne's head as she looked down at her.
Then, she pressed her weight down, their bodies aligning once more as smoothly as two winding vines, wrapping together so closely it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.
Alina leaned down, her lips gently catching Jeanne's sensitive earlobe.
Faced with the sudden sensation, Jeanne gasped, her body reacting instantly. A strange, electrifying warmth surged through her, leaving her torn between pulling away and leaning closer into the touch.
"Don't... don't bite there! It feels... terrible!" Jeanne pleaded, her body squirming uncontrollably beneath Alina's weight.
"I realized it last night," Alina giggled softly, her soft tongue lightly tracing the rim of Jeanne's ear. "I had no idea your biggest weakness was right here."
"If that's how it is, then don't blame me!" Jeanne reached around Alina's waist, her fingers catching hold of Alina's short, fluffy deer tail, giving it a playful squeeze.
A soft, breathless gasp escaped Alina's lips.
Just as Jeanne's weakness lay in her ears, Alina's vulnerability rested entirely in that short, furry tail—a hidden spot that couldn't escape Jeanne's mischievous grasp.
Neither surrendered despite having their weak points caught.
Nearly an hour passed before the two lay still, utterly spent.
Even in their stillness, Alina remained draped over Jeanne, their frames pressed flush against each other, the soft warmth of their chests rising and falling in sync.
Jeanne looked up at Alina lying atop her, noting the vibrant flush still lingering on the Elafia's cheeks.
"I'll say it again—how do you turn into a completely different person at times like this?" Jeanne panted softly. "You're usually so gentle and quiet, yet you get so surprisingly pushy here."
"Who knows?" Alina smiled, her fingers lightly twirling a lock of Jeanne's hair. "Maybe it's because you're just so easy to tease in this state? Or perhaps you should switch back to your golden form—I rather miss how assertive you were."
The sensation of their shared warmth left Alina thoroughly entranced. Catching a tiny bead of sweat glistening on Jeanne's cheek, Alina leaned in and gently licked it away, finding the faint, salty trace surprisingly sweet.
"Tell me," Alina murmured like a contented cat, lightly nuzzling Jeanne's cheeks until Jeanne's skin was damp with her kisses, "if the water from your bath can become holy water... does that mean your bodily fluids count as holy water too?"
"How on earth should I know?!" Jeanne replied hastily, her cheeks flushing bright red. "I don't go around using that sort of thing as holy water! Even bathwater is only used in absolute emergencies!"
She had no desire to dive deeper into such a bizarre topic. If Alina convinced herself it worked, what if she insisted on using it to treat her Oripathy later?!
"We could always test it," Alina suggested, her hand sliding downward once more, but this time Jeanne caught her wrist, shaking her head.
"It's already late. We need to get up and wash!" Jeanne said, catching her breath as she sat up. "After all that, we need to clean off properly. I'll go heat some water for us to wipe down."
Though the intimacy was intoxicating, Jeanne knew they couldn't stay buried in bed all day. If someone walked in on them later, it would be thoroughly embarrassing.
Alina sat up with a faint look of reluctance, glancing at the bright sun outside the window, though she didn't object. It was indeed time to freshen up.
Before Alina could stand, however, an unexpected assault caught her completely off guard.
Jeanne leaned in, catching Alina's lips in an intimate kiss.
They intwined for several warm seconds before Jeanne finally pulled back, wearing a mischievous grin. Alina sat stunned, her hand resting against her mouth, utterly unprepared for the sudden ambush.
"If you're so curious whether my fluids work," Jeanne teased, her golden eyes sparkling with playfulness, "you can consider that a trial run. Saliva counts as a fluid too, doesn't it?"
With a playful wink, Jeanne stepped out of bed, her figure moving smoothly toward the adjoining washroom. Since the simple mountain room lacked modern plumbing, she still had to heat water manually over the stove to prepare their bath.
Left sitting on the bed, Alina hadn't quite recovered her senses. She touched her lips, staring blankly ahead for a long moment until Jeanne called out from the washroom, asking for a hand with the water.
Smiling softly, she stood up and walked toward the washroom to join her.
That taste wasn't bad at all... but next time, I'm definitely getting her back.