She wasn’t sure why - but it felt strange to hear such words come from the snake man. She stared at the back of the short, messy obsidian haired head of his. Some of the lower strands had dipped into the water and the nekojin absently reached out to curl the strands around her finger. She didn’t need to deal with this shit. His hair was wetter now

She really didn’t need to deal with this fucking shit.

So...it was nice to hear them from him. She was terrible at expressing gratitude so did it the only way she really knew how. Through physical gestures. He was confused when she did - had apparently not expected her to move. “DId I soak you a lil too much?” Ayaka asked as she continued to tug on the strands of hair absently. “I’m almost done here, you can climb in after if you like.”


“It's not how I would have preferred you to get me wet and - no, very much so, no. Water baths to NOT agree with me. I might join, to join you, but not alone. No, no no.”

“Why?” She was curious. Ayaka knew of many water snakes, and many desert snakes. She wasn’t sure where his species sat on the spetrum.

“I couldn't really tell you. Just always detested getting into baths. Showers I can stand, barely. But if I'm going to get in a bath I need it to be a hot sand one.”

She snorted, feeling her energy slowly return after the low blow of a realisation that her damn fucking little sister was still far better than her in every aspect of life without even TRYING. “And here I thought I may have to drug you with truth serum again to get an answer
from you, snakeboy.” He snorted, amusingly echoing her own sound.

“No, the only thing you need to consider dosing me with is an aphrodisiac and that is only a maybe.” He chuckled.

Now. There was a thought. “I doubt you need it.” She mused as she drummed her fingers over the waters surface. “Yours makes someone feel incredibly hot, like they’re floating. We’ve proven I have the willpower to fight it. Even if my body does its own thing.”

Now why the hell did he snort there? Was he - no put that aside for now.

“I wonder if it feels similar to a bath. That Strange floating, euphoric feeling it brings. Rather - I’m beginning to wonder if it really is just an aphrodisiac or if its something more. It’s more complex than what I’ve worked with. It works the body in overdrive but it also lulls the mind. It’s...a strange concoction.” Ayaka laughed. “And it’s competely fuckin’ natural to you. Fuck. I need to work harder on my own contagions.”

He laughed. “And my toxin is just as bad. It numbs the injection site, so you don't feel it dissolving you. Goes inert in minutes. And is totally natural to my species as well.”

Ayaka stood, allowing the water to run off the tanned curvatures of her body. She stepped past Estus and grabbed a towel to immediately wrap around her lower half. “I was going to- “ She stopped as he interrupted her.

“Damn, love that view.” He blinked. “Sorry, you were saying?”

Ayaka swished her tail up at him, flicking him with water. She was going to tell him that she was considering trying this aphrodisiac whilst calming lying in water. To see if the effects on the body, or the mind were stronger. She wanted to see if she could pinpoint the key differences between the two. But no… “I don’t think it matters.” She said.

“I disagree. Go ahead and say it. Nothing ventured nothing gained.” He stood up smoothly, rising into his normal stance.”

“Tch. Make me.” She muttered as she went to turn away.

“Kitten.” His voice was soft, but stern. Oh no, he wasn’t going to tempt her that way - fuck, there were lights, familiar ones, glittering against the walls. She saw a glint of shimmer dart in and out of the corner of her view. Ayaka ignored it as she began to dry her legs. “I’m drying myself here, snakeboy.” Or at least she was, until scintillating hands covered hers, and she felt his body behind her, surrounding her. He was humming, and Ayaka could feel the vibrations bouncing between their bodies.

“What?” Ayaka lingered, only for a moment before turning. His arms wouldn’t allow her to step back. She was about to give him a smart ass comment about him wanting to-wanting to….something...with her breasts. Fuck he was bright.

“There's those pretty eyes, kitten.” His voice seemed to creep into her ears, smoothly sliding inside and echoing in a lasting manner. Was he.. Was he gyrating? No, the scales themselves were moving, but his gaze kept catching hers, his intense orange eyes captivating hers. And that vibration that rattling that seemed to settle in her bones, that reverberated every fiber.

She didn’t know it, but he was employing his full hypnotic effect on her just like the first day they met. He was fishing for answers. “Now kitten what was that idea of yours? I'm sure it was something worth trying.”

Ayaka tilted her head, her ears low. “I… wanted to test the effects of the aphrodisiac in a calm state in the water. To see the differences between how it affects the mind and the body. Yours is very complex and I want to...to…” Her eyes furrowed. “Learn more so I can replicate it and sell it. I wanted to take advantage of you, you said I couldn’t use it without it being injected into me.”

“Ah.” He laughed, the sound sending interesting vibrations through her body. Why was he so bright and colorful? Wasn't it a problem for… For… crap She couldn’t think. Her thoughts shifted back to what she was thinking about in the tub.

There was a pause to her words then a lull with her head. “I want to become stronger. Should it matter how?”

“It doesn't. I actually respect it kitten.” Oh, that was his tongue on her neck tracing up and down. She could tell she knew that the fangs were near. Why had he not wanted to..

He dropped her into the tub unexpectedly, the sudden shock to her system jolting through her. Ayaka splashed, pushing herself to the surface. Why had he done that? She pushed strands of hair out of her eyes and shifted them to his shimmering form. Still glazed, still under his hypnotic trance. The unknowing Nekojin had walked into this. She couldn’t pick why but she felt warm, satisfied.

“What...was that for?”