Noah abruptly saw the light. In the end, what does it matter if Levi’s soul happens to be compatible with his? And what does it matter if he wasn’t asexual as he thought? Wouldn’t he still continue to live just the same as he had been living up to now? He is still Noah and always had been just Noah. He loved what he loved, hated what he hated, did what he thought was right, and lived his life how he wanted.

In essence, nothing had changed.

As for this intimacy, that shouldn’t have happened… ah, well, he’d leave it to time. After a while, these complex emotions will disperse, and spicy memories will be forgotten.

Feeling like he had been worrying over nothing, Noah felt greatly encouraged. Without further ado, he pushed the bathroom door open and took his first step outside. With a resolute, confident stride… he nearly walked right into Levi, who had been pacing in front of the door.

As soon as he came face to face with Astar Levi, the wonderful effects of Noah’s previous lengthy pep immediately showed, and he met Levi’s eyes with unwavering– ptui, as if!!! What pep talk?!? The pep talk was utterly forgotten, ok?!?

Shy to death baby Noah, ‘Momma Time, please pass quickly!!! Your son is about to die of embarrassment!!!’ QAQ

The wide-eyed Noah, whose skin tone was quickly turning into a delicious shade of cooked shrimp, unconsciously tightened the grip on his towel until his fingers turned white.

And then, much to his horror, he remembered his current state of (un)dress!! That’s right! He had forgotten to take a change of clothes into the bathroom earlier when he had been in a hurry to escape the scene of the crime!! QAQ

Between his naked self and Levi stood only a white fluffy towel!!

Ah, ah! He was wearing even less coming out of the bathroom than when he had come in!!!

_(´ཀ`∠)_

***

After knocking on the bathroom door and receiving his baby’s lovely response that was as sweet as honey, Levi still didn’t feel reassured. His darling had been inside that bathroom for a very long time, ah! The only thing keeping Levi from bursting into the bathroom in a panic was the fact that he could occasionally hear water splashes signaling him that the occupant was still very much alive and kicking.

Levi had long finished his own shower in the second bathroom on the other side of the suite and had been waiting for his baby to come out ever since. Though the sounds from inside were adorable, resembling a little duckling playing in the pond, the more Levi waited, the more worried he became.

Was his darling hiding from him?

Did his baby regret it?

Was he unable to accept what happened between them?

His panic slowly grew like dough inside the oven. He should have been more patient! His baby wasn’t ready to accept his feelings yet!

Levi glued his eyes to the bathroom door, internally beating himself up over the matter. With each passing second, the dark thoughts slowly ate him up from inside out.

Did his baby lock himself inside and was now trembling like a little bunny in the tub?

Did he perhaps crank up the shower to hide the sounds of his weeping?

The more Levi thought, the wilder the ideas produced by his large brain-pit became.

By the time his darling finally came out of the bathroom, Levi had already finished writing a heart-wrenching Romeo and Juliet play. And was now desperately pacing back and forth in front of the bathroom with his face as white as chalk.

His trembling little bunny rabbit came out with his head lowered and ears pink, wrapped in a huge towel resembling a burrito. And unbeknownst to Levi, the thoughts running through his baby’s head were not any less ridiculous than his own: Ah, ah! Would his brother misunderstand him as having no modesty? Or think that he had some impure intentions in coming out practically naked?! Ah! What kind of person would come out in only a towel after doing such naughty things with another?! It’s like he was ‘thirsty’ and begging to be ‘pushed down’!

‘Noooo! Brother!!! Don’t misunderstand!!’ QAQ

Noah’s ears flared up until they were neon pink, and he shrunk into himself, feeling both very bashful and especially vulnerable. A single tug and he would be completely naked! And he couldn’t even comfort himself by the thought that Levi and him were both men!!

Men or women, or whatever! Even when he had thought himself asexual, the gender made no difference to him! And now that there was a possibility of him preferring men, he could ignore the same gender even less!!!

Noah’s mulling over his messy thoughts was interrupted when his soother senses picked up Levi’s chaotic mental state. And then this wonderous, easily distracted creature completely forgot his worries and rushed to soothe his pitiful ex-brother-in-law. Ah, the beauty of a one-track mind!

Unfortunately, Noah’s power had yet to fully recover. Thus a sharp migraine flared up as soon as he attempted to mobilize his soothing. Noah winced and abandoned the idea. Right now, he could only employ the less magical methods of soothing.

And thus, he quickly trotted over, his concerned dewy eyes flying up towards Levi’s face, “What’s wrong? Are you not feeling well??”

Underneath the gaze of those wide, doe-like eyes, Levi froze in place. The two amber orbs were watery because of the moisture inside the shower. Their rims were still red from the involuntary tears shed due to the earlier morning activities. But those beautiful eyes nevertheless reflected Levi’s image like a mirror, still just as clear as spring water.

Noah had only managed to hold Levi’s gaze for a second before quickly lowering his eyes back down as if burned, his flush spreading down his neck.

Levi, “…” (・―・) …It would seem he, Levi, had overthought things again?

Sure, the little one was gripping the towel as if his life depended on it. And he had shrunk his neck into his shoulders until only the fluffy head popped out. But, his baby didn’t seem to detest or fear him, ah?

On the contrary… it kinda looked… looked… as if his baby was just feeling shy?

Levi’s restless heart slowly settled back down.

And then started to race again, but for totally different reasons.

Ah, his freshly bathed baby in nothing but a towel!!

(／≧ω＼)

His darling’s limbs were long and slender, their skin smooth and, initially, as white as tofu. But the more he looked, the pinker they became, as if a prawn sizzling on the pan, he slowly turned more tender and delicious by the second.

His thick wet eyelashes clumped together, fluttering nervously in their attempts to hide the two precious amber gems. The plump red lips enticingly glistened with clear crystalline liquid; whether it was saliva or water Levi couldn’t tell.

Most of his light brown hair was still damp, with the finer strands still wet and sticking to his forehead. There was even a crystalline drop of water that slid down his neck to his delicate collarbones.

Levi again felt the dreaded stirring in his loins.

Noah could clearly feel that Levi’s agitated mental power was rapidly calming down in his vicinity. Still, the other had yet to respond to Noah’s inquiry about his well-being. Noah wanted to gently tug at the hem of Levi’s shirt, but he didn’t dare let go of his towel with either one of his hands.

Thus, he could only mewl to attract the other’s attention, “Brother…?” He uneasily fidgeted on his feet.

“I’m…” Levi swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, “…fine.”

Author Note:

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you have a great time with your friends and family. Or your books/games/hobbies.

P.S. I've got good news and bad news for you.

The good news is that you've now caught up with the most current SSC chapter thus you are no longer behind on chapters as opposed to other book versions.

The bad news is... well, a while back I temporarily lowered SSC's release rate to one chapter every two days. And I've yet to return it, thus from now on, unless you guys get a bonus chapter due to Tapas Ink or Ko-fi donations, chapter releases will be one per two days.