After absorbing the sight of her side-boob, his gaze descended, devouring the view of her flat belly and cute belly button like a man starved, before traveling down further. He couldn’t follow the curvature of her spine, but that meant little when he caught sight of her shapely butt. Her tails swished back and forth, covering and then revealing tantalizing glimpses of bare bottom. Following the compass of her tush, Lilian’s gorgeous legs
extended seemingly forever, ending in a pair of oddly beautiful feet. Her cute little toes wiggled on the cold tile.
By all eight-million Shinto gods, there really is something wrong with me.
This wasn’t the first time he had seen Lilian naked. This wasn’t even the 40th time. While Kevin hadn’t bothered counting these encounters of the nude and sexy kind, it felt like the numbers had already expanded into the hundreds—a slight exaggeration, to be sure, but he wasn’t one to sweat semantics.
He should have been used to this. He was used to this, and yet the sight of a naked Lilian still got to him every. Stinking. Time.
“Kevin?”
Lilian had finally noticed his presence and turned around, giving him a full frontal view of her naked body. Kevin thought his eyes might literally pop out of his skull. Heat rushed to his
cheeks… and just about every other part of his body.
If Lilian noticed how red he was becoming, she did a very good job of ignoring it.
“What are you doing in here? Did you want to take a shower with me?” At the thought of Kevin finally wanting to join her in the shower, Lilian’s eyes lit up like a million-watt bulb. “I just got out, but I wouldn’t mind getting back in. I could even wash your back for you.”
Kevin only registered her words in an abstract sense; like a deaf person, he could see her mouth moving, but couldn’t hear her words. The entirety of his being was focused solely on the vision of loveliness before him.
“Kevin?”
Worry overcame Lilian at Kevin’s lack of response. She walked up to him, which invariably drew his attention to her breasts. With each step she took, they swayed, bounced and jiggled in a manner that would have made any man lose it.
Kevin felt blood rushing to his cheeks and another, far more sensitive part of his anatomy. His heart pounded in his chest like a mad drummer in a heavy metal band. He started to grow dizzy as blood fused to his face.
“Are you okay, Kevin? Your face is all red.” Lilian’s lovely face filled his vision. Reaching up and placing a hand behind his head, the beautiful fox-girl pulled him down until their foreheads touched. “You do feel a little hot,” she murmured softly, her hot breath hitting his lips. “But you don’t seem to have a fever or―eh?”
Being so close to Lilian, who looked like she’d been lovingly crafted by the hands of angels to perfectly blend enchanting innocence and deadly allure, was too much. It was way too much. The adolescent mind was not meant to be confronted with such flawless perfection, nor something so sexy. Having a body sinful enough to make Satan envious pressing against him didn’t help matters either.
Lilian watched, blinking, as Kevin was launched backwards by the blood spurting from his nose like a fountain. He shot out of the bathroom, the door shattering as he slammed into it like a battering ram, and flew into the hallway. The wall cracked around his unconscious body as he struck it with the force of an armor-piercing artillery round, abrasions appearing around the center of impact.
He hung there for several seconds, and then his body slowly peeled off like the paint on a Gundam that had sustained laser damage, falling face first to the ground where he lay, unmoving, save for the occasional spastic twitch.
Lilian slowly reached up to her face, where she wiped the blood off almost absentmindedly, her eyes never leaving the still form of her (hopefully soon) beloved mate. She eventually closed her eyes and released a content sigh.
“Oh, Beloved. You always know the best way to make this lowly Lilian feel like the most important person in the world.”
Naturally, Kevin did not answer.
***
“I’m really sorry about walking in on you,” Kevin apologized from where he sat across from Lilian. His cheeks were still a very prominent shade of red, but at least he was speaking, and without a single stutter to boot. This remarkable showing of coherent dialect was a significant improvement from as recently as two weeks ago.
“Why are you apologizing?” Lilian tilted her head for maximum adorableness… and to express her honest curiosity. “It’s not like you haven’t seen me naked before. And besides, you know I don’t mind you looking at me.”
“I know that,” Kevin muttered, looking away. “But it still doesn’t feel right to walk in on a girl when she’s taking a shower.”
“But I had just finished my shower when you walked in,” Lilian pointed out.
“That’s not the point!”
“Then what is the point?”
“It’s, uh, it’s…” Kevin thought really hard. He could practically hear his brain farting as it tried to come up with an answer for Lilian’s question. “It’s just common courtesy!”
“‘Common courtesy?’”
She looked over at Kotohime, who graciously explained the concept to her. “Common courtesy is defined as the simple mannerisms most humans are taught as children. Using words like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ at appropriate times, always being respectful to your elders.”
“So it’s basically just good manners?”
“More or less.”
“And not walking in on someone while they're in the shower is a part of this common courtesy thing?”
“I believe that falls more along the lines of common decency,” Kotohime admitted. “In human society, there are recognized standards of propriety, good taste and modesty. Basically, people expect you to behave in a decent and proper way as defined by their social standards.” Kevin squeaked like a rodent when she tossed him a glare. “Not walking in on someone while they’re taking a shower is definitely one of them.”
“Look, I’m sorry, okay? I didn’t even know you were in there! You didn’t even bother locking the door!”
“That hardly excuses your actions. It is always proper to knock before you enter a room. And in any case, you should have heard the sound of running water and known that I was in there.” Kotohime set a plate of broiled fish, a bowl of rice and another bowl filled with pickled vegetables in front of her charge. “Here you are, Lilian-sama.”
“Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
“I was distracted, okay?” Kevin mumbled lowly.
“And is that a good enough justification for your actions?”
“… No.”
“Exactly. It is not.” Kotohime gave a decisive nod as Kevin shrank into his seat, his shoulders slumping. “Now, have some breakfast, Kevin-san, and be thankful that I have decided to cook something for you at all."
Kevin stared at the small bowl of rice and even smaller plate of fish. He looked over at Lilian’s portion, which seemed nearly twice as large.
He sighed.
“Thank you,” he murmured softly, picking up the chopsticks and using them to start eating. The food stopped halfway to his mouth, however, when a thought occurred to him. “Where did you get chopsticks?”
Kotohime finished setting all of the food on the table, then stood behind Lilian, hands clasped behind her back. “I always carry several sets of chopsticks in my Extra Dimensional Storage Space.”
Kevin used the hand still holding his chopsticks to facepalm, and consequently got rice stuck to his face and in his hair.
“Dang it,” Kevin growled.
“You’re making a mess of yourself.” Lilian stood up and leaned over the table, brushing several grains of rice from his forehead.
“It’s not my fault,” Kevin muttered. When the rice was gone, the fox-girl’s fingers began running her fingers through his hair, her nails gently grazing his scalp. Despite the heat threatening to burst from Kevin�
��s cheeks, he did nothing to stop Lilian’s actions. It felt really good.
“Ara, you look like you’re enjoying my ward’s actions, Kevin-san,” Kotohime observed.
He looked at the maid-slash-bodyguard, unnerved by her neutral expression. He could never decipher her emotional state, no matter how hard she tried. Like a bank vault, the woman’s thoughts and opinions were locked up and sealed tight.
At least she hasn’t run me through with her katana. Sometimes, you’ve got to be thankful for the little things.
“Don’t look too into it or anything,” Kevin mumbled. “I’m only letting her do this because I’ve given up on trying to stop her. That’s all.”
“Is that so?” Kotohime raised her left hand to her face, demurely hiding her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono. “Ufufufu…”
“And stop laughing like that!”
Kotohime settled down, and Kevin and Lilian began eating. Kevin stuck the umeboshi into his mouth--and then promptly leapt out of his seat.
“WAAA! MY MOUTH IS ON FIRE!”
“B-BELOVED!”
Kevin ran around the room, his hands covering his mouth, which felt like it was belching fire. Lilian ran with him, trying to calm him down with little success.
“WATER! WATER!”
“Quick, Beloved! Stop, drop and roll!”
“ITS MY MOUTH ON FIRE! NOT MY BODY!”
“H-hawa!”
“DON’T GIVE ME SOME RANDOM CATCHPHRASE! HELP ME! OH, GOD! MY MOUTH! IT BURNS!!”
Kotohime watched the two panicking youngsters and placidly ate her food while standing up, her smile hidden behind her chopsticks and her eyes glittering with mischief.
Ufufufu, it’s good to be a kitsune.
***
Breakfast continued after Lilian healed Kevin’s mouth, and the group of three soon became four, when a half-dressed and partially asleep Ms. Swift stumbled into the kitchen. Kevin took one look at his mom, and then he sighed when he saw her state of undress.
“Geez, Mom,” he mumbled, standing up and walking over to her. He deftly buttoned up her white collared shirt, which looked like it had been thrown on half-haphazardly, before fixing her collar. At least she had a skirt on this time. “You’re completely useless when it comes to anything first thing in the morning. I don’t know how you manage to stay alive when you travel the globe.”
Seriously, his mom had no household talents whatsoever. Oh, she tried. She tried very hard to be a good mother, but the truth was that, more often than not, his mom would act like a younger sibling, forcing him to play the parent.
It should be the other way around.
“Nnnggggg… coffeeee…”
Resisting the urge to slam his face against a wall, Kevin guided the woman to her chair, which already had her breakfast and a cup of freshly brewed coffee in front of it.
The woman’s tired eyes focused on the meal. Then on the coffee. The meal again. Back to the coffee.
Kevin couldn’t keep himself from running a hand down his face when his mom went for the coffee, guzzling it down with much gusto.
Kotohime seemed to find some amusement in this. “Ara, ara. Swift-dono is definitely not a morning person.”
“You haven’t figured that out already?” Kevin asked with a hint of sarcasm. “Mom’s pretty much useless in the morning. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t walked into the kitchen wearing nothing but panties and a T-shirt these past few days. She’s been known to do that.”
Ms. Swift had recovered enough of her mental faculties by that point to respond. “That’s a mean thing to say about your mother.”
“Doesn’t make it any less true.”
“I’m actually kind of surprised by that.” Lilian’s eyes were on Kevin. “You always get up so early that I sort of expected your mom to be an early bird as well.”
Kevin nodded at her words. “Most people assume that, but I learned to wake up early on my own, because I knew that if I didn’t, I would be going to school without breakfast… and I’d probably end up being late, since Mom normally doesn’t wake up until nine or ten in the morning.” He spared a glance at his mom. “I’m actually kind of surprised she woke up so early today.”
“I’m up early today because I need to catch my flight back to France.”
That caught the attention of everyone at the table, but none more so than Kevin. “You’re leaving already?”
“Yep.”
“But you’ve only been here for a few days.”
“I technically wasn’t supposed to leave France at all until Christmas break,” Ms. Swift told her son. “I still have a lot of work to do. I need to interview several runway models and fashion designers for Vogue, and Elle has commissioned me for a story around Yves Saint Laurent’s Fall collection.”
Kevin’s disappointed frown spoke volumes about his feelings. “Sounds like you’re going to be busy.”
“Yeah. Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’ll be able to make it home for Christmas this year.” Ms. Swift gave her son an apologetic look. “I was only able to take time off now because I’m running ahead of schedule.”
“I understand.” And he did. His mom might not be much of a mother, but she always worked hard to provide for him. It was thanks to the work she did that they could afford to live so comfortably.
Ms. Swift’s smile was proud, but also somewhat sad. “You always were a very mature and understanding boy. I’m very proud of you.”
“M-Mom.” Kevin turned his head away from everyone in the room. He wasn’t embarrassed by his mom giving him praise in front of Lilian. No. Certainly not. And the heat spreading across his cheeks was definitely not a blush either. No way.
Denial: It’s a powerful defense mechanism.
***
When breakfast came to an end, Kevin carried his mom’s suitcase to her car.
Ms. Swift clasped her hands behind her back, gazing at the two youngsters as they stood next to each other. Standing a respectful distance from the group, Kotohime observed the proceedings with the cool gaze of a samurai.
“Well, I suppose this is where we part ways for now.”
“Yeah.” Kevin shifted uncomfortably. “I guess it is.”
“If I can’t make it home for Christmas, I’ll try to make it up to this summer, okay? Maybe we can go to Mexico or something?” Her eyes glinted at Lilian and Kotohime. “Your girlfriend and Kotohime are invited, too.”
Kevin’s face burned at his mother’s words. “She’s not my girlfriend,” he muttered. Naturally, his words were ignored by all three females present.
“A trip to Mexico?” Lilian clasped her hands under her chin, her eyes visibly sparkling. “That sounds like so much fun!”
She could just imagine it; her and Kevin walking down the beach hand in hand, the water lapping at their bare feet. Lilian would eventually start a water fight with Kevin, who would retaliate by chasing her. He would catch her and pull her to the ground, which would end with her on her back and him on top. Then he would stare into her eyes, inexplicably drawn into the depths of her emerald gaze. Slowly, he would lean down to kiss her, and their kiss would be filled with passion. And that passion would soon turn into a raging bonfire as they began stripping each other of their swimsuits, which would end with her beloved ravishing her body right there on the white sandy shores, for hours on end.
Several seconds later, Lilian became a slack-jawed, drooling idiot. Kevin, Kotohime and Ms. Swift stared at the girl with matching “what the fuck?” expressions. Kevin waved a hand in front of the redhead’s face, but received no response.
“Is it wrong that I am disturbed by this?” he asked. A second of silence followed his question before it was answered by Kotohime shaking her head.
“No. No, it is not.”
“Good.”
***
Several miles from Kevin’s apartment was a large park, complete with playground, soccer field, tennis courts and a concession stand. Two Olympic-sized swimming pools were open during
the summer months, though they were closed right now since it was fall. In the mild weather filled with falling leaves, it was the perfect place for Kevin’s and Lilian’s picnic.
Carrying a basket in one hand and a small cooler in the other, Kevin strode down a grassy hill to the soccer field. Lilian traveled by his side, and behind them, exactly six paces away, the ever-attentive Kotohime strolled with one hand resting on her katana.
“I’m so excited that we’re finally going to have our picnic,” Lilian beamed. She looked so ecstatic that Kevin couldn’t help but smile.
“What are you getting so excited about? It’s just a picnic.”
Lilian’s rebuttal came in the form of a very powerful pout.
“It’s not ‘just’ a picnic. It’s our first picnic together.” She turned her head to fully look at him, her face emblazoned with a brilliant smile that made the world seem a lot less dreary. “That makes it special to me.”
Well, geez, what could he say to something like that? And just how could this girl say something like that with such sincerity? Feeling like the world’s biggest jerk for being so indecisive was bad enough. Her making comments infused with so much sweetness that he nearly choked on the fluff was like throwing gasoline on an already raging conflagration.
“A-ah… I-I see.”
“Ufufufu, you’re so cute when you act embarrassed like that.”
… and she just butchered the entire moment with a rusty spork. Nice.
“… I really hate it when you laugh like that.”
“Sorry, Kevin. It’s—”
“If you mention how it’s a part of your character concept, I’m going to start ignoring you.”
The soccer field was quite large, about the size of two football fields, Kevin judged. Well-maintained grass lay trodden under their feet as they walked. Several dozen yards away, a group of children were running around, playing what looked like a game of tag.
They chose a shaded spot underneath a tree that had already lost most of its leaves to fall. Kevin laid a blanket down as Lilian pulled Tupperware and plates from the basket. Kotohime watched from nearby, her back against the tree and one hand casually gripping her katana.
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