"What are we having for dinner, babe?"
Lia asked cheerfully, her slender legs swinging rhythmically with Long's steps. She tightened her arms around his neck, resting her chin on his sturdy shoulder, then suddenly leaned in, letting her soft lips lightly graze the shell of his ear.
The hot breath against his sensitive spot made Long's entire body stiffen. His legs, carrying her, involuntarily trembled, nearly buckling.
"Ngh... God! What do you think you're doing?!"
Long gasped, his voice cracking with startlement. Feeling Long wobble, Lia reflexively tightened her grip for fear of falling. But the moment her gaze landed on her lover's ear, now glowing a deep crimson like a ripe fruit, a mischievous grin instantly blossomed on her lips.
Her small fingers began to fondle and caress that burning ear. Wherever she stroked, Long flinched as if electrocuted.
Seeing this, Lia leaned her lips even closer to his ear, whispering a teasing remark:
"So this is your weak point? How cute~"
Long's face burned, intoxicated by her bold actions. His heart raced wildly, then slowed to a soothing rhythm as the fresh herbal scent from Lia gradually invaded his mind.
Amidst the darkness and the cold clinging to his skin, the soft warmth wrapping around his bare back and the whispering in his ear made it impossible for him to feel even a shred of fear or loneliness.
Just like that, he walked steadily on the path home. His large hands supported Lia's porcelain-white thighs, feeling his fingertips sinking into the soft flesh. Unconsciously, he squeezed a few times because it felt so incredibly soft.
The action was immediately caught by Lia. She reached out and poked his cheek, her voice laced with a bit of a pout:
"Are you trying to grope me or something?"
The corner of Long's lips curled into a mischievous smirk, and he calmly replied with a rhetorical question:
"Why? Don't you like it?"
Having said that, his wandering hands deliberately gave her soft skin a few more light squeezes. Lia jumped, her face turning beet red. She thumped his back a few times to vent, her cheeks puffing out in a sulk:
"You jerk! Answering a question with a question again? I hate you, I'm not talking to you anymore!"
Seeing her ruffle her feathers, Long let out a soft chuckle, the deep sound resonating from his chest. He lowered his voice, coaxing gently:
"Come on, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, babe. I love you so much, don't be mad at me."
The sweet apology turned Lia into mush. She snuggled closer to Long's sturdy back, her small fingers idly playing with a lock of his strange black-and-white hair.
"Hmph... I'll let you off this time."
She talked tough, but in reality, she hadn't been angry at all from the start. She was just enjoying the privilege of acting spoiled and being pampered by her lover.
A magical violet light at the end of the dark tunnel caught Lia's eye over Long's shoulder.
"There's the teleportation gate! We're almost home. Let's have hotpot tonight, okay?"
Long's voice rang out with joy. Hearing that, Lia couldn't help but smile, nuzzling into the crook of his neck, replying in a voice as sweet as honey:
"Yes~"
...
"BLEUGH!!!"
All the budding romance was strangled instantly.
On the stone floor, two figures were on their hands and knees, competing to expel everything in their stomachs. The familiar nausea hit like a tsunami, followed by a maddening itch deep in their marrow, as if thousands of fire ants were scurrying under their skin the moment they stepped through the gate.
Long helped Lia take shaky steps out of the dungeon entrance. His gaze accidentally swept past the window slit, catching the starry night sky like a silent painting, a stark contrast to the chaos down below.
Both took the opportunity to wash off the filth. This time, Lia absolutely didn't dare tease him about "bathing together" anymore. Because, after what happened, she vaguely realized that if he actually nodded and agreed... she wouldn't know where to hide her blushing face.
After showering, Long turned on the TV, picked a cartoon channel, and sat her on the sofa. Lia's eyes lit up, glued to the colorful moving images, her finger pointing incessantly with ten thousand "Why" questions.
Long stood behind her, holding the hairdryer and gently combing through her wet, jet-black locks, graciously and patiently answering every single one of those innocent queries.
The hairdryer whirred to a stop, returning silence to the room, save for the bubbling sound of the hotpot on the stove.
Long turned it off, smoothed Lia's glossy black hair, then looked at himself in the large mirror. His hair was now past his shoulders, a wild mix of jet black and silvery-white streaks. His eyes drifted to the wall calendar. Back-to-school day was approaching.
He let out a long sigh. Dragging this look to school would definitely get him nabbed by the supervisors, then he'd have to cut it short and dye it black again... just thinking about it was a hassle.
Seeing Long's pensive look, Lia spoke up, her voice sweet:
"This hair color really suits you. I like your hair now."
That sentence was like a stimulant for Long's inner rebellion. He smirked. Yeah, right? So what if I break the rules? Liam also had stark white hair due to albinism, and the school didn't dare force him to dye it black. He could totally use that guy as a shield...
His train of thought screeched to a halt like a broken film reel.
The smile on Long's lips vanished. He just realized an ironic truth: In an unconscious moment, he still thought of Liam as a best friend, a sturdy shield from the old days. He forgot that that guy was the ringleader, the one who turned his two years of high school into a living hell.
Long's hand gently touched his chin, his gaze becoming deep and contemplative.
Liam's change... it was too sudden. Too unreasonable. From a brother who would die for him, why turn around and tear him apart so ruthlessly right when his only support—his grandfather—had just passed away? Something... wasn't right here.
"I'm hungry..."
Lia's whining broke his train of thought. Long looked up to see the small girl holding out her empty bowl with both hands, her violet eyes blinking with shimmering expectation.
That look flustered Long; he hurriedly heaped piles of beef and shrimp into her bowl.
Lia happily scooped a piece of tender beef soaked in the spicy-sour hotpot broth into her mouth. The explosion of flavor made her cup her cheeks and sway with delight:
"Mmm~ Having a human body is amazing! Being able to eat your delicious cooking every day like this, nothing beats it."
Long added a hot beef ball to her bowl, asking gently:
"Are you over worrying about not being able to return to your fairy form?"
Lia snatched the beef ball mid-air, chewing noisily before replying:
"Hmm... I'm still worried. Don't know if I'll get kicked out carrying this form back to the Palace... But, I'm actually more worried about turning back to my old form."
Long's eyes widened slightly in surprise:
"Why worry about that?"
Lia turned her face away, avoiding his gaze. Her fingers dug into her skirt, her face burning like a ripe fruit, whispering her answer:
"Because... if I turn back into that tiny fairy form... how am I supposed to bear your children?"
That sentence struck Long like Cupid's arrow, stiffening his whole body. He quickly covered his mouth to hide his embarrassment, but nothing could hide his furiously blushing cheeks. In that moment, his gaze wavered intensely, and it seemed the whole world turned a vibrant pink.
An awkward atmosphere enveloped them both after that "earth-shattering" statement, making neither dare to say another word, just burying their heads to finish the hotpot quickly.
Full and drunk on food, Lia hopped onto the sofa, sprawling out lazily. She rubbed her warm, distended belly, smacking her lips in regret that the satisfying meal was over. Distracted, her view of the wooden ceiling was gradually blocked by a shadow looming over.
Lia started. Long was crawling onto the sofa, trapping her between his arms, his long tied-back hair draping over his shoulder. Her cheeks flushed, but looking closely, Long's face was even redder.
A bold thought flashed in her mind: "Is he... does he want to impregnate me right now?"
The thought barely finished when, by reflex, her legs clamped tight together, her breathing became heavy, eyes squeezed shut in anticipation.
Long's hand grazed the soft waist exposed under her t-shirt, making her let out a soft moan:
"You... aren't you a bit... rushed—"
Before she could finish, Long suddenly dug his fingers deep into her waist. Lia jolted, twisting like a worm and struggling, laughing like a maniac from the tickling. Her voice broke, begging between gasps:
"Ah haha... Stop... stop it... haha... what are you doing?!"
"Punishment for making me say those cheesy lines in front of everyone! Just thinking about it makes me want to crawl into a hole."
He stopped, pulling the breathless girl into his arms, gently patting her head. Lia nuzzled his chest, murmuring:
"Good heavens, I thought I was about to become a mother right then and there."
Long chuckled, lips brushing the top of Lia's head, whispering softly:
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do. Wait until I'm of legal age, okay?"