Hot water poured from the showerhead, its steady rush echoing through the small bathroom. Steam filled the air, blurring the light into a hazy glow.
Genichi stood rigid beneath the water. Artemis pressed against his back, her arms wrapped around his waist and her face buried between his shoulder blades. She trembled faintly, like a small animal huddled in its den.
He could feel her growing warmer, her heartbeat quickening, her breathing becoming uneven. Yet she didn't let go. If anything, she held him tighter, as though afraid he might escape.
"Artemis."
His voice was a little strained. His fingers were still tangled in his hair, suds sliding between them and dripping to the floor, where the water washed them away.
"What exactly are you doing?"
She didn't answer.
With her cheek against his back, she could feel the contours of his muscles, the warmth of his skin, and the rhythm of his heartbeat.
Her thoughts were a tangle. She didn't know what she was doing, why she had come inside, or why she had wrapped her arms around him.
She only knew that if she didn't do this, she might regret it for the rest of her life.
She was a virgin goddess, the protector of chaste maidens, someone who had always kept men at a distance.
Yet here she was, bare and vulnerable against a man's back, her resolve slipping away with the water flowing over them.
"I don't know."
Her muffled voice trembled with uncertainty and a longing she hadn't quite recognized.
"I just wanted to."
Genichi was silent for a moment.
"Do you understand what this means?"
His voice was quiet, but serious.
After a brief silence, Artemis nodded.
"Yes."
"Will you regret it?"
"No."
Genichi sighed.
He turned off the shower and turned around to face her.
Steam drifted between them, softening their outlines.
Artemis kept her head lowered, too embarrassed to meet his eyes. Her face was scarlet, and her wet silver hair clung to her, droplets falling from its ends.
She trembled slightly. Whether from the cold or her nerves, he couldn't tell.
He reached out and gently lifted her chin until she was looking into his eyes.
Nervousness, anticipation, and bashfulness mingled in her gaze, along with an affection she had yet to fully recognize.
Genichi watched her for a moment, then lowered his head and kissed her.
This kiss was different from the one beside the lake.
That had been a calculation, a transaction, a means of obtaining her authority.
This was an answer.
Acceptance.
A promise.
Artemis stiffened briefly, then relaxed.
She lifted her arms around his neck and returned the kiss, awkward but earnest.
Her breath caught, and her heart raced.
For a little while, everything else fell away. There was only his warmth and the quiet happiness of being with him.
More than half an hour later, Genichi carried a thoroughly exhausted Artemis out of the bathroom.
She still trembled faintly, her legs too unsteady to support her, leaving her nestled against his chest.
A blush lingered on her cheeks. Her lips were slightly swollen, and her eyes were half closed, her expression as drowsy and contented as a well-fed cat's.
Her damp hair hung behind her, dripping onto the carpet.
Demeter sat on the bed with a cup of tea that had gone cold. Her expression was composed, but a mischievous smile glimmered in her eyes.
As she watched him carry Artemis out, her lips curved slightly. Satisfaction and relief mingled in that smile, along with a faint pang she couldn't quite describe.
Of course she knew what had happened.
She had known where things were heading the moment Artemis entered the bathroom.
She hadn't followed or interrupted. She had simply sat outside and waited.
"When did you two decide to work together?"
Genichi laid Artemis on the bed and pulled the covers over her before turning to Demeter.
His voice was calm, but his gaze was searching.
He hadn't noticed the two goddesses reaching any sort of agreement. He had assumed they were still competing with each other, that Demeter would be jealous and Artemis would be too embarrassed.
Apparently, he had been wrong.
Demeter tilted her head, resting a finger against her chin, amusement flickering in her eyes.
"When did we decide to work together?"
She considered the question, then shook her head.
"We didn't. But Artemis and I get along quite well. I suppose you could call it an unspoken understanding."
Her voice was soft, as though this were perfectly natural.
"Besides, a virgin goddess has given you her heart. You should be happy, Genichi."
He watched her in silence, then sighed.
He knew she was telling the truth. They hadn't plotted together, discussed it, or arranged anything beforehand.
They had simply understood each other without needing to say a word.
Demeter knew how Artemis felt about him. She knew what Artemis needed and what she wanted.
So she had given her an opportunity, room to act, and her quiet permission.
It wasn't merely generosity.
She loved Genichi. She knew he needed Artemis's authority, her affection, and her strength.
She was willing to do anything for him, even help another woman find her way to his side.
Genichi approached the bed and looked down at Artemis.
She lay curled beneath the covers, her long hair spread across the pillow.
Her eyes were closed, her lashes fluttering faintly, her lips slightly parted.
A blush still colored her cheeks, and a contented smile lingered at her mouth. She was sleeping soundly, looking as comfortable as a cat after a full meal.
He reached out and gently stroked her hair, his fingers slipping through the smooth, damp strands.
"This won't have any consequences for Artemis, will it?"
His voice was quiet and concerned.
He knew she was a virgin goddess. He understood her identity and standing, and he worried about what this might mean for her.
He didn't want a moment of impulse on his part to cost her everything.
Demeter shook her head, her eyes warm.
"No. Artemis is a virgin goddess, but her authority and power don't come from her virginity. Losing it won't diminish her. She's still the goddess of the hunt, still the moon goddess, still a deity far above mortals. The only difference..."
She paused, smiling faintly.
"Is that someone has found a place in her heart."
Genichi relaxed.
As long as Artemis wouldn't suffer for this, that was what mattered.
"Genichi."
Demeter's voice came from behind him.
He turned to her.
She rose, approached him, and looked up into his face.
Her eyes held both tenderness and conviction.
"Don't burden yourself with guilt. Artemis knows what she's doing, and she understands the consequences. She chose you because she wanted to. Whatever happened before, this choice was hers. She likes you. It's as simple as that."
Genichi looked at her in silence for a moment, then reached out and pulled her into his arms.
Demeter rested against his chest and closed her eyes, a small smile lifting her lips.
She could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong. It reassured her.
She knew he wouldn't let Artemis down.
He wouldn't let her down, either, or anyone else who cared about him.
The night breeze brushed against the tent with a faint rustle.
The moon emerged from behind the clouds, and moonlight slipped through gaps in the tent, scattering patches of light and shadow across the carpet.
Artemis rolled over in bed, murmured something unintelligible, and sank back into sleep.
Demeter lifted her head from Genichi's chest and spoke softly.
"You should get some rest, too. We have a journey ahead of us tomorrow."
He nodded, released her, and went to the bed, lying down beside Artemis.
Demeter switched off the light and settled on his other side.
(End of Chapter)
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