My hair is clean.
Varesa took a cotton towel and wiped her back, starting from her shoulders and back and wiping down little by little.
Bai You stayed in the bathtub until the water cooled down before Varesa got up first and used a large bath towel to scoop Bai You out of the water.
Bai You opened her mouth, but before she could speak, Varesa pressed a clean towel corner against her face.
"Alright, wait a minute." Varesa got up and walked out of the bathroom.
When I came back, I had a clean, thin nightgown with me. "Put it on, so you don't catch a cold."
Bai You took it, but didn't touch it.
She clutched the soft nightgown, looked up at Varesa, her cheeks flushed, and whispered:
"I'm not wearing it anymore."
"Hmm?"
"Just... just sleep like this." Bai You's voice grew softer and softer as she looked at her knees.
"Anyway... anyway, it's not cold in bed."
Varesa looked at her without saying a word.
Bai You blushed even more under her gaze, wishing she could bury her face in the blanket.
"I... I slept like that last time too... you know that, don't you?"
"I know." Varesa suddenly smiled, reached out and gently pulled the nightgown she was holding away, setting it aside.
"Then I'll listen to you today."
She reached out and loosened Bai You's hair—it was now hanging loosely over her shoulders.
She took a dry towel and placed it behind Bai You's head, while gently wiping the top of her hair with her other hand.
"Can you wipe it yourself? Or should I help you?"
"... You help me."
The comb pierced through her hair, and Bai You was held in her arms, the back of her head against her warm embrace, her whole body going limp.
Varesa only removed the towel after drying the ends of her hair.
Then Varesa carried Bai You out of the bathroom and bent down to pull back the blanket for her.
"Go in."
Bai You snuggled into the blankets.
"Let's go to sleep then."
"Silly boy, I haven't washed yet," Varesa said with a laugh.
Bai You then remembered— Varesa had been soaking behind her in the bathtub.
I rubbed her hair and wiped her back, the water getting cold, but I didn't even have time to take care of myself.
She was so comfortable at the time that she forgot, and only now did she belatedly realize it and blush.
"Then, then go quickly." She pulled the blanket up, leaving only her eyes showing. "I'll wait for you."
"Hmm."
Varesa took another clean towel and turned to go back to the bathroom.
Bai You lay in bed, initially so sleepy she could barely keep her eyes open, but now she felt wide awake.
The sound of water could be heard.
First came the sound of the water being turned on again, splashing and splashing, then the rustling of clothes being taken off, footsteps, and water splashing up and falling back down.
Bai You pulled the blanket over her nose, inwardly berating herself for being so spineless.
She wasn't this uncomfortable when the two of them were together in the bathtub, but now that there's a door between them, she's suddenly picking up on everything.
She shrank her face further into the blanket.
I won't watch it.
The sound of water in the bathroom, Varesa's occasional low humming of some tune, all drifted out through the crack in the door.
Bai You listened, her eyelids actually started to feel heavy.
She didn't know when she had drifted off to sleep. When she was woken up by a little noise, the sound of water in the bathroom had stopped.
The door creaked open.
Bai You didn't open her eyes, only her eyelashes fluttered; she wanted to see Varesa.
Not wanting the other person to know he was waiting, he kept his eyes half-closed, peeking through his eyelashes.
Varesa came out of the bathroom.
She was wrapped in that large bath towel, loosely tied around her chest, her hair still dripping wet, strands clinging to her neck and shoulders.
As she walked, she dried her hair with a towel. When she reached the bedside, she first glanced down at Bai You.
Bai You quickly closed her eyes.
The footsteps stopped beside the bed. The edge of the bed sank down.
A slightly cool, damp hand rested on her waist through the blanket.
Bai You almost lost her composure—the hand was cold and icy, tickling her side. She bit her lip hard to keep from laughing out loud.
"Still pretending." Varesa's voice came from above, carrying a hint of languor from having just taken a shower.
Bai You:"..."
She had no choice but to open her eyes, looking embarrassed at being caught red-handed.
Varesa had dried her hair and was letting it hang loosely over her shoulders.
She glanced at the person pretending to be asleep, raised an eyebrow, simply removed the bath towel from her body, tossed it casually at the foot of the bed, lifted the covers, and crawled in.
The air inside the blankets changed instantly.
Varesa had just finished showering and was still a little cool. When she pressed against Baiyou, Bai You involuntarily shrank back.
It wasn't because of the cold, but because the two of them were naked and pressed together in bed, with nothing separating them.
She could clearly feel the other person's warm skin, the tickling sensation of their hair brushing against her collarbone, and the leg that naturally draped over her waist.
"... You're not wearing any either," Bai You whispered, her voice cracking.
"If you're not wearing anything, what am I supposed to wear?" Varesa said matter-of-factly, pulling her into her arms.
He let her back press against his chest; the bed wasn't cold.
Bai You buried her face in the pillow and didn't reply.
The person behind her had just finished showering and was pressed against her back, feeling warm and cozy.
Varesa's breath fell behind her ear, one breath at a time.
She wanted to retort a couple more times, but the breath she received made her swallow the words that were on the tip of her tongue.
" Little Bai You," she whispered in the darkness.
"Hmm."
"When she licked my face," Varesa said slowly, her fingers tracing her back.
"What I was thinking wasn't why this cat was so clingy. What I was thinking was --"
"Even when she's turned into such a tiny little thing, she still comes to lick me first."
"That's the cat's own body."
"I don't care whose body it is," Varesa interrupted her.
"You were the one who came over here, you were the one who rubbed your nose against me, I remember it all."
Bai You stopped talking and just snuggled deeper into her arms.
After a while, Varesa spoke again, her voice tinged with amusement:
"However, there's one thing I really need to settle with you."
"What?"
"You were in Odette and Columbina's arms today," she said sourly, but her hand didn't leave.
"Are you all feeling quite comfortable here?"
Bai You:"..."
She knew it.
"They insisted on hugging me."
"Oh?" Varesa raised an eyebrow, her tone clear even though it was invisible in the darkness.
"Who is that, having finished their milk, strolling aimlessly from shop to shop?"
"I was just getting familiar with the environment!"
So familiar with her that she could fall asleep on Columbina's lap?
"Wow, Varesa!" Bai You blushed and reached out to cover her mouth.
Bai You was laughed at when Varesa grabbed her wrist, pulled her close, and gently kissed her forehead.
"I'm just kidding."