The next morning, sunlight poured softly into the bedroom, and the chirping of birds in the courtyard roused Gaio, who'd unleashed his wild side the night before.
When he opened his eyes, his cheek brushed against a soft strand of hair—Fubuki's. She was curled up in his arms, her head nestled into the crook of his neck, her breaths warm with the faint scent of hot spring water and last night's rose petals, tickling his collarbone.
He shifted his arm carefully, not wanting to wake her, but her eyelashes fluttered, and her emerald-green eyes slowly opened, still hazy with sleep. "…Morning," she murmured.
Her voice was hoarse, carrying the lingering echoes of last night, making Gaio's throat bob.
"Morning," he replied, leaning down to kiss her forehead. His fingers trailed along her hair, brushing against the smooth skin of her back peeking out from the blanket.
Fubuki grabbed his hand, her eyes flashing with a playful, sultry glare. "H-hey, don't just… touch me like that. I'm exhausted~"
"Oh, really? I thought you still had plenty of energy. After all, someone was pretty eager to play 'knight' last night," Gaio teased, earning a mock glare from Fubuki.
Last night, after the bamboo wall came crashing down, they'd gone wild in the hot spring before moving the battle to the bedroom.
Fubuki, true to her B-Class hero status, had stamina that outshone Marin and the others by a mile.
Gaio looked down at her in his arms, softening his voice. "Wanna sleep more? You must be worn out from last night."
Fubuki shook her head, her nose brushing his collarbone again, sending another tickle through him. She peeked up from under his chin with those green eyes. "No way. What if Marin and the others come up and… see us like this?"
Gaio chuckled, pulling her soft frame closer. "They'll have to face it sooner or later, right?"
"It's all your fault!" Fubuki lifted her head to glare at him, her eyelashes still dusted with sleep, but her gaze held no real menace.
Gaio caught her hand, pressing it to his chest so she could feel his heartbeat. "Yup, all my fault," he said, leaning close to her ear with a mischievous grin. "But you were pretty into it too, weren't you?"
"You—!" Fubuki reached to pinch his side, but he grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly by his lips.
After some playful tussling, Fubuki wriggled out of his arms.
True to her confident, older-sister vibe, she wasn't shy at all. Having shared such an intimate night with Gaio, she boldly showed off her stunning figure.
Right in front of him, she grabbed a hoodie from his closet, slipped it on, and turned to see his slightly disappointed look, letting out a teasing giggle.
"Pervert!"
Gaio grinned as she wrinkled her nose at him. "Fubuki, why don't you rest a bit more? Don't push yourself with telekinesis."
Turns out, Fubuki's smooth movements were thanks to her telekinesis—without it, her legs were probably as wobbly as overcooked noodles.
Her cheeks flushed, but she stayed stubborn. "I'm not wobbly at all."
Gaio smirked at her defiance and got out of bed, his chiseled physique—and the "weapon" that had kept up with her last night—on full display.
Fubuki froze, staring, and unconsciously swallowed hard.
Gaio walked over, gently wrapping an arm around her waist and planting a kiss on her forehead. "Alright, you're not wobbly. My Fubuki's the toughest."
She swatted his chest. "Always sweet-talking me." But her face lit up with a happy smile. She leaned into his embrace, feeling his strong heartbeat, her heart swelling with warmth.
"Let's head downstairs. Wonder how Marin and the others' party went last night," Fubuki said, a spark of excitement in her eyes. She was already looking forward to joining this big family.
Gaio nodded, changed into fresh clothes, and took her hand as they left the room. On the corridor, Fubuki walked gingerly, so Gaio scooped her up, prompting a surprised yelp as she clung to his neck.
"Gaio! What are you doing?!" she scolded, though her cheeks flushed pink.
"You said you weren't wobbly, but you're walking so slow. Guess I'll just carry you," he teased, carrying her steadily down the stairs.
As they reached the living room, lively chatter and laughter spilled from the front door.
Gaio and Fubuki exchanged a glance, knowing Marin and the crew were back. He set her down, and they straightened their clothes to greet the girls.
The door swung open, and Marin bounced in like an excited bird, followed by Thor, Kaguya, Yukino, Rin, Sakura, and Artoria, who were all settling into the living room.
Marin's eyes lit up when she saw Gaio and Fubuki together. "Whoa! Gaio-kun, Fubuki-nee, good morning!" Her voice was brimming with cheer, clearly pleased with last night's setup.
Kaguya noticed their vibe, raised an eyebrow, and gave a subtle smile. "Looks like you two had a fun night."
Yukino set down her book. "Good morning."
Sakura ran over, grabbing Fubuki's hand. "Fubuki-nee, you and Aniki look so cute together!" she said with a big grin. Rin stayed quiet, but her ears turned pink when she noticed Fubuki wearing Gaio's hoodie, showing off her long legs.
(*Could I wear Gaio's hoodie too?*)
Marin saw Fubuki's blush and stuck out her tongue, latching onto Gaio's arm. "Fubuki-nee, that was our special 'welcome ceremony' for you!~" Her voice dragged out playfully, dripping with smug satisfaction.
Fubuki's ears reddened, and she reached to tickle Marin. "You little troublemaker, I'll get you for this!"
Marin giggled, hiding in Gaio's arms. He quickly stepped in to defend her. "Alright, alright, Marin meant well. Besides…" He leaned close to Fubuki's ear, whispering, "Didn't you enjoy last night too?"
"Gaio!" Fubuki's face turned scarlet down to her neck. She pinched his arm, but he caught her hand and kissed it softly.
The girls around them burst into laughter.
Gaio led Fubuki to the living room, then headed to the kitchen to prep breakfast.
Once Fubuki settled on the couch, the girls crowded around her, whispering and giggling.
If you listened closely—wow, talk about spicy. They say when girls get going, guys don't stand a chance.
As Gaio walked through the corridor toward the kitchen, he paused, hearing quick footsteps behind him.
He turned to see Rin, her ears still pink. "Hm? Rin, why aren't you hanging out in the living room?"
Rin's flushed ears suggested the girls' bold chatter had embarrassed the proud tsundere.
"I-I came to help with breakfast so you don't take forever and leave Fubuki-nee starving," she stammered.
Gaio chuckled at her red ears. "Did the girls say something in there to make you shy?"
"N-no way!" Rin snapped her head up, then quickly looked down.
Gaio's laugh rumbled as he ruffled her hair. "They're just having fun, you know."
He turned toward the kitchen, and Rin hurried to keep up, neither picking up the topic again.
In the kitchen, Gaio slipped on an apron and looked at Rin, who'd also tied one on.
"Want me to handle it?"
"No need. You know my cooking skills aren't any worse than yours," Rin said confidently, her culinary pride from Toudai shining through.
Gaio smiled. "How about we make extra? Saber looked like she was still hungry."
"Sure." Rin opened the fridge, pulling out ingredients Kaguya had her maid, Hayasaka Ai, deliver that morning.
She set leeks on the cutting board, her knife flashing with practiced ease, chopping them finely.
Gaio started mixing meat filling, his chopsticks stirring swiftly as the meat rolled in the bowl.
"Rin, your knife skills are getting sharper," he said with a grin, glancing over while stirring.
Rin's cheeks pinked, and she coughed lightly. "Hmph, obviously."
When Gaio reached for the spice jar, his movement was almost like he was wrapping his arms around her, his chest brushing her twin tails. Rin's body jolted like she'd been shocked, her knife pausing mid-chop.
Feeling his strong presence behind her, her face flushed deeper.
(*H-how can he just get that close without warning?!*)
(*I-If he hugs me, w-what… what pose would be comfier?*)
Lost in her flustered thoughts, she didn't notice Gaio grab the spice jar and step back to season the meat.
When he turned, he saw her trembling hands gripping the knife.
"You okay?" His gentle voice broke through her daze.
Rin's body twitched again, snapping out of it. She ducked her head, hiding her red face.
"N-nothing. Just… chopped too fast. Got tired," she mumbled.
Gaio, picking up on her feelings, stepped closer and handed her the meat bowl. "Here, I'll chop. You mix the filling."
As Rin took the bowl, his fingertips brushed hers, making her even more flustered.
She gripped the chopsticks, awkwardly stirring the meat, her eyes sneaking glances at Gaio. He wore a light blue apron, sleeves rolled to his elbows, showing off his toned forearms.
"Rin, focus. The meat's spilling out," Gaio's voice suddenly cut in. She jolted, realizing she'd made a mess, some meat clinging to the bowl's edge.
She hurriedly scraped it back, but then felt Gaio step close again, her body freezing.
He took her wrist, slipping a disposable glove onto her hand. "After adding the spices, mix the filling by hand—it distributes the flavor better."
Instead of stepping away, he stayed behind her, one gloved hand holding the bowl, the other diving into the meat, stirring clockwise.
Rin, pressed against him, blushed furiously.
(*T-too… too close!!*)
(*Aghhh, Gaio, you're playing dirty!!*)
His breath grazed her neck, carrying a minty toothpaste scent like a soft feather, making her ears burn.
"Wanna try?" His voice came softly from above her head.
His hand guided hers, stirring the meat together, the sticky juices making faint squelching sounds in the bowl.
"Like this. Don't just use chopsticks—feel the ingredients' texture," he said with a hint of a smile, his chin lightly resting on her head. "You're a natural, Rin. You pick up everything fast."
Rin's throat tightened. She wanted to say, "Of course," but it came out as a soft gasp.
Her fingers, wrapped in his, felt scorching, the meat in her palm warming like a beating heart.
"W-who needs your compliments…" she muttered stiffly, but her body leaned slightly closer to him. "A-are we done yet?"
"No rush," Gaio said, deliberately slowing his movements, his fingertips brushing her palm. "Let me show you a little trick—"
He leaned closer, grabbing a small bowl of scallion-ginger water. "When mixing the filling, add this bit by bit and work it in. It makes the steamed buns juicier."
Rin froze, her back pressed against his solid chest, feeling his steady, warm heartbeat.
Her face was practically buried in her own chest, her ears red enough to drip blood, but she didn't dare move, not wanting to break the rare closeness.
"G-got it…" she whispered.
Gaio chuckled, letting go of her hand and stepping back, leaving Rin with an empty feeling.
She looked up to see him tossing the chopped leeks into another bowl, pulling out flour to make bun dough.
Watching his back, Rin's lips curved into a shy smile, her cheeks blooming like peach blossoms.