After weeks of dangerous quests, battles, and close calls, today felt almost... peaceful.
The snow outside had started to fall gently by the time Noah, Layla, Scarlett, and Lyra arrived at the Adventurer's Guild together. It was the first time in a while that the whole group had gone on a mission as one. Laughs were shared, teasing exchanged, and after much discussion (mostly Layla's dramatic pitch), they selected a B-rank subjugation quest.
Their target: a snow beast terrorizing merchant routes across Snowshade Mountain.
The quest wasn't easy—it took eight full hours of trudging through snow-covered cliffs and ambushing a snarling white-furred monster that spit icy mist and wielded claws sharp enough to slice boulders. But they succeeded, covered in bruises, snow, and a sense of satisfaction.
As they returned to the inn, all four of them entered the large room they'd been sharing during this mission. However, just as Noah went to sit on the bed and rest, Layla leaned in toward Scarlett and Lyra with a mischievous smirk.
"Tonight's mine," she whispered with a glint in her amber eyes. "You two can take the night off."
Scarlett raised an eyebrow knowingly. "Oh? Is this the 'good night' you've been talking about?"
Lyra crossed her arms but couldn't suppress her smile. "Try not to break him."
The two girls shared a laugh and made their way to the adjacent room, leaving Layla alone with her prize.
Inside the Room
Noah was sitting on the edge of the bed. He glanced at the door, a bit puzzled.
Weren't they just behind me? he thought.
Shrugging, he stood and walked into the bath, deciding to clean himself up while the girls chatted. The water was warm, steam gently curling into the air. He stripped off his clothes and sat by the wooden tub, reaching for the soap.
But before he could wash—
Two soft arms gently embraced him from behind.
Warmth pressed against his back—soft, bare, unmistakable warmth.
Noah's body tensed. He didn't have to look to know who it was. That scent, that familiar teasing presence—it was Layla.
But this time… it was different.
He turned his head slowly—and froze.
Layla stood there, completely bare.
No clothes. No veil. No armor. Just her—as raw and real as moonlight on snow.
He had expected a normal night. A quiet return from their quest.
But everything changed the moment he felt her arms around him.
Layla.
But what he wasn't prepared for was the sight that met him.
She was completely bare—every curve kissed by the candlelight, her raven-black hair cascading over her shoulders, and her amber eyes smoldering with quiet intensity. Her body pressed softly against his back, skin meeting skin.
His breath caught.
"L-Layla… where are your clothes?" he asked, his voice a low rasp, thick with disbelief and heat.
"You wanted to see me before," she whispered into his ear, her breath tickling his skin, "but I wasn't ready. You waited. You respected me. Tonight, I want to give you what I promised…"
She leaned closer, the warmth of her breath grazing his neck as her lips gently brushed against his shoulder.
"…and more."
Noah swallowed hard, the heat from the water now nothing compared to the fire crawling beneath his skin.
"Layla… you don't need to—"
She gently hushed him, turning his body slightly so he faced forward.
"Tonight's not about what I need. It's about what I want. And I want you to feel loved, cherished, worshipped."
She dipped a soft cloth into the water and lathered it with soap. Then, ever so slowly, she began to wash his back. Her hands moved with reverence, her touch featherlight but deliberate, sliding over each muscle, following the curves and scars like she was memorizing a map.
Her lips pressed against his shoulder again—softer this time. Then a little lower.
Noah's head tilted slightly as he released a shaky breath.
"Layla…"
She didn't reply. She dipped the cloth again, trailing it down his spine.
Her hand followed, fingertips tracing a scar that curved near his waist.
"I hated seeing you hurt," she whispered. "Every time I saw your back like this, I wanted to kiss the pain away."
She did just that.
A soft kiss against the scar.
Then another. Lower. Slower.
Noah's breath hitched. A soft gasp escaped his lips.
She smiled faintly behind him. Beautiful, she thought. He's so strong… and yet, so vulnerable in this moment.
She moved to his side, her bare thigh brushing his as she dipped the cloth into the water again and began washing his arms.
"You always carry us," she said, sliding the cloth over his forearm and up to his shoulder. "Let me carry you… just for tonight."
She leaned in and kissed the inside of his wrist—tender and slow.
Another shiver ran down his body, and he let out a low moan—soft and quiet, but real.
It startled him.
Layla noticed and smirked. "Don't hold back. I want to hear everything you feel."
Her fingers brushed over his chest now, the cloth trailing behind like silk. She took her time—circling around his chest, tracing his collarbone, letting her lips press gently to the center of his chest, right over his heart.
She felt it pounding.
Wild. Frantic. Vulnerable.
"You're beautiful, Noah," she whispered, kissing over his chest again. "Not just here—" she kissed just below his collarbone "—but here." She pressed a hand over his heart. "Even if you don't believe it yet."
Noah leaned back slightly, overwhelmed by her tenderness. His breath came in short gasps, and every place she touched burned in the best way.
Layla dipped the cloth again and brought it lower, sliding across his abs, trailing down until she reached the top of his thighs.
His body tensed.
"Layla—" he tried to say something, but the words melted away as her fingers gently brushed his inner thigh.
"I said I'd take care of everything," she whispered, eyes glowing with mischief and devotion. "Don't stop me now."
Noah let out another gasp, his eyes fluttering closed as her hands explored him—not with hunger, but with reverence.
She cleaned every part of him, slow and precise, like a sacred ritual. Every brush of the cloth, every kiss to his body, was a wordless promise.
That he was safe.
That he was loved.
That she would never betray him.
When she finished, she rose to her feet and leaned down, pressing one final kiss to his lips.
"Wait for me on the bed," she whispered, voice sultry and warm against his mouth. "And don't fall asleep… or I'll punish you."
She winked, then turned and walked back into the steamy haze of the bath, her silhouette glowing in the candlelight.
Noah sat there, still trembling.
His mind spun with questions. His body ached with anticipation. But deep inside, something else stirred.
Not lust.
Not confusion.
Something deeper.
Something he was finally starting to understand.
Then she vanished behind the curtain.
A Few Moments Later
Noah sat on the bed, towel draped over his waist, his heart thundering in his chest.
He stared at the door of the bath, his mind a whirlwind.
Is this it? Am I… finally going to lose my innocence?
But after everything… am I even still innocent?
He exhaled sharply, his body warm but his mind tangled.
And then—
The door creaked open.
A soft light flickered behind her.
Layla stepped out.
Her hair fell like black silk around her shoulders. A deep violet robe hung loosely from her frame, only tied by a single sash around her waist. One shoulder bare. A sliver of thigh visible.
But more than her beauty—it was the look in her eyes that made Noah's breath catch.
Not playfulness.
Not teasing.
But something far more dangerous and intimate.
Devotion.
"Noah," she said softly, walking toward him.
And in that moment, he knew—
This was no longer just a "good night."
This was the beginning of something deeper.
[To Be Continued]