Don't Come Near Me, I'm Just a Background Character [BL Harem]

60 - Shower

Remis bounded towards the dining room table, the wood material of the chair creaking as he practically jumped onto its structure. He caught the sweet scent of Reask's cooking and his stomach growled in approval as it eagerly awaited. Reask ambled out of the kitchen in an apron tied loosely around his waist, his skin-tight short sleeved shirt revealing his thick biceps and sturdy chest.

Remis reluctantly tore his eyes away from the mesmerizing display of exposed muscles, his gaze now a swirl of conflicting emotions. The allure of these ikemens' attractiveness has become increasingly impossible to ignore, creating a subtle tension in the air. Suppressing the awkward laughter that threatened to escape, he mustered a forced, self-conscious smile, expressing gratitude to Reask for the delectable meal.

The thick curry seemed to melt in his mouth, exploding with the familiar, nostalgic flavor of home. His eyes lit up as his stomach became roused with renewed vigor, grumbling as it encouraged him to quickly swallow the tantalizing food.

"Do you enjoy it?" Reask inquired timidly, his gaze lingering on Remis's back with a mix of anticipation and nervousness.

Remis felt his heart leap into his throat as the innocent yet seductive baritone voice enveloped him from behind. A shiver coursed through his body, and his eyes clouded with a mixture of emotions that he grappled to understand. "Yes, it's wonderful. Thank you." He managed to reply.

Am I turning a bit bent? Remis thought, his brows furrowing. No, it must be the food, right? Or maybe it's just because I've been exposed to ikemen for too long, it's not natural for a human, so I've just been momentarily entranced, right? Right! Remis shed tears of sorrow inwardly.

It wasn't that he had anything against exploring his sexuality. However, in a world where nine times out of ten, he encountered capture targets meant for his sister to love, what would happen to his heart, not to mention the possible deviation of the plotline! Also, if he turned gay, would he ever be able to truly enjoy a woman's beauty in the same way again?

"Well, that's good," Reask said with relief. He sat down opposite to Remis and remained silent for the rest of the meal, watching the black-haired youth shovel the curry into his mouth with shining eyes.

When the bowl was emptied, with a few scraps lingering on its sides, Remis slumped on the chair with a satisfied, dazed smile on his face. His face still had a few traces of the food, with golden brown surviving on the tips of his mouth. The sleepiness had clearly started to kick in as the food had finished sliding down his throat, and his eyelids slowly sagged as he struggled to stay awake.

"You have some curry on your face." Reask smiled, gazing tenderly at the tired stuffed youth. He stood and leaned forward, his arm propping himself over the small kitchen counter. He reached forward, brushing his thumb against Remis' lips, gently wiping away the remnants of food.

A sudden stillness seized Remis, and an involuntary blush painted his cheeks as his eyes snapped open, fixing on Reask's withdrawing hand. Oblivious, Reask absentmindedly licked the remnants of the still-warm curry from his thumb. Then, the sudden realization dawned on him, like the soft unfurling of petals in a blooming flower. His heart quickened, skipping and jumping, leaving him breathless. I touched his lips... he thought, shocked.

I even... tasted the curry clinging to their edges... Reask's eyes swirled with bewilderment. He coughed and looked away in a vain attempt to conceal his flusteredness.

"Uhm, I-I..." Remis stuttered, his chair screeching back as he fumbled around. "...let's just go to bed! H-here, I'll put this in the sink... ah, good night!" He sprinted towards his room, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.

----

In Reask's room...

The room was dark, with the silver moonlight streaming through the elaborate, expensive window the red-haired knight was still getting used to.

On the simple bed, he stared at his callous-littered hand blankly. The feeling of rubbing the soft, pink lips lingered on its skin. The memory of the flustered youth with blushing cheeks, who was usually so calm and unfettered, sunk into his mind. He clenched his fist close to his chest and curled up. His body turned hot as the feeling constantly replayed in his mind.

"Ugh..." He breathed a frustrated sigh, his face twisted with bashful embarrassment. Rolling out of the bed, he paced around the room with his left hand running through his hair. His right hand covered his eyes soberly as if trying to block the memory from his mind.

Will my heart be able to take living an entire year with hi— The sound of rain hitting smooth marble interrupted his thoughts. Reask's eyes habitually followed the broken sounds, eventually straying on the warm red light seeping through the bathroom door cracked open.

"Hmm, hmm..." The quiet humming, which harmonized with the soothing sound of falling droplets, trickled through Reask's ear, just faint enough to entice one to draw closer and get a better listen.

A shower, so that's what it was... Reask breathed, subconsciously peering in through the slit. He had never seen one before. After all, a shower was a romantic luxury which only nobles would have.

The scene was enchanting. Warm steam wafted, calming one's senses and engulfing them in a tranquil haze. The room was illuminated by a wispy sunset-red flame, loitering in the center of the room, casting a warm halo throughout its air. The large frameless vanity mirror added to the serenity of the moment as crystals of water trickled down the shower panel's clear, smooth glass surface.

Then a flash of plump, soft skin peaked out through the open glass.

At that moment, Reask's mind turned blank. His breath caught as his entire head exploded into a shade of tomato red, perfectly matching the saturated color of his hair. His legs moved before his mind cleared as he dashed to the other side of the room, absolutely shaken.

Wh-what... what am I doing?!

----

Remis sighed contently, grabbing the towel on against the heated metal rack and casually wiping his inky-black hair, letting droplets of water trickle down his skin without a care. He yawned, stretching his long, slender arms in the air before half-hazardly sauntering through the left door into his bedroom and into the closet. Opening his drawers, he frowned when he realized none of his sleeping clothes were there. He peaked over his mattress, expecting the laundry basket to be there, but the floor was bare.

Oh, right. The little tomato took it somewhere because he forgot a piece of clothing in the rinsing tub, Remis mused. He breathed and waltzed back into the washroom, facing the right-hand door which led to Reask's chambers.

Feeling a sudden wave of impishness come on, he immediately smirked devilishly. A bit of teasing would get the red-haired knight to morph into a cherry tomato in a second. He chucked a bit to himself and haphazardly wrapped the thick bath towel around his waist before pushing open the door with a bang. "Hey Reask, d'you know where the laundry basket is?"

"Uh, uh?" Reask stood at the opposite end of the room, frozen with his eyes wide. His blush, which had just started to recede as he struggled to cool himself down, immediately flushed red again as his eyes focused on the lean and completely exposed upper body.

----

The next day, first period...

The professor stood in the center of the large plain of grass, his face creased into an ear-to-ear grin. "Top of the morning, class!" His old voice croaked as the morning sunrise painted the sky in an amorous haze.

Silence ensued. The two ikemen sandwiched Remis between them, each one clasping the youth's hands with firm grips. Theodore moved Remis' entwined hand to his mouth, landing a gentle kiss on the back of his hand. Cyrus barked a laugh in response, his hand slowly tightening around Remis' as he struggled to maintain his wits and keep his benevolent smile plastered on his face. Electricity crackled between them as Remis chuckled awkwardly in response.

Something tells me this is going to be a rough school day, Remis thought.

(A/N: Remis, all of your cheeky antics will bite you in the back soon enough...)