The Hottest Harem // Blush Blush x Anxious! Reader

Chapter 11: Hugs Hugs Hugs

[Your POV]

There were very few customers I had to serve, and luckily, Volks and Kelby were there to help me. Nimh and Bonnibel spent a lot of time in the kitchen. "Hey, (Y/N), can ya close up shop for me, sugar?" Bonnibel asked from the kitchen.

"Y-Yeah!" I said, grateful the day of interacting with new people would be over. But right as I reached to turn the 'open' sign to 'closed', a colorful haired girl ran up to the door.

"It's not closed, is it!?" Iro cried. I stood there, frozen for a moment. But I slowly shook my head and let her in. Bonnibel might get mad...but it's Iro. She was the first person I met in this new world and helped me save Nimh and Volks. She was also still on the search for her brother. Crap, I don't even know her brother's name. "Oh! You're (Y/N)!" She said with a laugh.

I nod. "Y-Yup!" I said awkwardly.

"I didn't know you worked for Bonnibel." Iro said.

"Is that my rainbow girl!?" Bonnibel cried, running out of the kitchen. "Iro!"

"Bonnibel!" Iro said, jumping into Bonnibel's arms. The two hugged for a solid minute. I never really had many female friends, so I wasn't too sure if this was normal behaviour. But it must be. I've seen it around school, TV shows, and movies.

"Alright, sugar, what can I get'cha?" Bonnibel asked, finally letting go of Iro.

"A whole picnic basket, if you could." Iro said. I looked up at Bonnibel's hanging chalkboard. There was a lot of food in the Picnic Basket Special.

"The Picnic Basket Special?" Bonnibel asked, pulling out cinnamon rolls and muffins galore. "Where are you going?"

"On a trip around the country!" Iro said, her voice grim but trying to stay optimistic. "I couldn't find my brother anywhere in town, so I'll be searching around the country. Police are refusing to investigate!"

"They are?" I asked.

"Yeah! Because magic stuff is quite common here, they don't intervene. But my brother and a bunch of other boys have gone missing! And the police don't even bat an eye!" Iro said, her voice rising.

"Oh. I'm sorry, Iro." I said.

"It's alright. I'll just have to look for Eli myself!" She said.

"Is that your brother's name?" I asked.

"Yup!"

"I'll keep an eye out here." I said.

"Thanks, (Y/N)." Iro said and I was suddenly pulled into a hug. My eyes widened and my body stiffened as Iro's arms wrapped around my torso.

"Aw, (Y/N) doesn't know how to hug!" Volks said.

"Well, do you?" Kelby asked. "I doubt anyone would want to hug you." This made Volks shut up pretty quickly. I slowly returned the gesture to Iro, hugging her back. It was probably the worst hug ever, but it was also the first one that felt genuine. At least to me.

~~~~~

Bonnibel finished packing Iro her food and the biker rainbow girl was off. I gave a sigh. When would Iro come back? I missed her already. "Hey, we exist too, you know." Volks said as I stared out the window. I rolled my eyes and turned to Nimh, Volks, and Kelby. It was now just Bonnibel in the kitchen.

"Bonnibel t-tells me that I-Iro is REALLY f-fast on her m-motorcycle. She'll have t-the c-country covered in n-no time!" Nimh said, trying to cheer me up. I nodded and reached out to Nimh. I picked him up and held him in my arms.

"Am I hugging right?" I asked.

Nimh's cheeks were dusted with blush as I held him in my arms. He nodded and tried hugging me back with his little bunny paws. I put him down and stood in front of Volks, getting down on my knees. "What are you doing?" Volks asked, his eyes widening as I held out my arms. I wrapped them around his neck, pulling him close to me. His head laid on my shoulder. "D-Don't touch me!"

"Such a tsundere." Bonnibel said, exiting the kitchen with a smile on her face and pastries in her hands. Volks growled but made no move to stop me from continuing the hug. I let go of him and turned to Kelby, who fluttered into my arms. Nimh stared nervously while Volks bared his teeth as Kelby rubbed his head against my shoulder. "Aw! Are we doin' group hugs?" Bonnibel skipped over and gathered Nimh and Volks in her arms, pressing them against Kelby and I. It was one big hug and it felt so nice. A warm feeling filled my heart as I refused to let any of them go. This was different from when August would wrap his arms around me or when Liz hugged me. This all felt so genuine...

Then a felt something hard on my shoulder. I was confused for a moment, so I looked up, coming face to face with two huge orange eyes. I bit my lip, not wanting to scream. I was the only one who had noticed the...pegasus? How did it get in here so quietly!? "Are you guys still open?" He whispered. I nodded slowly, my eyes wide.

"B-Bonnibel, you have a customer..." I said.

"God, I thought the sign was obvious! We are closed- AHH!" Bonnibel's scream broke up the hug. The pegasus was huge with a rainbow-like mane and had a white tone. His eyes were beautiful. The way he talked was also quite...flamboyant, if that's the right word. Bonnibel's terrified screams quickly turned into excited squeals. "Oh my god! A pegasus!" She leapt forward, hugging him.

"Ooh! Thank you, Bonnibel! I do love physical contact myself." The pegasus said. "Now, I am so hungry, I could eat a whole horse-" He stopped himself, looking down at his body. Bonnibel immediately went to fetch some food.

"Wait, are you one of the missing boys that were turned into animals!?" I cried. The way he had said 'eat a whole horse' and then looked at himself shamefully seemed almost...human.

"Yes, indeed, darling!" The pegasus said. "I used to be so beautiful! But now, I'm even more fabulous! I have a tail!" He turned around, his butt facing me. My face went bright red as his long and colorful tail swayed in front of my eyes.

"No one wants to look at your ass." Volks said.

"Ooh! You've got an attitude!" He said. "I like that~" He turned back to me. "And I have wings!" His wings fluttered. "I am drop dead gorgeous!"

"Not gonna d-deny that." Nimh said.

"I don't think you can, to be honest." I said.

"You think I'm gorgeous?" The pegasus asked me. "Oh! I am so honored that someone as beautiful as you would say that to me!" Bonnibel brought out the sweet and the pegasus went to town. Before I could even ask him his name, he crashed. Asleep, right there on the floor. Poor guy must've had a long day...