ORCA 30

The hand that had been stroking the top of his foot traveled up his calf, grazed his wrist, and then pushed his hair back to rub his forehead. Niah pouted and acted spoiled, rubbing against him out of habit. But the pleasant touch soon pulled away.

Orca, who had been watching Niah’s lips part in longing, suddenly thrust a thumb into his mouth and pressed firmly against the tip of his tongue. Even with such an arbitrary action, the goldfish naturally bit down on his finger, causing a sharp pang in Orca’s chest, which was already feeling unsettled. Contrary to his inner turmoil, a random demand tumbled out.

“Niah. Come inside here.”

“Eh?”

Niah’s eyes widened, his voice slurred as he repeated the question in confusion. Orca rested his chin on his hand, watching the flustered Niah.

“But…. Um, well… uh….”

Niah clutched both his knees, unable to respond immediately as he looked for a reaction. Showing his naked body was far, far more embarrassing than showing his feet. However, that shame lingered only for a moment before quickly fading away.

“You can come in wearing your clothes. If you come in now, your body will smell just like me. You like that scent, don’t you?”

Niah reacted immediately to Orca’s coaxing. He quickly took off his other sock and rolled up his pant legs. Then, he hurried to get into the bathtub. His clothes were soaked through in the warm water in an instant. The fluffy foam on the surface of the water drifted away as Niah moved. Unlike his bold entrance, he stood there blankly, wavering. His gaze scanned the bathtub.

Orca grabbed Niah, who was wandering about not knowing where to sit, and pulled him between his thighs. Niah, submerged up to his chin, inhaled deeply. He couldn’t help but smile at the refreshing, cozy scent that reminded him of being in a forest. It felt exactly like being hugged tightly by the young master.

Niah curled his body and leaned his back against Orca. He admired the lush forest and the twinkling stars visible beyond the large glass window. This time, he was so happy that his toes curled.

Orca squeezed his arms between Niah’s belly and thighs to hold him and rested his chin on the goldfish’s excited crown. He had to admit to his own stupidity for intentionally inviting an “error” into his arms. Perhaps it wasn’t the goldfish who was truly stupid, but himself.

His mind was a mess. He desperately needed a way to resolve this. Other than killing the goldfish or leaving the mansion immediately the next day, he wanted to find a suitably leisurely solution.

He pulled Niah closer and buried his nose in his crown. His mind and his actions were at odds. The goldfish smelled of subtle wildflowers. For some reason, it felt delicious. It was ridiculous to feel an appetite just from the scent of grass.

Separately, the idea that the servants would mock this by calling it a “fishy smell” was pathetic. Unless their sense of smell was paralyzed, there was definitely something wrong with them. Orca leaned his head down stealthily. Piercing through the barrier of the collar neatly wrapped around Niah’s neck, he drew a long breath.

“Oh, ohhh.”

Niah, startled, squirmed. At the clear action of Orca smelling him, he tried to scramble out of his arms in a panic. Bad memories poured down like a sudden rainstorm without warning. He had cried a lot today, they were currently in water, and he was too close to the young master.

“Young, young master…. Let me go, I, I don’t like this,”

“You smell good.”

Orca, who was holding Niah without much effort, spoke while maintaining the same position. As he inhaled again, he had the illusion that the scent had become deeper than before.

Fresh grass, blooming flowers, the soil supporting the roots, and the warm air of the sunlight beating down on them filled his lungs. Since the goldfish had been running around the garden and greenhouse so diligently, trees were growing and flowers were blooming all over his body.

“Good, scent…. Uh… really…?”

“Yes.”

Orca, who affirmed the cautious question immediately, moved his fingers that were holding Niah’s belly upward. He traced the stiff fabric and slowly undid the buttons from the very top. Niah couldn’t bring himself to push him away forcefully, so he stiffened his body instead. His hands, which had been resting peacefully on his knees, flailed weakly, splashing the water.

Orca stopped after undoing only the second button and, in exchange for complying, pulled Niah’s shirt aside. The attire, which had been tidy though wet, became disheveled in an instant. Niah shrank back at the sensation of his collarbone and shoulders being fully exposed, rolling his eyes back and forth to try and grasp the situation. But he could not fathom the reason.

“Oh, ah, young master….”

Goosebumps rose along his spine. The breath touching his bare shoulder tickled. His heart thumped with tension. The young master had stroked his cheeks and neck before, but he had never bared the skin inside his clothes.

But now, he was so close that he could perceive every inhalation and exhalation. No, they weren’t just close; they were completely stuck together. He could even feel the young master’s lips moving every time he spoke.

This was the first time someone else’s skin had touched him in a place like this. It was warmer than the water he was submerged in and softer than the foam.

“Don’t run away.”

Orca pressed his hand against Niah’s chest, preventing him from pulling his upper body away as he flinched. Niah pressed his back against him with a start. He was surprised by the unfamiliar act, but he didn’t dislike it. In fact, he felt that he might even like it.

Orca, who had his nose pressed to the nape of his neck, slid down and pressed his lips to Niah’s collarbone. He barely restrained himself from biting down and crushing the bone.

Niah swallowed hard. He tensed his gathered legs. He clenched his fists tight on his knees. He felt as if he would faint if he didn’t do at least this much.

“Do you hate it?”

Orca asked, even though he knew the answer wouldn’t be yes. The hand that had been pressing on Niah’s chest moved to his knees and gently rubbed the underside of his tightly clenched, clam-like fists. After getting him to unfurl his guard-filled fingers, Orca interlaced his own fingers with Niah’s and pressed their palms together. The skin, made slippery by the bath additive, easily tangled together.

Niah covered Orca’s hand with his free one. He wanted to make sure the young master didn’t misunderstand and think he hated it.

“No. I don’t hate it….”

“Then?”

At the repeated question, Niah’s face flushed. His ears, neck, and cheeks—not a single spot was left untinged by red. The feeling of those lips touching his collarbone was strange.

“I, I like it.”

“You like it?”

“Yes.”

“Is that so? I see….”

Orca found his right hand, rendered useless by the cloth wrapping, to be quite aggravating. He wanted to plunge it into the water and do as he pleased, but he had to hold back lest the goldfish cry. Having no choice, he pulled his trapped hand away. He ran it all the way down past the rolled-up pant leg to stroke his calf. The thin leg had so little flesh that it felt like it would break if gripped too hard. It felt thinner even than his own forearm.

The goldfish couldn’t hide his bewilderment and clenched his fist again. When Orca called out “Niah” while stroking his calf, his body shuddered violently. Suddenly, Orca felt an urge to break the collarbone that was caught between his lips and chew it to bits.

“Niah.”

If he said he would bite and break it with his teeth, the goldfish would cry, and he both wanted and did not want to see that sobbing face. Or, he wanted to bite him just enough to make him cry, and then lick away the tears until he stopped.

He knew he had long since passed the allowed limits, but he couldn’t control himself. The desires surfacing in his mind were all a mess. He had already crossed the line. Since it was too late to go back, he had no choice but to draw a new line in front of the one he had already crossed. He couldn’t think of any other way but to vow that he would absolutely never cross this line.

Orca, who had been repeatedly massaging Niah’s calf under the water, lowered his hand to the bottom of the bathtub and rolled his thumb around the ankle bone. He had drawn the new line far away for now. For the moment, his priority was to slowly admire the goldfish he had lured—or who had rolled in on his own. He had no room to refuse.

“Hehe. Young master, that tickles….”

Niah covered his mouth with one hand while holding the hem of his pants, which were draped over his knees, with the other. He couldn’t stop the laughter from bubbling up. It was because Orca kept touching and playing with his toes, which had been curled tight, forcing them to unfurl.