Sure enough, the moment Chevreuse opened the door, she saw that all-too-familiar figure.
"Good evening, Miss Captain. We haven't seen each other in days. Did you miss me?"
It was the same infuriatingly cheerful smile and casual tone.
Seeing Luna formally again, Chevreuse had a thousand things she wanted to say.
But after closing the door, the first words that tumbled out were:
"What are you doing?"
"As you can see, I'm lying on your bed."
Luna was sprawled across her bed, resting her head on her pillow, her voice dripping with laziness and nonchalance.
This was nothing new.
Or rather, Chevreuse couldn't be bothered to care about it anymore.
She wouldn't even be surprised if one day she climbed into bed only to find the sheets saturated with Luna's scent.
Still, Chevreuse frowned. "What are you wearing?"
Luna tugged at her collar. "This? Don't you recognize your own clothes?"
"I recognize them. But don't just wear my clothes whenever you please."
Luna was currently wearing one of Chevreuse's nightgowns.
Chevreuse walked over and loomed above her. "You still haven't returned the towel you took from me. If you steal this too, I really don't want to go through the trouble of buying new clothes."
"Steal?"
"Indeed, Captain Chevreuse is a treasure from head to toe, but I don't want to steal everything. Or rather—there's no need to steal."
Luna pulled on her threads, wrapping them around Chevreuse's neck and drawing her close, face to face.
Under Chevreuse's sharp gaze, Luna wrapped an arm around her. The fragrant, soft sensation of their lips meeting gradually smoothed Chevreuse's furrowed brow, leaving only a faint warmth behind.
Luna continued to gently tug on the threads, licking her lips. "After all, our deal still stands. Miss Chevreuse still belongs to me."
Body and soul.
"So, what need is there to steal?" Luna murmured.
It was true, but Chevreuse still averted her gaze.
"Just don't wear my clothes home."
"Don't worry, I'll only wear them here. Miss Chevreuse's scent is so comforting."
Luna playfully tugged at the hem of the nightgown.
Chevreuse tugged irritably at the threads around her neck. "Then you'll be disappointed. My clothes only smell of laundry soap and sunshine."
Luna knew Chevreuse was signaling for her to release the threads, but she let her gaze drift away, pointedly ignoring the hint.
"Then shall I make my move when Miss Chevreuse changes out of her uniform? The uniform must carry your scent, right?"
"Perverted Phantom Thief."
"Because Miss Chevreuse is simply too alluring."
Chevreuse drew a sharp breath. Luna was the same as ever, unable to resist teasing women after just a few words.
This reassured Chevreuse. There was nothing wrong with Luna's usual attitude. If Luna's personality had changed drastically because of the last incident, Chevreuse would have been partly to blame.
Their deal was mutual. If something happened to Luna because of it, Chevreuse would share the responsibility.
She wasn't afraid to take responsibility.
But she still hoped Luna would remain unchanged.
"Release me," she said.
"Kiss me."
"..."
Luna's fingers traced small circles, hooking the Ice Threads.
Her face was all smiles. "If you can draw out the 'Water Threads,' I'll release the threads from your neck."
Water Threads... Chevreuse's gaze fell on Luna's glossy lips, and she instantly understood the metaphor.
It had always been Luna who kissed her, but now she was being asked to take the initiative.
Fine. If it's just this, it's nothing.
Luna had faithfully honored their agreement. While this wasn't exactly a reward—they didn't need rewards between them—indulging her once wouldn't hurt.
With that thought, Chevreuse gripped Luna's shoulders.
Leaning down, Chevreuse once again pressed her lips against that sweetness and softness, their warmth intertwining. In her peripheral vision, she saw Luna's fingers move deftly, the threads shifting to wrap around Luna's own neck as well.
Then Luna murmured, "Here, Miss Captain, you hold this too."
"...What's the point of this?"
"To give you a trivial sense of control, and to give me more pleasure."
What's so fun about this kind of thing?
Chevreuse glanced down and took hold of the threads coiled around Luna's neck.
It did create an illusion: that Luna, pinned beneath her, had surrendered and was hers to do with as she pleased. But Chevreuse knew it was undoubtedly a trap. Falling into it would surely get her bitten back.
Never trust the illusions Luna offers.
She was the Phantom Thief, the liar cat.
...And yet, she still honored their deal in the end. How strange.
"What were you thinking back then?" Chevreuse gasped, her breath catching.
She knew the general outline but not the specific process or Luna's thoughts. And she wanted to understand.
Luna didn't answer. Instead, she tugged on the threads, urging her on.
If you want the answer, continue.
"If you want to continue, tell me the answer," Chevreuse countered.
Luna: "..."
Chevreuse: "..."
After a moment of staring each other down, Luna smiled. "Your verbal skills have really improved, Miss Chevreuse. I don't mind telling you."
"But after this, I'm going to devour you completely. Is that all right with you?"
How could that possibly be all right?
But they had already done everything there was to do with each other.
The proper, the improper—they hadn't missed a single thing. Was now really the time to bring this up? Even Chevreuse found her own hesitation disingenuous.
"How much you get to do depends on how much you tell me," Chevreuse murmured.
"Then I'll be sure to tell you everything. But let me be clear: I chose to honor our deal of my own free will. You don't need to feel any psychological burden."
Chevreuse remained unmoved. "Saying that won't change anything. Our deal means that every move we make affects the other, regardless of our own will."
A single glance, a single word—everything had an impact.
If the heart were so easily controlled, the world wouldn't be filled with people who acted on impulse, regretted their mistakes, and could never turn back time.
"That's true. Marriage and relationships are just like that, aren't they?" Luna said with a faint smile.
Chevreuse didn't refute it.
Then, in the continuous gaps between their lips meeting, Luna recounted everything to Chevreuse in painstaking detail: what she had seen and heard on her travels, her own thoughts, and the process of nearly having her will twisted by rage.
"I see..." Chevreuse fell silent for a moment, countless words of comfort forming in her mind.
But Luna no longer needed comfort.
"I won't let you regret this choice," Chevreuse said simply.
"How will you make sure I don't regret it?"
Chevreuse answered honestly, "I haven't figured that out yet."
"That's not a very convincing answer."
"I know. But I'll spend my entire life thinking about it and putting my ideas into practice. This isn't a question with an easy answer. It's not that simple."
On the contrary, it was incredibly heavy.
Luna replied with satisfaction, "Miss Captain, your resolve is truly impressive. It seems you're dead set on shackling me to you for a lifetime."
"I trust you."
Luna's eyes widened slightly.
Chevreuse actually said she trusts me?
"Don't tell me the sea is going to rise again tomorrow," Luna laughed.
"Perhaps."
Chevreuse unbuttoned her uniform. Luna had already given her the answer she wanted, so it was time to fulfill the agreement they had just made. She wasn't one to break her promises.
"I thought you were going to back out of our deal," Luna murmured. "Looking back, your words always seem to carry a hint of falsehood. I was worried our transaction was just an insignificant part of that deception."
"But you've proven me wrong with your actions."
"..."
Chevreuse remained silent for a long moment.
"I'm glad," she said finally.
"You don't look it."
"Sincerity isn't always visible."
Luna rolled over, pinning Chevreuse beneath her. "Then let me feel it," she purred.
"...Do as you please."
With Chevreuse's less-than-forthright permission, Luna breathed against her skin.
"Don't leave any marks outside the areas my uniform covers," Chevreuse whispered.
"I know."
Of course, she knew exactly where Chevreuse's uniform covered.
"And don't get my clothes dirty," Chevreuse added.
"You have so many demands."
"Then just take them off."
"I don't want to."
Luna leaned against Chevreuse's chest, her voice soft and slow. "Wouldn't it be nice to fill the Special Task Force Captain's room, clothes, and even her very being with my scent?"
"After all—"
Leaving a faint red mark, Luna moved upward, her face pressing close to Chevreuse's again.
"Chevreuse is mine."
"Hmph..."
Chevreuse let out a soft huff but said nothing more.
"But if you don't keep a close eye on me, I might just do something that violates our deal, you know? So don't get too comfortable, Miss Chevreuse."
"You don't need to tell me that. I'll be watching."
Though her words were sharp, Chevreuse was certain—Luna would never betray their agreement.
Because she likes me a lot, Chevreuse thought.
At that thought, a faint smile touched Chevreuse's lips.
"You seem to be in a good mood, Miss Chevreuse."
Luna noticed the smile.
"..."
"Silent again, are we? No matter. Soon, I'll make sure you can't close your mouth at all."
A flush of excitement colored Luna's cheeks.