emotional support

That night, Rosaria refused to leave Aether’s side.

She curled up against him in the large bed, arms wrapped tightly around his unconscious body. She held him close, pressing soft kisses to his forehead, his cheeks, and his lips throughout the night. Her usual tsundere attitude was completely gone — replaced by gentle, protective affection.

She whispered to him while he slept, voice soft and vulnerable:

“You idiot… pushing yourself that hard. Don’t scare me like that again.”

She stayed awake most of the night, simply cuddling him lovingly, stroking his hair, and making sure he was comfortable. Every now and then she’d nuzzle into his neck and sigh contentedly, a small, rare smile on her face.

The next morning, soft sunlight filtered through the windows of the restored guest room.

Aether stirred awake, still wrapped securely in Rosaria’s arms. She had held him the entire night.

The moment he opened his eyes, Rosaria pulled back just enough to look at him. Her usual lazy, slightly grumpy expression was gone. In its place was something much more vulnerable — a mix of tsundere stubbornness and genuine, heartfelt worry.

She grabbed the front of his shirt tightly.

“…Promise me,” she said, voice low but trembling. “Promise me you’ll never do something that stupid again. I don’t care how strong you are. I don’t care if it’s a ‘challenge.’ You pushed yourself until you passed out. I had to watch you fight for your life against that monster while you were unconscious.”

Her grip tightened. Her red eyes were misty.

“You idiot… I was scared. Don’t make me feel like that again.”

The tsundere in her tried to take over — she looked away, cheeks burning — but the worry won out. She pressed her forehead against his.

“Just… promise me. Please.”

Aether smiled softly and cupped her face, pulling her into a gentle kiss.

“I promise,” he whispered against her lips. “I won’t scare you like that again.”

Rosaria let out a shaky breath, then kissed him back — slow, deep, and full of emotion.

What followed was nothing like the intense battles of the previous day.

It was gentle. Loving. As soft as the morning breeze flowing through the open window.

They moved together slowly, bodies pressed close. Rosaria straddled him, taking him inside her with a soft sigh of relief. There was no roughness, no domination — just tender, affectionate lovemaking.

She rode him with slow rolls of her hips, forehead pressed to his, eyes half-lidded in quiet bliss. Aether’s hands roamed her body gently, caressing her curves, pulling her closer.

“I love you, you know,” he murmured between kisses.

Rosaria’s breath hitched. She buried her face in his neck, hiding her burning cheeks as she whispered back:

“…Shut up. I know.”

But her arms tightened around him, and her movements became even more loving, more intimate. She kissed him deeply as they came together — soft, shared orgasms that left them both trembling and content.

They stayed connected long afterward, Rosaria curled up on his chest, lazily tracing patterns on his skin.

For once, the lazy nun didn’t want to move.

She just wanted to stay like this.

Outside, the morning light bathed Mt. Aocang in gentle warmth.