Everlasting dream (18+)

Chapter 53 — The big sister strikes back!

[Aster]

The sky above was a brilliant blue, dotted with only a few fluffy clouds that lazily drifted by. The sun's warm rays peeked through the pine trees' branches, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. Birds sang their sweet melodies while bees buzzed in the air, searching for pollen to sustain their colonies. Winter's last remnants had long since melted away, replaced by the vibrant signs of spring.

Inside the cave, Aster and Silvia stood facing each other, their bodies glistening with sweat that clung to their skin like a second layer. Their chests rose and fell with each heavy breath as they gripped thick branches as tall as themselves, each wrapped at the end with a piece of cloth for safety — their improvised training spears.

Nivalis lay in her bed near the fire, her eyes heavy with fatigue as she watched her children fight with wooden sticks. Despite her weakened state, she forced herself to stay awake and keep an eye on them, worrying about her babies getting hurt. For the last two hours, Aster and Silvia had been practicing the basics: attacking and dodging each other's strikes, blocking and countering with their spears.

At first, their movements were slow, awkward, and clumsy, but as time passed, they grew more comfortable and confident with each other and their weapons. Now, they even started sparring, trying to mimic real fights. But the more real it seemed, the harder it was for Nivalis to watch without flinching.

Silvia's cheeks flushed bright red, her silver hair sticking to her forehead in damp strands. Her eyes stared intensely at her brother's face, which was equally flushed and exhausted.

— "Okay, my turn to attack," Aster said calmly, lowering his stance into a fighting position.

Silvia took a cautious step back, gripping her branch tightly, waiting for the attack. Aster drew a sharp breath through his nose before charging forward at his sister.

— "Left!" Aster warned, swinging his spear in a wide arc. Because this was their first training day, and both had no idea what they were doing, they agreed to warn each other about their next moves. This way, the training wouldn't turn into a mess of injuries, and they could actually learn something.

Silvia swiftly blocked his strike, her weapon colliding with his in a loud crack. Both their arms shook violently from the impact, and she winced, gritting her teeth as she held her ground, preventing his branch from touching her body.

— "Right," Aster warned again, twisting his hips and swinging his weapon horizontally.

Silvia managed to block his attack once more, but not without effort. The strength behind his strike surprised her, causing her to stumble back a step before regaining her balance. However, before she could recover, Aster quickly changed the direction of his swing. "High!" he exclaimed, raising his stick above his head.

Silvia gasped and instinctively threw herself backward, dodging the attack by a hair's breadth. Aster quickly followed, "Middle," he warned, thrusting the spear at her torso. But Silvia was fast enough to parry the strike, pushing it aside with a grunt of effort.

It continued for a while, with Aster attacking and Silvia blocking or dodging. They circled each other, their movements growing slower as their limbs became numb with pain. Sweat trickled down their faces, dripping like tiny rivers onto the stone floor below. The heavy breathing of tired siblings filled the cave, the shuffle of their bare feet on the rough surface echoing around them in a rhythmic pattern.

— "Middle, middle!" Aster warned Silvia through labored breath, attacking her repeatedly and thrusting his weapon at her chest, abdomen, and thighs, forcing her to dodge, parry, and step back constantly.

Silvia's heart raced wildly in her chest, threatening to burst free from its confines. Her lungs burned with every ragged breath she managed to draw into her starved lungs, while beads of sweat dripped down her pale skin like tiny tears. Every muscle ached, protesting the exertion as she struggled to keep pace with her brother's attack.

Aster pressed forward, his attacks coming from unexpected angles, each accompanied by a shouted warning of its direction. When Silvia raised her spear to block his latest swing, he changed its trajectory at the last moment, and thanks to him breathing heavily, his warning came a split second too late. The girl was too slow to adjust her defense, leaving her with no choice but to attempt a desperate dodge.

As Silvia turned her body to evade the attack, the side of Aster's spear connected with her buttocks with the force of his entire body behind it. A loud slap echoed through the cave, and Silvia let out a startled yelp as her eyes widened in shock. The cloth wrapped around the wooden shaft did little to soften the impact on her pink and tender, defenseless butt cheeks.

"Mmm!" Silvia cried out, clutching her stinging buttocks with both palms. Due to the intense pain, her knees buckled beneath her, making her kneel on the stone floor. She lowered herself, pressed her face against the cool rock, and lifted her hips high up in the air. "Ow... ow..." she hissed through gritted teeth, her expression contorting into a mask of pain as tears welled up in her eyes. Her pink little toes curled, and her thighs quivered uncontrollably.

— "Oh, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," Aster blurted apologetically, rushing over to his sister's side with concern on his face. "Are you okay?" he asked, crouching beside her. Without waiting for a response, he reached out and grabbed the hem of her tunic, pulling it up to reveal her tiny, reddened buttocks that trembled in the air. The red mark across her cheeks seemed to pulse in time with each strained breath she took.

"Ow... I'm okay. I'm okay..." Silvia muttered, massaging her throbbing bottom with both palms. Her little fingers squeezed and kneaded the delicate flesh, spreading her cheeks apart. "Just... ow..."

— "I really am sorry, Silvia. I didn't—" Aster began his apology, only to be interrupted by their mother's painful coughing. Both kids turned to look at the bed where their mother lay; her face scrunched up in pain as she tried to sit up.

"Mom, please don't move!" Silvia exclaimed, jumping to her feet and rushing to her mother's side. "Just lie still and rest! What are you doing?!" she cried out in panic. Aster followed close behind, and they both knelt beside their mother.

Nivalis panted heavily, her chest heaving with each labored breath. Her eyes were squeezed shut, and her arms trembled beneath her weight as she struggled to remain upright. "Please, Mom, stay in bed. Everything's okay," Silvia said softly, gently helping their mother lie back down again.

Nivalis groaned and hissed as her body met the blankets. "I'm okay, just..." she gasped, trying to catch her breath. "H-how bad is your bottom, dear?" she asked, looking into her daughter's worried, golden eyes.

"It's fine, Mom. It was nothing," Silvia mumbled, offering a soft smile as she brushed a stray strand of hair away from her mother's face. "I was just pretending it hurt more than it did so Asty would owe me a massage later," she lied, trying to ease her mother's worries.

Aster couldn't help but glance at his sister's exposed buttocks peeking from under her tunic as she crouched above their mother's face on all fours. The long and ugly mark across her bottom was anything but fine.

"Are you sure, honey? It didn't look like nothing," Nivalis muttered, frowning as she stared into her daughter's eyes.

"Yes, Mom. I am fine; it hurts only a tiny bit. Promise," Silvia reassured her mother, gently patting her forehead. "Don't worry about it. We should worry about you, not my butt," she said, giggling softly.

"Hmm... If you say so, honey," Nivalis said, her expression relaxing a little. "But still, you should be more careful. Your training looks quite dangerous. Take it slower next time."

"Of course, Mommy," she whispered, kissing her cheek. "We will be more careful next time, won't we, Asty?" Silvia added, glancing behind and giving her brother a piercing look. One that promised eternal torture if he disagreed.

— "Uh, yeah. Yes, of course," Aster answered, snapping out of his stare at his sister's ass.

"Good. And Aster... give her a massage later, okay?" Nivalis said, looking up at her son. "You need to take care of your sister, even if it hurts just a little," she smiled weakly, closing her eyes.

— "Don't worry, Mom. I will give her the best massage ever. This evening, after we take care of all the chores, I will have plenty of time to spoil her," Aster said, giving his sister a warm smile.

"Alright, then," Nivalis mumbled, her eyes still closed. "Enough training for today. Go and wash yourselves, both of you. You smell terrible," she teased, earning a few tiny giggles from her children.

"Okay, Mommy. Don't worry, I will scrub this doofus clean," Silvia said, smiling as she looked down at her mother's face. "And when we return, we will prepare something nice and tasty for you. Alright?"

"Mhm..." Nivalis replied, her voice barely audible as she drifted off to sleep.

The kids watched her for a moment, listening to her slow, steady breathing. When they were sure she was deep asleep, they exchanged glances. Aster's worried expression met Silvia's angry one. Her pursed lips and narrowed eyes were so intense that they sent chills down his spine. It was not the usual playful, angry look he had grown used to.

— "Sorry?" Aster whispered, swallowing hard as his voice trembled. Silvia glared at him for a moment, not saying a word. Unsure of what to do, he glanced around, feeling like a prey being stared down by a predator.

"You will give me a massage, a long, long, and long one," Silvia whispered, her voice cold and threatening, as she slowly crawled towards her little brother. Her face was dangerously close to his, her golden eyes drilling into his soul. "You will do it until I fall asleep. Do you hear me, mister?" she asked, her breath brushing his lips. "No complaining. No tricks. No excuses."

Aster swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded frantically. "Y-yeah... Of course, I-I will, as I promised to Mom. No complaining. No tricks. No excuses," he stuttered, repeating her words. "A long, long, and long massage. Got it."

"Good," she said, standing up. Silvia's smile and tone were sweet as honey, but it continued to send chills down Aster's spine. "Get up, my dear little brother. We are going to wash ourselves. And you will receive a nice special scrubbing from me," she innocently added.

She held out her hand for him, and Aster reluctantly took it, getting up as he did so. "I am going to be all red again after your nice special scrubbing, aren't I?" his voice trembling slightly.

"You bet, little bro," Silvia grinned, her eyes glistening mischievously in the cave's dim light. "You are going to love it."

Aster sighed, defeated. "Yay. I can't wait," he muttered, picking up the pot with water and placing it on the fire.

...

[Silvia]

As the siblings finished their daily tasks, the sky slowly began to turn pink on the horizon. They cleaned themselves, tidied the cave, prepared and shared a meal, cared for their mother's wounds, and even managed to do some laundry and hang it out to dry. With chores out of the way, it is time for Silvia to do her magical training before bed.

Sitting just outside the cave's entrance, Aster watched his sister practice her magic; his golden eyes focused on her face. He held a spear, ready to protect them if anything went wrong. Though it was not a training spear but a real one with a sharp, pointy end, he didn't feel too worried because they were close to their cave, and Silvia's training was always quick. His job was to keep his ears and eyes open for anything suspicious while his sister did her thing.

The sun was almost gone, its faint rays illuminating the treetops. Birds chirped, their sweet melodies filling the forest, and crickets' rhythmic chirping grew louder by the minute. A cool breeze caressed their faces, bringing the scent of fresh pine needles and wildflowers. Aster sighed deeply, moving his eyes from his sister to the surrounding forest.

Silvia closed her eyes, focusing on her mana and the spell she wanted to cast. She breathed deeply, in and out, her hand covered with a layer of frost, slowly spreading up her arm. As the ice crept along her skin, her golden eyes snapped open, her gaze fixed on the single point above her palm. A thick mist poured from her open hand, lazily falling to her feet. With a clear image in mind, Silvia commanded the mist to concentrate on that point, which it did.

The mist began to swirl and twist, condensing into a spike shape. Silvia observed as the mist solidified, forming a crystal clear, razor-sharp icicle hovering above her palm. She smiled and glanced up at her brother, expecting praise. After all, she tried her best to quicken the process of creating the icicle and making it of a perfect shape as well.

But Aster remained quiet, continuing to look at the surrounding trees. He scanned the area, looking for potential dangers.

Silvia puffed out her cheeks, a little upset at her brother's lack of attention, and looked back at her icicle. Instead of launching just like she usually did—with compressed mist exploding behind the icicle—she focused on her mana. She tried to imagine her mana enveloping the object with countless tiny threads stretching from her palm.

Suddenly, the girl felt overwhelming mana surging through her veins. A wave of dizziness swept over her, and her vision blurred, making her feel nauseous. Similar to how she made the icicle float above her hand, adding more mana should give her much more control over the icicle.

She felt how her mana sips into the ice as if her very blood ran inside it. Her heart raced, her breathing became rapid, and beads of sweat trickled down her pale skin. It was much harder to do this than her usual method, and her brain felt as if it would explode from the strain, but Silvia stubbornly held on, refusing to let go of the image in her mind.

Then, she tried to manipulate the threads. They moved according to her will, twisting and curling around the ice, forming a spiral pattern that made the icicle spin. A sharp, stabbing pain pierced her temples, forcing her eyes shut for a moment, but she gritted her teeth and pushed herself, forcing her eyes open.

Silvia groaned quietly as her arm trembled under the icicle. Despite her efforts, she couldn't prevent the threads from becoming disordered, their once perfect arrangement now distorted and tangled. Moving her golden eyes up, she glanced at the boulder in the distance and launched the spinning ice in its direction.

It didn't whistle like her spells usually did. This time, the icicle flew silently through the air, falling on the ground halfway to its destination. Not only that, the trajectory was slightly off-center.

— "Impressive, for the first-" Aster tried to praise his sister, but she cut him off.

"Oh, shut it. It was really bad," Silvia said, wiping the sweat off her forehead and glancing at her brother. She frowned, pouting her rosy cheeks at him.

— "Are you still mad-" Aster started, but his sister interrupted him again.

"No, I'm not mad," Silvia mumbled, crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks even more. Yes, she was totally still mad at him for hitting her butt. Even now, it stung terribly, but she did her best to ignore it throughout the day. "Let's try again. I need to practice more," she said, focusing on her palm.

...

[Aster]

Aster's nervousness grew with every tremble of his sister's body — trembling that seemed to intensify as she tried to cast her spell repeatedly. With each passing moment, her condition worsened, and his attempts to convince her to stop only seemed to make matters worse, provoking an even more stubborn response from her, her body shaking violently like never before.

— "You need to take a break," Aster whispered urgently, frowning as he looked at her exhausted face. "You're overdoing it, Silvia."

"Shhh," the little girl hissed in response, focusing on the mist in her palm. Her face contorted with effort, brows furrowed, and lips pressed into a tight line. Channeling more and more mana made her fingers twitch uncontrollably as beads of sweat rolled down her pale skin, but her gaze remained fixed on her palm.

Aster observed his sister, worry etched into his features. "Please, Silvia, you have to stop," he pleaded, stepping closer. But, the little girl remained unresponsive, her attention entirely consumed by the ice. "Silvia, you've done enough for today. Let's go inside."

"I'm not leaving until I do it," she whispered through gritted teeth. "You saw my last attempt. It was pathetic."

— "That's because you've never practiced this before. Although it lacks power, you're already launching your spell twice as fast as before; that's progress. I don't want you to collapse. Please, let's go," Aster reasoned, gently putting his arms on her trembling shoulders.

"I'm not going to collapse. Stop worrying so much," Silvia replied, her voice laced with fatigue. "I need to make this work. I'm doing it for Mom. I have to protect-" she began, but Aster cut her off.

— "Come here," Aster whispered, his arms moving beneath her legs and back, lifting her petite body. "No more training for today, young lady. Your brother is taking care of you now, whether you like it or not," he added, cradling her in his arms and carrying her back to the cave. She was pretty heavy for him. Aster's skinny arms struggled to hold her weight, but he forced himself to continue.

"A-Asty, what are you- Hey!" Silvia exclaimed, surprised by her brother's actions. Her arms instinctively encircled his neck, clinging to his slender frame as he carried her. "P-Put me down, Asty," she protested, her golden eyes looking into his while her cheeks pouted cutely angrily. This! This was the angry face Aster knew so well.

— "I will once we are inside the cave," Aster whispered, giving her a soft smile.

Silvia squinted, frowning as she pursed her lips. "B-but... I'm not... I'm not done yet. Put me down," she stuttered, wriggling herself in his embrace. "I'll be fine, I promise."

— "No, you won't," Aster replied, adjusting her in his arms. He opened the wooden barricade, stepped inside, and closed the door behind them. "No arguments. You've done enough for today. Your training can wait. Now let your brother take care of you, alright?" he whispered, walking over to their bed and gently laying her on the blankets.

"Mhm..." Silvia mumbled, shyly averting her eyes.

Aster knelt, removing her boots and revealing her tiny, wiggling toes exposed to the chill in the air. She looked up at him, her golden eyes staring at his face silently, allowing him to do whatever he wanted.

After neatly putting her shoes aside, Aster moved his hands to her coat and began slowly unbuttoning it, one by one, revealing the thin, white tunic she wore underneath. His eyes moved to her face; her cheeks flushed pink, and her lashes fluttered nervously as she watched him work. Once the last button was released, he gently lifted her, slipping the coat from her arms and laying her back down.

— "It's all wet," Aster noted, observing the wet tunic clinging to her slender frame, revealing the delicate curves beneath the fabric. Her chest rose and fell, her ribs slightly pronounced as she breathed. He cautiously slid his hands beneath her tunic, his fingertips grazing the soft, wet skin of her stomach, and raised the hem, pulling the damp garment up and over her head.

"Ah," Silvia's gasp was barely audible as the cool air caressed her petite, exposed body, causing her to shiver. Goosebumps covered her nakedness almost immediately, her pale skin glistening in the light of the fireplace. But Silvia didn't move or make a sound, her eyes fixed on her brother's face; she simply lay there obediently, her long, silver hair spilling over her shoulders and chest.

With her upper clothing removed, Aster lowered himself down to her trousers. He hooked his thumbs beneath her waistband and slowly tugged them off. Silvia lifted her hips, letting her brother slide her pants off her, his fingers running past her smooth, creamy thighs and calves all the way to her cute feet.

— "Wait for me. I'll be in a moment," Aster whispered, grabbing the blanket from next to her and gently covering his sister's shivering body. Her trembling fingers clutched the edges, pulling the fabric closer. Silvia nodded and gave him a soft smile, her golden eyes following him as he stood up and headed toward the fire.

Aster did what he usually did before going to bed—he added more wood to the fire and checked on their mother, whispering goodnight and tucking her in. When he turned around, his gaze met his sister's, her beautiful eyes reflecting the fire's dancing light.

Her eyes followed her brother's every move as he removed his coat, tunic, boots, and pants. She watched him silently, her golden eyes glued to his skinny frame as he crawled back to his lovely sister. When her little brother approached her, he lifted the blanket at her feet and slipped underneath, his dry, warm skin brushing against her trembling, wet one as he moved up her body, positioning himself atop her fragile, petite form.

— "Hi," he whispered, smiling at her from above as his head popped from the covers. His long, silver hair cascaded down, intertwining with her locks, and his golden eyes twinkled in the fireplace's warm glow.

"Hi," Silvia replied, giggling quietly. Her small hands still clutched the blanket and held it tight, with her little brother's head between her fists. "I am all sweaty," she murmured, looking at his face.

— "You are," Aster said, kissing the tip of her nose, making her scrunch her face. "My sweet, adorable, and stinky little sister," he whispered, his hands sliding under her back, wrapping her in a tight hug.

"Hey! I am not your little-" she tried to protest, but Aster suddenly rolled over, pulling her on top of him. "-sister," she finished, looking into his golden eyes, pouting cutely.

— "Today you are," Aster whispered, brushing a lock of her silver hair behind her ear. "I carried you like a princess, so I think I earned myself the right to call you my little sister for tonight," he teased, tightening his embrace.

"Whatever," she murmured, resting her chin on his shoulder. Her cold hands moved down to his lower abdomen, between their bodies, and rested there. Aster didn't even flinch or complain when the coldness of her hands met his warm skin, already used to her icy palms.

For a moment, they remained like this, enjoying each other's warmth, feeling their bodies pressed against one another, and listening to each other's breaths. But eventually, Silvia broke the silence. "Wait, actually, no. You were a meanie today, little brother. So I am the one who's big here. And I will be the one calling you 'little.' Got it, little bro?" she announced, trying to sound intimidating, but her little body shivered too much to do a good job.

— "So I guess big sister doesn't need my massage anymore? Too bad, I was just about to start. Oh well," Aster sighed, closing his eyes and faking a snore.

"Oh, no, no, no," Silvia squealed, her lips curling into a cute, pleading smile. "My butt hurts soo, so terribly. I waited for this all day, Asty, please," she whispered, nuzzling her face against his neck and planting a few kisses on his skin. The snoring intensified, with her brother ignoring her.

"I'm sorry, my little brother, my cute and amazing, super-duper-handsome, and kind little brother. Please, pretty please, give me a nice, long massage," Silvia pleaded, blowing air against his neck with her lips pressed together, making a funny raspberry sound.

A single giggle escaped Aster's lips, betraying his perfect disguise. "Oh, no, this big brother is sleeping and can't hear anything," Aster mumbled under his breath, resuming his fake snoring.

"Hmh!" Silvia puffed out her rosy cheeks and narrowed her eyes at her brother. "You asked for this," she muttered, placing her hands on his chest and lowering herself down under the blanket.

Aster frowned, wondering what his sister was up to when suddenly, a warm and soft sensation of his sister's mouth spread across his left nipple. He gasped, his eyes shooting wide open. "What are you- Mm!" Aster tried to speak, only to produce a high-pitched squeak when his sister bit his nipple. He hurriedly grabbed the blanket with his hand, lifting it. His sister's golden eyes stared up at him mischievously as she held his defenseless nipple between her teeth, her little tongue flicking against it.

— "Release it," he said, glaring at her from above.

"Nu-uh," she hummed, her hands on his chest like a cat's paws. Her golden eyes stared into his eyes with a mischievous glint.

— "Stop it, young lady. Your big brother demands-" Aster's words were abruptly cut off as a high-pitched, almost girlish moan escaped him, much to his surprise. He squirmed under his sister's relentless assault, her teeth pulling at his sensitive nipple. "Silv...iaa... aaah," Aster gasped, his back arching in response to the sharp sensation.

"Hnhn," Silvia chuckled, a sly smile playing at the corners of her lips. Her teeth clamped down harder on his vulnerable flesh, eliciting a series of twitches and groans from her little brother.

— "Stop... biting me..." Aster managed to force it out through gritted teeth. "I'll do the... Massage, just- Ah!"

"Okay," she suddenly released her bite and pulled herself up closer to his face, smacking her lips happily. Her expression shifted to one of sweet innocence as she leaned in, gently pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose like nothing had happened.

Aster groaned and closed his eyes, his mind still fuzzy from her attack. The pain subsided slowly, leaving a slight, tingling sensation as if his sister's wet mouth was still attached to his skin. "You are horrible, Silvia," he mumbled, rubbing his left nipple with his fingers.

"Hihi," the girl giggled, her cheeks flushed pink. "Sorry, not sorry. Now, with my title protected, my dear little brother, I demand a nice, long, and amazing massage, okay?" she announced, wiggling her body atop him. "Or else..."

— "Alright, alright!" Aster interrupted. "Just calm down," he mumbled, palms moving to her shoulders. "Here, just stay like this and relax."

"Mrr..." Silvia purred, nuzzling her face against his shoulder and closing her eyes. His gentle, slender fingers caressed her sore muscles, massaging her shoulder blades and neck. She breathed deeply, the smell of his skin filling her lungs with each breath.

— "Big sisters are evil, I tell you. Evil," Aster grumbled, moving his hands up and down her spine and gently kneading her delicate skin.

"And cute. Super cute," Silvia murmured, her warm breath tickling his skin.

— "Sometimes," Aster sighed. "When they aren't doing evil things, they are super cute."

"Mmm," Silvia hummed, her lips curving into a soft smile. She remained quiet for a while, letting her brother massage her back. It was soothing and relaxing, exactly what she needed after such a tough day.

It continued for a while, her brother's warm palms working their magic on the exhausted muscles of her back; she patiently waited for his fingers to move lower, down to her aching little bottom, but for some reason, they didn't.

"If you continue to ignore my butt, you will be in trouble, little brother," Silvia warned, her voice muffled by his neck.

Aster's gaze drifted up to the ceiling as his hands momentarily stopped moving, resting on his sister's lower back, above her round, little bottom. The soft curve of her hips urged him to continue, but he hesitated.

Silvia waited patiently for him to move his palms further down, but as the silence grew, she got tired of waiting and took matters into her own hands. She gently grasped his wrists and slowly guided them down to her sore, tender cheeks. "Here, massage it here," she commanded.

— "Silvia..." Aster's mumble was barely audible. Though he had massaged her bottom many times before and was familiar with every contour of her petite behind like no one else in this world, doing so with her lying naked on top of him was a bit awkward, even for him.

"No excuses, Asty. Remember?" the girl whispered, pressing his hands against her skin, forcing his palms to squeeze her bottom. "Just rub it until it feels better. Like you always do," she added, nuzzling her nose against his neck. "Until I fall asleep."

— "...Fine," Aster agreed reluctantly. His hands began gliding over the smooth, delicate skin of his sister's butt. His palms and fingers gently squeezed and kneaded her tiny, round cheeks, caressing every part of her sore, little bottom. He did it softly, tenderly, carefully. He did it lovingly. Like any brother would or should.

They lay together in complete silence for quite a while, with their hearts beating as one while Aster did his magic. As more time passed, she gradually relaxed more and more, her eyelids growing heavy and her breathing becoming slower.

"You're... really good... at this," she mumbled, her voice sleepy. "Goodnight... Asty," she murmured, planting a soft kiss on his skin, her lips lingering on his neck as she slowly drifted off to sleep.

— "Goodnight, Silvia," he whispered, his lips grazing her forehead as his hands continued their slow, steady movements. Her soft, warm breaths continued to tickle his neck, and he felt her heartbeat slow down, her body completely limp and relaxed. He continued massaging her bottom for a while longer to make sure she was deeply asleep, just like he promised to.