CW: Smutty chapter

We stood under the hot water, both completely clothed, trying to use his soap to scrub anywhere the pheromone might have landed.

I hope it won't ruin my clothes.

"Shibi, I'm really sorry. I know how much spiders freak you out, and I should have been more careful."

"It is alright."

He still sounded extremely strained, but he was clearly struggling to regain composure.

Impressive, given that this was the most ridiculous situation I have been in for months.

He went on, clearly trying to calm himself down. He walked himself through various important points out loud.

"No one else is home, so no one else's beetles will be harmed. Not much got on the floor, so the pheromone there should disperse somewhat quickly. Maybe 15 minutes? And then hopefully the spiders will go back to wherever they came from. The bigger concern is where it splashed on fabric. They could follow that around for hours, in fact…"

He looked at me, suddenly turning red.

"Your...your shirt."

"What?"

It was then that I remembered I was wearing a white shirt, which was currently turning all but transparent under the hot stream of water. My face felt like it was on fire. I tried to cover myself up with my arms.

"Oh, geeze! I didn't count on...I didn't expect..I mean!"

"No, no there's nothing to be ashamed of. It wasn't planned on. And rinsing off this way was my idea, I should have thought this through better."

He was looking up at the ceiling and away from me, so I looked down. At him. And his pants. Which were absolutely slick against his skin in the water, leaving a certain bulge visible.

"Oh."

I guess that's one way to find out whether or not he's interested in me. Let's hear it for attempt number forty five!

He looked back at me, followed my gaze, and suddenly he was the one apologizing.

"I am so sorry. Please do not worry. I would never impose upon you in any way. This sort of thing just happens when..."

Something about his nervousness restored my confidence. A switch flipped inside me. Was he nervous because he likes me too? I uncrossed my arms and faced him.

"It's okay," I said, trying to seem more sure of myself than I was, "I don't normally get to see much of you either."

I heard him inhale a deep, shaky breath and release it.

"In fact, I'd like to see more."

I reached towards him slowly, resting my hand on his hip. I took a small step towards him, closing the remaining distance between us. He stood stiffly, but as soon as I leaned into him he pulled me closer. He hooked an arm behind me and used his other hand to tilt my face up towards him.

"Are you sure?" He barely breathed it.

"Yes."

"It's a bad idea."

"I know."

"We could never.."

I kissed him. I meant it to be gentle, but as soon as our lips touched he wrapped his arm around me and leaned in, deepening the kiss as much as he could. I let the tips of my fingers explore the skin just under the edge of his shirt. It was smooth, warm, and I immediately craved more. He broke the kiss for a second and stepped back.

"I have wanted to do that for a long time."

"Me too."

He took his shirt off and tossed it to the other end of the shower. I blushed, and had to look away.

"Should I…?"

"Let me."

He carefully undid the buttons on my shirt starting from the bottom. He slowly worked his way up, pausing at the last few. I leaned up to kiss him, and then undid the remaining buttons myself, tossing my shirt on top of his.

"You blush a lot. I wouldn't have expected you to be so shy, Irie."

"I'm not shy! I just...umm….the water is hot, it's making me red."

"I think it's cute."

I let him kiss me, feeling his hands traveling up my back. I closed my eyes and mirrored the movement, adding small swirls or meanders to the path he traced. Suddenly I felt a bump on his back. Then another, then another. I felt him start to go limp, and my eyes snapped open. A cloud of small black specks surrounded him, swarming. All his kikaichū were evacuating.

"Oh! I forgot!"

I reached around him to turn the water off, then opened the shower curtain to let some steam escape. I completely forgot. If his internal temperature rises too much, all his kikaichū evacuate to a more suitable location. He laughed weakly.

"After that trip to the springs, I really should have known. Are you alright?"

"What awful timing for it."

I helped him sit down on the edge of the shower, then sat beside him. He leaned against me and took several deep breaths.

"I apologize if they frightened you, I understand that seeing this can be a bit…off-putting."

"Not at all. They remind me of the midges near the street lights. I think you told me what they were actually called once…"

"The midges? Tokunagayusurika akamusi, I believe. But Irie, I'm serious. You don't have to be polite. Several people have been frightened by it."

I kissed his forehead.

"It doesn't bother me."

"Some are even..." his voice shook a bit, like it always does when he's feeling fragile, "some find it disgusting."

"Shibi, I like you. It doesn't bother me one bit."

"I like the way you say my name."

Now that the water was off, his internal temperature was returning to normal. His kikaichū started landing on his arms and torso, crawling back inside their host. The last one landed on his face and crawled back into his hair. He looked so frightened that I might think less of him. I kissed him again, savoring the taste of his lips and the smell of his skin. He opened his mouth to answer, and then we both jumped when his front door slammed.

"Dad? I'm home." Shino called from downstairs.

Shit. I scrambled to put my shirt back on, and he did the same. He wrapped a towel around me.

"The pheromones should have been rinsed off by now, we should be safe."

"Oh, good.."

"Dad, why were there so many spiders leaving through the windows?" Shino shouted.

"So, what should I do about..?"

I gestured to my soaked clothes.

"Let me get you into something dry."

He yelled out "I'll be down in just a minute!", then he took my hand and led me from the bathroom to his bedroom. He pulled a large shirt and some sweatpants with a drawstring out of his dresser and handed them to me.

"Just change into these and leave the wet things here, I will dry them and return them."

"Thanks."

He turned around and I changed quickly, then tossed my wet clothes into his hamper.

"Irie.."

He looked at me, suddenly seeming very vulnerable.

"Listen, I like you. But you know I have to think about certain things.."

"I know."

"My son, my clan's name, the relationship with the Kamizuru clan..."

"Shibi, I understand."

"And the most responsible choice would be for this," he gestured to me, then himself, "to end here."

"You have to think about your responsibilities."

I tried to sound kind, but just sounded bitter.

He was quiet.

"Plus, please believe me, I only want what's best for your son. That means making the responsible choice."

Another yell from downstairs. "Dad, is someone here? I thought I heard someone."

He pulled me into a tight hug, and whispered, "I wish it didn't have to be this way."

"It's for the best. I get it."

As soon as his grip lessened I stepped back.

"I'm just going to…" I nodded towards the open window.

"See you tomorrow?"

"See you… Soon."

I took a long look at him, then leapt out onto the roof. I crossed the rooftops for a few streets, then dropped back down to the street and walked home.