"Listen, Clair, I can't just sleep with any woman. I am not just some horny animal sowing my seeds wherever I go," said Steve with a serious face, "you might not care about such things and just get done with sex. However for me, the emotional aspect is very important."
Steve was angered if her judgment were correct.
However, she had a task to accomplish. She was instructed. Even, she can't back down no matter how scared she is.
'No, this isn't how things should go, if I can't accomplish such a small task assigned by my master, I would be thrown aside. I have to compel him somehow for the deed.'
"On top of that you are forgetting that I already have a lover," Steve claimed
"But she is the one who sent me.. "
Steve was jolted back. She let go of her shoulder while being lost in thought.
"That may be true or may not be. If it is then I feel disgusted at her actions. How can she force a fellow woman to sleep with a man just to fulfill her own objectives? I don't know what's gotten into her ever since she got into this world I swear I will get to its roots" said Steve a fire burning in his eyes.
Clair could feel his anger. Seeing him clearly agitated she didn't understand what to say. What struck her most was the conclusion he deducted. Which was somewhat true in its own respect.
"Does that means you knew?" Clair asked with a feeble voice.
"Of course I know, your whole self is trembling. As for Clair she definitely must have a hidden agenda to force you into this. I am surprised at your cowardice though. Even if she is your master how could you tolerate such an injustice? I don't know the laws of this world but I know one thing you completely dreaded what you were about to do tonight."
Taking off his torn shirt which he had torn during his battle he wrapped it around her body to cover her bare skin. Her shoulders where he had held her were reddened due to his grip. Fingermarks clearly prevalent on her porcelain-like skin. It seemed that he hadn't noticed her maid clothes on the floor.
Steve sat beside her as she pulled the shirt on either so as to hide her breasts better.
"Clair look at me" at which Clair turned her head towards Steve.
"I don't mean to make things difficult for you but I want to say that you are a grown-up woman, you should make up your own decisions and walk on your own values after all it is your decisions and your values that makes your identity," Steve said sounding imposing, "Otherwise all humans are just the same made of flesh and bones whether it be the king of the nation or a beggar at the countryside. It is our values that make us different. It is better to die protecting your identity than living while being just another hollow human"
Clair was a bit taken aback but as if that was what she wanted to hear all along she nodded frivolously.
"You... you are right, your words they.." Clair was at a loss for words not being able to recall the words she wanted to speak.
Steve gauging the situation wrapped his off-arm around her shoulder and held her while he continued, "Though it would pang me to death if you die on me, so let's find other solutions, shall we? I am sure you will be able to do it. After all, you are a strong and capable woman."
Clair burst into tears "No.. I... I am not strong at all. What you said, I have always wanted to do the same but I was a coward, I could never muster up the courage to act on my reasons" she said while rubbing her right eye.
"Cry all you want, don't hold it back. It will only get worse if you bottle it up"
"If you feel that you are a coward and that you have no courage then don't worry I will be your courage cause I want to witness you become the woman you want to be," said Steve, "Whenever you feel wobbly in the knees unable to stand I will lend you my shoulder to stand. Whenever you feel like cursing I will lend you my ear to listen. Whenever you are too depressed and feel like crying I will be there to calm you until you get over it to face the challenges again. After all, that's what friends do, isn't it?"
"You have to do everything on your own cause if you rely on others you won't grow. However, you will always find me as your moral support"
"Are you sure you mean that?" she said while wiping the last bit of her tears.
"Of course, I am. You are my one and only friend in this whole world after all and you should be proud of it" he said as he smirked.
***
"It seems you have the maid uniform on you. Can you give me back my shirt? It is starting to get really cold and that's the only one I have"
Clair chuckled. "Why don't you turn around then? I need to change after all".
My eyes widened, 'Man, when is she gonna leave? This is getting hard to resist by the second'
"Yeah, yeah whatever" saying so I turned around.
Even if I avert my eyes my ears cannot betray me.
I heard it all, the soft unnoticeable sound of her sliding out of my shirt, the sound of the zipper as she put on her maid clothes. It was kind of hot. She threw the shirt to me which I put on without any delay.
"Umm, I am done."
"Great, then goodbye, sayonara, hasta la vista," he said while he stared at her finally in her usual maid attire but she didn't flinch an inch.
"I can't leave this room tonight, you know," she said.
"What do you mean? Haven't you learned anything? Was all I said going into deaf ears?"
Clair shakes her head right and left. "I don't mean it that way. The lady had ordered me to sleep with you tonight so the gates to my place would be shut for tonight. There is no way that the curators will let me pass. So, although I might be a bother to you please let me be here tonight"
'You are not a bother to me, you are a fucking thorn to my lower body, dammit. A man can't even sleep in peace' I said to myself.
There is no way I am gonna sleep with her.
No matter what happens the harem- route must be denied even in another world. Nothing good befalls out of it. Why? I don't know and I don't want to know. All I know is that it is common sense from the place where I belong.
After all, when you sleep with anyone other than your lover you not only strip her of what is rightfully hers but also deeply hurt her feelings.
Think about it from her perspective. How would you feel if your spouse sleeps with another man behind your back? Certainly not good unless you are into swinging.
"Do whatever you want" I responded as I stood up walked to a corner of the room as I sat there wrapping a blanket around my body.
"Are you perhaps afraid that you might assault me at night?" she said while she chuckled
Shit, this is why I wanted to avoid this kind of situation. She is looking down on me now.
When a woman knows that a man is harmless she makes fun of him while remaining completely defenseless.
I know them all too well.
I can tolerate anything but I cannot allow this. No one can make fun of my values. I won't tolerate it! There have been many fools in the past, who have made fun of my commitment to my GF.
"Shut up! Bitch" I shouted due to which chuckling stopped.
No sound of grinning knocking my ears, I was finally able to sleep in peace.