As we made our way back to the village, the warm light of the setting sun casting a golden hue over the towering trees of the Zestia Forest, the conversation between the four of us continued, filled with laughter, flirtation, and a light-hearted intimacy that seemed to pulse in the air. Hestia, her pink hair catching the glow of the fading light, stayed close on my left, her fingers occasionally brushing against my arm, while Eldara, her platinum blonde hair flowing behind her, walked to my right, her touch as familiar as it was teasing. Illyana, with her deep blue hair cascading down her back, was never far behind, her eyes often flicking between the three of us with a smirk playing on her lips.
"Rosé, I still can't get over how much you've grown," Hestia teased, her fingers tracing the edge of one of my glowing tattoos. Her eyes gleamed with a mischievous glint as she leaned in closer, her voice low and intimate. "I remember when you were this tall," she said, raising her hand to her waist, "clinging to my leg, begging me to let you have just one more sweet."
I chuckled, remembering those days. "I still remember how you always gave in," I replied with a grin. "You never could say no to me."
Eldara laughed softly, her eyes glinting with amusement. "And you knew it, too. Always taking advantage of our soft spots." Her voice was playful, but there was an affection in it that couldn't be hidden. She gave me a playful smack on the back, her grin widening when I raised an eyebrow at her. "Not that we minded. You always were our favorite."
Illyana raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a smile. "Favorite, huh? Sounds like you've been a little spoiled, Rosé."
"Can you blame us?" Hestia chimed in, her voice sultry as she gave me a light tap on the shoulder, her fingers lingering just a moment longer. "Look at him now—how could we not spoil him?"
Eldara joined in, a playful gleam in her eye. "He was always our golden boy. Still is, actually." Her hand slid around my back, her fingers pressing gently against my side before she gave me another friendly, playful smack.
I chuckled, shaking my head at their antics. "If I remember correctly, it wasn't just me who did the spoiling. You two were more than happy to indulge in whatever trouble I got into."
Hestia winked at me, her hand sliding over my arm as she leaned in, her voice dripping with affection. "You've got a point. But don't act like you didn't love every minute of it."
Before I could respond, Illyana, who had been watching us with a raised eyebrow, slipped into step beside me, her smirk growing wider. "Oh, so it's like that, huh? All this pampering and attention. Maybe I should get in on this." Her tone was teasing, but there was a hint of competitiveness in her gaze.
Hestia, always one to rise to a playful challenge, grinned and gave me a light smack on my other arm. "Oh, Illyana, you're already in on it. But you'll have to earn your place."
Illyana gave a soft laugh, her fingers brushing against my arm before she gave me a playful nudge. "Earn it, huh? I think I've got a pretty good start."
Eldara, ever the instigator, leaned in close, her lips nearly brushing my ear as she whispered, "Careful, Rosé. She might just be trying to steal you from us."
I grinned, looking between the three of them. "I think I'll manage."
Illyana gave me another playful nudge, her blue eyes sparkling with amusement. "You've got quite the group here, Rosé. I'm starting to think I should have spent more time with you when we were younger."
Hestia's laugh was light and full of warmth as she gave me a teasing smack on the back. "Oh, she's just trying to catch up, Rosé. But don't worry, we've got plenty of time to make up for lost moments."
Eldara smiled, her hand slipping down to my waist, her touch light but deliberate. "And don't think we're going to let you forget who's known you the longest."
As we continued down the path, the playful taps and smacks continued, the flirting only growing more intense. Illyana, clearly enjoying the dynamic, gave me a light swat on the shoulder as she passed, her smirk widening when I gave her a mock look of surprise. "What? It's only fair," she said with a laugh, her blue eyes gleaming with mischief.
Hestia, not one to be outdone, gave me a more playful smack on my lower back, her pink eyes flashing with amusement. "Oh, Rosé, don't act so surprised. You've always loved a little attention."
I couldn't help but laugh, shaking my head as the three of them continued to tease and flirt, their affection for me clear in every touch, every word. The atmosphere between us was light, filled with warmth and familiarity, but there was also something deeper, something intimate in the way they touched me, the way they looked at me.
Illyana, despite her usual composed demeanor, seemed to be enjoying the intimacy as much as the others. She leaned in close, her voice low as she whispered, "I have to admit, Rosé, I'm a little jealous. They've had all this time with you, and I'm just catching up."
Hestia, hearing the comment, smirked and gave me another playful smack. "Oh, don't worry, Illyana. There's plenty of Rosé to go around."
Eldara laughed, her hand slipping into mine as she gave me a light squeeze. "But you'll have to share. We've got years of spoiling him to make up for."
Illyana smiled, though there was a flicker of jealousy in her eyes. "I'll keep that in mind," she said, her tone playful, though I could sense the underlying tension. She was competitive, and it was clear that she wanted to carve out her own place among us.
As the village came into view, the playful smacks, teasing, and flirting continued, the warmth between us growing with every step.