"Um, Amane-kun?" "Yeah?"
"You appear to be quite tired," Mahiru mentioned to Amane, who was resting his head on her lap and pressing his face snugly against her stomach, to which he replied in a quiet voice, "Yeah."
Recently, Amane started a part-time job, adding unfamiliar work on top of his usual daily routine, which seemed to have tired him out. Although he usually acted as if he was fine, seeking comfort like this to recover mentally was something that he liked to do from time to time.
When Amane gets like this, he becomes meek and quite honest in seeking affection, which Mahiru actually finds quite delightful. However, Amane was shy and didn't often show his affectionate side openly. Him seeking comfort like he was now was a rare sight, and although Mahiru wanted to indulge him as much as possible, there was a slight complication…
"If that's the case, I believe it would be best for you to get some proper rest in bed."
Indeed, if one felt exhausted to the point of sleepiness, it was best to oblige and get some rest. Without resting on days off from his part-time job, there was a risk of him potentially collapsing, especially seeing as he wasn't yet accustomed to the new routine.
"…My batteries charge faster when I sleep on you, Mahiru. It heals me." "That's all well and good, but you'll still experience better quality rest in bed, so let's move there, shall we? You'll like it much better than the sofa." "…If you insist."
After Mahiru persuaded him kindly in a whisper, the very obedient Amane dismounted his head from Mahiru's thighs and got up with a wobble. She accompanied Amane carefully to his bedroom, where he lay down on the bed as if being sucked into it.
With a thud, letting the weight of his body sink into the bed, Amane gave Mahiru a look that clearly showed he was indeed sleepy.
"It's a very fluffy bed, see? …Amane-kun?" "Mahiru…do you have anything to do after this?" "Huh? Not particularly, no…"
Right as she finished replying, Mahiru was pulled by the hand and dragged onto the bed. There was no pain, only the sensation of the soft bed and the firmness of Amane's chest.
Realizing she was being embraced, Mahiru moved her face about and looked up, her eyes meeting Amane's. He was gazing back at her with tired yet pleading eyes.
"…Could you give me just a little bit of your time?"
Hearing his modest voice, Mahiru couldn't help but giggle. To her, it was amusing that despite having pulled off something so bold, Amane still seemed unsure whether she would accept.
"I suppose it can't be helped, can it?" Mahiru relented. "…Don't just say 'a little bit,' you may have as much of it as you want, especially since it's you, Amane-kun."
"Yeah…"
"You really do become obedient when you're sleepy, don't you?" He wants to hug me just like he would a body pillow, Mahiru thought, considering the way he hugged her.
Shortly after, she heard a muffled voice saying, "I can't unless I'm like this," making her realize that he just couldn't be this honest with himself when fully awake. With a wry chuckle, Mahiru gently tapped Amane on the back, lulling him to sleep.