Catgirls And Dungeons (Yuri)-Chapter 22: Back scrubbing!

Eris is scrubbing my back with the towel when, suddenly, she pauses. A moment later, I feel her fingers trace a slow, deliberate line down my spine, sending a jolt of electricity through me.

"EEEKKK!"

I squeal, completely caught off guard. My body jerks instinctively, muscles tensing as my heart pounds wildly in my chest. The sensation lingers—a ghostly imprint of her touch, warm and featherlight, spreading through my skin in tingling waves.

Eris freezes, her hand hovering in midair, fingers curled slightly as if she's resisting the urge to touch me again. A soft murmur escapes her lips.

"Ah... I'm sorry," she says quietly. "Your skin... it's so smooth, I just wanted to feel it. It's the most perfect skin I've ever seen."

Her words sink in, and my face ignites. A blush spreads hot and fast across my cheeks, my heart flipping at her confession.

"O-ohh..." I stammer, unable to find the right words. The space where her fingers had been still tingles, like an echo I can't shake. Silence settles between us, thick with something unspoken, and I shift nervously beneath her gaze.

"S-sorry," Eris mutters, her voice softer now, hesitant. "If you don't want me to, I won't do that again..."

There's something in her tone—something almost vulnerable. The flicker of disappointment in her expression makes my chest ache. She looks like she's holding something back, unsure if she's crossed a line.

I glance at her, biting my lip.

Well... it was just a touch.

And... it's not like I hated it, right?

I take a quiet breath, my pulse still unsteady.

"It-it's okay..." I mumble. "You can... touch me... if you want."

I lean back ever so slightly, letting my bare skin brush against her hand again, trying to show her that I don't mind.

Eris inhales sharply, her eyes widening as if startled by the contact. This time, she's the one who pulls away.

"Huh? What's wrong?" I ask, glancing over my shoulder at her.

"Ah, n-nothing!" Eris stammers, shaking her head quickly as if to clear it. Then, after a brief pause, she shifts closer, her hesitation fading.

"Well, if you say so... I'll touch you now!"

"Y-yeah..." I nod, my heart still racing. "But, um... don't just hover your fingers like that! It tickles too much!" I add, trying to lighten the tension.

Eris blinks, then grins—a mischievous, playful grin.

"Yay!" she giggles before placing her palm flat against my back, this time much more deliberate.

The warmth of her hand spreads slowly, sinking into my skin, the roughness of her palm contrasting with my softness. It's a simple touch, yet somehow... intimate. My body reacts immediately, my breath catching in my throat.

Ba-dump... ba-dump...

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"Ohhh?" Eris hums teasingly. "Your heart's racing~"

Her fingers move gently, tracing a slow, featherlight circle across my back.

"I-it's because you're still tickling me!" I protest, trying to sound casual, but my voice wavers, betraying me. The way her touch lingers—so warm, so steady—sends a strange, fluttering sensation through me.

Eris leans in just a little closer, her breath brushing against my ear, sending a shiver racing down my spine.

"Mmm... sure, blame it on the tickling," she murmurs, her voice low and full of mischief.

"Eh? W-what do you mean by that???" I stammer, a little too fast. My ears flick involuntarily, betraying my growing flustered state.

But Eris just chuckles. "Just kidding, nothing~"

For a moment, we stay like that—Eris's hand moving in slow, lazy patterns against my skin, like she's mapping every inch, memorizing it. There's something thoughtful about the way she does it, as if she's learning something about me in a way words never could. The silence isn't awkward anymore. It's... something else. Something unspoken, but undeniably there.

I don't pull away.

I let her explore, even though my heart won't stop racing.

Finally, after what feels like forever, Eris lets out a quiet sigh and picks up the towel again. The slow, rhythmic motions return as she resumes scrubbing, this time with a gentler touch. The warm water, the friction of the fabric against my skin—it's soothing, grounding, making it easier to breathe again.

"You know," I say after a moment, hoping to break the silence, "you have nice skin too."

Eris pauses mid-motion, her hand hovering over my shoulder. "Me?"

"Yeah," I nod. "I like it. Mine's always so pale... like I'm sick or something. But yours... it looks healthy, strong, glowing..."

"Hehe, thanks," she murmurs, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder for a moment before resuming her slow, rhythmic movements.

Yup, her skin might be rougher than mine, but there's beauty in it—a kind of strength I admire. Despite all the adventuring, the rough training, and the battles, she still carries an effortless grace.

After all, she's just a girl.

And girls... are very soft.

"And not just that," I continue, letting my eyes trail over her toned arms, "your body is incredible too! I mean, how did you get those muscles? It's like you're perfectly sculpted!"

Eris laughs lightly, shaking her head. "Perfect? Nuh-uh! I think I'm a bit too muscular, honestly. I doubt many people like girls who look this strong."

"What?" I shake my head in disbelief. "No way! You look amazing!"

Her arms, her abs—heck, even the curve of her waist—everything about her is the perfect blend of power and femininity. It's a mesmerizing contrast.

It's hot.

Like, really, really hot.

But I can't just say that, can I? That would sound... weird.

Eris tilts her head, watching me with curious amusement. "I see," she hums, then after a pause, she asks, "So... you like it? My body?"

Eh???

That completely catches me off guard.

My face erupts in heat.

"W-well, yeah!" I stammer, struggling to maintain my composure. "It's the complete opposite of me, right? My arms and legs are like noodles, look!" I flex dramatically, showing off my absolute lack of muscle. "And... well, your chest is, uh, way bigger than mine!!!"

Eris chuckles at that.

"So what? I think your flat chest is cute," she says, smirking.

EH???

I blink, stunned.

Did she just... did she just say she likes flat chests?

More importantly... did she just say she likes mine?!

AAAA!!!

My face is burning.

And Eris? She's grinning—completely amused by my reaction.

"Well, you know," she continues, her tone teasing, "it's way easier to move and fight without anything getting in the way. I'd trade for yours any day." She adds a playful wink for emphasis.

Oh...

So that's why she said she loves it.

It makes sense.

However—

SHE DIDN'T HAVE TO WORD IT LIKE THAT!!!

DON'T GET MY HOPES UP LIKE THAT, DAMN IT!!!

I glare at her, my eyebrows twitching. This catgirl is too much. I want to bite her. I need to bite her—for all the emotional turmoil she's putting me through today!

"Alright, then give me your boobs. I'll trade you mine!" I huff, crossing my arms.

"Deal!" Eris exclaims instantly, without even hesitating.

...

Haizz...

I sigh.

This Eris...

Stupid Eris.

I spend the next few minutes in a grumpy, pouting silence while she continues scrubbing my back.

At least she's still good at this part.

I close my eyes, focusing on the warmth of the water, the gentle friction of the towel against my skin, trying to forget what she just said. But then—

Eris leans in, her breath brushing against my ear.

"You know," she whispers, "you were really cute today. Especially in that pink dress."

BOOM.

Just like that—

I explode.

My face burns, completely and utterly wrecked by her words.

"I-I was?" I stammer, turning to face her, wide-eyed.

Eris's expression softens, her lips curling into a gentle smile. "Yeah," she murmurs, voice quieter this time. "You're the cutest and most beautiful person I've ever seen, Felicia..."

Ba-dump!

...

AAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!

I whip back around, hiding my face in my hands.

My heart is racing, pounding against my ribs so hard it's a miracle I'm still alive.

For a moment, I can't speak. I don't know how to respond.

But then... a smile spreads across my face—wide, uncontrollable, stupidly happy.

My chest swells with warmth, like a balloon filling up with something light and giddy.

I can't stop grinning.

I simply just can't.