On her tiptoes, Nona lets most of her weight shift forward, pressing her chest against Straf. He takes a few steps back, forcing her to take one forward to not fall over.

「I thought you said you were feeling normal!?」

Straf backs away further. Nona follows with leisurely, bouncy steps, smiling at him with her hands held behind her back.

「Mhm. I feel normal… In fact, I feel great.」

With her amber eyes trained on his, she nods her head. With each step, she places her heel on the floor, rolls it forward along the ground, then hops off her toes into the next one.

Sidestepping away from the window, Straf backs away further inward into the room. Being chased at a snail's pace and backpedaling at a speed to match, his eyes dart around for an escape.

Thwump.

「Oh shit.」

He utters out with a nervous grin and widened eyes when his backpedaling leads him to tripping onto his back, right on top of his bed. Her smile grows into a mischievous grin again.

「Do you like my clothes?…」

Nona asks, pinching the sides of her skirt and gently lifting them as if doing a curtsy, while also turning to the side slightly and leaning forward. She tilts her head, staring into his eyes.

He crawls away some more towards the pillows, looking over her as she's standing at the foot end of his bed. Her sweater nicely accentuates her cheeky, grinning face, bringing attention to her already magnetizing glowing orange eyes. Just above the two woolly bumps on her chest, a necklace depicting a cat hangs off her neck. Presenting herself to Straf, a sliver of her stockings is visible as well beneath her long purple skirt.

《The hammer is out of the picture… Do I just fucking bounce?…》

Straf thinks, furrowing his brows as she lets go of her skirt. Nona stands there, tilting her head and visibly waiting for his opinion.

《…No, she didn't come swinging, so I'll avoid physically ghosting her for now.》

Snap.

「…Yeah, they're nice. A little too on the nose, but if you're caught shamelessly ripping something off, you can always say that it's a reference!」

He snaps his fingers and points at Nona, grinning a little. She returns a quite pleased smile, narrowing her amber eyes at him.

「Hehe… You know, I wanted to thank you for the other day…」

Crreak.

Nona places her knee on the foot end. The bed creaks as she shifts her weight to it.

「Yeah, uh… Knowing you had a good time is enough of a reward by itself. No need to thank me, seriously, don't.」

Straf gains a tight-lipped grimace, holding his hands out in front of himself as Nona places her other knee on the bed, then begins crawling towards him on all fours.

「Hmmm? But I wanted to give you a little thank you for letting me come in…」

With a small pout on her face, she crawls up to Straf while he crawls backwards. Soon, he runs out of space and his back is physically against the wall.

「…How about I let you come in too, and we call it even?」

She asks as she places her hands on his knees, tilting her head with a grin, blinking her glowing eyes at Straf. The two maintain a very uneasy eye contact for a brief moment.

《Okay, calm down, focus… Predatory animals get really hyper if something starts running…》

His hands serve as a very soft barrier, and Nona keeps herself from letting her shoulders cross their threshold. With his lips narrowing further, his eyes dart around the room.

「I feel like asking you to elaborate will have unfortunate results.」

Straf slips away sideways, sitting down on the edge of the bed just slow enough to not be perceived as fleeing.

「So… Do you like girls that are forward? Is she forward too?」

Her shoulders slump in mild disappointment, but she quickly hops to sit beside him and leans into Straf, shoulders touching.

「Who? Lia? No, I wouldn't say… She's, uh…」

Straf's brows furrow momentarily as he replies. Nona listens intently, staring into his eyes with a piercing gaze glowing orange. He gets distracted when she places her hand on his leg.

「…Uhhhhh…」

His eyes dart around in search of another escape or a distraction. Nona leans closer while Straf leans away, her face slowly closing the distance between his.

「…Do you want a drink!?」

Noticing a drinking glass inside a windowed cabinet, Straf jumps up to his feet, pirouetting around her legs towards it.

Clink!

He swings its glass-set doors open and snatches a pair of random glasses out, showing them off to Nona. Her surprised expression shifts to mild disappointment again.

「Straf… You know I'm not good at drinking.」

Her shoulders slump, and she pouts as Straf forces one of the glasses into her hands.

「What, you won't drink with me!?…」

With a poorly hidden manufactured outrage in his raised voice, he asks on the precipice of shouting, but not quite there as he pulls out a bottle of strong alcohol out of his vortex.

「Mmmnnhhh…」

With a quiet, troubled groan, Nona lowers her glowing gaze to the glass while mulling over the idea.

Krrkk… Krrrkkk… Pop!

Straf uncorks the bottle with a loud sound, pours himself a glass, then sets it down on a nearby chest of drawers.

「…Just a little is fine, I guess.」

「Just a little! Just one glass, then!」

She shrugs, and Straf quickly dashes in to start pouring the bottle's contents into her glass.

Gluglugluglugluglugluglug…

He pours and pours Nona's glass full of golden liquid, and stops just before it can overflow.

「That's…」

She looks at the glass, furrowing her brows with a troubled grimace.

「What's the problem? It's just one glass! It's like a glass of water! You know those tall tankards they give you at an inn? If we'd go get a beer, you'd be drinking more than this!」

Awkwardly grinning, Straf points his hand at her glass while setting the bottle down on top of the chest of drawers. Nona tilts her head in response, visibly thinking.

「…Well, I guess so.」

Her glowing confused eyes blink at Straf, and she shrugs her shoulders.

《Ahhh, thank goodness! This girl is stupid!…》

Closing his eyes as Straf throws his head back, he lets out a sigh of relief, smiling. Nona reluctantly brings the glass up to her lips.

「Wait!…」「Hm?」

Straf holds his palm out towards her, stopping her. Confused again, she tilts her head once more.

「…We gotta clink 'em first!」

He grabs his mostly-filled glass and shows it to Nona. The liquid sloshes within from edge to edge.

「Hehe…」

Grinning as her head tilts further, she lets out a little giggle while she cautiously places her filled glass between her legs.

「…I know something else we could knock together too.」

Making a ring out of her thumb and finger, she forcefully drives two of her other hand's fingers through it.

Pat. Pat. Pat.

With a cheeky smile on her face, she bites her lip while taking her glass back into her hand. She raises it up near Straf's.

「Uhhh… Give me one second…」

「Hm? For what?」

Her cheeky smile very abruptly changes into complete confusion as Straf turns around.

「Craft… Nnnhh…」

He mumbles under his breath, rubbing his brows while appearing deeply troubled.

《…Shit, what were they called?》

「…Roof?…」

With his back turned towards Nona, Straf speaks towards nobody in particular in an almost questioning tone.

《No, of course not! That's fucking slang!… What was the other name? Think… Think!》

Straf clicks his tongue and intensifies his brow-rubbing.

「Who are you talking to?…」

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

Nona asks, tilting her head again. Straf only replies by raising his finger at her over his shoulder.

「…Fluniii?… Ah!」

His head perks up after muttering out another word in a voice filled with uncertainty. He glances at Nona, then at the empty space in front of himself. She raises the glass higher, waiting.

「Uhhhh….」

Straf grimaces heavily while looking at the glass in her hand, and the one in his. His focus shifts to her puzzled face and her spotlight-like eyes.

「…What's that over there!? Is that a spider!?」「Hm?」

He exclaims, pointing at a wall behind Nona. Her head swivels around in search of the spider.

「Huh? Where?… I don't see it…」

She replies as she looks all over the wall.

「…Iiiiii might have been just seeing things. Never mind.」

Straf announces. Nona turns her confused gaze back to him as he returns an awkward shrug of his shoulders.

She looks at her glass again, tilting her head a little as she stares intensely at the liquid. Straf's face twists into a wide-eyed, extremely tight-lipped grimace.

「…Do you want to do it, then?」

Nona asks with a cheeky smile, lifting her glass up again. Straf's grimace quickly hides behind a mask of nonchalance before she can see it.

「…Yeah. Let's do it.」

Straf smirks awkwardly, and brings his glass closer to hers.

Clink!…

They make contact, and clink softly.

「Bottoms up! Don't spill a drop!」

He exclaims while pointing at Nona, and starts guzzling his own drink.

「Ahaha!… Don't worry, I'll get it in my mouth! I'll make sure to pour it all down my throat!…」「Kh-khuhk!」

Giggling and replying with another innuendo, she brings the glass up to her lips. Straf chokes and coughs. He wipes some of the alcohol at the corner of his mouth with his arm.

《Woman, have some fucking mercy on me! Don't just casually say shit like that to me!》

Staring at her with wary eyes, the drops that Straf wiped away fall to the ground as if his body had no friction. After a brief eye contact, Nona begins drinking.

Straf keeps her company, matching her pace while she's attempting to get rid of the contents of her glass as fast as she's able to while her throat burns.

「Pfwaaaa!…」

She lets out a gasp, wincing heavily as she pauses to take a breath. Seeing as Straf is still guzzling, she reluctantly continues while the two stare each other in the eyes.

Thunk.

Straf finishes first and sets his empty glass on the chest of drawers with a frustrated exhale. A few moments later, Nona lowers her empty glass from her chin.

「Ahhh… I still can't get used to the taste after all…」

With a sigh, she stands up to reach the chest of drawers as well.

Thunk.

「…But I like how it makes me warm and fuzzy inside. Are you trying to get me drunk so I'm easier, Straf?」

She asks as she sets her glass down too, drawing closer on her tiptoes again and grinning up at him.

「Nooooope. It's kind of common to have a drink together when you visit someone…」

Straf shakes his head in vehement denial. He grimaces heavily when Nona moves her arms to wrap around his waist, but it also appears that she lost her balance.

Pat.

「…Oop. Hehe… My head started spinning a little after I stood up…」

She declares after Straf reluctantly allows her to catch on. Instead of straightening out, she rubs her cheek that's pressed against him into his chest.

「…You know you don't have to do that, right?」

Nona asks as her glowing eyes turn upward to meet his gaze, pressing her chin into him with a light, amused smile on her face.

「Uhhhh… But I'm not…」

Straf continues denying and Nona finally straightens herself out, though she doesn't let go.

「You know… The street girls that I talked to would sometimes let a guy do them for a drink if he was handsome…」

She grins, blinking up at him. Her amber eyes are visibly becoming unfocused.

「That's, uh… An interesting perspective on the barter system and the difficulties taxing it… I mean, what are you supposed to do there? Force the guy to be a model as a sales tax?…」

Straf replies, spreading his arms with an awkward grin on his face. Nona presses herself up against him into a tight hug.

「…If I was a street girl, you could have me for free. You don't have to get me drunk.」

Nona smiles, and her smile slowly shifts to a mischievous grin while Straf stares at her with a tight-lipped grimace.

「Aaahhhh!… Ohh nooo!… Straf got me drunk to take advantage of meee!… Ahaha!…」

She adds, suddenly pushing and pulling Straf back towards the bed.

「Nh!?」

His brows rise when he realizes that despite his resistance, Nona isn't struggling much to bring Straf where she wants him to be.

Thwompf!…

「I'm completely defenseleeess!… I probably won't remember a thing after thiiisss!… Ahaha!」

The two drop onto the bed, with Nona giggling as she's on all fours over Straf. He tries to sit up, but then realizes he can barely move.

「What the fuck?…」

Straf utters out, looking at Nona's hands on his shoulders. He tries to get up, but her grip on him is far too strong. Nona's strength is uncanny for someone of her unassuming form.

「Aha… You know, Straf… My dad always said to stay away from no-good men…」

Nona says while looking at his concerned grimace, smiling softly while breathing heavily. Slowly spinning, her cat necklace hangs from her neck just in front of his face.

《Uh oh. Another Lily situation, but unlike Lily, this girl is actually stupidly strong…》

His eyes briefly dart around while he looks for an out. Failing to find one that doesn't involve violence, he looks up at Nona.

《…This girl is stupid and strong! Is this how a gazelle feels like before a lion chomps down on its liver!? Is there a camera here for a wildlife documentary!?》

「I have to say, that is top shelf parenting! Your father had the right idea!-」

Straf nods along, grinning nervously.

「…You're such a no-good man, Straf… Getting a young girl like this drunk so you can use her? You're such a bad guy. Ahaha…」

Nona cuts in, cackling with an amused grin on her face. She then takes a large breath, and lets out a long exhale of matching size.

「…Hey, why not do it in her bedroom? Is she already asleep?」

She tilts her head while Straf remains silent, staring at her with a tight-lipped grimace.

「Ahaha!… I'd take the fall for you! I'd tell her I seduced you!…」

Crrrreak…

The bed creaks beneath them as Nona shifts her weight more towards Straf, and readjusts her grip on him closer towards his face. She leans in closer, grinning.

「…Would I be lying, Straf?…」

She asks, tilting her head. Straf's eyes begin to dart around again, faster and faster the closer her face gets to his, close enough to feel her distinctly alcohol-tinged breath.

Pfwomp.

「Mmmnhh…」

Despite seemingly leaning in for a kiss, Nona's head drops with a quiet groan just beside Straf's, face-down into the bed.

「…I need to take a little nap… I'm feeling very sleepy all of a sudden…」

She mumbles into Straf's ear, then rises up to all-fours again. Straf covertly lets out a relieved sigh.

「…Just for five minutes, okay?…」

「Suuuure…」

Nona crawls aside onto the bed and curls up on her side, using one of her arms as a pillow.

「Ah!… But you can go ahead and do stuff to me anyway! Ahaha!…」

Her head briefly rises, and her half-open, glowing amber eyes look at Straf as he's sitting up. He doesn't reply, and she lowers her head back down to her arm.

After watching Nona for a few brief moments to ensure that she's asleep, Straf lets out a large, exasperated sigh, and scoots over to sit on the foot end of the bed. Contently smiling ear to ear, Nona is sound asleep, curled up into a ball like a cozy cat having a nap. Straf turns his eyes away towards the chest of drawers and looks at the still mostly full bottle sitting upon it.

「Man… Contrived writing, or quick thinking?…」

He thinks out loud with his shoulder slumped and his mouth aslant.

「…Fighting date rape with date rape pills is about as insane as fighting a fire with a fire axe…」

His eyes return to Nona's smiling face, and he lets out another large sigh.

「…Well, as long as it works.」

Straf remarks, and shrugs.

《Do I cop a feel for the trouble?… I mean, she did give me permission to…》

He rubs his chin while looking at her sweater-covered chest with his brows furrowed.

《…No, no, no. That'd be pathetic. Come on, man… Go to another world to roofie girls and molest them? That'd be just sad. That ain't me, it's just booze talking…》

Grinning and shaking his head, Straf throws his hands up and scoffs at himself.

「I'm back- Wha-!?」「Oh boy…」

Stripe shouts in shock as she's standing in the half-open door.

「…Why is there another woman!?」

With her golden eyes wide open and her jaw dropped, she points her clawed finger at Nona. Straf stares back at her with a fatigued, tight-lipped grimace…