Lucien lies back against the tiled rim, head tipped up, lips moving as he counts under his breath, when Kamiko finally surges up out of the water, gasping and gagging, hair plastered flat against her face.
"Two whole minutes." He groans, delighted. "You're a natural."
She giggles weakly, collapsing against his chest, breathless. "I've never managed that before."
"There's a lot more I'd love to teach you." He chuckles, running his fingers slowly through her wet hair.
She tips her head back to look up at him, eyes gone smoky and violet in the candlelight, and purrs, "There's actually something I've been hoping to try."
She leans in and whispers it against his ear.
His eyes go wide.
He pulls back, testing the muscles of his own face, flexing his jaw like he's checking it still works, expression sliding into something serious. He closes his eyes. His brow furrows.
Then they snap open, grinning, as black shadow-fur begins creeping up the length of his arm.
