Sleep tight

Eris stretches her arms out with a lazy, catlike grace and falls backward onto the bed, her carefree smile lighting up the room.

"Aaaaaahhh~~!!! That was so good!" she sighs, her voice dripping with satisfaction. "Felicia, thank you. It's been forever since I've had someone to stargaze with on the rooftop."

She glances at me, her smile warm and genuine, but my heart is a complete mess, still tangled up in the whirlwind of what just happened—the "chocolate mustache" moment, the almost-kiss….It's a whirlwind of emotions I can't quite process.

But… it's Eris. I can never stay mad at her.

Maybe it's just me… being too softhearted, too easily flustered.

And now, the moment I've been quietly dreading is here…

Are we really going to be… sleeping… together?

I watch, frozen, as Eris moves across the room to change into her silky nightgown. My breath catches the moment the dress goes over her body. The white silk clings to her curves, smooth and almost translucent, the fabric barely hiding anything. It glides over her skin like liquid, shimmering in the soft glow of the moonlight filtering through the window. Her ample breasts subtly jiggle as she adjusts the straps, and the gentle rise and fall of her chest draws my eyes, my heart thudding in my ears.

The way the silk hugs her body… it's too much. Her nipples poke through the delicate fabric, teasingly visible, and my face burns with heat.

Even though I've already seen Eris completely naked before… this is different. This is somehow even more provocative, even more intimate than when she had nothing on at all!

"Ooooh, I like this," Eris says, her face turning slightly pink as she runs her hands over the smooth fabric. "This silk is so soft!"

"R-really?" I stammer, trying not to gawk. "I'm glad you like it!"

"Yeah, it's such a surprise!" Eris says. "I usually sleep naked, so this is new for me. It's the first time I'm wearing something like this to bed!"

…

Eh? Wait a minute…

My ears instantly perk up.

Naked?!

Eris… always sleep… naked?!!!

NAKED?!

If she were going to sleep next to me like that, my heart would surely explode!

"P-please keep your sleep dress on!" I blurt out, feeling my face grow even hotter. "Otherwise, you'll get stung by mosquitoes!"

"Mosquitoes? Hahaha!" Eris laughs. "You're right. They always get me! I don't mind, though; they can have my blood if they want! Anyway, how do I look?" she asks, twirling around. The fabric shimmers under the moonlight, highlighting every curve of her body.

"Y-you look amazing!"

"Hihi, thanks!" Eris says cheerfully. She then crawls into bed, settling under the blankets and looking at me expectantly. "Well? What are you waiting for? Let's sleep!"

"A-alright!" I says back.

But… man!!!

How does she say things like that so nonchalantly?

Is this how girls are when they're alone with each other?

I swallow hard and quickly change into my own sleepwear—a little blue dress that falls just past my knees. There's even a hole to put my tail through. The fabric is soft and smooth, just like Eris said, gliding over my skin like air, almost as if I'm wearing nothing at all.

But when I turn around, I catch Eris staring at me. Her cheeks are slightly pink, her gaze lingering longer than usual.

"Y-you look stunning," she says softly before turning her head.

"A-am I?" I squeak, my heart pounding.

"Yeah…" she whispers.

The tension in the air is so thick it's hard to breathe. Embarrassed, I quickly slip under the blanket beside her, pulling it up to my chin to hide my flustered face.

Now, sharing the same blanket as Eris, the room feels so quiet, but outside the window, I can still hear the faint sounds of people on the midnight streets. A few distant voices, some footsteps, and even a drunkard singing a song I can't make out.

This atmosphere… it's different.

Yet somehow, it's nice.

"You know, Felicia," Eris breaks the silence, her voice soft, "after telling you my story, I feel so much lighter now. Thank you for listening."

"Nn, thank you for sharing it," I reply, turning my head to face her in the darkness. "I believe you'll find your father soon. I'll pray for it every day."

"Thanks," Eris whispers, her blue eyes so beautifully bright.

And then, suddenly, I feel it—her hand, gently brushing against mine under the covers. Her fingers inch closer until they intertwine with mine. My heart starts beating faster, but I don't pull away. I let her hold my hand, the warmth of her skin spreading through me.

She squeezes lightly, and I squeeze back.

"Felicia…" Eris murmurs. "Can we… sleep like this? Do you mind if I hold your hand?"

"N-not at all!" I manage to say, though inside, I'm screaming with joy.

HECK YEAHH!!!

Now that I think about it…

Isn't Eris sending me signals all day long?

She's been flirting with me, right?

She's holding my hand now, which means… she likes me… right?

And tomorrow… we can get even closer!

Kyaaaaaaa!!!!!

My heart is pounding so fast I can hardly keep still. A giddy smile spreads across my face.

But then…

"You know, me and my brother used to do this too. We'd hold hands when we slept. It made me feel safe, calm… like everything was okay. This reminds me so much of him…"

"Oh…" I murmur, feeling a small pang of disappointment.

So… it's not because of me.

It's just something she used to do with her brother…

But, no.

I shake my head.

What was I thinking? As long as I can hold Eris's hand while we sleep, I'm happy!

"Eris! Let's hold hands every night!" I declare.

Eris chuckles softly, squeezing my hand again. "Yeah, let's do that! Alright, goodnight, Felicia."

"Nn!" I nod. "Goodnight, Eris."

Closing my eyes, my hand feels so warm from her touch.

I love it

I love it so much!

I can't stop smiling to myself as I lay there, basking in the quiet moment.

And then, in just under a minute, Eris is already fast asleep, her soft, cute snores filling the room. Meanwhile, I'm still wide awake, my heart too full of emotions to sleep just yet.

Thinking back.

This is crazy…

To be reincarnated into another world as a catgirl…

And to meet Eris… the best catgirl I've ever known.

This is even better than going to heaven.

Hehe…

Hehe…

Eventually, though, the warmth of the bed and the soft rhythm of her breathing lull me into a peaceful slumber, my consciousness fading away.