A Little Hiccup

Later that day, the two of them hang around in one of the mansion's lounge areas. 

It was basically a living room with wide chairs and large dome-like windows that'd allow them to appreciate the skies and the gardens outside.

He studied the rehabilitation plan thoroughly as his hand absentmindedly patted her head that rested on his thigh. 

When he was done, he called Harold to purchase and set up the necessary equipment. "Convert part of the gym for this," he said. The gym was large and this was no hard task at all. 

Harold was still a little surprised by all the attention, but he was slowly getting used to it, following his master's orders to a tee. 

"Bring us some snacks as well," he said and while he shifted his study to his own field, the snacks arrived. 

The snacks were cookies with jelly. It had various flavors and he wondered which one she'd like most.

"Uhm, miss.." he said, gently tapping her, calling her so she could get snacks.

It wasn't that he hadn't tried to ask for her name, but they just couldn't communicate well. He couldn't just give her any name either—it just felt wrong, especially when she could technically talk and therefore would have a name of her own.

It was odd to be so sticky with someone yet unable to address them properly, but he wasn't really complaining.

At his tap, she turned her head abruptly, almost hitting a tent there and he immediately scooted backward so she didn't hit it. 

She was a bit imbalanced. She sat up in surprise, looking at him in confusion. 

He felt a pang of guilt and his face flushed from embarrassment. However, before he could apologize—

Hic!

"Oh dear—"

Hic!

If it wasn't his fault she was hiccuping, he'd have thought she was adorable. She was so pretty and she even bounced lightly when she hiccuped… 

He rummaged his head on what to do during such cases. First, he tried to get her to drink some water, trying to ask her to control her breathing as well, hopefully to loosen her diaphragm.

While she did so, he massaged the apex of the neck and her Clavicle—something he heard was effective against hiccups. However, her hiccup was so strong that she poured a bit of water on herself.

The same movement made his hand slide a bit, just above her breasts, and he could clearly see the traces of her curves because a good part of it was dampened by the water.

Inexplicably, his hand stayed there for an inappropriate amount of seconds. It was only when he heard her melodious voice that he was pulled back out of his daze.

She was asking him a question, concerned. Her eyes were so pure and innocent and he felt extremely scummy to think of such thoughts. 

He knew that it wasn't right to take advantage like this.

He sighed and lifted her up. "Let's get you changed," he said and he looked at the servant waiting outside the door, asking him to call Thessy.

The girl allowed herself to be carried to the bathroom, and he gently placed her on the bathtub rim.

It was at this time the older woman arrived in the room and Thaddeus asked her to clean her up, and help her take a bath. 

"Yes sir," Thessy said as she looked at the girl with the same impassive expression. He then gestured to leave them some space so she could change, but he was abruptly pulled back by soft hands. 

Thaddeus turned to look back at the girl, who was holding his arm. 

She seemed a bit… strong?

Ahem.

But he met her anxious eyes, as if she was afraid of him leaving, and his shoulders slumped. 

"Thessy is nice, you go with her okay?" he said, gently patting her head. 

Fortunately, she did let go and went out of the bathroom, trying to determine how to fix his own 'tent' problem before she went out the door.

***

Thessy grabbed her hand forcefully, making her fall down the tub without any gentleness at all.

The girl—naked—looked confused. 

Thessy's eyes were cold and her expression remained impassive as she opened the shower. She didn't even bother to check the temperature. 

It was a bit hot and Naia felt very uncomfortable. She opened her mouth to say something but the woman sneered, not caring. She just took the detachable shower head to give her a bath as ordered, not caring whether or not the girl liked it or not.

No, she was a well-trained servant. How could she not see the girl's discomfort? 

But she relished in it. 

"Tsk, men just like pretty and helpless ones. I thought the master was different," she said, continuing her rant, as she scrubbed the girl's skin as if it was calloused all over. 

Naia frowned holding the side of the tub, her eyebrows furrowed in both confusion and annoyance. 

The older woman then grabbed the girl's soft cheek. It was so soft that it made her eyes twitch and made her grip tighten. It wasn't a tight grip that it would mark, but it was uncomfortable.

Worse, Naia couldn't understand a word she was saying. But, she could feel her hostility and it was making her more irked than the fact she was being rubbed by a rough loofah without care.

"Just know men would get tired of your type, especially idiots like you," Thessy said with a demeaning smile. 

She didn't even notice how little cracks formed at the bathtub rim.