"N... not like that! You're going too fast, see...?"

"Leave me alone already..."

"Tsk. Battler, do you even know how to drink?"

Beato quickly took away the half empty glass of wine that he had been drinking, some dark drops falling and turning into a flurry of butterflies before they touched the impeccable red fabric of her skirt.

"How to drink?" He repeated, raising an eyebrow. "You mean there's a technique?"

"Of course there is!" Battler huffed, rolling his eyes. "Young people these days only drink to get drunk, if you know what I mean, and the faster, the better. You must learn to enjoy the taste, Battler, how exquisite it is. Here." She softly placed the border of the glass on his lips, and Battler turned his face to the side, annoyed.

"Hey, I think I can drink it without your help, thanks"

But Beato rejected his hand when it tried to recover the glass, and insisted on giving him the wine herself, chuckling when Battler grudgingly opened his lips with a rebellious look in his eyes.

Oh, she'd take care of that attitude alright. After all, men were so easy to handle once you gave them a bit of this and that... soon she would have him purring on her lap, completely vulnerable and docile as a pet.

She didn't really have to do anything either. Battler just kept trying a bit from every bottle that was around them, wanting to taste as many different alcoholic drinks as possible before returning to reality (if he ever did) where he still had to wait to be old enough to enjoy them. Beato skillfully refilled his glass while he wasn't looking and only pretended to drink along with him, as alcohol would only handicap her. She couldn't afford clumsiness ruining her plan, that as simple as it was, it was also very fragile. Battler was, after all, well aware of her tricks and even if he was drunk that could turn into trouble.

Slowly and flawlessly... the mood soon changed. It had been awkward at first, at least for Battler. Having Beato act so kindly towards him was a rare event. He suspected she would poison him or the like, since she could play with his body as she pleased and just revive him later. So he was surprised when, after a while of tasting a bit of this and that, nothing happened besides that funny woozy feeling that was to be expected after drinking so much.

Now he was talkative and so was Beato, joking loudly and shouting obscenities Virgilia would've never approved, their fights washed away by the sweet taste of wine, whisky and scotch. She was even leaning on him, gently resting her head on his arm as she played with the ice cubes in her glass, half empty already.

"You really love that one, don't you?" He heard himself slurring his words, finding it amusingly difficult to speak normally. "You just keep drinking it and drinking it and drinking it..."

"Best~ scotch you'll ever taste, that's why! Too bad a donkey like you would never appreciate..."

"Sh... shhhh. We'll see that. Let me try, let me try~"

"Noooo waaaay... He... Hey! Give it back!"

Battler easily captured the glass and raised it high above his head, making Beato clumsily try to reach it, her soft breasts pressing against his chest pleasingly— way too pleasingly. His male instincts urged him to keep playing that little game, enjoying how nice it felt having that slender, feminine body over his, ignoring the alarms going off inside his head. So, she was a witch. So, she was his enemy— but she was also a woman— a very attractive one, too. It would be a crime to waste that opportunity to feel her up a little... right?

Right?

That sounded logical in his inebriated mind, and Battler kept trying to push her away from the glass, just to get her back on top of him to reach that tasty treat that had been taken away from her.

"Mu… Battler…"

"Ihihi! You're kinda cute with that hopeless look in your eyes, you damned witch! Maybe I'll consider giving it to you if you show me your tits!" He let out a vulgar laugh that rivaled Beato's best cackles.

"Heh... How shameless of you, to take advantage of a drunk lady..."

— Not that he knew that she was intentionally doing it all.

Pretending to be completely unaware of their situation as she was drunk and careless was almost too easy— especially when her victim was so busy himself "innocently" keeping her on top of him— and she even ignored how her short, red skirt kept riding up her butt with every movement to tempt him.

"Have some decency, will you?" He placed a hand on her thigh, between her stripped thigh-high socks and her skirt, feeling his heart jump when Beato shivered. Aah... what was he going to say, again? Even thinking felt like a difficult thing to do. "You... You're a woman. Act like a lady and close your legs— He... Hey!" Beato finally snatched the drink away, letting out a shrill, nasty laugh.

"Kihihihyahahaha! See, it's aaaaall your fault for letting yourself be distracted by my body Battlerrr! Men are soooo pitiful!" She then took a sip of her beloved scotch, not even making an effort to get off of him.

"Heh... li... like I'd be distracted by a granny like you! I let you win, that's all. I have nooo interest in your body. At. Allllll..."

"Hoh... is that so? You can't trick me, Battler~. I know your tastes already! Don't think I can't feel your hand down there~ perrrvert"

"I'm not the one showing my panties..."

But Beato once again ignored him, placing the glass in front of his face.

"I'll let you drink... only if you drink it my way." He rolled his eyes.

"Goddammit you're so annoying. I'm already drinking it slowly like you said... Hey don't—! Mmph!"

And before he could even figure out what was going on, he couldn't speak anymore his mouth full of that savory drink and sealed by Beato's own lips. She heard a groan of surprise and smiled, licking his lips while he swallowed with certain difficulty, a playful drop sliding down his chin.

Unfortunately, he still had some fight left in him, staring into her eyes with no sign of giving up to her charms, and pulling her jacket from behind to get her to stop. Beato sighed heavily, and let him break their kiss, but refused to back off just yet— She was going to get what she wanted.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"What's with that attitude? I thought we were playing~" She pouted, tracing circles on his chest with her finger, still pretending to be drunk. Battler didn't seem to doubt her state, but he was defensive regardless.

"Is that how you play? You really are..."

"C'mon~." Pout. "It doesn't even have to be the real thing... play... a little..."

"... You're not making any sen..."

"...You'll never have fun if you think too much, Battler~, here, here" She placed his hands on her chest, and tasted the quiet, short gasp she earned just with that move. Truly, men - especially Battler - were too predictable "You are aaaalways talking about how much you love big ones don't you?" A playful kiss "Now is your chance~ I'll let you touch me all you want, buuut, you have to let me play too~"

Her hands pinched his sides to get him to relax, earning herself a pleasant chuckle.

"Play, huh..."

"That's right, that's right. I get tired of fighting too, you kn..."

She couldn't finish, his shaky lips caressing her own in a faint, dubious kiss that made her heart jump and hands clench in excitement.

... And from just that touch they slowly increased their rhythm. Their voices, even though muffled by each other's lips, got louder as time passed, and their movements got more aggressive, out of control. Something had snapped— days of sexual tension or maybe months? It didn't matter. Battler felt light-headed with pleasure, kissing and licking Beato's mouth, nose and eyelids, hands squeezing hungrily her buttocks and pushing her so close to him that she thought she would suffocate, her mind spinning. She barely paid attention to the sound of bottles hitting the carpeted floor as they knocked them off the sofa, and they were surrounded by golden butterflies when she made them disappear with a quick movement of her hand, momentarily pulling away from Battler's ambush to breathe.

"You... you really stink" She kissed his neck and felt his Adam's apple vibrate in her mouth when he laughed. She didn't distract him from his main objective though. His hands crawled up her shirt like spiders and shoddily unbuttoned it along with her vest, revealing her milky breasts covered now only by a provocative red bra.

"Heeeh~... Don't you look nice, despite your age! I guess my old man was right for once, some women really are like wine, Ihihi~!"

"Hmph. Maybe this old lady will look for someone else to screw, then." The arm around her waist held her possessively— Just like she had expected. Battler was already fairly easy to read, and now that he was drunk she didn't even have to make an effort. "Hm? What is this? You suddenly want this old hag, Battler?"

"What, you can't even take a compliment... geez..." He kept spouting nonsense, trying to sound confident, but he could barely control his voice anymore, especially when Beato raised her hands above her head, opening her legs to show off her red panties, a lustful look in her eyes.

"You are almost drooling, Battler~ Just admit it, admit it~ You like me, you want me, you love me~ I'm perfect for..."

"T... tch. Shut up. Don't speak, your voice is giving me a headache."

But a small smile didn't escape Beato, along with what looked like blushing. Hiding like an embarrassed child, he buried his face in her chest, rubbing them in circular motions with his hands under her bra, burying his fingers into her fresh and breathing deeply the sweet aroma that came from that valley—

"You don't stink at all."

"... huh?"

Battler looked up, with that trademark grin in his face, that grin that always meant trouble for her closed rooms and riddles.

"You don't stink at all. You didn't drink at all." She opened her mouth, surprised, and that was enough to confirm it. Oh, so that was it~... He should've imagined. "I see, I see... you got me drunk so you could seduce me, huh! You really know my weaknesses well, Beato...! But more importantly, Ihihi...! You like me~" He began singing, imitating her voice, his grin growing wider and wider as a blush spread across her cheeks "You want me, you lov—!"

"Tsk! Sh... shut up! As if that could be..."

"You love me~"

"D... don't touch me, stupid..."

"Ihi... hihi, you love me~"

"Don't, Bah— wait..."

The fabric of his shirt tickling her breasts made her stop struggling, and they kissed again almost desperately, tongues and teeth meeting messily, and soon a flurry of butterflies came from below, his hand, that had been battling with her panties landed on the plump skin of her backside at the same time his pants felt a lot more loose— his belt had disappeared as well. Now her hands were making their way inside his pants, anxious to free that bulge she had been sitting on for quite a while, giggling when his dry fingers ran through the sensitive skin of her entrance.

"Are you a little lost, Battler?"

"Be quiet... I'm... I'm just taking my time..."

"Heeeh... I wonder about that~... Here... here..." The witch took his hand between hers, and his cock twitched when she licked two of his fingers, leaving a thin layer of saliva on them. "And now..."

"Hn... I may be a virgin but I'm not stupid..."

Running away from her controlling hands, he found his way to her folds again, and without as much of a warning, his two fingers easily slid inside— only to have Beato pulling back with a pained groan.

"Ow—!"

"It... it hurt...?" He asked, feeling like an idiot as his cheeks grew hot, and he felt worse when Beato had to take his hand again, carefully guiding his fingers to her entrance.

"S... slow"

"... Like... like this?"

"Mhn…"

They were whispering, their foreheads stuck together as they both watched his fingers enter her again— slowly now. She was incredibly soft, and he moved his fingers against her walls, careful not to hurt Beato again as he went deeper inside her.

"How is it?" Still not separating his forehead from hers, Battler looked at her face, sweaty and completely red. Beautiful. "Is it better now?"

"Kihihi... look at you" She pinched his cheek lovingly. "Worrying about me as if we were lovers~"

"Hah... don't make me laugh..."

"You're so rude, Battler~ This is not how you treat a lady, you know? But that's ok..." She licked the palm of her hand with long light strokes. "After all, you have thought about it too, riiight...?" She held his forgotten erection, that was still burning hot, it almost hurt. "... If things were different, maybe what sort of relationship would we have! Kyahahaha!" She caressed the head of his cock with her thumb, the rest of her hand embracing it completely, forcing a deep, strained moan out of Battler that made her insides twitch around his fingers.

"Hah... shit..." He started moving his hand again, stubbornly staring into her eyes "I don't get you... at all..." But Beato wasn't listening anymore, her lips twisted in a grin, digits expertly massaging his shaft and teasing the head of his cock, already dripping precome. It was almost ridiculous how sensitive he was to every touch, his erection palpitating against her hand.

"Don't be embarrassed if you come too fast, ok? First timers are always like that, after all..."

"Heh... d... don't underestimate me, Beato... I bet I can make you come first— Gah!" His forehead met her shoulder, feeling himself almost lose it— until Beato quickly squeezed just below the head of his cock to prevent him from coming, cackling loudly.

"What was thaaat~? Were you about to come right now, Ba~ttler? How cute~!"

"Sh... shut up..."

But his face was burning, humiliated, betrayed by his own body. It was unfair, so unfair, that she kept abusing so many erogenous spots that were driving him nuts and he could only clumsily stroke her walls, jabbing her wherever— desperately looking for a strong reaction, anything he could work with to win their petty argument. Yet Beato kept panting quietly in his ear, her hips moving slowly to meet his fingers, wearing an amused, wide smile that whispered 'cute'.

— That was when he felt it.

The tip of his fingers had managed to brush a spot that was a little swollen— just a little, yet it had been enough to make Beato suddenly jump and lose her concentration, if only for a moment.

"Wait..."

"Heh~" Another jab. Her body seemed to reject his touch, walls spasming.

"I… I said wait…" Her grin wavered, moist lips curved in a nervous smile now.

"Hm? Does it hurt, Beato?" He kept abusing that soft lump, hand firm on her rear to keep her from escaping his revenge. "Should I stop?"

"Stupid idiot, acting so—!" Although his fingers were so deep that it was uncomfortable, whenever he touched that spot her whole body tingled and heat pooled in her stomach, a tidal of sensations that made her mind go blank and forget any sort of pain "Hah…! You… You're just lucky…"

Confident now that she was as vulnerable as he was, Battler thrust his fingers as deep as he could again, easily sliding in and out faster and faster each time, grinning smugly as he felt Beato's hand move erratically as well— he was finally getting to her. He kept tapping that spot from time to time, enjoying Beato's cute moans and doing his best to endure her hand tightening a little too much around him when he did.

"N... no! Ba...ttler!"

He groaned back— the way she moved on top of him, so close, her golden locks brushing his erection from time to time, created an illusion— a parody of sex that was driving him insane, and he almost wished he had the courage to simply enter her, his cock burning against her hand that barely even moved anymore, Beato's full attention on moving her hips quickly, shamelessly riding his fingers, closer and closer to her climax.

"I'm... s... so close..."

"Beato..."

She let out a cry when he managed to brush that sweet spot within her one more time and her entire body fell back— supporting herself with her hand on his thigh, her legs wide open in front of him, and Battler was finally able to see clearly how his fingers got lost in her wet entrance over and over again. Right beside his hand was hers, now jerkily stroking his erection. She was being clumsy compared to the beginning, but she was still good enough to push him over the edge, breathily muttering her name as he came on her crotch and stomach, and, a few seconds later, his fingers reached deep inside her once more and he watched as her whole body tensed, trembling slightly while the walls around his fingers clenched and spasmed violently.

"I…"

"Wh... what...?"

"I... I won..." Battler just laughed, receiving her limp body in his arms.

"Tch... we pretty much came at the same time..."

That damned cackle. Yet Beato couldn't hold it back. She had won, not that insignificant argument from before, but much more— Not that Battler would ever know. And it didn't matter, either. That night, that 'plan' hadn't been a simple whim, nor a shallow game for her, after all.

"Aah... I'm getting all emotional now..."

"... huh?" He raised his head, that clueless expression in his face making her laugh, even if her chest hurt a little.

"I guess it can't be helped... This game I mean."

"... It's your fault it's like this, you damned witch. It's your game."

"... I guess it is."

Still, their rivalry, the logical battles, all of their fights were completely forgotten as she held his head dotingly, burying her nose in his red hair. He hadn't forgotten about his family. He hadn't forgotten about her betrayals and her cruel tricks. But in a moment like that, he couldn't help but wonder.

What if... what if they had met in completely different circumstances?

Would they be friends? After all, they seemed to get along fine when they weren't fighting with the red and blue truths, and enjoyed each other's company... Maybe lovers? Just now, he knew there was enough sexual attraction between them, so maybe...

Beato's voice interrupted his thoughts, that grew vague as time passed. He was tired, the alcohol in his system weakening him and the way her fingers massaged his scalp didn't help his drowsiness at all.

"... Are you listening, Battler?"

"Hn... shut up, I don't care if you won." He buried his face in her breasts, that were a perfect pillow, cozy and aromatic.

"Hmph. Sore loser." The witch puffed her cheeks lightly, and added distractedly: "It's a pity tomorrow you'll wake up sober, deny this all and go back to being that boring, self righteous ass that plays chess with me..."

"Hey, hey..."

"It's true~ The only way I can make you do fun stuff like this is getting you drunk." Irritated at that sudden attack, he rose his head.

"Hey, that's not true"

"Hah."

"Have you even asked?"

Beato raised her eyebrows, surprised. He was frowning cutely, like an angry kid— but he was also being completely sincere.

"Interesting... maybe... maybe I'll try someday."

"Maybe you should" He grinned pompously. "I bet that I'm so much better when sober— alcohol makes me all sleepy."

"Heeeh... well then, you better not disappoint me next time, Ushiromiya Battler." She gave him a peck and hugged his head to her chest again. "And we can try the real thing too."

"Ihihihi… I'm looking forward to it. Make sure Gretel doesn't find out, though, I don't want her scolding me again…"

"Coooward~…"

Lovers? He grinned internally, cursing at their horrible circumstances.

Maybe… if they somehow managed to ever be on the same side, no lies and no tricks…

Maybe.