"Don't say a word," Maki whispered, her voice rough.
Ren blinked. The hesitant girl from a second ago had vanished, replaced by pure, stubborn Zen'in fire. Before he could even speak, she grabbed his waistband, her fingers fumbling with his belt in a frantic rush.
His combat reflexes kicked in. With a quick shift of his weight, he caught her off balance and rolled. The bed groaned as they flipped. Suddenly, Maki lay flat on her back, both wrists pinned gently above her head. She let out a frustrated grunt. Her chest heaved under her black sports bra, her face burning red.
Ren sighed and glanced over his shoulder.
Mai sat in the corner armchair, one leg crossed over the other, wearing a massive, highly entertained smile.
"Care to explain?" Ren asked flatly.
Mai laughed—a dry, teasing sound. "Just proving a point. I told my sister she probably moves like a cinderblock in bed. All that brute strength, zero finesse."
Maki's face turned a violent shade of red. "I have perfect physical control, you idiot!" she snapped, though her voice shook with embarrassment.
Ren looked from Maki's flushed face to Mai's smug grin. He let out a slow breath and shook his head.
"You're completely wrong," he said softly.
Without warning, he reached back, grabbed Mai's wrist, and pulled. Mai shrieked as she tumbled out of the chair and crashed onto the mattress beside them. Before she could scramble away, Ren shifted his weight, trapping her right next to her sister.
"What are you doing?!" Mai gasped, her smugness instantly gone.
Ren ignored her panic. His gaze dropped back to Maki, a slow smile spreading across his face.
"She doesn't move like a cinderblock at all," he murmured. "Actually, she's amazing."
Maki squeezed her eyes shut. "Ren, shut up."
"She's incredibly flexible," Ren continued, looking right at a wide-eyed Mai. "She bends exactly how I want her to. And her stamina? We went for hours last time, and she handled every second of it."
The mental image hit Mai hard. A furious blush exploded across her cheeks and down her neck. She stared awkwardly at the crumpled blankets, unable to look him in the eye.
"H-hours?" she stammered, her voice cracking.
Maki opened one eye. Seeing her sister stutter brought her competitive fire right back to life.
"See?" Maki panted. A proud little smile tugged at her lips despite the blush. "I can handle him just fine. You'd probably start crying after ten minutes with your garbage cardio."
"I would not!" Mai snapped, glaring at her twin. "I know what I'm doing!"
Ren chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest. He leaned closer, trapping both flushed sisters under his gaze.
"Well," he murmured. "If you're both so sure... why don't we find out?"
Maki's breath hitched as he lowered his head, but he didn't aim for her mouth. Instead, his lips brushed the sensitive skin of her neck. She let out a soft gasp, her fierce glare melting into total surrender. He trailed hot kisses along her jawline, letting his breath ghost over her skin before kissing just below her ear. She shivered, squeezing her eyes shut.
While Maki was entirely distracted, Ren's free hand slid across the sheets to Mai. His fingers found the curve of her hip, tracing her waist with slow, deliberate pressure.
Mai let out a startled squeak. Her back arched at the sudden heat, a fresh blush rushing up her neck. She tried to swat his hand away, but his grip settled firmly on her waist, pulling her flush against his side.
Ren turned back to Maki and finally captured her lips. The kiss was deep and demanding. Despite all her earlier bragging, Maki yielded completely. Her fingers dug into his bare shoulders as she sighed into his mouth.
When he finally pulled back, she lay breathless beneath him. Her amber eyes were hazy and unfocused, her chest rising and falling heavily.
Ren shifted his weight to look at the younger twin.
Mai stared at them, breathing in shallow, erratic gasps as the reality of the situation finally hit her. Ren offered her that same lazy smile, moving his hand from her waist to gently cup her cheek.
"Your turn," he murmured.
Before she could snap back, he leaned in and kissed her.
Mai stiffened, her eyes wide open, before her eyelids fluttered shut. She grabbed his jacket, pulling him closer, kissing him back hard to prove a point. Her energy was messy and eager.
But Ren took control. He held her waist firmly, slowing the pace and turning the frantic kiss into something deep and deliberate. Mai's tough act crumbled in seconds. She let out a tiny, breathless noise, her grip on his jacket going slack as she leaned her entire weight into him.
Beside them, Maki caught her breath. Watching her twin melt under Ren's hands brought her competitive edge roaring back. She grabbed Ren's shoulder and yanked him back.
"Hey," she panted, glaring at him. "Don't ignore me."
Mai lay there breathing heavily, her lips shiny in the dim light. "Jealous?" she managed to say, though her voice shook.
"Shut it," Maki snapped, yanking Ren's collar. "I'm not done proving my point."
Mai scoffed, pushing herself up on one elbow and grabbing Ren's free hand. "You already lost, Maki. Did you hear that noise you made five minutes ago?"
"You literally just squeaked!" Maki yelled.
Ren laughed out loud. He caught Maki's wrist before she could swing, holding both their hands firmly.
"You two are going to wreck this room before we even start," he said, a wicked smile on his face.
He sat back on his heels and shrugged off his heavy jacket, tossing it to the floorboards. His undershirt followed a second later. The pale moonlight highlighted his dense, coiled muscles and the smooth skin where his burn scars used to be.
He looked down at the two women on the bed.
"I'll go first," Mai declared, pushing up onto her knees.
Maki huffed, leaning back on her elbows. "Fine. But don't come crying to me when you run out of breath in five minutes."
"Keep watching, Maki," Mai shot back, a confident smile returning to her lips. "You might actually learn something."
Never breaking eye contact with Ren, Mai unfastened the high collar of her uniform, pulled it over her head, and tossed it aside.
Underneath, she wore a delicate, sheer black lace bralette. It clung to her curves, highlighting a softer, more seductive frame that contrasted sharply with Maki's athletic build.
"Well?" Mai whispered. She rested her hands flat against his bare chest, dragging her nails lightly down his stomach. "Are you just going to stare?"
"I'm not just going to stare," Ren murmured.
He leaned in, capturing Mai's mouth again. She met him eagerly. His hand slid up her ribs, cupping her through the thin lace. At the gentle squeeze, she arched into his palm, a breathy sound vibrating against his lips.
The clasp snapped. The lace fell away, tossed somewhere onto the floorboards.
Pulling back, the cool air hit Mai's flushed skin. She shivered but kept her chin tilted up, bathed in pale moonlight. Beside them, Maki sat rigidly quiet. The dark flush on her cheeks was visible even in the shadows.
He didn't leave the older twin waiting. His arm hooked around Maki's waist, pulling her forward. She let out a sharp gasp as she hit the mattress against his side. His grip slid lower, settling firmly. Her fingers dug into his arm to steady herself.
"See?" he murmured, glancing between them. "I can multitask."
His fingers caught the thick elastic of Maki's sports bra. One quick motion pulled it over her head.