Chapter 116 – Interlude: Avelyn (Part 2)

By the time the party had all finally finished eating, the restaurant had grown considerably louder.

Most of that was their fault.

Rin had spent nearly the entire meal finding new ways to remind Zeke of his earlier comments about True Dragons. Each attempt became slightly less subtle than the last, until Zeke finally threatened to demonstrate exactly how his flames compared by setting the Catkin’s tail on fire.

Rin had only laughed harder.

Marek tried to maintain order for a while, but his efforts weakened considerably after his second smashburger. By the third, he had given up entirely and was eating with his eyes half-closed, looking happier than Avelyn had seen him since before they entered the dungeon.

Sylrae had become quietly protective of the grilled corn she had prepared alongside Lyn’s meal. She allowed everyone one piece, watched them with careful attention, then moved the remaining cobs to the far side of her plate when Rin looked interested in asking for another.

Zeke’s venison had gone almost entirely untouched.

He had cooked it himself, and Avelyn was sure it was perfectly good, but it was difficult for ordinary meat to compete after the System announced that the meal beside it had once belonged to a True Dragon. He eventually wrapped the strips in a piece of cloth to save for later, muttering that he refused to waste food merely because Lyn had decided to make every other meal he had ever eaten look disappointing.

Lyn appeared very pleased by this.

She tried to hide it behind her usual calm expression, but her ears remained high throughout the meal, and her tail gave a little sweep each time someone reached for another serving.

Avelyn noticed.

She noticed when Lyn quietly moved the last few crisp potatoes closer to Marek because he kept looking at them. She noticed her slide another carrot stick onto Sylrae’s plate while the Wingkin was distracted. She even noticed Lyn pretending not to see Rin steal a little more sauce from the pan with the edge of his bread.

She had made something for them, and they loved it.

That seemed to matter to her far more than she would ever say aloud.

By the end, little remained beyond crumbs, empty bowls, and a few streaks of sauce that Rin was making a determined effort to collect with his final piece of bread.

The entire party was now aware of maillard reactions, deglazing, and starch gelatinization as well, thanks to Lyn's explanation.

Avelyn still didn't quite understand it all.

She leaned back on her hands, full enough that moving felt like a chore. Her tail rested loosely beside Lyn’s, their fur brushing whenever either one shifted.

The restaurant had begun emptying around them. One of the other groups had already left, while the remaining patrons were finishing their own meal in quieter voices. The fire beside their table had burned low, leaving only a gentle orange glow beneath the grate.

Marek eventually placed both hands on his knees and stood with a slow exhale.

“Well,” he said, looking around the table, “I think that might be the best thing I’ve eaten in my life.”

Lyn’s ears rose another fraction.

“I am merely pleased that you possess sufficient taste to appreciate it.”

Rin snorted.

Avelyn smiled as everyone began gathering their things.

Lyn slipped the remaining ingredients and utensils into her storage, carefully preserving the leftover vegetables despite Marek looking as though he might volunteer to dispose of them immediately. Sylrae stretched her wings behind her, and Zeke checked the cloth around his venison twice before tucking it safely away.

They thanked the attendants on their way out, with the Dogkin who had seated them demanding to know what Lyn had cooked and snorting when Rin cheerfully answered, “Dragon.”

They seemed to think that it was a joke.

They were incorrect.

Cool evening air greeted them outside.

Avelyn drew in a deep breath, grateful for the breeze after the warmth of the restaurant. The village had settled since they arrived. Fewer people moved through the streets, and soft light shone through windows while conversations drifted from open homes.

Beside her, Lyn covered a small yawn with one hand.

It was quick enough that nobody else seemed to notice.

Avelyn did.

Lyn’s ears had begun drooping again, and the careful straightness of her posture could not entirely hide how tired she was.

Avelyn’s happiness softened into something gentler.

They had eaten. They were safe. There were no monsters waiting beyond the next turn and no powerful bosses forcing Lyn to keep moving.

All that remained was the walk back to the inn.

Then Lyn could finally rest.

Avelyn’s gaze drifted toward her, and her heart gave a small, nervous flutter as she remembered the single bed waiting upstairs.

Resting might be slightly more complicated for one of them.

The party began making their way back to the inn, with Lyn locating a fence to walk along almost immediately.

Avelyn followed without hesitation, balancing on the one opposite her.

Sylrae flew low beside them, while even Rin gave up his usual route across rooftops, railings, and anything else that looked only barely capable of supporting him.

The journey back was quiet.

Slow, too.

Everyone was tired by then. Yawns passed through the group one after another, and even Avelyn’s tail had begun to sway more lazily behind her.

When they finally reached the inn, their goodbyes were brief.

Avelyn waved as the others unlocked their rooms and disappeared inside, then turned toward the challenge waiting for her.

Lyn opened their door and stepped through without the slightest hesitation.

Avelyn followed, her heart giving another nervous flutter as the white-haired Foxkin closed the door behind them.

There it was.

The source of all her unease.

A single bed sat in the corner of the room. It was wide enough for both of them to sleep comfortably, but not quite wide enough for them to remain completely separate.

Avelyn glanced toward Lyn, searching for any sign that she felt embarrassed too.

There was none.

Lyn simply looked around the room as though checking that nothing had changed, then gave a small, satisfied nod.

And immediately began undressing.

Avelyn’s gaze snapped toward the wall as warmth rushed into her face.

…She really wished Lyn would warn her before doing that.

Her ears twitched toward every rustle of fabric despite her best efforts. Only once the room became quiet again did she risk turning around.

Lyn now wore her usual black sleep shorts and an oversized shirt woven from softly shifting Starlight, its kaleidoscopic colors moving faintly across the fabric.

She was watching Avelyn with a small furrow between her brows, apparently trying to work something out.

A moment later, she abandoned the thought with a tiny shrug.

Avelyn smiled.

Lyn did that often. Tiny expressions and gestures responding to a conversation nobody else could hear. Avelyn found every single one of them terribly cute.

Lyn held out one hand.

“Might I ask whether you intend to sleep in the hoodie?”

“Oh!”

Avelyn’s ears angled outward as she looked down at herself. She pressed her fingertips together, then quickly unzipped the hoodie and handed it over.

Lyn accepted it and tucked it into her spatial storage.

Then she crossed the room and claimed the far side of the bed without hesitation. The Foxkin curled slightly against the large pillow, leaving more than enough space for Avelyn beside her.

Avelyn drew in a careful breath and took the other side.

She settled so close to the edge that most of her tail draped over it, her head resting on the very corner of the pillow.

Even there, Lyn felt far too close.

Avelyn could feel the faint warmth of her legs through the narrow space between them. She could hear each quiet breath and every small rustle of fabric when Lyn shifted. From this distance, there was nothing to keep her from noticing every detail of Lyn’s face.

Her heart began beating faster.

Heat crept into her cheeks.

Thankfully, Lyn did not summon her vines to pet her tail tonight.

Avelyn was fairly certain her thoughts were already difficult enough to survive.

She tried to sleep.

She closed her eyes, slowed her breathing, and attempted to focus on anything other than the beautiful Foxkin lying beside her.

It did not help.

Eventually, she gave up and simply listened.

Lyn’s breathing remained quiet but uneven. Fabric shifted whenever she changed position, followed by several moments of stillness before she moved again.

After nearly ten minutes, the pattern made one thing clear.

Lyn could not sleep either.

Avelyn opened her eyes.

“Can’t sleep?” she whispered.

Lyn’s eyes opened.

Avelyn tried to meet them, only for her attention to slide toward Lyn’s ears instead. Confusion flickered through her for a moment, but she pushed it aside.

“Yes. I am unsure why, but I am finding it exceedingly difficult.” One of Lyn’s ears angled outward. “Also, why are you lying at the very edge of the bed? That cannot be comfortable. You may come closer if you wish.”

Avelyn raised her hands in immediate protest, or as much of one as the limited space allowed.

“I’m comfortable here.”

She was not.

She took a slow breath before continuing.

“It’s probably because today was so hectic. I’d be surprised if anyone slept well after everything that happened.”

Her voice softened.

“Especially you.”

The image returned before she could stop it.

Lyn disappearing beneath that terrible spray of blood. Avelyn’s hands pressing against wounds she could barely begin to heal.

She winced and forced the memory away.

Lyn was fine. She was here, lying beside Avelyn.

Alive.

Lyn’s ear tilted farther.

“What would that have to do with anything? I am fully healed now, thanks to you.” She paused. “Why would an injury that no longer exists affect my ability to sleep?”

Avelyn opened her mouth.

Then closed it again.

She did not know how to explain.

Lyn seemed almost separate from the idea of being hurt. As though pain only mattered while it was actively interfering with her, and the moment her body recovered, everything connected to it was packed away somewhere she would never have to examine.

The first time Avelyn had damaged Lyn’s arm, Lyn had shown no lingering pain or resentment.

After the Crystal Reaper nearly killed her, she had done the same.

No trembling once the fight ended. No hesitation when she moved. No sign that the memory frightened her.

Rin had called her tough.

Avelyn was beginning to suspect that was not the whole truth.

Still, she decided not to press the subject.

She already knew there were certain words and memories that seemed to hurt Lyn far more than any physical injury.

The perfect smile. The measured breathing. The way every trace of warmth vanished from her face while she insisted nothing was wrong.

The way she always changed the subject in an instant afterward.

Seeing Lyn like that always made Avelyn’s chest ache. The last thing she wanted was to push her into that state now, especially when she was already tired.

Avelyn shook her head lightly.

“Never mind.”

Silence settled between them again.

Avelyn hesitated.

Her face felt warmer than before as she gathered enough courage to ask the question that had been circling through her thoughts.

“Can I... pet your ears?”

Lyn blinked.

One ear angled farther to the side.

Avelyn hurried to explain before the question could become any more embarrassing.

“I don’t mean it in a strange way! It’s just...” She pressed her fingertips together. “Having your ears petted can be really relaxing. It usually makes it much easier to fall asleep.”

She paused, her voice softening.

“I just want you to sleep well after everything you went through today.”

After a second of silence, Lyn responded. Not at all in any of the ways Avelyn expected.

She had prepared herself for rejection. Confusion seemed likely too, and a small, hopeful part of her had wondered whether Lyn might accept.

Instead, the white-haired Foxkin rested one finger against her cheek and began quietly muttering.

“I see. That is fascinating. Perhaps direct stimulation of a Foxkin’s ears encourages serotonin production. Further testing would clearly be beneficial.”

…

Avelyn stared at her.

Then she began to giggle.

It took several seconds to regain control.

“Only you could turn ear-petting into an experiment.”

Lyn blinked again.

“Ah. Right.” Her ears shifted slightly. “My apologies.”

Avelyn slowly raised one hand.

Lyn tensed.

The movement was tiny, but Avelyn pulled back immediately.

For once, Lyn’s uncertainty showed plainly on her face. She looked caught between instinctively retreating and wanting to accept.

Avelyn waited.

She did not move closer or ask again.

After several quiet heartbeats, Lyn made her decision.

She leaned forward slightly.

Warmth bloomed through Avelyn’s chest.

She reached out carefully, almost afraid that moving too quickly might frighten Lyn away, and let her fingertips settle against the soft white fur at the top of her head.

Lyn’s ears stiffened at the first touch.

Then they softened.

Slowly, almost shyly, one angled into Avelyn’s palm.

Avelyn pushed her fingers deeper into the Foxkin's hair before she began stroking the fur in the same gentle but firm rhythm she had always loved most herself.

Lyn’s shoulders gradually lowered.

Her breathing evened out.

Beneath the blanket, her tail gave a small, involuntary movement.

The formal expression disappeared from her face piece by piece as she leaned farther into Avelyn’s hand.

Then a tiny, happy chirp escaped her.

Avelyn’s heart nearly stopped.

She had thought she was prepared for the consequences of her offer.

She had been terribly mistaken.

The Foxkin curled beside her was far too adorable for anyone to handle safely.

As Lyn slowly softened beneath her hand, one thought rose above everything else.

Avelyn wanted her to feel safe.

She continued to softly stroke the small Foxkin's white fur. After several heartbeats, Lyn drifted into genuine sleep, her breathing evening out as the last tension left her body.

Avelyn smiled.

Lyn had trusted her. She had allowed Avelyn to touch her ears, leaned into her hand, and fallen asleep beneath her touch.

Avelyn had no idea what to do with the happiness that brought her.

Her chest warmed again as she studied the sleeping girl beside her, withdrawing her hand.

Lyn’s face was relaxed, her breathing soft. There was no tension held in her posture and none of the careful perfection she wore so often while awake.

Avelyn was no longer looking at the Apex Predator.

Not the Starborn.

Not the impossible girl who had drawn the System’s attention so strongly that Avelyn had been rewarded simply for earning hers.

She was looking at a tired Foxkin who had endured far too much.

The memory returned before Avelyn could stop it.

Blood. Broken bones. Lyn almost vanishing beneath both.

Avelyn pushed it away again.

Lyn was here.

Alive.

Sleeping peacefully beside her.

Avelyn wanted her to wake up tomorrow.

She wanted more meals like tonight. More baths, more strange conversations, and more incredible places seen together. She wanted to catch those tiny smiles Lyn showed when she forgot to hide them.

This was becoming something much larger than a simple crush born from beauty or admiration.

She was falling for Lyn far faster than anyone sensible should.

The realization made her happy.

It also frightened her.

Caring for Lyn felt natural. Making her comfortable brought Avelyn more joy than she knew how to explain.

Everything was happening so quickly that she could barely keep pace with her own heart.

Lyn had called her a friend.

Hearing that had nearly made Avelyn burst with happiness. Yet not even half a day later, she was beginning to understand that friendship might not be all she wanted.

She wanted Lyn’s attention.

Her mornings.

Her quiet moments.

Her happiness.

She wanted to be beside Lyn when the small Foxkin had nothing to prove to anyone.

But Lyn had been clear.

They were friends.

She was comfortable sharing the bed and accepting touch because Avelyn was her friend.

Avelyn slowly shook her head.

It had only been a few days.

She could be patient. She would not pressure Lyn or make her responsible for feelings she had never asked for. Being trusted as a friend was already more than Avelyn had expected.

For now, that would be enough.

Still…

Her gaze drifted toward Lyn’s outstretched arm.

Lyn had told her she could come closer.

Avelyn hesitated before carefully shifting across the bed and resting her head against Lyn’s arm.

This much should be all right.

Lyn had said it was.

Even if Avelyn’s reasons were becoming a little different.

She closed her eyes.

With Lyn’s warmth beside her and a small smile still resting on her face, Avelyn slowly drifted to sleep.