The sun dipped low, casting golden flecks over the rippling lake. Beside the gently crackling fire, Cian crouched over a flat rock propped up with smaller stones, his improvised wilderness stove.
With a focused brow, he seared the freshly caught fish—scaled and cleaned with precision. He'd stuffed them with wild herbs Shirayuki had sniffed out: pepperleaf, lemon mint, and something that suspiciously smelled like garlic. As the skin crisped, sizzling with oil he'd saved in a pouch, he basted it with melted wild butter and a hint of honey from a broken comb found near a tree.
Each turn of the fish released more mouthwatering aroma. The meat flaked under his chopstick, tender and juicy, as steam rose and shimmered in the evening light. On a leaf plate, he laid down a bed of charred roots and placed the fish like treasure.
Shirayuki, hair damp and body wrapped in a blanket (barely), sat close, her tail swishing with excitement. She leaned in, mouth open eagerly.
"Careful," Cian chuckled, "it's hot." He blew gently on the fish before feeding it to her.
She bit down with a delighted hum, her eyes closing in bliss. Her damp hair clung to her cheek, her lips glossy from the oils.
System:
Warning: Exposure to "Adorable Beast Girl Enjoying Dinner" may cause cardiac arrest. Or pants tightening. Monitor vitals, Player.
Cian sighed, flustered. "I'm trying to be a chef here, not fall in love with a soaked predator."
Shirayuki blinked innocently, then wagged her tail harder.
The fire crackled. The stars blinked to life.
Just as Cian was about to savor his first bite, a strange noise came from the nearby bushes:
"Hrm-chii…"
His chopsticks paused mid-air.
Shirayuki's ears twitched.
In an instant—dash!—she bolted toward the sound, towel fluttering behind like a white flag of war… and promptly flew off, landing softly on the grass like a forgotten relic.
Cian froze, fish still in hand.
"...I saw everything," he whispered in shock, eyes wide.
Moments later—a high-pitched, distinctly cute squeal echoed through the trees.
Then—thud thud thud—Shirayuki came sprinting back, face burning red, holding her clenched fists in front of her chest in panic, clearly trying to hide something.
Cian blinked.
Then deadpanned.
"...Shirayuki," he muttered, pointing with his chopsticks, "If you're gonna cover something… maybe start with your entire body first?!"
System:
Emergency Alert: Exposure to Forbidden Visuals detected. Sanity meter: 73% and dropping. Engage eye bleach or embrace corruption, Player?
Cian covered his eyes with his palm.
"I'm gonna die before a boss fight even shows up…"
Shirayuki's trembling hands slowly parted… revealing the tiny creature she'd tackled like a meteor from the gods.
Name: Emberlix
Monster Type: Tiny Flame Lizard
The little fire-colored lizard blinked up at Cian with wide, shimmering amber eyes, a single spark flickering from its nostrils.
System Notification:
New creature detected. Analyzed and catalogued.
Emberlix – Lv. 1 [Passive Nuisance Tier]
---
Behaviors Identified:
Skittish Curiosity – Follows adventurers awkwardly. Trips on own tail.
Warmth-Seeker – Campsite crasher. Possible sock thief.
Hoard Habit – Protects shiny pebble piles like it's a dragon hoard.
Mood Tail – Wiggles like a happy sausage when fed.
Bonding Blink – Slow blink = Lizard kiss. Don't resist.
---
Skills:
Ember Puff – Toasts your eyebrows if annoyed.
Tail Slap – Mostly a tickle. Effective only on bugs.
Scorch Sneeze – Sets hay on fire. Twice.
Burrow Nudge – Digs with butt.
Cinder Flick – Flicks tail-glow like a rave light. Pointless but adorable.
---
Cian stared. "...It sneezes fire and digs with its ass."
Shirayuki tilted her head, still panting from the sprint.
"Hmmr!"
Without thinking, Cian tore off a bit of grilled fish and offered it forward.
The Emberlix sniffed… then gobbled it up in one gulp, its tail wagging like a happy campfire.
And just behind him…
A low, pouty growl.
Cian turned. Shirayuki stood, arms crossed, cheeks puffed out, tail stiff with mild jealousy.
"Wait—don't tell me you're jealous of a spicy gecko?"
Shirayuki huffed and turned her head away with an exaggerated hmph, the tips of her quills shivering.
System:
Warning: Relationship Turbulence Detected.
You've fed the competition. Prepare for passive-aggressive tail flicks and withheld cuddles.
Cian sighed and gently waved a second piece of fish.
"...Want the belly piece?"
Shirayuki's ears perked instantly. She accepted with an elegant nibble, but glanced sideways at the Emberlix like a predator studying a rival.
"Great…" Cian muttered. "Now there's two adorable girls glaring at me."
The Emberlix blinked slowly at Cian after finishing the last morsel of fish. Its glowing tail swayed side to side in a rhythm that felt… grateful?
Then, with a tiny chirp—"Hrm-chii!"
—it scurried in a clumsy zigzag across the dirt, nearly tripping over its own feet, and disappeared into the underbrush, leaving behind a single shiny pebble where it stood.
Cian blinked. "…Did… it just say thanks?"
Shirayuki crouched next to the pebble and sniffed it cautiously. Then huffed.
"Hmmmrr." (Translation: You got lucky.)
System Notification:
Emberlix has imprinted a temporary "Thank-Friend" status on the player. This status does absolutely nothing except maybe make your socks warmer. Possibly cursed.
Cian scratched his head, muttering, "I better not wake up with it curled inside my boots…"
The fire crackled softly as the orange glow flickered across the lake, casting a warm reflection on the water. Cian stretched out, his body relaxing into the soft grass as the evening breeze brushed over them. He adjusted the cloth and blanket they'd arranged to make a comfortable bed for the night.
"Not bad," he muttered, smoothing out the makeshift pillow, looking around at their peaceful surroundings. "This is a nice change of pace."
Shirayuki, her white dress still damp from her swim, padded over and circled the bed a few times, her quills rustling softly against the grass. Finally, she settled beside him, wrapping her arms around him without hesitation. She nestled her head against his chest and let out a quiet, contented sound.
"Hrrrm..." she sighed, her breath warm against his skin.
Cian chuckled softly. "You're just gonna make yourself at home, huh?"
Shirayuki gave a small nuzzle, her body curling closer to him as she let out a little hum of contentment.
System Notification:
Warning: The subject has initiated a high-priority cuddle protocol. Resistance is futile.
System suggests you enjoy the warmth while it lasts.
Cian sighed in playful defeat. "Guess I'm not getting any sleep with all this affection, huh?"
As she snuggled in even tighter, he chuckled softly, resting his hand gently on her head. "Alright, alright. Goodnight, Shirayuki."
"Hmmm~" she murmured, almost as if in reply, her body relaxing into him as the world around them grew still.
The fire had dimmed to glowing embers. Crickets chirped in the grass, the gentle lapping of the lake water offering a calm rhythm to the night.
Cian and Shirayuki lay curled beneath the blanket of stars, wrapped together in their makeshift cloth bedding. The air was cool, but Shirayuki's warmth made it cozy.
Cian shifted in his sleep, his arm sliding low… then resting on Shirayuki's thigh.
"Hhmm~" she let out a quiet moan, her ears twitching. Her eyes fluttered open, glancing down to see his fingers unintentionally grazing the soft skin of her inner thigh.
System Notification:
Warning: Male Host has entered "Sleep Mode: Pervert Edition." Initiating passive grope protocol...
Shirayuki's temperature rising. Hormonal levels… critical blush.
Her cheeks flushed. She bit her lip. "Cian...?" she whispered.
No response.
He exhaled softly, clearly deep asleep—completely unaware of the chaos he was causing.
Then he shifted again.
His hand moved up—grazing over her chest gently, almost absentmindedly, like a whisper.
"Ahhn...!" Shirayuki gasped softly, her eyes wide as her breath hitched.
System Alert:
Direct chest contact detected.
Current status: Innocent beast girl vs Sleepwalking menace.
She stared at him, flustered, scanning his sleeping face for even a twitch of awareness. Nothing.
"He's... still asleep...?" she murmured, half in disbelief, half in rising confusion.
Her fluffy tail thumped once against the grass.
Then slowly—quietly—she scooted back just an inch or two.
But her wide eyes never left him.
"Dangerous…" she whispered, cheeks burning.