The sun had dipped below the trees, washing the world in gold and shadow.They had walked another hour after the "incident" (as Mika now called it), and finally stopped for the night beside a quiet stream.
The air was cool. Peaceful.If only the people weren't absolute disasters.
Mika sat cross-legged by the fire, sharpening his blade with the same intensity one might use to plot murder.Lucien was calmly brushing his hazelnut hair, humming softly.Kuro, trying to avoid trouble, poked at the campfire with a stick.
[Oh, great. Camp bonding time. I can already smell the emotional trauma brewing.]
{Elvastia, please. Can't we just enjoy the peace for once?}
[The only peace I'll get is if one of these idiots shuts up for five minutes.]
Kuro bit his lip to keep from smiling. Unfortunately, Mika noticed.
"What's so funny?" Mika asked without looking up, his voice smooth but edged like his blade.
"Oh, nothing!" Kuro said quickly, flustered. "Just… uh… the fire… made a funny shape."
Lucien looked up, intrigued. "A funny shape?"
Kuro panicked. "Y-yeah! Like, um… a dragon!"
Lucien leaned closer to see, his shoulder brushing Kuro's. "Ah, I see it. You have a good eye."
Mika's knife stopped sharpening.
He looked up slowly. "Oh? You see it too? How wonderful."The way he said wonderful sounded like a threat.
[Oh ho ho, someone's jealous. Ice Boy's about to melt.]
{Don't call him that!}
[What, jealous?]
{No—!}
[Then Ice Boy it is.]
Kuro internally groaned, trying to change the subject. "S-so, um… Mika… do you want me to help with the watch tonight?"
Mika slid his blade back into its sheath. "You'll sleep. You look like you'd collapse if a breeze hits you wrong."
Lucien chuckled softly. "That's rather protective of you, Mika."
"Someone has to be," Mika replied flatly.
Lucien smiled. "How noble."
Mika's eyes flicked to him, a dangerous little glint in the firelight. "You say that like it's a bad thing."
[And here we go. Round two: Handsome vs. Heartless. Winner gets custody of the confused elf.]
Kuro looked between them helplessly. "Um… I can… make tea?"
Lucien smiled warmly. "That sounds lovely."
Mika sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. Just don't burn the forest down."
Ten minutes later, smoke filled the air again.
Lucien coughed delicately. "I… think the leaves are supposed to steep, not combust."
Kuro flailed with the kettle. "I didn't mean to—"
Mika snatched it away before it exploded into flame. "Kuro. Sit. I'll do it."
Kuro nodded sheepishly and sat down.
[If I had a coin for every time you nearly set something on fire, I'd be richer than the gods.]
{You're encouraging me half the time!}
[Encouraging? Nah, I'm just here for the show.]
Mika's hand twitched slightly. "...Did you just laugh again, Kuro?"
Kuro froze. "Uh—no! That was a cough!"
Mika raised an eyebrow. "Sounded like a laugh."
Lucien smiled faintly. "You two have a strange rhythm. It's… charming."
Mika turned his head toward him, deadpan. "You think everything's charming."
Lucien tilted his head, smiling. "Not everything. Just the things worth protecting."
Mika's jaw tightened. "Hmph."
Kuro blinked, looking between them. "You guys… okay?"
Mika stood abruptly. "I'm checking the perimeter."
Lucien leaned toward Kuro, whispering, "Was it something I said?"
Kuro whispered back, "I think he's just tired."
[He's tired of watching pretty boy flirt with you.]
{He's not jealous!}
[And I'm not sarcastic. Sure thing, Kuro.]
An hour later, the camp had quieted down.Lucien slept easily. Kuro was curled up near the fire, half-awake, listening to the crickets.Mika sat a few meters away on a fallen log, watching the trees like a predator.
[You know, he's been staring at you for the last ten minutes.]
{He's keeping watch. That's all.}
[Keeping watch over you, maybe. You're cute when you sleep, apparently.]
{Stop saying weird things, Elvastia!}
[Just calling it how I see it, sunshine.]
Kuro tried to hide his smile again.
Then, faintly—he heard Mika mutter, almost to himself, "You shouldn't smile like that. It'll make people want to hurt you."
Kuro blinked, unsure if he was meant to hear it.
For a moment, there was silence. Just the fire, and the sound of the wind.
[...Huh. Guess Ice Boy has a heart buried somewhere under all that attitude.]
{Maybe…}
[Don't get soft on me now.]
Kuro smiled softly anyway and closed his eyes.
ITTTTSSS MEEEEE IM BACK...and not like 30 chs later....but we don't talk about that...
actually.
when did that happen...I don't remember doing that....definitely...
Anyways I have no clue what has happened to Kuro y'all.. like wasn't he like all in and flirting with Mika and Elvastia just in the background saying to kiss already...
Like what the flip happened...they just forgot all about it...like what..??