Is it wrong for slimes to be in dungeons? (revised)

Chapter 31: Sunny Shadows

(Sophia POV)

"Lunch...you know like food," I clarified to the confused Rimuru.

"...Oh, yeah sure," he said seemingly snapping out of his daze.

The hell? I frowned slightly. "Is something wrong with what I said?"

"Hmm no, I just wasn't expecting you to want to go out to eat."

"Is that really so strange?"

"I guess not, but I don't know. You seemed to prefer to stay here whenever you're not in the dungeon or doing dungeon-adjacent things,"

Like cashing out magic stones or sharpening your weapon at a blacksmiths, he clarified.

I squint my eyes slightly. I suppose he wasn't entirely wrong. For the most part, I just stayed here and ate food in the familia hall, but I also didn't have friends to go out to eat with before so...

"A friend... you say?" Ava asked. Her voice was different though. Instead of the normal teasing tone, it was cooler, calmer, and more rational.

. My eyes widened at her question.

How...? How did I come to see Rimuru that way? Why? When did it even happen?

I had taken an interest in him sure, but a friend?

"I know I've been teasing you quite a bit but I didn't expect you to actually start forming a bond... you know as well as I do that that path is not available for us," Ava said.

My gaze dropped.

"Sophia?" I heard Rimuru's voice call my name.

"...I don't suppose you need a reminder...right?"

I softly bit my tongue. "No...of course not,"

"Are you sure?"

"...yeah,"

I brought my gaze back up as I composed myself. "It's nothing," I dismissed Rimuru's concern.

"I don't deserve bonds like that...much less with him."

"...Jeez no need to be so melodramatic, it has nothing to do with what you deserve, we simply aren't in the kind of situation for it," Ava's voice echoed in the back of my head.

"...right,"

Rimuru stared down at me silently thoughts seemed to fly through his head. I just stared back.

He finally took a step back from me. "If you say so," he just said, scratching his cheek and turning away.

I closed my eyes and opened my mouth to speak. "If you don't want to go-"

"Ah no no no, I'll go," he said waving his hands.

"Alright," I got up and stretched a bit. "I'll meet you at the door in a bit." I turned away from him.

"Alright," he said hesitantly before leaving the room.

After a few moments, I sighed.

I guess this is... disappointment then. I stared at the sleeve of the jacket that Rimuru had gifted me before taking it off.

How heavy.

(Rimuru POV)

I backed away with a few thoughts rushing through my head. The atmosphere around her felt strange. It was a subtle difference, but I couldn't help but notice.

The look she gave me felt similar to the ones she would give me when we first met. Cold, analytical, or maybe just downright blank.

When she had her guard up she could completely control her body language and give nothing away about what she thought or how she felt. It felt like trying to analyze a brick wall or a coffee table for signs of emotions.