Flowing Flowers and Strings

Chapter 4: The Next Step

3rd POV

Stelle slowly opens her eyes, her body feeling sore and sluggish. Slowly, she gets up from her resting spot.

Stelle: Is this...the Space Station..?

???: Hi

Stelle looks to her right and sees Dan Heng, arms crossed and a look of relief, albeit slight.

Dan Heng: It's nice to see you made it through. You can rest now that the threat of the Legion is gone.

Stelle tries to stand up, only to feel a weight on her legs. She looks down and sees Y/N curled up like a cat on one of her legs, sleeping.

Stelle: Y/N..?

Dan Heng: He's been here ever since you fainted, watching over you. He's refused to let anyone treat you but himself, and anytime someone tries to get close, he would hiss at them. He really is like a cat sometimes...

Stelle looks down at Y/N with surprise, which turns into a smile as she pats his head, earning a quiet, but audible purr.

Dan Heng: You should talk to him after he wakes up...I can tell he has some things to say. When you're done, go find Himeko. She says she has some things she wants to discuss with you.

Stelle: Alright.

Dan Heng leaves to go deal with other matters, as Stelle continues to pat Y/N and internally gush at his purring.

20 Minutes later....

Y/N begins to stir, and looks up to see Stelle smiling down at him.

Stelle: Awake, huh? You sure do purr a lot when you get pat on the head while sleeping.

Y/N smiles at her, but also with a glare and slight blush.

Y/N: Not. A. Word. About that.

Stelle smirks at him, before gaining a slightly more serious look.

Stelle: What happened after I fainted?

Y/N: Well, Dan Heng and I carried you over here, and we started to treat you. I decided to watch over you for a while and eventually fell asleep.

Stelle: Oh, really? Because Dan Heng told me you wouldn't let anyone come close to me, and you were the only one to have treated me.

Y/N stares at her for about 5 seconds, as his smile becomes slightly more nervous and face turns more red.

Y/N: I-I have no idea what you're talking about. I let people come close and-OW.

Stelle starts pinching his cheeks and Y/N starts to flail his arms in protest.

Y/N: WHET GO DAMN IT. IT HURTS.

Stelle: Not until you admit the truth.

Y/N: MUHHHHHH FINE. ONLY I TREATED YOU BECAUSE I DIDNT WANT PEOPLE TO COME CLOSE TO YOU. Plus I felt kinda responsible...

Stelle lets go and says:

Stelle: It's fine. You couldn't have guessed the Doomsday Beast being able to survive that.

Y/N: I-

Stelle puts a finger on his lips to get him to shut up.

Stelle: No more. Don't beat yourself up over it. And thank you for caring about me.

Y/N moves her hand away gently and glares at her, his smile going back to its usual length.

Y/N: You treat me as a child too much.

Stelle: Not my fault you're built like one-OW

Stelle gets cut off as she receives a kick to the shins.