Love is Magic, and Magic is Love

Figurines and Frivolity

I must have dozed off, because when I next open my eyes, I find Melog pacing around the room, sniffing at the same spot where Adora and I were getting a little carried away earlier. Melog notices me watching, and sits on their hind legs, staring at me, with one ear twitching.

I sit up and fold my arms over my knees. "Before you even ask, the answer is no, we didn't."

"That is unfortunate," Melog says, wagging their tail. "The noises have stopped from outside. Is all well?"

"Yeah, sorry for leaving you behind. It was all a bit chaotic."

"I am not offended. But if you need me next time, be sure to tell the pink one to take me with you."

"I will. Hey, come here," I say, patting a space on my bed. Melog jumps up and nuzzles against my hand, purring loudly. "You're weird, Melog. You know that?"

"But this is a good thing?"

"Honestly," I say, stroking their fur, my eyelids growing heavy, "weird is something I'm kind of starting to like these days."

The bedroom door suddenly cracks open, and Adora walks in, beaming towards me, carrying a paper bag. "Oh hey, you're finally awake!" she says, giggling when Melog rushes from the bed to her, almost knocking her over. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yeah," I say, stretching out and yawning. "Did I miss anything?"

"Well, you were out for a while," Adora says, walking towards me. "We had another meeting with Micah, just a quick one. Then I came back, and watched you snore for a while. It was kind of cute."

"I don't snore," I grumble, folding my arms, "and I'm not cute."

Adora sits next to me on the bed, and places her lips to my forehead. "You do, and you are."

"Bah, if you say so..." I say, failing to hide my smile. I'm about to ask what happened at the meeting when my belly rumbles, loudly, and the words die in my throat.

"Hah! It's a good job I brought you this," Adora says, delving into the paper bag and pulling out a small box from it. A spicy, salty aroma fills my nostrils, and my mouth fills with saliva.

"I love you so much right now," I say, eagerly grabbing the cardboard box and tearing it open. "Ooh, it's fish?" I ask, picking up a small, battered ball from within the box, and swallowing it without bothering to chew.

"Yeah, just like we used to steal," Adora says, giggling.

"No. this is better ," I say, throwing piece after piece into my mouth, remembering back to when Adora and I used to take food from villages during Horde raids. I mean it was fun and all, but we actually did it so that we could eat something, anything , beyond the rations that they fed us back then.

"I knew you'd like it," Adora says, puffing her chest out proudly, "just don't tell Mermista."

I groan, tossing Melog a couple of the fishy treats, "Adora, I'm already on her bad side..."

"I'm kidding, don't worry. She'll never find out," Adora says, wincing.

--

It doesn't take long for me to empty the contents of the box, including the bed of rice that was tucked away beneath the seafood. I release a loud belch, and then pat my stomach.

"Woops," I say, grinning. "That was really good. Thanks, Adora."

"I'm glad you liked it," Adora says, leaning forwards and peering at my lips. "You have something just", she says, kissing a crumb from the corner of my mouth, "here."