The night rolled in steadily, the bonfire burning a little dimmer as midnight approached.
Rukiyo stood stiffly by the window, staring out into the darkness of the night, her mind racing with thoughts as she recalled what happened earlier.
She has been welcomed by the village and even extended to stay the night at one of the villager's houses— Orion offered his house almost immediately, surprisingly, but now.. She's starting to regret it.
She should have refused, should have just left and found a quiet, isolated spot in the forest, because for some reason, the thought of staying under the same roof as Blank is making her nervous.
As if fate itself were mocking her inner turmoil, a sudden knock at the door of her temporary room jolted Rukiyo out of her thoughts.
She flinched, her golden eyes snapping toward the direction of the sound. Who the hell—
The knock came again, gentle yet firm, then, a familiar, hesitant voice mumbles through the wood, stumbling over its words.
"H-Hello? Uh, I, uhm.. I brought you.. E-extra blankets." Blank called, his tone was painfully awkward, like he's forcing the words out. "It's.. C-cold tonight, so it's good to c-cover up with blankets."
Rukiyo stared at the door, frozen. Seriously?
She pursed her lips, mentally cursing the universe, because why did they decide to give her a companion who is incredibly awkward, but so thoughtful of her? It's making her feel nervous.
Begrudgingly, she exhaled sharply through her nose before dragging her feet toward the door, each step felt heavier than the last.
When she reached it, she hesitated and carefully cracked it open, just enough to peer through the gap, her golden eyes gleaming like a predator's in the dim light— and of course, as if the universe is hell-bent on mocking her, Blank is right there on the other side, staring directly back at her.
The moment Blank saw her peering at the gap, she heard a sharp Hhk—!
Blank, already staring directly at the door, jolted backward like he had been burned by her stare, nearly dropping the stack of blankets in his arms.
His bangs fluttered with the abrupt movement, revealing wide, startled eyes for a split second before he hurriedly looked away.
Silence. The air filled with silence.
Rukiyo stared at him and Blank stared at the wall beside her head, the blankets trembling slightly in his grip.
It was painfully obvious that he was nervous, probably more nervous than she was, and it immediately made her feel bad for feeling nervous being around him— the poor guy looked like she did something wrong to him, which was confusing because she hadn't done anything.
Staring for a couple more seconds, she finally gave in.
Rukiyo let out a sigh and opened the door fully, snatching the blankets from him in one swift motion.
"Thank you." She muttered, shifting her gaze away.
Blank nodded stiffly, still refusing to make eye contact. "R-Right.. Have a goodnight."
He quickly turned on his heel— only to immediately trip over his own feet, barely catching himself on the doorframe before bolting down the hallway like a spooked deer, his broad back disappearing from her sight.
Rukiyo watched him go, her expression deadpan.
.. Just whatever is up with him? She thought, shutting the door with her foot, tossing the blankets onto the bed with more force than necessary.
Then, Rukiyo flopped backward onto the bed with a dull thud, limbs splayed out unceremoniously like a discarded doll as she stared blankly at the ceiling, her golden eyes unblinking in the darkness.
As a dragon, sleep isn't exactly a necessity, but right now, she almost wished it were, just to escape the sheer absurdity of this entire situation.
The blankets Blank brought lie tangled at the foot of the bed, untouched and outside, the distant crackle of the eternal flame and the occasional murmur of night owl villagers drift through the window.
It's peaceful and it should be calming, but instead, Rukiyo groaned.
Why did I agree to stay here again? She thought, pressing her hand onto her eyes and keeping it there for a moment.
Rukiyo waited and kept waiting.
The minutes tick by like hours, the silence in the unfamiliar room deafening, which eventually made her grow restless, making her wander over to the window and fling it open to inhale the cold night air.
From this angle, the village square is visible, the eternal flame still burning bright and steady.
The sight and soft crackle of the flames is oddly calming— enough to soothe some of the tension in her shoulders and wash away her worries.
Rukiyo leaned against the window frame, letting out a long breath, the chill sending a pleasant shiver down her spine.
As she watched the village, her expression softened and not with nostalgia, but with a quiet, creeping unease, because for the first time since waking up in this world, the reality of her situation truly sinks in.
Why was I sent here? She thought, her fingers tightening slightly on the windowsill.
She had been so focused on surviving through the night, on navigating through the forest to finish the quest, that she had not allowed herself to dwell on the bigger questions.
Why did I possess Ryukiyo's body? Where is the real Ryukiyo now? What happened for me to be here?
The thought of something happening to Ryukiyo sent an odd chill down her spine because.. What if the original Rukiyo is still.. Somewhere? Just Trapped? Or locked up? Did Rukiyo overwrite her existence entirely or—
Her train of thought was abruptly cut off by the sound of a floorboard creaking behind her.
Instantly, her guard slammed back up, her posture stiffening, her ears straining for any sound of further movement, then she stiffened even more at the soft knock that echoed throughout the room.
"Who is it?" She asked loudly, her voice not wavering, but her heart rate spiking.
"..I-It's Blank. I wanted to talk."