Takehiko lays back on the birch chair, focusing on the ceiling. Dara has his eye closed and rests on one of his open palms, evidently wiped out from the last day we’ve had. My own eyes are now drooping even more than they had before Takehiko’s sly little trick. As Dara nods off, his hand slips out from under him, nearly hitting the table. He catches himself and makes sure to keep one hand on his garment to prevent his horns from peaking through. As Takehiko looks like he’s about to make a smartass remark on the topic, the barman comes out with three smoking plates of food. The porcelain plates contain a hearty amount of red meat and vegetables on them. Thank Kulym the guy didn’t screw us over for the price we paid. Takehiko removes his attention from Dara’s near mishap and his eyes glisten with the eagerness of digging his teeth into the dripping protein now being placed in front of him. I don’t think he’s planning on giving up his meal this time.

When my plate reaches the table, I nearly start drooling when the smell of the freshly smoked meat reaches my nose. Herbs dot the smooth gravy slathered over the dish and vegetables such as cauliflower and carrots are piled high to the side of it, perfectly charred. Water is poured for us and as soon as they finish filling Takehiko’s glass, he already needs a refill seeing as he downed the whole glass in two quick swigs. How this boy has stayed alive up to this point is beyond me. Dara is only half awake while he stares at his food, but his mouth reveals a slight smile all the same.

“I have to admit Takehiko, your dumb little trick really ended up saving us tonight.” Dara doesn’t look at Takehiko while saying this and he forks a quaint bite of carrot into his mouth.

Takehiko doesn’t audibly respond, but his mouth curls up into a tiny smirk, relaying that he’s content with the success of his venture tonight. While he and Dara continue eating their food, I finally slice a bite-sized piece of the meat and douse it in the luscious gravy. When it tears between my teeth, the juices from the tender cut explode over my tongue and the gravy bathes it in rich fatty flavors. It’s easily one of the best things I’ve eaten in a long time.

As we continue our meal, I realize I didn’t even say a word resembling a thanks to Takehiko for his success. “I’ve gotta hand it to you Takehiko. We could’ve probably figured out a legal way to get a room around here, but this is pretty damn nice, not gonna lie.”

Takehiko shakes his head, the smirk back on his lips. “So you’re saying you would be even more grateful had I figured out a way for us to get here without outsmarting a couple of drunks?”

I twiddle a carrot with my fork. “Well, I mean-”

He cuts me off. “Admit it, Miss Nanami. You’re happy to be eating that considering the circumstances.”

I make a short laugh. “I do admit it. Hell, I’m glad you took it from some stupid drunks. But, stop calling me Miss Nanami. It’s weird.”

“I’m weird for being respectful?” Takehiko rolls his eyes, the curious smile still lingering. “Would you prefer Lord Nanami? How about my fair and honorable maiden of Teredia? Oh, how about-”

Amused, I cut in, “Alright alright. Miss Nanami is fine if you’re so intent. Just don’t overdo it.”

Dara makes his presence known in the conversation as well. “You don’t call me Mr. Dara…”

Though it’s clear Dara is only messing with Takehiko, Takehiko doesn’t seem to comprehend that concept. “Oi, I don’t think I’ll ever see the day I address you as such. Peasant definitely suits you better.”

Battling the ever-present hostility in the air, I say, “Anyways...How’d you do it? The trick I mean.”

Takehiko answers, seeming proud to have to explain his secret. “It’s all in the sleeves. When you appear to make the coin disappear with the flick, you just drop it in your sleeve and voila, instant disappearing act. To make it seem like it comes out of your mouth, you simply spill the coin from the depths of your sleeve into your mouth. Easy. A cheap trick to learn when you have too much time on your hands.”

Dara joins in the now joyful atmosphere at the table, holding back his own little chortle. It’s a welcome sight considering the two seemed like they were about to go at each other’s throats again a few moments ago.

We continue to eat in the warm environment until our bellies are full for the first time in a couple of days. The barman comes and clears away our completely clean dishes and hands Takehiko a silver key. “You’re in room 206. Breakfast will be served here around nine if you want some. Enjoy your stay.” And with a slight smile for once, he walks off.

I peer at Dara who has dozed off again on his hand and I notice a few drops of dried blood showing through the bandage I placed on his socket. Hopefully, I can find a decent replacement for him somewhere so it doesn’t risk infection. I shake him lightly and he lifts his head up from his arms, dazed.

We make our way up the creaking stairwell to the second floor, dragging our feet the entire way. The dulled bronze plate reading “206” greets us as we enter the chilled room. There are three neatly made twin beds waiting for us inside, all illuminated by the moonlight coming in through the fogged-up window. The only other piece of furniture in the room is an old vanity pressed against the wall, the mirror slightly cracked through. The bathroom is hidden off next to the vanity and immediately Dara slumps his way in there presumably to get ready for bed.

Takehiko splays out on the middle bed, sighing with relief to have a comforting mattress under him for once. I sit on the one nearest the window, running my fingers through the day’s knots in my hair. I hear Takehiko creaking on his bed behind me and the thoughts from the last couple days overflow in my head like a broken dam. I just have to wonder what’s going through father’s head right now. Is he sitting alone and defeated, wondering where the last joy in his life ran off to? I’m sure he must’ve thought I’d be back by now, an apology spilling out of my mouth, begging for his forgiveness. Yet here I am, sitting next to the person who technically got me into this mess in the first place. If I hadn’t run into Takehiko in the woods, who knows what I’d be doing right now? I have to shake myself out of this mindset. I promised Dara I would help him and backing out now would just feel wrong. I can’t let myself go on a path where I can’t believe my own morals.

Takehiko’s voice thankfully breaks me out of my mind babbling. “This is a nice room huh?”

“It better be for the money we dropped on it.” I pull off my boots and finish tearing the knots from my hair. It’s at this moment I realize that by leaving home as suddenly as I did, I have no change of clothes whatsoever. Dammit, Nanami. Guess I’ll have to sleep in this because I’m sure as hell not sleeping in anything less with these two around.

Dara exits the bathroom and, to my confusion, has a new ivory bandage over his missing eye. “Where’d you get that?” I ask him.

With eyes dropping fast, he replies, “It was in a first aid kit they have under the sink. Don’t know why they have such large bandages in there but can’t complain much, can I?” He makes his way to the last vacant bed and nearly falls onto it when he sits down. Dara unties the bow from his hair, letting his mahogany locks flow onto his shoulders and his pillow as he collapses onto the plush mattress. Takehiko and I watch him as he falls asleep seemingly seconds after his arrival to his bed.

“Someone’s tired,” Takehiko states quite obviously.

“You don’t say.”

As Dara’s quiet breaths fill the room, Takehiko gets up and heads towards the bathroom. “Guess I’ll wash up now.” He closes the door behind him and I’m left to my own devices with the sound of the now slightly snoring Dara.

As I wait for him to finish, I lay facing the ceiling, twiddling my thumbs on my stomach. Twiddling my thumbs has been a habit I haven’t been able to break since Ev died. It’s entertaining to see how long I can go without touching my two thumbs together but the whole thing looks ridiculous to anyone watching me. Father used to tell me that mother did it too whenever she was nervous. I’m not surprised this whole situation has my nerves on edge. Again, who the hell runs away from home with two strangers in the search for Mayen of all people? Ouch. I look at my finger and find my nail cut it with my apparent rapid-fire twiddling. A thin line of blood reaches the top of my skin and I watch as the red grows more vibrant as it makes its appearance.

The door of the bathroom slides open as Takehiko comes out, his silver hair no longer in that tight ponytail but falling just below his jawline. It somehow makes him look even more carefree than before. His mile-long sleeves are pulled up to his elbows and even his pants legs are rolled up. I guess that’s the equivalent of pajamas in his eyes? Despite his preparations for bed, those golden chains are still hanging from his earlobes. A strange decision for bed I must say.

“Your turn. You don’t mind if I blow out the lantern do you?” Takehiko questions.

“No, go right ahead.”

He does a fall of his own onto his bed, just slightly more graceful than Dara’s one of exhaustion. I only wash my face in the bathroom and ensure Ev’s necklace is still safely secured against my chest. I can’t let it ever leave my neck again. When I come back out to the room, I lay on my bedside and stare at the gently swaying curtains. It’s so relaxing to watch them gently move in the dark night and be perfectly illuminated by the moonlight streaming through the breaks in the cloth. The pillow caresses my head and an overwhelming feeling of safety overtakes me.

“Goodnight Miss Nanami,” a half-asleep Takehiko says behind me.

I turn my head towards him, finding him with his eyes closed, his floppy bangs shrouding much of his face, and his right hand pressed uncomfortably so into his cheek. “Mm,” I respond with minimal energy, my hair softly gliding down my freshly washed face.