Raveena now sat on a modest little chair, the kind with a creaky leg and cushion that somehow still felt comfortable. With her hands tucked under the round table, she fidgeted her fingers and twirled her thumbs as if they had something to say. She remained as quiet as she could, though.

Across from her, Aya had already been setting the small table with a few dishes. Plates first. Then cups. Then the little white-lidded teapot, warm and steaming faintly as she set it in the center.

Aya had already finished cooking by the time Raveena arrived earlier. She made something light, but fragrant, made in the prey-folk dorm’s second floor kitchen. It had taken a few trips back and forth between the hallway and her room, ferrying trays and borrowed plates like a cheerful little hostess.

And despite Raveena insisting she could help—at least carry something, anything—Aya had waved her off with the softest sternness she could manage.

“You’re the guest,” she’d said, as if it were law. “And it’s your first time here, so please, just relax for now, alright?”

Now, Raveena didn’t have much choice but to do exactly that.

To relax.

“Whatever that meant.”

“…You really went through the trouble,” Raveena then said while looking at the folded napkins Aya was fluffing on each plate.

Aya turned with a smile. “Of course I did.”

“No, I mean… this much.”

“You say that like you don’t deserve it,” Aya replied, gently smoothing the tablecloth before taking her seat across from her.

“That’s not what I meant.”

Aya tilted her head, ears twitching once. “Maybe not. But still… I wanted to. That’s reason enough, right?”

Raveena looked away briefly, before responding. “…Right.”

They sat in a hush after that, it was calm enough that it wasn’t too awkward. What also helped was the scent of dinner—something with garlic and herbs, and just a touch of butter.

Aya lifted the teapot carefully. “Would you like some tea first?”

Raveena nodded. “Yeah. Sure,” she answered, offering her teacup for Aya to pour on. After pouring Raveena’s tea, Aya filled her own cup as well.

And they sat like that for a minute, sipping their tea quietly.

Then, after a bit more, Aya looked at Raveena again with a bright smile. “So~ shall I tell you what’s on the menu tonight?”

Raveena nodded in response.

“Well! Tonight’s dinner is pretty simple—just a few comforting things, nothing too fancy. There’s a stir-fried root and veggie bowl with sesame glaze, a side of cloverleaf bread rolls, and…” she lowered her voice like it was a secret, “a sweet-soy pan-seared boar.”

Raveena raised a brow. “You cooked meat?”

“Mhm!” Aya nodded enthusiastically. “I’ve been practicing it more, actually… but mostly for my prey-folk friends, so it’s not too often that I get to cook meat dishes for predator-folk.”

“Mm. I see,” Raveena leaned back a little. “I didn’t think you’d cook that sort of food often.”

“I know the techniques,” Aya said, chuckling. “But I haven’t had much chance to really put them to the test. So I hope… it’s not too far off the mark.”

“I’m sure anything cooked by Aya Ribbuns is going to be good.”

Aya flushed at the compliment. “Oh, stars—you flatter me~ I’m not that big of a deal. Just a bunny trying her best with her food.”

After that, Raveena’s attention wandered again—until something caught her eye. Because there, on the second plate, identical to hers, was a modest serving of the meat dish.

“…Wait,” she said. “You made a portion for yourself too?”

Aya looked up. “Oh! Yes, I did.”

“You… eat meat?”

“Well… some prey-folk do enjoy it now and then. I don’t eat it often, but it’s not too bad,” she replied. “Besides… I wanted to try what you enjoy too.”

And that made Raveena pause and think of how she should react to that. “She’s… trying it for me?”

“…Oh,” Raveena then finally said, blinking again. “That’s… um. Thank you…?” then her fingers resumed their quiet fidget beneath the table. She felt her heart skip a beat— unsure if the feeling was one of feeling touched, cornered—or maybe both.

Aya giggled softly at the reaction. Then, with casual elegance and a hint of mischief, she picked up her fork, sliced off a small bite of the meat dish on her plate, and—very gently—leaned forward with it held out.

“Say ahh~”

And that startled Raveena a little, as it completely caught her off-guard.

“A-Aya?” was all she said at first.

“Mm, nay~?” Aya replied.

“…What are you doing?” she muttered while sitting up straighter.

“Oh! A taste test! I mean if you want a quick taste before you dig into your own—this one’s a small slice. Just a little try!”

“A taste test, you say?” Raveena questioned.

Aya wiggled the fork closer, playfully insistent. “I didn’t go overboard on the portion size or anything, so who knows if it’s enough for your appetite~? So I wanted to have you try with my portion first!”

Raveena stared at her, torn between bewilderment and a rising suspicion that she’d fallen into some very cute ambush.

“And,” Aya added, her cheeks puffing lightly, “I’ve always wanted to feed a predator-folk friend at least once. Just to see their reaction to my meat dish!”

Raveena deadpanned. “I am not a house cat, Aya.”

“But you’re my guest!” Aya chirped back. “Besides… I’m going to be gone for a week.”

“O-Oh… well. True but, do you really have to… feed me?”

“I won’t force it, of course! I just… want to make the most of tonight, if that makes sense?” Aya answered, still holding out the fork. “You don’t have to finish the whole plate if it’s not your style. But at least… let me see if I did okay.”

Raveena stared.

And stared some more.

Then, with great caution and very visible embarrassment creeping up her ears—

She leaned in.

“…If you tell anyone about this…”

Aya beamed as she reassured the panther-folk. “I won’t~”

With that, Raveena opened her mouth just slightly—

And took the bite.

And surprisingly, the bite was good.

No, actually—it was really good. Which somehow made it worse.

Because the moment Raveena swallowed, Aya had smiled like she’d just won a local festival’s pie contest and then followed it up with, “Oh, thank goodness! I was so nervous it’d be too sweet—but your face said otherwise~!”

Raveena did not realize she had a face for that, and then came the worst part: Aya kept doing it.

Every time she let her guard down—every single time—Aya would sneak in something: a second bite, a cheeky compliment, an overly cozy refill of her tea, a sudden “your ears look soft when you’re relaxed like that” out of nowhere that nearly made Raveena choke on her rice.

And all of it—all of it—Aya waved off with a simple, casual line: “I’m going to be gone for a week, so I want to enjoy some time with my dear friend~”

As if that explained the emotional ambush dinner she just survived.

Later that evening...

Thud!

Raveena shoved the door to her dorm room open and entered with a deep scowl, her cheeks still faintly pink and her ears twitching in a way that spelled “aggressively flustered”.

She tossed her coat toward the nearest hook—missed—and let it fall dramatically to the floor instead.

“Stars above… this is unbelievable,” she grumbled under her breath. “Utterly unbelievable…”

Then from the top bunk, there came the distinct rustle of turned pages and a muffled giggle.

“Hey, roomie~” Rory’s voice sang out lazily. “How was the—”

She peeked down, saw Raveena’s state, paused to think, then fully leaned over the edge, eyes squinting. “…Why do you look like you just walked through a sauna pipe burst?”

Raveena didn’t answer right away. She just kicked off her shoes with force and flopped face-first onto her bed.

“Mind your own business,” she muttered into her pillow.

“Oho~” Rory grinned, tail swishing with fresh gossip-scented glee. “So that dinner date went well, huh?”

“It wasn’t a date.”

“Oh right, right,” Rory nodded mock-sincerely. “Still January. First month of school. Clearly not the season for emotional development~”

Raveena slowly turned her head, face still half-smushed into her pillow, and glared.

“Can you shut your mouth for once in your life?” she hissed. “And besides—I’m not even into that—”

“That what?” Rory asked immediately, grinning as she dangled her head further down over the bunk. “'That’ what, Vesper?”

Raveena buried her face back into the pillow. “Whatever it is you’re thinking, cut it out.”

“Ohh~ you mean the part where maybe you think a certain pink-haired rabbit-folk is cute?” Rory grinned wider. “Which is, by the way, how some relationships start—just saying.”

“Rory.”

“Yes?”

“I will throw you off that bunk.”

Rory cackled and rolled onto her back, kicking her legs in the air in excitement for her friend. “Yup. She’s doomed,” she said quietly to no one in particular, then grinned up at the ceiling. “Absolutely and delightfully doomed.”