!! that one guy

sleepwalking.

Little Layla.

That’s how Lady Yae called her. Those words sounded bittersweet, said with that charming voice of her. She managed to present herself as a living work of art so effortlessly. She was immaculate. And Layla was a mess, barely functioning, striving for better but failing because either nature or stars decided to play a cruel joke.

Layla saw Lady Yae in her sleep. It felt so real. She could even feel her faint smell of sacura that would enwathe you with her every move, see little strands of fur on her ears, flawlessly lying down to one another. And of course Lady Yae was smiling with her condescending (or sly?) smirk.

It was strange, that feeling inside Layla’s chest. Somehow fizzy, sour, but still pleasant, like one of those summer drinks you can get in Sumeru City as a refresher. And that feeling didn’t go away for some time already. Layla couldn’t tell when exactly it started, but it lasted and became stronger in Lady Yae’s presence. Admiration, perhaps? Yes, it has to be it.

It was such a pleasant dream. And, most importantly, it was not real.

“Lady Yae,” Layla spoke softly and Yae set eyes on her. “I will miss you. It’s silly, but somehow… You make me feel special. That… That feels nice.”

That smile on Lady Yae’s face. A smile of a predator, a smile you don’t usually expect from such a beautiful being, but it looked so natural on her face. You could see a faint glimpse of her canines, a little too big for a regular human.

“Little Layla, don’t be sad. You study the stars. Didn’t they tell you that it’s only the beginning of all the fun that awaits you?”

“It doesn’t work this way,” Layla smiled, not with the usual small tired smile, but broadly, “Stars rarely tell you something about a single insignificant person, but predict events, impacting the world as a whole.”

“You are too serious, little one. Do you read books for fun, not for studying? They would suggest to you how things work. Smart, diligent and kind people usually make some great main characters. I would say, you fit that description perfectly.”

Layla laughed. Laughing in a dream is always nice, you don’t feel your battery draining with every little cackle.

“I’m not the main character, Lady Yae. They are always full of energy, ready to save the world. I don’t really fit, if you think about it.”

“Because you’re overthinking it,” Lady Yae covered her mouth with her hand, laughing softly. “I will order someone to send you some of our best-selling books. Maybe, it will help you figure out that sometimes the plot is not revolving about saving the world and similar stuff.”

Layla didn’t answer, just stood and listened, bewitched by… By everything as a whole. By Yae Miko and her kind words, by the way she moves, by the quiet jingle of her exquisite jewelry, by the sour fizziness inside. And then Lady Yae caught her gaze and Layla quickly realized that she stopped talking and just looked back, somehow crawling under her skin.

She could feel her blush. But it’s just a dream. Just one more dream, too realistic, yes, but still.

“I want to hug you,” Layla spoke softly.

“Then go on,” Lady Yae gracefully spread her arms and Layla leaned forward, embracing Yae, clenching the thick fabric of her robes, hiding her face in that little spot under the ear. She could feel the silky touch of Lady Yae’s fur, the warmth of her body, even how her rib cage moves with every breath Yae takes.

Layla slowly moved her head, kissing Lady Yae’s jaw. Her skin was so hot, so smooth, she wanted to touch it again, but couldn’t move. Lady Yae moved herself, rubbing her cheek on Layla’s and then suddenly she could feel Yae softly breathing in her ear.

“Wake up, little Layla.”

And the reality ceased to exist. She still could feel Lady Yae in her arms, but her own body suddenly became so unbearably heavy that her legs gave way and she surely would have fallen if not Lady Yae's grip, somehow so strong.

“What… What happened?” Layla's voice was no longer confident, but weak and shaky again, just like the rest of her. Her head was spinning and her heart was beating so fast she was scared that it may just rip apart, like a poorly made soft toy.