Lula and her overbearing husband

Xavier set Lula under the shade of a wide tree, its low-hanging branches swaying gently in the evening breeze. The sun was dipping low, and the first stars had begun to peek through the fading light.

"I'll be back before the moon rises," he said, crouching down to meet her gaze. "Stay here. I need to gather firewood and some Bugtorch Leaves to keep the mosquitoes away."

Lula nodded, twirling her dagger between her fingers. "I'll be fine," she assured him.

Xavier gave her a quick, meaningful look before heading off into the woods.

Left on her own, Lula entertained herself with her dagger. She tossed it lightly into the air, catching the hilt with ease, or aimed for fallen leaves, slicing them cleanly before they touched the ground.

By the time Xavier returned, his arms full of firewood and a bundle of blue-veined leaves with jagged edges, Lula was deep in concentration, her dagger hitting target after target. He walked past her without comment, setting the firewood in a pile and arranging the leaves carefully to burn without wasting them.

Lula watched him for a moment, his focus fully on building a fire. An idea sparked in her mind, and a mischievous grin spread across her face. She tiptoed toward him, keeping her footsteps light and silent. Let's see if I can actually startle him for once, she thought, her grin widening.

But before she could even reach him, something wet and slimy landed squarely on her back. Lula froze, her dagger slipping from her hand as she felt the cold, damp sensation spread. Slowly, her cheeks puffed out as tears filled her eyes.

"X-Xavier," she whispered, her voice trembling.

He didn't hear her at first, focused on striking the flint to spark a flame. Lula held her breath, reaching out to tap his shoulder with shaking fingers.

"Xavier…" she whimpered.

Xavier turned immediately, his eyes widening when he saw her teary face. In a flash, he was on his feet, scanning her from head to toe.

"What's wrong? Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice urgent, his hands moving as if ready to check for an injury.

"Xavier… hic… my back," Lula managed to squeak out, her voice trembling as she pointed behind her.

Xavier leaned over to look at her back. Her hands were clenched, her body stiff with fear as she squinted, unable to see what was causing the wet sensation.

"Oh no! It's bad!" Xavier exclaimed, stepping back with mock horror.

Lula's breath hitched, and tears streamed down her face as she silently cried even harder. But after a few seconds, she noticed something odd—the heaviness she expected wasn't there. Her back still felt damp, but not uncomfortable.

"How bad is it?" she asked nervously. "Will I be okay?"

"You'll be more than okay," Xavier said, a teasing grin spreading across his face. "It's just a Dribble Toad."

Lula blinked, her deadpan stare locking on him. "A what?"

"A Dribble Toad," he repeated with a chuckle. "They like to drop onto unsuspecting travellers. Completely harmless."

Her lips pressed into a thin line as Xavier's playful tone registered. Without a word, she turned and began walking away, her shoulders stiff with frustration. Xavier hesitated, realising he may have taken the joke too far.

"Lula, wait—"

But before he could finish, Lula spun back around, gripping the small, squishy creature in her hand. The Dribble Toad let out a faint croak as she raised it toward his face.

It's wet, sticky lips smacked against Xavier's mouth in what could only be described as a "peck."

"Looks like you've made a new friend," she said with mock sweetness, unable to hold back her laughter as the toad hopped away.

For a moment, Xavier froze, processing what had just happened. Then, a chuckle rumbled from his chest as he wiped his lips. "Alright, I deserved that," he admitted, shaking his head with a grin. "Fair enough, sweetheart."

Lula smirked, clearly pleased with herself, as she gently released the toad back onto the ground, watching it hop away.

"Now that we're even, how about helping with the fire?" Xavier said, motioning toward the woodpile.

With an exaggerated sigh, Lula joined him by the fire pit, crouching beside him as he arranged the Bugtorch Leaves atop the wood.

"While I was out, I found some Streamfruits, Frostroot, and a patch of Arrowcaps," Xavier said casually, pointing to the small pile of plants he had collected.

Lula tilted her head, raising a brow. "Streamfruits? Frostroot? Arrowcaps?" she repeated, poking at the plants curiously.

"Streamfruits are those little pods," Xavier said, picking one up. "They're filled with sweet water. Good for keeping hydrated. Frostroot is that pale tuber. You can eat it raw—tastes a little sweet. It's crunchy and juicy. And Arrowcaps…" He held up the thin, pointed mushrooms. "They're earthy and chewy, but they'll keep you full."

Lula scrunched her nose, crossing her arms. "But I like your roast meat," she said with a childish pout.

Xavier chuckled, tossing another piece of firewood onto the pile. "Roasting would be nice, but it's not a good idea right now."

Lula groaned dramatically. "Fine," she muttered, poking at a Frostroot with her dagger. "But I'm not happy about it."

Xavier leaned back, watching her with a small smile. "I'll make you a deal," he said. "We'll have roasted meat for breakfast. Deal?"

Lula perked up, her pout softening into a grin. "Deal."

"Good," Xavier said, satisfied as he handed her a Streamfruit.

Lula took the fruit with a slight grumble but couldn't help smiling as she bit into it, the sweet water inside spilling onto her tongue.

As Lula finished the last bite of her Streamfruit, she glanced at Xavier, who was carefully stoking the fire and arranging the Bugtorch Leaves.

A wave of gratitude washed over her. He didn't have to be this thoughtful, yet he was. Not just today, but since the moment they met.

"Xavier," she said softly, catching his attention.

He glanced up, his golden eyes meeting hers. "Yeah?"

She hesitated for a moment, then smiled. "Thank you. For everything. For keeping me safe, for teaching me… for being you."

Xavier blinked, clearly taken aback, and for a moment, she thought she might have embarrassed him. But then he grinned, leaning back against a log with a satisfied look.

"You're welcome," he said, his voice warm. "But you're making it sound like it's a big deal. You're my mate, Lula. And, I'll fallen for you."

She blushed, her fingers brushing her dagger as she tried to hide her smile. "Still… I mean it."

Xavier's grin softened into something more genuine, and he opened his mouth to reply when a loud crack echoed through the forest.

They both turned sharply, their moment interrupted. Xavier stood immediately, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he scanned the trees. Lula's grip tightened on her dagger, the gratitude now replaced by a heightened awareness.

"Stay close," Xavier said quietly.