Now at a café that they found, Aya sat across from Raveena, her hands around a porcelain teacup. Beside her were a few plates already dotted with crumbs from cakes and buttery biscuits.
Raveena nursed a cup of coffee instead, occasionally reaching over to swipe one of the same biscuits Aya had ordered, as the rabbit-folk told her they could share.
Earlier, Aya had set her heart on visiting a little souvenir shop she'd spotted down the street. She talked about getting gifts for Aimee and suggested for Raveena to pick something for Rory as well. But somewhere between passing a flower stall and hearing the clink of teacups from this corner café, she'd decided instead that tea and biscuits were absolutely the right call first.
Raveena hadn't argued; whatever the bunny chose to do, she was happy with following along.
Somehow, in the span of Raveena's absentminded sips of coffee, Aya had already emptied four small plates for different cakes, each one polished clean down to the last crumb.
Raveena blinked at the neat little stack of emptied plates, tilting her head. "When did she…? I didn't even notice…"
Aya set her fork down at last, took a sip of tea, then looked up. "Raveena, mm—would it be alright if I asked you something?"
"Sure," Raveena replied.
"Well…" Aya's ears angled forward a little, "you mentioned last time that you're here with Professor Vask, right?"
"Yeah?"
"I guess you could say that I'm curious about her. Who is she, really?"
Raveena raised a brow before she gave Aya a puzzled look. "You'll have to explain that question."
"Oh, dear crumbs, sorry!" Aya's ears flicked upright as she waved her hands. "I didn't mean it oddly, I just wondered if she's, um… an important figure or something? Like… big name important?"
Raveena leaned her chin against her hand, considering. "Important? In what way…? She's still the same aunt who once threatened to throw my wrench in the river if I didn't finish my homework… she's worse than Mom…"
Though if there was something "important" about Professor Vask, there was one thing.
"Well… I don't know the full story," Raveena began, "but from what I've picked up just by being her assistant… she's kind of a big deal in Westwyn. One of those pioneering inventor types. Has a lot of old friends who used to study there too, most of them ended up as pretty important figures."
"Mm-nay? Really? That sounds… amazing."
Raveena scoffed lightly, resting her cheek in her palm. "Nice at first, maybe. But I get the feeling she doesn't enjoy it all that much."
"Why? But she seems so talented."
"That, I can agree with," Raveena said with a nod. "That woman knows more than I'll ever be able to cram into my head. But as for why she doesn't seem to like it… I've got no idea."
Aya giggled. "You two seem close now, though. Perhaps you're her favorite student?"
That made Raveena pause. "Right… Aya doesn't know that she's my aunt. Best keep it that way."
"Eugh. Don't even start with that thought," Raveena answered flatly, waving a hand. "I'm nowhere near being a student that Professor Vask likes enough to become a favorite. Not even close."
"Oh? And why not?"
Raveena raised a brow at her, but Aya was already resting her chin in one hand, eyes fixed on her with that bright smile, "If there's something to like about you, Raveena, it's how sharp you are. And then… like the cherry on a cake to top it off, you're also a very nice panther."
The sudden praise surprised Raveena, and her ears reacted with a twitch. "I… uh… I'm flattered you think so, but don't give me too much credit. None of that's really true."
"Mm-hm,"
Raveena sighed and looked away, eyes on the front of the café's cobblestone street. "I doubt I've got qualities like that."
Then, suddenly, a feather-light pinch tugged at her cheek.
"—Wha—?" Raveena turned back to find Aya leaning forward, lips pushed into the tiniest pout.
"Wrong," Aya said simply, holding the pinch for another second before letting go.
Raveena rubbed the spot where her cheek still tingled. "What was that for?"
"For saying something so silly about yourself," Aya replied. "Geez, Raveena… why would you ever think you're anything less than that?"
"…Because it's the truth…?"
Aya immediately shook her head. "Mm-nay. I refuse to acknowledge that. Believe it or not, I may not have known you for very long, but I can already see how kind you are… and how amazing of a panther-folk you are."
"But—"
"No buts!" Aya cut in. "Won't you believe your friend's words?"
The word "friend" caused Raveena's eyes to narrow a bit as she briefly remembered parts of her past. She remembered the teasing she endured in her school back in Westwyn.
And not to mention the word they used for her… 'Smoke'.
Such a funnily mundane word, yet she hated it for what it meant about her.
She could almost hear it again.
But then she shook it off, pulling herself back before the rest followed. "…Well… if you say so."
"So that means… you'll at least look at your own good sides?"
Raveena hesitated, then gave a small nod. "…Yeah. I'll try. And… thank you. I appreciate the kind words."
Aya straightened her back with a little huff of pride. "You're welcome! I'm glad you at least understand."
At the sight of the rabbit-folk, Raveena couldn't help but let a small smile. She lifted her cup, took a slow sip of coffee, and let Aya's voice fill the space as the bunny happily moved on to chatting about this and that. Little things about the Summit, the streets they'd passed, the smell of the bakery two doors down.
When the plates were cleared and they had finished their drinks, Aya looked around, then back at Raveena. "Oh, excuse me, Raveena? Could you check the time for me? Sorry, I forgot to bring a watch today."
Raveena nodded and swiftly pulled out her pocket watch. "Quarter to three."
"Ah, we should get going then. Maybe stop by that souvenir shop we saw earlier?"
"You've got places to be right after?" Raveena asked.
Aya smiled apologetically and nodded. "Yes, I'm sorry we can't linger longer, but I'll need the rest of the afternoon to get back to the culinary team and prepare for dinner service."
"That's fine. Honestly, it's perfect. I'm not even sure if Professor Vask intended for me to be out this long, she just said I could have some time off."
With that, the two paid for their drinks and snacks and left the café. They returned to the main streets of Rosequartz Town, chatted as they walked, and soon reached the little souvenir shop they'd found earlier.
It was the sort of place that had a good vibe overall. The atmosphere was very friendly for such a small place, and there was this pleasant smell of paper, cedar shelves, and wrapped candies. It was like a half bookstore, half trinket haven.
"Ooh! These look promising," Aya's eyes lit up the moment they stepped inside. She then wandered off toward a display of charms, postcards, and small hand-crafted knickknacks. It didn't take long for her to start holding up items one after the other, clearly imagining which would suit her friends back at Saint Maribelle's.
Raveena, meanwhile, meandered toward the quieter back shelves, scanning for something Rory might like. She'd just passed rows of stationery and decorative trinkets when her eyes caught the spines of a very… particular section of books.
And there it was.
"The Clockmaker's Courting Calamity Vol. 5"
"Wait. This series got a fifth? Stars, Rory… what is wrong with you?"
Still, she picked it up, flipping it in her hands with a faint shake of her head. "She'll lose her mind over this… in a bad way. Or a good way. Which is probably worse."
But still, she had to bring home something that Rory would surely like.
With a decision made, she tucked it under her arm.
Aya eventually drifted over, holding a tiny wrapped jar of candied rose petals. "Oh? What's that you've got?"
Raveena showed the novel. "A book Rory will appreciate."
Curious, Aya leaned in, tilting her head to read the title. "Courting… Calamity?"
"Mm-hm."
"May I see?" Aya asked oh-so-innocently.
Raveena hesitantly handed the book. "Yeah sure, but I'm warning you, it's a bit—"
But before she could finish, Aya flipped it open and skimmed a random page. "Let's see what— HUH?!"
Aya's ears bolted upright, cheeks turning an alarming shade of red. "Um—'The clockmaker's deft hands… traced the delicate—' OH MY!"
"Yeah… that's the kind of book it is," Raveena sighed, scratching her head.
Aya slammed the book shut so fast it made a sharp clap. "Raveena!"
"What? Don't say I didn't try to warn you, and that's not even one of the bad parts."
"That wasn't bad?! He was—! And she—!" Aya flailed, waving her arms like she was physically trying to shoo the words out of her mind. "Why would anyone write that?!"
Raveena chuckled, plucking the book from her grip. "Because some people like that sort of thing. Rory, for example."
"R-Rory likes these kinds of stories? Oh my…" Aya groaned into her hands, still pink. "I feel like I need tea to wash the words away…"
"Relax. I promise you won't ever accidentally see anything like that again."
Aya peeked at her between her fingers and responded. "Well… I'll take your word for it."
With their choices settled, they made their way to the counter. The shopkeeper wrapped Aya's jar of candied rose petals in floral paper, and then he neatly wrapped Raveena's book in dark green paper tied with twine, mercifully hiding its scandalous contents. They paid, thanked the shopkeeper, and stepped back outside.
Now on the walk back toward the Concorde Summit's venue, Aya shook her head with a little laugh. "I still can't get over how at first Rory doesn't seem like the type of animal-folk to enjoy novels like that."
"If you ever become her roommate, you'll learn more about that fox… and you'll get used to it," Raveena responded.
"I don't think I could get used to it. That's too much… heat for me to handle."
Raveena shrugged. "Fair enough. It can be a bit much. But at least it's Rory's thing, not mine."
Aya looked up at her curiously. "Oh? Then… what's your thing? Do you have any?"
"…What?"
"You know, erm… romance. Or… intense romance, if you prefer. What kind of romance do you like?"
Raveena stared ahead, brow furrowing as she thought. "Now how am I supposed to answer that without sounding weird? Especially when I'm not even interested in romance in the first place…"
"Ahem… Raveena?" Aya's voice pulled her out of her head.
"Ah, sorry. Guess I spaced out. I… can't really give you an answer, honestly. Romance just isn't my kind of thing."
Aya's ears perked in surprise. "Really? With how beautiful you are, I would've thought you'd at least had a relationship before."
Raveena almost scoffed. "I'm not beaut—"
But she stopped mid-word when she caught the glare Aya shot her way.
"…Right. Uh. Thanks. But trust me, I've got zero experience with that."
Aya's eyes then returned to normal and giggled. "I guess that's fair. I don't have any experience either. So that makes two of us!"
"Funny. I'd have thought the same about you. With how adorable you are, I'd imagine a few have confessed to you already. Normally, with a prey-folk as cute as you, any animal-folk would be head over heels."
"Well… as much as I want people to be happy, I guess I'm like you. I've never really thought about love in that kind of closeness."
"Really now?"
"But it's not like I don't love, I do. I love my parents, and I love all my friends equally. That's why I take care of them as best as I can," Aya explained, then she looked at the panther-folk, smiling. "And that includes you, Raveena."
"I don't know what I did to make you think that way about me already… but—" She looked back with a faint smile. "—I'll return the favor and say that I love you too."
When she heard those words, Aya's heart skipped a beat, and her steps almost got caught into each other. It's as if the words landed differently than she'd expected. Unlike the playful "love ya!" she exchanged with her other friends, this was different. It was so heartfelt and natural, so… very like Raveena, that it surprised her.
Raveena noticed the rabbit-folk slow down and turned her head. "What's wrong?"
Aya huffed, puffing her cheeks. "No fair. Why'd you say it like that?"
"Say what? I didn't do anything. That's on you."
"It is not on me! You're the one who said it all… cool," Aya accused, pointing at her.
"I said it normally," Raveena shrugged. "That's just how I talk," then, she nodded toward the road ahead. "Come on. I don't want to borrow you from the culinary team for too long."
As Raveena walked, Aya quickly caught up, though she let herself stay a step behind, just enough to look at and admire the panther-folk from the side without it being obvious.
"But she really did sound cool when she said that. Oh dear… what's gotten into me?"