“Help! I’m the Chosen One (and I Didn’t Sign Up for This)!”

The trio stumbled into the clearing outside the cave, panting and covered in soot. Mika leaned against a boulder, her sword clattering to the ground, while Kazuya collapsed onto the grass like a puppet with its strings cut.

Lyria floated down, looking suspiciously pristine compared to the other two. "Well, that was a blast! Literally."

Kazuya groaned, staring at the sky. "We almost died."

"Details," Lyria said with a dismissive wave. "What matters is that we're alive, the chimera is toast, and I got this!" She held up a glowing shard from the broken artifact, its edges shimmering with residual magic.

"That thing nearly got us killed," Mika muttered, glaring at the shard like it owed her money.

"Exactly! Which is why it's mine now," Lyria said cheerfully, tucking it into her pouch.

Campfire Chaos

As night fell, they set up camp a safe distance from the now-collapsed cave. Kazuya fumbled with the firewood, his arms still shaky from the battle.

"You're useless," Mika said, snatching the sticks from him and expertly arranging them.

"Hey, I distracted the chimera, didn't I?" he shot back.

"Barely," Mika said, striking a flint to light the fire.

"Kids, play nice," Lyria teased, reclining on a floating cushion of magic. "Or don't. This tension is so entertaining."

Mika shot her a murderous glare, but her flushed cheeks betrayed her.

As the fire crackled to life, the group settled in. Kazuya leaned back, staring at the stars. "Do you think the chimera was the worst thing we'll face on this quest?"

Mika snorted. "If we're lucky."

"Define lucky," Kazuya muttered.

Awkward Moments and Accidental Smut

As the night wore on, Kazuya excused himself to wash up in a nearby stream. He peeled off his soot-streaked shirt, the cool water offering a much-needed reprieve from the day's chaos.

Unbeknownst to him, Mika had wandered into the same clearing, muttering something about needing space from Lyria's teasing. She froze when she spotted Kazuya, her eyes widening.

"Uh…" Kazuya turned, water dripping down his chest. "Hey."

Mika's face turned scarlet. "What are you doing?!"

"Washing up?" he said, confused. "What are you doing?"

"I—nothing!" she snapped, spinning around so fast she nearly tripped over a rock.

Kazuya chuckled nervously, reaching for his shirt. "Relax, it's not like—"

"Don't say another word," Mika growled, her voice muffled by her hands covering her face.

Campfire Confessions

When they returned to the camp, Lyria raised an eyebrow. "Why is your face red, Mika? Did something… happen?"

"Nothing happened!" Mika snapped, her voice a little too loud.

Kazuya rubbed the back of his neck. "It was just—uh—awkward timing."

Lyria's grin widened. "Oh, this is getting good. Tell me everything."

"There's nothing to tell!" Mika shouted, grabbing a stick and jabbing it into the fire for emphasis.

Lyria leaned closer to Kazuya, whispering, "So, what did happen?"

"I almost died. Again," he whispered back.

"Classic," Lyria said, giggling.

A Quiet Moment

As Lyria eventually drifted off (probably faking sleep to eavesdrop), Kazuya and Mika were left alone by the fire. The awkward tension lingered, thick as the smoke curling into the night sky.

"You were reckless today," Mika said finally, her voice softer than usual.

Kazuya looked at her, surprised. "You're one to talk."

She scowled. "I'm serious. Charging at that chimera like that—you could've been killed."

He shrugged. "I trusted you to back me up."

Her scowl faltered, and for a moment, she looked almost vulnerable. "You shouldn't put that much faith in me."

"Why not?" he asked, tilting his head.

She hesitated, then shook her head. "Never mind."

The fire crackled between them, filling the silence.

"You know," he said after a while, "you're not as scary as you pretend to be."

Her eyes narrowed. "Want to test that theory?"

He grinned. "Not really."

The Subtle Shift

As the night wore on, the tension between them softened, replaced by a strange, unspoken understanding. Kazuya wasn't sure what it was, but he liked it.

Mika, for her part, found herself stealing glances at him when she thought he wasn't looking. He wasn't as useless as she claimed—annoying, yes, but also brave in a way that made her stomach flip.

Lyria snored loudly, ruining the moment.

"She does that on purpose," Mika muttered, rolling her eyes.

Kazuya laughed, and for the first time that day, Mika smiled.

To Be Continued…

The night stretched on, and as the fire burned low, something unspoken settled between them—a fragile, flickering thing, like the embers of their campfire.

Tomorrow, the chaos would begin anew. But for now, there was peace.