The campfire crackled, its light the only warm island in a sea of cool, silent darkness. The wind rustled through the canopy above, carrying the chirps of crickets and the distant calls of night creatures. An awkward tension hung in the air. After they had finished their meal, a heavy silence settled between Rian and Catty. Rian's mind was racing.
Calling Catty my equal? he thought, glancing at the single, small tent he had constructed. It meant he either had to share that cramped space with the beautiful woman beside him, or he had to sleep outside so she could rest comfortably.
The second option felt like the right thing to do, but his heart selfishly refused. His mind was a mess. He wanted to say, "If you're sleepy, you can take the tent. I'll keep watch," but another part of him desperately wanted to sleep beside her. He couldn't bring himself to just ask her directly, but he couldn't bear the thought of making her sleep alone either. He watched as Catty stared into the flames, occasionally glancing at him with the quiet expectation of a cat waiting for a command.
Rian decided to wait for the right moment. The next time her gaze met his, he would speak. I have to be a gentleman, he psyched himself up internally. I have to be brave. This is my chance to show my manly side. The moment she looks over, I'll say it without hesitation.
A few moments later, just as he predicted, Catty turned her head, her blue eyes shimmering in the firelight. This was it. Rian opened his mouth, trying to force out the smooth, confident words he had prepared. But his jaw felt locked, his tongue like a stone. In the end, the only thing he managed to do was stretch his lips into a wide, toothy grin.
Catty met his gaze, saw the sudden, awkward smile, and returned a small, curious smile of her own. Then, she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders beginning to tremble.
The tense silence of the night was shattered as Catty could no longer hold it in. A gale of laughter erupted from her, so loud and unrestrained that it echoed through the quiet forest.
"Hahahaha! Rian! Close your mouth, now! Please… I can't take it!" she shouted between gasps of laughter.
Rian, having no idea what had caused this outburst, reflexively snapped his mouth shut, his face a mask of confusion. After her laughter died down, he grew curious. He leaned closer to her and, once again, flashed his biggest, toothiest smile.
Catty immediately let out another peal of bright, ringing laughter. "Rian, stop, please! My stomach hurts! Get away from me!" she cried, trying and failing to suppress her giggles as she turned away from him.
While Catty was lost in her own world of laughter, Rian cluelessly wiggled his lips. "Is there something wrong with my mouth? Why does she laugh when I smile?" he muttered. He continued to move his lips left, right, up, and down, trying every expression he could think of to figure out what was wrong.
When her laughter finally subsided, Catty turned back to tell him about his soot-blackened teeth, only to be met with the sight of Rian making a series of bizarre faces.
A startled scream mixed with another explosion of laughter escaped her. She laughed uncontrollably at Rian's absurd behavior, having no idea what he was trying to accomplish but finding it hilarious all the same.
"Is she possessed or something?" Rian muttered, scratching his head in utter confusion. "What's wrong with you, Catty?" he asked, his face a perfect picture of bewilderment.
Peeking at him from the corner of her eye, Catty said, still trying to catch her breath, "Cover your mouth with both hands. I'll tell you after."
Once he complied, she finally explained. "Your teeth… they're black. Covered in soot from the burnt meat you ate," she said. "And you, you fool, you showed them to me twice! Then you started making those weird faces, and I just couldn't stop laughing. I'm sorry, Rian." The memory made her chuckle softly again as she looked away.
Realization hit Rian like a physical blow. Without a word, he scrambled to the river and furiously washed his mouth.
"My reputation is ruined in her eyes. Total gentleman failure!" he lamented internally, hiding his burning face in his hands.
The cold night had turned warm with Catty's laughter. After returning from the river, Rian approached her again. Catty, having composed herself, stood up to inspect his teeth. She picked up a small twig, broke it until the tip was sharp, and gestured for him to sit on the log. She knelt in front of him, her face close to his as she carefully began to clean the remaining bits of char from between his teeth, showing no disgust at all.
They were incredibly close. Rian could see the flecks of gold in her blue eyes, illuminated by the fire, and feel the warmth of her breath. Wow… she's so beautiful up close. Her skin looks so smooth, he thought, his heart starting to pound in his chest.
"So, Rian," Catty asked softly, her focus still on her task. "Have you started to hate me now that I've let my real self out?"
Rian could only shake his head, unable to speak.
"This is my true personality, Rian. Are you sure you still want me to be this way?" she asked, a small smile playing on her lips, though a hint of her old fear lingered in her voice.
"It's done," she announced a moment later, standing up and averting her gaze. "Much better. The burnt meat is all gone now."
"It doesn't matter, Catty," Rian finally said, his voice firm. "Be however you want to be, and don't ever think like that again, or I really will get angry with you. Just be yourself. I'll accept you for who you are. Besides," he added, "do I look angry that you laughed at me?"
Without another word, Catty sat down beside him and leaned her head against his shoulder. "I was just afraid you would hate my true personality, too," she whispered.
"You don't have to be, Catty. I promised, didn't I?" he reassured her.
"Thank you, Rian," she said sincerely. "If you want to rest, you can go to sleep first. I'll keep watch. I'm used to sleeping outside."
"No. You sleep in the tent, I'll stay out here," Rian refused.
"How about we both just sleep in there? To be fair," Catty offered.
"Alright," Rian agreed, trying his best to hide his delight.
When Rian opened his eyes, the first light of dawn was filtering through the trees. He found Catty still fast asleep, curled up in his arms. Her black hair, her pointed cat-like ears, and a faint, comforting scent filled his senses.
"Nooo… this close… Why didn't I do anything last night?!" he groaned internally, regretting how quickly and soundly he had fallen asleep.
Catty stirred, stretching her body before waking up to see Rian's pale, regretful face.
"Morning, Rian," she greeted, sitting up with a yawn. "How did you sleep?"
"So soundly I don't remember a thing," Rian said with a flat tone full of regret. "It still feels like a dream."
"Ready to continue our journey? The sun is up," Catty asked, a new spirit of adventure in her eyes.
"Yeah, let's get ready."
After they packed up their camp, they continued their journey toward Kuningan. Not far from their campsite, Catty moved closer and whispered.
"Rian. Since last night, I've felt the presence of creatures watching us. Please be careful. I sense several of them, and I think they're waiting for others before they attack. Stay on guard."
Rian nodded, his hand unconsciously resting on the hilt of his sword. They continued their journey in silence, fully aware that pairs of unseen eyes were tracking their every move from the shadows of the forest.