She gently dabbed the corner of his lips with the napkin, her hand brushing his chin.
Her fingers were soft.
Her eyes, locked in on her mission, sparkled slightly in the warm light filtering through the window.
When she realized how close they were, she hesitated for a split second, then finished the wipe and quickly retreated to her seat like she'd just defused a very personal bomb.
"There. Clean," she mumbled, looking anywhere but at him.
Zayn touched the spot she'd cleaned, oddly flustered for a guy who could swing a sword at giant monsters without blinking.
"…Thanks," he said.
"Y-Yeah. You were, uh, kind of a mess."
"I'm always kind of a mess," Zayn replied. "It's part of my charm."
Althea giggled behind her hand again, her ears twitching slightly in that half-elf way that was way too cute for Zayn's peace of mind.
As they slowly returned to their food, the conversation shifted into a more comfortable rhythm.
