Footsteps echoed softly on the wooden floor. Elfa, still in their sleepwear—a loose shirt that did little to hide the scar circling their neck—stopped outside Trey's door. They took a deep, steadying breath and raised a hand.
Knock. Knock.
Trey stirred, pushed the blanket aside, and rubbed his eyes. Still half-asleep, he stumbled off the mattress and opened the door.
Elfa stood there, head bowed. Even in simple pajamas, there was an ethereal elegance to them, a quiet beauty that was uniquely Elven.
"Um. I… I wanted to apologize for last night. I should have trusted you, but…" Elfa began, lifting their head. They stopped mid-sentence, their hand flying up to cover their mouth, stifling a sudden, unexpected smile.
Trey stood before them, eyes still mostly closed, a trail of drool making its way from his mouth to the floor. His white hair was a chaotic mess, and he swayed gently on his feet, clearly still asleep even while standing upright.
"Oh? Is that all? I'm going back to sleep," Trey mumbled.
He shuffled back and flopped onto the bed like a sack of potatoes.
"Don't forget to close the door. It's been so long since I slept this well…" he muttered, waving a dismissive hand in Elfa's general direction.
"Are… are you still angry?" Elfa asked softly, hugging their own shoulders and looking down.
"Hah…" Trey let out a long, tired sigh.
He pushed himself up to a sitting position, cross-legged on the bed, propping his elbows on his knees.
"I'm not angry. Light told me. You just wanted to know my real intentions. Don't worry. I'd probably do the same if I were you," Trey said, his voice still heavy with sleep.
"But you were complaining just now," Elfa pointed out.
"Oh, that's because you woke me up. Who wouldn't be annoyed at that?"
"My life has lost all sense of reason," Trey continued, flopping back onto his pillow and staring at the ceiling. "A woman who smiles with fangs, a winged creature, and you with your weird plants… It all feels like a never-ending nightmare. I could stay angry or scared, but what's the point? I just want to rest. And maybe, for the first time, actually enjoy this crazy world?"
"But… it's morning," Elfa said, blinking. "All living things are supposed to be awake by now."
"For your information, I used to have insomnia. Bad sleeping habits," Trey said, his eyes closing again.
"Insomnia? Are you okay?" Elfa asked, concern flickering in their green eyes.
"Don't worry. Now I can sleep as much as I want! No work, no problems, and no one to bother me! I'm living my best life. Now go play somewhere else," Trey said, shooing them away.
"I'm sorry, but you need to solidify your intention to sleep fully," Elfa stated, their tone shifting back to its usual pragmatic self.
"Huh? Why?" Trey's eyes snapped open, revealing they were slightly bloodshot.
"Do you plan to stay here temporarily?" Elfa asked.
"No! I want to live here forever!" Trey declared, hugging his pillow tightly.
"Wait a second! You want to live here? Seriously?" Elfa asked, massaging their temples.
"Why? Is it not allowed? Honestly, going back is impossible anyway," Trey said.
'Actually, I really can't go back, can I? I'm in another world. But whatever. I've got nothing left in the old one,' he thought.
"Um, if you're serious, you need to ask the owner!" Elfa said, raising their voice slightly.
Elfa looked up and yelped, finding several file folders suddenly pressed against their face.
"No problem," Light's cheerful voice chimed in from behind the papers. "If you want to stay here forever, that's fine. But you'll need to apply for residency with the government first. Right now, you could be considered a trespasser or an undocumented immigrant from another country."
'She's right! I just appeared here without any permission,' Trey thought, going quiet.
"Wait a minute! Why do you get to decide if I can stay, not Elfa?" Trey asked, sitting up again.
"Huh? This is my house, not theirs," Light replied matter-of-factly, lowering the folders.
"Hold on. What even is your relationship?" Trey looked between them.
"If you must know, our relationship is… unique. Complex. You won't find another like it," Light said with a mysterious smile.
"Huh? Try me," Trey challenged.
"Our relationship is BFFs—Best Besties Forever. I'm the homeowner, and I'm also Elfa's… guardian," Light explained.
"Homeowner? Does that mean I have to pay rent?!" Trey's eyes widened in alarm.
"Don't make that face! They live here for free. In exchange, I don't have to live alone," Light said, giving Elfa's shoulder a friendly pat.
"And why did you call yourself their 'guardian'?" Trey pressed.
"Because I handle all the housework! Cooking, cleaning, laundry… including Elfa's underwear. I do it all," Light said, raising a hand with a small, proud smile.
Trey's head whipped towards Elfa, his gaze sharp. "You even let her wash your underwear? How lazy!"
Elfa turned their face away, a faint blush on their cheeks. "W-Well… she offered. What was I supposed to do?"
Elfa turned back to Trey, trying to regain composure. "Ahem! Back to the topic. How long do you intend to stay here?" they asked, fighting back their embarrassment.
Trey kept his judgmental stare fixed on them.
"You're the one changing the subject. Wash your own underwear. Don't make others do it," Trey stated firmly.
"Why? Would you like me to wash yours too, Trey?" Light asked innocently.
Trey crossed his arms over his chest. "I refuse," he shot back instantly.
"You two are the ones derailing the conversation!" Elfa interjected, their voice regaining its stern edge. "If you want to stay, you need to register, especially if it's long-term. If we don't report it and there's a problem, we get in trouble."
"You're right. I don't want to cause trouble for you two. Alright, let me get ready first," Trey conceded.
Grrrrowl.
Trey's stomach chose that moment to announce its emptiness loudly. He gave a small, sheepish smile and placed a hand over it.
"But before that… can we have breakfast?" he asked.
"We'll eat in the capital. Your registration is there anyway. Plus, you could use a meal out," Elfa suggested.
"Oh? So my cooking isn't good enough?" Light pouted.
"No! Your cooking is too good! But there's no harm in taking him out, is there? Besides, all of Trey's clothes are too big for him now. His body shrank to a child's size. Why don't you find him some clothes that actually fit?" Elfa reasoned.
"That's true. Elfa, you get the ride ready. I'll get Trey prepped for the trip. Okay?" Light decided.
"I can get ready by myself!" Trey protested from the bed.
His protest was ignored as Light grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room with surprising strength.
---
One hour later, outside the house near a cliff.
Elfa stood beside their chosen mode of transport: a Wyvern. The creature was sleek yet powerfully built, its scales a dark, mossy green that shone dully like smoked glass in the sun. Vast wings with thin, translucent membranes stretched from its sides. Its elongated head held a strong jaw lined with sharp, glistening fangs, and its yellow eyes burned with the arrogant gaze of an apex predator. Its long, scaled tail ended in a wicked, curved barb.
Hearing two sets of footsteps approach, Elfa turned their head.
Their usually stoic expression faltered for a second. Trey, who already had a unique look with his green eyes, pale skin, and white hair, now looked like a small, ethereal angel. His hair and lashes were a flawless white, his eyes sparkled like brilliant emeralds, and his skin seemed even fairer. Dressed in a simple white sweater and black slacks, the change wasn't drastic, but Light's styling had somehow amplified his innate cuteness tenfold.
Before they could stop themselves, Elfa's hand shot out from their pocket and pinched Trey's cheek, their face remaining eerily calm and collected.
"Please stop that," Trey said, his sharp gaze belying his adorable appearance.
"Why is a sarcastic creature like you… so cute?" Elfa muttered, their brows furrowing in confusion.
Elfa then took Trey's hand and led him toward the Wyvern.
"Whoa, is this a Wyvern?!" Trey's hand reached out tentatively toward its snout.
The Wyvern lowered its head, nuzzling gently into Trey's palm.
"Whoa, it's like a big lizard!" Trey smiled, delighted at being able to touch it.
Elfa nimbly climbed onto the Wyvern's back, settling into a specially crafted saddle and taking hold of the reins attached to its head.
"Trey, come on up," Elfa offered, extending a hand.
Trey took it and scrambled up. Suddenly, he was hoisted up and placed in front of Elfa, nestled securely between their legs like a child sitting in a parent's lap.
"Make sure you lean back against me, okay? This Wyvern flies fast," Elfa instructed before starting the journey.
Trey willingly relaxed against Elfa's chest.
'Wow, my lucky day,' he thought to himself.
"Aren't you coming with us, Light?" Elfa called out.
"I'll come! I'll just go ahead first, okay?" Light replied.
"Go ahead on what?" Elfa asked, scratching their head.
"On myself!" Light answered cryptically.
She then broke into a sprint toward the cliff's edge.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" Elfa yelled, alarmed by her sudden action.
As Light ran, small bone spurs erupted from her shoulder blades and along her spine. A long, bony tail extension grew from her lower back. Nerves, muscle, thin skin, and finally, dark scales rapidly formed over the structures. From her back unfurled large, leathery, bat-like wings, their span easily twice her height. Smaller, secondary wings extended from the upper part of her back and near the tip of her tail.
"See you there!" Light called out.
Without breaking stride, she leaped off the cliff and snapped her wings open, catching the air and shooting forward with incredible speed.
Elfa, the Wyvern, and Trey were left in stunned silence. Trey craned his neck to look at their faces. Both Elfa and the Wyvern had their eyes wide open and jaws slightly agape, wearing identical expressions of pure shock.
"Pfft! Ahahaha! You two have the same face!" Trey burst out laughing.
"Hey! Since when could Light grow wings and fly?!" Elfa finally exclaimed, turning to Trey.
"Huh? You didn't know?" Trey asked, equally bewildered.