The night deepened as Lucille and Ashrik finished dinner. The fragrant steam of the congee and fish soup still lingered in the air, carried by the cool, crisp breeze of the evening.
Dobby and Ponyo had long left the wooden table, now playing chase. They happily barked at each other, at the flying leaves and even at the stream.
Lucille slowly rose from her seat, reaching out her hands to gather the used bowls. "I'll wash the dishes."
She had eaten his cooking twice today, but hadn't contributed anything in return. Now that she had regained a little of the lost strength, doing dishes would be easy.
But before Lucille could stack the bowls together, Ashrik swiftly took them away. "No. You're still recovering. I'll handle it."
Blinking, she looked at him. Her lips parted as if to argue, but the seriousness in his gaze stopped her.
"Brother Ash, I can—"
He cut her off with a slight upturn of his lips. "Go play with the dogs."
"Arf! Arf!"
As if on cue, Dobby and Ponyo came running from the flower bed. Lucille blinked, then glanced at the two oversized Pekingeses whose tails wagged excitedly. Ashrik quickly carried the dishes back to the kitchen.
"Arf! Arf!"
Ponyo rolled onto its back once it reached Lucille's side. It seemed to echo Ashrik's command, paws flailing for attention.
As for Dobby, it nudged its grumpy flat face on Lucille's calf before tugging at the hem of her shirt. She could only wave the white flag.
"Fine. I'll play with you guys."
"Arf! Arf!"
The dogs barked happily. They began circling Lucille as she knelt to scratch their ears.
Dobby nuzzled insistently into her hand, while Ponyo continued to demand belly rubs. Their joy was truly infectious, and soon Lucille's laughter chimed in the yard, soft and sweet.
From the window, Ashrik saw the trio as he washed the dishes. The sounds of clinking porcelain and running water rang in the kitchen.
The wind carried the echo of Lucille's laughter and teasing, alongside Dobby and Ponyo's barking. Hearing her soft and sweet giggles put a smile on Ashrik's lips.
Until now, her reaction had been better than expected. He could only hope that she wouldn't cry alone in the dark later.
Once Ashrik put the last bowl on the drying dish rack, he wiped his hands. He quickly returned to the yard, wondering why the loud laughter and barking had suddenly stopped.
He got the answer soon after.
On a spot not far from the wooden table, Lucille lay nestling against Ponyo. The white dog sprawled on the ground. She tangled her fingers through its thick fur, and her face rested against its side.
Ponyo huffed in contentment, while Dobby lay on the opposite side, acting like a guardian. Lucille laughed, softer than before.
Ashrik halted on his tracks. For a moment, he simply watched her frail figure cushioned by Ponyo's warmth. The scene before him was so tender, it stirred something faintly in his chest.
How had she truly been for the past four years? The question often haunted his mind.
He occasionally gathered news related to her, but that wasn't enough to make him understand her life.
Only one thing was for certain. Her life could be considered decent among the millions to billions of people enduring this apocalyptic era.
While living in a good survival base, she utilized her gravity ability to survive. Sometimes, he heard people praising her as one of the skilled members of her team.
Ashrik raised his brows, and a sigh escaped his lips. As he resumed walking, his footsteps echoed more clearly against the ground.
Lucille stiffened once she heard him approaching. Then, she sat up, cheeks flushing. She smoothed her hair with one hand, looking sheepish as she looked at him.
When did he reappear? She had only heard him when he had almost reached them.
"...you're back. Well... it just feels too good cuddling with such a fluffy big dog."
Ashrik shrugged. "Ponyo likes sleeping with people. You can sunbathe with her too."
When everyone was here, Hazel and Felix liked sprawling on the lawn with Dobby and Ponyo, especially Felix. Sometimes, he slept outdoors at night with just the dogs.
"Oh... That sounds nice," Lucille nodded lightly.
Dobby and Ponyo noticed Ashrik's appearance. They yapped at him, only to bark louder when he crouched down to rub their backs.
"Go and play elsewhere." He patted their big bums, urging the dogs to move. "Now."
"Awoo..."
Ponyo and Dobby whimpered, but still listened to Ashrik. Before they left, they nuzzled Lucille for a moment. The two oversized Pekingeses resumed playing chase in the vast lawn.
Ashrik changed his posture from crouching to sitting cross-legged across from Lucille. His countenance was relaxed, still bearing the quiet, reassuring vibe that settled her heart.
After a brief glance at the dogs, he said, "They truly like you."
She chuckled softly. "I like them too, so energetic. They're warm like living blankets."
Silence stretched for a moment when he replied to her with nothing, filled only by the rustling of leaves and the occasional bark in the distance.
When she assumed he simply wanted to sit quietly, his low voice echoed, edged with caution, "Lucy... Do you wanna try cultivating now?"
Lucille froze, her smile fading instantly as her eyes widened in surprise. She asked, her voice laced with concern, "...now?"
Ashrik stared at her. Nodding once, he said, "Only a trial with no uncertain outcome. But I think it's worth trying. Or do you wanna do it later?"
The idea came too suddenly. He initially wanted to delay bringing it up until the next day. But thinking of what he should do later at midnight, he had to bring this forward.
Lucille was still stunned. Her lips parted and closed repeatedly as her heart thundered. After forcing herself to calm down, she inhaled sharply and nodded.
"Yes, I want to try it now."
Why should she wait any longer?
She had to get better as soon as possible!