The rusted door creaked open under Xion's hand, its familiar groan echoing softly through the worn-out hall of their humble home. The moment he stepped inside, a blur of motion greeted him.
"Xion!"
Lyra's voice rang like a bell, filled with joy. Barefoot as always, she dashed toward him and leapt into his arms without hesitation, wrapping herself tightly around his chest.
But before he could even respond, another body collided with his back.
"Welcome home, Xion!" Nyelle's voice chimed, softer but no less warm. She hugged him from behind, pressing her cheek against his spine.
Sandwiched between the two girls one radiant and full of life, the other dusty and soft with shy affection Xion let out a chuckle. The stress of the day seemed to melt away in their embrace.
Later, the three of them gathered in the dimly lit living room. Xion sat in the middle of the couch, Lyra curled against his right arm and Nyelle leaning comfortably on his left. A gentle warmth filled the room.
"So?" Lyra tilted her head, her curious amber eyes locked on him. "How did it go?"
Xion nodded, his voice calm. "I registered successfully."
Nyelle's eyes sparkled. "Really?! That's amazing!"
He told them about the process, the registration, the strength test, and finally the surprise, how the mysterious woman who had bumped into him was, in fact, a squad captain. And now, he was a member of her squad.
Lyra's jaw dropped. "She was a squad captain?! Wait… you already joined a squad?"
"I did." Xion smiled faintly. "She invited me, and I figured it was the best path forward. Missions with a squad are safer and pay better."
Nyelle was stunned, her gaze wide. "You're amazing, Xion…"
Lyra's eyes narrowed slightly. "Are you going to be away for a long time?"
He shook his head and gently squeezed her hand. "Don't worry. This mission will take at most three days. After that, I'll come back and use the money to get us out of this place. We're not staying in this rundown area any longer."
He looked at both girls with a soft intensity. "You deserve better. A real home."
The girls were silent for a moment, eyes slightly misty, hearts full.
They kept talking for a while about life, about dreams, about nothing in particular until Lyra got up and headed to the kitchen.
She returned with warm plates of food, and they gathered around the small, wobbly table. The food was modest but nourishing, and the laughter that echoed around the cramped room was more filling than any meal.
Lyra, with flushed cheeks, turned to Xion. Holding a small piece of vegetable, she bit it halfway, then extended it in front of his mouth. Her face turned bright red as she smiled gently.
Xion blinked, surprised but then leaned forward and opened his mouth. She placed the piece between his lips, and he ate it without a word.
Satisfied, Lyra giggled and returned to her plate.
Nyelle, watching from the side, pouted slightly. Her amber eyes narrowed with a glint of mischief. She picked up a piece of vegetable herself, bit it, then without warning put the rest of it in her mouth for a few seconds. When she finally took it out, it glistened with her saliva.
She held it in front of Xion with a sly, red-faced smirk.
"…Seriously?" Xion muttered, dumbfounded.
Nyelle didn't blink. "Aren't you not going to eat it?" she said with mock innocence.
He hesitated for a moment. But then, with a sigh he opened his mouth again and took it in.
He would never admit it, but part of him wasn't disgusted in the slightest. Quite the opposite.
After dinner, night fell over the broken slums. The three of them made their way to the small bedroom.
Before, it had always been Xion and Lyra in the bed, but ever since Nyelle joined them, space had become a luxury. The mattress was cramped, and the nights were sticky with shared body heat and little airflow.
Xion lay in the middle, Lyra curled up beside him on the right, Nyelle nestled against his left shoulder. The scent of their hair, the warmth of their breath… it should have been comforting.
Except…
"…Nyelle?" he whispered.
"…Mhm?" came her sleepy voice.
"Are you sniffing my armpit?"
She didn't reply. Just snuggled closer.
Xion sighed in defeat, trying not to laugh. It was going to be a long night.
Eventually, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted into a deep sleep.
---
Morning.
A sharp tickle on his cheek stirred him from slumber. He opened his eyes to find… Lyra's foot on his face.
"She's such a messy sleeper," he groaned, gently moving her leg.
Turning to his left, he saw Nyelle still asleep, face buried deep in his armpit, her breath slow and peaceful.
Carefully and silently, he slipped out of the bed, making sure not to wake them. The room was dim, lit only by the pale rays of early sun cutting through the cracks in the curtains.
After a refreshing shower and a change of clothes, Xion stood at the front door. His hair was slightly damp, and his black attire clung to his tall frame. It's time.
Today, he would meet Avera and her squad.
Without a sound, he opened the door and stepped out.