Blissful ignorance

It takes a few minutes for your nerves to calm, and even more for Emi to be back to her usual collected self. You haven’t seen that kind of panic in her eyes since you first found her in the rain that night, and you hope to never see that look again. Eventually, she relaxes, although she keeps a tight grip on your hand. As the two of you are finally able to gather yourselves, Lili comes bouncing over, a big smile on her face. Her cheeks are flushed with the exertion of dancing, and her eyes sparkle with happiness.

“Did you see-see me? I was dancing with the other Hybrids, yes-yes! They said I was pretty-pretty!”

Lili practically leaps into your lap, wrapping her winged arms around you. She plants a a kiss on your lips, and smiles brightly at you. Even Emi can’t hold back a smile at the harpy’s excitement. She scoots closer to lean against you, seemingly taking comfort in the happiness radiating from Lili.

The excitable harpy isn’t content to sit for long however. She hops off your lap and starts tugging you out of your seat. Laughing, you stand up and follow her, with Emi trailing along with you. You’re happy to see a smile on Emi’s face, her troubled expression completely gone.

Lili introduces you to her new friends, and their companions. You make pleasant conversation, and even Emi joins in, introducing herself without needing any prompting. The rest of the evening is a pleasant blur, with many new faces, and no new drama. Everyone seems very welcoming, though the words of warning from Harold stick in your mind, leaving you still a bit cautious. All in all, though, it’s a fun experience.

You ask around a bit about Harold, trying to find out more about him, but it seems like no one really knows much about him. He’s known to be wealthy and a bit eccentric, but otherwise seems like a private person. You don’t hear a single bad word about him, though. Everyone seems to agree that he’s a good person, just not particularly open about his private life or his past.

By the end of the night, you’re pretty worn out, and even Lili is showing signs of being tired, though you know she’d never admit it! When the three of you get to the car, though, the harpy is quick to curl up in the back seat, the busy night having taken a toll on her. Meanwhile, Emi is happy to lean against you as you drive, a smile on her face as she closes her eyes. It’s a quiet drive home, and when you arrive, you find that Lili is completely asleep.

Chuckling, you carry the little harpy inside. Emi, half asleep herself, yawns as she follows you into the apartment. You tuck Lili into bed before crawling in yourself, with Emi joining you immediately. The three of you cuddle as you drift off, all your worries fading as sleep comes. It’s easy to be happy with these two snuggled close.