Chapter 49-Mysterious gift (2)

Chapter 49: 49-Mysterious gift (2)

"And you trust a cat more than me?"

Nathaniel looked at her. "Yes," the answer came so quickly and so firmly that Aymara almost staggered. Her hand went to her chest.

"That hurt, Nate. It might not show on the surface but I am bleeding on the inside."

"Good, you should bleed for scaring my baby."

"Nate!"

He looked down at Yaya and gently stroked her head. "My poor baby."

His voice suddenly became incredibly soft, almost unbearably gentle. Aymara stared. Nathaniel had never spoken to her like that. Not even once all day and felt sending the cat back to the system.

The words should have stung. Instead, the sight of his careful fingers smoothing the cat’s fur left a strange warmth behind her annoyance.

He looked so unguarded that she found herself wanting to protect the moment, even while resenting how easily Yaya had earned it.

"Did you miss me?" He asked in a sweet almost honeyed tone.

The cat purred in response.

"I missed you too."

Aymara’s face darkened. She looked toward the system.

"System."

Ding!

[Host inquiry and anger detected.]

"Why is my mysterious gift a cat?"

There was a slight pause. Then the system responded.

[Mysterious Gift: Beloved’s Most Cherished Companion.]

Aymara stared. Her mouth slowly opened, then closed, then opened again.

"Beloved’s..." she looked at Nathaniel. "...most cherished companion?"

Nathaniel’s eyes softened as he stroked Yaya’s fur. "Yes, your a girl girl. My good girl."

Aymara’s expression became complicated. So this was what the system meant. It wasn’t giving her something for herself. It had given Nathaniel something precious, something he had apparently been missing, and something capable of making him happier than anything else she had given him.

Aymara’s irritation weakened. Only slightly. She still didn’t like cats, but she couldn’t deny the way Nathaniel’s entire face had changed. He looked genuinely happy, almost painfully so, and she hadn’t seen that enough in his life.

A small, reluctant affection stirred in her chest but not for the cat, she told herself, but for the happiness it had brought him. The distinction felt increasingly flimsy.

Nathaniel finally looked back at her. "Just because you brought Yaya here doesn’t mean I’m going soft on you."

Aymara blinked. "I didn’t ask you to," she said, folding her hands defensively to her chest. ’And I also didn’t bring that fur ball here.’

"You probably thought I’d forgive you because you brought me my cat here."

"I didn’t!"

He narrowed his eyes and adjusted Yaya in his arms. "I still remember what happened six years ago and this doesn’t change that," he told her.

Aymara’s smile faded. They were doing well and having fun and the system just to ruin it by bringing the cat and getting Nathaniel to grow distant again. "I know."

"I’m not forgetting it."

"I know," she stomped her foot on the ground. Her stomach felt hotter than the hotpot she just finished.

"But..." Nathaniel looked down at Yaya. His expression softened again. "...thank you for bringing her to me."

Aymara’s heart gave a tiny squeeze. For once, the gratitude did not feel like a reward she had earned. It felt like a fragile opening, and she was suddenly afraid that even a careless joke might close it.

She smiled. "You’re welcome."

[Host, why are you taking credit for my gift?]

[Weren’t you just thinking that you want to beat me up and tear me to pieces?]

Aymara looked at the blue screen, the softness in her voice vanished, replaced by a murderous gaze. ’Why don’t you materialize and see if I still won’t?’ she dared the system.

[If host’s beloved wasn’t onboard the ship, i’d flip it over right this moment.]

Aymara’s jaw dropped harder than ever. ’If you favour him so much. Why didn’t you bind with him?’

[Again, this system’s assignment wasn’t by choice. I wasn’t consulted on who to bind with.]

Aymara rolled her eyes. The system favoured Nathaniel, the cat adored him and she had nothing but love for him. Was there anyone who didn’t look out for him?

Nathaniel looked away, unaware of the battle happening right across the room. "Don’t misunderstand me. I still don’t forgive you and you still have a lot to make up for," she smiled. "...but this, it’s definitely a mile on that journey."

"I know," Aymara answered mechanically. She loved that she was making progress but she would’ve preferred doing so in an environment where it was just the two of them, no outsiders and definitely, no cats.

"And you’re still annoying."

Aymara rolled her eyes again. "Okay, now you’re pushing it."

Nathaniel’s lips twitched. Then he looked down at Yaya again. "Come on, baby," his voice instantly became gentle.

Aymara stared at him. The change was unbelievable.

"Are you hungry, Yaya?"

"Meow."

"Oh, you are."

Nathaniel looked toward the table. Aymara watched as he walked back toward the food while still holding the cat against his chest. He carefully picked up a small portion of food and placed it on a separate plate. Then he sat down.

"Here."

Yaya sniffed the food. Nathaniel smiled and motioned for her to eat. "Come on. Eat."

The cat began eating. Nathaniel watched her with an expression of pure affection.

"Good girl."

Aymara stood there, completely speechless. Nathaniel gently stroked the cat’s head. "You must have been so scared."

"Meow."

"I know. Papa was wrong for leaving you behind," his voice became even softer. "I’m here now and I’ll make it up to you. Don’t be mad."

Yaya purred.

Aymara’s heart melted a little and then she frowned. Wait. Why was she melting? She didn’t like cats!

She walked closer. "Can I..."

Nathaniel immediately looked up. "No," he immediately refused that request.

Aymara stopped. "I didn’t even finish," she complained. "You don’t even know what I was going to say."

"No, I don’t. And I don’t want to know."

"I just wanted to touch her."

"Not happening," he guarded Yaya like her life was in danger.

Aymara’s eyes widened. Her hand that was stretched out, remained in the air.

"You can’t monopolize my mysterious gift!"

"Yaya is not your gift. She’s my baby."

"The system gave it to me!" She argued. "It gave me Yaya. So technically, she’s mine."

The cat purred, all it’s hairs standing up as it glared fiercely at Aymara.

Aymara crossed her arms. "That’s unfair. Your cat hates me!"

Nathaniel smiled faintly. "Life isn’t fair and Yaya’s heart is pure, she doesn’t know how to hate anybody."

Aymara glared at him. "You’re enjoying this far too much."

"Very much," he looked down at Yaya. "Isn’t that right?"

"Meow."

Aymara pointed at the cat. "Don’t encourage him."

Yaya blinked and Nathaniel laughed.

Aymara’s heart skipped. Again. She hated how happy he looked, not because she was jealous... well, maybe a little but mostly because she realized something.

This was the Nathaniel she had forgotten: the Nathaniel who loved deeply, who could be playful, who had once been her closest friend, and who had a soft side that he showed only to those he truly loved.

And now she was seeing it again, even if it was directed entirely at a cat. Aymara sighed. "Fine, I’ll accept defeat this time."

Nathaniel looked up. "It wasn’t a contest, Aymara."

She nodded. "Yaya can stay."

His expression brightened so suddenly that Aymara felt the impact of it in her chest. She immediately regretted the decision, but seeing the happiness on his face made her swallow the complaint.

The protest had been ready on her tongue, yet it dissolved when his shoulders relaxed and that guarded look disappeared. She could endure a little fur if it meant he might keep looking at her with that same warmth.

"Yes!" Nathaniel smiled. "Thank you."

Aymara pointed a warning finger at him. "But she’s not sleeping in my bedroom."

"She’s sleeping with me."

"Absolutely not."

Nathaniel’s smile disappeared. "Why?"

"Because she might shed fur everywhere... scratch the furniture or knock things over."

"She won’t."

"You can’t know that!"

"I know Yaya, Aymara. I’ve had her for a long time."

Aymara stared at him. He stared back. Then Yaya lifted one paw and placed it against Nathaniel’s chest.

Nathaniel immediately melted. "Oh, look at you," his voice became ridiculously soft. "Are you sleepy?"

Aymara covered her face. This was hopeless!

The apocalypse was destroying the world. The ocean had swallowed ninety percent of everything, hurricanes were tearing through the continents and somehow, the greatest threat inside her fortress was a fluffy white cat.

Aymara looked toward the system. "You really did cheat me."

The system remained silent. Then, after a brief pause it sounded.

Ding!

[Host correction: Reward successfully delivered.]

Aymara stared. "You’re unbelievably shameless."

Nathaniel glanced at her while Yaya purred against his chest. "What did you say?"

Aymara smiled. "I said Yaya is very pretty," she looked at him, at the cat, and at the warmth filling the room. Then she sighed. "Welcome aboard, Yaya."

The cat opened her eyes.

"Meow."

Aymara narrowed her eyes. "Don’t think this means I like you."

Nathaniel laughed, Yaya just purred and for the first time that night, the fortress felt even more like a home.