The fire crackled softly as Felix worked on his dinner preparations. He was muttering something under his breath, clearly focused as he chopped and mixed with surprising skill. I sat back, watching him for a moment before turning my attention to Allmer, who was lounging lazily by the fire.

I fidgeted with the edge of my sleeve before pulling something small from my pocket. “Hey, Allmer,” I started, holding out the roughly carved comb I’d worked on. “I, uh, made this for you.”

Allmer raised an eyebrow, taking the comb from my hand. It was far from perfect—half of the teeth were uneven, where I'd carved, and the wood was a little rough in places—but it was functional. He turned it over in his hands, inspecting it with a curious expression.

“I mean, I only finished about thirty percent of it,” I admitted, scratching the back of my neck. “Iker found it when I got hurt and… well, he kinda took over and finished the rest.”

Allmer’s lips curved into a sly smile as he leaned forward. “Ah, so the earrings were from him too, then?”

I blinked, caught off guard by the tease. “No! I mean technically yes” I said quickly, shaking my head. “They’re not from his wings or anything like that. They’re just made from some random bird’s feathers.” I paused, hesitating for a moment before adding, “Is it okay if I keep wearing them, though? I like earrings.”

Allmer’s expression softened, and he reached out to ruffle my hair. “Why ask me? You like it, you wear it. Besides they suit you, little one,” he said warmly.

I swatted his hand away, pouting. “You just messed up my hair again!”

He chuckled, clearly amused. “If you’re so upset about it, how about I comb it out for you? With the gift you took so much efforts to make for me”

I blinked at him, surprised. “You? Comb my hair?”

He smirked. “Why not?”

I hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded, shifting to sit between his legs. The position felt oddly comfortable, the warmth of the fire and Allmer’s presence putting me at ease. He carefully picked up the comb and began working through my hair, his movements surprisingly gentle.

As his fingers occasionally grazed my scalp, I felt myself relax further. The repetitive motion of the comb, combined with the quiet crackle of the fire, created a soothing rhythm that made the long day melt away.

“Allmer,” I said softly, turning my head slightly upwards to look at him.

“Hm?” He glanced down at me, his ruby eyes warm in the firelight.

“I really love being with you,” I said, smiling brightly. “You make everything feel… safe.” And less lonely. He made me feel like I can survive here, hold on and get my life back.

He paused, his hand stilling in my hair as he stared at me. For a moment, neither of us said anything, and I began to feel a little self-conscious under his gaze. But then, he leaned down, closing the distance between us, and kissed me.

His lips brushed against mine, feather-light at first, almost hesitant. It was soft, careful, as if he was afraid I might pull away. But I didn’t—I couldn’t. The warmth of his lips against mine sent a wave of heat through me, and I found myself leaning into him without even realizing it.

Encouraged, Allmer deepened the kiss. His hand slid up to cradle my face, his thumb brushing along my cheek. The kiss was slow but intense, his lips moving against mine in a way that made my heart pound in my chest. I felt the tip of his fingers graze my jawline lightly, the sensation sending shivers down my spine.

Then, something unexpected: the faintest graze of his tongue. It sent a shiver through me, the sensation both strange and exhilarating. I pulled back slightly, just enough to breathe, my cheeks flaming.

“Allmer…” I started, but he only smiled, the corners of his lips tilting upward.

“Too much?” he asked, his voice soft yet teasing.

“No… just…,” I admitted, pressing my fingers to my lips. The kiss had left them tingling.

His expression softened further, the teasing tone fading. “Then let me try again,” he said. Before I could process his words, he leaned in once more.

This time, it was different. His hand slid down to cradle the back of my head, holding me in place as his lips captured mine with more confidence, more insistence. The kiss deepened, and the tip of his tongue flicked against my bottom lip. The sensation was electric, and I let out an involuntary gasp. He took that as an invitation, his tongue slipping past my lips, exploring with an intimacy that made my heart race.

The kiss consumed me, leaving me breathless and clinging to him. My hands fumbled for purchase, one resting against his chest as I felt the solid thrum of his heartbeat beneath my palm. His other arm wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer. The world around us seemed to blur until nothing existed but the two of us and the heat of his lips on mine.

When he finally pulled back, I was left breathless, my cheeks flushed and my heart pounding. His forehead rested against mine, his eyes searching mine as if trying to memorize every detail of my expression.

“Little one,” he murmured, his voice low and thick, “you have no idea how much you've started to mean to me ”

My response was cut off as a loud, irritated voice broke the moment.

“Dinner’s ready!” Felix called, his tone sharp and slightly flustered.

I froze, pulling back abruptly to find Felix standing a few feet away, holding a tray of steaming food. His face was bright red, and his ears were twitching as he avoided looking directly at us.

Allmer let out a low chuckle, clearly unbothered by the interruption. “Perfect timing, cub,” he said, his voice laced with amusement.

Felix scowled, his tail flicking behind him in irritation. “Yeah, yeah. Just eat before it gets cold.”

I buried my face in my hands, my cheeks burning hotter than the fire beside us.

* ** *** **** Thanks to everyone who supported this novel till now! It's cause of you all we are now finally at the chapter where Shira has her first kiss <⁠(⁠￣⁠︶⁠￣⁠)⁠>

Now one question. Is "mature" tag needed cause of this chapter? Or it's added only if there's something explicit?

I haven't really thought if this novel will include explicit scenes (yeah it's a SLOWBURN so haven't even written drafts till the point I have to think about it) so hadn't added the mature tag in the beginning.

Will be great if someone who knows about it can suggest if the tag is needed or not.

And I was actually hoping to introduce all Male Leads till 50th chapter and ask whose your favourite but there's still one left ( it's the feral that I had asked suggestions about >< ) Anyway, leaving the 5th aside, whose the most popular among all the bois??

(Also since I kinda uploaded both the chapters together, do read the earlier "Dinner" chapter before this one )