"Whew..."

I landed on my bed and felt relief wash over me. It felt like if I closed my eyes for too long, I'd be pulled into dreamland without trouble... As good as it felt, it was also scary. After this whole ordeal, I wasn't expecting nice dreams.

"I wonder if I can go to Inverse while half of me sleeps..."

Three faint knocks came from my door. I lifted my head and squinted at the door. A minute passed before more knocks came from the door.

"Come in?"

The door opened slowly, and in came Svilran, wearing a pure white sundress. She didn't look at me; instead, she was looking at the floor. Her face was flushed, and she was holding the hem of her dress. That dress--on anyone else, it would look adorable, but on Svilran--that bombshell of a goddess--it was a little flustering.

"Svilran?" I asked.

"I'm here..."

"Huh?"

She raised her voice. "I came to your room like you asked!"

I stared at her for a few moments. "... Oh!"

I had completely forgotten about this plot point.

"I completely forgot!" I blurted out, a little carried away by my joy and surprise.

Svilran's expression dropped along with her mouth. "You... forgot?"

I laughed out loud for a few seconds and then called her over. She approached timidly and looked at me, her lips quivering. I sat up and patted the spot next to me. She quickly sat down and tucked her hands between her thighs.

"Do you want me to lie down?" she asked.

I raised a brow. "What? No, no." I pointed at the bed's headboard. "Can you just sit up against the headboard?"

She shifted herself to the center of the bed and reclined. "Like this?"

"Sit as comfortably as you can."

She adjusted her legs a little but kept her thighs together.

"I'm comfortable--EEP!"

"Ahh, this is comfy," I said, grinning.

I had turned my back to her and placed my head on her lap. "I think I'll be able to sleep without a problem."

I closed my eyes. Svilran didn't say a word. I decided to check in on Narlivs quickly.

When I did, I found her grinning from ear to ear. She also looked like she was in a daze. Honestly, the reaction gave me more confidence. I was happy I had asked her to do this.

"Is this all you wanted, Fainn?"

"Yup," I replied, pleased to enjoy her reactions for a bit longer.

I wondered if she was relieved or bothered... Actually, I didn't need to wonder. I just asked Narlivs.

"A maiden's heart can be fickle," Narlivs happily replied.

"So, you just wanted to rest your head on my lap?" Svilran asked.

"Honestly, I just needed you to calm down. Thanks for coming to my room after all. This was the best turnout."

Her voice grew quieter. "I'm calm now..."

I felt her shift a little, and I thought I felt her slender fingers graze my ear.

"That's good. You're cute when you're frantic, but it's hard when I can't really talk to you--"

"I'm cute?"

"Definitely," I said, ignoring the surprise in her voice. "If anyone says otherwise, let me know. I'll have a word with them."

Svilran giggled. "I don't think anyone would..."

"Hmm."

"Fainn...umm... can I say something?" she asked as she seemed to wrap her finger in my hair. Did she notice she was doing it?

"Go for it."

"I saw how you cared for Elma... And I saw how you stayed at her bedside when you could."

"Well, I was pretty worried about her."

"I know... It's just that actually seeing it made me re-evaluate a few things. I just... I thought you were so cool."

I opened my eyes and saw Svilran pressing her lips together. Her eyes--she seemed to be sad.

"I was so happy you were the one I picked. I was happy to be your facilitator. I just knew in my heart that with you there, Elma would be fine."

I chuckled dryly. "I don't know about that." I closed my eyes again. "I feel so powerless here. You know, back on Earth, I had a little more control. But here? I want to do my best and help you all, but I can only do that by making sure the girls are able to do their best. To help the girls with their missions, they have to help me by doing their missions. It's such a weird dynamic."

"That's what godhood is sometimes like. We're limited by the efforts of the people we're trying to help."

"What a demoralizing position..." I felt Svilran run her other hand through my hair. "That said, I'll find my groove. It only feels like this because we're just getting started."

"To your credit, you are helping Elma. Your feelings for her are making a difference."

I looked at Svilran, and she wore a pitiful smile. "I checked the function for that one structure. Elma will likely receive bonuses from it once we build it." Svilran stroked my hair. "Your feelings are making a difference."

"Why do you look so sad, Svilran?"

"I don't know," she quietly replied.

I held her right hand. She jumped but then gripped my hand.

"Can I tell you something, Svilran?"

"Of course."

"I'm not used to being so open about this, but did you know terrible nightmares kept me up at night?"

She furrowed her brows. "Umm... I don't think so."

"The only thing that ever keeps them at bay--it's silly to say it out loud, but it's kind women. The nightmares don't come for me when a nice girl is nearby."

"Oh... I'm so sorry, Fainn..."

"But that's why this is so good. With you here, no nightmare will creep up on me."

"Aww... So, just any woman would do..."

"A kind one, Svilran," I corrected. "Lucky me, though. Having Heroes around--they're all guaranteed to be good..." I remembered what Narlivs had told me about what Svilran wanted and reached for her cheek. "Of course, there's only one Svilran. I feel incredibly lucky to be able to have you here like this. You really could have told me to piss off--"

"I wouldn't do that..."

"And that speaks really well of you. No, I'm a really lucky guy. If I were a little more... well, abrasive, I would happily monopolize you."

"Monopolize me?"

I chuckled and placed my hand back on my stomach. "I like being around you, Svilran. And I like being here with you."

"I... I like being here with you too," she said, her smile radiant. The warmth she emitted was wrapping my heart in a loving blanket.

"Oh... be careful there. I could fall asleep at any moment."

She giggled. "It's okay if you do."

"Will you be okay if I dream of you too? Who knows what kind of sweet dreams will come for me with you so nearby."

"Well, it's not like I can do anything about that."

I decided I would go for it. Why not? If Svilran caused a fuss, then that would be my well-deserved trouble to sort out later.

"Hey, Svilran, could you bring your head down closer?"

The first thing she did was go red. Then, she slowly inched closer.

"Okay..." she whispered.

I lifted my head and kissed her on the cheek. "Thanks for all you did. You saved Elma too. We're all lucky to have you."

I rested my head on her lap and closed my eyes. Her hands trembled, but then she started stroking my cheek delicately.

"I'm lucky to have you, Fainn."

"Be careful there, Svilran. Keep sweet talking me, and I might be tempted to do something inappropriate..."

Svilran went red.

"... like hug you."

She went redded and bopped my nose. "You little gnit!"

I laughed and enjoyed the residual sensation of her playful slap.

"That's not funny... You made my heart race."

"Oh? Did I?"

"You're incorrigible," she said with a pout. "Why are you behaving like this? You're making this difficult for me..."

"I... I don't know. Maybe I'm just dancing around the issue... Truth is, Svilran, I have many reasons to want to stay close to you... You rescued me from that life of solitude and so on... And you--you have many reasons to keep your distance--"

"Not really..." she whispered.

I took a breath and rolled off of Svilran's lap. "Thanks for humoring me, Svilran... You can go to your room."

She didn't move. She stayed still for a few minutes. "Don't you want me nearby? To keep the nightmares away?"

"I do, but you don't have to stay. I had just invited you here as a little bit of immature payback. You don't have to humor me."

"You stayed when Elma needed you..."

"But you know that Elma and I have something going on."

Svilran shuffled around, and I felt her land squarely in my bed. I turned around, and my heart jumped. "Svilran?"

"I'm not leaving... You'll have good dreams tonight!"

I cracked a smile. "Svilraaan, you're tempting me again."

"I don't mind..."

Here, when we were lying close enough to each other that we could feel the other's breath, I reached for her. My hand grazed her cheek as it went through her hair. She, in response, came closer. She closed her eyes, and I came closer. Our lips met for a few seconds before we parted.

It was like we had run a mile during that short moment--we were breathing so hard. I came toward her again and kissed her. She came closer until she was pressing her chest against mine. Her left hand went to the back of my head and held me as we kept enjoying the warmth of each other's lips. My hand went from her hair and traced the curve of her body until I was holding her hip.

I pulled away from her. "Svilran, you can tell me whenever you want to stop--"

"Not now."

She stole my lips once more.