Book 9. Chapter 20: Starlit Meal with a Catgirl
Jake stood in the Refuge’s kitchen, utilizing his Expert Cooking skill to its fullest. He would rather not make anything overly heavy; it was the middle of the night, long past dinner but hours before dawn. Instead, he crafted a delicate, warm spread: a rich, creamy Highland-fowl bisque, perfectly seared and thinly sliced cuts of auril-beast tenderloin, and a sweet, berry-infused pastry for dessert.
He set the table in one of the Refuge's most serene locations: an indoor garden Tanda and Avalara had designed, right near the edge of a pristine lake. Jake tweaked the Refuge's ceiling projection, replacing the simulated light with a breathtaking, crystal-clear view of a starlit galaxy.
Jake had normalized his size to a much more reasonable six feet in height for the evening, close to his original height. Taller and much larger than the short and lithe Yona, to be sure, but no longer an impossible pairing. He was wearing a gray button-up and some black slacks, giving him a clean and slightly formal look.
Just as he finished pouring a pair of warm, spiced teas, he heard soft footsteps, though he felt her hearth much sooner than that.
Jake turned and smiled at what he saw. Fhesiah and Tanda had outdone themselves. Yona stepped into the starlight, wearing a flowing, elegant white dress that contrasted beautifully with her tanned skin. The fabric was traced with subtle, dark embroidery–an inverse of the black and white sun and moon patterns that marked the gray fur of her twin nekomata tails. Her short, gray bob perfectly framed her small, delicate face, and her deep, dark feline eyes were wide with a mix of nervous excitement and wonder.
“Wow,” Jake breathed, stepping forward to pull her chair out. “You look incredibly beautiful, Yona.”
A deep blush crept across her cheeks, and she smoothed the fabric of her skirt as she sat down, her feline ears twitching. “Thank you, and you look handsome as always. Faye said I couldn't wear my maid uniform to a date… Though I think she just wanted an excuse to play dress-up with me, nya.” She smiled at the end of that, thinking of how Fhesiah probably teased her.
“I'll have to thank her later,” Jake smiled, taking his seat across from her.
They ate in a comfortable, easy silence at first. Jake found himself just watching her. Yona ate daintily, taking small, appreciative bites and humming softly at the rich flavors. It wasn’t a ton of food, so even eating slowly, it wasn’t long until most of it was gone.