Chapter 78 – Rules of the Game
Madelyn and Sarah were still on the bed together, shoulder to shoulder, the quiet between them soft and pleasant now. They had shared a few more kisses—small, sweet ones, each leaving a warm glow behind—but none quite held the same magic as the one they'd just had. Still, neither of them was complaining.
Sarah let out a little sigh and leaned her head lightly against Madelyn’s. “So… what now?” she asked, her voice a mix of tired and amused. “Do we just sit here and wait for my parents to summon us?”
Madelyn snorted. “Do you want to go back downstairs?”
Sarah didn’t even pause. “Absolutely not.”
They both laughed quietly. The idea of doing anything other than being close right now felt like a waste. Sarah tilted her head slightly and smiled, her green eyes flicking to Madelyn’s lips again. “Well, we could play a bit…”
Madelyn raised an eyebrow. “Like a game?”
Sarah’s smile widened. “Eh… yeah sure, a game, totally what I meant. But only after another kiss.”
They were leaning in again, eyes fluttering half-closed—when a sudden shimmer of golden light spun into the air between them, followed by a familiar, exasperated voice.
“Oh my FLUFF,” Lyra declared, arms crossed as she hovered midair, wings fluttering. “Look, I’m happy for you both, really. You’re adorable. Love is great. Smooches are sweet. Yay romance. But this is getting ridiculous.”
Both girls froze, blinking in unison.
Lyra sighed, dramatically floating down between them like she was a weary chaperone at the world’s fluffiest date. “Do you even remember I exist? Because I’ve been stuck as a silent flower on your head for hours while you’ve been making heart-eyes at each other since this morning like some kind of shojo anime finale.”
Madelyn reached out, trying to snatch Lyra out of the air with both hands. “Lyra! What if someone walks in?!”
Sarah, however, just broke into helpless laughter, nearly falling back on the bed. “I completely forgot she was even here,” she wheezed, tears in her eyes. “Oh my god, Mads, we were making out right in front of her!”
Madelyn’s face turned crimson as she turned to glare at the fairy in her palms. “You could’ve said something!”
“I tried!” Lyra huffed. “But you two were in your own world of forehead touching and heartfelt declarations and quite a bit of lip-locking and—ugh, you’re lucky I think it’s cute.”
Madelyn groaned softly and let Lyra hover free again, glancing at the bedroom door nervously.
Lyra noticed and held up her hands. “Relax. If anyone starts coming up the stairs, I’ll poof into flower mode faster than you can say ‘awkward timing.’ Promise.”
Madelyn sat back, flustered but relieved, while Sarah continued to giggle beside her.
“Alright,” Sarah said, wiping at her eyes. “Let’s actually play a game now.”
Sarah booted up her PC, her fingers flying across the keyboard as she typed in her password and launched a game with practiced ease. A few clicks later, she shut off both monitors on her desk and grabbed the remote, aiming it at the wall-mounted TV. The screen flickered to life with the familiar jingle of the game's home menu.
Without missing a beat, she tossed a controller toward Madelyn—who yelped but caught it, her reflexes sharpened by both fox instincts and surprise. “Heads up!”
Sarah grinned and jumped back onto the bed with a soft bounce, curling up beside her with her own controller in hand. “Okay, new rule,” she declared with a devilish glint in her eye. “Every time someone dies or loses, the other gets a kiss.”
Madelyn bit her lip to hide a smile. “That sounds like you just want me to lose.”
Sarah leaned in and bumped her shoulder. “Oh, I fully intend to lose too, don’t worry. This is a win-win situation.”
And it was.
They cycled through a few co-op and versus games, the TV flashing with colorful action while the room echoed with laughter and playful teasing. More than once, either of them “accidentally” fell off a cliff or mis-timed a dodge, ending in a dramatic in-game death and an even more dramatic lean-in for a kiss. Neither minded. In fact, both seemed to get a little more daring each time. The kisses were sometimes short and flustered, other times slow and warm, leaving both girls grinning like they were drunk on happiness.
After a couple of hours of this back-and-forth, with Sarah now fully sprawled across half the bed and Madelyn leaning against the headboard beside her, a gentle knock came from the door.
Both girls froze for a second, instinctively sitting a little straighter.
The door creaked open and Nathaniel stepped inside. He didn’t immediately speak, and his posture—though still upright and composed—was softer than usual. There was something nervous in his eyes, the subtle way he glanced between them.
“Hey, girls,” he said, his voice as gentle as ever, but just a little uncertain.
Sarah shifted, controller slipping from her lap. “Hey, Dad.”
Nathaniel gave them a faint smile. “I hope I’m not interrupting anything too intense.”
Madelyn blushed but shook her head. “No, sir. Just… gaming.”
His gaze landed briefly on her and lingered. “You should thank your father,” he said, tone quiet but meaningful. “Really.”
Madelyn blinked, confused for a second, but nodded slowly. “Eh… I will…”
Nathaniel cleared his throat and gave a glance at the clock on the wall. “It’s getting late. Do you have a plan for how long you’re staying?”
Madelyn hesitated. The warmth of the bed, the quiet happiness with Sarah—it made her want to say forever. But she could read the signs. He wasn’t telling her to leave, not exactly, but the message was clear.
She gave Sarah a tiny smile, then stood and stretched. “I should probably head home.”
Sarah’s lips pulled into a small, reluctant pout. “Even though I was just about to let you win?”
“You were doing that the whole time,” Madelyn said, her grin soft but teasing. “Don’t think I didn’t notice.”
Nathaniel stepped back from the door to give her space. “I’ll let your parents know you’re on your way.”
And then, as quickly as he had entered, he stepped out, the door clicking quietly shut behind him.
“Told you I would poof away,” Lyra chimed from her perch behind Madelyn’s ear the moment the door closed.
Madelyn rolled her eyes with a soft sigh, though the corners of her lips tugged up in a small smile. “Yeah, yeah,” she muttered.
A final kiss, soft and lingering, was exchanged between her and Sarah before Madelyn gathered her things and made her way downstairs. Her steps were light but slightly hurried—part nerves, part not wanting to accidentally provoke Kira with her continued presence.
At the bottom of the stairs, she paused in the foyer and offered both of Sarah’s parents a polite goodbye. Kira gave her a nod so minimal it was barely perceptible. Nathaniel, on the other hand, smiled softly and said, “Take care, Madelyn.”
Sarah stood just behind them, hands folded in front of her, giving Madelyn a small wave and a smile that was all comfort and pride.
Madelyn didn’t linger. The second she stepped outside, the cool evening air hit her face and she let out a breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.
She walked home quickly, her thoughts still full of Sarah—of everything that had just happened. But the moment she stepped into the familiar comfort of her own home, she felt the tension begin to ease. The soft hum of the hallway light, the faint clink of dishes from the kitchen.
“Hey, sweetie,” Emily called out from the kitchen.
“Hi,” Madelyn replied, slipping off her shoes and setting down her bag. She peeked around the corner to wave at her mom doing the dishes.
Then she turned to her dad, who was just finishing a bottle of water at the dining table. He looked up at her with a curious smile as she stepped closer.
“Um…” Madelyn hesitated, rubbing the back of her neck. “I was told to thank you. By Sarah’s dad.”
Jack raised an eyebrow, amused. “That so?”
“Yeah. He said I should thank you. I… don’t know why?”
Jack leaned back slightly in his chair, stretching one arm out. “Oh, I just called him to tell him if he keeps blindly following his wife’s lead, he’s gonna lose his daughter.”
Madelyn blinked, stunned. “Wha—”
Jack grinned, unfazed. “What? It’s true.”
Madelyn’s mouth opened, then closed again, trying to process that. “You actually… called him?”
“Of course I did.” Jack shrugged. “He needed a wake-up call. No decent father should make his daughter feel like she has to hide who she loves, especially not from her own family.”
Madelyn stared at him, both mortified and touched. “You threatened Sarah’s dad…”
“Not a threat,” he corrected lightly. “Just a fact, politely delivered.”
Madelyn buried her face in her hands with a groan. “Dad…”
Jack chuckled, but his expression shifted slightly—his eyes narrowing just a little, lips pressing into a more serious line. “So,” he said, leaning his elbows on the table, “do I need to follow up on my… threat?” He added air quotes with one hand, clearly amused by Madelyn’s earlier wording.
Madelyn looked up from where she had half-hidden behind her hands. “What? No! I mean… I don’t think so?” She let out a small sigh and leaned against the table. “Her mom definitely isn’t thrilled. But her dad… I think he’s trying. He actually backed me up. Kind of surprised everyone.”
By now, Emily had joined them from the kitchen, sitting down beside Jack with a curious smile. “Sounds like it went better than expected,” she said gently.
That was when Lyra—who had somehow made herself completely at home already—fluttered down onto the dining table, a half-eaten cookie in her arms like a prize she had battled a dragon for. She sat cross-legged, happily nibbling and waving the treat around as she talked.
“Oh! Oh! You should’ve seen them! Especially Maddy!” Lyra squeaked, crumbs falling around her. “She just looked that scary lady right in the eye and bam!—‘I’m in love with your daughter.’ You could hear the tension!” She swooned dramatically and flopped onto her back, the half-eaten cookie on her belly. “And then when they got to Sarah’s room, it was all cuddling and kissing and so much blushing.”
Jack raised an eyebrow at the fairy. Emily hid her mouth behind her hand, clearly trying not to laugh. Madelyn groaned and dropped her forehead to the table.
"I don't want to hear it," Madelyn muttered into the table, her voice muffled and pitiful.
Then she stood up so fast her chair scraped back with a loud squeak. "I'm going to take a shower. And then I’m going to bed."
She didn’t wait for a reply, already heading into the hallway and up the stairs, her cheeks still burning. Behind her, she could hear the amused chuckles of her parents and the unmistakable sound of Lyra grabbing another cookie.
Just as she hit the first step, Emily called up after her in a sing-song voice, “Do I need to ask Lyra for the details, or will you be sharing later?”
Madelyn groaned, picking up her pace. “Mom!”
“Okay, we’ll ask for Lyra’s version!” Jack added, clearly grinning.
She didn’t dignify that with a response, fleeing up the stairs like they were on fire. Her face was still glowing by the time she made it into the bathroom and closed the door behind her with a definitive click.