Warmth and the Uninvited Guest
The only sound in the dead of night was the low hum of the Night Raven ship's engines. Beyond the cockpit, the stars gleamed coldly as always, but the air inside the cabin felt different from usual. I leaned back in my chair, gazing toward the sleeping berth.
"Mmm... smack."
Regular, soft breathing. The little troublemaker who'd thrown a tantrum about not wanting to shower just moments ago, bursting out without even drying off and scaring the hell out of me, was now blissfully asleep like nothing had happened. What a piece of work. One minute bouncing around like a puppy begging for a walk, the next dozing off with an angelic face. Staring at that defenseless expression melted away the fatigue and irritation I'd built up all day like snow in the sun.
It made me want to mess with her a bit. I stepped over to the bed and poked Eve's cheek with my index finger.
So squishy.
The touch was soft. Warm. A vivid heat that felt utterly alien to my life of cold reality and the stench of blood. It reminded me of the first time I'd found her in that lab. Back then, I'd aimed my gun at her. Because I thought she was a monster. Because I judged she needed to die.
But now? In the not-so-short time since, so much had changed—my actions, my speech, even how I thought. Above all, I was fighting to protect someone. Not for money. Not out of duty. Just because I wanted to safeguard this tiny warmth.
"Mmm......"
Had I poked too much? Eve scrunched her brow and squirmed. Any more messing around, and she'd wake up. I started to gently pull my hand away.
That was the moment.
Squeeze.
"......Huh?"
My finger, trying to slip free, was suddenly gripped tight by something. Eve's small hand had snatched it mid-wriggle, like a baby instinctively clutching an adult's finger.
"Hehe... meat...."
Mumbling in her sleep, she clutched my finger like a precious snack and pulled it to her chest. Rubbing her face against the back of my hand with a happy smile. It was so damn adorable I couldn't help but chuckle.
"Jeez. Even dreaming about food."
What could be so great? That innocent smile made me forget this delicate little hand could rip steel apart with raw strength. A sudden thought hit me: I'm screwed. It looked like living normally and parting ways with this monster without getting too attached was impossible.
I knew about the terrifying pursuers from Apex Industries, and rationally, it was insane to stick with Eve—I should cut ties immediately. But...
I should hate it, but I don't.
I had to admit the contradiction. Maybe, deep down, I'd been craving something to fill the void left after the war, some warmth to soothe this damn loneliness.
"Sleep well, Eve."
I whispered softly. Time to extract my hand and head back to my seat. I tugged gently on my finger. Tugged again.
"......"
It wouldn't budge.
"Eve?"
I pulled harder. But her grip didn't budge an inch. No—if anything, the more I tried, the more she mumbled in her sleep, "Mine..." and squeezed tighter.
The pressure built. It wasn't just "gripping" tight. It was a heavy crush, like my bones were about to snap.
Wait a sec. Thinking about her grip strength... A chill I'd never felt even in fights with pirates crept up my spine. Cold sweat beaded on my back. My fingertip throbbed with my pulse. Numbness from cut-off circulation turned to pain.
"E-Eve? Finger... finger!"
I whispered urgently, but she ignored it.
"Eve? Can you loosen up a bit? Huh?"
"Mmmnyaam...."
Her grip intensified instead. Crunch.
......Screwed.
I stared at the ceiling in resignation. This was gonna be a long night. Eve's warmth was cozy, but my finger was cooling fast.
The next morning.
"Mmm... Slept great!"
Eve stretched and sat up, looking refreshed. Meanwhile, I sat next to her like a zombie, eyes hollow.
She rubbed her eyes and looked at me, then gasped in surprise.
"Kal! Your finger's blue!"
The index finger she pointed at was swollen purple-blue from lack of blood flow, grotesque.
"Who do you think did that?!"
I yelled, full of grievance. I'd tried pulling free several times overnight, but each time she'd sensed it like a ghost and clamped down harder. I'd spent the night wide awake, worrying if my finger would survive.
"Huh?"
Eve tilted her head, clueless. She really didn't remember. I couldn't yell at that innocent face that she'd nearly pulverized my finger.
"Haa... Whatever. It's not your fault. Blame the dumb guardian."
I sighed, shaking my hand to reduce the swelling. Eve stared up at me, still confused, even blowing on my blue finger with a worried whoosh whoosh.
Talk about giving the wound and the medicine. It was annoying yet cute, so I grabbed her head.
"Hey."
I ruffled her hair vigorously—not so much petting as messing it up. Even with rough rubbing, she didn't complain; she giggled and shook her head with my hand.
"Hehe!"
"What's so fun about this."
"Kal's hand is warm!"
She hugged my waist and looked up. Her red eyes sparkled.
"Forgiven 'cause you're cute."
"Am I cute?"
"......"
Admitting it felt like it'd lead to more hassle. I grumbled curtly.
"Yeah. Five seconds ago."
"Huh? Then now!!"
She stomped her feet and asked again.
"Dunno. Let's eat."
"Hey! Cheater! Am I cute now? Now?!"
"Shut up or no food."
"Kal! Say it one more time!"
She whined, clinging to my back. I stifled a laugh and headed to the cockpit.
A peaceful morning. My finger stung, but not a bad start.
As our peaceful breakfast wound down, I'd treated my near-necrotic finger with meds and was sipping the tea the pirates had left, finally relaxing.
[Warning. Anomalous pressure detected in engine room sector 2 cooling pipes.]
[Intake manifold efficiency dropping. Current output: 87%.]
> Suspected foreign object clog in fluid filter. Circulation pump load increasing.
The main computer's dry voice furrowed my brow automatically.
"What now, first thing in the morning."
I tapped my wrist tactical pad to check details. A hologram popped up with the engine room piping diagram flashing red.
"Foreign object?"
I tilted my head. Did some fine debris get sucked in passing through the Iron Graveyard? That zone was full of dust and scrap particles, so possible. But the graphs were odd. Pressure wasn't steady high—it fluctuated irregularly.
"Sensor glitch maybe..."
I brushed it off. Common enough. Still, ignoring it could overheat the engines.
"Haa, gotta earn my keep with some grease again."
I stood, stretching.
"Kal going somewhere?"
"Eve, I'm heading to the engine room to swap the filter. Stay put and behave. Don't follow like yesterday. Smells like oil—gives you headaches."
I felt her hesitate, but just patted her head.
"You can wait, right?"
"Yeah! Got it. I'll play with Meomeo!"
She nodded eagerly and dashed down the corridor. Since getting scolded for trying to eat Meomeo last time, she'd resolved to befriend the jelly critter. I shook my head at her retreating figure, grabbed my toolkit, and vanished into the engine room.
Eve hummed along the corridor.
"Meo~ Meo~ Where are you~."
She scanned for her jelly friend slithering on the floor, fingers wiggling in anticipation. Today, she'd catch it without eating and give it the head-ruffles Kal taught her.
But no Meomeo crawling around like usual.
"Where'd it go?"
Eve headed to cargo hold 2. Meomeo's favorite dark, damp hideout amid tangled pipes.
Then.
In the corner of the hold. Something squirmed in the dark crevice between pipes.
Wriggle.
White, squishy-looking lump. A pale milky slime glowing faintly even in shadow.
"Ah! Found you!"
Eve's face lit up.
"Meomeo!"
Excited, she ran over. Normally, it'd freak at her footsteps and flee, but today it stayed put.
Huh? Not running?
Eve figured it finally wanted to play.
"Hehe, good boy. Won't eat you today. Promise."
She squatted and reached for the white lump, expecting that squishy feel.
But just before her fingertip touched.
Thump.
Eve's heart pounded hard. Why the sudden thrill? A friendly, exciting signal from her body. Lost in the feeling, she belatedly sensed wrongness.
Wait... smells different.
Not Meomeo's familiar antiseptic scent. Fishy, yet somehow nostalgic.
Her hand froze mid-air.
"......You're not Meomeo, are you?"
Eve tilted her head and asked.
That instant.
Shlrp-!
The white slime docile on the floor warped violently. Its smooth surface bubbled like boiling, then crack—split open.
And from the gap.
Flash.
Not one. Dozens—no, hundreds of eyes snapped open at once. Irregularly embedded, pupils swiveling independently, all focusing on one spot.
The little queen right in front of them.