Falling for them (love and deepspace X OC )

Bonfire

I woke up to see a campfire to see rafayel there. "Rafayel?"

"You're awake?" He asked.

"Are you all right? In the ocean, ! thought you"

"The line between being kind and being dumb is very thin. A small, smart fish swims away while it still can when the big fish are hunting."

"You're the idiot. The whirlpool was obviously a death trap, but you just swam right into it..." he hands me a Jacket and I take it and wrap it around me "Anyway, thanks... You were the one who pulled me out of the water, right? Thought I heard your voice before I blacked out"

"That's just my random act of kindness for the day." He said "Sooo, how long do you think this malicious creature will keep an eye on us..." then I see the cat "It's the kitten from before! Now that the Wanderer's gone, it should be safe." The cat walks up to me "It'll be cold tonight. It wants a warm place to sleep." I picked it up "What a cutie pie."

I pointed it to rafayel as he looks scared "It's moving. Get it away from me!"

"Well, duh. A cat isn't a log. Come on, pet it. It won't bite!"

Rafayel points at it "You...Your flattery means nothing to me. I don't accept you. If you need to thank someone, thank the silly girl. She's the reason you're even getting a crumb of my attention." Then the cat licks his finger "It... It licked me... Nooo...! I A monster touched me... My hand... It's over. I can't hold a paintbrush now. Not like this"

He's so dramatic.

"Rafayel, is there a reason why you don't like cats?"

"Why should I? I dislike them because I do. For humans, it's game over as soon as a cat nuzzles them."

"Rafayel, that means it trusts you and feels grateful."

"Well, animals that are fond of humans usually have a tragic end. One moment you're cute and cuddly, the next they toss you aside. You're forgotten, left behind. One moment you're cute and cuddly, the next they toss you aside.
You're forgotten, left behind."

"Look. It's saying, "Not all humans are like that."

"And you? Wasn't there something important you forgot about?"

"Are you talking about the coral stones?"

"You're really good at remembering trivial things... We'll have more opportunities to get as many of those as we want. Today, we got lucky." He holds a jar.

"Isn't that the Protocore from the Deluge Wyrmlord? I didn't think you'd be able to find it." I went to take it but he yanked it.

"I see that twinkle in your eyes, you know. But this Protocore is mine." The he pulls something out "Here's payment for your services."

I take it "You actually remembered." I read the front "The Nest..." then I opened it "Is this the place we can gather Intel from?"

"Don't believe me? Well, real intel is always hidden in the most inconspicuous places. The crazier it seems, the more likely it's true."

"You must be a regular there. What did you need back in the day?Mummy bandages?"

"Little bit of work, you can get nice, poisonous sap. But for a hunter such as yourself, you're better off wearing a disguise before going in."

"Like what?"

"Like at least stop flashing your Hunter's Watch around, Also, it wouldn't hurt to pick up some of the local lingo."

"I'll proceed with caution."

"It's okay, I'm a generous employer. Since I hired you as my bodyguard, I'll cover for you when it matters.
But I must warn you... In places like The Nest, you have to pay a very high price for obscure information. Especially for stuff involving—Mysterious Protocores." Then we see something coming "Ah, we're saved. Let's call it a day, yeah?" He stands up "I hope you can find the right path,
Miss Bodyguard."