Lunaflower

Cupid from the Stars Beyond

The Angel's Share buzzed with life, a symphony of laughter and clinking glasses. Bartenders weaved through a throng of weary patrons seeking solace after a long day's toil. Amidst the vibrant tapestry of customers, a certain bard could be spotted, mingling effortlessly with the crowd. Paimon and the Traveller, Lumine, observed the wandering musician with bemused expressions, while Mona animatedly recounted Fischl's earlier dilemma.

"Wait, hold on!" Paimon suddenly exclaimed, her voice rising above the din. "Fischl's lovesick and you're coming to us for help!?"

"I didn't know who else to turn to! And it's not as if I possess a wealth of experience to draw upon..." Mona replied, her spirit dimmed as she cast a glance at Fischl. The girl had her head buried in her arms on their table, her cheeks ablaze with embarrassment, wishing for a chasm to open and swallow her whole.

"Not to sound too proud of ourselves here, but I have no idea when it comes to love, and the traveller..." Paimon glanced at Lumine, who suddenly looked depressed. It appeared her own romantic escapades were either not great or non-existent.

"But how hard could it be, right?" In a flash, Lumine dispelled her gloom, her frown doing a complete flip, brightening the atmosphere with her smile. Paimon remained less than convinced.

"Love is hard! It's tricky, with weird feelings and awkwardness and stuff!"

"Tell me about it..." Fischl's muffled voice emerged from her arms. "Now I can't even look at him without feeling like a puddle of chaos and nerves..."

"We've been so focused on your feelings, but do any of us truly know how he feels?" Mona mused, her tone casual until the weight of the question settled upon them.

"Oh god, we don't have a clue, do we?"

All eyes returned to Fischl, who finally lifted her head, startled by the intensity of their gazes.

"I-I don't know! He seems to have fun when he's with me, I guess?"

"Hmm..." Lumine pondered thoughtfully. "We need to ask him how he feels too. We're stumbling in the dark here."

"It's going to look weird if we invite him to a get-together with just us girls... We'll need to orchestrate something with at least one other boy." Mona placed a hand on her chin, deep in thought. "He seems to get along with Razor, and Razor isn't likely to ask awkward questions."

"But then, how do we get Bennett and Fischl alone? We'd have to distract Razor somehow..." Paimon looked concerned. Beyond wolves and 'Lupical', the girls were uncertain what else to discuss with the wolf boy.

"He likes food? That's a topic that you could chat with him for hours Paimon!" Lumine grinned as Paimon bristled.

"I mean, yes, but I can't be the only one doing all the talking!"

The group continued to strategize for several hours. As rowdier patrons began to fill the Angel's Share, a spark of inspiration flickered in Mona's mind.

"Could we get him drunk?"

"We're all minors..." Fischl shot a glare at Mona, unimpressed by the notion.

"Just a glass of wine couldn't hurt, right?"

"We would never be served anyway." Lumine sighed, her gaze drifting longingly over to the other patrons of the tavern, who revelled in their merry intoxication as she sipped her non-alcoholic orange juice. She shot a fierce look at the flushed Venti, who seemed to be on his third bottle of wine, his lyre vibrating with wild excitement.

Oz, hovering nearby, chimed in, "My Lady Fischl, perhaps we should focus on creating an opportunity for an honest conversation rather than resorting to such schemes."