"So you're one of Zero's friends?" Pet asked, her fingers tugging the blue-stained bandages from your torso. The smell of dried blood and sweat lingered between you as she worked, her frown deepening. You’d thrown her aside earlier to fight off a slimy creature with jagged teeth, and the memory of its rancid breath still hung in the air. Pet hadn’t asked what it was—better not to know.

Now you were in her kitchen, where the air was thick with the coppery scent of blood and the faint metallic tang of Jinyeong’s drink as he sulked in the corner, watching with sharp, calculating eyes. “If Zero finds out you're lying, you're in serious trouble.” She paused when you said you didn’t know Zero, her hands freezing. Jinyeong shifted, ready to pounce.

"Why did you find me then?" Pet's eyes locked on yours, scanning for any hint of malice. Most fae had a sick gleam in their eyes before striking, but yours stayed steady. You mentioned a message, and she scoffed. "Then show it to me! I don’t appreciate being lied to." With a scornful look, she pressed cleaning alcohol hard into your wound, the sharp sting making you flinch. “Bad fae,” she muttered.

A tense silence hung between you, the only sound the subtle slurp of Jinyeong finishing his blood bag. Pet’s eyes softened slightly as she wrapped the last bit of bandage around your torso, her movements less hurried. “If you try anything, you won’t even make it out the door,” she warned, her voice low and steady. With one last glance at Jinyeong, she stepped back, leaving you to wonder just how long she’d tolerate your presence.