Silence fell like a hammer blow.
Then Akari started laughing, that bright dangerous sound she made when something genuinely delighted her dark sense of humor. "Holy shit. The cinnamon roll has claws."
Emi's face turned scarlet, her pale skin flushing from hairline to collarbone. "I'm not a cinnamon roll."
"You literally brought homemade cookies to Satori's parents."
"That's just being polite!"
"You bake when you're nervous and reorganize your medical kit when you're stressed."
"Everyone has coping mechanisms!"
Natalia found herself smiling despite the tension coiling in her stomach like a living thing. She crossed to Emi and pulled the smaller girl into a brief, tight hug that smelled like vanilla and antiseptic and safety.
Emi squeaked in surprise, her healing aura flaring involuntarily before settling into a warm, comforting glow that made Natalia's lingering injuries from yesterday's training session fade entirely.
