Over the past few days, what started as a simple mission had slowly turned into a routine—one that Elowen found herself anticipating far more than she should.
And somehow… that made everything more complicated.
Elowen felt utterly ridiculous. For a 517-year-old celestial being who had witnessed the rise and fall of empires, she currently felt like a middle-schooler trying to hand over a first love letter. Her palms were damp, and her heart was doing a frantic rhythmic dance against her ribs.
"Ren," she started, her voice a bit too high. "Do you... do you have any good winter sweaters?"
Ren blinked. "Huh? Uh, yeah, I have a few. Why do you ask?"
"Oh, well," Elowen shifted her weight, trying to look casual. "In that case... would you mind having another one? For free?"
Ren hesitated, a small smile playing on his lips. "If it's for free, why not? Is there some kind of offer going on at the mall?"
"Great!" Elowen didn't wait for another word. She lunged for the hidden bundle and held it out excitedly. "What do you think of this? I made it myself. For you."
Ren's smile froze. He looked at the neatly knitted wool, then back at her. "You made that... for me? Really?"
"Yes!" Elowen's mischievous side flared up to cover her embarrassment. "Do you want a dragon design next, big boy? It's a bit plain because it only took me fifteen hours to finish, but—"
Before she could finish her sentence, the air left her lungs.
Ren had lunged forward, throwing his arms around her in a fierce, desperate hug. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, and almost immediately, Elowen felt the dampness of tears soaking into her shoulder. He was sobbing—quiet, jagged sounds that made her chest ache.
"R-Ren?" she whispered, startled.
"Thank you," Ren choked out, his voice muffled against her skin. "Thank you for so much... for everything. This gift means a lot to me. I don't... I don't remember the last time someone cared this much for me."
Elowen's arms, which had been frozen at her sides, slowly rose. She dropped the sweater and wrapped her arms around him, one hand gently patting the back of his head. Her expression softened into something purely divine.
"Hey... I've got you, Ren," she murmured. "You deserve so much more love than this. But don't worry... I'm here to care for my bestest friend."
She slowly pulled back, lifting his chin and wiping away a stray tear with her thumb. "There, there. Now, try the sweater on. Let's see if it fits."
Ren nodded quickly, wiping his eyes as he pulled the wool over his head. "It's so soft... and warm. It feels different from normal clothes."
"I'm glad you like it," Elowen beamed.
"I'm going to keep it forever," Ren chirped, his mood swinging back to a fragile happiness.
Elowen laughed, the tension finally breaking. "You're such a dummy."
"I don't mind being a dummy if it gets me handcrafted gifts," Ren countered with a grin.
"Oh, Ren..."
"But seriously," Ren's expression turned concerned. "You didn't have to sacrifice your sleep or work for fifteen hours straight, Elowen. That's a lot."
Elowen looked at him, the words slipping out before her brain could filter them. "I am ready to sacrifice many more things for you."
Ren's face turned bright red. "Really?"
Realizing exactly how that sounded, Elowen's own face caught fire. She puffed out her chest, trying to play it off with celestial pride. "I—I mean! Don't worry about it! I've got insane stamina! A little knitting won't kill me!"
"Oh... right. Of course."
"Anyway!" Elowen shouted, pointing at the Console. "I thought you were excited for our 1v1 match!"
"Hey! I almost forgot!" Ren sat down and grabbed his controller, though his ears were still pink. "Don't think I'm going to show you mercy just because of the gift, by the way. Though... I forgot to ask. Why did you give me this? It's not even my birthday."
"I don't want mercy, I want 'Boss Mode'!" Elowen retorted, taking her seat. "And winter is coming. People don't need a birthday to give a gift to someone they... care about."
Ren looked away, a soft, genuine smile touching his lips. "That's really sweet of you. I might start crying again."
"Oh, you'll definitely cry," Elowen smirked, her fingers blurring over the buttons. "Because your health bar just dropped to half!"
"Wait! I wasn't prepared!"
"Too late!"
The High Heavens
In a realm of golden light, Azmeal, Evren, and Aven exchanged heavy, troubled glances. Arian had just finished his report, beaming with pride as he described Elowen's latest "tactic."
"Are you sure she specifically said she made it herself?" Evren asked, his voice low.
"Yes! 100% sure!" Arian chirped. "She said it was 'Care-taking.' I need to write the name of this therapy in my diary—do you know what it's officially called?"
Azmeal sighed, his eyes fixed on the distant clouds. "Write it as Textile Therapy. If she wants to give him a sweater, let her. As long as the mortal's happiness index increases, the mission is technically a success."
Arian scribbled furiously in his book and bowed. "Thank you, Master!"
"Arian," Aven interrupted, her voice gentle but firm. "Can you head to the archives for a bit? We need to discuss something important."
"Uh, okay!" Arian bolted, his neon tail disappearing around a pillar of light.
Once he was gone, the silence became heavy.
"What is it, Aven?" Evren asked.
"People say girls understand girls better," Aven began, her brow furrowed. "And if that's true... I don't understand this 'Textile Therapy' at all."
"What do you mean?" Azmeal asked.
"Aven is right," Evren added. "I don't feel good about this either, even as a male. It doesn't feel like a tactic."
"I think you're over-exaggerating," Azmeal said, though his voice lacked conviction. "She's a professional, Evren."
"I hope it's just a misunderstanding," Aven whispered. "I don't want to see Elowen as a Fallen Angel either."
The word hung in the air like a curse.
"Should we inform the Council? Or Lord Gabriel?" Azmeal suggested.
"I'm not sure about disturbing the Three Greatest Angels without more proof," Evren countered.
"But how will we gather it?" Aven asked. "We can't just use the God Pool to spy on her privacy. Elowen is our junior, but she's no novice. Using the Pool like that would be a massive disrespect."
"Exactly," Evren agreed. "Only the Gods or Lord Gabriel could authorize that. And only with a valid reason."
"So, what's the conclusion?"
Aven looked toward the Observation Pool. "We have to at least inform Lord Gabriel. If Elowen violates the Ancient Rules, we will be blamed too. We are her superiors; we can't hide behind the excuse of inexperience."
Evren and Azmeal nodded slowly. The decision was made.
Earth
Ren stood outside Elowen's gate, the night air crisp against his skin. He was still wearing the sweater; it felt like a warm hug that refused to let go.
"You just got lucky," Ren teased, looking back at the door.
"Hehe! I took my revenge!" Elowen shouted from the doorway. "Anyway, bye!"
"Bye."
As she closed the door, Elowen collapsed onto her bed, staring at the ceiling. Why is he... so good? she wondered. And why do I feel this way? Is it even normal? She rolled onto her side, clutching her pillow. I don't know... and I don't want to know. I just want to see him happy. But I don't want this mission to end, either. What is wrong with you, Elowen?
Back in his own house, Ren sat on the edge of his bed. He ran a hand over the sleeve of the sweater.
"She's the sweetest person I've ever met," he whispered. "The only person who has cared for me like this since Grandma." He looked toward the window, his eyes shining. "Grandma... I wish you could see this. I'm pretty sure you would have really liked a girl like her."
His gaze drifted to his desk, landing on the white feather he had tucked away earlier. He picked it up casually, but as he held it close to his face, he paused.
A faint, unmistakable scent wafted from the barbs of the feather.
"Wait..."
He leaned in and sniffed it again. It was a strange, intoxicating mix of ozone—the smell of the air after a lightning strike—and fresh jasmine.
His mind flashed back to the hug from an hour ago. He remembered pressing his face into the crook of Elowen's neck. He remembered breathing in her scent.
His eyes widened.
"Elowen smelled... exactly like this. Does that mean...?"