Faking Through Dazes

The day started with another knock at the door.

Like the previous mornings, Jarel’s eyes opened first, and his brain followed a few seconds later.

He immediately felt the now-familiar weight of Quinn lying on top of him. Of course they were still on the couch. But today her position was different. Instead of being curled up like a small animal, she was stretched fully across him, arms wrapped around his chest in a firm hug.

He didn’t remember falling asleep like this.

He also had absolutely no intention of complaining.

So he simply enjoyed the warmth and waited for the inevitable moment the door would open. Because he very clearly remembered forgetting to lock it again.

Right on cue, the handle clicked.

“Dearies!”

Jarel groaned.

Quinn made a similar sound, though somehow it was distinctly… inhuman. He couldn’t quite place it and decided not to try.

Sayang’s face suddenly appeared above him, partially obscured by Quinn’s head.

“Come on, get up.”

Jarel started to move.

“Not you.”

He immediately understood what the day was going to look like and decided not to argue. It wasn’t worth it.

Sayang placed a hand on Quinn’s shoulder and gave her a gentle shake.

“Come on, dearie. You wanted this.”

Quinn groaned again, nodding weakly while mumbling something incomprehensible.

But Jarel wasn’t stupid.

There was structure to it. Rhythm. Grammar.

It wasn’t random noise.

It was another language - one he’d never heard before. And he realized, with a strange jolt, that only a tiny number of humans in all of history had probably ever heard it spoken aloud.

He blinked.

“What did you say?”

Quinn mumbled again, but this time it dissolved into pure nonsense.

Sayang frowned.

“I don’t know what kind of curse you just uttered, but I don’t like your attitude, young lady.”

Quinn tried to shake her head without opening her eyes and squeezed Jarel tighter. She buried her face into his chest and muttered something that absolutely could not be written in English.

Sayang straightened.

“Alright then. Let’s see if this works.”

Jarel couldn’t see what she was doing - one of Quinn’s ears blocked his view.

But he heard a dull whoosh.

Then-

THUD.

The impact reverberated through Quinn and straight into Jarel.

Quinn’s eyes snapped open. Her entire body spasmed as her back arched violently. A startled gasp tore from her throat as she lifted briefly off Jarel before crashing back down onto his chest.

The air blasted from his lungs.

Quinn immediately twisted around to glare at Sayang, who was holding what looked like an empty cardboard paper-towel tube.

“The Hell?”

Sayang placed a hand on her cheek, admiring the object with delight.

“Oh, I love this thing!”

Quinn grit her teeth, one elbow digging straight into Jarel’s diaphragm.

“Where did you get that?”

Sayang smiled brightly.

“Jinxia gave it to me!”

Quinn’s face went pale with horror.

“She did what-”

Jarel couldn’t breathe.

He pushed weakly at Quinn until she realized and shifted upright. She was still sitting on him, but at least his lungs were free.

He inhaled deeply.

“What’s going on?”

Quinn pointed accusingly at Sayang.

“Jinxia enchanted a cardboard tube.”

He blinked.

“She’s done what now?”

Sayang apparently decided a demonstration was necessary.

She stepped forward and brought the tube down on Jarel’s head.

CRACK.

The sound was impressive.

The result was not.

It didn’t hurt at all. But the tube immediately split cleanly in half.

Sayang’s face collapsed in disappointment.

“Oh. It broke.”

Jarel rubbed his head anyway.

“What was the big deal?”

Quinn sighed - part relief, part lingering irritation.

“Well… it doesn’t matter now.”

Sayang stared at the broken tube for another second, then dropped it and turned back to Quinn.

“Well! Now that you’re awake, go get changed and we’ll start cooking.”

Quinn shot her a glare but clearly knew resistance was pointless. She stood, glanced briefly at Jarel, and disappeared into the bedroom.

Sayang immediately turned to him.

“You’re not going to follow her?”

He blinked.

“Why?”

“So you can get changed together.”

He thought very quickly.

“I think it would be better if she keeps her focus on the cooking lessons.”

Sayang nodded thoughtfully.

He was almost surprised she accepted that.

Was there a limit to the lies she could detect?

He wasn’t about to test it.

Sayang turned toward the kitchen.

“Well, I’ll get ready while she’s changing.”

Jarel lifted his head.

“Do you know where everything is, Aunty?”

She nodded confidently.

“Of course, dear.”

He didn’t bother asking how she knew that, considering she’d never explored his kitchen before.

Instead, he accepted his fate.

And waited for the cooking lessons to begin.