A Wonderous Apple and Slice of Cheese

After sending Ahri off, Ava couldn't help but sit on Lily's bed and think about what Ahri had said. Lightly lifting her shirt, Ava reached back and rubbed the long scar that extended across her back. Straining a little to reach the end of it.

This… would people really care about it?

As Ava was lost in thought, Lily burst back into the room cheerfully but quickly sobered down when seeing Ava seemed to be in a bad mood. Walking over slowly, she sat down next to Ava, lightly shaking the bed as she did so, breaking Ava out of her reverie.

Looking over at Lily, Ava couldn't help but blink.

Looking back, Lily let out a small smile before carefully asking, "Was there anything wrong?"

Shaking her head, Ava said, "Nope, Ahri said I'm all good. Just need to eat more."

Relieved, Lily let out a sigh and said, "Why were you looking so sad then? I almost thought you were boutta tell me you only had a year to live."

Letting out a small laugh, Ava shook her head, "Nah, Ahri just said something about my scars, and I couldn't help but wonder if anyone cared. I've never really thought about them."

Startled, Lily looked at Ava and lightly hugged her, "God damn it, Ahri, always worried about these stupid things. Well, uh, Ava, it's like this. There might be people you'll meet later on who cares about your scars in a negative way, thinking it makes you less for one reason or another."

Ava looked back at Lily with a calm expression. If that was it, it really wasn't much to deal with. After all, having lived the way she had, it wasn't like she hadn't experienced disdainful gazes.

"But… if you ever meet someone like that, fuck em'. They aren't worth your time. They're the ones who are missing out, not you. So you do whatever you want, okay?"

Startled, Ava looked at Lily before letting out a smile and lightly shaking her head, "That's a good plan. Do you mind if I steal it?"

Laughing back, Lily smiled and shook her head. "Alright, um, do you want to eat first or go get your stuff first?"

Thinking for a moment, Ava said, "Let's eat first. My room is messy anyways, I might as well figure it out in the morning or after we shop. Um, the Madam won't mind if I use the room upstairs for another night, right?"

Lily shook her head, "Nah, she won't care. We rarely use the rooms on the third floor for the most part. Alright, let's go get some grub. I think it's beef stew tonight. Lightly licking her lips, Lily let out an enchanting smile."

Standing up, Ava and Lily walked out the door and made their way over to the dining hall that was adjoined to the courtyard, and quickly found a seat and filled their bowls with soup and two hearty chunks of bread. As they were sitting down, Ahri walked over with Haley. "Mind if we sit here?"

Lily briefly looked over at Ava and, seeing she showed no rejection, quickly finished chewing the bread in her mouth, "Yeah, go ahead and sit."

Smiling, Ahri walked over first and sat down, and Haley followed soon after.

For a brief while, the table sat in silence as the four ate. Neither Ava nor Lily liked talking much while eating. Ava because she had developed the habit of eating fast so she wouldn't lose her food, and Lily because she simply enjoyed food too much to think about other things. Soon enough, Ava finished her bowl and sat bored, watching the other three eat.

Seeing this, Ahri smiled and said, "You should go grab another bowl."

Hearing this, Ava was tempted but couldn't help but hesitate. Although she was still a little hungry, she felt like she was being greedy if she got more food. Before, she was unwilling to do so because she was a guest and didn't want to be crass, and now that the Madam considered her one of her own, it was because she didn't want to just eat without giving anything in return.

Seeing Ava's look that was clearly tempted but held a trace of restraint, Ahri let out a small smile before saying, "Doctor's orders?"

At this, Ava no longer held herself back and went over to refill her bowl and grabbed another full loaf of bread while she was at it.

Seeing this, Ahri couldn't help but raise her eye but didn't say anything, instead getting up and walking across the room before returning with an apple and a hunk of cheese and passing it over to Ava. "For nutritional balance."

Lightly nodding, Ava frowned for a moment at the apple and cheese before carefully taking a small bite and lighting up. Like a hamster, she quickly started eating faster than she could swallow, quickly puffing up her cheeks as she practically inhaled the meal, finishing her second serving before Lily finished her first.

Leaning back in her seat, Ava couldn't help but lightly pat her belly while looking reluctantly at the apple core that Ahri had taken away from her. She had seen apples and cheese before in the trash, but they had always been rather disgusting, so she couldn't help but show some reluctance when Ahri passed them over. Apples she would at least try to take a few bites off, but the sickening bittersweetness of the core and the faint wetness that mixed with the liquid of the trash was a rather revolting taste. As for the cheese… Thinking of the furry monstrosities that she had once thought of as rats, she really couldn't help but want to gag. At least if it was a real rat, it would be a decent meal roasted over a fire.

But today, she had found out that a fresh apple and a newly cut slice of cheese were rather divine, especially when paired together with a warm and soft loaf of bread and a hearty stew.

Seeing Ava longingly looking at the apple core in her hand, Ahri couldn't help but let out a sigh and say, "Don't look at me like that. If I didn't take it from you, you'd eat it all, wouldn't you? Seeds and stems alike."

Ava looked at Ahri with a confused expression. What was wrong with being a bit more frugal? Anyways, she had learned a long time ago that although peels, skins, and leaves were often less enjoyable than the main body of the plant that was more commonly consumed, they were nutrient-dense and would often help her supplement her lacking diet.

Seeing Ava's expression, Ahri couldn't help but hold her head and say, "We're going to have to have a talk about what you can and can't eat." Holding up the apple core lightly, Ahri said, "An apple core, for instance, you can't eat. The seeds contain a light poison that is problematic if consumed in large quantities. Of course, you'd probably kill yourself from overeating first, but it's still not good for you to eat it."

Nodding along, it was hard to say if Ava was agreeing with Ahri or simply tracing the apple core as it bobbed up and down as Ahri spoke.