AN: This fic was inspired by a Reddit comment, which I unfortunately can't properly link to because FFN doesn't allow links (here is a partial one: r/Xenoblade_Chronicles/comments/xzzbyq/sena_wants_something_a_bit_meatier/irqzo6s/). Like all my works, this is cross-posted from AO3/Archive of Our Own.

"Mud 'n ash, I couldn't find any dry sticks!" Eunie groaned, throwing her head back. "The snuff are we s'posed to start a fire like this?!"

Maktha forest was incredibly damp, and it had rained very recently it seemed, because they had barely anything to light a fire with. Mananna's backpack had a dry cooking log inside, but they had no way to ignite it.

"Same here…" Lanz grumbled. "No flint-stones either. 'Course, we wouldn't need any if someone hadn't been playin' with the lighter and run it dry…"

"Ugh! How long ya gonna be up my arse about that?"

Taion watched their argument, and decided against saying anything. It was absolutely her fault—by any measure—but he knew better than to agree with Lanz in front of Eunie.

"Well," Mio said, "we can still light a fire, it's no problem at all." As she spoke, she and Taion both turned to stare at Sena.

"Wh…Why are you guys looking at me?" Sena asked, taking a step backwards.

Everyone else started to look at her too. Eunie smirked, stroking her chin. "Ohhh, I see what you're talkin' about…"

Of course, Sena knew exactly why they were looking at her, and her denial didn't last long. "P-please don't make me do it"—She lowered her gaze to the ground—"it's so embarrassing…"

Many, many times, she—specifically, her hair—had been the unofficial emergency lighter in Colony Gamma, and she definitely did not appreciate the nicknames and jokes that came with that. It was a little funny the first few times, but after that…

"Come on Sena," Mio gently pleaded. "It's going to be a cold one tonight, and it would be so convenient. I promise we won't laugh or anything. Right?" she asked sternly, turning towards Eunie in particular.

Eunie rested her hands on the back of her head. "Ehh, no promises there, love."

Sena whined pitifully, holding her upper arm with her other hand, and kept her eyes firmly pointed at her shoes.

"Eunie, that's not really helping matters…" Taion said. "Do you really want to be without a fire tonight?"

Lanz nodded. "Exactly. Think of your poor, damp feathers," he said, grinning.

Rolling her eyes, Eunie agreed. "Fine. Swear I won't take the mick. Was just messin' about anyway, I wasn't actually gonna say anythin' mean…"

Mio turned back to Sena, and tilted her chin up to look at her. "There there, she's promised. Will you do it for us now Sena? Please?" Mio gave her best sad-kitten eyes, and flattened her ears to maximize the cuteness.

Sena—like most people—was too weak to resist Mio's charms. "F-fine," she mumbled.

She kneeled down over the fire pit, closed her eyes, and lowered her head down, so that the stray flame on the tip of her hair would touch the log… And just like that, it caught light, and Sena stood up.

"Whoa-oh!" Lanz exclaimed, admiring the roaring flames. "That's brilliant! Why'd we ever bother carryin' a lighter around in the first pla—"

He winced, suddenly realizing that he'd done what Mio made a point of getting Eunie to promise not to. "Spark. Sorry, Sena… Just slipped out…"

Sena didn't meet his eyes, just fidgeted with her hands. "I-it's okay, I forgive you," she said. "I know you didn't mean it. And you apologized right away, so…"

Meanwhile, Eunie sat down, back facing the fire, and gently flapped her wings; the warm air from the fire would reach every little damp corner and in-between the feathers, drying them faster.

She muttered to herself. "See that? Not a snuffin' word from Eunie. I'm the picture of grace and respect." Just like the Queen, if Eunie did say so herself!