Katsuki's eyes narrowed as he watched the elf dart from table to table, her delicate hands balancing a tray of overflowing mugs. Her pink hair was tied up in a messy bun, exposing the soft curve of her neck, the pale skin smooth and almost glowing in the dim firelight. Piercing blue eyes peeked from beneath long pink lashes, constantly moving, scanning the room, keeping track of every patron and order. Her pointed ears, unmistakable under the halo of pink, twitched now and then as she listened to the demands of rowdy customers.

How in the hell had such a beautiful creature ended up working as a tavern wench?

Katsuki grunted under his breath, pulling the hood of his cloak further down to hide his face. The heavy rains had driven him into this backwater tavern, its creaky wooden door and muddy floors hardly a place for someone like him to linger. He had only meant to stay for the night, to get out of the storm and back on the road by morning. But as soon as he stepped inside, she was there.

Her smile had been wide and bright, so out of place in the grimy tavern. "Welcome to the Goblin Arc Tavern! Can I get you an ale?" Her voice had been cheerful, her large blue eyes gleaming, and even though he tried to avoid looking too much, her beauty was hard to ignore.

Without waiting for a response, she had directed him to sit wherever he liked, slipping away to serve other patrons with that same effortless grace. He'd chosen the corner near the hearth, hoping the shadows might hide him. Yet, despite the low light and the rowdy noise, his eyes kept drifting back to her.

There was something almost mesmerizing about the way she moved, a swift grace that no human tavern wench could manage. Her black bodice and cream shirt clung to her slim frame, the brown petticoat swishing just above her black flats as she weaved between the drunken crowd. She grumbled under her breath about the storm outside as she wiped down tables and collected empty mugs, her cheeks flushing as she muttered about how cold and miserable it had been lately.

Katsuki's mug clanked down on the table, the sound lost in the din. He wasn't used to sitting still for so long, watching. He wasn't used to noticing people, much less someone like her. His plate sat half-empty beside him, a turkey leg picked clean, and the roasted vegetables long gone. He hadn't even realized how much he'd eaten until his stomach finally stopped growling.

The elf—Rosie, she had called herself—had come back to him once or twice more with a fresh mug of ale, her expression never faltering, even when the drunks near the bar started raising their voices. She handled them with a smile, though he could see the strain in her jaw, her polite demeanor cracking as the night wore on.

It made him wonder—why was she here? Elves didn't just leave their realms, not without good reason. And she wasn't just any elf. High elves were more likely to mingle with humans, but even then, it was rare to see them working in a place like this.

Rosie's fingers brushed a lock of pink hair behind her ear as she paused at a table, her eyes darting out the window where the rain still pelted down in sheets. Katsuki caught the briefest glimpse of something in her eyes—longing, maybe, or irritation—but it was gone as quickly as it appeared.

He shifted in his seat, ignoring the growing crowd around him, the clinking of mugs, and the music from the corner where another girl, a human, played a lute. His thoughts circled back to Rosie.

What had driven her to this tavern in the middle of nowhere, serving ale to drunkards while the storm raged outside? Was it desperation? Adventure? Or something else entirely?

Katsuki was no stranger to keeping his past to himself, to hiding in plain sight, but something about her made him curious, against his better judgment. Maybe it was the way she kept her smile even when she was clearly irritated, or the grace with which she moved despite her surroundings.

Whatever it was, he found himself watching her more closely than he intended, the cloak doing little to shield him from the strange pull she had on him. The warmth of the fire made him drowsy, but he didn't dare close his eyes just yet. The tavern was growing louder, and though he was tempted to stay, the urge to keep moving gnawed at him.

Katsuki's gaze followed Rosie as she moved through the tavern, her silhouette softened by the flickering firelight. There was something captivating about her—a delicate grace in the way she handled the rowdy crowd and the quiet resilience beneath her bright smile. Her pointed ears, pale skin, and slender frame stood out in this grimy place, and yet she seemed oddly at ease.

He couldn't wrap his mind around it. How could someone like her—a fae, no less—end up here, lost in the noise and filth of a dingy tavern in the middle of nowhere?

"Is there anything else I can get you?" Her voice was softer now, low enough to cut through the clatter of the room as she approached his table again, her blue eyes catching the light. She lingered for a moment, looking almost expectant.

Katsuki shook his head. "I'll be leaving pretty soon."

She nodded, that same gentle smile tugging at her lips. "I hope you enjoyed your meal then." There was something in her tone that felt genuine, a kindness he wasn't used to hearing.

For the next hour, he watched her work from his dark corner, the shadows from the fire playing tricks in his mind as he tried to make sense of what drew him to her. Rosie flitted around the room, never breaking her rhythm, though he caught her sneaking glances at the storm raging outside. Perhaps she, too, longed to leave, though her smile never faltered.

Eventually, Katsuki downed the last of his ale, the taste bitter and familiar. The warmth of the fire had settled into his bones, making him sluggish, but he couldn't stay any longer. The storm had lessened, and the need to be on the road called to him once more.

Without a word, he stood, pulling his cloak tighter around his shoulders. His eyes flicked to Rosie one last time, still busy at the far end of the tavern. He tossed a handful of gold coins onto the table, enough to more than cover his meal and the ale, then made his way to the door.

The cold night air hit him as soon as he stepped outside, the remnants of the rain soaking the muddy streets. His horse waited patiently, tied to a post beneath the shelter of the tavern's overhang. Katsuki moved quickly, mounting the steed with ease as he adjusted the reins and glanced back at the warm glow spilling from the tavern's windows.

For a brief moment, he hesitated. The thought of staying another night crossed his mind, but he quickly pushed it away. He had no time to linger in small towns, no matter how much they surprised him.

With a sharp tug on the reins, Katsuki urged his horse forward, its hooves splashing through the mud as they rode out into the darkness. The road ahead was long, but the rain had finally eased into a steady drizzle, making the journey more bearable.

As the tavern faded behind him, his thoughts lingered on Rosie—the mysterious elf with the kind smile and piercing blue eyes. She was an enigma he couldn't quite solve, but as the wind whipped through his cloak and the night swallowed him whole, Katsuki knew he wouldn't forget her anytime soon.

He rode through the night, the memory of her still haunting him like a distant melody carried on the wind.