Lady Ragnvindr And Klees Afternoon Out

I DON'T THINK FRIENDS KISS EACH OTHER LIKE THIS ( everything has changed after kazuha returned from that trip ).

— genre : fic ( wc ~ 1.2k ). fluff, hurt / comfort. — cw : kissing, flirting, inazuma archon quest, mentions of beidou & thoma. "everything has changed" by taylor & ed. for @starglitterz feb collab !! <3 — characters : kazuha x gn!reader

you step out onto the streets, and the harbour greets you.

ritou, the small island which holds so many memories bitter and sweet. it is the bittersweetness of life that holds people's souls together, you recall a mellow voice speak, held together with ties that cannot be broken even by time.

you smile fondly at the memory, remembering the last time you were in his presence. life was so different then — the vision hunt decree, the war, the rigid rules and suffocating environment that caused him to flee. a life full of doubt and fear and uncertainty, bold risks and willing sacrifices. you remember when this island was ridden with conflict, the environment heavy with revenge and spite. now, as the sun peeks through the dense morning cloud, crimson leaves stark against the sky that looks bluer than ever, it seems inazuma's port is readying itself for the arrival of those dearly missed.

it's funny, realising how much you've longed for those who have been gone. one free - spirited, poetic, thoughtful wanderer in particular. you miss his carefree laugh, his reassuring hands, his silent presence ever so comforting, even while engulfed within the tense air of a wartorn nation's dead of night.

"there it is! the alcor! i see it, i see it!" a high - pitched voice screams excitedly. the child tiptoes over the edge of a railing, hands waving around ecstatically — and sure enough, as you follow the approximate direction their chubby finger points in, you spot the characteristic majestic sails billowing in the ocean breeze. maybe it's a figment of your imagination, but you swear captain beidou's figure is visible too, watching the islands of inazuma approach slowly but surely in all her confident glory. and maybe, if you really squint hard enough, you can catch a glimpse of a wandering samurai perched upon the bird's nest, eyes desperately searching the harbour in anticipation for one special person in particular.

. . .

"kaedehara kazuha." you exhale slowly, ( eagerly ) drinking in the sight of him. he's finally here, standing on the same ground as you, breeze blowing his hair around his face like an angel's halo.

"hi, dove." kazuha is suddenly unsure of where to put his hands now that you're right in front of him. you still resemble your old self — still so, so captivating, he thinks, pretty features coated in joy.

you're home, you want to say, but you know home is not a place on earth according to the avid traveller. but your doubts are interrupted by his voice once more. "your eyes look like coming home," he replies breathlessly to your thoughts.

pure euphoria washes over you when kazuha opens his arms to hug you for the first time in much too long. the moment is short - lived, though, beidou's booming captain voice ringing throughout the harbour. "hey, you lazy sailors! get back here and help thoma and i unload all this stuff of yours!"

"so ... meet me here again tonight?" he asks, pushing stray ruffled strands out of your face.

your eyes crinkle into little happy crescent moons at his familiar request, mirroring the way his eyelashes flutter in content.

"after the moon rises above the silhouette of narukami shrine. as always, kazuha."

. . .

though under the familiar glow of the moonlit sky, seated below the very same branches that have existed for as long as you can remember, something feels different. ( not off, because that implies something is wrong — simply different to before, different to how you remembered it to be ).

"you came."

"of course i did."

a comfortable silence settles, save for the sound of chirping crickets rippling through the midnight air.

perhaps it's because he carries with him the scent of faraway worlds, ones that you haven't visited but long to travel to with him by your side. or maybe it's because his hair is longer than you remember, red tuft accentuated by the scarlet of autumn leaves. or it could be because he's older and grown and so are you, leaving it at a reason as simple as that.

innocent conversations and intertwined hands and a head upon his shoulder turn to doting stares and flickering light in both of your eyes. and before you know it, you realise things feel different because oh my god, i'm in love with —

"can i kiss you?" his voice is almost curious, breath ( and cheeks ) warm. and your answer is clear in the way you lean in to capture his lips with an insatiable, inexplicable desire in a silent confession of your ( clearly mutual ) recent epiphany.

but now he's exactly where he wants to be and kazuha is holding himself back, and so are you — because this is different, this isn't how things were back then. all you know is that those ruby eyes and dimples when he smiles rouse the butterflies in your stomach, the overwhelming feelings you've been holding back all these years, an irresistible magnetism you've been missing all this time.

lips part slowly, reluctantly, and he sighs before running a hand through his hair, eyes still locked onto yours. even if your mouths have let go for air, gazes definitely don't have the strength to tear themselves away from each other just yet.

you pause before asking the question that's on the forefront of your mind, begging to be spoken out loud. "are we friends, kazuha?"

"mhm, why do you ask? we've been friends for long enough now, no?" he grins lopsidedly, one hand still glued to your hip and the other gingerly brushing against your cheek. his tone is teasing but it conceals another emotion you can't pinpoint, something hidden away behind those smooth remarks.

"because ..." words trail off, and you know it's cheesy but you feel like you're getting lost in his eyes — a swirl of complex emotions and conflicting feelings and god, you can see how the turmoil in his heart mirrors yours right now, the hesitation and fear that what if something goes wrong, i don't want to lose you twice.

"because, kaedehara kazuha, i don't think friends kiss each other like this."

he laughs softly, eyes twinkling in amusement and adoration while he thumbs your frustrated tears ( that you didn't even realise began to spill ) away from your face. his touch is gentle and so is his gaze. it understands everything you want to say without any demands — because kazuha doesn't want to force the words that are still stuck in your throat, all the things you wish you could say but can't bring yourself to.

"mmm … then i don't mind being something other than that, lovely. i'll let you choose the label, sound good?" he whispers under his breath before pressing his lips against yours once again. "i won't mind whatever you want us to be, so don't stress yourself out about it, yeah? as long as i'm allowed to know you better, then whatever we're called … whatever name we're given … it all doesn't really matter much to me." kazuha smiles a delicate smile before continuing shyly. "but ... if i were to have a choice, i just want you to know that i'd love to make you mine."

— taglist ( open ) : @xienn @chichikoi @yinyinggie @favonius-captain @dawndelion-winery

miya osamu ⇄ fieriness.

synopsis : rich bf!osamu that understands your situations, creating an emotional bond because that is what you always do and one of them is finding out what you are feeling.

tags / warnings : gender–neutral!reader, fluff, a bit of a jealous reader, just literally full of emotional developments with each other.

author’s notes : miya osamu’s love language is all of them, no one can tell me otherwise (there is no favoritism here /s)

osamu always reminds himself to check up on you when he gets home from work or when he is accomplished working at his shop when the day ends whenever you assist him at the store.

it’s not that you are emotionally available, you can’t just identify what you are feeling and are sometimes overwhelmed on any occasion when something happens.

when the two of you got together, he seems the one who doesn’t show emotions but— you thought very wrong, it was the way around. well, you can feel and show emotions but you just cannot comprehend them and osamu, the service dom that he is, helped you at his inordinately best.

it was his goal, to heal your inner child as he knew that you’ve been overlooked as a child, he wants to help you to be whole, with him until you two got married in the future.

it was just another at the shop, it was packed with people until closing time but you couldn’t help but notice— this is not the first time and would be the last time that some customers started to be touchy with him and then attempted to flirt with him that just makes your blood boil and stomach churn.

osamu notices it, without a doubt— like the usual observant man that he is. he know’s what’s up, from your silent treatment to short replies to your conversation, it was obvious just from your body language.

just after the closing, he called you to his office where he was arranging his papers which you obliged to sit down. he looked at you with a softened gaze every time he was questioning how you were feeling.

“baby, what are you feeling?” he started, he sat in front of you, holding your hand softly as you sighed, shrugging your shoulders whilst pouting at him.

“i don’t know, ‘samu. i’m having mixed feelings but i know that i’m jealous...” you whispered the latter and of course, he was right.

“i know baby, saw it earlier, you can‘t hide that from me.” he chuckled, kissing your forehead as he caressed your cheeks tenderly.

“am i too obvious?” you asked, your eyes already weary from helping him around as he hummed, nodding.

“you know that i won’t replace you, ever. there would be no next girlfriend of mine.” you pouted, a little bit convinced by his words.

truth to be told, osamu truly believes that you are his soulmate, the one who will grow old with him, spoil you to death and be together in the afterlife, he was down bad for you the first time he was interested in you.

“don’t look at me like that, baby. you already know how much love i’ve given you ever since, right? it won’t change— ever.”

your brightening eyes and lashes fluttered at desperation from his voice to affirm you as if it is a medicine that is healing your heart purely from everything. he looked at you adoringly as if you were his most precious gem— capturing it with his whole heart. no matter what you say or look, the love in his eyes won’t go away, you will always look beautiful to him.

sad to say, he was wrapped around your finger— so tight that he refused to let go.

he is not that great with words as he believed that they should be shown with actions, not just with words and he did not miss anything when it comes to that.

“i’m sorry if you felt that way, i also hate it when they disrespect our boundaries, i’ll stop them and let them know they’re disdaining our relationship, i hate it.” he sighed, shaking his head to avoid the negative aura around you two.

“it’s not your fault, it’s okay, you don’t have to say or do anything, it’s that customer’s fault” you replied, holding his hand as he indulged it, feeling your hands once him.

“we cannot control the people and things around us, ‘samu, it’s okay.” you gave him a tired sweet smile his heart just beating with glee.

“‘kay baby, let’s go home then?” without any words, he carried you out of nowhere, making you squeal from the sudden action as you just wrapped your arms around his neck to support yourself along with him carrying you bridal style.

he placed you down on the passenger seat of his car gently, setting the seat belt to keep you safe as he quickly talked to his staff about fixing everything from the kitchen.

“do you want anything?” he asked and started driving home to your shared penthouse.

you just shook your head, nearly dozing off with the neck pillow he had given you before he drove on the way home.

“want to sleep and cuddle,” you mumbled which he quickly gave attention to that just made him grin at you.

“okay, we’ll cuddle soon, just sleep there until we arrived.” he was supposed to ask what you wanted— food or things at the moment like your routines when you helped him at his shop, just like a little reward but you are sleepy so he won’t both anymore more to complete your sleep.

and he did what he told you, you both cuddled until the morning just like you wanted. that is just one way to fill your heart with happiness and miya osamu is always there to help you in his way, until the end of the day. every time he does that, your body and heart set out on fire from his love that keeps you warm all the time.

did i also mention that every now and then that a customer would hit him up or flirt with him would just receive a cold stare and announce that he has a significant other? no? now you know.

「Attractive things BNHA Boys do」

⤷ Bakugou he grabs your jaw when he wants you to look at him. something about you not looking at him when he’s talking irritates him, especially if it’s something serious or important; then he just grabs your jaw with his hand and looks you straight in the eye, saying something like “look at me.” with a low voice. his warm breath against your skin; making you shiver.

⤷ Deku he lifts his shirt to wipe the sweat from his forehead; giving you a flash of his abdomen underneath. it’s something you’ve seen countless times before, but you can’t help but look at it every time. it’s fun for him, who happens to get you every time; he just smirks when he looks at you.

⤷ Kirishima

it’s when he unbuttons the first two buttons on his button-down shirt and also the way he wears a thin chain that looks so good on him. at first he didn’t understand the effect this had on you until one day he caught your lingering gazes directed at his chest, and honestly, he’s not complaining at all.

⤷ Todoroki

he asks for consent whenever he’s not sure, because he doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable. there are times when he really wants to kiss and touch you, but he feels it would be rude of him to do that without knowing if you wanted to. that’s why he asks “can i kiss you?” there’s just something appealing and genuine about him mumbling those words as he leans closer to you.

⤷ Denki

it’s strangely endearing when he casually mumbles and shakes his head to not-so-innocent songs. and feeling your eyes on him, he looks straight at you when the lyrics are specifically suggestive, his mouth singing softly before a gleeful smile plays on his lips at your reaction.

⤷ Tamaki

the way he leans in closer to hear what you’re saying, especially when you’re in a loud area. maybe it’s the proximity and the feel of his warm breath on your skin, or the way he casually leans in even further to quietly talk in your ears, but it never fails to make your heart beat faster. and when he notices that you’re flustered, it makes him a little flustered too as he sheepishly lets out a small laugh and looks at you with that amused and goofy half-grin.

⤷ Shinsou

he tucks your hair behind your ear. sometimes, when you’re talking, he’s so focused on watching your facial expressions; he thinks the different little expressions you make when telling a story are endearing and cute. he immediately notices the strand of hair that has fallen out of place and leans close to you to tuck it gently behind your ear, then slips back into place with a soft smile on his face.

⤷ Aizawa

the way he holds his tie between his teeth while collecting his hair. at first, he thinks nothing of it until he catches your eyes, and he just smiles to himself; a shy but tempting half smile on his face as he ties his hair, and when he’s done, he looks at you as if to say i saw that.

⤷ Hawks

he wears his sweatpants dangerously low on his hips and, shirtless, he walks around like he’s the hottest man alive. he likes to put his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants as he walks around the house. he also likes to fold his arms when leaning against the doorjamb; watching you with a smile on his lips.

⤷ Dabi

it’s the way he helps you put on a necklace; you take the two ends of the necklace, touching his fingers in the process. his breath against your neck as he takes a little too long to put on the necklace makes your body shiver. he kisses you softly down your neck to your shoulder before wrapping his arms around your waist, pulling you impossibly close to him.

⤷ Shigaraki

he uses his phone, sitting down on the edge of the bed with his legs spread wide, elbows resting on his thighs. when you come into the bedroom, his attention quietly diverts from the mindless scrolling to you, his soft and almost-lazy gaze following your movements while you take whatever you need from the room and make your way out the door.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ tags! @tiiredcorpse, @saturnmich, @yfneccentric, @nishayuro, @hazyspells, @belovedserenityy, @shrimpy109, @rorikau, @mlb-hp-hoo, @itisaclock, @hirugummies, @insomniacwreck, @afairywithacrown, @3-am-depression, @cherries4denki, @solyxa, @belsumu, @mitsuyaya, @gwynsapphire, @justanotherfangirlwup, @afk-dreaminq, @jahnvi-d, @horrorcvnts, @gratefulstranger, @mayukhii, @uwiuwi, @idunnomynamesince2005, @blossominglark, @delvine, @simpingforsero, @uravichii, @izukus-gf, @seanicsiren, @infectedtee, @myiahh, @toxji, @b4ngal, @thezegendofzelda, @httptouya, @luluwiie, @kageyama-i-want-tobiors, @painfullyghst, @i1k! <3

.˳⁺⁎˚ taglist + masterlist! ˚⁎⁺˳ .

— 1 missed call from [Name] —

Realistically, he knows he shouldn’t call you back. Ignore the missed call, head back to bed, and forgot you forever. Forget the romance you once shared and move on. Forgot all the words of love that ever left his lips. You are not his and he is not yours.

But he can’t. He can’t possibly ignore you when you’re calling him at 2AM, yearning for him in whatever way you do.

So he calls. Like the fool that he is, he calls his ex-girlfriend of one year back.

“Hello?”

“Tsukishima…” you trail, and your voice is distant. So far, so small, so fearful. He hears your hesitance from one word only.

He wishes you could call him your Kei again.

“Why did you call me?” Tsukishima responds with hostility, for that is all he knows. When he lost you, his ways changed and his heart turned to stone. It seems that anger is all he knows these days, a hard tongue made of venom and stone.

“I-I wanted to talk to you.”

You stutter. You stutter and Tsukishima knows that you’re drunk. You have a few habits whenever you’re intoxicated, and a stutter is always accompanied with the alcohol.

“You’re drunk,” is all he says.

“I know.”

“Talk to me when you’re sober,” he goes to cut the call, but a quick wait! is enough to halt his movements.

“God, I don’t even know why I even called you,” you whisper, as if speaking to yourself.

He sighs, “where are you?”

“Um, I’m not sure.”

“You went out not knowing where you’re going?” He asks, and it’s that condescending tone you hate. The one that pushed your relationship to its limit.

“It’s not like I wanted to be here,” you whisper yet again, a measly attempt at defending yourself.

Another sigh, another sign of disappointment, and Tsukishima finally speaks up.

“Go to the Maps app.” You mumble a small okay, and do as he tells you. “Now zoom in on your location and send it to me.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

You listen to him and soon after Tsukishima gets a notification. He doesn’t bid you goodbye, simply cuts the call and gets up from his bed. He heads for his closet, grabbing two jackets, and heads out the door.

He’ll see you for the first time in a year.

-

And see you he does.

You’re sat on the curb of the road, your knees pushed against your chest and your head resting on your knees. It seems as if you’re asleep, your eyes closed and body still.

He kneels beside you, whispering your name loud enough to wake you up.

“Huh?” You groan, turning your head to look at the man you can’t seem to let go. “Kei?”

There it is. It’s always sounded so sweet on your tongue, so sultry and intimate. It’s his given name, the one he grows to love each time you say it.

It’s bittersweet hearing it from you.

“Why are you just sleeping in the middle of the road? What if some pervert stopped by?”

“But nobody did,” you say, logic leaving you in your drunken state. You move closer to him, seeking his warmth.

You’ve always loved his touch. When you once called him yours, his body was always somehow attached to yours. Your skin on his, his heart in your palm.

He sighs, “get in the car, [Name].”

He pulls you up from your position, easily holding you as gently as he can.

“You never used to call me by my name,” you stop and lean into his shoulder. “I was always your baby.”

Tsukishima knows it’s the alcohol talking. That you’d never say this sober, and that there’s a possibility that you don’t mean any of those words. But his heart still hurts. It hurts so much that he feels as if he has lost himself. Lost all the progress he made to just get over you.

(But perhaps he never really stopped loving you, if he was so willing to pick up your call.)

He lays you on the passenger seat, buckling your seatbelt for you. He drapes the extra jacket over your shoulders, and you remember it to be one of your favourites. You stare at him the whole time—eyes on his—but he refuses to look back. Not when he knows how easily his resolve could crumble with you around.

The car starts soon after, and you’re already asleep. Your head lays peacefully on the mirror, and Tsukishima wishes he could stay like this forever. In a world where he is yours and you are his.

-

There are not many things that Tsukishima regrets.

He prefers to live in the present and let the past be the past. What has happened is unchanging, so why worry? Why worry about what he should’ve done, when all he has is the now?

There are not many things that Tsukishima regrets. But he will always regret leaving you.

He knows that now, as he is in your bedroom, trying to find a way to change you out of your clothes and into your sleepwear.

You’ve always been a heavy sleeper, unmoving in the midst of all noise. That trait carries on to now, as he struggles to get your top off your body.

You squirm as he touches you. “Kei,” you whisper. “Why’d you pick me up?”

“You called me.”

“But you picked up,” you slur, “you could’ve ignored me. You were good at that when we were together.”

He winces. He knows you don’t mean it. You’ve always been far too kind to respond with such malice, especially towards him. Even when your relationship was walking on a tightrope, you never once yelled at him.

“Why were you so mean, Tsukishima?” It’s a rhetorical question, he knows it, but his heart burns the more you speak.

“I loved you so much, but you didn’t love me at all.”

“Don’t,” he immediately interrupts, “don’t say I never loved you.”

“You never showed me,” your voice is small, and he knows you’re about to cry. (Even after all these months, your habits remain in his mind.)

“I love you. So much more than you’ll ever understand,” he speaks with so much passion, that he forgets his confession.

He loves you. His heart will always belong to you.

“I love you too,” you cry, and a single teardrop grazes your cheek.

“You never deserved me.”

“I get to decide that,” you grab his delicate face with your rough hands. He always fit so perfectly in your palms. “I get to decide who is good for me.”

He pauses, resting in your hands and cherishing every moment he has with you. And it’s in your calloused palms where Tsukishima realises what he misses. He misses your presence, your love, you. Every habit that made him love you so deeply, he misses.

He will be yours again, he decides, as you hold him close. Somehow, someway, he will win you back.

Squarey boy 💙💙💙

happily ever after.

premise. perhaps in your last life, you wished for an extraordinary romance; a once-in-a-lifetime encounter, a dashing prince to kiss your hand, and an eternal love that could only be found in fairy tales. now, as you acknowledge that this story is not yours, your greatest desire is to remain out of the limelight while you watch your dearest protagonist twirl in the ballroom with the man of her dreams.

and just like every other time, fate has other plans.

word count. 7.8k

note. i honestly thought i wouldn't be able to finish this, but here we are. i hope you enjoy!

“The duke of Marechaussee is looking for a bride!”

The news spread far and wide, each new piece of gossip shared through word of mouth more convoluted than the last. But the gist of it essentially remains true—the reputable head of the most prestigious duchy in Fontaine, Neuvillette, whose abstinence from marriage had nobles speculating his intentions to practice celibacy, has now unfounded those rumors.

For others, this is an opportunity. For you, this is a cause for a headache.

Let's have a brief recount of your second life thus far. Ten years ago, you found yourself in a body that was not yours, one that was far too dainty and sickly for your liking. You were born to a powerful aristocratic family, your father bearing the title of Marquess. It was your greatest joy to find this new family of yours was loving and affectionate, bursting into tears of relief upon your return to consciousness the very first time you opened your eyes in this world. You were told you had nearly fallen to disease, and your parents spared no effort in finding the most knowledgeable doctors across the continent. Their embrace was incredibly warm, hands clutching your small body so tightly as if once they let go, you would be lost to the winds.

And, well. As far as you’re concerned, it isn't the worst life to live in. Your eldest brother is almost overbearingly protective, but he’s beyond considerate and cared for you greatly. Your second brother isn't honest to a fault, and you heard he often played tricks on you before, but ever since your worst fit of sickness, he's been incredibly careful in his treatment around you.

Life passed peacefully like this, adored and doted on by your beloved family. To repay their kindness, you wish to aid your eldest brother in the future and pursue your studies, but your parents assure you you don't have to do anything you don't want—including being bound by marriage.

For any other aristocratic family, it is a daughter's duty to secure a beneficial relationship with other houses of similar prestige. But your family spoils you rotten, and they hold no greed; why would they wish for more power when they already have everything they could possibly want in the kingdom as a Marquess family?

It is for that reason you are able to avoid the biggest red flag that could potentially lead to your demise: the engagement with the House of Marechaussee.

With how much you used to read webtoons and played otome games with the “I died and woke up in the romance novel I used to read” premise, you aren't all that surprised to realize you found yourself in that very situation. What did surprise you is the lack of daddy issues, and how easy you have it as a villainess.

You woke up in the world of “My Royal Darling,” an otome game with a plot as creative as its title. Cliche as it is, you ate that shit up back in your previous life and knew the story like the back of your hand. Your character [Name] Silva mainly appeared in the duke's route, a villainess who loved him deeply for his kindness and gentleness beneath his cold facade. As far as villainesses went in this game, you are certainly not the worst; the girl in the prince's route actively schemed against the protagonist and received a befitting punishment as a result. The worst [Name] Silva did was beg her doting parents for an engagement with the duke and use her sick sob story to garner pity.

All you have to do is avoid the duke at all costs, and you won't be part of the drama at all.

...That was what you thought before you went ahead and befriended the protagonist. Goddamn it.

“The duke is searching for a bride-to-be. Can you believe it?” Lumine giggles in all her protagonist glory, twinkling laughter as pleasant as the song of birds. Her etiquette is impeccable as ever, starting from her straight posture down to the elegant curve of her fingers as she raises her cup to sip tea. Her dress is not nearly as intricate as yours, the difference between your status glaringly apparent, but it's easy to envision her as a perfect princess. It would soon come to reality, you realize.

“And because of that, just about every girl I know is flocking to tailor shops to prepare for the social season.” You grimace, picking up a chocolate cake from the cake tower laid before you. You are currently having tea with Lumine in your rose garden, a bi-monthly arrangement where you shared gossip and traded information. “I fear I will be ridiculed for not following the latest trends soon. All of the shops are probably too busy to accommodate my order.”

“You must be joking. Who would dare refuse you?” Lumine shakes her head. “And even if they dressed up to the nines for the duke, they couldn't possibly compare to you.”

“I'm not trying to gain his favor,” you counter, poking at a strawberry on your plate. “I simply want new additions to my wardrobe, and the banquet hosted by the imperial family is coming up soon. My parents indulge me, but even I can't skip out on it.”

To avoid the love interests as much as possible, you minimize the frequency you go out to parties. Using your weak constitution is enough of an excuse to decline the invitations that pour out in the mail each day. But refusing an invitation from the imperial family is equivalent to a death sentence to your social standing, and even the protectiveness of your older brothers couldn't spare you from that.

If you have it your way, you absolutely would not go. The royal ball is where the official story starts, the prologue to a fairytale romance. All the love interests will be present, and the routes will branch out according to who Lumine will choose to talk to. Though you have no idea who Lumine will pick and you’re certain you were already ruled out as a villainess character ever since you made yourself her close confidant, you don't want to take on any risks. Alas, reality is unkind. You suppose you'll just see it as an opportunity to see the drama up close.

“Forget me, do you already have something to wear?”

“That is...” Lumine appears to be forlorn. “I plan to wear a dress I've worn before. We deemed it more favorable than purchasing a new dress I'll only wear once in my life. Besides, I doubt anyone would remember me wearing it already.”

She places too much faith in people. Nobles thrive on gossip—they find every possible flaw in everyone to gain leverage over them, and you've seen them ridicule Lumine in the game enough times to know. As the daughter of a humble Baron, she's already being picked on by the upper ranking ladies. If she goes to the banquet hosted by the imperial family wearing a gown that's already fallen out of trend, you have no doubt she will be regarded with derision.

But you won't allow that to happen.

“Do you have time this afternoon?” You smile. Lumine tilts her head in confusion yet nods nonetheless. “Let's find you a dress in the commerce street. We'll test out that theory of yours that they won't refuse me.”

Immediately, her eyes widen. She knows what you're planning. This is far from the first time you would be treating her. “No, it's fine! We don't have to go there!”

“Oh, c'mon, Lumine. Your birthday is coming up. Just think of it as me giving you your birthday present a few weeks in advance.”

At that, her shoulders slump. This is not the first time, and so she knows well there's no arguing with you once you put your mind into something. “If you insist so much…” She tries for a grateful smile, but it looks more guilty. When will she accept that she deserves nice things like this and so much more?

Just like Lumine said, you shot up the priority list of the tailor shop without much of a fuss. You make her try on numerous dresses, forbidding the tailors from telling her how much they cost if she ever asks. You end up choosing a pale blue dress that accentuates her good figure and complements her skin, and you manage to grab a couple of matching jewelry when she isn't looking.

Hopefully soon, you think as you begin to scarf down what remains of the cake tower, eager to go shopping. If she goes with the prince route, he’ll give her an entire castle. I should probably tell her about that cage in the basement from the yandere bad ending, though.

Lumine looks good in everything anyway, so it isn't a very time-consuming affair. You even have some time left to check out the merchant stalls before curfew arrives and you have to send her to a carriage back home.

“I don't know about you, but I'm craving some donuts.” You're raring to go to the best bakery in town, and Lumine laughs at your eagerness. Your family never looked upon fried food kindly, and you only have a chance of eating them when you're not within their supervision.

“Aren't you full from the pastries we ate earlier?”

“Hardly.” You grab onto your inconveniently long dress, prepared to race. “Come on, Lumine, we better hurry up before they run out!”

In your haste however, you fail to notice a child walking towards the opposite direction as you. She crashes to your leg, the impact sending her to the ground. You gasp, wasting no time in crouching down to her eye level and helping her up, uncaring of how the hem of your dress slides against the dirty floor. “I'm terribly sorry! Are you hurt anywhere?”

You pat away the dirt on her skirt, searching for any sign of blood. “No, I'm okay! I'm sorry too, miss!” The girl does a little cute bow, one that would normally make you coo if only you didn't feel so guilty. When she gives you a reassuring toothy grin, eyes shining bright with innocence, you can't help but pat her on the head with your clean hand.

“Did you get lost? Where are your parents?” You bring out an embroidered handkerchief from your pocket, wiping her hands free of grime. Lumine scans the nearby area and notices a man running over.

“Mister!” The child exclaims happily, pointing at him. You look up at his direction, momentarily at ease, until you actually see who she's pointing to.

Apprehension pools at the pit of your stomach. The man is the very picture of someone that children should be taught to avoid. Draped in a dark cloak that conceals half of his face, his attire is practically the standard getup for kidnappers in an abduction scene, the type that says cheesy lines like “hand over the gold or I'll kill your girl right now” and ends up getting decked in the face by the prince that saves the heroine.

Before you can say anything, the little girl runs toward him, her arms outstretched for an embrace. The man is quick to lean down and cradle her in his arms, reprimanding the girl for his carelessness. The severity of his words is utterly lost when he's too busy scanning the child's body up and down in search of any injuries to be intimidating.

“Didn't I tell you not to run? You could get into an accident,” the man admonishes gently as he uses the napkin in the girl's hands to wipe away the remaining dirt on her palms. “Not everyone is as forgiving as this kind lady. Did you apologize to her?”

“No, it's fine, it was my fault,” you interject, doing a quick curtsy reflexively. “I got too excited about buying donuts that I wasn't paying enough attention to my surroundings.”

The man pauses when he gets a good look at you, making you shrink to yourself. You put on commoner clothes to blend with the crowd better, but you wonder if you have something incriminating of your status on you.

“Did you get hurt?”

You blink at the unexpected question. How could bumping into a tiny child cause you any injury? “...Not at all.”

His lips curl into a smile, still visible under the shadows of his robe. “Then that's a relief. We apologize for this incident. I'm sorry to cut this conversation short, but I'm afraid we have somewhere to be.”

“Oh, of course!” You laugh awkwardly, raising a hand to wave at the child. “Be safe on the way there.”

The older man bows his head and the little girl yells an endearing “farewell!” as she's carried away by her guardian, spinning on his heel to turn to their destination.

In doing so, you catch a glimpse of the ornate sword strapped to his waist. A silver dragon wraps around the hilt, its scales gleaming under the sun. The sapphires in its eyes are a deep blue, the color as vibrant as the sea, a contrast to the dull shade of its scabbard.

You swear you've seen that sword before.

“[Name], we should hurry. The sun will set soon.” Lumine snaps you out of your thoughts, reminding you of the direness of the situation.

“The lady was really pretty!” The little girl—Mamere—begins to ramble as she fiddles with the handkerchief you left her. She's walking on her own now, but the man makes sure to match her slower pace. “I thought she would get mad when I bumped into her, but her voice was so nice and soft. And she patted my head!”

“My donuts!”

“She was very kind,” the man agrees, remembering the genuine worry on your face when Mamere fell to the ground.

“But what do I do?” Mamere pouts, staring at the intricate embroidery on the napkin. “I don't know how to return this to her.”

Her companion hums. “I don't think she's expecting you to return it. Didn’t she give it to you?”

“But I feel bad…” Mamere admires the careful stitching, her fingers lightly tracing its shape. “It looks so beautiful… she must've worked hard in embroidering it, didn't she?” Suddenly, her eyes sparkle with realization, an idea popping into her mind. “Mister, if it's you, you can return it to her, right?”

The older man blinks. “I suppose so. However-”

The girl offers the handkerchief to him. “Please give this to her when you see her, Mister!”

Conflicted, he stares down at Mamere, but he eventually folds when she puts on her best puppy dog eyes. He takes the handkerchief from her hands, his thumb brushing over the meticulous embroidery.

Only a fool wouldn’t recognize the insignia of the Silva House.

A strong gust of wind pulls down the hood of his cloak, revealing long hair the color of moonlight. The golden hue of the sunset basks his pale skin in a bright glow, his eyes soft as he gazes upon the handkerchief.

“I have a good idea when I may see her next,” Neuvillette assures Mamere, causing her smile to brighten even more.

All too soon, the day of the imperial banquet arrives.

Though whether she wants to see me or not is a different matter.

Natully, your escort to the event is none other than your protective second brother, but you'd argue he's a better choice over the eldest who'd probably glare daggers at anyone who comes within five meters of your vicinity. It's not even like you have other men in your life aside from your family and the knights at your service.

You intend to appear as inconspicuous as possible, but the nobles' curious gazes still follow after your shadow. Consequences of your actions, you suppose. You managed to dodge that eventful first meeting with Duke Neuvillette since you knew you would bump into him at a social gathering, but you had to go through the extra mile to avoid attending every party you could skip because the game was so goddamn vague and only described the scene as “The lady of House Silva fell in love with the duke the moment her eyes landed upon him at a banquet.”

Thanks to that, you’re rarely seen by nobility and thus attained a ridiculous nickname along the lines of “the precious flower of Silva” for being thoroughly pampered by your family, hidden from the rest of the world. Embellished tales of your beauty spread across society, and you can only hope they weren't disappointed to see the real thing in the flesh.

Damn it, you think grimly, the downturn of your lips hidden beneath the intricate fan you've taken to using in order to hide your expression. It's hard to approach the buffet table when they're all staring at me like this.

Truthfully, you’re grateful all they're doing is staring. If not for your eldest brother’s protectiveness, you’re sure more than a crowd of men would be vying for your hand in marriage, flooding your house with mail and wedding offers. Your second brother is not so fortunate, pinned by pointed stares from all sides by unwed women waiting for the right moment to pounce on him.

He pinches the edge of your sleeve before you can attempt to sneak your way towards the buffet table. “And where exactly are you going?” Amazingly enough, his pleasing smile doesn't falter even as he grumbles out his admonishment, still as flawless as ever.

“To eat. The catering is wasted on you socialites, no one bothers to take a bite just to talk to other people.” You’ve learned a thing or two from your brothers, and so your own polite smile doesn't twist into something more fitting for the tone of your voice.

His mouth opens again, definitely some spiel about how you should try making other connections because as much as Lumine is pleasant company, she will not be of any help to your trading endeavors, but a girl adorned in frilly lace tries her luck in hitting on him and you slip away when he's not looking.

As expected, the feast on the buffet table is untouched. You help yourself to a few plates, searching for Lumine all the while. As per true protagonist fashion, she’ll arrive fashionably late at the banquet and bring attention to herself when the grand doors reveal her in a stunning dress. Had you not intervened, she would've gotten a pretty dress some way or another anyway—it’s bound by the law of the universe. In the original game, she helped an old lady cross the street and she turned out to be the owner of a high-end boutique.

But time goes by with no sight of familiar blond locks, and you’re getting pretty full from the steak served. You’re thinking about going to your brother to spare him from the women when someone approaches you, a series of footsteps gradually becoming more audible—from a respectable distance, of course, but near enough to know they came with a purpose. You stop yourself from sighing, taking a moment to collect yourself and school your expression into something more elegant.

Your efforts are rendered useless when your jaw immediately drops upon seeing the figure of the very person you were trying to avoid.

Are you fucking kidding me?!

Standing before you is Neuvillette himself, the crowd behind him parted like the Red Sea. He’s finely dressed, crisp suit accented with his House’s signature colors blue and gold, and his long hair is fashioned into a low ponytail that rests on the side of his chest. His intimidating air rivals that of the royal family, a commanding presence that drives people to bow to him at once. Yet this time, the crowd instead unashamedly stares at the spectacle the pair of you must make, both parties that are often absent in galas now crossing paths.

The etiquette lessons hammered into your body makes you curtsy in a show of respect, starkly contrasting the crude expletives roaring in your head as your eyes lock onto a vague figure behind him. It’s hard to meet his eyes. “Good evening, Your Grace. I believe this is our first encounter.” But I worked really hard to make it never happen, you know?!

In turn, Neuvillette bows his head in greeting. “Indeed. I’ve heard much about my lady, so I am glad I have the opportunity to meet you at last.”

The smile on your face twitches, the fabric between your fingers wrinkling under your tightening grip. “Pardon?”

“Your older brother is quite fond of you. He’s been telling me stories of your family whenever we have tea.”

Which brother is he talking about???

If it was your eldest brother, he would at least take care not to harm your clean reputation, but his gushing about his cute younger sister could be embarrassing. However, if it was your much more tactless, stupid brother who still holds a grudge over you eating the last tea cake given by foreign ambassadors from a neighboring country, he’d probably tell Neuvillette everything that would make your “precious flower of Silva” title entirely undeserving.

“A… haha… is that so…” you begin fanning yourself harder, trying to keep your nervous sweating at bay. Neuvillette turns his head, looking around your surroundings.

“I believe you were escorted by your brother. Is he preoccupied?”

The corner of your mouth curls into a slight smirk. “Certainly. Women have been trying to pique his interest since the banquet began.”

At that, Neuvillette’s smile turns wry. You’re sure he relates to that a little too much, the poor guy. Even at this very moment, there are countless women observing the situation, attempting to find the right chance to jump in the conversation and steal him away. Though you do feel bad for him, you’re also wishing to find a good opportunity to leave without looking rude. After all, in the possibility that Lumine happens to like him, you’d soon be acquainted with him as his significant other’s closest friend.

Just as you’re cheering on a lady that’s beginning to approach the duke, he starts speaking. “If that’s the case…” Bowing once more, he outstretches his arm gracefully, offering his hand. The sight looks like a sparkling CG, and you’re not sure if the flowers surrounding him are really there or if you're starting to hallucinate. “Would my lady mind if I escorted you for the time being?”

Your fanning hand comes to a sharp halt. “Pardon?” you say for a second time, sounding more disbelieved than the last.

“I happen to be in a similar predicament as your brother,” his voice lowers to a hushed tone. “Though we haven’t known each other for long, I hope you can lend me a hand.”

Why is this happening to me…

And as if his pleading tone isn’t enough, he tops it off with a charming smile truly befitting a love interest in a dating simulator. “I’d also like to take this opportunity to be closer to you, my lady.”

--

You bite back the urge to sigh, lest Neuvillette think you thought he was an utter bore as a dance partner. Really, he’s nothing like that–there’s no way getting to see that handsome face up close could ever be boring. He’s a nice partner, actually; he leads the dance in a way that makes you comfortable, and you’re no dance prodigy, but you feel like you can close your eyes and dance just as well as long as you follow his lead.

Another point of thrill is the incessant glares you can feel on your back. Truly, Neuvillette’s more ambitious fans are terrifying. As the one in charge of the territory covering the boundary between the kingdom and the land of monsters, Neuvillette must be used to frightening creatures, but lovesick women must be a whole ‘nother terror for him altogether for him to ask for your help to avoid them.

Still…

He’s the only person I’m trying to avoid at this place, and now I’m dancing with him. Haha. What am I even doing here?

You feel him squeeze your hand softly. “Is something on your mind?” Neuvillette’s voice breaks you out of your trance. You look up at him, noticing he looks worried.

“I apologize. I wasn’t paying attention.” You shake your head, giving him a small grin.

He frowns. “It’s not that. If you feel tired or unwell, please tell me.”

“I’m fine! Very much so!” You suddenly feel bad for cursing him, albeit indirectly, in your head. You understand why the original villainess liked him so much, but you should avoid interacting with him unless strictly necessary… once this dance ends. “I must say, Your Grace has quite the number of admirers. This is the first time I’ve been stared at so intensely by a crowd of women.”

He hums thoughtfully as you twirl away from him as part of the step sequence, and he catches your waist with ease when you return. “I could say the same for you. Gentlemen we pass by have been eyeing me with hostility ever since we started dancing.”

“What?” You look around the ballroom, making a sound of surprise when you see multiple nobles eyeing Neuvillette with some amount of envy and detestation. You’ve been so caught up with the attention Neuvillette’s been getting that you overlooked your share of trouble.

“The son of the viscount in particular seems to be the most eager to ask for a dance.” He averts his gaze to the man standing by the buffet table who’s been glaring at the pair of you pretty hard. Farthest thing from your type.

“I suppose I’ll have to find my brother when this song is over, then.”

Silence ensues in the remaining duration of the song, but it’s a comforting one. You’re not much of a talker anyway, and it’s hard to think of things to talk about when practically everyone in the audience is looking for a chance to steal both of you away from each other. Eventually, the last notes of the violin are played, and you finish the dance with bows of courtesy.

“Thank you for complying with my request.”

“It was nothing. I’m glad I could lend a hand.” Your eyes roam over the area, securing the shortest route to get to your brother. “Our encounter was brief, but you were truly pleasant company, Your Grace.”

You plan to leave it at that, the heel of your foot already spinning to turn in the opposite direction. Okay, good. That’s just an irregularity. It’s too bad I couldn’t completely avoid him, but as long as we don’t get too involved with each other, it should still be safe-

But then you feel a gentle hand wrap around the tips of your fingers. You turn back, the initial confusion wearing off to shock. Neuvillette is holding your hand. Neuvillette is holding your hand. Slowly, he brings it closer to his face, and for a moment, you think, Oh, his eyelashes are pretty long, before you feel him press a soft kiss on your knuckles.

You hear a gasp. Numerous, you correct yourself, on varying levels of shock. You hope that god-awful dramatic one didn’t come from you, but you aren’t too sure because the only things on your mind are Neuvillette’s hand around yours, his irresistible smile, and the words that leave his lips.

“If my lady doesn’t find my company disagreeable, would you consider meeting me on another occasion?”

In your time living as a noble, you’ve somewhat gotten used to speaking in formal language. In nobility terms, that’s basically Neuvillette asking you out on a date.

“...Pardon???”

Word spread quickly throughout the social network. That’s within expectations, knowing how nosy nobles can get. By the time the imperial banquet ended, everyone in attendance already heard that Neuvillette had taken interest in a woman, and that woman happened to be the daughter from the Silva family.

Objectively speaking, it isn’t a bad match. Both families have something to gain from a marriage union, which is why the original duke from the game agreed to the engagement in the first place.

Subjectively, however…

“I’ve gathered you all here today to have an important discussion.”

Presently, you are situated at the family dining table. As usual, there’s a heavenly feast spread out on the table, but all the food remains uneaten because there’s apparently a more pressing matter at hand.

“...The duke has spoken his intentions to court our [Name],” your eldest brother says grimly, hands locked together and placed under his chin.

“You’re overreacting, he just asked me if I wanted to meet him another time.” You rolled your eyes, reaching for the garlic bread appetizer. He promptly swats it away. “Hey!”

“That’s basically the same thing,” your second brother argues. “Not that I don’t like His Grace, but it’s so sudden. Nobody has caught his eye until now, and I find it hard to believe you’re the first one ever.”

“Now you’re just dissing me.”

“I don’t see why you’re all unhappy about this,” your mother cuts in, smiling pleasantly. “The duke is an honorable man, one of the few I think are deserving of our [Name]. If he shows his loyalty and dedication to her throughout the courtship, we’ll see how well he’ll treat her.”

“That is if [Name] likes him. If she doesn’t and he continues to bother her, I’ll have to step in, status aside.” Your ever protective father frowns as he slices the steak on his plate. “Do tell us if he’s making you uncomfortable, honey.”

“Uh, no, I wouldn’t go that far…”

The only issue you have with the duke is that he’s a love interest. In the original game, him and your character would have nothing to do with each other if it weren’t for the original you insisting on being engaged to him. You don’t know what happened to her in the bad endings, but the situation probably wasn’t ideal. You thought as long as you avoided him, you could steer clear of trouble…

But if he’s the one running after you, what are you supposed to do…?!

“At the very least, you don’t dislike him, do you?” Your second brother cocks up an eyebrow.

“Not really, no.”

“Then hypothetically, if he invited you for a boat ride in the town today, would you go?”

“Hold on a second!” Your eldest brother interrupts. “We still haven’t discussed whether or not he’s worthy of [Name] yet, have we?”

“I thought we were past that.”

“We need to discuss it in detail.”

“Discuss what? The duke’s abundant treasury, contributions to the war against the dragon lord, or his reputation of being a gentleman towards all women?”

“...There has to be something he lacks.”

“What he lacks is a wonderful, caring wife,” your mother says. “And if [Name] is interested in the duke, we shouldn’t get in their way. I know you’re worried, dear. [Name] has always been stuck in the house because she’s sickly, but if a man wants to take her out to have a fun excursion, you should let her. His Grace is also very considerate of the people around him. Surely, if he notices her feeling unwell, he’ll take care of her.”

I haven’t said anything about wanting to go on a date with him though?!

“Fine. I don’t disapprove of him, but…” Your brother eyes you warily. “You best be home before sundown.”

A day passes. You hear three knocks on your door. When you allow the servant to enter your room, a maid rushes to you in a hurry, a letter sealed with the insignia of the Marechaussee House in her hands.

“Brother, I haven’t even received an invitation yet…”

--

The cake tower in front of you is magnificent. The fresh fruits topped on whipped cream are vibrant pops of color, and the frosting is piped beautifully in intricate swirls and shapes. The cakes pair well with the tea served, too, and you’re already planning to bring Lumine here the next time you’re both free to talk about the imperial knight she ended up talking to at the banquet. That route is definitely your favorite and you can’t wait to hear about the details.

Damn it.

There’s nothing wrong with the food. This pastry shop has been making its rounds in the newspapers for its delectable new additions on the menu, and they didn’t disappoint your tastebuds.

Though you have to say they’d be a lot more enjoyable if you weren’t surrounded by women eavesdropping on your little meeting with Neuvillette.

“This strawberry shortcake is delicious,” Neuvillette notes. “I’m not too fond of sweets, but they taste great. You should give it a try.”

“Oh, yes, when I finish this one…” The mango cheesecake is to die for, but it’s kind of hard to swallow with the death stares pinpointed at your direction. You hope the pastry shop allows takeout. “Thank you for inviting me to come here, Your Grace.”

“I noticed you mostly ate desserts at the imperial banquet, so I thought you would enjoy trying the food here.” He’s smiling, but when he glances over at your unwanted audience, his eyes gloss over and appear colder. “I didn’t anticipate there would be many people today. I’m sorry for that.”

Some of the women visibly twitch. They weren’t exactly caught red-handed, but it does prove that they’re guilty. Someone probably saw us here and told everyone else… Gossipmongers are scary.

“This situation is out of your control, you don’t have to apologize. And, uh, I wanted to talk to you about something, so your invitation came at a good time.” You fiddle with the edges of your sleeve, plucking at the lace.

Sensing the mood, the duke places down his fork to give you his full attention. “What did you want to talk about?”

Well. Here goes nothing. “Um… your invitation back at the imperial banquet… are you referring to a friendly chat or…” It’s sorta hard to say “Do you want to date me?” straight to his face. In the small chance you’ve gotten the wrong idea, you’d hate to appear presumptuous, so self-absorbed to think the highly-praised Neuvillette fell for you of all people. Lumine, you’d understand–the girl has a knack for melting the coldness of your heart and taking down people’s walls, and it’s why you became friends with her despite the odds. You, though… Nothing specific comes to mind.

Unexpectedly, a soft chuckle reaches your ears. You raise your head, surprised to see Neuvillette laughing. It’s possibly the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard in your life. When he catches you staring, he composes himself, but the dazzling smile remains on his face. “I was certain I made my intentions clear, but I suppose I’ll have to be more forward next time.”

A flush crawls up to your cheeks, burning hot. “No, I swear I know what you mean- just making sure, you know? I mean, I wouldn’t want to assume the duke is interested in me without knowing for certain-”

You stop yourself from rambling, feeling you’ve said too much. Fuck. Is it just you or is Neuvillette’s smile a bit wider now? You stuff your stupid mouth with the shortcake he placed on your plate. It’s good. Your acting is very much not.

He clears his throat, getting back to business. “I understand you don’t see me that way. I would like to court you, but if you tell me to stop now, I will.”

Isn’t he backing off too easily? I mean it’s great he respects my decision, but if I turn him down now, it’d probably be bad for his reputation…

“Before we… have that discussion, I still have more questions to ask.” You sip on your tea to wash down the sweet taste on your tongue. It’s silent once you put the cup on the table. Placing your hands on your lap, you look directly into Neuvillette’s eyes, searching for an answer. “May I ask Your Grace why you took an interest in me?”

The silence persists for a few seconds more. It doesn’t seem like he’s thinking of the perfect words to swoon you over; he’s thinking about how to verbalize what he truly thought of you.

He opens his mouth after careful consideration. “...It began as curiosity,” he starts, tapping rhythmically on the table. “I had my own reasons for turning down invitations to parties, so I wondered what were yours.”

You swallow. Officially, you turned those down using your health as an excuse. But your constitution has improved greatly compared to when you were young, and evidently, you’re almost just as healthy as any person. At the very least, you’re not at risk of passing out or losing breath in the middle of an event anymore. He must’ve picked up on that.

“I’ve heard about you from other people. According to their words, you were ‘the loveliest flower’ in the kingdom, with unparalleled gracefulness and beauty… but your elder brother’s stories suggested otherwise.”

I’m kicking his ass when I get back home.

“And yesterday, I met you myself. I thought you differed from how they described you.” He pauses, drinking his tea. “I’ve heard many say you were quite the stoic character, always hard to read. But you make a lot of interesting expressions behind your fan. You don’t hide your true thoughts when you speak, or perhaps you’re simply bad at hiding them. I previously found your brother’s stories unbelievable, but now I can see that the colorful personality he was talking about wasn’t very far off.”

??? “Colorful personality”?? Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

“...I understand.” You really don’t, but you won’t bother asking him for more details. Everything he said thus far lowkey sounds like a diss. “Let me rephrase my question, then.”

It’s okay. This isn’t unfamiliar territory, and you’re not stupid. Obviously, if you do different things from the original, the story will derail from its original course. That’s what always happens in transmigration manhwas, after all. You noticed that early before the plot could truly change. If so, perhaps you can control the amount of change that will happen.

You sit up a little straighter, eyes laser-focused on his reaction to what you’re about to say. “What are you after, trying to get closer to me?”

You know these tropes. If you give him what he needs, you can separate soon, no strings attached.

Neuvillette makes an expression of confusion, his brows knitted. “Your hand in marriage,” he says it like it’s the obvious answer.

“Not that! Is there anything you need help with?”

“I did say I was having trouble with the women at the banquet, but that was more of an excuse to talk to you.”

You sputter, “W-well, you need someone to fake-date or fake-marry then?” Fake-dating often leads to them actually dating, but if you’re careful, you can probably keep that from happening, right?

The furrow in his brow deepens. “I don’t want to use you to stop women from chasing me. I want to marry you.”

Goddamn it. Does this guy have his own set of dialogue choices and he keeps on picking the one that raises affection? “…Okay, I get it! You need something from my family! What is it? We don’t need to be married for me to help you.” You cross your arms triumphantly. That should do it.

Instead of agreeing, Neuvillette looks forlorn. “Lady [Name], is it really that hard to believe I want to marry you without something else in mind?”

Now Neuvillette looks like a kicked puppy and you’re solely to blame for it. Fuck!

You sigh, rubbing circles on your temple. “I just… fail to see why Your Grace is interested in me.” You’re not talking yourself down, nor do you have low self-esteem. You simply don’t recall doing anything that would make him fall for you at all. Logically speaking, there’s just no reason behind his actions.

Your eyes widen when you have a moment of eureka.  Maybe talking yourself down is actually the way to get him off your trail?

“I’m sure Your Grace is aware, but I have a weak constitution…” you begin your pitiful tale, coughing softly to prove your point. “I can’t work very long, and I require plenty of rest to function in daily life. In the case that we marry, I might not be able to keep up with the tasks the lady of the house is expected to handle. Rather than support you as your wife, I might merely become a burden to you. And most importantly…”

A lot of what you just said aren’t complete lies, but you did exaggerate them greatly. Even if he isn’t convinced with those, you still have a hidden card up your sleeve, one that’s sure to discourage him.

“...With my feeble body, it would be difficult to sire you an heir for the duchy,” you state firmly, placing emphasis on this one point. Successors are absolutely a requirement for each family, because who else will inherit the title and everything that comes with it when the current head comes to pass? For this, you’re not even sure if you’re exaggerating anymore. The future of the original [Name] Silva was left unclear, so who knows if your body will improve or deteriorate with time?

Neuvillette’s face becomes stoic. This much is expected. Any moment now, he’ll take back his words…

…As you’re thinking that, you feel him touch your hand once more, not unlike the time at the banquet. You don’t know when you started fidgeting with the napkin on the table out of anxiety, but he’s rubbing a thumb over your knuckles to soothe you now, gentle touches that verge on ticklish.

“I’m prepared for that,” he says softly. “I won’t spare any expense on your treatment, of course, and in the case your condition worsens, I won’t stop finding ways to make you feel better. But I would never make you do anything to push you beyond your limits. I’ll take on everything you can’t do. Eventually, we’ll need to talk about successors, but I need you to know that I won’t force you or put you in any risk. If needed, I’ll talk to my relatives and figure out something from there.”

???!?!?!?!?!!!?! He wants to pass on the title to someone who’s not a direct descendant?!?!?

Your mouth is agape. You’re sure your jaw-dropped face doesn’t look very pleasant, but the affection in his gaze doesn’t dwindle. Heavy. Everything he just said is so heavy. The future is scary to think about, but when he says it like that, why does it feel like you can lean on him freely?! This is no time to be getting swept off your feet, [Name]! Focus!

“Are you still not convinced?” He moves his face closer, concern in his eyes.

“No, I get it! I get it already!” You take your hand back, but his warmth still lingers. You hold your fingers like they’re scorched, yet pain is the furthest thing from what you’re feeling, and your heart flutters traitorously in your beating chest. “You’re being unfair. If you go that far, there’s no way anyone could turn you down.”

The smile returns to his face as he takes his hand back as well. “I take it that you’ve given me permission to court you, then?”

!!! Sly! That’s what this person is, sly! He knew what he was doing!

You make a face. “Ugh… maybe persistent guys are too dangerous for me…”

“Lady [Name], you’re speaking your thoughts out loud again. Not that I dislike it, though.”

The duke of Marechaussee has found a potential bride.

“I-! Nevermind…”

That’s putting it lightly because everyone that has heard of them is certain that they’ll marry in the near future. With the amount of flirting the two have done (leaked by the eavesdropping jealous-admirers-turned-shippers), it’s a mystery why they haven’t made the announcements yet.

Notably, the pair of them frequented restaurants the most, visiting the shops highly regarded for their sweets. Chatting in slow boat rides seem to also be one of their most favored dates, and at one particularly disastrous time when the boat tipped over by accident, the duke had fretted over the lady while she merely laughed in joy, insisting she was fine and her partner was being too much of a worrywart. Both started to attend more gatherings, almost never spotted to be straying from each other, and it was more or less their indirect way of telling the public eye they were exclusive.

Their romantic dates are all common knowledge to anyone nosy by now, but there’s one thing they absolutely cannot spread.

“Don’t tell this to anyone,” a woman whispered to her loyal companion. “And I truly mean that this time. Don’t do it.”

“What is it? Is it something really bad? ‘Some high-ranking noble has a secret love child’ bad?”

“No!” This time, the woman took care to whisper her words even quieter, “I heard the duke requested a jeweler to craft an engagement ring…!”

Things I couldn’t fit into the fic:

Neuvillette already met you when you were younger. In one of the first gatherings you attended, you talked to each other because you were near in age. However, you collapsed due to your constitution and he was the one to alert the adults and carry you to a sick room. He used a handkerchief embroidered with his initials to wipe away the blood you threw up, and you hid it away in your bedside table after cleaning it in hopes of returning it (if he still wanted it back, soiled once and all) when you saw him again. Unfortunately, your family members were worried and didn’t let you outside for a long time to avoid having you perform strenuous activities, and you didn’t recognize him at a later gathering when he tried striking a conversation with you. He noted you were slowly getting better, but wondered why you weren’t attending parties if you were relatively well now.

You probably interacted with him when he was pretending to be a normal commoner several times already before your “first meeting.”

You didn’t fall for him immediately, but it was a slow progression until you forgot about the whole ‘I’m in an otome game world’ thing completely.

"No, you may not come to the gym with me."

Your lips purse in indignation. "Excuse me?"

Sakusa stands up from tying his shoes, still tall enough to look down on you though he's standing in the genkan. "You heard me." His eyes narrow.

You narrow yours right back. "And why exactly, pray tell, can I not come to the gym with you? Meian said it was okay!"

"Because," he grimaces, "you're a distraction. You just stand around ogling my teammates."

"I don't ogle them," you scoff. "I hangout. And if they happen to come up and talk to me that's hardly my fault!"

"Is that what you call it?"

"Excuse me?" you ask, your voice darkens defensively.

"Tch." Sakusa starts to open the door but you slam it shut, throwing yourself in his path. "Move."

"No," you snap. "We've been friends and roommates long enough that you should know I'm not going to put up with your bullshit or let you walk out mid-conversation, so spit it out Kiyoomi!"

"Get out of the way," he snarls. "Don't act insulted like you're there to hangout when all you do is flirt with Miya!"

"Flirt with Miya!?" You scowl. "What are you talking about?!"

"I'm talking about the way the two of you are all over each other, leaning into each other's personal space all the time. He picked up that stupid nickname from you and you're always going off somewhere private to talk."

"Oh my god, we talk about you!"

The tension pops

and immediately you realize you've said something more than you meant to say.

Kiyoomi straightens up. "What did you just say?"

"Nothing," you quickly reply. "I didn't say anything."

You try to sidestep him but he blocks your path.

"You said" --his voice is quieter but harder now in a way that makes you shiver involuntarily-- "that you talk about me?"

You try to step past him the other way but he cuts you off, his arms caging you in from both sides.

Sakusa says your name cautiously and it spikes your pulse. "What are you saying to Miya...about me...that you can't say...to me?"

You don't say anything for a long moment, unable to look at him. "Can you just let this go? I'll stop asking to go to the gym with you."

And then he says something you've never heard him say before.

"I'm sorry."

His voice is so low, so restrained, so fervent when he says it that you reflexively look at him and immediately wish you hadn't.

His expression is creased in worry and it pangs your heart.

"I can't just let it go," he says. He gives a little shake of his head bouncing the curls. "If it were anyone else I would...but you're too important to just let a comment like that slide, so please..." He holds your gaze imploringly. "I need to know what you've been talking about...in regards to me."

Your eyes fall closed in resignation as you whisper "my feelings...

"for you."

"Which are?"

"You're really going to make me say it?" your eyes flash open again in frustration but you just stare at his chest. "Just so you can--"

"Just so I can understand," he cuts you off firmly but not with hostility. "You were right before...when you said we've been friends long enough that you know me...or...whatever you said." He swallows thickly. "So you should know that I'm not the best at reading people...And I want to make sure..."

You're too aware of everything in this moment, every inch of your body and all the space it takes up. All the things you've been through with Kiyoomi in the past,

all the things you've longed for in the future.

"...that my feelings are reciprocated."

Your lips part and your eyes flick back up to his. You give a breathless "what?"

Sakusa stares at you with the intensity you've come to know and love.

"Love," he whispers.

You're not sure you would have heard him if you hadn't been so close.

He whispers "I don't want you looking at any of my teammates...or anyone else... because I'm...in love...with you."

All of your reluctance melts away.

"I'm in love with you, too," you whisper back. The words slip out as effortlessly as snow falling. "I...I don't go to the gym to ogle your teammates..." you whisper tremulously, on the verge of grinning. "I go...to oogle you," his eyes widen in shock and your grin breaks out, "your teammates simply caught me."

"You... you're in love with me?" he asks, bewildered, as if he hadn't just given you his own confession.

"Yes," you laugh, cheeks starting to hurt from your wide grin. "Why else do you think I agreed to live with you? I fucking love you, Kiyoo--"

He doesn't give you a chance to finish, cutting your words off with a kiss that's soft yet firm, demanding yet giving as he cups your cheeks and pushes you up against the door with his body as he presses all of himself to all of you.

You're still smiling as he kisses you over and over again. He lets you cup his cheek and run your fingers through his hair with a low moan.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that," you admit as his lips start to trace your jaw, your neck.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this." He lifts you off the floor and you instinctively wrap your legs around his waist, grabbing his shoulders--he chuckles slowly at your surprised sound.

You unwillingly catch sight of the time and groan. "'Omi...you're going to be late for training if you don't leave now."

He snorts against your neck where he's still kissing. "You want me to leave? Right now?"

"Ugh, no," you answer honestly. "But I'm not going to bother you about coming to the gym anymore so--"

He chuckles again, the low sound doing unhealthy things to your heart.

"What?" you ask. Demand, really.

He pulls back just far enough to lock his onyx gaze on you. "You can come with me if you want to..."

The corner of his mouth lifts in the smallest hint of a smirk and heat floods your body.

"but I'll give you something to really ogle when we get home."

The birth of the Dawn and the Dusk

synopsis: You planned your husband’s birthday months ago and even so something happens to not go according to the script.

pairing and characters: Diluc x fem!reader, your twin sons Rufus and Lucas, Alberich family (Kaeya, his wife and daughter Callie), Adelinde

tw: established relatioships, domestic moment, pregnancy stuff, fluff, a little bit hurt/comfort

word count: 10.8k+ words

author’s note: so late for my man’s birthday,,, But I am happy this one is finally out! Also there is a surprise at the end of the fic~ Hope you’ll enjoy everything!!!

Family AU masterlist

You feel so tired. Body aches and eyes hurt - you barely managed to fall asleep tonight, keeping your husband awake too to coax you into a state of slumber. This also added emotional stress, the clawing guilt for depriving him of sleep right before such a meaningful and happy day, but the man kept lovingly reassuring you that he didn’t mind and would support and comfort you always, especially now, when you are so vulnerable, just days away from welcoming your baby into this world.

Diluc was nothing but a saint throughout both of your pregnancies. However, while the first one was challenging for him too, because he was worried about the new role he’d have to fulfill and if he’d do it successfully, this one was easier on his end, so he channeled all his energy to you, being there for every step and every time you got overwhelmed, which, at first, happened way too often. Your other two kids used to be all over you asking questions about their unborn sibling, and while you love your angels to death, you truly do, - your hormones and their vigor sometimes created a bad mix. Luckily, it quickly got better, because Diluc took his time to explain to your boys why their mommy might be emotional or look really really tired, and that she isn’t upset with them and they need to be more careful around her. After that, the three of them became your anchor, with boys cuddling to you quietly to soothe and console you every opportunity they had, and Diluc arranging everything for your utmost comfort.

Keep reading

— just remember that i love you

notes: fluff, tsukishima kei x gn!reader, drabble (wc: 906)

a/n: idk, i initially wanted to write a short scenario but...i couldn't control my hand and...this happened. still, i hope you enjoy !! (also, requests are currently open ♡)

m.list | rbs are very appreciated <3

“kei?”

“hmmm?” he hummed in response, lifting his gaze from his phone and throwing your way an almost imperceivable smile.

“so uh, i was wondering…what made you fall in love with me?” you blurted out, blushing violently as you internally wondered how the hell did you gather up the courage to ask a similar question.

kei seemed to have been taken aback by such a peculiar and sudden inquiry, his usually collected expression was now confused, as signs of surprise—his widened eyes—spoke for him.

indeed, what made him fall in love with you? kei didn’t necessarily know, so he simply and confidently answered with a “i don’t really know,” which slapped all of your expectations to the ground.

“you know, you are supposed to say cute and cheesy things,” you pouted, turning your head to the other side, but with a strange uneasiness swimming in the depths of your mind.

you heard his chuckle, before feeling his arms wrapping around you from behind and a series of kisses placed on the crook of your neck, making your heart skip a beat and shivers run down your spine.

“if you wanted me to say sweet and cheesy things, you could’ve just said so,” his deep voice reached your ears, making you more aware of how close you actually were.

you tried to wriggle out of his hold, and simply ignored the blonde’s questioning gaze.

“you know it…isn’t like that,” you whispered, trying to shake off the uneasiness.

that same day, you’d heard many girls at your school talk about the karasuno volleyball players. and many of them were fans of tsukishima kei, the number 11 middle blocker, the tall man with short hair and glasses, who is both smart and good at sports, yet isn’t really interested in socializing with strangers. and then, they started talking about you, how they thought you weren’t fit to be with him. and although you knew you didn’t need to be so self-conscious, after all kei always blew away your insecurities, repeating how you were the only one for him, you couldn’t avoid the thought of him being with someone else—maybe someone more suited for him.

“hey…listen up,” he lifted your face and was right away met with the worry mirrored in your eyes. it was as if he’d sensed that there was something wrong, and this was one of the things that made you fall in love with him.

“you know why i answered like that? well, because there are just too many things that made me fall for you, okay?” he ran a hand through his hair, flustered and with rosy cheeks matching yours, as he tried to ignore the fast beating of his heart.

“although i need to say that, at first, i just found you as annoying as shrimpy–” you interrupted him with a punch on his right arm, to which he responded with a roll of eyes and simply continued, “i couldn’t avoid but being dragged towards you, even though you were talking or smiling to someone else, i felt greedy and wanted that attention to be for me to enjoy–” “oh, so that’s why you started calling me names like ‘shorty’, ‘squirrel’ and…‘stinkin' pea’?” you frowned as kei only raised an eyebrow.

please can you at least let me finish, is what his eyes were probably yelling.

you sealed your lips and just said no more.

“okay so where was i? man this is getting so embarrassing,” he whispered before clearing his voice and looking straight into your eyes.

“even though at first you didn’t seem to like the idea of me being around, i loved the way you still tried to put up with me and my sarcasm. well, i guess i was lost in you before i could realize it. no other person would be as perfect to me as you are, and–” you basically jumped into his arms, him losing balance and almost dropping to the ground, as you wrapped your arms and legs around him like a baby koala.

“aww my tsukki, i didn’t know you could be so sweet!” you exclaimed, snuggling in his chest, as he reluctantly enclosed you in his arms, feeling his entire face burning up.

you were really happy though. all the insecurities and fears you had before simply dissipated, leaving the previously turmoiled heart, warmed and at peace.

“okay, now tell me, what was all of this about?” kei asked, sitting on the bed with you still in his arms.

you’d tried to evade his eyes, but in the end, you simply gave up, and spilled everything.

and, just like that he…kissed you. simply.

he slowly placed his lips onto yours, and as you were lost in the touch and the fondness of him, you deepened the kiss, more and more, so much that, when you let go, both of you were breathless.

he pressed his forehead against yours, and took a hand to your cheek, slightly grazing it, while almost looking inside of you, into your soul, touching your heart and your mind.

“whoever said that is, one, a complete dickhead, two, a brainless idiot, three, not worthy of your worries,” he softly but sternly retorted.

he tightened his hold on you and, as you lay your head against his shoulder, he murmured one last thing that made your heart almost jump out from happiness.

“[name]...just remember that i love you, and no one else.”

© akaakeijii / do not plagiarize, reblogs are very appreciated <3

ejp !! (and iizuna)