Noah had quite the exhausting day. He'd listened to Ventus retell the adventures of the El Search Party in Varnimyr; Clamor wouldn't shut up afterwards, teasing the kid because of his childlike curiosity.
There was one thing left to do before retiring to his bed. The highlight of his time in Elrianode which was seeing a certain individual of the Landar camp.
That person happened to be you, brewing a vitality potion in your tent. It wasn't the wisest idea, seeing as you've set fire to it multiple times because of your shenanigans. Fortunately, there were many spares but you got scolded quite a bit.
Noah tried his best to make his presence known, by clearing his throat right outside your little shelter. You were too immersed in pouring tiny droplets of substances upon other tiny droplets of substances to hear anything.
Clamor made his discontent known: 'Kid, that was the most pathetic attempt at catching someone's attention I've ever seen. I've lived thousands.'
The boy got flustered and hushed him. Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the tent. Only then did you finally take notice of your visitor.
"Ah, Noah! I'm glad to see you! I'd tell you to come test my newly brewed potion, but I'm not sure of the side effects just yet," you giggled. He smiled softly and sat down next to you.
The faint bags under his eyes bothered you more than a bit.
"Have you been sleeping well lately?"
He shook his head, "I've been having some nightmares. Is it that obvious...?"
"Yes, and I have just the cure for it. A good night's sleep! Or at least a nap. Come put your head in my lap."
"Your, what?" mouth agape, he stared. Clamor was having a chuckle with their interaction and he made sure to let Noah know: 'You might as well confess at this point; the scene is set!' Since he was in front of you, he couldn't scold Clamor. Instead, his cheeks were tinted pink from his words.
"What, you've never laid your head in a lap before?" You seemed to be clueless.
"N-not really... but where did you get this idea?"
"I used to sleep in my sister's lap all the time when I was little. It helped a lot, especially when I was having nightmares," you shrugged. "It might feel a little sudden, but we've been talking for a while. It's fine right?"
He couldn't say no, because he didn't want to in the first place. Noah was a little reluctant to make the first move, but who wouldn't? A subtle encouragement from you was all it took for him to sigh and actually lay on your lap, closing his eyes.
"So I just have to sleep like this?"
"Yep, and don't be afraid. If you're having any bad dreams I'll wake you up, okay?" you let your hand pat his head, the gentle touch making him melt more into your thighs. It sent a shiver down his spine.
He was a little too nervous to fall asleep; he pretended to do so.
"Ah, I can't work on my potion like this... Why didn't I think of that before?" you whispered. To fill your time, you ran your fingers through his soft hair. "Good night, sleep well."
Of course, you didn't stop the touching and because of that his heartbeat was going haywire. Noah gulped, doing his best to keep calm.
You started humming a lullaby and he wanted so badly to doze off. No matter how much he wished it, he just couldn't.
"Hush, hush, go to sleep, little baby~"
"I'm not a little baby."
His curt reply startled you out of your trance.
"Gosh, I thought you were asleep. It's been a while, why aren't you?"
He opened his eyes slightly and looked up, only to realize it was a little embarrassing to face you in that position. He preferred total darkness to it.
"I can't... I don't know."
"Seems this isn't working out very well. I'll lay out a blanket and pillow for you, you can sleep in my tent if you'd like," you prepared to take him off your lap.
"I-I don't really want to get off you either..." he mumbled, pushing your hand away.
"Okaay... What do you want me to do then? Keep singing? Or maybe pat your head more?"
"Whatever you want," he blushed, his ears reddened as well. Clamor went to sleep not too long ago and he was very glad for that. He could have a little peace and quiet with y/n. "Why are you going this far anyway?"
"Because I love you."
He shot up, hitting your chin pretty hard. The two of you moaned in pain, holding your injured spots.
"That's one hell of a hard head you got there... This might leave a bruise, oww."
"I'm so sorry, I don't know what came over me," Noah spoke, rubbing his head. He didn't know whether to ask more about your possible confession or not. The situation had turned a tad bit awkward with seemingly no way out of it.
"You must have been taken by surprise I know," you had your mouth covered, still hurting. "But how could I not love you? It's really easy to."
When you used the same words, he realized there was only one answer he could give: "I feel the same."
"You think it's easy to love yourself?"
"N-no-"
"Awe, I'm just kidding, don't get too flustered on me. I can't handle when you're this cute!" The compliment made his ears go even redder. "This is where I go in for the kiss, right?"
"I think, you're moving a little too fast?!"
To contradict his words, you inched slowly towards him and cupped his cheek with your palm. Staring deep into his eyes, he stared into yours; they appeared to glimmer in the dimly lit tent with certain intentions, or so it seemed to Noah. He didn't hesitate and closed the gap in between, with a light peck at the corner of your lips.
"You're such a tease~" you winked and glanced behind him. A silhouette was standing right outside. Would you let that interrupt the moment?
"Did something happen?" he was a little concerned at your lack of response. He was worried he might have done something to upset you, but quickly he disregarded the thought and kissed you once again, fully. He pulled you closer onto him by the waist; feeling daring, Noah gently ran his fingers across your back, over the fabric of your clothing. Did he want to tickle you? Well, two could play that game.
With your lips still on his, you smiled as your hands found his hips. And on they went! Relentless, you tried to find his weak spot. It didn't last long, since he attempted to push you away in a giggling fit.
"N-no, I'm sensitive-!"
"What are you two doing in there?!"
You and Noah were petrified. His face turned a few shades whiter and you gulped.
"S-sis? Did you need me for something?"
"Yes, but are you doing something inappropriate? Now's really not the time," her stern voice made you sweat.
"Of course not, we were just tickling each other!" right as you said that, Noah's thumb traced across the back of your neck. 'Payback', his innocent smile seemed to tell.
"Yuria is sick, I need some of your most potent potions, and yourself. Right now."
His hand dropped and so did the mood. Noah ran out of air, it felt like he couldn't breathe anymore. 'Not again, not now,' he was so afraid to lose everything he'd gained up until that point. He was so afraid of losing you. The tips of his fingers were numb and he was so very cold inside a supposedly warm tent.
He never wanted to go back to that empty headache, the chilly, lonely temple. Not when he had so much to lose.
A voice echoed in his mind, over and over. His descent into nothingness was interrupted by the feeling of tears on his cheeks and your desperate attempts at wiping them away.
The thoughts wouldn't stop, but by looking at your face he could distract himself just for a little while.
"Please, Noah, what's gotten into you? Are you listening? I'm really worried, you weren't responding," your speech was a little too quick for him to understand, but he had no time to ask.
The boy grasped your palm tightly and looked right at you: "Let's see Yuria," he squeaked out a whisper from his dry throat, coughing afterwards.
"Alright. But I'm having you rest right away."
Hand in hand, you two followed your sister to Yuria's tent. Once you were in the proximity, you heard a hilariously loud 'ACHOO!' coming from inside, followed by a sniffle.
"Okay sis, lay it on me."
"We suspect it's just a cold, but she's been like this for a few days. Symptoms are as such-"
"You know, it might be just a cold. Have you tried any of my weaker warming potions?"
"Not yet," your sister approached you and spoke quietly. "Is Noah alright? He looks like he just came out of his casket."
She was right, more or less. After crying, his eyebags had darkened and he was a lot paler than when he entered your tent.
"Yes, he'll be fine, if you let me do my job."
"No need to get sassy on me, go take care of him already," she shooed you away.
It was too late to do so, since the boy had already gone inside Yuria's tent. He was staring blankly at her sleeping form, not a single sound he made. You almost didn't want to bother him, but he was standing way too close for comfort to Yuria's sleep snot bubble, so you had to drag him away.
"Were you worried about her? As you can see, she's fine. She needs some rest, but more importantly, YOU do. You look even worse than before."
Noah felt your hands on his shoulders; if it weren't for them, he believed he might've dropped to the ground. "...I'm a little tired."
"No wonder. Let's get you to my tent, it's getting late."
He was not as afraid, only anxious. Worried that it might all disappear, like it did before.
Even as he was tucked in by you and scolded by Clamor for leaving him alone, he couldn't shake it off. He didn't want to close his eyes; it was so easy to trick himself into thinking he was back there again if he did.
'Why do you look so grim? What's on your mind?' Clamor's had it with the teasing once he noticed he wasn't getting much of a response. His words were genuine, Noah knew.
"What if it'll happen again?"
'Ah, you mean the loop... There's a high chance it won't happen here, Elrianode is safe. It's beneficial to think of what ifs, yet in this case you are only hurting yourself.'
"Noah, please go to sleep. I'm here."
'What they said!!!'
You sat next to him, hugging your knees to your chest. You observed his exhausted expression intently, staring holes into him hoping he would magically lose consciousness. You knew of no intricate spells of the sort, neither could your potions imitate that effect. You were stumped.
You patted his hair and smiled sadly. His eyes suddenly found yours: "What if you forgot all about me? What then?"
Pondering, you answered with a question:
"What then? What would you like to know specifically? How I would react, how I would feel about you? It's difficult to think about, as there's so much I don't know. If I had met you in different circumstances, I'm sure it wouldn't have gone this path. But honestly, I think I'd fall in love with you again.
I'm just like that," you chuckled. He too smiled, mumbling that he was happy.
It took no genius to realize he fell asleep instantly.
The way to Elrianode was by no means a short one, you were prepared, and so was the rest of the Landar family, but after that whole fiasco with Titania and the new kid and his possibly cursed weapon and that curse that turned out to be a spell, who could blame you for feeling this tired?
You trusted your cousin Yuria, you really did. You had more reasons to trust her than you had for Titania, but you were shaken up nonetheless.
That was how most of your thought process had gone that day. You would agree to feeling exhausted, yet your mind wandered back to the recent events and so on, like an uncontrollable whirlwind of emotions.
You all had decided to set camp in a peaceful looking field. Staring further away you could take notice of a few lonely beautiful flowers. Resting was later, time for exploration was now; as if a button had been pressed inside your head.
It wasn't that far away and you had returned before you knew it with a few red carnations in hand. A few people glanced at you, disappointed. You understood them in a way: first thing you did after stopping for a break was pick some flowers which could've been incredibly dangerous, what if they were poisonous? What if Titania came back? What if you pricked your finger and bled to death? Alas, you were just too tired to care as you mused to yourself.
A pair of sad eyes had entered your line of sight. They weren't looking at you, but rather towards nothingness. Noah had purplish hair, or so you thought at first. It was easy to mistake him for a Landar if it weren't for his clothes, but that might've been a you problem. Everyone called him the new kid, despite a few of them being not that much older, yourself included.
You knew what to do with your carnations: save most of them to put in a vase for later and one to give to Noah. You believed it may at least bring a smile to his sorrowful face.
As you approached, he paid you no mind.
"Hello! Noah?"
Startled out of his thoughts, the boy turned his head to your hand which held the prettiest red carnation you could find.
"I want you to have this. I hope it makes you feel a bit better," you smiled softly.
With a quiet 'thank you' he accepted it, but after a few seconds his cheeks had turned as red as the flower itself. Noah shook his sickle? You didn't really know what it was, but the action was a little strange.
"I'll go now!! Thank you!" with that he ran away. Was he very shy?
The answer to that only Noah had, since Clamor kept shouting: 'And it's a red carnation too, might as well mean undying love! Nice score, kid!'
"Shut it!"
You and a few others watched his little seemingly one-sided freak out for a while longer. Welp, at least he wasn't sad anymore!
Turning the 'CLOSED' sign around, you made your way to the counter. Pastel white would've dominated the room if it hadn't been for the flowers in all colors, each carefully arranged on their shelves and even on the ground. The smell of grass was almost overwhelming, but you were used to it.
As a flower shop owner, it came with good and bad, some activities you enjoyed more than others. Killing time in the early morning at the cash register wasn't one of them. You hoped the day would later bring a few customers: it always happened.
You started watering the plants. There was something that caught your eye, the lotus flowers specifically lacked water more than others.
Before you could sink yourself into your thoughts, the bell chimed.
A pretty lady came into the store taking small steps. Long dark hair swayed behind her as she looked around with big apricot eyes. She was wearing casual clothes, yet carried herself with more grace than that.
"Welcome! How may I help you?"
She was startled by the loud voice but quickly composed herself. "I'd like a few lotus flowers."
You cringed and didn't recompose as fast as she did. "Wait just a moment, I must check on them first."
By checking them you meant pretending to do so, while appearing deep in thought. Your morals would not let you charge her the full price for those sorry little petals.
"Oh, they're fine, please choose whichever you would like."
"Do you have any orange ones?"
"I'm sorry?" your eyebrow twitched.
"Orange. Like oranges. Wait, that's not a good example..." she furrowed her brows in thought.
You stared at the pink and white lotus flowers, believing they fit very well with your shop's scheme and tried to make sense of what the lady had just spoken.
"I don't really think orange lotuses exist???"
"Oh, my bad. I'll take a few pink ones then."
She looked so stupidly cute you wanted to bash your head in. As a proud shopkeeper, you had to keep those thoughts deeply hidden in your mind lest you wanted to face an awkward situation and a possibly ruined reputation.
The two of you arrived at the counter, lady ready to pay.
"That'll be-"
The slap of a fat stack of cash on the wooden surface interrupted whatever you meant to say.
"Is this enough...? Actually, I'm wondering about something. Are you hiring? Can I work for you?" she was getting quite fired up.
The shock still hadn't subsided so you stuttered out a few words in front of the patient yet intimidating girl.
"I can do many things, even work a night shift if needed! Please, I just need a job..."
She got on her knees and that's where you caved in.
"Alright, alright, please get up! You didn't even give me enough time to think about it, but you're hired!"
"Thank you so much, I'm so glad~!" in her bubbling excitement, the girl neglected to notice that she'd pulled you into a very tight hug. By then, you knew that with her as your assistant, falling in love was inevitable. You resigned to your fate as you lowkey melted into her arms.
It wasn't long before she actually realized what she was doing and apologized profusely, yet there was but one thing on your mind.
"Why don't you help me water the flowers for now?"
The clock showed exactly one hour away from the end of Elrios Fried Chicken's night shift. You sighed as you tapped on the counter, impatient to go home.
There were barely any customers and two of your co workers gossiped in the kitchen. You studied the few people who actually ate at such a late time, but they looked average and couldn't pique your interest. Sighing once again, you glanced in the back; "Chung" and Elsword were talking about a new cello the former got? Totally not your thing.
"Chung" is "Chung" because no one is named Chung. He was quite mysterious, as he wanted really badly to be hired, willing to do any grunt work the manager threw at him. You felt quite bad at first, but soon enough he'd earned a place in the kitchen. Everyone called him Chung, you knew him as "Chung". In no universe would that be his real name.
Your eyes met and he did a little wave. You returned the gesture while failing to notice the customer waiting in front of the counter.
"Yes, hello, do you work here? Or is that uniform supposed to tell me something else?"
"I do work here, sir! I'm sorry for that, what would you like to order?"
"I'd like a Joy Meal, for home please."
You almost snickered. Was the man at the wrong restaurant?
"I'm sorry sir, we don't serve Joy Meals here. You can take a look around at what else we have though."
"What do you mean you don't serve Joy Meals?! The ad told me I could get Joy Meals right at this place, first there's workers spacing out and now you refuse service?"
"Sir, please calm down. I can point you to the nearest El Donald's-"
"I am NOT leaving. I didn't walk all this way to get nothing, so I want my Joy Meal. Now!"
The man was starting to get quite angry, spouting more and more nonsense. You wanted to curl up and disappear, dealing with stuff like this so late was giving you a headache.
"My co worker here already said we don't serve Joy Meals. So please leave before I call the manager for harassing the cashier," Chung spoke formally. Just moments ago, he had a huge smile on his face as he told his friend all about his day. Towering over the man, eyes emotionless, his lips were pursed into an almost snobby expression; you'd be pissing your pants if you were in that guy's place.
"O-oh alright then, I'll be going to El Donald's instead... and leave EFC a bad review..." he mumbled as he scurried away to the exit.
Relieved, you sighed: "Thanks for helping me keep my peaceful night. I'll treat you to a coke."
"You don't have to, it's also part of my job," he chuckled, avoiding your gaze and glancing at the clock. "Seems like your night's almost over. Can I walk you home?"
That was a little out of nowhere, you thought. But boredom makes one do wacky and uncharacteristic things.
"Sure, why not."
Time wooshes to the two of you in front of the restaurant. "Chung" waved goodbye to his good pal Elsword whose long red and black hair flowed in the wind. You always thought it made him look emo which is why you never really approached him. But it was also slightly gay; if you spouted that while having a normal chat, you'd have gotten your ass beat.
Meanwhile, "Chung" had a slightly chubbier face, compared to the leather clothes and absolute hulk boots he had on. He didn't need no spikes, his hair did that for him.
"Alright, let's go. Where to?"
You pointed in the direction of your home and took the lead, with the boy following right behind. Your sleepiness went away the instant you faced that angry man, so all left to do was stare into space. Sadly, it was a chilly spring night and your short sleeves weren't fit for the job.
"Are you cold? I can give you my jacket if you want."
"No, I'm fine." You weren't.
"You don't look like it, so take it okay?" he grinned, wrapping it around your shivering body anyway.
The two of you kept walking. It was only a short distance left to your home when a genius idea came to mind.
"Your name isn't Chung, is it?"
"Ahah," his smile faltered "How did you know?"
"I mean, who's named Chung? What kind of name is Chung?"
"It's a nickname, you're right, but do you really wanna know?"
"That's why I asked."
"Chung" seemed the tiniest bit uncomfortable and you almost wanted to take it back.
"Just promise you won't laugh and I'll say it."
"Deal."
"Chung" fidgeted, covering his mouth, uncovering his mouth, ruffling his hair, tidying his hair, until he finally let out: "I-it's... Prince."
"Kinda fitting actually."
"You don't think it's funny? Wait, why fitting?!"
"You give off the air of a prince trying to pass off as your usual guy."
"Look, I'm getting better at that. This is why I want people to know me as Chung, I feel like it truly fits me."
"I can see it, but it's still not enough. By the way, we're here, Prince."
"Don't call me that..." he puffed his cheeks and you squished them, giggling. Chung chuckled too. "I don't really want this to be over, can I walk you home tomorrow too?"
You knew Haivan was up to something Berthe didn’t like.
You were a proud Garen soldier, it was only logical you’d pledge loyalty to Berthe himself. On many occasions you had the chance of ratting the Nous brat out, but with no proof it proved to be a challenge.
One night, when everyone had gone to celebrate another soul captured, Haivan was the last to arrive. He went unnoticed by many, but you kept an eye on him. He looked so tired, you almost felt pity. You went to talk to him, figure out what was wrong; snarky responses were all you received.
After that, catching the brat red handed was your top priority. You pestered him every chance you got and he fought your advances with words alone. It didn’t take long for you to get mad, threatening him with violence. He looked so afraid, so pitiful; you could squash him right then and there…
Suddenly he reminded you: Berthe would not leave you alive. Never before had you come so close to fearing death.
After that, your interactions weren’t as intense. Along the way you forgot what you started talking to him for, seeking his company out of your own volition. Haivan seemed more charming by the encounter. Soon enough, you realized that what you wished for wasn’t just camaraderie.
You had to let him know, it was only fair to your heart.
“Haivan…”
His ears perked; you’d only called him Nous brat before.
“I love you,” you spoke quickly.
Shortly after, he let out a chuckle, followed by full blown laughter. You were upset, but stood your ground and waited for a real response. He noticed that you were serious about it. Realization setting in, his face looked surprised. Seeing him that vulnerable was incredibly rare. Mouth slightly agape, with eyes wide open he stared like a child.
It didn’t last long; he looked at you and smiled, raising his tone:
“I love you too,” he seemed very excited and you were happy. You approached him, putting a hand on his shoulder. Haivan flinched, but shrugged it off shortly.
“I want you to be safe. Whatever you’re planning, please don’t betray Berthe.”
“Mhm! No worries.”
Did that stop him?
It didn’t stop you from following him either, like a fool in love.
You were sipping punch from your glass, observing all your friends having fun without you; feeling a little tired, what else was there to do?
The party was a modest one; nothing you couldn’t handle. Every single person was minding their own business and chatting, it was a surprise but they didn’t make much noise. The only group boisterous enough to make a difference was yours and frankly speaking, you felt a little embarrassed.
A wave of crimson, voluminous hair passed right by your face. He happened to be a good friend of yours and the party’s host, also angry again. Rosso had a habit of pacing around a room and mumbling to himself. When you told him that, he refused to believe it.
You reached for his shoulder and tapped lightly.
“What?!” his sudden yell startled a good chunk of people, including yourself. You made a shushing movement with your finger and dragged him to the kitchen.
“What’s got you angry this time?”
“What’s that got to do with you?” he snarked.
“It’s got everything to do with me. I care about you, you know? It makes me sad to see you angry all the time.”
Your attack worked. Rosso always turned to mush whenever you hit him with something of the sort. With a visible blush he tried to act tough:
“Just go hang out with your friends. I’m busy now.”
“C’mon, loosen up a bit. Let’s drink some punch together,” you smiled.
“Not now, y/n. Don’t make me tell you twice!” with a final yell, he slammed the door to his bedroom. ‘Grumpy much,’ you thought to yourself. Then again, you got used to it ever since you knew the guy.
You headed back towards the living room, only to notice nothing changed. You grabbed another glass of punch, hoping to forget your new found headache.
Soon enough, the doorbell rang and you happened to be near, deciding to see who it was. Before taking a step, red hair tickled your face. Door opened, slammed, red hair at it again, then another slam. No one really cared, since they were used to his antics as well. Denif, on the other hand, let out a loud sigh.
You thought there would finally be peace for the evening, but you were dead wrong. Third slam in a row, Rosso stomped towards you. At that point, for some reason, all eyes were on the two of you.
He was fidgeting with something behind his back, avoiding your stare. You took a few more sips of your punch, curious about what he had to share.
“y/n, I got something for you,” he was holding a box, the color of which you couldn’t really make out. “Take it,” Rosso threw it onto your chest, but your hands were full and the poor thing kissed the ground. Quick, you left the glass on the table, grabbing the gift off the ground before he could scream.
You mumbled a ‘thank you’, opening the box. Your eyes widened in surprise and you smiled.
“I love it.”
“Really?”
“Yes…” you tried to hold back your tears… of laughter. It was a ticket to a romance film, but you really hated those. You fought with yourself on a way of how to break it to him, but the passive side won.
“Then… I’ll meet you there?” Rosso blushed even more.
“Yep.”
You’d eat your words after a few sneaky kisses during the showing.
(y/n) let out a sigh of relief as they sunk into the lukewarm water. They were truly blessed to stumble across hot springs which they could have all to themselves. It was their night to relax and get rid of all the stress from battle… The El gang was quite exhausting to be around sometimes, especially since there weren’t any peaceful moments; every single person had a thing to complain about or start a fight for no reason.
Their thoughts were suddenly interrupted by another figure stepping into the water. Mind racing, they thought who could it have possibly been? No one dared use the mixed hot springs because they didn't want to deal with the opposite sex- but there it was, some possible predator stepping all over their territory.
“Ah, (Mr/Ms) Thief. I didn't know you'd be here as well,” Ain greeted with the ever-present smile. Turns out it was just the oblivious priest invading their space.
They didn't bother giving him another glance as he sunk most of his body into the water. It was impossible to comprehend why he didn't choose the other side of the bath; it was already tiny enough. An awkward silence followed, (y/n) blowing bubbles out of boredom while Ain closed his eyes as if to meditate. For the first time ever, he wore a peaceful expression in front of another living being.
“(Mr/Ms) Thief,” they groaned, “if you don't mind me asking, what is the point of those ‘hot springs’?” *bubbles stop*
(y/n) stared at him bewildered, but they didn't ask if he was joking; he never did anyway. They sighed and gathered all their intellect to answer the question as seriously as possible.
“Well, you see… hot springs… help you relax.”
“?”
“The water… you get in it… it feels good???”
“...I’m afraid I don’t quite understand.”
“Aaaah, how can you not get it?? Just shut up and relax in the water!” flailing their arms around, they missed one crucial detail…
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, it seems your towel slid off a bit.” they covered themselves instantly as a blush quickly formed on their cheeks.
“You didn’t see anything.”
“...Alright.” he didn’t pursue the subject further, which (y/n) was very thankful for. After a short while of mildly awkward silence, they took it upon themselves to break the quiet atmosphere since it was getting unbearable.
“Anyway, why do you keep calling me (Mr/Ms) Thief?? It’s not gonna take long for me to feel insulted, y'know?”
“I don’t mean it as a derogatory term, of course. Yet, when we met, you tried to swipe all of our food during an expedition in Sander… I still don’t understand Elsword’s decision to take you in.”
“Wow. Just wow. I’m not talking to you anymore.”
“Did I say something out of line? If so, I apologize.” his unwavering smile diagnosed (y/n) with a severe case of pouting.
“Aren’t priests supposed to be more social? It’s like you came from another world!”
“...Is that so?”
“You don’t even know what hot springs are!! How can I possibly believe you’re human?!” his passive aggressive expression told (y/n) something they weren't supposed to know…
“I’m gonna pretend you didn’t make that face and change the subject.”
“That would be most wise, (Mr/Ms) Thief. If I were you I wouldn’t speak about a secret this important.”
“Wait wh- Holy- You’re not actually human??? That’s it, I’m not letting you drop this ‘till you tell me what you are.”
“I can’t understand how that would help you in any way.”
“It’s not about help here, it’s about what I want. So spill it or else I’m letting the whole gang know.”
“...!”
“I wonder what Elsword will have to say about our alien comrade…”
“Foolish human…” he mumbled inaudibly, quickly switching back to a smile to tell his story. “Alright, I’ll ‘spill it’, as you said. I was sent on a mission by Goddess Ishmael-”
“Hold on a minute, Goddess? And Ishmael as well?? Don’t tell me, or are you the El Lady too?!”
“...I feel as if you’re mocking me.”
“You’re delusional mate, there’s no way around it. Or is it a priest trick where you pretend to be God’s messenger to attract followers?”
“I truly have no words. I had no idea a mere human could cause such an offense. Convince me not to strike you down this instant for disrespecting the Goddess.” his booming voice was no match for (y/n)’s savage laughter.
“I’d like to see you try...! Come at me, pretty boy!” Ain deemed the situation not worthy to break his pendulum over and began chanting his gibberish in German. Before he could even get halfway done, (y/n) launched themselves onto him, making sure to pin Ain’s hands in place. They completely annihilated any chance he had of fighting back. After securing a dominant position, they delivered their lines.
“Here’s reason one: you’re just a pretty boy outside the battlefield, and second, would your Goddess like the idea of her messenger murdering a human? I think not.” they slowly loosened their tight grip on him as he pondered on their words. Shortly afterwards, Ain made his thoughts clear.
“I suppose I should thank you for reminding me. I lost sight of my mission and acted out of line, so I apologize.”
“...Hmm? I didn’t quite catch that.”
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, I said, you have disrespected the Goddess. An apology is in order, no?”
“Fine, fine. I am sorry for disrespecting the Goddess. There. I won’t do it again.”
“I will make sure to relay your message to the Goddess.”
After the very heated debate, silence took over. They were too tired to try anything else and just quietly accepted their predicament; being forced to share hot springs with the strange alien priest.
“Why is this a place of relaxation? It feels as if it’s an elaborate trap I’ve mistakenly stepped into,” he pondered.
“Because you’re doing it wrong, dummy.”
“Then how would the right way be?” Ain asked confused.
(y/n) didn’t respond. He waited, and waited… “You just shut up. That’s it.”
“Is that all I have to do?”
“Yes. That’s all there is to it.” making a surprised face, he processed her words. His features relaxing, Ain looked up into the night sky. It was quite late judging by all the stars visible, and he wondered what he was still doing there; resting was mandatory since heavy battles awaited them the next day, yet he was wasting time with a human nonetheless.
Light snoring interrupted his train of thought. He glanced at (y/n), only to find them in an apparently deep sleep. Ain let out a chuckle, but stopped himself midway in shock. It was too genuine for his liking, and he couldn’t comprehend why a simple gesture provoked such a reaction. Yet he felt tired as well and didn’t bother thinking about it anymore.
Ain decided to wake them up; it would be bothersome in battle if (y/n) caught a cold.
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, you should wake up.” No response. “(Mr/Ms) Thief?” they didn’t answer the next time either, so Ain was stuck on what to do. He settled for lightly shaking their shoulder, but he’d soon find out that wouldn’t be the wisest decision… once the tip of his fingers touched their bare skin, they suddenly got up, headbutting him in the process, somehow. He truly felt that and hissed in pain, while (y/n) was frantically looking around as if woken from a daze. They eyed the nearby floating towel and realized that Ain wasn’t wearing anything. Then they jumped to a conclusion.
“P E R V E R T !”
And Elesis kicked down the door.
“Whose butt do I have to kick?!”
~A thorough scolding and some misunderstandings later~
Everyone had gone to their rooms for the night, but (y/n) decided to hang around for a little while longer. The staff at the inn was more than glad to cater to all their needs and brought them a Lanox specialty; they grumpily slurped from the glass, but then thought it actually tasted pretty good. It was mostly water with a tint of exotic fruits, just like the sweet, sweet syrup they used to-
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, can I have a moment of your time?” (y/n) spat the drink, accidentally splashing their lower face with it. They glared at the cause of her misfortune.
“I was wondering if you could clarify something for me.” they grabbed their drink and started slurping loudly, while also avoiding eye contact as much as they could.
“I will take that as a yes, so I’m going to ask my question.” they spat their drink again.
“I tried so hard, and got so far, but in the end it doesn’t even matter,” they sighed. “Have a seat,” they pointed to the other side of the table.
“Sir, would you like a drink as well?” asked the waitress who just snuck up on him out of nowhere. (y/n) got a little spooked, not even their skills were that godlike.
“Of course, if you don’t mind. What would you recommend?”
“The Lanox Nectar is the best we’ve got. I’ll bring one on the house for you, sir!”
“Thank you~.” (y/n) watched the very human exchange with widened eyes.
“Is something wrong, (Mr/Ms) Thief?”
“I’m the one who should be asking that.”
“?”
“Here’s your drink, sir!”
“Gah!” (y/n) couldn’t help but lose their composure at the sight of the sneaky waitress. Once again, the wannabe thief got bested by a staff member who was just doing her job. Then she vanished and no matter how hard (y/n) would squint, there wasn’t any trace left of the mysterious girl.
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, I’d like to ask something about the hot springs today.” he didn’t even touch his drink and already got down to business. ‘Ah shit, here we go again’ they thought. “More specifically, about the way you reacted at the end.” They remembered with a somber expression the event and the excuse he dared to give: ‘It was an accident’, he said, but they didn’t buy one bit of it. They wondered why they were still hanging out with that pervert.
“Why did you shout ‘pervert’?”
“Because you are one.”
“I don’t understand why I’m a pervert, so I was wondering if you could explain.” ‘This guy’s a lunatic’, thought (y/n), but humoured him nonetheless.
“Do you really not know? Do I really have to talk to you about this? What did I do to deserve such harassment?”
“Oh, am I questioning something inappropriate? If so, I apologize.”
“Yes, it’s highly inappropriate…” then a yellow light bulb appeared above their head. “But it can’t be helped, can it? I’ll just have to explain it to you so that you won’t do it again.”
“That would be most helpful, (Mr/Ms) Thief.”
“Now, now, disclaimer (...). Here I go:
When two people share a bath together under the full moon, an ancient ritual is unleashed. The only way to prevent it from happening is for the people to wear towels. When yours fell off, I was really worried! So that’s why I shouted for help.
...Also, I forgot to mention, but only chosen people can perform the ritual correctly, and I panicked because we aren’t chosen. Get it?”
“Interesting… I never knew such a thing existed. I can’t help but wonder, what are the consequences of a ritual performed incorrectly?”
“A big explosion, of course.”
“I see now… So you were just trying to help me. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.”
“I understand now what Ms. Knight meant about ‘some things are just forbidden’. She was talking about the ritual going wrong, no?
“Yep.”
“If you don’t mind me asking-” Before he could finish his sentence, they got up and spoke.
“It was really nice talking to you Ain, but it is really, really late so I would like to go to sleep. Good night!”
“Ah, you’re right. May we resume this discussion another time?”
“Of course, of course! Good night!!”
“Have a good night as well, (Mr/Ms) Thief.”
There were only so many brain cells a person could afford to lose.
~to the beds, onwards we go~
(y/n) stared blankly at the ceiling, endless minutes of shuffling around having just passed. They usually slept like a log, but something wasn’t right this time. A bad feeling lingered in the air, and no matter how much they tried to shrug it off it was still there.
Inevitably, they got up and groaned. It was their duty to check for possible intruders; or at least that’s what (y/n) told themselves. They reached out for the emergency pocket knife, only to find it was gone.
Then, anger took over. Nobody dared swipe their weapons like that, and if they did, they’d have to speak to the unholy pair of fists (y/n)’s got.
Silent footsteps right outside the room made their ears perk up. They prepared a fighting stance, ready to face the intruder head on. By literally headbutting them.
The door opened suddenly. (y/n) didn’t waste a single second and grabbed the other person’s shoulders, striking in full force. They were more than ready to pin them down-
“Ahh, (Mr/Ms) Thief… This is the second time today. I see you’re quite relentless when it comes to violence,” he rubbed his head in an attempt to alleviate the pain. “I may not be as weak as a human, but I still take damage.”
“Ain?! What are you doing in my room this late at night? And without knocking, no less???”
“Was I supposed to knock?”
“YES. What if you had walked in and found me naked or something…”
“But you said the ritual can only fail when two people share a bath together under the full moon. Did I hear it wrong?”
“Ugh… Just stop talking.”
“Either way, I didn’t come here for nothing. I sensed… demons.” his expression darkening as he spoke.
“Ooh, that makes sense! Hey, hey…” she approached him and whispered quietly, “Do you think those demons you’re talking about snuck into my room and stole my weapons?”
“There is no doubt in my mind. Such filth....” his eyes spelled ‘anger’ and his mouth shouted ‘murder’. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, there was someone else who thought the same.
“Then let’s go give them a piece of my fists.”
~one sneaking montage later~
“Do you think this is their room?” spoke (y/n), their eyes glittering in excitement.
“I’m not certain.”
“Then we’re about to find out.”
“About to find out what?” they jumped into a clumsy stance, startled by Ciel’s sudden interruption. Ain just glared and mumbled inaudible insults.
“You’re making quite the ruckus in the middle of the night. Did you need something from Lu and I?” just then, (y/n) noticed Ciel was carrying a tray full of freshly baked cookies.
“Ooooh, can I have some?” Ain glared at them repulsed.
“How can you talk so casually to this… to this-!”
“Pretty please? Just ignore him, by the way, he’s stupid.”
“!”
“I made them for Lu, so…” staring into their puppy eyes, he sighed. “Alright, you can have one. But only one.”
“Thank youuuuu!” they squealed in delight while grabbing a cookie. “...You didn’t hear anything.”
“Don’t worry, your secret’s safe with me,” he chuckled.
(y/n) very rarely got to eat sweets, so holding one in their own two hands they couldn’t help but study every inch of it. Drooling at the chocolate chip, their eyes turned into glittering stars. Ciel smiled at the sight; but just as they were about to take a bite…
Ain slapped it out of their hand.
The other two gasped, but (y/n) didn’t hesitate to kneel on the floor and stuff it into their mouth. The guys watched in shock, while their taste buds were assaulted by heavenly flavors.
After an uncomfortable silence accompanied only by chewing noises, (y/n) got up and faced Ciel, her tone turning dopey.
“Thank you! I love you! Welcome to the team!”
“Thanks…?” Ciel was stuck between feeling flattered or repulsed by what he just witnessed.
“Sorry for suspecting you of stealing my weapons! I didn’t know you made such good cookies… heheh…”
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, that’s no way to behave around a demon. Cease at once.”
“Shut ep, grumpy face. I know just what you need… you need a cookie.”
“...What?”
“Cieeeeeel, can I get a cookie for Ain too?”
“Um, sure?” Ciel was still in shock and couldn’t think too much. The thief snickered evilly.
“Eat the cookie, Ain.”
“Preposterous.
“I’m gonna force you to eat it.”
“Stay away from me.” he glared at the cookie revolted, hoping that it would disappear. Instead, (y/n) extended their hand.
“Say aah~” before he could slap the cookie away, they attempted to kick him as hard as possible. Unfortunately, the attack was too heavy and they fell on their butt immediately afterwards. “Oof!”
Ain kneeled before them to check if they were unharmed.
“heheh… *hic*”
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, are you alright?” he could only watch as their smile got bigger and their movements dizzier. Ain had no clue about what could've possibly happened, since he'd never witnessed such strange behaviour before. ‘Is this a human function I was not aware of…?’ he thought.
“Did she drink something this evening?” Ciel inquired, but Ain leered.
“I didn't give you permission to speak to me like that, demon.”
“I'm not too happy about that either, but (y/n) doesn't seem well. Do you want to help them or not?”
If it had been any other person, Ain would have refused without even thinking about it; yet looking more attentively at (y/n)’s dopey face, something just wouldn't let him leave them like that.
“...I'll let it slide just this once.” all the softness drained from his face, he glared disgusted at Ciel. His hatred ran deep, despite the situation at hand.
“We should carry them to their room.” spoke Ciel while putting the tray full of cookies in front of his door. The instant he stepped towards the pair, Ain wrapped his arms around their shoulders as to shield them while aggressively staring Ciel down.
“...Or maybe you should carry them.” he backed away in realization.
“Ooh, are we hugging? Do you like me?” Ain forgot that the thing he held close was actually sentient. With a click of his tongue, he avoided their hopeful gaze, which brought upon a great disaster to the land of Elrios.
Incoherent bawling echoed loudly through the whole inn. Tears spilled like waterfalls from (y/n)’s eyes who was rubbing at them like a little child. Ain’s hands froze in mid air; it felt as if he'd just set off a bomb and he was really confused as to why. They kept going, Ciel starting to threaten the priest with his menacing gaze.
Wishing for (y/n) to be quiet already, he put a hand over their mouth, the noises now muffled. Slowly, the whining subsided and Ain almost sighed in relief before a pang of pain shot through his palm.
It was getting more and more painful, and only then did he realize that (y/n)’s teeth were sinking into his skin.
“Oh, you little f-”
“Ciel, what's with all this ruckus in the middle of the night? Where are my cookies?” Lu spoke after opening the door, a most peculiar sight entering her vision. “What have I just walked into…? Ciel, answer me this instant!”
Chuckling nervously, he replied “I'm not too sure either, Lu…”
Ain, with his hand still in (y/n)’s mouth, spat angrily “You filthy creature dare show yourself before me? Know your place and begone.”
“Huhu, how ironic of you to say that while kneeling on the ground, bested by a human!” Lu smirked, gaining the upper hand. Ain reacted by yanking his arm away from (y/n)’s grasp, making them whine and flop on their face.
Ain got up and dusted himself off: “I have business to attend to. Don’t get in my way, demon.” he snarled, to which (y/n) gasped.
“Demon? Did you just say demon?!” they spoke excitedly. “The demons took my weapons!” shouting, they then slapped themselves so hard the sound of it echoed through the whole inn. The other three watched in shock, each with a face more hilarious than the last.
Charging up their inner energy, (y/n) let out a long fierce battlecry. “You!” they pointed to Lu, “You stole my weapons!”
“What a bold accusation! I, Luciela R. Sourcream, steal a commoner’s belongings? How ridiculous. Ciel, put them in their place!”
“Lu, I think we should give them a chance to explain first.”
“...I’ll listen to you just because you baked my cookies on time.”
“They’re really good, by the way,” (y/n) spoke without thinking, making a grave mistake. The bomb was set off.
“CIEL!! How could you defile my cookies so?! I TRUSTED YOU!” whined Lu dramatically, stomping the floor with her small feet. He hurried towards her to calm the storm. While Ciel was distracted, Ain grabbed (y/n)’s hand and whispered into their ear:
“Let’s make haste.” before (y/n) could complain, Ain took them swiftly to the lobby.
They stared at him confused and more than ready to complain about the situation, yet Ain silenced (y/n) by putting a finger over their lips.
“We’ve successfully escaped the demons,” he smiled. “Now we can focus on figuring out your strange condition.”
“There’s nothing to figure out…” they grabbed his hand and moved it away from their face. “Anyway, it was that drink’s fault! It tasted weird,” spoke (y/n), quite proud of themselves.
“I see… Do you have any ideas where we could start?” Ain inquired with his eyebrows raised.
“Hmmm… I feel like I’m missing something…” they rubbed their chin as if a beard was there,” OH! I know! That girl who served our drinks! The blondie with the ponytail, remember?!”
“There was someone like that? I didn’t even notice.”
(y/n) opened their mouth to remind him of the event, but a gut feeling told them it would be futile to do so. ‘There is also another matter to take care of’, they thought.
“That girl stole my weapons! And drugged me! That’s it, I’m gonna go look for her. She better pray for her life.”
“Ah, an occasion to spread the word of Ishmael. How wonderful,” he beamed.
“Ain, no, you stay right here ‘till I’m done. It was a figure of speech anyway…”
“?” visibly confused, he prepared to ask what (y/n) meant by that, only to notice them stomping towards the counter.
“I would like to speak to the manager.” with a booming voice, they slammed their hand on the wooden surface to attract attention. Staring the girl into the eye, they noticed her blonde hair, tied into a ponytail.
“IT’S YOU!” they pointed,”You’re the one who drugged my drink!” The girl looked right, then left. Finally, she stated in a deadpan tone, “Ah, shit.”
In less than a second, she was gone from (y/n)’s sight and sprinting towards the employees’ back door.
“Excuse me?! I’m not done with you, you little wh*re, I’M TELLING THE MANAGER AND YOU’LL GET FIRED AND YOU’LL HAVE NIGHTMARES FOREVER OF THE DAY I RUINED YOUR LIFE-” shouting more nonsense, they tried jumping over the counter to chase her but a certain priest stopped her just in time.
“That’s not an appropriate way to behave, (Mr/Ms) Thief.”
“And that’s not an appropriate way to tell me my ways are not appropriate.”
“You’re quite childish, aren’t you?” he chuckled. All of (y/n)’s defenses cracked because of that one simple gesture, and steam started coming out of their ears. Taking a deep breath, they tried to calm the burning chaos inside of them and smirked.
“I’m going to Ciel now.”
“May I ask about the reason?” he furrowed his brow.
“Nay, thee shan’t.”
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, surely, you wouldn’t actually stand near filth such as that?”
“What can I say? He’s much more pleasant company than you; trust me, I know.”
“Unbelievable…” he looked visibly offended now, ready to strike someone down in less than a second. “I apologize, but I won’t tolerate this sort of behaviour, thief.” Ain spat their nickname like he’d spit one of Ciel’s cookies, making them gasp dramatically.
“That’s it, I’m murdering you. Better pray to Ishmael while you still can.” (y/n) spat back, preparing their fists.
“After I teach you a lesson, I think it would be most enjoyable to have you pray alongside me.”
“Did you just say enjoyable? Did you just say enjoyable?! I will completely mop the filth out of this floor with your moppy hair!”
“I find it hard to believe that you would stoop to words this lowly, thief. Be warned, I will not go easy on you this time.”
“If only I had my weapons… You’d be crying on the floor right now.”
“I highly doubt it.”
“Look, I’ve made lots of people cry before, what makes you think you won’t be one of them?!”
“I have plenty of reasons. It is truly regrettable that I even considered having a tiny speck of respect for you… Not only do you fraternize with the demons, but you also act like a degenerate human being.”
“Tiny? Tiny?! You want me to mourn for a tiny speck?!”
“It matters little to me whether you mourn or not.”
“Wh- It was supposed to be an exaggeration, you massive idiot! Why do you have to take everything so seriously, it triggers me deeply on a personal level!!”
“Any last words, thief?”
“Yes. Feel my wrath!” they lunged, while Ain was prepared to break his pendulum.
“You know Ciel, this is really entertaining. I don’t regret having my cookies stolen in the middle of the night, just because I got to see this!” (y/n) got a glimpse of Lu and Ciel watching their fight, before their fist finally collided with Ain’s chest in a very underwhelming manner. Then, as a balloon without air, they deflated, landing unceremoniously on the floor.
Ain looked at the scene with a confused smile, wondering why (y/n) started giggling out of nowhere with their face in the ground. Did they have a plan? Was it just another strange human ritual?
“I can’t watch this anymore…” Ciel sighed and tried to approach (y/n), yet a tiny hand stopped him midway.
“How dare you offer help to those people? The cookie thief and the hateful priest?! Ciel, I thought highly of you, but it seems it was wrong of me to do so…”
He gasped dramatically and retaliated in less than a second. “I apologize, Lu! I will go bake another batch of cookies just for you and leave those two to their own devices.”
“Chocolate chip cookies, don’t forget.”
“Yes! I will certainly leave those two to take care of themselves and definitely not check on the situation later!”
“Good job! I surely do not regret choosing you as my butler, Ciel~,” beamed Lu, walking away with Ciel in tow.
“...Ah.” Only then did Ain realize that the odd acting human was in his care. ‘What is there to do now?’ he thought, for (y/n) had started to munch on the carpet. Then, he remembered humans didn't usually eat carpets.
“Thief, cease this disgraceful behaviour at once.” After he spoke, a pair of curious eyes settled on his magnificent coat. (y/n) could only imagine the deliciousness of such a minty looking beverage and leaped towards it in an attempt to get a taste. He noticed before they even thought about it and intercepted their attack with a quick slap on the forehead.
(y/n) responded by hugging the floor and sobbing into it, to which Ain didn't bother reacting to anymore. His face spelled ‘I'm done’ yet the thief kept on crying the same sentence: “I'm hungryyyy…”
Ain gazed upon their snot filled visage, a repulsive sight which was supposed to engulf his entire being with disgust. Yet, despite all of his alarms having set off, he kneeled before (y/n). He recalled a similar sight which had only taken place recently; Elsword felt defeated when In and Jin escaped, but his sadness was gone as quickly as it came since Ms. Knight had ruffled his hair and offered words of encouragement. ‘Is that what’s missing?’ he thought, his gloveless hand finding its way onto their head as if to comfort.
Almost gone by unnoticed, their sobbing had gotten quieter. The more Ain would pat their head, the less they'd cry, and so he thanked Ishmael for this newfound wisdom.
“...Let's get you to your room,” he mumbled, grabbing (y/n) and pulling them over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Without a sound, Ain traveled through the whole inn twice, probably even three times before he remembered where (y/n)’s room was; after all, it was by sensing their energy he stumbled across it the first time.
Ain laid their body on the bed as roughly as he picked them up, but he received no reaction. Instead, (y/n)’s sobbing had turned to silent tears as they covered their face with their palms.
‘A pitiful sight’, he thought; yet he could not stand still and watch since a strange feeling had wormed its way in. Then, the priest decided it'd be a good idea to repeat what he had done earlier and pat their head.
(y/n) on the other hand, couldn't even tell whether they were hungry or in complete despair for no reason in particular; but what they did know was someone's gentle hand comforting them and a gentle voice whispering ‘sleep well’. They did not know if it was actually real or not as they dozed off into a state of nothingness.
~darkness~
The bed was an incredibly soft surface and (y/n) wouldn't have gotten out of it if it hadn't been for the hot springs. It was finally time to relax and forget about all the worries that had plagued their mind for weeks.
On their way to the place in question, they grabbed a jerky and gulped it down in a second. ‘It's a lot tastier than usual’, they thought.
(y/n) sighed relieved. Fixing up their towel to make sure it wouldn’t fall, they opened the sliding door.
What a wondrous occasion for them to be able to finally savour the joy of hot springs! It had been a really long time since they'd been to one.
“Come in, (Mr/Ms) Thief. I’ve been waiting for you,” Ain had gotten there before them, but they didn’t mind too much and stepped into the water. They were really tired, and once they sunk their body into the hot springs their entire being relaxed.
“Would you mind if I gave you a massage?” (y/n) shook their head.
“Come here,” they approached him and he then tended to their sore back.
“You’re really good at this… I should ask you to do it more.”
“I’m glad to be of assistance.” a brief moment of silence followed as his firm hands ran over their bare skin. They felt themselves getting quite hot.
“...Do you hate me, Ain?”
“Why would I hate you?”
“I dunno…” their posture slouched.
“Just so you know, I don’t hate you. You don’t have to be sad.” his fingers moved onto (y/n)'s shoulders, their back straightening once again.
“I was a bit mean to you…”
“But I couldn’t hate you for that.”
“Maybe more than just a bit…”
“You’re still dear to me, (y/n).” they suddenly turned their head to face him, barely believing what they just heard.
“...Really?”
“Really.” he tucked a strand of hair behind their ear, staring at them lovingly. They didn’t know how to react.
“...I’m sorry for trying to hit you..”
“It’s alright. I forgive you.”
“I’m sorry for calling your hair moppy.”
“It’s fine.”
“I’m sorry for disrespecting the Goddess…”
“It can be easily solved.” they frowned. He gently caressed their head as he pulled them into a hug.
“...You’re really hot.”
“I’m flattered.”
“No, I’m… nevermind.” they gave into his touch and closed their eyes.
“You can sleep if you’d like. I’ll take care of you.”
“...You’re different.”
“I could say the same about you.”
Enveloped in warmth, they didn’t bother giving another argument.
“Look at me.” he raised their chin, gazing into their sleepy eyes.
“...Why though?”
“I just wanted to see you from up close. That’s all.”
“I should consider that creepy, but I’m too tired to care…” he chuckled, admiring their face even more. “What about the massage?” they asked innocently.
“Ah, I’m sorry. I got distracted.” his hands returned to their shoulders, making them even sleepier than before.
(y/n) looked up into the night sky. It was quite late judging by all the stars visible, and they wondered what they were still doing there; resting was mandatory since plenty of delicacies awaited them the next day, yet they were killing time with this pervert nonetheless.
Fluffy gray hair tickling their neck interrupted that train of thought. Not long after, a pair of arms wrapped around their torso, the towel seemingly gone.
“You will make a fine trophy to my wife collection.” he smiled wickedly, and (y/n) remembered: he was still a priest.
~darkness ends~
They woke up in a cold sweat, questioning reality with a distressed frown. Events of yesterday mingled with their dream, instilling uncertainty in what they were currently seeing.
“You're awake. How are you feeling?” inquired the man seated at their bedside. Upon closer inspection, they noticed his dark blue hair and identified him as Ciel; yet, (y/n) couldn't shake off the feeling that they were expecting someone else.
“I feel… fine, surprisingly. What happened yesterday?”
“You don't remember…?” he asked confused and (y/n) scratched the back of their neck. “Well, you weren't in your right mind, to say the least,” a tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips, but (y/n) didn't notice. If they had, they'd have punched it right off.
“Either way, I made you some breakfast,” he offered them a plate. “Don't tell Lu.” Ciel added a little more serious than usual.
(y/n) studied their dish; it was smaller in quantity than what they were used to, and so it made up in craftsmanship. Not only was the pancake softer than anything they'd ever touched, but it also had a smiley face drawn in chocolate topping, together with a small ‘get well soon’ next to it.
(y/n) had never seen such effort put into breakfast before and couldn't contain the little blush that covered their cheeks. Ciel smiled at the sight.
Yet, despite the good start they'd gotten, (y/n) couldn't take their mind off the dream they just had. Who was it that they dreamed of? The thief could only feel disturbed and slightly horny, but the reason remains unknown.
The person in their dream had a name; what was it? It stood on the tip of their tongue…
“Ciel, wasn't there another guy with us?”
“There was? I'm fairly sure I found you alone.”
“Never mind… I probably just dreamed it all.” slouched (y/n). They could not tell why that person they forgot was so important to them and it frustrated them endlessly.
“Which parts do you remember from last night?” spoke Ciel, attempting to make conversation. (y/n) pondered on the question and didn't answer too quickly.
“...I was drinking what seemed like normal juice, but then I realized the sweet syrup in it was supposed to mask the taste of a drug. Something distracted me from that, but I just… can't remember what.”
“Drug?! Do you know who did this to you?”
“Yeah. It was the blond ponytail girl at the counter who I went to question with… with….?”
“With who?”
“I don't know. I don't remember,” they replied sheepishly to which Ciel sighed.
“I think I know what girl you're talking about. She also tried to break into my and Lu’s room, but not without good reason. We caught her a while after I found you unconscious; the whole El gang suspects she might be working with the demons.” (y/n) nodded in understanding, although they spaced out in the middle because the explanation was getting too long.
“We'll be waiting for you downstairs. Until then, eat your breakfast and take your time.” before leaving, Ciel ruffled their hair and (y/n) stopped responding.
At that point, they truly felt that something was missing and it wasn't just their memories of last night. Something like… something that would barge into their room and complain about getting along with a demon, even though Ciel was only half demon. Something that would throw the pancakes on the floor without an ounce of hesitation.
“(Mr/Ms) Thief, would you like to explain what that is in your lap?” and there he goes again, coming in uninvited with a glare that could kill.
(y/n)’s dream came back to them in an instant and they didn't know whether to hug themselves in embarrassment or run for their life. They couldn't even utter his name because of the overwhelming emotions that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. Yet what they said was this:
“You don't have a wife collection, do you?”
“??? Are you trying to distract me from the devil’s food? Give me one reason why I shouldn't obliterate it right this instant,” Ain spat.
‘As grumpy as ever’, (y/n) thought and laughed out loud, a little relieved that their dream was far from reality. On the other hand, the priest was livid from that reaction.
“What did you just say about me, you puny human? I'll have you know I am Ishmael’s most trusted agent. No matter where you may hide I will find you and wipe you out in the name of the Goddess with precision the likes of which has never been seen before on this land, mark my words. Laugh, human, I'll serve the divine retribution you are owed nonetheless and you shall perish by my wrath.”
(y/n) did their best to abstain from laughing even louder, but it was to no avail; the gates had already been flooded, a swarm of pure joy took over their mouth and even stomach, for the endless laughter had made it hurt.
"Wow, and here I was, actually disturbed by you for some weird reason-" wiping off an imaginary tear they squeaked out, hiding their relief. Ain was not amused.
"I will not tolerate-"
"Nom." (y/n) nommed a quarter of a pancake, interrupting his incoming speech. Ain's aura had turned menacing as he approached the hungry thief's bed.
"Oh, do you want one too?" (y/n) munched; Ain froze.
"Preposterous."
"Dont lie, you know you want it."
"Such audacity. Take that poison away from my sight. Now."
(y/n) smirked and nommed another pancake. "Om nom, very yum. Me like."
Ain looked mortified as they ate pancakes one by one, until only half a piece remained. It was doused in chocolate to the point of feeling like a wet towel when touched; just the way (y/n) loved it.
"Are you suuuure you don't want any?" No answer.
He thought a little more; weren’t they in such a predicament because of him? His incompetence led to (y/n) laying in that bed after a shaky night they had no choice over. It was his fault only, for not noticing the subtle details and letting a vital member get almost injured from sheer stupidity from his part. Ishmael would believe that he had to atone.
Defeated and upset with himself, Ain shut his eyes and whispered, "Just one bite…"
(y/n) beamed at the response and gladly gave him the bite he asked for. At first he looked like he'd spit it out the instant he put the pancake in his mouth, but his face didn't lie as his features slowly relaxed. He hummed in delight.
And when things seemed to be going well, the dream came to their mind again, along with an idea.
"Hey Ain, you're really hot."
Perplexed, he spoke: "I'm not. My coat may seem warm, but was that supposed to be a question?"
"I didn't mean it that way."
"Then what way did you mean it in?"
(y/n) giggled.
~
Elesis: “You’re finally here! What took you so long?”
Ara: “Um, m-maybe it’s not very appropriate to ask that..?”
Aisha: “I don’t buy it one bit. (y/n)’s not smart enough to handle a guy like Ain.”
(y/n): “Oi, wanna fight?”
Rena: “Ahem.” the whole El gang’s attention was on her. “We have more important things to deal with, don’t we?” Everyone looked at the suspect; she seemed regretful.
Raven: “You should explain yourself now, while you have the chance.”
Add: “Can’t you see she clearly doesn't want to speak? We should just end her here and now.”
Eve: “Any allies of the enemy should be exterminated.”
Add: “See, even Eve agrees with me…! Kuku..”
Elsword: “Now that everyone’s here, tell us: why did you make a deal with the demons?”
Lu: “And to bring me down, no less. To bring me, Luciela R. Sourcream, down…!”
???: “What could I have possibly done…?” For a brief second, her and (y/n)’s eyes met.
Ain: “(y/n) and I can prove that Emily concealed vital information. When confronted about the drugged drinks, she avoided answering and ran away.”
Emily: “tsk..”
(y/n): “Why’d you do it though? Other than peace, don’t you have everything you need?”
Emily: “You know, maybe if you didn’t have your heads so far up your asses, you’d be aware. What kind of heroes are you guys if everyone's starving to death even when working their hardest?! Why should we care if demons invade us when even in this so called peaceful world we have nothing anyway!”
(y/n): “...Girl, have you looked at yourself?”
Emily: “...?”
(y/n): “Those mad skills of yours… they got me wondering if I was working in the wrong field. If you can even call what I’m doing ‘working’. You can move in the shadows better than I can, and I’ve been doing this for years! I’m surprised you’re not a demon by how fast you were moving.”
Emily: “...What are you on about?”
(y/n): “There’s a great future ahead of you, yes, you’re destined for greatness! You can get into places I’ve never been able to, you can swipe treasures I never even knew existed… Greatness, I say!”
Emily: “So you’re saying…”
(y/n): “Eat the rich, Emily. Eat the rich and sleep on their skins.”
Chung: “Ahahah, I don’t think that’s the lesson she had to learn…”
Aisha: “That’s a little ironic, coming from royalty…”
Ciel: “Now, now, whether or not we’ve learned anything, why don’t we eat this celebratory cake I’ve baked just for this occasion?”
Elesis: “Wow, what a convenient cake! I’m all for it!”
Lu: “Huhu, my butler never disappoints, as expected.”
Ain: “But doesn’t it seem like someone took a huge bite out of it?”
Elsword: “No way… (y/n), you betrayed us?!”
With a fistful of cake, (y/n): “I’d rather betray the world than let the world betray me!” then laughed proudly.
You were sneaking glances at your watch and looking around frantically, with no idea from where that restless energy came from. The town was bustling with activity, making it that much harder for you to spot the person you were searching for.
It was five minutes past the meeting time, you didn’t know how much more your anxiety could take. What if she didn’t show up? Did something happen to her?
“y/n, the bus was late. I wish it were socially acceptable to tell the driver to hurry up.”
Startled, you were wrung out of your little world and into the big real one.
“Hi Eve, you really scared me there.”
“I could tell by your expression. What movie were we watching?”
Before answering, you glanced at her outfit; she wore a frilly white blouse together with some in style shorts. You were a bit surprised to see a bracelet hanging on her right wrist, one which you happened to gift her a while ago. You did a thumbs up mentally, remembering the days when she was utterly clueless about fashion.
“We’re watching ‘Cherry Blossoms in the Winter’.”
“A little off theme, seeing as it’s summer right now.”
“Hush, it’s part of the charm.”
The both of you headed into the theatre and fought about who should pay for popcorn. Eve insisted that she would, but you insisted back, so on so on it was getting so heated the staff decided to give it to the two on the house; or at least that’s what you told Eve when she came back from the bathroom.
In the end, you prevailed and finally reached the inside of the actual theatre. The movie started after a few ads which Eve dryly commented on and you were so glad to have a friend you could watch such a sappy romcom with.
Your eyes were sparkling as you watched it all unfold, letting out a chuckle here and there. But something unbelievable happened that turned the whole world upside down; a slim hand was carefully placed on top of yours, one which happened to be Eve’s.
Sweating, you questioned her with your gaze alone. For a mere moment, she glanced at you confused making your eyes meet, therefore reducing every sliver of confidence to atoms. You couldn’t even bring yourself to look anywhere close to her, so you did your best to watch the movie; but the only sounds reaching your ears were your short quick breaths and Eve’s chewing, a simple touch, your mind was going haywire.
Time had passed a lot faster than you thought it did. You had calmed down a bit so you could watch the end, but didn’t get a single thing. You felt a little sad, just a little.
When you were out, Eve shared something with you.
“You looked hot during the movie, are you alright?”
“Uh-!“
“That’s strange, it was quite chilly in the theatre. I had to hold your hand for heat.”
To say your face fell was an understatement. Your mood was entirely ruined and you felt bad for it too, thinking too much of one gesture led to you not enjoying the movie.
You give her a silent hug which she returns shortly after.
“Are you warmer now?”
“Oh, that’s what you wanted to do? I was warm the instant we got out.”
You break the hug.
“I’m going home,” you smile.
“Alright, have a safe trip.”
On your way home, you can’t help but berate yourself for wanting more than that for next time.
You and Raven were kissing after a day filled with work in the comfort of your room, both too tired to do anything else.
A knock interrupted his gentle lips from servicing yours.
"Dinner will be ready soon!" shouted Ara just behind the door. Raven sighed, that meant he'd have to leave your arms.
"Don't look so sad, we can resume afterwards."
"Can't we skip dinner just this once? The only hunger I feel is for you."
You giggled and patted his hair.
"Stop being so cheesy and let's go."
"What if I refused?"
"I'll just go without you." After your carefree reply, he pinned your arms to the bed, hovering above your face.
"And what if I did this?" he wore an innocent smile which made you sigh.
"I'll have to fight back, won't I?" Quick, you broke free of his grasp and brought him so close, you kissed as hard as you could. Raven reciprocated with all his might, leaving you breathless. A thin string of saliva connected the two mouths, gasping for air.
"...Ah," Chung stood on the doorstep, having watched the whole scene unfold by accident. Ara called everyone for dinner, but you didn't come, so Chung took it upon himself to see what was wrong. He was sweating pretty bad and left without a word, covering his eyes and blush.
Raven got up, it was time for dinner, you thought. But when he reached for the door and closed it, you knew: his meal that day was y/n.
He held your chest close to his, peppering kisses across your neck. Well, not like you minded being his supper anyway, but you'd get back at him for that eventually. You let him service you just a bit more, despite your stomach screaming in agony.
Yet the door couldn't stay closed for long, since a certain red hair decided to kick it open, claymore in hand.
"Dinner. NOW!"
What other choice was there to make?
After a slightly embarrassing talk at the table, you and Raven were finally alone again. He didn't trap you again, to your disappointment, but a tiny hope still remained in your heart.
It was time for bed soon enough, the two of you cuddled together to feel more at ease. Creeping in, the clutches of sleep prepared to take you...
Suddenly, you were being kissed by none other than Raven who whispered to you: "I'm still hungry after that dinner."
Elrianode – the center of peace and quiet in which you happened to stand in that very day. You were waiting for the others to get back from Elysion, time you took to yourself and meditate over the adventures so far. Varnimyr was annoying, Rigomor was stressful... Even sparring with the masters had taken its toll on your body, you felt like you were about to collapse after it was all over.
A pair of arms entrapped you in their embrace as you felt a bulky chest press against your back. It was him. You leaned into his touch and held his hand.
Neither of you spoke a word, having the other next to them was enough.
Before you knew it, you were taking a walk together in silence. Part of you wanted to ask how the trip had gone, but the peace was too sacred to disturb. Raven always had so much on his mind, bothering him was out of the question.
"Solace..." the name lingered on his tongue; the time had come to inquire, you told yourself.
"Did you meet Solace?"
"Yes. It didn't go as expected."
Never the chatty ones, so your conversation ended there. Looking around, you discovered that Raven led you towards a more secluded spot. In his arms you were trapped once again, yet this time he crashed onto your lips with a fiery passion. You didn't stop him; you didn't want him to stop.
He held you with his left arm while the other caressed the back of your head. But you were still kissing in Elrianode and who knew what the El Gang had to say about that; even worse, the El Masters. All the stressful battles without a break in between made you believe that the two of you deserved at least this, so you kept going for longer, until you lost track of time completely.
Raven pulled back and hugged you instead, leaning his head on your shoulder. When he sighed, you felt his warm breath tickle your skin and almost sighed yourself. You held him tight and he reciprocated.
"I hate having to be apart from you, y/n... How else will I be able to protect you?" Raven looked in pain as he whispered to you.
Droplets of rain hit the building’s windows with quiet bangs. Looking at it, you could only sigh for you had forgotten to bring an umbrella.
“Don’t you have an umbrella?” Aisha was the first to inquire; ever since you’d been working at the place, this girl happened to be everywhere you were as well. She showed you the ropes and you couldn’t have been more thankful, though honestly? At times she tended to be overbearing, but if you had told her that you wouldn’t have heard the end of it.
“I forgot it at home, probably…”
“Then how about this? You treat me to a cup of tea and we’ll share my umbrella.”
It was a nice deal, so you accepted. You hadn’t drunk tea in a while; you were curious about one thing…
“Do you know any nice tea shops?”
“Bold of you to assume I don’t. Anyway, there’s this little place that opened recently. I’ve been wanting to try it, but none of my friends wanna tag along,” she sighed. That phrase couldn’t have felt more real.
The two of you went outside, only to be met with the sight of a fairly angry rain. Aisha held out her umbrella and you both walked towards the tea shop. The way there was a little loud, it was either you or her telling the other to inch a little closer because they were getting wet. In the end you ended up too close for comfort, but stopped caring since you didn’t want your clothes ruined.
“We’re here.”
You entered. The place was small, ambient music playing in the background. It was completely empty, most likely because of the unforgiving rain.
You and Aisha took a seat at the nearest table. A lit candle sat in the middle with subtle lavender perfume, making for an interesting atmosphere. The whole place really tried to get the feel of a comfortable home judging by the type of decorations used and it succeeded. You sunk into your chair, feeling it.
A nice lady brought a tray full of tiny bottles with all sorts of tea leaves. Aisha wore an excited grin as she tried them all, one by one.
“I really recommend Earl Grey, it never disappoints… Oh, they have mint green tea too? I’m curious how this one tastes…”
You glanced at her and shrugged, since you didn’t care much for what you got. She told the lady her order and you followed hers, just spending time with her out of work was good enough.
After sharing a few silent moments, you realized what that all meant, but you had to ask just to be clear.
“Sooo… Is this a date?”
“Pssht, a date? It’s just two co workers hanging out, nothing to see here…! I guess…” she avoided your gaze and smiled sheepishly. It wouldn’t be a lie to say that you’d started to enjoy her company and crave it a lot more than before, so that answer saddened you a little.
The tea arrived and Aisha couldn’t have been more elated. After taking a sip she praised it endlessly.
“Still, (y/n)… thanks for coming with me,” she added. You hid your blush with the teacup. “Maybe we should do this again? But, just maybe, as a date next time…”
“Hm?”
“Nothing. Ignore that.”
It seemed that the rain had cleared while you were in there. You thanked Aisha for the tea and prepared to go your merry way home… Except something just wouldn’t let you. Were you really okay with this?
“Uhm, Aisha… do you-?”
As light as a feather, she kissed you on the cheek.
"I am Bright Sunshine! I'll be protecting your smile!"
A while before
Sinking into the couch, you flipped through the TV channels until a certain one caught your attention.
"Demon attacks are on the rise; we advise you to stay in the safety of your homes and avoid going outside for too long. The strangers in bright costumes are not as reliable as they seem, more at 7."
You texted your girlfriend to tell her she didn't need to come over anymore. Frankly, you were worried something might've happened, since the way to your house was quite long.
The doorbell rang and it could only be one person.
"I brought sweets~"
"Ara, you know you didn't have to."
"But it's so fun to eat sweets with you, dum dum," she pouted and you lost the battle.
The two of you sat on the couch and pretended to watch TV, but in reality, Ara was feeding you her sweets. You were curious about one thing though...
"Have you been studying?" to your innocent question, she flinched. Ara was a senior and had her college admission coming up. To see that reaction from her, you stared like the grumpy cat.
"I-I mean, it's not like I'm not studying! I just uhm..."
"I don't even wanna ask about your grades, honestly."
"I've been busy, you know! I need to protect- protect- my sweets?"
"College is more important than perfecting your recipes, Ara. Look at me, I'm just one year older than you and working at a convenience store and barely scraping by. You need to avoid this. I trust that you can. We can perfect all the sweets recipes, together, once you finish college."
"Yeah, I know. That's so far though," she sighed. After a bit of pondering, she planted a kiss on your lips. "Thank you for being nice."
You bring her closer and kiss her deeply. Ara wraps her arms around you and sinks her body onto yours. Before you know it, you've lost track of time as you touch, and touch...
As you were kissing, Ara's keychain beeped and she got off the couch immediately.
"So sorry, I really have to go-!" off she went and you're left dazed, but also disappointed. What were you supposed to do for the rest of the day?
You flipped through the TV channels and settled on a cooking one. They were making a fancy dessert; maybe you could make it for Ara, or even better, make it together.
Once the program had served its purpose you went back to flipping. The news channel was covering the demon attacks happening near Ara's home and you sprinted out the door. It was like a switch, one moment lounging then the other you were running as if your life depended on it.
After what felt like an eternity, you got off the bus to be met with the most horrifying of sights.
The sky had turned dark and an army of demons was wreaking havoc. Many individuals in shining attire were trying to fight them off, but it seemed that they were having a hard time.
"Ara!" you scream, but nobody responds. There are no human words to describe the distress you were in. Awful thoughts crept through your mind, slowly driving you to do unspeakable things. Only imagining Ara's smile could keep you sane, yet knowing there might be a chance you'll never see it again made you lose all hope.
A demon was heading right towards you, but you paid it no mind.
A bright light.
You're kneeling on the ground, almost blinded by the incredibly powerful laser that was just shot. The girl gets really close and asks if you're ok. She's shaking you, you can feel it, immeasurable worry seeping through her tone.
Your vision clears and you finally notice her. Locks of charcoal colored hair flow free as her apricot eyes study your body for wounds. She's really close to crying, but she does her best to hold it back.
You blink repeatedly in order to remember where you've seen this girl before, but your head hurts when you try to think about it.
"...Who are you?" the girl is shocked, yet regains her cool quickly after and raises herself up.
"I am Bright Sunshine! I'll be protecting your smile! Now stand back, there's quite a few demons here- Try to get to safety!"
For some reason, you listened to her and hurried to your house. Instead of taking the bus, you walked and thought about what happened. You were still worried, but a huge part of you had given up already. Making plans for a life without her, you still couldn't grasp the reality of it.
You opened the door, a whole life of emptiness ahead of you.
"Are you okay? Where've you been, you left the door unlocked-" she couldn't even finish her sentence, you'd already jumped on her in tears. Ara was startled, but returned your embrace soon enough.
"I thought I'd lost you... I'm so glad I didn't," you smile.
You had just finished your homework for the day. Up until then, things were as normal as they could be and you couldn't have been more prepared to go on like usual, until the phone rang. Nobody called you ever, so that was really strange. Despite the uncertainty, you decided to answer.
"Hello?"
"(y/n)? It's me, Chung from school," Ooh la la, it's Chung from school. "I have something important to ask, so can we meet at the ice cream shop near your house?"
"ok."
You threw on some casual clothes and got to the destination. Chung was already waiting there; he must've thought it through.
You greeted to which he flinched, just what could he possibly want to ask?
"(y/n)... We haven't known each other for long but, uhm..." he struggled to find his words while you edged him on in your own way: silent.
"I'm... sorry, (y/n). I have to go," he ran, to your dismay. You didn't know whether to feel mad or disappointed.
~
'A bit of time passed after that', you think. Now? You're at prom, alone, drinking punch, watching everyone having fun. Couldn't be worse than that, except it was, all your friends had dates and were spending time with them. Drinking the punch of despair, drinking the punch of despair...
"C'mon (y/n), I can smell you moping from across the school. Cheer up, let's dance for a bit!" Elesis at it again, boisterous. If everyone wasn't used to her already their eyes would be glued to the exchange.
Could you really refuse?? Elesis took your arms and literally spun you across the dance hall, many pitied you. After she let you go, she laughed; you glared at her and wiped your brow.
An unexpected contestant joined the arena: Chung was fidgeting behind Elesis, to her surprise. She wanted a few more dances and wouldn't give up, so Aisha with Elsword had to drag her away as she screamed that her love will never die. A spectacle.
Chung looked at you and smiled: "May I have this dance?" he held out his hand. You could barely believe it, but what was even more unbelievable? The fact that a slow dance just started playing. Did he plan that??
Off to dancing you went. You two synced well and you even dared to think that your hand fit perfectly in his. Chung seemed to be thinking the same thing, judging by his warm smile.
"(y/n)... I'm sorry for not mustering up the courage back then. Will you be my date for prom?"
You leaned forward and kissed him right on the lips. 'Uh oh' you thought. You'd really done it this time. Everyone knows you're not supposed to kiss on the first date, silly! Oh, what's this? Why was Chung coming closer? Why were his lips on yours? This time it wasn't you who did that?!
Neither of you broke the kiss as you danced to the rhythm of the music. Though, you wanted to see his face a bit more so you had to end it after all. He looked happy.
"You look happy. I should've asked you out earlier if I knew it'd be this great."
