a/n: @luxaryllis & @thegoldencontracts first twst fic yayyy are you two proud of me TT
Tw: mentions of starvation (slight venting from my own parents) and cursing
[if you get easily triggered by this, that's totally fine, please keep scrolling]
royal au! - ace x gn!reader
strangers to lovers trope ehehehe
Taglist: @itzsana-kiddingmenow @luxaryllis @soft-seungie @hearted-anon @makebelieveyouregoodenough @minnielvrr @thegoldencontracts
words: 5,780 (geez lord have mercy TT)
Yuu was taking a stroll in town. After a long day of classes on how to eat and walk elegantly, they wanted a break from their royal life. Making sure their cloak covered anything distinguishable, they followed the path with a hint of a smile on their face.
What was supposed to be a peaceful outing with the sun not being too harsh, turned into quick trouble. The kingdom’s most well-known troublemaker managed to agitate the guards into a chase.
“Fucking shit— I’m dead!” Ace yells in obvious panic as the guards are hot on his tail. Suddenly, Yuu and him make eye contact. Yuu could tell he was pleading for them to save his ass.
Thinking quickly, Yuu knocked down a cart of fruits, just in time for the guards to slip and roll around.
Once in a secluded area, Ace finally got to recover his breath after running for who knows how long.
“You just saved my ass! I would’ve been dead without you!” He laughs and pats Yuu’s back like their were an old friend. Their disguise was working quite well apparently—nobody would act so casually with a royal.
“Say, who might you be? I never really saw you around before. Though I’m not gonna complain too much.” Ace gave Yuu a curious expression, his body language casual.
“And, uh, what might I call you, just so I can thank you properly for saving my ass?”
“...Yuu.” They murmur, deciding not to reveal too much just yet.
Ace hummed at their response. There was something slightly familiar about it, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He thought about it for a moment before shrugging. He was too tired to really look into it. Instead, he nodded and held out his hand, which Yuu took.
“Ace. Nice to meet you,” he greeted with a grin. Ace lowered his hand after shaking Yuu’s. His mind was still racing after the run from the guards, so he couldn’t really pay attention to the small details of their appearance. Though, it didn’t help that their cloak was covering a good portion of their body from his line of sight.
“You’re…quite different from the others,” he states, taking a small pause to think. “Where are you from? I don’t remember seeing you around here before…”
Ace had a more perplexed look on his face by now. Yuu’s very presence was rather… intriguing to him. It was as though there was a mysterious air around them, something that was rather uncommon around the kingdom. His curiosity was piqued, and he felt the need to know more.
“Are you just visiting, or..?” he inquired, which Yuu gave a quick nod to.
“Just.. a tourist. I’m staying in town for a few more weeks,” they reassured.
Ace hummed in thought. That would explain why he hasn’t seen Yuu around before. They were some ‘random wanderer’ staying temporarily here.
“Ah, a tourist. That explains it,” he said with a small nod. Despite feeling like there was more to Yuu than meets the eye, he kept his suspicion to himself.
Suddenly, he got an idea, a sly grin returning to his face.
Yuu raised in eyebrow, narrowing their eyes skepticism. “What’s with the look?”
Ace chuckled and moved closer to Yuu, his smirk growing more sly by the moment.
“Well,” he began, his tone hinting that he was up to something. “Considering you helped me out back there and you’re staying here for a while,” he continued, now standing right in front of them, leaning forward to get a better look at them.
“I think I can offer you a proposal,” he said, his smirk only growing wider.
Ace took a moment to scan over Yuu’s face, taking in their features. Though, it was difficult to see anything under that damn cloak. He couldn’t really tell Yuu’s expression from the way they tensed up from his sudden proximity, either.
But all that didn’t matter—what interested him was the fact Yuu was a “tourist,” and thus an outsider. An interesting one at that.
“You see, I happen to know all the ins and outs of this town,” he stated, his voice low and smooth, “the best shops, the best entertainment, you name it. I oculd be your expert tour guide, and show you all the best places that this town has to offer, but…”
He paused, giving another sly grin. His next words were spoken in a slow, drawl, “There’s a small price, of course.”
Ace took a couple seconds to savor Yuu’s expectant look to continue. He always loved how people were never sure how to react to his offers. Though, judging by how Yuu didn’t pull away already, he had a guess that they were fairly open-minded to his proposal.
“It’s nothing too serious, trust me,” he began with a chuckle, clearly amused by Yuu’s interest, “I just want a small favor from you, in exchange for being your guide, is all.”
“...what’s the catch?” Yuu finally spoke, questioning his proposition. Ace laughed and shrugged his shoulders.
“As I said, it’s nothing too big,” he repeated, raising a hand to Yuu’s face to gently tuck a strand of hair behind their ear. He then lowereed his hand back to his side and leaned in a bit more, still sporting his sly smirk.
“...Are you gonna tell me or should I just go?” Yuu had every intention to leave, giving him a deadpan look—or at least trying to make it obvious, he couldn’t see their face that well. Ace gave a sheepish grin, putting his hands up in a surrendering manner.
“Hey, hey, I’m getting there,” he replied,” “But, since you look so impatient,” he added with another laugh. He paused trying to keep the suspense up for a bit longer. After a moment or two, he finally spoke again, still with a smirk.
“...My face?” Yuu inquired, their voice tinged with a hint of astoundment.
Ace nodded, his smirk staying in place. “Yep. You’ve been hiding that pretty face under that big ol’ hood. I want to see it, since I’m going to be hanging around you for a while anyway,” he explained, leaning in a bit more to get a closer look.
Yuu brought their hand up, pushing him back by the forehead, “I’ll show you. Just not here.”
Ace was mildly caught off guard by Yuu’s action. It was surprisingly easy for Yuu to push him back.
“Ouch, feisty,” he cracked a joke, rubbing his forehead before taking a step back—an amused smile was on his face, “Alright, not here. Somewhere ore private, then,” he agreed, crossing his arms and rocking on his heels casually.
Ace glanced around the surroundings, suddenly hyperaware the both of them were still in a somewhat public area. Anybody could stumble upon them, and that was the last thing he wanted. He had a strong hunch that Yuu wasn’t the type to want to be seen by many people either.
“Follow me,” he said, his voice quiet as he moved to start walking. He led you through another set of narrow alleys, to a secluded spot far from where the public eye could see.
Ace finally stopped walking once no one was nearby—for as far as he could see. The area was well shaded, providing a great cover from any unwanted attention.
“There, that’s more like it,” he smirked, leaning against one of the walls and casually looking at Yuu. “Now I believe someone promised to show me their face.”
“...Just..don’t make a big deal out of it…” Yuu murmured, a bit shy—or embarrassed? They weren’t too sure themselves, the king and queen deprived them of any “unsophisticated” emotions.
A small, amused smile appeared on Ace’s face at your shyness. It was clear that Yuu hiding their face had becom a habit for the time being, and he was eager to see why. He could barely contain his excitement as he leaned a bit closer.
“Just what are you hiding under there, huh? You’re not actually a hideous old hag, are you?” he teased, his tone playful.
In response, Yuu pulled down their hood, looking at him dead in the eyes, expecting shock.
Ace had been expecting something—definitely not this. His eyes widened in surprise at the sight, his playful smirk quickly freezing into a look of surprise. For a moment he could only stare at you in silence, his brain taking a moment to cuompute what he was looking at. Then, it finally clicked.
“W-wait, you’re…” he started, his voice trailing off as his mind still raced.
It took a few seconds more, but soon enough, his initial shock was replaced with a sly grin, his eyes widening with it. “You’re the heir,” he finishes with a whisper, excitement evident in his voice. He couldn't help but let out a quiet chuckle, his eyes sparkling with mischief—a gleam Yuu could only sigh to.
Ace slowly took a step forward. It was only when he closed the distance between Yuu before he spoke again. “Well, well, well.. Isn’t this an interesting turn of events.” He glanced at them up and down, taking in their features. He made sure not to look at Yuu in a pervy way—he knew his manners—but the look in his eyes clearly showed he was enjoying this.
“...are you done?” Yuu sighed, narrowing their eyes as he continued to eye them up and down.
“Sorry for admiring the view, your highness. How inconsiderate of me~,” he smirked, his eyes still taking in Yuu’s form. There was a very clear hint of admiration in his voice, though it was mixed with a healthy amount of teasing.
“Okay, I get it, the cat’s out of the bag. And now that you know, you would understand that I have to go back to the palace before my parents realize I’m not in my room with my face buried into a textbook.”
Ace hummed at Yuu’s words, a small pout on his face. He wasn’t really looking forward to letting you go so soon, especially after learning their identity.
“Already?” he complained, not bothering to keep the whining out of his voice. “But I didn’t even get to ask a single question.”
“Maybe next time.” Yuu shrugged with an unimpressed expression.
Ace’s pout intensified at their response. He was really wanting to learn as much as possible about them.
“Ah, come on, you can’t just give me a breadcrumb and run off,” he huffed, his tone bordering one of a toddler about to throw a fit.
Yuu gave him a blank stare at his complaints, letting out an inaudible sigh. “Fine. Tomorrow, meet me here. Same time.”
Ace’s pout finally faded into a sly grin, clearly satisfied that Yuu had agreed to see him again. “Heh, you got it. Same time, same place,” he confirmed, giving a mock salute as a show of agreement.
After getting Yuu’s confirmation, Ace’s smile turned into another smirk, his eyes lighting up mischievously once again. “See you then, your highness~”
With that, he gave a little mocking bow and a wink, before finally turning to leave. He was practically bouncing on his heels as he walked away, clearly more excited than he let on.
Yuu let out a sigh, throwing the cloak hood back onto their head, hiding their face once more as they headed back to the castle.
"You're early," Yuu hummed, gently pushing the hood down from their face.
Ace, who had been leaning against one of the many buildings, looked up when he heard Yuu's voice, a familiar smirk appearing on his face.
"Eh, was bored," he shrugged, straightening up to look at them. "I have an excuse, what's yours?"
"...I needed fresh air," Yuu mumbled. Eh, partly true. This is what happens when you have two overbearing, royal parents.
Ace snorted at your answer, a hint of humor in his tone.
“Fresh air, huh? That’s the best you can come up with?” he teased, taking a couple steps forward, moving so he was now standing in front of Yuu.
He took a moment to look you over, his smirk still in place. However, there was a small, subtle hint of curiosity in his eyes as he continued to study you.
“So, your highness,” he stated, casually crossing his arms over his chest. “I suppose I should address you by your ‘proper’ title, shouldn’t I?”
He didn’t wait for Yuu to respond, moving on. “Though I wonder… how the heir of all people ended up sneaking off and walking the town streets alone.”
“That’s…none of your business,” Yuu sighed, unamused.
Ace chuckled at Yuu’s less-than-friendly response. He had expected as much, but it didn’t deter him from continuing to press them.
“Ah, come on, tell me,” he said in a goading tone, a cheeky grin still on his face. “I just wanna know.”
“Curiosity killed the cat,” Yuu shrugged, rebuffing him almost immediately.
Ace rolled his eyes at their comment, not expecting Yuu to be so quick to shut him down. Despite that, he didn’t give up.
“And satisfaction brought it back,” he retorted, the cheekiness in hie expression growing.
Yuu gave up, only letting out a sigh. “Nevermind… what’d you want to ask me so bad yesterday, anyway?”
Ace chuckled, happy that Yuu finally got straight to the point. He leaned back against the wall, crossing his arms comfortably.
“A lot of things, honestly,” he answered, his smirk turning more sly. “You’re a mystery that I want to figure out, you know. I still can’t believe that the heir is casually sneaking around the town like a normal person.”
“Well, better make it quick. I have an hour, tops.” Yuu pursed their lips. They could only stay so long—after all they bribed their personal maid to distract their parents for this.
Ace whistled lowly at your limited time, a look of slight mischief on his face.
“Ooh, limited time. What a time crunch. Let’s see…” he mumbled, scratching his chin in exaggeraged thought. Then a sly smirk appeared on his face, an idea suddenly coming to mind.
“Alright, your highness… I got a good question but it might make you a tad uncomfortable,” he mused, his smirk widening at the thought of making Yuu squirm.
“...get on with it,” Yuu muttered, both unimpressed and impatiently.
Ace tilted his head a bit, enjoying the look on your face. “Fine,” he began, dramatically building up the suspense.
“Can royals date commoners?”
Yuu was appalled, their eyes widening slightly. “...you’re serious?”
“Of course I’m serious. Got a problem with that, your highness?”
Yuu thought for a moment, narrowing their eyes slightly in a train of thought. “Well…I guess? Depends how well I hide the relationship from my parents.”
Ace raised an eyebrow at their response, intrigued. He was fully expecting Yuu to shut him down, but now a new possibility was popping up in his mind.
“So you’re saying you’d be willing to date someone beneath you?”
“You’re thinking of the stereotypes.”
Ace let out a chuckle. He was surprised that one of the snooty royals actually didn’t have a stick up their ass and was pretty okay with dating a commoner.
“I guess you are right, I shouldn’t stereotype,” he hummed, his smirk turning sly once again. Especially if the heir isn’t actually a pompous stick in the mud."
“...wait is that what you think of all royals–?” Yuu’s eyes widened a bit.
Ace snorted and gave an eyeroll. “Most of the time, yeah. Don’t tell me I’m wrong,” he said flatly, not even trying to mask the disdain in his voice. He’s had plenty of experience with royal nobles that left a nasty taste in his mouth.
He casually leaned back against the wall once again, his expression a mix of annoyance and disinterest. “They’re all uptight assholes who think their status alone should be enough to get them whatever they want. I haven’t met a single one who I haven’t immediately wanted to throw a pie at.”
Yuu thought for a moment, raising an eyebrow at that last bit. “...you wanted to throw a pie at me?”
Ace barked out a laugh, the mental image of Yuu splattered with pie filling causing him to crack up a bit.
“At first, yeah,” he admitted, the grin on his face telling Yuu that he was completely serious. Before he could say more, however, he caught himself and composed himself a bit more.
“But, erm.. I don’t think I’ll do that now,” he went on, his tone a mix of sheepish and sly. He let out an inaudible breath of relief when Yuu’s expression softened and nodded slowly in acknowledgement.
Seeing your usually cool expression soften ever so slightly caused a slight flutter in his chest. He decided to press his luck a bit more, taking a small step closer to you.
“That’s not to say you’re completely off the hook, though. I still gotta make sure you aren’t just a pretty airhead.”
“Is…is that an insult?” Yuu narrowed their eyes, letting out an inaudible huff.
Ace let out a small laugh at Yuu’s immediate defensiveness at his words. He casually stuffed his hands in his pockets, enjoying the interaction. “Relax, your highness, it’s more of a tease. Can’t have you turn out to just be another pampered airhead who doesn’t know how to speak their mind, can I?”
Yuu blinked twice, unamused. “If I speak my mind, that’ll get me grounded.”
Ace snorted and rolled his eyes, not surprised that Yuu had to walk on eggshells around their parents. “What, your parents don’t like you having opinions? How stuck up.”
Ace raised an eyebrow Yuu’s deadpan tone. The fact that Yuu wasn’t kidding made him let out an incredulous scoff. “Are you serious? You’re scared to share your opinions because daddy dearest would punish you?” he asked, his tone a mixture of skepticism and disbelief.
“Well, yeah… I want to eat dinner.”
Ace’s eyes widened a bit at Yuu’s casual response. It was baffling to him that starvation was normal to them, and they didn’t even see the problem with it.
“What, they withhold food from you if you speak your mind? I hope you’re joking because that’s ridiculous.”
Yuu stayed silent at that.
Ace’s eyes widened at their silence. He started down at Yuu for a moment, his face a mix of horror and sympathy. He couldn’t fathom how Yuu’s parents would go to such lengths to control them.
“They seriously do that? They withhold your food from you as punishment?” he asked again, his tone soft and disbelieving.
Uncomfortable, Yuu bit their lip and let out a sigh, glancing up at the sun setting. They needed to go back to their quarters—they knew their maid wouldn’t be able to distract their parents much longer. “Look, just…nevermind that…please, just drop it and I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Ace frowned, frustrated that Yuu was trying to brush off what their parents were doing to them. But, he knew pushing them would result in Yuu refusing to meet him again.
“...Fine..,” he reluctantly obliged, letting out a sigh before continuing, “and you promise you’ll show up tomorrow?”
“I showed up today, didn’t I?”
Ace chuckled, small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “Good point. But hey, you never know. You might decide tomorrow that you want to stay in bed and be a lazy heir.”
Yuu only sighed, shaking their head in denial.They turned away, giving a small wave before fully walking off.
Ace watched them walk away, his smirk gradually shifting into a small smile. He waved back to Yuu, his gaze lingering on their form for a moment before they were out of sight. “Until tomorrow, then, your highness.”
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(a/n: the first bit is Ace’s POV and the next bit in italic is Yuu’s — if you don’t want to read both, you can pick either one)
That night, as Ace lied awake in bed, his thoughts continued to wander. However, this time it wasn’t thoughts of pranks or shenanigans. It was thoughts of Yuu. He let out a small sigh, running a hand over his face in irritation.
He rolled onto his side, trying to get comfortable. It didn’t help one bit—Yuu just kept popping in and out of his head.
“Don’t you have any dignity?” He berated himself, groaning aloud. “Falling for a royal… what is wrong with you?”
Despite his own protests, his own brain wouldn’t stop its train of thought. The image of Yuu wouldn’t go away, and if anything, their face became more clear as time passed.
He let out a frustrated sigh, admitting defeat. He was already falling for them, whether he wanted to or not.
He closed his eyes, a small sigh escaping him as his thoughts finally cleared up, allowing him to succumb himself to sleep.
Yuu walked back towards the castle, sighing softly as they tried to ignore the nagging feeling in their stomach. They’d been having secret ‘escapades’ like this for the past month, and although it was thrilling, it made them feel guilty about it.
Their parents had no idea what their child was doing, and if they found out… Yuu didn’t want to imagine the consequences, but they had a pretty good idea that in the end they’d make them pick freedom or being disowned and thrown onto the streets.
After climbing back up onto their balcony and into their room. Just as they got settled in they heard their mother’s voice from further down the hall. “Yuu? Is that you?”
Yuu froze in their tracks, a wave of anxiety washing over them. They quickly turned to look in the direction of their mother’s voice. “Y-yes mother, it’s me,” they managed to stutter out, their heart rate already picking up a bit.
Yuu’s mother stepped into view a small, skepitical frown on her face. She looked Yuu over, scanning her for any obvious signs of anything suspicious. “Where have you been?”
Yuu gulped silently, their mind scrambling to come up with an excuse. Though, they’ve gotten good at white lies. “I’m sorry for staying out so late, mother, I lost track of time at the orphanage.”
Yuu had told their parents that they’d been volunteering at an orphanage, taking care of the children. Their parents only approved in the first place because it made the royal family look good. It was true, staying there for an hour before exploring the town—that bit, their parents didn’t know about. Guess they didn’t need to bribe the maid in the first place.
Yuu’s mother raised an eyebrow at their answer, her frown softening. She’d been skeptical about Yuu’s frequent visits to the orphanage, but at least her child seemed to be behaving. “I suppose that’s alright… you certainly seem invested in your volunteer work.”
Her tone was a little less suspicious, though there was a hint of sternness. “But you should be more mindful of the time and come straight back to the castle when you’re done.”
“You’re right, mother. I’ll be more mindful of the time next time,” Yuu said, trying to keep their voice steady and innocent-sounding. Thank god it worked.
Yuu’s mother studied her for a moment longer, before nodding in satisfaction. “Very well, I expect you to be more responsible in the future,” she said sternly, before walking off.
With their mother gone, Yuu quickly slipped into their room and closed the door, leaning against it for a moment to let out a sigh of relief. They were glad that her mom had believed their white lie, but they couldn’t shake the feeling of unease. Lying to their parents like that made them feel uneasy, even if it was to keep their secret meetings with Ace.
Yuu made their way to their bed and sat down on the edge of it, their mind still swirling with thoughts. They knew meeting up with Ace like this was a risk, and the more they did it, the greater the chances of their parents finding out. But on the other end of the spectrum, they couldn’t bring themself to stop. There was something about the secret meetings with Ace made them feel… alive, for a lack of a better word.
Sighing, Yuu fell back onto their bed, staring up at the ceiling as they tried to calm their racing thoughts. Tomorrow they’d see Ace again, and the thought of it made their heart skip a beat. Though, they knew they had to be careful and not let their get their emotions get the best of them.
With that in mind, Yuu took a a deep breath and forced themself to relax. They closed their eyes and tried to push away the worries and anxiety, drifting into a restless sleep.
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As the days turn into weeks, the secret meetings between Yuu and Ace continued on a daily basis. Each day, both of them would meet up in the usual spot, spending the rest of the afternoon together, talking, playing games, and occasionally doing a bit of magic on Ace’s end.
Yuu found that as time went on, they felt less and less guilty about sneaking off to see him. They started looking forward to the meetings more and more, soon enough to the point where they couldn’t imagine the day without spending time with him.
Ace, for his part, couldn’t help but feel a bit of thrill every time he met up with Yuu. Seeing them smile and laugh and hearing them talk about their day—it made him feel a sense of satisfaction he’d never felt before. As their bond grew stronger, Ace found himself looking forward to each new day, knowing he’d get to see Yuu again.
However, despite the growing affection between the two, they were both aware that their relationship wasn’t exactly ideal. Yuu was the next heir to the thrown and Ace was a “lowly” commoner. If their secret meetings were discovered, the consequences would be dire.
Yuu found themself growing more attached to Ace with each passing day. His carefree attitude and mischievous nature just felt refreshing, almost addictive compared to the rigidness of royal life. Their secret meetings were a sweet drug to them, making them feel in control of their own life for once. Yuu shook off the looming cloud of their inevitable separation, trying not to think about it and enjoy it while it lasted.
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Ace tried his best to hide a bouquet behind his back as Yuu glanced at him, but he couldn’t completely conceal the nervous energy he felt. He gave them a small, sheepish smile, his heart thudding in his chest as he tried to summon up the courage to give Yuu the bouquet.
“Uh.. hey there, your highness,” trying his best to act casual. He glanced at Yuu, trying to gauge their reaction as discreetly as possible, waiting for the perfect moment to reveal his little gift.
Yuu caught a glimpse of Ace’s furtive glances, and they could see the slight tension in his body. They found it a little adorable, how he tried to play it cool while obviously hiding something behind his back.
Curiosity piqued, they feigned ignorance, looking up at him with an innocent smile, silently encouraging him to reveal the surprise.
Ace gave a small nervous chuckle, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He could tell Yuu was feigning ignorance, but he played along, maintaining his casual demeanor as he slowly brought the bouquet around to the front, revealing the colorful, yet modest looking flowers.
“Oh, this?” he asked, trying to appear nonchalant. “Just something I picked up along the way.” He held the bouquet out to Yuu, waiting for their reaction.
Yuu’s eyes widened slightly as Ace revealed the bouquet, their breath hitching in their throat. They hadn’t expected something so sweet and thoughtful from him. They couldn’t help the small, genuine smile that spread across their face as they looked up at him.
Ace.. you didn’t have to…they’re beautiful,” Yuu murmured, their hand brushing against his as they took the flowers from him, gently holding it to their chest.
A feeling of relief washed over Ace as he saw the smile on Yuu’s face, a mixture of happiness and pride swelling in his chest. He’d been worried that the gesture might come across as too cheesy or cliche or over-the-top—seeing Yuu genuinely pleased made his heart beat a bit faster.
He gave a small chuckle, trying to play it cool as he spoke up. “Glad you like them. I saw them and immediately thought of you.”
Yuu’s heart fluttered at his words, a warm feeling spreading through their chest. They knew that Ace’s carefree nature often concealed his more thoughtful side, and moments like these showed them just how much he cared.
They sniffed the flowers, a small smile still on their lips, and looked up at him again. “They smell wonderful too,” they murmured, continuing to hold the bouquet against their chest.
Ace’s gaze softened as he watched Yuu hold the bouquet to their chest, admiring the small, bashful smile on their face. It was moments like these that he longed for, seeing Yuu so content and visibly happy.
A grin tugged at the corners of his lips as he spoke up again. “You know, they’re not the only thing that smells nice around here…”
Yuu looked up at him in confusion for a moment before it dawned on them what he meant, her cheeks growing warm almost immediately. They blushed furiously, their heart rate picking up a bit as they tried to come up with a witty response to match his tease. But all Yuu could do was manage a flustered stammer.
“Y-you…you’re ridiculous, you know that…?” Yuu managed to stutter out, their grip on the bouquet tightening slightly.
Ace chuckled heartily at their reaction, clearly pleased with how flustered he’d made them. He took a step closer to Yuu, still wearing a mischievous smile. “And here I thought I was being romantic,” he chided with a teasing tone, his gaze never leaning Yuu’s. He had always enjoyed getting a rise off of them, and seeing them so caught off guard was definitely satisfying.
Yuu rolled their eyes, trying to regain their composure despite the rapid thumping of their heart. They knew he loved seeing themself flustered, and it took all their willpower to not give him the satisfaction.
Yuu gave him a small pout, still holding onto the bouquet against their chest. “You weren’t being romantic, you were being a smart-ass,” they huffed, their cheeks still tinged pink.
Ace feigned mock offense, a hand flying to his chest in a dramatic gesture. “You wound me, your highness,” he said with an exaggerated gasp, his grin widening as he saw Yuu’s pout. “I’ll have you know I’m being very romantic. I got you flowers, after all,” he teased, gesturing to the bouquet in their arms.
Yuu huffed again, their cheeks still warm from his earlier comment. “Just because you got me flowers doesn’t mean you’re Aphrodite,” they hummed, trying seem annoyed but failing miserably.
They glanced down at the bouquet, a small fond smile tugging at the corner of their lips. Despite their teasing, Yuu couldn’t deny that his gesture was touching, and that he’d clearly put some thought and effort into it.
He took another step closer, his smile softening slightly as he spoke. “Oh come on, give it a rest. You know you love it when I’m being romantic.”
He reached out to gently brush a loose strand of hair behind their ear, his touch gentle and affectionate. Yuu’s heart fluttered as Ace’s hand brushed their hair aside, his touch sending a jolt of electricity through their body.
“W-well, I…guess I do owe you appreciation for the flowers..” Yuu murmured shyly, their face feeling warm from his touch and comments.
Ace’s smile widened as Yuu hesitantly admitted that they enjoyed his gesture. He chuckled, moving his hand from their ear to rest atop their head, giving their hair a gentle ruffle.
“Damn right, you do,” he replied with a teasing tone.
Yuu tried, unsuccessfully to swat his hand away as he ruffled their hair, wrinkling their nose at his playful tone.
However despite their “annoyance”, there was a small, fond smile on their face. Yuu loved the playful banter between the two of them, knowing that Ace was only like this because he knew Yuu secretly enjoyed it.
“Okay, fine. You got me.” Yuu smiled, their heart pounding in their chest as they stepped forward, planting a small, quick yet tender kiss onto his cheek. “...thanks for the flowers, Ace.”
Ace’s eyes widened slightly in suprise. He recovered quickly though, a sly smile creeping onto his lips as he wrapped an arm around their waist, pulling them closer.
“See, was that so hard?” he said with a cheeky laugh and grin.
Yuu rolled their eyes again, but this time there was no heat behind it. Instead, Yuu found themself leaning into his touch, their annoyance giving way to a small, fond smile.
“No, but you’re still insufferable,” Yuu chided, the playful barb carrying no weight.
Ace pulled them even closer, closing the gap between Yuu and him so that their bodies were practically touching.
He tilted his head slightly, his voice low and playful as he spoke again. “Nahhh, you love it. You love everything about me, and even my insufferable-ness.”
Yuu tried to come up with a witty retort, but all that came out was a soft, flustered stammer. They cursed internally, and took a moment to gather themself before speaking up again. “You’re so fully of yourself,” Yuu managed to blurt out, their voice slightly shaking.
Ace leaned in, his voice low and teasing as he spoke into Yuu’s ear. “Yeah, but you love it. You know you do.” He was loving this, knowing Yuu was so flustered all because of him. He pressed a small affectionate kiss to her temple.
Ace felt Yuu relax against him, their guard finally dropping as they allowed themself to get caught up in the moment. He could feel their heart racing, and the way they practically melted into him was incredibly satisfying.
He nuzzled his face into the crook of their neck, inhaling Yuu’s scent. It was sweet and floral, like a mix of roses and lilies. He murmured Yuu’s name softly, the word barely a whisper against their skin. He pulled away slightly for a moment, before leaning in slowly, his lips capturing Yuu’s into a tender kiss.
credits for divider: @cafekitsune
based off of character AI by FluffiMemes
