Principessa della Mafia

Independent RP blog for the heroine of Criminale! M!A Status: None Image Credit

[olderhyena]

Sometimes he wasn’t sure whether Angelina understood the extent of his feelings to her, especially when she goes on to say such things like that. Being told that he was important to her in any sort of way had his heart aching, mostly from happiness, though a pang of pain also shot through him as he couldn’t help but think that someone might one day be more important to her than him. He wasn’t going to do anything to stop that day from coming, but it still hurt to think about, so he decided it would be best to just push that thought out of his head for now and focus on the happy feeling blooming in his chest, making him give her a small smile for a moment.

Even though Angelina calmed the scared kitten, he still decided that it would probably be for the best if he avoided being in contact with him as much as possible. Of course, the cat would have to deal with him being constantly around as Angelina’s bodyguard, but that wasn’t his concern. He’ll just diligently follow behind his precious signorina without a thought as to whether his mere presence was unnerving the cat that Angelina claimed he was being sweet towards. “I don’t mind. Animals don’t like me, it’s not just him. He’s acting in a natural manner now that he’s not desperate enough to think I’m his only option, so this is actually an improvement.”

[princxpessa-blog]

Unfortunately, she was oblivious to the fact that her words had caused him any pain, seeing the smile that he gave her only as a sign that she had said something to make him happy. That, in turn, made her smile widen. She liked seeing him smile, especially since it was a rare occurrence. It crossed her mind that she could tease him about it, but she decided against it. She didn’t want to say something that would make that smile go away.

Upon hearing that animals in general weren’t fond of her best friend, she frowned. That hardly seemed fair, and she couldn’t understand why. Yes, Nero was dangerous—a fact she had come to accept—but he wasn’t all bad! Sure he had his odd moments, for lack of a nicer way of putting it, but he could still be kind! She had witnessed a prime example of it only a few minutes ago. Sighing softly, she opened the door to her room and began to look for a suitable blanket, continuing their conversation all the while. “I don’t understand why they don’t like you. You’re not so scary to me.”

[olderhyena]

Her comment about him being sweet, of all things, got him to look back over to her with a tilted head, before he shook his head. “It is the obvious truth. Whether or not I say it out loud doesn’t make me sweet.” he really had nothing to say past that, as that was what he truly believed. He had no doubt in his mind that even their enemies would consider Angelina as a likable girl if they spent even five minutes in her presence and not trying to kill her. Not that he would let anyone dangerous spend such a large amount of time around Angelina, but the point still stood.

Noticing her picking up the cat once more, he reached out a finger to pet the cat, only to withdraw it when he noticed that the kitten was shying away from his hand and closer into Angelina’s arms. Looks like he was right to assume that he was just a last resort to a desperate creature. Now that the cat had someone else to rely on, he could start listening to his instincts that warned him of danger, it seemed. Well, he was used to it, so it didn’t bother him. “Are you ready to head out then, signorina? If you plan to bring it with us, you might want to grab some sort of blanket to keep it warm in, as I don’t think leaving it alone in your room would be smart.”

[princxpessa-blog]

Right after Nero shook his head, she shook hers as well. She didn’t really agree that what he said was true, as there was probably someone out there who didn’t like her for one reason or another, but that wasn’t the point she wanted to argue. “It might be the truth, but you’re sweet because you took the time to say it and tell me personally. That way, it means something. You’re my best friend, Nero. You’re important to me, and so is everything you say.”

Looking down at the kitten, she shifted her hold on it so that she could use a few fingers to pet it, gently stroking it to soothe it. She couldn’t understand why the cat wouldn’t let Nero pet it, but she spent a moment petting its fur until it seemed to relax. “It’s alright, Romeo. He won’t hurt you. He’s a friend. You know that, right?” Cuddling the kitten in her arms, she raised her head up and nodded, already heading towards her room to grab a small spare blanket. “Let’s go get him a blanket. It would probably be better to bring him with us.”

[olderhyena]

With her smiling at him and listing off ways he was like the kitten, some of which could be considered as actual praise rather than just a comparison, he wasn’t really sure how he could really respond to that. He was left momentarily speechless as he stared at her, before averting his gaze towards the kitten. For all his love for her and her smile, sometimes it was just too bright for him to handle, especially when she was speaking so kindly of him. “I would hardly consider myself quiet, and the cat would have to be an idiot not to like you. Anyone would, really… But I suppose I can see the resemblance otherwise.”

He frowned at the initial idea of the cat sharing his name, not liking that thought at all. Looking like him was enough, he didn’t want the cat to become the replacement ‘Nero.’ The frown, however, disappeared once Angelina dismissed the idea. The other name she was considering got her a shrug from him, as the cat’s name was hardly something he cared about. Just as long as he didn’t feel like he was being replaced by a cat, she could call it whatever made her happy. “Just don’t become Juliet. I like you as a little angel, and alive. But if you like the name Romeo, that’s the name it’ll have.”

[princxpessa-blog]

“Hmm...you’re right. Not quiet, then. Only the kitten is quiet, but him being quiet reminds me of how serious you are sometimes. And...” She had originally thought about saying something else, but his compliment distracted her from it and she changed what she’d been about to say. “Thank you... See? You are sweet. You didn’t have to say that, but you did.” 

Giving him another smile, she turned her attention back to the cat on the floor, her cheeks now slightly pink. She wasn’t sure where the reaction had come from, but this time, such kind words had actually made her feel as though her heart skipped a beat. Nero was her best friend! He had feelings for her, as she knew, but she had told him already that his feelings weren’t returned. What was going on now?! Sighing softly, she crouched down and picked the kitten up off the floor, cradling it in her arms once more. Thankfully, the next thing Nero said made her giggle, which helped the flustered blush fade from her cheeks. “Don’t worry. I won’t become Juliet; I’ll always be Angelina. So...Romeo it is, then.”

[olderhyena]

Trailing behind her, it didn’t take long for the blush to leave his cheeks, even with her mentioning it. At her comment about the kitten reminding her of him, he paused slightly in his walking before quickly speeding up to return to his place behind Angelina. “I don’t think I did anything deserving of such praise from you, but… a kitten reminds you of me?” While he was honoured that anything reminded her of him, the fact that it was a small, defenseless kitten somewhat confused him. Outside of the similarity in their situation and the fact they shared black hair/fur and yellow eyes, he couldn’t really imagine how she could be reminded of him when looking at the apparent ‘sweet kitten.’ He wasn’t a very sweet person by nature, all things considered.

Once they reached the kitchen, he stood off to the side as he watched her get the kitten milk, keeping his distance in order to avoid crowding the kitten as it ate. His eyes were more glued to watching Angelina smiling at the kitten than at the kitten itself. “If I can be of any use, I would be happy to help. We can also get a name tag engraved for it to go with the collar, if you like. Have you thought of what you would want to name it?”

[princxpessa-blog]

Satisfied that the kitten was focused on its meal, she looked from it up to her best friend, showing him a warm smile directed his way. “You don’t see the resemblance? He has black fur and yellow eyes, just like you have black hair and golden eyes. It’s not just looks, though. He’s been mostly quiet, and I think he likes me. Not only that, but he managed to survive outside in this cold weather on his own until you found him. He’s pretty resilient for a kitten. You have more in common with him than you think, and I wouldn’t consider that a bad thing.”

She straightened up, putting the milk back in the fridge while in thought. “A name tag for him would be wonderful. For a name...hmmm.... ‘Nero’ would suit him, oddly enough, but that’s your name, and your name should be unique to you. What about...Romeo? What do you think?”

[olderhyena]

Success! Angelina was smiling and looked quite happy about having a kitten, which was what he was hoping for. This made him very happy indeed as he enjoyed the sight of her precious warm smile. Even when it wasn’t directed specifically at him, it still made his heart practically skip a beat to see it. What did make his heart actually skip a beat was the kiss, his cheeks reddening at the feeling of Angelina’s lips on them. “…Prego. And I am sure that you will.”

Following behind Angelina like an obedient dog at the gesture, he nodded along to what she was saying. He would have followed her out shopping regardless, but having her ask him specifically if he would come with her made it feel even more special to him. His signorina wanted him to come along! “I am not busy at the moment, so I would be quite honoured to come along and help you. Though, I am not sure how much help I can be outside of carrying stuff for you. I have no knowledge of caring for animals of any sort. But cats drink milk, right? We should have some in the fridge.”

[princxpessa-blog]

Nero always looked cute with a blush on his cheeks, and this time was no exception. Noticing the pink tint, she giggled and kept walking until she reached the kitchen, confident that Nero was right behind her. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to make you blush. I just think it was kind of you to rescue this little guy. He seems like such a sweet kitten. He reminds me of you, actually.”

Nodding in agreement with the suggestion, she shifted the weight of the tiny cat in her arms to make sure she wouldn’t drop him, then opened the fridge to retrieve the milk. “Good idea. Just milk isn’t much, but it should be enough until we go get some food and treats from the pet store.” After temporarily putting the milk down, she found a small shallow bowl and poured some milk into it, then placed both the bowl and the kitten carefully onto the floor. The cat went for it right away, and she smiled while watching it lap up the liquid. “I don’t know much about caring for animals either, but it can’t be too difficult. I’d say they just need lots of the same basic things that people do. If you like, you could help me pick out a collar for him while we’re there.”

[olderhyena]

@princxpessa - continued from here

The look on Angelina’s face as he presented her the kitten was the only hint he needed to know that he had made a smart choice in deciding to give the kitten to her. He had no doubt in his mind that she would take good care of the kitten, as well as no doubt that she will enjoy the companion. At her questions though, he gave a small shrug as he reached to place a few pets on the kitten’s head, enjoying the feeling of the soft fur. “It doesn’t have a collar, and is far too malnourished to possibly have an owner. And had it a family, I doubt it would have approached me. I also searched the area, but I couldn’t find any other cats.” 

Reaching up from petting the kitten, he lightly placed a few pats on Angelina’s own head, giving her a small smile. “I have spoken to Gerardo, and he had given permission for you to keep it if you so please, so you don’t have to worry about that. I just hope that it’s not much trouble to ask you to do this on such short notice.”

[princxpessa-blog]

“It’s no trouble at all. He’s just a little kitten that needs a home. I’d love to keep him.” Now that she had been reassured that the kitten could remain hers, she hugged it closer to her chest, still stroking its fur with a few fingers. The fur underneath her fingertips was so dark that she was almost tempted to give her new kitten the same name as that of the one who had given it to her, and she grinned to herself at the thought. Looking up from the kitten, she leaned and stretched up to give Nero a kiss on the cheek as thanks. “Grazie, Nero. I promise I’ll take good care of him. It was very sweet of you to bring him in out of the cold.”

But Nero was right; it did look malnourished, making food a priority at the moment. Turning in the direction of the kitchen, she gestured for Nero to follow. “If you’re not busy, could you help me find him something to eat? After that, I should probably give him a bath, and I’ll need to go to the pet store for proper food and supplies—oh, and a collar too. Could you come with me?” Because she knew he would likely come if he could, invited or not, and some company would be nice while she shopped.

[princxpessa-blog]

"Signorina?" Walking up to Angelina, Nero held out the small kitten that he had found. "Would you be able to take care of this kitten? It approached me on the street, but I don't think I would be able to be around enough to care for it myself."

“What is it, Nero?” Stepping closer when called, she looked down at the kitten in Nero’s arms, her heart melting at the sight of the tiny feline. She reached out, carefully taking it into her own arms and gingerly petting the soft black fur. “It’s so little… You’re certain it doesn’t have a family or an owner of its own? I’d love to care for it, but I don’t want to keep it away from its family if it already has one. If it doesn’t…would it be alright with Gerardo?”

[princxpessa-blog]

Holds up a pale pink knitted sweater for her with a smile. It took a bit longer than the scarves, but she thought it worth the time to make. ❝ This is for you. It's getting a bit cold and I thought you could use something warm. ❞

“Oh!” She hadn’t been expecting something like that from the other female, but she wasn’t going to turn down a gift. Taking the sweater, she quickly tried it on, twirling a bit on the spot as she relished in the softness and warmth of it. “Thank you! It feels wonderful!”

[chxra]

“Nah, you didn’t go there with him. He would’ve probably told me about that too. He knows because he’s been keeping an eye on you. He is your bodyguard, after all. He notices things.” He shrugged as if it was obvious, because to him, it was. He didn’t see any harm in explaining it.

“Yeah, we can go together. That would be cool. It would give Nero a chance to take a break too; not that he’d want one.” He chuckled, nodding his head. Knowing Nero, he might tail them if given the chance, but he didn’t really care either way. “I’ll show you my favorite pizzeria too. They have amazing Sicilian-style cheese pizza.” 

[princxpessa-blog]

She wasn’t quite sure what to make of this information, leaving her staring at Chara and wondering whether she was the only one that considered what he just said even a bit creepy. “So... he knows... because he was watching me when I was getting pizza...without me knowing he was there?” She understood him being her body guard and watching over her, but something about that seemed a bit... excessive.

With that piece of information now in the back of her mind, returned her focus on the second part of the conversation. “Sounds like a plan. Even if he doesn’t want one, I think he deserves a chance to rest. You all work so hard all the time. He can take a day off while you be my bodyguard and show me the best place for Sicilian pizza!”

[olderhyena]

Letting her go as she set about taking the coat off, he watched with much amusement as she seemed to realize what he was implying with his words. She had always been quite sharp, so he wasn’t surprised by that, especially since he wasn’t really hiding the fact that he was hiding something from her.

“Perhaps. After all, after knowing you for ten years, I know everything about you.” To add to his jest, he brought up a finger to his chin, making it look like he was thinking it over. “Could it be… that you were looking for… a cake? One which was left in that fridge by the other boys a few hour prior but seems to have vanished? I guess that you can’t go spoiling the surprise if you can’t find it.”

[princxpessa-blog]

“Everything? You can’t really know everything. You’re joking, right?” Yes, they had been neighbors for ten years and they were friends, but surely he wasn’t being literal. That would be a bit creepy...or rather, very creepy. But of course he wasn’t! That would be ridiculous. 

Still... “You know what I’m looking for! That should be obvious!” It was her birthday, after all, and she’d had a hunch that the boys would make her a cake to celebrate. It wasn’t that she thought she deserved a cake; she’d heard whispers of discussion, and she’d sworn that she had smelled a cake baking this morning. They had to have made her a cake! It was the only thing that made sense. “It’s hidden now, isn’t it? Come on, give me a hint. Please?”

[princxpessa-blog]

chxra replied to your post:"Buon compleanno, Angelina." His gifts weren't as...

He blinked in surprise, but returned the hug and patted her head. Shaking his head, he chuckled, shrugging off some of the thanks. “I can’t take credit for the guess. Nero told me, and it’s not my favorite place, but I go there from time to time.”

Letting Chara go from the hug, she blinked in confusion at what he told her. “Nero did? How would he know? I don’t think the two of us ever went there together since he always seemed to like healthy stuff more.” 

Well, at least one of the twins was a pizza fan like her, so she jumped at that fact. “Would you like to go with me then? It’s no fun getting pizza by yourself, plus I’m technically not allowed to be by myself, so you should come with me. We can stop by whatever your favourite place is also, if you want.”

[princxpessa-blog]

"Buon compleanno, Angelina." His gifts weren't as perfect for her as Nero's were, but that was to be expected. Still, he tried to get her something he thought she might like. Wrapped up in tissue paper in a gift bag was a collection of fairy tales compiled into one book, along with a gift card to her favorite Napoli pizza place since he'd heard about her liking it from Nero and frequented the place himself.

Seeing Chara coming up to her with a gift bag in hand caused a large smile to form on her lips. Taking the gift bag, she excitedly looked inside, seeing the book first. Taking it out to check what it was, she giggled at the fact that it was a collection of fairy tales. She will definitely enjoy reading through those, especially if they were like the one story he told her before.

She was about to put it back in the bag when she noticed the gift card in there. Setting the book to the side, she took the card out, only for her smile to widen as she realized that it was to her favourite pizzeria

“Grazie, Chara!” Setting the gifts to the side, she threw her arms around him in a big hug. “I don’t know how you guessed that that is my favourite pizzaria, but I will definitely enjoy both of these.”

[olderhyena]

Seeing Angelina’s face light up in excitement when she noticed the present made him chuckle a bit. Watching as she opened the presents and put them on, he admired how cute she looked with the hairclip and the coat. They both fit her nicely, as he knew they would, so he was glad to hear that she liked them, as he knew she would.

“Prego. I am happy to hear that you like the gifts.” Lightly returning her hug, he gave her a short pat on the head as he looked down at her. Shifting his gaze towards the fridge, his smile turned a bit teasing as he had noticed her looking through it before.

“Now, what could you have possibly been looking for in the fridge? Hmmmm~?” Of course, he already knew the answer. Just as he had known that she would do something like this, which is why he had hidden the birthday cake that the other guys had gotten for their princess. It wouldn’t be much of a surprise if she poked her nose around and found it early.

[princxpessa-blog]

“They’re perfect! I would keep the coat on, but it’s too warm to wear it in here. I’ll wear it the next time I go out, okay?” Smiling away, she shrugged the coat off and folded it up, putting it back in the box to make it easier to carry. That done, she picked up the box and glanced around the room, again looking for any sign of the cake she was hoping for. 

Hearing the shift in his tone and the slight change to his smile, she eyed him suspiciously and quirked an eyebrow. “Nero, is there something you’re hiding from me, hm? You know what I’m looking for, don’t you? I bet you do.” She wasn’t going to let this go now that he’d teased her about it. She just knew he had something up his sleeve, and she had a feeling she knew what that something was as well.

[princxpessa-blog]

olderhyena:

Walking down the halls of the Amphisbaena base, heading towards the kitchen where he knew a certain little angel would be, Nero slightly shifted the neatly wrapped gift in his hands. Today was the birthday of his precious·signorina, a very special event in his mind. He had prepared for this day in advance, wanting to make sure that he was able to get the perfect gift for his friend. After a long period of searching,·he had finally decided on a cute·hair clip·and a·coat·that he knew she would like.

Finally spotting the birthday girl in question, a small smile made its way on his face as he approached her. Reaching her side, his first course of action was to reach out with one hand to lightly pat her on the head. Bringing his other hand forward, he held out the present for her to take.

“Buon compleanno, Angelina.”

Today was already different from every other birthday she was used to having, but she was still trying to keep up a smile and make the most of it. That was exactly why she was in the kitchen, searching for any sign of a birthday cake or a way to make one. Humming to herself, she peeked in the fridge, but let it close when she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure approaching her. Her smile brightened, and she turned to face him.

The head pat as a greeting was nice, but the present in Nero’s hands was a far more welcomed sight. Her eyes widened, and she let out a happy little squeal, taking the present from him to open it up. She hadn’t expected anything like this! Tearing away the paper, she sat the box on the nearby counter and lifted the lid. Her mouth dropped open in a gasp, and she stared in awe at the sparkling hair pin for a moment before picking it up and placing it in her hair. And the coat! It was perfect for her, and so cute! Even though they were indoors, she couldn’t resist trying it on. Giggling happily, she quickly shrugged on the coat and turned to give her best friend a hug.

“Grazie, Nero! These are wonderful gifts! You’re the best!”

[olderhyena]

“Upset? I am a bit, yes.” They were both already being honest about how they felt, so he didn’t bother lying about the fact that being rejected did hurt him. “But more than that, I am just glad that you would still consider me a friend after everything. I spent ten years of our lives basically hiding who I was from you, and even now, knowing the horrible things that I do, you still consider me a friend. That’s more than I could ever ask for, so I’m not horribly upset.”

With the verification that she didn’t want  him to be replaced, a small chuckle escaped him, heart slightly warmed by her words. “There is no need for you to thank me for that. I want to protect you, so  the fact you want me by your side is all the thanks I need. Though I wouldn’t be a very good bodyguard if I kept you up much longer, as it is fairly late. You should finish getting ready for bed, no?”

[princxpessa-blog]

“Doing horrible things doesn’t always mean that someone is a horrible person. Most of the time it does, but...not always. You’re not a horrible person, Nero. You’re different than the you I knew for ten years, but the you I saw all the time is still part of who you are, isn’t it? You’re still Nero, the guy who probably goes to sleep still wearing that hat.” She curved her lips into a teasing grin, adding a giggle for good measure.

Reminded that it was getting late, she glanced behind her to look at the time displayed on her alarm clock. She had almost forgotten what time it was while talking to him, and it was getting rather late. Turning back to him, she nodded, now feeling a bit sheepish. “I should; you’re right. Good night, Nero. Oh, but before you go...” Stepping closer again, she stretched up as much as she could to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

“Okay, there. Good night, Nero.”

[olderhyena]

He had honestly been expecting the worse, of her turning him away completely and telling him to leave. For her to step forward and actually hug him was completely unexpected, leaving him unable to do anything other than stare down at her in confusion, arms useless at his side. When she pulled away, he continued to stare as she gave her reply.

It hurt a bit, sure, to have his feelings not be reciprocated as anything past a friend, but when it came down to it he hadn’t really hoped for much more than being able to remain by her side. The simple fact that she said that he was a wonderful friend and that all this didn’t change that was all he was needed to give her a small smile at the end of it all. If she was still willing to consider him as such, then that was all he needed to stay happy.

“It’s honestly fine. You don’t have to apologize for that. Hearing that you still consider me a friend despite this is really all I ask for. Really, I should be the one apologizing for randomly bringing this up to you, especially at such an inconvenient hour.” He probably should leave now that he had finished saying what he had come to say, but there was just one more thing he wanted to clarify beforehand.

“I hope you won’t consider it awkward for me to continue being your bodyguard despite this. If you do have a problem with that, I can probably get Gerardo to assign you someone new to watch over you. Though I will probably still keep an eye on you no matter what. As I said, I want to protect you. Whether you returned my feelings or even knew about them in the first place doesn’t change the fact that I will protect you no matter what.”

[princxpessa-blog]

“You... You’re not upset? I thought you would be.” His response to her rejection genuinely surprised her, and she blinked a few times, questioning if she had really heard him correctly or if she was already half-asleep and her mind was playing tricks on her. It was a relief that he was still happy to be just her friend and bodyguard, because she’d been afraid of hurting him when she gave her answer. But apparently, he was fine and she needn’t have worried.

He still wanted to be her friend, and she still wanted to be his friend, but what she didn’t want was another bodyguard. She quickly shook her head in answer to his suggestion, giving him a small smile. “As long as it isn’t awkward for you either, I wouldn’t want anyone else to be my bodyguard. I’m still getting used to the idea that I need a bodyguard all the time, but it makes it easier since it’s you. You’re my bodyguard, but like I said, you’re my friend too. If someone has to protect me all the time, I want it to be you. And...thank you for protecting me, Nero.”

[olderhyena]

Her encouragement to talk somehow made it easier to loosen his tongue of the words he wanted to convey, the feelings he wanted to share with her. With her patiently waiting on him to say what he had come here to say, he took a deep breathe and let it out slowly before beginning to talk. “Well… as you have recently found out, I have been assigned  to watch over and protect you for the last ten years. And while it might have originally began as just a mission given to me, over time I grew quite attached to you. You were one of the few people who ever showed me kindness back then, going as far as calling me your friend.” 

He paused there for a moment, before scratching his neck slightly as he continued. “It really did make me incredibly happy to hear that you considered me someone worthy of being able to call you by name, and I don’t think I can even begin to describe the joy I felt whenever you smiled at me. Your smile soon became one of the few bits of life in my world otherwise filled with so much death, a bit of light in the darkness, so I wanted to protect it more than anything. Even if I was order to stop being your guard, I would have dismissed those orders and continued to stand by your side. I want to protect the happiness that you have shown me, the happiness that I couldn’t get for myself.”

He could tell he was starting to ramble at this point of time, trying to explain himself as best he could, but he finally paused for a moment and realized that it probably would have been better to be direct in his point. 

“I guess I could have shortened that all to simply say…  Ti amo, Angelina.”

[princxpessa-blog]

As soon as Nero started talking again, she focused her attention on him and listened. The more she heard, the more it became clear that this was some kind of confession, and she felt her cheeks growing warm. He was...attached to her, happy just to call her by her name. And somehow, her smile alone made him so happy he couldn’t put it into words. She was his ‘light in the darkness’? She’d never heard anything so sweet or sincere in her life. It sounded almost too perfect, and she found herself smiling as he continued.

At the thought of Nero no longer being her bodygard—which back then would have meant she would have lost a close friend and neighbor—she rejected the very idea. Living next to him all those years had given her a constant friend for most of her life, and she’d always been happy to have him around.

She had already figured out what he was leading up to, but hearing him say those two little words left her temporarily speechless nonetheless. What was she supposed to say to that? Should she—could she—say the same in return?

Instead of saying anything right away, she stepped forward to close the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his waist, burying her face in his chest. She hadn’t done anything to prompt this confession, and yet here he was, telling her he loved her. It wasn’t fair. He was her friend, and she didn’t want to hurt him, but she couldn’t say for sure that she felt the same way. He was precious to her, but as a friend, not someone she actually romantically loved. For his sake, she wished it was easy for her to return the sentiment...but it wasn’t.

Pulling away, she took a step back and sighed heavily. She truly didn’t want to say this, but if she said anything else, it would be a lie that would hurt both of them even more in the end. “Nero, I’m sorry. I... You’re a wonderful friend, and this doesn’t change that, but... I don’t feel the same way you do. Thank you for caring about me, and I care about you too, but just...not like that. I’m sorry...”