Being afraid to admit your feelings to Nuada.
After Nuada’s defeat, he was being kept at B.P.R.D. while they attempted to rehabilitate him. It wasn’t an easy task by any means. If anything, his loss has only spurred his hatred more.
When the higher ups felt that it was safer for him to interact with a human, you were called in. You weren’t sent to interrogate him or anything of the sort. It was much less official than that. You would simply be a friend. They hoped that your knowledge and demeanor would make him more open to accepting that all humans weren’t, in fact, awful.
The Prince was more than a little resilient at first. He refused to call you by name (referring to you only as, ‘human,’) and often insulted humanity as a whole and in doing so, you as well. You tried to keep him off that topic and instead spoke about goblin crafts and magical lore. You’d ask him about home, trying to steer away from anything that might hit a sore note.
In time, the two of you grew close. Initially you felt apprehension when it came time for you to visit with Nuada. That changed, however, and you began to look forward to seeing him. You found yourself thinking about him sporadically throughout the day.
‘Oh no, I’m falling for him.’
He’d come a long way with how he treated you, but you were unsure if that meant he was ready to even claim a human as an actual friend. You had to tell him, at the very least, that you cared for him. He may not be ready to reciprocate your deeper feelings, but knowing that he doesn’t have a deep seeded desire to murder you would be a great start.
“Please, y’n, do not address me so formally. Can I be declared a prince when I have no kingdom?”
“Oh, right. Sorry. Nuada, I wanted to ask - have you enjoyed our time together? I mean, I’ve been feeling lately that we’re creating a bond of sorts but I don’t want to overreach.”
“I have become accustomed to your visits. Truthfully, I find myself missing your presence when you leave.”
It wasn’t an admission of love, but it was a start. You weren’t ready to bare your heart to him completely just yet; however hearing him admit that he viewed you favorably gave you hope that you could soon.