Silent Letters to My Beloved
Pairing ~ Rio Ortiz x GN Reader
Word Count ~ 1.5k
Author's Note ~ This fic is my gift for the lovely @eli-chika in @ikemenlibrary's "My Ikemen Valentine" Gift Exchange! I truly loved being able to write this fic for you. It's been awhile since I've written for Ikemen, and even longer since I've written for Rio, but I hope I did him justice for you and I hope you enjoy! <3
(Ps. I also totally made up the dates because I have zero clue when ikepri is meant to take place lol)
Darling Love, 11-08-32
My sweetest dear one,
My heart,
When you rescued me, my world stood still. Who I was before the moment your hands touched mine was of no consequence anymore. I was yours, heart, body, and soul. Through the years, you taught me how to open up again; how to learn and take in the beauty of the world again. I learned how to love from you. The man who feared losing everything came to realize that he had never even known of "everything" until he knew you.
I don't know why I'm confessing here, in this letter you will never read. I must seem quite foolish to you. Here you are, a bright and shining light, surrounded by those who shine almost as brightly as you do. The princes of Rhodolite are noble and kind - well, most of them - and you even outshine them at the center of it all. I can't even hope to hold a candle's worth of light to the beauty you radiate. Perhaps my purpose in this life is to stand behind you, just out of sight, and make sure you never suffer a single inconvenience. Honestly, it doesn't sound like too terrible of a fate: getting to stand close to you wherever you are, basking in the loveliness that is you.
Sometimes I just wish…
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My sweet, 11-17-32
I see the way they admire you, the curiosity and interest in their eyes. It shouldn't bother me. I should be able to keep myself contained as your butler and your… friend. But the way you smile back at them is enough to cast a shadow on even my brightest of days, and will tie my heart in uncomfortable, messy knots without any effort. I am not a man worthy of your affection, I know this. However, I can’t seem to force these feelings away. I saw Prince Leon taking your hand today, and leading you to the training grounds. He looked so happy to have your hand in his; I can’t imagine anyone who wouldn’t find otherworldly joy in it, so at least he responded appropriately. The pleased blush that spread across your face when his hand closed around yours pained me with the heartbreaking guilt of a man who loves you, but also desperately wants you to be happy - whether he is the one to make you so or not.
This jealousy is proof I can never deserve you. You are better off with a man like Prince Leon at your side. I will stand behind you to make sure you stay smiling throughout your journey. I swear it, to you and to myself, I will only cry where you cannot see it. You will never know my heartbreak. You deserve better than that.
~ Rio
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My friend, 12-10-32
You look so beautiful in the red outfit Prince Leon gifted you. It falls so beautifully around your frame and compliments you well. You will look so regal by his side that no one will question your place there! I know you worry; I see it in your eyes and the way a near-permanent crease sits between your lovely eyes, but you don’t need to. Just carry yourself the way you do in town, and in the bookstore. You’re so confident and sure of yourself there; at home. I miss when you seemed at home, when you were comfortable… when we were-
“Rio!”
The call from the door, along with hurried knocks had him jumping from his seat like he’d been stung and running to open it for them. “MC!” he yelped, his journal so visible and open on the table behind him filling him with so much momentary panic that he didn’t realize they were crying at first. But at the first sniffle, his attention snapped to their face where tears were falling in crystal tandem onto their lovely clothes. “MC, what’s wrong? Come in, sit down, I’ll get you a cloth! Was it Prince Leon? I don’t care if he’s a prince of Rhodolite or not, I’ll have his head if he hurt you-!”
“Rio!” they cried louder and he silenced, looking helplessly at them. They sniffled again. His heart clenched at the sound - the worst sound in the world, he thought, the sound of their pain. “I embarrassed myself.” sniff “The whole ballroom turned to judge me. They’re still talking about me, I’m certain.” sniff “I can’t show my face in that room again!”
“No matter what happened, if they judged you, they’re the ones who should be ashamed!” Rio flamed, his hands coming up to frame their shaking shoulders. “Where is prince Leon? Did he not follow you?” he asked, despite himself.
“I don’t want prince Leon.” they huffed. “He’s nice, and sweet, but-” sniff “He isn’t you, and I want you.” Rio’s heart stuttered into a wild rhythm at the possible implication of their words, but he shoved his hope to the pit of his stomach where it belonged; this wasn’t about him, it was about them. And he would be anything they needed him to be. So he put on his best face and nodded, pulling them into his embrace where they easily fell and curled around him. ‘It feels like coming home.’ he thought as he backed them both up enough to gently shut the door behind them and wrap his arm back around them, his hand finding their soft locks and stroking them tenderly. They wetted the shoulder of his undershirt with their tears, but he didn’t care. What was a shirt in comparison to them? The shirt was made better by having touched them, if anything.
“Want to sit down?” he whispered into their hair and they nodded after several seconds more of sniffling, so he maneuvered them towards the short couch next to the fireplace in his room and made to ease them down into the seat gently, but they tugged on his arm, pulling him down with them. He let out a gasp of surprise as they settled sideways on to the couch and pulled him over top of them.
“Please, Rio. Just- just hold me.” they whispered into his neck as he lowered himself gingerly down on top of them, hovering just above them to keep from possibly hurting them. However, they wrapped their arms firmly around his back and drew him close, rendering his efforts futile as he was forced to relax against them. He felt them sigh and relax into him, their nails beginning to scratch up and down his back, sending electric shivers through his entire body.
“Are you sure I’m not going to hurt you?! I’d never forgive myself if-”
“Rio, it’s fine.” they murmured, stopping him short. Their voice was subdued now, a comfortable haze enveloping them in warmth, and Rio let out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding, letting himself nuzzle into their neck. “I love having you close.” they whispered softly. “You feel like home.”
His breath caught again, this time full of the words he was too much of a coward to say, so he propped up on his elbow instead to look down at them, hoping the love in his eyes was enough to get the message across. Something must have reached them, thankfully, because they met his eyes with the same ardor echoed back to him and he swore his heart stopped beating. “You do too.” he finally croaked out, shocked that any words could form on his lips at all. They brought their hand up to his cheek, letting their fingers brush against his soft skin, the tiny blond hairs there tickling their fingertips as they followed the path of his cheekbone back to his ear and then to his fine blond locks. Their eyes followed the path of their fingers until they were out of sight, lost in his hair, then traveled back to lock with his.
“Rio,” they muttered breathlessly.
“Y-yes?” he said, hardly trusting his own voice to work the way it should.
“Kiss me.”
.
.
.
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My Dearest Fiance, 5-25-33
You grow more exquisite as each day passes, and I can’t believe I get to be the man to stand by your side. My proposal was so swift after we became lovers, I worried you wouldn’t say yes. But I couldn’t bear to wait any longer, and my heart is far too full knowing you feel the same! I know you enjoyed your time at the palace, but I’m so glad we’re back at the bookstore, home. Although, I know for certain that wherever you go would be home enough for me. If one day you decide to travel across the sea, I’ll be there beside you, ready to take on the world as your husband. With you, my love, I can take on anything. Thank you for loving me, I will never believe I deserve it, no matter the number of times you tell me. And I cannot wait to fill this journal with our adventures together. No more heartbreak, only love. Forever love.
~ Your loving fiance, Rio