Summary: Dragged along to a party she's less than enthused about, Girlfriend struggles to find a way to burn time until it's time to go home. Luckily for her, her bodyguard is still by her side, and Pico plans to whisk her away to someplace secret.
Someplace for just the two of them.
Word Count: 2582
(A/N: based off of @insinirate ‘s bodyguard au, and specifically this art piece. I wrote this in one sitting and I need to go to bed ASAP so excuse any mistakes I couldn’t catch I still gotta go to work fhkdjsf)
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Girlfriend has always loved fairy tales. Tales of knights in shining armor, princesses in peril, a true love's kiss - everything a little girl could ever dream of for a happy ending. Except... those were tales for little, human girls. None of the princesses in her storybooks had horns or wings or a pointed tail. All of those details belonged to the monsters, the dragons who kept the princesses hostage and were killed by the knights in shining armor.
It made her feel weird, to say the least.
After a while, she stopped reading fairy tales. She still loves them, of course, but at some point in her life, she felt that the stories were less for her and more for people who lived without horns on their heads or wings on their backs. Even if she doodled the details in, the pictures never felt right. Never felt like her. She'd look at the details she drew in and see nothing but bad imitations of what she was trying to see. There were no demon princesses, she realized. None of the princesses looked like her no matter how hard she tried to fill in the blanks.
There are no demon princesses. Because demons are the bad guys, right? They're supposed to be mean, and cruel, and manipulative. They're supposed to make deals with humans and take advantage of their foolishness. Demons are powerful and scary. Demons are the villains, with their horns and wings and pointed tails. Demons are like the dragons that keep the princesses captive until slain by the knights in shining armor.
That's what she is.
A demon.
These stories, she realized, were never meant for her, as much as she adored them. So she closed the books, stopped turning the pages, and left them to collect dust on her bookshelf.
She could never be a princess. And that's fine! She's fine. She's a demon, after all. A powerful, strong, beautiful demon who can make her parents proud and live up to their expectations. She can be big, and scary, and monstrous.
She'll be just like her parents and follow in their footsteps.
(If she looks in the mirror, what does she see?
Nothing. Nothing at all. Nothing she can recognize. Nothing she knows how to recognize. She reaches out to touch her reflection, and all she sees is a beautiful demon who looks nothing like her.
It's the demon her parents want her to be.
It's the demon she can't be.)
That's all she needs to focus on. Fulfilling her role and being someone her parents can be proud of. All she has to do is follow their lead and tread in their footsteps to be a proper demon. As long as she does that, she'll be fine.
Which is why... she's followed them out here. Voices of other people form a muted mumble around her as she stands idly on a pathway. Primly decorated outdoor tables dot the lavish backyard she finds herself in, but she can't be bothered with the obsessive use of white on all the decorations and outdoor seating as she fidgets with the satin wrap that sits around her shoulders. The wind lightly ruffles her thick curls as she stares up into the sky. She's always wondered how the sky can be so blue. Is it magic? Where does the blue come from? There's a reason why the sky is blue, but she can't grasp it just yet.
And that's fine, her parents said it's okay to not know everything. All she needs to know are the more important things, like how to torture someone, or how to file taxes in an illegal way. Today, however, she needs to be on her best behavior. It's supposed to be some important kind of party, one with fancy dresses and tiny sandwiches served on silver platters. Her parents are off somewhere, shaking hands and making sweet talk with the bigwigs as she stands around looking pretty. It's one of the few things she's very good at, after all.
A disinterested sigh passes from her lips as she looks down at the grass instead. This party is boring. But that's to be expected from a rich person's party. They're all stuffy and boring and talk in really fancy ways that always put Girlfriend to sleep. She'd rather be at home spending time with Boyfriend in the attic, or even just spending time in her room listening to music. Another sigh escapes her before it's answered by a grunt.
Oh, that's right. She's not completely alone here at this fancy party! Her bodyguard stands diligently by her side, his face set in a permanent scowl as he surveys the area and guests in front of them. Despite his cold exterior, there's a soft warmth that comes with his words as he speaks just loud enough for her to hear.
"You alright?" Pico's voice is low at her side, his eyes focused ahead as she turns to look at him. "You've been sighing a lot."
"Oh, it's nothing!" She giggles easily to wave off his concern. "I'm just a little bored, that's all."
"If you say so." Pico shrugs nonchalantly. Silence lingers between them as she turns back to watch the partygoers mingle and shuffle around, trading pleasantries like pennies as they kiss up to every person they talk to. It's exhausting to watch and it only makes her sigh some more. Why is she even here? She's said hi to one or two people, but most tend to avoid her and beeline towards her parents instead. It has left her standing awkwardly with Pico as she waits for the time to pass slowly by. She's tempted to ask Pico to check his watch, but she's often been told that trying to watch the time go by only makes it go slower.
Well, things can change, right?
"Pico, what time is it?"
He checks his watch. "Only 12:46."
With a pout, she heaves another heavy sigh. "And the party ends at five..."
"Hm." Pico makes no other noise as she picks at the ends of her wrap. Well, she supposes she can stand around for another four hours or so. Or maybe she should find a quiet place to sit down, away from the crowd. Maybe she can text Boyfriend to pass the time or-
"Hey." Pico draws her out of her thoughts as he nods his head in an unspecified direction. "You wanna do something?"
"Oh, I do!" She perks up at the mention of doing anything other than standing around. "What do you have in mind?"
"Think I saw an interesting place during the welcoming tour earlier." A little quirk around the corner of his lips clues her into the plan he has in mind. "Wanna explore a bit to burn some time?"
"I'd like that." She smiles brightly as Pico nods. Without another word, he briskly begins walking away as Girlfriend trails behind him. They pass by countless guests as they take no notice of them. Even her parents, ever so watchful, pay no mind to her as they quickly shuffle past them. The mumble of the crowd slowly fades away behind her as she steps off the paved path and onto the grass instead. Ahead of them lies an archway embedded into what looks like a wall of leaves, the archway white as ever with an intricate weaved design that has her cooing with appreciation. Pico spares a glance back, the little quirk now a small smile as he gestures for her to follow him under the archway. She does so without any hesitation, stepping away from the party and into the enclosed area instead.
It's like stepping into another world as the sunlight beams down from above them, the lack of any sort of covering aiding in the warmth feeling more concentrated around them as she looks this way and that. Rose bushes line the surrounding area as a few marble benches are placed here and there. She wonders if the leaves are covering some sort of structure, but the colorful roses take her attention instead as she squeals at the sight of them. Pico lets her flit about the flowers as she leans down to better smell them. When she leans back up, she realizes that the walls themselves are dotted with more flowers. Pastel pinks and purples decorate the walls as she reaches a hand out to stroke the soft petals. She has no idea what these flowers are and turns back to Pico excitedly. "Pico!" she calls out, getting his attention quickly. "Do you know what kinds of flowers these are?"
He steps closer and squints for a moment. She watches him study the blooms for a solid minute before he leans back with a huff. "No idea," he concludes. "Flowers were never really my thing."
"Aw." She deflates a bit, only to perk up when she spots another bunch of unknown flowers. "Oh! These are pretty!" Her attention is quickly taken up by the flowers as she takes careful pictures of each one. Each picture is sent to Boyfriend as she hums happily to herself. Hopefully he'll like her pictures. He always seems to like whatever she does anyways, so maybe sending the pictures will make him feel included since he couldn't come along. A response comes back as Boyfriend compliments her photography skills and comments about the flowers, calling them, "pretty sick looking in a good way". She giggles and makes her way back to Pico, the ginger having sat down on a marble bench and taking in the rays. With a plop, she sits down next to him and shoves her phone in his face.
"Look! He likes my pictures!"
An amused hum comes from Pico. "Those are some nice pics."
"Thank you!" She presses a kiss to his cheek, missing the bright blush on his face as she goes back to her phone. "Oh! Boyfriend is asking how the party is going."
"You should tell him what you think." Pico stands up from the bench as she begins her reply. She quickly tells him about the party, how stuffy everyone is, how bland the food tastes, and a few more complaints. Boyfriend responds back with his condolences and how he would love to liven the place up with his music, get the blood pumping in the older folks which makes her laugh. She's sure he'd make any place lively with just his presence alone.
A shadow looms over her, getting her to look up with a soft hum as Pico's hand gently cups her face. Her breathing stops as he carefully tucks a red flower into her hair, a bright smile on his face as he admires his handiwork.
"There we go," he says, brushing her bangs out of her eyes as she stares wide-eyed. "Figured it’d look nicer on you." He plucks her phone out of her hands and snaps a quick picture before showing it to her. There she sits with a bright blush reddening her cheeks, a blooming rose settled right next to her horns. "Think Boyfriend should get to see this too, yeah?"
"Um..." She looks down at her hands gripping her dress tightly as her cheeks burn some more. "S-sure."
"Hey." He cups her cheek again, a look of concern in his eyes as she focuses on him. "You okay? Did I go too far?"
"No!" She stops herself from shaking her head, not wanting the rose to fall from its perch. "No, I just- um." The words are hard for her to grasp as they slip away from her like sand. But there's that saying: actions speak louder than words. Without a moment to think, she leans forward and quickly pecks his lips. Pulling back, her entire face burns as Pico sits dumbfounded. He clears his throat, rubbing the back of his neck as he looks away bashfully. Her heart pounds loudly in her chest as she looks back down at her hands twisting and pulling at the fabric of her dress. It's not awkward- no, it's- it's something else she can't put to words.
It's... warm. And electric. And it makes her excited. The smile on her lips is hard to contain as her tail curls and unfurls behind her, whipping about in the air as the warmth spreads from her chest outwards. Scarred hands gently grab hers, squeezing lightly as she looks up to meet Pico's gaze. The smile on his face is one she's grown to love and treasure - it looks light as the corners of his eyes crinkle with a happiness he wears only around her and Boyfriend. It's precious, tender, and it has her pressing her forehead against his as she lets her smile grow with the giddiness she feels.
She loves him.
Oh, does she love him.
"How do I look?" she finally whispers, feeling his thumb rub circles into the backs of her hands.
"Picture perfect," he answers. "But then again, you're always perfect in my eyes."
"Always?"
"Always." He leans forward to peck her lips softly. "Just thought your outfit would feel more complete with a flower."
"I like it." She rests her head on his shoulder and sighs happily. "It makes me feel like..." Her words drift off as her thoughts trail into a past she thought she grew out of.
"Like what?"
"...Like a princess." The thought has her press closer to Pico as he wraps an arm around her. Protective. Caring. She never wants to leave his embrace.
He snorts and presses his face into her hair, his words muffled by the thick locks. "It's just a rose."
"It's the thought that counts!"
"Sure thing, Gee."
It's the thought that counts. The words repeat in her mind as she hums a tune into the air, letting the soft melody settle around them as he hugs her just a bit closer. This small space they found, she wants to never forget it. He continues to hold her like she's something special, a rarity that he doesn't want to let go of. And she lets him. Her eyes close as she drinks in the scent of his cologne, and feels the way his rough hands take care to hold her with the utmost tenderness.
Although she doesn't need it, she likes this protectiveness he carries with him every time he's near her. Although she doesn't require it, she knows he'll jump to her defense without a second thought. He’s like a-
Like a real-
...Well.
Isn't she getting a little too old for fairytales? Shouldn't she grow out of wishing for knights in shining armor and princesses just like her? Maybe. But for now, when it's just the two of them, she lets herself indulge in her fantasy for just a moment longer.
At least until the song is over.
(If she looks into the mirror, what does she see?
Something. Something that's there. Something she can't fully describe or identify completely, but it's there.
Something is there.
She reaches out a hand and touches her reflection. It's warm, and happy, and filled with so much life. There's something there, something she can begin to call her own.
In the mirror, there is a demon. It’s a demon so unlike the one her parents want her to be.
It's a demon who proudly wears a rose like a crown.
And it’s a demon she can finally start to call her own.)
