There were a few things on his mind, lately: the monsters invading the lower quarter, the recent food shortages, and... Estelle.
It might seem inappropriate, what with everything going on and people trying to adapt to the sudden changes in their lives, but compared to a year ago? His life was a lot calmer now. Time managed to slow down enough so he could hear himself think. Turns out his thoughts would stray towards towards the castle, where she was, and it distracted him.
The way he looked over his shoulder was sharp--almost neck-breaking as he searched for the face that came with the voice.
Her breathing was ragged, strands of her perfectly-groomed hair in a state of disarray. Her cheeks were flushed that Yuri merely assumed was from running too hard, and he quirked an inquisitive brow at her. What was so important that she had to run all the way here? She was the princess--could’ve just easily sent a messenger over--
Estelle felt different, somehow. Yuri had grown used to seeing her emerald eyes laden with determination, but today they were accompanied by something akin to passion. Estelle looked at her with so much intensity that he could assume she was glaring, but then she ambled closer, his automatic reaction was to step back and maintain a bit of distance between them, which she was quickly closing... crap, what’s going on? “Este--” He sputtered, yet she stood on tiptoes and then pressed their lips together for a brief, chaste kiss. Right then and there it was as if time had frozen for a fleeting moment.
That is, until she pulled away, and Yuri regained his senses.
He stared at her, dumbfounded, a silent inquiry embedded on his dark eyes and curled at his eyebrows. He was confused--definitely confused--then he saw it. The longing in her gaze, the feelings that seemed to overflow through the window of her soul. She was making herself vulnerable in front of him. What was he supposed to do?
“That’s... quite the bomb you just dropped on me, Estelle,” he laughed, gently, if not a bit anxious. He wasn’t expecting this kind of revelation anytime soon, but for some reason, now that she was laying everything out in front of him like this, he felt ready.
“Me too,” he said. It was a response to an unspoken question. “I feel the same way.”