Mi

“There was a group plotting your assasination, Lady Bunny. Did you expect me to let them live?”

He’s not supposed to call you by that silly moniker he gave you in your youth. If your father ever heard it slip from Lohen’s tongue, you know that he’d immediately cut it out. Lohen was allowed to remain in service to the royal court because of his results, but if it were up to your father, he’d be next to the gallows. You’ve tried as hard as possible to make this evident to Lohen—to tell him how much you fear what may come to pass should the true nature of your relationship be discovered—yet every night, he repeats the same actions.

He presents himself to your quarters, covered in blood or not, and etches every inch of himself into your skin so you’ll never forget him.

“Lohen,” you try to say. When his lips kiss their way up your arm, you again say, “Lohen.”

“Mm?” he answers, voice rumbling against your skin. “Yes, Princess?”

Heat flushes your face when his red eyes flick to yours. Swallowing back your trepidation, you say, “This has gone too far. It’s best if we stop this.”

He stares at you before pressing another warm, wet kiss to your forearm. Your head turns to follow him when he rises to his full height, your heart hammering in your chest. His arm curls around your hips, bringing you right into that blood-stained chestplate of his. With a charming smirk, he says, “That’s one order I’m afraid I can’t obey, Lady Bunny.”

You place your hand to his chest, but you lack the willpower to push him away from you. In the depths of your heart, you know the truth—you’re in love with the Royal Knight of the 5th Regiment, and you’ll never be able to deny it.

His kiss comes gentle, a stark contrast to the blood and violence his appearance entails. You lift your palms to his face, feeling the coarse texture of dried blood, but that doesn’t stop you from pulling him further into you. He tastes like the mint candies he makes for you in his free time, his sole hobby ever since the day you declared them to be your favorite. You melt into that sweet taste and wrap your arms around his neck with a soft moan.

The way his fingers tighten around your hips tells you what he’s thinking. Immediately, you withdraw from his kiss, trying to ward off the impulse you know you both feel. His face is flushed red from one ear to the other, and as he stares at your lips, soft pants fall from his own.

You smile. “You need to bathe.”

Lohen’s eyes flick back to yours. With a grin, he nods.

“You’re bathing with me. Right, milady?”

His playful smile reminds you of how you always played together in your youth, Lohen leading the way as you explored your parents’ royal garden. From that moment on, he swore his fealty to you, and as a lovesick child, you promised him your hand in exchange. You swore to always be there for one another, and were practically inseparable until your royal duties mandated it be so.

You’re nearly of age for marriage. As the sole inheritor of the crown, bachelors from all over the halidom have been scrambling over each other to win your affections. Your father has pushed suitor after suitor onto you, but at the end of every date, they’ve either changed their tune or mysteriously fallen ill. Perhaps your only saving grace in this situation is that your father loathes a weak man, and that Lohen is so adept at handling them.

You know he’s the reason that no suitor has met your father’s expectations yet. But when he holds you in his arms like this, you just don’t care. He’s the only man you see, from your waking moments to when you fall asleep, and you would rather suffer the wrath of the kingdom itself than imagine a life without him.

“I’ll bathe with you,” you say softly. “Will you wash my back for me?”

“If you wash my hair,” he answers. “And I’ll apply all the moisturizer you want afterwards.”

You laugh. “You’ll have to rub it in well this time. And not get distracted when you get to my thighs.”

His eyelids lower slightly, sending a pleasured thrill through your cheeks. In a low, suggestive tone, he says, “I’ll try my hardest, milady…but you’re asking an awfully difficult task of me.”

You giggle, but you take his hand in yours. With you taking the lead this time, you teasingly chirp, “Get distracted, and it’ll be off with your head.”

“Mm, I wouldn’t mind it if you were the one beheading me. Dying at the hands of an angel doesn’t sound too bad.”

You laugh again. Jokes aside, you tell him, “I’m not strong enough to behead you, Lohen.”

“Which is exactly why it would be perfect,” he chirps. “Slow, agonizing, and painful—all at the hands of my fairest lady. What more could your loyal vassal ask for?”

His humor is always so dark and violent, but it never fails to make you laugh. Perhaps that makes you somewhat twisted, but it’s never been something that’s bothered either of you. Of course, the high court would see to it that you spoke nothing of these dark themes when interacting with the other nobles, but with Lohen, you have the freedom to act how you like.

And he loves you for it. Not for your title as Princess, and not for your status in the kingdom. He simply loves you for you.

As soon as you cross into the bathroom, you turn to smile at him. He smiles back, and even though he’s covered in the blood of your enemies, your heart swells with adoration.

Just as he loves you for you, you love Lohen for him. No royal mandate will ever change that.

a/n: lohen is so fun to cook AUs up with... might do some more works in this "universe" in the future! anyway, if you liked what you read, please consider leaving a me a heart! (˶>⩊<˶) ♡ reblogs and comments appreciated! icymi! chai's last lohen post: etched into bone and soul, agbsihp ch. 6 (150+ notes) masterlist

Then first turned to second, second turned to third, third turned to.. He's lost count. Because of that, It wasn’t long until Lohen eventually decided to give depth to your name. He won't lie, he did like the sound of it anyways.

What was meant to be Lohen giving surface character to you turned into something more.. confuddling.

From his occasional eavesdropping, you elicited quite diverse opinions throughout the city. A common pattern to the numerous gossip was about the way you carried yourself which set Lohen off from his expectations— The city of Freedom talking about an enigma to the 'norms' set across Tevyat? That made him click his tongue. Since when did they care about that?

Word of mouth from citizens he deemed unreliable that time, so he turned to asking about you from his knights and colleagues next. Their core thoughts regarding you actually provided Lohen with something to paint your character aside from physical descriptions, yet their mouth also began talking about your exterior.

“I mean.. Seriously, have you seen the way they look? It's like they're just asking to be made fun of!”

Oh? Now this was of interest.

Lohen immediately knew this conversation was about you. He swiftly hides himself around a corner of Angel Shares. Once, he's heard treasure hoarders describe you with disgust under their breath but they didn't go on a tangent about it like these drunks seemed about to.

A scoff from the same voice, “ Don't even get me started with the way they behave. Hey, you guys wanna see my impression of them? ” Lohen hears an audience of four, they exchange noisy sounds of being inebriated mixed with incoherent giggling.

He doesn't hear anything from the speaker’s side except a chortle of amusement erupting into laughter from the audience. Lohen assumes that you were being mocked albeit not verbally. His assumption is further enforced when their shared laughter started to sound like the people were desperately clutching their stomach, did you really make that good of a punchline? Lohen bites into the pepper he was eating again.

“Spot on, spot on!”

Lohen raises a brow when a new voice joins in followed by three claps. The group shares his surprise too by making loud noises of appalled and sneering. “Though you need to work on looking less like a hilichurl though, or else you won't be able to pull off your attempts to ridicule me.”

Ah, so this was you.

Admittedly, he was impressed. Your voice alone changed the lively atmosphere to something similar when Lohen would walk into their training grounds, unlike anxiety and terror— You drew out a response comparable to the 'Lawrence Clan' when just mentioned.

That already made him want to leave his hiding spot to see Mondstat's hot topic in real time.

“A hilichurl?!” The former speaker huffed in offense.

“-and what.. what makes you think you're any better? It just sounds like hilichurls have way more class than- than you do!” He stammers faulty from the beverage he's been drinking.

A timid member from the audience backs up the first, “y-yeah! At least we don't go around acting like that. I'd rather be a hilichurl any other day than be you.” The rest parrot this claim by agreeing. Lohen probably should step in before this escalates into a physical fight: As most interaction with drunkards go, but he grounds himself in the same spot.

Your voice carried obvious confidence, and Lohen wanted to put it to the test if you were all bark but no bite.

“Tch and you call yourselves citizens of Mondstat?” Now he wondered if you were speaking from Confidence or Arrogance. He could count how many people he knows that can withstand a fight against five people alone on one hand. If you were one of them.. He grins wider at the thought. Lohen may have won the lottery.

“Some twisted definition of Freedom you have if you're going around mocking others for the way they express themselves.” You continue to jab, he hadn't realized he's almost eaten his pepper entirely. “You imply that you would rather be a hilichurl than even be a little different from everyone's expectations.. Tell me, is there really any freedom in that belief?”

“To build your identity around society's expectations, maybe you should rethink the concept of Freedom,” He hears something slam on a wooden table. Lohen doesn't miss the subtle hurt dripping from your words. “Forget about being a hilichurl, all of you already are halfway to becoming a mindless one playing fraud amongst our people if you continue to live your life being this ignorant!”

The question seemed to have left the opposite party stunned, as silence and a cold atmosphere loomed over your heated argument. Don't end it just like that, Lohen thinks bitterly, until you pierce the silence with your own laughter.

“Why.. Why you—!”

“Don’t let them get into your— Hey?!”

The harsh screech of wooden furniture scraping against the floor while another sounded like it fell— he hears numerous sounds of chaos, objects and people entering the mix. Lohen couldn't tell who was winning but he also wasn't one to standby for a fight without him.

When Lohen twisted his body to turn around the corner and reveal himself from the dark, he wasn't expecting to see the voice belonging to you to come out as the winner.

You were standing over a man twice your size with your shadow barely just looming over his body entirely. How did Lohen know it was you? For one, he now definitely understood why the heart of people’s opinions were about the way you carried yourself. You were a sight for sore eyes! Lohen silently scolds himself for not taking interest towards you sooner.

Lohen hears the other people talk as they scurry away, but he doesn't care about them. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the most delicious thing about you even if he wanted to. The anger you emitted. Your obvious irritation etched into your face, your posture, anywhere you made it visible, Lohen felt a pull towards you.

You wear such an expression beautifully, something he's never seen before. Would you look at him the same way if he personally evokes it from you?

When you turn your head to face him, he can only say two words laced with fascination

“Wanna fight?”

—

📝 ;; Actually, there was a scene that was meant to imply Lohen gambling what enemy he would fight or what criminal he would hunt down by betting if the conversation he hears was about you or not. That was how influential Reader is throughout the city, and I tried to keep it vague if their appearance was the GNC about them or their mannerisms. From my research, it's not mostly appearance I've learned.

To that, Lohen shoots you a sharp glare before the corner of his mouth shifts just about 5 degrees— that is not a good sign. "For a good reason don't you think?"

You shake your head profusely, silently cursing your good-for-nothing mouth. Why do you always have to run your mouth at the worst possible moment? Now you have two horrifying creatures to worry about in this tiny room with only one door to escape.

Lohen tentatively takes another step closer to the cockroach that is idly clinging to the wall, hand slowly creeping out—Oh no

"It's alright. Fear is nothing you should be ashamed of. What you should be ashamed of is taking no action to quench it." Now his hand is hovering just above that filthy little thing— You think you know what he's onto.

"Hmmm… Have you ever heard of exposure therapy?"

Just as Lohen finishes his sentence, the seemingly mindless, unintelligent bug starts to wiggle its wings and fly away from Lohen's grasp.

Wait. Fly? It's flying…? Towards you???

You let out a high-pitched shriek upon the realization and jump away from your spot at once, charging at your boyfriend who's the furthest away from the cockroach's trajectory.

"Lohennnn!!"

When you come charging at him, Lohen instinctively shields you with his arm as you shuffle to hide behind his back. You don't even get to see where the cockroach has landed as a sharp, frosty sound soon envelops your hearing. When you open your eyes, the cockroach has been frozen in a small icicle.

Lohen's Cryo vision shifts slightly before settling down and he too, in a most nonchalant fashion ever, wipes his shoulder and let out a mocking whistle.

"Woah, did you see that? It straight up skipped me and went for you instead. Didn't know cockroaches have such nice taste in victims, heh."

Your breathing has leveled off a bit but your hands are still tightly stuck to Lohen's shoulders. But the immense trepidation slowly simmers down and leaves you with a hot, boiling sense of anger. Enraged, you push his shoulders away and storm out of the bedroom.

"Lohen you asshole! Keep your damn exposure therapy to yourself!"

You move to the living room and settle for the most comfortable spot to lie in. That fucker can sleep with the damn cockroach for all you care.

Eventually, you come to the realization that the heat of frustration will not keep you through the cold airs of the night nor turn the stiff, rigid couch into your plush, soft bed— But you've made your decision and you're gonna stick to it.

Which is why you're dazedly surprised when you wake up at 1 AM to the tender and warm sensation of your quilt while Lohen has settled for the rough, cold floor— Good, at least he still knows you're mad at him and doesn't attempt to clamber into bed with you.

But you're not so mad that you would withhold the spare pillows and blanket from him.

As you toss them down to the floor, taking care to aim right at his face, Lohen speaks up "Does this mean my bunny has forgiven me?"

"No. And stay where you are until morning!"

✦ Flins

"My dearest light, may I inquire you as to why you are wandering outside so late into the night?"

"Kyryll, you're back!"

You jump up from the cobblestone perrons which you have been sitting on to shuffle into Flins' body, his arms immediately wrap around your waist as you embrace him with a hug.

"Your enthusiasm warms me greatly, dear. But I must address a pressing concern, one that involves your well-being. As of this time, you should be soundly asleep, for the human body needs sufficient rest to function. I sincerely hope you have not troubled yourself with the wait of me."

There is truth to his statements. Around this time of the day, you would be snugly in bed, reveling in the softest and warmest bed that Flins' abode could offer you, here in the Final Night Cemetery. And due to his nocturnal inclination, Flins' work stretches until the moon no longer claims its throne in the night sky and once he returns to press a chaste kiss on your temple, you would know the sun has begun to bear its light over the horizon.

"I… Actually yes, there's something that's troubling me and I've been waiting for you to return. But you must promise not to laugh, alright?"

"I would never dream of doing so, my dearest. "

So now, you and Flins are standing in the middle of your bedroom, or his bedroom to be exact but that was prior to your relationship. His eyes drill into the creature that you're pointing at with your index finger. It sits in the middle of the room, its eight legs that roamed your leg while you were sleeping earlier are now suddenly frozen— you mentally cringe at the memory, the sensation clings to your brain like a stubborn ghost.

"H-Hey! You promised not to laugh!" You quickly reprimand Flins when you hear the tiniest of chuckles leaves his mouth. He quickly composes himself and swiftly apologizes to you.

"Pardon me, I did not mean to poke fun at your distress. But I believe that this tiny intruder here seems more frightened of you than you are of it. Perhaps this predicament needs no complications and can be solved in peace."

You glance back at the spider. The once haughty, arrogant insect has backed down a bit, retreating further into the room's corner— Weird, it clearly derived enjoyment from scaring you earlier…

"If you say so, then..."

With that, you reach out to the book nearest to your hand and begin to shoo the spider towards the window.

To demonstrate your goodwill in maintaining peace, you crouch down to make yourself smaller and wave the book back and forth. With Flins as the reinforcement, you suddenly feel braver than ever.

Unbeknownst to you, the spider is backing down from a threat far larger than anything it has ever encountered. Behind your back, your lover's form has shifted slightly. The lantern he carries by his side flares violently, cackles of blue and purple burst through the metal frame with fervor. Shadow slowly envelops his silhouette, revealing cuts across the abyss where the blue flame resides.

"Verrry good, a few more steps to the windows okay?" You push on with your ministration as the spider is now at the edge of the window's frame. A little more and no blood will have to be shed.

The poor insect is almost frozen in fear, the kind of primal fear that has withstood decades of evolution and is hardwired into its subconsciousness. Its instincts are screaming to run yet its body cannot, it keeps on locking gaze with the hole of darkness ahead.

With just one glance towards the eyes of that flame, the spider immediately abandons its frozen state and flees.

You quickly shut the windows, making sure no other insects can get in anymore. When you hear the sound of the shuttles, you briefly breathe out a sigh of relief and turn to your lover.

"Phew, you were right. Maybe that spider is actually more scared of me than I am of it." Flins gives you a warm smile. The traces of that flame have all disappeared, leaving behind the form of the man you so adore. He walks over to you and cradles your face with one hand, the other resting idly on your shoulder.

"As it should. You are a ferocious opponent, my dear. In the face of such a perilous threat, flight is the only correct response."

"Oh stop it with your flattering Kyryll. You act like it has just seen an apex predator or something!" You take hold of his hand on your face and intertwine your fingers with his. Once the trepidation has worn off, exhaustion has come to take its place— evidently shown through the yawn you let out.

"The spider must have disturbed your slumber greatly. How about you return to bed for a nap while I prepare breakfast for you? I will make your favorite."

You rub your eyes and mumble through your bleary state. "If that's alright with you."

"Of course. If you will, let me take care of you for our lost time."

Flins gently leads you to bed and carefully tucks the cover over your shoulder. The sun has begun to yearn for its place over the horizon but under your lover's tentative care, the night is yet to be gone.

✦ Wanderer

"Whoever's there, don't you dare attack my partner!"

Wanderer slams the door to your shared abode violently, the sheer force causes it to creak angrily against the wall as it faces the impact with a loud, thunderous thud. Indifferent to the state of your house's fixtures, Wanderer rushes to where you're sitting on the floor, a hand on your shoulder and another shielding you away from whatever he thinks has broken into your shared living place.

"K—Kuni! There's a centipede! Ahh—it's crawling!" You jump up from your spot and duck behind him, even tugging on the flowing decorative fabric on his hat for better measures. Wanderer tips his hat back into balance with a mixture of different emotions on his face. From confusion to realization then embarrassment and to cover all of the above, frustration—topped with some murderous intent— but not at the centipede.

"Seriously? Next time you scream that loud, it better be because the Raiden Shogun manifests out of thin air and demands your head." He slurs through the name like it's a personal insult but still shields you from the front without budging.

"Well?? I'd be praying for the Raiden Shogun to manifest right here, right now and slime that thing out in an instant!" You emphasize your point with a hard tug at the strips of fabric connected to his hat, making it tilt backwards and almost fall from his head. Wanderer lets out an annoyed grunt and mumbles something under his breath.

"No need to pray for something so atrocious when I can do it for you."

"What?"

"I said—" Whatever he is about to repeat is immediately cut off by another piercing scream of yours as you realize that the centipede has crawled a little closer to you while you were distracted.

"Ugh! Get—get off me!"

"Kuni! Kuni! Do something! It's crawling towards me!"

As you attempt to clamber onto his body, Wanderer lifts himself off the ground and struggles to keep you at bay. On another hand, you are still trying to get yourself higher, slinging an arm over his neck and pushing your body onto his shoulder.

"Stay still, or I'm dropping you on that thing!" And that gets you to stop thrashing out real quick.

You take a look down as you're hovering mid-air, the centipede is still there, wiggling its legs as it crawls on the floor. With one strike of his Anemo power, Wanderer spares it from the horrendous sound wave created by your distressed vocal chords.

"You're lucky I'm a puppet. Any other living beings that experience your supersonic shriek would not have made it." Gradually, he returns you to solid land and you choose to thank him instead of addressing that slander.

"Phewww, at least it's dead now… But how did it even get in here?" You look over its dead corpse and dread about cleaning this thing. Meanwhile, Wanderer is adjusting his hat, preparing to go back to whatever it is he was doing prior to this— or in better terms he's not cleaning this mess up.

"Your room stinks, that's how. Clean your room and shower properly."

"What?! You know well I shower every day! Also, this is our shared bedroom."

Even with his back turned to you, you can still picture the annoyed head shake and eye roll of his.

"Back in my days, they used to capture centipedes as long as your legs and stuff them in a jar to make wine."

"Kunikuzushi."

"Live centipedes by the way."

"Quit with it already!"

❥ Venti gasps loudly, dramatically grasping his chest where his heart is in mock pain. He’s quick to take on the role of a wounded lover, acting as though you had just committed the most heinous offense possible. The words leave his lips like a tragic play scene.

“Oh, my beloved! How you wound me with such a cruel response…!”

When a suppressed giggle escapes your lips at his ridiculousness, his face morphs into his familiar cheeky grin. Happy that he was able to amuse you. He playfully leans in, giving your lips a quick tap accompanied by a boyish wink, ready for a repeat.

“Would my love care for another round~?”

❥ Xiao freezes like a statue at the sight of you wiping your lips, worry quickly filling his eyes as his mind swarms with the thought that he might have caused you pain or unease. He feels his gut twist, averting his gaze and crossing his arms to turn away from you before mumbling a question.

“Did I… make you uncomfortable…?”

You feel guilt practically eating you alive for causing such a reaction. You’re quick to explain it as a joke in a hurried panic, worried he’ll disappear the longer you let the misunderstanding simmer. You only calm down once a tired sigh leaves his lips. You vow to yourself never to pull a prank like that again for as long as you live.

“I… see. Do not startle me like that again.”

❥ Kazuha feels his eyes widen in momentary surprise before his lips pull into a soft apologetic smile. The slight hurt he feels is nothing compared to the fact that he made you uncomfortable. He pulls out a clean handkerchief before taking your face in a gentle cradle.

“May I?”

He dabs your lips softly, his tender eyes gauging your reaction for any unease you might feel. His delicate handling of you evokes a flutter of butterflies within your chest. He’s just so effortlessly charming that you almost want to pull him into another kiss! Though, maybe you should apologize to him first…

“My apologies, my love. I hope that makes you feel better.”

❥ Heizou’s lips curl into a mischievous grin — he knows exactly what you’re up to, but two can play this game. He puts on a serious, detective like face, placing a hand on his chin as he observes you the way he would a fresh crime scene.

“Subject shows mild signs of feigned displeasure, elevated heart rate, and flushed cheeks… I’m going to need to inspect the evidence closer.”

He places a hand gently on your cheek, his eyes intensely locked onto your lips in a way that makes your heart skip a beat. He whispers that he has finally deduced the answer, telling you to lean in closer to hear it. Only to seal your lips with his once more, a triumphant smile playing against your mouth.

“Turns out the suspect just wanted to tamper with the evidence, but I cracked the case first~”

❥ Cyno cocks an eyebrow, watching you silently as you use your hand to wipe your lips. His expression is serious and stern, completely betraying the reaction you had hoped to pull from him. His gaze is sharp when he suddenly takes hold of your wrist, pulling your hand away from your face.

“I hope you understand that what you’ve done is a serious offense.”

You tense in surprise, wondering how wiping your mouth could possibly be a crime. As he begins to elaborate with utter deadpan seriousness on the exact legal extent of your "infraction,". The more you listen, the more you realize how ridiculous it sounds and that he’s turning the tables on you.

“I’ll let you off with a warning this time. Do it again, and I’ll have you arrested.”

❥ Wanderer’s expression hardens as he watches you wipe your lips. His usual scowl grows harsher, and he crosses his arms in displeasure — trying to hide the sting he felt from your action. He’s quick to mask his true emotions with mocking sarcasm.

“If you’re so disgusted, maybe I should scrub your lips until they fall off.”

He’s also fiercely petty, so as soon as your hand leaves your mouth, he grabs you by the collar of your shirt and pulls you into a sudden rougher kiss that leaves you gasping in surprise. It’s wet and sloppy, intentional just to make even more of a mess than what you originally planned to wipe off. Something he usually refrains from doing but right now, he’s feeling spiteful.

“Tsk, do that again. I dare you.”

❥ Lyney’s jaw goes slack, as if he’s entirely unable to believe what you just did. His reaction goes from zero to one hundred as he flamboyantly portrays his heartbreak. A hand resting dramatically on his forehead before he grins, having immediately thought of a counter ploy.

“I see you’re in need of some professional assistance. Let me pull a magic item right out for you…!”

He reaches behind you as if pulling off a sleight of hand, and a handkerchief magically appears in his fingers. Right as you reach out to take it, he playfully swoops in to steal a kiss instead, offering a charming wink and a smile as he pulls back. He doesn’t even bother to hand you the handkerchief.

“How’s that for a magic trick~?”

❥ Kinich blinks, his eyes locking onto you as he wonders why you’re suddenly wiping your lips. Instead of feeling embarrassed or dejected, he fishes a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to you, briefly wondering if his lips were somehow stained with ash or dirt from his latest hunt.

“Here, use this. It’s better than using your hand.”

As you take the handkerchief from him, it doesn’t take long for the sound of voluminous booming laughter to ring out from a certain floating dragon lord. Whom Kinich promptly swats away like an annoying fly.

“Ha! They’re trying to scrub off your gross mortal germs, Kinich!”

❥ Illuga watches you with eyes filled with concern. His first instinct isn’t to take your action as offensive or hurtful, but to worry. He briefly wonders if his lips had turned cold or rough from the frigid temperature and all the traveling he’s been doing lately.

“Sorry... did I make you cold?”

He gently pulls your hand away from your lips, encasing it warm between both of his own. Bringing your fingers close, he softly blows warm air over them. Hoping to chase away the chill. When your cheeks turn red ー not from the warmth, but from sheer fluster — he presses a tender kiss to your knuckles, offering a gentle smile. How could you possibly reveal it as a joke now when this is his reaction?!

“Feel better? Do you want me to lend you my coat?”

❥ Lohen’s eyes widen for just a fraction of a second before his lips curl into a smirk. He’s by no means offended. In fact, he’s taking it in with sheer delight. He’s quick to lean in again, just to watch you jolt in surprise, his thumb playfully swiping against your bottom lip.

“Wasn’t to your liking? Well, let me try again…”

Before you can even protest, his lips seal onto yours. The thumb that was previously on your lip now holds your chin in a tight grip, pulling it so that your mouth opens wider, his tongue entering to tangle with yours. Maybe you shouldn’t have provoked a tiger when it’s still hungry…

“Try wiping that away~”

You remember nodding to yourself like it was yesterday, 'He just needs a push in the right direction.' Then, the winds kissed you with their cold breeze you assume was in agreement of that fact.

Shortly after, you hurried towards your servants to task them to read through literature ranging from romantic to erotic in hopes of eliciting inspiration for your plan.

Based on the look of horror on their faces when they came to approach you of their readings, you conclude you made the right choice not to delve into the books with your own hands and eyes at the time.

You followed their words intently with short pauses here and there while tailoring a plan of yours to grant your desired outcome. Sure, it may sound befitting a fairytale book instead: Did it matter to you? No. You were confident that fate would turn the impossible possible just for you.

You recount your procedures once again to know where you went wrong.

First step: Bring him into the comforts of your home. Ensure that everything expensive can and will be flaunted to entice his lust for greed. As the common saying went about, 'A hungry man thinks of bread.'

Second step: Seat you and your knight on your plush couch, specifically the one you had your servants purchase and move all the way from Fontaine to Mondstat due to its high quality.

Third step—

Did.. did the third step include you getting massaged on your legs?

“Would Their Excellency allow me to see them fully in this state?” Lohen's voice pulls you away from your train of thoughts. You blink your eyes even if your elbow was covering it. For Lohen's infamous reputation- He manages to adjust his presence according to your preferences, which makes you at ease despite his nature.

“I refuse!” Your heart says the contrary when you feel it weigh heavily in your chest. “Touching me like this is already a privilege, do not push your luck Vice Captain of the Fifth Company.” The title slides out of your tongue with much distaste. Not for Lohen, but for his inferior position that cursed him to be labeled unequal to someone of your status.

His gloved fingers work their magic meticulously on your skin because your brain stops working. They do long soothing gentle strokes, slowly inching towards your thighs from your calves. You hold back before your body goes fully loose under his touch.

As if the way Lohen caressed your lower limbs with skill that would put your previous suitors to shame wasn't enough, his glove's fabric and texture contributed further in aiding your muscles below release tension.

Seriously, how was he- a man not born in high status as far as you're made aware, fulfilling the fantasies you've ever had as a child? Your legs feeling themselves at home on Lohen's lap backs up your underlying satisfaction for his gesture. It also makes it known to you that the ache from all that walking earlier at most is subsided.

You were above experiencing minor troubles. Just not this particular day, you suppose. But if it meant Lohen would come to pamper you like this? You definitely did not make the mental note to keep yourself prone to such issues more often.

When you think you've finally calmed down from the shackles of humiliation, you lower your elbow a little to peek at Lohen. Your eyes are pleased to be greeted with a sight similar to the fairytales you diligently read as a child.

The light above you two shone down on him solely: From the countless luxurious items and furniture surrounding you both, millions of mora worth and above an average Mondstat citizen's work pay-

Yet Your Lohen still manages to outshine every single one. The bright lights bounce off of each jewelry's reflection and coincidence- you think not- shines on his unfair handsome figure.

Lohen turns his head towards you and you drop your elbow to your side. His eyes were beyond beautiful too, you swear you could lose yourself in them if he kept holding your gaze for long. “Finally back with me, Your Excellency?”

You scoff at that, you don't miss the way Lohen's eyes narrow as he increases the pressure suddenly in a ticklish area around your thighs.

You squirm out of surprise, Lohen doesn't even bother to hide his faux ‘apology’ look! “Woops.” To retaliate, you make the mistake of shoving him lightly on his side.

But when your hands meet his side- You deflate. You feel his unmoving lean muscles beneath.

In an attempt to retain any semblance of dignity you still have, you immediately pull your arms back and cough into a fist. Damn your knight for making you believe he wasn't that built under! ..You hear Lohen chuckle in the background.

When you sit upright against the couch's arm, you notice Lohen's coat serving as a comfortable 'bedsheet' for you to lay on. You feel your face heat up at the gesture, and if Lohen noticed you pulling it closer to yourself- He didn't see anything.

You snatch the plate with your favourite slice of cake, Lohen may have put you at a disadvantage, that did not mean all hope was lost.

“Despite the obvious intentional 'slip up' you committed earlier,” Your fork cuts your cake in the middle without a hitch, you couldn't help but notice it colored to a similar sick green you've seen. “I will not let such a noble gesture go unnoticed. As a token of my gratitude, I'll allow you to eat off of my fork” You try not to make yourself look eager by slowly offering it to him.

Lohen cooes at your words. “Why, it would be an honor to be fed by their Excellency themselves.” He grants you a wolfish grin, which you've come to read as his frequent reaction when caught red handed.

“You.. Did you sneak poison into this again?!”

"Poison? Was that what that liquid was called?"

"Don't play dumb with me Vice Captain of the 5th Company!"

—

📝;; I actually spent an entire day writing this in a HC format, but then realized it was getting a little too lengthy. I still have the first draft and it actually fleshes out the reader more in that! This scene was mostly just taken out of it because I couldn't afford to write fics that were too time consuming especially since I have a lot of reqs to do which means more research either. If you're interested in seeing it, do let me know

He meets your intense stare with a mild smile and raised brow. One hand is tucked beneath his head, the other coming up to rest on your waist. He keeps his touch light in anticipation. 

In three, two, one… and there it is. Lohen lifts his arm with a breathless laugh as you give up on holding your body above him and drop next to him in the sheets with a thump. 

You’re so cute, Lohen thinks calling you bunny was very fitting after all. He watches fondly as you roll over to face him on your side, hands flitting out to reach for the one that now rests on his stomach.

He lets you take his hand and lace your fingers together, his palm cold against yours courtesy of his cryo vision. His gloves have long since been discarded on the side table. He tries to remember to take them off when you’re alone at either of your places. 

The alternative is you weaseling your fingers under the leather to take them off of him yourself. While the clinginess is cute, he doesn’t want them stretched out. You also have a habit of putting them in a different spot every time you take them off.  

You squeeze his hand tightly, relishing in the feeling of his bare skin against you. 

“You’re happy,” Lohen comments as you squeeze his hand again. You give his hand a slight shake. 

“Yes,” you tell him. “I’m always happy with you.”

He wishes you would stop saying things like that so casually. Lohen doesn’t know how to react. He smiles. 

“Yeah? I’m glad,” he squeezes your hand back. “I’m happy too.” The reciprocity is apparently all that was needed to reignite your usual excitement.

You lean into his space, burying your nose against his collar and nuzzling along. He tilts his head to give you better access. Lohen is quiet as you rub along his jaw, giving him what he calls bunny kisses. 

It’s sweet, too sweet. 

Part of him wants to push you off of him for getting this painfully close, it leaves him too exposed, but he can’t bring himself to do it. Lohen is trying rather hard not to screw this up, after all. He isn’t sure what the success rate has been. Considering that you’re clinging, it must be fine, right? Right. 

You squeeze his hand again, moving so that you can rest your head on his chest and listen to his heart. Lohen obliges you, keeping your fingers interlaced with his. You’re warm against him, and he doesn’t need to look down at you to know that you’re smiling faintly. 

For someone claiming to be ready for bed, you’re certainly touchy. He’s not complaining, it’s cute! Super cute. Lohen loves how much you want to touch him. As much as it startled him at first, it’s growing on him by a lot. 

Lohen doesn’t move while you settle against him, his grip on you loose until you’ve decided the optimal position for your head to lay against his chest and press the rest of you against his side. Only then does he tighten his hold on you, curling his fingers firmly over yours. 

He brings his other hand down to splay against your back. Sue him, he’s feeling possessive and willing to indulge in it as long as this lasts. Hopefully this lasts forever. You make him dizzy in the best of ways. 

It takes a few more minutes for you to settle down properly. You curl up against him and breathe him in quietly.

Lohen glances down at you, drinking you in turn. His gaze traces the curve of your jaw and the slant of your relaxed brow. You’ve closed your eyes now, but he shamelessly stares whether you’re looking back at him or not. Your eyelashes rest against your cheeks, making you look even softer. 

You open your eyes upon feeling the weight of his stare. You blink once at him, fingers twitching against his hand with the urge to shake him again. “Hi,” you murmur. 

“Hi, bunny,” Lohen says. “Aren’t you sleeping?” 

“I am,” you press closer to him. “You aren’t.” 

There it is again, your fixation with making sure he’s sleeping. He doesn’t know what to do with it, not exactly. “I’m getting there,” he says as he rubs your back slowly. Every point of contact makes him warmer. 

You give him an unconvinced stare but aren’t up to arguing about it. You huff and thunk your forehead against his collar. Your hair brushes his chin and neck. “Go to sleep,” you tell him. As if you weren’t a flurry of affection a few minutes prior. 

“Okay, okay, I hear you,” Lohen laughs faintly. He tilts his head down to press closer to you, holding your gaze. Satisfied, you close your eyes again and squeeze his hand, your other hand tucked under your chin. 

Lohen exhales fondly. Unbelievable.

The first time Lohen met you, was during highschool.

Like any other committed athlete, he didn't take school very seriously. Assignments were submitted with the bare minimum and classes were dedicated to napping and doodling, on the very rare occasions Lohen actually decided to attend.

He had acquaintances but not friends; people he'd play football and basketball with, but no one Lohen would go out of his way for.

Not that it mattered to him. Regardless of association, Lohen poked fun at whoever he wanted, and it was sufficient entertainment and 'companionship' for his school life.

So when he was assigned a partner for an English project, his first thought was how he was going to mess with you a bit. No one liked group projects and quite frankly, he needed some entertainment before forcing himself to do schoolwork.

You were quiet and kept to yourself, sitting towards the front with straight posture rather than retreating to the back of the classroom. He never intended to freeload off of your intellect, but Lohen wanted to indulge in your shock for a bit.

It was nothing personal, Lohen just thought it'd be funny. After a bit of entertainment he'll apologise. University applications were soon, after all, he was still going to do his best, knowing it'd affect you. University wasn't apart of his dreams, but it was clearly one of yours.

"So yeah. 'm not gonna do anything. Got a lot of training to go to. 'm sure you'll be fine because you're a smart cookie, right?"

You stared at him blankly in the school library, as he propped his feet onto the table.

You're processing his words, Lohen thought. You're going to hesitantly nod and avoid his gaze, probably without a word, too. You're way too introverted to snap back or retaliate—

"That's fine." You said, words clear as day. "You were never that...bright, anyways. I understand if this project is too difficult for you."

Lohen's jaw dropped as your pen resumed, dancing across your notebook and building onto the mind map you had laid out.

For someone who spent most of his time teasing others, Lohen had no words. He wanted to be offended, but that wasn't exactly waranted if he was the one who tried to piss you off in the first place.

Word after word appeared in your notebook, birthing sentences and paragraphs. Lohen had no idea how you wrote that fast, nor how you'd be able to read your cursive later.

"It's not hard—it's literally just a book report."

"No I get it, seriously. Not everyone's into reading and that's fine with me. You probably train too much to understand what Jane Austin's talking about."

His cheeks flared and he suddenly forgot how to speak normally. "She's not that complicated. I was joking."

A smirk creased at your lips. "Sure."

Before Lohen could retort, you pushed your notebook towards him, the entire plan already constructed. "You can prove that to me when we get an A on this."

And with that, marked the beginning of your friendship.

Contrary to his first impression, you weren't nearly as mischievious as him. Your weekly meetings when smoothly, as if he hadn't tried to poke fun at you the first time the two of you met.

Neither did you. You kept to yourself, typing away with a calculated fevour, as if your wits were merely a fragment of his imagination.

Aside from the very first study session you had together.

"Everything alright, Imunlaukr? Do you remember what a simile is?"

Lohen scoffed. "I'm not stupid."

"That's not what a simile is." Your pen twirled in your fingers. before ignoring whatever attempts he made at a witty comeback.

You went back to satisfying his expectations of an introverted bookworm, and the group project flew by quickly without trouble.

Lohen himself had no idea how you exactly became friends. The two of you were nothing alike; you were an unexplainable existence to him.

Within the two weeks you had that project together, he noticed your life was composed of a bland monotony, every afternoon was spent at the library without fail. You studied with the same routine and at the same library everyday and revised the same content. He didn't get why you were willing to do all of this; there was no thrill of a fight in studying, nor the same fulfillment as a workout.

"Why do you do this to yourself?" It was revolting to Lohen. Even your weekly meetings managed to bore him, he mustered every shred of willpower to survive those study sessions, thanking the lord for your intellect despite being a dedicated atheist. "I've only done this a few times and I already want to kill myself."

You had shrugged, fingers still typing. "I like good grades."

"Wow." Lohen droned, slouching over the desk as he struggled to piece together a final sentence. He was so close to finishing, yet every combination of words he could conjure simply fell flat, even for his standards. "Nerd."

Yet Lohen continued to follow, accompanying the end of your study sessions at the library, with the flimsy excuse of match analysis after his trainings.

"I don't like the library." Lohen grumbled, plopping down to the empty seat next to you, with takeout in one hand.

The library and studying still sucked, of course. But he had to make sure you didn't work yourself to death, and the library wasn't that far from his gym, anyways.

"You can go then." You quipped, adjusting your reading glasses. "The group project was done last week."

Lohen scoffed, placing the food next to you. "I have to make sure you don't kill yourself studying."

"Didn't you just have training? I thought your gym was in different suburb."

"It is."

You finally peeled yourself away from your notes. "Then why come here?"

It was only a thirty minute walk, and it served as a good cooldown anyways. "Isn't that what friends do?"

His heart skipped a beat. He hadn't realised you never agreed upon that notion. Lohen's friendships mainly consisted of his fellow training partners at the gym, and his coach Varka (if he could even be called that).

But you giggled, eyeing the takeaway containers. "I suppose you're right. I'll hurry up soon and we should eat together."

A victorious smile bloomed across his lips, as his feet swung underneath the table, the smell of fresh rice and stirfry coaxing him.

You liked reading. You were aiming for a law degree at a nearby uni, the one that dominated the rankings, and you preferred English far more than math. You were the type of person who ate their least favourite things first, and saved your favourites for the very end.

(Something about it "being special" and so you could savour it properly. Lohen found it silly. He always ate his favourite bits of a meal first, just in case he ever got full.)

These, among many things, he discovered about you. At first it was simply his company at the library. He'd prop up his phone on a pile of books from a random shelf and watch his MMA matches, with the pretense of 'analysis', when he was instead watching them for pure enjoyment.

On one cold night, he noticed you from the corner of his eye, leaning slightly to where his phone sat. Lohen pulled out his airpod and cocked a brow. "You interested?"

You nodded. "Isn't this what you want to do in the future? Get locked in a cage and beat up another shirtless guy for the world to see?"

Lohen snickered. "Pretty much. I like these guys, especially this one." He pointed to the left. "He's got a real good kick."

The two men threw careful punches and kicks at one another, gauging their distance and range. "I wanna be in their place someday."

"Why not drop out and just commit to it? You would've been pro by now." You commented, wincing at a particularly hard kick. In Lohen's ears, the audience exploded into excitement, a stark contrast with your reaction.

"Are you saying 'm too dumb for school?"

"Don't twist my words."

He chuckled, turning off his phone. "It's a deal with my parents. They didn't want me fighting but I refused to listen. They said they'd support me as long as I graduated and didn't fight while injured. I'd be on TV by now if I didn't have to stay in school."

Lohen remembered that tense dinner and his parent's refusal to meet his eyes. Despite their expectations he agreed, quite easily too. He knew that professional combat athletes were at risk of ruining their career at any moment. He should at least have a highschool degree just to be safe.

"Hmm. Fair. It's a shame you have to wait though. Especially when most athletes are allowed to go straight into competing."

Lohen shrugged. "I'll catch up to them easily." It's not like he had any other choice, anyways.

"If you say so. Make sure you don't forget me when you're famous, okay?"

Your company grew beyond your time together at the library. You eventually began seeking Lohen out at school, always offering him company. If the teacher announced groupwork your gaze would snap to him, even though other, much smarter people wanted to partner with you. During break times you'd come watch him play basketball, cheering him on and filling up his bottle whenever needed.

Lohen never asked nor wished for your presense, but he found himself attached to it over time.

"I need to buy a gift for someone. Can you help me today?"

You asked him one day, as the school bell dismissed everyone, sending the school into relief. Lohen didn:t have any training on, and you seemed to not have anything to revise.

"For who?"

"My cousin. He's into MMA too. I wanna buy him something from the sports store."

Lohen shrugged. "Sure. Sounds easy enough." The mall wasn't too far, and you were fun to spend time with. Rest days were difficult for Lohen. The urge to fight kept itching throughout each one, and Varka often yelled at him for trying to work out during them. Most of them were dedicated to watching MMA matches with a painful envy.

"So, I was thinking of getting him new gloves? He needs new ones and he trains all the time. But there's so many and I have no idea."

Lohen scanned the shelves. "Is he professional?"

"Trying to be."

How did you understand math and not this? "I use these ones." Lohen grabbed the exact model of his. "If that helps."

Huh. Lohen only knew this guy through your words, but he seemed cool. "Well. The weight depends on what he's doing. If it's for heavy training, the heavier gloves are better to avoid injuring yourself and your sparring partners. But for competitions you're supposed to use the light ones."

You stared, confused and almost annoyed.

Your eyes lit up. "Perfect. I'll get these then."

You flinched at the price tag and Lohen cackled. "Pricey, I know. You can settle for handwraps for him. We're still in highschool and I know a guy that likes to design cool ones."

You shook your head, holding the gloves close. "I saved up for this, don't worry."

Impressive, Lohen thought. The bank accounts of students weren't known to be abundant. He brushed it off, you were meticulous with school, it was only natural for the rest of your life to be just as organised.

Lohen accompanied you as you paid, requesting for a bag and a receipt. Together, you walked out, and before Lohen could propose hanging out for longer, you held out the shopping bag.

"For you."

"I'm not your cousin."

"Yeah no shit. These were always going to be for you." You pushed the bag closer, shoving it into his chest. "I saw that yours were beaten up."

Lohen's chest flared up. "I have money—this shit is expensive and my parents are well off. You didn't have to." He just didn't replace them because he didn't like money. If he was going to get a replacement, then it'd be when his current gear is rendered completely unusable.

You shrugged. "But you never replaced them. If it's too early or whatever you can put them away for now. Receipt's there if you change your mind too."

He still refused to accept the gift, allowing you to keep it pressed into his chest. "You don't have to do this for me."

"But I want to. And I don't really care, either." Your hands pounced on his, and for once in his life, his reflexes permitted someone else to exert such control over him. "It's a thank you for all the food and snacks you bring to the library for me."

You ran off, your big school bag awkwardly bouncing on your back.

"I share that crap with you, idiot—" He called out. You always insisted you were full whenever you ate together, and always threatened to throw it out if he didn't believe it. "And come back—"

Lohen sprinted after you, a warmth already settled onto his pale cheeks long before he pursued you.

Lohen hated Valentines Day.

He's not sure why school decided to take it so seriously. The student committee turned it into a charity event, selling anonymous serenades and roses. Lohen found it ridiculous, the songs they selected were generic and boring, and always sung live by people who clearly didn't belong in performing arts.

He shrivelled his nose up at another stupid couple, who were making out in the corridor right as he turned the corner. For the rest of his route to class, he had to push past stupid freshmen holding hands, taking up the entire hallway and having the audacity to act surprised.

When he finally made it to class he dropped into his seat besides you, groaning.

"What happened to you?"

"I hate Valentines Day."

"Really? I think it's nice."

"It's not."

"Aw." You fake pouted at him. "I'll buy you a rose next time."

Lohen sat up. "You actually spent money on this shit?"

"Yeah. I got a rose for my single friends." You unpacked your things, preparing your notebook and stationary. "Next time I'll get something for you. If you're still single by next Valentine's."

He scoffed, going back to slouching on his table. "Ew. No thanks."

Class went by as normal, until the Valentine's Days gifts arrived to your class. Students were dressed in pink and decorated in hearts, with obscene props.

They read out names, handing out roses, chocolates, and candies, before heading where you sat.

You stared up at them with uncertain eyes before they burst out in love song.

From where he sat, Lohen watched you turn red. First, your cheeks began to resemble tomatoes, and then your ears glowed pink, as well. By the end of the song you were clearly flustered, and embarrassed, to the point Lohen didn't even want to tease you for it.

After class, someone else spoke to you before him, yelling across the classroom.

"I wonder who bought that for you—" One of the boys snapped, cackling away with his equally obnoxious friends. "Look at red they are."

Before everyone's eyes could turn on you, you ran out the door, clearly uncomfortable and upset.

Lohen's gaze drifted to where the boys sat, before he slowly stood up and followed.

By the end of the day, Lohen had them on their knees, in a discrete area in the school, begging for forgiveness with bloody noses and bruised skin.

Every plea was ignored as he headed off in search of you. The class he just skipped should be done by now, meaning you were also done with the school day. He spat at the boys before running off. He had no clue who they were and why they ordered you a love song, nor what your relationship with them was, but he discarded his curiosity and searched for you, in hopes of being able to cheer you up.

Your familiar back came into view, near the school gates. His hands pounced on your shoulders and he cloaked himself over you.

"Wanna go to a bakery with me?"

You furrowed your brows. "Aren't you dieting now?"

"It's for you. You're also single and lonely like me."

Wrestling him off, you retorted. "I thought you hate Valentine's Day."

Lohen shrugged. "It's compensation for having to deal with all these stupid couples." A pair of first years snapped their neck towards him, cowering away before shuffling down the hallway. Lohen snickered at the sight, quickly returning to normal before you'd notice and tell him off for being mean. "I've seen all your likes on social media. You keep liking posts about the new bakery nearby."

He carefully watched your expression as it melted into a yield. It soldified into his victory. "Sure then. As long as you're fine with it."

Of course Lohen was. The desserts didn't matter as long as you were there.

"What is love?" Lohen asked out of the blue, after a full day of being driven crazy by obnoxious couples.

You took a few more photos before putting your phone away. "Why're you asking that all of a sudden?"

Lohen scoffed, watching you dig into a cheesecake. "And why aren't you answering me? Don't answer my question with another question."

With your mouth full, you hummed. "Well...I don't exactly know."

"Very useful."

"Shut up." You took a sip of water before continuing. "I've never been in love, and I doubt you have, either."

"Isn't that why 'm asking you?"

Lohen watched you fumble with a strawberry, before slumping into the booth and sighing. The bakery was no exception to the festivity of Valentines Day, swarming with couples both young and old, shamelessly cooing at one another. The sight grossed him out; some even went as far as borderline making out and groping each other.

Half the cheesecake was gone, and crumbs perched on the corner of your mouth. "Why are you asking, though?"

He shrugged. "You're the smartest person I know. And so many fucking idiots are making out everywhere we go."

You hummed, sucking on your fork. "I mean, I don't think relationships and love are the same thing."

Lohen already anticipated a headache, at the complexity of things you explained. But by no means were you the one irritating him.

"Like, plenty of people are just together because they're lonely or whatever. Especially at our age. I think it's just someone you want to be with forever?" You scraped up a bit of cream from the plate with a finger, before licking it up. "But if I had to give it a definition...it depends."

Well no shit were you getting into law, you already allergic to short, straight answers that made sense.

"Everyone likes different things. Everyone has their own goals for the future, and everyone is fundamentally really different. I think love would be when all these things align within two people, and they're attracted to each other I guess?" You listed off the criteria on your fingers. "And of course, adding in the fact that neither parties are toxic or abusive to the other."

"I guess it's about finding someone who aligns in their idea of love with you." You concluded, satisfied with the answer you conjured.

Lohen nodded along. That actually made plenty of sense, compared to the simple 'explanations' of 'you know when you know' or 'you'll feel butterflies in your stomach'.

"But then again, at our age I think it's a matter of hooking up." You deadpanned, grabbing a huge chunk of cake.

Lohen agreed. He had no idea why he was asking in the first place anyways. You were committed to your studies and all he cared was for martial arts. You both had far more important things to dedicate yourself to. "And getting in everyone's day."

You jolted straight. "I know right? Isn't making out embarrassing? Oh and also—" You stabbed a strawberry with your fork. "Open."

He's not being fed by someone else. Lohen covered his mouth. "No. 'm not a baby."

"Oh come on—you haven't eaten anything. And fruits are healthy. You should try the cheesecake too."

"I'll die." Literally. Lohen agreed to his club's harsh diet plans and schedules. "One of my coaches will kill me. Or my friends will."

"Just say I forced it against your will. Which is exactly what I'm doing right now, no?"

Your fork kept insisting. Lohen sighed and opened his mouth, while leaning in closer. The strawberry was sweet, so sweet to the point his nose scrunched and squeezed his eyelids shut. "It's good."

"Try the cheesecake too. Just a bit." You already had some on your fork, holding it up again. "We can walk around and burn it off together."

This time, Lohen relented immediately, deciding that Varka and Jean would never find out, anyways.

Your birthday was coming.

Lohen himself had no idea. He overheard a girl in braided pigtails asking if you were going to throw a party, and if your underclassmen were allowed; to which you smiled and ruffled her hair, saying you'd love to celebrate with her. She celebrated with two blue haired boys, immediately planning on a cake flavour for you. Nilou from biology class already teased your gift, to which you giggled and tried to guess, and apparently Childe, the rumoured rich kid already brought you a gift, courtesy of an overseas trip he was going on for god knows what.

Lohen however, had no idea what to get you.

He knows you read a lot, but he was too unfamiliar with any form of literature to pick out something anything good, nor did he want to blindly trust a random influencers. Anyone knows you care a lot for your studies, but buying a gift related to school is just pathetic, and besides, no top student enjoyed studying, you yourself only did it for the grades and opportunities.

Your birthday month was approaching, with far more ease than Lohen preferred.

He could've asked, but that would've ruined the surprise. It'd ruin the thrill of opening up his gift, and he didn't want to seem like he didn't understand you well enough.

Especially not after you noticed his worn out gear.

Lunchtime was coming to a halt. You were in the library helping people cram for an upcoming test. Lohen played basketball as always. He filled up his bottle at the bubblers, already dreading having to go back to class.

"I dunno what to get for Y/n's birthday."

Lohen leaned ever so slightly, summoning all his will to not whip his head instantly.

The first voice, who he'd assume was Kaveh, moaned to Nilou, who sighed and reassured him. "Anything from Sanrio works. They love Cinnamoroll."

Cinnamoroll. Lohen engraved it in his mind before hurrying away, immediately, typing it into his phone.

A white bunny with pale blue eyes appeared. He recognised her from your bag, you had a little keychain of your head. Lohen always wondered who exactly that was.

This was perfect. Today was a night session at the club, he had time to pop by the mall before training.

So he hid in the back of the classroom as always, carefully researching on his phone for where he could buy you a Cinnamoroll. He was the first to hurry out the door at the teacher's dismissal. Glued to his phone, he made his way to the Sanrio store.

The store was far out of his comfort zone, a myriad of pastel colours and cute animals. Lohen stepped in, clearly out of place.

But luckily, he didn't need help. He instantly recognised Cinnamoroll, a figure with a beach party theme. Lohen was never interested in this kind of merch, but even he found it cute.

The shelf had nothing but Cinnamoroll, too. Thank god she wasn't a fan favourite; his shopping trip concluded smoothly, and he didn't even need to ask the staff to check the back or to provide recommendations.

Lohen smiled. Today was going well, he thought, as he hurried to training.

"Since when did you like Sanrio?" Eula peered over Lohen's shoulder and stared into his bag during stretching. "You seem extra weird to me now."

Lohen pulled out his phone. "It's not for me. For my friend's birthday."

"That makes more sense." She mumbled. "Why buy one of these though?"

"Cinnamoroll. The bunny. She's on this." Lohen pointed to where the bunny stood, holding up a volleyball with her usual pink cheeks. ""My friend loves her."

Eula had never looked at anyone with such disgust. It was a low bar, considering she loved to glare at most.

"First off, Cinnamoroll is a guy—"

"—that's a male??"

Lohen stared at the box with dismay. What the fuck?

"And second, he's a dog."

"Are you fucking kidding me?"

"Shut up and listen." Eula snapped. Lohen zipped his mouth as he savoured every word from the expert in front of him. "Just because he's on the front, doesn't mean it's actually Cinnamoroll."

Lohen's brow furrowed, and Eula sighed before snatching the box. She turned it to the side.

"See here? These are all the things you can get."

The side of the box was adorned with rows of other characters. All Lohen recognised was Hello Kitty, and the rest meant nothing to him.

"Why is Cinnamoroll on the front then?"

She sighed. "It's a blind box, Lohen. It's basically gambling. Cinnamoroll just happened to be the front cover."

Lohen stared at the box, as if betrayed by it. "That's fucking stupid. How these still in business then?" Why not just...buy the character you like? All Lohen gave a shit about was getting Cinnamoroll. If he wanted a gambling addiction he'd go to the casino, or start betting on horse races.

Eula shrugged, finishing up her cooldown stretch. "I dunno either." She shuffled over to where Amber was, talking to her friend as Lohen processed her explanation.

Right. So now he had to go back and buy you an actual Cinnamoroll.

Well done Lohen, well done.

"Alright. Your friend likes Cinnamoroll, right?"

Eula made the very kind offer to accompany him, insisting that Lohen needed the help, and she wanted to browse through the store anyways.

"Plushies are nice. I think the stationary's cute but they're probably not the most practical—" Eula strolled through the aisles, scanning through every product. "Lohen. I didn't mean buying everything I look at."

Lohen stared at the mountain of merchandise he was holding. "But why not?"

Eula scrunched her nose. "That costs like 300 dollars minimum."

He hasn't bought any new training gear, thanks to your stunt from the other day, and he hadn't touched his allowance for this month. Worst comes to worst, he'll use his savings that he's kept aside for when he can finally move out. "So?"

The woman sighed, before helping him carry a plushie. "Love really makes you do funny things, huh?"

"Stop that."

Lohen deadpanned and Eula flinched, surprised at the sudden change in tone. She muttered an apology before inspecting another display to avoid looking at him.

He scratched his nape 'til the flesh was red and throbbing. "Sorry—dunno why I got so defensive." Lohen cleared his throat. "We're not dating. I just want to do something nice..."

It felt pathetic enough that he had to eavesdrop on others' conversations to even gain an idea of what to get you, and how he was relying on another friend. Lohen thought he had to compensate for his shortcomings somehow.

Eula watched the younger boy softly. "I think you're doing great so far."

"I literally had to get your help."

"Eh. You cared enough to go out of your way. I'm surprised you even know Cinnamoroll."

Lohen scratched at his nape again. "Someone else mentioned her—I mean him. So I kinda just stole the idea."

Eula shrugged. "That's fine. You could've asked your friend too."

"That's lame, no?"

"I don't think so. It still means you care and you're willing to listen. It'd rather someone take the things I say seriously." Eula paused browsing the shelves, turning to Lohen with a soft look on her face. "It'll be okay. We'll figure it out together."

Denial danced at the tip of his tongue, but he swallowed it down before nodding. He was grateful for her help before he was doubtful of his birthday gift to you.

"Now c'mon." Eula pried another plushie out of Lohen's arms. "You can't go that crazy. I promise I'll help you find something good."

Lohen gave up on protesting and followed her.

Your birthday came, fast.

Lohen avoided spending 300 dollars that night, and with the help of Eula, he managed to piece together what he thought, was a good gift.

Pick a plushie you think suits them. They like collecting them, don't they?

Don't worry about picking out a book if you don't know any, just get a giftcard. That way they can pick whatever they like.

I just spoke to one of the staff members. She said heated face masks are good for strained eyes, so you can throw those in too since they're studying to get into uni.

Write a card too—

Lohen had argued, insisting that he was terrible with words. I'm basically illiterate in front of them. I'll look stupid

Eula scoffed. I don't care.

He had opened his mouth to argue but Eula had cut him off. You said you wanted to pay me back, right? Write the damn card.

So, he did his best. He thanked you for being so understanding, and how cool it was to watch your dedicated to your goals. He thanked your kindness and consideration, and how warm your company was.

Lohen thanked you, for being you. With his messy, but honest handwriting, he put whatever came to mind on the card, throwing the pen across the room out of frustration and returned to his phone.

At 11:59pm, he glared at every passing second. The happy birthday message was typed out beforehand and his thumb hovered over the send button.

Should he send it a bit earlier? What if his wifi is slow? But it'd be embarrassing if he sent it too early by accident, and his desparation would be obvious—

The clock struck twelve, and he hit send, before tossing his phone on the bed. It vibrated in his sheets, Lohen pounced on it immediately.

Thanks Lohen !! how were you so fast? you're usually asleep at this time

Well, today wasn't exactly a 'usual' day, was it? You always went to sleep early, too.

i wanted to be the first to say it. ill see you at school tmr

Lohen stared at the roof before throwing his blanket over his impossibly hot face, as sleep brought him daylight.

At school, you were loved. As always.

Before he could say hi, Nilou had pounced on you, giggling about you were finally 18. Candace joined her, her gift joined the one you received from Nilou, hanging off your forearm.

Soon, your arms were filled with presents and you garnered birthday wishes from both students and teachers alike.

Lohen swore he'd give you his when breaktime came around, but you were swarmed by then too. A group of students surrounded you at one of the benches, singing happy birthday over a cake with candles that Lohen was sure weren't allowed on school campus.

He hesitated, deciding after school was a better time. He didn't know any of these people, and they didn't know him. It'd be awkward if he butted in now, while they were cheering in chorus.

But even when the school day ended, Lohen was embarrassed, and you were unapproachable for some particular reason. You were still surrounded by people, your other friends asked you for your plans tonight and insisted on you to throw a party whenever you could. With burning ears, Lohen really began to ponder if he was going to chicken out.

It didn't matter, since you were already walking towards him with a smile.

"I haven't seen you all day. I missed you."

Lohen tensed at the diction, before concealing it with his gift. "M–me too. I had to give you this." Lohen helped carry your other gifts as you headed somewhere quiet to open his present.

Hopefully, you'll pull out the plushie, and swoon about how adorable it was, before celebrating how it's new addition to your collection. Then, you'll notice the gift card and eye masks, and read the card at home, where he wouldn't have to watch you read it in front of him.

But your fingers brought it out first, gently tearing the envelope open before reading its contents.

Of every fight and training session he'd attended, Lohen's face had never felt so hot. With every moment he spent staring at your face his anxiety was only nourished, yet he couldn't stop watching your every movement, either.

You smiled, thankfully.

"This is so sweet! Thank you, Lohen." You peered into the bag, admiring the contents before putting the card back in. "You got me so much, too."

That statement sounded silly, when someone baked an entire cake for you and another friend brought you a plushie that your arm could barely wrap around.

"And I'm really happy to be your friend too." You said, picking your things up again. "I'm glad I had that group project with you."

Relief washed over Lohen. His muscles finally relaxed, and he no longer felt sick with anticipation. "Me too."

Lohen wiped his palms on his uniform before clearing his throat and hoisting your gifts. "I'll carry these to your place."

"Aren't you training today?"

"Training's cancelled." Lohen held your gifts out of your reach before heading for the school gate. "I need to kill time."

You hurried after him, having given up on declining his help. "You should stop by at my place for some food then."

"Sounds good to me."

Lohen did in fact have training that day. But you didn't need to know that.

It was tests like these that made Lohen grateful he wasn't trying to get accepted into university.

The scarlet 40 donning his test paper was a nauseating sight, even for him. Passing came easily for him normally, but the essay questions on this exam were verbose enough to throw him off, and he managed to stuff up multiple choice. He skimmed through it after training, before stuffing it into his pocket and skipping into the night. He should check on how you were feeling, too.

Speak of the devil, you were sipping on a cup of milk tea near the convenience store, seated on a bench. Lohen hurried over to you, akin to a puppy finding its owner.

You took a final sip before removing your drink and nodding a bit. "I got a 90."

"Hey. How'd you do on the test?" Knowing you, you definitely got an A at minimum, and probably top in the class, as well. But you didn't smile, your eyes were tired and you slouched. "Not good? You seem a bit upset."

"Why would you be upset about that, dumbass?" The general consensus was a fail, or barely passing. Lohen watched a group of honour roll students bicker about mark allocations and rankings, knowing damn well you were smarter than any of them. "You did great, what are you even on?"

"Here—" He held your hand, savouring its warmth before closing it into a proper fist, making sure your thumb was positioned correctly. "—you hold a fist like this, then you can punch me as hard as you want. Beat me as much as you need. You can slap me if that's easier too—the back hand hits harder. I'm sorry—please don't be mad at me."

Lohen scoffed, and he regretted it immediately when he heard you cry. He burst into apology, before panicking. "Shit—I was just being a dumbass, I'm sorry."

You hiccuped and continued crying, without sign of stopping anytime soon.

Lohen hurried into the convenience store for tissues, he clearly wasn't helping. He made sure to grab that one brand of melon ice cream you loved, and added those chewy candies you loved after seeing them displayed at the front.

You calmed down, eventually.

"Sorry..." You blew your nose, the tip turning dry and red. "I know you're right. It's really not bad..."

"Stop apologising, I was the one being a bitch." Lohen remembered to breathe, picking up your used tissues to throw out later.

"You weren't exactly wrong, though." You stared at your hands, one of your fingers donned a large callus, and ink stained were scattered across your palm. "It's just that nothing ever feels enough for me. All I thought about was how I could've gotten much better if I didn't make such a stupid mistake."

It was odd hearing you, out of all people saying something like that, when you've always been more than enough.

"Heck, even if I got an 100—" You sniffled. "—I'd see it as a fluke and think it means nothing since it was a one time thing."

"I guess..." You mumbled, bringing up your knees to rest your forearms and head on them. "I guess I'm just stressed about getting into uni. It's hard to feel good about anything when it's so important to me."

Lohen had no idea what to say nor do. Academics meant nothing to him, and he wasn't even allowed to pursue his career until he graduated. He clearly had no right to comment on your insecurity and worries, you were far more capable.

So he tore the ice cream open and handed it to you.

"To be honest, I'm really useless with this stuff." You took the ice cream, though reluctant, Lohen celebrated internally. "But I'll try my best. Food makes things better. I'll get you more if you want."

(What was he even saying?)

"For what it's worth, you're plenty capable. I can't change how you feel, but I still want to remind you." Lohen stared at an ant on the pavement. It followed its friends in an orderly line that his teachers from primary would've envied.

Lohen was sure he'd look even more stupid if he looks you in the eye while saying all of this. "I think it's good you're always determined to improve. I just hope you won't forget how amazing you are while you do."

"I'm sorry again for making you cry." Lohen added. He'll shut up for real now.

His gaze ventured upwards slowly, finally looking at your face. Your eyes were puffy, but you nodded along to his words, ice cream coating your lips.

You shook your head, licking at the ice cream. "It wasn't you. School just makes me moody sometimes."

"You can still beat me up if needed. I can take it, and it'll be good stress relief."

"No thank you."

He shrugged. "My offer's always open. But seriously." Lohen leaned back on his palms, thankful you stopped crying. "If I can do anything, just tell me. Please."

With wet, wide eyes you looked at him, wiping your mouth before nodding. "Then...can we just talk about something else? Just not school or exams."

"I saw a cat today." Lohen blurted. "It was really fucking chunky."

Lohen cringed at himself, but you laughed, almost choking on the ice cream. "Did you take a photo? I wanna see."

"Probably, hang on, lemme check..."

Together, you sat there, watching all of people of the night pass by while talking about whatever came to mind. Lohen prayed that you'd soon find something to comfort you, since he knew very well he couldn't.

Your first entrance examination was today.

Despite his urges to ask, Lohen never brought up school with you. He itched to check up on your study sessions and desperately wanted to cheer you on, but he pledged to himself to avoid stressing you out even more, and Lohen kept his promises.

The past month or two was torturous, not knowing anything about your preparations. As extreme as it may have seemed, Lohen had occasionally wished he was smart as well, so he could've been of some use to you.

At the crack of dawn, with the excuse of a morning jog, Lohen went to your house, carrying a makeup pouch his mum never used. While shifting his weight on both his feet, Lohen texted you to come out.

Soon, the front door creaked open, with you already in uniform. You gave him a small wave before he bounced up the steps.

"I know you're super busy and shit so I'll make this quick." Lohen held out the pouch to you. "I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to make you feel better for this moment, but I still wanted to do my best to help."

You blinked, fishing through the makeup pouch.

Inside, were random essentials Lohen thought would help. He found the eyedrops you used for your dry eyes at the local pharmacy, and packed those alongside a pack of gum (the ones he liked to share with you; he found them to be good stress relief, so hopefully you would too) and a few heatpacks, after your complaints about not being able to write as fast in the cold. Lohen put a tray of throat lozenges and painkillers, just in case an emergency happened. Although he didn't know what kind of pens you liked, he bought a few new ones as spares for you as well.

It's been a while to see one this bright, but you smiled. Uncontrollably, too. "This is amazing Lohen, thank you so much—"

"—good luck with your exams." Lohen cut you off, accidentally. "You've worked so hard, it's gonna pay off. And if uni doesn't take you then it's probably not worthy going at all."

(Lohen swore at himself for mentioning the possibility of that. He wanted it to sound funny, but now all he did was potentially make you think about not getting in.)

"I won't bother you anymore—"

"—at least let me finish." You zipped the pouch. "Stop saying you're of no help. You're everything." You looked down at the pouch with a tender smile. "You, and everything you've done for me are so precious, alright?"

His heart skipped a beat, and he almost forgot to nod.

"I'll be okay, I promise. I'll stop by your gym to say hi."

Unsure of what else to say, he wished you good luck again and bid you farewell, before ushering you back inside.

Towards the end of the day, Lohen saw you through the glass window.

He cut his current set of squats short, sprinting to the front to greet you. Lohen held a thumbs up and an intrigued expression reserved only for you, before you smiled back and returned the gesture.

"Knew it." Lohen grinned. "Told you."

You beamed. "Did I come at a bad time?"

Lohen shook his head. "Today's just a gym session. And you're always welcome here anyways." He grabbed his shirt and wiped his sweat off, awkwardly waiting for you to respond. "Everything alright?"

You blinked aggressively, gaze flitting. "Yeah, everything's fine."

The door behind him opened, and Mika came out with a sigh. "Why are you running off this time, Lo—oh. Hello."

You politely greeted Mika back, who turned to Lohen and whispered. "Your...?"

"—friend." Lohen snapped. "What were you saying, again?"

Mika glanced back into the gym, where Varka was coming. "Varka told me to come get you."

Great. The old man probably had a lecture in store for him.

But the scolding never came, for Varka immediately went for you instead.

"Ah. Lohen's friend?"

You nodded. "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything, sir."

"You're fine." Varka waved it off. "How can we help ya?"

Lohen interjected. "They're telling me about their exam. Shoo." He wants to spend time with you, not listening to his coach drone on and on.

Varka ignored him and continued talking to you. "For university?" When you nodded, Varka beamed, large chest swelling up with pride despite not knowing you. "Well, good job today, kid. If you ever get stressed come over and beat up Lohen. Buuuut, I can tell you're smart enough to get by fine."

You laughed at the joke, adjusting your bag. "I'll leave the fighting to you guys."

Before Lohen could slip back inside to grab his things and leave with you, Varka boomed, and his proposal to you made Lohen's blood run cold.

"You should come in. I've got photos of this one." A beefy forearm wrapped around Lohen, tugging him closer. "—when he was little and started out."

Embarrassment shot to his face, Lohen writhed and spat. "Too far."

But you accepted, eyes lighting up. "Yes please—"

Before Lohen could protest further, Varka opened the door for you, where the rest of the gym welcomed you with open arms and curiosity.

Training was much easier, knowing that you were done with exams. With every exam, each update you gave him gradually became more confident, and naturally, Lohen was happier.

I'm so happy I'll never have to do chemistry ever again

Thank god sir kept giving us math homework throughout the year...they threw so many curveballs at us lol. dunno why they made the papers harder for us but it's fine

I bent Shakespeare over ᕦ(ò_óˇ)ᕤ

No subject left you clueless, aside from a couple of strange questions, you reported back only good results to Lohen, beaming about it was far less intimidating than expected.

Now, you were on a road trip with your family to celebrate.

The day you're back, Lohen already cleared his schedule to have your own celebration together. He'll let you pick a place to eat, wherever you want and covered by him, obviously.

Only three more days, Lohen reminded himself, as he continued his stretches to wrap up today's session.

"How do you tell if you like someone?" Amber asked out of the blue, while stretching.

Varka cocked a brow and leaned closer. "Are you interested in someone? Who's the lucky guy?"

"You didn't answer the question, Varka." Amber deadpanned as she continued stretching. "And it's not a guy."

Varka stuttered before loudly clearing his throat. "Who's the lucky girl?"

"That's still not an answer." Amber huffed.

Kaeya intervened, as he passed with a box of gear. "Imagine them dating someone else."

Lohen scoffed, looking up from his stretch. "Does that actually work?"

The older man scoffed. "Obviously. If you feel indifferent then it means you're just friends. Plus if you're questioning it, then you probably like them already anyways."

Amber pulled a face as she took a moment to ponder. "Ew. Thanks Kaeya. That worked great."

Lohen and Kaeya watched Varka guess Amber's newfound crush. Lohen quickly went back to stretching, muttering about it being stupid.

"It's true." Kaeya insisted, refusing to let go of it.

Lohen rolled his eyes. "Shut up already."

He kept teasing. 'Imagine it with me and you'll see what I mean by indifferent."

"I can't even imagine you dating someone, Kaeya."

But he could imagine you.

You're intelligent. And pretty. And nice, and comfortable; the kind of person that listened without judgement and tread carefully around the emotions of others. Not to mention you were cute, and attractive. You had a nice smile and something about your face he couldn't name made him want to treasure you. Once you're accepted into university, you'll probably start dating, most likely someone from the same faculty—

Fuck. There's a pang of nausea and envy striking his gut.

For the sake of his sanity and your friendship, Lohen was going to pretend Kaeya's methodology had no validity.