#julius x reader

Fuegoleon

Reader: "Would you love me if I was a worm?"

Fuegoleon: Pauses, deep in thought "…As a captain and noble, I must value all life equally."

Reader: "But would you love me?"

Fuegoleon: Serious face "Yes. I would protect you from birds and ensure you have the finest soil."

Reader: "Wait, seriously?"

Fuegoleon: Proud nod "It is only natural to care for one's beloved, regardless of their form."

Reader: I'm gonna bring a random worm, tell you to pretend it's me and see if you kiss it.

Nozel

Reader: "Nozel, would you still love me if I was a worm?"

Nozel: Looks at them blankly "Absolutely not."

Reader: "Wow. That’s cold."

Nozel: "Love does not apply to insects."

Reader: Mock gasps "So if I turned into a worm you’d just throw me away?!"

Nozel: No.

Reader: See! I knew you–

Nozel: I would step on you instead.

William

Reader: "Darling, would you still love me if I was a worm?"

William: Dead serious "I would use my magic to protect you from birds and make you the most comfortable soil bed possible."

Reader: "...Damn. Okay."

Yami

Reader: "Would you love me if I was a worm?"

Yami: Squinting "Why the hell would you be a worm?"

Reader: "It’s hypothetical!"

Yami: "I don’t date worms."

Reader: "But it’s me!"

Yami: Sips coffee "Then I’d probably use ya as fish bait."

Reader: "WHAT?!"

Yami: Shrugs "Ain’t lettin’ ya go to waste."

Jack the Ripper

Reader: "Would you love me if I was a worm?"

Jack: Grinning "I’d cut you up real good!"

Reader: "JACK—"

Jack: "Not like that! I’d cut up the dirt so you could move around better! You’d be the sharpest worm alive!"

Reader: "…That’s weirdly sweet?"

Jack: "Damn right it is!"

Julius Novachrono

Reader: "Would you love me if I was a worm?"

Julius: Excited "Oh! Would you be a regular worm or a magic worm?"

Reader: "Uh… regular?"

Julius: Sighs "That’s unfortunate. But yes, I’d love you. I could study how your tiny worm brain works!"

Reader: "…Are you calling me dumb?"

Julius: "No, I’m saying I’d protect you from all dangers. I’d even rewind time if you got stepped on!"

Reader: Soft gasp "Julius…"

Julius: Proud smile "Yes?"

Reader: "You’re a nerd."

Valentine's Day Special: Yearning Prompt

"You haven't even touched the food since you arrived..."

Purple eyes gazed at your untouched plate, the pastries remaining uneaten. One would think that decades of living on a diet of only potatoes would make someone as you all but leap at such delicacies. Yet you only sat there, your appearance awfully meek as you slumped in the cuhsioned chair, your own gaze directed at the ground. Absolutely pristine, shiny to the point where you could have spotted your own reflection in it if you were to bend down. The dirt on your shoes stood as a stark contrast, only reminding you that you didn't belong in here.

Why were you here?

"I'm not really hungry at the moment."

Of course you weren't. How could you? You were in the presence of someone who used to be an acquaintance but now was no less than the Wizard King himself. Dressed in the finest clothes with a golden necklace you knew was worth more than everything you were wearing at the moment.

Your quiet answer did nothing to ease his worries yet he didn't persist. Despite his childish acts that sometimes gave his assistants a headache Julius could decipher emotions well. It was a skill he had honed over years, all to understand the needs and wishes of the people of the Clover Kingdom more. At that moment it hurt though for he could tell very well what you were feeling at the moment.

You were uncomfortable. With everything. With him.

Still, he couldn't fully find it within him to blame you for this. A long time had passed since the both of you had last seen each other. Lots of things had changed. He wasn't the leader of the Grey Deer anymore but a Wizard King. That status would have intimidated most, especially a citizen from a little village days of travel away from this place.

Thick silence. One that you endured through gritted teeth, still not able to find the strength to lift your face to look at him properly. How must you have looked like after all? With a simple brown dress and a sweaty face from the heat of the season and the embarrassment and shame you were feeling at the moment?

What you could endure, Julius could not. He considered it to be the worst thing that could have happened during this reunion.

"It has been almost 4 years since we have last seen each other," the chair creaked slightly as he shifted his bodyweight, twisting his torso to gaze outside the window overlooking the city, "How have you been?"

With the feeling of his eyes for now removed from you, the pressure was partially lifted so that you could lift your gaze. With the sun shining through the windows, Julius looked every bit as majestic and powerful as people on the streets hailed him to be. So unlike anything you could ever dream to be.

"Well, I guess. I just keep on working on the fields. I've done really nothing special like you have-"

"That's not true, (y/n)."

You were cut off far too fast before you could have belittled yourself in front of him. There was no time to escape his gaze either as his eyes moved far too fast, pinning your own. His gaze was firmer. Still warm but with a hardened gleam that didn't allow you to talk down on yourself any longer in his presence. Coming from him of all people it was all the more intimidating.

"You have done a lot for the people in your village. More than I have done those last few years. Your hard work on the field has kept them fed. Your efforts in rebuilding the village have given the people there strength that even my magic couldn't provide. So don't think of yourself so low."

It did feel like being lectured by a teacher for one brief moment. It was uncomfortable because you were being scolded but not because Julius was being mean. He was just a figure with a lot of authority so having him talk to you like this made you feel ashamed by default. However, as good as his intentions were, you had trouble believing them. After all there were lots of people like you. There was only one Wizard King on the other hand and that was him.

"Wizard King-"

"Julius."

"What?"

"Call me by my name. Just like back then."

"You know I couldn't possibly-"

"(y/n), please..."

Could you really do that? What if you would be punished by someone in here? You hesitated, the taste of his name heavily on your tongue. As purple eyes held your gaze though, just shy of pleading silently, you caved.

"Julius..."

A subtle tension you hadn't even noticed on him before melted away within his shoulders, his body loosening as the sound of his name echoed through the otherwise empty room.

"Julius?"

"Yes?"

The fast reply to your tentative call almost startled you as you had barely stopped your voice before he had replied. It was an eagerness that you were familiar with from back when he had visited your village.

"Why am I here?"

It was a question he must have expected from the way his eyes closed for a few seconds almost defeatedly. Who could blame you though for asking? After all both of you hadn't been in contact for four years. an excruciatingly long time in his mind even though it was time that he wielded as his magic.

Gaze suddenly heavy, purple orbs fell down to the cup of lukewarm tea standing on the table. His vision grew hazy as his mind got lost in nostalgia for a few moments. That powerful man disappeared for a moment, allowing you to see behind the facade. Even as he eventually looked up at you again, that emotion stayed engraved in his face. His eyes shone with something else though, something that you thought both of you had long left behind.

"I wanted to see you. I've missed you."

For the first time you sat up properly, straightening your back as your brows furrowed in a desperate conflict. You did not speak up just yet though. Instead you silently watched as Julius stood up, one hand still resting on the arm of the chair.

“I’ve tried to move on, to think about someone else, but you’re always on my mind.”

His voice sounded heavy. You wondered just how heavy his heart must have felt right now as he confessed something he had kept to himself for far too long. It was impossible to hide the shock on your face.

"You're still...?"

"I've always been. Even now my feelings for you haven't changed."

That's when you couldn't just sit down anymore either. Slowly you rose from your chair, your conflicted gaze searching for any hint of deception or doubt on his face. Deep down you knew that you wouldn't find any yet you foolishly hoped for something. You had already gone through this three years ago. You didn't wish to go through it again and break a good man's heart twice.

"Julius, you're the Wizard King. You have responsibilities."

"That's may be true. But I'm not just that, am I? I am a person with feelings too."

What were you supposed to do? You could feel the cold panic seeping into your veins, your stomach twisting and churning as you were caught in purple eyes looking so deeply into your own with unspoken pain.

"I know it is unfair of me to invite you over and overwhelm you so suddenly with this confession but I fear that I may have reached my limit."

One step closer, close enough for him to take up your entire sight. No matter where you would have looked at this point, you would still be able to see some part of him.

"I am the Wizard King and as one I intend to still serve and protect this kingdom and all its citizens until my last breath. However..."

Warm fingers brushed over the back of your hand, gauging your reaction carefully. When you didn't pull away he slowly embraced your hands with his own.

"I am also a man. One who wishes to protect and cherish the woman that he loves most in this world until he takes his last breath."

You were surpised that you could even hear his words over your own thundering heartbeat. Every thump of your heart sent a new shockwave of bittersweet pain through your chest. Nothing was easier than to remember why you had fallen for him even back then when he had been lesser yet still so much more than you. You were sure that if you were to stay you would fall back in love with him in no time. You doubted that you had ever fallen out of it.

"I ask of you the same thing I did back then. Please stay here. With me. I'm not asking this as the Wizard King nor as the former captain of the Grey Deer. I'm asking as just Julius Novachrono."

There was a heavy lump in your throat, tears in your eyes that you were desperately trying to hide. After all your heart was already weeping enough. There was no need for you to shed tears on the outside then. The damage was already done, wasn't it?

"You know I can't Julius. It's not like I wouldn't want to. But I have responsibilities too. I can't leave my village. If I'm gone then who is going to help my father? Who's going to be there for him? I'm the only family he has left."

"What about your brother?"

The gasp you took in when Julius spoke those words made you nearly choke on the air. It took you a few seconds to recover from that abrupt hit of shock, a few seconds to brace yourself before you dared to dig deeper.

"My... my brother?"

"Yes, your brother. If he were to return to the village and look after your father you wouldn't have to fear for his safety and health."

He didn't lie. The one time where you expected him to lie or for his suggestion to be something that had slipped out unprofessionally, you found only silent seriousness in his eyes. He meant those words.

"That's not possible. I mean, you were the one who arrested him back then."

You weren't blaming him for it. You had never. After all your brother had done something stupid by getting involved with a gang of thieves who had raided numerous villages all throughout the Kingdom.

"Yes, that is the case. However, it is possible to have him released earlier than his conviction has originally intended him to be. An exception can be made. Obviously total freedom cannot be guaranteed but I would be able to have him supervised whilst he could look after your father. He has shown excellent behavior and has been a great help in finding all the stolen goods the thieves have hid throughout the Kingdom."

Shock slowly morphed to disbelief as you listened to Julius. You couldn't tell what it was you were feeling at the moment. One would expect for you to be relieved about this offer. After all your father and you had suffered greatly after your brother had been imprisoned. He had been a fool for sure but his intentions, as misplaced as they had been, had only ever wanted the best for the three of you at its core. Money for your father. For a treatment for an illness that no amount of normal medicine could cure and that kept him bedridden during most days even though he still insisted on helping where he could.

"You're willing to use your authority as the Wizard King to release my brother so that I will agree to stay with you?"

It had a horrible ring to it for some reasons. Even Julius knew it, his eyes for the first time breaking contact with yours out of... Out of what? Shame?

"Your brother would be free and back home, your father wouldn't be left all alone and you would of course still be allowed to visit them."

Whatever it was that had caused him to avert his gaze, it quickly faded away. His voice as composed and calm as ever just like his gaze. He made it sound so logical, didn't he? Like you would be the one who would be wrong if you were to disagree.

• You move in. The house is brand new—renovation, furniture, everything fresh out of the box. You start suspecting that "discount" is really just charity in disguise. • On the table lies a note: "If you need anything, I'm just over the fence. Neighbor. R."

• An hour later—knock on the door. • Reinhard stands there with a plate of your favorite pastries. "Welcome to the neighborhood! I brought you these. Baked them myself, so I can vouch for the taste. You must be exhausted from the trip—want me to help unpack?" • Turning him away would be a crime. You let him in. • Another hour passes, your mom calls: "So, how's it going? Is Reinhard helping?" You: "I'm handling everything myself" (in the background, Reinhard is washing your dishes because "you must be tired after the move"). Mom: "Reinhard, thank you for keeping an eye on her. I'm counting on you!"

• Your life turns into a full-blown nightmare.

• You tell yourself: "I can do this alone. I'm strong. I'm independent." Reinhard: "Don't worry, it's no trouble at all to help."

• You start college. • First class—you scan the roster and Reinhard's name isn't there. You breathe a sigh of relief. • Then he appears at the entrance. • With coffee. • "I was passing by and thought you might get cold." You: "How do you know my schedule?" R: "Your mom sent it." You: "Of course she did." • You take the coffee because it's hot and you really are freezing. He smiles and leaves. You watch his back and think: "I hate him."

• Your mom calls every day: "How are things? Has Reinhard stopped by? He's such a good boy—you look after him too!" You: "Mom, he's older than me and he's a CEO. He doesn't need my supervision." Mom: "Well, what if he's eating dinner alone? Invite him over, it'd be rude not to!" You: "Mom, I'm not inviting him to dinner." Mom: "Suit yourself."

• You strike up a conversation with the neighbors, determined to prove you're fully capable of building your own social circle without him. • Neighbor lady: "Oh, you're the new girl living next to Reinhard? He's such a great guy, isn't he? He helped me carry my groceries last week." You internally: "Of course he did." Neighbor: "Are you two together? You make such a cute couple!" You: "No. We're just neighbors." Neighbor: "But the way he looks at you..." You walk away mid-sentence.

•You don't admit it, but his thoughtfulness is often a pleasant surprise, so sometimes you buy him chocolates. • (I can just imagine how long he stares at this Kinder Surprise, quietly rejoicing)

Your Childhood Rival, Julius

• Does he know he's your enemy? • Absolutely not. • He probably thinks he's your future spouse.

• Here's how it started.

• He was a transfer student in school. • Had to repeat a couple of years (two, to be precise) because he moved from abroad and was still learning the language—so academically, he was behind.

• He took a liking to you. Immediately.

• The teacher announced pair work for a group project. • He was literally walking toward you—and then you picked someone else. Your friend. • That stung.

• He spent the entire week using every free minute to perfect and upgrade his project. Just to prove you should've picked him.

• Your groups competed. You and your friend lost. • By a landslide.

• He said: "You should've tried harder. Or picked a better partner." • In his head, he added: "Like me." • But you only heard what came out of his mouth. • Which was basically: either you're stupid, or lazy, or your friend is dead weight.

• Your friend walked off humiliated. • You were absolutely livid. • And he didn't even realise he'd just shattered your friendship.

• So you spent years grinding to beat him in key subjects—maths, English, anything that mattered—and completely neglecting everything you didn't care about. • He spent years trying to match your standards. • Vicious cycle.

• Of course he wanted to go to the same university as you. • He even asked his mum (who, luckily for him, is friends with your mum—and neither of them knows you're enemies) where you were applying. And he applied there too.

• Your jaw hit the floor when you saw his name on the group list. And then again when he walked into the lecture hall.

• There he is. All elegant and mysterious in that beige jumper, coffee in hand, tapping away at his laptop. • He's not working. • He's mindlessly scrolling the uni website while staring at you.

• Don't get him wrong—he did learn from his school days. (His mum told him why you hate him, because your mum told her in confidence.) • Now he's going to be more empathetic.

• The absolute bastard even figured out your cycle. (You opened that app once. He was sitting right behind you. He memorised everything.)

• So now he gives you chocolate during those days, compliments you during ovulation, invites you out during the follicular phase, and fusses over your comfort during luteal. • In short: he's basically started copying Reinhard's insufferable hovering.

• Speaking of Reinhard. • Julius noticed him. And drew his own conclusions. • Doesn't your mum realise he is the obvious frontrunner for your heart? • I mean, he's better, right? • Julius is kind to everyone—not just you. • Is Reinhard richer? More successful? • Julius's family is plenty rich and successful, thank you very much. So that's bollocks.

• Unlike Reinhard, this gentleman is far more socially adept. He quickly hijacked the rumour mill, and now everyone's whispering: "[Your name]? Oh, isn't she dating that lovely bloke with the lilac hair?"

• Ha. Three times ha.

• And now—who's your knight in shining armour, exactly?

The Childhood Friend Who's a Total Hikikomori and Embarrasses You in Front of Everyone — Subaru

• Look, back in the day, he was your coolest friend. No debate. • Like, unreasonably cool: knew every dinosaur by name, could recite all the Greek myths, Egyptian mythology, space facts... • (The only thing you couldn't stand about him was tag. His legs were absurdly fast. But he always let you win, so fine.) • Plus his parents were absolutely legendary. • As in, they let him decorate his own room however he wanted — and the absolute cheek of it, he had his own room with a lock... (Anyone with siblings will understand the pain.) • And when they'd take you and Subaru on trips — camping, petting zoos, all that wholesome stuff — it was peak childhood. • That's the Subaru you remember.

• And now? What do we have? • Well... for starters, exams are around the corner and he hasn't even thought about revising. • His parents, bless them, are 110% convinced he just needs a girlfriend to sort his life out. • No. • He needs a therapist.

• Also: "Mum, Dad, please don't... I love you, but this is absolutely cringe." • You can't exactly find a girlfriend without leaving the house... so they've asked you to keep an eye on him. And very thoughtfully rented him a place on the same street. • Forced independence will obviously fix him, right?

• Subaru is mortified that they dragged his childhood friend into this mess. "Oh my god, why do I have to embarrass myself in front of someone this fit?!?!" • Life is so cruel to Subaru.

• So now you're making sure this walking disaster actually eats properly, showers (oh my god Subaru, that's rank), and occasionally — occasionally — steps outside. • You're even more cruel than life itself, so you've resorted to exposure therapy: shoving his face into every grotty corner of his rented flat, filming it, and threatening to send the footage straight to his parents.

• You also drag him along for jogs, which soon attract Reinhard and Julius like moths to a flame. • Unlike you two, they run like actual athletes, so you and Subaru end up looking like two dying dolphins that washed up on the beach. • Glorious.

• But — credit where it's due — it actually works. His body slowly returns to something resembling a functional human being. • The real kicker? His parents are now insufferably smug about it. "See? A pretty girl does fix everything!" • Right. • Well. • You're not about to argue. • (Especially since they slip you pocket money for these little visits)

.

• Bonus 1 • Well.Your usual entourage — Prince Charming and Mummy's Favourite — tend to intimidate him. But thank god they're not as nerdy as he is. • He's the only one you trust to recommend a good game or film. • (Subaru is a seasoned pirate, so whenever you can't be arsed to pay for a subscription, he downloads the film for you — complete with a sudden casino ad in the middle of a tense scene, which works like a screamer, and you both nearly jump out of your skin.)

• Bonus 2 • He's an absolute beast at cosplay. Need something hemmed? Need to look stunning for a project presentation? Need flawless makeup? Go to him. He'll sort you out for a bottle of Coke. • Or a kiss. • "No, obviously I'm joking. It's not like I've been harbouring a secret crush on my childhood friend for years or anything. What do you think this is — an anime?" • Yeah, he's harbouring it. • Your adorable little tsundere <3

Stupid schoolboyy Garfiel

• You're already sick of this pack of schoolchildren trailing you. • You did a lap around the block just to check. • Yep. They're following you.

• One of them darts ahead, all red in the face, and blurts out: "Oi, so... I like you. Wanna go on a date?" • The lads behind him are snickering like a pack of hyenas. • He's absolutely crimson. • Is he serious? Is this truth or dare? Is it just banter? • You don't really care.

• But for some reason, you suddenly didn't want him to get roasted at school for this. • So you gave him your number.

"Look, if this is some daft dare or a card game punishment, I'll play along. Here's my number. If this is a real confession — my answer's no. I'm not a nonce." • You hand him the note with your number. • He's gobsmacked. You walk off, smirking to yourself.

• A minute later, your phone rings. You can hear a bunch of teenage lads losing their minds in the background.

"Hello~ Is this that fit bloke who asked me to the cinema?"

• The call drops instantly. And from the next street over, you hear:

"OMG SHE ACTUALLY GAVE HIM HER NUMBER AND SAID YES TO A DATE?!?!?!"

• Garfiel is now officially the coolest lad in school. Why? Because he's got an older, cool-as-hell (you still have your Labubu, by the way), ridiculously fit "girlfriend."

• Honestly? You even play along. You pay for laser tag and treat him to pizza one time. • He brags about it to the entire school. • It reaches the teachers. Then the parents.

• And now his sister is standing in front of you, telling you to stop grooming her underage brother.

• You invite her for tea, because God forbid Reinhard catches wind of this and decides you have problems.

• You show her the messages. You've very clearly told Garfiel you're not dating. This is all for show. A bit of performance art for his parents' sake. • Your entire knowledge of each other boils down to how long you've played Minecraft together (you even griefed his house once, and you've got a couple of cats between you — most of your messages are about naming them). • Frederica sighs and says Garfiel's going to get an absolute earful for this. • She's mortified. She apologises. • You tell her you'd have done the exact same in her shoes. • You swap numbers. Because — hey — you've got a friend now. A proper girl friend. (Platonic, obviously.)

• Eventually, by mutual agreement, Garfiel "dumps" you. His reason? You're not with it anymore. You refuse to memorise every single bit of brainrot with him. • In Minecraft, you take all your shared cats with you and break his pixelated little heart.

• Only for him to realise, a week later, that he's actually fallen for you.

• He confesses. Immediately gets blocked.

• Then he calls from Frederica's phone and yells: "BLOODY HELL, I LIKE YOU. I KNOW YOU'RE OLDER, BUT WAIT FOR ME!"

• He finds out where you live. Leaves you flowers. Chocolate. Sometimes orders you pizza. • And — to his parents' delight — he starts actually studying, so he can "provide for my tigress" later.

• Sometimes you genuinely consider giving him a chance.

• And then he asks you to look at his phone, so you can scan your face for biometrics — just so he can access the adult version of Roblox.

• At this moment you remember exactly why you said no.

The One You Keep Chasing - Otto

• He was just this shy, awkward introvert. • (Poor lad got laughed at as a kid for being into entomology. Bugs. Because of course.) • You probably wouldn't have even noticed him — until one day you bumped into him and he dropped a stack of papers. • Sounds like a rom-com meet-cute, right? Except they didn't go flying everywhere, and your hands definitely didn't touch. • He did, however, bend over to pick them up. And you got an absolutely cracking view of his arse. • A few classmates helped you track him down. Turns out he's the starting central midfielder for your uni's football team. • Wouldn't have guessed it, honestly. • Well... his legs might have given it away, if you know what I mean.

• Anyway, you started hanging out. And bloody hell — he's just... • Normal. • Talking to him was refreshing. Comfortable. No drama. • And for him? It was pure bliss just having someone to talk to. Usually people don't even notice he exists. • Sweet, shy little doughnut.

• So you asked him out on a date. Cat café. • It was going brilliantly. • Until Reinhard walked in and asked why you'd missed three calls from your mum.

• Otto didn't even wait. He just left. • Later you found out he figured you'd forget about him anyway. That's what everyone else always did. • He apologised afterwards, but the damage was done... • The man has zero self-confidence.

• Anyway, you introduced him to Subaru, and now they're besties. But... • Otto has put you in the friendzone. • Because, bless him, he's not blind. He's seen the blokes circling you. • (He is blind, though — he only noticed Julius and Reinhard's interest. Hasn't got a clue about Subaru.)

• When you finally cornered him for a proper one-on-one conversation — which took ages because he's juggling uni, football, and a part-time job at his uncle's — you got interrupted. • By Julius. • Who, as it turns out, had helped Otto out before. Otto started thanking him profusely, only for Julius to completely ignore his existence. • Again.

• So that's the cycle: • You occasionally manage to catch him, things seem good, and then one of the other lads shows up — and he bails. Every. Single. Time.

• Bonus 1 • His shattered little heart pieces itself back together by recreating your virtual family in The Sims. He rehearses conversations with your Sim-self, hoping one day he'll have the nerve — and the time — to actually confess.

• Bonus 2 • When he finally worked up the courage to tell you about his bug obsession — and you didn't judge him at all — he proper broke down crying. You spent ages calming him down. • Even if nothing ever happens between you, you've got a permanent spot in his heart. You helped him close that childhood wound.

Link to my other works

A quiet office. Large window overlooking a courtyard, a wall, and the city beyond it. All dressed in silence, or so it felt. 

So many thoughts, but all of them stagnant. 

Julius, the scholar, the King, the knight, wasn’t sure what to think about. Usually his mind was buzzing with ideas, too many to count. Instead it seemed like a pile, a stack of papers that were scattered around a desk. But despite being scattered, it was always a pile nonetheless. 

In some minutes, it’d be Valentine’s Day. 

And he did have the day planned. 

A late morning. Slow breakfast. A picnic. Fireworks. 

Large guidelines which still allowed for you two to let the day take you. If you wished to make a detour, go see something, stay still for a moment longer, it’d all be alright. Because that was one of life’s joys, even to someone like Julius who spent most of his days going around. 

Being able to stop, and stand still. 

Admire the world. 

But right now, he felt like he was weighed down by something. By duties, perhaps? Or something else he couldn’t really name. 

Just an inkling feeling. 

“You still working?”

He turned around to see you coming through the door, looking expectantly at him. And he knew what you were expecting of him; turning in for the evening, along with you. Something that he would very much like to do, but… there was something that kept him glued to his seat. 

Perhaps it was some absurd notion of moving forward in time, away from this moment of peace and quiet. 

“Not really,” he replied with a faint, subtle smile as you closed the door behind yourself. 

“Just a rough day?” You suggested instead, to which he let out a hum, thinking about if it really had been such a rough day, or not.

But he couldn’t really pinpoint anything particularly rough about the day, so instead he gazed into the distance of the world behind the window again. 

It was a look that wasn’t… exactly common for him, but it wasn’t quite rare either. Rather, it was a look he sometimes had; one that you hadn’t quite deciphered yet. And maybe you never would.

However, that wasn’t important for now. 

“You should get some rest,” you told him with a whisper, a faint tone and a smile as you circled around his desk; next to his chair. 

But he let out another hum and cocked his head. 

“In a moment,” he stated while wrapping his arms around you and pulling you onto his lap on the chair, facing the window and the scenery. “But… for now, stay with me…”

His hold of you grew a little tighter as he rested his chin onto your shoulder and just continued to look outside of the window, breathing in your scent. Just existing, and breathing, while holding you as if he was imploring you to not go, not leave. Though you weren’t really sure where he might’ve been scared you leaving to. 

Perhaps he didn’t know either.

But for now, he just wanted you there, in his arms. And that was enough.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he whispered into your ear.

And as your eyes gazed into the reflection of the clock on his desk, it became apparent that the day had indeed changed. It was the 14th.

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” you wished him back, while placing your arms over him, as if embracing his embrace. 

“I love you,” he continued, without effort; as if the confession was as easy, as natural as breathing. 

As evident as life itself.

“I love you too,” you whispered back, while leaning your head against his in the embrace. 

You might not have known where this was coming from, which meant that there was every possibility that he was just having such a day. Much like anyone else.