-Procrastinating-

The first thing I saw when I woke up was not my beloved fiancé, but a sleeping face of a child who looked just like Yves.

Emma: “... Looks like a doll.”

Yves: “No, this isn’t the time to be entranced! It’s an emergency!”

Emma: “Ah, you’re right. I can’t get lost in how cute he is.”

Yves: “Wait, this child’s clothes... Ah, they’re the clothes I wore when I was a child!”

Yves: “Since they were made by my nanny, there should only be one in the world.”

Emma: “So that means, rather than resembling you... Could it be that this is you as a child?”

Yves: “For now, when this child wakes up, let’s ask their name and why they are here.”

??? “Mmm...”

Emma & Yves: “!!”

??? “Huh, is it morning already...?”

Emma, Yves & ???: “...”

??? “............”

(Oh. Their eyes are glistening—)

??? “Ugh, waaaaaah, a suspicious person......!!!”

Yves: “Quiet... That’s not a voice to hear in the morning!”

(A vibrant crying voice that could burst my eardrums... This isn’t a dream!)

Yves: “I’ll stop him from crying. We’ll talk after that!”

One hour later—

??? “Ugh, uuu... sniff”

(Phew, phew... how tough.)

Yves: “Hey, if you have a face that looks like mine, you should stop crying by now. You're a boy, right!”

??? “Waaa... This big brother is a... a suspicious person... ugh, waaaaaah.”

Emma: “Yves, come on! You’re just scaring them with that kind of remark!”

Yves: “It’s just that it feels like I’m looking at my past self, and I feel like my dark history is being exposed!”

Yves (as a child): “sniff... Is your name also Yves?”

Emma: “So, your name is Yves too!?”

Yves (as a child): “Eeep...”

Emma: “Oh, I’m sorry for raising my voice. You got surprised, right? It’s okay, it’s not scary!”

(If the name is the same, then the theory about Yves as a child might be correct.)

Yves (as a child): “Ugh, ueeeh...”

(Still, it's been about an hour, and though I’m trying to comfort them, they’re still scared.)

(Ugh... this is quietly painful.)

Yves (as a child): “...”

(? What happened? Suddenly quiet...)

(Oh, they’re getting closer.)

Yves (as a child): “Are you really... not a suspicious person?”

Yves: "Of course. We’re confused too. When I woke up, you were sleeping next to me in bed."

Yves (as a child): "I see... I'm sorry."

Emma: "Huh?"

Yves (as a child): "I was trying to explain, but I was scared the whole time and ended up crying."

Emma: "No, you don’t have to apologize. Anyone would be surprised if they woke up to a stranger."

Emma: "But thank you for believing us, little Yves."

Emma: "My name is Emma."

Yves (as a child): "Nice to meet you, Sister Emma... I’m Yves."

Yves (as a child): "... (fidgets)"

(Is he shy? How cute.)

(He stopped crying, probably because he noticed that I was feeling down.)

(If this really is Yves as a child, he must have always been sensitive and kind to the nuances of feelings...)

Yves: "...."

Emma: "Ah! Yves, you suddenly pinched my cheek!"

Yves: "Your cheeks have been drooping since earlier, so I fixed them. You should be grateful."

Emma: "Thank you...? "

Yves: "Hmph."

(He’s acting like a grumpy cat.)

Yves: "Hey, why are you in this room?"

Yves (as a child): "This is my room... Huh? But it looks similar, yet at a closer look, it’s different..."

(Oh no, his eyes are welling up again... If he cries any more, they’ll puff up!)

Emma: "It’s okay! I’m sure if time passes, you’ll be able to return to your original room. Can we stay together until then?"

Yves (as a child): "... Is it really okay?"

Yves: "We’re not the kind of people to abandon a child."

Yves (as a child): "Ah, thank you... I’m scared when I’m alone, so I want to be together."

(Wow, his small hand is holding onto my sleeve tightly... How cute.)

(....Back then, Yves was resented as someone of mixed blood from two nations...)

("I’m scared when I’m alone”... This carries a different meaning than just the typical loneliness children feel.)

(Thinking that, I want to stay together even more.)

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Ah..."

Yves: "That’s quite a loud stomach growl for the morning. And it's a double growl."

Emma & Yves (as a child): "... Hehe."

Yves: "Well, it can't be helped... First things first, we need to have breakfast. I’ll specially prepare breakfast for you."

Later . . .

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Wow... that was delicious."

Yves (as a child): "Big Brother Yves, you’re really good at cooking!"

Emma: "That's right! He can even make sweets and sew clothes too!"

Yves (as a child): "That’s amazing..."

Emma: "Yeah, Yves is amazing! My proud fiancé!"

Yves: "Hehe, that’s just normal for me."

Yves: "Here, enjoy the dessert too."

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Wow, it looks delicious...!"

(It's orange mousse. It's so beautiful that it seems like a waste to eat it.)

Yves (as a child): "... I want to become a magnificent prince who’s told how amazing he is."

Emma: "You can definitely become that, little Yves!"

Yves (as a child): "Really? Is that true?"

Emma: "Yes, it’s true."

(Because the Yves I met is like that.)

(Despite having a painful past where he was resented, he persevered and worked hard for his people to protect the kingdom.)

Emma: "And that feeling of sincerely thinking someone is amazing,"

Emma: "will become a great power that pushes you to try hard."

Emma: "I'll also cheer for you a lot so that you can become an amazing prince, too."

Yves (as a child): "Big sister Emma... ah, thank you."

Yves: "...."

Yves: "Alright, enough chatting. My special mousse is getting tired of waiting."

Emma: "Hehe, that’s true. Then..."

(Huh, there’s no mousse in front of Yves. Could it be that he made it for just the two of us to share?)

(If that’s the case...)

Emma: "Yves, should we share it?"

Yves: "Is that okay? Then I’ll take just one bite."

Emma: "I’ll give you the special service of feeding you. Okay, say ahh~."

Yves: "Seriously, you say things like that without a hint of embarrassment."

(But he opens his mouth obediently, and he doesn’t seem to mind.)

Yves (as a child): "....."

Emma: "Hmm? What’s wrong, little Yves?"

Yves (as a child): "Big sister Emma, I’ll give you a bite."

Emma: "Really? Is that okay?"

(Maybe he wanted to mimic me?)

Yves (as a child): "Here, say ahh~."

Emma: "Thank you. Then I'll take you up on that...."

Yves: "...... (om-nom...)"

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Ah...." "Oh!"

Yves: "...... (chew chew)"

Yves (as a child): "Ugh...."

Emma: "Come on, Yves, don’t be so mean."

Emma: "Here, little Yves, I’ll give you a bite. Okay, say ahh~."

Yves (as a child): "Ahh~."

Yves: "...... (nom...)"

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Ah...." "Oh!"

Yves (as a child): "Hey, hey! Don’t interrupt us!"

Yves: "If my fiancée is flirting with someone else, of course I’ll interrupt."

Emma: "Flirting...?"

(Could it be that he pinched my cheek earlier out of jealousy?)

(Feeling happy and cute about the fact that the other person is his childhood self... it makes me want to smile.)

Yves (as a child): "But there’s still mousse left, so next time... Big sister Emma—"

Yves: "Okay, Emma, ahh~."

Emma: "Mmm... delicious! Thank you!"

Yves (as a child): "I was trying to feed you!"

Yves: "Too bad. I was faster."

Yves (as a child): "Uwaah, you’re so mean! Mean fiancé!"

Yves: "Always."

(It feels like I’m caught between two angels.)

(I wonder if ‘sacred’ is what they mean by this moment...)

The first thing I saw when I woke up was not my beloved fiancé, but a sleeping face of a child who looked just like Yves.

Emma: “... Looks like a doll.”

Yves: “No, this isn’t the time to be entranced! It’s an emergency!”

Emma: “Ah, you’re right. I can’t get lost in how cute he is.”

Yves: “Wait, this child’s clothes... Ah, they’re the clothes I wore when I was a child!”

Yves: “Since they were made by my nanny, there should only be one in the world.”

Emma: “So that means, rather than resembling you... Could it be that this is you as a child?”

Yves: “For now, when this child wakes up, let’s ask their name and why they are here.”

??? “Mmm...”

Emma & Yves: “!!”

??? “Huh, is it morning already...?”

Emma, Yves & ???: “...”

??? “............”

(Oh. Their eyes are glistening—)

??? “Ugh, waaaaaah, a suspicious person......!!!”

Yves: “Quiet... That’s not a voice to hear in the morning!”

(A vibrant crying voice that could burst my eardrums... This isn’t a dream!)

Yves: “I’ll stop him from crying. We’ll talk after that!”

One hour later—

??? “Ugh, uuu... sniff”

(Phew, phew... how tough.)

Yves: “Hey, if you have a face that looks like mine, you should stop crying by now. You're a boy, right!”

??? “Waaa... This big brother is a... a suspicious person... ugh, waaaaaah.”

Emma: “Yves, come on! You’re just scaring them with that kind of remark!”

Yves: “It’s just that it feels like I’m looking at my past self, and I feel like my dark history is being exposed!”

Yves (as a child): “sniff... Is your name also Yves?”

Emma: “So, your name is Yves too!?”

Yves (as a child): “Eeep...”

Emma: “Oh, I’m sorry for raising my voice. You got surprised, right? It’s okay, it’s not scary!”

(If the name is the same, then the theory about Yves as a child might be correct.)

Yves (as a child): “Ugh, ueeeh...”

(Still, it's been about an hour, and though I’m trying to comfort them, they’re still scared.)

(Ugh... this is quietly painful.)

Yves (as a child): “...”

(? What happened? Suddenly quiet...)

(Oh, they’re getting closer.)

Yves (as a child): “Are you really... not a suspicious person?”

Yves: "Of course. We’re confused too. When I woke up, you were sleeping next to me in bed."

Yves (as a child): "I see... I'm sorry."

Emma: "Huh?"

Yves (as a child): "I was trying to explain, but I was scared the whole time and ended up crying."

Emma: "No, you don’t have to apologize. Anyone would be surprised if they woke up to a stranger."

Emma: "But thank you for believing us, little Yves."

Emma: "My name is Emma."

Yves (as a child): "Nice to meet you, Sister Emma... I’m Yves."

Yves (as a child): "... (fidgets)"

(Is he shy? How cute.)

(He stopped crying, probably because he noticed that I was feeling down.)

(If this really is Yves as a child, he must have always been sensitive and kind to the nuances of feelings...)

Yves: "...."

Emma: "Ah! Yves, you suddenly pinched my cheek!"

Yves: "Your cheeks have been drooping since earlier, so I fixed them. You should be grateful."

Emma: "Thank you...? "

Yves: "Hmph."

(He’s acting like a grumpy cat.)

Yves: "Hey, why are you in this room?"

Yves (as a child): "This is my room... Huh? But it looks similar, yet at a closer look, it’s different..."

(Oh no, his eyes are welling up again... If he cries any more, they’ll puff up!)

Emma: "It’s okay! I’m sure if time passes, you’ll be able to return to your original room. Can we stay together until then?"

Yves (as a child): "... Is it really okay?"

Yves: "We’re not the kind of people to abandon a child."

Yves (as a child): "Ah, thank you... I’m scared when I’m alone, so I want to be together."

(Wow, his small hand is holding onto my sleeve tightly... How cute.)

(....Back then, Yves was resented as someone of mixed blood from two nations...)

("I’m scared when I’m alone”... This carries a different meaning than just the typical loneliness children feel.)

(Thinking that, I want to stay together even more.)

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Ah..."

Yves: "That’s quite a loud stomach growl for the morning. And it's a double growl."

Emma & Yves (as a child): "... Hehe."

Yves: "Well, it can't be helped... First things first, we need to have breakfast. I’ll specially prepare breakfast for you."

Later . . .

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Wow... that was delicious."

Yves (as a child): "Big Brother Yves, you’re really good at cooking!"

Emma: "That's right! He can even make sweets and sew clothes too!"

Yves (as a child): "That’s amazing..."

Emma: "Yeah, Yves is amazing! My proud fiancé!"

Yves: "Hehe, that’s just normal for me."

Yves: "Here, enjoy the dessert too."

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Wow, it looks delicious...!"

(It's orange mousse. It's so beautiful that it seems like a waste to eat it.)

Yves (as a child): "... I want to become a magnificent prince who’s told how amazing he is."

Emma: "You can definitely become that, little Yves!"

Yves (as a child): "Really? Is that true?"

Emma: "Yes, it’s true."

(Because the Yves I met is like that.)

(Despite having a painful past where he was resented, he persevered and worked hard for his people to protect the kingdom.)

Emma: "And that feeling of sincerely thinking someone is amazing,"

Emma: "will become a great power that pushes you to try hard."

Emma: "I'll also cheer for you a lot so that you can become an amazing prince, too."

Yves (as a child): "Big sister Emma... ah, thank you."

Yves: "...."

Yves: "Alright, enough chatting. My special mousse is getting tired of waiting."

Emma: "Hehe, that’s true. Then..."

(Huh, there’s no mousse in front of Yves. Could it be that he made it for just the two of us to share?)

(If that’s the case...)

Emma: "Yves, should we share it?"

Yves: "Is that okay? Then I’ll take just one bite."

Emma: "I’ll give you the special service of feeding you. Okay, say ahh~."

Yves: "Seriously, you say things like that without a hint of embarrassment."

(But he opens his mouth obediently, and he doesn’t seem to mind.)

Yves (as a child): "....."

Emma: "Hmm? What’s wrong, little Yves?"

Yves (as a child): "Big sister Emma, I’ll give you a bite."

Emma: "Really? Is that okay?"

(Maybe he wanted to mimic me?)

Yves (as a child): "Here, say ahh~."

Emma: "Thank you. Then I'll take you up on that...."

Yves: "...... (om-nom...)"

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Ah...." "Oh!"

Yves: "...... (chew chew)"

Yves (as a child): "Ugh...."

Emma: "Come on, Yves, don’t be so mean."

Emma: "Here, little Yves, I’ll give you a bite. Okay, say ahh~."

Yves (as a child): "Ahh~."

Yves: "...... (nom...)"

Emma & Yves (as a child): "Ah...." "Oh!"

Yves (as a child): "Hey, hey! Don’t interrupt us!"

Yves: "If my fiancée is flirting with someone else, of course I’ll interrupt."

Emma: "Flirting...?"

(Could it be that he pinched my cheek earlier out of jealousy?)

(Feeling happy and cute about the fact that the other person is his childhood self... it makes me want to smile.)

Yves (as a child): "But there’s still mousse left, so next time... Big sister Emma—"

Yves: "Okay, Emma, ahh~."

Emma: "Mmm... delicious! Thank you!"

Yves (as a child): "I was trying to feed you!"

Yves: "Too bad. I was faster."

Yves (as a child): "Uwaah, you’re so mean! Mean fiancé!"

Yves: "Always."

(It feels like I’m caught between two angels.)

(I wonder if ‘sacred’ is what they mean by this moment...)

Belle is in an absolutely adorable replica of her previous bookstore. Adorable, because there are many hints of Clavis here… clay figurines and an absolutely charming owl with a book.

I guess she really needs these reminders so she doesn't forget who she's going to marry pretty soon.

So she's at the bookstore, the work is done, and puts books in their places. She keeps glancing at the door, but it's NOT because she was waiting for someone… Clavis is very busy, so of course he couldn't come. But she DEFINITELY wasn't expecting him.

She recalls that Clavis quite often starts to touch her or flirt with her in public places (in her store or on an empty street), but when she began to protest, he immediately retreated. Not that she wanted him to continue or anything… OF COURSE!

She thinks it's his gentlemanly side. She likes it and all, but…

So, they have a date the next day. Belle seized the moment and hugged Clavis by the hand (outrageous, people are watching!). When Belle looked at Clavis, "his smile was as bright as the sun itself".

Clavis assumes it's because she was lonely without him. He needs to catch up. He offers to hug on a walk. Belle replies that it will probably be difficult to walk while hugging. And isn't it normal to go on dates with your arms around each other? He pointedly pressed his hand to his chest.

Rio, is that you?

He said he was tempted, but his main goal was to make sure Belle had a good time. Belle thinks as expected it didn't work, so she needs to push him harder.

Clavis noted that Belle is so obsessed with him that she don't wanna let him go. Belle agrees and adds that she wanted to feel the warmth of his body. I don't think about anything else… Nothing at all… (nervous laugh)

And she even put her head on his shoulder. Normally she would be too embarrassed to do this, but this is the second step in her plan to charm him. Clavis is extremely happy. He brags to random strangers about how cute she is and that they should be jealous.

Clavis asked her to tell him more what she liked about him. She overcame her embarrassment and answered… He's cool, kind and reliable. Of course, this is not enough. He is full of sincerity, knows how to turn everything into a joke, but at the same time he is very serious. It's still not enough…

She even kissed him on the cheek. Damn, that was a low blow. Clavis was momentarily speechless. But he came to his senses pretty quickly, explaining that he was embarrassed when she so openly declared her love. I don't suppose it taught you anything…

She suddenly realized that she had kissed him while being watched, and of course she was embarrassed and ran away. Glancing back at Clavis, she noticed that he was in an exceptionally good mood. She thinks he's tougher than she expected. But it's too early to give up.

After they returned home and had tea, she proceeded to the next stage of her plan.

I should mention… There are clay figurines in this room as well. And a portrait of Emma. I wonder… didn't Clavis draw it himself? I wouldn't be surprised. He is very talented.

Belle changed her clothes and returned to Clavis. The sight of her new outfit left him speechless again… She spread her arms, showing off her dress, but it would be more correct to say exposed legs. The dress has a short skirt and she is nervous to wear it. She bought it a while ago because she thought Clavis would like it, but she didn't have the courage to put it on, so she hid it in the far corner of her closet.

Clavis was speechless for a moment and immediately began to praise her… dress. How it suits her, how it emphasizes her virtues. Clavis stood up and walked around Belle to get a better look. And added that she looks good from all sides. Belle tells him that he can touch her legs if he wants to. She's already desperate. She doesn't care what she looks like at this point. She needs to break his gentlemanly behavior!

Clavis noted that she wants to seduce him, but he just wants to enjoy the view.

It was a challenging thrase... So I'm not totally sure I got the meaning right.

Belle felt frustrated. She was on the verge of giving up. She decided she needed time to calm down and rethink her strategy. She excused herself and turned to leave the dining room, but Clavis stopped her.

He explains that he likes everything she does for him. But he doesn't understand why she suddenly decided to give up. He tells her that there's not much left, one, maybe two more pushes… She suddenly has an idea, and she asks if he maybe understand why she's acting like this? He confirmed it. Well, yes, he's smart, he's lived his whole life next to Chev and learned to read his intentions without words. How could you not know that? Fiancée…

So… he was deliberately teasing her… She said she didn't know him anymore and left the dining room. Clavis ran up to her, asking what happened. And she pretended to be offended to get a little revenge. Clavis starts to tell her about his new traps and the new recipes he has found… But Belle doesn't talk to him. He understands that the situation is dire, and tell her that she can do whatever she wants with him. And… still nothing.

Seeing that nothing is working, he asks her to at least look at him. He admits that he has gone too far. He was too carried away by her cute behavior.

Oh, poor Clavis… He's so desperate… Come on, girl, you have a heart, don't you?

Belle feels bad looking at him. She apologizes for pretending to be angry at him. Clavis covers his face with his hands and exhales deeply. Suddenly he said he surrendered, pick her up and went into the bedroom.

He laid her on the bed and told her that even though she thought she couldn't break his gentlemen's behavior, if he hadn't restrained himself, he would drop it (gentlemen's behavior) dozens of times. She was surprised. She was so close… But why is he holding back? He is afraid that if he stops behaving like a gentleman, it will become normal for him to do. And if that happens, it will be "the end of the world". Oh my… How overdramatic we are…

So she was right from the beginning. He held back for her sake. She was overwhelmed with love for him, and hugged him. She told him that it was okay, she would accept any Clavis, no matter if he was a gentleman or not. And he agreed to show her… what does he look like without gentleman's side…

I must say I really like this room! Stained glass windows (again) with an owl. (Again) Clay figurines. Really? Clavis, you don't know where you should stop. Absolutely charming pillows in the shape of hearts. I'm not trying to change the subject. Nothing like that… (coughing)

So… He was very slow to please her. Belle noted that he is usually with her (or, better to say, in her) at this time. He said he always wanted to do it that way and love her all day… But he holds back, knowing that after that she will need a lot of rest. Licht, is that you? I think these boys inherited more from their father than I initially thought.

She was overwhelmed with pleasure, but noticed that Clavis was still holding back. She believes that it is impossible to completely separate Clavis from his gentlemanly behavior. For him, love and gentlemanliness are inseparable. So the girl took the initiative and pushed him a little harder to lost control.

After.

She was lying on his chest, and he was stroking her hair. Suddenly, she remembered what she had been doing that day and felt embarrassed. She hid her face under the covers. Clavis laughs, he expected her to be embarrassed by now. But he wants to see her face. There is genuine joy in his voice, and she peeks out from under the covers

He tells her that yes, she tried very hard to get him to stop behaving like a gentleman, but everyday it almost breaks down. In the morning, when he wakes up and meets her eyes, it breaks. This is the "power of her cuteness". So he constantly controls himself. She knew that Clavis loved her, but he loved her hundreds, millions of times more than she could have imagined. You're being overdramatic as well. These two are perfect for each other.

She tells him that he can give up his gentlemanly behavior at any time and tell her how much he loves her. He replies that it will be another way to express his love. But he won't change his behavior. Because she loves him the way he is. A gentleman who loves pleasure.

Absolutely adorable. I laughed so much at this event. I'm very glad for a chance to read it. Thank you very much @.otomehoneybearr for sharing the video.

It was so like Belle to be controversial in the beginning. And it was really hilarious. But at first I couldn't understand why she would want to break his gentlemanly attitude in the first place. After probably the third reading, I realized why. Do not try to read in an unfamiliar language in the middle of the night, it is very unproductive.

The fact that she had this dress hints that she is really trying to act more boldly in front of him. But why is she still blushing? How long have they been dating? 2 years? I'm… sorry, guys, but it's very hard to believe. People get used to everything… It won't bother you as much as it used to. So… If it had happened right after they started dating, I would have believed it, but… not that much later… But it's cute. And that's probably why they can't stop showing Belle like this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

🔝 𝕊𝕋𝔸ℝ𝕋 ℙ𝔸𝔾𝔼 🔝

Then, he wakes.

It’s a startled gasp, strangled by a weak cry that Roderic has never heard before- and he jumps, scared that Gilbert’s pain has gotten worse, that he’s experiencing a new type of attack. He sits up, ready to go run for Walter- anyone, but he hears a whimpering of a name he knows all too well.

Albert.

With that uttered, Gilbert curls in on himself. Between sniffles, Roderic can hear quiet gaspings for air, whines that Gilbert tries to muffle as he hides his face. It’s the first time he’s ever seen him cry before. No matter how much his body tried to revolt against him, his eyes never watered- just a strained expression as he fought back on bad days.

He… Can’t stop staring. So far, Gilbert had been an unstoppable force, even when so young. Full of teases, threats, knowledge… well hidden kindness… But he’s never seen his body shaking from grief. It makes him realize just how small Gilbert seems.

There’s never been a situation like this between them. Despite his own past, Roderic was constantly thankful for Gilbert, for being rescued from that poor excuse of an orphanage. There were no tears spent on the memories, just odd nostalgia and focus on doing what he could for Gilbert. And for Gilbert, although he’s told Roderic of his original purpose for him - with smiles and far away glances - he’s never sought comfort.

So Roderic’s motions are stifled. Awkward and clumsy. He lays back down beside Gilbert’s shaking form, taking in a slow breath before reaching out towards him, grasping his shoulder. He’s too scared to speak - he knows that one wrong word could have Gilbert scorning him for days, so he carefully rubs at his shoulder and back, trying.

It’s enough that it causes Gilbert to hiccup back some of his heavy breaths, and the cries die down into an odd silence mixed with trying to steady his breathing. Slowly, Gilbert uncurls, refusing to show his face as his own hand clumsily reaches out.

But his grasp is harsh, nails digging into Roderic’s arm with a surprising strength. In that moment where Roderic grunts in pain, Gilbert moves fast, burying his teeth into Roderic’s shoulder.

“Guh-!”

It takes everything in him not to stumble over curses, wincing at how hard Gilbert’s teeth mark him. He knows if it weren’t for his nightclothes, blood would be prickle at his skin, just like the tears in his eyes.

His name is on Roderic’s lips, ready to try and apologize, however… Gilbert takes in another shuddering breath, a fresh wave of tears spilling forth despite the stubborn expression on his face. Gilbert once again hides his face, but this time against the crook of Roderic’s neck, his grip tight on his clothes.

All of the annoyance and guilt evaporates from Roderic, a slow sigh slipping out as he gingerly tries to rub Gilbert’s back again. This time, there isn’t fierce pushback, just a quiet sob muffled against his skin.

.

They won't talk about this in the morning. Gilbert would be his usual self, complaining about breakfast being bland again, how Roderic hogged space on the bed, or some other tease he makes up in his head.

Meanwhile, Roderic would notice that Gilbert begins to stay up later than him. That soon, Gilbert starts wanting to sleep in separate spaces. The warmth he sought from Roderic is replaced by thicker blankets and extra pillows, and the time that they shared a bed slowly starts to fade away.

In order to be more like him, Roderic was taught to keep eye on what would usually go unnoticed by others. Unfortunately, this means Roderic subconsciously uses this with everyone - including Gilbert. He notes how Gilbert begins to wear his eyepatch everywhere, except for cleaning. That the first few nights they stayed apart, Gilbert's exhaustion was apparent, until he slowly began getting accustomed to a lack of rest.

It solidifies a simple fact: there is a wall between them that can never be breached.

And Roderic has to be alright with that. For who is he to argue against his savior?

Steeples my hands.

RJThirtsy on Ao3 wrote two fanfics, one called To Protect My Love and another called Is This Love? The first one dealt with Gilbert having (oc) and Roderic get closer, to successfully keep up appearances, with an idea about Gilbert escalating it. I talked about how I believed Roderic loves Gilbert, because imo he either loves him or loves him in a very pedestal-ey way in order to be willing to be his body double. We ended up talking about how this could work.

So, in response, RJ wrote Is This Love? and explored Roderic and Gilbert being each other's first kiss. And I went insane and wrote this out in response.

Hilariously... I accidentally made this very akin to The Beast's Torment, my fanfic where Gilbert also wakes up from a nightmare with the reader/mc, and he runs off at first... but with them, he relents. He comes back and lets them see him at his worse. Meanwhile, Roderic never gets that closure. Hahaha another layer of pain I didn't consider until Mimi asked about it.... pain.

Anyway, RJThirsty on ao3. Please look at their fanfics. They also write smut as well, and I like how they write Gilbert a ton. Thank u, Love Suicide, for giving me the brainworms for this. Also the title. Very last minute. Very bs. Don't look at me.

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Gilbert: "Ah, you're back. Welcome home, Luke."

Luke: "You waited here the whole time for me to return?"

Gilbert: "I promised, didn't I?"

Luke: "You're not exactly someone with free time."

Gilbert: "Being busy isn't an excuse to break a promise. Here."

Luke: "What's with that arm? No way I'm doing that."

Gilbert: "Huh? Did you already forget?"

Gilbert: "When you break a promise..."

Luke: "I never promised anything about hugging!"

Gilbert: "You're so shy."

Luke: "Anyone would be against this!"

Gilbert: "Well?"

Luke: "Man, being rushed like this makes it harder to say."

Gilbert: "You sure? It's a matter of life or death, you know?"

Luke: "Why the hell would I need to risk my life over something this stupid?"

Gilbert: "It's not stupid. It's just that, in the past, someone broke this promise, and it made me so mad. So mad that I ended up going around killing everyone in the castle."

Luke: ".........."

Gilbert: "You're not going to betray me, are you?"

Luke: "Fine, fine. I get it. There's a reason behind this."

Luke: "If I just say it, you'll leave me alone, right? Then I'll say it."

Luke: ".........."

Gilbert: "Getting all flustered over something this small—ah, you’re still so young."

Luke: "Shut up! It's not something I say often."

Luke: "I'm home."