Beelzebub is content just being your friend. He doesn’t need anything more – seeing you be happy, with that contagious smile, he thinks he’ll be just fine. (aka beel confesses to you)
gn!reader, cw mention of food, baking cupcakes togetha!!!
BEELZEBUB sees the way his brothers look at you. How Lucifer treats you with such delicacy, how Mammon tries to take every opportunity to be by your side. He sees how Levi can’t help but open up around you, so proud to call you his true friend. He sees the excitement in Satan’s eyes when he talks about a new book he’s been reading, and how Asmodeus can’t help but cling to you.
Beel was forced to realise the soft expression that came over Belphie’s face whenever he was with you.
You spent the majority of your time with The Avatar of Gluttony, and it was inevitable that he’d eventually feel the same way about you, just like many others. It was hard not to, he thinks, whenever you bring him freshly baked pastries from a recipe Barbatos had leant you, or whenever you pay for him at Hell’s Kitchen whenever Mammon steals his wallet.
A human with angel blood- perhaps you were just an angel, after all?
His stomach rumbles, and he frowns. You look up from your D.D.D, lying on your stomach at the foot of his bed. He had been idly thinking, lifting a weight thoughtlessly and sat at the side of the bed. It had been a comfortable silence before his stomach roared to life.
“You want to make cupcakes?” you ask, shoving your D.D.D into your pocket. “We can give one to Belphie when he wakes up.”
He tries to swallow the warm feeling that explodes over his chest- and when it doesn’t go away, he chalks it up to just being happy he gets to eat. “Mhm, sounds good,” Beel says with a smile.
Beel has a love-hate relationship with baking, especially with you. It takes a lot of restraint not to tip the tub of sugar straight into his mouth or inhale the frosting. Sometimes the temptation is too much and he shoves a spoon full of flour into his mouth or sneaks a shake of sprinkles while your back is turned. He always feels bad afterwards, and you can tell of his crime when he has the guilty glint in his eyes.
He leans against the kitchen counter patiently. He learned his lesson about being the one to gather the ingredients – last time he ate a raw bufo egg whole… Beel smiles fondly when he remembers you scolding him, saying he’s thankful he didn’t get sick.
“Here,” you said, passing him a bowl and breaking him from his trance. “Whisk.”
He pulls a face. The contents of the bowl are yellow and lumpy, and it didn’t look to good- but maybe it tastes good? The Avatar of Gluttony was not one to complain or judge an appetizing meal by its appearance.
He takes the glass bowl with gentle hands and stuck a finger in and brought it to his lips. It tastes… not good, but not bad. He sighs in disappointment.
It wasn’t long before you had poured the mixture into cupcake mould, and you were sat making idle chit chat over the kitchen counter while it bakes in the oven. It was almost Beel’s favourite part if eating wasn’t the first.
He was happy cleaning the rest of the contents of the bowl while you speak. The fridge was empty, the snack stash in his room had depleted so he’s fine with making do with whatever he has – which just happened to be the left-over mixture of eggs, milk, sugar, and vanilla extract… He knows there’s a hint of honey in there somewhere, but he doesn’t remember you adding it.
“Oh, and then what happened?” he asks, scooping into the bowl with a single finger and eating licking it off his finger.
“Hmm…” you hum in thought, eyes burning into the ceiling as you rack your brain. “I’m not sure… It was when I first came to Devildom.”
“Ah, so quite a while ago.”
“Mhm. I think the witch agreed to let it go if Mammon ate Henry 2.0, but obviously Levi refused to let him in his room in the first place.”
“I’ve never thought about that…” Beel said, a thoughtful look on his face.
You knit your brows. “Please don’t eat Levi’s goldfish. I’d always be happy to cook you something instead…”
A smile broke upon his lips. “Really? I better keep you by my side then.”
“You act as if I’m not already.”
“I guess that’s true…” Beel sticks his finger into the nearly empty bowl once more, and he pauses. He looks up at you, meeting your eye and you tilt your head, perplexed. He extends his hand out across the counter towards you and smiles. “You want some? It’s really sweet.”
Sweet, he thinks. A fitting word to describe you.
You blink, and stare at his finger for a while. Beel can see the apples of your cheeks turn a shade of pink and he thinks for a second, maybe he overstepped a boundary – but his mind goes blank when your mouth wraps around his finger. He feels your tongue lick the batter off, and you pull back.
You scrunch your nose up and furrow your brows. You look so disgusted, but it was so cute and Beel can’t help but wonder if you’re like this with his brothers. Only then does the feeling of discomfort take over. It’s almost nauseating.
Beelzebub isn’t content just being your friend anymore, he realises. He doesn’t need anything more- no, he wants more. He wants all of you- to when you’re disgusted at whatever you just ate, to when you’re rambling about stupid Mammon, to when you drool all over his chest when you sleep in his bed at night- and only then, does he realise he would be content.
He’s hungry – starving, even – for something else.
“Beel?” you question his silence, staring deep into his magenta eyes.
He blinks, once, twice, thrice. “Sorry,” he says, “I was just thinking about something.”
“Oh? What were you thinking about?”
“You.”
You quirk a brow, a smile sliding onto your lips and heat rising to your cheeks. “What about me?”
Beel’s words are caught in his throat. He loves his brothers, he loves his twin, but would it be selfish for him to take what he wants? This insatiable hunger - one he knows won’t be filled until he has you all to himself – isn’t going anywhere for a long, long time. It’ll stick with him like butter to a pan when you go back to your own room, it’ll stick to him when you spend lunch with Asmodeus instead of him, and it’ll stick with him when you leave the Devildom and go back to the human world. He wonders if he’ll be wrecked with regret when you’re gone, and he makes his decision.
Some could call Beel greedy, he would say he’s just hungry.
“I think I like you.”
“Huh?”
“I said I think I-“
“I know what you said!” you exclaim, avoiding his eyes and burning holes into the black and white kitchen tiles. It felt like your cheeks were on fire. “But why say it now of all times?”
He smiles brightly, and his cheeks are redder than the hair on his head. “You looked cute.”
You squeeze your brows together and take a breath. It warms your heart he thinks of you in such a way – you couldn’t lie and tell him you didn’t feel the same, either. There was just something so embarrassing about the way he said it – so bluntly, so confidently and honest. He was the one who told you he likes you – thinks he likes you, so why were you the one getting bashful?
“I…” you began, praying for your voice to not crack. “I think I like you too, Beel.”
“I’m glad.” He shuffles towards you, leaving the bowl on the counter. He places a hand on the side of your face, and he’s not surprised at how delicately soft your skin is. Beel ignores the butterflies fluttering around in his stomach when he asks, “Can I kiss you?”
You stare up at him, with big wide eyes. Your lips feel like they’re frozen – no matter how many times you try to bite out a simple “Yes” the words get stuck and becomes an awkward stutter of y’s and e’s and not a single s in sight. All you can do is nod.
He ducks down and all it takes is for a single blink for his lips to be on yours. Beel’s lips are soft, like Belphie’s pillow and you probably shouldn’t be comparing the guy you’re kissing to his twin’s goddamn cow print pillow. His left hand is still warm against your face, but you feel his right one pressing against the small of your back until your chest to chest. You can barely feel his breath tickle your face and everything is so overwhelming all at once-
The timer for the cupcakes ding! and Beel’s disappointment to excitement is so easily displayed on his face that you understand how he felt earlier when you scrunched your face up.
“Do you want to go somewhere tomorrow?” he asks, already putting on the oven mitts before you could move. “I’ll pay.”
“Like a date?” spills out of your mouth before you can think, and you almost curse yourself for being so stupid.
“Yeah. Is Headless Café good for you?” he says it so casually while placing the cupcake mould onto the kitchen counter and peeling off the gloves.
Beel’s bare hand reach into the metal tray, plucking a roasting hot, undecorated cupcake and placing the whole thing in his mouth. He doesn’t even flinch when he swallows.
You stare, gobsmacked at the series of events that has just spiralled in front of you within the past ten seconds. The ice freezing your legs in place melts in a second, and you leap from your spot as Beel reaches for another boiling cupcake, and gently wrap your hands around his wrist.
“Are you okay?” you choke out. “Is your mouth burned? Beel, they’re way too hot! And we’re meant to save on for Belphie too…”
“But I’m hungry,” he frowns, and he looks so crestfallen as his free hand rubs at his stomach.
“T-Then kiss me every time you go for a cupcake!” you cry, the grip on Beel’s hand tightening with every syllable.
“So, it’s a yes?”
“Of course, it’s a yes!”
Beelzebub smiles, and swoops in for another kiss.
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put a ring on it.
premise. snippets of daily life between a humble servant and an increasingly clingy master.
word count. 5.4k
note. reader full of snark + dumbass in love ayato = gratuitous amount of banter. i have to say that ayato never goes out of line though, and you're not actually bothered by his advances; you're just a massive tsundere.
“With all due respect, I don't believe being your headrest is part of my duty, my lord.”
“Is that so?”
The noncommittal response pointedly marks the end of his acknowledgement as Ayato makes no effort to sit up, remaining slumped against your frame. His head rests upon your shoulder, a ticklish sensation blooming where your neck and chin meet. Light blue hair trail prickling heat where it grazes your skin, an itch you can't quite scratch away.
Even so, the discomfort doesn't reflect on your face, frigid expression carefully layered with blankness. His sinking weight fails to impede your immaculate posture, refined poise a great disparity from his leisurely disposition. It paints an odd picture, the ordinarily faultless heir lacking decorum—though granted the freedom to do as he wishes in the private confines of his room, it is a mystery why a servant such as you is... graciously permitted to bask in his exclusive company. In the private confines of his room. You feel the need to emphasize that detail.
In his hands lay a scroll concerning governmental affairs, urgent matters that demand his attention, so you can't begin to comprehend why he insists on using this time to harass reward a lowly attendant with his valuable presence when there is business to attend to.
He leans more of his weight to your side, and he—you nearly sputter indignantly—mimics an action that can almost be described as nuzzling. “Mhm. This is convenient for me, since I've hardly found the time to rest today. Do you find it intolerable?”
Ignoring the last bit, you advise, “Perhaps it would be more effective if you were to rest in your chambers. I will come call when the Kanjou Commission asks for you.”
He pretends to consider it for a moment, the silence filled with the quiet jingle of wind chimes. But predictably, the corners of his mouth hook up to an impish smile. “I would prefer to stay, if you don't mind?”
Resigned to your fate, you can only say, “Of course not, my lord.”
For reasons you cannot fathom, the head of the Kamisato household harbors a strong attachment to you.
In normal circumstances, this fact would be taken as great news; presently, you are little more than puzzled and unfeeling. Rather than delight, dread stirs in your stomach whenever he calls your name in a volume louder than necessary—a conscious decision, you presume, since he seems to interact with other servants just fine. Curt and polite, keeping his words concise, preventing further delay from addressing his responsibilities.
Had you not known better, you wouldn't be able to identify him as the same man who indulges in trivialities when he invites you to share snacks, engaging in frivolous chatter over tea and pastries. With increasing frequency nonetheless, and with varying refreshments each time to boot, an assortment of exquisite wagashi produced only by the best. Strawberry daifuku on one tea break, mizu-yokan on the next, sakura mochi on the day after that... You've been serving him for a considerable amount of time, but he's never been much of a sweet tooth until as of late.
Ayato hums thoughtfully, savoring the sweet taste on his tongue. “The mild flavor is pleasant. I believe it might be to your liking.”
He offers you a cup, steam curling above the warm brew. The pink beverage glistens beneath the sunlight, rippling with movement when you take it into your hands. It doesn't require much thinking to conclude the tea leaves must've cost a fortune, but it leaves you plenty of questions just as well. Why would a benefactor give you a taste of luxury?
But you would be a fool not to appreciate it while it lasts, so you lift the cup for a sip.
The flavor of spring bursts in your mouth, fragrant and tasting of sweet nectar. Your frosty guise wavers under the bribery, bliss crossing your face before your lips quirk up to a small, almost imperceptible smile.
Deeming your elated reaction satisfactory, Ayato nudges the plate of confections towards your side of the table. “Eat. They pair well with the tea.”
Who are you to say no to your lord? Therefore, the correct choice must be to accept his gifts with gratitude!
(Distracted by desserts, you fail to see his amusement in the way you stuff your cheeks full adorably like a chipmunk.
But he's aware it's not the right time yet, so he suppresses the urge to pinch your face.)
Kamisato Ayato is often praised for his intellect and cunning mind, but sometimes you wonder if he'd finally gone stupid. It was only a matter of time.
“My hand feels cold,” he laments, as if he hadn't chucked away his gloves ten seconds prior. “Can I hold yours for a moment?”
Ayaka, for her part, looks ashamed on her brother's behalf. With a graceful flick of her wrist, her fan snaps open and obscures the mortified expression on her face. Thoma's bottom lip quivers, valiantly repressing his bubbling laughter though he turns quite ugly in the process.
Sending a prayer to the heavens, you hope your face looks as unreadable as you think it to be. “...I'll fetch you a pair of gloves,” you say, side-stepping the pair he just abandoned on the floor.
“Mhm. That won't be necessary,” he counters, tugging on the edge of your sleeve. “You see, I heard those granted Pyro Visions have warmer body temperature...”
That is undoubtedly a lie he conjures up on the spot.
“...So I was hoping to sate my curiosity today,” he finishes, looking far too pleased with himself. Ayaka avoids your gaze when your eyes sweep past her (she absolutely knows it's an idiotic idea because going by that logic, she should have a colder temperature... but that is obviously not the case), and Thoma is blatantly ignoring your requests for assistance, whistling an awkward tune.
You have half a mind to shift the responsibility to another retainer similarly bearing a Pyro Vision, who is currently trying his hardest to stifle his pained grunts when you pinch his forearm admonishingly, but there's really no way out of this. Ayato would certainly craft another bullshit reason to coax you anyway. (A part of you thinks it might be fun to keep up the charade just to hear what he'll say next.)
You hold up your hand, and Ayato's eyes flicker with mischief. His slender fingers wrap around your wrist, brushing over the jut of your bone. He marvels at the size of it, dwarfed by his large hands, and he curls his fingers tighter.
...He doesn't seem to be assessing your temperature.
But you are mindful of his, a searing heat devouring your senses. His light touches settle heavily on your skin, a prominent warmth amidst the cold gale. Where his fingers rest leave imprints of fire, trails of scorched ash in his wake.
Experimentally, his thumb rubs circles on your palm, tracing over the lines. He rolls the soft flesh, staring at the small cuts and calluses with an attentive eye. Burning the image into his mind. Fiddling with the shape of your fingers. Then, following a brief hitch of his breath, he fits his own in the spaces between yours.
His hand is soft, you think to yourself. Without the presence of leather, it is fully bare, pale and dusted with pink. His knuckles are pronounced, palm surprisingly unscarred in spite of vigorous sword practice, but a writer's callus lays on his ring finger. It is easy to imagine his frame hunched over his desk, pen between his fingers, ink running dry from writing back to missives and signing endless contracts.
(And responding to engagement offers. You would know. They clutter his workspace, scented letters branded by wax seals of a distinguished family's emblem.
He barely throws a cursory glance at them before giving his never changing answer.)
When he gives your hand a squeeze, you finally ask, “Is it warm?”
“Yes.” He sounds somewhat strangled, there, less confident than he was before he took your hand. “Very warm.”
He reluctantly parts with it, stepping back to reduce your close proximity. Ayaka fans herself as she scrutinizes his reddening complexion, and Thoma—partial to the lord, you see, even though he wasn't very eager to lend you a hand before—makes some excuse about a meeting he has to attend to (some beetle fight with Itto, most likely) and if you'd kindly excuse their presence.
“...Please pardon my brother's strange behavior,” Ayaka murmurs when only the both of you remain in the room. “He could be quite straightforward when his curiosity is piqued. He doesn't have weird intentions, really.”
She doesn't appear to believe it herself, but you appreciate her attempts to clean up Ayato's mess.
“It's no trouble, milady.” You flash a placating smile for good measure, reaching down to collect the discarded gloves Thoma nearly tripped on in his way out. “But I'm afraid I'll have to take my leave now as well...”
“Yes, of course! You may go.”
Following her affirmation, you scramble to take a duster and retreat to clean the library.
At least she doesn't comment on your flushed cheeks and colored ears. Small mercies. (There's only so much composure you can exhaust within one day.)
For all that you (privately) complain about the extensive list of chores to tackle in the Kamisato Estate, you find tending to the garden fairly enjoyable. Alas, you can't exactly spend the whole day pruning the shrubbery; the smile on your face drops when you're sent to go on a shopping trip. Worse still, with no one to assist you in carrying the groceries. Thoma has already promised to accompany Ayaka for a mission, and everyone else is busy preparing for the Kamisato head's upcoming business trip.
Said Kamisato head is apparently “free” and “has the spare time to help” despite being the one who should be busy holing himself up in his office.
Regardless of your protests, Ayato insists on tagging along to the market. Which brings you to your current situation, your employer dutifully carrying bundles of cloth and a basket of radishes and carrots with an easygoing smile, while your hands remain empty. He is... considerate, if you were to speak in flowery words. He is stubborn, if you were to be blunt.
However, he is relatively obedient, save for the handful of times he rushes off to chase something that caught his eye. As a result, he keeps purchasing cheap trinkets he'll probably have no use for and his pocket is brimming of candy he sometimes stuffs your mouth with when you have something to scold him for. (To be fair, it's very effective for shutting you up.)
“Please don't interrupt me from speaking,” your words are partly muffled, mouth still chewing on the confection. Ayato smiles innocently, pressing another piece of sugar to your lips.
“Where are we headed next?” He questions, looking around the bustling streets as he tucks the jar of konpeito candy in his sleeve. “Do you still have vegetables you need to buy?”
You shake your head. “No, the cook said he's only missing radishes and carrots in particular. I've also gotten the materials needed to mend clothes Thoma asked for.”
He deflates at that, disappointment painting his expression. “I suppose we're returning, then?”
You purse your lips, considering your options. It isn't like you were told to come back an appointed time, and you could always blame Ayato for your tardiness... “Does my lord wish to visit anywhere specifically?”
The river of stars in his eyes twinkle ever so slightly, flashing a thinly-veiled childish gleam. “Not anything I could think of at the top of my head. Do you have any recommendations in mind?”
“Recommendations?”
“Places you like to visit.”
During your free time, you usually look around to shop for clothing or accessories... but they're nowhere near the quality befitting of nobles. The yukata isn't tailored to your size, made from cheaper cloth of cotton, and aren't as decorative to what your lord is used to; it's what makes it affordable. Whereas Ayato is often dressed in luxurious silks, embellished with golden thread and customized to his liking.
“It's no harm to bring you there... I guess.” You scratch your cheek. “Though I can't guarantee you'll like it.”
“Nonsense.” He smiles amicably. He reaches for the basket before you can grab it, gesturing for you to start walking. “I'm sure I'll have a good time regardless where it is.”
And... he does. He marvels at the extravagant brocades displayed at boutiques, wondering how one could possibly wear so many heavy layers. Though he doesn't buy clothes for himself, he decides to buy a cute purse he thinks his sister would appreciate.
Ayato expresses interest in ornaments and cosmetics as well, to which the shop owner proceeds to happily introduce her entire catalogue for a man she knows has deep pockets. He doesn't disappoint.
“You don't want anything?” He asks when you only answer his questions pertaining to Ayaka's preferences, two steps behind, never taking the opportunity to roam and search for potential additions in your wardrobe.
It's not that you haven't seen anything you'd like to take home, per se. More like everything is too expensive for your pocket money in this high-end portion of town. “No,” you say instead, because it's easier to explain that way.
He tilts his head inquisitively, but doesn't push the topic. “Help me choose a hair pin then. You know what fits Ayaka best.”
He leads you to the display case housing rows of hair ornaments, each one more remarkable than the next. The last one, undoubtedly the most costly whose price would make you weep, teeters on the edge of gaudy. Adorned with silver butterflies, tear drop sapphires, gems delicately shaped like dewy petals and white pearls sitting atop carved gold, they almost blind your eyes.
“...She'd look beautiful in everything,” is the conclusion you come to, because you speak nothing but the truth. “But please don't buy everything. She will get mad at you.”
“I know,” he sighs. “That's why I needed your help picking one.”
You almost drill holes to the items with how hard you're staring at them, but you eventually point at the pin with pink blossoms. “This would contrast nicely with her hair.”
“Mhm. If you say so,” he hums approvingly, tracing the sculpted leaves.
“Then if that's all, I'll go pay...”
“Ah, which reminds me.” He spins on his heel to face you, lips shaped into an apologetic smile. “I'm nearly running out of parchment paper. Could you stop by the stationery store up front? I'll handle things from here and meet you by the entrance.”
“Of course, my lord.”
On your way outside, you resolutely do not allow your curious gaze to steer towards the tables of sparkling jewelry.
--
The trip back to the estate is uneventful, and the rest of the afternoon passes like any other.
Perhaps the only inconsistency in your repetitive days is the accidental nap you fall into, blanketed in warm rays of sunshine and caressed by the refreshing breeze slipping past ajar doors, your cheek resting on the surface of the table you were supposed to be cleaning. How uncouth of me, you think as you wipe your mouth to check for signs of drool. Your only respite is not having anyone witness you in such a state, otherwise you would've long been rudely awakened and received an earful of chastising.
...Is what you think, until you spot a foreign ring you definitely do not recall putting on.
It curls around your finger, dotted with crystals in a hue of blue you're all too familiar with. You see it everyday, gleaming in mischief, darkening with intrigue. Framed by long, long lashes, crinkling at the corners when filled with mirth. Crashing torrents that freeze in displeasure yet inexplicably gentle the moment they meet your eyes, akin to gentle sea waves that pad to your feet.
(You wonder if this is why he insisted on touching your hands so much, just to roughly measure your ring size.)
“I hope you fare well during my absence. Fear not, I will do my best not to prolong my leave.”
The way his words sound so self-assured and full of conviction doesn't sit well with you, and the genuine pity reflected in his irises almost makes your eyebrow twitch. You haven't even spoken a word before he began his theatrics.
“Take as long as you need,” you reassure him. “My lord mustn't rush his work.”
He wilts, but he perks right back up, “No need to put up a front. I'll come back for you.”
Incorrigible.
“Then I await your safe return.” You bow deeply as you swallow back a sigh of defeat, the other servants lined up on either side of the street moving accordingly.
“Please be careful,” Ayaka bids when she walks in front of him. “I've heard of bandits intercepting carriages to steal... I don't mean to undermine your abilities, but you should still be vigilant of trouble.”
Ayato laughs at that. “You don't have to worry, Ayaka. They'll sooner surrender before they lay a single scratch on me.” Glancing at the supplies being loaded on his carriage, he grimaces slightly. “I better get going. I'll see you all in three weeks.”
He climbs to the interior, giving you a final smile before closing the door. You stare at the carriage until it fully disappears, the trotting of horses out of earshot. When Thoma begins to walk back to the estate, you fall into step with him, matching his strides.
“The lord hasn't left for this long in a while,” he comments, to which you hum in agreement. “Think you'll miss him?”
“Three weeks is hardly a long time,” you retort back, complacent for the rare period of peace to follow the next month. “He'll return in no time, as if he'd never been gone in the first place.”
Thoma eyes you strangely at that, but says no more. “If you say so.”
--
The first day is bliss. No disruptions in your work, no unwanted conversation partner as a distraction, no midnight snacks needed to be prepared for the clan head a weird mix between workaholic and slacker.
The second day proves to be the same. No incessant chatter in your ear as you sweep the floor, no complaints for a stack of paperwork to be done within the day, no sudden requests of a shoulder massage for a job well done deserving of a reward.
The third day, you feel like your schedule is lacking, blank spots of free time sprinkled in between.
Ah, right. The tea breaks.
You tell yourself you only miss the fragrant tea, the selection of treats given to you by the young master's generosity. Not his thoughtful commentary for the taste, the chuckles spilling from his lips when you respond to his quips, the brief moments of eye contact before you resume your respective duties.
The fourth day, you're sent to hang the laundry. You tell yourself you don't miss a certain someone's abrupt appearance, poking a head through the sheets to startle you, huffing bright peals of laughter when he attains his desired reaction.
The fifth day, the cook requests your help to prep dinner. My lord doesn't like this dish, the sentence almost leaves your tongue as your eyes track down the recipe when you remember right, he's not here, and milady likes this dish, so it's one of the few chances she gets to eat it.
The sixth day, you clean his office. You organize the account books, restock his collection of pens and paper, and shuffle through his mail to sort them by category (definitely not noting down the number of letters asking for his hand in marriage). Your face flushes slightly when an unassuming bookmark falls out of a book you pick up from the floor, familiar flowers pressed thinly to fit between the pages. (You have only given those flowers on a whim, plucking fresh blossoms from plants you grew outside the Kamisato's garden. You didn't think he'd keep it around; they're not nearly as fancy as what his family owns.)
By the seventh day, you begin to doubt the calendar. There is no way it's only been a single week.
--
“How do I look?”
“Positively charming,” is your dry answer.
“You're not looking.”
Your eyes flit to Thoma's attire. “I am.”
He shakes his head, taking off the robes he's been trying on. “You're always daydreaming nowadays. What are you thinking about?”
Reminiscing the last time you visited this clothing store, which is when you brought the young master in your shopping trip, and also presumably when he bought the ring for you. Recently, you've taken to pondering over the specifics; did he commission it beforehand? But how would he have known for certain you'd be visiting the store that day to give it to you later that afternoon? You were only planning to get groceries... Unless he was planning to give it another time? If so, in what occasion did he want to present it as a gift? What prompted him to give it to you earlier? ...Did he see your longing gaze on the jewelry?!
No, no, no, you made sure none of that showed on your face... Did he mean to give it to you that day? He somehow predicted you'd cave to his whims and show him around town? Then when you were gone, he retrieved the ring he commissioned, hitting two birds with one stone in a single trip?
...Knowing your sly lord, the idea isn't so far-fetched to be unbelievable...
To this day, you have yet to solve the mystery. But Thoma doesn't need to know your current musings. You shake your head. “It's nothing. Are you buying it?”
“Since you kindly gave an approving opinion, sure.” His tone drips with sarcasm as he takes out his money pouch, paying for the clothes. “I think I don't need the answer from you, actually. I'm confident I have an accurate guess.”
Your eyebrows knit together. “What do you mean by that?”
“Who else would linger in your mind?” Thoma sighs in dramatic fashion, stepping out of the premises with you not far behind. “Distance makes the heart grow fonder, after all.”
Bristling, you vehemently refute, “I'm not thinking inappropriately of the lord, if that's what you're implying.”
“I didn't mention any names.”
“But you clearly meant him.”
He holds up his hands. “If that's what you want to believe, suit yourself.”
His gaze drops to the ring wrapped around your finger. The ring has been a topic of interest for the gossip mongers within the estate, wondering who you could've received it from; what other implications can wearing a ring have? Your cold exterior is no secret, your heart guarded with thorns, so who was able to sweep you off your feet in the end?
Thoma only needed one look at the shade of blue to make a correct guess.
“...I'm sure at this point, you know of his intentions,” Thoma says slowly. “And I have plenty of reasons to believe his affections aren't entirely unrequited.”
If they were, you would have brushed off Ayato already, just like you always do with the others. He may be persistent, but he knows how to back off. Yet the most you do is sigh and spoil him, albeit in (fond) exasperation.
“Even if they aren't...” You fidget with the hem of your shirt, averting your gaze from his blazing eyes, “...it doesn't mean we'll work. I'm certain he has better prospects for a spouse, anyway.”
“You mean those daughters from noble families?” He snorts. “He'd barely give them the time of day before running back to you. You should know that by now. Don't you remember when he faked being sick in that lunch meeting so you could take care of him?”
Of course you do. He had pretended to be in a dizzy spell, collapsing on your shoulder and making furtive hand signals asking for your help to get the lovesick maiden off his back. There really is no way to reject people like her without offending his business associate, so he tended to evade confrontations in roundabout ways.
You could excuse his clingy behavior out of necessity; it would be disgraceful to collapse on the floor, after all. The problem lies with the aftermath where you had already steered clear of the trouble but he insists on requiring treatment, body calculatively feeble as he gives you woeful pleas.
In another world, perhaps this would've been a heart-rending experience: a cold man who didn't share his burdens with others asking help from you specifically, because you were special and he trusted you the most.
In this world though, the act is only deserving of a derisive snort. He pulled off this plot for who knows how many times. How would holding your hand help with his throbbing headache anyway?
(You ignore the fact you indulge him each time regardless.)
“In any case, the lord is returning in a week. Not much time left for you to mope.” He laughs even as you elbow his side.
A week.
(That is one week too long.)
--
When Ayato returns five days short of three weeks, you aren't there to greet him.
Instead, you are sick in bed, bundled in a pile of blankets, and suffering from a stuffy nose.
Ah, and delirious from fever. Very much so.
So when Ayato miraculously appears in your bedroom earlier than scheduled, you only sniff in response and brush him off as a hallucination.
But of course, your dismissive attitude isn't enough to discourage him from pestering you and running his mouth. He hovers by your bedside, noting with glee that you keep his ring on a nightstand close by. “This is rare. I don't think I've ever seen you ill.”
But you've seen him plenty, frail and weak after days straight of sleepless nights. He doesn't look too pretty in such a mood, quick-tempered and sharp-tongued at the slightest annoyance. He only ever softens when your expression flits to dismay for a fraction of a second before dutifully offering him prescribed medicine from the family's physician, the saddened expression gone like a mirage.
“How are you this annoying even in my dreams...”
As it turns out, you're even more of a worse case than he is.
“Mhm. Your filter is completely shut down when you're sick, huh.” Ayato laughs, amused at the surprising revelation. He doesn't get to be the receiving end of your blunt words very often. “Alright. How bad do you feel right now?”
“Terrible, since it's the ass crack of dawn.”
It is not the ass crack of dawn, but you wouldn't know any better with the folding screens obscuring the orange glow of the evening. “Do you have an appetite? I'll have a servant bring a meal.” Then, he slyly adds, “I can feed you, if you want me to.”
He doesn't know which part of that statement appeals to you the most but you sit up straight, attentive.
Interesting.
Though Ayato meant it in jest, he has no complaints scooping spoonfuls of porridge to bring to your lips. He patiently coaxes you into drinking the bitter medicine after, quickly soothing you with bite-sized cut fruit to wash away the acrid taste.
“Good job,” he compliments, chuckling when you glow at the praise. Your lips are shiny with juice, trickling from the corner of your mouth.
Absent-mindedly, his hand lifts to caress your cheek, the pad of his thumb wiping it away. You jolt, a startled sound escaping you, and you hasten to clamp a hand over his mouth.
He blinks at you owlishly, dumbfounded.
“Don't,” you speak, your face decorated with a lovely pink. “You'll... you'll get sick.”
Ayato takes an embarrassing amount of time to process what that means. However, when he does, you can feel him grin beneath your fingers. He takes your hand, his huff of laughter tickling your palm.
“I thought we were in a dream? You don't get sick from kisses in dreams,” he teases, pressing a light kiss to your wrist. Your heart stutters in bewilderment but you make no move to pull away, only twitching when he kisses your fingertips.
“It's better to be careful...” Your brows knit together, and he kisses the tiny furrow away too.
“Okay. Let's do it next time then, when you're truly awake.” He gently pushes you to your back, fluffing up the pillows for your comfort and tucking you in the blankets. Indulgently, he presses a final kiss to the crown of your head. “Rest well so I can get that kiss sooner, hm?”
“That's a stupid reason to recover...” You murmur defiantly, stubbornly blinking your drooping eyes open.
In the end, you fall asleep to the sound of his laughter, the fingers combing through your hair, and the rhythmic beat in his chest.
--
When you wake up, you admonish yourself for having such a shameless subconscious, but you acknowledge that you had a good dream.
Then your eyes land on a pair of discarded gloves on your nightstand, one that you remember Ayato putting away before he began to spoonfeed you your meal.
...Fuck.
“With all due respect, I don't believe being your headrest is part of my duty, my lord.”
A thoughtful hum answers you, preceded by a curious glance at your expression. Your legs are folded underneath you, back straight and eyes overlooking the garden instead of the weight resting on your lap. You can feel him shift, turning over where he faces against the porch, his robes wrinkling where they lay below.
“Are you suddenly becoming shy because a maidservant passed by?” He places down the novel in his hands on the wooden floorboards, watching your face burn in embarrassment. “I doubt this is the first time she's seen us, though.”
“My apologies. I'm not as thick-skinned as you are.”
“I'd prefer the term 'proud,'” he pokes the sash around your waist, smiling cheekily. “Who wouldn't want to show off their lover?”
He feels you stiffen, sees the flush of pink crawling outwards to the tips of your ears. “It's inappropriate. We're in a public setting.”
“That's only because you refuse to enter my chambers.” Ayato sighs and you look positively mortified. “I wouldn't ravage you, if that's what you're worried about?”
Not yet anyway, he doesn't say.
“My lord, please be reasonable. Whether you do or not, I will still be seen as your bed warmer. Did milady not advise us to be discreet? Inazuma would be in an uproar if they learned you were... you were...” You purse your lips, unable to spit the last word.
“Wedded.”
“I'm afraid we haven't gone that far, my lord,” you deadpan.
“So will you consider it?”
“My lord.”
“What?”
You give him a look, and he sighs in acquiescence. But he turns to face the opposite direction, expression hidden fron view. You can practically hear the pout in his voice, “I see. [Name] only sees me as a fling. My heart breaks to know this bliss is short-lived, but I will cherish our remaining time together.”
He's begun his theatrics again, you think tiredly, accustomed to his stunts. “In any case, we must be careful. We never know who has loose lips around here...”
He's still not facing you, resolutely looking away.
...Is he sulking for real? Was that a genuine marriage proposal?
“My lord?” You call out softly, in a lover's tender voice. He doesn't respond. Quieter, you whisper to his ear, “Ayato?” yet that doesn't earn a reaction either.
You start to panic, wondering if you were acting too indifferently. The change in your relationship had been a recent one, and you're still settling in a period of adjustment; even if you wanted to properly flirt with him like normal lovers do, bickering came more naturally to you.
You reach for his shoulder, hoping to turn him over and see his face. But then he catches your wrist, and you only have a second to catch a glimpse of his triumphant smirk before he captures your lips in a chaste kiss.
“Mhm, I see. So you're more considerate towards me when we're dating,” he cheerfully notes, tucking a stray lock of hair behind your ear as if he can't see the way your shocked gaze morphs into a cold glare. “I truly am privileged.”
“Incorrigible.” The word drips with poison, but he laughs and kisses you again, thumbing at the ring around your finger.
“Too bad you're stuck with me forever, huh?”
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