OVERLOOKED ㅤkotlc

060

When I come to Ruy's room, he opens the door almost immediately and lets me in. His gaze is concerned, but it turns curious at my easy smile. "Not a vent today?" Ruy guesses.

I came here with the intention of telling him about Rosaleen—not unlike how Bex came to me about her crush. My cheeks warm; he catches it and realization alights his eyes.

"Rosaleen?"

Rosaleen. The puddle. She likes me. I have to bite down a smile. "Maybe," I say, and that's confirmation enough.

We sit at his counter, and he slides a bottle of lushberry juice to me, like a bartender for children. "So... are you two dating now?" His addler's on, but I can tell he's smirking.

"Keep that up and you're gonna look and sound like Alvar."

Ruy laughs. "Becoming an Alv kinnie would be the worst thing ever." And then he waits for me to answer his question, clearly interested.

I laugh, too, and give in. "We're not dating (yet)," I say. "We didn't kiss, either (but I kinda wish we had)."

"Oh." He shakes his head. "Then what happened? You confessed?"

"Well... it's more like she confessed, because the magic puddle exposed her feelings, but she already knew her feelings and mine, and... then we talked and, like, watched our reflections."

He grins. "So a date," he asks, but it sounds more like a statement.

Was that a date? Could we call that our first date? Or maybe our first was stargazing in her room so long ago? No, we were strangers then. That doesn't count.

I take too long to answer, and Ruy takes it as a yes; there's something proud and excited in his demeanor. A murderer, excited about romance. Who would've thought?

I clear my throat. "How'd you even know?" I ask. "That it was Rosaleen, I mean."

Ruy shrugs. "I'm all-knowing."

I give him a look. He laughs, and amends, "You two are so obvious. Me, Melia, and Alv placed bets, you know."

"You..." My brain processes it and I choke on my lushberry juice. Like the amazing friend Ruy is, he just laughs at me, and it's barely concerned. I glare at him, but I'm not mad. "I could've died."

"It's okay, you would've had your lover kiss your ouchies away," he says with a wink.

I said that to him before. Didn't I? This is embarrassing. "Shut up," I say, my cheeks red.

"Do you wanna hear about the bets?" he says.

"Maybe not."

"Wonderful! Melia said you'd confess this month, I said next month, and Alv said next year."

"Next year?"

"He owes Melia so much mallowmelt," Ruy laughs. "I have Rosaleen to thank for that, you said? She does seem more upfront than you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"When are you guys planning to kiss?" he says, completely ignoring my question with a grin on his face. "I'm not one for cheating bets, but anything for Melia's kisses."

"Melia's... what are you even talking about?"

"She won, so she gets cuddles from me and mallowmelt from Alv. If I won, though, I would've gotten kisses and Alv would've had to wash the dishes on my turns for a month."

I blink back my surprise. They really just bet on us. I should be a little indignant, but I'm more amused. What are we, the Vackers? "That's hardly fair," I tease.

Ruy shrugs, with another smile. "Alv gets best friend privileges, isn't he lucky?"

"So lucky," I say. "Remind me not to be your best friend."

He laughs, and I wanna smile, too, but there's a bitter truth in it. I wish there wasn't.

˚ ༘ 🌷 ── author's note!

i rly just baited u guys into this 609-word chapter didnt i

yall thought itd be a good long one but nooo i tricked u >:) 

but also pxstcurfew's accounts r gone and i have no idea how to reach her ??? i mean this in the least creepy way possible but hi cici if u see this feel free to idk swing by one day maube i hope ur doing well !!!

but yeah! that's all! ily all and we're almost to 10k and that's rly cool ily bye!! <3 <3