A/N: Modern Au version: College edition
So in this special chapter, Elise doesn't have any illness and she's living a happy college life with the education she wanted.
Hope you guys like it.
Happy Reading!!
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"I'll be on my way, Albert-nii-san." Elise nods to her older brother, who is sitting by the table reading his newspaper.
Albert looked up and gave her a wave. "All right. Be careful on your way, Elise."
"Hai. Take care on your work as well, nii-san."
She put on her shoes and checked the time on her wristwatch. Louis must've been waiting for her outside the gate of their house by now.
Louis and his older brother lived next door and they had been childhood friends with Elise and Albert for more than thirteen years. She and the younger blonde have been classmates since kindergarten and two are almost inseparable.
Because they share the same last name, everyone thought they are related to each other but they dismissed it as pure coincidental, as there are instances where family names are the same but both sides are not related at all.
Sure enough, the blonde was there, all dressed in flannel shirt and jeans. He was checking his phone when he saw the young woman exit the house.
"I'm sorry for making you wait, Louis." She apologized as she clutched her hand bag, her phone in one hand.
He smiled at her in assurance. "It's okay. I didn't wait that long. Shall we go to university now?"
"Hai."
The two went to the subway station and boarded on a train after getting their tickets. As she entered inside, all eyes fell to her as usual. This scene didn't surprise her anymore for since she was a child, she had been very beautiful and attractive and she's aware of it.
Which makes it a little stressful for her.
Males would constantly swoon and even some girls are attracted to her beauty. And it's not just her beauty that attracts them, but also her kindness and sincerity.
As well as her capability of defending herself.
"I'm sorry sir but..." Elise grabbed a man's wrist before he can grope her. Her expression was calm as she gave him a close eyed smile. "Where do you think you are about to touch, hmm?"
The man flinched when he caught her and tried to pry his hand away, but her grip was stronger. Louis remained silent as he let her handle it but he could not help but glare at the pervert.
"Shit, who the hell is this girl..." He slightly winced at her iron grip.
Fortunately, due to the fact that the train is filled with busy people, no one seemed to notice that small incident.
Elise finally opened her eyes to reveal her emerald-green eyes glowing coldly. She leaned closer to his face and spoke in a low and warning tone. "Repeat this indecent action of yours to me or to anyone else... I won't hesitate to snap both of your wrists permanently."
The man paled at the threat and quickly withdrew from them.
Oh yeah, since her older brother Albert worked used to work in the military as a high ranking officer before transferring to the government office, he taught her how to defend herself and to fight. And it's not just him. They're friends with an older man who retired from the army, who they call as Sensei, and he also taught her to properly fight with and without a weapon.
After it was resolved, the rest of the train ride went by smoothly.
***
"Good morning, Elise-senpai!"
"G-Good morning, Louis-senpai!"
A couple of their juniors and a few freshmen greeted them as soon as they entered the building and they couldn't help but squeal and blush when the two returned their greeting, especially the girls.
Both Elise and Louis are popular in their department and in the whole campus as a pair of beauty and intelligent people and everyone highly respected them. Well, it's not like the two cared for the reputations. They just want to have a normal university life and graduate.
They sat on an empty seat in the middle part of the lecture hall, placing their bags to the side.
Even until they reached their university years, the two continued to be inseparable as ever. Some even wondered if the two are dating, considering that Louis is protective of her and she's really close to him.
"Ara, only a few came in today's lectures." Elise mused when she saw how the lecture hall is almost empty. "Though it was nearly packed five minutes earlier before the lecture started."
"I'm sure the reason was because the lectures are boring and they only came here earlier just to see us." Louis sighed as he closed his notes. Even he's aware of how popular they are.
Aside from his looks and capabilities, there is also another reason why he is known in the university.
The brunette was slightly surprised to see a lot of girls enter the lecture while giggling and quickly finding a seat to occupy. Soon the lecture hall was filled with girls, all gossiping and squealing while checking their phone.
"I wonder what could have happened..." She says. "The last two lectures were barely filled with students."
Louis checked his phone and his eyes widened for a moment before smiling. "Elise, you will definitely like our next subject."
"Eh?"
"Check your schedule. There was a sudden shift of the subjects just now."
Elise checked her phone and scrolled down to their schedules and true enough, their subjects shifted. Upon seeing their new next subject, she beamed.
"It's his subject and he will be teaching." She smiled widely and almost giddily. "No wonder a lot of girls hurriedly came here."
They saw a few girls below them squeal in delight.
"Kyaah! I couldn't believe it! I thought I'll be having a bad day after receiving the new schedule but...!"
"Right?! It will be the hot, young Math's professor!"
"Ah, Louis-kun's older brother, right?! We're lucky to have his lecture this early!"
Chatter echoed inside the hall, which are mostly the girls gossiping about the next professor. This professor, after all, is quite popular in the whole university. Aside from graduating at a young age, his handsome looks and mysterious aura charmed many of the female students and even some of the female staffs.
The door opened and the squeals only intensified upon seeing the young professor enter the room.
He looked around the room and he clapped his hand to catch their attention. "My, I didn't expect this many students after that sudden change of the subjects. You must be eager to learn mathematics or... you are here for another reason, hmm?"
"We are willing to learn, professor!" The girls said while some where hiding their giggles.
"Geh! They are only here because of Professor Moriarty!" Some of the boys jeered at them.
"Shut up, you jealous brutes!!"
William chuckled at his students. When his crimson eyes saw Elise and Louis, he gave a subtle nod of greeting and flashed the brunette a fond smile.
Elise heart raced and she returned the gesture with a fond smile as well.
"Now then, shall we start our lesson?" William says as he grabbed his chalk and started writing on the board.
***
"Now, please don't forget to pass your reports." The older blonde tells them as soon as the period is over. "I'll see you tomorrow."
He picked up his things and exited the classroom. When it was all over, more than half of the class groaned.
"He's brutal." One of the boys groaned after the lecture was over. "I mean, I know he's smart and all and gives us detailed explanation that is easy to follow but, he gets really brutal when giving problems to be solved."
"It's okay. It was all worth it having Professor Moriarty as a professor." One girl says to herself with a nervous laugh. "You know what they say, "Everything comes with a price". It's okay, girl. One simple math problem isn't going to kill you. Hehehe... all good."
She comically fainted face first to her desk.
"Ara... Will they be okay?" Elise sweat dropped in worry after seeing them seemingly lose their consciousness. She swore she could see some of their souls leaving their bodies.
Unlike the rest, Elise and Louis can handle the problem and reports William gave them, since the latter sometimes tutors them.
"It's their choice coming here even knowing that nii-san can be pretty strict." Louis calmly collected his lecture book and notes and placed them in his bag. "Should we head to the cafeteria now, Elise?"
Upon reaching the cafeteria, the lined up to get their lunch and sat on the empty table near the window. A few males wanted sit next to Elise, but a glare from Louis sent them away and she wasn't aware of it.
"Let's see..." Elise checked her to-do list on her phone while eating. "I don't have much report to work on later... thank goodness. If he's not busy later maybe I-"
All of a sudden, William sat next to her with a tray of food. He looked at her and smiled. "Mind if I take a seat next to you?"
The young woman nearly dropped her phone in surprise, but she managed to regain her composure. "P-Professor, it's rare to see you eat out here instead to the staff area..."
"Professor Holmes was making quite a dangerous experiment so I'd rather not ruin my lunch there." He leaned his head on his hand and focused his eyes on her warmly. "And besides, I wanted to see you again after seeing you in the lecture hall earlier."
She lightly blushed before smiling back at him. "Professor, you really know how to make a girl happy with your words."
"Only if it's you, Elise."
If you are wondering about their relationship, it was known throughout the university that William is Louis' older brother and the two blondes are childhood friends with Elise. But that's as far as they know.
In truth, they are lovers and are secretly dating.
But since they are professor and student (even though their age gap is only one year, William skipped a few years because of his high intelligence), they can't be as romantic as normal couples do in school grounds. It was "immoral" for a school personnel and student to be in an intimate relationship, they say.
That doesn't stop William from being sneaky, though.
May it be in class, in the hallways, or in the cafeteria... he'll always find a way to interact with her outside lectures.
Shared looks and glances are not enough. He wanted to have a few physical contact at least.
It's a good thing a lot of people are preoccupied with their lunch (and at the stress of the report William gave them) so they barely noticed the math's professor enter the cafeteria.
He then turned to his younger brother who is smiling knowingly. "I apologize for ignoring you briefly, Louis. Together as always with Elise, eh?"
"It's all right, nii-san- I mean, Professor. It was worth it." Louis is referring to William being sweet to Elise. As his supportive younger brother, he wished for his brother's happiness. "And yes, to protect Elise from males that want to ask her out."
"Even though I'm capable enough..." She sighs but she sincerely appreciates his kindness.
William gave out a chuckle. "Louis, it's all right for you to address me as "nii-san". We're on our breaks, after all, so treat me as your brother. And Elise, you can call me by my name."
"No can do, professor." Elise smiled a little cheekily as she placed a finger on his lips. "It's understandable in Louis' part but for me, I still have to address you professor in school grounds in respect."
Her actions made his crimson eyes widen in surprise and she retracted her finger without waiting for his reply.
"Please excuse me. I have to go to the restroom for a minute." She gave a close eyed smile as she excused herself. When she left, William placed a hand on his mouth and chuckled softly in amusement.
"Ah, Elise will be the death of me..."
Meanwhile, Elise closed the bathroom stall and covered her extremely red face as steam poured out of her ears while exhaling loudly.
"Aah... I'm so embarrassed I could die... that was quite a bold move I did...!"
Louis was enjoying the whole lunch session seeing the two being sneakily affectionate to each other.
***
When Saturday came, Willliam invited her out in a date. She readily agreed.
It's been about a year and a half since they started dating. William, the ever patient man, waited for her to graduate in high school before he confessed. Elise, who actually had a crush on him since they were children, reciprocated his feelings and the two started going out when she was a first year in college.
Of course, since it was "immoral" for a student and staff personnel to be seen in an intimate relationship, the blonde could only be openly romantic in their homes or if they went out in a date, but most of the time, they only do indoor dates. Perks of being neighbors and childhood friends.
Of course, Albert knows and fully supports the two. He trusts William about Elise and he has faith that his sister is capable of herself.
"You look beautiful, Elise." He told her when he picked her up in front of her home.
Dressing a relaxed white dress underneath the denim jacket and simple flats with her hair fashioned in a loose braid down her back, she looked naturally beautiful like always, but there's a charm in her that only he can see. She giggled and smiled up at him.
"Thank you, William." She said. "You look handsome as well."
Light azure, buttoned up shirt adorned his torso and his lower half consists of black pants and brown derby shoes... he gives off the air of a relaxed and mature young man. It was a refreshing sight to see.
"Your sincere and genuine words always touch me, Elise. Thank you." He smiled back at her before his eyes trailed to the flower hairpin on her hair. He caressed it gently before taking a few strands of her hair. "I see that you kept this gift I gave you."
"Yes." She touched his hand and nuzzled on it. "It is something I treasure deeply. This is very precious to me, after all."
"It makes me happy to see that you treasured it." He told her before holding out his hand to her. "Shall we go now, Elise?"
She accepted it and tiptoed to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Let's go, William."
They held hands as they walked to the bus station and boarded on an empty bus and sat at the back.
"Shall we go to our usual places?" He asked her as soon as the bus moved.
"Yes. Unless you decided to change the pace, I am fine whatever you are fine with." She replied.
"All right." He kissed her forehead and smiled. "Let's go to our usual places, then."
Their date is quite simple, actually. As a pair that enjoys reading and finding knowledge, the library is one of their favorite places. It's not a common place to date, but the two enjoyed the comforting atmosphere and the sweet, musky smell of books on the shelves.
William stood behind her and buried his face on her hair, which made her giggle softly while choosing a book. The blonde smiled and he would intentionally brush his fingers on her hand as she dragged it across the spines to read its title.
He likes to do little caresses like this. He may not be openly affectionate but he tends to make minimal intimate action sneakily but tenderly. And this habit had rubbed off to Elise as well.
When reading, they sometimes do little discussions about books that they were reading and share each other's opinion. Elise loves to read novel type books in various genre and sometimes a little bit of science and mathematics. William doesn't have any particularities in books as he would say, but Elise noticed that he likes to read anything that has to do with mathematics and mind games.
After visiting the library, they come to the café they frequently drop by. They picked the secluded seat on the corner, far from the glass windows which shows people walking by outside. The vibe inside was tranquil and soft lo-fi music was playing by the speakers, making the listeners relax and enjoy the atmosphere.
Elise was the one who discovered this café and introduced it to William previously and he came to like the vibe of the establishment. They had been coming to this place since then.
"William, what will you be getting?"
"Hmm... some doughnuts sounds good right now. What about yours?"
"I'd like to try their new waffle recipe. It looks tasty."
"Shall we pair it with afternoon coffee?"
"Sounds lovely."
Even while they're talking, he would brush his fingers over her knuckles and it ended up with their fingers intertwined together. He gave their hand a kiss and smile at her fondly. In return, Elise would kiss the palm of his hand and place it on her cheek, nuzzling on his warm hand, her emerald green eyes softly looking at him.
The staffs and a few customers who saw them couldn't help but blush at the atmosphere and the fond looks the two are giving out to each other.
Their next stop was the park close to the café they came from. It was like any generic park; benches, bushes of flowers, cobbled paths and the grassy ground, as well as the marble fountain in the middle.
But the place was special for them since, this was the park where an old lady gave William the flower hairpin as thanks for helping her years ago and he gave it to the brunette as a gift.
Special because him giving her the camellia hairpin was a sign of his love to her.
They walked close to each other while taking in their peaceful surroundings. Only a few people currently occupied the park, which is a mix of a small family, teenagers hanging out and children playing by near the seesaws and sandboxes.
"Looks like the roses here have more variants compared to last time we went here." Elise says as she leaned on his arm.
"Yes." He smiled as he brushed the rose petals lightly with his fingertips before lacing it around her fingers. "Soon, this whole park will be filled with roses. I'd like to see that happen."
She giggled before leaning up to kiss the side of his face. "So do I."
When they exited the park, William slightly tightened his hold on her hand, which promptly made Elise look at him.
"William?"
"There's a place I would like to take you. Will you go with me?"
She flashed him a warm smile. "You don't have to ask."
***
The place he was referring is the area near the bridge, next to the riverbed.
"I'm sorry for bringing you to a boring place." William tells her as soon as they stood by the railing which protects children and people from accidentally falling to the river. It was a little windy so both of their hairs slightly swayed with the wind.
"What are you saying?" She turned around to face him and smiled widely. "This place is so peaceful and beautiful!"
The area wasn't really that special since, there are no benches or even trees but the river is clean and the breeze is cool. It's more of a foot walk place but a little outside the city so that explains why no one is there, considering that most people are either taking the bus or they have a vehicle of their own.
But William is charmed to this quiet place and he wanted to share it to his dearest person.
He lightly chuckled in agreement and watched from the back while the young woman leaned over the railing.
"It's amazing how the river here is clean..." She remarked as she looked down the river. Looking up to their side, they have good view of the bridge, which shows off its good architectural designs. "Let me guess... the bridge caught your interest, am I right?"
She casted a knowing glance at him and he merely smiled in amusement. As always, she knows his interests. "At first, yes. The proportion of this bridge fascinates me but... I was more drawn to the peacefulness of this area."
As soon as he said that, another gentle breeze kissed their cheeks and the only sound that can be heard is the gentle waves lapping the riverbank. There are occasional cars that would pass by but it can be passed off as a soft hum of engines passing by.
"Yes... I understand what you feel." She smiled in agreement before tucking the stray hair behind her ear. "Thank you for showing me this wonderful place."
She noticed that William is looking at her with the same expression he always gives her and it never failed to make her heart race.
Elise could never get tired falling for this man after seeing that fond look on his face again. With his blonde hair flowing with the breeze and the afternoon sun striking it, she wanted to run her hand over his bangs and touch his face.
When she was about to step forward to approach him, his next words made her stop.
"What do you think..." The winds blew stronger but his words were audible enough to be heard over the winds. "...about marriage?"
Her emerald green eyes widened. "Ma...rriage...?"
"Yes..." William's crimson eyes never left his focus on her before closing them slowly. "It sounded like a dream, living together with your beloved person under the same roof every day... I don't know why, but the thought of it..." He clutched his chest. "...is making my heart well with longing and joy."
Marriage... of course she had thought of that but to hear that William is yearning for it...
"I... I also think that it's a wonderful thing." She took a step forward in his direction. "Sharing your life with the person you love for the rest of your lives... Exchanging vows... A life together..."
She stopped in front of him and gazed up to meet his eyes. The winds are still going strong so the hairs in front of his face were waving gently. Her hand made his way to his bangs and brushed it to the side.
"I don't want to be presumptuous but... the other reason you brought me here is..." Her hand landed on his cheek. She couldn't bring herself to say her next words as a small blush dusted her cheeks. It was too embarrassing. "...is that... you have something... to tell me, right?"
Silence.
Elise tightly closed her eyes in fear that she embarrassed herself and made wrong assumptions.
"...Marry me, Elise."
Thump.
"Eh?"
That made her open her eyes to meet his gaze and she was greeted by the expression on his face. The same fond and loving look is still there but, his eyes are very much serious.
She could not stop the rapid beating of her heart.
"I want marry you, Elise." He tells her again seriously before grabbing both hands and held it in front of their faces. "But not now. I want to ask for your hand after you graduate."
He smiled a little ruefully upon seeing the surprised look on her face.
"I'm sorry. I'm being selfish again."
Elise shook her head and wrapped her arms around his back. "Oh, William... you don't have to apologize. You have nothing to apologize for." She clutched his shirt. "I was the one who that told you that it's okay to be selfish, remember? We're childhood friends for years and even though it's only a year since we dated, we already know each other long enough. It's okay... you can be selfish..."
Oh, he's lucky to have a kind and understanding woman by his side.
"Elise..." He embraced her back and buried his face on her shoulder. "For years, I only want you and nobody else. If I have to be completely honest, I don't want you to look at any other man. I don't want others to see you. I want to bind you to my life." He tightened his grip on her. "Scary, isn't it? I sound very possessive."
She shook her head on his chest and he felt the warmth building from her response.
"But... you accepted my everything. You reciprocated my feelings. It was that I thought that I want live my life with you. Have a family with you." He gently grabbed her chin and saw that tears were falling down her cheeks and he wiped them off with his thumb . "I want to see your kind smile when we wake up. I want to wipe away your tears when you cry. I want to hug you when you are feeling sad. I want to share my everything with you. So please..."
William wasn't able to finish his sentence when Elise grabbed his face and kissed him on the lips.
It was as if the world stopped moving when their lips connected. It was as if the only thing that mattered was the warmth and softness they shared. Both their hearts skipped a beat as her lips lingered for a few moments before pulling back.
And when she does, there was a soft smile on her tear-stained face. "You don't have to ask again. Your words made me fall for you all over again..."
She tucked his blonde hair behind his ears and brushed his cheek with her thumb. "Yes, I want to marry you, William."
The winds blew again but this time, softer and gentler, as if caressing their skin and playing with their hair.
"It is what you said." She tells him softly. "I want to share my everything with you, as well. We both have each other's firsts, right? Our firsts until the very end... I want it to be with you. I want to do the same things to you as well. I want to make you smile. I want to cook for you every day. I want greet you when you leave and when you come home. Until I find a job after graduating, will you wait for me again?"
This kiss sure did surprise him but he could not help but nuzzle his cheek on her palm. "I've waited for 10 years until I confessed. Waiting for a few more years until you graduate is nothing compared to that and I intend to keep my promise. When you seriously think about the future is what I love about you, Elise."
"But it's a little funny, don't you think?" She snickered lightly in amusement. "Our surnames are the same and it won't change a thing after marriage."
"Oh, there will be a change." He held their hand in front of his face and she blushed madly at the dangerous look on his face. "You will be my Moriarty. You will be a Moriarty that belongs to me. It will have a new meaning after marrying me."
William is such a killer with his words.
"Ara ara~..." She says with a small laugh, but she's actually immensely embarrassed from it. "To think our simple date ended up with a proposal in the end... Did you plan this from the start, William?"
"Not really..." He smiled mysteriously before kissing her hand. "It just happens that Albert-nii-san had already given me his consent and blessing if I were to ask for your hand in marriage."
Elise blinked for a moment before letting out a giggle. "No wonder he told me that I'm free to make my own decisions beyond my life. Oh geez, my brother is such a supportive man."
William chuckled in agreement. "I'm thankful for him and for his support."
She smiled back at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Neh, William..."
"Hmm? What is it?" He snaked his arms around her waist and leaned his forehead on hers.
The brunette's green eyes twinkled as she looked up at him. "I love you."
He smiled softly as he leaned closer. "I love you, too."
A kiss was all it takes to seal their words.
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A/N: Right after William told Louis about his proposal, the younger tells him that he's willing to plan their wedding.
Sorry for that slightly rushed art. I'm baaad at fingers and background (ಥ _ ಥ)