When a Duchess Orders You to be a Girl
What happens, when you lose all free will? What happens when you see to it all doors were closed?
What if you were running for so long you were just tired of the thought?
Who says that taking a break on one of this manor's decorate walls was forbidden?
Why would the thought of resting mean imminent danger?
What's with this fact?
Simple.
Because he was running. Running from fear. Running from death. Running from life's comedy.
It was a big leap he took. From one balcony ledge to the stairs below it to reach the mansion's grand gate.
It was thwarted, however, by an even more experienced jumper that had found it appropriate to kick his back by the heel of their black boots.
"Oof!"
Catching him was even simpler now. All his attacker must do is take a few steps to reach his tired body. He's been running for so long, being in this position was almost relieving for his muscles no matter how much the fall's impact had hurt him.
Subaru was just so happy he didn't need to run anymore.
A decently heavy weight on his back made him freeze in the blood.
"Well."
The smugness in the woman's tone was not lost on Subaru. His pride was totally shot down as the polished boot rubbed against his back and kept him pinned to the floor beneath her.
"I assume you have an idea of what has become of your fate, hm, Natsuki-dono?" Filled with the most lovely humbleness a winner should have, the green-haired girl standing on him didn't hold back in reminding him of an even greater humiliation he'd wished to avoid.
"...Thk~!"
"Now, now. We made a deal, Natsuki Subaru. You can sulk if you wish. Though I'd suggest the opposite since that would ruin your pretty looks~"
"G-Goddamn it! I'll kill you, Felix!"
A heel was shoved into his back, making him grunt in pain.
"I'd rather you not speak of such a way about my knight, Subaru. It's ill of you."
"Ill my ass! He sold me out and now I had to be strong-armed into this situation!" The tired boy yelled, craning his neck to respond to the lady above him.
He only received a grin as she looked down on him, "Strong-armed is such a strong word, though it's appropriate."
"You aren't even denying it?!" Subaru yelled at her audacity for not even denying how she forced him into a losing deal.
"I'm still fair, Natsuki-dono. Even if I had my mindset to convince you, I thought it would be faster to make you have hope by placing bets on this competition of ours."
"That's so arrogant! There's no 'competition' here! I could never beat you in this game no matter how much of a head start you gave me! This was unfair from the start!" As Subaru whined in outrage and desperation, the lady simply crossed her arms and shifted her weight on to her leg that wasn't on his back, a wide sweet smile aimed at him below.
"Then it's my win, after all, Natsuki-dono."
"This isn't fair..." Subaru whispered again.
"It's okay, you've done it before. You can do it again for me, can't you?" Hearing her ask in a much more compassionate tone made Subaru think about his upcoming fate.
"Not in front of all these people... It's just too embarrassing!"
"I'll be there for you."
"..."
Falling into silence, Subaru felt the boot pinning him on the ground shift off of him. The sounds of heel clicks sounded closer until he could feel her presence over his head.
Looking up, Subaru was met with a kneeling lady. Wearing her classic military sailor's uniform with a smirk radiating her confidence. He can see a hint of amusement and maybe excitement in there as well.
"Well, Subaru Natsuki? Are you going to wear that dress for me?"
Under her amber gaze and knowing grin, Subaru can only drop his forehead to the marble floor and groan in despair.
A triumphant Crusch simply beamed while patting the boy's head.
How did he get here?
Betrayal.
It's been a month since Emilia had sent him to serve under Wilhelm Van Astrea. It was a deal made between Crusch and his lovely silver-haired master to have Subaru serve as a squire of sorts to Wilhelm as to train himself by the old man's teachings and grow as a knight. It was a sign of trust and friendship between Emilia's and Crusch's camps. Suggested by Roswaal right after Subaru had managed to save everyone from the archbishops of the Witch Cult including the Gluttony and Greed bishops that were attacking Rem and Crush before he departed to fight Sloth. The White Whale, Great Hare, Sanctuary trouble, and mansion attacks were much easier to conquer with Rem, Emilia, Wilhelm, and Beatrice by his side. He had gained friends in Otto and Garfiel. His gate was almost shattered but not quite. He was almost forced to break it had it not been for Wilhelm's help.
After he'd been knighted, he was shipped off to the Karsten household immediately. Greeted immediately by a congratulatory Felix, a proud Wilhelm, and a smirking Crusch.
As per the agreement between the two allied camps, Subaru trained under the old man all day for a month. He had struck a golden friendship with the Sword Demon, even got the old veteran to smile on occasion. Subaru also managed to gain a favorable friendship with the healer of the household. Even earned free treatment sessions since Felix wouldn't let his friend go about with such a miserable Gate condition.
As for the Duchess of the house, the beauty hard struck in command, Subaru was surprised to have been an instant hit with the lady. She had him run a few errands, barely had she spent a moment of free time without him by her side since she calls for him every time. She found it more interesting to hear about his old home (or world should he say) rather than spend her time alone in the office.
Subaru's greatest feat during his time in this mansion was making the lady open up more to him. Or that's how he saw it.
The Karsten head was more compassionate and humorous than he had believed. Laughing and enjoying playful challenges from various games he had taught the camp members.
He was feeling really welcomed here. He didn't even feel in danger of being killed in his sleep because some of the members didn't like how he smelled...
But he shouldn't have gotten too comfortable. One day, spending time with Felix after a treatment session, the boy dressed as a girl continued to act all cute and adorable while teasing Subaru it truly made the boy's nerves grind.
So... Subaru being a Subaru... decided to beat the cutesy cat boy at his own game.
And that's how Felix the cat was catfished by Natsumi Schwartz, the newest hot richman's daughter that was 'lost' inside the Karsten household.
Simple and effective. Subaru had enjoyed having the catboy serve him all kinds of beverages and foods thinking he was some beautiful princess.
Of course, revealing himself to be an actual young man Felix had connections with instead of a grand beauty from a fairytale made the healer bitter.
Felix was angry. He was fuming.
And while Subaru had rubbed this win into the usually extra flirtatious healer's face. Expecting Felix to take it in for this one loss. But the healer was spiteful. He was mad. And Subaru should've seen this.
As described by Subaru's head after the situation happened, he should've seen it coming. The cat was too proud to let the fact that Natsumi had played him like a fiddle slide. Felix was a proud knight even if his pride wasn't to that level of a certain Julius.
The cookie smasher catboy had been present during a certain time when a problem had been laid on Crusch's lap.
A problem best suited for the catboy's evil schemes to reach the point of making a perfect plan. The plan is to humiliate and dominate Subaru. An act of fitting revenge for Subaru's Natsumi doing the same to Felix.
As it so happens, Crusch Karsten had been invited to a gala made specifically for nobles embroiled in the election. Problem? The nobles had to come with a none fighting companion.
It was a stupid rule. One that didn't make any sense and Crusch would've been a bit more shocked until she learned that the gala was held by one of the most chaotic and childish lords in Lugunica's lines.
"He's probably bored again. There's no other reason for him to force such an idiotic unnecessary rule," The Duchess seemed to grumble in her office, both knights by her side.
"It's clear I'm not going to be welcome to enter the hall with you, Crusch-sama," Wilhelm wisely reclined himself from further entering this discussion.
And then, the sneaky cat struck with a shrewd smile. A cruel smile.
"Ya know Crusch-san~, I won't be able to come with ya since I'm your knight. It's really frustrating that I can't come with you but this could be... a really good opportunity, nyan!"
This earned the royal's raised brow.
Felix smirked, "You can take Subaru-kuyn~!"
"Natsuki?"
The cat healer knew he caught her attention, he had to pick his words carefully for he didn't want his lady's protection to bust him.
"Subaru-kyun~ isn't a knight under your command, and he's no fighter-"
"There's no telling what they would think if they see a candidate occupying with the knight of another candidate. I'd rather save face from such a farce, be careful what you suggest, Felix-dono," Crusch reprimanded her knight's ridiculous request with a firm rejection, thinking of her reputation first and foremost.
She wasn't ready for the sly cat to have a comeback, "Crusch-sama, I was not talking about Subaru-kyun as he is now, nyan!"
"What are you implying?" Crusch raised another brow in question. Felix grinned further.
"Did you ever see Subaru's true self, Crusch-sama?"
"Natsuki's... Truth?"
"He hadn't shown it to you?" Felix egged fakely while cackling in his head with evil glee.
"Shown me what?" The Duchess demanded, now more alarmed than ever as she hadn't expected Subaru to have shown something about himself to her knight and not to herself first. She felt deeply betrayed by this.
Until Felix laid it all out.
"You didn't see, Natsumi Shwartz-sama."
And as the cat boy grinned eye to eye, the Duchess' eyes widened in curiosity. Awaiting no more demand from his lady, Felix explained to her what he experienced under the heel of the fabled Natsumi that one wretched day, with exaggerations of his 'manly' reactions to make himself look more favorable in his lady's eyes, of course.
After that, it was very cookie-cutter. Crusch simply stood up and ordered Wilhelm to fetch her one traitor sitting in her household without paying rent.
"If he wants to wear a dress, then he better do it for me!" Needless to say, the royal lady was pretty infuriated with the black-haired menace after learning what he did.
As soon as Subaru entered her office, he could only notice the fire from hell deep in her eyes as she stared into his soul with the darkness of a hundred moons.
The boy bowed immediately.
After that, it was as you've seen. Crusch forced upon him a challenge in which he will have to run away from her while he retrieved artifacts from all corners of the mansion and get out of the main gate without being caught by her.
Of course, Subaru said yes because with her being so pissed and firm, he couldn't fight off her... assertiveness.
And of course, Subaru was thoroughly humiliated by this challenge, as he failed miserably to achieve a single one of the artifacts since Crusch thwarted and broke his approaches each and every time.
He fought a lady that had massive amounts of skill, talent, training, and manipulation under her belt. Of course, he'd always ended as the loser under her, that wasn't the problem. Crusch wanted to punish him for some reason for not showing him his Natsumi persona before. But this was something more.
Now, Subaru has to wear a dress and go to the gala as Crusch Karsten's female plus one.
All of these nobles, personalities, merchants... Will see him in a dress while walking beside the only royal candidate present to cater to this gala.
The lady he was serving under a contract and considered a pretty good friend.
"It's alright, Natsuki, "Crusch chuckled softly while continuing to pat his sulking head with her gloved hand. She seemed more cheerful than when she manhandled him into this deal.
"At least now you will be showing me your 'talent' as Felix-dono described it," resting her chin on her knuckle, she simply grinned at the downed boy with excitement.
Subaru only groaned into the floor.
"I will kill you."
"..."
"STOP SMILING YOU SMUG BASTARD!"
"Hehe!"
Subaru displayed his anger by spitting towards the mischievous healer who only hopped out of the way while keeping a smug smirk aimed at the boy.
"That's what you get, Subaru-kyun~!" Feeling victorious, the catboy nudged the fuming half-elf's knight on the cheek.
A black-gloved hand slapped Felix's away.
"Fuck you!"
"How bad-mouthed of you Mr. Knight, sir. Hehehe~"
Subaru gritted his teeth bitterly as he carried on walking towards the master of his current household. The feeling of humiliation and dread filled his head in an unhealthy way. The teasing he was receiving from the smug catboy was not helping. It seemed Felix only chose to accompany Subaru from his room just to make fun of him before Crusch sticks to Subaru like glue. He was taking his chance.
The black-haired boy simply bit his lip and cursed. He was feeling a bit of stress filling him from the many dreaded thoughts filling his head.
Why am I forced to do this?
Why is this happening to me?
Why do I have to be humiliated like this?!
"Hm, I don't think you should be that worried, Subaru-kyun~"
"What the hell do you know?! You aren't the one who's going to be degraded and demeaned!"
Upon Subaru's reveal of his fears, the strangely timid Felix frowned, all sense of smugness and happiness for his friend's predicament was gone.
"Degraded... Demeaned?... Subaru, do you even know-"
"Just forget it!"
Subaru cut him off and started stomping forward without care, just trying to get away from the healer and get right back to the green-haired Duchess so she can mock his attire. He just wanted to be done with all of this.
He failed to see the hem of his own black gown as he stepped on it in another angry stomp.
And down he went with his beautifully done hair covering his eyes.
But he didn't fall to the carpeted floor of the Karsten mansion, instead, he fell into two strong lean arms that held him warmly.
The boy's spine shivered as the one that caught him in their arms spoke right beside his ear.
"My, my, Natsuki Subaru. You've been hiding someone so beautiful this whole time."
Feeling chills run up him, the boy's eyes opened wide to meet with the person holding him so protectively.
And one fascinated Crusch Karsten looked down at him with a smile unreadable to the boy it made him feel... things unholy.
"You're looking pretty in that dress, Sir Natsuki."
His cheeks immediately went red as the Duchess asserted her position as the tormentor of his night tonight. He felt a bit embarrassed and even humiliated as the lady held, talked, and looked down at him with such mocking eyes.
Quickly getting to his feet, she allowed him to stand and confront the carpet of her household with his booted feet. He stepped back for a moment and looked at the Duchess in full for the first time tonight.
He was focused on her gleaming amber eyes filled with confidence and adult assertiveness, he failed to look at the lady in full.
"... Valkyrie."
Failing to see his words never leaving his mouth, he was met with an outward gleeful chuckle from her.
"Calling me a battle angel from your home's stories is a bit flattering... Even if it's a bit unladylike for a name," Crusch crossed her arms and quirked her lips and eyebrows in a way that made the dress-wearing knight feel all kinds of frustrations.
"S-Sorry... I meant to say you are looking b-beautiful tonight."
Crusch spared him the chuckle at his stuttering and only smiled endearingly at him.
"I liked the previous one better," Subaru watched as the lady of the household held her expensive gown with her gloved delicate but firm hands and made a bowing gesture to him, "but thank you for the kind words, milady."
"Y-You're..."
Subaru grit his teeth as his cheeks went bloody.
Was she making fun of me?!
He could only meet with her raising head with a dangerous growl. Her elegant smile turned to a skeptical frown quickly.
"Are you alri-"
"Just forget it! Let's get to this stupid party!"
"... As you wish."
Surprised by the attitude, Crusch let the boy storm past her. Keeping her eyes on his clad back. An expression of confusion and hurt filling her.
The air was awkward.
The grand gala was held in a fairly far away palace. A ride by carriage was required even if Crusch disliked the gallivanting of the riches her family owns by rolling around with such an inconvenient cart that was as fake on the outside as it was empty on the inside.
But she wouldn't exactly say 'empty' was the right word to describe the inside of the expensive carriage she was sitting in this time around.
The Duchess silently gazed towards the source of her awkwardness.
The black-haired dress-wearing boy that was looking out the window with a fuming expression.
She worriedly wondered if she had gone a bit too far in her ambition to see him in a dress.
I don't think that was ever in question.
A voice sounded in her head, her own. She knew that the way she forced it on him was unorthodox, a bit degrading even... But she really didn't see why he was so upset! The way this boy looked in a dress made her feel so envious of him. It takes hours for her to feel confident in a formal dress, yet this man would just slap on a burka and take a simple dress and look like a queen!
Crusch started glancing at the entire outfit Subaru had 'chosen' to wear to the gala. One of her own black and purple-styled gowns that she didn't like had fit him well and even complimented his own color scheme. Black gloves stretch across his arms. Long black fur boots that she couldn't be bothered to try out so giving them to him was the only option.
They fit him well, honestly, she was surprised just how... womanly his limps were. That boy needs to build up muscle.
She was almost tempted to stop Wilhelm from training the young man... just to keep him in this shape. She was so mesmerized by his current state she couldn't take her eyes off of him.
Rude as it may seem, she couldn't keep her eyes off of the best part of the show. His face.
The hair placed on him was obviously fake, just to make him look nice. But by god the way those sharp eyes of his looked with that attire made the duchess feel hunger.
The appeal Subaru's naturally handsome face gave was nothing when it regarded the calculating, mysterious aura Natsumi's glare had.
Glare?
"I hope you are enjoying the sight!"
Crusch recoiled in confusion at the sneer. Not knowing what to answer.
The boy turned before she could anyways. His eyes were on the outside of the carriage.
"Are you upset with m-"
"Just forget it!"
"..."
Crusch kept to herself, satisfied with looking out of her own window and settling on the fact that her cart is going to continue to stay awkward.
As the carriage had stopped at the foot of the palace gates, it seemed everyone in the world had come to greet the Duchess candidate of the Karsten family.
Although she didn't like the overblown attention, she liked that there was something to take her mind off of the boy behind her.
Stepping out to the instant glares and looks of glorification, Crusch kept her elegant stride but didn't allow them to stop her plans tonight.
As she was helped down the carriage steps by her dutiful Sword Demon, she stubbornly broke all royal protocol and turned to the boy sitting in the carriage with a stern frown and an open palm.
Crusch was helping Subaru down the carriage steps... While a perfectly capable knight stood right next to her.
It appeared that the boy didn't notice all of the murmurs and glares Crusch was receiving as she stood on the open palace carpet with her hand outstretched for him.
He seemed to have a defeated, grumbling look on his face.
"Fine... If you want to enjoy this so bad then I hope it was worth embarrassing me."
Without another word, the boy took her hand and stepped down the cart with delicate steps in the uncomfortable black boots.
As he was revealed to the world, the murmurs and silent growls grew tenfold amongst the luxurious crowds placed at the door of the palace.
The queen of shadows, as they called her. A mysterious lady from a far away noble family was brought in by Crusch Karsten as company.
Rumors started immediately of course, but as Crusch and Subaru held arms and stood in the middle of attention, they were only focused on one another.
Crusch's fist tightly held Subaru's, making him firmly look up towards her.
He was met with a serious, almost furious glare from the beautiful militarist standing before him.
"What do you mean, 'embarrassing you'?"
Subaru turned away from her and decided to start walking away, "Forget it-"
He wasn't going to budge as Crusch forced him to stay put by a pull from her hand.
"What do you think I brought you here for, Natsuki!" Almost fiery, Crusch spat in a whispered shout, demanding an answer as her anger overtook her in a place where the entire world watched them both.
Subaru's hair covered his eye as he looked at her.
"Do you think I'm bringing you here because I want to degrade you?"
He had no answer for the shocked Duchess.
"Were you thinking that I wanted to gallivant you in a dress in front of everyone tonight just to get some sick pleasure to humiliate you?"
He couldn't help but flinch into himself at the question... At the hurt in Crusch's voice.
"I-I... I didn't want to do this... I mean why else would you be so persistent to make me dress like a girl and bring me here?" Keeping his voice hushed, the boy exclaimed desperately, trying to get out of Crusch's strong grip.
"Crusch-sama, we must get going..."
The Duchess ignored Wilhelm dutifully and glared so heatedly at Subaru he trembled.
"You think of me so low?..." When the hurt became clear in Crusch's eyes, she was about to deliver an ill fated slap to his face for feeling so betrayed, yet she could see something else in his eyes.
"No..."
When she heard his whisper, she realized...
There was no wind blowing around him.
He was telling the truth. It wasn't that he thought of her as being so sadistic.
It was something else.
"I'm just scared to be mocked again, Crusch..."
Using her name with no titles. The way she ordered him all this time yet he kept ignoring her.
Her grip softened as she held his arm more gently, rubbing her thumb in comforting circles on his gloved hand.
"Subaru."
She used his name in a manner warm and comforting.
"You won't be mocked like this. I won't let anyone do so."
"I look ridiculous."
"You are breathtaking."
Subaru blushed at the instant compliment from the determined lady.
"I'm not a girl."
"Yet you still out show us," Crusch muffled in a giggle.
"I don't want to go in there like this," Subaru said with a scared look.
Crusch only smirked confidently, "You seem so against this for a boy that could've used a shamak to escape at any moment from this."
Subaru looked down... "Is it okay? For me to enjoy dressing up for once..."
She held her own gloved hand to his cheek, rubbing her fingertip against his soft features.
"I want you to enjoy your full truth," her whisper sent him a shiver. Her confidence was intoxicating. Her presence was filling him with an aura of protection.
"Are you going to be there for me?" He whispered pathetically, knowing how weak he looked.
He felt her moving closer toward him, seeing her own legs inches away from him.
The fingers holding his cheek cupped and moved his head so he can look upwards. Straight into the ocean of fiery amber eyes before him.
Seeing Crusch's angelic smile, he couldn't help but feel trapped.
"Always," she answered without hesitation.
"But you'll have to tell me... That you want this, Natsuki..."
"I never thought someone would accept this..." the boy grumbled into his fake long hair.
"I do," Crusch muffled a giggle at the boy's cute worries. "You have no reason to doubt, Subaru. You are a beautiful person in both forms..."
The boy's eyes were uncovered as the royal military girl he had saved time and time again swiped a gloved hand over his face to look him in the eyes as the entire royal presence from nobility to guards stared at the scene between what would be known as two women.
"... I wanted you to accept that fact, Subaru. Because I can't handle the thought that you are ashamed of yourself to such a degree."
"..."
His eyes were wide. No string of words could describe his shock as the Duchess explained her true intention.
"Y-You did this... To make me dress up more?!"
Crusch giggled into her glove as her intentions were revealed.
"Why would you do that in front of all of these influential individuals? You would damage your camp's campaign!" He asked ludicrously. Being seen with another woman as her plus one, the potential for this girl to be a boy dressed up as one being revealed to the public, it was a scandal in the making.
A slight warmth was added to her smile, "It's not like that would stop me. I'm the bitch that wants to get rid of the dragon's rule over us, Subaru."
"...!"
Displaying his shock over her use of such a word, he remembered the way common folk spoke about the candidates when he would go on a shopping trip with Wilhelm and Felix.
Each girl out of the five got their fair share of insults, especially Emilia, but Crusch had her own band of detractors.
And it seems she was more than aware of that.
"You aren't a bitch."
"..."
"Look at me, Crusch. Please."
Her dim eyes stared up into his own, and the boy felt fiery for the first time tonight.
"Don't say that about yourself ever again. You're an amazing person and an awesome friend."
Her smile turned gentle and apologetic, "Kind of you. But no need to comfort me."
"Bullocks. You are one of the kindest."
"That's a bit much to say," Crusch's smile had more of a flare now as she closed her eyes and leaned on the boy's shoulder.
"You are so stubborn it's obscene you haven't taken up a sword to kill that stupid dragon yet."
At this she chuckled and leaned more into the girly boy, enraging many in the crowd.
"You are admirable. So many times you take charge and lead situations properly it makes me ashamed I don't have the same charisma."
"..."
"You have an amazing work ethic that shows how much passion you have for this country."
"..."
"You are a beautiful person, Crusch. In any form."
Maybe it was the many nights he had spent with her. Maybe it was the way she had accepted him without taking a single life from him. Maybe it was the sheer comfort of knowing that she had his back in any situation. But Subaru couldn't help but forget about Rem and Emilia. He just wanted to comfort this one girl that felt insecure and had no time to see how amazing she was. And yet she had been busy with helping him.
"And you... "
The silent lady on his shoulder finally spoke, an unreadable glare and tone.
"You are..."
Crusch moved back to stare into his eyes. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she leaned in with a look of pure hunger in her eyes.
"You are a most foolish girl, Natsumi Schwartz."
"Wh-"
"Shhh."
Confused. The boy simply watched as the girl moved back and held his gloved hand again.
Crusch's smile was one of happiness and encouragement.
"Come on then, Natsumi of house Schwartz," repeating his female persona's name, the duchess of house Karsten placed a gentle kiss to his knuckle while raising his hand to her lips.
With one more confident smile, Crusch started walking while holding his hand gently, protectively, compassionately.
Subaru followed in silence as the entire world watched them, his breath taken.
And as par for the course, Crusch was the one leading again.
"I want to show the entire world how pretty you look in a dress, you foolish boy."
And Subaru could only feel weakness in his legs as the Duchess laughed happily.
He couldn't fault his own bright smile from taking over his lips.
And the nobles raged for weeks at this scene.
Hey all, it's Moe.
I just want to thank you all for supporting my writing and helping me grow this hobby.
This was a fanfic I wrote in the last 2 days because I wanted to help my friend Pidgie. She's been doing this amazing fanfic exchange that was open for the entire community. I was supposed to upload an exchange fic but I couldn't write it and ended up dropping out. Now that the exchange date has reached its end, Pidgie said there were some writers that dropped out and needed pinch hitters to write the leftover fanfics for the people that asked for them.
So I made this one. It's a funny prompt. And the one that asked for it is a good friend too!
A Natsumi x Crusch fanfic that has comedy as its theme.
I hope it made you laugh a bit man lmao. I think I went too romantic in this.
I hope you enjoyed it. Please tell me what you thought!
Yes, the react fic will continue. Lmao.
Also note: I don't care if you cringed. I loved it. :)