LUCIA CAN'T TELL WHY she is so breathless as she swings down with all her might, the whoosh of her wooden sword cutting through the air sending a ping of satisfaction through her. Sure, she's practicing sword fighting and Seokjin is her teacher, that's pretty exhausting. But Lucia is sure that there's something more stealing her breath than that.
"Again," Seokjin's firm voice rings through the grounds and Lucia obeys without protest, swinging again and again.
It should not have shocked Lucia that Jin is all business when it comes to his job. Even when it came to teaching Lucia he toned down his usual teasing and jokes to help Lucia truly learn. Lucia is so fascinated by this side of Jin that she even refrains from ever complaining during practice. Amazing, she knows.
"Pause. Your form is off," Seokjin mutters, not unkindly, as he approaches.
"How? I've been doing the same thing for so long," Lucia whines and Seokjin chuckles, pulling her sore arms back up.
"Your grip turned in your last few swings because you're tired. It's dangerous to let your opponent see that," he hums, shifting Lucia's right hand a little to the left on the hilt of the sword.
So maybe Lucia should have actually paid attention to what Seokjin is saying, but alas, she isn't. Seokjin's expression is gentle as he makes minor adjustments to her form, unlocking her elbows and muttering for her to spread her feet a little more. When he finally allows for a small smile, he looks up, meeting Lucia's enamored gaze.
He smiles wider, pulling rogue strands of hair from her face and fixing them behind her ear with a hum. "What's that look for?"
And Lucia is dizzy with the sheer amount of love and fondness and happiness swirling within her like a storm. And of course she realises belatedly that what is stealing her breath is Seokjin and her growing love for him. She is over the moon in love with the man in front of her. He is her everything, her loophole in a palace of rules, her warmth in a land of insecurities. He is her one and only beloved in a kingdom of strangers.
Yuck, it sounds too sappy, cliche, and romantic for it to be Lucia but she is too many different levels of weak for this man.
And even when it feels as if he is slipping from her grasp, he is there, holding onto her tighter than ever. When she is drowning in fear and loneliness, he is there to help light the way in the dark.
With butterflies soaring in her stomach, up into her chest until they fill her lungs, she smiles. No amount of flowers or sunshine or ramen could ever amount to the soaring in her heart, in her soul, as she smiles at the man before her, tears that weren't there before bursting from her eyes.
"I love you, Jin."
And butterflies at last soar from her lungs out through loose lips into the air for him to hear. At last, the raging storm of her longing and love pours from within her, all for Seokjin to finally see. Lucia can't even be embarrassed at her tears when she meets Seokjin's own teary eyes and smile of relief and surprise.
Her wooden sword hits the floor with a clatter as she muffles her soft cries in Seokjin's obsidian vestments, his arms pulling her in tight as he hums back with a soft, shuddering sigh.
"I love you too, Lucia. So much."
ORANGES AND PINKS BLEED through the sky in a messy blend of splendor as the sun is soon to set as the chill of the night begins to set in, nipping at bare arms and at a certain couple's noses.
Lucia is at peace as she lays her head against Jin's chest, listening to him hum softly as he runs his fingers through her hair, brushing out nonexistent knots.
"Can you say it again?" Lucia suddenly speaks up, feeling sheepish at her request.
"I will happily say it time and time again, from now until forever. I love you, Lucia."
Lucia sighs, feeling more fulfilled and warm than ever as she mutters back a soft, "I love you too."
Lucia can't help but giggle as Seokjin presses his cheek down against the crown of her head with a content sigh. There is a hum in the air as birds sing and Seokjin's heart beats steadily against her ear, and Lucia is more than content with it all as she splays her hand against the royal crest over Seokjin's heart.
"So how do we tell Tova and Crown Prince Hoseok?" Lucia breaks the silence and she feels Seokjin's breath momentarily stall before he laughs.
"Mm, already looking for blessings are you?"
"Shut! No!" Lucia pushes against his chest to sit up in protest, meeting his soft, crescent-shaped eye smile coupled with a fond grin.
"Let me hold you a little longer, please?" Lucia almost wishes she doesn't immediately comply with the request as Seokjin continues. "We can always just never say anything and let them guess."
"Bad idea," Lucia immediately shoots down, making Seokjin huff out a laugh.
"Fine, fine. Let Elena tell them, she always seems to know anyway and isn't afraid of saying anything," Seokjin and Lucia laugh thinking about Lucia's only younger sister.
"She would not hesitate," Lucia laughs harder as she thinks about her little sister puffing up in triumph as she is right (as always) again about her matchmaking advice.
"Mm, not at all. Much to many of your sisters' dismay."
"Especially poor Wannie, she'll never not get bullied," Lucia snickers in delight, especially as Seokjin adds on.
"Like you help the oh so 'poor' Rowan."
"She doesn't need help when she gets bullied all the time anyways. It's just another day in Elavnia as far as she's concerned."
Seokjin laughs harder, so hard that not a sound outside of a strangled breath escapes, and Lucia silently beams in giddiness. As he gets his breath back, Lucia freezes as she feels a warmth press against her forehead. And the previously settled butterflies begin to soar again as warmth prickles through her skin down from her forehead to her toes.
"God, I love you," Seokjin whispers against her forehead after a moment.
Lucia, embarrassingly, can't do more than muffle a small squeal into Seokjin's shirt as she realizes Seokjin kissed her forehead.
"If you love me then don't send me into a cardiac arrest!" She screeches as she finally looks up at him in an attempt to look upset.
"Aw, you're so cute even when you're trying to be mad. What am I ever going to do?" Seokjin sighs, a flush on his own cheeks as he brushes Lucia's hair from her face.
"I hate you."
"And I love you most."
"Shut."
"Never, princess."
"I will ruin your whole career, sir knight."
"You've said that since day one, and yet here we are."
"I will smack you."
"Now that you'll do," Seokjin huffs out a laugh as Lucia does in fact smack him in the chest. "Can you say it again too?"
Lucia huffs half-heartedly with a smile, "I love you, my knight. More than anything."
Seokjin sighs, resting his head against the wall with a smile. "Good... I love you too and it makes me happier than you know to be able to say that."
Lucia scrambles a bit when she sees tears surfacing in his eyes, trying to brush away his stray tears. Seokjin laughs, taking Lucia's hands and holding them to his face even as tears continue to fall.
"Jin, please, I love you, I love you! Don't cry, please I'll start crying too if you continue," Lucia tries to say, feeling her own tears running rampant again.
"Ah, we are both just one big mess now, huh?" Seokjin laughs, reaching out and cupping Lucia's own cheeks to brush away her tears with his thumbs.
"Your fault," Lucia hiccups with a frown, making Seokjin laugh harder despite his tears.
"We're such a mess," Seokjin giggles and Lucia joins in with a hiccup.
"I wouldn't have it any other way," she swears, leaning her forehead against his, booping their noses together, "because we are us, a perfect mess."
gASP conclusion has been rapidly reached!
On a more serious note, thank you guys so much for reading, it has an absolute blast and a blessing to be able to brainstorm and write with the family :')
Everyone and this world we built together have helped me so much in the past 2 years, so much so I couldn't dare to imagine trying to do anything without the fam.
I truly don't know where I would be without them, and I don't even want to think of a life without them.
Please accept my heartfelt gratitude, to you, who is reading this, whether you are a silent reader, one who interacts, or the fam :)
Thank you.