I got a ko-fi account btw, ill set it up in a few days but its already open.
⤹⋆⸙͎۪۫｡˚۰˚☽˚⁀➷｡˚⸙͎۪۫⋆ ༄
There was a knock on the door, follow by it abruptly being swung open as Y/n went inside confidently and rather carelessly as she stopped to stare at her friend Kaufman and her best friend Navier. Both flinched, awkwardly staring, or well, Navier did, Kaufman was just there, facing the opposite direction.
'Weird..' her brows scrunched up as she looked at the duo, Sovieshu walked in, following Y/n from behind, seemingly much calmer as he stated "I heard you and Gran Duke Kaufman were together Empress."
"Er.. Grand Duke?" Sovieshu also noticing the awkward atmosphere approached the duo, specifically the grand duke, who still stood, having his backs turned to all of them.
Y/n watched from the sidelines, finding it slightly amusing, but more on bewildering as Kaufman greeted the Emperor, "Good Afternoon, your Majesty."
"Yes, good afternoon but.. why are you facing that way? All of us are over here." Sovieshu pointed out before turning to pointedly glance at Navier as if to ask what was the problem with the diplomat.
"I'm afraid there is a reason for why I can not turn around." Kaufman said, voice and body language both rigid and uncomfortable. "What brings you here your majesty? Have you came to bring me that?" Navier asked, gesturing to the documents that were in Sovieshu's hands.
"Is this your way of getting even?" Sovieshu sighed handing the document to her, "I won't say much other than the fact that you choose partners wisely, having a partner outside the empire may be more scandalous." he said courtly.
"That is not what is happening your majesty." Navier said but nonetheless took the documents, staring oddly at the man. She half-expected Sovieshu to start being antagonistic, but he seemed more level-headed than before.
Sovieshu raised a brow "That's a bit hard to believe with how he's avoiding looking me in the eyes. Were you doing something else that would warrant this reaction?" "Ehem, I think Kaufman isn't feeling to well" Y/n chimed in with a deadpan "his heartrate is rather... fast. Oh." She blinked.
'Does Kaufman have feelings for Navier!'
"That's not it!" Kaufman finally turned, staring at her but 'then why are you blushing and crying!' The Grand Archduke had pretty tears escaping his eyes, his face flushed. His expression caught everybody off guard.
"Are you sure? You're crying-" Sovieshu pointed out. "That's because of you!" Kaufman pointed at Navier who seemed taken aback "You have such a beautiful and amazing wife yet you hurt her! I would give for what you had with her, and I know I'd at least take better care of her!"
"Oh." Y/n blinked as she turned, "Yeah I'm not going to watch this drama" she waved her hand.
"Y/n."
The honey eyed girl sighed as the Empress stopped her, she turned to see Kaufman pulling out her hair, 'is he really stressed over being head over heels in love with Navier, I mean, I could understand, Navier is very pretty and like he said, Navier is amazing and beautiful' she couldn't help but rant in her mind, complimenting Navier, and complimenting Kaufman's standards in Partners.
Sovieshu coughed, looking a bit awkward, Y/n had already talked some shit through with him, but he's not going to do the same thing with Kaufman, he was not close to the man and he rather not take a heart to heart talk with someone who's infatuated with his wife.
"Perhaps me and Sir Y/n can go to give you two some space?" He suggested, though his voice and face made it seem like he was swallowing a very very bitter pill.
"Yes! I mean- NO!" Kaufman shook his head, walking past Sovieshu, ignoring the fact that he rudely bumped into him, as he took Y/n's hand and left, pulling her with him. The Emperor and Empress were left along in the room, staring at the doors that were left open, confused and still taken aback.
"What did you two do together.." Sovieshu asked staring at Navier who sighed, it was a very very long day.
Meanwhile..
Y/n caught up to the fast pace Kaufman was walking in, scratching the back of her head she asked feeling concerned over her friend "Are you okay Kaufman? I didn't know you liked Navier. But I gotta say, I think you shouldn't chase after her in front of her own husband. I mean, I know things aren't going very well between them. But at least-"
"Navier isn't the one in my heart!" He yelled, stopping in the middle of the hallway. They were in front of the window, the light from the sun pouring in, it was nearing sunset so the light that was casted was almost golden.
She tilted her head, "I simply feel artificial emotions,, because I drank a love potion and looked at the Empress." he clarified "the effects will wear off, and I have the antidote in my office." Y/n frowned at his words, so she took his hand and began pulling him, forcing the man to follow her as she led him to his office.
Y/n forced the duke inside, and once she followed, she turned her back, letting go of his hand and slammed the doors shut. "I see, but what were you doing playing around with a love potion with Navier?" She asked frowning as she finished casting some privacy spells.
"I gifted her one, she didn't knew yet, so when we met, she had me check their authenticity." He admitted, frowning as he felt guilty. Was she mad at him?
"And you drank it? in front of her, just to prove it?" She asked with a sigh, he could practically hear her disappointment.
"I'm sorry, it's just, you've been so worried about her and the Emperor so I thought giving her a love potion to be used on his Majesty would help ease your worries!" He reasoned. But Y/n turned, a furious expression on her face "Thank you for thinking of me and navier but you have no right to be meddling in their relationship! or to be playing around with something as dangerous like a love potion!"
"Love potions of all things! It could strip a person's control over their own feelings! manipulate them into liking someone!" She said gesturing her hands at each word, love potions sickened her.
Her face crumbled, "I know that they aren't doing too well! And I'm hurt and affected by it, but Love potions aren't the way to go about and solving it. It takes time, and actual healthy communication." she told him, "and if they still can't work things out, then as much as I hate to say it, its their choice whether to continue with a loveless marriage or divorce."
"Go take the damn antidote now." She sighed, setting her hands down.
The man was silent, outstretching his arm and opening his hand as he summoned a glass vial filled with a clear liquid. Although its appearance seemed like water, Y/n could sense the magical properties coming from it.
He popped the cork and drank it all in one gulp in front of you.
You stare for a bit, feeling a bit empty and a tad bit disgusted. As you flexed your hands you find that you feel a stinging pain. Staring down at your hands you find that the crescent shaped wounds on the palms of your hands were much worse as they bled more.
Perhaps you had clenched your fists again during the moment you yelled at the archduke.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me."
Kaufman found himself crying again, you wondered if he was always this sensitive, he approached you, taking your hands into his own as he stared at the small wounds on your hands.
You were silent for a few moments, thinking to yourself of what to do, not bothered by the fact that he could hear you decided what to do about him now.
You sighed, long and hard as you finally spoke, you spoke but still avoided to look at his eyes. You could hear his emotions after all, he sounded genuine, the sounds of guilt, remorse and sadness. It made you pity him, made your anger lessen, but the disgust was still there.
"Love potions should never be an answer okay? Once you feel better, take back the remaining Love potion from Navier." You stare at your hands as he continued to hold them, his grip a bit tighter now. "I want you to apologize to Navier about even suggesting that sort of thing, I want you to destroy whatever love potions you have on yourself.."
"I appreciate you cared enough about me that you felt like you needed to help Navier to ease my worries. I really do. But you went about it the wrong way."
"I know." he said softly, placing his forehead against her own, they looked at their hands. "You can hear my sincerity right?"
'And you can hear my thoughts, so I want you to write ten pages, back to back, of how sorry you are.' she thought while huffing. Kaufman chuckled "I'll write 100 pages if it means you'll look at me again."
"Careful there, I might actually make you." She said looking up, finding Kaufman staring at her eyes intently.
"Y/n, Navier isn't in my heart, okay?" He softly whispered, "it was never her."
"It was always y-"