Today is the day.
The day of the masquerade ball.
You dress yourself fancy, checking for threads in the mirror. The clothes tailored for you are nice, nothing less the next heir of Bonorum should have.
Your eyes stare at the desk reflected in the mirror. There sits Chuuya's fedora, the one you technically stole.
Well, you didn't exactly steal it.
You forgot to return it when running away.
You turn around to pick it up, dusting off spare dust from it. A soft smile somehow makes its way onto your face.
'I can't help but admit that I miss him and his annoying attitude..'
A knock is heard on your door, "Commander (f/n)? Are you dressed?" You place the fedora back onto your desk before smoothing out the ruffles in your outfit. Your smile drops.
"Yes, I'll be out soon." Your hand trails to beside the fedora and you pick up the mask matching your outfit.
'Show time.'
---
The ball is extravagant. Royalty from different kingdoms have come to court you. Some dance together under the massive diamond chandelier. Soft music is played by the orchestra of violinists, harpists, and flute players. Someone is seated at the piano, their fingers never skipping a single note.
The pressure of being the next heir is overwhelming. Your bored eyes scan the ballroom and you let out a defeated sigh.
"Why don't you dance with someone? They're all here to see you." Zelda smiles softly and you shake your head. A butler walks by with a platter of cheese and crackers. You take a small plate and pop the snack into your mouth.
Of course, there's no wine in sight.
You click your tongue in annoyance.
The one thing you were hoping for and it isn't even here.
"Don't worry, they'll come out with a Romanee-Conti Pinot Noir soon." Zelda catches your irritation. The platter of wine swings by just in time and you take a glass, lifting the liquid to your lips.
Wine, the true blessing in this bitch of a world.
"May I have this dance?" A voice asks and you see a hand outstretched to you. Atsushi's silver hair is recognizable even with his mask covering his face. He bows in front of you, left arm behind his back with his right hand beckoning for permission.
You smile at your pupil. "Of course."
The two of you walk out onto the dance floor, hand in hand. You then take your position.
"Do you know how to lead?"
"Oh, I- uhm..." Atsushi trails off and you laugh.
"No problem, I'll lead." The positions switch and Atsushi blushes in embarrassment.
The music starts playing and you both step into a waltz. Small talk is held, you asking about his training and him talking about the immense improvement.
"I just wish you could come back to teaching me... You've always been my favorite teacher." Atsushi says with a smile.
You chuckle before pulling his cheek, "Aren't you a cute one." You then pat it, "Don't worry. I'll soon be back to teaching you."
"Mind if I cut in?" A familiar voice asks. Your head snaps to Chuuya's azure eyes. You could recognize those eyes even behind a mask.
Of course they're as captivating as always.
Your heart pounds against your chest and your breathing quickens.
Atsushi looks at Chuuya before nodding his head.
"S-sure, they're all your's." He says before walking off the dance floor.
Chuuya takes your hand in his, gliding around the floor to the sound of the violins. You look at him, baffled with his sudden appearance.
Chuuya's changed into more of a formal attire. His outfit seems normal as always, but black has been switched to white. Even his fedora, as well as the long coat always shrug around his shoulders like a cape.
"What are you doing here?" You whisper.
"I'm here to enjoy the ball, is that so bad?" He smirks and you let out a low growl.
Chuuya sighs, "And here I thought you would be elated to see little old me."
"At least you admit you're short."
"Hey."
You stick out a tongue as he glares at you.
Just like that the two of you are up to your teasing ways. Even if you haven't seen him in almost a week and vice versa.
The roles switch and you take the lead.
You don't notice the change, the both of you bickering back and forth with insults. The insults slowly turns into a conversation, and then the conversation takes a turn back to the insults.
"In all honesty, what are you doing here? I thought you didn't want to come." Chuuya blows his bangs out of his face, irritated.
"God, you're annoying, you know that?"
"Why can't you just answer the question?! I'm just trying to hold a normal conversation! Can't you cooperate?!"
Chuuya silences your shouting with a kiss on the forehead.
You mouth snaps shut, your mind blanks out, and your eyes widen with surprise. The next few moments you open your mouth, close it, and repeat. Exactly like a gaping fish. Chuuya can't help but feel the least bit amused.
"We can hold a normal conversation when everyone isn't looking at us, stupid." He chastises.
You glance around to see that, indeed, people are watching. In fact, the two of you are the only ones dancing. The music had stopped too.
You separate yourself from Chuuya, bow, then walk off the dance floor.
Zelda approaches you with a smile, "Who was he? Seemed like a gentleman."
You scoff, downing two glasses of wine once everyone has gone back to their normal conversations.
"He is far from a gentleman. Did you not hear us fighting?"
"Seemed more like an old married couple's usual banter to me."
If Zelda weren't your mother, you would've strangled her right there.
"I'll be retiring to my room for now."
"But you have to have a partner by the end of the ball-"
"Don't worry, I'll come back out later."
Zelda purses her lips before nodding her head.
You quickly make your escape through a door. You wait by the end of the corridor, counting the seconds as they go by.
"(f/n)?" Chuuya's voice asks aloud. "Where the hell'd you go?"
"If you walk a couple more steps then you'd see me, asshat." You punch his shoulder. He holds it, clicking his tongue with the inflict of pain.
"I forgot how hard you could really punch." He snaps and you smile in apology.
"Soldiers are still posted, so we should just get to a room." You say with a shrug. He nods his head in agreement and you creep around the castle. One last turn and you room comes into sight.
But there's a soldier posted by your door.
"What the fuck? Dad didn't say anything about this..." You grumble. Chuuya looks at you with a raised brow.
"Dad?"
"...The king and I are tight."
"Sure."
"Shut up and follow my lead."
You laugh loudly, throwing yourself over Chuuya.
"What the-"
"I said go along you fuck."
You drag Chuuya to you room, swaying around and chuckling as if you were drunk. The soldier takes notice of you two. He raises a brow at your attitude.
"Hey there, Presely~"
The soldier nods his head, "Your highness."
'Fuck.'
Chuuya supports your weight, throwing the soldier a lazy grin.
"We'll be fooling around now, take a break why don't you?" Chuuya tosses the soldier a couple of gold coins. He smiles in glee, nods his head, then walks away.
You both enter the room and sigh loudly.
"I knew our soldiers were useless, but to this degree?" You mutter, throwing you mask onto your desk. You then plop yourself onto your bed.
Chuuya walks over to your desk, picking up his fedora. "Care to explain this?" He twirls it around his fingers.
Your blood runs cold.
'Oh, shit.'
"They gave me a temporary room here."
"And you knowing the soldier's name?"
"Met him a couple times when I delivered horses."
"He called you, 'your highness'."
"It's slang for peasant, your highness."
Chuuya sighs, setting a hand on your head. He ruffles your hair.
"I'm not some dumb shit, (f/n). I know who you really are by now."
You bite the inside of your cheek, "...Are you sure?"
He bends down to your sitting level, looking you straight in the eye.
"Yes, I do. I've known for a while."
He leans in closer.
"For how long?"
And closer
"Since the day we met."
And closer.
"So why didn't you say something?"
Your voices have become a whisper.
"Because I didn't care about who you really were, and I still don't."
Closer.
"Why did you stick with me?"
He leans his forehead against your's.
"Because, for a commander, you were highly intriguing."
Chuuya pauses, eyes flickering to your lips.
"Enough so that I would eventually fall in love with you."
His lips capture your's, slowly at first before knowing that it would be all right. You close your eyes, absorbing his presence, breathing the air of his cologne, placing your hand onto his cheek. He gently lays you back on your bed, lips moving and syncing with each other.
Even while kissing do you both fight for dominance, pressing against each other and tugging at each others' hair. His fedora had knocked off to the floor, your outfit wrinkling with his physical touch.
Chuuya pulls away first and you know that he's bruised your lips with his lustful force. You both pant, chests heaving, eyes half lidded.
Chuuya only comes back for more, moving from your lips to you jaw, all the way down to your neck.
He knows it's wrong.
He knows it's so wrong.
It's been wrong since he's known his feelings for you.
But god, he's been waiting for this moment.
The moment chapped lips would meet chapped lips. The moment he could feel your hair, your skin, your lips. The moment he could inhale your scent. The moment he knows you're his and he's your's.
Your fingers tangle with his orange locks, twisting and turning and tugging with each kiss on your neck. Tension and heat rises when he locates you soft spot.
You melt, quiet literally, gripping his hair tighter as you suppress a moan.
And god he needs to stop.
He only wanted to kiss you. To kiss you just once.
Why did it have to escalate to no return?
"(f/n).." He leaves another mark, "You have to.. stop me..." He breathes heavily.
"...And if I don't want to?"
Another rough kiss, "Things will get out of hand..."
You look at Chuuya, thumb caressing his cheekbone, "I love you enough, dumbass."
You both smile before he presses another kiss on your lips.
Oh how he wished he had stopped.
Oh how he wished to turn back time, to prevent any of this from happening.
But it does.
The door slams open, alerting the both of you. You sit up, startled, and Chuuya is suddenly yanked off of you.
"What the fuck?! Hands off of me you shits-"
"That's enough." A cold voice says.
You gasp, head snapping up, and scramble off of the bed.
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald walks in, Zelda and Dazai walking in right after.
Dazai sets a hand on Chuuya's shoulder, stopping his gravity manipulation. Multiple soldiers keep him down, Chuuya shouting and yelling profanities and demands for them to let him go.
"Nakahara Chuuya, executive of the kingdom Mali..." You father says. He then looks to you, eyes stone cold yet burning with anger. Chuuya freezes, his eyes darting to your's.
'Nakahara Chuuya, executive of the kingdom Mali. He's.. my enemy?'
Before you could think further, your father raises his hand. A sharp pain flares up on your cheek, the impact hard enough to throw you to the floor.
"Don't touch them!" Chuuya struggles even harder, fighting against the dozens of soldiers.
"Sweetheart, let's just talk about this.." Zelda says, hand on his arm. Francis looks at you one last time before walking out the door.
"Prepare his execution for next week. Keep him in the dungeons for now."
Dazai nods his head. Zelda desperately looks at Francis.
"And keep (f/n) under strict supervision. Bar the windows. They are not to leave their room. Make sure an Armed Agency soldier is positioned in front of their door at all times."
"Father, wait, you can't lock me in-"
"I can do as I please. You've been caught in a compromising position with the enemy. I could order you executed if I wanted to."
You shut your mouth, backing away. Your eyes trail back to Chuuya, only to find that he's looking at you. You turn away, biting back tears.
You want to defend him, but could you really?
Chuuya's lied to you since day one.
You love him, you really do.
But does he love you?
Or was he just using you?
That was the last you saw of Chuuya as he was dragged away.
~~~
that's the end of part one! considering this was part one's finale, i made it twice as long.
sorry? youre welcome?
was it sad?
anyway, because part 1 is over, there will be a small wait for part 2 :)
around a week long, dont worry.
school is starting tomorrow so i have to adjust with the Sudden life change lmao