Every waking moment of the life that belonged to Aijima Cecil had led him to this, led him to her. She, with her connection, the blessings the muses gave her, her perfect personality, her grace, he could go on. He was weak in her presence; well, he had been taken aback at first.
When she found him, he was nothing more than a cursed feline, the muses hadn't been happy with him, so he was forced to live as such until someone saved him. And she, oh, she was the one to do it.
He only wanted to work with songs touched by her grace. He only wanted to match his breaths to hers – she was his everything, the very presence that could make him forget everything bad, ditch all responsibility. Watching over her, ensuring her full safety and enjoyment… that would be enough.
She wanted him to become an idol, and he couldn't forget the feeling of being on stage. It… felt wonderful. Seeing faces light up. He wanted nothing more than to bring a smile to her face, but he had gained a sense of fulfillment from making others beam.
He became an idol. He joined ST*RISH. And in that, he could never get that look of excitement that she gave him out of his mind, the way she wrapped her arms around his in pure glee; he held that moment dear, his precious Haruka would forever be treasured, he really would love her, forever.
He ran his hands through her hair, falling backwards, a blush equaling hers with a smile on his face, smitten, one could say. But, it didn't matter. Nothing mattered, as long as he had her.
He couldn't go back to his kingdom to take it over if she wasn't with him. That would bring a certain, unmanageable emptiness that he never wanted to deal with.
She smiled up at him as he held her in his arms; he wanted to stay like this forever, but he knew that soon, work would be upon them both. No matter, he'd let the moment last. It didn't matter if love wasn't allowed; it didn't matter now, because as long as he could stay by her side, any adventure they were dragged on, any fight with others they had to go through, they'd survive it.
"Haruka?"
"Yes, Cecil-san?"
His speaking, though, really had just been to get her attention. Being around her, seeing her give him looks of pure glee, of pure care, it filled him up with only the greatest warmth.
Nothing could stop it.
He kissed her forehead, then just so avoiding the lips – on purpose he did this, because the sheer reaction he got was too perfect to pass up.
"I love you, Haruka."
In a sense – no. In every sense, she was his princess. But more than that. Blessed by the muses, she was a muse herself, and maybe this way of thinking was just… over doing it, but he couldn't help it.
"C-Cecil…san?"
He rested his chin atop her head, rest so, and held her there, arms wrapped around her. He knew exactly how the others thought of her, but he didn't want to share.
He didn't understand it at first, why she hadn't fallen into his arms, melted instantly when he confessed his love the first time, but in reality, she just reflected her appreciation back in a different way. After all, they were ones who had known each other in a past, too distant to really reach into, but Cecil felt it firmly, and it was also why he assumed she'd just fall so fast.
But, the fact that she didn't was something better.
His eyes were closed; everything was still, for just the moment. Haruka didn't say a word, perhaps because she was just trying to figure out everything that was going on – why her chest felt so warm, why her stomach felt tied up, why she felt so weak in his arms but didn't want to move.
Cecil opened his eyes softly, a blush dusting his cheeks, only to spot the other ST*RISH members about to run over and interrupt. Cecil really couldn't have that.
"Haruka," he said, sliding his hands down to hers, "let's go this way."
He said, gently but quickly leading her off, turning even quicker when the straight-ahead path led to water. Duck into the forest, deep inside, where the darken sky gave way to fireflies, to flying lights of green, of white, yellow, the mixed, dance, all around Haruka and Cecil.
Focus up, this was alike one of their first meetings, true meetings, though it was dream-like in origin, this was real, real enough… he felt like they were more… connected, this time.
Her dream prince, he'd work to be it, to make her and others genuinely over-joyed with music.
Lean close, Cecil smiled at her, her hands still in his, forehead, nose, he could see her redden as he did so well. She seemed to shine.
So close, a flash, and he sat up in the room he shared with Camus, wondering if she was sitting up in hers just in that moment, as it felt so real – the muses blessing them with what he hoped was their mixed desires.
"Wow…" He whispered, knowing waking Camus wouldn't blow over well.
He glanced out the window to the star-lit sky – the stars seemed to dance, akin to how the dreamscape was, and he reached out, almost feeling pressure against his hand, gentle as it was, it was familiar.
It felt like her touch.
He sighed, falling back on his bed. Even apart, the very thought of her, all she had done for him, all he planned to do for her, filled him.
He hoped that he could bring such happiness upon her as she did for him.
