"I Feel…"
Nostalgic
A wave of something swept over him as he pulled his horse up outside the church. His smile softened as he took in the old stone structure, much less foreboding in the cheery, dappled sunlight than it had been on that stormy night. It almost looked welcoming, though he had to concede that it could be his memories painting it in such a light. His gaze locked on the side door, where he had been delirious and half-conscious the first time he'd seen her, before traveling up to a window near the back, where he had first met her again after so many years. Of course, he hadn't realized it at the time – he had just been fascinated by the little girl who was so easily flustered. (If he was being honest with himself, he hadn't truly believed she was actually seventeen, no matter how many times she told him.)
He shook his head of the memories, still smiling, and hopped off his horse. He made his way to the side door before knocking, whistling while he waited. The whistle died on his lips when the door opened and a young woman in a habit peeked out.
"Yes, can I hel…oh, crap," Yucie's face fell as she realized who had knocked on the door. He gave her an amused grin, arching a brow in question, and she sighed before opening the door the rest of the way, leaning against the jam, folding her arms across her chest, and quirking her lips in a smile. "You're not gonna pass out on me this time, are you?"
He blinked before his head fell back, laughter bubbling from his chest. He shook his head and grinned once he had calmed, and he asked, "Now, why does this feel so familiar?"
"I got to the job board late again, and there were only a few postings left. Gurenda and Beth really didn't want this one, so I figured why not?" she paused, frowning slightly. "If you're here to flirt with the Sister again, she's not in. That's why I'm here tonight: there was some trouble at a church a few villages over, and she's gone to help."
"Now why would I come to a church to flirt with a nun when I apparently have one waiting for me back at the castle?" he asked, and her face flushed as she looked away.
"Fat head," she said, and he laughed as he bent down and kissed her forehead. Her blush burned brighter, but she was smiling. She glanced back at him, trying to act like he hadn't affected her. "So why are you here?"
He snapped his fingers as he remembered his task, and a moment later he was handing her an envelope bearing the queen's official seal. She took it from him, glancing at the name to find it was addressed to the Sister.
"Mother sent me to deliver that," he said. "Actually, it's kind of upsetting. I was hoping to steal you from your lessons today."
She smiled before putting the letter in a pocket of her dress. She shrugged and said, "Queen Erlsel still wanted me to work on the part-time jobs, so she blocked out two days a week for them."
"Well, I suppose it can't be helped," he quipped, looking back at his horse. He grinned at her again, and she gave him a glare.
"I'm working," she said, noting the mischievous glint in his eye. "I can't leave."
"Want some company then?" he asked. He put a hand on the stone wall beside her and smiled softly. "You know, I never did apologize."
"For being a royal ass the last time you were here?" she asked, and he laughed again as he nodded. He loved how blunt she could be at times. She shrugged slightly. "I got used to it."
"You act like that's who I always am," he said, and she frowned.
"It was, for a while," she said. "You were a jerk and a pervert. You treated me like a child, even after I told you I wasn't, and…"
"Yucie?" he asked, and she rolled her eyes before shrugging again.
"You got better," she said finally. "You're still an insufferable jerk at times, but…it's just you. I wouldn't change that – it's part of what I love about you. I…"
She froze suddenly, realizing what she had just said, and her eyes widened in fright. She looked up at him, panicked, and he imagined he looked just as surprised. He recovered much quicker, though, and he thought his grin would split his face it was so wide. Her face was beet red, and he recalled the octopus quip he had made that first morning. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, letting his lips linger against her warm skin.
"I'm glad," he whispered in her ear. "I love you, too, Yucie."
"Arc…" she whispered, turning her face to stare at him. He leaned up and kissed her forehead before standing. He looked back at his horse and sighed; he really didn't want to go back to the castle now.
"I suppose I should be going," he said, offering her an apologetic smile, "if you're working. I'll see you tomorrow, Forehead."
He walked back to his horse, and he was already mounted before she found her voice. When she called after him, he loosened his grip on the reins and turned towards her. She smiled shyly, her face still a light red, and said, "You're a fat head and a jerk, and a lot of times you can be a great pervert, too, but I meant it. I do love you."
He simply grinned before riding away.
Loved
"I know it's silly, but I was hoping for more by now," she said from her spot by the door. He looked up from where he was sitting at the desk in her old bedroom, flipping through a book. She was looking at her height chart again, her fingers pressing into the fourth new mark from where she had stopped for all those years. It had only been a couple of months since the curse had been lifted; he thought she was growing rather quickly, to be honest.
"More?" he asked, and she smiled slightly. "You're the Platina Princess, you have the Crown Prince of Erlsel wrapped around your little finger, you have four of the best friends anyone could ask for, and did I mention that that prince of yours is quite the catch? What more could you possibly want?"
"I don't mean that, you fathead," she said, half-heartedly tossing her hat at him. He grinned impishly, and she smirked before turning back to her chart. "It's just…I'm eighteen today. I thought by now I would be…taller."
"Yucie…" he started, and she shook her head.
"I mean, look at how Beth's shot up. I shouldn't be surprised, really, but whenever I imagined myself grown up I was…taller," she said, sighing. He put the book down, frowning at her.
"Why shouldn't you be surprised?" he asked.
"I've always been on the scrawny side," she said, "even when I was little, before I stopped growing. Tell me, Arc. When you met me that day in the woods, when you said I was still pretty young…how old did you think I was?"
"How old?" he asked, looking up in thought. "Hmmm…probably three. You looked…" He caught her look and frowned; he hedged, "…how old were you?"
"Six," she said, and his eyes widened. He didn't know why it surprised him; he knew now that she was only two years his junior, but for some reason he had never applied that knowledge to their past. She had been so tiny!
"Are you serious?" he asked, lips quirking with the desire to laugh. "You were…hey!"
"Shut up!" she cried, throwing her bag at him with more force than she had her hat. He grinned, chuckling slightly.
"Sorry, sorry…it's just…surprising, is all. You really have always been a little squirt, haven't you?" he asked. She smirked at him.
"We didn't even realize I had stopped growing at first," she said. "Dad kept saying I'd have a growth spurt, but by the time I was thirteen…I'd kind of given up hope. And now…I know it's only been a couple of months, but I keep hoping…"
"Hey," he said, putting her bag down and walking up behind her. He hunched down to rest his chin on her shoulder, wrapped his arms around her waist, and held her close. He grinned up at the growth chart. "Whatever height you end up, Forehead, you're perfect. I still love you."
"Even if I wasn't even five feet tall? Even if I'm this short forever?" she asked, turning her head slightly towards him. He kissed her cheek, nuzzling her skin as he nodded.
"Even if you looked like a ten-year-old forever," he confirmed. She smiled, turning in his arms to hug him tight.
"Thanks, Arc," she mumbled, and he sighed as he heard the tears in her voice. Girls.
Awake
As his idiom, he had shirked his duties that afternoon to enjoy a nice, leisurely stroll through his mother's private orchard. The apple trees were nearing harvest (the festival was only a few weeks away), and the dappled sunlight streaming through their boughs cast a warming, golden light all around. A crisp breeze kept the chill in the air, but his cloak blocked most of it. He'd been meandering through the trees for a while before he stopped underneath one and laid down, settling in for a nap. He was nearly asleep when an apple fell from the tree above and crashed into his nose.
He gave a yelp and jerked up, clutching at his nose with one hand and grabbing the offending apple with another. He glared at it before a gasp above him made him look up into the tree.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry! I…Arc!" Yucie blinked at him, and he looked back at her with wide eyes. She was hanging upside-down from the tree, a basket of apples on the branch beside her resting next to where her knees gripped the tree. Her lips quirked up – down? – in a grin, and he laughed as he rubbed at his nose. "I'm sorry – it slipped. Are you ok? How long have you been here?"
"Not too long," he said. "I didn't notice you up there, though. What in the world are you doing, Forehead?"
She waved to the basket by her knees and said, "Apple picking. Part-time job. It sounded like fun. Gurenda and Beth are here somewhere, too, but they've been cheating."
"Cheating?" he asked, and she nodded.
"Gurenda's using Gaga and her magic to get the apples down, and Beth's a fairy. Trees are second nature to her," she said. He grinned and took a bite of the apple she'd (accidentally) hit him with. "Arc! You can't eat that!"
"Why not? You threw it at me," he said, and she puffed out her cheeks in indignation. Gods, but he loved teasing her. She was so cute when annoyed.
"I dropped it, thank you very much! And I'm supposed to be collecting them for Mr. Asborough, not you!" she said. He didn't bother pointing out how Asborough was most likely collecting them for the market or the palace kitchens, and it was only one apple. Instead, he took another bite. She gave a shout, and he glanced up at her to make a remark when the shout changed tenor and meaning. His eyes widened as the branch snapped, sending her and the basket tumbling onto him. The wind was knocked from his lungs, causing him to choke on the apple he still hadn't swallowed, but he still grabbed her head to shield her from the apples now raining around them. When the last apple thudded to the ground, he gave a final cough to clear his lungs and nudged the girl frozen on his chest.
"Y-Yucie?" he asked, swallowing. "Are you ok?"
"Are you?" she asked after a moment, peeking up from his chest. He breathed a sigh of relief and nodded, smiling. "I'm so sorry, Arc. I don't know what happened. Are you sure you're ok?"
"I'm fine," he said. He paused, a thoughtful look crossing his face. He jostled her slightly, and she blinked in confusion. "Though…have you gained more weight? You feel heavier."
"WHAT!" she cried, her face flushing indignantly. He laughed and leaned up, kissing her forehead. "Arc! You…you…!"
"Relax," he said. "You're growing – you're supposed to gain weight."
"That's not any better!" she cried. "You're not supposed to tell girls they're getting fat!"
"I didn't say 'fat', Forehead," he said. "I said you were gaining weight. I like it."
His hands came to rest on her hips, which were rounding out nicely, and she lost some of her gusto. She glared down at him petulantly, but he was still smiling easily at her. She reached up and brushed her fingers against his forehead, brushing his bangs aside, and he winced as her fingers brushed a tender spot.
"I really am sorry," she said. "There'll be a knot."
"It's fine, Yucie," he said. His thumb began rubbing against her hip, and her blush deepened. He smirked, his mind anywhere but the bump on his head as his hand slid around her hip to rest on the small of her back. His eyes darted to her mouth, but she was too busy looking at the bump. "Forehead."
"Hmmm?" she asked, brushing her thumb against the knot again. He caught her wrist, stilling her hand, and she looked back at him. "Arc? What's…"
He tugged her wrist, pulling her down to him with every intention of finally snogging her senseless, when a loud catcall had her jumping – and slamming that forehead he loved so much right into his own. They both shouted as the catcall turned into loud guffaws, and Yucie scrambled off of him, grabbed her basket, and started collecting the scattered apples. He pushed himself up onto his elbows, glaring at a nearby tree where Beth and Gurenda were leaning against each other, laughing. He scowled at them before glancing back at Yucie. She was as red as the apples she was busy gathering.
"Hey, Yucie, we're supposed to be working!" Beth called. Gurenda grinned.
"Oh, I'd definitely say she's working," the demon princess quipped, and Yucie gave an indignant screech before chucking an apple their way. They ran off, laughing as she gave chase, and he sighed as he leaned back against the grass.
Damn. He had been so close, too…
Annoyed
Note: Accompanying pic on my dA: veritas-found DOT deviantart DOT com SLASH art SLASH FA-PPY-Group-002-271600441- remove the spaces, change the dots/slashes, and you should be good!
"Hrrrrrnh!"
She jumped again, her fingertips brushing the bottom of the apple. She gave the fruit a determined stare, pushed her sleeves back, and jumped again. "Hrrrrnh!"
She landed again, still without the apple, and stomped her foot. It just wasn't fair! The curse was broken, she was grown, and she was…
"Come on, you stu-hoooo!" she gasped as she was suddenly hoisted into the air. She looked down to find she was on Arc's shoulders with the prince grinning up at her.
"Need some help, Forehead?" he asked, and she hmphed as she snatched the apple. He put her down and picked it out of her hand, quickly taking a bite. She gaped at him, and he smirked.
"Arc! You…but…I…that's not fair!" she whined, again stomping her foot. He reached up and snatched another apple with ease, and she reluctantly took it when he handed it to her.
"I don't know what you're so upset about," he said, patting the top of her head and earning a glare in response. "I'm glad you're still short. Makes me feel useful."
He turned and headed back towards the palace, taking another bite of his apple as he went. She gaped after him, and he called back over his shoulder, "Come on, Forehead! Mother wanted you in her office twenty minutes ago!"
Vulnerable
How does saying nothing at all become so loud? When does the silence settle in?
Nothing's wrong, but nothing's right, we hold our breath and close our eyes
And skate out on that ice that's wearing thin…
"I Want Tears" – Michelle Branch
She was one breath away from frame-shaking, shattering sobs, and that was the last thing she wanted to do right now. She was the Platina Princess, damn it. Daughter of the hero Gunberd. Future queen of…well. She was supposed to be, at least.
And that thought found her hugging her knees tighter, curling into as tiny a ball as possible as she breathed deeply. She could feel herself shaking with the force to hold in her emotions. She felt…gods, she didn't know how she felt. Her stomach was in knots. Her eyes stung with the need for tears. Her throat ached with the need to scream. Her fingers were pale from how tightly she was fisting them. She needed…she needed…
…gods, it would be so much easier if he could just get it!
But he was a boy: stupid and oblivious, so of course he didn't. He didn't see how the way he interacted with those girls drove her nuts. She knew it was his natural charm, but to anyone else…it looked like flirting. And she knew it was intentional on their part. They didn't care if she was standing right next to him. He was the crown prince, and she was just the bumpkin-turned-princess. What could he possibly see in her, anyway? So they flirted and tried to get him to turn an eye their way, and he…he was too damn nice. He unwittingly encouraged them, acting like his usual cordial self, while she just stood there floundering.
He was a crown prince with the harem to go with it, and sometimes…
She knew she was different. She knew he loved her. She knew she was special, important. Most times he was great at acting like that. But there were those times when he just put his royal foot in his mouth and treated her just like the other groupies, and damn it all if she just stood there and let him. But she wasn't a groupie, damn it! She was his intended! Didn't she deserve to be treated as such?
Instead, he was back at his mother's party, flirting away with the castle tramps, and she was one ill-placed thought away from a breakdown in the garden he liked to take her to when they were trying to escape the rest of the palace.
She hated this. She hated this feeling of confusion, of uncertainty. She hated feeling like she didn't know where she stood with him. She hated that everyone else seemed so certain of them when half the time she felt like she was a passing amusement. Like she…
"Personally, I'm glad she's got you living here now. I get to see you so much more than I used to, and you know…I like that. I need you in my life more, Forehead."
…gah, why the hell did he have to be so him?! It would be so much easier if he could just be an ass like other guys, but no – he had to be practically perfect. Stupid son of a bitch. Stupid…stupid.
She was just so stupid. What was she even doing there? She didn't belong. Obviously. He didn't really need her around. Obviously. He had his harem for that. So why was she torturing herself like this? Why did she give a damn when he obviously didn't? Why…why…?
