Subaru's mind was bleary, his brain not quite able to piece the puzzle together as it recovered from a long, well-deserved rest. He had awoken in sheer terror just minutes earlier, his head still trapped in the barbarous cold of his homeland's snowy landscape.

The last he could remember was the crushing realisation that he would be torn limb from limb, forced to stay conscious as his attackers tortured his small body, laughing at his squealing and sobbing. He had braced himself to be cut apart, stabbed but not killed quite yet, crushed so he could feel his broken bones pierce his torn skin, sliced so his hot blood melted the pure white of the snow. The snow, how it burned his skin and made him numb. There was no escape for Subaru, he had given up, laying in the icy tundra, surrounded by the men who would punish him for his sloth, for his selfishness, for his utter idiocy.

His weary mind was dominated by complete chaos, every emotion amplified five hundred times and then a million more, forcing his senses to betray him. His disorientation left him in a state of near nonmotility, embracing the fate he had chosen for himself, accepting his sins and begging for forgiveness. His inarticulate and nearly inaudible stutters at who he thought was the band of terror beseeching his death drew a reaction which his mind couldn't register.

Love.

Subaru didn't understand, but he couldn't bring himself to reject it. It wasn't a foreign sensation by any means but it was one that he adored with his entire being, one he desired. Those who Subaru cared for had been dealt a bloody hand, but yet he was bound by the clutch of a pure, untouched desire. His guilt wanted him to escape, for he didn't deserve such warmth; Subaru expected to die in the bitter cold of the Gustekan snowfall. But his body and soul melted into the love, into the caring heat of the new beginning he was granted.

Subaru's tears still fell, but their meaning changed. The tears which signified his surrender melted into those of terror, which blossomed into those of thankfulness. Thankfulness to the girl who soothed his fear, hugged him tight when his soul had sunk to the depths of hell, told him it was okay when the voices told him it wasn't.

She looked into his eyes with a smile, her own eyes voyaging into his soul, exploring the person who had been through hell and back in a day. She gave him her hand and pulled him out of the water, he didn't know her, but he knew for certain she was the very embodiment of his safety.

She was the angel who captured his heart and took control over his mind, body and soul. His entire world was her, and he would happily get lost within her soft, warm embrace for as long as he possibly could. His entire being knew she was perfect in every way, she was safe, she was worth it. She was all he needed. Subaru lov-

As the clown-like man spoke his sudden words, Subaru snapped back into reality, the small gathering around the bed he was resting in sending him once again into a slight panic. He could feel his heart rate steadily rising as he glanced around nervously, grasping hold of the one he trusted once more. She was safe. She would protect him.

The way they stood around the bed was all too familiar. He was surrounded on all sides, no escape made possible as they looked down upon his cowering body. Scenes of pure white flashed through his mind, coarse laughter ringing through his ears, sending him further and further back into the throes of terror. He dug his face back into her shoulder as his tears formed once more, trying to forget everything, trying to reason with himself that he was safe.

Emilia gently reassured Subaru, throwing a scowl at the mage who stood smirking at the bedside. Just when everything had been going so well, just when she had broken through the wall he had to rush into it and intimidate him.

''Subaru, it's okay, they're friends, I'm here, everything is going to be alright,'' she whispered, her words repetitive yet calming, serving as a sedative to the boy's dangerous emotions. Subaru quickly calmed down again, asking without looking up:

''E-Emilia, where...where are we? Where am I?'' he asked timidly through strained breaths, exhaustion still ripe in his body. He wanted a response from the girl he trusted, from the girl his soul had said was trustworthy, kind.

Stroking the long hair which fell down his back, Emilia softly explained what had happened, taking her time to let him absorb the information.

''The tall man over there, he is Roswaal L. Mathers, and he is a nobleman of the kingdom of Lugnica. He rescued you, and brought you here to his home where I also live,'' Emilia whispered, a smile gracing her face as she noticed his sigh of relief.

''Everyone here, they work for Mr Roswaal. He rescued us all, brought us here so we are safe. We're safe, Subaru. We're gonna have so much fun,'' she continued, her smile growing as she felt his body slowly lose its tension, his rapid spike in panic fading. She had to keep going, ease his mind with her words as long as she could for it was clear her voice brought him some form of comfort.

''You're safe here, Subaru.''

Subaru began putting things together in his head, the haze slowly fading, but his emotions still ran rampant in his overwhelmed mind. He gazed around the room, observing each and every person with a cat-like caution, peeking out from behind the safety of Emilia's shoulder, a nervous and intimidated look glued to his face.

He was always taught by his mother to trust his gut, for according to her, ''The elves always seem to know just what's right and just what's wrong''. The memories of his mother brought a wonderful sense of comfort to his pained heart, her soft smile projecting onto his own as he realised he was safe.

The memories would never fade, but Natsuki Subaru had been given not just a second chance to live, but a third.

His family accepted him wholeheartedly despite his split blood, he wasn't a true elf but they loved him like he was. They blessed him with genuine love and compassion, graced him with joy and happiness which allowed the young boy to appreciate the wonders of life. His parents, his friends, his village...he loved them all, he knew they were looking out for him. When disaster struck, they put his life before theirs, saved him from a brutal end and gave him the chance to escape, to run away into the chance of a prosperous life of happiness and triumph.

Subaru thought of happier times, times where the seclusion of the mountains was all Subaru knew, all he cared about, and all he would ever care about. His life was not just simple, it was simple, he would never have to struggle in his life, for everyone helped each other, worked for each other, cared for each other.

The boy, from the very day he was born, was surrounded by those who adored him. He found his comfort in others from the very start, and was often quick to judge those who he liked and those who he disliked. He almost had a sixth sense when it came to judging people, malicious intent rarely crept past the observant and cunning Natsuki Subaru.

But he need not worry, for his village was thriving with big hearts and soft souls, filled to the brim with kindness and compassion. It was truly heavenly, and Subaru was thankful he loved there, rather than the outside world.

His race was one met with sheer hatred. Outside of his community, he would have been lynched in the streets rather quickly had he dared step outside, his very blood despised because of the witch. The witch was neither revered nor hated within his people, the general opinion being that she hadn't intended to cast the elves into public hatred - she was just a woman of true unfiltered sinister evil. The forgiving elves were more inclined to erase her from memory as opposed to casting her as the root of all their problems, but the people of other races were much hungrier for revenge.

Those who resembled the Witch of Envy were at constant risk of attack, with people actively hunting them down to 'erase her impure bloodline'. Small villages were formed, and lost, in a horrific cycle of mass genocide. As time passed, laws and rules were passed which served to protect the elves, but those of silver hair were still at risk, the average man might not touch them, but a crazed racist would hold no qualms about murdering them in the street.

But he was safe, even after witnessing the slaughter of his people he was somehow still safe, free from the threat of being executed by the blade of a man possessed by an unreasonable hatred.

Subaru's smile did not fade as he looked around at the people standing anxiously around him, the people who whilst he couldn't fully trust, wouldn't lay a finger on him. His timid voice squeaked out an introduction which brought joy to the hearts of his peers,

''H-Hello, my n-name is N-Natsuki Subaru,'' he whispered, once again hiding his face in Emilia's shoulder, who was overjoyed in every way possible. For him to display such a clear and defined credence for her, how her heart melted. The reticent little boy, who must be feeling the backlash of unfathomable suffering, had chosen her as his comfort, his hope.

Soft smiles reciprocated around the room, soft sighs of relief emanating from everyone, especially Roswaal whose mind was nothing shy of a total mess. The boy's smile is all they needed, their worry and panic slowly fading too.

Roswaal, who was facing the door, addressed the entire room, his voice easy and calm:

''I will taaaaake my leave, you all may relaaaax today, do as you wish,'' he ordered, not expecting his maids to be in a suitable condition to work after standing at attention for multiple long, tedious hours. They had been brilliant, their focus staying sharp and their mannerisms calm, never once slipping a complaint nor an excuse, sacrificing their very health to care for the once-sleeping half-elf. Roswaal was genuinely proud and understood that despite his requests being rather large, they were diligent in their duties.

As the soft rays of the morning sunlight peeked through the slit in the curtains, everyone collectively realised truly how exhausted they were. Their souls had been committed to serving their duty, and they had spent a multitude of extensive, mind breaking hours fawning over a sleeping child, one who was dangling over a precarious edge known as sanity. Their eyes strained and burned with fatigue, but their attention never left the sleeping figure of silver.

Their duty was an order, but the majority of those sitting in that quiet room remained there for a specific and defined reason.

They cared about Subaru.

With or without Roswaal's demand, they would have spent the night in that room for as long it had taken, never once considering giving up, abandoning his side in favour of rest. The guilt, pain, sorrow and care they felt for him were all real, and they felt a moral duty from well within the depths of their hearts to protect his wavering soul, ensure his safety despite the backlash their bodies took from it.

As Roswaal opened the door, he swivelled his head to take one last look at the boy, subconsciously noting how mean his eyes looked, sending a small shudder through his spine. He cleared his throat before addressing the child of silver hair sat conversing happily with Emilia,

''Gooooodbye for now Subaru-samaaaa, we shall talk over dinner sometime, whenever you're reaaaaady,''

Subaru gingerly turned his head at the Margrave's words, unable to form a smile for the man who emanated nothing but dangerous intimidation, like he was purposely trying to scare him, to make him feel fear. He provided a slight nod, before quickly turning to bask in Emilia's warm conversation once again, her small talk and pleasant questions exactly what he wanted to hear.

She was careful not to delve too deep too quickly, not wanting to risk resurfacing harmful memories, but she was genuinely interested in Subaru. They simply ignored the rest of the room and lost themselves in the depths of pleasant conversation.

As Roswaal left, so did Ram. Unlike Roswaal, however, her goodbyes were much better received.

''Goodbye, Ba-Subaru-sama. I shall have a dinner prepared for this evening if you'd be interested in joining us.'' she smiled, rustling his hair as she strolled past, much to the surprise of the rest. Ram's display of casual friendliness was extremely unexpected, as Subaru had displayed nothing but intense caution around the rest of the mansion's inhabitants, but to everyone's surprise, it only made his smile wider.

''Yeah,'' Subaru nodded, much to everybody's delight, confirming that yes, he would join them over a dinner much faster than they had expected. Her gesture was rough and messy, but it was honest, and Subaru felt said honesty with his entire being. A collective excitement overtook the room, Subaru's reaction to Roswaal's plans something Emilia especially looked forward to. She couldn't wait to see his smile as Roswaal revealed his intent to have him become a Royal Knight in the future, and how he would be given a wonderful platform to represent the elves once more. Her pride was brimming, but she had to be patient, so she stopped herself spilling the thrilling news to him before the mage himself could.

Ram smiled before following her master through the door, picking up the stacked trays of dirty cups and plates on her way out, like the diligent maid she was. She genuinely liked Subaru, related to him in a vast multitude of ways, and admired his courage in the face of nightmare. She felt that their stories were rather similar, and respected him for fighting through the pain despite the memories clawing at his brain from the minute he roused in the mansion. A smirk formed on her lips, how she couldn't wait to tease him.

Rem also followed her sister and master after a short while, realising that she would have to catch up on her sleep before preparing dinner for the evening. Rem was outstandingly conflicted, her emotions a spiralling chaotic mess as she reasoned with her brain and her sister's words. She closed the door behind her, letting out a huge sigh as her mask finally broke. The stress and caution let loose as she escaped the judging eyes of her colleagues, all who had clearly picked up on her shameful behaviour around the boy. Her eyes were cold and harsh, her face didn't smile but was instead twisted into a harsh frown. She didn't once address the boy, nor did she offer him anything. She had once again let her emotions take control, disappointing those around her.

Leaning against the hallway walls, Rem basked in her sorrow, her frustration overwhelming her clear thoughts. She had embarrassed herself. Picking up her feet, Rem scurried back to her bedroom, taking her much needed rest, hoping her negativity was the child of exhaustion, nothing else.

''So your mother was human huh,'' Subaru asked inquisitively, his smile wide and cheeky. ''My mum was too, actually. But my dad was a super cool powerful elf with big muscles and a super-duper cool sword!'' he bragged, much to the amazement of Emilia, who found that to be the coolest thing ever at that time.

''Woah, I bet you'll be just like him, Subaru,'' Emilia grinned, flexing her little white bicep which incited a giggle from Subaru. He loved that he could relate to someone so dearly, despite Emilia not seeming to know much of her past whatsoever. That needed not matter, however, as their conversations were incredibly amusing, and the stories they shared only got better and more personal as they discovered their comfort and trust around one another.

''Say, Emilia.'' Subaru said ''Your hair, it's much darker than mine, but I really love it,'' he continued, admiring the shining silver locks flowing from Emilia's head. The difference in colour was no mere coincidence, elves of silver hair were once common within the race across the world, many different communities with no direct relation sprouting in and around the countries of Lugnica and Gusteko hundreds of years ago, despite Lugnica being founded years later.

Instances of elven tribes coming into contact with one another were obscenely rare, and so one elf in the modern world was very different from the next, their common features often only being their indescribable beauty and pointed ears. Elves of silver hair were some of the rarest, only a few documented communities existing in the entirety of history, most of them only being discovered and documented after their extermination following the great calamity, so the pair of half-elves with silver hair from completely different countries being absolutely blown away was more than expected.

Subaru's lighter silver hair was a result of his Gustekan blood, the unbearable cold lightening their hair over generations. Gusteko was the far north, the coldest and harshest conditions in the world, however despite Elior forest being cast in snowfall each winter, it was warm, several degrees warmer in its coldest winter than it was in the hottest Gustekan summer.

Because of this, Emilia's hair was darker, fuller, closer to the Witch of Envy. It was definitely prettier but carried a curse of deeper hatred. Emilia hated it, to the point where she couldn't stand the sight of it. One of the first and primary conditions to Emilia's residence in the Roswaal mansion was that her quarters be stripped of all mirrors and her furniture be mattified, her reflection should never grace her eyes again as long as she was inside the manor.

But when Subaru spoke those few words, her entire being melted into a gooey mess of emotion. 'I love it' is all it took to reduce her into a speechless mess, stuttering as he giggled at her. 'Love' is a word Emilia scarcely heard, and one she subconsciously craved. To hear it from this boy, well it was almost too much for her to handle, small tears forming at the corner of her big amethyst eyes, causing Subaru to burst out in worry,

''Oh, E-Emilia I-I'm sorry i didn-''

''No, Subaru you dunderhead, you don't understand,'' Emilia sputtered, interrupting his apologies with a tight hug.

''S-Subaru, could you maybe...say it again,'' she whispered from his shoulder, timidly hiding her face in the warmth of his neck. Her face was cast in a deep blush, her heartbeat pounding like a drum.

''Hm? Say what again, I'm not sure I follow,'' he replied, fully aware of what she was saying but deciding to tease her. He knew because he felt the same, his compliment one he desired back, and he knew just how much that would have meant to her. It wasn't just to make her feel nice, of course, as he genuinely loved it in every way. Its perfect length, its ethereal colour, its gorgeous shine and its otherworldly softness. How someone could hate it, escaped him.

''Subaruuuu, you know what I mean,'' she groaned in embarrassment, grasping Subaru's sides tightly, basking in his warmth.

''What, that I love your hair? I really do, it's magical,'' he hummed, having Emilia's emotions on a string, pulling her closer into the embrace, completely forgetting about one critical thing…

Frederica was still in the room, speechless at the utterly unfathomably adorable scene unfolding in front of her. The wonders of childhood were unravelling in front of her very eyes, and all she could do was watch in sheer awe at the cuteness of the half-elves.

''Ahem.'' Frederica cleared her throat, hating herself for interrupting their moment but deciding there was plenty of time in the future for such things, she had a duty to perform. The pair snapped their heads towards the direction of the sudden noise, both erupting into blushing messes as they scrambled away from each other, faces hidden in their palms.

''Sorry to interrupt, but would you like a bath Subaru-sama,'' Frederica smirked, loving how embarrassed and flustered the pair had gotten, everything about it so unbearably adorable to the golden-haired maid.

''U-Um, no thank you, I'm not sure I ever got your name, miss,'' Subaru stuttered, any form of trauma invisible as his sheer embarrassment overwhelmed his entire existence. He had completely forgotten the big lady hadn't left the room.

''Ah, the bath is always open for you, Subaru-sama, and my name is Frederica Baumann, I'm glad to be of service,'' she snickered, much to the displeasure of Subaru, who wished nothing more than for her to leave.

Sensing his discomfort, Frederica kicked herself, disgraced at her own ineptitude. To tease such a vulnerable boy, how stupid could she get. She faked a smile before deeply bowing,

''I'm sorry for intruding on your personal time, Subaru-sama and Emilia-sama. Please excuse me, I shall leave you to your own devices,'' she apologised, trying to control the damage she had caused. Despite its likely insignificance, she shouldn't have risked damaging Subaru's fragile mental state, he had obviously found some form of harmony and she had broken that.

She turned towards the door, scurrying out of the room, smiling at the pair before closing the door. She needed to sleep, her sleep deprivation would cause her more harm than good as shown by her sheer incompetence just moments ago. Like the other maids, Frederica walked to her bedroom, craving the depths of sleep before she picked up her duties in the evening, satisfied despite her slip-up.

Back in the bedroom, two half-elves of silver hair were rolling in laughter, dying at the situation which had just befallen them.

''D-Did you see her face, Subaru she was soooo shocked,'' Emilia giggled, pulling him back into the hug they shared previously, missing his embrace.

Subaru didn't reply, his laughter stopping as he tightened his arms around her dainty waist. Emilia could feel his rising heartbeat as his fingers fiddled with the ends of her hair, tensing as he suddenly spoke, genuine emotions flooding his tone,

''Li-Emilia, I meant what I said, I really did. I simply think you're wonderful, that's all,''

Emilia thought once against that her heart couldn't handle any more of his antics, but yet again, he melted her into jelly.

Emilia hadn't experienced affection like this in her entire life, that she had the memory of anyway. This boy, who she had known for a matter of hours, had captured her heart in a manner of minutes, sweeping her up and carrying her away from her troubles, flooding her with joy, ecstasy she had never known. In his embrace, she remembered not the cold loneliness of the forest, nor the sheer cruelty of the villagers, nor the terrifying sinisterness of the slave traders. She felt only hope, care, passion.

Love.

Emilia felt loved. Emilia was genuinely happy for the first time in many moons.

''Subaru...call me Lia, please...if you want to.'' is all the girl could say, she had given him permission to call her a name only her most trusted companions addressed her by, and she prayed he'd take it. She couldn't express how she truly felt in words, for she herself did not know, but that name, she wanted her to call her it.

A smile graced his lips once again, a smile he felt himself showing a lot today.

''Lia it is then,'' he chirped. Those words were all she needed, for her heart could handle no more. Through the morning and young afternoon, the pair sat contently chatting, learning as much as they could about one another, desperate for every little detail. They thoroughly enjoyed the hours they spent in gentle conversation, ignoring the fading daylight until the day was lost, the pair never once leaving the huge bed, not once interrupted again.

Eventually, a light tap was heard at the door, before it was pushed open, a pink-haired maid poking her head into the room, addressing the pair giggling on the bed,

''Subaru-sama, Emilia-sama, dinner is in fifteen minutes, I ask you both to make your way to the dining hall in preparation,'' she requested, shining a smile to the pair who were crawling off the bed for the first time in many hours, stretching their sore muscles.

''We won't be long, I will guide Subaru to the hall, thank you, Ram,'' Emilia said politely, her manners rather good for a girl who spent most of her conscious life in near-complete seclusion from society.

''Thank you kindly, Emilia-sama. I shall leave it to you, see you both shortly.''

-

AN:

Thank you so much for reading!

Many thanks to Caleb and Otey, you guys are amazing.

Come chat in our discord server for fanfics, it'd be nice to chat with yall

If the Emisuba feels too strong, bear with me. I promise this isn't a plotless mess, I have big big plans.