Subaru stared at Emilia intently; mean-looking eyes glazing over her fair, beautiful features. He was watching from the side. Each perfect feature of hers caught his attention: her flawlessly arched nose; her long alluring eyelashes which sheltered her prepossessing, lilac-cerulean gems she calls eyes; lips Subaru couldn't look at without remembering that night in the tomb and consequently becoming flustered; a wonderfully sculpted chin; her slender neck, with faultless, blemishless skin; her.. chest; her slightly protruding stomach; the thighs Subaru had dubbed pillows sent from heaven; her slender arms; and legs - hands he remembers caressing his head as he cried.
Subaru paused.
What was that? He thought to himself. He knows he caught something, something off, but he can't quite remember what it was. It can't be anything to do with Emilia, she's perfect. What about something behind her? Is it a creepy guy?
Subaru swore to himself that he would beat this imaginary person into the ground for his Emilia-tan. However, being the weak-shut in he is, he doubted himself, especially after the countless run-ins with thugs and fiends he could only desperately plot against.
"Subaru? What's wrong? Is there something in my hair?"
As Subaru imagined his own revenge on a faceless villain, Emilia strode over to him, noticing his stare. At the mention of her hair, Subaru couldn't help but look at it. 'As beautiful as ever.' he wordlessly thought.
"Nah, nothing at all Emilia-tan~ I was just fantasizing about you and your cute face." He turned his head up to look at Emilia, whose standing figure overshadowed him, after returning from - if he could remember correctly - her daily chat with her spirit pals.
"Hmm, I hope nothing too weird. Anyway, Subaru, could you bring me to Beatrice?" As per usual, Emilia brushed off Subaru's flippant comment, replacing it with a suggestion of her own.
"Huh? Why do ya wanna see itty bitty Beako?"
"Um… well… you know where her library thingy majigy is, right?" The half-elf girl pressed both of her fingertips together.
"No one says 'thingy majigy' anymore, but yeah, I do. If you want a book, I can just get it for you?" Subaru leaned back, not taking his eyes off of Emilia. He was about to fall off of the wall before he caught himself, muttering a soft 'woah' under his breath. Emilia didn't seem to notice, as she was avoiding looking at the boy she was addressing.
"...Um..."
"Emilia-tan, it's rude to not look at people when you're talking to them~" Lifting his hand up, he poked Emilia's nose. This was easy, as she was short. The latter girl pushed air into her cheeks, her face forming into a half-serious pout as she fanned Subaru's hand away.
"I can get the book myself if you just tell me where to find Beatrice."
"Ohh... Emilia-tan, is it a lewd book you want? Is that why you're not telling me? Has my innocent Emilia-tan become corrupt??" The verbal barrage from Subaru caused Emilia's face to shine a light crimson.
"No, Subaru. And I am NOT innocent. The book I want is… for educational purposes!" Emilia declared, raising her nose at her own response and earning a chuckle from Subaru.
"Yeah, yeah. I guess I can ask Beako. What's the book you want?" Our protagonist brought himself to his feet, now looking down slightly to Emilia - being about a head taller than her.
"Ah... erm... uh... It-it's for the baby..!" That was it. That was what was on Subaru's mind earlier. He glanced down. "S-Subaru?" Her belly. "Hey, Subaru, what is it? You've gone suuuuper pale.." Was she really... "Hey, hey Subaru? Do I need to get Ram? She can give you a sick bucket.."
"AH!" The sudden noise Subaru had made startled Emilia enough to make her flinch. "E-er Emilia-tan..! I don't mean to sound rude.. not at all, because you know I'll love you no matter what you look like, but... well.."
"What is it Subaru? Hurry up and spit it out please, otherwise it will be Beatrices' bedtime soon."
"..I think she's older than you think.. Ah! Well.. have you been eating too many biscuits again?" Subaru averted his gaze, afraid he had hurt Emilia's feelings with his comment. Back in his old world, quite a few girls obsessed over their weight, and he didn't want Emilia to do that at all.
"Hmm.. Biscuits? No, I think I've been eating that 'Mayo-nasse' you made."
"..Mayo? Like, on a sandwich? What did you have with it? Maybe you're allergic to something in it?" Subaru caught Emilia watching him with a smile as he inquired. "..What's so funny?"
"No, no, nothing. I've been eating it with a spoon, that's all. I don't know why you would think I would have it on a sandwich."
"...Straight out of the jar...?" He paused, befuddled. He knew Emilia liked his mayonnaise brought all the way from his homeworld.. but he had no idea she liked it enough to eat it on its own.
"Yes. Is that odd?" Like a cat, Emilia tilted her head to the left only slightly. The small movement was enough to make Subaru's heartthrob.
"...No, not at all. Er, let's go get that book shall we?" Connecting the dots, Subaru had figured out where his Mayonnaise jars had disappeared to within the last month, and the malefactor was standing right under his nose.
-
Thrusting open the large wooden doors acting as an entrance to the manor, fitted with grand-looking steel framings, Subaru strode ahead - his mind racing.
He was most likely overthinking, right? There's no way she could actually be... There's no way.
Emilia, blissfully unaware of Subaru's inner conflicts, was trotting along behind him, occasionally peeking her head into rooms she had long forgotten the use of. Thanks to this, Subaru was far ahead of her, at least twelve meters in front of her.
He turned his head once he arrived at a specific door, of which he opens every day, in order to address Emilia, however - to his surprise - she wasn't there.
"Eh- Emilia-tan?! Where'd you go?!" With the current hypothesis running through his head, Subaru couldn't let Emilia walk around alone, his conscience wouldn't allow it. What if Elsa has suddenly risen from the dead and was now in the mansion, seeking revenge? What if those three thugs from the first few loops were squatting in Emilia's bed-chamber, hiding under the bed or in the wardrobe? What if Roswaal decided he didn't like this loop and wanted to start over?
Subaru knew the latter couldn't happen, though he couldn't escape the thought.
Thoughts whirled around Subaru's head, like a water bottle filled halfway with someone spinning it, the movement coming to a sudden, abrupt stop - he sprinted through the seemingly never-ending halls.
He hit a wall. Well.. not exactly a wall.
"Oh- Lord Subaru, are you in a rush?" Subaru had bumped into the large, blonde, quarter lioness, and thanks to her size, Subaru was brought to the floor. "I apologize, I didn't mean to get in your way." Frederica reached out her feminine-looking hand, topped with delicately pointed fingernails - quite sharp at that - out for the former and had already lifted him to his feet before he could protest. She gave him a toothy smile as a silent apology.
"...Chompers..." Subaru mumbled under his breath, collecting his thoughts. "Ah! Frederica! Emilia's missing..! She just…vanished..! A-And she might be... uh.. sick! I need to find her, she can't be left alone." He had a firm grip on Frederica's shoulders, to which she simply smiled.
"I saw Lady Emilia not that long ago."
"Where was she?!"
"Er.. I believe she was on her way to the kitchen..-" Frederica pointed her index finger towards the direction she came from and consequently the kitchen. Subaru didn't allow her to finish. He ran straight there without time for pause.
Finally arriving, Subaru had found the kitchen. He placed his hands on his knees and bent over, taking in as much air as possible.
"Emilia.. Ta..tan?!" Raising his head, messy, spiked hair partially blocking his vision, he skimmed his eyes over the kitchen. An open jar of mayonnaise was positioned on the island in the center of the room, a spoon with slight remnants of the condiment missed by the culprit's tongue, was ostracised to the side.
Subaru knew the culprit immediately. "Emilia-tan!!"
"M-mm? S..Subaru.. it's you.. I'm right here, there's no need to shout." Emilia poked her head out of the cooler room (her rosy face half-hidden by the wooden door), or as it had come to be known: 'The 'Mayo-nasse' storer'. "What's the matter..? You look awful."
"Thanks-- What do you mean 'what's the matter'?? You just left me all alone to fend for myself! I was worried sick!" Subaru strolled over to the previously lost, now found girl, combing his hand through his unruly hair in order to shift the fronts away from his face.
"Huh.. The last part sounds more like something I would say." The girl turned her gaze to avoid his, bringing the back of her soft, pale hand to her lips and blatantly wiping away the white residue, her cheeks flaring a brighter red by the second.
"Well, I'm sayin' it now. Why'd you leave me then?? What could be more important than your beloved knight??" He dramatized, opening his arms with outstretched fingers as if to exaggerate his loneliness.
"O-oh, don't be like that. I wanted 'mayo-nasse', and so I went to get some!" Emilia pulled herself out of the cooler room and pushed the heavy door closed with ease.
"Coulda told me.. Don't you want that baby book anyway?" Subaru folded his arms across his chest, completely in awe at how air-headed this Candidate for the Royal Throne could be.
"Ohh right! I had forgotten."
"You-.. Haaaahh.. Never mind, I forgive you Emilia-tan, but let's hurry before Beako goes to sleep, 'kay?" Without even addressing it, Subaru brought his hand away from his chest and grasped Emilia's. He wasn't going to let her wander off again.
"Oh, alright. It wouldn't be very nice of us to wake her up." She watched their hands but did not disentangle them.
"Yep! Now let's gooo~!" Confident and proud, Subaru strode ahead, pulling Emilia along with him.
-
An ordinary door stood stolid in an ordinary corridor. Positioned ahead of it however, were two people contrasting such a description; one in appearance, one in attitude.
"Is this the right one?" Emilia raised her finger to her lip, a habit she had since the first loop, her violet eyes locked onto the door as if it were about to move.
"Yep. I'm ninety-nine point nine percent sure!" The mean-eyed boy shoved open said door without a second thought, revealing a trove of books. There were books lining the walls, the shelves standing away from them, there were even books piled along the floor. It could certainly be said that it was a grand library, though ever since the destruction of the previous abode, it had lost some of its grandiosity.
"What do you want, I suppose?" A pretty and prim young girl was sat in the center of the room, her small frame draped in ribbons with a book half the size of her resting on her lap. Subaru found himself smiling as he caught her enchanting aquamarine eyes which, despite her words, held a strong amount of affection for the man she was watching - waiting for an answer.
"Awe, don't act so cold as soon as I bring Emilia-tan.." Subaru pouted.
"I am not, I suppose! I am simply shocked with your abrupt entry, in fact." She slammed the brown, leather back cover of her book shut. The sound echoed through the vast library more than she had anticipated.
"Ahh, that's my little Tsundere.'' Subaru chuckled. "Anyway, Emilia-tan wants to look for a book. You'll let her, right?" As if it would persuade Beatrice, Subaru placed both hands on Emilia's shoulders and presented her presence to The Great Spirit as if it were an honor.
"I have no choice, I suppose. These books are not the ones previously owned by Mother, so you may read them as you will, in fact." Her façade of being an unloving, harsh little girl was slowly-but-surely breaking as she allowed herself to be housed to Subaru's presence.
"Ahh! Thank you very much, Beatrice. You can be the first to play with Puck when he gets back, I promise!" Emilia let go of Subaru's hand and began going through the alphabet with an off-tune song. Subaru guessed she was using the I-script version. Returning his gaze to Beatrice, who was cautiously watching Emilia out of habit. He approached the latter, picked her up like a cat - under her armpits - and sat her down on his lap before she could wiggle free. He smiled, now filling the chair Beatrice previously had been.
"Wh-what are you doing, in fact?! I did not permit such actions, I suppose." Hopelessly writhing her arms in protest (with not much effort), she grumbled.
"Chill, chill. I'm letting you do that mana thing you have to do." He placed his hand on her golden topped head, one arm wrapped loosely around her waist in order to stop the small girl from slipping off.
"You've been staying with that half-elf too often, in fact. You know what will happen if you miss out on your mana sessions, I suppose." Beatrice placed her minuscule hand atop Subaru's, the one diametric to the one holding her hair..
"Yeah, I know, I'll go pop!"
"And I assume you will not want to go pop with a child on the way, in fact."
"Eh?! Where'd you hear that?!"
"The half-elf has been going around the mansion telling everyone, even singing awfully about it. It would take a deaf person not to know I suppose, but even then she would most likely find a way in fact."
"Haah?! We said it would be a secret..!" Subaru instinctively brought his hand up to his head, ruffling his hand through his messy, spiked hair.
"You mean to tell Betty that you knew and didn't tell her? That makes me trust Subaru even less, I suppose. Hmph." Her chubby cheek fixed in a pout, she folded her arms, lifting her nose.
"I was gooooing to te--"
THUMP!
"That sounded like the books falling I suppose." Beatrice directed her gaze towards the noise, glaring her blue butterfly eyes.
"I-is that where Emilia-tan went..?!"
"It is, in fact."
"Then there's no time to waste!" He picked Beatrice up and sprinted towards the single loud noise, carrying the girl under her arms like a cat.
"-I-if she made a mess, she is cleaning it up, I suppose!" Beatrice, startled, exclaimed without turning her head to look at Subaru.
"I'll do it on her behalf!"
Finally having stopped running - both of their hair stuck on end, with Beatrice's slowly reverting back to its initial state - Subaru laid his eyes upon a messy mountain of books. "E-Emilia-tan? You aren't squished under here are you?"
"This library is completely bereft of books for the baby. Honestly.." Emilia, perched in the centre of the mess, complained. She was flipping through the covers of the books around her, casting the ones to the side that didn't fit her tastes. She had one with a worn leather cover cast in a deep cardinal, the title of which couldn't be read, by her side.
"Emilia-tan?! You okay?? I heard a massive thump from all the way over there.."
"Oh, Subaru, I'm fine. I just dropped a few books."
"A few? It sounded like a bajillion."
"Subaru, that's not even a real word. Don't be teaching our child that." While speaking, she smugly lifted her right index finger.
"Our- Mmmmmm... Emilia-tan..."
"I've already come up with names. Ahem, if it's a boy-"
"Let's bring you to bed Emilia-tan."
"Wait-wait, Subaru, first I want to try something."
"What is it Emilia-taaaaaaaaaaaan?"
"Ahem... My face is leaving in five minutes, be on it."
"..."
"Betty is not very pleased, I suppose."
"Okay, that's enough book time for you Emilia-tan. Let's go to bed."
"Subaru, Subaru..! Do you have any elf in you?"
"...No." He sighed.
"Do you want some?"
"Emilia-tan, you shouldn't be saying these things with a child around," Subaru said as he cupped his hands around Beatrice's pink, baby faced cheeks.
"Oh- sorry.. What do they mean?" Emilia didn't take her wide eyes off of Beatrice, watching as she attempted to resist Subaru's touch. A smile spread itself across her cheeks at the interaction.
"..Make that two children." Subaru sighed, relaxing his hands from the grip around Beatrice's face. In contrast to his seemingly annoyed tone, he smiled warmly at the ditz before him.
"I'm older than you Subaru- What's that smile for?" Emilia cut herself off and placed her slender hands firmly onto her hips. She teasingly furrowed her brow, tired eyes drooping, a pout fixing itself onto her rose-pink lips.
"Just something for me." He booped her nose, forcing the girl to furrow her eyebrows.
"Subaru's little girlfriend looks tired, in fact. He should get her to bed and leave Betty alone, I suppose." The loli, still perched ahead of Subaru, finally spoke up after being forced to endure the banter between the aforementioned couple.
"Girlfriend?!"
"G-Girlfriend?!" The two exclaimed in unison, one with a tint of pink sprinkling his cheeks and the other confused - and possibly offended - with the tips of her pointed elven ears burning pink.
"That's what Betty said, isn't it? Now skidaddle before Betty gets cranky, I suppose." The girl whose hair donned blonde ringlets with bows supporting them folded her arms, puffed out her cheeks, and turned her head to the side with her blue, diamond eyes closed tightly.
Subaru already missed the salmon-pink butterflies framed within her irises, of which he sometimes pondered if he imagined. This thought was swiftly followed with one about his own child.
- Would he think about them like this?
"Why would I even think that..?! It's not like.." Mumbling aloud with his right hand pressed to his right eye, Subaru glanced toward Emilia, who was watching him with her own concern-filled eyes. "Ah, sorry, sorry Emilia-tan. Old Subaru here is just being silly."
"I'm older tha-"
"Get to bed, I suppose. Betty is sick of your flirting in fact."
"F..flirting? Fine, we're going, we're going.." Subaru rolled his own plain-looking eyes, no different from everyone he used to come across in his everyday life.. -Former life. "Come on Emilia-tan. We can leave grouchy old Beako to herself. You got your books?"
"..Yes. They're right here..!" Emilia, with her slender, feminine hands boasted a small collection of books. The thick crimson leather laid upon the crest of the pile, with gold plating engraved into said material, was simply a book about looking after babies, to toddlers, to children and to teenagers. Subaru assumed that in his old world, the book would have been named 'Children 101' or 'How to take care of a crotch goblin for dummies'.
"Great! Let's take them back to your room and you can start reading..!" In his usual fashion, Subaru boasted his shimmery-white teeth, accompanied with a thumbs up and a wink of his left eye.
"Y-yes..! Let's go there."
"Hoho, is Emilia-tan inviting me to her bedroom?! Is this a dream come true?!" ..But before Emilia could respond to his spoken thought, she had already left. "-Ah! Emilia-tan! Wait up!!"
-
Comparing this single room to a regular, Japanese apartment was simply unfair. It was the bedroom of a true noble, spacious to the point where it was excessive. Thanks to the sheer size of the area, the prominently mahogany furniture seemed to be too small for it; the bed fit for a king was one of the only pieces that didn't seem like it was taken out of a doll's house. Subaru took note of the wooden desk placed in the middle of the space - the same desk he had seen Emilia studying at several times before. He had been told it was a desk for meetings and the like, though he had never seen one hosted there. With his eyes still on the furniture, Emilia plopped the books down on the surface with a huff.
"..I'll read them tomorrow-" She began as she wiped her hair out of her face, it sticking to her slightly clammy hands. "-I can't be bothered now.."
"Awe, is Emilia-tan tired? I can tuck her into bed, allll nice and snug..!" The teasing boy smiled toward his victim, proving that the act was playful.
"Hmm. I'm fine. Oh! Subaru, could you braid my hair? Please?" Emilia clasped her hands together in plea, giving Subaru an expression he simply couldn't say no to.
—Adorable. He thought, easily giving in to her request.
"Oh if you insist. Where should we sit?" Subaru placed his knuckles on the sides of his hips, glazing his eyes over every spot fit to sit. However, he made himself ignore the ones he knew Emilia would never allow him to sit, such as—
"My bed!"
—her bed.
Emilia led herself towards it, immediately taking the lead. She sat on the mattress, it sinking under her weight with the duvet crumpling along with it. She gave Subaru a warm smile.
"You-you want me to sit.." Subaru pointed his finger towards the space just behind Emilia, the space between her and the pillows, the space she had left open for him.
"Uh-huh. Is something wrong?" Emilia leaned forward - towards Subaru. Silver strands of her silky-looking hair fell over her slender shoulders, bouncing after feeling the aftermath of gravity.
"Nononono-" Subaru walked over to the side of the bed "-Not at all Emilia-tan! Er.. are you completely sure you want me doing it? I mean.. You won't be uncomfy right? It's really okie?" The boy, obliviously pink-cheeked, spoke quickly, running his left hand through his unruly hair while speaking.
"It's okie, Subaru. My, you don't need to get so worked up you know?" Sitting back upright, Emilia folded her pale slender arms, her matching soft cheeks fixed in a small pout.
"..Ah.. right.. I'll just scoot in then..!" Subaru hopped onto the bed, shuffling so he was behind Emilia so her flowy, canescent hair was easily accessible to him. With lighty trembling hands, he outstretched his fingers in order to guide Emilia's hair towards him - pulling it over her shoulders.
Remembering a previous hairstyle Emilia had donned, Subaru sectioned three thick sections out and began methodically overlapping them.
"Ah, wait Subaru, you need to brush it first," Emilia interrupted. "I think there's a brush on the bed-side table."
"Ah, that's right." He let go of her hair, allowing the braid to fall out naturally. Subaru leaned to the side, having to move his legs to do so, and once he returned to Emilia's back he was in a completely different sitting position. His legs were spread to either side of Emilia's hips with her centred in the middle. The position felt incredibly personal, though neither complained. After a moment's pause, Subaru began gently brushing the object, as well as his fingers through Emilia's hair.
He had wanted to touch her hair for a while, and now was the perfect time. He planned for Emilia to just think it was the brush running through her hair. Subaru's plan was perfect.. At least he thought so.
Her silver locks were so incredibly soft as they filtered between his fingers - he knew her hair would be like that of course, but this felt like running your hand over a brand new bed throw, or a fluffy, well-groomed kitten. "..Hoh.." Subaru couldn't suppress the quiet sound of surprise. "..Hey, Emilia-tan, how do you keep your hair so soft? I wouldn't have thought you'd have Shu Uemura shampoo here."
"Shu.. what what? Is that a Kararagi product?" Emilia didn't turn her head to look at him, the only part of her that moved at all was her mouth.
"Ah-.. er, yeah. It's really expensive.." Though, looking closer, Emilia's hair didn't seem to need anything special. Whatever she was doing already was perfect. A tingling sensation welled up at the tips of his fingers after realising his hand had been stationary for more than a few seconds. "W-well.. Emilia-tan, your hair feels a little like my Mum's.. But! Yours is sooo much longer and a lot thicker."
Subaru began with the braid. "..Er.. does it feel nice?" He awkwardly questioned. Subaru wondered if he was doing it right, if he was hurting Emilia, if he was pulling too hard - though Emilia said nothing. "..Emilia-tan? Are you okie?"
No response.
Did Subaru mess up again? Did he idly talk about Return by Death? As far-fetched as it might be, it could be the case. Had Emilia been cursed like he was all of those months back? Poisoned maybe? Would he have to use his ability right now, in Emilia's bedroom?
But what if the timeline continues even if he dies?
Subaru looked at the comb in his hand. Sharp edges. Sharp enough.
Subaru looked at Emilia.
—She would cry.
He didn't want to make Emilia cry. But if she was dead, she wouldn't be able to cry.
Emilia's chest rose. "She's not dead?!" In his shock, Subaru dropped the comb onto the bed, landing without a sound. The paranoid boy leaned over without moving Emilia at all. Her eyes were closed, her breathing was slowed, and she was basking in the sweet embrace of slumber.
Allowing a single sigh to escape his lips, Subaru relaxed back into the fluffy pillow only the rich seem to be in possession of. Emilia's hair was done. She was asleep. Now what was there to do? Subaru couldn't move - he couldn't risk waking Emilia. There was no way for him to squeeze out unnoticed; Emilia's leg was over the top of his, her torso was leaning against him, her arms were draped on top of his thigh. She had him captured. "..Man.. not that I'm complaining," He whispered to himself. "But I'm probably gonna seize up in the morning."