"So, what's the plan?" Yami said as he crossed his arms to look at her intently.
Her sudden outburst had let her strained stench in the air, and Yami didn't think it was a good idea to refrain from her wishes.
"These are the schedules of the activities that are going to take place on the ship 3 days prior." Charlotte said.
Yami hadn't noticed that tube of plastic that she was holding when she came in. Those tubes usually contained plans and blueprints.
"I'm giving it to you, so you know when people are going to be busy and when the enemies could be possibly making their move."
Charlotte then passed him and spread the papers and blueprints across the coffee table.
He sat next to her, the cushion bouncing under his weight. The movement unintentionally brushed their arms against each other, making Charlotte scoot a few inches away to give themselves some room.
She coughed awkwardly, and continued. The barest graze of skin spiking her heartbeat.
"A-anyway, at 3AM earliest. The maids will have to do some check-ups in the hall, do some dusting and cleaning, check if anything was amiss. Next, they'll do the laundry at 4AM. By that time, the chefs may have already begun cooking for breakfast."
Her delicate fingers traced the lines of the neat handwrittings and drawings. The floorplan of the ship had a lot of secret passages, and he would have paid attention to it if the view in front of him wasn't stealing it away.
He couldn't help it, and before he even knew it, Yami's eyes had already wandered elsewhere. It's sole focus on the person right next to him.
Charlotte Roselei.
Everytime he was assigned on a mission with the briar maiden, he had, always managed to become distraced by her presence. He didn't understand why, and ot sometimes frustrated him.
His eyes, had glued itself to her hand linked towards the sheets of paper. His gaze then traveled to her arm, across the expanse of her bare shoulders and chest, up to the columns of her delicate neck.
Skin, there was so much of her skin showing that it was fogging up his thoughts.
Most of her hair was swept to the other side of her shoulder, giving him a generous view of her cleavage, to which he appreciated.
He even saw a small beauty mark on the side of her neck he didn't know ever existed. She had always made sure to cover herself with her brugade uniform. So her soft feminine traits were usually hidden under those harsh clanky steels od armour.
His stare then trailed along the profile of her pronounced jaw to her lips, and then finally, her eyes which were resolutely focused on her current task.
She was mouthing some words he couldn't comprehend. The shimmer of her lipgloss sparkled as she talked.
Probably something about the bells ringing by 7AM to signal breakfast, but he was so focused on her features before he could even guess the detailed attention he was giving her.
He averted his gaze immediately before she caught him. Havibg her do so wouldn't be a good idea.
The bulky captain mentally pestered himself for even having to think about such unattainable thoughts in his head.
Of courseYami was never blind to Charlotte's beauty.
He may have at some point in the past have a had a messy crush on her even, a desire he once sought whenever he caught her presence from afar. But such dreams were demolished before it could even begin to formulate into something even more coherrent.
He was both a foreigner, and a peasant. Considered as a rat to the society, who was oftentimes treated even worst than scum. He was deprived of his rights as a human both in living, and just existing.
Shunned by the society, an outcast to the whole nation all for the very reason of his different upbringing and dark magic.
While she, was a noble who belonged to a reknowned house. Having a good reputation in both societal settings, and status. She was acknowledged for her perfected grace. And of course, was certainly praised for her unmatched beauty, making her the most beautiful maiden in the kingdom.
Their current standing circumstances simply do not match.
Besides, the crows would have to become white before Charlotte could even begin to like him, as a person in the first place, a harsh reality he often got slapped about.
"Yami." Charlotte suddenly called out to him. He was distracted and had veen thinking too deeply, not realizing that the blondette had been calling his name twice already.
His eyebrows rose slightly. "Yea?" he said not meeting her gaze, fixated on the paper in front of them.
"You think you can handle it?" He didn't understand what she was trying to say half of the time they were sitting there. But he had responded confidently anyways. He then went to meet her steely gaze, and crossed his arms in assertiveness. "Of course, what hell am I here for?"
The afternoons were spent leisurely walking as Yami scouted a part of the ship's surroundings. Miraculously, there was no trouble rousing around the area at all, and he didn't seem to sense any malicious character either, well other than the pervert at the lunch party earlier.
He had to restrict him in their personal lodging until the ship reaches land. completely missing the party he was invited on.
Apparently, the fool had challenged himself, and thought it might be cool to grope a hundred noble women on the ship. But other than that, that was it. No life-threathing danger so far.
the foreign captain had had it easy on the first day. And so, he had sat himself in relief, with a drink and a smoke in hand.
It was serene and peaceful, as Yami took a drink of his cold expensive bourbon. He breathe out a contented sigh. His feet dangled by the edge of the ship. Overlooking past the horizon of the sparkiling ocean, as the transport moved to travel.
He smelt the breeze of the saltwater. It had been quite a while since he went on a ship. He really missed it. Especially the ocean. Yami relinquished it's salty cadence and it couldn't help but remind him of home, and what life used to be back for him.
He was the only child, his family was a part of a clan of fishermen, his mother, he had no memories of, but he knows her soft features by the ragged pictures that his father kept in his worn-down wallet.
Yami's father was a cold, strict and stoic man. He had trouble expressing his emotions than rather baiting a hook for his fishing rod. He was both awkward in offering and showing bouts of affection when the oppirtunity arises. And yet sometimes, when the alcohol had infused his mind, his fists would bled of his own son's blood without reprieve. Drowned in his own distraught misery and regrets in life.
Still, he had worried about his father even after he had washed ashore in Clover. He remembered being young, and fighting for his life just to find a way back home, but had found himself being lost along the journey of life instead.
If it weren't for these important people in his life, he surely would have still been desparately chasing after the waves back home to come back to Hino country.
The crashing waves calmed his nerves and soothed his mind. Perhaps Julius was correct on one thing. It may be the chance for him to reconnect with the sea and his past, maybe even reconsider thinking about his life back at Clover.
The captain had gone through a lot of obstacles in his life. One could not simply imagine nor empathize how hard life was for him, but he pushed on. He was the type to solve things with his fist rather than cower at the judgement of the people's words. He didn't give a shit about the things that they said about him. Those things rarely ever hurt him.
Sure, he had gained and have lost a lot of important people on the way. But he had continously strived to build a place he could call home. A place where he exactly fit.
And quite frankly, he had been thankful to have banded a bunch of Misfits and Rejects They had been his warmth in this cold and cruel word.
Still... to this day, there was a void in his heart that was missing, a part that he couldn't tap, something he thought was just unexplicably out of reach. Perhaps he'll be forever clawing at it blindly until he finds the answer.
Yami sipped his drink and blew some smoke. He let out a sigh of frustration. Perhaps that question was for another time.
The captain then lay with his arms crossed supporting his head. He then closed his eyes, seeming to believe that maybe a nap sounded good in that very situation.
Until he saw crystaline blue eyes staring right back at him with irritation clearly evident in their face. He couldn't care less to be honest. He knew she was coming.
Charlotte's body was bent to meet his gaze from the position he was in. A rather displeased expression was plastered on her face. She huffed out sigh.
"Slacking off again? Seriously, do you always have to sleep whenever the situation benefits you?"
"I wasn't slacking off." Yami said lazily As he waved her off with an arm, continuing his leisure time.
He met her gaze boredly as she was bent below to meet his.
"Checked this area, the left wing, and the coal room. Nothing seems to be amiss." Yami said as he attempted to blow a smoke on her face. The wind quickly washed it away afterwards.
Charlotte's face crinkled quickly standing straight.
Yami let out a small snort.Sighing in satisfaction before talking again.
"Been reading people's Ki since I came here. Well, I can't sense anything sinister or suspicious, other than that pervert back at lunch. He's an idiot."
She was aware of that situation and surprisingly, it went off quite cleanly.
The blonde captain, was curious as to how Ki functions, she had heared Yami could tell when people lie with it, but she feels that the topic was a bit more broader than that. Eitherway , it was a discussion for another. She had to focus on her task at hand. She still had a lot of things to do. She couldn't afford to fall out of schedule now.
"Yes I was aware of that incident." Charlotte sighed. "But that still doesnt excuse you for lazying about and even start drinking on the job." Charlotte pestered.
"Here's a thing or two about me, I always drink on the job. Could Still finish my work quite well." He then shifted his arms a bit and closed his eyes once more.
"Besides, if I have the time to enjoy myself, then why do I have to take it granted for, yeah?" Yami replied.
Of course he does. Why did she even start now?
Charlotte rolled her eyes and briskly sat down next to him, suddenly letting out an uncharacteristicaly exasperated sigh.
Perhaps they both had something in their minds that afternoon.
Maybe some air outside would cleanse her mind from all of these stressful converstations from those nobles,and anything wedding related for that matter.
It was only the first day. What more of the following months? The blonde captain dreaded.
Her feet dangled below next to Yami's.
Yami, seeing her like this was a bit odd. He inhaled from his stick and continued to blow smoke. Maybe, the whole events were really taking a toll on her.
"Stressful day?" Yami opened an eye. His curiostiy peeked. Looking up at her from his lying position.
Charlotte let out a heavy sigh.
"Yea." She said quietly almost to herself, knowing quite well she was heared.
It also took the bulky captain a moment to realize that she had changed into a new dress again.
Today, she was wearing a different color other than blue. She was wearing a dark green dress which was more on the cooler side, he didn't care what it was called. The dress just fit her quite nicely.
"New outfit? didn't know you like to dress up every third of the day." Yami stated, subtly gazing at her. She really was beautiful, as her hair swayed from the breeze of the sea.
The blonde captain didn't think he'd notice such things, well, whenever she dressed up, for example. Back at the star festival, and their so called dinner, which was a total dissaster. He had never looked her way, he may have but his response could hardly been perceived as a comment in the first place.
"Unfortunately, it's almost considered protocol when it comes to nobility." As she glanced at herself quickly before her eyes found the ocean again.
The nobles especially the women treated those types protocols like a holy grail. anything that relates to cosmetics, dresses and skin care. They took utmost importance to. For them, putting it down, or doing something against it would put you lower in the standards of being a proper lady.
From the moment she had joined the Magic Knights, a mass of them had judged her for that very decision. She hadn't regretted it one last bit though. It was the best thing that she ever did in her life. And if the opportunity in a new life persists, she would do it all over again.
She was merely more than those frilly dresses these women try to perceive themselves with. She didn't want to be identified as an object.
"I honestly couldn't care less for what I wear. I would have done so it if it wasn't my own party." Charlotte had told with a sense of truth.
"Keh, that never stopped you from doing what you wanted, so what's up now? Why stuck up to such rules, that could possibly not apply to you?"
"Well, I am the sole heir of the house Roselei." Charlotte said with regard. As she stared at her palms and splayed her fingers gingerly on her lap. Her mother would defnitely dissaprove of her thoughts.
"If I displease people with that type of decision, it would mean to that i'm not respecting them." She straightened her posture as she let on.
"And as much as I have authority over myself, I'd rather much choose not to cause any trouble at all." She closed her eyes and breathe. Perhaps everything was just a little too much.
"And that includes... dressing up pretty?" As he gestured to her using his eyes.
Charlotte blushed hearing him say the word pretty.
Still, she did found it frustrating that she had to follow such rules, and more importantly, how such a standard could befall even more heavily on her.
"No, it's simply following the customs and traditions of the nobility. But to be perfectly honest, changing into four dresses a day can become a bit of a hassle and, I'm not quite fond of the idea."
Yami hummed in agreement. That would immobilize and restrict her knightly duties. But then again, he was here for that purpose. She'd just wanted to make herself available for the work, which really isn't something that she could just deny out of a sense of duty. Yami had always been aware of that, and he could relate to it as much as it didn't show.
Charlotte was devoted to the people and her occupation. Those are just the few remarkable things about her as a captain and a human being.
"That sucks. Probably too iresome too. How do you keep up with it?"
Yami was aware that nobles had a lot of customs or whatever ridiculous protocols they had to go through day to day. But he also knew it could be put to leisure most of the time.
He hadn't much seen the other side of the picture on hand though. Not until seeing Charlotte complain about it so stressfully.
She looked like nobility and acted like nobility, but it feels like she doesn't exactly fit in with the rest of them either.
"It is." She had managed a small rare smile on her face which had softened her icy demeanor.
The blondette didn't want to show some semblance of weakness especially in front of Yami Sukehiro of all people. But she had learned to rely on people just as he had taught her, so she simply shared her experience about it with less restraints to him.
"I've barely been managing it to be perfectly honest." She sighed, as she looked out across the ocean once more, looking suddenly distressed all of the sudden. The black bulls captain had never seen that troubled look on her face before.
Yami slowly sat up from his lying postion and met her eye to eye. He still towered over her form, as he was built much bigger. Well, bigger and taller than the rest of them. But he was really glad that she was starting to open up to him.
He knew right from the very start that Charlotte had been stressed out since the morning. He could read it in her Ki. She was probably overwhelmed about that was happening around her.
Obviously, nobles were already a huge task to cover. And strangely enough, he found himself displeased over the fact that she had to stoop lower to meet their ridiculous standards, when she obviously, was more than that. It was such an insult to her figure.
"You're going to be fine. Heck, i'm pretty sure you've handled this-" He gestured between them.
"And- more before in your whole life. But I'm damn pretty certain that you're stronger than this. And you're definitely much better than the rest of them, as far as i'm concerned." Yami said crossing his arms as he stared at her eagerly.
"What i'm not getting at, is why you've been so complacent since we've arrived at this ship."
"It's definitely not like you at all." Yami scrutinized her." "But you know what? you do you."
Charlotte's heart had skipped a beat. Hearing him say those words.
He was right. She had always been so unsure of herself ever since she agreed to this whole marriage fiasco.
"B'sides, you can always punch them in the face if they ever get in your way. " He smirked at her.
Charlotte let out a huff. She smiled regardless. She couldn't explain how touched she was with his words, and although it may have come out crass and uncouth, and just crude in his own way. it had comforted her in things that she couldn't comprehend. He had praised her, telling her that she was better than the rest of them, and honestly she couldn't help but feel relieved. Perhaps she had been receiving things during the day in such a wrong way the whole time.
"Do you always have to solve everything using your fists?" She said smiling at him as she shook her head to look out across the ocean again. Typical, she thought ridiculously.
Her mood suddenly felt light. Yami smiled internally, as he now felt Charlotte's Ki more calmer than ever.
"Ain't saying that you always have to. I'm just saying that the option's always there. It's direct. And it works, so why not?"
Charlotte pondered for a moment. He wasn't entirely wrong. She huffed. But agreed anyway. "Fine, perhaps I would consider it." She replied.
"Atta girl." Yami praised. As he bumped his should to hers. Charlotte couldn't help but internally panic by his words. She wasn't prepared for any of that, so trying to keep a composed facade was such a stuggle for her during that time.
"Anyway, I already know you don't like those people. They're obnoxious, and audacious as the time could get. And planning wedding? Jesus." Yami didn't even want to get started on that.
Charlotte chuckled at that comment.
"Ain't saying that I hate all nobles tho, You're a bit complicated to understand most of the time, but I can't say the same for you-"
Charlotte felt glad about hearing that, she's certainly thought he had a bit of distaste towards her being for so rude to him all the time. But perhaps she could do a little bit more effort when it comes to communicating with the Black Bulls Captain, wait- okay, she cringed. Maybe put in a lot more work when she looks back on it. She thought guilty.
"But do you hate it? Following the dress codes?" Yami asked.
Charlotte didn't exactly know why he asked this of all the questions to be asked, but she responded to it anyways.
"I...don't exactly hate it." She said pondering as she gingerly caressed the silky material of her dress.
Charlotte wasn't one to care so much about fashion. She would firsthandedly dimiss it should it go against her practicality as a captain and a knight. But she is quite fond of the dresses Flint designs for her.
"I do love the dresses my designer sews for me. I just hate having to change four times in a day."
Her designer Flint had always managed to meet her tastes and request.
He's quite the pleasant person too, a good friend and surprisingly a good confidant. Someone she can turn to for good advice. He was also, one of the very first person aside from her grandmother to know that she was in love with the foreigner. He was so unlike all the designers her mother had brought in the family. Saying she hated the dresses that she was wearing sounded disrespectful to his work.
"Speaking of dress codes, did you bring a suit with you?"
"Define a suit." Yami scoffed, as smoked belowed his face.
"Of course, I should have expected that." the blonde captain deadpanned.
And so, in the mornings the next day, Yami found himself in the company of Charlotte once again, at the front of her designer's door.
Flint was a flamboyant and a jolly person. He was expressive as he was with his designs. He is also very vocal and blunt about eveything regardless of such topics. Politics, Arts, Music, Poetry and the likes of literature. And, he was also very much a homosexual man.
"Oh my, my my!!!" Flint started, just as the two entered his sizable room. It had a higher ceiling than most common rooms. Colorful ball gowns, suits and other clothes and fine silk could be seen hanging in the racks which moderately took the room's space, and if the clothes were ever hung, a lot of them were also displayed in a mannequin. It seems this was a studio built purposely for designing and sewing clothes.
"Oh! Good Morning! Lady Charlotte, And Sire...?" He looked him up and down with curiosity. Then quickly looked back at Charlotte in question, as if he guessed right.
The blonde captain then stayed rooted to her spot communicating to him with her eyes, telling the loud man to shut it.
Again, she had underestimated just how loud Flint could get with people. Oh... she was in a load of trouble. Perhaps bringing Yami here wasn't exactly a really a good idea.
"Morning, It's Sukehiro. But Yami is just fine." The bulky captain said.
Flint almost let out a quiet squeel. He tried to maim this growing painful smile on his face. Yami thought he looked weird.
"Oh my! Captain Yami, The captain of the Black Bulls brigade! Might I say, what a hunk you are!" He said unabashedly smacking him playfully on the arm.
Yami let out a chuckle as he scratched the back of his neck. "Well, yea. Been either complimented or insulted for it I guess. But hey, Nobody knows the hell that I went through just to earn these gains." He said as he flexed an arm to showcase his work.
Charlotte felt the room a few degrees hotter as she hid her appreciation of Yami's biceps.
Whereas, Flint was more outwards with his emotions, and let out a squeel of delight. Hearts could literally be seen flying across his eyes.
"Oh my! very fun indeed!!" As he clapped his hands in both excitement and glee.
Charlotte wanted to hide herself in a corner. The shorter man was probably getting more ideas again. God, she was going to have a lengthy discussion about Yami's muscles along with his other well-his other desirable traits for long periods of hours once the engagement party was over.
"I'm guessing these are all your works? Looks pretty great. Uhh.." Yami said not really knowing what this man's name was.
"Oh! oh it's Flint. Flint Mclaggen at your service." He said as he bowed formally. "That was very rude of me not to introduce myself first."
"But anyway, Lady Charlotte my, darling I guess you're here to pick up your dress Oh! and I even added some surprise!"
Flint said ushering her further inside the room, suddenly leaving the big captain to his own devices. The said man scratched his head as he unknowingly looked around the place.
"He's so hot!" He frantically whispered in front of her face like a hyperventilating fan girl. Charlotte groaned in irritation. "Will you shut up for a bit?" She whispered harshly.
"I'm trying, but what is he doing here?" Flint was fanning himself ecstatically to calm his overhyped mood.
Charlotte huffed.
"He's here because he needs a suit. I'm supposed to ask you to tailor some for him, but if you continue being this way I might have to -"
"Oh no, no, no, please let me design for him, I promise i'll behave!" he said pleading with hands clasped together. He gave her a puppy eyed look and to a middle-aged man it was an awfully weird expression.
"Oh God, alright. But please tone it down." She said in exasperation, cringing at the way he pleaded. She just wanted to get this over with.
Flint exlclaimed in glory, and suddenly went off somewhere to grab a hanger of fine silk and laces. It was probably going to be her dress for the party.
"Well, since you're already here. Why don't you come and try out your dress while I get his measurements?" The designer said as he pushed her to the dressing room.
"What. Now?" Charlotte.
"Why yes darling, now." He ushered her.
"I may get inspired to add some lasting details after I see you try it on. But i'm pretty confident I won't end up having to."
Flint then came back and went where the bulky captain was. Grabbing his pen, paper and measuring tape. He then clicked his tongue to get the attention of the distracted Yami in the room.
"Well then. Shall we get started?" his pen clicked. Already on professional mode.
Flint's hands were quick as he measured Yami. To the captain, It almost felt like he wasn't touched at all. He was skillful, and quick with his work. It was propably the result of his continous craft and unwilting experience.
"So... Captain Yami, how long have you and Charlotte known each other?"
The middle-aged man said.
"Could say about eleven years now, I don't exactly remember." he said, as he lifted up an arm for Flint to measure.
He didn't really care. He was just here to get this over with. But this man was plenty nice to him at first meeting. He certainly did not appear afraid or displeased over him like what most people did.
Yes, he's met people who werent really nasty to him at all. But the chances were usually rare. He felt relieved that he at least had somebody in this event that he could casually start a conversation with.
"Oh.. really that's such a long time. Then I suppose you're already close friends?"
Him and Charlotte? Close friends? Yami scoffed at the idea.
"No, not exactly." Yami chuckled. "I mean, we're barely even friends, more like aquaintances."
Flint seemed a bit dissapointed about knowing that fact.
"I did once thought we were... at least friends. I think it wasn't the same for her though." Yami said laced with a bit of dissapointment. Remembering all of the times she had made the effort to run or get away from him as much as possible.
Sure, he was used to the people who looked at him with such distaste in their eyes. He never bothered to look their way anyway.
But when such a negative response came from Charlotte, it couldn't help but break his heart a little. Not when they both had worked together for more than a decade already. Perhaps, she really did hated him with the depths of her being.
"Oh, don't be so down about it. Perhaps she already has! You know our lady, she doesn't exactly like to be vocally honest with how she really feels."
Yami squinted his brows at this.
"Huh? Not honest what do you mean?" He'd seen how Charlotte acted with others, From peasants, commoners and nobles alike. She pretty much treats them all equally. And she smiles at other people too. Especially with her sister in arms bacj at her brigade. So why did he get this special treatment as if he never took part in her life, as if he was like dirt to her? Was it because he was a foreigner? he didn't think so either. The thought really stings and it bothered him a lot.
"Well, although Charlotte appears like such a confident person on the outside, she pretty much is an awkward girl when it comes to expressing the truest facades of her feelings. She had probably regarded you as a friend already and maybe perhaps even more. So cheer up a little." Flint patted his shoulder in regard.
"Besides, you won't know it until you hear it from her."
Flint said as he wrote all of the measurements down.
Yami suddenly felt like he had been playing himself a fool this whole time. It couldn't help but make him scratch his neck. Maybe he should confirm it with ger again. She didn't exacrly gave him a ciherrent response last time either.
And with a loud thunk of pen, the designer had declared his part of the job done.
"Okay, neck, torso, waist, hips. You've got very bold proportions Captain Yami!"
"I've never the opportunity to design for a foreigner before.This is quite the experience." His unique looks had definitely sparked an inspiration fir Flint. Oh! the concepts he had to gather just to make it uniquely perfect.
"Wait, just to be clear on one thing. I don't know how I'll be able to pay for all of this." he gestured with his arms.
It was obvious Yami couldn't be able to afford a noble designers clothes.
"Don't worry about the bill, i'll have the house cover for it." A voice resounded from across the room.
Charlotte had stepped out of the dressing room. Into the threads of dresses that was hung around the room.
The clinking sounds of her heels resounded on the tiled floor.
A gasp was heared, and shocked expressions were clearly evident on the faces of the two men.
Something within Yami stirred.
A moment of silence suddenly passed by, leaving the two people speechless with her entrance. Charlotte couldn't help but feel a bit concious about it. Perhaps it was a little too much? She didn't think it was. She rather liked the dress a lot, more than she could ever imagine.
She met Yami's stare briefly. He had an unreadable expression on his face.
"Oh my, Lady Charlotte! You look... absolutely stunning!" Flint gasped covering his mouth.
Yami didn't know why, but suddenly he had forgotten how to breathe. It felt like a log was stuck in his throat.
There were clearly no words to explain Charlotte's beauty. Especially in this white summer dress she was wearing. He had to hand it to Flint, he had perfectly captured her beauty.
"The dress is very lovely Flint." Charlotte said as she padded her fingers on the material appreciatively.
The flowy white dress hugged her figure perfectly. It was lighter and definitely more modern than the rest of the dresses that they see today.
the design was lacy, it showed her cleavage and was decorated by a few white petals dangling around the skirt. The skirt was lengthy almost dragging to the floor, but it had two high slits on the sides that displayed a generous view of Charlotte's thighs.
"Though I suppose it does look quite a bit daring because-" she turned around and gestured to her bare back.
Oh Gods... She had such a nice ass.
Yami didn't know how long he had to hold his breath for. Seeing her appearance at the front was already such an impact, but having to see her back.
His imagination was running wild. He was chewing the inside of his mouth, and his self control was definitely being challenged.
"Oh no worries dear, it's an ensemble, we'll cover that up with a shawl which is part of the dress, so you won't have to feel the cold at all." He said reaching for the said ensemble, it had other decorations dangling on it, some pearls and among other things that sparkled.
"And... there. " The designer put the embelishment and fluffed it to it's proper placement.
It did complete the look. Charlotte thought. But Flint didn't think it was ready yet. As he pondered for a moment.
He then began shuffling for some accesorry, it was a clip-on headresss. The design was a delicately carved rose covered in brilliant white diamonds.
As Flint had acted as Charlotte's designer, he was also directly her stylist and make up artist.
"Perfect! yes, yes. This was the look I was going for!!!" Flint clapped his hands in bravo. He believes that he doesn't need to add anything else, which is what he always expected. When it came to designing Charlotte's dresses and gowns. With his works he could always attain such a level of perfection.
He had clipped the accesory in Charlotte's hair, as he parted more than half of it to one side, giving the illusion of her lengthy neck.
Her hair fell down in waves almost reaching down to her waist.
"You really outdid yourself today Flint." It was rare that Charlotte smiled. She said it in her ever reserved manner, but trully she felt good about herself.
"Oh but that's not all." Flint said as he wagged his index finger at her.
"I promise, you'll love this one. I don't understand how no one else has ever done it before, but now it is done."
"Flint, get straight to the point please."
"Check your skirt."
Charlotte did, and was suprised to find holes on each sides of the dress.
"It has pockets?" Charlotte said a bit surprised. She gleamed at Flint.
"This is very thoughtful Flint, thank you." She said earnestly.
She then proceeds to try the pocket with the palm of her hands smiling at herself in satisfactiom by the mirror.
"So, what do you think Captain Yami?"
Flint said smiling smugly to himself. Charlotte almost felt a bit antsy as Flint suddenly called his name. Was this part of his scheme? Anyway, it's not like Yami cared about what she wore anyway, it would probably just fall on dead eyes as usual.
To her suprise, he had slowly approached her. his gaze fixated only on her.
He looked her down slowly. Her heart was fluttering ecstatically, was she seeing things differently? Was her heart beating so loud that it obscured how she saw things? What was that gentle look on his face?
He was so close and everything was just too much.
'Beautiful' He thought, as all the other words to describe her was left unsaid. He couldn't afford to do so.
Charlotte wanted to scream, and shout and just flee or perhaps say something hurtful to get away from him, but she had promised herself to act decently in front of him starting this day. Oh it felt like the butterfulies were trying to rage free from her stomach.
"It uh.. looks great. Didn't know you like the frilly get up." Yami lied through the back of his teeth.
And with that, Charlotte's shoulders sagged. She felt really betrayed, what did she even expect? This was Yami they were talking about.
"I'm not much into it, but once it's there I try to enjoy it I guess... but thanks." Charlotte's said. Her voice laced with dissapointment. Still feeling like a fool for being too hopeful.
"Oh? is that's all you have to say?" Flint said clearly offended, and looked at Yami snidely.
Yami cleared his throat and looked away. Trying to compose himself.
"Well...what else am I supposed to say?" Yami said dubiously scratching his chin with a finger.
Flint was about to complain about his hours of work before Charlotte intervened.
"No, no it's okay Flint. He really meant it." Charlotte intervened before it could escalate into an even more embarassing matter between herself and Yami.
"Oh well... Whatever you say." He said in a a rather awkward exchange between them. Oh how he felt bad for the poor Charlotte.
"Anyway, i'm going back to change..." She announced rather sluggishly.
What a downer, Yami thought. As much as he didn't want to admit it out loud. He still wanted to stare at her longer well, for himself mostly.
He internally debated with himself afterwards. She's with another man. Of course she'll never setlle for the likes of him.
"I have to be on my way to the breakfast banquet. I can't afford to be late." As she walked away from them, avoiding Yami's gaze and going and back to dressing room to gather her clothes and belongings. Leave it to Charlotte to always be prompt and on time as usual.
A moment of silence passed between Flint and Yami as Charlotte walked away from them.
There was a confused air that hung around Yami, and a regret that refused to leave his side. He gulped and stared at her back longingly before she dissapeared along the throngs of the dresses.
Seeing this, the answer was as clear as day to Flint.
"...You fancy her, don't you?" the middle aged man said suddenly. Looking at the captain knowingly, as soon as Charlotte was out of earshot.
The question came out as a surprise to Yami. "What?" he'd been taken aback. Feeling like he was bare of all judgment all of a sudden.
"Or maybe, perhaps even conflicted?" He scrutinized the big man before him as he put on a thinking pose. Taking a step in front of him with each time he the talked.
"Hmmm... Confused?" he added as he pushed in front of him. His brows crossed. A peculiar look on his face.
"Don't think too hard." Yami said bluntly as he took a step back. The captain glared at him. Keeping a guarded expression on his face.
"Oh...But you do, Don't even try to hide it." Yami's jaw gritted in denial.
"Tsk." he said as he avoided his gaze.
Flint shook his head. And sighed in dissapointment. These two brilliant captains were both complete and utter fools.
"You care about her."
Perhaps everything wasn't too one-sided as Charlotte ought it out to be.