Clover Kingdom
Noble Realm
Coral Peacocks Headquarters
Office of Vice-Captain Kirsch Vermillion
Morning, Next Day
Kirsch was taking a sip of his sixth cup of coffee when his door was slammed open as Barry Morton, 2nd Class Senior Magic Knight and the medic/health expert of the Coral Peacocks, stormed into the room. What's worse was Cornelia and Levi came into his office too. His danger senses skyrocketed in his brain and it wasn't just because he hadn't slept in more than a day. Barry took Kirsch's coffee cup away from him.
"Give it back," said Kirsch, half-heartedly reaching for the one thing that was keeping him awake and not suffering from anxiety-ridden nightmares.
"No," said Barry, glaring at him. Two years his junior, Barry was usually very mild-mannered and listened to his Vice-Captain, but when it came to health and wellness matters, he was an unstoppable force. "This much caffeine isn't good for you! And you need to go to sleep! You can die without it, you idiot!"
"You told on me, Levi," gasped Kirsch, not as dramatic as he normally was because he was tired as heck.
Levi gave him a hard stare. "Think of this as an intervention, Kirsch."
Kirsch winced as Levi was using his first name and not just Vice-Captain, which meant that Levi was serious and in no mood to deal with Kirsch and his nonsense. "But, it's fine…"
"You look like shit," said Cornelia, crossing her arms and also giving Kirsch a hard stare. "We know that you're worried about Zora, but he'd be pretty pissed at you if he found out that you weren't sleeping. Kirsch, you don't even have any more paperwork because you finished it all! Think about it, when have you never had paperwork?"
"Mean, you're all mean," stated Kirsch, a little hysterical. He knew he was being a bit much.
"And we told Captain Dorothy," stated Barry, as the medic went through Kirsch's filing cabinet to take Kirsch's chocolate stash.
Grimacing, Kirsch replied, weakly, "You didn't." Captain Dorothy was gonna be so mad.
Levi took pity on Kirsch. He said, "Listen, we'll set you up on your couch here and if we hear anything from HQ, we'll get you up, alright? But you have to sleep."
Staring at Levi, Barry, and Cornelia, Kirsch knew from the looks on their faces that they weren't going to relent. They were his friends. Cornelia and Levi had been with him since they all joined the Magic Knights at the same time and they had been friendly towards Kirsch even when Kirsch was unbearable. Barry cared a lot about everyone's health and well-being. They were good, kind people that Kirsch knew worried over him.
But how does Kirsch explain to them the nightmares that immediately form? Or how the worst case scenarios flitted through his mind so that he couldn't sleep at all? Or how the thought of Zora hurt and alone made Kirsch lose his breath?
"Okay," said Kirsch, after a few moments. He had no choice but to try for them.
Clover Kingdom
Noble Realm
Coral Peacocks Headquarters
Office of Vice-Captain Kirsch Vermillion
He managed to get a couple hours of sleep. He was thankful that Captain Dorothy didn't come to give him a lecture. Granted, she was the one that gave him the couple hours of dreamless sleep. But what woke Kirsch up was a knock on the door of his office, and since he was waiting for news about Zora's rescue, he got up immediately, knocking the quilt and pillow that Cornelia had given him earlier on the floor.
"Come in," said Kirsch, throat dry from sleep. He found a canteen of water on the side table he kept next to the couch in his office. Promising to not be so hard on Barry, he took a sip as the last person he expected entered his office. "Father?"
"Morning, son, did I disturb you? That nice girl Cornelia told me that you were supposed to be sleeping," stated his father, Sazerac Vermillion. His father had a tense look on his face.
Kirsch shook his head. "Just got up. What brings you by? Is Mother okay?" Kirsch wouldn't be able to take it if something happened to his mother on top of things.
"No, no, Mama is fine," said his father. His parents were surprisingly in sync, despite their unusual approach to a marriage. When in conversation with Mimosa or Kirsch, his mother mostly referred to his father as "Papa" (if she was in a good mood) and his father always referred to his mother as "Mama." "I came to speak about the wedding."
Tensing, as he didn't want to think about that awful woman while he was worrying about Zora, Kirsch said, "Oh?"
"Mama sent me," said his father, crossing his arms and attempting to look stern, but failing miserably. "She was being very vague about it. I know you don't want to marry Prudence Esmond, and I don't blame you. But I can't help you, if you don't talk to me, Kirsch. Whatever it is, I'll listen and we'll work it out together with Aldebrand, yeah?"
Kirsch didn't know what to say or where to even start.
This was a conversation that Kirsch was not expecting to have today (or ever). While he told his mother about his feelings for Zora during the Unrequited Love Curse Incident, Kirsch never mentioned it to his father. And his father never asked.
Sazerac Vermillion wasn't a bad man and a bad father. Kirsch loved his father. And Kirsch knew that his father loved him and Mimosa with everything. His father tried to take good care of Kirsch and Mimosa when their mother had been on missions (and exiled from the Capital). Sazerac as a father wasn't particularly responsible, as he had brought a young Kirsch and even younger Mimosa on his outings with his various lady friends to gain inspiration for his poetry. If Kirsch's mother knew, she never said anything about it. And his father had an arrogance about him, certain of his greatness as a royal and a poet, something that Kirsch had thought was amazing as a young boy, who had resented his mother due to things he didn't understand back then. He wondered if the arrogance his father presented was a mask too.
Right now, however, his father was staring at Kirsch, waiting for Kirsch to be ready to talk.
Stomach churning (probably because of all the coffee and the fact that he hadn't eaten in hours), Kirsch said, "I don't want to get married, Father. Of course, I don't."
His father sat on the couch next to Kirsch. His father asked, simply, "Does it have to do with the curse from months ago?"
Kirsch bit his bottom lip. It was now or never. "Sorta."
Sighing, his father said, "I know I am…not the best parent nor a good role model for anyone. I'm not as brilliant and strong as my siblings. And I'm unreliable. But I love you, Kirsch, so please talk to me. Nothing can make me not love you."
It was a strange thing to hear that his father knew of his faults, though he pretended that he had none. His mother said generally the same thing to Kirsch during his conversation with her while he was spitting up flowers and dying. His parents felt that they failed him and Mimosa. But Kirsch didn't think so. He was going to have to speak to Mimosa about it and maybe, they needed to have a long conversation with their parents.
But at the moment, Kirsch needed to have a different conversation with his father. "When I got cursed, I hadn't known I was in love with someone at the time. But I came to realize that I was in love with Zora Ideale. You haven't met him. He's a Magic Knight in the Black Bulls. He's a friend to me and Mimosa."
"He's the one that got captured," said his father, realizing why Kirsch must be on edge . "Oh, son."
Nodding, Kirsch smiled weakly. "I did confess to him, despite knowing that he…didn't feel the same. I accepted it and got rid of the curse. We're still friends, but just because I accepted that he won't love me like the way I want him to, I can't stop loving him."
His father wasted no time and pulled Kirsch into a hug. "Oh, my poor boy. It's hard loving someone who can't love you back. I'm sorry."
"Why're you sorry," asked Kirsch, mumbling, trying not to burst into tears in his father's warm embrace like he was a kid again and not a grown 23-year-old Magic Knight Vice-Captain.
"That I wasn't there for you enough to the point where you thought you couldn't talk to me. God, I can't believe that I was the one to become most like my emotionally unavailable father," said Kirsch's father, hugging Kirsch tighter.
Kirsch shook his head. "I didn't want to worry you or Mother."
"We're supposed to worry about you, Kirsch, that's our duty as your parents," his father said. "Now, do you want me to get you out of this engagement or what?"
"Please," said Kirsch.
Releasing Kirsch from the hug, his father smiled, "That's a good boy. I'll talk to my brother. And it'll work out."
"Thanks," said Kirsch.
His father's smile turned melancholic and said, "Take it from someone who didn't fight for their love—don't ever give up. If there's even a slim chance that this Zora fellow can return your feelings someday and you can't love anyone but him, don't give up, Kirsch."
Kirsch felt his face warm up.
"All done," asked his mother Nickole, entering the office with a plate of food in her hand.
"Yes, dear," said his father, nodding.
"Great. Kirsch, you eat this food," said Nickole, sternly, placing the plate on Kirsch's desk. "If I hear that you're giving trouble to Levi and them, I'll be back."
Kirsch wondered who was worse at this point, his mother or Captain Dorothy. He meekly replied, "Yes, Mother."
Satisfied with the answer, his mother looked at his father, "Saz, we're going to talk to Aldebrand?"
"Yeah, but we gotta sneak you in the Capital," said his father. Technically, his mother wasn't allowed in the Capital unless she was in the Magic Knight Headquarters.
Kirsch laughed. "Don't get in trouble."
"Never," said his parents. It didn't make Kirsch feel any better, because he knew his parents too well.
After receiving good-bye hugs from his parents, Kirsch was left in his office with no more paperwork to do and a plate of food to eat.
Clover Kingdom
Noble Realm
Coral Peacocks Headquarters
Office of Vice-Captain Kirsch Vermillion
Kirsch felt marginally better since he did get some sleep (albeit it being two hours) and eating food his mother made for him. Except, the worry for Zora didn't cease. He hadn't heard anything from HQ, meaning that Asta and his team were still tracking down Zora's whereabouts. It made Kirsch very antsy, but he knew how much trouble he'd get into if he left on his own accord and joined them.
He paced his office, wondering if there was a way that he could help with the search for Zora, despite the orders.
"Hey, easy," said Levi, entering the office. He carried a tray with tea on it. "Barry said that you can have some tea now that you ate something."
"Oh, thanks," said Kirsch. As there were many members of the squad who enjoyed the tea time that Captain Dorothy liked to do sometimes, they had a variety of teas—many of which didn't have much caffeine in it. "Sorry if Mother took over the kitchen."
Levi rolled his eyes. "Definitely not a problem. She made us all lunch." Levi put the tray on Kirsch's desk. "Vice-Captain, you had better not be thinking of doing something stupid, yeah?"
"Never," said Kirsch, indignant, but mostly because Levi surprisingly knew him too well. It was what happened when you lived and worked with someone for eight years.
"Right," said Levi, not believing him.
"I hear your sarcasm, Levi Roe," said Kirsch, scowling.
"Kirsch, I gotta say something that you ain't gonna like."
"You always say things I don't like," retorted Kirsch. Levi was very blunt sometimes to the point it hurt Kirsch's feelings. Granted, Kirsch was the same way on occasion. It usually led to them arguing.
"I think you should confess again to Zora," said Levi, sighing.
Kirsch stopped pacing and stared at Levi. "Why?" His father essentially said the same thing, but Kirsch didn't know if he wanted to put his heart out there (again), just to get it broken (again).
"Because things change," said Levi. "People change their mind. Anyone with eyes can see how you look at Zora. And Zora is very aware of you in a way that friends aren't, you know? I'm just saying."
Kirsch gaped at him, "You think I have a chance?"
"Hey, Mackenzie gave me the time of day," said Levi, pointing at himself about his Azure Deer girlfriend, Kirsch's fellow Vice-Captain. And it was a big deal that Mackenzie, the ever-reliable woman, accepted Levi's feelings. Levi was a nice, helpful guy and a good Magic Knight, but Levi never matched his socks, ate ridiculously spicy food, forgot sunscreen, and had no skin and hair care routine that made him a disaster in Kirsch's eyes. "Zora might have changed his mind."
"Or he hasn't, and he's just aware that my feelings make our friendship awkward?"
"You're an idiot, Vice-Captain," said Levi, with no ounce of remorse for the insult.
Location Unknown
Exhausted from staying awake for hours as he waited for his chance to escape, Zora was chained in a dungeon of some kind. His grimoire was sealed away from him, as Sal's had been when she was stuck in Grimm Castle. He knew that they were in the Neutral Zone as the air was ripe with natural mana. His friends must have lost the trail so Zora knew they weren't coming any time soon, though they'd eventually get there to try to save him. Zora had to save himself before Tuccia went through with her plan.
Or he'd die trying.
Unfortunately for his captors, Zora wasn't allowed to die. He could just imagine how worried the Black Bulls were about him. No doubt, Mimosa knew and Zora didn't want to be a reason that she cried. He was weak against her tears. Zora had unfinished business with Kirsch, who no doubt was pacing his Vice-Captain's office wondering if he should break the rules and come after Zora himself. Zora didn't want Kirsch to cry anymore because of Zora either.
There were people he cared about what happened to him and so death may come for him one day, but not today.
"There's no way out for you," said Tuccia, entering the dungeon cell. She changed her outfit to something incredibly fluffy and made her stand out more against the backdrop of a smelly, dark dungeon. She came to kneel next to Zora, who barred his sharp teeth in warning. Zora wasn't above biting someone to hurt them. "I know you've been thinking and thinking about how you can get out before your friends come for you. Or before Prince Kirsch comes for you."
Zora snorted. "What got you so fixated on him, huh?"
"His big heart, Zora Ideale," said Tuccia, tilting her head as if she was some cute girl and not an evil witch. "As long as I have you, he'll come here eventually."
Zora smirked. "That guy is a Magic Knight Vice-Captain for a reason. I know him. He's not coming."
"But he loves you. I looked into his heart back at the Grimm Castle," said Tuccia, giggling. "I mean, like, he really loves you. I was surprised that a royal could have such strong, warm feelings. Which is why I want him. I'm gonna eat him."
It was like a cold ice-cube lodged itself in Zora's heart. He snarled, the chains rattled as he strained to try and bite her. "You ain't fucking touching him, you evil asshole."
She moved away before he got her, laughing at him. She clapped. "Oh! Do you love him too? I suspected as much, but for some reason, I can't see into your heart to know for sure. I wonder why."
"Fuck off," snapped Zora. This Tuccia witch was getting him very, very angry. He hadn't felt this much rage in years. "You're not getting near him. And I'm gonna kick your ass and take you in for real this time."
"Hahah, you're in no condition to be making threats," replied Tuccia, standing up and dusting herself off. Then, she put her hands behind her back, trying to be cute as she mocked him.
Gritting his teeth together as he tried to summon his grimoire with every ounce of anger he felt against Tuccia, with every ounce of worry and affection for his friends, with every ounce of love he had for Kirsch, Zora pulled his arms forward, straining the chains. "You don't know me very well. I'm a goddamn Black Bull! And now's the time for me to surpass my limits."
Screams were heard as Zora's grimoire burst into the cell by disintegrating the walls and slamming itself into the taunt chains, effectively breaking them. Grabbing his grimoire as it went wild as new spells appeared in its pages for Zora's use, he said, standing up, "Looks like it's time to go through with my threat."
"But your grimoire was sealed away…!" Tuccia was shocked.
"Funny thing about my grimoire," said Zora, baring all his shiny, sharp teeth in a blood-curdling smile. "It's a little unstable and not easy to contain. Your loss."
Tuccia shook her head. "No matter! We outnumber you!"
Before Zora admitted that the number of enemies were a problem, he heard screaming and smelled a familiar smell of lightning and flames. Luck and Magna arrived, which meant that Zora's friends were here. Chuckling, Zora said, waving his hand over his grimoire to his favorite spell page, "Like I said, your loss. I'm not getting tricked again."
Tuccia let out an unholy scream. And the fight began.
~to be continued
Notes:
Ahhhhh, let me know what you think! I was pretty excited for this chapter.
Kirsch talking to his dad was supposed to mirror the conversation he had with his mom in Gladiolus. I hope that came through.
The next chapter will be out on Saturday. And let me tell you the next two chapters are a ride.