Timeline: around Episode 80

Chapter Rating: M (sexual content)

Letters and Constellations

The Healing tower shone in the light of the moon, residue of stardust from the cosmos mage's mana floated through the halls, shimmering gently against the lunar rays. The healer in white strode through the halls, a piece of melon bread in her mouth as she looked through the chart of a patient she had just seen.

'Sekke Bronzazza…here for chronic stomach pain…' She monologues 'Vitals: Normal, Assessment: No abnormalities, all sounds normal. Diagnosis, Hypochondriac.'

She never understood why people would come to the tower with fake injuries at the peak of the night, just to waste someone's time. As she approached her desk, she closed the chart, slid it on her desk then heard a gentle thud. Following the sound, she looked at the floor and noticed a letter, sealed with black wax. She tilted her head in curiosity, reached for it and turned it over to see the address. As she realized who it was from, her heart raced. It was him. It was the man she met at the mixer, and he finally wrote to her! She took a few deep breaths to steady herself, nervously anticipating the words within. She broke the seal with a pen and carefully opened the letter, just barely containing her excitement.

'Dear Anastasia,

I hope you're doing well. I hope I didn't keep you waiting too long for my first letter. This is my first time writing to someone outside of my family, so I wasn't sure what to say.'

The cosmos mage found herself smiling from his honesty, studying his handwriting to etch it into her mind. His script looked eerie, as if it were something out of a dark tome, yet the words themselves were gentle and sincere.

'I really enjoyed my time at the mixer with you and everyone. I find myself revisiting those moments often, especially when I make my journal entries. By the way, your magic is really nice. Your spell reminded me of my family dog.'

"Aww, he has a dog!" She spoke to the letter, giggling "That earns you points, mister!"

'Some of my friends were selected for the Royal knights! Especially my bestest friend Asta. I am so proud of him, and of them. I am doing my best in training too, but sometimes I feel stuck. That being said, I was hoping you could help me iron out some details. Could we meet up sometime? I sent this letter from the Black Bulls base, so you can come anytime. I'll be here.

Regards,

Gordon Agrippa'

The cosmos mage took a deep breath in, releasing with a dreamy sigh at reading his inviting words. She admired the frankness in his writing, understanding how difficult it can be for one to admit their faults, but he did it with grace. As she folded the letter, she caught a faint whiff of his cologne, causing her to inhale sharply.

"Oh…goodness…" She croaked as her heart rate rose.

Memories of his features replayed in her mind, blood rushing throughout her body in response. Her mind wandered into dangerous territory as she thought about his red gaze locking onto her, pale face tinged with blush. His fingers, with black painted nails cradling his cup.

His black lips, grazing the skin on her neck. She found herself reaching down between her legs, beginning to stroke a moist spot over her underwear. Anastasia leaned over her desk, her breath hitching as she touched herself. She imagined those were his fingers, gently stroking sensitive areas as he stared at her with a devilish smirk, watching her reactions. She inserted her middle and ring fingers, gently moaning, losing herself in the gravity of their pseudo moment. He would nip at her jaw, leaning into her ear saying her name in his deep voice. She quickened her pace, biting her lip to muffle her groans. He would then grip the back of her head, drag his tongue up her neck until he reached her ear again and growled: "Good girl." The cosmos mage bit her own arm, muffling her orgasmic squeal, trembling as she came all over herself. She struggled to catch her breath, face colored in shame and satisfaction.

"L-lady Anastasia…are you alright?" A voice said from the doorframe.

To her greatest horror, she slowly turned her head, still nestled in her arm and saw Marx, holding a glass of water. His face was painted with genuine concern but changed as he saw her aftersex face. Staring blankly, he could feel heat coursing through him as he looked at her flushed face and intense eyes.

"Get out." She commanded, her white grimoire appearing.

The memory mage quickly placed the glass of water on Dr. Owen's desk and scurried out, his arms swinging erratically with his legs, betraying his nerves. After a moment, the cosmos mage hit her forehead on her desk several times as punishment for not closing the door.

In the enormous base of the Black Bulls, it was oddly quiet without Asta, Noelle, or Luck. To the left, a long bar stretches out, lined with a few sturdy chairs. Behind the bar, kegs and crates of wine are strewn about.

To the right of the entrance, Vanessa lay, snoozing in her lingerie after a long afternoon of drinking on the long black curved sofa that lined the wall, perfectly positioned in front of a large window that bathes the room in natural light. At the end of this curved sofa sat Grey, fidgeting shyly, wondering how Vanessa could bravely expose herself in such a way. Connected back-to-back, is another large couch, providing seating for three to four people. In front of these couches, a large, knee-height coffee table stands, where Gordon sat, quietly sewing finishing touches on a new doll. Across from him sat Gauche, staring into a picture of his beloved sister, Marie. To the far left, a round dining table offers additional seating. The dining area transitions into the kitchen through a wall with a cutout, providing easy access for food and drinks to be passed through. The silence was broken by a firm knock on the heavy wooden doors, which no one budged to answer. The person knocked again and Gauche sucked his teeth, annoyed that his concentration from burning Marie into his mind was being disturbed.

"OI, SOMEONE GET THE DOOR ALREADY!" He shouted as he heard the knocking again.

Grey squealed and she trotted towards the door, transforming into a large, dark figure, with mist seeping from its mouth. With a firm pull, she opened the door and looked down to see a woman dressed in white, moving her head upwards to meet the transformation mage's eyes.

Anastasia stared for a moment, taking in the sight. This person's mana was incredible, always changing and shifting, but it was also shaken. Trembling as if their confidence constantly wavered.

"Hello there!" The cosmos mage waved "Is this the Black Bulls base? I'm here to meet someone."

The large figure let out a guttural sound and stepped aside, pushed by a half-asleep Vanessa. Vanessa's eyes glinted as she saw her new drinking buddy at the door.

"Oh my Gosh you're here!" She yelled, throwing her arms around her "Your name was…Anastasia, right?"

Gordon stiffened up at the sound of her name, dropping his needle and thread.

"Oh no…thedollisntfinishedyetandshesalreadyhere. Ineedmoretime" He mumbled as he scrambled to run to his room. As the poison mage stood, his tall frame moved the table that Gauche was so concentrated on and he scowled.

"The hell is your deal eh!?" He snarled "If another person disturbs me burning the image of Marie into my retinas, I'll kill them!"

Anastasia nodded awkwardly in response to Vanessa then tilted her head curiously towards the commotion in the base.

"I'm actually here to see-"

The cosmos mage was cut off by Vanessa, throwing an arm around her shoulders and ushering her into the base.

"Here, let me introduce you to some of the team. The big one is Grey, who is actually a girl, but she is incredible at transformation magic-"

"WAIT SLOW YOUR ROLL!" Anastasia yelled at the thread mage, ditching her mid-sentence and bolting towards Grey.

The sprinting startled Grey so badly that she transformed back into her usual self, whimpering as she covered her face with her hands.

"D-d-d-don't look at me so closely! It's EMBARRASSING!" She stuttered, visibly flustered by the unexpected attention.

The healer halted in front of the blue-haired woman, observing her petite frame with a mix of curiosity and empathy. There was a faint resemblance to her friend, Lola, though Grey seemed far more distressed. Without hesitation, the cosmos mage extended her hand, offering it to the transformation mage.

"Hi, I'm Anastasia" she said as stars twinkled in her eyes.

Grey's eyes darted from the cosmos mage's eyes to the offered hand as she hesitated to take it.

"I just wanted to say that I think your magic is a blessing." She continued

"E-eh...?" The transformation mage opened her fingers to look at Anastasia.

"If you applied it to the medical world, you could totally transform regular cells into Stem cells and reinforcehealinginawaythatthedamagedcellscanregeneratewhichultimatleyleadsto…."

The cosmos mage began to ramble on in the same way that Gordon does, resulting in a lack of understanding. Grey blinked, her hands slowly lowering as she absorbed Anastasia's words. No one had ever spoken to her with such genuine admiration and excitement. For the first time, someone saw her magic not as a novelty or a curse but as a potential force for good.

'M-my magic…. a blessing?' she thought, lifting a hand with gently gurled fingers to her chest

"'D-do you really think so?" she asked softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Of course!" The healer responded enthusiastically

Gordon lurked behind a wall, a small smile playing on his lips as he enjoyed the interaction between Anastasia and Grey. An unexpected tightness occurred in his chest as he saw the cosmos mage encouraging his friend. Her laughter rang out, clear and comforting, as she continued to chat with Grey. The shy transformation mage was smiling now, her earlier anxiety fading away. Seeing the healer's magic at work in a different way, through her kindness and genuine interest, made the poison mage's heart swell. He saw Vanessa pulling the ladies to the couch, inviting them to drink. He felt his chance to appear slipping away, torturing himself with anticipation as he tried to gauge the right time. He continued to watch, his feeling of warmth morphing into a sense of dread and he began to question if she was really here for him or not.

Anastasia, with the desire to avoid being rude, went to the couch with the girls. Upon sitting, she scanned the room, looking for any trace of Gordon. She caught a glimpse of his hat and followed it down to meet the eyes she so longed to see.

"Gordon!" She said louder than intended, her overall presence brightening.

Suddenly all the attention was on him, and it caused him to retreat farther behind the wall until only his face was exposed.

"H-hello Anastasia…" He said, feeling a surge of relief in the midst of his rare shyness. "I hope I'm not interrupting…"

She shuffled off of the couch and began walking towards him, her own heart thumping with each footstep. She stopped herself midway, suddenly afraid to go near him as she remembered the way his cologne affected her at work.

"N-not at all…" She pushed some hair behind her ear, attempting to push the thought away "I've been waiting for you…"

The girls on the couch turned their bodies, suddenly attentive to their conversation.

"You're here for him?" Vanessa asked in disbelief "This is the first time I've known him to get a visit-"

The thread mage interrupted herself, snapping her fingers and pointing at the couple.

"It was THAT mixer! The one with Finral and Magna! Wow, Gordon who would have thought…" She took a long swig from her bottle.

"G-Gordon's first visitor?" Grey hid behind her hands again, blushing "How embarrassing!"

"WowGreyicanhavevisitorstoowhyareyoubeingmean" He mumbled quickly, stepping out from behind the wall.

His presence immediately drew her full attention as his scent wafted towards her. Her breath caught in her throat as she became intoxicated with Patchouli and Rosewood, her heart quickening in response. She fought to remind herself why she was here, pushing down the heady mix of physical attraction and emotion for the sake of enjoying their time together. Anastasia took a deep breath, steeling herself against the stimulation and walked over to wrap her arm around his.

"A-Anastasia?" Gordon stammered as he was pulled along, slightly taken aback by her physical strength.

"My friends call me Anase" She said, looking back at him with a smile "Let's get out of here so we can be in peace. I know a great spot!"

His eyes widened slightly, a surge of happiness came over him as he registered her calling him her friend, looking forward to his time with her. The girls on the couch watched them as they exited the base, closing the door behind them, then looked out of the window to catch a glimpse for gossip. The healer turned to Gordon, excitement shimmering in her eyes.

"Say, have you ever ridden a Magic Carpet before?"

He tilted his head slightly, "No, I can't say I have."

With a large enthusiastic smile, she summoned her Grimoire, turning a few pages. Gordon glimpsed at the cover, which looked like it had the constellation of a Heart.

'Is she…not from here?' Gordon pondered as he felt mana gently gathering in front of them.

"Cosmos magic: Celestial Caravan."

Stars began to shimmer across the floor, stardust and cosmic energy gathering to form a glowing, intricately patterned carpet that gently hovers above the ground. The carpet sparkles with a soft, ethereal light, and its surface is adorned with shifting constellations and swirling nebulae.

"Wow…" The poison mage muttered under his breath, admiring the graceful beauty of her magic.

Anastasia hopped on and extended her hand, jubilation overtaking every other emotion as she readied to ride with her crush.

"Your royal transport, My Lord" She flirted.

He shuffled nervously, hesitating at first. This feeling was similar to that in the mixer, when she asked to sit closer to him. Now they would sit together, him behind her, with the only barrier being clothing. His jaw tightened and relaxed as he battled his nerves and cautiously reached out to her. She grabbed him by the forearm and pulled him up, assisting in his adjustment to the floating celestial fabric. As soon as he was settled Anastasia looked back towards him, her eyes alight with warmth and glee.

"Ready?" she asked tenderly

He held onto his hat as the carpet floated up, the mana surged around them, and he gave a nod.

"We're gonna go fast, so if you feel like you might fall, hold on to me!"

"Is that really oka- AAAAYYYYY!?" His voice carried through the wind.

The Carpet took off, soaring through the sky like a meteor, leaving his hat behind. The forest blurred beneath them as they gained altitude. Gordon felt himself nearly tumbling from the turbulence, yet respect kept him from reaching out for help. They soared into a cloud, its frigid moisture clinging to their skin. Overwhelmed by the rush of the elements, he extended his arms, trying to steady himself. Fingers wrapped gently around his wrists, and the mist of the clouds was replaced by a cascade of white hair. Anastasia pulled his arms around her providing an anchor. Shortly after, the sky cleared, the wind calmed, and stars painted a magnificent picture overhead. The poison mage hadn't realized he had closed his eyes in the midst of their flight. When the scent of lavender and mint reached his nose, he slowly opened them. A breathtaking array of stars gently swirled around them, mana dancing on their shoulders in a mix of green, blue, and purple hues. The sight was unlike anything he had ever seen.

His eyes widened with awe, realizing he had never taken the time to appreciate the beauty of the night sky. A mix of emotions surged within him—wonder, gratitude, and an unexpected tenderness. Unknowingly, he tightened his embrace around the healer.

She felt the change and looked up, her eyes reflecting the starlit sky. A shy smile spread on her lips as she silently observed the phenomenon. The firmness of his arms around her spoke volumes, and she reveled in the silent, shared moment of connection and vulnerability. The cosmos mage felt his heart pounding against hers, a rhythm that matched the celestial dance around them. For a moment, it was just them and the universe, wrapped in a cocoon of magic and starlight.

"Oh, look at that! It's my favorite constellation!" Anastasia exclaimed

He tilted his head, unsure of which stars she was talking about and tried to focus on what shapes he could see. Noticing this, she chuckled and raised a hand upwards.

Five stars lit up in the sky, highlighting Cassiopeia. Magnified, they could witness its beauty and within the constellation were red, glowing clouds that seemed to form a heart. Beside it was another cloud that looked blue and orange. Gordon watched as the clouds seemed to beat rhythmically as if they were beating to the rhythm of his own heart. Anastasia looked at the constellations with fondness and began to ramble.

"This is Cassiopeia. See the red clouds that look like a heart? That's called the Heart Nebula."

She pointed to it, tracing its outline with her finger.

"It's also home to the soul nebula, that one looks like a fuzzy ball" She continued as she traced the orange and blue cloud.

Gordon brought his eyes to look at the constellation mage talking about her passion. He sat quietly, his expression was guarded, yet his eyes conveyed a depth of emotion. He marveled at how animated she became, her enthusiasm drawing him in.

"Depending on how you look at it, it could be an "M" or a "W." She tilted her head back and forth, still looking at the constellation "Like Man or Woman. The nebulae are also star forming regions, so it also makes me think of reproduction."

She seemed to glow with the stars, a gentle smile painted on her face as she spoke about what she loved. The poison mage nodded, taking in her words. He admired how the stars reflected in her eyes, making them seem even brighter. He felt a warmth spread through him, a connection forming that he hadn't anticipated.

"You really love the stars," he murmured, more to himself than to her.

Ana turned her head to look at him, her eyes still shining. "I do. They've always been there for me, constant and unchanging. They remind me that there's so much beauty in the world, even when things seem dark."

Gordon's heart swelled at her words. He admired how she could find such hope and wonder in the night sky. He wanted to share in that, to see the world through her eyes.

"It's beautiful…Isn't it?" she continued

"Yes ... you are" He muttered below his breath.

Oblivious to his remark, she took a few more moments to watch the sky as the gases gently ebbed and flowed in their nebulae. She watched the stars gleaming around them then brought the carpet down to the top of a lush, grassy hill. As the Celestial Caravan settled onto the grass, Gordon realized how tightly he was holding on to her, and released quickly, looking away in embarrassment. Anastasia shuffled off of the carpet and looked up at Gordon.

"Will you stargaze for a while with me?" she said, her voice soothing as she stepped onto the hill.

He hesitated for a moment, the beauty of the night and the serenity of the hilltop making him feel both excited and nervous. He followed her lead, stepping off the carpet and onto the cool, soft grass. The stars above seemed to twinkle even brighter, casting a gentle glow over the hill. She sat down and patted the ground next to her, inviting him to sit. His eyes darted from her to the grass beside her, hesitant as two sides of him began an internal battle.

After a few moments, he kneeled and sat, retreating into himself, wrapping his arms around his legs, trying to create a barrier between them. He was well aware that his appearance and presence can be intimidating and the last thing he wanted to do was scare her away like he did to other potential friends. He wanted to be near her, but his insecurities held him back. Anastasia watched him, her heart aching for the silent struggle she saw. She could read him well, understanding that there were two sides of him fighting within—his desire to be close to her and his fear of being rejected.

"Gordon, you're too far" The cosmos mage softly said "Come closer. I want to enjoy this moment…together"

He hugged his legs closer to him and took a gulp.

"A-are you sure?" He mumbled

After a moment of looking him over, she saw him place his forehead on his knees. Instead of pushing him further, the cosmos mage moved closer to him, closing the gap he had created.

"I'm not afraid of you, Gordon," she said tenderly, her voice soft and soothing.

He slowly looked up, a guilty expression crossing his face, his eyes searching hers for any sign of fear or deceit.

"Are you afraid of me?"

"N-no! No one could possibly be afraid of you!" His head shot up in shock, eyes wide with surprise.

"Hey! I want my enemies to be afraid of me!" she said playfully, a mischievous glint in her eye.

"W-well no, that's not what I meant-" he stammered, flustered and unsure of how to respond.

She snickered, and he stopped talking, burying his face in his knees in embarrassment.

"Wh-what I mean is that…You're amazing," he mumbled into his knees, his voice barely audible. "You're beautiful…and you're way out of my league."

The cosmos mage placed a knuckle on her chin, her brow furrowing as she chose her words carefully, not wanting to cause him any further discomfort. She could see the vulnerability in his eyes, the fear of rejection, and it tugged at her heartstrings.

"Did you have similar thoughts when you joined your squad?" she asked, hoping to understand more about him.

Gordon thought back to that day when he was sitting on the couch in the living room, treating them coldly, and guarded in order to protect his heart. Then revisited recent memories of people gradually talking to him, asking him questions and including him in discussions. He then began to open up. He began to readily accept them as friends. The poison mage enjoyed spending time with them as he half hid behind the wall, writing his journal entries about them, then creating dolls in their likeness. Even though he had those thoughts to begin with, they still accepted him, and he was able to do the same. So why was it so difficult with her? He remembered the mixer, where she volunteered to sit closer to him to hear him speak. No one has ever done that before. She actively spoke with him and paid attention to him. No one besides Asta has done that. They've laughed together, just like him and the Bulls at the hideout. Now here she is, sitting in close proximity, right by him with a gentle smile, patiently awaiting his reply. He realized that he shouldn't have allowed his insecurities to control him like that before, and he shouldn't be allowing that now.

He took a deep breath as he slowly reached into his cape, hand trembling slightly and pulled out a doll of himself. He looked at it, then looked at her, swallowing his insecurities.

"Anastasia…I'm sorry" He said, "Please accept this."

He outstretched his arm and placed the small doll of his likeness into the cosmos mage's hands. A small gasp escaped her lips. The doll was complete with the same black painted lips, red eyes, and even the dark makeup. Gordon stared at her, in anticipation of her reaction. She looked at the doll for a long while, tracing its details then drew in a shaky breath. Before he could react, he was tackled down. Anastasia wrapped her arms around his neck and cuddled him tightly, the doll rolling between them.

"IT'S A DOLL OF YOU! I LOVE IT" She squealed "I'LL NEVER LET IT GO"

Completely taken aback, Gordon's heart thumped in his chest. He had expected a polite thank you, maybe even a shy smile, but this... this was beyond anything he had imagined. Her unexpected reaction filled him with a rush of emotions he couldn't quite process so he didn't dare move or react.

"Yes of course I accept!" she continued to yell, nuzzling a sideburn, which caused him to blush uncontrollably.

"A-Anase...!" was all he could utter in a high-pitched voice as she assaulted him with affection.

Her embrace was both exhilarating and terrifying and her closeness was a stark contrast to the loneliness he had always felt. She pushed off him and raised the doll in her hands as if it was a baby.

"Oh, you're just the sweetest, handsomest, most humble thing aren't you!?" She nuzzled the doll "I love you, Gordon!"

The poison mage's face reddened entirely; his breath caught in his throat.

'Is she talking to me, or the doll!?' His mind reeled until his eyes swirled 'Well, the doll is technically also me, but it's not really me. I'm so confused!'

Realizing that she got lost in her excitement, she also noticed that she was straddling the poison mage who seemed to have steam coming out of his ears from the embarrassment and overthinking. Her face reddened with her own shame.

"A-ah Gordon I'm so sorry!" She said, moving off of him and to his side "Are you okay!?"

He didn't respond, still reeling, struggling to process what just happened.

Letters and Constellations- End