Disclaimer: I do not own Danmachi.
Aiz nibbled on her Jagamarukun as she followed behind the twins. The sky was clear, and the sun was shining down on them. The twins were talking, but Aiz was only half paying attention. It was two weeks after they returned from their joint expedition. During that time, Aiz had been at home recovering from her mental and physical injuries.
Her wounds had healed enough that she could finally leave her home. As for her mental state, she felt better than she had in months.
Now that the business with the Demi-spirit had been dealt with, Aiz felt a burden had been lifted. That black flame that burned in her chest had once again shrunk. Closing her eyes, she could hear those church-like bells that purified her soul.
After finishing her Jagamarukun, she stared at the clear sky, thinking about that rabbit. As if her thoughts summoned him, she heard Tiona shout.
"Hey, Argonaut!" Her eyes snapped to where Tiona was, and she saw him.
Bell was walking alone, his head down and his expression dazed. Once he heard his name, he looked up. Seeing who called him, he smiled, but his smile froze when he saw Aiz.
Normally, Aiz, who wasn't good at social interactions, wouldn't have noticed. However, when it came to Bell, she paid more attention, not that she realized that.
Seeing that, Mini Aiz started to freak out as Aiz followed the twins to Bell.
'Is it because of my outfit?' She thought in a panic. Since today was the first day she left Twilight Manor, Tiona insisted that she should dress up. Not wanting to be rude, she agreed. So she was wearing the outfit that Lefiya and the twins had gotten her all those months ago. Indeed, she saw Bell's face flush as he looked at her. Bell was still wearing his black pants and shirt with his brown jacket.
"Good morning," he greeted them once they got closer.
They repeated the greetings before Tione started speaking.
"How are your injuries?"
Aiz also wanted to know. She still vividly remembered the sight of Bell after the battle. He who had come to save her ended the battle more injured than anyone else. With wounds all over his body and his Mind exhausted from his ultimate strike. He was unconscious the entire trip back, so this was the first time they had met since the battle. Even if she was the one who was by his side as he slept through the pain.
Looking at him now, though, you would never be able to tell he was on death's door.
"I'm fine now. I'm technically on bed rest for another week, though. Miss Airmid is a miracle worker." He said as he flexed his arm in front of him. "How about you all? Is your Familia recovering?"
Tione answered and Tiona went on a rant talking about the expedition. Aiz just quietly watched, simply content to see Bell healthy. It was because she was watching him so well that she saw the moment he glanced at her, then seemed to steel himself.
"Next time we have…" Tiona was still talking when someone interrupted her in a quiet but determined voice.
"Sorry, but Tiona, Tione, do you mind if I steal Aiz away for today?" Bell asked, staring right at them with a gleam in his eyes that she couldn't decipher.
For a moment, no one said anything, but the Amazons' faces went from surprised to understanding to giddy.
"Yeah, of course," Tione said as she practically shoved Aiz toward Bell.
"I just remembered we had something else planned, so we'll be leaving," Tiona added.
Within moments, it was just the two of them as civilians walked by, staring at them curiously.
"Is everything okay, Bell?" She asked, worried about how he was acting.
"Yeah, I just wanted to talk to you about something."
Aiz nodded her head to show she was listening, but he shook his head.
"If you don't mind, can we go somewhere more private?"
She didn't, so with a nod, they started walking side by side. They didn't say where they were going, but they both moved in sync to their training spot.
From an outsider's perspective, nothing seemed wrong as they walked through the streets, but internally, Aiz was panicking. Mini Aiz was staring at Bell with confusion as a strange mood enveloped the pair.
Aiz didn't know the cause, but it made her want to fidget. It wasn't a bad feeling, but she wasn't equipped to deal with it. To distract herself from that she discreetly inspected Bell for the reason.
He looked the same, but that look was still in his eyes. It looked both powerful and timid; staring at it caused Mini Aiz to flush. As she looked away, she noticed something else that was different from normal.
She didn't have to look down to meet Bell's eyes.
The reason was obvious: she wasn't wearing her heels, so she was lower than she normally was. That wasn't all, though; looking at Bell, she realized.
'He's gotten taller?' It wasn't an obvious change, only a few inches at most. However, it was enough to make Aiz realize she was slightly shorter than him. It shouldn't have surprised her; Bell was a growing boy, and he would surely continue to grow.
For reasons she couldn't understand, that thought caused her to flush.
They walk in silence, each wrapped up in their thoughts. Soon, they reached their training spot.
Bell sat down next to the wall and patted the spot next to him. Aiz lowered herself down and stared at him, waiting to hear what he said. He didn't speak at first, staring at the clouds in the sky.
"Sorry for dragging you out here when you were in the middle of something." He finally spoke up.
"It's fine. But is everything okay?" She asked again.
He nodded. "Yeah, in fact, I wanted to tell you some good news."
Aiz patiently waited for him to finish, and after a deep breath, he told her.
"I-I reached level six." He spoke as if he couldn't believe it himself. Her eyes widened at the news. Bell was the same level as her. Before, she might have wanted to know how he got so much stronger but now she was simply happy for him. Mini Aiz was running around, cheering.
But why did he look nervous?
"Is something wrong?" She asked as he finally turned towards her. Seeing his expression, that bittersweet emotion, and that slightly red face caused her throat to feel dry.
"No, nothing is wrong, it's just…." He trailed off as he searched her face for something. "Aiz, do you remember why I became an adventurer?"
At the question, her eyes narrowed in confusion, but she nonetheless answered.
"Yes, you are trying to reach someone's level." As she finished, her eyes widened at the realization.
Seeing that Bell nodded, "Yeah, and now I'm-I'm finally there, in the same place as her. Close enough that I could reach out and touch her. Just like this." His voice was shaky with barely contained emotion as he reached over and laid his hand over hers.
Aiz's heart rate skyrocketed at the touch. It was beating faster than it did even in the middle of battle. This wasn't the first time they touched, but her body was reacting in a way she had never experienced before.
As Bell stared at her thoughts flew through her head as fast as lightning. If he finally reached his goal would he stop being an adventure? Was that why he had invited her here? Was it to tell her that they weren't going to train together anymore?
At this thought Mini Aiz recoiled in horror of not seeing her little rabbit anymore. As Aiz stared at the raw emotion in Bell's face, she began to feel a tiny bit of anger.
Who was this person who Bell so desperately wanted to reach? How dare she try to take Bell away from her.
"S-So now that you reached your goal w-what will you d-do now?" She stuttered out the question she was horrified to hear the answer to.
But Bell just laughed at the question, "Reached my goal? No, this is just the starting line."
"Starting line?" She repeated.
"Yeah, it's only now that I'm able to stand by her side. But I want more. I want to be by her side for all her adventures, and even when we aren't in the Dungeon, I want to be with her."
With each word, Aiz's heart sped up. It was a shock Bell couldn't hear, as it hammered in her chest so loudly.
"So you still want to train with me?" This time, it was Bell's turn to look confused.
"Of course…I want to be by your side as long as you'll let me." This earnest whisper seemed to sear itself in her soul. The feeling of happiness of knowing that he wasn't leaving her caused her to smile.
Seeing one of her rare smiles caused Bell's face to get red. Matching it with one of his, he gently squeezed her hand.
"I haven't thanked you yet, have I?"
"For the training? You have." Aiz said, not understanding what he meant.
Bell shook his head, a smile still on his lips. "No, I meant for saving my life back then. Do you remember it? The first time we met?"
Aiz clearly remembered it. The day she saved a young boy from a Minatour. The boy whom she had sprayed with blood had run away from her.
Aiz's smile grew as she remembered, "Yes, of course I do. And no, you never did thank me; you ran away."
"Hehe, I did, didn't I?" Bell's smile grew sheepish. "So let me do it now. Thank you for everything, Aiz."
Her smile turned soft as the feeling of gratitude washed over her. Mini Aiz sighing happily making motions of putting his head in her lap.
"You don't have to thank me. If anything I should be apologizing for allowing it to happen. Also the blood." Aiz said before adding sheepishly, "Then my familia at the Benevolent Mistress."
Bell laughed it off, however. "It's fine, I also need to thank Bete for his words. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here right now."
"But it was all because of you. Because I met you, I learned to be strong. Because I met you, I was able to save so many people. Because of you, the Hestia Familia grew to what it is. You are everything I look up to…" Bell trailed off as the smile slid off his face. That look in his eyes grew more intense. Aiz swallowed, her heart feeling like it was in her throat. Something changed, but she couldn't determine what.
"Hey, Aiz? How surprised would you be if I told you I loved you from the first moment we met?"
For a moment, it seemed there was no noise. Even the wind stopped blowing. In that void of silence, Aiz stared at Bell with her mouth hanging open not knowing what to say.
'What…did he just say?' She thought in a daze as Bell's gaze caused her body to heat up.
Bell didn't seem to mind her silence and kept talking after a moment.
"In that Dungeon where I was about to die, it was you who showed me what an adventurer was really like. What a hero is really like. From that moment on, I've belonged to you heart and soul. Not even Lady Freya could change that. In the eight months since then, I've moved forward with the sole goal of standing by your side."
"Sorry for springing this on you out of nowhere," he said in the middle. "I planned to do this in a better way. With a more romantic setting, but when I saw you, I couldn't control myself any longer."
He finished with an awkward smile.
Aiz couldn't keep up with the conversation. Her heart wouldn't stop racing. Her body wasn't responding. Her head was both empty and had a million thoughts coming and going. Mini Aiz was already knocked out with steam coming from her head.
What she did get was that she was the one who caused Bell to level up so quickly. While she didn't know how she now knew the cause. He very clearly said he wanted to reach his goal, her.
'And he l-loves me!' Aiz thought as her body shivered. He loved her enough that even a goddess's divine beauty wasn't enough to sway him.
"Aiz…" Bell said, drawing all her attention back to his words. "I love you. I want to be the one who is always by your side. No matter where, I want to be the closest one to you. To protect you as you did me."
"W-We aren't part of the same familia." She finally found her voice, and she wasted it on a pointless comment.
He didn't seem to mind, though. "I know, and even for you, I would never leave my Goddess or my familia. I would also never ask you to leave your familia either. But that doesn't matter. Even if it is frowned upon to date people outside your familia, it can't change my feelings for you. I want to be your hero."
Seemingly getting everything off his chest, he let out a deep breath before finally asking, "Aiz Wallenstein, will you become my lover?"
He was blushing but he didn't hesitate in expressing his desire for her.
In front of that earnest face, Aiz…felt a tear fall down her cheeks.
Aiz couldn't control the emotions overflowing, and the tears continued to fall. For so very long, she only had one goal: to become stronger. Even if she had friends and her familia, nothing would ever change that. But meeting Bell was different. He made her remember the happy times with her parents. Seeing him made the black flames die out. Being with him made her happy.
She remembered what her father and mother said about how one day she would meet her own hero. And now, Bell was saying he wanted to be that hero. Was it any surprise that her feelings were so strong? The boy whom she was the closest with said he loved her and wanted to stand by her side.
Bell was shocked to see tears falling. He started to panic, but before he could, Aiz spoke.
"I-I'm bad with emotions. I'm awkward in social situations. I don't know anything about romance. And the Dungeon will always be a priority, I have a goal that I need to accomplish no matter what. So I need to become even stronger." She listed out her flaws and stared at him with a vulnerable gaze. "Despite all of that, do you still want to be by my side?"
Facing the crying Aiz, Bell moved the hand that was grasping hers and interlocked their fingers. With his other hand, he gently wiped her tears away.
"I know, and I don't mind. Both the woman, Aiz Wallenstein, and the adventurer, the Sword Princess, I love both sides of you. I also don't have any experience in romance as I've only ever loved you. But it's fine; the two of us can figure out anything together." Bell said, smiling gently at her.
Aiz matched it with one of her own. Neither one said anything, not wanting to break this strange but wonderful atmosphere.
However, Bell did something else instead; slowly but surely, he moved his head closer. Aiz's eyes widened as she realized what he was trying to do. Giving her plenty of time to stop him. If she wanted, he tilted his head and closed his eyes. But Aiz didn't make any move to stop him.
So, Bell gently pressed his lips against hers. It only lasted a moment before he broke off. Both of the faces match, with blushes covering their cheeks.
Mini Aiz, however, was rapidly gesturing.
Understanding what she truly wanted, she put his head in her lap. Bell, his eyes wide, allowed her, offering no resistance. As he fell into her lap, she began to run her hands through his hair.
"S-So, does that mean we are dating?" Bell asked, looking everywhere but at her. It seemed that this daring act caused him to lose his courage. Seeing him acting shy as he normally did caused her to do something she hadn't in ages. She started laughing.
Bell turned to stare at her in amazement before joining her. After that, there was nothing but the sound of innocent laughter and the wind.
Staring down at the boy who brought her so many new emotions and sensations, she answered him.
"I love you, Bell.
Notes: Sorry for the long hiatus. I fell off the series for a while after not knowing how to continue my other stories. But the brainrot hit, so here we are. Hope you enjoy.