"Athy, be careful!"

You called out as Athy ran around the garden chasing after a butterfly. Athy paused and waved before resuming her chase.

"What's so fun about chasing insects?"

You glanced at your side as Claude spoke up. You were standing side by side, arms brushing occasionally because it seems he had forgotten the concept of personal space.

It's been months since his shocking confession- well not confession per se. Months since you last saw him except the occasion when Athy would go meet him and you begrudgingly followed her. He was quite busy with the Empire affairs and upcoming winter preparation.

And the complaints of magical artifacts being stolen all around the empire only increased his workload. You pitied him. Being an Emperor wasn't all easy.

Now finally weeks after completing all his works, he was back to agonizing you with his indirect, subtle conflicting moves.

Well, you both have been dancing around the issue. Claude was honest, brutally so but when it came to feelings, he always opts for indirect tactics instead of being direct. You honestly wanted him to come clean with his feelings. But let's be honest, Claude was a walking contradiction. What he says contrasts his actions.

"What's so fun about watching someone chase insects?" You said bluntly. "It isn't obligatory and honestly you can go back to work, your Majesty."

You would've thought twice before saying such an off-putting comment to him -the Emperor. After months -almost half a year, things had changed between you two, you couldn't deny that.

Claude stared sideways at you and tsked, "Who said I came here to watch a child chase insects?"

It looks a few seconds for the words to sink in. You blushed, heart, skipping beats despite not wanting to.

"The said child is your daughter, pay attention to her. For once you'd make someone happy with your presence." You huffed, looking away with reddened cheeks.

"Only her?" Claude said, sounding almost hopeful with his straight face. Or maybe your ears were deceiving you. "Not you?"

"Only your daughter would be happy with your unannounced," You lifted your fingers and listed, "unwanted, unnecessary presence." You smiled at him sarcastically.

Claude's brow twitched. He grumbled something under his breath.

"Well, good for me, I like someone's presence, even if they are annoying and extremely difficult."

Your cheeks decided it was a good time to turn red. "I can say the same for you, minus the liking part."

"Hmm. Guess we're mutual on something for once." Claude said nonchalantly. You glared at him incredulously. He completely twisted your words!

"But that won't be sufficient. I want the liking part too." Claude murmured to himself, annoyed. There was an uncomfortable stiffness in his body. You had a feeling he was going out of his comfort zone to be more talkative than his normal silent self. If a few sarcastic remarks count as talking.

You heard him and your heart started going on and on, pounding in your ribcage. It wasn't the first time he said something like this, -- you had many experiences of it for the past few months, that never failed to leave you flustered -- and he always looked awkward and uncomfortable while doing so.

You could guess how hard it was for him. Claude didn't do feelings or anything remotely related to emotions. He was more of nasty sarcasm and scary scowl guy who would pull the most disgusted and offended face if you told him it's okay to feel and have emotions. Because Claude de Alger Obelia hated feeling feelings more than he hated talking.

For a guy like him to go out of his way to approach was fluttering. You did appreciate the gesture but it wasn't enough. Until he doesn't come clean with his feelings, all these words and actions were practically empty and meaningless. You didn't want to assume things, not when it could lead to a broken heart and lots of pain.

For God's sake, you had enough of those.

Or maybe you were just being petty and wanted him to admit his feelings first. A very mean petty.

Athy raced after the butterfly when out of nowhere Ether appeared on her path. She tripped over him and your cat made evil eyes at her. In response to his prank, Athy started chasing him, shouting in indignation.

You watched it with a wry smile.

Claude's gaze zoomed in on your small smile. His gaze flickered to Athy holding Ether by his tail then back to you. He opened his mouth but got interrupted.

"Your majesty, Duke Alpheus has requested an audience," Felix said, jogging towards Claude. You waved at him with a smile and he returned it with more energy.

"I refuse," Claude said without missing a beat.

"It's regarding the stolen artifacts. You can't ignore it!"

Claude clicked his tongue. "That annoying snake bastard, can't do a single thing without barking at me."

You agreed with him on the 'annoying snake bastard' part.

Felix brighten up once Claude begrudgingly conceded. Felix already started walking, muttering to himself in stress.

"I almost forgot."

Claude paused, blue eyes flickering and hesitatedly as he stared at you. You tilted your head, curious and wary.

Claude a step closer, alarming you to almost stumble back.

"I found it wilting uselessly on my way here." His hand brushed behind your ear and you felt him tuck something there. You froze, hand reaching up and feeling the stem of a flower.

He took a step back and nodded to himself, "It suits you."

His lips twitched in an unsure smirk. When you didn't respond, watched him blank-faced, he grimaced and coughed like something was stuck in his throat.

"I-I should go." He hurriedly turned away, picking up his pace he walked off. The tips of his ears had turned red.

What just happened?

You could almost hear crickets behind you.

You pulled the flower away. Your breath got caught in your throat.

It was a rose. A velvet red rose, freshly plucked.

A flower symbolic for love.

Blood rushed to your cheeks and your ears rang at how hard your heart was thumping.

***

"Athy! Where are you?" You shouted. You pushed your way into the wild bushes and grumbled. "Why is the garden like a freaking forest? Dammit."

You were so caught up in the moment with Claude that you didn't realize when Athy bolted out of your sight. Ether wasn't found either so you couldn't ask for help.

Your cheeks flushed again when your mind flashed moments back.

"Now is not the time!" You grumbled before shouting, "Athy! Sweetheart where are you?"

You pushed back some bushes and stumbled upon her but instead of relief fear washed you.

"Oh, look another one of you." The black-haired stranger turned towards you-- you noticed he had ruby-red eyes -- and cackled in mirth after watching you intensely. "Isn't it interesting? What are the odds of having found two same peculiarities in the same place?"

"Hey! Let go of her." You snatched Athy away from her, shielding her from the view.

You had to admit the male was gorgeous. From his silky long black hair that matched well with his rare crimson eyes to his lithe, lean figure. He was attractive in every way.

But you had long established that attractive people were cracked in the head. It was always the hot, handsome ones that were absolute psychos'.

"Who are you?" You asked cautiously.

"(Y/n), he has my Raven!" Athy pointed to the black puppy-looking creature in the stranger's grip. "He's going to eat him and Ether too."

It was then you noticed unconscious Ether.

"He WHAT?!" You sent the red eyes dude a very disturbing look. "I knew it. It's always the gorgeous one. They always have loose screws!"

"Give Ether back and Raven too." You demanded and Athy nodded. "They're not chicken nuggets for you to eat! If you hungry find something else, dammit!"

"Only these things can satiate my hunger." The red eyes dude said lazy arrogance. You glared at him disgusted.

"No!" Athy shouted, still hiding behind you. "You creep, don't eat them!"

"Why are you making me out for bad guy?" Red eyes dude sighed, making a sad face. Athy and you cringed at his poor acting. "There are just lumps of mana. Why are making a big deal out of it?"

"Athy, stay behind." You strode forward in determination. "Give them back! Right now! Cute pets are not something you should eat!"

Suddenly you were paralyzed. You tried to move but to no avail. Red eyes dude paused before you, glaring.

"Huh? No, you are different than her.....What are you?" He suddenly grabbed your jaw and his brows creased in confusion and mild intrigue. "A soul contract...?"

He peered closer, your aghast face reflecting within his glowing red eyes. "Such ancient magic, how did you come in contact with that?"

"Hey, don't touch my (Y/n)!" Athy kicked red eyes dude's knee and his grip loosened, giving you the chance to twist his wrist painfully and free yourself. He grunted before clicking his tongue, his wrist completely fine.

His red eyes glowed as he looked at Athy with a big creepy smirk. An impending chill ran down your spine and you immediately sensing danger got in a defensive mood.

"Don't touch her." You glared, materializing a deadly-looking ominous black sword and pointed at his throat.

Your instincts were screaming for you to get away from him.

He tilted his neck to avoid the pointed sword from nicking his neck

"Do you know who are you messing with?"

"I don't care to know. Hurt her and you'd be a dead man. Wouldn't it be useless to know a dead man's name?" You deadpanned with a venomous smile, pushing the tip harder against his neck. "If you want to live, get away from her and state your business. What are you doing on Imperial grounds?"

He stared before a slow sadistic smile crept on his face, his red eyes aglow. "Ah, what an interesting creature. I'll spare you for now." And with that, he snapped his fingers.

Your consciousness dipped for a moment, vision blacking. Your eyes turned lifeless for a second before blinking back to life.

"Huh? What am I doing here?" You looked around in confusion before you slapped your forehead in realization. "Ah! I came here to collect roses for Claude. Stupid forgetful me! I should hurry."

"W-what did do to my Mom?" Athy stared in horror at your distancing figure.

"Nothing much. Just erased her memories and filled the gap with something else." Lucas said causally. "And she's your mom....?"

Athy backed away, eyes wide with weariness. "What do you want?"

"Originally those mutts." Lucas pointed at the mana beast who cowered back within Athy's protective arms and unconscious Ether. "But I found something far more interesting. I think I'll stick around for a bit. So let's make a deal, okay?" He smiled innocently.

"Oh, and call me Lucas!"

***

You blinked and blinked and blinked. You couldn't figure for the love of all unholy things what you were doing in his office.

"You need something?" Claude asked, having paused his writing. His gaze flickered at the item in your hands in question, lips curving up into a mock smirk. "You brought it for me?"

You looked at the bouquet of red roses blankly. "I brought it for you...?"

"You tell me." Claude interlinked his fingers and rested his chin in it with half-lidded eyes. He intently stared at the rose neatly tucked behind your ear.

"Y-yes?" You said confused yourself. "These are fresh roses I plucked and I brought them for you..?" You paused and mumbled, "Am I insane?"

Claude blinked, taken aback. His smirk vanished, his back straighten rigidly and his blue eyes narrowed into suspicious slits. "Are you playing around?" He looked at the bouquet. "Did you really bring it for me?"

The hopeful note in his voice nearly made you demand him to repeat so you could make sure you hadn't heard it wrong.

You shrugged nonchalantly even if your insides were shaking with confusion. Like usual, you went with your cheeky ways as you responded with a mock smile, "I guess I did. Probably because your office stinks..." You trial off when Claude started glowing.

You rubbed your eyes multiple times. Still, you could see him glowing with a straight face. His face was still cemented in its perpetual deadpanned expression but his usually lifeless aura he carried around with him like a dead weight had brightened up.

Claude cupped his mouth, staring down with a contemplating look and muttered to himself. "Felix's was right."

The walls of the office seem like it was closing on you at how intensely Claude kept staring at you.

"Hey! Don't take it the wrong way! It's just flowers! There is no deeper meaning behind it, understand?" You said in haste, guessing what he must be thinking.

Claude swallowed his hitching breath, looking slightly miffed and demanded, holding his hand out. "Give me."

You felt awkward as you took a small step toward him. You gently passed him the bouquet.

He kept his eyes on you, searching for something. You awkwardly shuffled back. His gaze flickered down and fingers grazed the petals almost tenderly, "There are fresh."

"I just plucked them." You mumbled quietly. You didn't want to disturb the rare tranquillity in his blue eyes. The softened look on his face as he inspected the roses. The red roses stood in contrast to his light skin tone. His gold hair brushed against the petals as he took a whiff.

It was a sight to behold. Claude holding a bouquet of roses was a jaw-dropping moment. You resented how effortlessly he pulled the handsome, attractive supermodel look as if he was posing for a magazine.

When he peered at you over the red petals, your pulse jumped and slowed before accelerating again.

You swore your heart stopped for a second before resuming back with vengeance.

Claude carefully placed the roses in the vase he conjured up. Giving it a final stroke.

"Your hands," Claude asked, eyes straying to you. You rigidly stood in confusion and he clarified. "You said you plucked them yourself. Did you hurt your hands?"

You held up your hand. There were scratched up, probably because of the thorns. Only after Claude pointed out that you realized your hands were stinging.

You exhaled. "It's fine. Stings a bit. But nothing I can't handle."

Claude grunted at your dismissive reply before getting up from his seat and walking to you.

You resisted the urge to step back and hide your hands behind your back. The mood of the room had changed and you didn't like how nervous it made you. From his unreadable expression and intense blue eyes, you couldn't get read on him.

He stopped before you, a breath away, eyes fixated on you as he reached for your clenched hands by your side. When you didn't pull back, he opened your fisted hands and inspected the tiny scratches. You shivered at the contact, stiffening up in a nervous mess.

The unknown emotion in his blue eyes deepened.

He stroked the scratches tenderly as he did with the rose petals. Each time his finger ran over a scratch, it completely healed.

You tried not to freak out at the closeness. Chanting on your mind to calm down.

"I'm sorry," Claude mumbled, tracing another scratch, healing it. "...you got hurt."

You stopped your mental chanting and focused on him. You felt like his words weren't for your scratched-up hands but something else entirely.

"It's always been like this, isn't it?" Claude murmured with a bitter smile. You shivered when took hold of your other hand, grazing his thumb over your knuckles before flipping it and treating the inside injuries.

"I'm sorry..." He weakly lowered his head until his hair covered his eyes, and said again in a much smaller, frail voice, bitterness laced thickly. "I'm really sorry...."

You stared at him with wavering eyes, trying to understand his sudden apology.

His blues eyes were heavy with some emotion you couldn't put a finger on. Was it nostalgia? Guilt? Regret?

You couldn't tell. However, you could see the vulnerable look in his eyes. It made your inside churn in an unpleasant way. You hated that look on him. You had seen it all too often on him when you were back kids and friends.

"What are you sorry for?" You didn't look at him. Instead watched the way his slender finger traced another scratch, healing it. "I knew I was going to get hurt. And I still did it anyway."

Claude's blue eyes hollowed out, looking lifeless with a barely flickering light that too looked on the verge of dying.

"You shouldn't have gotten hurt for me," Claude said, his voice blank yet his hands slightly trembled as he continued to hold yours in a tight grip. "You shouldn't have gotten hurt by me."

His hands were calloused but strong and warm. His large hands cover your smaller ones completely. Fitting perfectly like two missing puzzles.

"Maybe not." The quietness of your voice only made Claude tighten his hold with a shaky intake of breath.

His eyes strained, urging your averted eyes to focus on him. His tense expression tightened when you stood there silently, a far-off look in your eyes.

"It's too late, isn't it?" Claude's voice dropped, cracking in the end with a defeated note. His hands started to slip away and for a moment you panicked.

You shook your head gently and laced your fingers with his. It fit together perfectly. You like it. "It's never too late for anything." You smiled with a melancholic note. You pointed out the scratch he missed and he immediately traced his finger on it, healing. Your smile brighten up at his actions. "Deep wounds heal over time, Claude, with enough care and patience. Unlike the scratches you can heal instantly, wounds take time. It's scars as it heals, that inevitable. That doesn't mean you should give up on healing, altogether because you failed once." You squeezed his hands, feeling his rough, warm palms against your soft, small ones. "Leaving a wound unhealed and wild open is only going to hurt more."

Claude stiffly listened, the light within his blue eyes flickering with uncertainty and growing hope.

You squeezed his hand one last time and slowly slipped away your hands. His hand hovered in the air, twitching when your warmth left him, leaving him cold. Desperation washed over his expression, as he stared at you, breathing with short, struggle intakes.

He's afraid. Your eyes widened in realization as you noticed the obvious signs. Of me leaving again.

Your eyes softened at his alarmed face. You stayed within his breathing range, patiently waiting for him to calm down his fear of you abandoning him. His hands fell limp on his sides and twitched violently as if he was barely holding himself back from reaching out for you again.

Once you see the fear subside within his eyes, you continued. "Thank you for healing my hands. That's a good start. Remember Claude, it's one step at a time. In something as delicate as healing an old wound, you have to be careful, be tender and have tons of patience. You can't rush it."

You decided to leave, giving him time to think over your words, and let yourself think on what exactly the words meant to you. You turned on your heels.

"Then do I have a chance to right my mistakes?"