Chapter Text
yuno knew he did not fit in an event like this.
dazzling chandeliers hung from the high ceilings that casted a golden glow over the grand ballroom. nobles and high-ranking magic knights alike moved gracefully between tables draped in velvet, while the soft hum of polite conversation blended with the lilting notes of the orchestra.
he found them predictable. perhaps boring would be the most fitting word.
but tonight, everything felt different.
the feeling of being overly aware of her tonight was unsettling. the growing awareness of mimosa’s presence continued to crawl up his neck and the itch to do something about it was endlessly eating him alive.
he needed to satiate himself. but how? by touching her again, with a selfish intention this time? by pushing her against the wall, pinning her down so she could never escape from him again? yuno knew he was thinking the unthinkable yet the idea was almost too convincing already to make it into reality.
yuno saw how mimosa stepped into the ballroom with her usual bright elegance, her golden curls cascading down her back, her presence lighting up the room, and her dress (the one he had the honor to zip her in earlier) pulling an unmistakable awe from everyone. people noticed her, because of course they did. she had always been a magnet for attention as the golden vermillion girl was always equated to the words ‘effortlessly’ and ‘charming’.
normally, he did not think much of it.
but tonight?
he could achingly feel the eyes trailing after her. men looking too long, women whispering behind gloved hands. even the noblemen who rarely paid attention to anyone but themselves gave her second glances. and for the first time, yuno felt something heavy settle in his stomach—something that should not be there in the first place, but had already burrowed itself deep in his heart.
“noelle already saved our seats,” mimosa broke his thoughts. he naturally shifted his gaze at her hand tugging the edge of his sleeve, and the slight physical contact was already enough for him to combust. yuno didn’t particularly care to socialize, but the way she looked up at him expectantly and unaware of the way she was effortlessly making him fold left him with no choice.
“…fine.”
she beamed, tugging him along. and just like that, yuno realized he was in trouble.
—
yuno mourned at the realization that he was hyperconscious of her all night.
of the way her laughter rang like bells when she spoke with noelle, asta, and everyone else in the table who obviously was drawn to her presence. of the way she lightly rested a hand on his arm whenever she introduced him to a new mage he certainly couldn’t care about. of the way her lips wrapped around the rim of her glass whenever she took a sip of her drink.
and the way she danced.
that was the worst part.
the orchestra struck a new festive mood and yuno found mimosa being invited onto the dance floor by leopold. her cousin practically dragged her to the dance floor and yuno who had never been interested in something so frivolous before suddenly could not stop watching her.
he knew mimosa was a good dancer. hell, she was a graceful one. she moved with natural grace, her steps light, her body fluid, spinning effortlessly beneath her cousin’s guiding hand. every motion, every turn, every flick of her curls made his breath hitch slightly, made something in his chest tighten.
she was beautiful.
she was beautiful, that was already a given and yuno had always known that, but at this very moment—it felt different. he knew it was dangerous to notice that mimosa was exceedingly attractive yet he couldn’t stop himself from crossing the line anymore.
he really needed to do something.
minutes passed and mimosa had returned from the dance floor, cheeks flushing and face glowing with happiness as she approached him. on instinct, he offered her a glass of water. she thanked him, lifted the glass to her lips, when a lock of her golden curl slipped forward tickling her cheek.
without thinking, yuno’s hand reached out.
his fingers barely grazed her skin as he tucked it behind her ear.
it was nothing. a meaningless gesture. it was something any friend would do. but the way mimosa froze with her eyes flickering up to meet his, breath caught in her throat—made it feel like it wasn’t.
like it meant something to her, too.
her already red cheeks from dancing turned into a darker tint that yuno thought was impossible. the years spent convincing himself that what they had was entirely platonic, that this moment was nothing—well, he was completely, utterly wrong.
yuno immediately pulled away as if he got electrocuted with the touch he initiated mindlessly. he then muttered a soft apology for mimosa to return it with several blinks along his way, totally not hiding the fact that she was as perplexed as he was with that small nothing.
so he did what he had to do.
“i’ll go get some more water,” he excused himself before he did anything beyond insanity.
—
yuno sat still in the bar.
he needed to.
his posture was composed, his expression unreadable. to anyone watching, he looked no different than he always did but he was unraveling inside.
he scolded himself for earlier, yet the way mimosa had looked at him after he shamelessly tucked her hair behind her ear lingered in his mind.
he really needed to steady himself before he return to their table.
and so he sat there, deliberately stilling his thoughts and forcing himself back into the familiarity of reason.
he was not in love with mimosa.
totally not.
what they have was platonic. entirely, completely, absolutely platonic.
but then the orchestra slowed and his carefully constructed denial shattered into oblivion.
the bright, lively tempo of the previous dances faded into something softer, something more intimate. the notes swelled as it filled the ballroom with a tender melody. couples moved toward the dance floor, stepping into each other’s arms with ease. he saw asta pulling a reluctant but flushing noelle into the dance floor. he also noticed the other black bulls pairing up, his other squad members inviting each other to waltz. it was the perfect moment to savor as the chandeliers flickered with a golden glow, the world dimmed slightly in the warm light.
yuno exhaled slowly, gaze flicking toward the exit.
he could leave now.
he should leave now.
just when he was about to take a step away, a soft and familiar voice lured him in.
“yuno…”
he turned.
mimosa stood beside him with eyes bright and expectant. she shyly smiled, tugged again on his sleeve, and yuno knew what was about to happen.
“mind if i invite you for a dance?”
his heart slammed heavily against his ribs.
of all the people in the room—of all the nobles, all the knights, all the eager suitors waiting for her attention—she asked him.
him.
she surely could have turned to anyone else, maybe to someone near her or a mage on their table. she could absolutely have chosen any other partner, not that he would be jealous if she actually did, but she went all the way to ask him.
she chose him.
yuno tried his best not to swallow.
he should say no, refuse her politely, and retreat to the exit like he planned. then lock himself in his room and dig up a grave for his idiotic feelings.
he should not do this.
mimosa had her hand extended toward him. the gesture was too open and trusting for him to have another choice. now, he regretted looking at her, truly looking, because her eyes were too hopeful and turning her down would be his greatest downfall.
he knew he never really had a choice when it came to her in the first place.
“sure,” his voice was as steady as ever, but his hand trembled slightly as he took hers.
she was warm. yuno was highly attentive with how her fingers clasped around his as she led him to the dance floor. her hand was visibly tiny against his large one, but they fit perfectly entwined. they stepped into position, and yuno felt his pulse thunder in his ears as she put her other hand lightly on his shoulder.
however, nothing won against the moment his palm pressed against her waist, the moment he pulled her close in a deliberate manner, the moment she looked up at him with a shy yet trusting smile—
gods.
he was so done for.
he couldn’t thank the orchestra enough as it harmoniously followed their movements together. he had danced before with sister lily and the other kids when they celebrated small parties in hage, and one time with asta as he clumsily tried to practice a proper waltz. he had also read about all the proper forms, the precise techniques, and never once he thought it would come into this: with mimosa.
this was mimosa he was dancing with.
that alone changed everything.
her body was pliant beneath his touch, her fingers soft against his shoulder. every step they took, every shift of her weight, every motion—it was too natural, too easy, too right.
the violin swelled and it was his cue to pull her closer. well, maybe too close as her body was now pressed against his, eliciting a small gasp from her. now, he could feel the warmth of her breath against his collarbone, could smell the faint floral scent in her hair. at this point, yuno did not care about the world that blurred around them.
there was only her.
for the first time in his life, yuno realized he did not want to be rational. he wanted to forget restraint, wanted to forget logic. for the very first time, he wanted to indulge himself—
“you’re really good at this, yuno,” mimosa murmured, eyes crinkling with amusement. “i never knew you were such a dancer.”
he exhaled sharply through his nose, forcing himself to smother the thoughts clawing at his chest. his voice was low when he replied, “i’ve read about it.”
“oh, really?”
“and put my knowledge into test with sister lily.”
“so you have enough practice, then.”
“and asta. but looking at noelle right now, he probably had stepped on her foot for the fourth time,” he replied, voice even.
mimosa laughed. oh, she laughed.
he could always make her laugh.
no one would probably believe that yuno could throw a joke, what more if they heard that he occasionally joked around with mimosa. even more if they saw mimosa laughing at his dry humor, her laugh akin to paradise.
the realization hit him. hard.
he loved her.
the music slowed further, the melody shifting into its final, lingering notes. meanwhile, yuno who had survived every battlefield and enemy thrown his way…. he felt himself crumble.
and so he let go immediately as the dance ended. he took a step back just enough to put a careful distance between them.
mimosa smiled up at him, “thank you for humoring me,” voice light.
he couldn’t do this.
not anymore.
“excuse me,” he muttered abruptly, turning away as he heard mimosa call out for his name but he was already moving through the crowd, already making his way to the nearest exit as he needed to seek anything but her.