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Those flowers were always so delicately cared for persistently throughout the days. He wasn’t sure if she knew he was aware of the effort put into them. She had taken great effort to try to keep the fact she helped them stay so lively despite being mostly wild plants from the time there was no house on this hill. He knew. Of course, he knew. After all, ever since she had been staying in this house he was aware of most of her daily routine. It was part of his job to help everyone in the house after all, that included her. So every day directly after lunch when he should have been cleaning up he instead tucked himself beside a hallway window upon the second floor and watched her.
She always looked so happy staring at those flowers and her smile, well, it was everything to him.
Today was no different.
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“It’s amazing as always, I don’t know how you do it.” Her compliments filled the more vacated dining room as the other two house members yet again chose not to leave their work.
“Simply practice Lady Valarie. Years of helping Mr. Edgeworth merely accumulated me to fine cooking.” He swiftly responded, picking up the plate before Valarie and taking it to the cart near the kitchen doorway.
“Has he always been one to skip lunch?”
“No, normally I would bring it to him. There was only him in the house, save for the time Mr. Blake would stop by in the evenings to drink.”
“Do you still do that every time?” In time, Valarie’s question was given with her walking over and placing her finished cup on the cart.
“I do what I must,” the answer was much shorter as he prepared a separate set of covered plates, no doubt for the two missing party members. Picking his own eyes up the butler swiftly notices her placing down the cup. “I could have grabbed it for you.”
“Draco I assure you I’m able to walk a cup over to you. I am not as incapable of taking a break as Vincent is.” Upon hearing the words the butler gave a much more stern expression to the woman. Masking a knowing thought pattern with a confused tilt of the head she kept her eyes on him, “what’s that look for?”
A sigh quickly slipped from the lips of Draco, “Lady Valarie how many times have you stayed up far beyond reasonable hours in pursuit of information? Or those times you purposely left the house in secret not expecting us to know? What about—“
“Ok ok, I get it.”
With a flustered expression and the crimson rising to her face Valarie quickly shut down his words before he listed every single time she was incapable of taking care of herself. Seeing the haphazard reaction Draco chuckled and turned back to the two plates. “If you excuse me I must be delivering these meals now Miss.” The raven-haired Draco couldn’t hide the soft smile which danced to his lips.
Draco did not waste any time heading toward his destination with the food. If it got too cold he would not hear the end of it from Victor. The man had a horrible habit of never letting an opportunity to tease him go to waste almost as much as with his own older brother. Thankfully the room both were in was close to the dining room. Recently they had been avid in the research of proper medical uses for the prosthetics. Victor was positive that while Myers himself did not do it for solid means having the technology could save countless lives. Vincent had agreed. Thus rather than build and experiment with making cyborgs, the new goal was medical which meant excessive amounts of research and reading. Normally it was just Vincent reading and Victor playing distraction but today both had seemed focused.
“How many times are you going to show me that?”
“Until you acknowledge it.”
“I already have.”
“Saying yes does not mean you have looked at it.” There was a pause in whatever the voice of one Victor Blake before it could be heard again, “you haven’t changed at all.” He didn’t need to see the two clearly to know Victor was probably smiling secretly. This dialogue was normal for them, especially recently given Vincent had gone back to his typical lifestyle habits. The red-haired always seemed to find himself trying to get Draco’s older brother to relax with no avail unless you count the nightly drinks at the bar a break.
“Pardon the intrusion,” Draco finally knocked on the open door after shuffling to hold both the plates in one hand. “I have both of your lunches here. Please take a break and eat.” The butler gave a nod of his head before walking over to the table in the corner of the room. As he did, the mechanical eyes of Victor Blake made their way to Draco.
“Perfect timing as always Draco.” The overtly playful smirk on the older man’s lips did nothing to comfort the young male that he wasn’t about to use the food as an elaborate way to get Vincent to just see the image. Whatever it was, the man truly wanted it to be acknowledged.
“Thank you Draco.” The other male, Vincent, stated not fully looking away from the documents he was looking over.
“Of course Mr. Edgeworth.” Facing the other raven-haired male it seemed as if the conversation from that point between the two was mostly done. “If you do not require any other assistance I will be on my way then.”
“You’re supposed to be encouraging him to stop and eat.” He could have sworn there was almost a mild whine. Or could it have been described as a disappointed undertone?
“Leave my butler alone Victor.”
“Draco help me get him to look at the photo.” Curiosity easily got the best of Draco. Victor normally wasn’t this pressing to want Vincent to do something (unless it was getting a drink together but that’s another matter entirely) so he took a look at the photo in the red robotic arms. The expectation to see something critically important or perhaps a buried college photo of the two but no.
It was a photo of a cat. A white cat.
Words slipped out of his mouth, “it appears to look like the old one you two raised during college.”
“Exactly. Vincent just look at the photo. I’m sure you’ll fall in love with his beautiful face. It’s almost as beautiful as yours.”
“It’s a cat.”
“Yes and you love cats. Don’t you think it’s time we got a cat around here now that we can.”
Draco was relieved. Despite how much they overworked themselves, or at least his brother, both seemed much more relaxed. It’s all he could have hoped for after everything that happened. Standing there watching the two’s idle banter, the young male noticed the time on the clock. 12:57 pm. “My apologies Mr. Blake but I have some other matters to attend to now. Please enjoy your meals and I’ll return to retrieve them later.”
Victor didn’t outwardly say anything at first, merely opting to look towards Draco again with a displeased expression.
“Leave him alone he has enough to do around the house without getting dragged into your schemes,” Vincent finally spoke up again, raising his head enough to give a passing nod. The older sibling turned then to face the red-haired male “He has work to do.”
“What? Are you upset that your brother might take all my focus away from you?”
“No. He has work to do. I’ll look at the photo when I finish.”
Letting the conversation persist Draco took the opportunity to turn and start to head out of the room. They never actively dismissed him when conversations like this started and something told him if he stayed for too long Victor was going to make matters more strange. Sadly the butler did not make his way completely out of the door before Victor did what Victor did best, teasing.
“His work right now is just watching lovely Valarie tend to the flowers.”
Hearing his words Draco turned to face the men again. He wanted to deny the claim but that was what he was ultimately going to do. Valarie actively tended to the flowers from 1:00 pm to around 2:30 pm and given the time it was the best opportunity to see her.
“See?” Victor’s grin grew, “it seems I was correct. You really can be quite adorable sometimes.”
“Mr. Blake I simply do not want to bother her as she is avidly trying to keep it a secret.” He could feel the slight heat rising to his face. For whatever reason, he just assumed neither knew of his afternoon breaks watching the woman he loved tending to the flowers she loved.
“Neither one of you are that subtle at times. That’s not just to the flowers and onlooking either.” Suddenly there was a serious shift in his tone. “Just talk to her. It’s not like you both don’t clearly like each other or know about it. Bluntly ask her to be your girlfriend already. Stop being as slow as your brother. I taught you better than this.”
At the sudden small lecture, the butler had no words to say. “Leave my brother’s love life alone Victor.” Thankfully he didn’t have to worry, Vincent finally fully pulled his eyes away from the pages and leaned back in the chair. “If he doesn’t want to, don't push him.”
“Oh ho.” As if a switch was partly flipped the red-haired gentlemen’s posture relaxed from its seriousness. “That’s what makes you take a break. Me bothering your brother?”
“I’m hungry.”
With a quick side-eye, Draco caught the message and turned to leave the room. One of the males tried to call something out to him but right now he didn’t feel like trying to hear the response. After all, the chance was high that it was just some sort of tease at him one more time from his brother’s company. Shaking his head he allowed his eyes to look down at the watch: 1:04 pm. Valarie, being as timely as she was, most likely was already outside. So he moved towards the second floor and down the long hallway which made up mostly of Valarie’s wing. No one else chose to stay on this part of the building simply to respect the wishes of a young woman in a house of men. It was her room before the chaos happened and it was hers after as well. Now there were many doors that were previously locked now unlocked because nothing had to be hidden. The story was done, the truth was out, and somehow at the end of the day, it ended the best way possible. Something Draco never truly would forget.
Arriving at the end of the hallway he found himself leaning against the curtain and looking down to the ground below. The raven-haired woman was bent down by some of the bushes, pulling at weeds and vines which began to grow on the plants. For whatever reason, she didn’t wear any gloves but always had the bucket beside her to put the pulled plants. Immediately whatever tenseness from Victor that existed inside Draco dissolved into nothing, a smile dancing to his lips as he watched the woman work. Already she was content, happy, relaxed, and did it show. Oh, how he would never get tired of seeing it. Though the longer he watched the more he considered the words Victor had said.
‘Just talk to her. It’s not like you both don’t clearly like each other or know about it.’
He was right. Draco knew it. Before the entire fiasco happened they were happily together, despite every single hardship that came with it. That’s why losing her broke him so much. She was the woman who taught him what living really was. He swore that he wouldn’t lose her again and yet wasn’t he letting her go by not saying anything? It was so painfully obvious between the two of them but some part of him was scared. Scared that he would lose her again. That pain was something he could not survive through a second time. He swore he wouldn’t let it and nothing was around to cause it anymore but that couldn’t get away from the sensation. Anxiety. Something he wasn’t fully used to took him over. It felt like a rope was tightening around him every single time the thoughts raced in his mind. No, not the good tenseness either. Dread, worry, and fear. What if’s and what then’s. All of it, every single time he thought it was finally time to say something.
Perhaps she knew that Valarie was a rather observant person and was no fool. He hadn’t felt fear quite like this before so how much it showed he had no idea. The thought had come across his ideas after all because at the end of the day they spent every single meal together. Evenings were sometimes shared as well when she wasn’t too caught up. As if everything she was doing was saying: it’s ok, I’m here, I’m not going anywhere again.
But yet he did not know and he would not till he finally said something. “Valarie…” letting her name breathe out from his lips Draco closed his eyes for a second. She was so content, so happy. She looked so beautiful every day. Opening his eyes to see her working again he was met instead with her looking up the window where he stood. Direct eye contact caused the butler to turn and walk away from the window flustered.
She had seen him.
There’s no way out of it now.
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Draco tried to distract himself with his work for the rest of the afternoon. Thankfully Victor and Vincent seemed actively focused on the work enough to not even notice him coming in to take the plates. Valarie attempted to speak to him but the number of choirs he had throughout the house kept him away from her. It didn’t stop him from seeing her contemplate talking to him. She didn’t. He seemed busy after all.
That was until dinner at least. There was no escaping eating together because unlike the other two she was always there. Her company was always welcomed but he could not stop that newfound worry from eating at him about what she would say.
“Sorry for being early, I finished sooner than I thought.” Valarie’s voice resounded from the doorway as Draco placed down the first set of silverware.
“You need not apologize, Lady Valarie.” He did not look up as he spoke, but rather kept a focus on the task at hand. Normal enough he supposed but she would probably assume something is off. “It should be ready soon, please have a seat."
She obliged sitting down in the chair Draco had pulled out. Then there was an unnatural silence. “Draco, how long did you know?”
No answer was given right away. Draco placed down the second set of tableware before speaking, “for quite some time. I hope you forgive me for not wanting to disturb you.” In the end, he couldn’t lie to her anymore. It hurt too much.
An embarrassed chuckle escaped her lips, “I’m not. It’s just embarrassing.”
“Don’t be embarrassed if you enjoy it. Such moments should be cherished.” He let the small gentle expression arrive on his face as he finally looked at her. “Besides, you look absolutely lovely when focusing on them. Pardon me as I go get the rest of the tableware.” Letting the compliment be spoken as smoothly as Victor probably would have Draco went back to preparing dinner. Those dark eyes didn’t need to focus on Valarie to know she was no doubt affected by them.
Grabbing the last set of utensils and putting it on the cart with the food Draco returned to the dining room. This time Valarie said nothing but her eyes followed the man, him knowing she was trying to figure him out. She always did this when there were questions she wanted to solve without words. He didn’t mind it. He would never mind it.
Unexpectedly as he finished the phone rang from the room nearby. Swiftly arriving at the device he picked it up, “Yes Mr. Edgeworth?”
“Draco, due to someone’s incompetence we’ll be taking dinner when we come down for a drink later.”
Muffled sounds of someone, Victor, remarking to the statement could be heard through the static. “Very well sir. I’ll have the meals ready when you arrive.” A thank you echoed from Vincent before the raven-haired male hung up the phone and walked back to the table. “It appears Mr. Edgeworth and Mr. Blake will be eating once they arrive for their evening drink.
“Vincent had to make up for Victor trying to distract him again?”
“Yes.”
Her laugh filled the space beautifully in Draco’s mind, “they never change do they?” She fought the words out in between her chuckles and the butler simply stood there for a few moments enjoying the sound. When she looked up she was met with the male’s shake of his head in agreement to her question. “Eat dinner with me this time. You already set up one of the seats for them anyway, you take it.”
“I appreciate the offer Lady Valarie but—“
“No buts. Just this once ok?” There was a slight hesitation before the next words came out of her mouth as if she was contemplating them, “as payback for spying on me.”
Draco stifled a nervous cough before turning to the tray on the cart for food. “If the Lady wishes, I'll do so.” The response was equal parts a statement accurate to his job but also of his own volition. Regardless, once the food was placed on the table and the extra plates were made for the later arrivals he took a seat across from Valarie. Normally he would eat after, once everyone was finished. Not because he was shy but it was simply his job to ensure all of them were taken care of first. Convincing himself it was because the Lady asked him to follow through peacefully enjoying his meal with Valarie. Unlike the times where the other two did decide to join this one was in a peaceful silence. Only the sound of silverware against the plates echoed. Neither seemed like they desired the conversation as if their silent company was enough.
For them, this was perfect. It was enough. Even with the echoing thoughts of everything bothering Draco the atmosphere was pleasant.
Eventually when both were nearly done Valarie leaned back in her chair and broke the silence, “what are you thinking about.” Draco stopped, looked up at Valarie with questioning eyes, and didn’t say anything before she spoke again, “you tend to keep yourself busy when you're thinking too much.”
Her observant nature struck again and Draco was not surprised. He figured she knew that too. It wasn’t like he bothered to try to hide the fact. But he just wasn’t sure what to say. Trying to dodge the question by being formal would agitate her more, but remaining silent wasn’t feasible either. “Victor merely left me trying to figure myself out.” The shift in formality was evident the second the first name of redhead slipped out from Draco's lips.
Valarie leaned forward again and focused fully on the man across from her, “it's not like you to be hung up that long over something he said.”
Hearing the concern laced in her voice caused the instinctive switch inside him to flip and all semblance of formality seemed to vanish, “Valarie, I’m fine. Really. I just need some time to think.” Letting a smile creep to his face he looked at her with a surprisingly gentle expression.
She wasn’t one to fall for the trap too quickly and he knew that but thankfully she seemed to have gotten the message he didn’t want to talk about it. “If you are lying to me it won’t end well.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he stopped himself mid-sentence before he slipped out words he didn’t have the right to say right now. Victor’s words bothered him again as quickly as the reflex was to attempt to usher our ‘my lady’ was. She was not with him, he did not have the right. “Say Valarie?” He spoke long before his mind even had the chance to catch up with what he was about to ask.
Whatever expression or thoughts Valarie did have vanished into the wind, “yea?”
“Tomorrow, do you mind if I visit you while you tend the flowers?”
“You’re more than welcomed,” music to his ears, and the offer unknown to him was music to hers.
As quick as he seemed relieved a set of concerns set it. The anxiety from before slowly crawled its way back to the surface and Draco still could not fully grasp the feeling. Using it as the code to get back to throwing himself into work he stood up, gathering both his and her plates. “If you excuse me Lady Valarie I should begin to prepare for the evening.” The words sounded like a harsh flip of a switch but he couldn’t help it. The foreign feeling was far more driving than Draco would have liked. “Thank you for keeping me company and if you wish the bar should be up and ready soon.” Placing the tableware on the cart he looked back at Valarie who merely nodded with a smile.
Shortly after he turned to return the items to the kitchen while ensuring to grab the food and bring it to the small bar. No one was there currently but it would not take long for the change to occur. Until then the silence was welcomed with the sound of washed glassware and alcohol bottles. Contemplation came with it. It had been a while since his life was as chaotic as it was in this one single day. Valarie found out he’s been watching her. Victor pressed harder than he should have. Nagging emotions of anxiety pecked at him constantly. And it all ended with one question.
What did he want to establish tomorrow with Valarie?
That he had no idea.
At the moment he wanted to be with her, to call her ‘my lady’ instead of just ‘lady Valarie’. He wanted to finally be able to establish the truth that both were dancing around for a while now, or at least he was. But now he wasn’t so sure. There was always the chance the same thing could happen again and that feeling just couldn’t be ignored. She was just staying in the house now because she had lost everything. She could leave anytime. He knew this and even then he became torn internally on what to do.
He was scared.
But he loved her too much.
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“—Miss Valarie.”
Vincent’s voice to Valarie is what eventually snapped Draco out of his mindless subconscious work. At some point Victor and Vincent showed up, he gave them their food and typical drinks and even continued to idly clean the glassware. He remembered none of it. Instead, it was not until one of them actively said her name he refocused into their words only to see Valarie had joined the two who came sometime before. Pulling the eyes away from her he quickly noticed the smug smirk on Victor’s lips followed by the minute mumbling of a, “welcome back to reality.”
Draco ignored it, grabbing the empty plate before the crimson hand male and placing it on his side of the counter. “May I get you a drink?”
A light wave of her hand met Draco, “not tonight. I have to go out early tomorrow.” With her words, all three of the men seemed confused. For a moment both older men cast a glance to the younger butler as if expecting him to have known something. All he could give was a nod of denial. The concern seemed to rise in all three but the most in Draco.
“You aren’t planning to escape in the middle of the night again are you?” Vincent aptly spoke up before either of the other two but Victor himself shortly followed.
“I doubt the dear would talk about going out if she was.”
Valarie couldn’t help but chuckle a bit. A light-hearted one, full of relaxation. “It’s nothing like that, I just need to get some supplies and such. Oh and catch up with Zalmona.”
“Ah, well, if you need any help with any of it don’t be afraid to ask Draco.” Vincent made the offer extremely matter of factly almost as if it didn’t even need to be said. To some point, it didn’t, but even if he didn’t some part of the younger male was going to ask after.
“It’s fine. I wouldn’t want to trouble him more.”
Hearing the response, his words came effortlessly. “Nothing you ask is ever a trouble Lady Valarie. I would gladly assist in any way I can.”
There wasn’t a direct response which to some extent Draco was expecting. Normally she would repetitively shut down the motion and deny any sort of aid on the sight he did enough but right now the woman herself remained silent. Realizing people were waiting on her she eventually spoke, “you do enough around here. I can get ready and go to town by myself fine.”
“Unlike someone here you did everything yourself before.”
“Victor, where is the photo of the cat?” As if pulling the topic away in the only way he knew how Vincent grabbed Victor’s phone and aptly pulled the figure’s attention away to everything to do with the cat. Valarie did not stifle her laugh like Draco did as the two older men talked between the two of them like normal.
“Victor really wants the cat.” Her eyes turned to the butler behind the counter who merely gave her a glass of water before looking at the two rambling men.
“They used to have one in college.”
“They did? I never actually saw photos of it.”
Draco nodded, “she lived quite long for cats from what the two have shared. Mr. Blake wished for a feline prior, however, issues you are aware about came first.”
“Isn’t that also why you became his butler? Myers I mean.”
“In a sense, yes.”
“Then you don’t need to do it anymore. You enjoy doing this far more.”
“I’m content where I reside currently Lady Valarie,” the male closed his eyes for a minute before slipping a hand to grab the empty glassware from the two still rambling about the cat. Valarie on the other hand, despite taking a drink, was very stern in her expression. This was a conversation that was not going to be yielded easily and the young male knew. She knew him too well.
“Content isn’t always happy. You’re happy bartending.” She placed down her glass and looked over at him, “and you’re good at it.”
“Being good at such things comes naturally given the occupation.” Idly cleaning the glasses amidst their conversation he kept a close eye on the woman before him. After all this time it wasn’t as if he needed to focus on any of the glassware because like she had said, this was his favorite task daily. Creating drinks allowed for a strange sense of freedom and expression to which he had grown fond of around Valarie. Perhaps it was of a similar feeling to why she found herself tending those flowers. Actions, which normally were considered rather simple, allowed for them to be in an environment where they could essentially let down guards both always had up. They both were similar in that regard. Reserved and closed-off people who often didn’t want to express any sort of weakness or opening. Yet just as the flowers let her be soft, making drinks allowed him to express himself. He knew this. She knew this.
He knew that she knew this.
Leaning forward on the counter the rave-haired female harshened her look, “consider it Draco. Vincent over there isn’t going to stop you. You don’t have to worry about getting too noticed anymore.”
“It is a crime to keep someone as handsome as you locked up all the time,” Victor’s voice spoke up between the two of their words and caused Draco to cast a look over barely able to stop his eyes from shifting to their darker expression. Valarie was barely able to hold the water she was drinking in her mouth when the male focused himself into their conversation. “Vincent, how could you?” The flaunting nature of Victor’s voice kept persisting as he talked with a grin arriving on his face again.
Vincent, on the other hand, was not playing along. “I have already said he’s free to do what he wants.” There was a pause in the air as Draco kept his look towards the redhead and the only woman in the party attempted to recollect herself. Some things none of them would ever get used to. “Victor, please stop so openingly teasing my brother.”
“Why? Are you jealous?” The question was brought forth to Vincent as there was a sort of silent communication between the brothers and Draco grabbed Victor’s drink.
“We apologize for him. Given his high capacity for alcohol there is a low chance he would actively get drunk but it appears he has.” The same male once the drink was placed out of reach turned to the raven-haired female again, his eyes and expression were calmer than they were moments ago from the sudden remark.
“It’s fine. He isn’t completely wrong.”
Despite how reflexive the words were as the woman watched the older brother keep his companion under control they were not received in the same regard. Passing a glance over to the possible drunkard, Draco ensured the two seemed rather focused which they were before leaning a little closer and speaking softly to Valarie, “so the lovely Lady Valarie thinks I’m handsome.” Victor was not the only one who could actively tease someone. The point aside being that everything Draco had come from Victor; both were still respectively good at their newfound talent.
Valarie leaned back in the chair and away from the counter her ears quickly growing flushed her voice rushed back, “did Victor wear off on you just now?” There appeared to be a quick inner conversation with herself before she spoke again, her voice lowered as she regained composure, “I still expect you to think about it seriously.”
Draco himself leaned back more and gave a soft smile, “of course.” Hearing the confirmation gave the woman some relief as she finished her glass of water. Muffled and hard to follow conversation persisted next to them as the other two seemed focused on their own world like before.
Standing up Valarie slid the glass to Draco, “it doesn’t just apply to work either Draco. Do whatever makes you happy, you deserve it and none of us are going to stop you.” Her expression said a lot more than her words did and she knew it. It wasn’t as if she needed to say the words for him to understand what she meant. “You’ve given so much, it’s time to receive a bit don’t you think?”
“Very well,” yet again she said words that he truly needed to hear. Grabbing the glass he prepared to take it away noticing she seemed to have been turning into the night. Before she walked away from the counter the young butler managed to slip in a final question, “will you be back in time tomorrow?”
“I wouldn’t dream of being late.” Her smile graced their presence again before she turned to leave. Expecting the conversation to be done Draco turned back to the two males who were back to discussing the cat, however, Valarie turned back one last time. “Oh and Draco?” He turned to face her just in time for his reaction to her words to be visible to her, “you are very handsome.” The soft laughter from her lips as she turned defined the fact that the complements, as unexpected as they were, had the needed reaction she was after. Draco let go of the glass on the table and very lightly grabbed the back of his neck for a second, feeling a slight heat there.
He wasn’t used to her being direct very long after the fact. But perhaps Victor’s antics had more of an effect on everyone in the room than expected. Thankfully the said male was busy being slowly ushered to the other wing of the house by Vincent to notice what had just happened. For Draco, he took that as motion that tonight was going to be a rather short night unless his brother returned later, not that sleep seemed to be even remotely possible for either of them at the moment.
“I’ll be back.” His words made it clear just as the thoughts finished crossing the raven-haired mind. “He isn’t wrong about anything he said today. Nor is she. Think about it.” Vincent, like always, left without so much as giving a chance for his butler to reply. Not that he would. Over the course of a day enough had happened between all three of the people he cared about to make it clear he had enough self-reflection to do.
All of them have made it quite clear of the truth: it was time for him to do what he wanted to do. Without knowing it the small pieces of anxiety which slowly built up over time felt a little lighter. Yet again she had already changed his world except for this time it wasn’t totally the same.
This time, it wasn’t just her.
She merely was the root cause.
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The morning and lunch were vastly different without the presence of Valarie in the house. Without her, much of the time Draco found himself minding tasks by himself or delivering the food to the office of Vincent just like before. Today seemed to be a late start for everything though except her, as even Draco did not get up until slightly later than normal. It did not matter. Valarie was the earliest riser of the three who actually had breakfast at a normal hour. Vincent, while he woke up early, did not have food until later in the day because he often got too focused on his work.
Today though it wasn’t the case. He was far too busy handling a morning after drinking Victor to bother Draco much in the morning. It left the male to himself which often meant idly doing something. Daily household chores aside the young man found himself reorganizing the bar counter once everything was settled and he himself had food. Time seemed to tick by slowly as each minute felt like hours. He still wasn’t fully sure what he wanted to even talk about today but some part of him acknowledged that it was normal to be such a way when she was involved. Before Valarie, he would find the words he wanted to say. Not even the cursed sensation of anxiety would stop him. After all, it didn’t stop him before, why would it stop him now?
That concept did not vanish when she returned around lunch and stated she had brunch with Zalmona and didn’t need food. It didn’t vanish as he dropped off food to both Vincent and Victor who for once seemed avidly focused on their work. Even as he stood before the stairs he would normally walk up to watch her from afar it did not fade away. Internally he had made a choice, even without directly saying one.
Of course, it was thanks to all of them that it happened.
Draco gave a light airy scoff before turning to the front door and walking outside. Taking a right he headed towards the left side of the building where Valarie was already busy tending the flowers. Even though she knew he was coming, nothing about the scene seemed different to him. Her eyes were still looking at each leaf and branch, her hands were busy working to pull out any weeds which had grown, and most importantly her expression was still soft and relaxed. She was even more beautiful up close than she was from the window. If anything she was more beautiful now that he could accurately see her face better.
Careful not to disturb her he walked quietly without speaking up, stopping a few feet away and kneeling down next to her before a wildflower bush. Only then did she turn with the same smile on her face and spoke to him, as if she was expecting his arrival, “there you are. I was wondering when you were going to show up. Sorry I didn’t see you coming.”
“It’s quite already Lady Valarie, I didn’t want to bother you as you mended them.” Her smile was met by one of his own. Just as he expected all the anxiety he had the day before, worrying about all of it seemed like nothing. It was still there but the sounds were mere whispers compared to her voice.
She laughed softly putting another weed in the bucket. “I take care of them everyday, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind if I got distrubed.”
“It wasn’t so much for them I must admit.” Valarie turned and gave a quizzical glance before Draco clarified, “I very much enjoy watching you work.” His words sounded much more gentle and relaxed compared to the previous lines as if he was letting himself slip out of his formal work mannerism and back into a more casual stance.
“I suppose I can understand that sentiment. I’m always amazed at how focused you can be.”
“Me? You do it as well.”
Another weed landed inside the bucket before she stopped and looked at him again. “No, there's a difference. I focus too much. You focus just enough to be able to pay attention to what’s going on around you.”
“It’s part of my job to be able to focus like that. Whereas for yours you need to be able to notice the smallest of details. That requires your full focus.”
“That is true.” They sat in comfortable silence for a bit taking a look at the flowers before them. “Draco, was there a reason you wanted to come visit today? You were very distracted today. I don’t think Vincent or Victor thought much of it but you clearly were thinking about something most of the evening and night."
Draco couldn’t stifle the chuckle from the expected sentence. He had figured she knew. Knowing she did know so directly was humorous to him, “as expected of you Lady Valarie. As observant as always.”
“...Draco. What were you--”
“I was thinking about you.” He wasn’t one to cut her off often but the words slipped out the second concern became the dominant sound in her voice. “More accurately myself and you were the main point.”
The wind breezed between the leaves and their raven hair before Valarie finally mumbled words again, “I’ll listen to anything you need to say so please just tell me. No lies or dodging the point like you do often. Just the truth.” Gentleness cushioned those words along with the hand that reached up and tentatively grabbed the male by the shoulder. It wasn’t a hard grip nor was it light enough to go unnoticed. She never gripped tighter or demanded any sort of reaction, the hand was just there as if to say, I’m right here. “I figured you’ve had a lot to tell me ever since we first met at Myers. Don’t you think it’s about time you open up?”
Draco peered down at the flowers before reaching out and running his hand against one. Hoping she wouldn’t mind he gently plucked one of the smaller ones from the bush and looked at her. Raising his hand to slide the flower gently into her hair. Letting go of the flower he let his fingers run through her hair before moving to grab a hold of her own which rested on his shoulders. “Valarie, I love you. I have always loved you.” His own lips curled up into a small simple smile as he looked at her with a much different expression than normal. It wasn’t full of remorse like before, or worry, or fear, but rather a welcoming softness. “But I lost you once before and it broke me. You helped me be who I am and without you I felt like nothing. Victor and Vincent tried but nothing could fill the void when you left. That’s why, when you somehow stumbled on our door again I was conflicted. Even in a new body, with a mind full of empty memories, it was still you and suddenly I did not know what to do. I figured eventually you would leave again and closed myself off as much as possible but you never did. Now here you are, a year later, still right in front of me. Still as beautiful as when we first met. Still, despite all of my worries, the woman I love.”
He didn’t let go of her hand, letting it fall so their held hands were in between the two of them. Only by holding it after so long did he realize how much deep inside he missed her hand with his. It felt right. The two of them were there with their hands together. It only felt more correct as she shifted and laced their fingers together. Her warmth being shared with him felt like the ice which built up could do nothing but melt. A lack of an answer did nothing to unsettle him as he felt the shift in her posture and gradually her head rested on his shoulder. Together the two looked at the flowers so tenderly cared for, hand in hand, and at peace.
“Draco, I know I don’t have all my memories back still, but I don’t need them to know how much I did and still do love you.” She gripped his hand tighter as the next words came out of her mouth, “I’m not leaving you again. I refuse to.”
He felt himself let go of a breath he didn’t know he was holding as she finished her words. Gripping her hand back he slowly raised up their conjoined hands. Gently, as if he was handling glass, he placed a chaste kiss on the back of her hand. Her hand was as soft as it has always been, despite the physical changes that happened to her. “I won’t let you go again, my lady.”
“That sounds as nice as I thought it would.” Valarie chuckled slightly against his shoulder taking a look up at him and where he held their hands. “How long have you been waiting to finally say that again?”
“A lot longer than I knew.”
Merely seconds after he spoke he felt the soft lips of the woman beside him against his cheek. It was just as light as his was against the back of her hand but it made it quite clear to him that truly this was no dream. “Feel free to call me whatever you wish Draco.” She was here in his hands, leaning against him, and being as soft and vulnerable as they used to be. Not only that, it was ok. It would be ok.
“Anything?”
Despite all the suffering in between, she was still there.
“Anything.”
She was still her.
“Then, might I call you not only my lady but my girlfriend as well?”
He was still him.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
They were still themselves.
Draco’s free hand reached out to cusp Valarie's cheek as she lifted herself off his shoulder to look at him. With a smile that said everything, it needed to they both leaned forward, and soon enough their lips met each other. Unlike the two previous kisses, this one lasted longer and Valarie let go of Draco’s hand to wrap her arms around his neck to keep him closer to her. He didn’t grant any sort of resistance as he let the hand arrive in the small of her back and stayed there.
And their feelings were still the same.
Once the two pulled back to give themselves a breath, Draco pulled her into him and hugged her for the first time in what felt like forever. Neither said anything as they sat there, warm in each other’s embrace because they had already said everything they needed to at the moment. Right now all they needed was each other. Nothing more, nothing less. Even when Valarie pulled herself back from the hug and gave Draco another quick peck on the lips they didn’t have to say anything.
It wasn’t until she grabbed his hand and stood up that either one finally said, “I did the work this morning, and I’m sure Vincent and Victor can handle themselves fine, so come on. Let’s go for a walk.”
“Glady, my lady.”
As so they walked away together to enjoy their first afternoon in their renewed feelings. Feelings that have already stood the test of time and would for all the time to come. Even past the amount of I told you so both of them would get from Zalmona, Victor, and Vincent.