Work Text:
Another day of work, another day Kronii went back home completely drained.
It was finally the week-end and after a full week of rush and stress she allow herself a drink on the way home, to unwind a bit. Later she went back home a little tipsy, her face flushed and hazy.
She dragged her body down the corridor like an old woman and caught sight of Fauna in her room, sitting on her bed with a book in her hands.
She appeared like an angel to the lightly inebriated warden. With the rays of the setting sun hitting directly on her window Fauna was bathing in a warm and comforting light, which reminded her of some painting of a goddess basking in the sun she saw in a museum once.
So she just stood there at the entrance of her room, staring like a moron.
Fauna took her eyes off her book to simply smile at her. Giving by her dishevelled and miserable look she must have deduced the warden tried to have a good time before returning home after a harsh day at work. She patiently waited for her to speak.
Which Kronii didn't. She simply dropped her bag and walked to her. She thrown herself on the bed and hugged her waist while hiding her face on the kirin girl laps.
Fauna didn't flinched nor seemed unfazed. She almost immediately started running her fingers through the warden's hair.
They stayed like this for a few minutes, with Kronii completely giving in the sensation of this warm embrace. She liked it when people would run their finger down her hair, she was relaxed to the upmost. Lulled by the green-haired girl breath and caresses, she could almost have fallen asleep if it wasn't for the loud bang of the entrance door being shut. One of their genmates was home, and it violently brought her back on earth.
She suddenly became very aware of what she was doing and jumped out of Fauna's arm. Blushing out of shame, she mumbled an apology before getting up and picking up her bag, retreating quickly into her room before anyone would catch them together.
She was mortified. On the spur of the moment Fauna may have said nothing and indulged in her selfish need but surely she would remind her later and tease her about it in front of their friends.
But Fauna didn't.
She never remind her or blamed her of anything. She didn't seemed the least embarrassed either the next day when Kronii wouldn't be able to face her without blushing.
Kronii was confused. She didn't know what to think about the green-haired girl discretions, if she should be wary or moved by it. For the next few days she wasn't sure about how to act around her anymore.
In the course of time, she soon forgot about her discomfort. She got caught up in her daily troubles and had no time to think about Fauna and her.
Early in the morning of a distressful week of crunch at work, she was starring at her black coffee, either questionning her life choice or mentally reviewing her daily schedule. For the last few days she was going to work early, going back home late, was skipping lunchbreaks... Her hardworking mind prevent her from taking any rest and she was constantly in a hurry, from morning to evening.
Thus, she was too busy moping over her coffee to notice Fauna got up to pack her a lunch.
She only snapped out of it when the keeper approached her to ask about which replacement she wanted in her lunchbox as they ran out of string cheese. Kronii was surprised to see her here. She realised she got up at 6am on a hollyday just because she was worried about her empty stomach.
Fauna obviously disapprove this lifestyle of her but never got out of her way to tell her. She would only show her support by discreet gestures like packing up a lunch or seeing her off work. Out of the storm the warden was actually living in there was this kind, gentle soul who tried to reach out for her to prevent her from flying away. Right at that moment the kirin girl appeared like a hero to the fatigued warden, and she was left a bit emotional.
Kronii eventually managed to stammer whichever, and Fauna turned to pack everything up.
The warden just stood there, speechless. This act of kindness completely pushed her out of her work anxiety, and she was helplessly trying to ignore her body manifesting the sheer need to thank her physically. She finally gave in and sneaked right behind her to wrap her arms around her waist. The keeper stayed calm and let it happen. Their embrace was brief, tender, until kronii grabbed the lunchbox off her hands and shied away to work.
After this incident there was still the silence. This complicity between them Fauna established by herself, and who ended up giving to the shy Kronii a sense of confidence she needed.
Slowly, quietly, the blue-haired girl indulge herself to this desire of being close to her. As one would tame a wild animal, the green-haired girl warmth and leniency put Kronii at ease, and she gradually became less formal with her. As follows, when she would felt down or too stressed she would come to her to recieve a bit of her benevolence, always privately away from their genmates.
And so, at one point into this share of kindness Kronii felt ashamed. Fauna was giving her everything, but she was giving her nothing in return. She felt she was abusing her solicitude and wanted to return a bit of the relief she was providing her, so she came up with a plan : She'll also comfort her whenever she would felt down.
It wasn't an easy task, as Fauna wasn't the type to let herself getting submerged by her emotions. She was really easygoing and would not lost it easily. The rare time Kronii would witness her anger she knew she had to let the kirin girl some space to steam off, which definitely didn't left her much window for hugs.
Therefore after waiting maybe too much, Kronii felt something was wrong. Watching closely over her, expecting her to break down was definitely not something one would do with someone they care for. She felt like a creep and she made up her mind : she won't be able to pay her back this way.
And so she thought, again and again. She schemed and she planned, but she couldn't come up with a satisfying enough solution who will allow her to cherish Fauna while keeping their secret between them.
Except maybe for a gift. A small gift she would buy her and leave lying around in her room.
And she did. She gifted her a small stuffed cat which Fauna seemed to appreciate. When Kronii would pass by her room she would always see the plushie near her pillows with her favorites, and she couldn't help but feel proud.
But soon it wasn't enough for Kronii, she wanted to give her more. To make sure she really knew how much she appreciated her, but she still didn't have a good plan to do so.
So she kept on bringing her small gifts : the same brand of lipbalm Fauna used and noticed she will soon ran out of, some pretty pieces of turquoise polish glass she found at the beach while running, the sample of a perfume she knew Fauna liked and picked up in a perfume shop on her way, her favorite snack she would buy on her way home from work...
She quietly gathered these offerings in the kirin room when she wasn't around. She felt like a magpie, working her affection through shiny beads she found on the pavement, leaving them in her significant other nest.
She liked to thought it was working, even though she wasn't here to see the smile it brought on the green-haired girl face when she was finding the gifts, it she was smiling that is. She was just way too shy to face her, but just imagining it made her all giddy. It was a bit awkward but she liked the feeling nonetheless.
And so, little by little, without Kronii noticing it, her attachment kept growing. Pleasing Fauna was her joy, and she was craving her acknowledgment and attention. She couldn't look at her without this warm, tingly sensation anymore.
And she was too preoccupied with her own feelings to notice that something also changed within the girl that swept her heart.
She expressed it early on a fine sunday morning.
Kronii saw the kirin girl walking down the stairs, still groggy with sleep. She stepped to the kitchen table where the warden was already sitting. Kronii was in a good mood lately and loved to wake up prior to her beloved genmate, to make them tea and coffee.
Fauna sat besides her in front of a warm cup of tea. She was all wrapped up in a big beige cardigan, with dishevelled hair and half closed eyes because of the light.
As Kronii thought it must be warm to sneak inside the cardigan with her, the keeper leaned on her shoulder to hide her face from the sun. She mumbled something like 'Thanks for the tea', and Kronii was in a pure, panic state.
She was trying to dismiss her embarassment by nonchalantely taking a sip from her coffee when she heard the saving sound of a door being shut upstairs. Someone was walking down the stairs, and Fauna parted from Kronii. But instead of resuming a normal morning activity like drinking her tea, she got closer again and placed a small kiss on her lips.
Kronii momentarily lost it again, and dropped her half-empty cup of coffee on the table. She was blushing profusely when Baelz barged in to ask what was going on this early in the morning.
'Kronii is making a mess again' Fauna said mischievously while starting to wipe off the coffee.
* * *
Quietly and away from sight, a bird let her long-time beloved into her nest.
And she was happy, like never