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Seele lowers her scythe with a scoff and scans the groaning pile of Silvermane soldiers.
No less than ten of them came at her this time, and she still barely broke a sweat. What kind of training did they go through? She’ll need to have a word with their commander. Or a fight. Either works.
“...Again?”
The soft voice laced with disappointment nearly makes her jump. Only one person could sneak up on her like this.
“What’s the Supreme Guardian herself doing down in the Underworld?” Seele asks, then adds with a thinly-veiled hint of bitterness, “Don’t you have work to do?”
Bronya sighs. “As it stands,” she glances towards the pile of misery, “work brought me here.”
She gives Seele a long look. Long enough to call it accusatory.
“Now hold on just a second!” Seele takes a step back. “It’s not my fault these guys keep picking fights with me!”
“It’s becoming a bit of a problem. I’ve been getting repeated complaints lately, so—Are you sure?”
“Yes, I am. Unless the fact that I’m taking care of the remaining corrosion and occasional bandits offends them somehow.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “If they were doing their jobs properly I wouldn’t have to intervene. By the way, someone needs to train them better, they’d be no match for me anyway but it should not have been this easy.”
“There are procedures that they have to follow—”
“Procedures this, procedures that, and in the meantime, I get everything done!”
“—and our numbers are…running thin.”
Seele shuts up. Dammit, she doesn’t like that look on Bronya’s face—
Of course they’re weak and slow, they’re probably greenhorns, because the fight goes on, and on, and on, and their numbers keep decreasing. They’re pushing the Fragmentum back, but months later, there’s only so many good soldiers they have left, on both sides.
“Bronya, I’m sorry—”
“Don’t be,” she says, holding a hand to her temple as if to stave off an oncoming headache. “I only ask you to cooperate with them when you can. I know you’re only trying to help.”
Guilt eats at her. Bronya always thinks so highly of her, yet when the greenhorns challenged her, instead of taking a second to be the better person, she gladly took the invitation to vent her frustrations…
“No, no—I should know better,” she says. “Let me make it up to you.”
Bronya gives her a quizzical look. “There’s no need—”
Once she decides on something, Seele isn’t the type to hesitate.
She grabs Bronya’s hand and takes off.
“Seele?” Bronya resists. “Where are we—”
“I’m kidnapping you. Or, that’s what you can say if anyone asks.”
As confident as she sounds, she still looks back at Bronya and raises a brow in silent request.
After a moment’s consideration, she nods and lets herself be led out of the city.
Bronya is responsible. Responsible and stubborn to a fault. If she has work to do, nothing short of a blowtorch would be able to pry her away from it.
Which is why Seele carefully gauges her reaction as they close in on their destination. Truth be told, she didn’t expect to be indulged this readily. Maybe Bronya’s schedule isn’t as tight today?
“I did not think they would open up the Cafe already,” the Supreme Guardian says, looking around.
“Rivet Town is getting livelier by the day,” Seele says and pulls back a chair for Bronya to sit. “I thought you might want to see it for yourself since you’re stuck in that boring room up top all day.”
Bronya smiles warmly. It’s so bright it makes Seele want to look away. “It’s lovely,” she says. “Though it’s a shame I don’t remember what it used to look like…back then.”
Back when they were kids.
“Oh, don’t be,” Seele waves her off after she takes a seat herself. “It was definitely much dirtier than it is now. And louder. Nothing to miss, honestly. The soldiers stationed here make for a decent clean up crew, I’ll give them that.”
Bronya chuckles lightly. She really is such a princess.
“Hi, what can I get you-y-you-y-y-you—t-t-t—”
The little waitress stops like a broken record when her wide eyes fall on the Supreme Guardian herself.
“I’ll have a black coffee, thank you,” Bronya says, pretending not to have noticed the overwhelming stutter.
“Come on, princess, let me treat you here,” Seele says, and turns towards the waitress. “I’ll have a black coffee too, but get us something good and sweet with it, yeah?”
“Of course! I’ll be right b-b—thank you.” She hurries back inside, nearly tripping over her feet.
Seele shakes her head at the poor thing, then turns back to Bronya. “Look at you, Underground celebrity.”
“It comes with the title,” she says, completely unbothered.
There aren’t that many people other than them seated outside, but it still stirs up a quiet commotion; glances and whispers rise as they realize the Supreme Commander is sitting right there.
Bronya ignores it with trained ease.
Seele struggles not to let it get to her.
“So,” she starts, “what did you really come here for? Coming all this way just to scold me feels like a bit much. You could’ve texted.”
Bronya doesn’t immediately answer, but she holds Seele’s gaze for just a bit too long. It’s enough for her to know something’s wrong. Nerves start twisting her gut.
“Actually—”
“What do you think you’re doing?!” comes a roar from the side as the owner stomps out of the cafe, drawing all eyes her way.
Seele has to blink a few times to make sure she isn’t hallucinating. But no. Someone just emerged after being halfway down a trash can.
“Trailblazer…?” Bronya voices her disbelief for her.
They watch the owner throw some insults at the offender, who in turn bows like a bobblehead, no doubt making up an excuse on the spot while apologizing. A few more curses and an irritated handwave later, and she’s let off with a warning.
Seele considers calling out to her, but at exactly that moment, they get spotted.
The Trailblazer trots over. “Hi guys, long time no see!”
“A long time indeed,” Bronya says, visibly bewildered.
“What brings you here?” Seele asks. “And why were you digging through the trash…?”
“Well, you see, I can never remember if these respawn too like the barrels do. Who knows, I might find something new!”
Seele processes that response for a moment. “...What? You know what, nevermind.”
“I’m glad everything’s looking well,” she says, idly glancing around.
The waitress chooses to return with their order right at that moment, and she looks about ready to faint when she sees the trash can enjoyer next to the Supreme Guardian. Seele considers telling her that they’re friends, but ultimately decides against it.
“Here you go,” she says, then glances at the Trailblazer. “P-please don’t bother our guests.”
“Yes sir, won’t do it again, sir,” comes the chosen answer. “That looks great, by the way,” she says, pointing at the pretty strawberry cakes with carnivorous interest. Seele feels like she might just steal the plate and run.
Not on her watch. She pointedly pulls the plate closer.
There’s a snort, and they both turn towards Bronya. She’s holding in a laugh, covering her mouth with a hand.
The Trailblazer looks back at Seele, then at Bronya again. “Oh, I’m interrupting your date, aren’t I? Sorry, you two, I’ll be on my way. If you need anything, you got my number!”
She waves before running off and Bronya returns it with an easy smile, while Seele is stuck on that one word—
This isn’t a date.
Is it?
“Good to see that she hasn’t changed,” Bronya comments, and sips her coffee.
At least she isn’t calling any attention to it. Seele quickly regains her composure and adds, “As chaotic as ever, that one. It’s a wonder that she’s so effective in a fight. Feels like she has a pea for a brain otherwise.”
“I wouldn’t go that far, but…”
“Even you can’t deny it, can you?”
“Well…”
It’s funny how easily she lets herself fall into their usual back and forth. Not even the other customers seem interested enough to listen anymore, and Seele sinks into the comfortable feeling of fading into the background.
They talk until the nervous waitress asks if they want anything else, and takes away their empty plates.
“So, going back to what Stelle interrupted…” Seele says afterward. “Why are you here, really?”
Bronya goes too silent again. She glances away once, then meets Seele’s eyes. “...I’d like to talk about that somewhere more private, if you don’t mind.”
Seele swallows. “Sure.”
They end up in front of the orphanage, leaning over the old railing that overlooks the town. In stark contrast to when they were last here, the streets below are bustling with activity now. Relatively, at least. It’s not much compared to how the Overworld could get, but still, it's more than Seele hoped for after Rivet Town was deserted.
“The Fragmentum hasn’t yet been completely dealt with here, so I thought it’d be a good place,” Seele says.
Bronya smiles as she appreciates the view. “It’s perfect.” Then she takes a deep breath and says: “Come to the Overworld with me.”
Huh?
That’s not what she expected to hear.
“We’ve talked about this.” Seele leans away from her slightly. “I’ve been in the Overworld long enough, you know how that turned out—”
“I know. You weren’t comfortable there, the Underworld is your home and you need to take care of it—”
Ah, right. Those were the excuses she gave back then.
Now all the words she didn’t say are coming back to haunt her.
That’s not it.
You never had time for me.
I kept getting chased out and asked to make an appointment.
I watched you be more and more stressed as you kept trying to fit me into your eternally overfilled schedule, and I regret ever mentioning that I used to pull all-nighters. I never want to see you that tired again.
She nearly laughs when she realizes it. Just when did she begin caring for this woman more than she did for the Underworld?
...It must have been somewhere around the very beginning.
“It’ll turn out the same,” Seele says, eyes downcast. “You will try to make time for me, time that you don’t have, and run yourself ragged as a result. I don’t want that.”
There, she said it.
“That’s what I wanted to talk about,” Bronya says. “At the time, there were so many new responsibilities I had to learn and balance, so many new variables we had to account for… I struggled. But I’m here because things have been better. Calmer. And now, more than anything, I want to create a place for you by my side.”
That’s—what?
“There are a few ways we could go about it, and I’m…not quite sure which path would be best,” she continues. “But there are options. I could appoint you as my personal advisor, or my second in command…” Seele’s head spins. Where is this coming from? “There’s also marriage.”
“Marriage?!” Seele’s face turns scarlet. “Wait, wait, wait, aren’t we skipping a whole lot of steps here?”
“I admit it’s a bit much, but I’ve…” She turns her face away with a slight blush. “I’ve never had time for dating, and I don’t think that will change. So—”
At least she has the decency to look flustered too after springing that on her out of nowhere. Seele doesn’t know what to feel.
“Does that mean you knew what this was about all along? That I didn’t go back to take care of the Underground, or because I dislike crowds?”
“I figured as much, even if you never said so outright,” Bronya admits. “You wear your heart on your sleeve… It’s something I love about you.”
That’s it. A million things swirl through her head and result in a single action.
Seele grabs the front of Bronya’s shirt and pulls her in.
As soon as their lips meet Bronya’s arms loop around the back of her neck and draw her even closer. Everything Seele has kept down all this time boils in the pit of her chest and comes bubbling out, pushing its way out of her throat. She lets the heat take over and opens her mouth, tongue swiping over the princess’ lower lip.
Her pulse thrums wildly in her ears. Bronya sighs and lets her in, and Seele tightly wraps her arms around her and deepens the kiss in a heartbeat. She should’ve done this so much sooner. The taste of her, this searing heat—she doesn’t think she’ll ever have enough. It's dizzying.
She buries a hand in silver hair and tugs, reveling in the gasp it prompts.
“Wait,” Bronya pants against her lips and lightly pushes her away. “Wait—I need to…look presentable when I go back.”
Seele pulls away like the very action causes her pain and takes in the sight of the flushed, disheveled princess in front of her.
The thought that goes through her head startles even herself. The heat must be getting to her—
“Fine. Fine,” she quickly says, desperately searching for her remaining composure. “I’ll go back to the Overworld with you. Just…say that I’m your fiance or something so they get off my ass when I come see you.”
Bronya’s eyes go wide. “Does that mean—”
“I’m not agreeing yet, alright?! I just…” She devolves into mumbling. “Who gets married before they start dating?”
Stelle: Dan Heng
Stelle: You won’t believe what I just saw
Dan Heng: Oh?
Stelle: I’m on Jarilo-VI right
Stelle: and I ran into Seele and Bronya
Stelle: twice
Dan Heng: Stop right there. I’m suddenly pretty sure I don’t want to hear this. Is it anything concerning the Stellaron?
Stelle: No
Dan Heng: Is it gossip
Stelle: Yes
Dan Heng: Why are you coming to me with this. Go tell Pela or someone
Stelle: You were my most recent contact
Stelle: But good idea! Thanks
Dan Heng: …That’s why?
Dan Heng: Wait
Dan Heng: Don’t tell Pela
Dan Heng: Do not tell Pela
Dan Heng: Stelle