Chapter Text
Rui is by herself, she leans on the rail of the balcony. She is secluded from the rest of the guests present.
The ballroom life had never been for her, not because of preference but because she simply wasn’t welcome there. Some were more accepting than others, but most upheld their stereotypes before even laying eyes on her.
Black lilies were not welcomed in this world for a multitude of reasons. They were considered taboo because their meaning relates to the acceptance of darkness. It didn’t matter your skills, your intelligence, your good deeds, your appearance, if you were a black lily you would be destined to struggle.
In what kind of world should darkness be allowed to coexist with light?
Rui likes to think of such things when staring into the night sky. What people didn’t realize was that they had much more meaning to them, a singular flower was not limited to one meaning. Everyone was afraid for no reason, she sometimes wondered if it was because she was weird as well.
That is why she didn’t get along with those of the white lily kingdom despite the royals taking her in when she was abandoned as a child. That’s how she knew some were more welcoming than others. It was unheard of at the beginning, white lilies fostering a black lily child? One that would surely bring destruction in her wake?
Rui twirls the black lily she conveniently has in her hand, she observes its narrow leaves and leafy stem. She observes the abnormally shaped blooms, the glimmering sheen unique to each petal. She picks up on the slight fragrance it offers and she almost wants to take off her gloves to feel it properly.
The wind offers her a break from the hot summer air, making the bottom of her gown move along with it. Rui nearly makes a move to grab her hat to stop it from blowing it away only to remember she didn’t currently have it on her. She feels her hair uncover her left eye, allowing her to appreciate the garden the balcony overlooks in its full glory. She notices the batches of lilies as the most prominent, white ones of course.
Lately, she had found herself preferring white lilies instead. One in particular.
A white lily that was the walking definition of divine. The way her hair emitted a glow when she was in her rightful place in the spotlight, the way she smiled so gently it could make any person fall in an instant… the way her eyes would be associated with marigolds which are flowers often symbolizing purity and divinity.
Everything about Tenma Tsukasa, the white lily royal, amazed her. Every moment she could spend with her was a cherished one.
When Rui glances back into the ballroom via one of the windows she can immediately see where Tsukasa is. She is conversing with other respected white lily royals. Her hair had been done to showcase her natural curls at the tips to help frame her face and a few small lily petals stood out against her strawberry gradient. Tsukasa was adorning a beautiful white gown, a white gown showcasing an alluring grace, oh how her puffed sleeves fell down her shoulders, how the center front length finished above her knees, the way the layered white fabric flowed out, the way the corset brought the entire dress together…
Rui found herself blushing hard when she realized she was jealous other people were holding Tsukasa’s attention and hazardously looked away.
Black lilies can symbolize having a love that transcends the borders of a conventional romance, Rui thinks her pining for the girl could fall under that. She wanted to create a lasting bond with her. When she looks over the garden again she remembers how white lilies can speak volumes about conveying loyalty…
Conveying pure love, something Rui deemed herself unable to ever obtain. She would like to reach a day when she could obtain such a pure thing but that definitely was not going to happen anytime soon.
She became more conscious of the unnatural heat spouting from her hands, she wanted to rip the skin off, get rid of that corruption. If anyone were to ever see her take her gloves off they would see dark ink from her fingertips till a midpoint in her forearm. It wasn’t pleasant to look at.
A black lily will never live an easy life, a black lily will dabble in practices they shouldn’t and suffer the consequences of it, a black lily will pass that misfortune to their kids.
A cycle doomed from the start, one Rui was a victim of thanks to her ancestors.
She looks at the stars, the night was truly a blessing on one’s eyes, the stars in the big black ink. The night sky was a primary example of how light can co-exist with the dark, people are just too arrogant to realize it.
Rui lazily turns her head when she hears the clicking of hells make her way toward her, expecting it to be another guest she had no interest in entertaining, but straightens up when she sees it’s none other than Tsukasa.
“Rui! I figured you were out here when I couldn’t spot you in the ballroom” she says as she places herself by Rui’s side. Rui chuckles “Oya? Did Tsukasa-chan miss me so much she sought for my company?”.
Tsukasa grows bashful “Come on Rui! I mean no offense but conversations held with people who are only interested in me due to my status aren’t people I want to spend my time conversing with” she looks up to the sky like Rui had done prior to her arrival “I’d prefer to spend my time with those whose company I enjoy”.
Rui tried to control the evident blush on her cheeks, grateful for the night’s shadow casting it out of view from Tsukasa or at least she hoped so.
“I do mean what I say, it’s mindless nonsense at the end of the day if it is said by a stranger I may never meet again” she explains further “May I inquire what you are doing at here by yourself”.
Rui pauses before reaching to grab Tsukasa’s chin so she can make eye contact with her. She doesn’t miss the noise of confusion she lets out, she would bet that Tsukasa didn’t know how utterly adorable she could be. She moves her hand away as Tsukasa gives her an expecting look, waiting for what Rui had to say to her.
“I was waiting for the moment you would come to me so I could gift you something Tsukasa-chan” she says.
Rui doesn’t miss the way Tsukasa visibly lights up when she gets the courage to gently take Tsukasa’s hand in hers to give the black lily.
Tsukasa gingerly holds it and offers Rui one of her most breathtaking smiles. Rui hopes that Tsukasa remembers what it means when someone gifts a black lily because Rui fully meant it. She was paying homage to Tsukasa’s potential to bloom even in the darkness, she was also giving it to her as a sign of her unwavering devotion toward her.
She softly speaks “Isn’t this one from your garden?”. She was right, only one part of the garden was Rui’s, the only part that grew black lilies. She supposed she was allowed to do so out of respect for her origins. “Doesn’t that mean it’s a better gift from me to you?” she replies, Rui is swooning hard for her.
They gaze into each other’s eyes in complete silence until they hear the faint melody of the violin.
Tsukasa carefully places the lily on the quartz surface of the railing before extending her hand out to Rui “I can’t have you missing all the joys of the ball, Kamishiro Rui could I have the pleasure of dancing with you this fateful night?”.
Rui smiles sincerely back “It would be an honor to dance with the esteemed Tenma Tsukasa”.
The music that prompted this suggestion was so faint that both girls subtly tuned it out. Rui reaches to place her right hand on Tsukasa’s hip while Tsukasa places her left hand on Rui’s shoulder, carefully brushing against the hair resting on her neck. In this position Rui still had to look down even though Tsukasa was still wearing heels, it felt more natural like this.
Rui guides Tsukasa’s other hand to intertwine with hers, they fit together naturally it made Rui’s heart flutter. She wanted to feel Tsukasa’s heart flutter too, she wanted to see it flutter too.
Slowly Tsukasa begins to guide them to a beat of her own, her voice letting out a hum to accompany them. It’s only the two of them, dancing around the balcony.
They sway in the wind, Rui wonders how a person could be this warm, this perfect.
Eventually, Tsukasa detangles their hands to bring her other one around Rui’s neck, she shifts to be able to hug her neck and rest her head on Rui’s shoulder. Rui feels herself stiffen slightly before bringing her free hand to hold Tsukasa’s other hip. She feels her hair tickle Tsukasa’s face.
The humming stops, they can only hear each other’s breathing. They enjoy the embrace, both not daring to move.
Rui believes she has a reason not to move but she cannot fathom a reason Tsukasa has.
Maybe because they are so close to each other Tsukasa feels inclined to lower her volume, Rui hears her whisper into her ear ever so softly “I don’t suppose the moon will sing a song for me? Or would that be too arrogant of me to ask?”.
Rui doesn’t answer, instead opting to rock Tsukasa back and forth. The next moment Tsukasa’s ears are filled with the pleasing melody that was Rui’s voice.
Tsukasa would never admit how much she loved to hear Rui talk, to hear Rui laugh, to hear Rui sing in that hypnotizing voice.
Similarly, Tsukasa would never know of the words Rui was thinking of during that moment. “I loved you like the sun, now I love you like the whole galaxy till the unknown ends of our universe”.
Rui felt selfish when having moments such as this one with Tsukasa, Tsukasa was her everything even if it wasn’t reciprocated. It consumed her, she had known Tsukasa for years that her love was overflowing like the blood in her veins, she wanted to make Tsukasa part of her, she wanted to consume her, to have Tsukasa as a whole.
This was not a healthy way to think, to express her hidden love.
Rui’s guilt of having to leave soon will catch up on her, the way her gloves contrasted against Tsukasa’s skin was a reminder of that. But for now, she will push that to the side, letting herself get absorbed in the moment with her beloved.