Work Text:
The click of a latch is all Merold hears as Hallritt pulls the door shut. The sound echoes through the large, empty room. The rest of their friends had already gone out wandering since the roundtable had ended, most likely browsing around the Marroncream Kingdom.
“So, you asked me to stay behind?”
Merold looked back at Hallritt walking back from the door, it was odd seeing him not going straight for Merold’s jugular. Perhaps he had a change of heart. Maybe one of the others talked him into being kinder to his senior? He’d bet it was Romarriche, considering how much he cared for Merold enough to frown at him some days.
Hallritt sat back down at the table with Merold, “Yes, I- I needed to talk to you. In private”. Even if the roundtable meeting itself was done, it was still the most secluded area for them to speak while the group remained in the Marroncream Kingdom.
Merold raised an eyebrow this time, “What did you want to speak about? In private?” he mocked Hallritt with a chuckle, “Did you want to fight me in a place where the others couldn't stop you?” Merold could tell that wasn’t the case, but it would always be cute to watch Hallritt’s face when getting teased.
Hallritt seemed just as startled as Merold expected, “No, no! Not at all. If anything, it’s closer to the opposite of that…”
Now, Merold was even more confused than before. He tilted his head to the side, silently waiting for Hallritt to continue his words.
“I- I might despise you as a knight, and I think you’re a fraud of a one too, but I’ve wanted to know the real you. Not Lord Melody’s Knight of Fragaria, but Merold. The man who wears bright pink despite his sworn duty, the person that Romarriche has been so close with since before I met any of the other knights. I’ve wanted to know what you were like, Merold. The others show themselves outside of their duty, Rimicha does everything except his work, Romarriche takes care of all of us, Puruth lives how he pleases, and Sanah shows us his sticker collection, but you rarely let us see you, Merold.”
“I’m- I’m asking you to go on a date with me. I’m asking you, Merold!”
Merold watched in real time as Hallritt’s face went from his usual self, to pink, to bright red. The more he said, the worse it got! He was really cute when he didn’t try to kill Merold, and he was cute then too. Merold would rather keep that thought for himself, though. Maybe keep this face of Hallritt’s for himself, too.
Regardless. Merold didn’t know what to say back to Hallritt. all he could think was “What would Romarriche do?” because, yeah, what would Romarriche do? Merold doesn’t know how to handle love, or dating, or kissing… or anything past that! All he could think to do is to ask somebody he knows can handle their feelings. His problem was the problem right in front of him! He’s so used to teasing the boy that he couldn’t handle his cruelty being returned in any way!
“M-Merold?”
Oh. Merold was staring at Hallritt without saying anything. Was he flushing up too? He reached his face to his own cheek. He was definitely turning red, just like Hallritt. He doesn’t have time to think about that! There’s a cute boy standing right in front of him, blushing his head off because he asked Merold to go on a date with him! Wait, Isn’t Hallritt still supposed to hate him?
“... Merold! Are you okay?”
Hallritt had gotten even more red, his mind was racing. Merold had been staring at him for what felt like an hour. Was he plotting to kill him right now? To let him down nicely? To bait him in and then kill him later? Good god, it really is awful to fall in love with the guy you’ve tried to attack. Multiple times too.
Merold tried to speak. To say anything, absolutely anything! He wanted to say yes, or no, or that he wasn’t sure what to do, but nothing would come out. He needed to do something before Hallritt exploded in front of him and left a pile of Hello Kitty shaped debris.
Before he knew it, he had gotten up from his seat wordlessly. He motioned for Hallritt to stand as well, which of course he obliged, because surely this couldn't get more unusual.
With Merold walking towards him, Hallritt saw just how red Merold was now. Did he … really feel the same as him? There’s no way, never ever! In the short time since they met would he have imagined this, there was no way it could be possible! In all honesty, it hurt him more to do nothing than to say all of this to Merold. He never expected this, not even in Lord Kitty’s name! He just wanted to get his rejection over with.
When the two met, all Merold could manage to do was to place his hand around the back of Hallritt’s neck, and pull him in for a kiss. As Merold closed his eyes, Hallritt’s shot open in shock before he eased into Merold’s touch.
It was really obvious neither had done this before, extremely obvious. Merold could feel Hallritt’s heart beating out of his chest like he had run here from the Hello Kitty Kingdom. Even though their noses bumped into each other, and they couldn't get their lips to touch just right, it all felt so perfect. They were melting into each other by now, Hallritt backing up to sit on the table, Merold reaching his hands up to cup Hallritts cheek, everything just felt right. Just how it should be.
After what felt like a whole year, Merold pulled away first. Struggling to catch his breath, he looked back up at Hallritt. By god was Hallritt redder than an apple from his kingdom, he looked at Merold with wide eyes. Oh yeah, Merold never did answer his question.
Merold, panting between his words, finally spoke, “That, was a yes. For your reference.”
Hallritt looked back, still awfully red in the face, and smiled like he never had before.