Chapter Text
Maria’s morning was a blur.
Glossy photographs spread over the dark wooden desk, cameras, a peculiar tall man with pretty hair, the van, and then… she ended up back at her apartment.
She knew she was out of it. Her head had been swimming all day, full of fog and worry. A few things stuck -- the important things, hopefully -- but really nothing else.
The man in front of her standing over her stove and staring at her open cupboard like it was a math textbook, for example, was something she remembered.
The company CEO seemed quite confident when he introduced him to her that morning. She hadn’t quite understood all of the details, but she got the gist: this ridiculously handsome man was going to be her 24/7 bodyguard until her stalker got caught.
She didn’t even know she had a stalker, that was the scariest part. She had some weird vibes from people when she went out, and sure, some people seemed creepily familiar during her usual fan meetings, but that was all pretty standard. And no one had actually crossed any boundaries. So, to her, none of it was anything to worry too much about.
So, now, faced with an actual stalker that may be a threat? Now she was worried.
After being filled in by the president and a few other staff members, she learned that some strange guy had been waiting outside for her at the company building, taking pictures of her on her commutes, following her while she was outside doing everyday errands, and supposedly more. The CEO was worried he might’ve tried to follow her home, or might reach that point eventually, so they appointed her a bodyguard.
The rest of the details were a blur; she emotionally checked out after hearing “Maria, this man might know where you live, as well.”
At least her new bodyguard, despite being bewildered by tableware, was trying to make this experience more bearable.
His name was Doppio, according to the CEO. Doppio Dropscythe. In the man’s own words, “Doppio means double so you’ll be double safe when you’re with me!”
Being “double safe” sounded comforting, even if it was silly.
Plus, she didn’t have the mental energy to fight it. This was the best option, even if it meant a really pretty guy she barely knew would be living with her for the foreseeable future.
Doppio called out to her, now standing in front of her kettle. “What kind of tea are you in the mood for?”
“Chamomile,” she answered quickly. “I don’t know how much I have left, though.”
He exhaled through his nose with a smile. “It’s enough. Just sit there, it should be done boiling in a sec.”
“Kay, thank you.” Maria rested her head on the table across her outstretched arm.
Doppio was an interesting guy, from what little she knew about him. He seemed eager to please, almost like a puppy, but had the build of what she assumed a Doberman would look like if they were human. The best way she could describe his appearance was “godlike.”
He had fluffy magenta hair streaked with black and white, most of it currently pulled loosely into a short low ponytail minus a few chunks that floated around his face. His eyes were bright and intense, as well, like almost everything about him.
Not to mention his height. Jesus fucking Christ his height. She would never forget how he towered over her in the elevator ride up to her apartment. The way he leaned over her and pressed the button for one of the higher floors, his chest pressed into her back.
All in all, Doppio was hot -- easily the most attractive person she’d ever seen, and she was a k-pop fan. Measuring up to the likes of EXO and SHINee was no easy task, and yet he managed to surpass them with ease.
That, plus, that concentrated look on his face as he stared down the kettle was weirdly enthralling. He treated everything with such intensity. Like, she couldn’t help but just watch .
Eventually, he poured the tea into the bunny mug and gently put it on the table in front of her before sitting in the seat across from her. “You doing okay? I know this is a lot.”
Maria lifted her head up from her arm. “I… I think so?” She sighed. “This is what I signed up for when I decided to become an idol, I guess. People can be freaky weirdos. I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with it alone, you know?”
“Yeah, me too. I’m glad I can help, even if it’s just staying here and making sure you get everywhere okay.” He smiled warmly.
This guy was so vastly unlike every other bodyguard she’d ever had that it was almost startling. She hesitated to call him unprofessional because of the negative connotation, but that was basically what he was. He was so relaxed and friendly, it made her feel more secure than one of her usual silent stoic bodyguards.
Maria smiled. “True, thank you.”
“Of course! Now, drink your tea so we can get your schedule sorted.”
✦ ˚ . ♡ ⊹
Day 01 - 2:00 PM
Dishes, check. Laundry, check. Cleaning, check. Check, check, check…
According to her fairly extensive to-do list, Maria was all done with her chores. She looked around the room and sighed. It was spotless.
Doppio, meanwhile, was sitting on the couch, paging through a book she didn’t recognize. He looked completely relaxed. Sure, he was technically a bodyguard, but she didn’t need guarding, at least not right then, so she supposed there wasn’t any harm in just hanging out. She enjoyed the company regardless.
“What are you reading?” Maria asked, peering over his shoulder.
He didn’t seem at all startled, despite her sudden interruption. He just grinned, looked up at her, and explained. “It’s this new romance manga I just picked up. It’s really cute, but they’re also really stupid and it’s killing the vibe a bit.” He punctuated his thought with a quiet laugh.
She hummed, then slid over the side of the couch and plopped down next to him. “So you like romance?”
“For sure! If it has a happy ending, that is. I get sad when it doesn’t.”
“Yeah, I get that,” She smiled. “If something doesn’t get a happy ending, or at least a satisfying one, I get sad and wonder what would happen if it ended differently.”
The man nodded along. “Yeah, like when you play an otome game and you’re not using a guide so you get the bad ending first.”
Oh my god, no way.
“Doppio,” Maria gasped, immediately whipping her head to look at him. “Do you play otome games?”
Doppio tilted his head, clearly not understanding what the big deal was. “Um… yeah? I said I liked romance, and otome games are romance. If you rearrange the letters in romance, take out the R, C, N and A, then add a T and another O, you get otome. It’s all one in the same, Maria. Romance is otome and otome is romance.”
Warmth swelled in her chest, coating her heart and her throat like the sweet tea he had brewed her the night before. The warmth gave her a rush of a feeling she couldn’t describe, but she felt deeply. Something like kinship, maybe? Or perhaps affection, or attachment, or a combination of all three.
What she did know, however, is that the warmth lit a spark in her, a spark that propelled her to take one step forward.
“Hey, Doppio?” She piped up timidly. “I have a weird idea.”
And so, 30 minutes and a phone call later, they had a feast of takeout before them, spread over the coffee table. Maria held a fork in one hand and her pastel pink switch controller in the other.
“Okay, so we’re going to go for Kazuma’s route,” she announced between bites of the sweet and sour chicken. “I already did a chunk of the common route already, sorry. But he’s the one with the- wait no, there’s literally a text box with his name on it, you see it, nevermind.” Her words tapered off into soft laughter.
Doppio hummed in agreement. “He reminds me of someone but I can’t put my finger on it.”
“Yeah?” Maria mumbled in response, her mouth now full again.
“Yeah.” Doppio narrowed his eyes at the TV screen, watching the dialogue scroll by as the girl next to him tapped away at the controller.
“I’ll leave my makeup case here. I’ve gotta drop off this concealer, but it’ll only be a minute. Be right back!” The love interest, Kazuma, said.
Chiyuki, the heroine, and the stand-in for the player, followed up. “Huh? Wait. I need to bring back this tripod. Meet you after?”
Then, Kazuma again. “Fine, we’ll run our errands and meet back here. Okay?”
A slightly flustered Chiyuki replied. “O-okay.”
Doppio watched on, slurping noodles. Maria pressed on, studying his expression from the corner of her eye.
“We reconvened less than a minute later. Kazuma opened his makeup case, sighed, and took something out of it.”
“Then he pushed it into my face.”
The scene transitioned from showing the sprites of the characters to one of the game’s many CGs, or special images the player can unlock. It showed Kazuma holding a makeup brush to Chiyuki’s face, but she was facing him and away from the camera, so only Kazuma’s face was visible. He looked concentrated, but completely in his element, looking down at Chiyuki and holding her face in his open hand.
“Wha-?!” Chiyuki gasped.
Kazuma huffed. “Good grief, girl. Did you buy makeup just because of the price again? Whatever you’re using doesn’t stick, and your sweat is ruining your foundation. If you’re gonna go get something cheap, at least get something good.”
Meanwhile, Doppio also decided to chime in, making a pronounced “huh” noise as soon as Kazuma’s piece of dialogue was finished. “Don’t most people pick makeup based on price? It’s not like I buy makeup or anything, obviously. But doesn’t price matter a lot?”
Maria stopped before continuing the game dialogue, leaving the close-up of the two characters on the screen.
“Hmm… I mean it does. And most people can’t afford super expensive makeup, but a lot of them also like to have stuff that’s good quality, you know? It’s something that can make you look good and feel good, so I think it’s a good investment.” She looked back up at him, matching his curious gaze.
His eyes were shining vivid and green. She swore if she looked too long, they’d blind her.
Just one more step forward.
“Do… do you want me to do your makeup for you after we finish lunch and we get to a good stopping point in the game?”
She didn’t know where the idea came from. She’d done other people’s makeup before, sure, but it had only been close friends and some classmates in high school. Never a bodyguard, no one like this.
Although, she supposed, eating Chinese takeout and playing an otome game with a bodyguard was also unusual. So was him sleeping on her couch and him making her chamomile tea. So how weird could doing his makeup be in the midst of all of that?
It didn’t seem odd anymore, but nervousness still knawed at her in the split seconds between her question and his response.
What if he said no? What if she just made it weird?
But, instead, Doppio just smiled and nodded his head enthusiastically. “Sure! Sounds fun!”
“Oh, perfect!” She exlaimed happily before she could let the implications of the situation fully sink in. “I get a ton of free samples from makeup brands I parner with, so I’m sure I’ll have something that’ll suit you.”
He just hummed and continued nodding. “You’re pretty magical, so I trust you.”
“What’s that have to do with magic?” Maria laughed.
Doppio shrugged. “Makeup is magical, plus you’re just magical. I’m sure you have a Mary Poppins collection going on where you reach into a bag and pull out literally anything. Oh, but I’m pretty sure she’s some kind of magician. Are you a magician? I don’t think you’re actually a magician. Well, unless you know some card tricks or can pull a rabbit out of a hat or something. Or, or-”
Maria continued to listen as he rambled on about magic tricks. She had a feeling once she first met him, but this basically confirmed it for him.
This guy had quite a mouth on him.
Well, not like she minded.
The game was long forgotten by now, her Switch open to the home screen with the screen dimmed. She puttered around, cleaning up and packing up the food as they chatted.
Maria knew she was talkative herself, but Doppio was on a different level. His brain pinballed from one topic to another with such speed and randomness that she wasn’t sure how she was even keeping up.
Maybe they were just on a similar weird wavelength.
Either way, she was happy he was here. His presence alone was comforting and distracting in equal measure. Both of which where good things for the current situation.
Doppio trailed off eventually, electing to watch her wash a plate instead. A comfortable silence followed, the pair just basking in each other’s company. She warmed up to him a lot faster than she thought she was going to. It really was just… nice. Really nice.
Maria tried to avoid looking at him anyway. Finding that heat rose to her cheeks and ears whenever she noticed him watching her from the corner of her eye. He was just staring . Not in a creepy way, of course. He looked fascinated more than anything.
“Is this part of the job?” She piped up, face still faintly flushed.
He seemed to be startled from his trance at the sound of her voice, jolting up and eyes widening. “I- um, what?”
“Is this part of the job? Watching me, I mean,” she repeated. “I don’t mind either way, I’m just curious.”
He straightened out, averting his gaze for just a moment, almost as if to reset himself. “Well, I guess so. In a way,” he coughed. “You’re just… like… it’s just weird to be this close to a pretty girl for so long. I’d feel like a newlywed if it wasn’t for the fact that I’m here to protect you. I’ve never done something like this before.”
It was a sweet sentiment, and also one she shared almost exactly. They hadn’t even done much together, but it was more the energy of it. Doppio had come into her home as an equal and they’d occupied the same space together for nearly 2 days with no issues. It was the most comfortable she’d felt around another person in a long time.
He moved like he belonged there. He wasn’t shy to make himself comfortable, which was something she appreciated.
Doppio had entered her life and settled in like he belonged there.
And maybe, he did.
But, instead of voicing any of that, her mind short circuited. All she managed to squeak out was a simple “You think I’m pretty?” Which earned her an affectionate smile in return.
“Well, yeah, obviously,” he proclaimed, a faint blush still evident on his cheeks. “You’re literally an idol, your whole thing is to be pretty! But even besides that, even if you weren’t an idol, you still look like an actual angel so I’d still think you were pretty.”
Well he certainly didn’t hold back.
Maria was almost at a loss for words. She got called pretty a lot at fan meetings and by interviewers, so the admission shouldn’t have fazed her. And yet, the words sounded different when they fell from his lips.
“Thank you,” she replied timidly. She truly couldn’t form another coherent thought with him looking at her like that. His eyes were so bright -- so genuine.
But she knew she needed to get it together instead of standing there burning up like a roasted tomato. So, she cleared her throat, tried to shake the blush off, and carried on.
“So, um, do you want me to do your makeup after I finish with these?”
He lit up like an excited puppy and nodded his head. “Definitely.”
Maria took Doppio’s wrist and lead him to her room, which was an explosion of pink and flowers and cute things. Pink rug spread out over the floor against the plain wood, pink fluffy bedding, and white walls covered in prints and shelves decked in figures and little trinkets.
And of course, against the wall and across from her bed, sat her desk. It housed her pc setup first and foremost, but also had a mirror off to the side so she could use the space as a vanity as well as needed.
Doppio’s wrist still sat snugly in her hand, like it belonged there. Her fingers couldn’t fit all the way around his wrist, of course. The difference in their sizes was far too great. But she still gripped him tightly regardless, like if she let go he’d disappear for good.
It was a strange feeling, wanting to hold onto him like this. After all, she’d only known him for two days , but regardless, he was her primary source of comfort and safety. She supposed that bodyguards were only there for protection, really, but the comfort he brought was indescribable.
But, alas, she had to release her grip on him, letting his hand fall free back to his side. Her palm was still warm, and she didn’t want the feeling to ever fade.
She guided him to her main desk chair, then pulled up an extra stool for herself across from him.
The girl smiled at him, “You ready?”
Doppio nodded in return. He made an odd expression, sucking in his cheeks and squeezing his eyes shut as if he had just sucked on a lemon.
Had she done something?
“Um… Doppio, are you okay? We don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
His cheeks puffed back out, and he heaved a sigh. “I’m… my face is just ticklish sometimes. It’s kinda embarrassing, y’know? So I’m like, bracing myself.” He waved his hands up and down as if it would somehow glue himself solidly to the chair.
A sigh of relief left her, her chest feeling noticibly lighter. “I promise I’ll be gentle.”
“Please,” he begged.
Who was she to say no when he asked like that?
So, as gently as possible, she drew her brushes across his face with feather light touches, careful to not make him flinch too much. He still reacted sometimes, the corners of his mouth twitching and his chest heaving. But he behaved. He sat as still as he could and barely moved.
It also probably helped that Maria sung absentmindedly to herself as she worked, hoping to give her model something to focus on besides the feelings on his face. He seemed to relax as soon as she started, his cheek muscles softening under her fingertips.
“There we go, good job,” she whispered, putting the finishing touches on his blush. “I’m almost done.”
Doppio didn’t dare move or reply, he just squeezed his eyes shut and sucked in a shaky breath through his nose.
Then, with a few final flicks, she finally withdrew the brush and set it down on the desk besides them.
“Alright, we’re all done!” Maria cheered. “You look, like, really good.”
Doppio pulled the desk mirror over and peered at his reflection and confirmed her statement. He looked fantastic . The makeup was fairly simple -- mostly because he was a guy, but also because he was so sensitive and she wanted to be considerate. But despite the simplicity, everything highlighted his face so well. The eyeliner wings were symmetrical and framed his eyes perfectly, the mascara was light but still somehow perfect, and the blush and light contour really made his face pop.
“ Wow you made me hot,” he blurted. “You made me look like an idol or something.”
Maria couldn’t help but beam with pride. Just his excited reaction made it worth it. He really did look like an excited puppy when he got all worked up like that. It made her want to pet his head and see if he’d magically grow a tail so he could wag it.
It was an odd thought to have about someone who was supposed to be her bodyguard, all things considered, but she didn’t need to think about that.
Doppio turned back to her, his eyes sparkling. “Thank you so much, Maria.”
“Of course! It’s my pleasure.”
Her chest kept getting warmer and warmer.
✦ ˚ . ♡ ⊹
Day 01 - 11:45 PM
Maria had gone to bed a while later, leaving Doppio alone and awake, making sure everything was safe. He made the usual rounds, making sure the curtains were closed and every window and door were locked tight. The security camera was on and working, and there didn’t appear to be any suspicious figures lingering in the street below.
He heaved a sigh of relief knowing that she was safe for now.
Protecting people was his job, after all. He was willing to do anything and everything to make sure that Maria -- his charge -- was safe and sound.
But now, even despite that, on a more personal level, he didn’t know what he’d do if something happened to her.
It hadn’t even been two days. Two out of a seemingly unknown number of days that stretched out before them like an ever-moving horizon line. And yet, during this short, short time, he had gotten unbelievably attached to her. Attached in a way that was certainly unprofessional. Yet, as he looked over her sleeping face as he double checked the window locks in her room, he really couldn’t bring himself to care.
She was just beautiful, inside and out. There was no other way to say it. Spending his days surrounded by idols was part of his job, but never like this. He had never been this close to anyone before, let alone someone like her. Someone so cute and funny, who laughed at his jokes, and played otome games with him, and gave him the extra fortune cookie from the takeout bag.
It felt like something out of a dream.
And as her chest rose and fell beneath the pile of blankets, it hit him like a train.
He slinked off to the bathroom, pulling the bedroom door behind him with a dull click.
Shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit shit-
Cold water flowed from the faucet to his cupped hands, then splashed onto his face, dripping off and onto the dark tiled floor. It didn’t help.
“Shit.”
There was no way in hell he could be catching feelings for someone he was supposed to be protecting.
Doppio was fucked.