Chapter Text
Otto was finishing another stressful day working on tons of Camp paperwork, extremely tired. Desperately wanting to lie down and stretch out on the mattress of his soft bed in this mansion. At this time of night, only he was standing, returning to his room.
He was now climbing the stairs.
Until, he realized. He had returned to the base of the staircase where he had already climbed half the steps.
[Subaru: Hooo~~~!]
This sent a shiver down Otto's spine, making his eyes widen in fear and realization. Memories came rushing back.
Looking up at the top of the stairs was him. Subaru Natsuki, the Knight-Mage of Emilia. Dark hair, frightening eyes, and now with a mischievous smile on his lips and a glint in his eye that made the shiver run down his spine worse, with his hands on his hips in a pose in the middle of that darkness, like the sweat that began to fall from his brow.
[Otto: N-Natsuki-san, please...]
[Subaru: -My congratulations, Otto. Not only did you finish your paperwork, but you got this far without taking a sip of drink.
[Otto: Natsuki-san! We've been through this before, so please-]
[Subaru: Hahaha! I'll give you a chance. Take two steps down this staircase and go to the kitchen to make some tea for my sweet Beako, and then I'll spare you. BUT, if you want a horrible fate... just keep going up that ladder].
Their eyes met.
[Otto: Natsuki-san, this time... This time I won't surrender...!]
He took another step up the ladder. He tapped his foot on the next step with conviction.
[Subaru: Hooo~~~ You understand, I understand, Otto. You chose to go down the steps and prepare the tea].
As he spoke these words, Otto looked down.
[Otto: N-No... I went up... Natsuki-San...]
[Subaru: What's the matter, Otto, are you hesitating? But why? Is this hesitation a sign that you're going to obey? Or maybe you think you're going up the stairs, but because of your overwhelming respect for me, your body is unconsciously moving down?"].
[Otto: Of course not! It's just you using your magic irresponsibly again!]
Again he was at the base of the stairs, where he hadn't even taken the first step up. Subaru then let out an amused laugh at seeing his companion like that. The shopkeeper gritted his teeth and tried again, again and again, even trying to run up the steps, but he couldn't.
Every time he climbed the steps, he was brought back to the base of the staircase as if he hadn't even taken a step. No matter how hard he tried.
[Otto: Okay, I'll make the tea! Just ask nicely, dammit!]
[Subaru: Well done... Polnareff!]
[Otto: My name is Otto! Who the hell is Polnareff?!]
Accepting his fate, he grabbed what was left of his dignity and headed for the kitchen. To make tea. While Subaru laughed with satisfaction at having gotten someone to do the job Beatrice had asked him to do.
[Subaru: Now I know what Dio felt in that scene...]
Thinking of the Vampire Villain who had inspired him, he cracked a satisfied smile.