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It was always one of the main fantasies Affogato envisioned whenever he thought of being king: wearing clothing made from fabric of the highest quality, feasting on the most decadent of meals. The extravagance of it all was essential, of course, but the best part was imagining the endless praise his followers would shower him with:
“We are forever grateful, Your Majesty!”
“Truly, you are the only ruler to show such overwhelming care for the subjects!”
“Ha ha ha! ‘Your Majesty!'...Has a nice ring to it!”
Nowadays, anytime the former advisor would think about such a luxurious moment, the cold, harsh reality of the situation would come toppling down in her mind. Anyone would be surprised to know that someone like Affogato infamously gained and lost it all in an instant. Such a reality couldn’t help but replay in her mind, over, and over, and over, reopening the gash of humiliation the former advisor felt directly at that moment.
“Have you any idea...what I have gone through to claim this castle? This power, I've gained through my own strength, my own labor!”
“I thought my dream had finally come true...! It seems I have to retreat, for now...but this is not the end!”
“I will keep on fighting for my place in the world, like I always have!”
“Affogato?”
“Huh?”
The former advisor flinched for a moment and blinked. Right, they weren’t at the Cacao Kingdom anymore. In fact, it had been years since Affogato’s short, unfulfilling reign, having no choice but to retreat after nearly finding out the hard way that Dark Cacao was still alive. It was nearly a contrast to what he was experiencing right now, sitting at a table across from the historian he loved, sharing a fancy dinner atop a sublime balcony, which the pair had reserved for tonight. There wasn’t necessarily an occasion behind the event, the two were simply obsessed with the picturesque view the balcony provided, showing the lively Parfaedian landmarks in the distance along with some vegetation. Speaking of the historian, Eclair, puzzled at the way Affogato snapped back from zoning out, spoke up again.
“Are you alright, my dear?” Eclair quickly glanced to the side before looking at the other again, awaiting her response.
“Oh, u-uhm…” Affogato cleared her throat before replying, “It’s nothing, dear. I just zoned out a bit.”
Eclair softly chuckled a bit before speaking, “That’s a relief! I was a bit worried since you haven’t touched your candy pasta at all,” a soft smile, “You were raving about it all day!”
“Well, maybe I was just waiting oh-so-long for it that I forgot I even ordered it,” Affogato replied matter-of-factly.
It was probably for the better for the historian not to know what was keeping the other’s mind busy: the fact that, despite years of no longer performing evil schemes, a part of him—that bitter part of his being that always demanded more, rightfully or not—still thought about what life would have been like if he remained as king, even when he thought about the harsh reality. Affogato had sort of hid this from the other for a long while at this point, worried that confessing this would dampen their relationship. They may have fantasized that lifestyle, that brief but powerful lifestyle, but they didn’t want the love they fought tooth and nail for to disappear over it. Affogato was extremely happy with the way things worked out, even if she had moments like these, and didn’t want to trade the life she shared with Eclair for anything else. And so, he acted like he zoned out over something else.
Eclair, on the other hand, could see right through the act at this point. The historian was always the observant type, being quite the people-watcher whenever she wasn’t tending to the museum’s relics. Sometimes, he’d overhear how people would mingle in his museum, a place he’d proclaim as a great spot to hang out in. After all, it was just as essential to understand and study the people of the present just as much as it was to do so for the past. As a result of this factor, along with the two having known each other for years, whenever the historian noticed that Affogato was acting in this specific way, masking a much bigger problem, she usually knew something was wrong. Now, Eclair never faulted Affogato for pulling this sort of act repeatedly. The two both knew that Affogato most definitely trusted Eclair, but even so, the former still couldn’t help but act like there was nothing wrong at times out of instinct from doing so for a while. Affogato always had trouble being vulnerable with anyone, especially since that was something he had to ignore to get to the top, so much so that he became afraid of it for a while. The historian, however, decided not to pry Affogato further on what was wrong, at least, for now. If the other was pretending things were fine, chances are that she wouldn’t feel comfortable directly talking about what was on her mind, unless Eclair eased it through with her.
So, the two continued to chat while eating their dinner, observing the night sky and peering afar over the balcony from their table every now and then in the candlelight. Most of what the two conversed about were simply about everyday topics or reminiscing about the past. Affogato was pleasantly surprised that the candy pasta tasted far more amazing than the restaurant’s reviews said, while Eclair thoroughly enjoyed his jelly steak that he claimed to crave for quite a while now, to which Affogato asked if he was positive he wasn’t anemic. The historian recently had a dream he was a renowned astronomer observing stars and constellations based on people he knew. It felt all too real and oddly specific, likely triggered from the Nightlight Butterfly wings he was writing about at the time. Affogato thought back to when the two were shopping for outfits for their dinner. She was so happy the two were able to buy some simple yet classy outfits, priding herself in getting the best deals on them. Eclair wore a sleek-fitting, olive green dress with straps and long, black gloves, along with gold, crystal embellished jewelry, and a matching bow that kept his hair in a bun. Affogato, on the other hand, wore a strapless purple slit dress with a matching choker, along with her fur boa, long white gloves, and silver, crystal embellished jewelry.
The jewelry, in particular, had an interesting story to it. Before the two were together, more often than not, people would mistake Eclair for a jewel and gem appraiser, something that the historian had to vehemently deny over and over again. She was a historian for Witches’ sake, a scholar! That was, until Affogato came into the picture. Being with the former advisor, Eclair found that Affogato was someone who loved living in luxury and loved receiving gifts, especially high-quality desserts or gems. As a result, Eclair began accepting gems and jewels to appraise on the side, with some being directly donated to her instead. Those that were donated would be inspected for their validity, and if they were real, Eclair would simply give them to Affogato as gifts. Even Affogato got a kick out of the whole ordeal after the first few times he was gifted, helping Eclair out often with appraising jewels so that the other could focus more on historical relics. Appraising jewels was definitely something the former advisor wouldn't have dreamed of doing in the past, but a part of her now sort of enjoyed not having to plan as much as she did back then to achieve her goals, especially for such a huge reward. The jewelry the two wore at the dinner specifically came from jewels donated to Eclair that were custom-made to be worn by the two. It was such a sweet and romantic gesture from the historian, going out of her way to get into a hobby that she initially disliked being associated with, all for Affogato.
After the two finished their dinner, not without a few desserts of course, they lingered at the balcony’s railing for a while, gazing at the stars together. The view was just so beautiful, with the pale moonlight shining ever so softly on everything, including the pair. The breeze at this time of night was gentle, flowing against the two’s hair as though they were underwater. Just the scenery was enough to cause them to stay quiet, taking it all in. After a while, Eclair looked from the stars and its constellations to Affogato, who continued staring at the sky, only now with a slight somberness in his eyes. It was then that Eclair thought back to the way Affogato masked her issues to her. Perhaps now that the two weren’t as preoccupied, the historian could take a gentle approach to find out what was wrong.
“This view is incredible, isn’t it?”
Affogato tilted his head slightly towards the other before responding quite cheerfully, a contrast from his eyes, “It’s rather stunning, and well-deserved, if I do say so myself!”
With a soft chuckle, Eclair slowly reached her hand and placed it gently atop the other’s before speaking quietly, “Was everything to your liking, my dear?”
“Of course, especially the selection of desserts! You know me so well, darling…”
A few exchanges of soft smiles passed as the two got quiet again, with Affogato turning back to look at the sky. That is, before Eclair asked another question.
“Affogato, are you…happy?”
Affogato turned around to face the other much quicker this time, surprised by such a question.
“Wh-Whatever do you mean? Of course I’m happy, you’ve treated me tonight in a way no one’s ever had.”
“I don’t mean the dinner, my dear. My apologies, it seems I was off with my wording.” Eclair cleared her throat before continuing, “Are you…content…living like this?”
This was always something the historian wondered, despite already knowing the answer. However, there were times she felt she needed reassurance that Affogato, in fact, enjoyed being by her side. This relationship was a first for Eclair as well, after all. In addition, there had been a slight reluctance with the way Affogato spoke during their dinner regardless of how casual her tone had been. Eclair especially remembered noticing it when the other would talk about acquiring such lavish things such as their outfits, jewelry, and even the reservation. Therefore, it wouldn’t be a surprise that maybe Affogato’s issue was something pertaining to that. Eclair waited patiently for the other’s response in another brief moment of silence.
“W-Well…”
Affogato exhaled before picking up his words again, “Yes…I wouldn’t trade this, any of this, for the world. B-But even so…”
Eclair held the other’s hand and circled his thumb on Affogato’s palm, as a small gesture of reassurance. Affogato, on the other hand, was a bit worried about confessing their secret. What would Eclair even think if he said it? Thoughts such as these passed his mind, but deep down inside, he knew that Eclair was at least kind enough to hear him out, even if what he said sounded unpleasant. Mustering up a bit of courage, Affogato spoke.
“There are times where…I think about what I could have had in the Cacao kingdom if I remained as king…”
“I see…”
“Th-That’s not to say I’m ungrateful for what you’ve given me, but…” a sigh, “You know I’m someone that desires the most…I can’t help it!”
“Well, if it makes you feel better,” Eclair smiled again, that sweet forgiving smile, “I thought you were going to say something worse.”
“You’re not…disappointed…with me?”
“As long as you don’t act on those thoughts, then no, I’m not,” a soft chuckle, “I’m not exactly surprised you feel that way, especially since you’ve lived like that for far longer than you haven’t.”
“I suppose that is true…”
Unfortunately, Affogato forgot that Eclair was a lot more kind than the bare minimum she thought before telling her secret. In fact, the historian was very easily forgiving. It kind of confused Affogato in a way, but he didn’t want that confusion to linger, at least for now. Eclair slowly lifted the other’s hand up and ever so gently placed her lips on the back of it before speaking.
“You should be more proud of yourself.”
“Eclair?”
The two had long since left the fancy dinner, now cozied up within their sheets, both no longer embellished in their gorgeous outfits but instead wearing night slips. It was mostly dark in the pair’s room, save for the faint, warm light from the scented candles Eclair lit up. It was rare for the historian to do this, since Affogato would primarily light the candles in their room, and even then, that wasn’t very often. This, of course, didn’t escape from the former advisor’s notice, knowing how observant he was. The moonlight still shined fairly prominently, softened by the semi-opaque curtains lining the room’s windows. It had been quiet for a bit after the two were comfortable in bed, with the floral scent of the candles wafting through the room. That was, until Eclair slowly and gently reached for the other’s hand.
Affogato laid across from her lover, looking at the other confusedly after saying her name, as Eclair, laying across from her, held her hand and began observing it. The historian didn’t respond, instead circling their own thumb on Affogato’s hand, seemingly lost in thought. It was easy to tell when Eclair was extremely focused—Affogato had long observed the way Eclair got when inspecting relics—with the way he would point and retract his lips from time to time, squinting in the process.
“Hm…”
“What’s gotten into you my dear?” Affogato said lightheartedly before moving his hand to stroke the historian’s cheek, “Do my hands mesmerize you that much?”
That definitely got Eclair’s attention, seeing as she immediately looked back at the other, no longer in that focused state. Even so, he gently took Affogato’s hand from his face and looked at it again, whispering in response.
“Well, it’s not that. It’s just…” a brief pause and small smile, “I was simply looking for the perfect place to kiss your hands, but it seems every part of them is the best.”
“Pfft-”
Affogato giggled at the other’s advances. They’d never tell anyone this, but they secretly enjoyed the way Eclair flirted with them. It sometimes came off as silly or cheesy, but there was always something so loving and tender about it, something that satisfied the sweet part of the former advisor. Sure, Affogato used her own sweetness in the past as an advantage of sorts to make it to the throne, but with Eclair, it felt as though, for the first time in a while, she could be sweet to someone and receive sweetness from that someone unconditionally. Affogato could tell that the historian meant everything from the heart and that Eclair, in turn, enjoyed seeing her smile whenever the two flirted.
“May I?” Eclair chuckled, still holding the other’s hand. Affogato relaxed further into the sheets before responding.
“Of course.”
Affogato watched with a sweet, giggly smile, as Eclair began kissing her hand everywhere, from the back of it to the palm. She loved when the historian would get affectionate, especially since Eclair was a busy person. Eclair was very often occupied by work as a professor and museum owner, and he’d very often compensate with giving the other a lot of affection. After the historian felt she kissed the other’s hand enough, Eclair then moved her lips gently up Affogato’s arm, making sure she was being as tender as possible to her love. Eclair knew that Affogato, deep down inside, was a sucker for gentle, tender, loving romance and simply wanted the other to feel loved. After kissing down their wrist and up their shoulder, Eclair moved back for a minute, taking in the appearance of the one before him.
“Your eyes…” Eclair said, mesmerized, “They remind me so much of the moon. It was as if you were blessed by Moonlight herself.”
“I-…”
Affogato’s pupils slightly enlarged with that comment as she gazed with a half-lidded, loving stare. Although he was too flabbergasted to speak or come up with anything witty towards the way Eclair flirted with him, with his cheeks heating up, he let the historian place a hand on his cheek, holding onto the other’s hand in response and leaning into it. Eclair, stroking Affogato’s cheek with her thumb with a smile, then leaned closer and began to slowly, ever so gently, continue to place her lips across the other’s shoulder and soon up her neck. Affogato exhaled into their pillow as the historian moved their arms down to embrace them. The way Eclair loved Affogato was most definitely intimate, but it was also gentle enough that she didn’t cross the other’s boundaries. For someone who yearned for so many things in life, even a gesture such as this felt like more than enough for the former advisor, like the equivalent of many sweet desserts and treasures just for her. Eclair knew of the sincerity that Affogato so craved and would gladly give it to him anytime.
“I feel like I don’t talk enough about how beautiful you are to me,” Eclair moved a bit back, directly facing Affogato’s face now, “I truly believe if you were alive in the distant past, people would have started wars for you…”
Once again, in any other time, Affogato would have probably come up with some sort of witty remark to say towards Eclair’s comment—perhaps she’d say something along the lines of “Well, of course! Why wouldn’t they?”—but once again she was too busy taking in everything Eclair was saying to her, all for her. His eyes flitted from the historian’s twinkling olive eyes down to his lips. Affogato was so vulnerable in this moment that all he could think about was being kissed and embraced by Eclair and his warmth, never being let go towards cold loneliness, not for even a moment. And yet, a part of her hesitated still.
It still didn’t sit right that after all this time, after everything Eclair knew about Affogato, that she still fell for her despite that. It felt odd that Eclair, someone who likely analyzed infamous people of the past and their motives as a part of their area of research, thought it was reasonable for the former advisor to still have fantasies of power. Shouldn’t the historian have thought differently? The more Affogato thought of this, the more he had the urge to question it, and so, before the two continued their moment, he did just that.
“Wh-” Affogato was still flustered but managed to speak, “Why?”
“I’m sorry?”
“Y-You…” a stutter, “You…know…all of my actions in the past, towards other people, towards that kingdom…” Affogato muttered before continuing, “You even know that…part of me still misses that goal from time to time…so why? Why do you still stay and love me despite it all?”
“That’s-…”
“Why do you of all people not see any of this as a problem?”
It got quiet for a few moments, with Affogato too afraid to look Eclair in the eyes. However, Eclair softly smiled, bringing the other a bit closer before whispering so gently to her.
“Perhaps…I’m more selfish than you think I am…”
Eclair softly sighed and stayed in silence for a few moments before speaking again.
“Maybe…a part of me wanted things to work out even before you left the kingdom. I’ve recorded many people, throughout the past and present, do villainous things…But of all the people I’ve seen, you’re the only one who’s admitted to doing them, even now…”
“I-Is that really enough of a reason to stay with me?” Affogato hesitated to look directly at the other now but managed to do so.
“It’s…a start. I’ve held onto my feelings even when I found out everything. I suppose I…felt there had to be something genuine about all that time we spent together.” Eclair looked back at the other and leaned just a bit closer to them before continuing.
“I’m glad that I held onto that belief. I didn’t want my love for you to ever waver. Call me selfish, call me whatever you want, but it truly felt like you were one of the only people to understand me, and I could never move on from someone like that…”
It became quiet again, the two staring into each other’s eyes as they remained close together, snuggled in the other’s warmth. The tension became too much to bear as Affogato processed everything Eclair said. It was only then that the former spoke, no longer with hesitation, content with the latter’s answer.
“Kiss me, you fool.”
“The only fool I am is yours.”
The two giggled at that statement before Eclair held Affogato’s cheek, leaning as close as possible towards her, before enveloping her soft lips with her own. Eclair, with time, slowly moved his arms around Affogato again, while the other wrapped his arms around the historian’s neck. All Affogato felt as her face drifted away was happiness and warmth, coupled with the floral scents of the candles and the love the two shared. Neither of the two would ever regret the decisions they made to be together, especially at this moment.
“I love you.”