Work Text:
Aglaea wasn't very fond of beaches. Despite her interest in bathing, she despises going to the beach.
But Anaxa didn't budge when she tried changing his mind.
The ocean water washed away their footsteps in the sand, and out forward came the gold weaver.
"I didn't know there was a beach near the Grove."
"It's always been here. I don't visit often, because the professor visiting here half-naked would be quite a bad look."
She grimaced, laughing quite full of humourous warmth.
"You have a weird sense of humour, gold weaver."
"It's not very often I get to imagine the student's beloved professor of the Grove Of Epiphany turning up to the beach with a surfboard shirtless."
He looks away, seemingly in a flustered fit of rage. "Well, I don't recall my students loving me that much."
He indirectly proved that he would do all of that, and that is quite humorous to think about.
She laughs, once more inappropriately timed. "You are always so direct, Anaxagoras. And take a moment to reflect on the words you just said."
"..."
"How about you, Aglaea. Why don't you take a moment to reflect on your inappropriate laughing? And this is the so called mother figure of the Chrysos Heirs? Making fun of someone's personal preference?"
...
He does have some truth in those words. Why was she even laughing anyways? She wasn't even the kind of person to laugh at anyone's opinions. It was strange.
Whenever Cipher got in trouble for the two-hundredth time she never laughed in disappointed expectations, instead a small grumpy outrage was all she gave her.
Whenever Mydei did something reckless, she would always give him a nasty lecture, in which Mydei would always never follow her words precisely.
And her Tribbie would always do the same. The triplets would always cause massive amounts of havoc, and no amount of past between Tribbios and Aglaea would make up.
And then there's Phainon. He wasn't even practically immortal like Mydei, yet he was the most reckless. Atleast, he would follow the lectures accordingly. The problem is, the bar went up slowly.
Lastly, her most probable favourite was Castorice. She was the most respectful, and probably took after her the most. The femme fatale aspect of them both, joined by the fact they were usually the ones nursing the others to good health.
No one called her the so called "Mother Of The Chrysos Heirs" before, however. But it does seem to be the truth.
...
She turns back after her small bout of daydreaming and.. the sight baffles her. Baffled isn't even the right word. It was way beyond that.
It was Anaxa in his full glory, stood resolute. He had his right hand out, and what stood on his open palm was a small silvery ring with a golden gem on top.
The most beautiful yellow gem he could find.
"Aglaea, do you want to be my wife?"
What.. never in a thousand years would've she expected that to ever happen. And he didn't even do it the traditional way! No legs curled, no seductive wording. Just a direct question.
Obviously, she thought this was a joke.
"What's this now?" She shrugs, the question not budging her in the slightest.
His face stands resolute, remaining stoic.
"Simply, you don't need to. It's a marriage of convenience. I have my reasonings for this. And before you ask, it's about my public image."
She was bewildered, "What about your public image?"
"I have many students, and they seem to be targeting me for their daily gossip. The girls all think I'm single, and thus are all going for me. I do not want that, it's annoying for me and troubling for their grades."
"And for the boys, apparently, kids nowadays all have girlfriends and crushes. They seem to be looking down at me, weirded out by the fact that I'm apparently a virgin with no history of partner. I am not asexual, by the way. It's just a lifestyle choice."
"I don't recall you caring about your students this much. Phainon's stories tell me otherwise. And why me?"
"I knew you'd ask me that. Who else can I call my wife? Certainly not Castorice who is around the same age as them, or certainly not Hyacinthia."
"Besides, aren't we childhood friends? That would make a surprisingly good alibi, wouldn't it?"
...
"Well, what do you say?"
...
"Sure, Anaxagoras. My darling husband." She takes the ring away from his palm, giving it a short inspection before returning it.
"I hate to say it. But- if we would want to look like a couple, you are to call me by nicknames."
"So, Anaxa would suffice?"
"Unfortunately."
...
"Give me your hand."
He slid the ring on her ring finger, and they didn't seem to care about that this question was something that dictated romantic relationships, not start it.
They held hands in a mock fashion. Inside, they were disgusted but they knew this had to be a regular activity starting now.
"We can go sign the papers tomorrow."
She hums in agreement.
...
"Your hand is cold."
She grumbles in annoyance "You shouldn't be telling your dear wife that fact. It could come off as rude."
"And what do you know about romance?"
...
Silence. It was true, she was also in a similar predicament like her new husband; negate the image part however. She's never had a partner before. A romantic one, at that.
Perhaps, she laughed at him because it was him and only him. And perhaps, he softened only towards her. The usually full of attitude of Anaxagoras discarding that for a blissful side of him that no one else has seen besides her.
Maybe, just maybe, Anaxa chose her because of a different reason. A more, sincere reason.
And Aglaea too, maybe she would've liked it to be so. She might not harbour any sort of feelings for him, but maybe, just maybe, her heart would've liked it if she didn't suppress her internal needs.
Maybe, just maybe, they truly loved eachother. But, afraid, that they might ruin something they might hold on too close to their hearts.
For now, together forever, Mother and Father to the Chrysos Heirs.