Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was a typical evening soiree, meant to help single ladies find proper suitors. One of the many that Five had been to this year. They were all the same, everyone dressed in their fanciest suits and gowns, dancing and laughing while trying to match with the wealthiest aristocrat there. It often began a popularity contest for the ladies for who might even get a dance with the handsomest, richest man there. The gossip among the ladies was the only thing that made these events bearable for Five. But tonight, she had plans to make this one different.

Just up ahead, she saw her target, Master Sam Yao, standing with a small group of women whose massive gowns seemed to entrap him in the middle of the group. He was the kindest man she’d ever met and one of the few men who even bothered having a conversation with her at these events. They had run into each other quite a few times. Both Master Yao and Five had struggled for quite some time to make a match, so over time, they had become pretty familiar with one another.

And now, Five was going to do something so awful to him out of sheer desperation. She sighed. Her brow tensed as she paused a moment to collect herself. Swallowing her nerves, she walked forward, slowly approaching the group. She had to do this. There was no other option. She stood beside Master Yao, still not wanting to do this but trying to find the right words to say.

“Excuse me, Master Yao.” She spoke softly, hoping that maybe he wouldn't hear her over the ladies chattering.

“Ah Five! Lovely to see you! Are you enjoying the festivities?” He happily turned to face her.

His kind smile made her frustration with herself flare up even more. How could she do this to him?!

“It's wonderful.” She said, hiding her guilt behind a forced smile. “But I wonder if I might ask you something..."

“Of course. What is it?”

"Since you are more familiar with this estate, could you escort me to the ladies room? I keep getting horribly lost every time I try to find it.” She whispered softly.

"Certainly. It's this way." He gestured towards a nearby corridor.

The sound of the music gradually faded behind them as they silently walked further down the winding hallway. The words of Five’s parents echoed in her head: “Find a suitor tonight or leave this family”. She winced knowing the beating that awaited her at home if she didn’t find someone tonight. This plan had to work. It was her only chance to keep a roof over her head.

As they turned another corner, Five grabbed Master Yao’s wrist and quickly pulled him into a side room. She slammed shut the door and bolted it behind them, trapping Sam in the room with her.

Master Yao's expression was full of confusion and hesitation. “What are you doing, Five?”

“W-wouldn’t…” She struggled to make the words come out. “Wouldn’t it be fun if we had a tryst, Mr. Yao?”

She couldn’t even look him in the eyes after saying that. She starred down at her hands as she nervously twiddled her fingers.

Master Yao had known her long enough to tell that she clearly didn’t agree with the words coming out of her mouth. “What are you talking about, Five? Has someone put you up to this?”

“N-no… I just… I’ve admired you for so long, and since we both have yet to find a match, I thought…” She stepped closer to him, forcing him to lean back against a large dresser. “I thought maybe we could try.”

She was petite and a bit shorter than Master Yao, so he didn’t feel threatened or trapped in this situation. He could easily escape if necessary. But when he looked at Five, her face gave away her own discomfort with the situation.

“I’m sorry Five. I won’t do it. I’m not interested in having a tryst or being your suitor. Or your plaything.” He gently pushed her to the side and moved towards the door.

Five breathed a sigh of relief but it was quickly followed by the fear of what her parents would do to her when she came home without a suitor again. She walked over to a large armchair and flopped down with a sigh, her gown filling the chair around her. She rested her head in her hands and hunched over in the chair.

Softly she spoke out to him. “I am so sorry, Master Yao. I did not mean to put you in such a horrible situation as this. I understand if you'll never forgive me. Or never speak to me again. But I do sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart.”

She glanced at him with the saddest eyes he had ever seen. Master Yao sighed, letting go of what little frustration he had, knowing that clearly something was wrong with Five and that this wasn’t like her.

“Before I leave, will you tell me what is going on?” His voice was stern and serious, which was rare for him.

Five had nothing else to lose at this point, so she decided to tell him the truth. “My family has threatened to disown me if I don’t find a suitor tonight. They say I’m past the marrying age and the family-building age. That no man will ever see any value in me now. And that they would rather have no daughter than to have a worthless one. I had hoped that having a tryst might make you want to court me. It was all I could think of in order to find a suitor in a soiree where no man would even pass me a glance. But I won't force my problems onto you. I can't.”

Tears began to run down her cheeks as she said those words out loud. She quickly hid her face in her hands. A lifetime of doing everything her parents had asked her to, trying her best to please them, and it had gotten her no where. They had always hated her. She was their fifth daughter, and the only one who was unwed and without children, providing no lineage or wealth to their family.

Master Yao felt his heart breaking. He could tell that this was the genuine truth. And though he’d seen her at so many match-making events, he never knew that this was what her home life was like. He sat on the arm of the chair beside her, unsure of how to console her.

“I am so sorry, Five. I never knew that your family was like that.”

“They're excellent at hiding it around people they want to impress.” Five sniffled as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. “But... you should go back to the soiree and enjoy yourself. I’ve wasted enough of your evening. Please just forget any of this happened, and I’ll not bother you again.” She stood to leave the room, knowing that they'd need to leave separately in order to not stir rumors.

“One moment, Five…" Master Yao stood, reaching forward as if to stop her. "I know this isn’t much of an offer for your situation, but it sounds like you could use a friend right now. How about we try being that instead?”

Five turned to look at him, a soft smile spreading across her tear-stained cheeks. “I would be honored to be your friend, Master Yao. And I promise I won’t ever wish to be anything more than that with you.”

“Then it’s done.” He smiled as he extended his hand to shake hers. “And as my friend, you might as well start calling me Sam.”

“Alright Sam.” Five let out a soft, tired laugh. “I look forward to our friendship.”

The two left the room separately, Five leaving first and making her way to the ladies room to fix her running makeup, while Sam returned to the party. The night went on as usual, like nothing had happened.

And to Five’s pleasant surprise, despite her failure at finding a match, she was still allowed to go back to her family's home at the end of the night. And the beating she received was much less than she expected.

~~~~~~~~

It was yet another soiree of single ladies hoping to find suitors. Men and women stood around the ballroom, eyeing each other, trying to find a good match. After years of these events, Five knew exactly how the night would go. She’d stand against a wall all night, hardly being spoken to, and maybe she'd get offered a sympathy dance by a desperate bachelor who hadn’t had luck with any of the other women. It was always the same.

She scanned the room, looking for a nice wall to stand by. But then she noticed Sam standing off in a corner by himself, so she decided to join him instead.

“Fancy seeing you here.” She teased as she approached him.

“Likewise.” He laughed. “Have you already given up on finding a match this evening?”

“I gave up on that a long time ago.” Five laughed. “I know none of the men here are interested in me. And any dances I get at the end of the night will be out of pure desperation from men who don’t want to go home empty handed.”

“Why do you keep coming to these if you hate it so much?”

“My family keeps forcing me to. They’re still hoping to 'sell off this old cow'.” She let out a strained chuckle. “Luckily I am getting to the age where I’m seen as too old for these events, so hopefully I won’t have to come to many more.”

“Your family seems horrible. No offense.” Sam sighed looking at her empathetically.

“Yeah, they are. But don’t let me ruin your evening. You should get out there and find yourself a nice match! There are plenty of ladies here who would love a dance with you.” She gently elbowed him, directing his eyes towards a group of girls that were staring at him.

As Sam looked over to the group, the girls all began giggling and fanning themselves. A few even waved to him. Sam politely smiled and waved back, but he felt a pit in his stomach while doing so. He didn’t want to dance with any of those girls who seemed to be so desperate to be with him. He just wanted to dance with someone that he enjoyed being with.

Music suddenly filled the room as the band began playing a new song. And a thought crossed Sam's mind. He glanced over at Five with sly smile. “Would you care to dance?”

“Me? Dance with you? I thought we agreed to just be friends.”

“Friends can still dance together, Five.” Sam chuckled. “And who knows. Maybe seeing me dance with you will get some other bachelors interested in courting you this evening.”

“You do have a point.”

“Come on.” He smiled holding out his hand.

“Alright.” She smiled back, taking his hand.

The two walked out onto the dance floor and began twirling around the ballroom with the other dancers. Five was instantly swept up in Sam’s movements. He was incredibly light on his feet. It made her feel like she was floating as they spun around the room. His hand gently held hers while his other hand rested on her waist. Sam smiled and laughed, twirling her like she was a princess. Five had never seen him so happy before, and she'd certainly not felt this much joy dancing with anyone else before. It made her entirely forget that there was a room of other people around them. Right now, it was just Sam and her, having the time of their lives.

Then came the moment in the music where everyone switched dance partners. Five reluctantly parted from her friend, but at least this would give her a chance to meet some of the other gentlemen that were there this evening. Every man she switched to was a good enough dance partner, though she didn't enjoy dancing with them like she had with Sam. A few men tried to engage in some horrible small talk. But while she was dancing around with them, she couldn’t stop thinking about how much she just wanted to be dancing with Sam again.

Sam also hated having to part ways with Five in the middle of their dance. He was thoroughly enjoying spinning around with her. But as the other ladies shuffled into his arms, he kept getting distracted and glancing over at Five. He watched longingly as she twirled in the arms of other men. She looked so happy and seemed to be glowing. Her smile brightened the room. How he wished he could see that smile in front of him again.

After what felt like an eternity, the dancers traded partners again, and finally Five and Sam were reunited. They both sighed in relief and continued merrily twirling around as they had done before, forgetting all their worries and cares. As Sam watched Five smiling in his arms, he felt his heart flutter in a way that it hadn’t before. He quickly tried to hide that flutter from himself and from her. But something about holding her like this felt right.

Soon the song finished and the dancers all made their way off the dance floor. Sam escorted Five back to the corner where they were previously standing. Five's heart was racing as she walked with her hand in Sam's arm, but she assumed it was from all the dancing she had just done.

“That was incredibly fun! Thank you for doing that.” She smiled at him.

“Of course.” He flashed a charming smile back. “I hope it will help you find a nice suitor.”

“Maybe it will.” Five sighed, leaning against the wall. “But if not, that’s fine too. I’m just glad something fun happened this evening.”

As Five’s eyes ran across the crowd, she saw the group of girls giggling over Sam. “Did you dance with any of them?”

“Yes.” He chuckled. “It was... interesting. One of them did say that she was a 'fan of my face'.”

“What an opening line.” Five laughed. “I’ll have to keep that in mind.”

“Please don’t use it. It won’t do you any favors.” He said as he joined her in laughing.

Something about Sam’s smile and laugh made Five’s heart skip a beat. She felt her cheeks growing warmer and she knew exactly what that meant. She needed to get away from him quickly.

“I- better go check my makeup.” Five nervously said. “Must make sure all that dancing didn’t make it run.”

“You look fine.” Sam chuckled. “But if you must go… Thanks for showing me a good time this evening.”

Five felt like her heart was going to burst out of her chest. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. “Same to you!” she called out as she turned to run down the hallway.

She raced to the bathroom as fast as she could and quickly bolted the door behind her, collapsing on the floor with her back against it. She pressed her hands to her head trying to get her mind to stop racing.

“Please… stop…. he’s just a friend.” She pleaded to herself. “I can’t think of him like that.”

She sat there in silence for minutes until finally her heartbeat began to slow and her mind began to clear. Then she stood in front of the sink, eyeing herself in the mirror.

"He's just a friend." She scolded herself repeatedly.

When she finally felt ready, she opened the door and stepped back out into the hallway. The music had already started playing again and was now echoing down the long hall. As she approached the ballroom, she noticed that Sam was dancing with a woman. Five quickly stepped behind a large pillar and peaked around the edge to watch them. He seemed so stoic and regal as he spun around, a soft smile on his face. It wasn’t the same glowing smile he’d given her earlier when they were dancing. It was more of a polite smile, as if he was doing what he was required to do and not necessarily enjoying it.

Five felt a small smile creep across her face. She couldn’t take her eyes off of him. Then, as if he sensed her stare, he glanced up in her direction and saw her hiding behind the pillar. Their eyes met and he curiously cocked his head to the side, flashing her a confused grin. Five gestured back encouragingly giving him a thumbs up. But she could feel her heart beginning to race again. Clearly this evening needed to end quicker than she had hoped.

As Sam spun around with the woman, he took his eyes off Five for a moment, and when his gaze returned to where Five had been hiding behind the pillar, he caught a glimpse of her dress running out the door to the carriages. He let out a soft sigh and returned his focus to the woman he was dancing with. He didn’t understand what was going on with Five, but he knew that he was going to miss seeing her the rest of the evening.

~~~~~~~~

Months went by. Five’s failed attempts at finding a suitor had finally led to the point that she’d been fearing. Her family had decided to disown her. They brutally beat her and tore the dress she was wearing to shreds, while throwing her out onto the cold, wet street. She was given nothing at all. Not even shoes to protect her feet from the freezing ground.

She sat there on her bloodied hands and knees, the feeling of everything falling apart weighing heavy on her. It was dark out and eerily quiet. The large gate to her families property had been securely locked behind her. She glanced over her shoulder towards her former house, and inside the house, she could see her family feasting and laughing. They had already moved on. Five collapsed onto the sidewalk sobbing, not knowing what to do now.

She wept, her head in her hands, while so many thoughts raced through her mind. The horrible things her parents had said, what they had done to her, how the suitors and other ladies had all gossiped about what must be wrong with her. She felt like this was the end for her. But the sound of an approaching carriage snapped her out of her spiraling thoughts. She quickly jumped up and ducked into a nearby alley to hide from the carriage as it drove by. Relief washed over her. No one had seen her in such an awful state. Not that she had a reputation to uphold anymore. She wiped the tears from her eyes and began walking, not knowing where she was going, but just wanting to get away from her families estate.

As she wandered aimlessly, dragging her blood covered feet across the cobblestone roads, a thought crossed her mind. There was one person who might be willing to help her. Sam.

What if she asked him to let her spend the night at his house? But then again, he still had a reputation to protect, and he would never want to get caught up in a scandal like that. She sighed hopelessly, but her feet continued to carry her towards his house. Until finally she was standing in front of his steps, looking up at the large estate. Her feet felt heavy as she slowly climbed the massive staircase, yet again dreading what she was about to do to Sam. With a sigh, she begrudgingly knocked on the large wooden door.

There were footsteps inside. Slowly the large door creaked open to reveal Sam, standing in his dressing gown.

“Five??” He chuckled in shock. Then the dim light from the house illuminated her tattered dress, showing the bloodied and awful state she was in. “What’s happened to you?? Come inside quickly!” He stepped back and gestured for her to come in, so she dashed into his house.

“I’m so sorry to bother you this late.” She said on the verge of tears.

“It’s no bother. What happened?” He led her towards the living room where a large fire was glowing in the fireplace.

Five sat on the wooden floor in front of the fire, not wanting to dirty any of his furniture. It was under the bright glow of the fire that Sam saw just how bad a condition she was in. There were bruises all over her, and cuts on her arms and legs. Mud covered her feet and the tattered shreds of the dress that hung around her. Her hair was messy and her bun was hanging loose, like it had been pulled. His heart broke seeing how awful she looked.

Before she could speak, Sam said, “Wait there one moment.”

He dashed off and returned with a basin of warm water, some rags, and bandages. He set them in front of the fireplace and sat on the floor beside her. Five graciously took the rags from him and began wiping the dirt off of her arms. Her face tightened and winced as she tried to clean the mud out of her wounds. The sting only reminding her of how much pain she was already in. As she cleaned herself, she began to answer Sam’s previous question.

“My family finally disowned me, Sam.” She said softly. “Told me I was a useless old wench and that there was no point in keeping me around. Once they’d finished attacking me, they threw me onto the street with nothing. Not even my shoes.” She felt tears running down her cheeks again.

“Oh Five. I am so sorry…” Something in Sam wanted to hold her tightly, but society’s strict rules kept him from jumping at the opportunity.

She sighed, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “It’s alright. I knew this was coming. Not a single suitor in 7 years of trying.” She feigned a laugh.

“Their loss.” Sam scoffed, trying to lighten the mood.

Five passed him an appreciative smile. “I know this is a little too much to ask, and I truly understand if you say no, but would it be alright if I spent the night here? Just one night. I’ll find another place tomorrow. I can even sleep right here on the floor so there aren’t any rumors started.”

Sam grabbed a bandage and began wrapping one of the cleaned wounds on her arm. “Five, of course you can stay here. I don’t care about the rumors or gossip. I just care about my friend.”

Five felt like she was going to cry again. “Thank you Sam. You know I’d leap over this basin and give you the biggest hug if I could.”

Sam was tired of letting society dictate how he could react. So he reached over and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her gently into his chest in a warm embrace. “Like I said. I don’t care about the rumors. I just care about you.”

Five’s cheeks turned red as she returned his embrace. Her fingers clung tightly to his dressing gown. “You are the greatest thing to ever happen to me, Sam Yao. I never deserved a friend as wonderful as you.”

“I could say the same about you.” He hummed as he held her, his thumb softly stroking her shoulder.

When they finally let go of each other, Five returned to wrapping one of the wounds on her leg.

“You’ve been through so much. Why don’t I go draw you a bath? You can clean off the rest of that dirt, and I’ll see what extra clothing I can find for you to wear.”

“Thank you, Sam. I owe you so much for this.”

He led her down a large, ornate hallway to the bathroom. Near one of the walls was a large and opulent tub. Sam walked over to it and turned the fancy knobs. The faucet hissed as the tub began quickly filling with warm water. He set a clean towel and a new bar of soap by the tub for her, then stepped back out into the hallway.

“Go ahead and enjoy the bath. I’ll put whatever clothing I can find outside the bathroom door for you.”

“Thank you Sam!” She called out as he closed the door.

When he had left, she took off her tattered rags and bandages, and climbed into the warm water, hissing as it flooded her wounds. But once that initial pain had passed, it felt amazing. She laid there almost ready to fall asleep in the warmth of the bath water. She sighed thinking about the evening;s events all over again. But the sad thoughts were quickly washed away by how kind Sam had been. She could’ve been sleeping on the streets or in some alley. But instead, he’d let her come in, cleaned her up, and allowed her to stay here. She knew she’d have to do something to make it up to him.

There was a soft knock on the bathroom door, waking her from her thoughts. A muffled voice called through the door, “I found some clothes that should work. I’m sorry they won’t be much.”

“Anything is better than what I was wearing.” Five called back.

“Alright. If you need anything, I’ll be in the kitchen making dinner.”

Five sat in silence. She didn’t know for how long. Just enjoying the warm water and the peace and quiet. After a bit, the smell of cooked meats began drifting into the bathroom. She hummed happily as her stomach growled. Whatever Sam was cooking smelled amazing. She climbed out of the tub and dried herself off. The brown-tinted water she left in the tub showed just how filthy she had been. She watched it fade down the drain, and in that moment, she felt that it was a reflection of her life. Everything she once knew was gone, faded away. But in that emptiness, perhaps there was a bit of hope. Just as a tub can be refilled with fresh water, maybe her life could be restarted. Maybe this was a chance to finally be free and to enjoy her life. Maybe things would be alright.

She cracked open the bathroom door and reached out into the hallway, grabbing the clothing that Sam had left for her. It was an oversized shirt and a pair of men's shorts. The shirt was so large on her that it hung down to her knees.

“Whose shirt is this? It’s way too big for Sam.” She laughed to herself.

Once she was all dressed and cleaned up, she left the bathroom and made her way down to the kitchen. When she got to the kitchen, she peeked around the door frame at Sam. He was just finishing putting some food onto serving plates and setting them out on the table.

He glanced up at her and chuckled. “Come on in. I just finished cooking dinner.”

But as Five stepped into the kitchen, Sam couldn't help but stare at how large the shirt was on her. It completely hid her form underneath. Five realized that he was staring and shyly tried to cover herself with her arms.

“It’s not quite my size… If it's too awful, I can change back into my dress. Or what's left of it...”

“N-no! It's fine!” Sam called out, a little flustered. “Honestly, I think it suits you. You look cute.”

“You’re not saying that just because you can see my ankles, are you?” She teased.

“Of course not. In fact, it's almost long enough to be a proper dress on you.” Sam laughed handing her a plate of food. “Here. Eat up.”

They both sat at the large kitchen table and began digging into the food. Conversation picked up just like it always did and soon they were laughing and joking, completely forgetting what the evening had previously been like.

As it got later in the night, Sam escorted Five to his guest room and made sure she had everything she needed before retiring to his own room.

~~~~~~~

The next morning, Sam awoke to a delicious smell floating through the house. He stumbled his way downstairs and found Five cooking in the kitchen. There was fresh bread on the table, some cooked meats, and fresh fruit compote. He stepped closer to the table, eyeing the delicious looking meal she had made.

“When did you get up?” He gawked still looking at the table.

Five, who hadn’t heard Sam come in, was startled and quickly turned to face him.

“Oh, good morning Sam! I got up a while ago and just wanted to thank you properly for letting me spend the night.” She put the last of the meat she was cooking onto the plate in front of him. “Please help yourself!”

Sam finally looked over at her and realized that she was still wearing that silly oversized shirt. But as she walked around the kitchen to put the dirty dishes in the sink, he felt his heart skip a beat again. Something about the way the loose fabric flowed around her small body made his cheeks begin to burn. He quickly averted his gaze and looked back at the food in front of him. In an effort to clear his mind, he swiftly sat down and began filling his plate with the delicious spread. When Five had finished cleaning up, she sat across from him at the table and began putting food on her own plate.

“Can I ask you something?” Five said as she ate.

“Of course.”

“Whose shirt is this? It’s far too large to be yours.” She laughed struggling to keep the shirt from sliding off her shoulder.

“It actually is mine.” He chuckled. “My uncle’s friend decided to take up tailoring as a hobby one day and made me that shirt. Only when he took my measurements, he forgot to write them down. So he guessed what my measurements were and that was the result. Needless to say, it was just a passing interest that he quickly gave up. But because my uncle needs his business connections, I have to hang on to it and pretend that I'm grateful for the gift.”

“I see.” Five laughed. “I think he may have guessed your measurements a little incorrectly.”

“At least it works as a faux dress for you.” He laughed. “Speaking of clothing though. We do need to find you something proper to wear. You can’t go back out in those rags of a dress that you were wearing last night. And you certainly can’t go out in that shirt.”

“I'll have to wear something in order to buy new clothes though.”

“What if I were to run out and grab something for you?”

“The rumors would be all over town by lunchtime. 'Master Yao buying women’s clothing when he’s not even found a match yet! He probably has mistress on the side.' Etc. You don’t need to put yourself into that kind of gossip. Especially while you are still attending the match-making events.”

“Then what do we do?” He sighed. “Maybe I can send an errand boy and hope for the best?”

“Or maybe!” Five excitedly sat up in her chair, slamming her fork to the table. “Maybe I can be the errand boy!!”

“Come again?”

“If you can lend me some of your clothing to wear, I can disguise myself as a man. Push my hair up into a cap and maybe smudge some dirt on my face. Then I can go to the shops and say I’m picking up a dress for a client or a sister or something. They’ll think I’m just an errand boy, and no one would bat an eyelash at me doing that. Or even question if I came from your house! It would be perfect!!”

“That might just work!” Sam excitedly jumped up from his chair. “Come on! Lets see what I have that can make you look manly!”

The two ran up to Sam’s room, laughing as they burst through the door. Five stood in the center of the large room admiring all the ornate decor and art while Sam rummaged through his oversized wardrobe. Moments later he handed her a shirt, trousers, a belt, and a cap.

“See if these will work.” He grinned. “Hopefully they will be enough to make you look like a errand boy.”

"Let’s see!” Five excitedly took the clothes and ran into the bathroom to try them on. A few minutes later, she emerged in the new manly clothing. Sam gasped as she stepped out. She truly did look like a man. Though the belt cinched too tightly around her waist made her hips much more feminine looking.

“I can’t believe how well this worked.” He chuckled nervously, his cheeks growing warmer as he looked her over. “You may want to loosen that belt a bit though. Men wouldn’t wear their trousers quite that tight on the waist.”

“Oh you’re right!” Five gigged as she loosened it. “I think this is going to work!”

They laughed as Sam walked her to the front door. Before she stepped out, he handed her some money to help buy a new dress. He really hoped that she would find something quickly and be back soon so he wouldn’t have to worry for long. If she was recognized as a woman in disguise, there could be trouble.

With the front door now open, he waved goodbye, watching her walk down the large front steps. He loudly called out to her, “Try not to take too long, boy!”

Five stifled a laugh. She called back to him “Aye sir!” with the deepest voice she could muster. Then proceeded to run down the street towards the dress shops.

To keep his mind occupied, Sam decided to go exercise a bit in his own fitness room, hoping that an intense workout would be enough to pull all his focus and worry off her.

Hours later, Sam heard a knock at the front door. He was exhausted and covered in sweat from his workout, but still he found the strength to run to the front door as fast as he could. When he opened the door, a wave of relief washed over him. Five was standing there with a large parcel and a big smile on her face.

“Your package, sir” She said in her deepest voice.

“Ah yes, bring it inside, my good man.” Sam said, trying to hide his smile.

As soon as the door closed, Five dropped the box to the ground and jumped up, wrapping her arms around Sam. She didn’t care how sweaty he was or that it was improper for her to hug him. She was just so happy in that moment that it all came pouring out of her.

“It worked!! Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you!!!! I promise I will get the money to pay you back as quickly as I can.”

“You are most welcome.” Sam grinned as he held onto the bouncing woman.

He felt such relief that he didn't even care about the money. And having his arms round her like this was the greatest feeling in the world. The more he held her, the more he never wanted to let go of her. But as Five loosened her grip on him, he also loosened his grip on her.

“You should have seen it. The ladies at the shop even complimented me on being such a handsome and caring lad.” She laughed as she pulled off her cap, letting her hair fall out of it.

Sam felt his heart skip a beat again, watching her hair tumble out of the cap. “I'm glad it worked so well!”

“Me too! I’m going to go get changed and see what work I can find in town to get your money back! Maybe find a hotel to stay in tonight too! Is there a back entrance or a servant’s entrance that I could slip out of without drawing any attention to you?”

“There’s a servant’s entrance through the kitchen.” He said begrudgingly, not wanting her to leave again.

“Wonderful! I’ll get changed then!”

But before Five could take off running up the stairs, Sam gently held her wrist. She froze, looking down at his hand then back at him curiously. His eyes were staring at the floor as if something was on his mind but he couldn’t quite find the words to say. Those few seconds of pause felt like an eternity to Sam.

“What if you stayed here tonight?” His voice was soft and uncertain.

He knew how wrong it was for a man to be asking a woman to stay with him like this, especially when they were both single. But in her situation, he couldn’t leave her to the streets to fend for herself. If the same thing had happened to him, he would want a friend to help him through it all. It didn’t matter if he was a man. He just wanted to be there for her.

Five felt her heart skip a beat. “R-really? You wouldn’t mind if I stayed?”

“Of course not.” His eyes finally met hers. “You are going through so much. And you shouldn’t have to go through it alone. You can stay here as long as you’d like.”

Five felt tears filling up her eyes. She leapt forward and hugged him tightly, tucking her face into his neck. “Thank you so much Sam! You are the most wonderful person in the entire world.”

Sam happily returned her embrace, tucking his face into her soft hair. Their embrace felt like time around them had stopped and nothing existed except them. And something about holding Sam like this made Five finally feel whole. Like a part of her that had been missing was now complete. It felt like home.

As they slowly released their hold on each other, neither wanted to take a step back. They shared a brief reassuring smile before Five darted up the stairs to change into her new dress.

~~~~~~~~

Sam and Five had been living together for weeks now. Five had found a good job working as a seamstress for a local shop. She had been able to pay Sam back for her dress and was earning a good enough wage to build up her personal finances again.

The two had quickly become best friends since they started living together. Every night, they’d joke and laugh about the day or the gossip they had heard. They’d take turns cooking meals and doing chores. They were always there to help each other with anything. It seemed like everything was perfect.

Then, one day, Five came home and found Sam in the kitchen, with a beautiful cake displayed at the center of the table. The glow of the candles was the only thing illuminating the dim room. She paused and looked at Sam curiously.

“What’s this for?”

“Today's your birthday, is it not?” He curiously raised a brow at her. “Do you not like cake?”

Those words hit Five hard. She clasped her hands over her mouth and began squealing in blissful surprise. She had never had anyone buy her a cake for her birthday, or even want to celebrate her birthday with her. At her parent’s home, sometimes the servants would sneak her a little pastry for her birthday, but her parents always refused to celebrate it with her. 'There was no reason to celebrate' as they would say.

Her heart began to race realizing that Sam truly was the most wonderful thing to ever happen to her. He had saved her in multiple ways, and showed her what real kindness and generosity felt like. She wanted to show him in return how much he meant to her; how much she appreciated him, and how grateful she was for everything he had done.

Without thinking, Five ran across the kitchen, and flung her arms around Sam’s shoulders. But instead of giving him a typical excited hug, she pressed her lips to his. It was a very brief moment before she fully realized what she’d done. She immediately pulled her mouth off his, her eyes wide in terror.

“Oh gosh… I-I am so sorry Sam… I didn’t mean… I…” She stammered, struggling to find an apology.

But as she tried to step back away from him, his arm wrapped around her lower back, firmly keeping her in place against him. Five glanced at his arm, then back up at him; a mixture of fear and confusion spread across her face.

“Don’t be sorry, Five.” He said in the softest voice. His eyes bounced between hers for a moment before he spoke again. “This doesn’t feel like a mistake to me. Does it feel like one to you?”

Five's eye bounced between his, her heart beating out of her chest. Softly she said, “No, it doesn't.”

Without hesitation, Sam reached up and rested his hand on her cheek, pulling her into another kiss, but this time locking her in his warm embrace. Their kiss was passionate and desperate, full of a love that neither one had ever been able to express before. As they continued, Sam lifted Five up onto the kitchen table and leaned over her, his lips toying with hers. His hand still rested on her cheek with the softest touch, reassuring her of how much he had been wanting to do this. Both their hearts were racing, desperate for more.

Sam broke their kiss for a moment, gently resting his forehead against hers. Breathlessly he asked, “Should we…?”

“Yes.” Five softly said back.

He lifted her off the table, setting her feet back on the ground. And the two quickly took off running up the stairs to Sam’s room.

They committed the most egregious societal sin that evening; what all the aristocrats had warned against, saying that it would ruin one’s reputation and cause the downfall of your family's name, leading to irreparable damage that would last for generations. But Sam and Five didn’t care. They truly loved each other and they were tired of society standing in the way of their love.

The moments after were filled with silence and exhaustion, but a new warmth also filled Sam's room. The two were now curled up in bed together, Sam's arms tightly wrapped around Five. Both were still reeling in the bliss of their sin. Time drifted by slowly, until Sam finally broke the silence.

“Five…” He said softly.

“Hm?”

“What if…” He paused a moment. “What if I were to become your suitor?”

“Then I would be the luckiest woman in the world.” She hummed back, snuggling closer to him.

“Truthfully. What if I became yours?”

Five glanced up to meet Sam’s eyes, trying to see if he was actually telling the truth. “Really? You truly want to marry me??”

“Yes. With all my heart. I love you Five. I have loved you for so long, and I want nothing more than to spend my life with you.” He said as seriously as he could. “If you'll have me.”

“Of course I will, Sam!” Five smiled, pressing her lips to his. “I would love to spend my life with you as well!”

“Then it’s settled. We can make the announcement this week and stop dealing with the match-making events.”

“This is the greatest day of my life.” Five hummed as she curled up against his chest.

“Mine too.” He hummed back, kissing the top of her head.

~~~~~~

The next morning, Five woke up wondering if it had all been a dream. But feeling the warm body behind her and the strong arm wrapped around her, she knew it was real. She rolled over to look at him, and to her surprise, he was wide awake and looking right back at her with the most loving expression.

“Good morning.” He hummed in a soft voice.

“Good morning.” Five smiled back.

He gently pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I want you to know that I meant every word that I said last night. I love you and I would be honored to be your husband.”

“I know you meant it, Sam. I meant what I said too.”

“After all these years of searching, I can’t believe my fiancé is going to be my closest friend, and the most wonderful woman I have ever met.”

That made Five’s heart start racing again. For so long, she had tried to find a husband and failed. But now, her best friend who had been by her side through it all was going to marry her. It was like a dream come true.

“Sam… You are the sweetest. I love you so much.” She smiled wrapping her arms over his shoulders.

“I love you too.” He hummed, kissing her lips. “I guess we will need to start planning a wedding.”

Five let out a soft laugh. “At least we already have the cake.”

“Oh goodness! I completely forgot about your cake! We never got to have any yesterday.”

“That’s alright. It can be our breakfast.” She giggled, running her fingers though his hair. “By the way, until we have the wedding, we still need to keep this living arrangement a secret. I’ll keep using the errand boy disguise and the servant’s entrance until it’s safe for me to actually be seen coming into your house.”

Sam sighed and sat up in bed, resting his arms on his knees. “I hate that we have to hide this. I want to show everyone how much I love you.”

Five sat up beside him and rested her hand on his cheek, turning his face towards her. “It'll only be a short while more. We can have a quick wedding then everything will be so much easier for both of us.”

“You know,” Sam flashed her a sly smirk. “It would be odd if this wedding proposal just popped out of no where when nobody has seen us together... Maybe we need to make a few appearances together. Like a nice promenade in the park?”

Five laughed at his cheeky smirk. “I would love that. We never did get to properly court anyway.”

“Then we shall have a date today!” Sam cheered, jumping out of bed. “We can go to the park, have a nice picnic, and maybe I’ll even buy you something nice to seal the date.”

"You are such a romantic. But that does sound lovely.” She laughed watching him twirl around the room, lost in his fantasies. “Let’s spend the whole day showing everyone just how in love we are!”

~~~~~~~

Sam and Five's date had gone perfectly. Gossip had already began to spread around town by that evening about their new relationship. Their plan was working. In a weeks time, no one would question a quick wedding proposal for two people who were seen courting in public.

And when the day came that they finally made the official announcement of their engagement, the wedding planning started. It was to be a small, quick wedding just as a formality to officially seal their relationship, and to finally end the secret love that they were having to hide. Five's family was not invited to attend the wedding, nor included in any preparations. Just a few of Sam's relatives were in attendance.

The wedding went perfectly. They lived happily ever after. And nothing ever went wrong for them ever again.