Chapter Text
The tavern was rather quiet at this time. It was only around 10am, after all. Not exactly drinking time for most. Luckily for Kuu, this meant she did not really need to assist Cassidy with service, and she could instead socialise with the good members of Bororia that existed in Cass’ tavern. The small band of people had their morning beers, laughs roaring as they were the only people who occupied the space. Kuu was able to overhear the men’s booming conversation all the way from the bar, and it sparked her curiosity.
“So I asked her, right? Do you even love the guy? And she said no!” The man swung his arms around, with enough precision to avoid spilling his precious beer. His narration got his friends to laugh with every line. “So I asked her, why are you even with him? She replied ‘I love him for his money!’” And the crowd erupted with even louder joy.
Meanwhile, Kuu just stared at the narrator from across the room, resting her head on her arms as she swayed her hips side to side. She couldn’t really understand one thing about the story, but she managed to giggle faintly with the group anyways.
Cassidy noticed Kuu’s attention whilst preparing the utensils for lunch hour. “You got someone you love, Kuu?” This made Kuu jump slightly, replying to Cassidy’s question with a sheepish smile.
“Umm… yes?” Kuu only made her uncertainty known, as she scratched the back of her head and played with her hair.
“Right. You don’t sound too sure of yourself, girl.” Cassidy finished cleaning the utensils, and has moved onto wiping the glasses dry with a cloth. “What’s up?”
Kuu looked back towards the group, and started fidgeting with her fingers. “Well… I don’t really know what that is.”
Cassidy faced Kuu, curiosity filling her tone. “What? Love?”
“Yeah. I never heard about it growing up, all I was ever really taught was to fight and use magic, so… nope. Never heard of it. Although mom did say that she loved me a few times, I didn’t really understand.” Kuu trailed on slightly, trying to remember any time she learnt about love. “Do you mind telling me?”
Cassidy paused for a second to think. “Well… love is a very special thing. Like when you really care about someone. Really care about someone, y’know? Like your mom! She cared about you a lot, right? So she loved you! I’m sure that red sis of yours also loves you too! Like a family thing!”
Kuu nodded in understanding. “Ohhh, okay! I guess I love them too, I suppose. ”Kuu’s hair turned yellow, giggling to herself. “Oh yeah, I suppose I heard Lu singing about love one time at the Square. Should I ask him?”
Cassidy imagined Lu singing Kuu a tune about love and laughed to herself. “Yeah, that sounds good. He’d know a lot more than I do about it! Are you gonna head out?”
“Yeah, if it’s no trouble. Thanks, Cass!” Kuu waved at the bartender as she ran out the door.
…
…
The square was mostly quiet, there was the occasional townsperson there to go grocery shopping, but it was still rather early to relax in the town square. That is, but for one person.
Lu was not singing their songs, rather humming quietly to themself whilst polishing their lute while sitting on a bench near a fountain. They stopped humming when they noticed the sounds of shoes get louder, stopping just as a blue mass emerged before them. “Hello, Kuu. What can I do for you? I won’t be performing for a while, if that’s what you were interested in.”
Kuu shook her head, moving to sit next to the pink bard and leaned into the backrest. “I had a question. About something I learnt about just today. At the tavern.” Kuu paused, thinking about what to say, still processing what Cassidy told her about. “Can you explain what love is? You sang about it once.”
“Love, huh? At the tavern, hmm… So Cassidy gave you some notes?” Lu went back to polishing their lute, whilst staring at Kuu curiously.
“Yea! She told me love is about that feeling when you care a lot about someone. Like my mom, and my sister! That’s love, right? Caring about your family?” Kuu trailed off, before questioning Lu like a student in a class.
“Yes, I do suppose that is a type of love. Well since you asked, I’ll expand on what Cassidy told you.” Lu waited for Kuu’s nod before continuing. “What you mentioned just now is familial love. Self-explainatory, really. It is when you have that bond with your family that you care about them. That is family love, like how you love your mom and sister and care about them a lot.”
Kuu nodded and hummed in approval.
“There are other types of love. Platonic love, like when you have friends you really care about, or romantic love, when you have deeper feelings for someone that you want to spend the rest of your life with. That’s the one I sing about.”
Kuu continued nodding, thinking intently. “What do ‘deeper feelings’ entail? I don’t get it…”
Lu paused for a second, before smiling. “It’s… very intense. Like when you can’t stop smiling because they entered your mind, or when you feel devastated when they feel bad. Like your world revolves around them, and you want to be with them…” Lu trailed on, leaving Kuu amazed at the concept.
“That sounds… nice.” Kuu stared off into the sky, processing the information taught to her. “Do you have someone like that?”
Lu thought about it for a moment, then shook their head. “No… not right now. I’ve met a few people I care about, like you. But no one I feel romance for.”
Kuu’s face turned a faint red, and her hair turned yellow. She giggled, causing Lu to smile. “Thanks. Saving it for someone special, huh?”
“Yeah…” Lu set their lute aside and stared at the stone brick flooring. “So. What about you?”
Kuu’s ahoge stood up as she was called out. “Eh? Ummmm….” Kuu hummed really loudly, attempting to search through her brain, remembering Lu’s description of love. “I… I’m not sure… Kiri?” Kuu scratched her head, giggling sheepishly.
“Oh, the princess? Interesting. Do you wish to elaborate?”
“Well… I never… ummmmm…” Kuu hummed quietly, thinking about how Kiri fits Lu’s description of love. “I could never think of hurting her, y’know? Despite the whole…”
“Oh. Yeah. The first time you defied your father, huh?” Lu recollected what Kuu told them about her past, and her hesitance to slay the princess.
Kuu simply nodded in response. “I never really understood it, y’know? That was the whole reason I was here, but just the thought of hurting her just made me sad…”
Lu smiled, and stroked Kuu’s hair. “She showed you a better life. You even learnt to feel things you never learnt of because of her.
Kuu blushed slightly. “Yeah… and I even…” She reached for her back. It still hurts, even if only slightly. “I guess living with her isn’t so bad.”
Lu stood up and held their arm out. “Save your words, Kuu. They aren’t for me.”
Kuu’s ahoge stood up even more now, as she blushed slightly more. “You… You mean I should tell her? That I… Love…” Kuu grabbed their hand and stood up with them. There was a slight shiver to her sigh. “Thanks, Lu. I owe you.”
Lu chuckled and waved as Kuu walked off. “No need. It’s always fun talking to you.” They laughed to themself as they went back to polishing their lute. “She didn’t even have a plan. Probably for the best, anyways. Makes it more interesting.”
…
…
Kuu did not realise how little she was prepared until she reached Kiri’s quarters. She was so eager to talk to Kiri about these discovered feelings that she didn’t ask Lu about what she was supposed to do. “I’ll just tell her I love her. Romantically. Yeah, easier thought about than done.” Kuu leaned with her back against the stone walls of the castle, trying to figure out a plan on how to confess to her princess.
“Well, it is the morning, so Kiri shouldn’t really be outside much right now, which means she’s in there.” Kuu glanced at the door to Kiri’s bedroom. She was considering just opening the door and winging her confession, but she could just as easily run off, or freeze up from how much she was shaking. “Ughhhh, this is stupid. What if she doesn’t feel the same for me? She IS a princess, after all. Surely she deserves someone better, right? I’m just a wea- no. I’ve grown past that.” At this point, Kuu was pacing up, down and all over the corridor, shaking her head and constantly fighting her demons. “Why is this so hard? I don’t understand!” Kuu was contemplating the idea of retreating back to Lu to ask for help, if not for the approaching footsteps behind her.
“Kuu?”
Kuu lept back like a cat, yelping in surprise to the sudden presence of a green figure. “O-oh, Kiri! Hey!” Kuu sheepishly waved, attempting to recompose herself in front of royalty.
“Hi!” Kiri waved back gleefully.
Kuu’s heartbeat skipped briefly.
“Are you alright? Did you need anything?” Kiri opened the door to her room, staring at Kuu. “Do you… want to come in?”
“Oh… ok! Yes, please.” Kuu hastily nodded as she attempted to hold back the flustering of her face.
Kiri eyed Kuu as she walked inside. Kuu’s face started slowly turning red, and beads of sweat started to emerge as well. She locked the door behind her, as Kuu’s timidness usually meant she wanted to talk in private. “So? What’s on your mind, Kuu?”
“Welp Kuu, it’s the end of the line, huh?” Kuu REALLY wished she asked Lu for help with this now. She felt a bit faint. The past year or more was staring at her, with the most gentle and pretty smile she has seen in her life. Kuu inhaled. “I want to be with you. Say it.” Kuu exhaled and locked eyes with her princess. “I… I- I’m sorry.”
Kuu’s face of defeat never ever sat right with Kiri. “She rarely ever makes that face. She didn’t even make that face against her father. Nor her sister. Something is really bothering her.” Kiri gently placed her hand on Kiri’s shoulder. “Kuu. Take your time. I’ll listen to anything you want to say.”
Kuu’s heart was racing. Whether or not it was because she didn’t want to screw this up, or if she already did, she didn’t know. She stared into Kiri’s glimmering eyes. They were always full of hope. “They helped bring you to a better place.” Kuu inhaled once more. The world felt like it stopped, at this moment. As if the gods above were assisting Kuu.
It was at this point that Kiri noticed Kuu’s hair was glowing pink. Kiri remembered. The only other time this has ever happened… when Kuu confessed her entire life and her mission to Kiri. “I… I never fully understood that. She never fled, nor did she ever hurt me. Even facing potential execution, she obeyed my every instruction. Could it be… Kuu?” Kiri noticed Kuu’s blushing become apparent now. “Oh. Oh my.”
Kuu finally exhaled. Kiri was blushing. “She probably figured it out, huh?” The room was silent, outside of the heavy breathing. Kuu glared into Kiri’s eyes, her heart finally steady. “Kiri.”
“...Yes, Kuu?” She knew what Kuu wanted to say.
They both knew what Kuu wanted to say. They both knew that Kuu had to say this. Thanks to today, Kuu understood how she felt for the princess of a foreign kingdom. A former prince to a kingdom her father destroyed. A princess that helped her carve her own path in her life. Kiri truly meant the world to her. Kuu smiled, confident.
“You have shown me what life has to offer. I have never felt happier since I met you at the rest spot over a year ago, in the rain. You opened your life to me, and helped save me from mine. Kiri, my princess.”
Kiri’s smile was limitless, and her face was steaming red. “Yes, Kuu?”
“...I want to spend the rest of my life by your side. I love you, Kiri.” Kuu smiled. She stared at Kiri, waiting for a response.
But there was no response. Nothing verbal anyway. Kiri’s response of choice instead was to pull Kuu swiftly into her arms, caressing the back of her neck with her other hand, and push Kuu’s mouth against hers. Kiri’s hands guided Kuu, her touch breaking any tension left in Kuu’s body, and leaned her body against Kiri’s.
It was like time stopped for them, as the only thing that moved in the world was the blue and green girls swaying around the room as arms were wrapped around each other, lips interlocking as they stared into each other's shining eyes. Kuu enjoyed every second of her connection with Kiri, and Kiri was itching to seal herself with her lover. Nothing left their mouths for the next few minutes, lest for the occasional gasp of air interjecting their union.
…
After the extended period of tongue-wrestling ended with the couple crashing onto Kiri’s bed, the 2 laid side by side, panting for air. Kiri turned to face Kuu, worn out and beet red, with hair pink as ever. “You know, Kuu… I really hoped you’d love me back.”
“So, you did love me then?” Kuu giggled. “For how long?”
“Hard to say… You just really grew on me, you know? You’re amazing, talented, and you’re honest to yourself. And even though I helped you, you managed to carve your own path. I guess eventually sometimes I’d stay up, thinking about spending another day with you. And that’s when I knew.”
“Kiri… I… wow.”
“Ehehehehe…” Kiri pulled Kuu into her arms. “You made me feel the happiest to be myself. I could never be the princess I am today without you, even if you… tried to kill me at one point.”
Kuu nodded. “Right… It does make for one hell of an interesting story though, right?”
“I suppose it does, my beautiful knight in shining hair.”
Kuu’s face flashed red. “Eh?” Kiri giggled in response. “I guess that’s true, huh?” Kuu giggled as she stared into the ceiling.