Chapter Text
The room was somber and serene. Summer breeze sways the curtains open. The sunlight reflects inside the room and reaches his concave hollow “eyes”. Red irises dimly lit and they set ablaze as he cherishes moments like this, without any of the college works creeping at the back of his skull.
Elias awoke to absence.
The bed was wide and quiet, the other side was smooth. This is where Chise should have been curled against his side. It was cold. For a moment he lay still in a prone position to the lonely bed, staring at the room, searching for her presence in their home.
‘Where could she be?’ he thought. An early summer morning away from their responsibilities but she was not there.
It should not have unsettled him as much as it did. Chise was not fragile anymore. She was not lost, not fading, not alone in the way she once had been. She is studying now. She learned new things he could not teach her. She had a life that extended beyond the walls of the house. Even he has a life outside of her now, he somewhat enjoyed teaching at the college. For a developing child of shadows to play adult and all grown in front of others indeed raises one's ego.
His friend, Simeon had recently taught him a word. Sonder. The realization that everyone he interacts or passes by has their own stories, ambitions, and worries. He has learned to recognize other humans.
Elias sat up. The feeling in his chest persisted. He had missed her.
He felt her presence and it led him to the study.
She had fallen asleep at the desk, books were stacked unevenly around her, notes half-written. She was breathing slowly, deeply exhausted.
Elias stood there longer than necessary. He was watching her sleep, usually he sleeps longer, and Chise wakes him up so he doesn't really have a chance to savor her sleeping form.
She has been busy lately. College demanded much of her. New people, new responsibilities, new thoughts she carried home with her but did not always share. He had noticed the growing silences between them, the conversations that ended with tired smiles and promises of later.
Later had not come. But now is the time to spend some time alone. ‘It was summer break, why was she studying?’
He knelt beside her and brushed his fingers through her hair. She stirred, blinking herself awake.
“Elias?” Her voice was rough with sleep. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to fall asleep here.”
“You have been doing this often,” His voice was velvety and deep. “Why were you spending your break studying?”
She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes. “I know. I just wanted to advance read next semester so I could keep up… But then everything blurred together.”
He hesitated, then spoke the thought he had been circling for days. “Have we… stopped speaking properly?”
Chise froze.
The silence stretched, delicate and dangerous.
They sat on the floor together, backs against the desk. The morning light grew warmer.
“Elias, I—” Love. “Care for you, I've just been so far from my studies that I feel inferior to my classmates, I have no special talent other than my curses. Im sorry if that interfered with our communication lately…”
“Do you love me, Chise?” Elias' voice was so endearing to her. “I hope to love you for all eternity til the end of the world but I know now that we can't have that future without opening up to each other.”
Her heart was like a drum. “I really do love you, Elias. Sometimes, I just get embarrassed to say it… We don't say it much too… I fear as if I wont get you to say it back with genuity and not because that's what i want to hear.”
“Then, hear me say I love you veeryyy much consecutively and tell me if you feel my intention waver at all.” Elias nuzzles Chise's cheeks. “I love you, Chise. I love you so much, I believe you'll be fine without studying for just a while, you are not inferior, I can say so because I've seen your wisdom. I love you, for you were born into this world like we were meant to be together. You are free but, Hatori Chise, you're mine because we both decided so. I love—”
Chise hugged him and covered his mouth. He could not see her face but he assumed it was the color of freshly picked tomatoes. “Thank you, Elias. I love you so much more, Ainsworth.” She nuzzled his neck.
Elias titled his skull to have a better view of her face. “Does it change for you?”
“No.” She shook her head. “But it feels different than it used to. Less desperate. More steady. And sometimes that scares me more.”
He considered this carefully. “I fear the opposite. That you will grow beyond me. That I will no longer be… necessary.”
She looked at him then, really looked at him. “Elias. I don’t love you because I need you to save me anymore. I love you because I choose you.”
The words struck him with the force of a spell
Choice.
They cuddled and searched each others embrace for comfort. They could hear each others heartbeat and it was like music to their ears.
“Chise”
“Mhm?”
“Would you leave me?” His tone was indifferent but his non-verbal actions spoke he was worried for that possibility for a long time.
“Honestly, I don't think that's a bad thing… We shouldn't think about leaving each other as a permanent thing. Nor should it be bad. I mean, even though we were both busy and haven't had time together, we still love each other right? I think that time off allowed us to grow more. I can't teach you all the stuff there is about human emotions. The student eventually surpasses its master as I can no longer teach you anything else. We've both grown emotionally and I'm proud of us. I think what we need if that scenario does happen in the future is trust. Trust that we will come back to each other.”
As to reassure him, she planted kisses on his skull. One on his forehead, another on his cheeks, and where his lips would have been.
Elias felt a tickle in his spine, and he felt all his worries wash away. He described this feeling as the effect of love, it had a strong implication on him that he wanted more. He reciprocated her kisses and nuzzled those same spots. He thought to himself how selfish he was when it was about her. All her kisses were mine, no one else's. He reassured himself that it was appropriate to think so.
He reached for her hand. “Then would you choose to go somewhere with me today?”
Her lips curved into a surprised smile. “Are you asking me on a date?”
“Yes.”
She was taken aback, she had missed his forwardness. She had a flush in her face, it made her glow. She laughed softly, “I would love to. I had missed you so much.”
“I missed you too so lets go to London and just spend some time alone.” Elias had this desirable aura in him and it made Chise's heart skip a beat.
She laughed softly, then stood. “Wait here. If this is a date, I want to dress for it properly.”
—----
She went into her room. Her heart was excited. They haven't had alone time in a while, usually they would have other people with them and it was awkward to hold hands or be affectionate.
‘I wanna be extra-beautiful to him today. Well what would compliment and really accentuate my looks?’ She thought. ‘I want him to see me as a lady.’
The first thing that she picked was something bold. A red dress that matched her longer hair. It was tight in all places she usually wanted to hide. Her breast became more perked and her waist was snatched. ‘Truly this was bold…’
Then, she saw this gorgeous chartreuse sundress that was lined with emerald vine patterns. It was flowy and had an offshoulder cut. It matched perfectly with her strappy green sandals. It was the complete opposite of the first dress and more on the cute side but it felt more like her, y'know?
She returned to him in their shared bed. He had changed into his usual gentlemen attire. She was wearing a green sundress, off her shoulders, light and flowing. The fabric caught the sun and softened her silhouette. Her hair was loose, longer now, framing a woman who had grown into herself. Elias found himself unable to look away.
“…You look beautiful,” “No? Maybe gorgeous? Yes, you're gorgeous” he said, voice low.
Chise flushed. “Mn.”
“You’re staring.”
“I am,” he admitted. “I'm like a fly attracted to you, my wife. I just wanna admire you right now and engrave this scene into my mind.”
“No, I want to go out with you now, I don't wanna waste time.”
“I also want to, I've already told Silky that we will be going on a date.”
She blushed at the mention of their date. Yeah, they were married and even had what he considered a honeymoon but having to experience their first date felt like they were really in love and their relationship was developing normally. Just because they really loved each other.
“Mn, I'll tell Ruth too. I hope they won't be mad.”
—----
They walked to the nearest town, fingers brushing, hesitant at first. But Chise was feeling bold today so she grasped his warm hands the whole way to the train station. They exchanged glances a few times and Elias tightened his grip but not too forcefully. She liked it because she also didn't want to let his hand go.
When the train arrived, Elias held her hand fully, grounding himself in the warmth of her skin. London unfolded around them in quiet motion. He changed into his human glamour as they left the station.
They strolled in the bustling streets of London. Hands still interlocked.
“We should eat breakfast first.” Elias said, stealing a look at her solemn figure, really taking in the changes in her body. ‘Truly a lady, a cute one at that.’ He thought.
“Elias, I'm really hungry… I think I want to eat brunch, it’s close to lunch time now”
“What would you like to eat?”
“Anything really… Its up to you.”
“Why don't we walk for a little more? Head to a less crowded space? Hm?”
“Yeah, lets do that.”
They strolled far and Chise caught a glimpse of a small cafe. It had few people. And what really interests her are the Japanese menu. All kinds of stuff varying from savory, fresh, and sweet. She saw curry rice, ramen, egg fried rice, katsudon, sushi, a parfait and ichigo cake. The ones she used to starve over as many enigmatic creatures ate her food back in Japan. Now that she thinks about it, she does miss Japan. She is now craving it and asks Elias,
“Elias, can we eat at that Japanese cafe? I think I'm craving Japanese food.”
“Of course, lets go eat. I know you're hungry.”
“Do you want to try?” Chise asked, lifting a spoon.
“Yes.”
She fed him, watching his reaction with fond curiosity. Cream clung to the corner of his mouth.
She laughed. “You’ve got some on your face.”
Without thinking, she leaned forward and licked it away.
They both froze.
Chise pulled back, flustered. “Sorry. That was impulsive.”
Elias touched his face, then deliberately added more cream. “Then correct it.”
Her laughter turned breathless as she leaned in again. The intimacy of it made her chest ache.