Work Text:
The morning at the Video Store was too quiet for Belle's liking. Wise was organizing the classic section volumes with that ‘don't bother me before coffee’ expression, while she was rolling around on the sofa with her tablet, laughing to herself.
“Hey, little brother!” she shouted, jumping to her feet. “I just saw in the Mockingbird group that Vivian is looking for ‘a place that needs special attention.’ Obsession level Phaethon detected!”
Wise raised an eyebrow without stopping what he was doing.
“Belle, stop shipping random people. And don't spread rumors.”
However, Belle was already typing furiously.
“The Video Store is a disaster of dust and messy tapes. Anyone to save the day? 👀 Especially if it’s a certain banshee who loves a certain Proxy~”
She sent it before Wise could confiscate the tablet.
[...]
Ten minutes later, the doorbell rang. Belle opened the door with the smile of someone who just hit the lottery.
There stood Vivian Banshee, impeccable in her black and white corset dress, violet parasol in hand, and a gothic apron over it—all while carrying buckets, cloths, and a scent of ethereal lavender that flooded the entire store. Her red eyes brightened upon seeing Wise in the background.
“I heard that Phaethon-sama's sanctuary needs purification…” she murmured, her voice soft as a chilling lullaby. “I have come to offer my services.”
Wise froze with a tape in his hand, and Belle let out an internal squeak of victory. He placed the volume back on the shelf with excessive care, as if any sudden movement could trigger something worse.
“Thank you for the offer, Vivian, but... we clean every day. Belle exaggerates.”
The woman tilted her head, her red orbs softening into a mix of sadness and determination.
“Exaggeration? But I felt it... from across the street. The air here is heavy, impure. I cannot allow something like this to touch you, Phaethon-sama.”
She opened the parasol slightly, and a light mist of ethereal lavender spread tiny petals that began to stick to the dust on the collection, forming neat little piles on the floor. Belle burst into muffled laughter, covering her mouth.
“She’s using cleaning magic! That’s couple cheating, huh?”
“We are not a couple!” Wise retorted too quickly, his face turning pink.
Vivian stepped forward, her lace gloves already on.
“Let me prove it. Just five minutes. If it doesn't get better... I'll leave without complaining.”
Wise hesitated. Belle poked him in the back.
“Accept it, little brother. Maybe she can fix that tape you broke last week just out of anger?”
He sighed, defeated. Vivian smiled—a small, yet radiant smile, as if she had won the entire universe.
Vivian wasted no time. With a graceful gesture of her parasol, she summoned half a dozen silver ethereal feathers that floated through the air like gothic butterflies, each picking up a cloth or tiny brush. They began to dance across the shelves, wiping away dust, aligning crooked tapes, and even polishing the plastic covers with a subtle shine.
“They are obedient,” Vivian explained, her voice soft, as one feather lightly brushed Wise's shoulder, cleaning an invisible spot on his shirt. “And they love being close to you, Phaethon-sama.”
Wise blinked, feeling the ethereal touch like a pleasant shiver.
“This... is useful. But be careful not to mess up the sections.”
Belle, already secretly filming with Bangboo from behind a shelf, couldn't resist:
“Wow, the feathers are flirting with you too! Look, one is fixing your hair now!”
Indeed, a rebellious feather floated up to Wise's bangs, tidying a messy strand with excessive affection. Vivian blushed violently.
“They just... reflect what I feel. I can't stop them, Phaethon-sama.”
Wise tried to ignore the heat on his face and picked up a regular cloth.
“Let's do it the normal way too. I'll take care of the action section.”
However, as he stretched to reach a high shelf, Vivian appeared beside him in the blink of an eye—a movement too fast to be human.
“Allow me,” she whispered, standing on her tiptoes to reach the same tape he wanted. Their bodies lightly brushed, and the scent of ethereal lavender enveloped them both. “This way... you'll be closer to your touch.”
Belle let out a muffled squeak. The chaos was just beginning. Vivian stepped back, but the ethereal plumes, sensing their closeness, decided to ‘help’ in an exaggerated way. One of them flew to the counter and started pushing a stack of old tapes toward Wise and Vivian, creating an improvised barrier that isolated them in a corner of the store.
“They want privacy for us…” Vivian murmured, her voice trembling with contained excitement. Her red orbs fixed on his as if the rest of the world had disappeared. “Phaethon-sama, your scent mixed with lavender... it's intoxicating.”
Wise tried to circumvent the barrier of volumes, but he slipped on a puddle of cleaning product a feather had spilled 'accidentally.' Vivian held him by the arms, firm and gentle at the same time.
“Be careful... your balance is too precious to be wasted.”
Belle, on the other side of the tape 'wall,' peeked with Bangboo in hand.
“That's it! Heroic rescue moment! Vivian 10, Wise 0 in flirting resistance!”
A rebellious feather decided the moment needed a soundtrack: it summoned a soft purple glow that made the store lights flicker like candles, and began to circle both of them in a spiral, spreading more ethereal petals that stuck to their clothes like romantic confetti. Wise, now with petals in his bangs, tried to maintain composure:
“Vivian, please... control these feathers before the store turns into a love nest.”
She blushed so hard that even the tips of her ears turned purple.
“They just... reflect what I feel. I can't stop them.”
The air vibrated with petals, glow, and messy collections. Belle decided it was time to escalate.
“Time to clean the stockroom! There's dust in there that even the feathers can't reach!”
She ran to the back stockroom door, opened it, and started pushing Wise and Vivian toward it.
“Go, couple! It's more private in there!”
Vivian followed without resistance, gently tugging Wise by the sleeve.
“The stockroom... it's dark and quiet. Perfect for... sincere conversations.”
Wise tried to brake.
“Belle, we don't need—”
However, a feather pushed him from behind, and Vivian was already inside, lighting a soft ethereal light that illuminated the cramped space like a secret room. She turned to him, the entrance almost closing behind her.
“Here... no interruptions. I can say everything I feel without the feathers speaking for me.”
Belle locked the door from the outside with a click.
“Have a good cleaning in there! I'll be back in 15 minutes!”
Wise stared at the locked entrance, then at Vivian, who was smiling shyly and radiantly at the same time.
The stockroom was small: shelves full of old boxes, stacked old tapes, and a smell of old paper mixed with ethereal lavender. The faint light Vivian summoned danced on the dust particles, making everything look like a slightly forbidden dream.
The woman stepped forward, almost touching Wise, and extended her gloved hand to wipe a cobweb from his shoulder—even though there was no web.
“Phaethon-sama... in here, without curious eyes, I can be honest.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “Every time I see you on the Hollow screen, my heart sings. But seeing you in person... it’s like I can finally breathe.”
Wise leaned his back against the shelf, feeling a box swing precariously.
“Vivian, we came to clean, remember? Let's... get a cloth.”
She took a clean cloth from the basket she had brought and, instead of cleaning the shelves, began to gently run it over the collar of his shirt, her fingers lingering on the fabric.
“I'll start with you. You are the most important thing here.”
A stubborn ethereal feather slipped through the crack in the door and began sweeping the floor around their feet, creating a small dust vortex that forced them closer together. Wise felt the warmth of her body.
“Vivian…”
She raised her red orbs, shining in the soft light.
“Say I can get closer. Just a little. I promise not to bite... unless you ask.”
Wise swallowed hard, his heart racing. From the outside, Belle could be heard giggling softly and murmuring something about '15-minute timer started.'
Vivian hesitated, then slowly began taking off her lace gloves, finger by finger, revealing pale skin and dark purple painted nails.
“I always wear gloves... so I don't touch the world without permission. But with you... I want to really feel.”
She let the gloves drop to the floor and took Wise's hand with her bare ones. Her fingers were cold, yet they trembled with emotion.
“Phaethon-sama... Wise. I love you so much it hurts. It’s not obsession. It’s necessity. Like you are the air I forgot to breathe.”
Wise interlaced his fingers with hers, surprised by the softness.
“I... I'm not good with these things. But you make me want to try.”
She smiled, tears glittering at the corners of her eyes.
“Then try. Here. Now.”
Vivian pulled his hand to her face, making him caress her cheek. Wise obeyed, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw. She closed her eyes and leaned in, lips brushing against his in a light, hesitant kiss, the world stopping. Until a box behind them swung and fell with a crash, shoving Wise against her again—deepening the kiss by accident. At that moment, Belle screamed from outside:
“I heard noise! Was that a kiss? Open this door!”
Wise pulled back a minimal step, his face red to his ears.
“Sorry... the box... I didn't mean to push you like that.”
Vivian shook her head, her hands still clutching his shirt as if he might disappear.
“Don't apologize. That 'accident' was the best thing that ever happened to me.” She looked up, vulnerable. “Wise, I spent so much time dreaming of you that I forgot what it felt like to feel for real. Now... I don't want to stop.”
He cupped her face with both hands, his thumb wiping away a tear that escaped.
“Me neither. You scare me a little, Vivian. But in a good way. You make me want to be brave.”
She laughed softly, the sound musical in the confined space.
“Then be brave with me. Always.”
Wise pulled her back, kissing her with more confidence this time—their lips moving slowly, exploring. Vivian melted against him, a soft moan escaping. When they parted, she whispered:
“Promise me this wasn't just the stockroom talking?”
“I promise. It was you. It was always you.”
Belle screamed again:
“Guys, I'm dying out here! Open up or I'll start singing loudly to embarrass you all!”
Before Wise could knock on the door again, Belle pushed it open with her shoulder, balancing a giant bowl of popcorn she had prepared 'for romantic emergencies.'
“Enough privacy! I deserve details!” she announced, entering and lighting up the stockroom with her phone.
They separated quickly, however, their hands were still linked. Belle stopped, looking at both of them.
“Oh my God, look at those faces! You are too cute! Vivian, congratulations on conquering the most stubborn little brother in New Eridu!”
“He’s the one who conquered me…” Vivian smiled shyly.
Wise rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide his smile.
“Belle, you are unbearable.”
“And you are in love! Admit it already!”
He sighed, looking at Vivian, then at the now-clean store in the background.
“Okay... I admit it. I liked it. The chaos, the cleaning, everything. Especially having you here, Vivian. It was... perfect.”
Belle screamed with joy, throwing popcorn at both of them.
“Perfect! Now, onto the couch, you two! Let's watch a romantic comedy to celebrate. And no more locked doors... for now!”
Belle dragged them both onto the couch with the energy of someone who had just won a war. The bowl of popcorn swayed precariously in her hands, kernels flying like makeshift confetti. The TV screen flickered to life, automatically selecting an old romantic comedy, the kind Wise always pretended to scorn.
Vivian settled beside him, her small body fitting naturally against his broad shoulder. Wise couldn't resist: he draped an arm around her, pulling her closer, as if fearing the moment might evaporate. The ethereal scent of lavender still hung in the air, mingling with the savory sweetness of popcorn and the faint aroma of old paper from the organized tapes.
Belle flopped down on the other side, legs crossed, tossing popcorn into her mouth as the screen light danced across their faces. From time to time, she turned her head, casting mischievous glances at the couple, only to quickly return her attention to the film, feigning concentration.
The shop, now spotless, seemed to sigh with relief. The shelves shone under the soft glow of the lights; the ethereal plumes had discreetly vanished, leaving only a faint purple residue in the air. Wise felt the weight of the day dissolve: the chaos, the mess, the initial fear—all had transformed into something warm and right.
Vivian rested her head against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. He looked down at her, a subtle smile curving his lips. Belle, noticing the moment, lowered the TV volume without making a fuss.
The night unfolded like this: three figures on the couch, popcorn falling slowly, muffled laughter, and the silent certainty that this cleaning day had changed everything—better, forever.