Chapter Text
She never did quite get used to the odd quiet and stillness that seemed to manifest moments after a profound battle concluded. The Magic Knights had experienced more than their fair share of such fights over the past few years and yet it simply wasn't something Charlotte thought a person could ever consider "typical." Despite the rather large gathering of Magic Knights in her line of sight in every direction, there were a few seconds during which she could actually hear the breeze, sprinkled with the sound of those in closest proximity to her catching their breath. Not a word being spoken as each individual seemed to be processing what had just happened, their hands to their chests, signaling the Clover symbol to honor their Wizard King in his final moments.
This wasn't supposed to be something that they won. They had unquestionably carried the losing odds a lot lately, but especially with this latest attack, she had entered combat with the belief that perhaps things were finally over for them. She was certain enough of this fact that she felt the need to speak up to Yami before it was too late; to apologize for her avoidant behaviors and however they may have made him feel (if they made him feel any particular way at all). There was far more to apologize for, but at least she could extend some form of an olive branch and die knowing that he wouldn't consider her to be one more person who looked down upon him.
Not that she assumed it would matter to him... And yet, he had taken the apology well. Brushing it off and almost poking fun at her for it. In all honesty, it probably would have outraged her had he not followed it up with a proposal for tea if they survived. An invitation for something that sounded an awful lot like a date... But Yami had unknowingly teased her heart so many times now that she chose not to even consider operating with a hopeful attitude about his intentions. They were all going to die anyway, right?
But now here they all stood, victorious and very much alive! Even those who hadn't been moments ago were somehow back!! The Green Praying Mantises would still have their Captain, as off-putting as he could be. The Crimson Lion Kings were brought back into existence, Mereoleona spared moments before disintegrating into dust on the breeze. Dear Marx would still be around to support...
...Julius. Their Wizard King, who had been missing for so long now. The man they thought had died once before, when everything went down with the elves. But this time it was final; the only true casualty of this battle when it came to their side. And what a significant loss it was! When Julius was only considered missing, there was always still hope that he would return one day with some quirky, eccentric story told in a gleeful manner that made you forget how infuriated you were that he had carried on his merry way to explore without telling a soul. But not this time. Today they would have to face the devastating fact that he was actually gone for good. There were no magic tricks to surprise them later—he had used up all of his magic in a final act for his Kingdom. The ultimate sacrifice that would surely be honored by all in Clover, as well as by their surrounding allies.
Why did winning always have to come with a cost?
Charlotte took a breath. Moments ago, that simple action would have caused every single part of her body to ache. But as part of Julius' final spell, even time's toll on her had reversed and she was back to her starting condition, not a scratch on her, the taste of blood gone from her mouth. She was alive and energized and wound-free!
Her thoughts drifted again to Yami, as they so often did, much to her own frustration. She knew what Julius meant to him. At least, she was fairly certain she had a good idea. It was hard to tell with him sometimes, since he was just as likely to rag on the people he cared about as he was to the people who pissed him off. Maybe even more so. And he had always given Julius such a hard time! But there was endless respect between them and she suspected that Julius was somewhat like a father figure to Yami. Now he would have to face that loss.
Perhaps she would ask him about it when they met for tea, or at least offer her condolences. If he still even wanted to meet. She shook her head—now was absolutely not the time to fret about something so foolish!!
All at once, the moment was over, people dropped their hands to their sides, and a small rumbling of chatter grew to an overwhelmingly loud mix of voices talking over one another, decorated with the sound of complete and utter awe at the results of this battle that no one expected to survive. Yes, there was a loss to mourn. And they would. But there was so much to celebrate! And so much confusion to understand! Where would they even begin?
"Captain Charlotte!" a voice called out from somewhere off to her side, slicing into her thoughts and capturing her attention. She looked over to see several members of her brigade charging toward her with the alarming urgency they always seemed to unnecessarily carry when it came to interacting with her. But in this moment, it wasn't something she could even imagine taking for granted or mentally describing as overbearing.
Etiquette shoved aside during a time like this, she was engulfed by powerful hugs all around. She would have reciprocated had she not been trapped on all sides. So instead, she just said "I'm glad you're all okay," and allowed herself permission to smile.
***
"Look," Fuegoleon said with a heavy sigh and tired eyes. He stood in his place at the Captains table, where they were all currently stationed. Julius' spot at the head of the table was occupied by a forlorn Marx. "I know that we've all been restored to full physical condition, but what we experienced today was..." Fuegoleon paused, appearing to lack the words to adequately describe the day. Which was fair. It was another instance of the impossible—what words could even come close to serving as sufficient descriptors? "Exhaustion is not just physical. I think it would be best for us to take the night to mentally rest. We can reconvene tomorrow morning and assess the situation then."
Julius' magic had returned the entire area back to its original state. All buildings that had been destroyed were once again structurally sound as if nothing had ever happened to them. There was nothing to clean up; there were no bodies to retrieve and mourn. Not even that of Julius, who had faded away, crumbling before their very eyes before he was gone completely. Certainly something that the brain would take time to categorize as true and real, but nothing that they needed to move or to guard until it found its final resting place. You couldn't guard what no longer physically existed.
So now all the Captains gathered around a table deciding what the hell to do next.
Any attempts Charlotte made not to remain uncomfortably aware of Yami's presence beside her were futile. It was almost like she could feel a gravitational pull from him. One she was sure that he was oblivious he had created, clueless that he possessed a piece of her heart that was far too significant to ignore. From the corner of her eye, she watched his chest rise with each breath he took. She could practically feel the tension emanating from him; a restlessness that she had come to recognize from him during various occasions. But it was so strong right now, and she suspected it had much to do with grief.
Also...what the hell was that tiny little thing on his shoulder?
And why in the world did he decide to hide the fact that he had a sister for all these years? She wanted to be offended by his choice not to disclose such information to her, but when had she actually given him the opportunity to do so? Plus, it's not like he knew anything about her family aside from what was public knowledge due to their noble status.
"I think that's reasonable," muttered Kaiser from beside her, snapping her back to attention. That poor man—all he wanted to do was retire, and somehow he kept being roped into taking on more and more responsibilities...
"I agree," Nozel stated with a pensive, serious tone. "It would be best for us to spend time with our brigades this evening and return tomorrow to discuss how to properly move forward."
"I don't think any of us possesses the mental clarity required to make such decisions right now," Charlotte added in agreement. "So I support this recommendation."
Jack remained uncharacteristically quiet, as did Yami, who simply nodded his head with a slight grunt. Even young Rill, who always spent half his time with his foot in his mouth, remained silent. William's eyes were red and swollen, and Charlotte's heart ached for him. Dorothy, despite having announced her intention to transition into overseeing the Witches Forest mid-battle, was present and awake but respectfully calm for her current duties as Coral Peacocks Captain. Yuno was also in attendance, wearing a resolute but exhausted expression. It was hard to believe that this young man was now Captain of the Golden Dawn brigade.
The Captains looked to Marx for final say. It was gut wrenching to witness his nod, a single tear escaping to make a trail down his cheek that he quickly wiped away with the back of his hand.
"Well then," Fuegoleon stated, his voice suddenly wavering in a way Charlotte had not heard before. He cleared his throat before continuing. "I suppose I will see you all tomorrow."
And that was that.
They all shared glances with one another, as if having to silently confirm with each member of the table that they had truly just decided upon parting ways for the night, before anything had been figured out. Her gaze met Williams' glassy eyes and she gave him a gentle nod of acknowledgment. His chin quivering, he nodded back before turning away to leave, Yuno by his side.
Before her own departure, Charlotte walked over to Marx and embraced him. She felt him momentarily shudder in her arms as he reciprocated the gesture, the sound of a stifled sob escaping him. She allowed Marx to gather himself once more before letting go, ignoring her own urge to cry.
"Thank you," he whispered, eyes full of tears.
"Of course." She forced her expression to remain relatively neutral while still allowing some of her genuine compassion to show. The last thing she needed was for anyone to see her appear emotionally affected. Not at a time like this, when plenty of others were in greater need of consoling. She could allow herself to feel later.
Charlotte was no stranger to feeling somewhat unsettled after a meeting with the Captains, usually due to Yami teasing her or making her feel foolish in some way. Or because she herself truly had been foolish in his presence, losing all ability to think rationally the moment she heard his voice. But this time the uneasiness she experienced held an unfamiliar uncertainty that gnawed away at her. Things were about to change in a drastic way now that Julius was officially, permanently gone. There would be so much to decide, and for tonight they were going to just put it all on hold, which almost felt wrong.
A part of her had wanted to turn to Yami and say something before walking away from the meeting. Anything. To tell him she was sorry for what had happened to Julius. To tell him that she was happy he had survived. To tell him the fact that she was standing beside him again today had felt like a comfort that tethered her to sanity while everything else felt unreal. But she wasn't quite sure she had it in her to force her mouth and mind to cooperate and string a coherent sentence together. So, without a word, she stepped away and made her trajectory for the door. Perhaps it was cowardly or selfish of her to do so, but she simply couldn't fathom an interaction with him while her mind was so out of sorts.
She always had somewhere to be and something to do, so her walking pace was typically fast and determined. But this evening, her journey along the hallway toward the building's exit was slow, driven by a wandering mind. She kicked herself for not saying something. Once again. And yet she was certain that the Captains meeting had not been the time nor the place to say anything of significance to him anyway. If she wanted to, she could reason her way out of any decision, though.
"Hey, Prickly Queen. Wait up!"
As if her heart's desire to obey the voice was in complete opposition to her mind's panicked urge to run away, she found herself instantly frozen in place until the man accompanying far too many of her thoughts was beside her. His grey eyes held the same weary expression that she had just witnessed in William's, but he had no sign of tears. He never was that kind of guy, it seemed...
Her heart lurched and her stomach was filled with all those nervous little butterflies that made her question her priorities, when she hadn't even experienced this form of nerves at the start of the battle today.
"How are yo—I mean, I hope you're—" Charlotte felt heat rise to her cheeks, taking a breath. "I-I'm sorry about Julius."
He looked to her with that same sincerity from this morning. It was something different in his eyes, which normally were full of mischief and scheming. Now they were just...genuine? She wasn't sure what was different exactly, but his stare cut to the core of her being. It had also appeared like he had been about to say something before she spoke, and had stopped himself. Charlotte wondered if she had said the wrong thing, and quickly directed her stare forward again. She decided to resume walking, making fast strides and forcing Yami to decide whether he wanted to follow alongside.
"You're...good?" he asked, clearly choosing to accompany her fast-paced travel.
"I suppose, all things considering, there isn't much for me to complain about."
Yami chuckled. "Fair enough."
His words from this morning bounced around in her head and she wondered if he was going to bring up that little chat they shared on the rooftop. And then she criticized herself for being so ridiculous and love-obsessed when it was probably the last thing on his mind right now.
"Can't believe we really did it," he said, his voice somehow sounding distant, like it could be carried away on the wind.
"It seems that our Magic Knights are still full of surprises," she replied. "At least they have been since Asta and Yuno arrived."
Yami cackled.
"Yeah, my boy really did some crazy good work, right?!" The pride in his voice was evident. It resembled his demeanor during the ceremony dedicated to honoring Asta that had taken place before everything went to hell. Hard to believe that was just a week ago. But the joy was back when he spoke about Asta, despite all there was to mourn.
"We most certainly couldn't have done it without him. Or Yuno. And...your Noelle has grown tremendously in ability and skill as well. Her contribution was crucial."
"Bet you wish you didn't get all sappy before the battle apologizin' to me," he said and she caught the tiny smirk on his face. "Since we didn't end up kickin' the bucket."
Charlotte scoffed. "You would bring up something like that at such an inappropriate time."
Then, as it always did, that familiar swirl of frustration mixed with the paralyzing anxiety of love and attraction, intwining to create the ever-infuriating combination of feelings within her chest that he always seemed to summon. Even at a moment like this, he couldn't let her walk away without feeling just a little stupid?
"I should have known it was a mistake to say anything to you," she muttered, picking up her pace, once again challenging him to keep up if it was worth it to him. Half of her wished he wouldn't.
The other half...well, that part of her had been a goner for him for far too long now...
"There she goes again, actin' prickly and makin' her escape," he joked, clearly amusing himself by poking fun.
She supposed it was at least good that he was emotionally well enough to do that...
But why was it always at the expense of her damn heart and self-respect?
"I meant what I said this morning," she advised. "But make no mistake. I'm not interested in spending any time mocking my character for your entertainment."
"Ah, I'm just kiddin' with ya, Prickly Queen," he said. But it was with half-hearted humor, as if a part of him wasn't actually so amused anymore. As if maybe he cared a little bit about her feelings.
And then she felt his hand pat the back of her shoulder and it was like an electric shock, despite the contact being so brief.
"It seems like a rather improper time to be making such jokes," she stated with a harshness she did not mean to express. She hated that she could not reign in her automatic tendency to respond to him with such a critical nature.
He stared forward, surprisingly silent in reaction to her words.
"And what the hell is that thing on your shoulder?!" she couldn't help but blurt out.
His smile returned. "Ah, that's my new buddy, Addy!!"
"You're kidding."
"What? You see the boy who just saved our whole goddamn country with a little devil guy and that's fine but when I have one it's not okay?"
Charlotte released a laugh of incredulity. "Everyday is something new with you Black Bulls," she said.
That earned a laugh and the ice that had momentarily started to form between them seemed to be thawing out quickly.
"At least my people aren't as whiny and annoying as your girls," he said, that mischievous tone back in his voice, telling her that he was most certainly trying to instigate her once again.
"You know what? I'm not even going to dignify that with a response."
And then they were quiet once again, as if, for the first time, they were both unsure of what to say next. That was usually only her mental state, making this new territory.
She pushed open the door to the outside and allowed the rush of fresh air to claim her attention for long enough to distract herself from how much his company had riled up her emotions. She always devolved into such a mess around him!
"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow then," he said, a haunting look behind his eyes that caught her off guard. He had just been so playful and spirited, but clearly that had been more of a cover for how he was actually feeling. She knew a thing or two about putting on a mask...
"Yami?" she asked, before even knowing his name would be coming out of her mouth again.
"Yeah?"
"Are you okay?"
She watched him sigh and force a half-hearted grin. "I'm always okay."
It was perhaps the least conviction she had ever heard from him. She found herself staring at him, dumbfounded by the response and entirely unsure what to say in return. A tiny smile found its way onto his lips, and she felt her heart flutter. Yami stepped closer, entering a proximity to her that no man had ever achieved, and reached up, his fingers pinching the tiny braid she wore at the side of her face.
"You take care, alright?" His voice was soft as he spoke. Another surprise!
Her brain offline once again, she simply nodded. Which then tugged at the braid, still captured in his fingers as he toyed with it.
"Tomorrow," she forced out, feeling her face grow hot. "I mean—I'll—I'll see you—
God, she was such an idiot. No wonder he never confided in her about his sister or anything else of significance in his life!
That small smile remained on his lips, making it appear like he experienced a tiny respite from the weariness he had displayed seconds ago. Was that because of her? She didn't dare allow herself to dream that could be the case. It felt like he was studying her. Charlotte was suddenly hyperaware of every single cell in her body, wondering if she was standing properly, if she was holding her arms in a normal way, if her face was wearing a regular expression expected for a functioning human.
It was all she could do not to burst into a run and disappear from the scene without a thought. But she had made that apology this morning and she had meant it. So, with every single ounce of discipline and self-control, she simply backed a single step away from him, her eyes falling to his chest and then the ground. "W-well, um, that's—uh—that's quite enough of that," she said, not actually knowing what it was quite enough of. "But, um, have a—a nice night." Stupid—of course it wouldn't be a nice night. He had just lost Julius. "Or... You know, a...good rest."
That little smile he wore grew enough so that his eyes crinkled and a little part of her melted. "We've got plans to make tomorrow, Prickly Queen. Don't forget." He placed his large, heavy hand on the top of her head in what felt like some sort of affectionate pat before he ascended into the air, making his departure without another word. Only a final glance in her direction that she simply couldn't read. The last few minutes of interaction with him had felt like a mystery.
What did he mean by plans to make? Did that refer to what he had said this morning about the tea? Or was it more about planning next steps with the other Captains?
And he still hadn't really told her what the hell that little creature was!!
She was in love with an absolutely infuriating man.
***
"Captain Charlotte, you're back!"
This set off a chain reaction of squeals and yells and cheers as her brigade rushed to greet her at the door and guide her over to the dining table.
"Welcome back, Sis!" Sol greeted, placing her hands on Charlotte's shoulders and practically shoving her down into a chair before occupying the seat beside her.
"We weren't sure you'd be back for dinner!" Puli exclaimed in excitement. "But since you are, please join our celebratory feast!!"
She really should have been used to it by now—how her brigade could get swept up in excitement about...really anything and buzz around with frenetic energy that somehow always eventually shifted focus to her. She reminded herself that today was a day not to take any of them for granted after they almost all perished into nothingness. She needed to be grateful for this, no matter how mentally exhausted she was and no matter how fuzzy her thoughts were after that confusing interaction with Yami.
"Here, Captain Charlotte!" one of her girls said, sliding a plate of food before her on the table. Honestly, it looked and smelled incredible, triggering a growl in her stomach and reminding her that she hadn't had anything of substance to eat since this morning.
"Oh, thank you."
Before she could even take her first bite, Puli swarmed her.
"So did you have the conversation with Captain Yami?" she asked, a sly look of intense interest on her face.
"Puli, we were preparing for the biggest battle of our lives..." she scolded, for some reason feeling the need to act as if it was ridiculous to consider speaking about something so vapid. As if she hadn't gone ahead and done it anyway.
Puli's stare told Charlotte that she didn't buy it.
"He accepted the apology," she said, working yet again to maintain a neutral expression, despite her heart trying to beat out of her ribcage as she mentally relived the memory. Maybe that would satisfy her girls, who were now all leaning in toward her with looks of insatiable curiosity.
Puli made a vocal, dramatic sigh, gaze still boring into Charlotte's eyes. More like into her soul. "I can wait," she said.
Charlotte resisted the urge to roll her eyes.
"He, um—he invited me to tea. Well, it was to get a drink but then...you know..."
"Oh, he knows our beautiful captain so well, he changed course with his plans just to accommodate her inability to tolerate the common alcoholic beverage! How very thoughtful and sweet of him!"
"Puli, I'm sure it's nothing. He just said he had something he needed to talk about with me. We've been through this before, have we not?"
It seemed like forever ago now, the time when she had asked him on a date and he hadn't even realized it. In the end, all he had wanted was some information about her damn curse. And not even because he cared about her—it was work-related. However badly she secretly wanted his invitation to mean something more, Charlotte simply couldn't allow herself to go there. Perhaps she was taking steps to speak up and stand strong in his presence instead of running away like a child, but it didn't mean her heart wasn't still fragile in his uncouth and unaware hands.
"Well, we'll see about that, won't we!" Puli replied. "Anyway, we got some details on your man's sister. She's around 24. Uses something kind of like Captain Yami's dark magic but it's different. Her name's Ichika. Yami Ichika. Oh, yes. That's right. Because Yami is actually Captain Yami's last name! They share the last name Yami! And apparently, where they're from, they say the last name first! Isn't that interesting!?"
What?
The man was an enigma. A very frustrating enigma that turned her legs to jelly and her thoughts to mush and she was so very tired of it all. Grateful to be alive, and yet still exhausted.
"Puli, I don't think I have the mental or emotional capacity to learn any new secret facts this evening," Charlotte lamented, feeling pathetic. Another secret he had kept. Did their relationship, whatever it was—comradeship?—really mean anything at all to him?
Puli and the girls seemed to sense Charlotte's fatigued unease and changed topics, quickly focusing again on the fact that they had all survived and won and could celebrate their incredible success. Chatter picked up, and Charlotte heard bits and pieces of conversations—some about Asta and Yuno, others about the men in their lives, and still more about the wonderful dinner they were sharing together. Most of it hardly registered.
"You okay, Sis?" Sol asked, her voice quieter than usual.
"I'm always okay," Charlotte said, hardly believing her own words. Just like she hadn't believed them when they came out of Yami's mouth earlier. Perhaps they were more alike than she had realized.