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blackcherryvelvet0909 · 1 year ago

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Tomato Basil (Lilia x GN!Reader)

Note: Reader is an adult for obvious reasons

“This looks like a good spot!” Lilia stopped a short several feet from the shoreline, just where you could feel the sea spray whisp across your skin. It was quite refreshing. The sunset backdrop was equally perfect, the stars just starting to peek out over the horizon. With a flourish, Lilia laid out the large, soft blanket he’d been carrying. He tilted his head up to eye you as he asked, “Which side would you like?”

“Any is fine,” you replied with a smile. “I’m not picky.”

“Then let’s sit facing the sunset,” Lilia suggested. “Watching the sun sink below the sea’s edge is always a pretty sight.”

That was, indeed, a nice idea. You sat on the right side of the blanket and Lilia sat on the left. You placed the wicker picnic basket you’d been holding in front of you both and opened the top. Inside were wheat crackers, various types of cheese, multiple sliced veggies, small fruits, two little plates, and a few utensils. Beside the basket now sat a mini cooler, which had been another object Lilia toted out to the beach. Within were two thermoses, one filled with tomato juice and the other filled with [drink of choice]; there was also a small box of popsicles. You and Lilia had quite the spread before you.

“I hate that Silver couldn’t come with us,” you lamented as you helped Lilia unload the plates and utensils from the basket. “Malleus and Sebek, too. They seemed so excited.”

“I know, it is a shame. Malleus was looking forward to doing some mundane activities.” Lilia glanced over and gave you a reassuring smile. “But worry not! We have another week of our school trip - plenty of time to picnic again.” He let out a soft chuckle. “Maybe this will teach Malleus not to eat so much ice cream in one sitting.”

Ah, yes, the thing that prevented Malleus from coming: A stomachache. One of the worst he’d ever experienced, apparently. The last time you saw him, the prince was curled up in his king sized bed, blankets wrapped around him so thoroughly only his horns peeked above the surface. His dead silence was only interrupted by a painful grunt every now and again. According to Lilia, that was the calmest Malleus had ever been about such an ailment. Truly, the prince had grown much since his tantrum-having childhood. Lilia commented to you on your way down to the beach that he was quite relieved about that.

As for Sebek and Silver, the two were also back at the hotel. Sebek was adamant on remaining at Malleus’s side - to be at his beck and call throughout the entire ordeal. Silver, on the other hand, was sound asleep in Lilia’s bed. He’d attempted to stay up along with Sebek; unfortunately for Silver, his narcolepsy won out. It was cute how Lilia tucked him into bed, brushed his hair behind his ear and pressed a gentle kiss to his forehead, before you both set out. Silver looked so peaceful then…hopefully Sebek would spare him a lecture when he woke.

“But let’s not fret about that now,” Lilia said, knocking you out of your thoughts. “I’m starved! Let’s dig into our snacks, shall we?”

Lilia didn’t seem too worried about the boys. He was the one that raised them (in Sebek’s case, at least in part) - if he thought they would be alright by themselves, you shouldn’t worry either. So, with a smile and a nod, you, too, began to sort through the food. You put your thermos next to you before filling your plate. Of course, you were not surprised when Lilia placed a near whole tomato on his plate. “You really do like tomatoes, huh?” you mused.

“They are quite refreshing,” Lilia concurred. “I could eat an entire bag if I were particularly famished.” He let out a small laugh. “You should have seen the look on Kalim’s face the first time he saw me bite into one, like you would an apple. He was flabbergasted! I don’t think he’s ever seen anyone do that - nor Cater, for that matter.”

“It isn’t a very common thing to do. I would have been just as surprised if I saw you do that.”

“What’s life without a little surprise - a little oddness?” Lilia laid a few red cherries next to his tomato slices. “I find both most entertaining.”

As you began to eat your own food, you examined Lilia’s own spread. You saw almost nothing but red: Red apple slices, red tomato slices, red cherries, little red grapes. Your brows furrowed as you observed this pattern. Lilia noticed and teased you with, “Now, what has you ogling my plate so?” He tittered as he continued with, “Do you think I eat too much for my age?~”

“No, not at all!” you earnestly denied. “It’s just that, well…you seem to eat red foods more than other colored foods.”

“Do I?” Though Lilia feigned innocence, you had a feeling he already knew that. “Well, red is my favorite color. While every shade catches my eye, deeper hues - like crimson and rouge - hold a bit more favoritism.” He shrugged, “I suppose it’s just a subconscious habit of mine, being drawn to foods and other things that are red.”

Yeah, you guessed that made sense. It wasn’t your intention to, your eyes focused in on his fangs as he bit into a cracker, stacked with cheese and tomatoes. They disappeared from view as he closed his mouth to chew; the fae hummed in delight as the many flavors melted on his tongue. A silly little idea came into your mind - you tried your best to stifle your giggle. As Lilia swallowed his bite, the corner of his mouth tugged upwards along with his eyebrow. “Goodness, laughing now? What’s so funny, hm?”

“It’s nothing, really,” you assured as you tried to calm down the laughter bubbling in your throat.

“No no, now you’ve tickled my curiosity.” Lilia scooted a little closer, crimson eyes narrowed and lips quirked into a smirk. “Come on, let’s hear it.”

For a split second, you wondered if it’d be rude to voice your little imagining aloud. Would he be offended by such a thing? No, likely not. This was Lilia Vanrouge you were talking to. If there was anyone who could take a joke, spin a wild thread, it was him. “I was just thinking how you resembled a vampire.”

“Oh really?” Lilia seemed quite interested in your comparison. He set his half-eaten cracker down on his plate and placed it on the blanket. His full attention was now on you. “Go on.”

“Well, I mean, like you said, you like red a lot. To the point you even eat certain foods,” you gestured to his thermos of tomato juice, “drink certain drinks, that are red. You don’t like sunlight because it tires you out - though I’m not sure why that is.”

“The Valley of Thorns is a particularly shaded continent,” Lilia interjected. “Most of its terrain is covered by thick trees with large canopies. The brightest of days are fairly tame compared to those in other countries. Despite spending most of my life in the military, my eyes have always been a little sensitive to bright light. That, and the only place that is really hot in temperature there are the few volcanoes spotted throughout the land. Other than those ghastly places, it's typically a cool place.”

That made sense. You wondered if Silver, Sebek, and Malleus also had some type of heat intolerance. You’d have to ask that later. “I can see why you’d hate the heat then - and the sun.”

“Well, I don’t hate it. A little warmth and sunlight are nice - just not too much, not too bright.”

“Mm-mm,” you nodded. “Still, that is similar to how a vampire is. You also can summon little bats at will, you can hang upside down-”

“Anyone can hang upside down, [y/n],” Lilia chuckled. “Whether by magic or physical capability, it’s an action anyone can partake in.”

“You want to hear the rest of my answer or not?” you scoffed, though a laugh hid beneath your mild scolding.

Lilia held up his hand in a mock defense. “Goodness, such a temper! Feisty thing, aren’t you?” He let out a little laugh of his own. “Alright, alright, my lips are sealed until you finish.”

You almost expected him to tease you further and begin to speak just as you did. When you silently opened your mouth to test that theory, you were proven wrong. Lilia sat there and uttered not a word; he simply looked at you with a smile, blinking every few seconds. Deciding he was through with his jabs (for now), you continued. “You’re hundreds of years old, despite looking like you’re no older than most of our classmates. You have pale skin, red slitted eyes, and,” you pointed to his mouth, “you have fangs.”

“I most certainly do.” Lilia opened his mouth for a brief moment to showcase the sharp canines. “Almost all fae get a pair. They come in such good handy when biting into things.”

“If I didn’t know better, that would sound ominous,” you joked.

Lilia’s eyes narrowed again - those crimson orbs nearly glowed in the dim light. You hadn’t even noticed the sun had nearly disappeared behind the horizon. “Do you though?” he asked.

You were clearly puzzled, brows furrowed and smile disappearing as you tried to gather what he meant. “Do I what?”

He leaned a little closer to you, to where you could just barely feel his breath ghost over your skin - your lips. “Know better?~”

Lilia’s gaze held yours - you were absolutely mesmerized. Though you never really bothered to look, you now couldn’t help but notice how handsome Lilia was. His looks were rather boyish and youthful, yes, but there was a maturity within his features. The way his voice took a small octave downturn as he spoke those two words…there were no sun rays to blame for the heat that spread to your cheeks.

“Father!”

In quick succession, you and Lilia leaned away from each other and turned your heads in the direction of the voice. There was Silver, dressed in an open tropical shirt (Lilia had gifted it to him the weekend before), chestnut brown shorts, and black sandals. His hair was a little messy, a little out of breath as he approached you two. “I’m sorry for being late! I accidentally fell asleep - again. I shouldn’t have-”

“Silver, it’s alright!” Lilia beckoned Silver to come down - the boy followed without hesitation. As Lilia straightened his son’s hair for the second time that day, he reassured him with a chuckle. “You’ve had a long day; I’d expect a boy of your age to fall asleep after such an adventure. That, and we’re on vacation,” he patted Silver on the head and gave him a cheery smile, “it’s okay to be tardy on vacation.”

“Yeah, it’s okay, Silver.” You gave the man a smile of your own. “You’re not too late, either. We’ve only been here for about…” You looked back at the sea, the sun now fully gone, the moon having taken its place in the sky. “Uh…maybe fifteen minutes?”

“Twenty,” Lilia corrected. He patted the space adjacent to him on the blanket, next to the small cooler. “Come, sit! I brought your favorite popsicles~” Lilia brought the box out of the cooler and shook it to entice Silver further.

Silver finally seemed at ease. He sighed and, with a soft smile of his own, sat down on the blanket. “If I’m really not intruding…”

“Intruding on what?” Lilia glanced in your direction. “[Y/n] and I were just having a fun little conversation about how I resembled a vampire!” He turned his attention back to Silver. “What do you think? Should I start sleeping in a coffin to really send the comparison home?~”

“I don’t think that’d be very comfortable, Father.”

The conversation and atmosphere turned fun and lively, paired with the cozy warm of a fire Silver started a little further into your picnic. It was a truly wonderful time! Though you couldn’t keep your mind from wandering back to that moment between you and Lilia just before Silver appeared. How close he’d been, the way you could see those fangs of his peek out from under his upper lip. How a part of you wished he would have given your bottom lip a nibble…would his lips taste like tomato, perhaps paired with the basil from the crackers? Did he notice the blush that crept up on your cheeks?

You suddenly had the urge to bury your head in the sand.

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