#consider this an early bday gift for yami and charlotte skdjhgau!

[loosesodamarble]

As Time Moves On Part 2: A Rose Blooming in Darkness

Summary: Yami reaches out to Charlotte with a question and she replies with a confession. And in turn, Yami voices a pledge. Genre: general, slight romance Word count: ~3200 A/N: Thank you to @lyranova and @thoughtfullyrainynightmare for beta reading this fic and Vanished Kira.

..........

Yami stared at the cloudy, noon-time sky. Faint wisps of smoke drifted past his vision every few seconds as he puffed a cigarette.

While winding down from the events in Spade, Yami had begun to recall vague memories from when he had nearly died by Lucifero’s hand. He remembered gathering his quickly fading strength to protect Asta for the kid to unleash his final attack on a severed torso of a devil. He remembered pain and his vision going dark, not from his or Nacht’s magic though. From death looming over him.

Then there was a voice. Charlotte’s voice. It was so loud and sounded desperate.

And the next thing Yami knew, he was alive again.

Yami couldn’t recall the words spoken to him though. He’d spent well over a month trying to piece together what she had said. He tried and tried before he determined that he had been too out of it to hear a thing.

Yami had once considered that maybe Charlotte had just been scolding him for dying. That sounded like something Charlotte would do. Then again, it didn’t explain her recent skittishness at captains’ meetings. If Charlotte had scolded a dying man, Yami suspected some temporary shame before an apology but not the levels of embarrassment that she’d been showing around him. So with his one guess ruled out, he changed his tactics.

To learn the truth, Yami needed to hear it straight from Charlotte.

Yami had invited Charlotte over to the base for tea earlier that week. He wanted to go to a restaurant, same as they did when discussing Charlotte’s curse. But Vanessa and Josele insisted that he pick somewhere more private. Their pestering made him ask if they knew what Charlotte had said but Vanessa promptly walked away from the conversation, laughing, while Josele smiled ever so calmly and told Yami, “It’s not my place to say.” And so the pair of captains would meet in the casual privacy of the Black Bull’s hideout.

That brought Yami to where he was in the present, waiting for Charlotte’s arrival. Something about expecting her was nerve-wracking. He couldn’t place why though.

Was it the fact that they were meeting outside of work-related reasons? Was it her taking time out of her busy day and prioritizing him, if for a short time? Did it have to do with him not knowing what Charlotte had said at all and he was actually worried about what her words were?

Yami sat up and shook his head. His brain was going to weird places.

And that’s when he heard her.

“Hello? Yami? I’m here as you requested!” Charlotte called out, prompting Yami to shelve his thoughts.

Yami leaned over the edge of the roof and grinned down at Charlotte.

“Afternoon, Prickly Princess!” he responded. “And I’d like to point out, I only asked you to be here.”

Charlotte bowed her head and shook it before looking up at Yami. “Regardless of how you beckoned me here, I’ve arrived. Shall we have tea or not?”

“Right right! I’ll be down in a moment!”

…..

Charlotte took a sip of the amber-colored liquid in her teacup. While it looked like an ale from a tavern, the drink didn’t have the hit that alcohol did. It was a gentle, toasted flavor instead.

“What kind of tea is this?” she asked in genuine curiosity.

“Barely tea. It’s from my homeland,” Yami explained. “Or well, the closest I can make. I only just recently got the tea to tasting this good through a lot of trial and error.”

Charlotte raised her eyebrows at this. She never suspected Yami to have a side project like this. Or one at all. Then again, she tended to her manor’s garden in her sparse free time so it made sense for Yami to take up a hobby that made him feel more at home as well.

“I applaud your effort, Yami. It’s not a flavor I’d expect from tea, but it’s quite refreshing,” Charlotte said with a smile. Her relaxed expression quickly fell away though. “But enough of basic pleasantries. You said you had something to ask of me.” She set down her cup and rested her chin on the back of her interlocked hands. “So, what is it?”

“Don’t look so worked up,” chuckled Yami. “‘S nothing serious if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“Considering all four kingdoms are still rebuilding from Spade’s— From the Zogratis’ misdeeds…” Charlotte’s voice trailed off, realizing her mistake.

The everyday citizens of the Spade Kingdom had been victims themselves under the rule of the Zoagratis family. To blame the country as a whole would be in poor taste.

“…it’s hard for me not to still be on edge.”

Yami mutely nodded in agreement.

“As I was saying…” Charlotte raised her head and put a hand on her cup again. “What is it you wished to discuss?”

Yami stared into Charlotte’s eyes for a moment, seeming to consider something. He took a deep breath. Then,

“When I was about to die, you yelled something at me. What did you say?”

The question made Charlotte’s heart skip a beat and her face heat up in an instant.

Of course she knew that Yami hadn’t heard her confession. She remembered him asking more than a month ago, right on the just-calmed-down battlefield. But she also blacked out then, preventing her from answering.

Charlotte had debated reaching out to Yami and re-admitting her love. But between the labor of regular Magic Knight duties, aiding in reconstruction after the Zogratis’ attacks, and simply worrying about confessing again, she never managed to go through with the idea.

And now… Yami had approached her about it.

Charlotte bowed her head and stared into her half-empty cup, hoping to hide her flushed cheeks.

I did it once before. Surely I can do it again! Charlotte told herself. And this time he’ll… What if he misunderstands and thinks I only see him as a friend? Or he could take it as a joke and laugh me off. Charlotte’s grip on her drink tightened. What if he outright rejects me because of how rude I’ve been to him in the past? For as lowbrow and casual as Yami came off, Charlotte knew he still had his pride as a Captain and a regular man. Or maybe he’s already in a relationship with that witch in his squad?

“Is it really that bad?” Yami’s voice broke Charlotte out of her head.

“Huh?” Mind still racing. Heart racing even faster. And face positively burning. Charlotte still dared to look at Yami.

The man’s face was neutral. But not in a way that was lost in thought, but rather as though he was in deep contemplation. It was a different look for him.

“I don’t know what you said to me back then but if you really don’t wanna say, it must be bad…” Yami paused to take a sip of his drink. “Didn’t mean to bother you. I’ll forget if y—”

“No!” Charlotte exclaimed without thinking. She took a deep breath. She needed her composure for this. “Yami, the truth is…” Charlotte heard her heartbeat in her ears but she pressed on. “The truth of the matter is that I love you Yami Sukehiro!”

Yami blinked a couple of times.

“Charlotte…”

Her name on his lips was so different from his usual nickname. Soft and sweet. But Charlotte couldn’t let herself swoon over that. Not in that moment.

“I understand that it must sound strange, considering how I tend to treat you, but it’s the truth. I became infatuated with you years ago and that feeling has become love.”

“Charlotte…” Again her name sounded so different in Yami’s voice. The look on his face was something she couldn’t place. She knew, though, that she didn’t feel anxious with Yami’s eye on her. “Are you sure?”

The question made Charlotte pause. Of all the possible responses, she never considered the one that turned out to be reality.

“What do you mean?” Charlotte asked, as if it was the only thing she could answer with. “I may not have much experience with romance”—Charlotte put hand to her heart. A feeble show of conviction due to her own confusion at the inquiry—“but I’m fairly certain of my feelings!”

“No.” Yami shook his head. “I mean, are you sure that you like me?”

“Huh?”

The significance in the change of the question wasn’t lost on Charlotte. Her feelings, her understanding of her own heart, were not the thing being questioned. It would’ve been unlike Yami, the captain of a squad that did whatever their hearts pleased, to make a big deal of what a person felt, anyways.

“I’m not exactly…” Yami tapped a finger on the table. “What’s the word? Passable? Pleasant? Something with a ‘p’…” He closed his eyes for a moment before faintly nodding. “Palatable.”

Charlotte said nothing, as it looked like Yami was going to keep talking.

“I’m Yami Sukehiro. I’ve got no manners. I’ve got this eerie Dark Magic. I’ve got all the worst habits, drinking and smoking and gambling. I’m the coarse and rude foreigner captain of the Black Bulls, the worst squad in the kingdom!” Yami laughed.

It sounded hollow and Charlotte knew. She’d heard genuine laughs from him. Ones that were lazy. Ones that were teasing and wanting to provide levity. She’d memorized and learned to appreciate all of Yami’s laughs and chortles. And his present chuckle was insincere, self-deprecating.

“I’m not the kind of guy most people would want to be with. I’m not the guy that a lady like you would go for.”

That was where Charlotte decided to stop him.

“Enough. While I can’t dispute most of what you’ve said,” she stated outright, no hesitation. “Your manners do leave much to be desired. Your magic and your origins are indeed peculiar, making you the target of judgment and derision. You’re not an ideal man by most people’s standards. But you’re not as bad as you think you are.” Charlotte watched Yami’s down-on-himself expression change to one of curiosity. She paused to hum and smile. “For one, you’re not the captain of the worst squad, not after the Bulls placed second at the Star Festival.”

“Heh, I guess that is something,” Yami muttered. He picked up his cup and swirled the drink inside for a moment. “But I mean…”

“And while you may not be ‘proper,’ that’s what I like about you,” Charlotte said plainly.

Yami let out a gasp and his eyes went wide.

“The men I’ve met who’ve been deemed ‘proper’ are… not pleasant in their own ways.” Charlotte closed her eyes and thought. “They act in ways that serve their egos, behaving not as gentlemen but as lesser beings. Akin to swine or toads.”

The thought alone made Charlotte frown the slightest bit.

Still, her remark caused Yami to let out a snort. She giggled, happy that she could get that reaction from him.

And she found that the words continued to flow out from her.

“Some men are more obvious in their unpleasantness, treating me as some object and acting as though they were entitled to my company. Others are less… offensive but no less bothersome.”

Yami hummed as he took a sip from his cup, prompting Charlotte to continue.

“There’s no end to the men who only praise me for my looks or throw themselves at my feet as though I wanted a sycophant for a lover,” Charlotte said with a sigh. “After so many men like that, you were a breath of fresh air in my life, Yami. Admittedly, I was first attracted to you because of your looks and how you saved me from my curse. But my infatuation grew beyond those shallow things over the years. You see me for my strengths but also acknowledge my weaknesses. You’re casual and friendly with me, even if I don’t always appreciate your approach. I’m drawn to how freely you express yourself and how you’re proud to stand out.”

As Charlotte went on, she watched as Yami’s eyes never left her. And the look of amusement he had when she’d talked about other men changed. It became a grin that was soft and… admiring. Charlotte felt a smile come to her own face.

The hammering feeling in her chest registered in her mind again. She felt the heat in her face all over again. There was a bit of dizziness in her head. Yet this time, those sensations weren’t from nervousness.

They were inviting. Compelling her heart to open further.

Charlotte held her head a little higher. She would let him see her, all of her with a burning red face and eyes full of determination, hoping that her words reached him.

“There’s much I have yet to learn about you. But I feel like I can say that I love you as you are, for who I know you to be.”

Once she was done talking, Charlotte took a deep breath.

I said it. I finally confessed, she thought to herself as she kept looking at Yami. Her hands, which were on the table and intertwined together, clenched in anticipation. All I can do now is hear his answer.

Yami tapped a finger against his cup a couple of times. Then, he let out a loud exhale.

“Man, Prickly Princess…” muttered Yami. “I told you before that I’ve got a sensitive heart and now you’ve gone and worked it up like crazy.”

Charlotte let out a small “Huh?”

“You were goin’ on about how you like me and I can’t give you a decent reply.” Yami sucked in a breath between his teeth and rubbed the back of his neck. “Truth is… I ain’t sure how I feel about you. I like to think we’re friends but… Sorry I just never considered you romantically.”

“Ahh… I… No, it makes sense,” was Charlotte’s quiet reply. It would’ve been a lie to say that her heart didn’t drop a little. Getting her hopes up that he’d reciprocate right out the gate had been foolish from the beginning. But still she… “It’s okay. I don’t need—”

“That said, it’s not hard to like someone like you.”

Those words made Charlotte jolt and her blush intensify by tenfold.

“Wh-wha-wha—? What?!”

There was a hum of amusement from Yami before he spoke again, “Aw c’mon. I’m oblivious but I’m not blind. You’re someone real amazing. Capable in battle and admired by your whole squad. Not to mention pretty fun to talk with.”

Charlotte involuntarily laughed at the thought of the banter that she and Yami had exchanged over the years. Was that really his idea of fun? Or maybe it was his reassurance that he was willing to look past her harsher words against him in the past. Whatever the truth was, it helped Charlotte loosen up. And her laughter brought out a bit of Yami’s own.

The space between them, that which was between their hearts, was closing the slightest bit.

“Guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m not just gonna tell you ‘no’ here and now.” Yami leaned forward on his arms. The expression on his face was relaxed yet contemplative. “I ain’t gonna ignore you, not after everything you’ve said.” His eyes were clear and focused on Charlotte, not wavering at all. “I know this doesn’t sound romantic but I need you to give me time to fall in love with you too. It’s not fair otherwise?”

Blue eyes went wide.

Yami’s words were not a promise to love her back. Not directly at least. Rather, they were something between a pledge and a plea. He would not accept Charlotte’s heart, which she had offered in shaking hands, until he could give his own heart in return.

Charlotte nodded her head then said, “It’s certainly not the most elegant proposition. But thank you for hearing me out and if you need time, then I’ll wait.” She took a sip of the barely tea and the roasted flavor tasted even better now that she wasn’t so strung up. “Though if you don’t mind me saying, I will be putting my best foot forward to make you fall.”

When she said that, Yami clapped a hand over his mouth and stifled a snicker. Charlotte raised a brow at his amusement.

“You’re making it sound like you’re trying to trip me,” he explained, his voice muffled by his hand still covering his mouth.

“Ack! That wasn’t—!”

“I know, I know.” Yami waved his hand in the air, like he was shooing away an insect. “Don’t sweat it. You’re a lady who's hard on the lads, but you’re not the type to kick a man when he’s down. Or, I guess trip him over.”

Charlotte let out an exasperated sigh. As much as she admired Yami and found his casualness part of his charm, his teasing threw her way off sometimes.

“Right…” Another sip of tea was taken. Charlotte was close to needing a refill. “So… I suppose now that I’ve said my piece and you’ve said yours…” Charlotte started to rise from her seat. However, Yami’s hand reaching across the table and grasping her wrist stopped her. “Y-Yami?!” Didn’t he say he needed time? Why is he being so forward all of a sudden?!

“C’mon Princess.” Yami uttered the nickname without the usual preceding adverb but rather with a softness that she wasn’t sure she’d known before. “Don’t just pour out your heart and run. Can’t you chat a bit more?” Yami let go of Charlotte’s wrist and pulled back. Then, he rested his chin in his palm. “I know I’d like your company for a bit longer. But, if you really gotta go…”

Charlotte looked down and touched the wrist which Yami had held. When she looked back to Yami and the inviting smile on his face.

“Alright then. But.” Charlotte swallowed hard then took a chance. “But only because you’re such a lonely man desperate for my attention.”

“Bwahahaaa! Hey, I’d like to think I’m just a little needy!”

Charlotte grinned with a bit more confidence as she sat back down. Yami refilled both their cups which she was thankful for. They’d need the refills since they would be at the table for a while longer.

…..

It wasn’t until hours later that Charlotte had to leave, called to return to base by her squad.

While Yami cleared the table they used, he was finally left alone with his thoughts.

And his thoughts were a repeat of Charlotte’s confession. And her face when she’d spoken it.

Her eyes…

Lighter than her roses but darker than the day sky. And looking at him, only him. She gazed at him with gentleness rather than cruelty. With sweetness rather than disgust.

Charlotte saw Yami as worthwhile, loveable. The fact that anyone, let alone a woman like her who was considered the picture of beauty, intelligence, and strength, wanted him for who he was left him feeling warm all over.

Yami set down the cups they’d used by the sink. He touched a hand to his chest.

My heart is still racing over it? Yami smiled to himself. Her words are stronger than she knows. And, again, the image of Charlotte flashed in his mind. Maybe I’m already falling in love…