#oh to be shylock's kitten

[inviiberu]

{Unexpected Memories and Hospitality} - Shylock SSR Card Story Translation

‧͙⁺˚･༓☾ Shylock's 2023 White Day SSR ☽༓･⁺˚‧͙

Ft. Akira and Murr as... cats?

Thank you so much @amorest-viesse for proof reading <3

Chapter 1

While strolling through the Blue Rose Garden with Shylock, we stumbled upon a rest area with a beautiful view.

Shylock: What do you think, Master Sage? Would you like to relax a bit here?

Shylock: If you'd like, you can take the sofa there.

Akira: Thank you very much. In that case, I'll take up on that offer.

As I sat down on the sofa, a man pushing a trolley with a pot of tea on it walked by.

Server: Would you like a cup of tea? This rose-tea was brewed using the very pride of our garden; the blue rose.

Akira: Huh? T-thank you very much.

Shylock: Thank you very much, Murr. That's very considerate of you.

Akira: Huh? Murr??

Server: …

Particles of light started swirling around the man and the next thing I knew he had turned into Murr.

Murr: Wehehe, busted!

Akira: I didn't notice it was you at all! Why did you disguise yourself like that?

Murr: I saw some people servin’ the guests earlier and I thought it looked like fun!

Shylock: It was certainly a sight to see you pour tea with such courtesy and sophistication.

Murr: That was me, but it wasn't rea～lly me... was it?

Murr: Perhaps the answer is right in front of our eyes! Come on, Master Sage! Drink some of your tea!

Akira: R-right… Huh?

Just as I bring the cup to my lips, the tea flies out. Then, it starts swirling around me as if it was dancing.

Akira: T-the tea?! It's dancing?!

The liquid floats around in the air, transforming itself into different shapes. I blinked repeatedly as the tea moved like it was alive.

Murr: A tea greeting to you, Master Sage! It's a treat from me!

Akira: Amazing!! And kind of cute too.!

Shylock: Fufu, all this spinning about is fine, but… I’d much prefer to savour the scent of the tea as opposed to watching it dance.

Shylock murmurs as he turns his gaze towards the flying tea.

Shylock: Why don't you take a rest in a teacup like the quiet, reflective surface of the water at night.

As if prompted by Shylock’s words, the tea slowly returned to its teacup.

Chapter 2

Shylock: Now then, Master Sage. Kiss it goodnight.

Akira: S-sure…

Akira: (Kiss it goodnight? Does he mean to drink it?)

Akira: …Mmph! It’s super tasty…!

Murr: Do ya like it? What dance would ya wanna see next?

Shylock: Dancing tea is nice, but if you’re up for it, how about some blue rose cake?

Shylock: You can only find such fine decorations hidden within this garden. They'll be sure to please, Master Sage.

As Shylock spoke, he lifted the clear tray cover by the teapot that Murr had brought.

Akira: Woah, it looks just like a jewellery box… It’s so beautiful.

Shylock: Allow me.

Akira: Thank you very much…!

With an elegant hand, Shylock cut the cake with a smooth stroke. His sophisticated movements fit perfectly with the gorgeous atmosphere.

Akira: (That’s just like Shylock. He always pays great attention to detail. I wonder if it’s okay for me to just be sitting here…?)

Murr: Hm, Master Sage? Are ya feelin' nervous?

Akira: Ahaha, well… It does make me a bit nervous to be treated so well in a place as beautiful as this.

Shylock: There’s no need to worry. People are here to relax with their loved ones.

Shylock: Master Sage, please enjoy your time here to your heart's content.

Akira: Thank you very much. I guess…

Akira: (I said that but…)

Shylock: ...Your expression remains the same.

Shylock: In that case, why don't you learn a little something about being carefree from a familiar figure and let loose for a bit?

Akira: A familiar figure...?

Shylock: Yes. Close your eyes, Master Sage.

Akira: Sure…

Shylock: 《Invibelle》

Shylock: … Now then, open your eyes again.

Akira: (...Hm? This..?)

When I opened my eyes, the world seemed much larger around me. As I was about to ask Shylock what he had done…

Akira: Meeoow. … Meo-?

Murr: Master Sage turned into a cat! Meow!

At Murr’s words, I quickly looked down at my body and noticed it was covered with fluffy fur.

Shylock: Fufu, cats are masters of doing whatever they like no matter where they are, no? I thought that if I turned Master Sage into one it would help them relax.

Akira: Meow!? (Huuuh!?)

Chapter 3

Shylock: While the Master Sage is always adorable, I must say, this form is quite cute as well.

Shylock smiled as he slowly bent down and gently stroked my head.

Akira: Meeooow…

He strokes my head with such expertise that I can’t help but start purring.

Akira: (It feels nice to be petted. Cats have it good…)

Shylock: Fufu, oh my.

Murr: Ah that looks so fun, Master Sage! I want to be a cat too!

Murr: 《Eanul Rambul》

Akira: Mya?!

Murr: Meow Meow!!

Akira: (Murr really became a cat!?)

Murr: Meow meooow!

Akira: Meeow…

Murr began to happily chase me around, and for some reason, with my newfound cat instincts, I enjoyed it as well.

Shylock: Oh my, this…

I stopped when I heard a voice above me, and Shylock bent down to stroke my head again.

Shylock: That might be a little too much.

Shylock: My dear kitty, would you like to play with me next?

Akira: Mya?

As Shylock offered his hand to me, I found myself reaching out as if giving him a pawshake. Suddenly, my whole body begins to glow.

Akira: Mya.. Ah.. Am I back to normal?

Murr: I’m back too! Well then, let’s add the finishing touches!!

Murr: 《Eanul Rambul》

Akira: Woah, fireworks…!

Shylock: 《Invibelle》

As the fireworks exploded, their falling sparks transformed into blue roses. It was magical to see the petals fall down as if they were colouring the sky.

Akira: How lovely…

Shylock: Then, Master Sage. Did you enjoy our hospitality?

Akira: Yes! It was a lot of fun… Did you two plan this ahead of time?

Murr: What what? What are ya talking about?

Shylock: It appears our hearts resonated with one another, and all we had to do was listen.

Shylock: Though… I suppose Murr gave me the idea.

Shylock: Master Sage, why don't I treat you to something special next time, just you and me?

Murr: Ah!! Shylock is trying to hog Master Sage all to himself!!

Shylock: Shh.

Shylock lightly teases Murr who responds with a laugh.** Looking at the two of them I can't help but laugh too.

Akira: Ahaha, I’m looking forward to it!

Then, with Shylock leading the way, we began to walk through the garden as flower petals danced all around us.

[cainluvr69]

Let Me Tell You The Story Of A Rainbow - Chapter 16

Previous Chapter

Faust: Leno!

Lennox: On it. Mitile, get behind me!

Nero: Riquet, get over here!

Mitile & Riquet: …Okay!

Bradley: Tch. Those are some creepy-ass vines.

Rustica: They seem terribly wary of us, don't they?

Cain: I'd say they're looking around for us.

All of the vegetation around us was squirming and writhing towards us menacingly. Oz had Arthur by the collar, scruffing him like a mother cat with a kitten, but Arthur was still calm as he spoke.

Arthur: My apologies… This is likely because of the spell I cast. It's not that it's impossible to use magic here, but careful control is essential.

Oz: This "world" is a fragile one. To be too heavy-handed within it blurs its dimensions, leading to its eventual collapse.

Snow: Indeed. It would be best to refrain from using strong magic here, even for simple things, lest it interfere with this world's delicate structure.

White: It's a good thing it was Arthur who tested it. Had it been Mithra or you, Oz, this world would've crushed to smithereens.

Shino: Tch, that's so annoying. Just making mincemeat of these vines should be fine, right? At this rate they're going to catch our legs and it'll be over for all of us.

Chloe: Hey, is it just me, or is everything getting even more faded?!

Riquet: The sky is getting darker and darker. It looks like black watercolor paint dripping into water…

Murr: Well now, I'd say that's no good!

Rustica: The wind is picking up as well… Oh, I see, every time the plants move, the landscape around us breaks down a little bit more.

Figaro: Our time is starting to run out, it seems.

Owen: An unstable world isn't too bad. Why not just let it collapse in on itself and squish into a pancake?

Mitile: But that'd mean Luca and all of us would get caught up in it too!

Shylock: It seems our best course of action would be to find these pieces of her memory as quickly as we can… But we cannot leave this place unguarded.

Rutile: I can stay! I don't want to leave Luca all alone.

Akira: I'll stay, too…!

The wind howled past us. Heathcliff glanced at Aslan, who was still on the ground. The gentle way he talked about Luca, and the way he'd gradually revealed bit by bit how much he treasured her, were still at the front of my mind. I kept talking.

Akira: I want to help Mister Aslan save Miss Luca. So I'll stay behind, too!

Arthur: Then I shall as well! Casting that spell gave me insight on how best to utilize magic here. I will remain here to keep both Rutile and the Sage safe.

Mithra: I guess there's no helping it… If Rutile is staying, then so must I. Mitile, you stay behind, too.

Mitile: No, I…I want to do what I can to help Miss Luca. I'm going to help look for the pieces of her memory.

Mithra: Excuse me?

Mitile: I won't be on my own, so it'll be okay!

Mithra frowned, his expression dour, and then his gaze snapped to Figaro and Lennox--the pair that Mitile had just looked up at.

Figaro: You don't have to make such a scary face, you know. Don't you worry your pretty little head, we won't let anything happen to Mitile.

Lennox: Yes. We will protect him.

Figaro: Besides, it's not like we need to be too careful. That girl is the one who illustrated everything in this world in the first place. Even if she drew a species that would normally have a violent nature, it was brought into this world by her hands. I don't think she'd create something all that dangerous. Surely you've already noticed that if anything, this place right here is where the aberrations feel strongest. Right?

Mithra: Well…I suppose that's true. Still, if you let anything happen to Mitile, I won't hesitate to destroy you both.

Murr: 'Kaaaay, then I'll stay here too! It's pretty probable that little miss Luca here is the origin point of this world's transformation. Which means if anything else weird is gonna happen, it's gonna happen here first! An already weird wonderland getting even weirder! I can't let myself miss it!

Shylock: Yes, of course…you would find everything in this world irresistible. Taking you with us would be more trouble than it's worth.

White: Good decision. This world is full of rare and fascinating beasts, after all.

Snow: This world could fall to pieces around him and he'd still want to indulge in his curiosity more than anything else.

White: Now then, as a final precaution, we should have one more wizard experienced in combat stay behind…

Shino: I'll stay. Now you don't have to worry about anyone in this group.

Heathcliff: Shino… Then--then I'll stay, too.

Shino: Look, I can do this. Just trust me.

Heathcliff: But I'm worried about you. You always push yourself too hard.

Shino: That's what I mean. Look, I know I'd be even more reckless if I had you by my side.

Heathcliff: Are you…trying to threaten me?

Shino: Of course I'm not. I just want to show you my accomplishments.

Heathcliff: …I already know how capable you are, Shino. Is that…not good enough?

Shino: … Not much I can do if you're gonna go that far, Master. I won't do anything that would betray your trust in me. So please, leave the Sage to me.

Heathcliff: …Okay. I trust you.

Snow: We shall also place our faith in you, up to a point.

White: Master Sage, this is for you.

Akira: A…crystal ball?

White: Indeed. This will allow you to see what we see. At the very least, it will allow us to keep in contact. Now, Faust.

Faust: I know. Sage, give me your hand.

I held out my hand as prompted, and Faust drew a magic circle on it. As he did, the same circle appeared before the twins, Oz, Shylock, Figaro, and Faust himself.

Akira: What's this for…?

Faust: Once we've located the pieces of Luca's memories, we need to return them to you here. That'll be the fastest way to give them back to her. You and Rutile have interacted with her the most, I think. The two of you are much better suited for interacting with her heart than the rest of us are.

Akira: Alright. I'll do the best I can. And all of you, please stay safe…!

Roxy spun through the air, and then landed softly on my palm. It trembled, and I heard something like bells from its fluffy frame. And then the pink pearl in my hand flashed, and five rays of light radiated out from it.

Riquet: Are these meant to guide us?

Faust: I think it'll be easiest for us to coordinate if we split up by country…

Aslan: Um…

Aslan spoke up, still in Heathcliff's grip, but it sounded a bit strangled. He shook his head a little, as if trying to clear up any remaining fog inside of it.

Aslan: …I have a request. It…might be somewhat difficult, considering the situation, and considering what this place has become, but still… Please try to enjoy this world. The world that Luca drew.

Akira: Mister Aslan…

Bradley: Whaddaya mean by that? It's obvious just lookin' at ya that yer keepin' your eyes on the girlie here. So why're you sayin' somethin' so optimistic n' carefree when she's busy gettin' eaten up? I know you gotta have a good reason for it.

Aslan bit his lip, hesitating for just a moment before quietly continuing.

Aslan: …This is the world that Luca sees. This is where her friends are. I'm sure none of them mean to hurt anyone. Because Luca is… I know she's a bit odd, but she's a kind and gentle girl at heart. That, and this world is…

Aslan slowly, slowly reached his hand out. Beyond his hand, beyond his gaze, was the dark and faded landscape…but even then, there were gaps. What he was looking at was not what had faded, but what had remained the same--at the faint traces of pink clouds tinged with gold that floated across the sky. In those peachy clouds, I could see traces of vibrant green, too--it was a palette rarely seen in the world outside this book's pages. And yet despite that, something about those colors seemed familiar…nostalgic, even…

Aslan: It's so beautiful, isn't it? And so gentle.

His voice cracked, trembling like he was on the verge of tears, and his fingers shook as he traced something in the sky--the outline of a memory, perhaps.

Aslan: She told me about it. About all the gentle colors in the clouds in the sky before dusk. Every single thing in this world was something so beautiful that she wanted to put it into words, so that other people could have their hearts touched the same way hers was. I know there's a lot of strange things in here, but it's full of little sparks of happiness that you'd miss if you didn't take the time to notice them. I don't want you to hate what's inside of Luca's picture books, or to fight it, either. …I'm sorry for asking something for so selfish.

But as Aslan's hand fell limply, Rutile reached out and caught it. His eyes, the same soft green as the new grass that grew in the spring, faced Aslan dead on as he spoke.

Rutile: The world Luca draws is tantamount to her very heart. The sky, the trees…and everything that lives inside of it.

Aslan: Mister Rutile…

I saw some strength return to Aslan's body. It was a heartwarming sight.

Akira: …I want to protect this world, too. So I want to do what Mister Aslan said, and…

Murr: Start having fun! Right now! We are wizards, after all. We adore the unknown, even if it wants to attack us!

Murr smile was an innocent and genuine one. He placed one hand on top of mine, and one on top of Aslan's. The world suddenly felt a little bit brighter. Murr hadn't placed a spell on us, no. It was simply what his words and smile had done for us.

Murr: This place is a lot more wizard-ly than we'd usually see, right? I wonder why!

Murr playfully tipped his pointed wizard hat towards us. My wizards had been watching our exchange, and some of them tipped their hats as well, while others grumbled about it--but all of them were prepared for what was at hand.

Akira: (…Goodness. I'm really no match for them, am I?)

I was so proud of every single one of them that my chest hurt.

Aslan: Thank you so much. Thank you, all of you…

I saw Aslan's expression relax, his faith in them secure. And then, he promptly passed out.

Heathcliff: Ah… He's fallen asleep.

Figaro: He probably has a light concussion. I'll heal his wounds, so it's fine if he just gets some rest here.

Snow: Alright. Just one last thing before we begin our hunt. As we've just touched on, this is an unknown world. And more to the point, this world has been created by a girl whose magic is weak and whose heart is fatigued.

White: You must restrain yourselves and refrain from using any magic that exceeds her strength, lest it interfere with this world's structure. In the worst case scenario, the world and the girl herself will fall to pieces. Should that happen, while we older wizards will be able to make it out alright, I cannot say the same for the younger ones. Should we choose to split up, we cannot guarantee that we'll be able to get to all of you if anything happens. Be sure to take care.

Bradley & Owen & Mithra: …

And with that, my wizards followed the five rays of light deeper into the world within the picture book. I peered into the crystal ball the twins had given me, and images of my wizards lazily floated through it. I watched over them, clutching the pink pearl tightly in my hand.

Akira: (Please… Collect the pieces of Luca's memory and come back to me safe and sound…)

Next Chapter

[mcdonaldsnumberone]

eau de parfum

“seep into my body deeply.”

rustica x reader

gender neutral reader

synopsis: it doesn’t take much for rustica to win your heart, and his intensely bewitching scent does nothing to calm your heart. you ask him to reveal his secret with you, only to end up revealing your deepest emotions instead...

placed under cut for length!

The allure of one human being to another rested somewhere deep inside the heart, enough to draw souls of all walks of life together under the mysterious masquerade known as love, and this fundamental axiom of life was the very notion that many wizards were drawn to. Loving to love was a way of conquering the mind and the soul in it of itself, and you learned that lesson very quickly during your stay at the quaint manor with the Sage’s Wizards.

Some made their fondness for the world more apparent than others. Be it Shylock’s quiet monologues about the low roll of clouds or even Arthur’s animated adoration towards his foster father, their own appreciation for their lives made you love the world and your own life even harder. Of course, some were more hesitant on bearing their hearts to the world, but you could tell: Owen’s puffed out cheeks whenever he wolfed down a freshly prepared fruit tart, Mithra watching over the Flores brothers, or Faust entertaining a pair of stray kittens.

But the thing that entranced your heart the most was something else entirely.

It was a common, almost everyday thing for you at this point. It wasn’t anything new to you, it wasn’t anything that particularly exceptional to anyone else, and it certainly wasn’t anything magical in nature.

Rustica’s cologne.

The aroma drove you wild. You smelled it often, given that you would exchange a few words with him on an almost daily basis, and each and every time, it felt like the charming gentleman had cast a calming spell on you that made your mind go both blank and into overdrive at the same time.

He smelled so good. He smelled like love personified (there was no better way to personify him than to describe him like that). Like pine trees swaying amongst themselves in a beautiful waltz, like the soft pastel flicks of color on an old master’s canvas, like coffee shared between a couple on an autumn afternoon, like the light whiffs of a cream puff stuck onto someone’s bottom lip.

In essence, you had fallen hard for Rustica, and his cologne wasn’t helping you one bit. You wanted to earn some peace of mind for your racing heart, which was why you were also quick to corner Rustica the moment you had made up your mind.

“Master Sage, it’s good to see you. May I help you with something?” The carefree man asked, the corners of his lips turning upwards into a graceful grin at the sight of you. You felt your breath hitch in your throat, and you pinched the inside of your wrist.

The telltale scent of his cologne washed over your nose and coated the roof of your mouth. Akin to that of a delicate dance, it felt like you were being lured in by a siren’s song.

Be still, my beating heart!

You bit back the scream bubbling up in the back of your throat and forced what you hoped was a natural smile to your face. “Yes, actually. I hope I’m not bothering you. Are you busy?”

Rustica shook his head. “Not at all. What can I help you with? If I can be of any assistance to you, it would bring me great joy.”

“I just… uh… wanted to know more about your cologne,” you breathed out, your heartbeat pounding like wild in your ears. “You smell so nice, and I thought I might ask about it.”

Rustica fell quiet, and you immediately wondered if you had gotten a bit too personal too quick. Swallowing rapidly, you glanced up at the mage, laughing awkwardly. “W-Well, you’re not obligated to tell me about it if you don’t want to! I know things like personal care routines can be sort of a private topic for some-”

“Oh, worry not about it, Master Sage. If it was for you, I would spill all of the world’s secrets without hesitation,” he chuckled, stepping closer to you. “Come along with me to my room then. I would be more than happy to share with you some of my cologne.”

You wanted to pinch yourself again to make sure you weren’t dreaming. Rustica placed his hand on the small of your back, carefully urging you forward, and you took that sensation to anchor yourself back to reality. You prayed that any signs of your obvious infatuation weren’t surfacing, and you blindly followed the charming wizard into the warm confines of his room.

Every part of his room perfectly embodied him, and even the atmosphere clung heavily with his scent. You let your mind wander a little, wondering what it would be like to live every waking moment of your life with his delightful presence all of you.

Gods. You were starting to sound as creepy as the previous sage.

“Forgive me if my room is a tad bit unruly,” he laughed airily. “I’m afraid that Chloe has always been the more organized one between the two of us. Take a seat wherever you’d like, and I’ll grab you some of my dear cologne.”

“Oh! Don’t mind me then,” you replied. You stayed close to the walls, slinking like a shadow to a nearby loveseat and descending upon it like a stiff shrimp. Rustica paid your clunkiness no mind, humming a soft tune to himself as he hastily rearranged his room. He deftly opened up a window with his long fingers (“For fresh air. It wouldn’t do if you were to get a headache from all the stimuli, Master Sage.”) before stepping over to his dresser.

“The best time to apply cologne would ideally be right after washing up. Cologne sticks best to bare skin,” he observed, selecting a small bottle. Rustica cast you a teasing glance, a smile dancing on his lips. “Of course, I won’t ask you to do such a thing at this moment. Consider this a piece of advice for the future, Master Sage.”

You swallowed nervously, laughing weakly. “I-I’ll keep that in mind!”

Rustica responded to your hazy laughter with another well-timed chuckle of his own. He closed the dresser’s drawer before heading over to where you were, seating himself right next to you. You froze instinctively, your heartbeat speeding up at how close he was all of the sudden.

He uncapped the cologne. “The best places to apply cologne are to pulse points. But like art and magic and love, recommendations are not the absolute way, so if you’d like to apply the scent elsewhere on your body, you are free to do so.”

“I’ll take your advice,” you mumbled out, shyly gazing up at him. Rustica’s face was calm and poised, the demure smile on his face making your stomach do backflips. You exhaled deeply, trying to keep yourself together. “Um… Where exactly are the pulse points?”

“Would you like me to demonstrate?” 

You blinked absentmindedly. “Sure…?”

“One is the neck.”

Rustica pointed to his throat. The upper part of his midnight black crest peeked out from above his red sweater, a reminder of his loyalty and bond to you.

“Another is the chest.”

He pointed at his heart, his fingertips resting right next to his golden pendant. 

“The shoulders.”

Your eyes followed his hands, admiring the gorgeous curve of his body. 

“Inner elbows.”

Rustica turned his arms to reveal the area, or at least, as much as you could see with his white coat covering his skin.

“And finally, the wrists.”

He playfully held his wrists up, tapping the veins appearing on his pale skin as if to make sure you understood perfectly. You nodded in response.

Bare skin in warm areas… The wry thought of Rustica fresh out of a shower and spraying cologne on his damp skin entered your head as if to taunt you, and you pinched yourself again to keep your focus.

“Is this your first time working with scents like these?” Rustica innocently asked, oblivious to your inner plight. You sprang back to life at his words, and you nodded once more.

“Stuff like this exists in my world too, but I’m far from being an expert on them like you are,” you meekly squeaked out. “I’ve ventured into perfume shops before, but it’s not like I put cologne or perfume on everyday.”

He raised his eyebrows in surprise, before he melted into another warm laugh. “No need to fret then. You flatter me, calling me an expert on cologne. I’m simply someone who appreciates the finer things in life.”

“Still. You know more than I do.”

“If you insist then, Master Sage. Since you have deemed me the ‘expert’ in this field, would you like me to help apply the cologne?” He offered sweetly. You froze once more, your mind racing.

Rustica. Rustica helping you. Apply cologne.

You momentarily forgot that you were even the one who approached him first.

“I promise it won’t hurt,” he added on, as if he noticed your hesitation.

“Oh! Sorry-,” you gasped out, mentally slapping yourself. “I just spaced out a little. It’s not everyday that I have someone as dashing as you offer to help.”

“You consider me dashing?”

There went another mental slap.

Before you could respond, Rustica’s hands slipped under your chin and rested below your ears, cupping your jaw tenderly. He expertly balanced the cologne bottle in between his fingertips, tilting your face up to meet his eyes. His gloves felt cool yet present against your skin, and your eyes shook at the realization that he was touching you.

“Stay still, Master Sage. Normally, you’d only apply cologne to one or two pulse spots to make sure the scent doesn’t get too overwhelming,” he continued, almost like the conversation merely seconds ago didn’t occur. “You wouldn’t mind if I applied my scent to the same places as I do?”

Gods. If lightning struck you this instant, you would have died the happiest Sage in the world.

“Go ahead,” you rasped out, unable to muster the courage to shake your head when he was holding you so tenderly. One hand slid out away from you, but the other kept you still. You wondered if he could feel your panicked pulse through his gloves, but he made no sign of acknowledging it if he did. 

Something cold kissed the underside of your throat, right where Rustica’s crest would have been on his own neck, and you tensed up at the foreign sensation. A strong wave of Rustica’s dreamy cologne washed over you instantaneously. 

You felt like a little sparrow caught within his grasp, your wings stilled by his honeyed voice and his charm, your heart resting inside of his birdcage and within his gentlemanly touches.

“There we go,” he whispered, tilting your face from side to side to approve of his own work. “Your wrists next, Master Sage.”

You blinked emptily when he completely drew his hands away from you. You held up your hands obediently, like a dog following commands. Rustica chuckled once more, a hand grasping one of your wrists tightly while the other prepared the cologne bottle once more.

“You’re being awfully quiet,” he observed. “Are you enjoying the experience?”

You almost flinched. “Er- Yeah, I guess you can say that. It feels wrong to be so chatty during something so intimate.”

“I know how you feel. If you wish to soak up the moment, then I humbly invite you to be the audience to the symphony of scents,” he lightly responded. His thumb rubbed over your wrist before he sprayed your bare skin once more. You sighed lovingly, your heart singing like the angels.

He took your other hand, repeating the same action of rubbing your skin before spraying a moderate helping of his own cologne. Satisfied, he let go of you altogether, capping the perfume bottle before giving you an expectant gaze. 

“Well? Was I of any help to you, Master Sage?”

You nodded, still a bit dumbfounded. You were on cloud nine, trying to process everything happening all at once. From the welcoming nature of Rustica’s room to all of his sweet, slightly capricious touches, you couldn’t blame yourself for falling for him. No one could dream of resisting someone as romantic in nature as him.

“Yes, you helped me a lot,” you breathed, smiling brightly. “Thank you, Rustica. I’ll cherish this scent for as long as it lasts.”

“Think nothing of it,” he replied, the serene smile on his face setting your heart aflutter once more. “And if you need any more to keep yourself company…”

You stared at him, as he leaned in, ducking his head down to take a careful whiff of his own scent lingering on your neck. Heat rushed to your cheeks at the sudden brazenness of his actions, and you sucked in a nervous breath.

Rustica chuckled, the contrast between his gentle nature and his closeness to you making your head spin.

“I’m all yours.”