Damsel In A Red Dress (Tsukasa X Reader)

Chapter 9

Totally forgot to update... my B -Author

Today, the soon to be wed had an important meeting to attend, in preparation for their wedding in July. It was currently the end of December and It was a quiet day. Since the two had the meeting, I was left all to my lonesome. I didn't know what to do to preoccupy my time other than try my best to stay clear of the maid Tabitha and her friend.

The other maids had just kept to themselves when it came to me. But those two had picked on me for the past week and I endured the constant, 'Hey, do you smell dog?' or the 'why aren't you eating on the floor?'

Today was no different. I had seen her in the hallway just a couple of minutes ago and my eyes were beginning to get swollen with how much I had teared up by her words from the past few days. "I'm so tired," I spoke to no one in particular. I spoke it in an almost whimper. In times like these, I would go to the library. But I didn't have the motivation today. I was tired of the constant bullying but I wasn't one to tell on others. I just prayed she would realize what she was doing to affect me like this soon so it would all end. I wasn't just tired about their perstering though. The young prince and I had spent another night in the library yesterday and we stayed there until late.

I managed to ask him why he was always there when I was. He simply said that he much preferred the library with people in it, then his office where there was only Natsuhiko present to proctor him. Making sure he would do his work.

My salvation was lit up like a presentation. Ah, a window seat! I would just sit for a few minutes and then I'd be on my merry way. I wobbled over to the seat and leaned on the wall once I sat down. I hummed in content as the rays of the sun-kissed my cheeks with its warmth. Couldn't it be like this all the time? A beautiful silence never came often. You would think that after I had been teased and prodded, that I couldn't enjoy this moment. Well, my body enjoyed it a little too much.

My eyes fluttered close to accept the sun's warmth, but they didn't want me to open them again. They felt like bricks that were cemented down. Before I knew it, I was dozing off in the embrace of the seat and the wall I was leaning on.

As I was dozing off, footsteps were heard coming towards me. I wanted to open my eyes to see who it was, but I couldn't.

"(Y/n)..?" It was the younger prince. He had seen me dozing off. I wanted to greet him properly as I should, but yet again, my body failed me. Was I sick? Why couldn't anything be done right by me lately?

The prince moved closer to me, staring at me blankly before his palm went up to my forehead. "Shit. You're burning." His hand went from my supposed burning forehead to my cheek as he smoothly stroked it with his thumb. "Natsuhiko, where's her room?"

"Who? Ohhhhhh..." The butler had just arrived at the scene and turned his head to see my flushed but pale face. My eyebrows furrowed once I finally realized the temperature. Why was it so hot? "Yikes."

"Yeah, yikes. Whatever! Where is her room?" The prince swiftly picked me up in his arms. Today I wasn't wearing anything special. A bright blue dress that was made from a light fabric, so he lifted me up with ease. It was as if I weighed nothing.

"Right this way." They began walking towards my room. We weren't far from it from where I had sat down to die. I breathed in deeply to try and get some air to cool my body, instead, I caught the faint scent of a campfire. Is this what Tsukasa smelled like? I couldn't help but giggle internally. His scent suited him.

"Why'd you let yourself get this sick? You should learn how to take care of yourself. It seems even I need to be a teacher." I could feel the vibrations of the prince's chuckle through his chest. "You better not snore in your sleep. I'm carrying you, you know?" I wanted to laugh aloud. Why was he so comical? wasn't I sick?

It was better to be funny than to act worried.

Finally, after many tries, I pried my eyes open a little. Tsukasa noticed this and looked down at me. "My prince?" I questioned formally. Why had he stopped talking?

"Hah. feels like a fairy tale." He chuckled lowly and hummed. "Don't you move and don't you speak. You're sick" His gaze turned back into his normal blank stare as he trudged on in the hallway.

"I figured that much." I spat out jokingly. I smiled to myself. This was pure bliss. I've never gotten carried before by a prince. Like Tsukasa had said. It really was like a fairy tale. But I was no princess.

The prince's face of content contorted into one of irritation. "Shut the hell up! What did I just say?" He pouted slightly at his failed attempt to quiet me down and to be considerate of my health.

I giggled which caused the attention of the cat-like butler. "Oh~? Awake now are we? Feeling better beautiful?" He had leaned down so that he was on my level and gave me one of his closed-eyed charming smiles.

"No." I shook my head a bit. It was more of a rejection to his comment than an answer.

"Well, that was quick." Natsuhiko ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. "This is your room right? I was struggling to remember."

I could feel the glare the prince was giving me. He had wanted me to keep quiet that badly? Instead of risking it, I gave the cat boy a meek, tired nod. Natsuhiko smiled at his success in choosing the right room and gave himself a pat on the back.

Both the prince and I stared at his strange  behavior before looking at each other. We had a silent conversation about his strange butler being unusual.

Tsukasa grinned at me before setting me down on my bed. It surprised me with how gentle he was. Nene went on and on about how he was violent and mean. And sure he was like that at first. I think he treats people better once he knows them. Yet again, we barely know anything about each other. Other than he hates reading.

He swiftly ordered his butler to bring a glass of water with the flick of his hand and a couple of murmured words. With a bow, Natsuhiko left my room with a smug look on his face. What was he thinking?

The prince proceeded to sit on one of the chairs on the other side of my room and looked out the window. "Oh wow. You gotta great view of the garden up here. Mines better but still..." he spoke randomly, to fill the silence.

Going against Tsukasa's instructions I opened my mouth to speak. "Do you like the garden?" I asked him.

His gaze that was one peaceful switched towards me in annoyance. "You're really bad at following directions."

I couldn't help but breath out a laugh. But otherwise, I stayed silent as I was told to.

"Yes. I'm very fond of it. Amane and I used to play tag in there. He even fell into a bush of roses and he cried a lot. What a baby." He smiled at the memory.

The scene I observed felt like a cliche. But in that moment I noticed everything about him. His soft smile and his pale smooth skin. His wild eyes that held more emotions that I had yet to know of, and the way his hair fell perfectly into place. I had never really noticed it before but there was a small cut on the hand he was resting his chin on.

I wanted to hear about him. About all of him.

"Tell me," he said out of the blue. He interrupted the silence that felt more peaceful than anything I had even been through. No book could ever put me in that state of mind. "Do you know what makes a flower beautiful?" With this question, he threw his own command away into the trash.

"Not particularly. Mind telling me?" I asked. I just wanted to hear him talk more. I was eager to learn about anything this man had to say.

The prince's eyes never left from the garden outside. "With flowers, it's the petals and the bright color that draws attention..." His hands then fell from his chin to his lap in a sophisticated manner. "But even roses have thorns." He sighed.

His attention was drawn away from the garden as he stood up and made his way towards me. "However, " The prince had lightly guided my chin to make sure that all my attention was on him. "I don't think that is the case for you."