His tiny hostage [G/T]

XI - To Be His

" My name is Bluebelle von Hyacinthoides," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "I grew up with my mother and father. My father was never kind to me, especially after I made my mother so frail when I was born. I've always been viewed as a bad omen." She paused, taking a breath, as Otis lay back down, positioning himself so he could look at her directly. Bluebelle continued, her gaze fixed on him. "After my mother died, I shut myself off from everyone. I think I had one friend, but I pushed him away. I can't remember him well, but I know now..."

"Know what?" Otis asked, his curiosity piqued.

"That scar by your eyebrow. It's from when we fell into that thorn bush, right?" she said, closing her eyes and pressing her forehead against his. She used a hand to rub his forehead, and Otis suddenly realized. It was her. He heard her sniffle and looked up to see tears streaming down her face.

"H-hey, what's wrong?" he asked, feeling unsure of how to react.

"I'm sorry," she cried, nuzzling his forehead. Her tears dampened his skin, dripping down.

"What for?"

"I pushed you away. You probably hate me now that you know who I am," she sobbed, crouching down and hiding her face. Otis, unsure how to console her, laid his hand down next to her. She uncovered her face and crawled into his palm, which he lifted to his face and pressed against his lips. She didn't resist and seemed to lean in. It felt incredible. Why was she so sad? He pulled away, seeing her sadness linger, and gently laid her back on his palm.

"Otis?" she began, but before she could continue, he kissed her, pressing her between his lips and his hand. When he pulled back, she was flushed and red.

"I could never hate you," he whispered, his voice soft. He kissed the side of her face, not expecting her to shy away.

"Otis," she murmured, still shrinking away.

"Yes?" he replied, kissing her cheek. She covered her face with her hands.

"Bluebelle?" he called her name softly.

"OTIS, THIS IS MOVING TOO FAST," she exclaimed, extending her arm as if to signal stop. But with his face so close, it slipped between his lips. She looked at him with a blush and he licked her hand. She shrieked, pulling it away and wiping it on her dress. He chuckled, and she giggled, getting up. She removed her contact lenses, revealing her beautiful eyes. Otis felt his heart race. Before he could react, the carriage stopped, and Bluebelle hugged his thumb, trying not to fall off his hand.

"We're here," the chauffeur announced. They stepped out of the carriage and headed to the downtown area. Otis gave Bluebelle some human money he had somehow collected and sent her to a shop. He sat down on the field and noticed something peculiar: Prince Elias was there, reaching into the castle and pulling something out. Elias left without noticing Otis. Puzzled, Otis lay back and stared at the clouds, reflecting on the amazing day.

"OTIS," a sweet voice called out, startling him. He scattered flower petals everywhere as he sat up. Bluebelle appeared, wearing a flowing dress with blue flowers embroidered into the seams. The flowers and glowing petals highlighted her beauty as she stared up at him. He quickly scooped her up after she raised her arms and noticed she carried multiple bags.

"Sorry, can you take these?" she asked sheepishly, handing the bags to him. He nodded, attaching them to his finger and placing them in his pocket. He was surprised by the amount she bought. He sat with her in his palm, looking at Wisteria.

"I had to leave early because the princess and prince were kidnapped by a giant," Bluebelle explained with a sigh. Otis realized it must have been Elias's doing and guessed he wasn't planning to eat the humans but had some business with them. "There was a siren, and I was scared, so I came back as soon as I could." He nodded and stood up. Bluebelle clutched his thumb as he walked back to the carriage. She was quiet, lost in thought.

Bluebelle's mind wandered as they climbed into the carriage. She struggled to remember something from her childhood.

"What's wrong?" Otis's voice startled her. It was strange how the boy she had met before now showed her such affection. She was still scared of him but was confused by his tender gestures. She wasn't used to such attention and wasn't sure how to react to the kisses.

"Bluebelle," Otis said, pulling her from her thoughts. She looked up to find him closer than ever, his breath creating a gentle breeze. Startled, she shrieked, falling backward. In the process, she kicked him in the nose, accidentally forcing her foot into his nostril. They both paused, trying to process what had happened. Otis started laughing and pulled her away from his face.

"Seriously though, what was it?" he asked.

"IT'S NOTHING," Bluebelle shouted, spinning around in his hand and facing away. Otis began prodding her back softly, which became increasingly annoying.

"I'm not stopping until you tell me," he whispered persistently. She grunted and lay flat in his palm. He continued to prod her side, and she finally relented, causing him to pale.

"What was that nickname I had for you?" Otis asked, feeling his face drain of color. He hoped she wouldn't remember it. They had spent so much time together, and he had called her many names, like "short stack," "tiny," and "Polly Pocket." She had responded with a nickname that had always annoyed him.

He had once threatened to eat her for calling him that nickname by accident, causing her to scream and hide in a hole for an hour while he tried to coax her out. On another occasion, he had placed her on the ground and walked away, leading her to trip and injure her knee. He felt so guilty that he carried her back to her castle and kissed her forehead until she stopped crying. Despite his attempts to be tough, he had always had a soft spot for her.

"You didn't have one for me," he tried to defend himself, but Bluebelle was skeptical. "Maybe it was something like 'the Great Giant' or 'the Humongous Heathen' or—"

"That's it," she interrupted.

"Huh?"

"You're the Girly Goliath." The moment she said it, Otis felt as if he had been punched in the chest. He hated it. His dark glare made Bluebelle go pale.

"I'M SORRY, MR. OTIS, DON'T HURT ME," she pleaded, crouching down and covering her head. Her genuine fear touched his heart. He tried to console her, apologizing softly and pressing on her hands. She uncovered her face, and he kissed her. She shrieked and stumbled back. He helped her up again, and she was bright red.

"Mr. Otis, can I ask you something?" she whispered.

"Yeah, sure."

"Will you marry me now?" Bluebelle's question took Otis by surprise. He stared down at her in shock.

"So, will you?" she asked again, looking at him with soft eyes. He nodded, his heart swelling with emotion.

"You took the words right out of my mouth," Otis replied.