"A MAID?!" There was an extremely loud, chorused yell coming from the royal Granadian palace, and the voices were obviously that of males. Luckily, no one of importance heard it, so that was okay.
"Yup! Leone and I agreed to host this, but I would need a guy to accompany me in a maid costume." Riviera nodded and crossed her arms smugly. "Of course, Leone is not going to be the female maid, you lolicons." There seemed to be an air of menace surrounding Riviera as she said that, even though she was smiling. (And no, not that anyone here was a lolicon. It's called being a protective elder sister figure.)
The guys were more than struck by that request. For a start, none of them had any experience wearing a dress, much less a maid costume. Secondly, they would look pretty embarrassing in that kind of clothing. "Should we use scissors paper stone to decide?" It was the only viable way any one of them came up with after a long dragging silence.
Due to the author being a lazy person and not wanting to go into details about the simple game, she will just skip to the results, which involved Berwick having to become the maid. (Fitting choice tbh.) Of course, the Crimson Marksman was extremely displeased with the outcome and asked for a rematch, but after some persuasion and a few claps on the shoulder and "don't be a sore loser, we agreed to this", he eventually would don the maid dress at dinner.
"Dinner is ready!" Riviera basically sang as she walked out of the kitchen carrying two plates of whatever delicious dishes that Thetis had managed to whip up today. (Imagine food from botw and there you go) Behind her was an even more stunning sight. Behold, the great wizard who wielded the power of fire, now was standing helplessly behind Riviera while carrying another two plates, wearing a maid's dress, complete with ribbons, thigh-high white socks, cute sneakers and a hairband. More than that, the Juno Templars and Princess Leone realised, it actually suited him perfectly. On the marksman's face was a blush that made him look like someone who had eaten a lot of chilli. No one was explicitly laughing, but they all knew, this was too funny not to at least cackle internally at.
~~~
"Hey, Berwick, wait up a moment." He had excused himself immediately after dinner with a disconcerted face and hurried upstairs, probably screaming internally for the embarrassment had caused himself during that meal by tripping over himself quite a few times due to not being used to wearing a dress and sneakers. Riviera had caught up to him as per Vox's request, and was glad to find that he had not changed out of the costume yet. "Vox wants to see you privately while wearing this." Berwick seemed to be extremely annoyed.
"No he wouldn't. He's not the kind of guy who fawns over people in maid costumes." Berwick didn't make eye contact, concentrated on only walking ahead.
"Vox says that he thinks that you look good in this."
That did it. Berwick stopped walking mid-step, which made him look like he was in the middle of a dance. Vox was right. The dress actually did suit him, albeit in a kind of weird way. "Alright, fine. I'll need to go talk to him." Berwick turned around to face Riviera. "Where is he?"
"In his room. He says that he will wait for you there." Riviera pointed downwards to where Vox's room would be.
Berwick was a little bit skeptical about that (He had read enough lemons on accident to know what may happen), but he followed. And of course, the door to Vox's room was closed, as usual. He never opened his door to anyone that he had not given explicit permission for entering his quarters. That was part of the reason why he was liked by everyone. Especially Berwick, when he felt a surge of some kind of a strong feeling as he raised his hand to knock on the door. It made him stop in his tracks, shivering and wondering why he felt so nervous.
He had actually wanted to do this for the longest time ever. To pay Vox a little visit in his own room. Just the two of them having a good time together privately. That had been his only wish in ages. Because ever since that day he met Vox, he had a little (or actually, rather big) secret hidden in his heart. It was a kind of feeling, he reckoned. One that he had never felt before in his life. One that made him want to stay with Vox forever and ever and ever and ever. One that made everything they did together feel nice and warm.
It was also a feeling that he could never really explain, or even tell anyone about.
And so, he picked up all the courage he had, and knocked softly on the door.
"Ah, Berwick. So Riviera did catch up to you in time." As usual, Vox's velvety voice was firm but gentle. Berwick tried not to collapse from being nervous.
"Vox... Do you..." Berwick averted his eyes from Vox's and fidgeted with his hands. He felt himself blush. "Do you..." He couldn't get what he wanted to say out of his mouth. It was. Just a simple question, but it meant so much. Maybe even too much. "Do you... really think that I look good in this?" And Berwick, being the shy boy that he is, shut his eyes tight and waited for a reply. He didn't actually expect one to come.
"Of course you do."
Berwick looked up at his leader. He would never have expected that to ever come out of Vox's mouth. The very same mouth that often talked in battle strategies and war jargons that no one could understand very well, could still bear so much affection in four words.
Staring back at Berwick was a blushy face whose face colour contrasted with the light blue of his hair and his gaze was averted. A small smile graced his face. That was when Berwick saw that window. And he used it.
"You know, Vox..." And suddenly his heart was racing all over again. Memories flashed in his mind. If this broke their relationship, he would never forgive himself. But if it made it better... everything, all the risks, would be worth it. Everything. "...I love you." As if by an invisible force, Berwick reached out and clasped Vox's hand in his.
Then, he was pulled into Vox's embrace.
He felt like he was in heaven, with the warmth from the person that he loved and all. He was a little amazed by how this felt, all of it. It made him feel complete. Like there was a part of him that he didn't know was missing, and this filled that old hole up perfectly.
It was like all of his memories flashing before his eyes. Discovering his immense talent, and going into special training for it, secluded in a mountain. Coming back with the ability to express little to no emotion. Growing up alone, without friends. Losing both his arms in a fight to protect his town. Getting new adamantine ones that amplified his power. Soullessly fighting in the army as a young soldier. Meeting Vox on a winter day, when they bumped into each other on the street. Getting recruited for the Templars. And...
The memory that he most treasured. Him and Vox, on a breezy spring day, walking along a cliff facing the sea. That was the one time that they got close.
It was merely a light peck on the cheek, nothing more. But it was his greatest treasure.
Oh, and he had run away and hid himself in his room for days on end after that.
Five words drew him back to the present.
"I love you too, Berwick."
