Happily Never after: Ulric X Reader

Chapter 6

Your POV

After changing I walked out of my room only to run into Ulric.
"Oh, finished changing?" I said, a tad awkward.
He didn't look at me, "Uh, yeah."
There was a heavy and awkward silence between us. Crap, what the hell was I supposed to say after what just happened! Luckily for us, the silence was interrupted by a piercing voice.
"Ah, y/n! I was looking for you! Fancy running into you here!" Rascal approached us, arms spread out.
"Oh hello, Rascal. What is it?" I asked.
"I was hoping the two of us could chat for a bit, mind following me?" He spoke with an almost sinister smirk on his face.
He was weirding me out a bit. Without waiting for a response, Rascal turned around, glancing back at me to follow him.
"Uh- sure..." I said wearily, running over to him.
I glanced back at Ulric who was slinking back into his room. He gave me a tired look before closing his door.
I turned back to look at Rascal, "Uhm, where are you taking me?"
"The clock room, I think it's the most appropriate place for us to have our little conversation." He said, looking straight foreword as he walked.
I was a bit anxious. He seemed way too happy about whatever he was planning on talking to me about. What was he thinking..?
He led me into a dark room that had a gigantic clock within in.
I gasped, "The clock that marks the revival of Emperor Nogo..."
Rascal smiled, "Yes, exactly! My, you're a smart one."
I had an unhappy look on my face, "Why did you take me here..."
Rascal turned to face me, "You shouldn't be so sad in front of this fine masterpiece! Emperor Nogo is your new master after all, you should be delighted to serve him!"
I stayed silent. He was way too cheery about this.
"You are the key to our master plan, y/n. We need your strength to turn this clock and give the world an unhappy ending. We're all counting on you, knowing you won't disappoint us." He leaned in close to me, raising an eyebrow.
I leaned away from him due to his close proximity, "U-uh... yeah... sure..."
He laughs, "Excellent! Your training will really begin soon! Here, I've brought you a little something!"
He pulls out a book like the one Ulric had when we were training, "You're own book! Things are starting to get serious for you, y/n! I hope you're ready.~"
I take the book from his hands and look at it, "...Thanks."
"No problem!" He laughs again.
He spins around, arms spread, "Ulric will lead you in your training, but I'm sure you already know that! He will teach you well, I'm sure of it."
His tone darkens as he continues, "Y/n... How have you and Ulric been?"
I flinch as I look up at him, "W-what do you mean?"
He turns and leans close to me again, "He's been teaching you, correct? No... funny business... I hope?"
I look away and lie, "N-Nooo...? Of course not."
He leans in even closer, "You sure?"
I lean back from his closeness, shutting my eyes, "Y-Yes."
He moves away from me again, "I hope so. You understand how much of a big deal this is, so of course you know we can't afford any obstacles that can get in the way."
I couldn't tell if he knew that I was lying or not, but either way I wasn't complaining. At least he backed off on the subject.
"Yes, I understand." I say, standing up straight again.
I was clutching the book in my hands. Rascal is definitely up to something...
"Good! He'll continue with your training then! Keep up the good work, y/n!" He turns and walks past me, beginning to leave.
I relax my shoulders, that was intense.
He stops and turns his head back at me, "If anything does happen between the two of you, I will take back Ulric's order to be your mentor. Do you understand?"
I flinch, "Y-Yes, Rascal."
"Good." He turns forward and continues to leave.
I relax again, this time heaving a big sigh.
Jeez, he seriously knows how to shake someone up... I thought.
I hold the book to my chest and glance up at the clock. The hand was on the number 5, they had some time to go until they revived him... Maybe I can find a way to squirm out of this mess...
I look down at the floor, then again, do the others even care I'm gone? Are they trying to get me back? I heave a sigh, I hope so...
I start to walk back to where my room was, I had gotten a better sense of direction since I first got to the Shadow Realm.
Rascal isn't stupid... he knows that there's something going on between me and Ulric. We aren't serious yet, but I'm sure he's still bothered by our.... relations with each other... I think.
I make it back to my room and go to open the door. I notice something stuck to it though.
"Huh? What's this..?" I reach up and pull a folded piece of paper taped onto my door.
A letter..? I open the paper and read:
Dear y/n,
I'm really sorry about what happened with your training. I wasn't trying to be a creep, I swear. I meant it when I said there wasn't any other way. I hope you're not mad at me. We can forget it ever happened, right?
~Ulric
I smile and shake my head, He's such a dork.
I hear a creaking sound from next to me. I look over to see Ulric peeking from the crack in his doorway.
I smile at him, "I was never mad at you, ya big dummy. You didn't hafta go all out and write an apology letter."
An awkward and surprised look appears on his face. He stands up straight and opens his door a bit more.
He rubs the back of his neck, "I, uh... just... really didn't want you to be mad at me or anything... I didn't want you to think I was some sort of creep..."
I laugh and walk over to him, "I would have, but you dealt with it really well. You turned away when you processed the situation, it wasn't like you stared or anything."
He tapped his index fingers together nervously, "Yeah but... you saw my tail going crazy and... I dunno, I thought you'd take it weirdly..."
I blushed, remembering his tail. He averted is eyes quickly as a small blush dusted over his own face.
There was a small silence before I said, "Silly, it's fine. I didn't take it weirdly or think anything poorly of you, honest."
He smiles shyly as he looks at me again, still blushing, "O-Oh, I'm glad. So... no awkward feelings?"
I smile, also still blushing, "No awkward feelings. We can move on from it now."
Ulric laughs nervously, "I'm glad."
The two of us stand in an awkward silence, neither one of us knew what to say next.
"Oh my gosh, this is painful to watch."
Ulric and I jolt at the sound of a voice. We turn and see Brooha looking at the two of us from her own doorway. The blush on our faces darken.
I speak first, "W-W-Whaaat do you mean? What's painful?"
"It's obvious you two have a thing for each other! Just kiss already or something!" Brute pipes in from his own doorway.
"What, are you two just suddenly always eavesdropping on us now?" Ulric said, nervously.
I felt my head go dizzy at the word 'kiss'.
"Stop acting like you don't know what's going on! Confess already!" Brooha huffed.
"Y-You two have gone crazy, just what in the hell are you talking abOOut-" I interrupt Ulric by shoving him into his room and closing the door.
I turn the lock on the doorknob and look at Ulric, whose teeth were clenched nervously and face red as a tomato.
I sigh at him, "Look, we need to talk..."