Work Text:
In a dark and quiet corridor, lit only by the warm glow of the oil lamps, the echoes of two pairs of footsteps could be heard as they made their rounds, checking every nook of the mansion in the wing they were assigned to patrol.
As a full-fledged Star Bearer, one of the duties of its living doll was to patrol the mansion, making sure that everything was alright, from soot that could become a phantom to keeping the deepening night perfectly silent. Emilyko and Shaun were on duty that night.
Emilyko walked slightly ahead, followed by Shaun, watching both the corridors and her.
"You know," Emilyko said brightly, turning her head slightly, "I think today went better than expected."
"Yes, John-sama said so too," Shaun smiled under the lamplight.
"Right!?" she said enthusiastically as she picked up her pace, almost skipping forward.
"Ah! Emilyko, no running in the corri-"
"I'm not running!" she laughed as she began walking backward as though she can face him while talking. "By the way, Kate-sama said that if we keep improving the patrol routes, we might even be able to cover the wings more quickly and efficiently. Aren't you glad, Shaun!?"
Shaun sighed in relief, seeing Emilyko being herself, still smiling as if exhaustion didn't exist, even though the night was nearly over.
"I'm just glad nothing bad happened this time," he said, smiling again as he slowly closed the distance between them.
"I know, right! Now, let's head back and rest, Shaun!" she giggled.
She turned to face forward again, ready to continue their route as they reached the intersecting corridor just ahead of them.
At that exact moment, the faint light Shaun had noticed suddenly grew brighter as a veiled woman pushing a cart stepped into view, turning into their path at the very same time Emilyko did.
"Emilyko, wait-!"
"Eh-!"
Before she could even register what was happening, Shaun grabbed her arm and pulled her back sharply. The sudden force made her lose her footing, sending both of them crashing onto the floor. Even as they fell, they instinctively lifted the lamp higher to keep it from shattering, but one lamp went out.
"Ughh... Ah! Shaun, are you alright?!" As they tumbled backward, Emilyko's body landed against Shaun. She quickly gathered herself and turned in her seated position to check on him.
"I'm fine," he said, holding his back as he rubbed it, feeling the weight of their fall pressing down on him.
"Sorry, Shaun. I didn't notice right away," she apologized, glancing toward the veiled woman, who had paused briefly in front of them before continuing silently down the hallway, pushing her cart. They could only watch her leave as they both let out an awkward little laugh.
"They... really didn't talk, huh?" Emilyko said, which Shaun immediately nodded in agreement.
"More importantly, how about you? Are you hurt?" he asked, immediately checking on her, unsure where to start as worry crept in.
Seeing him concerned, Emilyko gave him a reassuring smile.
"I'm okay! See? The lamp's safe too." She lifted the lamp proudly, showing how unscathed it was.
"You don't get it, do you?" Shaun couldn't help but sigh before continuing.
"You... always do this," he muttered.
"Hmm? Do what?"
Her innocent smile made him falter, but the words still slipped out as they had to.
"You... always make me worry." A faint voice escaped his lips, as if these were words he didn't want to fully say aloud.
Shaun bent his knees and then stood, offering his hand to the still-seated Emilyko.
"Come on. Let me help you up."
Instead of taking his hand, Emilyko, who had been cheerfully smiling just moments ago, now kept her head lowered. She lightly tugged at the hem of his shirt, refusing to stand. The small gesture made him pause.
"Emilyko?"
"Shaun, I'm sorry," she said. As soon as Shaun heard the trembling in her voice, he knelt back down and gently lifted her chin.
"It's not that, Emilyko. I'm not mad or anything. I'm just..."
Looking at him, her expression softened. "I'm sorry. I don't want to trouble you, Shaun, or Kate-sama, but no matter how hard I try, I still can't stop making you worry."
The corridor fell silent once more. Shaun, filled with guilt as he realized how much his concern affected Emilyko, seemed unable to find the right words.
As if trying to change the way the evening had been unfolding, the moon, earlier hidden behind thick clouds, finally cast its light through the window. Only then did both of them lift their heads and meet its gentle glow with their eyes.
"Wow...It's beautiful," she whispered.
"Yes... but I don't think this is the time to admire it," Shaun said, still trying to sort out the feelings swirling inside him.
Emilyko, noticing the hesitation in his eyes, tried to lift the mood with a soft smile.
"Why not?" she asked quietly. "We should at least enjoy it, right? Who knows when we'll see it like this again?"
She adjusted her seat and patted the floor beside her, inviting him. A smile crossed her face, and for a moment, like never before, he felt every worry washing away.
After a pause, he finally gave in and sat down.
"...Just for a minute."
They both gazed toward the moonlight, sitting quietly in the corridor, completely unbothered by anyone who might see them there.
"Shaun, thank you. If it weren't for you, I might have been crushed by that cart... worse, I could've been injured, which would've caused Kate-sama a huge problem. I don't want to give anyone a reason to embarrass her," she said, holding the back of her neck as she laughed softly at him.
Shaun sighed. "Emilyko, you never fail to amaze me. You always think of others first... always the one who steps forward."
A trace of sadness appeared on his face which Emilyko immediately noticed.
"Ah! Shaun... how can I not make you worry?" Emilyko pouted, her cheeks puffed and head slightly bowed, not meeting his gaze.
Shaun lifted his head and finally met her expression. A faint smile curved on his lips, the kind that looked almost like surrender.
"Honestly... I don't think it's possible for you not to make me worry. Or rather, not make everyone worry. And that's fine."
He crossed his arms over his knees and rested his head against them, looking at Emilyko with dim, trembling eyes.
"I don't want you to change. Emilyko should stay as Emilyko. It's just..." His voice faltered. "I just want you to be more careful... to think about your own safety, too. Do you even realize how many people would be hurt if something happened to you?"
The last words left him more honestly than he intended.
As his true feelings slipped out, tears welled in his eyes and quietly fell. He quickly wiped them away, as if embarrassed to let anyone see.
Emilyko reacted instantly, throwing herself into his arms. Shaun wobbled under the sudden weight, and after moving his hand aside, he finally allowed her to hug him properly, her cheek pressing softly against his chest as he steadied them both.
"Shaun... I'm sorry. Please don't cry."
She pressed herself closer to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his back. The sudden closeness left Shaun even more flustered than before.
"I promise, Shaun. I'll be more careful. I want you to loosen up a little. I know ever since I told you about my past, you've been overthinking again." Her voice softened. "Seeing you cry is the last thing I ever want to see."
Shaun tried to pull himself together, but his resistance slowly gave way. His hands moved hesitantly, gripping lightly at the fabric of her dress as the tension drained from his shoulders. He leaned forward, burying his face against her neck, surrendering to the comfort he had been holding back.
"Sorry... for being selfish," he muttered, his voice muffled. "I just don't like seeing you push yourself too hard."
They slowly pulled apart, only for him to see Emilyko smiling again. A very gentle and reassuring one. She shook her head lightly.
"No. It was never selfish to care about someone you truly care about. I'm the same when it comes to you, Shaun."
Emilyko adjusted her position and sat properly, placing her hands on her lap. Shaun looked at her in confusion.
"Here. Come here," she said softly, patting her lap. Seeing that Shaun still looked confused and hadn't moved, she decided to take matters into her own hands and gently pulled him closer.
"E-Emilyko, what are you..."
A heat suddenly rushed into his neck as he froze the moment his head touched her lap. Her fingers slid into his hair, brushing gently through the strands as if telling him everything was fine.
"You know, I've noticed for a while now... you look more tired than usual."
Their eyes met as he looked up, only to look away immediately, embarrassed by how close they were.
"I'm fine, though," he muttered, covering his mouth with his hand.
But he wasn't fine. Not when her scent lingered so close, sweet and fragrant, making his heart race instead of calm down.
"Let's... stay like this for a bit, shall we?" she whispered.
And this time, he didn't argue.
Shaun tried so hard to calm down, avoiding moving too much since he was too conscious of the fact that he was lying on Emilyko's lap. He didn't want to cause her any discomfort either. Several minutes had already passed, and the longer he stayed there, the louder his heart pounded in his chest.
He tried to shift slightly. The moment he started moving, Emilyko caught his hand, freezing him in place. Instinctively, he tried to pull back. He fidgeted at the sudden touch, but Emilyko didn't seem to have any intention of letting go.
A bead of sweat formed on his forehead when she intertwined their fingers.
Her hand felt warm, warmer than he expected, and strangely soft against his own.
His grip remained loose, as though everything had happened too fast. Unsure of what he was supposed to feel, Shaun stayed still. Emilyko seemed to notice and secured her hold on his hand, grounding him and letting him know she was there with him.
He swallowed, but it only made the pounding of his heart worse. Every second that passed, his face grew warmer. His brows furrowed as he looked away, unable to meet her gaze.
From where he lay, he could feel the gentle rise and fall of her breathing beneath him. The faint warmth of her lap seeped through the thin fabric of his clothes, making him even more aware of how close they were.
"...Emilyko," he murmured, barely able to speak.
"Yes?"
Hearing her sweet yet calm voice, so different from her usual happy-go-lucky tone, made him go quiet again. He didn't know what he was going to say. He just knew that his chest hurt in a way that wasn't painful.
Emilyko looked up at the moon, smiling faintly.
"I'm really glad," she said quietly.
"A-about what?"
"That even if we're busy... we still find ways to spend time together. Just the two of us."
For a moment, Shaun could only stare at her. The words settled somewhere deep in his chest, heavier than he expected.
That was it. The last of his resistance disappeared.
He turned slightly toward her, and before he knew it, she leaned down, tucking a few loose strands of her hair behind her ear before softly kissing him.
It was just warm. That was the only way he could describe it.
Or maybe... there was more to it than that. It was soft, too, so soft that for a second he wondered if he had imagined it.
Right there while his head rested on her lap, she left a small kiss mark from her gloss. The faint scent of her lip gloss lingered, sweet and unfamiliar, and it only made his thoughts spin even more.
He froze, unable to process what had just happened. His mind went blank, yet his heart felt like it might burst out of his chest.
When she pulled away, she looked almost shy for a split second. But then she smiled again and stared at him gently, the kind of gaze that made it seem like he was the only one she could see.
"So you can sleep well tonight."
His entire face burned as he panicked, covering his lips even harder.
Even after covering them, he could still feel the warmth she had left there. She laughed, a soft, quiet sound, and continued running her fingers through his hair.
Her touch was slow and absentminded, gently combing through the strands as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Each pass of her fingers made his shoulders loosen just a little, even though his embarrassment refused to fade.
They stayed like that.
Him lying on her lap, too embarrassed to look at her.
Her gazing upward peacefully, letting the night continue as their fingers remained intertwined.
His grip may have remained loose, but hers held firmly.
And for once, neither of them moved first.