"Shiro… I know that you're aware of how I am." Lyrica started as she couldn't help but fiddle with her fingers out of nervousness.
"I know you thought it was just because of dependency."
Thinking back to all the times she wanted to confess but was unable to, all the times she felt her heart flutter. Lyrica knew she had to do it here and now. She harboured her down doubts as well. Was it really dependence like what Shiro said? Or was it something else.
But after 70 years, her feelings had never changed. Seeing her again has proved to Lyrica what she felt was real. It was not dependency.
"But…" Biting her lip, Lyrica didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't want to see how Shiro reacted out of fear. Her heart was beating faster than ever. Even going into battle, she was not this scared.
"My feelings have never changed. I know you're my mum's friend and it's awkward for you, but it doesn't change the fact that what I feel is real. I had spent over 70 years and the feelings never dwindled. Even after knowing you might harbour something for Nan Tian. I don't want to give up."
Feeling her emotions rising, she wanted to pour out everything that was in her heart. This was her chance, a chance between her and Shiro. Anything she wanted to say, everything she wanted to say. She had to say it now or else she'll never get the chance again. If she doesn't say it now, she doesn't know when she'll gain this courage again.
"Shiro, can you look at me as a woman? Can you give me a chance? Not as Isilia's daughter, not as someone you need to protect, not as the naïve girl you met at the dorms. Just as me, a woman who's head over heels for you." Lyrica confessed as her voice cracked slightly out of nervousness.
Grabbing her dress, Lyrica felt her face heat up. She could practically hear her own heartbeat as she felt dizzy in the head. She had finally done it, she confessed after all this time.
But she dreaded the answer, she didn't want to hear Shiro say no. She didn't want to get rejected. She doesn't know how she'll be able to handle it if Shiro denied her feelings.
Hearing no answer for an extended period of time, Lyrica felt dread in her heart. Was she really rejected? Opening her eyes slightly, she slowly looked up at Shiro with tears threatening to fall.
Widening her eyes, Lyrica no longer saw the composed Shiro who was unfazed at everything she saw. The calming charm that she exuded was replaced by panic and embarrassment. She could see Shiro struggling to maintain an unfazed smile as her entire face was flushed from the confession.
Her eyes darting left and right while she didn't know what to do with her hands.
"This…. Erm…" Seeing Shiro stutter over her own words while trying to think of what to say, Lyrica couldn't help but laugh.
'She's probably thinking of a way to reject me without hurting my feelings.' Lyrica thought sadly as she cast her eyes down to the floor.
Uncontrollable tears rolled down her face as she turned to run but was stopped when Shiro grabbed her hand.
"A-at least let me think about what to say dumbass." Shiro mumbled. Her ears now completely red.
Sitting down after losing strength in her legs, Shiro patted the space next to her while thinking of what to say.
Once Lyrica sat down, Shiro took a deep breath and sighed.
"You know I'm not familiar with stuff like this." Shiro pouted.
"I'd rather you send me out to battle than think of a response. Arg… Okay. So you said yourself. It's a bit awkward since you're… Isilia's daughter. I'm basically your aunt if you look at it that way." She continued while hugging her knees.
"But even if I were to ignore that, I don't know why you… have feelings for me in the first place. I'm hopeless when it comes to romance, you know…"
Unsure of what to do with her hands at this moment, Shiro played with a few strands of her hair as her voice slowly decreased in volume.
"I'm fickle you know? I don't even know what I think myself. I see Nan Tian positively because I've known him since I was a kid. And he's also done a lot for me. But I also see you positively because you helped me get my footing. If I say yes to one and no to another the party dynamic will-" Biting her lip Shiro cut herself off and slapped herself on the cheek with both hands.
"!!!" Widening her eyes, she didn't expect Shiro to hit herself to the point her cheeks became red.
"That's all just excuses because I'm embarrassed. If you can muster up the courage to confess, I should have the courage to give you an answer." Shiro muttered while rubbing her sore cheeks.
Feeling her brain overload with what she was going to do next, Shiro hid her face with her right hand and looked away.
Seeing this, Lyrica felt her heart shatter.
However, this feeling only lasted a short moment when she felt Shiro's hand hold hers.
"I-if you're okay with me. I'll give it a try… I don't know how well I'll be as a partner." Shiro mumbled.
She knew that Lyrica wasn't just dependant on her. 70+ years of longing? Not many people can keep that up. And she wasn't doing it out of pity either. As she said, she felt like a fickle woman. She harboured feelings for both Nan Tian and Lyrica. But she didn't know the depth of her feelings.
She couldn't deny that she felt charmed that Lyrica dedicated her feelings for this long. Even if she felt awkward with Lyrica being Isilia's child, she'll cross that bridge when it happens.
If she was forced to make a confession, she could only say that her feelings for Lyrica were stronger at this moment in time.
Hearing Shiro's answer, Lyrica felt joy overwhelm her before feeling unsure what to do.
The two just sat awkwardly on the bridge while holding hands. Both blushing, both unable to look at one another out of embarrassment.
"KISS DAMMI-MNPH!!!"
Snapping to reality, Shiro turned her head back and locked onto Nitha's location. She had been so overwhelmed by Lyrica's confession and her own thoughts that she forgot to keep track of the lurkers.
"Why did you have to shout Nitha??!" Vuldrin cursed as he was covering her mouth.
"What kind of platonic confession is this though!?" Nitha complained in annoyance.
"At least when I confessed to Asher I f*-"
"NITHA!" Asher panicked as he quickly covered her mouth as well with a deep blush on his face. Ignoring Vuldrin and Cadmi's stares, Asher wanted to hide himself in a hole.
Looking at one another, Shiro and Lyrica couldn't help but laugh as they weren't wrong. They just sat there out of embarrassment without saying anything.
"You want to punish them for peeking?" Shiro asked with a chuckle.
"Just a tad. Don't want to go too overboard. But that can probably wait till tomorrow. I'm out of energy." Lyrica scratched her hair as she still felt lightheaded and weak in the legs. But she was screaming with joy inside.
"Shall we head back?" Lyrica asked as Shiro nodded her head.
Standing up, Lyrica noticed that Shiro wasn't moving and looked back. Seeing that Shiro had one hand behind her back and the other reached out meekly while looking to the side.
Lyrica felt her heart explode.
'WHY IS SHE SO DAMN CUTE!?' She shouted in her mind as the fearless and terrifying Shiro was so meek and cute when it came to romance.
Holding Shiro's hand, Lyrica noticed a small smile on Shiro's face as she felt her heart explode once more.
Leaving the lurkers behind, the two of them made their way back to the tower.
Meanwhile, Nimue was teasing the hell out of Shiro in her mind.
[I-If you're okay with me. I'll give it a try~ AHAHAHAHA] Nimue howled with laughter as Shiro felt her face heat up from hearing her own response.
'SHUDDAP!'
[I'm hopeless when it comes to romance you know… AHHAHAHAHHAHA]
Stomping her foot out of annoyance, Shiro wanted to throw a table at Nimue.
[THIS IS MY REVENGE! AHAHAHA SUFFER AS I HAVE!]
With her mind focused on Nimue's teasing, they reached Shiro's room.
"Ah ahem. I should go back to my room now." Lyrica said as she didn't feel the courage to spend the night together. Not yet at least.
Seeing this, Shiro couldn't help but chuckle and tugged at Lyrica's dress before she could leave.
"I don't mind sleeping in the same room."
Feeling her heart explode once more, Lyrica was thinking she might be having a cardiac arrest from Shiro's cuteness.
Leading Shiro back to her room, they opened the door and was assaulted by the smell of scented candles and roses. Lyrica suddenly remembered that she had asked Cadmi to remodel her room slightly.
Her bed was now replaced by a giant love heart bed with rose petals on the floor. The red mood lights and scented candles caused a blush to overwhelm her face as Lyrica felt embarrassed.
Trying to hide her own blush and embarrassment, Shiro cleared her throat.
"Let's sleep in my room tonight."
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