𝐢𝐢𝐢. Night Talk

, eventually. Y/N and Tewkesbury were tired and surprisingly, they've adjusted quickly to the idea of living together while they enact their plans. The girl dusted the mattress and made the bed. She grabbed extra sheets to prepare one for the Viscount who was preparing dinner for the both of them.

"I've finished making your bed, Viscount Tewkesbury." L/N said and mockingly bowed. The boy chuckled and held out his hands with two plates of bread and some fancy dish she doesn't really know of.

"And I . . . finished making our feast, Lowly commoner." He said, making her shake her head and giggle. Taking the plate in his hand, she sat on a chair on the dining table.

"How are you feeling?" The Marquess asked. She arched an eyebrow. "About running away, I mean." He cleared.

"Scared, but excited," the girl answered. "What about you? How do you feel?"

"Likewise. I keep on wondering as to how everyone would react once they find me," the boy said and sat right across from her.

"Shocked. Relieved perhaps."

"Why do you want to fight for the rights of women?"

"Why do you have to ask such an obvious question?" Y/N fired, glaring at him. He looked away, intimidated.

"Well, if you don't want an obvious question, I'll give you this. How are you going to fight for it?" Tewkesbury queried.

With that, the girl sighed and emptied her plate. She looked at him straight in the eyes and said, "I don't know. Do you have any idea as to how I can start?" She asked.

"Well, protests will get you somewhere, but also get locked up. How about a secret group?", the viscount suggested.

"That's what I've been thinking of, but how do I even create one? How do I let people know that I'm starting one without getting caught? What if they don't take me seriously?" She asked him. Once he was done with his meal, he took her plate.

The girl stopped him. "Just leave those there. I will take care of it."

"No, it's fine. I insist. Now, please do continue what you're saying," Tewksbury said as he stared at her. L/N placed her hand on her forehead in frustration.

"Fine. Just Like I said, how do I do it? I don't even have a place for secret meetings and "

"Calm down, L/N. You can do this." He reassured. "I'm planning on selling flowers in the market. Maybe, we can use secret messages to those people who wants to fight for feminism," he added.

An idea struck Y/N like lightning. She gasped and raised her index finger in excitement and joy. "That's a wonderful idea! Maybe we can use the flowers to indicate our intentions! — No, hold on. That's too hard for them to understand. We can't directly ask them for it. So, what are we going to do?" She asked.

"Back up to the flower idea. Gladiolus means fight and Orchids also symbolises proud and glorious femininity — " knowing where the Viscount is going with this, L/N decided to intervene and continue what he's saying . . .

" — and hybrid red and white roses remind us to strive for unity and togetherness. We can use those flowers as a message and those who can understand it are a lot helpful. Oh, My Lord! Thank you so much!"

With pure excitement, joy and gratitude, Y/N stood up from her chair and pulled the marquess into a tight hug that he couldn't even tell if he could breathe or not. He hugged her back and cleared his throat," I can't breathe, Y/N."

"Whoops! So sorry. I was just — ", she pulled back and stared at the boy in front of her. He did the same, smiling. Even in just eye contact, they felt rather . . . warm and giddy. The butterflies in L/N's stomach were tickling her like mad.

She laughed. He did too. "We're getting quite closer than expected, aren't we?", Tewkesbury asked. The girl bobbed her head and closed her eyes, then opened them again. "Indeed, we are. It's funny."

"What is?", the boy questioned. "How I feel like you and Enola are the only ones who can understand," she answered.

"Yeah. It's like we're the only ones in the world. Alone." He agreed. "I wish we could see her again."

"As do I." They both stayed like that for minutes, staring at each other with a feeling they can't explain. Suddenly, L/N averted her gaze.

"In a matter of a day and a half, I really think that I can trust you, you know that?" The girl spoke.

"I could say the same," he replied.

The eerie silence filled the whole room. They cleared their throats and went back to what they were doing. Y/N felt like she could barely breathe from tying her corset too tight to fit in her aunt's feminine standards so, she started removing her clothes somewhere the boy couldn't see. She set aside her hoop skirt and struggled untying the corset.

The girl tried to reach for the lace and remove the tight cover on her chest. Once she finally did so, she stepped out of the dressing screen.

"I hope you don't mind me sleeping in my undergarments. The corset makes it hard to move or bend and the hoop skirt hurts my bottom whenever I sit." She said and turned her head to the flushing boy.

He tugged a smile and looked away, "Of course."

Once Tewkesbury was done with the plates, he removed his blazer and his shoes, lying on the cold floor with a blanket and a pillow. He tried to refrain from groaning, but even Y/N knew how uncomfortable it is to sleep there.

She peeked on the side of the bed, "We can uhh...share the bed if you like."

The Viscount sighed and sat up. "Thank you. Yes, I would love that."

The girl couldn't help herself. She laughed as she grabbed a pillow and put it right in the middle of them. "Oh, the indication of how eager you are to transfer from the floor to a nice mattress tickles my humour," she said and sputtered. Lying back on the bed, she sighed.

The wooden bed creaked as Tewkesbury took his place next to her with a satisfied breath. Again, it was quiet. The boy decided to turn to the girl as she did as well.

They both smiled slightly. "I'm not tired yet. Are you?", he asked. The girl shook her head. "Let's talk more then...until we fall asleep," he suggested. "Sure," Y/N responded.

"Why are you . . . stubborn?", the marquess asked. The girl rolled her eyes.

"Wow, what a fascinating question brought to you by the Viscount Tewkesbury, Marquess of Basilwether. For a smart man like you, you ask so many dumb questions."

"And there goes the temper."

"Deal with it."

Just then, they stared at the ceiling. "Can I call you by another name? Tewkesbury's long. I'm a lazybum."

"You can call me anything, Y/N/N." He replied. L/N blinked numerously. "Did you just give me a nickname?", she asked.

"I did. Do you not like it?", Tewkesbury interrogated.

"Of course not. That's a horrible nickname," she said. He laughed, "Then you just gave me another reason as to why I should keep it."

"You are quite the Devil's friend!" Y/N exclaimed, scoffing.

"As long as I'm well and alive, I will keep calling you that."

"Oh you really want to play games, don't you? I'm going to call you a nitwit anytime then."

"How are you as childish as you are mature?" He asked.

"What? That doesn't make any sense at all!" She exclaimed.

"Exactly!"

They both talked and laughed the rest of the time until the dead of night came to visit.

"If Enola ever comes back, what kind of flower would you give her?", Y/N asked.

"A pink one," the boy plainly answered. "And why?", the girl asked. "That colour suits her the most. What about you? If you ever meet that Dukestorie kid you met a few years back, what flower would you give him? A rose? A — "

"No! Certainly not a rose. Rose defines love and even though I respect him, I can't give him the wrong idea!" L/N replied.

"Love — " Tewkesbury started only to be cut off by Y/N.

"is overrated."

He looked at her. "What do you mean?" She turned her head to look at him as well.

"Simple. Romantic love doesn't exist. Love... is eternal, but everyone eventually grows apart and those feelings disappear." The girl explained.

"You see, Viscount Tewkesbury...", she said and leaned closer to him, whispering the words,

"Love is a carefully designed lie. Written in books or any other form of literature that people gather by hearing or seeing all around. They're fantasies no one could ever reach. Fantasies that manipulates their minds and their perspectives of the word that's been overused by so many." Y/N sighed.

"Your determination to sticking up to your opinion is lovely." He said. "I believe in love, in all honesty," he added.

The girl arched an eyebrow. "I'll tell you once I have proof," Tewkesbury stated.

"That requires an everlasting life," Y/N said.

"But what if it doesn't?", The Viscount said.

"Like you said, tell me when you can finally prove it." She said.

"Trust me, I will," he replied.

Y/N smiled and turned to the ceiling. "I bid you goodnight, Nitwit."

"And I, you, Y/N/N"

Just then, they closed their eyes. "Just so you know, L/N. I could never regret meeting you," she heard the boy say.

"Likewise."

The arms of slumber welcomed them in a warm embrace as they rested for an eventful day.

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