[Fic][Round 36] Spring Fever, Rating: PG
Author: Isha
Title: Spring Fever
Ship: Gwendal/Anissina
Word Count: 1,330
Rating: PG
Any Warnings: None.
Prompt being used: Spring
Timeline: Sometime in Season three.
Summary: Whenever it was spring, things turned…strange in Shin Makoku.
Disclaimer: I own none of these very entertaining characters, please don’t sue me. Thank you.
A/N: Part of my Gwendal/Anissina series. Follows from ‘Full Circle’ but can be read as a standalone.
~
Spring was in the air.
And while Gwendal would normally have nothing against the change of the seasons, it was a fact that whenever it was spring, things turned…strange in Shin Makoku.
Dakoskos started to go around the castle singing, and while that was not something to be feared ordinarily, Gwendal did find it a cause for concern when the man seemed to address his love songs to horses in general, and Ao in particular.
The court was not exempt, either, the Nobles being every bit susceptible to the seasonal madness as everyone else. His mother was already on her neverending tour for free love, but this time, she had taken some of the Noble women with her. Their husbands were following, and the last he had heard, no one had been convinced to return home.
With all the madness in the air, he wasn’t really surprised when his sanctuary was invaded by a very familiar distraction.
‘I need your help.’
Gwendal blinked at the sudden stack of paper that was shoved under his nose, looking up to meet Anissina’s eyes. He had a rare free evening, what with the Maou back on his own world, and he had been enjoying a bottle of his favourite wine as he had relaxed in the comfort of the castle’s large library.
‘What do you need?’
‘A Deconstruction of Opello-really, Gwendal, if I didn’t have personal insight on the matter, I’d swear you were incapable of loosening up at all,’ Anissina was saying now, ignoring his question to lean forward and riffle through the pages of the book he was reading with her free hand. ‘A night off and this is what you choose to read?’
Anissina let the book in her hands fall as she shook her head in mock sadness. ‘Luckily for you, help is at hand!’ She brandished the sheaf of paper before him again, and he jerked back to avoid it hitting his nose.
‘Anissina, I won’t ask you again. What is it that you want from me?’
‘This is my latest story,’ she explained, smiling at him as if she were conferring a great honour on him. ‘And I need you to take a look at it and tell me what you think.’
‘I thought you had the maids for that,’ he said dimissively, turning away from her-as far as he was able-in his chair and picking up his book again. He did not expect her to give up-he had known her too well and too long for that-but he could not help the vain hope that had prompted the action.
She lived up to his expectations, of course.
The book was snatched out of his grasp, and the paper was suddenly thrust into his hands. ‘Anissina-’
‘It’s for Greta,’ she said, stilling his protests. ‘She begged to have a sequel to my last story, and I need you to tell me if it’s any good. I’d hate to disappoint her.’
Dammit, he hated it when she used his weaknesses against him.
‘Alright,’ he sighed, ignoring the way Anissina’s smile widened.
‘Wonderful!’ she crowed, moving to take an armchair across from him. ‘Now, you do the male protagonist’s part.’
‘And who will you be?’
‘The Poison Lady, of course!’
Of course. He really should’ve guessed. Gwendal rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to the story in his hands.
And started to sputter. ‘Wild Nights?’ he read aloud. ‘You’re writing a story called ‘Wild Nights’ for a child?’
‘Get your mind out of the gutter,’ Anissina snapped, rolling her eyes at him. ‘It’s called Wild Nights because it’s set in a jungle. And I told you, this is what Greta wanted! Now, start reading.’
Shaking his head, Gwendal bent his head to the sheets before him again, and cleared his throat.
‘Poison Lady, I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Your-’ He broke off, clearing his throat again, and willing the heat in his ears to recede. ‘I can’t do this, Anissina.’
‘Hmm. I think I see the problem. It’s not real enough this way.’ She stood up before his stunned eyes, and affected a pose. ‘I think it’ll be easier for you to get in character, as it were, if we act it out, too.’
‘Anissina-’
‘Don’t be a spoilsport, Gwendal,’ she sniffed disapprovingly as she caught him by the hand and urged him to his feet.
‘Anissina-’
‘Alright then, since it’s such a problem for you, we’ll skip ahead to the next page. I’ll get started for you.’
‘I’m so happy you feel that way about me, Prince Gwendal,’ the Poison Lady said, smiling at him as a tear fell from her eye. Now your turn, Gwendal.’
After a long sigh, he gave in, reading out the lines. He refused to take her hand, though, despite her clear hints that he act out his line. There was a limit to what he could be made to do.
‘I assure you, my feelings are genuine, Poison Lady Anissina’, Prince Gwendal said. ‘My royal mother wishes me to wed a princess, but I cannot cast aside my love for you. I shall have you and no other!’ he declared.’
‘But we cannot!,’ Anissina cried, turning her face away from him in exaggerated sorrow as he rolled his eyes at her melodrama. ‘I cannot allow you to break your parents’ heart like this!’
Greta actually liked this sort of thing?
‘I do not live for my parents’, Prince Gwendal declared, passionately taking the Poison Lady in his arms-oh, alright-’ he grunted, giving into Anissina’s nods of the head that indicated he should act out this part. He put his arm around Anissina’s waist, and fumbling for the papers he now held behind her, resumed from where he had left off.
‘I do not live for my parents’, Prince Gwendal declared, passionately taking the Poison Lady in his arms. ‘I live for myself.’
‘If that is the case, I shall not hesitate either,’ she replied.
He looked down again, trying to make out what his next line was-
And blinked when he felt Anissina’s left hand come into contact with his cheek. For a moment, they stared at each other in silence, and then:
‘That’s not part of the story,’ he said stupidly.
‘I know,’ she replied, giving a nervous little laugh. ‘In fact, the story’s just nonsense. It’s not for Greta at all, it’s the only way I could screw up the courage to do this, and let me tell you that your silence is not helping-’
She fell silent when his hand came up to rest on her cheek, his thumb pressing her lips closed. ‘Don’t ruin the moment,’ he muttered, replacing his thumb with his own mouth.
A long moment later, he drew away to look down at her closed eyes and smiling lips. ‘Does this mean you don’t think the Women’s Movement will lose its symbol if you get married?’
She shook her head, her hand tightening on his shoulder. ‘I was wrong. I know that now.’
His smile widened, and as he leaned down to her again, she smartly side stepped.
‘What-’
‘I’ve spent my whole life chasing you, Gwendal,’ she said, bounding to the library door and throwing it open. She tossed the paper in her hand into the air with a delighted smile. ‘Now it’s your turn!’
The door slammed behind her, and he heard a loud, startled exclamation. Gunter entered the room a moment later, raising an eyebrow as he stared down the corridor.
‘What in Shinou’s name has gotten into Lady Anissina?’ he asked, tutting as he carefully stepped around the paper lining the floor.
Gwendal did not answer, dropping the paper in his own hand as he made his way to the door.
‘Which way did she go?’
Gunter pointed wordlessly, and shook his head as he heard Gwendal’s footsteps pound after Lady Anissina.
Really, spring turned everyone in the castle strange.
~
A/N: Not quite what I wanted to write, but then I’m just happy to be writing KKM again. :P
Many thanks for reading, all comment and concrit is very welcome. =)
Title: Spring Fever
Ship: Gwendal/Anissina
Word Count: 1,330
Rating: PG
Any Warnings: None.
Prompt being used: Spring
Timeline: Sometime in Season three.
Summary: Whenever it was spring, things turned…strange in Shin Makoku.
Disclaimer: I own none of these very entertaining characters, please don’t sue me. Thank you.
A/N: Part of my Gwendal/Anissina series. Follows from ‘Full Circle’ but can be read as a standalone.
~
Spring was in the air.
And while Gwendal would normally have nothing against the change of the seasons, it was a fact that whenever it was spring, things turned…strange in Shin Makoku.
Dakoskos started to go around the castle singing, and while that was not something to be feared ordinarily, Gwendal did find it a cause for concern when the man seemed to address his love songs to horses in general, and Ao in particular.
The court was not exempt, either, the Nobles being every bit susceptible to the seasonal madness as everyone else. His mother was already on her neverending tour for free love, but this time, she had taken some of the Noble women with her. Their husbands were following, and the last he had heard, no one had been convinced to return home.
With all the madness in the air, he wasn’t really surprised when his sanctuary was invaded by a very familiar distraction.
‘I need your help.’
Gwendal blinked at the sudden stack of paper that was shoved under his nose, looking up to meet Anissina’s eyes. He had a rare free evening, what with the Maou back on his own world, and he had been enjoying a bottle of his favourite wine as he had relaxed in the comfort of the castle’s large library.
‘What do you need?’
‘A Deconstruction of Opello-really, Gwendal, if I didn’t have personal insight on the matter, I’d swear you were incapable of loosening up at all,’ Anissina was saying now, ignoring his question to lean forward and riffle through the pages of the book he was reading with her free hand. ‘A night off and this is what you choose to read?’
Anissina let the book in her hands fall as she shook her head in mock sadness. ‘Luckily for you, help is at hand!’ She brandished the sheaf of paper before him again, and he jerked back to avoid it hitting his nose.
‘Anissina, I won’t ask you again. What is it that you want from me?’
‘This is my latest story,’ she explained, smiling at him as if she were conferring a great honour on him. ‘And I need you to take a look at it and tell me what you think.’
‘I thought you had the maids for that,’ he said dimissively, turning away from her-as far as he was able-in his chair and picking up his book again. He did not expect her to give up-he had known her too well and too long for that-but he could not help the vain hope that had prompted the action.
She lived up to his expectations, of course.
The book was snatched out of his grasp, and the paper was suddenly thrust into his hands. ‘Anissina-’
‘It’s for Greta,’ she said, stilling his protests. ‘She begged to have a sequel to my last story, and I need you to tell me if it’s any good. I’d hate to disappoint her.’
Dammit, he hated it when she used his weaknesses against him.
‘Alright,’ he sighed, ignoring the way Anissina’s smile widened.
‘Wonderful!’ she crowed, moving to take an armchair across from him. ‘Now, you do the male protagonist’s part.’
‘And who will you be?’
‘The Poison Lady, of course!’
Of course. He really should’ve guessed. Gwendal rolled his eyes as he turned his attention to the story in his hands.
And started to sputter. ‘Wild Nights?’ he read aloud. ‘You’re writing a story called ‘Wild Nights’ for a child?’
‘Get your mind out of the gutter,’ Anissina snapped, rolling her eyes at him. ‘It’s called Wild Nights because it’s set in a jungle. And I told you, this is what Greta wanted! Now, start reading.’
Shaking his head, Gwendal bent his head to the sheets before him again, and cleared his throat.
‘Poison Lady, I have loved you from the moment I laid eyes on you. Your-’ He broke off, clearing his throat again, and willing the heat in his ears to recede. ‘I can’t do this, Anissina.’
‘Hmm. I think I see the problem. It’s not real enough this way.’ She stood up before his stunned eyes, and affected a pose. ‘I think it’ll be easier for you to get in character, as it were, if we act it out, too.’
‘Anissina-’
‘Don’t be a spoilsport, Gwendal,’ she sniffed disapprovingly as she caught him by the hand and urged him to his feet.
‘Anissina-’
‘Alright then, since it’s such a problem for you, we’ll skip ahead to the next page. I’ll get started for you.’
‘I’m so happy you feel that way about me, Prince Gwendal,’ the Poison Lady said, smiling at him as a tear fell from her eye. Now your turn, Gwendal.’
After a long sigh, he gave in, reading out the lines. He refused to take her hand, though, despite her clear hints that he act out his line. There was a limit to what he could be made to do.
‘I assure you, my feelings are genuine, Poison Lady Anissina’, Prince Gwendal said. ‘My royal mother wishes me to wed a princess, but I cannot cast aside my love for you. I shall have you and no other!’ he declared.’
‘But we cannot!,’ Anissina cried, turning her face away from him in exaggerated sorrow as he rolled his eyes at her melodrama. ‘I cannot allow you to break your parents’ heart like this!’
Greta actually liked this sort of thing?
‘I do not live for my parents’, Prince Gwendal declared, passionately taking the Poison Lady in his arms-oh, alright-’ he grunted, giving into Anissina’s nods of the head that indicated he should act out this part. He put his arm around Anissina’s waist, and fumbling for the papers he now held behind her, resumed from where he had left off.
‘I do not live for my parents’, Prince Gwendal declared, passionately taking the Poison Lady in his arms. ‘I live for myself.’
‘If that is the case, I shall not hesitate either,’ she replied.
He looked down again, trying to make out what his next line was-
And blinked when he felt Anissina’s left hand come into contact with his cheek. For a moment, they stared at each other in silence, and then:
‘That’s not part of the story,’ he said stupidly.
‘I know,’ she replied, giving a nervous little laugh. ‘In fact, the story’s just nonsense. It’s not for Greta at all, it’s the only way I could screw up the courage to do this, and let me tell you that your silence is not helping-’
She fell silent when his hand came up to rest on her cheek, his thumb pressing her lips closed. ‘Don’t ruin the moment,’ he muttered, replacing his thumb with his own mouth.
A long moment later, he drew away to look down at her closed eyes and smiling lips. ‘Does this mean you don’t think the Women’s Movement will lose its symbol if you get married?’
She shook her head, her hand tightening on his shoulder. ‘I was wrong. I know that now.’
His smile widened, and as he leaned down to her again, she smartly side stepped.
‘What-’
‘I’ve spent my whole life chasing you, Gwendal,’ she said, bounding to the library door and throwing it open. She tossed the paper in her hand into the air with a delighted smile. ‘Now it’s your turn!’
The door slammed behind her, and he heard a loud, startled exclamation. Gunter entered the room a moment later, raising an eyebrow as he stared down the corridor.
‘What in Shinou’s name has gotten into Lady Anissina?’ he asked, tutting as he carefully stepped around the paper lining the floor.
Gwendal did not answer, dropping the paper in his own hand as he made his way to the door.
‘Which way did she go?’
Gunter pointed wordlessly, and shook his head as he heard Gwendal’s footsteps pound after Lady Anissina.
Really, spring turned everyone in the castle strange.
~
A/N: Not quite what I wanted to write, but then I’m just happy to be writing KKM again. :P
Many thanks for reading, all comment and concrit is very welcome. =)