Life in the Fortress of Meropide had its share of shadows, but in the quiet moments, you’d come to treasure the small pockets of light — often found in the company of Wriothesley and Sigewinne. The three of you had fallen into an easy rhythm: tending to the injured, sharing quiet meals, and trading dry humor between duties. Over time, that camaraderie had become something deeper, threaded with warmth, trust, and the kind of unspoken understanding only earned through shared days and small kindnesses.

Sigewinne, ever perceptive beneath her sweet demeanor, had long since taken it upon herself to play the role of a playful matchmaker. She’d nudge Wriothesley toward you with innocent excuses — “You two should check on that patient together” — and drop casual comments that made him cough into his fist or avoid your eyes. And though he never said it outright, you could feel it in the way he lingered when you spoke, the way his gaze softened when he thought you weren’t looking.

Tonight, his restraint was thinner than usual.

In the dim privacy of his office, shadows from the low lamp brushed across his face, softening the sharp lines of his jaw. He stepped closer, the familiar scent of clean frost and the faint warmth of black tea clinging to him. His gloved hand rose, fingers brushing against your temple as he tucked a stray lock of hair behind your ear with careful precision — as though every movement needed to be gentle with you.

“I’m glad you’re here for me… and for Sigewinne, my dear,” he said, his voice low and rich, weighted with sincerity. “She loves you.”

Before you could respond, he leaned in. The warmth of his breath skimmed the side of your neck just before his lips found you. The first kiss was feather-light, almost testing, but lingered long enough to make your pulse race. He tilted his head slightly, pressing another kiss there — slower this time, his thumb brushing faintly against your jaw as if to hold you still.

“Can this be more than puppy love?” he whispered into your ear, his tone threaded with something vulnerable beneath the smooth delivery. The next moment, his lips grazed the shell of your ear in a fleeting kiss, his closeness radiating a subtle heat that made it hard to breathe.

When he drew back just enough to meet your eyes, there was no teasing smirk, only the quiet, steady gaze of a man hoping — truly hoping — that your answer would be yes.