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"Granger, stay still!"
"Gwen, please, no." Granger begged as he distanced himself from her. "You know I don't like my face exposed to anyone else."
"Can't you at least hold it for this one night? Please, please, please!"
"You know what? I'll just stay here. You can go without me."
Guinevere crossed her arms, disappointed. He settled down at the edge of the bed and she gives him an icy stare.
She accepts the fact that he gets panic attacks when his face is shown bare to the public. But as much as she wanted to test how far he can go feeling as though he'll be running around naked with only his collar downsized, she also wants him to actually enjoy and engage into conversations with everyone.
Granger's frowned worsened as he watched her walking over in a slow manner. "At least do it for me?"
"They'll think of me badly once they see my scar."
"There's no such thing as a makeup can't fix!" Guinevere giggled, grabbing her concealer from the dresser. She began dabbing a few tear-size amounts of the liquid on Granger's eye. He turned away, but she managed to keep a hold on his chin. After she was finished, she gave him a small mirror for him to observe the result.
She was glad he looked slightly satisfied with it. "Now, there's a suit you can wear-"
In a blink, Granger disappeared from his seat and appeared at the far corner of the room like a traumatized cat. "Gwen, I'm warning you."
Unafraid, she summoned the said suit from the walk-in closet with her magic. Granger stared warily at it as it flew towards him. "Oh, no..." He could faint. The suit was colored of green and gold, similar to his Imperial uniform. But he would prefer his uniform rather than this one for it seemed to be straight out of her brother's wardrobe.
"I've always liked your uniform. Somehow I find you so handsome with it. But I know if you wear that, you would need to change your natural hair and eye colors. And it's becoming a tiresome seeing you wearing the same horrible coat all the time."
"That really hurts, Gwen." He deadpanned. "I thought you love me for who I am."
"I do! Oh, pretty please just wear it?"
"No." He repeated for the hundredth time.
She sat at his seat at the bed and leaned her back down, having enough of his resistance. "You're stressing me out, you know." She said in only an undertone. At least he can do it just this once for it is her birthday.
"Even if I dress formidably, I can't change your parents first opinions about me." He stated.
"I don't care what they already think about you. I only want to show everyone the man I love."
"If you really love me then you shouldn't need to show me off."
"I'm not trying to show you off!" She cried, infuriated. "Am I really that hard to understand?"
Breaking the tension, Oddette and Lancelot come in. "Sorry to disrupt but the guests are demanding to see you, Gwenny." Oddette said as she and Lancelot were confused why Granger was at the corner still unchanged.
"All right, I'm coming down. But, I only ask you two one favor and it is to make him put on the suit."
"We can do that." Lancelot confidently said, immediately receiving a spine-chilling glare from the Death Chanter.
"Thank you, brother, Oddette!" Guinevere smiled as she headed out, giving Granger one last look of disappointment.
"Here, here, kitty kitty!" Lancelot sang as he cautiously drew near to Granger.
"Fine." Granger scowled in defeat. "Just give me the suit and go."
"Thank you for making this easier for the two of us. For a second, I thought it would take bloodshed." Oddette stated, smiling. Granger nodded curtly. "We'll be waiting for you outside then. Come, my Lancy."
Granger waited for them to leave but Lancelot chose to stay. "We have a lot to discuss. Go and join Guinevere, my sweet."
Granger winced as they passionately kissed each other farewell before Oddette could depart. He walked inside the closet and just as Lancelot was about to follow, he slammed the door shut.
"Don't worry, I'm straight!" Lancelot whined.
"I still don't trust you." Granger suspiciously said.
"So tell me, Granger," Lancelot begins from the other side of the door. "When are you going to ask for her hand in marriage?"
Granger frowned but kept a blunt tone. "I'm not going to."
He heard the blonde gasped. "And why not?" Lancelot sharply responded.
"Don't tell her this, but the Monastery prohibits me to marry, no matter who the person is."
"Then quit, if you really love her. Or do you happen to love your job more?"
Unable to answer, Granger thought about his question thoroughly.
"I've been working for the Monastery ever since I was a kid, but Guinevere has been having a great impact on my life."
"Well, I only want my sister and my future nephew or niece to be happy. And if I were you, I wouldn't think twice about choosing them."
After Granger finished changing, he stepped out of the closet. Lancelot smirked, seeing him as a completely different person.
"Wow. I never thought you'd be this handsome." The knight teased.
"Let's just go before I change my mind." Granger said boredly, rolling his eyes. Lancelot was either flirting or trolling. How Granger wished it was neither both.
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Guinevere gasped in utter joy as she ran towards her group of friends and former classmates from the Academy. "Heidi! Zane! I missed you guys so much!"
"Violet, as do I!" Heidi responded with a high-pitched voice. She was the bubbly one in their circle whereas Zane the athlete. Heidi was the shortest among the trio, and would be the cutest despite being of Leonin descent.
Heidi was a mage of Light Magic, as well as Zane, though Zane could also fight like Guinevere having a mother as a lightning sorceress.
"So, where is your cutie?" Zane asked, playfully bumping Guinevere on the elbow.
"Careful now, Zane!" Heidi scolded, stopping Guinevere from answering. "Miss Violet is heavily pregnant therefore you shouldn't be hitting her like that. But is it true, though, Violet? I heard the news but I won't believe them until you confirm it to me personally."
Guinevere chuckled at her friend's candor personality. "Yes, it is absolutely true."
"Awe! I can't wait to be an aunt. Can I be the godmother?"
"Certainly not! You'd do horrible, Heidi." Zane commented. "Remember the school project we failed last year- the baby turtle you left for dead?"
"The Professor said it was bound to die anyhow!"
"It was but you made it quicker. The mechanics of the project was to help the turtle live longer with healing spells. It was so simple yet we still failed because of you. Had it not really for Guinevere resurrecting it, we wouldn't be able to pass that school year."
Seeing a fight was about to start, Guinevere stood in their midst. "Now, now, girls. Calm down. Let's not fight in my birthday."
"Oh, I almost forgot it's your birthday! Silly me." Heidi jumped after remembering something. She reached out a small burgundy box, tied with a purple satin ribbon. "Happy birthday, Violet!"
"Here's my present as well, Violet. Happy birthday." Zane gave her present as well and it was inside a box designed to be a lightweight treasure chest.
"Thank you, thank you!" Guinevere beamed, pulling them into a hug again.
"Quick! Open mine immediately. You'll love what has been stored inside." Heidi giggled and Guinevere did so as told.
Guinevere smiled at the beautiful amethyst necklace. Somehow, the glow was so hypnotizing she was unable to look away. "I..." She trailed off, feeling herself entering into a sudden trance.
"I assume your cutie's already here?" Zane said, her eyes focusing on the two people standing out of the crowd. It was Gusion's parents.
Guinevere shook her head immediately. "No, not Gusion. Haven't you heard about the news how I'm in love with someone else?"
"We did," said Heidi. "We thought it was only a rumor though."
"Well it's no rumor. It's true, for there's someone else I've been in love with."
"The Death Chanter, huh?" Zane remembered. "Good gracious, Violet! I never thought you have a taste for bad guys."
"He's a good bad guy for he only kills the other bad guys."
"He sounds so cool!" Heidi gasped. "We can't wait to meet him. Oh, oh, oh! Is that him?"
Granger looked around the room, becoming already the center of attention as heads turned to his direction. Some smiles while some see of him as a threat. As he walked through the crowd, he could hear them gossiping.
"Is he Guinevere's boyfriend?"
"He looks so young."
"He's not what I expected!"
Once she saw him, Guinevere walked over with a wide smile and open arms. Granger returned a flat one, motioning he was deeply uncomfortable. "Calm down and take deep breaths. You'll be fine, Granger." She whispered to his ear as she formally clung onto him, bringing him to her friends.
Heidi and Zane were talking in hushed tones over their shoulders as the couple approached. Somehow, they couldn't stop hitting each other out of sheer excitement.
"This is Granger." Guinevere introduced. "Granger, this is Heidi and Zane. My two good friends from the Academy. They've been with me ever since my first day there."
"You are so hot." Heidi blurted out, making Guinevere and Zane chuckled. Granger looked away, unable to contain his blush. "Do you have a brother, preferably twin brother-that looks exactly like you-that I could perhaps date?"
Guinevere was snickering behind her hand knowing Heidi would ask such a question. "He's the only child sadly. But he is friends with Alucard."
"Oh, my gosh! Oh, my gosh! Please send my regards to him. I've been in love with him ever since I was a child, eek!" The shorty screamed as she miserably shook Zane out of excitement.
"Ugh. Surely Alucard wouldn't like someone who's better off as his daughter." Zane mocked and Guinevere bursted to laughter, making the Leonin descendant grunt in anger.
"I'll make sure to tell him." Granger replied, making Heidi ecstatic again.
"Why, thank you, Granger." Said Heidi. "I'm so jealous of you, Violet. He's not only hot but he's kind as well."
"Stop flattering him, Heidi. You're making him very uncomfortable." Zane said, and Granger mentally thanked her.
"Oh, I deeply apologize if I am making you uncomfortable, Granger. But I must ask, how long have the two of you been together?"
Granger looked over at Guinevere, signalling she be the one to answer. "About two months or so." She answered positively.
Heidi gasped. "This can't be! Two months and you are already expecting a child yet still unmarried? Wouldn't it be wiser for you to get married before becoming pregnant?"
"No worries. We're going to next month." Guinevere responded, making Granger tensed. If only she knew... "Isn't that right, Granger?"
He looked so hesitant. But what about? Guinevere wondered.
"Gwen... there's actually something I want to tell you."
"Oh. Do you want us to speak about it in private then?"
"I can tell you now."
Guinevere's smile was breaking, and the whole room had as though become silent.
Granger pondered for a second. It was better to tell her privately but he was desperate. Besides, nobody was of earshot except for her two lady friends who both seemed trustworthy enough.