Media people flock the lawn of Cerise's apartment, yelling at her to come out. Jean remains unbothered, earphones plugged in his ears as he buries himself in the sheets of Cerise's bed, shirtless and way too comfortable for her liking.
"Jean this is serious," Cerise's anxiety doesn't help with the situation, there's an uncountable amount of reporters outside her house and Jean, the headline of every article is laying down on her bed as if he was a flower just getting ready to bloom, not a problem in the world.
From many media outlets spreading such ridiculous statements, ranging from Jean having given up on his career to Cerise selling the company (as they've been spotted yesterday going to the Dellancy manor) she couldn't fathom whether what she's done up to now was right. All she knows is that she followed her gut with Jean's opinions heavily influencing it.
Her phone has been blowing up since 5 am, she found herself in a position unable to move as she'd reread the articles. "Billionare daughter caught negotiating the ownership of top-tier company, Rubylust" The title alone ought to anger her father, but he musn't misunderstand! Cerise has got a lot of explaining to do.
Jean throws a pillow at her, groaning "Trinity's on the line" He crawls to the edge of the bed, hair tangled and Cerise picks up the phone from his hand along with a hairbrush to comb Jean's locks as she converses with Trinity.
"Hasn't been a month since I left and you already caused this much trouble,"
On the other side of the phone, Trinity stands on a balcony, cancer stick in between his fingers as he puffs out smoke. Trinity is dearly reminded of Jean, knowing how the aurum can manipulate air and would probably send the smoke coming out of his mouth flying right back at him. "What did director say?"
"I don't know yet." Cerise replies, pouting. Various thoughts run through her head, a tear manages to escape her eye and it falls directly on Jean's forehead. Jean opens his eyes, gazing at Cerise from her lap. He grabs her hand and intertwines their fingers, gripping at it tightly as if reassuring Cerise that she isn't alone in this.
The line is silent for a while, Trinity breathing hoarsely. "Things will die down eventually. Don't worry about it too much."
Cerise mutters a tiny thanks and ends the call, she peers at Jean who still has their hands interlocked. Bending down and placing her forehead against Jean's, letting out a sigh.
"Things are going to be okay…"
That is, until Janoir thinks otherwise. The Dellancy Manor is silent, he's locked up in his room with no food as punishment for disobeying his father. He doesn't know how many more days he'll be stuck in this place, how long before he gets out and explains to everyone why he suddenly disappeared.
"I'll get going now," Nicholas, a new staff member as the maids said, replies to Janoir who had just finished blurting out his entire soul to the random man. It was a spur of the moment, when he asked what was Nicholas' business in the manor he answered that he was here for his boyfriend. He'd just left the army, holding the title of ex-lieutenant. And Janoir didn't know what's the connection between being in the manor and his lover is so he leaves it be, pitying the supposedly intimidating ex soldier as Nicholas talked about his boyfriend in a way as if he was somewhere far.
Nicholas leaves Janoir in the highest point of the manor, walking with purpose, he keeps his weapons visible and his powers hidden right under his sleeve for easy access. He waits for nighttime, ready to strike as he hides in the maze of luce garden. His target was near, inside one of these apartments. What exactly was Nicholas? To start off, Mr. Dellancy had kept his lover safe and sound through the years he was in the army, letters and packages delivered to him to assure Nicholas that he was healthy. Although he quit the army, it wasn't an easy process and when he did he didn't get to see his partner immediately as he was given this assignment first. To kill Go Cerise. He had to eliminate this being in order to finally see his loved one.
It took him five grand steps before he reached the apartment door he releases his energy. Robin energy. A secret he kept to himself and dared to tell no one as this power was the greatest one could have. Didn't know how he got it but here he is now wielding it.
He peeks through the window and spots two shadows inside the apartment. He came prepared, in case someone were to hinder this assassination.
From inside the apartment, Jean had just put Cerise to sleep about an hour ago, carrying her to her bedroom.
"Goodnight," He tucks her in the sheets and goes back to the living room to turn off the television, as he does he feels a heart beat in his ear. Loud and aggresive.
Jean's head snaps toward the door, slowly walking toward it, each step far more heavier than the last.
Emotionless, he opens the door and finds no one in the dark. It screams danger but Jean refuses to release his power, it'll wake Cerise up.
He hears something rattling, a bit farther away, he can make out a tall figure behind the flickering street lamp, at that, he sees red glowing eyes.
Jean bounces forward and holds his palm out to stop the much taller being. "Why are you lurking here?" He spits, venom laced with the question. Jean knows this man isn't here to drink tea, every part of his body screamed peril.
And off his feet, the man strikes him down with a weaponed leg, fur grows from his skin, sharp and prickly like that of a murderous giant porcupine. Jean backs off, kicking the street lamp that it breaks in half, he catches it and uses it to shield himself from the sharp attacks the stranger is giving.
Unexpectedly, the man roars, morphing into an even bigger animal, fur still as sharp but bigger in size.
Jean makes a run for it, leading the man towards the center of the garden. He jumps on every hedge, gliding past any obstacle and the steel wolf runs after him just as fast.
Swiftly, he turns, feet making contact with the cement that it creates a giant dent, he angles the street lamp in his hand in a way that he held a spear and throws it directly at the morphing creature.
But his timing seems to be a bit late, he's tackled by the wolf and it bites him on the shoulder. Pain. Jean screams as he grasps his shoulder, tries to limp away from the animal but fails as he's bitten by the arm and flung in the air. From the corner of his eye, he can see Cerise coming out of the apartment, rubbing her eyes as if she'd just woken up.
He flails mid air, body hitting a rooftop of one of the houses and falls from what seems like a two-story flat. Jean thinks he might break his fall but then the back of his head is pierced by something sharp and he blacks out from then on.
Cerise has witnessed the entire thing, and something inside her brews. Angrily, she thinks she might've passed out yet she only floats, watches herself go feral from another angle.
Cerise runs toward Jean's body and caresses it, she pulls him up and lets him rest against a wall, thick unearthly blood staining the wood and rocks.
"You..." She makes eye contact with the wolf and the wolf for the first time this night, flinches. Her arms are raised when she commands the oxygen around the area to dissipate, everything feels as if its burning.
The wolf tries to retaliate, runs towards Cerise in an attempt to stop her ministrations but his body falls limp just as he reaches her. Cerise raises a brow, none of that was of her work. Then she realizes one thing.
Royals aren't allowed to harm the absolutes. The wolf stands up, fur sharpened and thickened and he runs towards her again only to fail as he's thrown back by a barrier that reaches the sky.
Cerise looks up and smirks.
"Show your true form." She commands, the wolf morphing back to his human form.
"What's your name?"
The stranger seems hesitant but answers as he's caught by the throat, oxygen being drained from his system the more time he takes to answer.
"Nicholas-"
"And why have you come here?" She strengthens the drain, air particles disappearing much faster. Nicholas has no choice but to reply.
"I was assigned to assassinate you," He heaves, inhaling strongly to return the missing air from his lungs.
Cerise immediately guesses who, the threat from Janoir's father seeming a bit more clearer this time.
"And why is a titan, no, robin, am I right? going after the Queen?" She places her hand on his jaw, tilting it so he'd make eye contact with her. Nicholas' injuries hasn't healed as quick as it usually does, sustained from Jean's defenses. He struggles to reply, wonders if this woman was the real deal. Of all the situations he could've encountered the Queen, it had to be this one.
Nicholas confesses, starting from the orders of Mr. Dellancy down to his purpose of being here. In the end, they make a pact but not until Cerise gives him a harsh blow to the face "That's for harming Jean." She shows mercy, knowing this man may be of good use to her.
Nicholas volunteers to carry Jean back to the apartment and they settle matters there. The motive?
Get their loved ones away from the railings of Dellancy manor.