Title: it finally happened
Rating: G
Fandom: Hexyz Force
Relationship: Cecilia Armaclite/Rafael Gemini
Wordcount: 1094
Short summary: Luffina wants all the details when Cecilia comes to the house since she knows Rafael finally confessed to Cecilia.
“I’m going to look for Gardner. You go on inside.”
“Okay?”
Before Cecilia can say more, Rafael has run off, leaving her standing awkwardly at the entrance to the house. She feels a little pang of disappointment at being ditched but the way he rushed his words and fidgeted probably meant he was nervous. That’s kind of cute she thinks to herself as she makes her way inside.
She is barely two steps inside when she finds herself squeezed tightly by a whirlwind of blue and yellow.
“Big Sis Ceci! Raffi’s confessed to you, right? You have to tell me all the details!”
Cecilia gently pushes against Luffina, a bit overwhelmed by Luffina’s enthusiasm. “Uh… Can we do it in your room? It’s kind of embarrassing.”
Luffina lets Cecilia go, a frown now covering her face. “Did Raffi do something weird?”
“No, just…” Cecilia feels her cheeks heat up thinking about it. It’s just…she’s never really liked stuff about her being talked about so openly. Even if it’s just Luffina here? “It’s silly. I don’t know why I’m getting all worked up about it.” She sighs. “Anyway, can we please…”
Luffina nods. She takes Cecilia’s left hand. “Okay, but you better tell me everything!”
*****
“So what’s the matter, Rafael?”
Cecilia hadn’t expected to be greeted by Rafael right after returning to the Great Temple. Especially not a Rafael who was heavily breathing because he ran who knows how far just to meet her. She didn’t understand what could be so urgent that he had to find her right now when she could use a relaxing evening after all this travel. But she would always make time for Rafael, for the one person who made her feel happy and supported.
“I have a confession to make.” He coughed and Cecilia felt her heart skip a beat. “Even though your laziness and complaining drives me up a wall sometimes, I still like you.” He grabbed her hands, squeezing them. “A lot.”
Cecilia frowned. Didn’t that sound kind of… “Hey, why are you…” …like you… “Huh?”
Okay, she was confused. How did those two parts of his statement go together? He was complaining about her but also comforting her? She’s been doing fine; did someone ask him to complain to her on their behalf?
Her attempt to pull her hands away was stopped as Rafael only held onto her hands tighter. That made her bite her lip in frustration. She was about to complain when she froze at Rafael’s angry expression.
“I want to be with you!” he yelled. “I want to be by your side!”
Oh, he wasn’t angry. He was frustrated. “You want to…?” Cecilia repeated, realizing he’s frustrated because she was not understanding him. She was trying to, but… “What?”
She frustrates him but he wants to be with her? And that makes him yell?
“You’re kind-hearted and always come through when it counts.” Rafael frowned when in response all Cecilia could do was blink. “Cecilia?”
“Give me a second to process,” she grumbled. She was finally able to slide her hands out of Rafael’s grip, which allowed her to think more clearly. She cycled back through all of Rafael’s statements. Ah. He started with his initial impression and finished with his current? Meaning…
“You like me too?”
Rafael took a step forward. “’Too?’”
Now it seemed it was his turn to be confused. But Cecilia wanted something else clarified first.
“Is this what you were going to tell me at the Tower?”
Rafael blushed. “Yeah.”
Cecilia sighed, a mixture of exasperation and relief. “You couldn’t have told me then? Sheesh.” She looked down at her feet. “Well I guess it’s kind of embarrassing…”
The fact that he liked her and she liked him and they just had this awkward conversation about it was…
“So, uh, how do you feel?” Rafael asked after a few moments of silence passed.
Cecilia frowned. “I just told you?”
Rafael coughed. “I want to hear it clearly.”
With the way he looked at Cecilia, she could only concede. “Okay.” She was the older one, after all. She could do this more properly.
“I like you, Rafael.”
The next minute or so passed with more silence, but this time it wasn’t awkward. They both smiled until a young boy’s shout broke the mood.
Rafael jumped back slightly, startled by the sound, then laughed. “That’s great!” He scratched the back of his neck. “Uh, would you like to join us for dinner?” he asked sheepishly.
Cecilia’s smile widened. “I’d love to.”
*****
“Wait.”
Cecilia pauses and allows Luffina to do whatever she needs to do. Which is apparently stomp around in a circle a few times.
“Argh! I can’t with you two sometimes!” Cecilia blinks at that response. She told Luffina everything, even giving her details on how she felt at each moment. What was wrong with that?
“Why did he get so worked up about confessing to you if all he did was invite you here for dinner? He should have taken you out on a date!”
“But I enjoy coming here and having dinner with you guys?” Cecilia is still confused.
“At least if you two went out on a date you’d walk around holding hands or something!”
Cecilia blushes. “Uh, we did that when making our way here?”
Rafael had just brushed against her left hand with his right a few times until she finally got the message and joined their hands together. They had only stopped when they had reached the entrance to the house.
“Oh!” Luffina brightens. “Raffi, good job!”
Luffina’s shout is one thing but the sound of something hitting the closed door makes Cecilia suddenly straighten her back. “Huh?”
“Are you both in there?” Rafael asks.
Oh, of course it’s him. Cecilia smiles. “Yeah, what’s up?”
“It’s time for dinner.”
“Oh, yeah.” Cecilia puts a hand to her stomach. “I’m pretty hungry.”
Luffina’s response is to jump off the bed and shove Cecilia towards the now open door, where Rafael stands and catches the off-balance Cecilia. It makes the two of them blush.
“Luffi?” Rafael says as Luffina marches past him.
“Let’s go! Rock lizard stew! Rock lizard stew!”
Cecilia laughs at Luffina’s enthusiasm while Rafael groans. Well, if she’s been holed up in here for a bit talking to Luffina, there will probably be something else for dinner, but even so Cecilia is looking forward to it. She takes Rafael’s hand and leads the way to the table where she will have dinner with her (finally) official partner and his family.