Work Text:
Across the base of Rüstkammer, many halls were found empty as Lerche made her way through them. Only the clicks from her boots could be heard as she walked. Yet the odd emptiness of not only the halls but most of the building she found herself in did not surprise the sirin.
It had not been a handful of days since the Strike Package returned from its deployment to the fleet countries. Yet, almost immediately, many, if not most, of the processors found themselves occupied with something upon arrival. Whether it was their classes or their Federacy military duties, it left many places that would typically be full of people rather desolate.
Despite this, Lerche still came across the individuals she was seeking out. Inside a room, she spotted both Shin and Lena in one another's company. While the two typically had stations where they could work, they sought a place where they could be alone. As Lerche was about to walk in, she stopped and observed Lena, who, for some time now, had stopped whatever work she was doing and began to stare at Shin with a soft look.
"Is Lady Bloody Reina okay?"
The sirin thought, but as she was about to voice out her concern to her, she stopped as she looked at the sight of Lena kissing Shin on his cheek. Despite being the one to initiate the peck on Shin's cheek, the colonel's face turned red almost immediately, soon followed by the reaper's face gaining some red as well. Yet even with embarrassment evident on both faces, neither could stop smiling.
"It seems you two have become quite the love birds. Sir Reaper and Lady Bloody Reina"
Hearing the sudden voice of Lerche behind them, Lena let out a loud but scared sort of yelp while Shin looked a bit startled. Although Shin should have noticed Lerch's presence much sooner, it seemed as though his time with Lena distracted him. Immediately, the two's faces grew redder with embarrassment as they realized Lerche had seen everything.
"No need for the embarrassed looks, Sir Reaper and Lady Bloody Reina. The prince has already informed me of your relationship as a newlywed couple. I'm sorry I failed to congratulate you sooner, as I was in need of repairs." Having said this, Lerche bowed as a congratulations and apology.
Yet this only made Lena grow redder, despite the sirin's reassurance.
"Ne-ne-newlyeds?!” Lena cried.
"What exactly has Vika been telling you, Lerche?" Shin asked, with a hint of annoyed anger. He seemed as though he was ready to go out and tear Vika a new one for putting out such ridiculous thoughts in the sirin's metal skull.
Seeing quite the opposite reactions, she had expected when calling the two "A Newlywed Couple." Lerche quickly realized she may not have heard Vika correctly when he mentioned the two in the middle of maintenance. This however, was only to be expected as Vika had not actually told the sirin anything directly about Shin and Lena's relationship.
While the sirin had been receiving a maintenance check from the prince, Lerche recalled Vika at one time storming back into the room with a mixed look of embarrassment and anger. Since she was not with him to see what could have caused such a face, she could only infer from what he had said out loud due to his emotions.
"Those two indecent fools! Displaying such a scene while on base! That Nouzen and Milize have no decency since returning from the fleet countries. Can't those two morons show their affection for each other somewhere more private!"
Having heard such a sentence about Shin and Lena displaying some passionate affection for one another. Lerche could only conclude that the two's relationship had finally taken a turn for the better. And with such apparent passion displayed between the two, the sirin thought they must surely be on the course to be newlyweds.
Now, having thought over again what the prince had said that particular time, Lerche became aware that she may have misunderstood what he had meant.
"Ah! Please forgive me for the misunderstanding, Sir Reaper and Lady Bloody Reina. I seemed to misunderstand what Prince Vika had meant. Please, spare him from any punishment you had in mind, Sir Reaper. If anything, please take my head instead." With this said, Lerche gave a bow and placed her hand on her head as if ready to pop it off and hand it to Shin.
Seeing this, Shin sighed, "It's fine, Lerche, no need to do anything drastic like that. Just please don't go around saying anything like that, or what you saw just now with the two of us."
Lerche lifted her head, a pleased look on her face, having heard Shin's response. "I shall do my best to keep this incident a secret, Sir Reaper. No need to worry." Lerche then bowed and looked over at Lena. "Also, here are some documents that the prince had instructed me to hand to you, Lady Bloody Reina."
"Ah, thank you, Lerche." Lena then took the documents and began reviewing them. Yet stopped when she noticed that Lerche had not left once she had handed over the papers. "Is something the matter, Lerche?"
"Well, there was something I was wishing to ask you about, Lady Bloody Reina."
"Ask me about?"
"Yes, I was hoping to know why you pressed your lips against Sir Reaper's cheek just when I happened to be walking in."
A brief period of silence followed the curious sirin's question, along with some of the past embarrassments clearly showing in the other two's faces again.
"Is that your way of showing affection towards Sir Reaper?" Despite the obvious embarrassment on Lena's face, Lerche did not hesitate to ask yet another question.
With a second question rapidly hitting her, Lena looked for Shin for help in answering, yet only found him staring off in another direction in the room. Clearly trying not to be the one to have to answer. Seeing this, Lena answered in a quiet but embarrassed tone, "I guess you could describe it that way."
Upon her answer, curiosity immediately shot up in the sirin's Emeraud's eyes. She then looked over at Shin and asked," Is that how you also show affection to Lady Bloody Reina, Sir Reaper?"
Even from looking at the back of Shin's head, one could tell there were small tinges of redness growing on the reaper's face. "Ye-yeah, it is." Despite the clear embarrassment, Shin did not hesitate to answer. Leading Lerche to grow a happy look on her face.
"It pleases me to hear and see that you two have grown to have such open fondness for one another. While I had known that Sir Reaper was quite enamored with Lady Bloody Reina, even all the way back in the United Kingdom. I would never have expected to see it grow to such a site. It makes me happy for both of you."
Upon hearing her statement, both Shin and Lena looked surprised, but their surprise quickly turned into smiles. Even with the sudden wave of embarrassment brought on, it was still lingering in their faces. Lerche's words on their relationship brought some warmth to the two. Just as Lena was about to thank Lerche for her kind words, the sirin cut her off with another statement.
"I shall make sure both the prince and princess learn of this effective type of affection. That will certainly help with having the two finalize their marriage." With this proud declaration and realization, Lerche made her way out of the room and back toward the prince in a hurry.
The warmth that had been present in Shin and Lena quickly turned to confusion as they watched her leave.
At the entrance of the doorway to the prince's room, Lerche burst in, "Your Highness! I have discovered something that would be most useful to you!" Immediately, she saw Vika startle at the sudden announcement.
From his workbench, Vika turned to look at her, a clear look of annoyance on his face. "Enough of this nonsense, you stupid seven-year-old. Can't you see that I'm busy? And what took you so long anyway? All I asked of you was to deliver those papers to Milize."
"But your Highness! I believe this information will be most important to you espic-" As Lerche tried to inform Vika of what she had learned, she was cut off by the prince.
"Shut it, you idiot, or do you wish to delay my work further? Just go and stand guard." With these instructions, the prince turned back to his workbench and returned to work. It had become evident to Lerche that simple words would not get across to the prince what she wished to inform him about.
"It seems an example would be best." Lerche thought. With this, she approached the prince from behind.
"I thought I told you to stand guard, you idiotic siri-" Just as Vika was about to beret the sirin, he froze. He suddenly found his head turned away from the workbench, and now up at the golden-haired sirin, with her sirin uniform gloves directing his vision. Now staring him eye to eye was Lerche. Her Emeraud eyes meet with his Amethysta. Lerche's sudden actions almost left Vika unable to speak from shock.
Without a word, she lowered her head towards his cheek. She then applied a kiss to the prince's cheek for what may have been only a second or two. Vika could feel the coldness of the sirin's lips, yet his body immediately warmed up. Whether it be from the confusion of the sirin's actions or embarrassment, he could not tell. Once she had kissed his cheek, Lerche let go of Vika and looked at him to say.
"I believe this type of affection and action is what you should do for the princess, your Highness! It would certainly show you care for her and the marriage." With this, she turned back towards the room entrance, as she was about to exit, Lerche turned back once more. "I'll make sure to pass your thanks to Sir Reaper and Lady Bloody Reina for informing me of this useful information." That said, Lerche exited the room and returned to her guard duties. Quite proud of what she had done for both the princess and the prince.
Back in the room, Vika sat, still stunned by what had just occurred. The sudden actions of Lerche, the talk of the princess, and their marriage, along with apparently Nouzon and Milize being the ones responsible for this, all scattered across his mind. Yet all the Vika could do was touch where Lerch's lip touched his cheek and say.
"That was quite cold of her."