About snakes and mice

[miyuskye]

M6, settima settimana

Ho sempre voluto scrivere di questi due!
Prompt: Questioni rimaste in sospeso
Fandom: The case files of Lord El-Melloi II
Pairing: Waver/Adashino

Hishiri Adashino lifted her eyes off the book she was reading. She could hear in the background the soft noises made by the Mystic Eyes train as it was proceeding steadily over its rails. Sometimes, a slight bump would move her body left and right like a pendulum, but she didn’t mind. A repetitive movement somehow helped her concentrating. She was reading a book about a woman chained by the obligation of marriage, dealing with falling in love with another man. While the plot was quite interesting per se, Hishiri couldn’t feel sympathy toward the woman. Ever since she was a young lady, she had always been able to choose the path she considered to be the most appropriate for her in life; her family never posing a threat in her future choices. That was also one of the main reasons she decided to join the Faculty of Law offices, instead of opting for a more traditional path in the study of mage craft. Hishiri was sure that any other family would have hindered and blocked her path to join that office, which was feared and at the same time revered by the Clock Tower association; however, she firmly believed that if someone wanted something – be it because of instinct, talent, or premeditated reasoning – they should take it. That had been her way of doing things for several years now, earning her a renowned reputation among her colleagues. With the complicity of her natural charm and beauty, her refined attitude, her cold icy manners which put every man to their rightful place, she was able to hold a distinguished and important place in her Faculty. Her superiors and colleagues trusted her; this was true even at that moment, seeing as she was allowed to investigate personally on a family matter. According to the standard practice for these contingencies, it was compulsory that somebody unrelated to the involved people – thus, someone able to be impartial – should be sent to the investigation. That had been the case when Hishiri had been sent to the Castle of Separation to oversee the execution of the late Ashbourne’s will. Well, it could be said that, even in that case, her intentions weren’t just dictated by mere work purposes. A soft sigh escaped from her mouth at the thought. What Hishiri most anticipated from the Adra castle visit was to see, face to face, the man who had recently taken over the Faculty of Modern Magecraft. His predecessor was her brother – who she had been investigating for a while, and was looking into even right now as it seemed that he was somehow involved in some shenanigans in the Mystic Eyes train – and, despite the opinion the young woman held for him, she was curious to see if the successor chosen by the Mage Association was as worthy as her brother. Even if she still couldn’t determine the exact worth of said man, she hadn’t been disappointed. Waver Velvet, or Lord El-Melloi II – as he wanted to be called nowadays – was a remarkable man. She had done her researches on him, a participant of a Holy Grail War, returned alive. A man who shamelessly took over the name of his mentor. Adashino was sure that there were many men ready to give their life to be regarded in such a way from her; however, that unconventional Lord seemed to be disinterested in all her approaches. They kept meeting, as Adashino was investigating on the trails her brother left behind, but she couldn’t explain why that man was also there. He liked playing detective, and she liked him when he was doing so. He had an imprescriptible face, especially when he was exposing a culprit or explaining his theory. She found him fascinating the first time they crossed eyes, she was impressed that he saw through her plan at the Castle Of Separation, she loved how he brilliantly solved the Marburry workshop case. There was no other way to put it. She wanted him. However, such an easy feat that would have been possible with every other mage among the Clock Tower – her charms were indeed powerful on both men and women – seemed impossible with him. He was so immersed in his world, in his wandering, seeking an act of meaningless revenge that he couldn’t care about anything else. That was his behavior that made her ache for him even more. It wasn’t like her to be like this; earlier that day she even let herself be cleared than usual regarding her intentions with him. Hishiri thought she had to settle the matter now. She wasn’t sure that Lord would accept, but she would certainly find a way. As those thoughts crossed her mind while she was watching outside her window, the young woman heard a soft knock at the door of her room. Who could have been at that hour? She gave her guest permission to enter and almost let out a surprised gasp when she saw the man, all dressed in black, standing at her door, shifting his weight nervously from one leg to another. He had a terrible face and was avoiding looking directly at her. He was visibly uncomfortable by the whole situation. Hishiri heard that the man got hurt during their trip and had to recover for a day. However, he managed to regain his health completely, just in time to appear and getting in her way while she was ‘deducing’ the case culprit. That was to say that she was expecting him to; it was true that he was a man who she couldn’t fully get a clear reading on, but she knew his usual modus operandi in certain kinds of situations. Wondering what he could want from her, now, she greeted him with her signature sweet smile which didn’t seem to put him under her spell like everyone else. Giggling internally at her guest’s poor try at mimicking her attitude when it was as clear as day that he was uneasy in that situation, she invited him to sit at the table in front of her.

“Would you like some tea while we speak, Lord El-Melloi II?” Adashino stressed out his name painfully low, making the other ore self-conscious than he already was.    

 “It’s fine, Miss Adashino.” He politely refused. “I won’t take up a lot of your time.”

“So, if I understand correctly, you need the Faculty of Law help in that little plan of yours, am I right?” Hishiri tilted her head graciously, keeping her eyes fixated on the man in front of her. She listened through the whole explanation Lord El-Melloi II had given her about the situation; he wanted to distract the perpetrator from the auction with the Faculty of Law intervention through high bidding offers. While the whole matter was already convenient for her overall, as it would make the real culprit more exposed to be caught, she also wanted to get the best out of that proposal. The Lord sitting in front of her didn’t know the whole situation, he didn’t know about her brother and how the whole situation was important for her, too. Her eyes glinted with malicious intent as an idea about ‘settling matters with him’ crept in the back of her mind.            

 “I’m afraid you’re right.” His eyes wandered through the whole room, looking for something that wasn’t her at that moment.      

 “Mhhh, what you propose to me is very interesting. As I’m sure your great detective intuition has also grasped, I have personal ties to this case, too.” It wasn’t in Hishiri’s policy to reveal her plans to others, but giving this piece of information at this moment was crucial to earn his collaboration. At those words, the Lord’s eyes lighted up with hope. She loved when people did that; it was one of her best tactics even when she was questioning people. Giving them what they wanted to hear, so they were vulnerable and exploitable shortly after.

 “However.” Her smile grew larger, as she purposely made that little pause which immediately put the other on edge. “I think that no one can promise help for free, don’t you agree?” Her expression was very unreadable right now.

 “We have shared interests, you even said that yourself earlier, didn’t you?” The Lord tried to retort back.           

 “I do. But what you ask of me is providing economical support to you. There is a limit on how much money I can move among the Faculty of Law department. Regardless, if you are willing to pay me… that is another matter.”          

 “Pay… you? I told you that I need money, how can I…?”

 “You sure are naïve, for being a Lord. I’m not talking about money.” A soft laugh escaped from her lips.

At those words, Waver stiffened in his place. Given the attitude Miss Adashino had towards him during their whole exchange, there could be only one other form of payment. The mage was honestly surprised. He didn’t envision, neither in his farthest dreams, that a woman like Adashino would suggest something like that. He was sure that she was able to conquer and have in the palm of her hand as many men or women as she wanted. Thus, why asking this of him now? Why him, of all people? Those questions had no meaning at that moment, though. She was looking at him intensely, waiting for an answer.                   

 “How… can I be sure that…” He wasn’t able to find the right words.

 “…that I will keep my part of the promise? You’d have to trust me.” She simply responded as it was obvious. Well, it was obvious indeed, but Waver couldn’t accept it.          

 “Trust the Faculty of Law? I wouldn’t be able to bear the shame.”          

 “Well, there would a different kind of a shame you can start learning to bear after our encounter.” She countered. “Didn’t you say that you would use any means necessary to reach your objective? I’ve always thought that this was something unattainable for an unskilled mage. This is your chance to prove me wrong, Lord.”                           

 To be completely honest, Waver didn’t want to prove her wrong. Waver didn’t want to get involved with her in that way. Besides, as his friend Melvin would mock him, he was still a virgin. He had no idea what to do in that situation. However, there was no way he would tell her so.          

 “Do we have a deal, then?” She pressed him, with the same courteous smile she had on her face since he entered the room.     

 Waver took a deep breath before answering. It was for the sake of the case. It was for the sake of finding out the truth behind that fake Iskandar. He knew he had to do it.     

 “We have a deal.”        

 Adashino’s eyes gleamed at his words – was she waiting for such an occasion for a long time? – and she stood up and guided him to the large bed in that room. “I promise you it will be quick. I’m not looking for romance or affection. I just want to satisfy a whim I’ve had ever since I met you, Lord.”  

 Hishiri made him sit on her bed, caressing his face with her hand. It was cold to Waver’s face, which, in return was feeling his body temperature rise at an alarming speed.            

 “You say you’re weak around beautiful women,” she mocked his words, showing him that she remembered everything of their past encounters. “But you’re always surrounded by them. Your cute apprentice aside, I’ve seen also your other student, the one from the Lehrman’s family - what was her name again? – ah, yes. Miss Yvette seems to be lusting after you. Are you sure you don’t have a charming spell on you?” 

“I wish I was able to attain such high magic for myself.” He bitterly answered.  

 “Is that so? Well, with your poor magical circuits I’m not surprised.” Adashino didn’t want to mince her words, not with him. Resting one hand on his cheek she lowered her face to kiss him. Her lips were soft compared to his, and they felt exactly as one would imagine – not that Waver had ever had such thoughts about that woman. As she broke the kiss, she looked at him again, raising her eyebrow.            

 “Wait. Don’t tell me…” She made a pause to scrutinize the other man’s reaction. “…you’ve never done this.” The way she said those last words made the other stiffen in his place. Adashino was right. While she couldn’t say that she was completely taken aback by the revelation, she also thought that at least once, in his life, that man had indulged in the pleasures of the flesh. Rumors told it that in the Holy Grail War he was the Master of Iskandar, which was the Heroic Spirit of Alexander the Great, a man who enjoyed the beauty of life thoroughly. Wasn’t he able to learn anything from him? The kiss they shared wasn’t bad per se, but she knew that he wasn’t enjoying it. Maybe it was her fault for forcing him to do something like that. She felt a bit guilty.  

 The other man’s silence only confirmed her suspicions. Adashino sighed as she passed her hand through his soft hair, not meeting with a single knot. She smiled softly at the thought of him combing his hair. Or maybe he asked his apprentice to do that for him? Adashino felt for a moment something akin to jealousy, which she immediately pushed away from her heart.

Suddenly, he grabbed her quite clumsily by the hem of her kimono and closed the distance between their faces once again. This time, his kiss was more relaxed, but decisive. Unlike her previous attempt, she could feel his lips brushing softly against hers, his movements seeking the physical contact she wanted to feel.                    

 “What was that for?” She asked him when they separated once again.

 “What are you saying? Have you changed your mind, Miss Adashino?” Hishiri knew he had a sudden burst of confidence from just a kiss well-given, she smiled at the naïveté of her guest.       

 “You could say I have. I was just thinking that maybe I set my request for payment too high. Maybe, just this time, a kiss will suffice. I have ruined one of your first times already; I don’t want to add another to the list. You may have the Faculty of Law’s support in the upcoming auction. I admire your strength, Lord El-Melloi II.”         

 The woman smiled again, before walking to her seat again, taking her book in hand, signaling the other that their meeting was over. 

As she hears the noise of her door closing, she sighed. She still wanted him, but apparently, even a snake like her wasn’t able to eat a defenseless mouse alive. It just meant that she had to wait for another occasion, then.