What Is Love? | My Inner Demons x Reader

Chapter 39: Warming Up to You {Asch's Route}

~Third Person PoV~

"I'll be the one to look after them." Even as he stepped into (Y/n)'s dark bedroom, Asch wasn't entirely sure why he had insisted he would be the one to watch them. Perhaps he wanted assurance that they would be properly taken care of... or perhaps the idea of one of his knights being so close to them irked him just a little.

At the sight of (Y/n)'s sleeping form, he tries to close the door as quietly as possible. He cautiously approaches them, brows furrowed as he scans over their sleeping from. They're curled up comfortably beneath their blankets, so much so that the only part of them that's visible is their eyes. He lets out a small sigh before stepping away to let them rest.

Asch seats himself at the end of the bed, near their feet, looking at the photos on the wall above their messy work desk. He's never really examined their room before, but the family pictures caught his eye. They weren't unlike his own family portraits. (Y/n) seemed to be the youngest child just like himself. They seemed to have a married older sibling who outwardly looked a bit eccentric, but still possessed a pair of intense eyes; Asch was sure if Kay were to glare at him, it would look the same as when Rhal prepared for a fight. They seemed to have a sister-in-law that looked warm on the outside, but who knew what truly lied beneath. They seemed to have a parent with cold eyes and a serious disposition. They seemed to be missing the other parent as well.

Asch frowns at that. (Y/n) seldom mentioned their actual parents rather than Andrew and Devon. Asch didn't really mention his either. Part of him wishes he had known about their family parallels. He could convince himself that he wanted to knwo for sake of getting close to (Y/n) so that he could be the one to win their affection. But... in the back of his mind there was another reason. He couldn't decipher it quite yet, no matter how often he had tried to contemplate it.

"Asch...?" A quiet voice from behind him broke him from his thoughts. "What are you doing here?"

~Asch's PoV~

I glance over my shoulder, a bit surprised to find (Y/n) awake. They still look unwell with dark circles beneath their glossy eyes, but not quite as bad as before. "You're supposed to be sleeping, prisoner." I state as I stand up and approach them. Still... it's not unpleasant to see them awake again...

"What were you doing?" They ask, eyes flickering over to the pictures I had been looking at.

I follow their gaze for a moment before looking down. Naturally, I want to brush off their question, but...

"Then I grant you permission... t-to be there for me."

My own words replay in my head and I look back at the human. Perhaps telling them what I'm thinking will help me win their hand. They always seem to be asking anyway...

"They looked like my family's portrait." I finally speak up and (Y/n) props themself up on their arms.

"Really?" The corners of their lips quirk up in a small smile and I find myself unable to turn away again. "I wouldn't have expected that..."

I frown. "What are you referring to?"

"I mean, my family photos are all... goofy." (Y/n) hums. "We're always mid-laugh, Kay is usually teasing me so I can't focus."

"That isn't what I meant..." I murmur. "The structure of our families are the same."

(Y/n) tilts their head. "Structure?" They ask. "That's right... you have a brother... So would that mean he's married? And you mentioned your father so... you're mother's not-" They cut themself off, looking up at me with a saddened gaze. "Asch, I'm..."

"Stop." I huff, looking away from them. I can't stand when they look at me like that... "You need more rest, go back to sleep."

I hear the rustle of their blankets behind me and when I look back, they're sitting up, still staring. "I'm sorry..." They say, but their voice barely comes out above a whisper.

"Don't be." I look back at them, trying to maintain my composure though they make it so difficult. "It couldn't be helped."

(Y/n) looks down at their lap, quiet for what feels like a long time. "It's still sad..." They sigh.

I furrow my brows, slowly willing myself to sit at their side. "D... Did the same happen to your father...?"

"No..." (Y/n) mumbles. "He left before I was born, as far as I know. Maybe I did know him at some point, but my mom must not've kept any pictures..."

I open my mouth to speak, but nothing comes out. I want to feel frustrated to think that anyone, much less their own father, could ever think of abandoning (Y/n). But I'm reminded of the fact that we must leave E-urth eventually... and I hate it.

"Hey, don't look at me like that." Once more, their voice breaks me out of my thoughts and I realize their hand is pressed to my cheek. "I'm okay, I promise. If he didn't want me, he isn't worth my thoughts, right?"

I try to nod, but I feel as though my face is burning. What sorcery is this? "Your family did seem happy..." I remark. "That's the biggest difference between my family's portraits and yours." The words come out before I could stop them and (Y/n) stares at me wide-eyed.

"A-Asch..."

"Ignore that, human." I reply, quickly. "Go back to sleep, you're still-"

I had tried to stand, but (Y/n) was quick to pull me to them. My body went stiff with their arms around me. It was just like the last time they were alone with me, and they held onto me in the same way. Both times, it makes me feel this way... what are they doing to me?

Their head settles against my shoulder, but I don't try to fight it. Their body lays against mine, and I don't want to fight it. Slowly, my body settles into their embrace and (Y/n) holds me a little tighter at that.

We sit in a comfortable silence for a long time, something I've never shared with anyone else. Noise seems to follow me through my family, my knights, and only exists when I'm alone. With (Y/n), it's... pleasant in its own strange way.

They break the silence after a moment. "I-I'm sorry I got mad before..."

I lift my head. "Huh?"

"When Ava got sick, and you thought she was dead, and I yelled at you all... I'm really sorry about that."

"Why?"

"Because it wasn't your fault." (Y/n) lifts their head again to look at me properly. "You guys didn't cause it and I had no right to... to yell and blame you. I was just... tired."

"It doesn't matter..." I mutter, but at the quiet time of their voice, I pull them closer. "Now sleep..."

(Y/n) lets out a small laugh as they lay their head back down. "Okay, okay... I will, your highness." They try to tease and I feel my face flush once more. "Also, you're warm, can you stay?"

"Sleep..." I repeat, and they slowly doze off against me. After a moment, I look down at their sleeping form once more. "I'll stay... for as long as I can manage, (Y/n)..."