Chapter Text
the golden dawn headquarters was as grand as [y/n] had imagined, its towering arches and gleaming corridors radiating power and prestige. she adjusted the strap of the basket she carried, packed with warm [food] and fresh fruit for yuno and his teammates. it was her first visit since yuno had joined the squad, and the air buzzed with a quiet intensity that made her a bit nervous.
as she followed a steward toward the central training room, her mind wandered to yuno. he had written her the previous week, describing the rigorous regimen and skilled mages of the golden dawn. i hope he's doing okay, she thought, brushing a strand of [color]-highlighted hair from her face.
the steward led her through a set of ornate doors, and her breath caught. standing at the far end of the room was the unmistakable figure of captain william vangeance.
[y/n] had heard of him, of course. the mysterious and powerful leader of the golden dawn, whose loyalty to the clover kingdom was as unwavering as his golden mask was enigmatic. what she hadn't expected was the sheer gravity of his presence. his composed posture, his soft yet commanding aura — it all left her momentarily speechless.
"captain vangeance", the steward announced, "this is [y/n] [l/n] of the black bulls. she's here to visit yuno."
william turned toward her, and for a moment, the world seemed to slow. beneath the mask, his eyes widened slightly, and [y/n] felt as if he were studying her — not just her appearance, but her essence as well.
"it's an honor to meet you, lady [l/n]", he said, his voice smooth yet warm. he inclined his head slightly in greeting. "yuno has spoken highly of you."
[y/n] smiled, though she felt a strange shiver under his gaze. "it's nice to meet you too, captain vangeance. and please, just call me [y/n]."
"as you wish", he gestured toward a nearby seating area. "yuno should be here shortly. may i offer you some tea while you wait?"
"thank you, that's very kind", she replied, moving to take a seat.
as they sat together, the conversation flowed easily. william asked her about her time with the black bulls, and [y/n], in turn, asked about the challenges of leading the golden dawn. she marveled at his composed demeanor, and he found himself captivated by her warmth and authenticity.
inside, though, william's heart warred with itself. beneath his mask, hidden from the world, a storm of emotions churned. it wasn't just admiration he felt — it was something deeper, something more dangerous. her laugh, her intelligence, the way her [color] eyes seemed to hold the earth and sun itself — it all pulled at him in ways he hadn't expected.
she belongs to someone else, he reminded himself, though the thought did little to temper the ache in his chest.
unbeknownst to [y/n], another presence stirred within william's body. patry, the elf sharing his soul, had also taken notice of her. and while william admired her for her strength and grace, patry felt something even more primal — a soul-deep yearning, as if some long-forgotten bond tied her to him.
she is unlike any human i've known, patry thought, his voice a whisper in william's mind. her magic, her presence...it's as if she carries the divine within her.
william didn't respond. he didn't need to. the silence between them was filled with unspoken agreement: [y/n] was extraordinary.
the doors to the training hall opened, and yuno entered, his usual stoic expression softening slightly when he saw [y/n].
"[y/n]", he said simply, though the warmth in his voice spoke volumes.
she stood up, her smile lighting up the room. "yuno! i brought food for you and your teammates."
as she handed him the basket, yuno's fingers brushed hers briefly, and william felt a pang of something he didn't want to name.
"you didn't have to do that", yuno said, though his tone carried a hint of gratitude.
"i wanted to", she replied, her gaze lingering on him.
william watched the exchange in silence, the connection between them undeniable. he should have looked away, should have excused himself. instead, he found himself transfixed, caught between admiration and longing.
as yuno led [y/n] to meet his squadmates and show her around, william remained in the hall, the echoes of their conversation ringing in his mind. patry's voice returned, quieter this time but no less insistent.
she could be ours, the elf murmured. her light belongs with us.
"no", william whispered under his breath. "she belongs to him."
patry fell silent, but the ache in william's chest lingered. he knew he would see [y/n] again, perhaps many times, as their paths crossed through yuno. and each time, he would carry the burden of knowing that she was not his to love. but even so, he couldn't stop himself from hoping, just for a moment, that the light she carried might one day shine his way.