"Wow, green it is. Nice. Do you mind if I ask why you love green?" Straw said after seeing Berryanna lighten up for the first time in her presence.
It was subtle, barely noticeable if one was not watching closely. The tension in Berryanna's shoulders eased, her posture less rigid than usual. Her gaze, which was often sharp and guarded, softened just a fraction. Straw noticed it immediately. Moments like this felt rare, fragile, like something that could vanish if pressed too hard.
"Whenever my mother sees the color green, she smiles and says green is the most peaceful life ever," Berryanna said, looking at Straw, who was clearly waiting for more.
The room was quiet except for the distant hum of the palace waking up outside the walls. Light filtered through the curtains, brushing softly against the furniture, catching on the polished floor. Straw leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on her knees, eyes fixed on Berryanna's face with open curiosity.
"Wait, is that all? No full story?"
Berryanna did not look away. Her expression remained calm, but there was something firm beneath it, something that signaled a boundary.
"I just told you everything. The color green reminds me of my mother."
"Oh, that's lovely. Now I'm going to find you every green item and bring it to my lady so you get to remember your mummy every single day," Straw said dramatically, throwing her arms out as if already planning the grand mission. Her voice was light, playful, trying to pull a smile out of Berryanna by force if necessary. Berryanna's lips twitched, then stilled.
"I don't like to be reminded of my mother."
The words landed softly, but their weight pressed down hard. Straw froze for half a second, caught off guard by the sudden shift. She did not ask why. She did not push. Instinct took over instead.
"I will never bring you anything green again," Straw said quickly, changing her words without hesitation. Whatever the reason was, good or bad, she did not want to risk reopening something painful. She had already learned that some memories were better left untouched. "Okay, tell me another thing about yourself," Straw added, her tone gentler now.
"That's it for today. From now on, I will tell you one thing about me every day for the rest of our lives," Berryanna said.
There was certainty in her voice, like this was not a promise but a decision already written into fate.
Straw instantly agreed, nodding her head eagerly, a grin spreading across her face as if she had just won something priceless.
"Tooch," Straw muttered. "Okay, my turn. I'll tell you about me..."
"No need for that," Berryanna said.
Straw blinked.
"Oh? You don't want to know about me?"
"No. I already do. I had research done on you, from when you were young until today. I must say, you are quite not what is.. of your profile," Berryanna replied.
Straw's smile faltered, just a little.
"Well, because…" Straw began, then paused.
The words caught in her throat. If she told Berryanna the truth, the real truth, that she was not actually Straw, what would happen? Would Berryanna laugh it off? Would she accuse her of lying? Of being unstable? Or worse, would she see her as a threat? Straw's thoughts spiraled quickly, her chest tightening as she stared at the tray sitting between them like a convenient distraction.
She reached for it before the silence could grow heavier.
"Wow, what do we have here? Pancakes with a glass of milk. And is that pancake supposed to be shaped like a face?" Straw said, forcing excitement into her voice.
She leaned closer, inspecting the plate. The pancake was round, carefully made, with two blueberries for eyes, one blueberry for a nose, and whipped cream shaped into a smiling mouth. It was oddly thoughtful. Intimate in a way that caught Straw off guard. Berryanna shifted closer.
"I wanted to say sorry for my actions last night. I should not have uttered those words to you, or grab you like that against your will. That is not a good quality in a wife, as you mentioned in your rules and regulations. I hope this does not affect our agreement and that we continue..."
As Berryanna spoke, she picked the blueberry from the pancake with deliberate care and moved the tray aside, setting it down where it would not interrupt them. The space between them closed slowly. She reached out, fingers warm as they gently lifted Straw's face, guiding her attention back where it belonged.
"Shhh. Apology accepted. Now do me a favor and put this blueberry in your mouth."
"Why is that?" Berryanna asked, though her eyes already held amusement.
"Because I want you to feed me, but with your mouth," Straw said.
Berryanna smiled, a real one this time, unguarded. She did as instructed, taking the blueberry from Straw's fingers with her mouth before leaning in and placing it carefully between Straw's lips. Their faces were close enough to share breath. The sweetness burst between them, juice lingering on their tongues.
Berryanna's arms wrapped around Straw's waist, firm and possessive, pinning her gently to the bed. The mattress dipped under their combined weight. Straw gasped softly, her fingers sliding up into Berryanna's hair, tangling there as she held her close.
Their lips pressed together, slow enough to ache, unhurried but full of intent. Time seemed to stretch, narrowing down to warmth, taste, and the quiet sound of shared breath. Slowly, Straw's fingers traced along the sides of Berryanna's dress, feeling for the lace. When she found it, she worked it loose with practiced ease.
Using the moment, Straw shifted her weight, flipping their positions and pinning Berryanna to the bed instead. Her movements were confident now, playful and daring, just about to finish undressing her when the door opened.
"Lady Straw, your brother, Duke Pine, is waiting downstairs in the living room for you," Apple said immediately upon entering.
"Fuck…" Straw muttered, shooting him a dead look while still on top of Berryanna.
"What happened? You don't want to see your brother?" Apple said, completely unbothered by the scene before him.
"Don't you ever knock?" Straw snapped.
"This is my sister's room. I can enter whenever I want," Apple replied.
"Apple, I am married now, and this is also her room. You should knock so you don't walk into situations like this," Berryanna said as she gently pushed Straw away.
She stood up from the bed, smoothing her dress and beginning to tie the lace back into place with steady hands, as if her pulse was not still racing.
"Lady Fayrouza, I was going to tell you your brother is here. I think you should meet with him. I will see you later," Berryanna said as she took Apple's hand. "Let's leave her so she can eat her food."
With that, Berryanna and Apple walked out of the room.