Romeo and Cinderella

Chapter 16
Real Fun With The Kagamines

"You ready?" Len asked me.

"Yeah." Len pushed into me lightly. "Nnn… Go harder," I told. He did. Len pressed on, putting his back into his movement. "Nng…. Nn… Ow… Oww. Ooowwww. OOOOWWWW!"

"Do you want me to stop?" Len inquired, pausing

"NO KEEP GOING!" Len went back to his previous pace. "Ooowww. OOOOwwwwww. OOOOOOWWWWW! Ow… Ow… nn… ahhh…" I sighed.

Just then, Neru, the maid, came in, obviously wondering what all of the sighing and yelling was about. She looked at me then at Len. We were sitting—well, Len was sitting while I was laying—on my bed, Len next to me. He had just given me a killer back massage, getting a knot out of my shoulder that had been bothering me for the past few weeks. After staring awkwardly at us for a few seconds, Neru quickly closed the door. Her rapid footsteps could be heard going down the hall toward the staircase.

"What's her problem?" Len posed somewhat rudely.

"That's Neru for you."

There was a silence. "… Hey, Rin," Len began.

"Hey, Len."

"Let's run away together."

I stared up at him and blinked once. "What?"

"Let's run away."

I said nothing in reply, just kept my blank stare on his eyes.

"We could flee to America. I could get a job. We could settle. We both know the language, right? You could work at home during the day and we'd be together."

"I could take some of my father's money. He wouldn't notice."

"So we could afford land. Maybe we would have a farm." I smiled, remembering books I had read of the trials and pleasures of working on a farm. "We'd be able to be happy and get by. Then later we'd start a fa—" Len stopped himself there.

"A what?" I asked him.

"A family…" Len looked down. I didn't like him looking so sad.

I shined him a little smile. "We could always adopt," I suggested, trying to cheer him up.

"Yeah, I guess…"

I sat up, wrapping my arms around Len's neck, and pecked him on the lips. "I'll do it."

"Do what?" Len looked up, apparently already forgetting what he had been talking about.

"I'll run away with you."

"… Are you sure?" he questioned.

"When do we leave?"

We laughed together. Len let himself fall backwards and I laid there with him. Being together, so we wouldn't be alone. Jumping up to the stars to dance with them, just to say that we did. Dreaming dreams so beautiful, there was no way they could be imaginary…

Even though I knew you weren't listening.

"Let's go do something," Len said out of nowhere.

"You're not having enough excitement staying in my house? Which is totally illegal by the way. If my father decided to enter my room for the first time today, you'd be so dead."

"You should come to the East City with me," Len suggested criminally.

"That's illegal, too."

"Now you're going lawful on me? Where is your sense of adventure? Besides. There's a festival today. The Winter Festival. It'll be fun." Len traced his fingers up my arms like little spiders. It tickled and made me shiver.

I grinned deviously. "I never said I wasn't going."

.

Regardless of the fact that the festival was at night, we had to leave right then to arrive at the East City's Town Square at a decent hour. I brought a few coins with me in case there were any treats to buy and wore my peasant clothes, fearing the extra attention I would get looking like a noble.

"Len, what all is at the Winter Festival?" I asked Len as we walked our horses though the West City. We had just slipped out the window before going to the stables because Len apparently didn't like doors.

"There're games, comical plays, shops, food, oh. And you can view the ice and snow sculpture competitions. That's one of my favorite parts," Len answered.

"It sounds so exciting," I breathed. "I can hardly wait!" I swung my arms around Len, unable to contain my excitement. People stared.

We turned left at the end of the street, saddling up and heading for the field to the north of our two towns.

By the time we had made it to Len's manor, we were hungry. Len's servants let us help ourselves to what they had prepared earlier since there was enough left over. It was still early by the time we had finished out lunches.

I yawned. "I'm feeling a bit tired. Would you mind if I took a quick nap?" I requested.

"Sure," Len replied. "You can use my room. I'll wake you when we need to leave."

"Thank you so much."

Len led me up the main hall from the dining room then turned right to a hallway leading to a winding staircase. At the top of that was yet another corridor that had five steps going down and about five windows on the left with a candle holder in between each. Finally there were five more steps going back up and a door. I opened it into Len's room. He had done some cleaning since the last time I had visited here. Without second word or thought, I toppled over on Len's bed and drifted into sleep.

.

I was watching. There was a little girl with long blond hair and a white dress. I ribbon hung limply in her hair as she walked merrily along through a room of darkness singing, "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf? Who's afraid of the big bad wolf? Not me. Not me…" She continued walking and singing as shadowy figures danced around her. The figures melted into wolves, snapping at the girl, but barely missing each time. Finally, a huge head appeared in front of her with its violet mouth gaping wide open.

I reached my hand out into the dream, calling out, "No! Stop! You'll be eaten!" I reached and stretched, but I was always just inches away, unable the stop the girl.

"Rin," a voice sounded in the background. "Rin. Rin? Rin!"

My eyes snapped open. I saw Len's face over me and my arm outstretched. Thank goodness it was only a dream.

"Len…" I said.

"Okay, you're awake now," Len sighed. "You had your eyes wide open and started yelling."

"I-I'm sorry. I must have had a bad dream," I explained. I put my arm down.

Len kissed me. "You worry me sometimes, Rin."

"I worry me sometimes, Len." I heard a clock chime somewhere. "What time is it?"

Len processed for a moment then answered, "Time to go. Come on."

Len led me through the long, unnecessary hallways and corridors and whatever else you want to call them to, finally, reach the foyer.

Len bid his maids adieu and dragged me out into the cold toward what I assumed was the East City's town square.

"So what's the festival like?" I asked, out of breath as we bustled about.

"Didn't you ask me that already?" Len said smirking.

"Oh, yes I suppose I did." I felt my cheeks redden in a meek smile, or maybe it was just the frosty air.

No sooner than when I spoke did we arrive. The square was bustling with activity. Festive lanterns were hung on stands littering the area like wildflowers in spring. There were all kinds of flavorful aromas like meats and bread, and many game stands were giving out prizes to their winners.

"Wow," I gasped, taking in the jovial atmosphere.

"Look over there," Len said lowly as he pointed to my left. There were many ice sculptures towering majestically in a semicircle. They glittered in the full moonlight, almost divine with beauty.

"They're so beautiful…" I awed.

"And there." Len pointed to the side where a temporary wooden stage was set up. "It appears they're doing plays this year."

"Oh, I absolutely love theatre," I remarked. "My tutor says I'm quite the actress."

Len stared at me for a few moments, obviously confused by my statement. There were not many female actors in theater. "Is that so?" he asked, then smirked. "You're going to have to show me this sometime."

I blushed. "A-ah, s-sure," I twittered.

Len grinned wider at my embarrassment then moved his attention to one of the booths lining the edge of the town square. "Come on. Let's play a game."

He dragged me from booth to booth and made me try out just about every game and trial there. I wasn't that good at any of them though, and Len had to win most of the prizes for me, but it was fun. And sweet. It was like the perfect first date that he and I had never gotten to have together. Just the thought of it made me want to squeal like an excited five-year-old.

After getting over a laughing fit, I finally said to Len, "That was so much fun! Thanks so much for taking me here."

Len smiled back at me. "You're welcome. I'm glad you're enjoying yourself."

"I am," I replied.

Len looked up at the stage where two men were standing and a crowd was gathering. "Looks like the theatre troop is setting up. Would you like to—"

"Hurry! Let's go before everyone fills in all the good spots!" I cut Len off, running toward the stage.

"Come one! Come all!" the men were calling. "Whether you're tall or small or Paul or from the Netherlands. Hey, anyone here speak German?" A few people laughed, myself included.

"Good eve, good eve!" the first man yelled. He was a stout man with a beard and appeared to have some Scottish blood in him. "Now I'm sure you all know who we are—"

"I do!" the other man interrupted, raising his hand like a school child. He was taller than the other man, and thinner as well. His facial hair was scruffy and managed to make him look dumber than the average Joe.

"We are the Traveling Troop of Trout." Weird name for an acting group. "And tonight we will be performing the great Shakespearian tragedy Julio and Romiet!"

"This sounds a little off," I murmured to Len.

He smiled at me. "I think it's supposed to be."

The men had moved so that the stalkier one was huddled up at the edge of the stage and the other thin one was looking out longingly over an imaginary balcony.

"Julio, Julio," the thin one called in a very deep voice.

The other looked up at him and hissed, "Psst! Use your lady voice."

"Oh, okay," Skinny said in a very bad woman's voice. "Julio, Julio. Wherefore art thou, Julio?"

"Romiet!" Stout boomed, jumping up and making skinny scream like a little girl. That was amusing, right there.

"Julio!" Skinny yelped, leaping off of the imaginary balcony and landing on his face.

"Romiet" the other yelled again. He ran to "her" side and pulled her up. Seeing s/he was apparently dead he cried out, "She's dead!" He then fell over and stopped moving. "I have died of anguish," Stout mumbled into the stage.

"Ha I got you!" Skinny suddenly came out, jumping up and dusting off her invisible dress. "Oh, crap!" s/he shrieked.

I leaned over and breathed to Len, "This has to be the worst show I've ever seen… ever."

"That's the beauty of it," he murmured with an amused grin.

"It's just one of those things that you can't stop watching once you've started, kind of like reading a really horrible, terrible book with no plot and bad writing."

"Exactly."

A series of very bad satires went on and eventually numbed my mind so much that I was laughing at all of the corny jokes. By the end of it all I was so hysterical I was beginning to worry Len.

In fact, I had fallen over on top of him. I could only imagine the interesting stares we were getting from the passersby that weren't too drunk to bother.

"I think it's time we get you home," Len conjured.

"Yeah," I sighed, my eyes still tearing. "That sounds like a good idea."

Len picked me up bridal style and headed for his manor so that I could attempt to ride back to my manor.

.

"Shit!" Len yelled as he fell off his horse. I quickly pulled Joseph to a halt and jumped off to run to Len.

"Oh my gosh! Are you okay!" I exclaimed.

"Yeah… I'm fine," Len said, disgruntled.

I couldn't help but let out a little giggle. Len had fallen into a lovely puddle of slushy mud and was mostly drenched.

"Oh, so you think it's funny, huh?" Len accused. He grabbed my arm and yanked me down with him, getting a healthy dosing on me, not to mention ruining my peasant clothes… wait a second… "Still funny to you?"

I burst into laughter. "I think it's hilarious actually," I hollered, wiping my dress off in vain.

Len smirked and raised an eyebrow in mock disbelief. After a few moments' pause, Len splashed the muddy, slushy water right onto my bodice. I yelped at the cold and Len laughed at my reaction.

No. You do not splash muddy nasty water on Rin Kagamine. This was war.

While Len sat there distracted by his laughter, I filled my hands with a healthy load of muddy water and dumped it over Len's head. That shut him up rather quickly. An irritated look flashed in his eyes before he splashed me again in the face. I then slapped water on his shirt and this general pattern continued until Len tackled me down so I couldn't spatter him anymore.

I writhed under his grip. "That's not fair," I complained. "You're stronger than me."

"Fair schmair," Len rasped. We glared at each other for a few seconds until I started erupting in little giggles that turned into hilarity. Len eventually chuckled in with me and we laughed in the middle of the street together until the noise suddenly stopped.

"You need a bath," Len and I said in unison. We snickered.

"Does this mean that you believe in water, too?" I gasped.

"I do, but my family doesn't. Do you happen to have a bathtub at your manor?" Len queried.

"As a matter of fact I do," I replied in a matter-of-fact way… That was redundant.

"Then what are we doing sitting here in a mud puddle? Let us go!" Len stood up and held out his hand.

I took it and stood with him. "Good question."

I was about to die of hypothermia when we actually made it to my home. Why did Germany have to be so cold in the winter? I have no idea what time it was when I entered (I had made Len stay back for the moment in the fat chance of my father being there to question me.) but Luka was at the door and welcomed my freezing body eagerly. I discretely motioned for Len to follow from a distance as I asked Luka to prepare a bath. I went up to my room to get into a dressing gown instead of these hopeless clothes and nearly had a heart attack when Len was waiting for me there.

"Oh, it's just you," I sighed in relief. My breath caught at the sound of footsteps coming down the hall toward my room. "Hide in the closet," I commanded, shoving Len inside my clothes and closing the door. I quickly tugged on the dressing gown before Luka knocked. "Come in."

Luka poked her head in. "Your bath is ready, Lady Rin. I set it up in the bathroom next to the Library."

"Thank you, Luka," I said. She exited and I heard her footsteps fade followed by the soft sound of a gently closed door.

I heard Len knock from the inside of the closet; I let him out.

"It's hard to breathe in there," he gasped.

I stared at him for a moment. "It's a walk-in closet, Len," I stated bluntly.

"With all the dresses you have in there? No. It's not."

I rolled my eyes and headed for the door. "Follow silently. The last thing I want is to wake my father with a strange man in the house."

"But of course, milady," Len said with a bow.

Len removed his shoes so that his feet barely made any sound as we swept through the halls. He must have matched my pace as well. I stopped and started a few times just to experiment and sure enough he followed my every move.

Now, I suppose I should explain why we had a bathroom next to the Library in the first place. You see, my family reads a lot, which clarifies why we have a library at all. It was only logical to have a bathroom there so one would not have to stray from their favorite book for too long.

Then there's the other thing. I bet you're thinking, "This is the Renaissance. People don't bathe in the Renaissance. They were scared of water." This is very true, but when Luka arrived at our manor, she had a very different perspective. As one should know, Luka didn't talk until about eight years of living at the manor. This is true with the exception of for one incident. Luka was a firm believer in water and she made this very clear the first week she came here. My family has used water regularly ever since.

What were her methods of manipulation you ask?

My father doesn't like to talk about it.

*This is where you should stop reading if you have any self love.*

I could hear the bathwater running. You always had to keep the bathwater running or it would all drain out. That was one of the "perks" of having a bathtub in this age. You couldn't really find one that was made well.

Len looked like he wanted to leap in right then. Talk about eager for hygiene. Anyway, he was already in the process of stripping off his soiled clothing but I stopped him before he got too carried away.

"Wait. Before you get in, I have to show you this method Miku showed me," I interjected. "It's genius. Revolutionary."

Len stopped in the middle of unlacing his pants. "Method of… bathing?" he questioned with a tiled head and furrowed brow.

"Yes. I tell you I don't know why someone didn't think of it sooner," I said excitedly.

"If you would be so kind as to stop beating around the bush and tell me already. What kind of revolutionary method is this?"

"Okay, get this. You wash yourself before you get in the bath. That way the water doesn't get all dark and disgusting." I was sure Len thought my excitement on the matter was just a little bit odd.

Though it seemed that I had him dumbfounded. "By God that's brilliance!" he exclaimed.

"Isn't it, though?" I replied with enthusiasm.

I followed Len's lead in undressing and easily found soap, sponges, and a bucket. I dunked a sponge in the now soapy water and almost got it to my skin when I was stopped by Len's hand.

"Allow me," he said in his soft, velvet voice. Len came up from behind me and took the sponge from me. I didn't really know exactly why during that mental state. I guess some people just enjoy giving other people sponge baths. Not really my thing, personally.

Though, it did feel rather nice, I guess. I wasn't complaining or anything when he felt the sponge up my thigh and down my chest and…

"Turn around," Len whispered into my ear.

"Nn. Wha…?" I breathed, not feeling like my mind was all the way there.

He chuckled at my mystification. "I have to get your back, you know," Len explained.

"Oh. Right. Back," I said dully, almost sort of not really trying to turn around.

Len grabbed me from behind and pulled me to him. "Unless," his skin was so warm, "you don't want to."

Using much effort not to fall over and melt right then and there, I turned around. "We're supposed to be bathing, remember?" I told him.

He smirked at me. "Of course. How could I forget?"

We did eventually make it to the bathtub after much effort and washing, a task much harder than one would think.

"Ah," I sighed from my side of the bathtub, which was rather large by the way, once we got around to actually getting in. "There are few things that beat a hot bath after a long day."

"Not even s—"

"Don't pervert the mood, Len," I interrupted before Len could ask inappropriate questions.

"Sorry, sorry," he apologized halfheartedly, putting his hands up in counterfeit defeat.

"As you should be," I stated in my authoritative nobility tone also known as the old grumpy snobby lady voice.

"Harsh," Len commented. "How could I earn your forgiveness?" A smirk crawled across his face again.

Just then, as if Satan himself were smiling up at us, someone rapped on the door.

"Oh, crap. Len get down!" I whispered as softly as I could muster, which was not all that soft.

"Rin? It's Neru. May I come in?" Neru asked through the door.

I looked worriedly at Len as he held his breath and hid underwater.

"Yes, come in!" I called.

Neru carried a small stack of towels in her arms. "Luka wanted me to check on you and bring you some towels," she explained.

"Tell her I said thank you," I returned with a smile. I hoped Len could hold his breath for a long time.

Neru nodded. "Of course. I'll be sure to let her know." She was about to leave when I let out a high-pitched yelp at the feeling of something foreign between my legs. I quickly clamped my mouth shut and let the blush rush to my face as Neru whirled around and ran up to me yelling, "Oh my goodness! Are you all right?" I couldn't tell whose face was more horrified: hers or mine.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," I claimed, trying to make sure she didn't get too close. I suppressed the urge to drown Len for startling me.

"Are you sure, Lady Rin?" Neru questioned. Talk about a worry bug.

"Yes. I'm perfectly okay," I reassured her.

"I could come back and check on you if you'd like," she suggested.

"That won't be necessary," I said.

Neru took a long pause and finally answered. "Okay. But just let me know if you need anything." She turned again and headed out.

"I will!" I called to her as she closed the door. After her footsteps faded I nudged Len, who was hopefully not dead, so that he could come up. He didn't hesitate to surface and gulp in his beloved oxygen. I glared at him as he gasped for a few moments then looked at me with a puzzled look.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" he queried still breathing heavily.

I seethed for a few more moments then burst. "What the hell was that!" I shrieked.

He stared at me a moment longer then his expression went smug. "I don't know what you're talking about," he lied.

"What did you do to me while you were underwater!" I demanded.

"Me? Do anything to you? That's nonsense." Len leaned his way over to my side of the bathtub.

"You… you have that look on your face again," I said, my sudden burst of courageous anger already leaving me. I had seen this face a few times before. It was the look that he got whenever he was planning to do something and you were going to do it with him whether you wanted to or not.

Of course by the end there's never anyone that doesn't want to bend to his will.

He's very "influential" like that.

Remind me again why I love him?

Len leaned in closer, propping himself up with his arms on either side of my shoulders. "So, Rin. What are you doing tonight?" he purred.

"Ah-uhm. I d-don't really have any… I mean I don't… Um…" I could tell how much he was enjoying this. He just loved being in charge like this with me having no idea what I was doing or what I should say. What a sadistic little pervert.

Len touched his lips to mine for only a moment before leaning his forehead to mine and sneering. "Let's have some fun," he growled. He traced a finger along my collarbone

I made my expression match his. "Was last night not good enough for you?" I retorted.

"That was only last night? It seems like so long ago," Len whined and, to my dissatisfaction, leaned away.

I pushed myself forward and hung my arms limply around his neck. "You're a real piece of work, you know that? A piece of work and a pain in the ass."

"However could I make it up to you?" Len rumbled, wrapping his limbs around my waist.

"Start underwater and we'll go from there."