SSR Waifu Summoner

"Aurelia, will you be my wife?"

The moment those words escaped Nero's mouth, his heart hitched itself, preparing for different scenarios that might play out.

'... Will she reject me?'

That thought kept invading his mind, despite the moments they both shared together.

After all, who knew if what she saw within him was just something a summon would see as their master, and nothing like a partner or a lover.

And yet,

"I know this is out of the blue. And considering my advances that I made... I'm sure you could somehow guess how I feel about you... uhh, that sounds cringy as hell, why am I even confessing like a teenage boy who found his first crush..."

Nero scratched his cheek awkwardly, trying to avoid her gaze as he continued,

"Well, I'm sorry... I guess I'm not as straightforward and cool as you thought I would be."

Reality often disappoints us from our imagination.

Things that we thought out and made scenarios in our minds didn't play out well when things really happen in real life.

And yet,

"I want to apologize if I'm not being honest with you... all this time, all I did was wait for the right time... telling myself the right time and moment would come. Making you feel awkward for how indecisive I could be as a person... I will admit, it's my fault."

He looked into her eyes once more, her expression was so stiff as a growing faint blush was present on her face.

"But because of that I caused your heart grief... leaving you on edge."

Nero shook his head as his gaze fell down in contemplation.

He realized during his death that there were a lot of things he would regret leaving, and one of them includes his relationship with Aurelia.

He could still remember how she vulnerably trembled and how her emotions were full of distraught and self-guilt when she hugged him.

He could tell that she deeply blamed herself, and whatever trauma or past experience she had, it reminded her of that.

And all of that could've been prevented if he was a lot more active and straightforward instead of being passive.

… Albeit it was too late of a realization given it took him his own death to realize it, but now that he was given a miraculous second chance...

He can't fuck this up.

For he made an oath to himself.

He won't hesitate anymore.

No more holding back.

And so,

"I love you, Aurelia. I want you to be my lover… my wife."

He confronted both of his fears and what he felt, laying them out in front of her.

"I want to spend time with you and cuddle you. Touch your wings and every part of your body... to know you better. Your past, your hobbies, your dreams, your personal life. I want to know every little thing about you. I know it's a cheesy thing to say, but... I want you to be mine."

Well, that was truly an unfiltered confession.

With a face so serious and determined, he poured out all of his emotions for Aurelia to know.

And as for Aurelia who received such intense feeling,

"..."

She was blushing like a tomato with an utterly stiff face.

It was a sight that would greatly shock her comrades from the Celestial Cradle.

The rigid, emotionless First Star Valkyrie, reduced to a flustered mess by a human's confession.

But clearly, now was not the time for such thoughts as Aurelia tried to regain her composure after receiving such a serious confession.

Several moments passed in heavy silence as she struggled to organize her thoughts.

Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again like she was searching for words that had never existed in her vocabulary before.

And the finally, she spoke,

"... I must apologize first."

"...!"

Those first words made Nero's eyes tremble, making his heart drop straight into his stomach.

And the disappointment must have shown on his face because Aurelia immediately raised her hands in panic, her usual composure cracking completely.

"N-No! That is not it…! T-That's not what I meant…!"

She took a deep breath, forcing herself to slow down and explain properly.

"I am apologizing for the fact... that at first, I only regarded you as my Lord and someone to serve. As a summoned knight, it was my duty and my sole purpose to serve you as your blade and nothing else…"

Her golden eyes grew distant as she spoke, like she was looking through him into memories spanning eons.

"Even in my previous life within the Celestial Cradle, despite my appearance... I was known as a rigid and emotionless woman. Those who pursued me only admired my exterior, much like Vincent did."

The comparison to that bastard made Nero's jaw tighten, but Aurelia continued before he could protest.

"I did not disdain such admiration. I understood that physical appearance is one factor any being would seek in a partner. But I never felt inclined to engage in such relationships as I prioritized my duties above all else..."

She paused, her expression softening in ways he'd rarely seen.

"But ever since I arrived here… that perspective slowly changed. The way you showed me this world when I remembered nothing... The way you remained present, making yourself known. Your jokes that I could not get… Your smiles and confidence in facing the unknown that somehow brought me comfort along the way."

A faint smile tugged at her lips despite the seriousness of the moment.

"The way you introduced me to the delicacies of this world. The enjoyment and the little ways of what life could offer to everyone… For the first time in my existence... you showed me how enjoyable life is beyond the battles I had mastered."

Her hand moved to rest over her heart, fingers pressing against the fabric covering her chest.

"But then… alongside those experiences came something foreign. A warmth in my chest that I could not identify…"

*Thump!*

"Initially, I believed it was merely appreciation for you as my Lord and your achievements. But as we continued together..."

*Thump! Thump!*

"The sensation intensified. It left me... breathless. Frightened by something I did not comprehend."

Her voice dropped to almost a whisper as vulnerability replaced her usual stoic authority.

"On that day when you leaned closer for our lips to meet... I was terrified. Not of Lord Nero, but of what might transpire. I feared the unknown, feared what it meant to desire something beyond our established bond."

She looked away, unable to meet his eyes.

"What consequences might follow if we crossed such boundaries? Was it really proper for a knight to harbor such feelings for her Lord? Would it be... would it be wrong to want more?"

Her formal speech pattern was breaking down as emotion overwhelmed her usual control.

"That is why I retreated. It was unfamiliar territory, and I have regretted it deeply since… I may have wounded Lord Nero, and that thought has tormented me since then…"

Her fingers tightened over her heart as tears began forming at the edges of her golden eyes.

"But I fully realized what I felt when you died. For the first time, the realization that I failed to protect Lord Nero, failed my oath, and failed to confront these emotions... it left me with immense self-loathing and regret."

A single tear traced down her cheek.

"..."

And that look made Nero's heart silently tighten.

"... If only I had been honest with myself. If only I had spent time with you properly instead of maintaining distance. If only I had the courage to accept what I felt rather than running..."

She wiped her eyes quickly, trying to regain some semblance of composure as she continued.

"After you returned... I intended to speak with Lord Nero about this matter. I was prepared to accept whatever you desired, though I am entirely inexperienced in such things… I want to apologize for not realizing it sooner."

She bowed slightly before a faint, awkward smile appeared on her lips as she said,

"But it appears Lord Nero acted first…"

"..."

Nero's eyes faintly trembled as he saw that captivating but awkward smile.

The sight of her being so vulnerable, so genuine, so beautifully imperfect made his heart race faster than any he had ever experienced.

If this isn't genuine… then he didn't know what else is considered as genuine.

He could feel her intense emotion through their connection.

"Then... You accept?"

His voice came out quieter than intended, barely above a whisper.

"..."

She gave a small, awkward nod with a deep blush spreading across her face, trying to avoid his gaze like someone confessing for the first time.

The sight was so adorable it made Nero's chest fill with overwhelming emotion.

"L-Lord Nero.. I–"

But before she could finish her sentence,

*Step.*

Nero closed the distance between them in a single stride, his hands cupping her face with surprising gentleness.

"!!!"

And then their lips met.

It was a gentle kiss.

It was a warm, delightful and romantic kiss…

The kiss was soft at first, like he was afraid she might disappear if he pressed too hard.

… But when she didn't pull away, when he felt her slight gasp against his mouth, something shifted.

His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer until their bodies pressed together with no space between them.

Aurelia's initial shock melted away as her hands found their way to his chest, fingers gripping his shirt as she tried to steady herself against the overwhelming sensations flooding through her.

*Thump! Thump! Thump!*

Her heart wasn't just racing.

It was thundering so loudly she was sure he could hear it.

But this time, instead of being scared of the intensity...

"..."

She accepted it.

Her lips moved tenderly against his, trying to reciprocate the warmth he was offering despite her complete lack of experience.

Nero's hand moved to the back of her head, fingers threading through her silver hair as he deepened the kiss.

His other hand remained on her waist, holding her steady as he poured all of his suppressed emotions into the connection between them.

"Mhm..."

A soft sound escaped Aurelia's throat as his tongue gently traced the seam of her lips.

The sensation was foreign but not unwelcome.

Hesitantly, she parted her lips, granting him access to explore further.

The moment their tongues met, her knees nearly gave out from the intensity.

His taste filled her senses as he explored her mouth with gentle insistence, teaching her the rhythm through action rather than words.

Her inexperienced attempts to match his movements were clumsy at first, but what she lacked in skill she made up for in genuine emotion.

Nero could feel her trying, he could sense her desire to reciprocate properly despite her obvious nervousness and awkward moment.

And that effort… that vulnerability, made the kiss even more precious.

It made her that much more lovely and cute!

His hand tightened slightly in her hair as he angled her head for better access, his tongue dancing with hers in increasingly confident strokes.

"Nhh..."

Aurelia's grip on his shirt tightened as heat pooled in from her chest to her face, spreading through her body in waves she'd never experienced before.

Her senses were overwhelmed by the proximity, by his scent, by the warmth of his body pressed against hers.

By the undeniable proof that he wanted her as much as she wanted him.

"Haaahhh…"

"... Haaaahhh."

When they finally broke apart for air, both were breathing heavily.

Their foreheads pressed together as they stared into each other's eyes, both faces were flushed and their pupils dilated.

As if they were hypnotized by each other's presence, that look on their faces unconsciously turned them on.

And what followed next was a hot session.