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Everyone had always expected that Mash Kyrielight would end up dating her current Master and best friend, Fujimaru Ritsuka. It seemed natural that the Kouhai and Senpai would be interested in one another, given all the time they had spent together throughout the various singularities they had solved together. This led to most servants and staff in Chaldea having an in-depth and vocal interest in seeing the two finally admit their obvious feelings to one another. Mandricardo was no different in this department, although his general disposition prevented him from being as vocal in his support as some of the other more rowdy servants. He truly did believe that one day his kind Master would end up sweeping the Shielder off her feet, riding off into the sunset like a noble hero would with his princess. The one thing wrong with that train of thought, was that he was currently dating said princess.
Their relationship wasn’t something he had started, his former lover Doralice could testify to how terrified he was of initiating any sort of romantic interaction. In fact the shock of being confessed to by Mash had left him in such a fritz he could barely remember anything of the day other than that he had apparently returned her advances, and ever since then they had been dating. Bear in mind, it wasn’t anything Mandricardo was against in any possible way. He respected Mash almost as much as he respected his Master, she was stronger and more confident than he could ever hope to be. Not to mention her beauty was easily on par with her combat prowess, the Rider blushing as he suddenly thought back to her fighting during a combat simulation. His strength in battle was one of the few things he could think well of himself for, but seeing her fight was an awe inspiring experience. The way she fought so courageously, charging into the fray even without a proper weapon, he couldn’t help but begin to stare whenever they began to train together, amazed at how handled the threats before her.
It simply never occurred to the Rider that their relationship could be anything other than two people fighting side by side in the protection of humanity; he figured they would be trusted companions at most. He had no idea what she had seen in an older man like him of all people. While he didn’t have the same experiences as his lostbelt self, he couldn’t remember any particularly close interactions they had there, with the chaldea staff only seeming it important to mention his role in protecting Master. In the few months he was summoned the most they’ve done is train together and occasionally talk during dinner. Yet here he was, officially and publicly dating Mash Kyrielight, and doing what he hoped was a not so disappointing job of being a boyfriend.
As much as he thought he wasn’t worthy of the Shielder, he truly did begin to develop honest feelings for her. Instead of being anxious on whether or not he was saying anything right or if he was annoying to hang out with, he began to look forward to their rendezvous. It was more than just him waiting for it to be revealed that it was all some big joke or mistake, and while he would never have the courage to initiate such a thing, when Mash grabbed on his hand, he made sure to tightly clasp onto hers in return, offering her a warm smile as he did.
Even if Mandricardo’s natural anxieties prevented any public displays of affection, they did nothing to hide their relationship and when asked neither would deny their current situation, so eventually their relationship did become more or less common knowledge amongst the various servants and staff. Despite Mandri’s initial concerns nobody seemed to have anything negative to say about the relationship, Hektor was happy for the Rider and the neo-argonauts were proud of him. However, among the Atlantis Argonauts, get rid of the space above and put an however instead of although there was one stark exception, a comment that while most definitely thoughtless without an ill content, would end up rattling through the brain of Mandri for weeks to come.
“Huh, I can’t believe that silly Master of mine would allow such a lovely woman to escape him, I had always sensed a special spark between the two of them.” Bartholomew mused, before quickly joining the celebration, “But regardless, congratulations, now perhaps if you grew some bangs you’d be the perfect couple…”
A more reasonable, confident, person would’ve immediately dismissed the proposition as a thoughtless comment, and chastised the other Rider for even saying such a thing as a response, as Charlotte Corday did soon after. Mash had after all asked him out, and was usually the one to initiate any ‘dates’ they went out with. However, despite this all Mandricardo got from the comment was that rather than a random ramble, it was an obvious surface level impression.
“Mash and Master, huh?” Mandri replied, trailing off as he did (“He’s right, they were here a lot longer than I’ve been here, not to mention the fact that he’s so much more confident than me, not to mention younger than an old man like me. Why is Mash dating me?” ) he began to wonder, silent as the world began to go silent before him, going on autopilot as he wished goodbye to his friends as lunch ended.
Mandri ended up going to the simulator, intent to get his mind off the situation, ironically only succeeding once the aforementioned Mash offered to join him for the situation. Despite his apprehensions he truly did enjoy interacting with the Shielder, even if he couldn’t stand to do anything particularly… intimate. In a self deemed Mandri moment, he found it much easier, or at least less nerve wracking, to spar with her as they trained, than to hold her hand as they walked to each other’s room after finishing training.
For a time, Mandri forgot about the initial comment, falling back into happily enjoying his interactions with Mash. That was until, he came across what was far from an unusual scene, Mash and her Master enjoying some lunch together, laughing wholeheartedly as they told stories to each other. Mandri was far from a jealous man, even when he was much more passionate in his youth he only ever fought for Doralice after she practically demanded it, but something about the scene caused the Rider’s mind to race, thinking back to Bartholomew’s comment.
‘I had always sensed a special spark between the two of them.’ echoed in Mandri’s mind, as much as he didn’t want to admit it the pirate was right, and his brain began to go into overdrive at the thought, his train of thought rapidly derailing.
( “Nobody ever went ‘ Oh I bet Mash and Mandricardo would look really cute together ’, it wasn’t even something I had dreamed of before she had asked me out. They’ve been together since the beginning, from what I’ve heard she’s been his Kouhai since before the original singularities had occurred, I’ve only known her for a month at this point! Maybe… maybe we weren’t meant to be with each other” ) Mandri concluded, a dour expression on his face, but his overactive imagination did far from stop at that point
(“Then… Why did she ask me out? Master is more confident than me, he’s more accomplished than me, he’s more popular, all I have on him are 10 years of my life” ) and then that was when something clicked in the Rider’s brain, what was to him, the obvious solution to his quandary.
(“ All I have that Mash and Master don’t… is experience, oh how could I miss this! Nobody ever expects their first relationship to last forever, but for Mash there’s nowhere to have that second relationship! I can’t believe I was so stupid to believe that Mash actually saw anything in me, all I’m good for… is to be that first relationship, so she can be with someone who hasn’t already experienced all of these things.” ) and with that final thought, Mandri ran, not even thinking of how he looked as he turned around and bolted straight back to his room.
When he finally reached his room, he barely made it past the threshold before his throat began to tighten and his breaths came out as if he was whimpering, tears already beginning to form in his eyes. He had thought he would be able to handle rejections easily. He had done so before Even when he thought he was being banished from Chaldea during valentines he hadn’t been pressed about the situation, but something about the situation made it too difficult for his anxious mind to deal with. It was as if his entire chest threatened to shrink and crumble as his lungs fought his own mind for air
His normal continuous, albeit anxious, train of thought was only coming out in confused spurts, some kind of static haze blasting over his thoughts. (“ How could I not realiz e”)- (“ You absolute idiot” )- (“ You’re nearly 30 and you can’t see you’re not even in her dating range?”), at this point tears were streaming down his face, just sitting in place as he continued sobbing.
He would’ve continued like that for a while, if not for the sudden opening of the door behind him, as Mash ran in with a worried expression on her face, her eyes darting around the room until she spotted the Rider. Without a second thought upon seeing the sorry state of her boyfriend she ran up and hugged him, desperately trying to communicate to him that she was there for him.
“Mandricardo, what’s wrong, I saw you run away before we even had dinner together, Senpai and I were worried sick!” she spoke urgently, despite her attempts at calming down the current state of Mandri was clearly making her worry as well.
The mention of her senpai however, only made it worse as Mandri tried to string together a response, “Don’t worry, just… go back to Master, I’m sorry for keeping you all this time, everyone knows you love him.” Mandri tried to reply reassuringly, but the continued tears and his shaky voice made it far from convincing. “I know that an old man like me wasn’t good for someone like you… but I hope this experience will be good enough to prepare you for him.”
Mash’s expression turned from a worried one to deathly serious, as if the whole situation suddenly clicked in her head. She knew that her boyfriend was nervous, but to this degree was almost incomprehensible to her. She couldn’t believe it had taken so long, chastising herself as she tried to wipe away his tears and comfort him, “Mandricardo, didn’t I ask you out?”
“Y-yes but…”
Mash’s expression almost turned to one of annoyance, before suddenly softening, realizing what she needed to do before she cut him off, “Mandricardo.”
“Y-yes?”
“I love you.”
Mandricardo could barely respond, his face bright red as he tried to string together a full sentence from his constant stutters and murmurs. Even his normally omnipresent inner-monologue went completely silent as his brain began to spasm in place trying to find the words to respond to this situation.
Realizing her boyfriend’s difficulty, Mash responded by placing her lips upon his. Holding him close as she leaned deeper in, comforting him like a knight would to her prince. Not saying anything, not because she didn’t have anything to say, but because she didn’t need to, because she knew the best way to reassure her boyfriend was by showing her just how much she loved him.
For a moment, it was silent, the kiss continued mostly uninterrupted, Mandricardo’s nerves calming as he boldly grasped Mash’s own hands, showing her how close he wanted to be to her. Finally, at least for now, he stopped worrying about whether he truly was loved, and while he would always have his anxieties, at this moment he was well and truly sure that the Shielder in front of him truly did love him. He didn’t need to worry about his Master sweeping her off her feet, for at this moment, they were both knight, prince and princess for each other, and he knew that no matter what he would be able to trust her when she said that she did care for him.
Just outside the partially open door, a certain Chaldean Master and his Fox Companion watched the scene unfold, a smile on his face as he saw just how happy they were. He looked to the figure beside him,
“Should we tell them the door is open, Suzuka?” he whispered
The fox only scoffed, “You’re like so dumb sometimes, you know that? Let’s just close the door and leave these two lovebirds alone.” she whispered back, “After all, my super cool boyfriend isn’t about to be outdone, is he?” she finished, grabbing onto his collar as she began to pull him into her own room.