It was well past midnight at the Black Army headquarters.

(I was chatting with Seth and didn't realize how late it was.)

As I made my way from the study to my own room, I only heard my own footsteps in the hallway.

It was the dead of night and the hallway was pitch black, except for my candle.

(It is rather scary being alone at night in these dark hallways. I need to hurry back to my room!)

I quickly climbed the stairs when--

???: "[Alice]?"

[Alice]: "Ahhh--!"

From the shadows someone grabbed my wrist suddenly.

(W-who's there?!)

Carefully I turned around…

Fenrir: "Sorry I startled ya."

[Alice]: "Oh, it's you, Fenrir!"

(I thought my heart would stop I was so scared!)

My heart was pounding but started settling down after seeing Fenrir.

(Wait a minute...)

Fenrir's fingers that still gripped my wrist were cold.

He was avoiding eye contact and it worried me.

[Alice]: "What's wrong, Fenrir?"

was unusual to see Fenrir so unlike his usual cheerful self.

Fenrir: "Well--"

Fenrir lowered his voice and his eyes darted around the hallway.

I could feel the tension in the atmosphere.

(No way, is there an intruder here at headquarters?!)

As if he was telling me a secret, Fenrir leaned in and whispered into my ear.

Fenrir: "There's a ghost."

(A ghost..? Really?)

Fenrir: "I thought I overheard something in the halls."

Fenrir: "On nights you can't see the moon, spirits come to visit the living."

Fenrir: "And they say 'Be my friend... I'll never let you go…’”

(Now that sounds pretty scary!)

I felt a chill go up my spine.

(But that's just a ghost story, right? It's not real.)

Fenrir: "I went to go visit your room but since you weren't there, I was worried ghosts may've kidnapped you--"

[Alice]: "O-oh, well I'm here so..."

Even though what he was saying sounded ridiculous, Fenrir was dead serious.

(Fenrir is really terrified of ghosts, isn't he?)

Even someone as happy-go-lucky as the Ace of Spades had a fear.

(While I don't mind a spooky novel, I don't particularly enjoy scary stories in real life!)

[Alice]: "Even though there might be ghosts, why did you come this far to see me?"

Fenrir: "Right! That's the million dollar question."

Fenrir's gaze shifted to me and he stared intensely.

(Why is he suddenly looking at me like that?)

Even in the dark of night, Fenrir's eyes had a powerful effect on me.

Fenrir opened his mouth to speak and his cheeks flushed.

Fenrir: "Will you sleep with me?"

(Huh?! Oh, I think he means literally sleep next to each other.)

He tugged slightly at my sleeve.

(I can't handle how adorable Fenrir is!)

[Alice]: "Okay, shall we?"

We started walking towards my room but Fenrir took my hand.

Fenrir: "I'll go first to check and make sure there aren't any ghosts."

[Alice]: "O-okay."

(He'll still try to protect me even when he's scared.)

I grinned from ear-to-ear and realized his hands were warmer than before.

[Alice]: "I'm turning off the light now."

Fenrir: "Y-yeah, okay."

Fenrir got on the bed and hugged a pillow.

(Is he really alright?)

As I was climbing into bed, the light from the magic crystal faded.

I got under the sheets with Fenrir and the pillow.

Since my bed wasn't very big, our shoulders were touching.

(Nothing is scary now.)

[Alice]: "Good night, Fenrir."

Fenrir: "Wait a sec."

Fenrir started moving around.

(Hmm?)

He wrapped his leg around mine.

[Alice]: "What are you doing, Fenrir?"

Our bodies touched with every movement we made.

Fenrir: "If we cuddle, it'll be less scary."

(Oh, he's still concerned about ghosts.)

[Alice]: "Hehe."

Fenrir: "What?"

[Alice]: "You're so cute, Fenrir."

(Since he truly is frightened, I know I shouldn't laugh but--)

I held Fenrir's head in my arms and felt a twinge of happiness in my heart.

(He's just so precious!)

Fenrir: "You think I'm cute, eh?"

Fenrir's voice tickled against my chest

Fenrir: "That's unexpected."

[Alice]: "Really? Oh--"

Fenrir started kissing my neck.

(That feels so good--)

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer.

And intertwined his fingers with mine.

He kissed my lips and looked into my eyes.

Fenrir: "You're the cute one."

[Alice]: "No, you are."

Even though he was acting cute earlier, he now had a sexy vibe.

Fenrir: "Nope, l'm the one that gets to hold you, not the other way around."

[Alice]: "Well, let's just see about that."

Fenrir kissed me again and again.

We became more and more desperate for each other.

(You're cute and sexy too.)

Fenrir: "After kissing you, I'm not scared of anything anymore."

[Alice]: "Ha, are you sure?"

Fenrir: "Yep, I'm sure."

Fenrir nodded and narrowed his eyes.

Fenrir: "Can I kiss you even more?"

Fenrir: "So you're no longer afraid, [Alice]."

[Alice]: "Me?"

Fenrir: "You also don't like ghosts, right?"

(I'm sure he figured that out by my reaction earlier.)

I released all the tension in my shoulders and let his warm body embrace me.

I could feel my heart pounding but I knew it wasn't because of ghosts.

Fenrir: "Don't ever leave me..."

[Alice]: "I won't."

The temperature between us rose quickly.

(I can't stay away from Fenrir.)

(When we're together, I'm not afraid of anything.)

Fenrir fell asleep first, then me.

I fell asleep in the amazing, powerful arms of my knight in shining armor.

It was well past midnight at the Black Army headquarters.

(I was chatting with Seth and didn't realize how late it was.)

As I made my way from the study to my own room, I only heard my own footsteps in the hallway.

It was the dead of night and the hallway was pitch black, except for my candle.

(It is rather scary being alone at night in these dark hallways. I need to hurry back to my room!)

I quickly climbed the stairs when--

???: "[Alice]?"

[Alice]: "Ahhh--!"

From the shadows someone grabbed my wrist suddenly.

(W-who's there?!)

Carefully I turned around…

Fenrir: "Sorry I startled ya."

[Alice]: "Oh, it's you, Fenrir!"

(I thought my heart would stop I was so scared!)

My heart was pounding but started settling down after seeing Fenrir.

(Wait a minute...)

Fenrir's fingers that still gripped my wrist were cold.

He was avoiding eye contact and it worried me.

[Alice]: "What's wrong, Fenrir?"

was unusual to see Fenrir so unlike his usual cheerful self.

Fenrir: "Well--"

Fenrir lowered his voice and his eyes darted around the hallway.

I could feel the tension in the atmosphere.

(No way, is there an intruder here at headquarters?!)

As if he was telling me a secret, Fenrir leaned in and whispered into my ear.

Fenrir: "There's a ghost."

(A ghost..? Really?)

Fenrir: "I thought I overheard something in the halls."

Fenrir: "On nights you can't see the moon, spirits come to visit the living."

Fenrir: "And they say 'Be my friend... I'll never let you go…’”

(Now that sounds pretty scary!)

I felt a chill go up my spine.

(But that's just a ghost story, right? It's not real.)

Fenrir: "I went to go visit your room but since you weren't there, I was worried ghosts may've kidnapped you--"

[Alice]: "O-oh, well I'm here so..."

Even though what he was saying sounded ridiculous, Fenrir was dead serious.

(Fenrir is really terrified of ghosts, isn't he?)

Even someone as happy-go-lucky as the Ace of Spades had a fear.

(While I don't mind a spooky novel, I don't particularly enjoy scary stories in real life!)

[Alice]: "Even though there might be ghosts, why did you come this far to see me?"

Fenrir: "Right! That's the million dollar question."

Fenrir's gaze shifted to me and he stared intensely.

(Why is he suddenly looking at me like that?)

Even in the dark of night, Fenrir's eyes had a powerful effect on me.

Fenrir opened his mouth to speak and his cheeks flushed.

Fenrir: "Will you sleep with me?"

(Huh?! Oh, I think he means literally sleep next to each other.)

He tugged slightly at my sleeve.

(I can't handle how adorable Fenrir is!)

[Alice]: "Okay, shall we?"

We started walking towards my room but Fenrir took my hand.

Fenrir: "I'll go first to check and make sure there aren't any ghosts."

[Alice]: "O-okay."

(He'll still try to protect me even when he's scared.)

I grinned from ear-to-ear and realized his hands were warmer than before.

[Alice]: "I'm turning off the light now."

Fenrir: "Y-yeah, okay."

Fenrir got on the bed and hugged a pillow.

(Is he really alright?)

As I was climbing into bed, the light from the magic crystal faded.

I got under the sheets with Fenrir and the pillow.

Since my bed wasn't very big, our shoulders were touching.

(Nothing is scary now.)

[Alice]: "Good night, Fenrir."

Fenrir: "Wait a sec."

Fenrir started moving around.

(Hmm?)

He wrapped his leg around mine.

[Alice]: "What are you doing, Fenrir?"

Our bodies touched with every movement we made.

Fenrir: "If we cuddle, it'll be less scary."

(Oh, he's still concerned about ghosts.)

[Alice]: "Hehe."

Fenrir: "What?"

[Alice]: "You're so cute, Fenrir."

(Since he truly is frightened, I know I shouldn't laugh but--)

I held Fenrir's head in my arms and felt a twinge of happiness in my heart.

(He's just so precious!)

Fenrir: "You think I'm cute, eh?"

Fenrir's voice tickled against my chest

Fenrir: "That's unexpected."

[Alice]: "Really? Oh--"

Fenrir started kissing my neck.

(That feels so good--)

He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me closer.

And intertwined his fingers with mine.

He kissed my lips and looked into my eyes.

Fenrir: "You're the cute one."

[Alice]: "No, you are."

Even though he was acting cute earlier, he now had a sexy vibe.

Fenrir: "Nope, l'm the one that gets to hold you, not the other way around."

[Alice]: "Well, let's just see about that."

Fenrir kissed me again and again.

We became more and more desperate for each other.

(You're cute and sexy too.)

Fenrir: "After kissing you, I'm not scared of anything anymore."

[Alice]: "Ha, are you sure?"

Fenrir: "Yep, I'm sure."

Fenrir nodded and narrowed his eyes.

Fenrir: "Can I kiss you even more?"

Fenrir: "So you're no longer afraid, [Alice]."

[Alice]: "Me?"

Fenrir: "You also don't like ghosts, right?"

(I'm sure he figured that out by my reaction earlier.)

I released all the tension in my shoulders and let his warm body embrace me.

I could feel my heart pounding but I knew it wasn't because of ghosts.

Fenrir: "Don't ever leave me..."

[Alice]: "I won't."

The temperature between us rose quickly.

(I can't stay away from Fenrir.)

(When we're together, I'm not afraid of anything.)

Fenrir fell asleep first, then me.

I fell asleep in the amazing, powerful arms of my knight in shining armor.

It was a warm spring evening, and a crescent moon hung low in the sky overhead.

Sirius had given some of his best flowers to the other Black Army leaders as gifts, and now one sat in a flowerpot on the windowsill, watching over us.

Fenrir had invited me to his room so we could relax and spend time together, and he was teaching me how to play chess.

Fenrir: "Basically, it's a game about protecting your king at all costs. And not sacrificing your pieces pointlessly."

[Alice]: "Anything else?"

Fenrir: "Well, now that you know how all the pieces move--learn to make use of all of them effectively."

[Alice]: "I'll try, but..."

(I had a vague idea how chess was played even before you showed me-- but knowing the rules and actually applying them are two very different things.)

Fenrir: "Don't worry too much. The best way to improve at chess is to keep playing it."

[Alice]: "Okay. I'll give it my best shot, then."

We'd moved the pieces around while

Fenrir showed me how the game worked, but now we both moved them back to their starting positions.

Fenrir: "I could put an extra handicap in place to restrict my strongest pieces, too. What do you think?"

[Alice]: "No, that's okay. I want to see exactly how you make use of your pieces, too!"

Fenrir: "Okay, gotcha. Then I'll just let ya be white, so you can go first."

(Being able to make the first move would give me an advantage of some kind, right?)

[Alice]: "Okay! Thanks, Fenrir!"

His grin was as bright as ever, and I grinned back at him as our first game of chess began.

(Whew, an actual game of chess really requires a lot of thinking and planning... and some guesswork, too.)

The game was heating up, and I studied all the pieces on the board before I finally reached out and moved one of my pieces.

(I think that was the best move I could have made. Well, that I know of as a beginner, anyway!)

I glanced over at Fenrir, wondering if anything in his expression would give him away.

(Hotdamn, Fenrir.)

His pale pink eyes were bright as he stared intently down at the board, and they seemed to gleam in the diffuse sunlight from the window.

His hair fell in his face, and he brushed it back absently, all his attention fixated on the board, and I realized I couldn't stop staring.

(I love seeing you like this, all intent and focused. Ahh, how do you get away with being so gorgeous no matter what you do?)

Slender fingers reached out to pick up his knight and move it, and then his lips curved upwards in a smirk.

Fenrir: "If you let yourself get too caught up in me, you'll bring about your own ruin."

His eyes lifted to meet mine at last, but it was the wicked smile on his lips that set my heart racing.

[Alice]: "Okay, okay!"

(But if you want me to focus on the game, you need to stop looking so damn sexy!)

I looked down at the board, trying to figure out where his knight was headed, and then I reached for one of my pawns.

Fenrir: "Wait, that's not a good move. Another 8 moves and I'll be at checkmate."

[Alice]: "Wait-- are you saying you can read the game that far ahead?!"

Fenrir: "I guess. Look, for now, your best bet is to use your rook as a guard."

Fenrir reached out and picked up one of my rooks, moving it across the board.

[Alice]: "Are you sure you don't mind doing that for me?"

Fenrir: "Yeah, I'm sure. We don't want it to end too quickly. You'll learn better if you can see how a longer, more complex game plays out."

Our game continued with Fenrir giving me advice or making moves for me now and again, and every time he smiled at me, my heart skipped a beat.

(That may have been my first game, and you may have helped me out a bit, but even so, I think I did really well!)

The game had lasted much longer than I'd expected, and I was surprised by how satisfied I felt at the end of it.

[Alice]: "That's the first time anyone's ever taught me how to play chess properly, but you explained it all so clearly that I really felt like I got the hang of it!"

[Alice]: "It's really fun, and really interesting! I hadn't realized it could be this much fun!"

Fenrir: "Good! I'm glad you had fun! You're thoughtful and decisive, and I think you'll improve really quickly if you keep playing."

[Alice]: "And maybe one day I'll even be able to beat you!"

Fenrir: "I wonder."

His confident, triumphant smile was dazzlingly bright, and I felt lucky somehow to be on the receiving end of it.

[Alice]: "Right, let's play again! And this time, l don't want you to go easy on me!"

(I want to see how you play when you're giving it your all.)

Fenrir: "Okay, challenge accepted!"

We quickly put the pieces back in their starting positions, and soon our 2nd game was underway, this time with no advice or help from Fenrir.

10 minutes later--

Fenrir: "Checkmate."

[Alice]: "What?! Oh, wow! Okay, again!"

Another 10 minutes later--

Fenrir: "Checkmate."

[Alice]: "Huh? I feel like I lost even faster that time."

(I mean, I don't expect to win just yet, but I've been trying my best to read ahead and figure out your moves, at least.)

Fenrir: "Look, it's not that you're making bad choices. You're clearly getting the hang of this really quickly."

[Alice]: "If that's the case, then why aren't I winning, or at least lasting longer?"

He answered my question with a smile so radiant and proud that even in defeat it filled my heart with warmth.

Fenrir: "Obviously, it's because I'm just crazy strong at this."

(Ahh, Fenrir, why are you so ridiculously cool?! I swear your smiles are gonna be the death of me one day.)

(I'm no match for you, not when it comes to that.)

[Alice]: "You really give it your all when it comes to competing, don't you?"

Fenrir: "Maybe, but it happens to me too, you know.

Losing over and over again."

[Alice]: "No way! Who could ever possibly beat you at anything?"

He studied me in silence for a moment, and then he lifted a hand and pointed right at me.

Fenrir: "You."

[Alice]: "Me? Since when?"

(I can't think of a single thing I've ever beaten you at!)

Fenrir: "You were staring at me before."

[Alice]: "Hmm? Yeah."

(How could I not? You looked so cool when you were so focused on the game.)

Fenrir: "And then... you got all excited about how much fun chess is."

[Alice]: "Well, yeah."

Fenrir: "And then, despite being a total newbie, you were determined that I not go easy on you."

[Alice]: "Yeah..."

Fenrir: "All your expressions, the things you say and do, every second I'm with you-- it's like you just keep grabbin' my heart and squeezin' it, over and over."

Fenrir: "And every time you do, I find myself thinking 'ahh, I'm just no match for her'."

[Alice]: "Oh--"

(I was thinking the same about you just a moment ago, but-- I had no idea you felt the same way, Fenrir.)

I'd somehow won a game I hadn't even known I was playing, and this time it felt like he was grabbing my heart and squeezing it-- in a good way.

Fenrir: "But I don't really mind that kind of defeat. It's a good feeling."

Fenrir: "And I want you to know exactly what it feels like, too."

[Alice]: "Fenrir--"

Fenrir: "Cause this is what I really wanted to teach you through these games of chess."

It was like he was making a declaration of war, yet his lips curved upwards in a smile every bit as bright and as beautiful as the crescent moon outside.

Fenrir: "I'm gonna make you fall even more madly in love with me."

Those long fingers that had spent the last hour or more moving chess pieces now reached out to catch hold of my chin.

He tilted my face towards him, controlling me as easily as he controlled his pieces, and yet I didn't mind in the slightest.

I was smiling as his lips pressed against mine in a sudden, provocative kiss.

I reached out and wrapped my arms around him, kissing him eagerly in return, and he pulled me closer.

(But honestly, it's not even a fair game, Fenrir. I'm already so madly in love with you that there's nowhere left to go.)

In the corner of my vision, I could see the tansy in its flowerpot, swaying gently in the breeze as if nodding in agreement.

Fenrir's kisses were deep and passionate, and I knew that a new type of game had just begun.

But I was more than ready to wave my white flag and admit defeat, because I knew I'd already lost from the moment he'd first smiled at me...