(I've been missing some Juby songs ahah so idk

I L O V E Y O U D O G

also, like, people seem to like fics about a normal red servant, which I personally don't like, but this one is special now I guess

Also, I don't know why I always imagine a garden at Norta. That's 100% not real but I think a garden will be cute, right?)

Oh mirror mirror on the wall

You look at yourself as you get dressed, putting on the labeling red vest you wear every day. You pat it down, trying to smile at yourself. 

I still look awful, but it's really nothing new

Really, you look the same the minute you wake up to the second you fall into bed at night. There's not much you can do in the small room you were given. No accessories, just the same look every day. Maybe you can do something with your hair, part it another side. Would that look good? 

My hair a mess, my mouth a frown

Maybe if you spend more time in the mirror, Maven wouldn't mind you being late for the rest of your time. You can say you were making yourself pretty, would that work? 

"Blah," you whisper, poking the mirror. Whatever. You're going to work anyways, why not just get it over with?

I'm really tired of it all and hate 

How it's my fate to lose

You walk down the halls on your tip-toes, trying to regain your balance with your arms out. The other servants give you weird looks. You only act this way in the dull morning it is, a time too early for any silvers to be out. A morning so tall that the sun hasn't made its yellow entrance yet. You try having fun in the castle you're destined to work. It's best to make the best out of your life, isn't it? Every day getting treated like garbage just because of the color of your blood. It's not fair, is it? Sometimes you wish all people would be equal, that there would be no silver nor red. Would everything be fair then?

"Good morning, (Y/N)," King Maven says. His face, showing no sign of tiredness, scares you when you first see it. 

Yet have so much that I want to say 

But when I'd try to, nothing ever came to be

Nervous, you straighten up and bow, a forced smile on your face. Sure, Maven is way better to you than any Tiberias ever was, but his lack of true emotions frightens you too much to exist in front of him. You want to greet him, give him finger-guns and be on your way, but you just bow like the peasant you are.

And for the rest of the day, when you saw Maven, you'd just smile and nod. 

Today I'm looking at the ground

He upsets you, but like, also makes you happy. It's a feeling you can't quite explain. You love that he exists but you hate the way he exists. He can act better, show a better smile, live in a head that doesn't have his mother in it. But he doesn't do any of that. He's like a doll. A hallow, hallow doll.

"So now, can't even greet us?" they would sigh 

"The poor thing"

Does Maven think you're rude? He wouldn't, right? He must be used to the flustered servants getting anxious around him. He is king, after all. You assure yourself that you acted the normal way, that there's nothing to be scared of. But still, a part of you is unsure. You bite your lip until it bleeds. And it bleeds all day.

The last time you see Maven, at the end of the day, you give him a wave goodbye. He smiles. The type of smile that wrinkles the corner of your eyes. A good smile. Your heart shakes against your ribcage, threatening to break free. He smiled at you. How embarrassing is that? 

The other servants, as they follow to their headquarters, talk about it behind your ears. They speak, questioning his motives. Silly, you think. They're all just silly.

In my garden, there lives a pretty dogwood tree

You get undressed in your small room, blessed that Maven denied a roommate for you. And after you get undressed, you stand on your bed, looking out the small window that shows a peek of the small garden outside of the castle. The trees, all beautiful, give you a light you love.

What a terrible child compared to blooming trees

You've been watching the trees since you were a preteen. You've seen them when they were small, and now you see them now, all big and bright. You wish you were a tree. When is your time to be bright? One day, will you bloom like that? No way.

Wishing for "normal" is like chasing a pipe dream

Getting up is easy for you. You just repeat the same process every day until your brain knows exactly what second to light back up again. And again, in front of the mirror, you imagine yourself with silver skin. Will Maven like you then? Woah, wait, why are you thinking like that?!

"Stupid, stupid! Delete!" You hit your head, trying to get rid of the thoughts of you and Maven together. No way, not with a red like you. Never in a million years.

Choking on every word, I can't reply

You smile at Maven, opening your mouth to say something, but closing it and waving. A red like you shouldn't talk to him. Living like this all of your life... maybe the silvers are right. Maybe you are just a pathetic red. 

A part of your shoulder brushes against Maven as you walk past him. Neither of you acts upon it.

Tripping and falling every time, so clearly

The sun is the highest it can be in the sky. The hallways, always busy, are also always empty. In the passing, you past Maven again. You don't look up. Today, the floor is the most interesting thing to you. You just want to past like a normal red, not have this nonverbal relation to the king.

I'm getting tired of the world around me

Maven grabs your hand, shaking you to the bone. Your feet try to catch you from the abnormal stop, but you end up tripping over yourself. Maven, still grabbing your hand, pulls you into his chest. Even though it feels like he just ripped your arm off, it's oddly romantic. You just want to relax into his chest until you die.

"I'm fine," you speak. Your voice isn't quiet. It's loud and definitely proud. Maven takes a step back and lets you stand on your own. You look up at him. You just spoke, really, that's a first. A feeling in your chest makes you confident. That's something you haven't felt in awhile.

"I'm sorry for grabbing you like that," he looked like he wasn't sorry, "it was out of my place." He has on that voice he uses to speak into the cameras to the country. His voice reminds you of your place. You don't respond right away. You just smile, shaking your head.

"It's alright, nothing you do is your fault," your words come out before you process them. Damn, it sounds like you're talking to a celebrity or something. You mentally shoot yourself in the throat. He hums, thinking about what you said. He's probably thinking about how stupid you are. No, he's not thinking that. You need to think more positively.

Reaching the end, that's when "tomorrow" came

For the rest of the day, you repeat the conversation in your head and try to think of a better response you could have. Anything would have been better than praising him like he's a god. People like that praising, though, don't they?

And the world that I found was painted brighter days

"Maven... calls for me? Can he do that?" You turn to the other servants, seeking for the right answer. They just shrug, recoiling their faces in a negative manner. You groan, heading to the wing where the highhouse silvers lay. 

Again, you try to walk like a ballerina down the halls until your feet ached. 

"Are you having fun?" Maven asks, sneaking up on you from the front. You stop, laughing at yourself before regaining your balance. Take a deep breath, it'll be okay. 

"It's my only entertainment in here," you speak truthfully. You only remind yourself how horrible your life is. Maven smiles, tilting his head by the slightest. He seems interesting. His eyes gaze over for a second until he focuses back on you. He was obviously thinking about something.

"Well, that's sad to hear. How would you like a room upgrade?" Maven introduces his main point. You close blink in surprise. Wow, is this his way of hitting on me. Honestly, you're very interesting. But that doesn't mean you're saying yes. Who's kidding, of course you're saying yes!

You nod, clasping your hands together and smiling. He smiles, too.

Growing up and in time, I'm sure that you'll find

Your new room is way bigger than your old room, but not big enough to be elegant. Definitely not a guest room. But none of that is important to you. The only important thing is the window. You don't need to stand on your bed to see through this one. It fits most of the wall and even goes out to a small balcony. Now, from higher up, you can see the beautifully grown trees that look even bigger from up here.

That I'm changing every day

"Do you like it?" Maven asks. You turn to face him, absolutely stunned. You smile, thanking him repeatedly. A part of his cheeks go silver but you pretend to ignore it. 

"I really do love it, Maven. Thank you very very much!" You say loudly. Maven smiles, walking close to you. Your heartbeat goes up. You're a different kind of servant. You have never realized this. Rather than being stone face and walking through the halls like a statue, you show life, and character. You don't need to part your hair a different way just to be unique.

But carry on all of the love and that will never change

Maven grabs your hands calmly but you're the one to squeeze his. He pulls you close, and as you have always imagined since you first came here, he kissed you.