Too Lazy to be a Villainess novel Chapter 287

Chapter 287: When Pride meets Tenderness

[Lavinia’s POV — Same Evening—Dawnspire Wing]

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The sound was relentless. I groaned, half-buried in my pillow, while Marshi’s faint snores vibrated beside me.

"Who in the name of sanity—" I mumbled, pushing the blanket away.

Then came the voice. Slurred. Desperate. Familiar. "Lavi... Lavi, open the door... please, Lavi..."

My eyes snapped open. Osric.

For a heartbeat, I just sat there, stunned. Then I heard the guards outside—firm, professional, and panicked. "Lord Osric, please—let us escort you back to—"

"No!" his voice cut through, shaky and stubborn. "I... I need to meet my Lavi. My beautiful, angry Lavi..."

I sighed, rubbing my temple. Of course he’d pick now.

Pulling my robe tighter, I stepped toward the door and unlatched it—and nearly stumbled back when he lurched forward, half-tripping over his boots, eyes glossy and cheeks flushed pink like he’d been dipped in wine.

The moment his gaze found me, his entire face lit up.

"Lavi!" he said, grinning far too wide. "My Lavi!"

Before I could react, he wrapped his arms around me, burying his face in my shoulder.

"Osric—" I stiffened. "—are you drunk?"

He chuckled softly against my neck, words melting together. "Nooo... not drunk. Just... slightly... emotionally marinated."

I exhaled sharply. "In wine, you mean."

He nodded into my shoulder. "Mhm. Only a little. Rey said it would... make the night quieter. But now everything’s spinning, so he’s a liar."

The guards exchanged uncertain glances. One of them stepped forward. "Your Highness, shall we escort Lord Osric back to the Everheart estate?"

Osric waved a hand without even looking at them, holding up his fingers like a child showing off a trick. "See? Still five of them. Perfectly functional. Means I can stay."

He tightened his hold, mumbling, "Not leaving my Lavi’s side. Ever. Again."

I sighed, torn between exasperation and... something softer I refused to name.

"Fine," I said quietly. "I’ll handle him. Just... don’t mention this to anyone."

The guards hesitated, then bowed. "As you command, Your Highness."

When the door finally clicked shut behind them, silence filled the room—except for Osric’s uneven breathing and the faint hiccup that followed.

He leaned more of his weight against me, eyes half-lidded.

"Lavi," he murmured, smiling dreamily, "did you know... when you’re angry, the whole palace feels colder? Even the fire dims."

I looked down at him—at his messy hair, flushed face, and the faint, stubborn smile that somehow made it impossible to stay angry for long.

"Come on, you ridiculous man," I muttered, slipping an arm around him. "Before you collapse in the hallway and embarrass both of us."

He laughed softly. "Already embarrassing you, aren’t I?"

"Terribly."

"Good," he whispered, eyes fluttering. "Then maybe you’ll remember me when I die of heartbreak."

I rolled my eyes and guided him inside, closing the door behind us. He stumbled once, twice—and then smiled again, softly this time, like a boy who’d just found his way home.

He nearly tripped over the carpet as I led him in, mumbling incoherently about how stars were jealous of my eyes and how walls shouldn’t spin so fast.

"Osric," I said, steadying him by the arm, "if you faint, I’m leaving you here for the maids to find in the morning."

He looked up with glassy, pleading eyes. "You wouldn’t... you love me too much for that."

I arched a brow. "At this moment, I’m reconsidering."

He chuckled—a soft, lopsided sound that melted into a sigh. "You’re angry. I can feel it. Even the air around you feels sharp."

"Good," I muttered, pushing him gently toward the couch. "Maybe it’ll sober you up."

He flopped down inelegantly, his head tipping back against the cushions. The firelight painted his face in gold and crimson, his hair a messy halo of rebellion.

"Lavi..." he whispered, his voice suddenly quieter and more fragile. "I came to apologize."

That caught me off guard. Scared?

He smiled faintly. "Drunk, yes. But not blind." His gaze softened, heavy with regret and affection. "You’ve been angry at me before, but tonight when you looked at me... it felt like you didn’t just hate my words—you hated me. And that..." He laughed quietly, almost to himself. "That’s a wound I can’t fight my way out of." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Shut up!" My voice snapped through the room like a whip.

"Because if you do," I said, stepping closer, "I might start to hate you for real. And trust me, Osric—if I ever truly hate you, the consequences won’t be something you can kneel your way out of."

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify