Prompt: Inspired by Mercenary's Enrollment. Modern AU where the Silva's are one of the largest enterprises in England, and so they're family live lives of being targeted for ransom among other things. Nozel does his best to procure his youngest sister a normal life.
—
Noelle Silva had never known a life without a price tag.
Born into the prestigious Silva family, she was the youngest daughter of one of England's most powerful business dynasties. The Silva Foundation, a titan in the insurance industry, had its name carved into the country's economic framework. Its reach extended beyond finances; with wealth came influence, and with influence came enemies.
Kidnapping attempts, threats, and extortion—these weren't just distant nightmares but the reality of being a Silva. From an early age, Noelle had been taught caution. Where other children learned to make friends, she learned how to detect a tail. Where others sought comfort in companionship, she was told closeness was a liability.
Her three older siblings—Nozel, Nebra, and Solid—had always embodied the Silva legacy with their unwavering composure. Nozel, the eldest, bore the burden of leadership, taking the reins as CEO after their father's passing. He was more than a businessman; he was a strategist, a guardian, and to Noelle, an unyielding wall she could neither surpass nor fully understand.
Yet, for all his rigidity, Nozel was not blind to her struggles. He knew Noelle longed for something beyond the calculated world they lived in. She wanted to experience life without bodyguards lurking in the shadows, without the constant paranoia of being seen as a walking ransom note.
So, he made a decision.
She would have a bodyguard—but not one she'd ever see coming.
—
"You're sending me to high school?"
Asta blinked, gripping the thick envelope Nozel had just handed him.
"Not sending—embedding," Nozel corrected, his cold silver eyes narrowing. "You'll assume the identity of a transfer student. Your primary directive is Noelle's safety. Nothing more."
Asta let out a low whistle, flipping through the forged documents—transcripts, a new ID, everything necessary to slot him into Noelle's world seamlessly.
"Man, never thought I'd be back in school," he muttered, then shot Nozel a grin. "Gotta say, though, I feel like you could've picked someone taller for this job. Y'know, less 'loud and built like a tank' and more 'blends into the background'?"
Nozel's expression remained impassive. "Your physique is a deterrent. Your attitude, however…" He exhaled sharply, looking as though he regretted his decision already. "You were chosen because of your record. You're reliable, adaptable, and your combat ability is second to none."
Asta grinned, flexing. "Damn right!"
Nozel ignored him. "You will protect Noelle without interfering in her life. Keep your distance unless necessary. Do not engage beyond your role."
Asta nodded. It was a standard protection detail—stay close, observe, neutralize threats before they became threats. Easy.
Or at least, it should've been.
"You're dismissed," Nozel said, but as Asta turned to leave, the older man added, "One more thing."
Asta paused.
"Noelle doesn't know about you. And she won't. Not if you do your job correctly."
Asta nodded, stepping out of Nozel's office.
Simple. Stay hidden. Keep her safe. Don't get attached.
How hard could it be?
—
Noelle Silva did not like change.
Change meant instability, and instability was dangerous.
So when a new student transferred into her high school class out of nowhere, Noelle's instincts flared. It wasn't that she paid attention to just anyone, but this new guy was hard to ignore.
He was short—shorter than most of the boys in their class—but he carried himself with a confidence that made his height irrelevant. His body was all compact muscle, his presence loud, his voice even louder.
And, most annoyingly, he was always nearby.
At first, she chalked it up to coincidence. The school wasn't enormous; of course, she'd see him around. But when he started showing up in places she hadn't expected—near her locker, in the library, even in the same extracurricular spaces she occupied—something felt off.
She wasn't paranoid. Noelle had learned to differentiate between ordinary and suspicious.
And Asta was definitely suspicious.
But he wasn't the only one noticing things.
Asta had been in the field long enough to trust his instincts, and right now, they were telling him one thing loud and clear—Noelle Silva knew something was up.
She wasn't supposed to notice him. She wasn't supposed to look at him like she was trying to solve a puzzle with missing pieces.
He was supposed to protect her from danger.
Not become the mystery she was determined to solve.
—
Asta had never expected blending in to be so difficult.
He wasn't new to deep-cover operations. His past jobs had taken him to war zones, high-profile events, and even the underbellies of criminal networks. But high school? High school was a different battlefield entirely.
For the first time in years, his biggest threats weren't assassins or kidnappers—they were nosy classmates, relentless gossip, and the absolute chaos of teenage social dynamics.
Still, he had a job to do.
For the first few weeks, he stuck to the plan. He kept a reasonable distance from Noelle, staying close enough to intervene if necessary but far enough to avoid suspicion. If she was in class, he was a few seats behind. If she was in the cafeteria, he found a table with a clear line of sight. If she walked home, he made sure to be nearby, taking different routes but always within range.
It was a well-calculated strategy.
And it failed spectacularly.
Because Noelle Silva, despite her icy demeanor, had the curiosity of a cat.
—
The first incident happened in chemistry.
Asta had deliberately chosen a seat near her, but not too near. Just close enough to step in if anything happened. He was reviewing the safety protocols in his head when the teacher, a wiry man with thick glasses, clapped his hands together.
"Alright, class! New seating arrangement—lab partners!"
Asta barely had time to register the groans before he heard his name.
"And Asta, you'll be with Noelle Silva."
His head snapped up. Oh, come on.
Across the room, Noelle stiffened. She turned slowly, lavender eyes locking onto him with the sharpness of a blade. If Asta were any less trained, he might've actually been nervous.
Instead, he grinned. "Guess we're partners, huh?"
Noelle narrowed her eyes, gripping her pen tightly. "...Unfortunate."
Asta didn't take it personally. He'd done his research—Noelle didn't interact much with her classmates. She kept her distance, not out of arrogance, but because it was safer that way.
Unfortunately for her, Asta wasn't going anywhere.
The lab work started, and to his surprise, Noelle was actually pretty good at chemistry. She handled the equipment with precise, deliberate movements, like someone who had been trained to do things properly. He, on the other hand, was less… refined.
"Wait, wait, wait—why is this bubbling? Should it be bubbling?"
Noelle sighed. "You put too much of the reactant in."
"Well, why didn't you stop me?"
"Because I thought you had basic competence."
Asta laughed. "You overestimated me!"
Noelle pressed her fingers to her temples like she was reconsidering her entire life.
That was the first time she saw Asta as more than just an annoyance.
—
The second incident happened in the cafeteria.
Asta had been staking out his usual spot when a commotion broke out.
A group of upperclassmen—tall, smirking, and unmistakably privileged—had surrounded Noelle.
He was on his feet before he even knew what was happening.
"Hey, Silva," one of them sneered. "You never eat with anyone. What, think you're too good for us?"
Noelle barely looked up from her tray. "Leave me alone."
"C'mon, we're just being friendly."
The guy reached for her tray.
Asta was already there.
With a sharp movement, he grabbed the upperclassman's wrist, his grip firm—not enough to break, but enough to send a message.
The guy flinched. "What the hell?"
Asta grinned. "Didn't your parents teach you not to touch other people's stuff?"
The cafeteria had gone dead silent. The upperclassman yanked his arm back, his face twisting between anger and embarrassment. He looked at Asta—really looked at him—and seemed to reconsider his choices.
"Tch. Whatever."
They backed off.
Noelle stared at Asta like he'd just sprouted a second head.
"...What are you doing?" she asked, her voice low.
Asta shrugged. "Making sure you don't get harassed during lunch. You're welcome."
She scoffed, turning away. "...I didn't need your help."
Maybe. But she didn't reject it, either.
—
The third incident wasn't an incident at all.
It was just Asta, existing in her space, and Noelle realizing she didn't mind as much as she should.
He was everywhere now—part of her routine before she even realized it.
If she was running late, Asta somehow was, too. If she was stuck in a group assignment, he ended up in her group. If she left school, he was always heading in the same direction.
It was unnatural. Too convenient.
She started watching him.
Asta was loud, but never too loud. Strong, but never aggressive. He was… aware. His eyes scanned the environment in ways normal students wouldn't. He never sat with his back to the door. He never had headphones in when walking home.
He's careful, she realized.
But why?
Noelle didn't believe in coincidences.
And Asta was quickly becoming the biggest mystery in her life.
—
Noelle had never been good at letting things go.
Once something lodged itself in her mind, it festered, refusing to be ignored. And right now, that something was Asta.
At first, she thought he was just another loudmouthed idiot—an irritating transfer student who lacked any sense of personal space. But over time, things stopped adding up. The way he always seemed to be nearby, the way he watched his surroundings like a trained operative, the way he moved—all of it pointed to something more than just an overly friendly classmate.
And Noelle Silva did not believe in coincidences.
So she did what she always did when something didn't make sense.
She started paying attention.
—
Asta, on the other hand, was in trouble.
Not because of any external threats—no, his problems were entirely internal.
He was getting too close.
He knew it the moment he started remembering the little things about Noelle.
The way she scrunched her nose when she was annoyed but didn't want to admit it. The way she always hesitated a fraction of a second before thanking someone, like the words didn't come naturally. The way she hated sweet drinks but still ordered them anyway, because for some reason, she refused to let people know her actual preferences.
It was ridiculous. He was ridiculous.
This wasn't part of the mission. He wasn't supposed to care.
And yet, when she muttered a quiet, almost grudging "thank you" after he helped her carry some books, he felt like he'd won something far greater than just her gratitude.
This was a disaster.
—
The breaking point came on a rainy afternoon.
The school day had ended, and most students had already rushed home to escape the downpour. Noelle, however, had stayed behind, flipping through her notes in the empty library.
Asta lingered near the entrance, pretending to be engrossed in his phone, but in reality, he was just making sure no one suspicious was around.
And that's when Noelle struck.
"So," she said casually, not looking up from her notebook. "Who hired you?"
Asta froze.
His brain short-circuited for a full three seconds before he managed to recover. "Huh?"
Noelle finally glanced up, lavender eyes sharp. "You heard me."
Asta scrambled for a response. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Noelle leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms. "You're not a normal student. You don't act like one, you don't move like one, and you definitely don't look at things the way normal people do."
Asta swallowed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
Noelle scoffed. "Please. You show up out of nowhere, always stay close to me, and somehow manage to be in the right place at the right time every single time something happens? Either you're a stalker—"
"I'm not a stalker," Asta interjected immediately.
"—or you're protecting me," Noelle finished, tilting her head. "So which is it?"
Asta clenched his jaw.
He could lie. He should lie. That was the smart thing to do.
But Noelle Silva had never been the type to let go of something once she sank her teeth into it. And even now, she was looking at him like she was already halfway to solving the puzzle—like she just needed one more piece.
And for some reason, Asta didn't want to lie to her.
He exhaled sharply. "You're too damn perceptive, you know that?"
Noelle just raised an eyebrow, waiting.
"...Fine," Asta muttered. "Yeah. I was assigned to protect you."
He expected anger. Maybe even betrayal.
What he didn't expect was for Noelle to lean back, eyes flashing with something satisfied.
"I knew it," she muttered.
Asta blinked. "You're not mad?"
"Oh, I am," Noelle said, tapping a finger against her arm. "But more than that, I'm right. And that matters more."
Asta groaned. "Of course it does."
Noelle stared at him for a long moment. "...It was Nozel, wasn't it?"
Asta hesitated, then nodded.
Noelle sighed, rubbing her temples. "That overprotective idiot."
"You do get kidnapped a lot," Asta pointed out.
Noelle shot him a glare. "That is not my fault."
Asta grinned. "Never said it was."
She exhaled sharply, but her expression softened—just a little. "...So what now?"
Asta considered his options.
Technically, now that she knew, he could be pulled from the mission. Nozel would be furious. But…
But the thought of leaving made something in his chest clench.
He looked at Noelle, really looked at her—the sharpness in her gaze, the stubborn tilt of her chin, the way she wasn't pushing him away even after learning the truth.
And he made a decision.
"...I'm still your bodyguard," he said. "That doesn't change."
Noelle was silent for a moment. Then, she smirked.
"Good," she said, standing up and gathering her things. "Because you still owe me an explanation on why you've been this terrible at pretending to be a normal student."
Asta groaned. "Look, high school is way harder than I thought, okay?"
Noelle laughed.
And for the first time, Asta let himself believe that maybe—just maybe—getting close to her wasn't a mistake after all.