The Frog

Lullaby Fields

    After Ambrose had finally made up with Darcy, both of them sneaking muffins and sweet breads from the cupboards, taking the goodies back to Darcy's room, Ambrose finally felt the weighted blanket of guilt lift from his shoulders. Both of them hardly got through one loaf before Darcy felt her eyelids become too heavy to hold open. Ambrose braided Darcy's hair into a french braid as he did almost every other night and tucked her into bed.

     "Sleep well now," Ambrose pulled the blankets to her chin. "If you go to sleep fast enough, you might make the lullaby fields."

     "Ambrose, I'm much too old for lullaby fields." Darcy crossed her arms over her covers and stared up at her brother.

     "Nobody's too old for lullaby fields Darcy, Mother still finds herself in lullaby fields from time to time." Ambrose closed her windows, careful not to blow out the candle they had lit.

     "She does?" Darcy sat up, "Allison said we're getting too old for the fields."

     "Well then I will have to talk to Allison won't I?"

     "Talking to Allison won't fix it Ambrose, the lullaby fields come on their own."

     "That's only for those who get to sleep on time. I'll have to talk to Allison about her sleeping habits, they'll come back to her." Ambrose gently pushed Darcy back on her back, fixing the covers. "Now hurry or else they won't come."

      Darcy quickly turned onto her side, finding a comfortable position to welcome these lullaby fields. Ambrose blew out the candle next to her bed and left the room, shutting the door behind him.

      "What are lullaby fields?" Sorin was leaned against the wall, waiting for Ambrose. The sudden voice made Ambrose jump, his heart beating so quickly he thought it might burst.

     "Why are you out here?' Ambrose scolded, holding a hand over his heart, trying to make it still.

     "I heard you two scrounging for scraps." Sorin smiled at Ambrose's glare. "Now, please explain to me what a lullaby field is?"

     "A dream." Ambrose whispered, walking away from Sorin.

     "Why not just call it a dream then?" Sorin followed closely behind, leaning his head over Ambrose's shoulder.

     "We like lullaby field." Ambrose tried to wave Sorin away, his fingers brushing against the bridge of Sorin's nose. "Stop looking over my shoulder."

     "I'm not doing anything wrong. You just smell nice" Sorin tested, keeping his head where it was, almost sitting on top of Ambrose's.

     As Ambrose approached his bedroom door, he thought there might be a way to slip into the room without Sorin. Not that he didn't want Sorin in the room, Ambrose simply felt no need to give Sorin the satisfaction of being welcomed into the room. Sorin would have to earn his way in whether it was by waiting until Ambrose had become bored without him or finding some new way into the room that didn't involve the door. He turned to face Sorin as they made it to the closed door, pressing his back against the wood. Sorin, seeing this as an invitation, stepped closer, almost trapping Ambrose against the door.

     Ambrose let his hands wander up from Sorin's waist, up to his collar, tugging at the fabric to pull Sorin's face closer to his. A smile crept its way onto Sorin's features as he watched Ambrose pull himself in until their lips were a mere breath away. Sorin felt Ambrose's bottom lip brush against his, going in to finally kiss him, he was surprised to find Ambrose no longer there. Instead, he was halfway through the door, in the process of closing it. Sorin felt himself surge forward, shoving the door open before Ambrose could lock it.