This Is What It's Like To Be Lovers [ON HOLD]

19: Cut My Hair To Make You Stare

• This is Home by Cavetown •

Larimar suggested respite to Jade, as soon as they changed into a fresh set of clothes. She said she felt sorry for sleeping all the way while Jade had to stay on guard, but the redhead only smiled and patted the spot on the bed beside her.

Lari sighed and occupied the spot. They sat like that for several moments before Jade started to speak. "I asked Hema to take Missy to a friend's house," she said, breaking the awkward silence that had been periodically settling over them since the previous morning.

"Salem is there too, so she might have some company. Here, she could just get in everyone's way, or get hurt in the commotion."

"Yeah, that was very thoughtful," Lari replied. "Thank you."

"Peri - my friend, I mean - would bring both of the cats later in the evening. After we close up."

"Close up? I thought Jalo would be open all night for the festival."

Jade chuckled. "We used to do that before. I don't know why we don't stay open all night during the festival anymore. Oh! That reminds me... umm... Princess, I have something to tell you."

Lari nodded, urging her on. Jade left her spot to go over to where she had spread her coat and rummaged through the inner pockets. There she found a box, and brought it back to her beloved Princess.

"Citra and Mali - and this might sound weird as fuck - but they gave this to us," Jade informed, sitting back down, and tucking her feet under her thighs. "As gifts? Yeah, I'd like to believe so." She took the necklaces off the padding inside the box and separated the Sun and the Moon, and placed them on her palm.

"I'm guessing, I'm the Moon," her friend said cheekily, and picked the crescent locket up. She quickly put it around her neck and proceeded to take the other too. She made a circular motion with her mother finger, suggesting her friend to show her back.

"They... umm..." the redhead started again, stammering, as she watched the Sun descend on her chest, felt the chain on her skin and the Princess' breath on the back of her neck. "They're of the opinion... that you're the representative of the Moon, and I am so for the Sun. And..."

"Seems right, considering my mentor and your patron."

"Sure... and they also believe in this... prophecy. That... they think... well, it's Citra mostly, but Mali made these necklaces so I'm sure he believes it just as much."

"What does the prophecy say?"

"Well..." Jade's stammer continued. "It says... 'when the dark nights may fall, two will come to save them all. Sol and Luna will join hands, to the Devil's fault they make amends'."

"The rhyme scheme is on point," Lari joked, but it got her thinking.

The circumstances that brought her together with Jade were really very magical, fateful. True that it was driven by betrayal, and other people's greed, but never once was she led to label their meeting as star-crossed. On the other hand, to think of it as something having a higher purpose never occurred to her either.

"Wow, that was an underwhelming response," Jade said, fumbling with her locket. When Lari laughed, she turned towards her and narrowed her eyes.

The blue-eyed princess sighed and replied, "I don't know if this is related, but Luna has... well, I can't really say it..."

"Do you want me to tell her?"

A silky voice startled the both of them, making Jade look up and the other turn her head rather unceremoniously. "Goodness!" The noirette exclaimed, putting a hand over her chest. "Luna, what are you doing here? Are you... are you watching us?"