Dolls With Souls

Sparkly Gates & Tentative Dates

"Okay! So we'll have lunch Thursdays, I'll let the staff know to let you in. Again— you're my sister." Acacius babbled excitedly as he walked her to the gate of the courtyard, "And of course, you must write to me. And I will flood your home with silly little notes! Oh! And these—"

He then reaches up to his ears, removing golden threads with small pearls on the end, one at a time.

He then takes her hand, placing the jewelry inside, "Take them. Give them to your mother as a present from me. If she doesn't wish to wear them, they'll sell at a high price."

"Cace... I can't—"

"Oh don't be a prude about it, it's the least I can do!" Acacius insists, "Besides, as a royal slut I get all kinds of pretty things to wear."

"Don't call yourself that." Dara says darkly, but he ignores her.

"It wouldn't do for me to look anything less than stunning and spoiled." He grinned lopsidedly, then quickly looked away, "There's the gate."

There it was indeed.

Sparkly and high.

He then turns back to her abruptly, making Dara stumble back a bit.

"I'm sorry, truly, but... B-but..." he wrung his hands anxiously.

Dara put a hand on his shoulder, "Hey, it's okay... Anything you need to say, you can say it to me."

He slowly goes still, and looks up from his pedicured toes, "Today has been so unexpected... on the off-chance this is a dream, a really strong drug... I must say this to you."

His voice is different now.

Still silky and curvy, but much softer... quieter.

Almost strainy, as if this voice hurt him.

"Dara, I missed you... every day, really." He shrugged slightly, "You were the only person who'd ever loved me... So uh, thanks. For that... I really needed it out there, heh."

Dara's chest clenched.

She didn't know what to say...

There were many things she could say, the first of which being a very impulsive "I still love you!"

But she doubted that would bring anything good at the moment.

Another was "I missed you too!"

But while her first thought was too much, that one felt too little...

But she had to say something now, before it got too awkward, before he moved his face away...

She's never been good at this stuff...

"Love doesn't feel real, y'know?" He was fidgeting again, "So... you gave me just a little hope that... maybe it was."

He shook his head in embarrassment, "Silly, I know... But it meant a lot. Sitting on that roof with you, so uh... thanks."

Dara felt moisture in her eyes and couldn't concentrate.

What... what did she say to that?

"I uh... I..." she tried, he was studying her so intently right now, it scrambled her brain even further, "I don't know what to say..."

He stared a second longer before nodding at the grass, "Sorry... I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

Reaching out and snatching his hand, Dara was quick to assuage him, "No! No, you didn't make me uncomfortable, it's just... I'm feeling a lot of things right now." Dara sighed, "I mean, I didn't even know if you were alive..." she chuckled nervously, "I just... don't know what to say."

Acacius took a moment to think before nodding, "I understand... Besides, we don't have to say everything now... We have a lot of time to figure that out, right?"

Dara smiled, nodding. "Mhm."

"And you're gonna write me everyday, right?" He added, cheekily.

He's so beautiful...

"Anytime you ask, darling." Dara winked deviously.

And they both laughed, because it was a joke.

At least, they'd pretend it was...

A/N: let me know your thoughts!