To melt the ice-cold heart [DISCONTINUED]

Chapter #8 - Love is an open door

Ever since Chase ran into Stacy, his night got better again. They danced for a bit and God wasn't she a better dancer than Jacques... After they got slightly tired of that, they were just talking and walking around, slowly straying further from the party and making more use of the now-empty palace. Chase knew this place better than anyone, so he could provide Stacy with the best tour around she could ever ask for.

They were mostly walking through the gardens and admiring the plants growing in them, as they were truly beautiful. Chase felt really great talking with Stacy, it was just so easy to open up to her during the conversations... Despite fearing being awkward at first, he now felt great speaking with someone, it was a truly lovely time for him.

"Why the hair color?" she asked at some point, to which he just laughed. Of course, she'd ask.

"I wanted to match my brother with that. I am dying it since I was a little kid and I think it looks cool!" he explained with a grin, to which Stacy nodded.

"It suits you," she complimented. He couldn't remember the last time someone honestly said that about his hair, and coming from her? It meant the world to him.

Time passed and their delightful stroll down the palace grounds was still bringing both of them nothing but happiness. Further into the night, they left the gardens behind and wandered to the highest parts of the castle, where they settled on one of the balconies and just talked there for what seemed like an eternity. Stacy decided to open up about her family more, when they were there.

"How many siblings do you have?" Chase asked in disbelief. He did hear what she said, he just failed to wrap his mind around it. Stacy giggled at his confused expression.

"Seven older brothers, five older sisters," she repeated. "A brother and two sisters pretended I was invisible. Literally. For two years!" she complained.

"That's horrible..." Chase muttered with sadness. 

"That's just what siblings do..." Stacy shrugged it off. Chase shook his head.

"Tell me about it. Marvin and I were really close when we were little, but then... one day he just shut me out, and... I never knew why. Only recently we started talking again," he admitted, looking away. That was, until he felt Stacy's hand gently taking his. There was something miraculous about this gesture, but he couldn't quite put a finger on it...

"I would never shut you out," she promised, and that promise made his heart melt. He quickly tried to collect his thoughts and come up with something to say that wouldn't break the mood.

"Okay, can I just... say something crazy?" he asked, maybe a bit too loud? Though she didn't seem to mind.

"I love crazy!" she smiled. This was all she had to say to give him enough confidence to continue.

"So like..." he started, still unsure how to put his feelings into words. "All my life has been a series of doors in my face," he hesitated for a moment before continuing. "And then suddenly I bump into you," he finished. Well, he had the beginning of his small confession, now he only needed to continue it somehow... Luckily, Stacy took the initiative.

"I was thinking the same thing," she nodded. "It's like... I've been searching my whole life to find my own place... and maybe it's here, at a party, talking to you..." she said, though she spoke quietly in the last part. Yet it was a big sign for Chase to continue.

"But with you..." he smiled. "It's like nothing I've known before," he admitted. "And I'm not sure how to really take it, but... but I love y- it," he said, smiling nervously. Stacy seemed to freeze upon hearing the statement. Chase now knew for a fact that she knew what he wanted to say.

"You know... love is an open door," she stated, smiling shyly. Chase's heart might've as well exploded right there.

"...You mean it...?" he asked and she nodded as a blush on her face grew. Chase hesitantly reached for her hand again, she just gave him a chance and he would not waste it.

He continued to show her around the palace and made it his personal goal to help her feel fully confident again. He didn't struggle with it too much, he showed her all of his favorite spots and she adored them. He also discovered that he has an incredible talent for keeping the conversations going and nice. Now that he knew that she, more or less felt the same way he did, he felt far more comfortable talking about his feelings. And he allowed himself to call things the way they were - he fell heels over head for her.

The rest of the night, they were just playing around and Stacy's confidence was back soon enough. With amusement she watched Chase make amazing trick shots all around the halls and the prince never was happier to show them all off. When they both felt tired, it was far later than they'd think. They returned to their little balcony and just watched the beautiful sky filled with stars. They were holding hands until, in the rush of the moment, Chase decided that there was no time to waste. And so, he let go and stepped back a bit.

"Uhm... can I say something crazy?" he asked with a sheepish smile. A small nod as Stacy looked him over curiously was enough. "Will you marry me?" he asked hopefully as he got on one knee. He didn't even have a ring, just huge amounts of hope. Stacy covered her mouth with her hands before she spoke out.

"...Can I say something even crazier?" she paused for a bit as Chase still watched her with hope. "Yes!"

[A/N]: Oh, Chase, what are you getting into... Also, yeah, I did not write the whole song down, because like... one person talking to themselves? Yeah, it could pass. Two people saying some poetic stuff and repeat the same couple of words/the chorus a million times? Nope, it doesn't sound natural at all. That's why they're not singing and just talking, for the most part. Also yeah, this one's a bit shorter again. Hopefully, the next ones won't be!