Affairs Amongst Immortals {POLY}

☆Nail Polish (pt.25)☆

(3rd person pov)

"Carasein." Vrena approached her with ease. But with the frantic beating in her heart, she didn't feel that carelessness whatsoever.

Carasein looked up at her from covering Maizie with a blanket, who had decided to take a nap on the couch. "What?" The word came out clipped at the edges. She knew whatever Vrena had to say would never be good. That there would always come with some annoying undertones.

"I-I need to talk to you." Heat flushed Vrena's cheeks, and she resisted the urge to hold onto the lace of her dress just for something to keep her clammy hands occupied. A throbbing rush raced to her head.

"Okay," Carasein sighed. Mouth closed, she ran her tongue over her teeth, thinking. "But not here." Her voice lowered as she looked back at Maizie. "Come on." She gestured her out the door.

Straightening up, Vrena followed her, heaving down a breath that lay heavy on her chest.

Carasein closed the door behind them with a creak. "What's up?"

"I-"
"Sit down, first."

Vrena half-heartedly rolled her eyes. Her nerves bundled in her stomach as her legs lowered her down next to Carasein. She grunted.

"Shoot."

"I-I..." Vrena's eyes darted everywhere. But no matter what, she couldn't meet them with Carasein's. If she did, her breath would get even heavier. Her lungs would convulse, the knot in her stomach would tighten more. Her fingers curled into fists in her lap.

With careful motions, Carasein placed her hand over Vrena's. "Hey, deep breaths, okay? What's wrong?" she said softly.

Carasein's eyes scanned the girl in front of her. This timid little snake in front of her. She wasn't the creature she usually was. And somehow, she was slithering her way through the depths of Carasein's entrails. Or maybe she was just finally getting used to the sting of her venom.

Instead of her eyes, Vrena thought it would be better to rest her gaze on Carasein's lips. Maybe only the two rings on either side of her bottom lip, but it didn't help. In fact, it made that knot in Vrena's stomach tighten like each rope was being sewn together with a needle made of pure ice. She'd felt those lips on her before.

"I don't know-" Vrena sucked in a breath through gritted teeth. "I don't know how to start."

"Well...Just say the words."
"That's not helpful."

Carasein snorted, "Yeah, yeah." She leaned back, resting her weight on her hands and letting her legs sprawl out in front of her. Mindlessly, she gently kicked her feet. "I'm here to listen."

Vrena still remembered that chilly feeling in her stomach from two days ago. The way the crystalline shimmer in Carasein's eyes had nearly melted her. She wouldn't let that happen again.

She huffed. "I just wanted to say sorry, I guess." She crossed her arms in her lap, looking back out at the forest in front of them. The pine trees softly swayed in the breeze, like nothing bad was happening in their life. Vrena silently cursed to herself.

"You're fucking with me," Carasein said flatly. Her posture straightened as she sat up just slightly.

"You wish," Vrena muttered.

"You mean it?"
"Yes."

Although it wasn't convincing, Carasein did believe that Vrena meant those words. She'd taken time out of her day to pull her aside and say them. That was different. The snake coming out of the bushes.

Carasein smiled. "Say it again."
"Okay, now you're pushing it."

Gently, to not spook her back into those dark weeds, Carasein brushed her arm, then held it. "That's good, Vrena."