Author's Notes: Quick little fluff about Carol/Lilac. Pretty straightforward. Inspired by 'Always Right Behind Me', a picture by magic-retina on Deviantart. You should go check it out...
Regardless, enjoy.
She'd say she was okay. Laugh it off, her eyes glistening with the same heroic joy she presents to the world. Yet Carol always saw it. Those slight trembles in her hands, the way she'd tear up amidst quick blinks. Carol had a hard time smiling when her friend couldn't.
She seemed more drained then usual. It took more effort than usual to pull her out of bed with their daily morning jog, and even then, she'd have trouble keeping up with Carol. She'd always blame it on her chest wound, but, Carol knew better.
The way she'd gingerly avoid the carving knife when she cooked each time for dinner. If it wasn't for Milla's genuinely friendly and naïve nature, she might have injured herself each cooking session. The way she'd always shake when she saw the sharpness of basic cutlery, Carol had to hide the boiling overflow of emotions threatening to surface on her usually cheery face.
But it was never okay for Lilac.
Carol tried her hardest to make it up to her. She'd divert away from her jokes, instead questioning if Lilac was okay. If she needed anything. She'd take time out of her precious routine of cat-napping to check on her. Whenever Lilac would look over, she'd always try to make it look like she was doing something. She didn't need Lilac worrying about her.Tears would run down her cheeks when she was alone, barely holding back a breathy sob as she grimaced about her friend's stoic disposition. She wanted the Lilac who was a total hero-pants and an over-enthusiastic one at that, never giving up at the first sign of trouble. Staying until she did what was necessary.
Not this grey shell pasted together by remnants of a tortured soul.
At night, she could hear Lilac's hands claw into her creaky bed, whispering sweet nothings and apologies to the unforgiving air. She'd scream sometimes too, the nightmares becoming so intense that she had trouble breathing.
One night, it was too much for Carol. She could feel herself tearing up at Lilac sobbing unconscious apologies. She couldn't take it anymore.
She swung upwards, quickly enclosing her arms around the gasping dragon. It took a while for Lilac to register that Carol was around her, already whispering comforting words to the teary dragon. At the same time, she could feel the wildcat's tears drip down on her shoulder.
It took them a while for both of them to reassure each other, but they were sleeping peacefully by the end of the breakdown. It was obvious that by morning Carol was slightly embarrassed. The slight blush on her cheeks when Lilac joked with her, the way Carol would stealthily squeeze her hand reassuringly under the table during breakfast, and her stuttering reply when Lilac complimented her on Carol's first attempt at cooking eggs...
It was clear to Lilac that something was going on with Carol.
Despite it, the two seemed the same as they were before. The typical pair of the lazy, reluctant wildcat and the heroic, fast-paced dragon. But by the continuous repetitive nights, they started to become closer. Sharing each other's pain, and healing their sorrows.
Slowly, but surely, the pair became inseparable. Sometimes staying up late to help each other, sometimes to discuss life in general. There was a fair share of laughs and crying sprinkled in there, but it seemed as if it was relatively normal for the two.
Then the words they would utter turned into feelings...
Carol became used to the habit of clambering clumsily beside her best friend in times of need, often time using this as a means of self restoration. As long as Lilac was still with her, she'd be fine. She kept telling herself that she'd do anything to protect her best friend.
It became more than that though. She poured it out to her pillow one night, telling her all the things she kept to herself, all the things she was guilty about, all the things she wanted to say that she kept to herself, and the word that she had kept to herself for so long. One that she had classified herself to associate to words of self-negativity, designed to deprecate her soul. Designed to keep herself in check with the true heroine, so she could seem like the 'selfish brat' she thought she was. But she needed to say it, even if the words seemed soulless to herself...
"I'm sorry, Lilac, for standing there when it all happened. For never helping you. For abandoning you. I'll never forgive myself, but I hope you can."
With that, she cried. More then she had ever done in her life. Not when her family left her, not when she was mad at Lilac, not when she had been injured by the rubble in her frantic escape from the cave... Not once had it hurt more than this.
She slammed her face into her pillow, desperate to stifle the sobs. She couldn't help it. As much as she found Lilac annoying, as much as she wanted to place the blame on her for forcing her through all those adventures they had been through, the adversity that a child should've never faced, she didn't want to. Carol knew that friends stick by each other's side when they are in trouble.
And all she had done was yell at Lilac in the cave that she was willing to ditch her.
Carol never did see the dragon descending from the top bunk, wrapping her arms around her tightly. Her sobs drowned out the comforting words she whispered in her ear, a gloved hand stroking her soft green fur. She never heard the teary words uttered by her, even when he turned around to relish herself in the comfort that was her best friend. She never heard her reply to her own confession, something Carol envisioned that was never meant to be heard by Lilac. She never heard it at all:
"It wasn't your fault, Carol. I forgive you. You were always there for me, even when I thought it was my decision to make. I'll always be there for you..."
The wildcat was startled in the morning by the dragon's presence behind her, soon comforted in the fact that it was her best friend. Someone she had looked up to for years, the only one who had helped her join The Red Scarves and train her in their spare time. Even if Carol didn't show it, earning Lilac's praise was the equivalent of winning the Daily Kingdom Lottery. Even more so...
But every night, it became a habit for both of them to sleep together, guarding each other from the horrors that the night could present to them. But they protected each other with their arms, and eventually, it became more than that.
The first kiss they shared seemed subconscious in nature, almost too quick and leaving both of them wanting more. The passionate love they shared for each other grew and grew each night, sometimes sharing more than just a few lip-locks. Either way, whether it was friends or lovers, the night ended with them in each others arms. Perhaps that was all they could ask for...
But Lilac knew one thing. Carol was flawed just as much as Lilac, and she wouldn't forget that. But she couldn't forget the first thing that she said to Torque when he met Carol...
"She's like my Tail! Always right behind me..."
Author's Notes: Something quick that came to my mind once I saw that picture. Hope you enjoyed it. As always, reviews and criticism are welcome!