"Who was that?" – asked Morgana looking back at the academy's front until she no longer could see the man
"My dance partner"- replied Arturia nonchalant
"He's hot! What's his name?"
"I don't think he'd be interested, Morg"- said the blonde a small frown creasing her forehead- "But, if you must know, his name is Diarmuid"
"Diarmuid…?"- repeated her sister thoughtfully- "I think I've heard that name before, somewhere. Any last name for this Diarmuid?"
"Ua something…Ua Duibhne?"
"Hmmmm it seems familiar but I can't remember right now…oh well! Tell me, how was the class? I mean, you must've had some fun with a guy that yummy"- said Morgana with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows
Arturia rolled her eyes at her sister's enthusiasm and denied having any sort of fun with Diarmuid, much to the brunette's disappointment.
The blonde already bored with the topic decided to ask about how the company she was helping was doing without her supervising and Morgana assured her nothing was wrong with it and made a comment about how Arturia needed to be less of a control-freak.
"You are always so focused on work you barely have time for yourself, it worries me a little"- she said
"I'm an heiress, it's what I'm supposed to do"- sighed the blonde in frustration- "No one will trust an airheaded person to guide Camelot"
"I know, I know…but still you need to let loose sometimes! I mean, when was the last time you even went out with your friends? Guinevere and Lancelot will start thinking you do have a problem with their engagement…"
"Don't try to manipulate me, Morgana"-chuckled Arturia despite herself- "And I already talked with them, everything is clear between us. As for going out I'm actually meeting someone tomorrow"
The moment she realized what she had said her eyes widened and she covered her mouth in horror. There was no way her sister would let that one pass and seeing how the brunette's eyes sparkled with mischief she knew she was done for.
"Holy Grail! With whom?!"- she asked inching closer to her sister
"No one! I said that on a whim, it's a lie"- replied the blonde quickly putting her hands up and pushing her sister back to her place
"I don't buy it!"
"Well too bad for you but it was a lie!"
"Like hell it was a lie! Come oooon, just tell your little sister!"
"If I tell you, you'll go crazy on me with dresses and make-up!"
"So there is something!"
"You sneaky…!"
"WOOOOHOOOOO ARTURIA HAS A DAAAAATEEEEE"
"MORGANA!"- cried the blonde flushing a deep red
They kept arguing until they arrived at their house, stopping only to answer to the staff's greetings and continuing on their way to the stairs.
Arturia was more than fed up with her sister's prying but there was no escape to the brunette's questioning. When Morgana wanted something she did everything in her power to get it more so when it sparked her curiosity like this.
So she was currently trying to close the door to her room while her sister kept pushing it open, having followed her upstairs even though her own room was on the first floor.
The maids that passed them by shook their heads at their mistresses antics.
Sisters would be sisters, no matter how educated or wealthy.
"If you don't tell me I swear I'm going to tell Dad you have a romantic date with a guy!"- threatened Morgana
"You wouldn't!"- gasped Arturia, her hold on the door's handle loosening- "You can't do that! He'll flip!"
"We'll it's your choice, sis! Either you tell me or I make your life hell!"
The blonde didn't have much to ponder about, fully aware that her sister wasn't one to throw empty threats. Just remembering the many times she got in trouble for crossing Morgana made her head spin.
"Fine!"- she conceded, opening the door making the brunette stumble in
"Took you long enough!"- complained Morgana crossing her arms
Arturia sat on her queen sized bed with a huff while her sister opted for seating on the chaise lounge across her, tapping her foot with impatience
"Well, spill"
The blonde's eyes rolled in annoyance and complied nonetheless.
She told her about the class (conveniently glossing over how the introduction between Diarmuid and her was) and how Irisviel had told them to get to know each other as a way of improving their dancing. She didn't tell her that the man had called it a 'date'. She didn't want her sister to think that there was anything going on between them.
Morgana pouted, visibly disappointed with her tale.
"And why are you making that face now? Disappointed that it wasn't the kind of story you wanted?"- asked Arturia with a small smirk
She almost felt like pumping her fist in the air in victory.
"Oh I'm disappointed"- answered Morgana playing with a stray lock of hair- "But not with the story. I'm disappointed at you"
"At me?! What did I do?!"
"Honestly"- sighed the brunette- "I can't believe you can't see it! You have the chance to go out with a damn handsome man who is gentlemanly enough to invite you to breakfast and you treat it like it's nothing! Aren't you excited at all?"
Arturia shook her head in denial but a small blush tinted her cheeks for the umpteenth time that day.
Even if she couldn't tell Morgana, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't the teeniest bit happy that she got to see Diarmuid again in a way that didn't involve looking like an uncoordinated mess in front of him.
"Arturia"- said her sister getting up to stand in front of her- "When I said I'm worried about you I meant it. These are the things that make me feel this way. I know that you do your best when it comes to Camelot and I'm sure you'll be a great President, maybe even greater than Dad. But that will only be when the time comes…I don't want you to forget you are a person too, aside from being an heiress"
"Morg…"- mumbled the blonde, a regretful look on her green eyes as she slumped a little
"You see"- sighed Morgana again as she sat beside her on the mattress, gently taking her hand- "No matter how much you pursuit an ideal it will never become a reality. It's impossible, you'd have to forfeit all humanity to reach it. And I don't want to see that happening to you…because…because you're my dear sister. And for god's sake, you're only nineteen! You're supposed to have some fun but instead all you do is dedicate your time and energy to Camelot"
"Why are you telling me all of this now?"
"Because I feel guilty, ok?"- chuckled the brunette squeezing her sister's hand
"Guilty?"- repeated Arturia turning to look at her disbelievingly- "Why?"
"It might sound stupid, so don't laugh at me, ok? It's just that…the reason I'm able to live the way I do is because you were chosen as an heir and work so hard that I'm barely needed at all. I get to enjoy my teenage years, party with my friends…fall in love if I want to…because Dad has you, because Camelot has you…"
The blonde nodded in understanding
"So that's why I always get this excited about anything you do that's not work related"
Arturia hugged her sister and kissed her head, her previous irritation melting with Morgana's words.
She felt touched by the fact that, despite how it seemed, she cared about her wellbeing.
"Well…ummm…if you'd like…maybe…you could help me pick up some clothes for tomorrow? As much as I hate to admit it, dancing in a suit wasn't the most comfortable thing and after meeting with Diarmuid we have to go to class"
The brunette's eyes sparkled with happiness and Arturia gave her a small smile.
She almost forgot that they were both young, hardly more than teenagers. It was normal to get excited about things like dates.
"That's right…Diarmuid said it was a date…"
The blush returned to her face and she covered her cheeks with her hands, surprised at how hot they felt.
He wasn't even there and she was still acting ridiculous.
Shaking her head, she got up and walked towards the closet.
"So, what do you think I should wear?"
"Ok, what happened?"
Diarmuid blinked a few times, staring at Cú Chulainn's face in the screen.
It was already ten pm and they had been Skype-ing for about half an hour, the black-haired man listening (or at least attempting) to his friend's anecdotes. Apparently, he wasn't doing a good job because the Hound of Ulster had a disappointed look on his face, a childish pout on his lips.
"What do you mean?"- he asked in confusion
The blue-haired man rolled his eyes sarcastically
"Don't bullshit me, Dia. Ya haven't listened to a thing I've said and ya look like a damn teenage girl making googly eyes to a poster. So tell me, what is it?"
Even though his statement started as a complaint, Cú's curiosity ended up showing. Diarmuid seldom acted this distracted and if he were busy or worried about something that was related to the Fianna, he would've told him so.
"Is it a girl?"- he pried with a teasing smile
And then, to his surprise, the man's eyes widened and his face flushed in matter of seconds. The Hound laughed loudly, fully enjoying his friend's reaction. He teased him a bit more and waited for Diarmuid to tell him the actual reason he was spacing out when he noticed that his blush was nowhere near receding, but rather, getting redder and redder the more he teased him.
"HOLY SHIT ARE YA SERIOUS?!"- he yelled
'Jackpot' thought Cú as he watched his friend sputter a reply, but it was so clumsy and ridiculous that he didn't believe him for a second.
"Sweet Gae Bolg, man! I can't believe this!"- he said crossing his arms, a mocking smile appearing
"Don't jump to conclusions like that, Cú!"- complained Diarmuid flustered- "There's no girl!"
"Ya can try tah fool old Aengus, Dia, but not me! There's a girl so ya better tell me who. Where didya meet her?"
The older man pushed his hair back as way to tranquilize himself, only for that rebel lock of his to fall back. He didn't want to tell Cú Chulainn what had happened during his first dance lesson, if anything happened at all. He didn't actually know Arturia. They had barely exchanged a few words and all the physical contact they had was as he danced a hideous waltz with her.
But…
He'd be lying if he said it didn't mean something to him.
"I'm waitiiiiiiing"
"She's my dance partner"- answered Diarmuid with a sigh
"Dance partner?"- repeated the Hound of Ulster in confusion before erupting in a loud cackle
"This is why I don't tell you things"- said the black-haired man in exasperation
"So that's what Aengus asked ya to do! Hahahahaha ya have zero luck, Radiant Face! I wish I were there just tah see ya do some ballet steps, betcha look dashing in a tutu!"
"They're ballroom dances and no, sadly for you I don't wear a tutu"
"Ow man, I was gettin' excited and everything"- snickered Cú Chulainn- "but ya haven't told me anything about the girl, is she hot?"
Diarmuid rolled his eyes as he thought about it. Not like he didn't think the blonde woman was 'hot' but the term felt way too superficial to describe her.
"She's…"
He crossed his arms as he sat back in front of the computer screen, his eyes focused on the ceiling as he tried to find the words to describe her to his friend.
"She's beautiful"- he said rubbing his neck in embarrassment
"Beautiful. Really"- replied the blue-haired man clucking his tongue sarcastically- "What a novel description"
"Hey! You were simply asking if she was 'hot' and if you must know she isn't just 'hot' and for the record she isn't just 'beautiful' either. I don't know how to describe her, ok? I'm not Oísin, I don't have a gift for poetry. All I know is that I saw her, our eyes met and something happened. There is something about her…something I can't name…and it's just…I mean…"
"Holy-Mother-of-Everything"- muttered Cú Chulainn his jaw dropping comically- "Ya're totally in love with her"
"That can't be"- laughed Diarmuid a tad nervous
He simply couldn't be in love with someone he had just met, no matter how attractive or captivating.
But what if it he could?
He gulped, realizing that a part of him was acknowledging the possibility that his friend could be onto something. No, that couldn't be. There was no way. The earth would shatter underneath him if Setanta was right about anything.
"Of course it can"- deadpanned Cú
"It's impossible"- denied the black-haired man- "I only met her today. Love takes a lot more than one waltz"
"Hell if I know, bro"- shrugged the Hound, still shocked- "At the very least, it's obvious ya're attracted a huuuge deal to that girl! It's the first time since I've known ya that ya talk about someone like that"
Diarmuid blushed even redder than before due to Cú's words.
It was true he had never paid much attention to the women that surrounded him. Sure, he had met his share of beautiful girls but most, if not every, fawned over him or, to put it more accurately, what they thought he was. Attracted by his handsomeness and money they smothered him, effectively making him wary and aloof.
And then…just like that…Arturia appeared.
Arturia with her mesmerizing green eyes and noble, solemn air that reclaimed due respect from everyone without exception.
A truly intriguing person.
"Oi, Dia! Seriously, if ya're going to daydream like this I'm out!"- complained Cú Chulainn pissed
"Sorry, sorry! It's just that I've realized something"- replied the black-haired man with a small smile
"Oh, what is it? That ya're actually a school girl? Cause ya're acting like one"- replied his friend, blowing a stray hair out of his face
"No? Uh anyways…don't yell again, but I'm having a date with her tomorrow"
"Well damn, Radiant Face is pulling his moves!"- whistled the blue-haired man
"And I have to choose what to wear so you can log off now if you want,I wouldn't want to keep you from doing whatever"- said Diarmuid opening the closet
"Ohhhh watchu gonna wear? Can I help ya pick?"- asked the Hound eagerly
"Who's the schoolgirl now?"- laughed Diarmuid taking a shirt out
"Hey if ya gonna be a schoolgirl Imma be a schoolgirl witcha, that's what bros do"- defended Cú Chulainn- "Besides, I have better taste than ya"
"Want to braid our hairs and paint our nails after?"- teased the black-haired man with a smirk
"Don't push it, pretty boy! Now show me watchu got"
They continued like that for about an hour before they agreed on an outfit for Diarmuid's date.
Satisfied with the result and more than a bit sleepy, Cú waved goodbye and logged off Skype, leaving his friend to stare at the screen.
It had been a rather embarrassing conversation through and through but he couldn't find it in himself to be truly annoyed. For all the teasing and nagging he got from the Hound, he knew that he could trust him with anything.
Now, with everything ready all that he could do was wait for the next day, praying that Arturia would have a good time with him and that he could get to know more of her.
Turning the lights off, Diarmuid went to sleep, a hopeful smile on his lips.
