Chocolate

There was the most bewitching scent in the air.

Serenity's keen nose identified the savoury smells of some kind of meat stew, vegetable soup and rising bread. It was only to be expected; she was directly outside the Terran Palace's royal kitchens, after all, and the entire corridor smelled heavenly – but however hard she scoured her memory, the crystal-haired princess could not put a name to what she had scented. Feeling pointlessly annoyed, the fourteen-year-old Serenity sighed and continued her trek up to her best friend's rooms.

She made no effort to avoid being seen – Terran customs on propriety were quite silly to her mind. Why would she want to sneak about like a common thief simply because she wanted to see a friend? And what was so scandalous about a young man and woman together in the same room?

Serenity made a mental note to question Endy on what the entire point of chappy-row-ning was, but her train of thought was abruptly derailed as she smelled it again. Picking up her long skirts to run through the halls – yet another thing that was frowned upon – did Terrans do nothing but think of pointless ways to hinder freedom of speech and action? – she skidded to a halt directly in front of the door leading to Endy's quarters.

The guards, now used to her frequent visits, gave the petite princess a grin and a wink apiece before stepping aside to allow her passage. She called her thanks over her shoulder before the doors swung shut and she scuttled about the large chambers, still looking for the source of the elusive smell.

Her eyes lit up as she pinpointed it to a small plate on which rested several chunks of a strange brown substance. Serenity gave a disappointed sigh. It didn't look at all remarkable… was it even edible? Curious now, she picked up one of the medium-sized pieces, inspecting it from all sides and turning it over in her hands.

Perhaps it was a perfume-dispenser like the rose-scented one Endy had on his desk; though his – constructed from ruby-tinted crystal and delicately-wrought gold wire – was much nicer to look at than these nondescript hunks of… stuff.

Serenity let out a dismayed yelp as she realised that whatever it was, it was sticky, and gooey, and getting all over her hands. Though the sweet, full scent was stronger than ever, the miserable princess could only think of what her best friend would say when he saw that she had broken – or melted, or destroyed – something she had no business to be touching, curious or not.

As if on cue, her dark-haired friend appeared at the door to his study. Frozen with guilt, Serenity could only pick up the plate and offer it unhappily back to him, cringing as she saw how her dirty fingers smeared brown goo all over the flawless white porcelain.

Seventeen-year-old Endymion looked from the downcast face to the mess on the plate and had to smile. "I won't be angry if you eat some, you know," he said cheerfully.

Thrown off, Serenity merely blinked foolishly before raising a brown-smeared hand to inspect. "Eat?" she asked, feeling as if she must have missed some sort of detail.

Endymion leaned forward to take the upheld hand and held the brown-coated fingers to the younger girl's mouth, which made an 'o' of surprise before her expression contorted in disgust. "Yes, 'eat'. Try some! It's good, I promise –"

"You said that when you gave me… killy? Chully? That really spicy sauce –"

"Chilli," Endymion corrected absently, childishly amusing himself with painting her mouth with the strange substance. Serenity gave him a reproachful look that was quite spoiled by the ring of brown around her lips.

"Chilli," she enunciated clearly, "and when I tried to cool my mouth with wine, I ended up getting –"

"Drunk," he said helpfully, now drawing patterns on her face, glad that her impossibly long crystal hair was tied back.

"Drunk," she repeated, scowling at him. "And now, you expect me to believe this… this…"

"Chocolate," he grinned, and popped a piece in his mouth.

"Will you stop interrupting me!" she hissed, and the grin disappeared from his face to be replaced by an intent stare that made the colour rise in her face. "Erm… yes… and now you expect me to believe that this 'chocolate' is good to eat!"

"It is good," Endymion spoke through a mouthful, amused in spite of her earlier reprimand as he admired the heart he had drawn on one cheek and the lopsided star on the other.

"It resembles offal," she sniffed in disgust and swatted at his arm with a dainty hand, leaving a long brown streak on a formerly pristine white sleeve, Immediately horrified, she began to babble apologies that were abruptly cut off as a sweet-tasting mouth descended on hers. Warmth flooded her, and she found herself far more interested in exploring this new activity with her friend than apologising.

When they separated, both were blushing furiously and blinking at each other like thunderstruck deer. Endymion muttered something about finishing some paperwork and bulleted from her presence. Serenity sputtered an excuse to the empty room about being late for an audience with her mother and retreated hastily – but when she was several floors away from an equally flustered Endymion, she licked her fingers clean and wished she had taken some chocolate with her before leaving the room.