I had way too much fun writing this chapter!
To anyone who follows my stories I Dare You to Read This and Flame Guardian, you would have learnt that I am off of my hiatus! It was never an intentional thing. I just had trouble writing. It was a personal thing. I had lost my love for writing, and it was killing me inside.
I don't know what it was, but I woke up last night feeling the desperate need to start writing. It was 1 in the morning, so there wasn't much I could do except type up a new chapter to one of my stories and then fall asleep, but I went right to work when I woke up today! I'm so sorry I kept you guys waiting, and I appreciate it more than you can imagine! I hope the wait was worth it!
This chapter contains a very terribly done parody of "Love is an Open Door", as I am not allowed to post song lyrics on this sight. Some lyrics I kept for the purpose of the story, so any lyrics you recognize from the original song are not mine. They belong to the songwriters for Frozen. Any lyrics you don't recognize, or just suck in general, are most likely mine.
Also, this song contains fluff and caramel, so beware of cavities!
The girl was likewise shocked as she fell backwards and was caught just in time to avoid a collision, though her short-lived fear vanished as soon as she made eye-contact with Harley, and she smiled.
Harley barely had the strength to keep holding on to her.
Cassidy had released her hair from her bun, allowing them to flow freely and framing her gorgeous face. Her diamond tiara still rested on top of her raven locks, though its brilliance seemed unnoteworthy compared to the woman it was sitting atop. Cassidy had forsaken her white gown for a bright, sapphire-blue dress that fell straight down like a majestic waterfall, giving more emphasis to her generous bodice and curves (which took a great deal of effort for Harley to tear his eyes off of). Her ocean-blue eyes seemed to glimmer in delight.
Harley gulped, then mustered the courage to smile and finally speak to the beautiful woman in front of him.
"Looks like someone is falling for me, huh," Harley said, smiling mischievously.
If he could have done it in an inconspicuous way, he would have had ordered the guards to stab him several times and then throw him into a river of crocodiles.
Cassidy laughed, the sound making Harley feel weak at the knees.
"I guess I am," she replied in the same tone Harley had used before, her eyes twinkling with mischief. Relief flowed through Harley, partially clearing his head and giving him the strength to finally hoist the girl to her feet. He removed his hands from her waist, only to have them grabbed and placed back in their original position by surprisingly strong hands. He stared into the eyes of a smirking princess, shocked at her actions.
"Aren't you going to ask me to dance?" she whispered suggestively, making Harley's heart skip a beat, "After all, we can't have me fall again. I'm going to need you to catch me."
Harley took pride in the fact that it only took him five seconds to recover.
"Yeah, I guess you do."
And with that, he spun her across the dance floor.
The rest of the night became a sapphire-colored blur, three hour's worth of memories filled only with scattered memories of Cassidy. After dancing until a slight limp in Cassidy's step gave away her discomfort, they took a break and decided to try the various pastries. Between bites, Harley learnt that Cassidy's favorite color was, surprisingly, red, her favorite season was winter (she told him stories of her and her sister going sledding and catching snowflakes, during which Harley felt a pang in his heart, as he couldn't even remember the last time him and Leo had hung out together like that), and that she had a soft spot for caramel. Harley wasted no time gathering a large assortment of the best caramel the castle had, much to her delight (though she barely finished a quarter of it). In turn, he told her about his various hobbies, which included horse-back riding and tinkering, the first of which Cassidy shared an interest in and the second she had never tried, but she said that she would love to try it sometime. Harley volunteered to teach her.
Harley developed a love for caramel-filled chocolates.
After they had eaten enough chocolate to make them both regret it in the morning, Harley offered to show Cassidy around the castle, to which she eagerly agreed. After leading her through the castle kitchen and introducing her to the castle chefs (and swiping some more caramel), he led her through the maze of hallways to the Hall of Paintings.
"They're so beautiful!" she exclaimed as she examined the vast collection of art.
"Yeah, this is one of my favorite places in the castle," Harley replied.
"Really? Why is that?" Cassidy asked, head tilting slightly in a way that Harley found incredibly adorable.
"Well, it's usually really quiet in here, and it gives me a lot of time to think and do my own thing. I have my room, but this place is so vast that I feel like I can do practically anything without being disturbed."
Cassidy nodded. "I understand how you feel. Being a princess is nice and all, but it can be difficult dealing with everyone all the time. My favorite place back home is the castle library. It's always so peaceful and quiet there, and there are so many books you can get lost in!"
Harley smiled at the girl's enthusiasm. "There is a library here, as well. I would probably be in there more often, but..."
Harley's voice drifted off, and he looked away, partially embarrassed at what he was about to confess. Cassidy must have picked up on his discomfort, for her eyes softened and she frowned slightly with concern.
"Are you alright?"
"What? Oh! Of course I'm alright!" Harley said, flashing Cassidy a tooth-filled smile to prove his point, "It's just that..."
He sighed, gathering his courage, the smiled sheepishly at the worried girl.
"I can't read."
Cassidy's eyes widened, as if she couldn't begin to believe what the prince had just said.
"What?"
"It's true," said Harley, trying to make light of the situation by chuckling. "I have what the doctors called "dyslexia". The letters become all scrambled up and I can't read them. It's a little better for Greek and Latin, but any other language is impossible to comprehend, even English."
Harley awaited for the look of pity he was sure the princess would give him, but was instead given a look of determination.
"I'm teaching you how to read."
Harley blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"I'm teaching you how to read," she repeated, a smile starting to take shape on her features, "Right now."
"What?" Harley said, still struggling to comprehend what was going on.
"You are going to take me to the castle library, and I am going to teach you how to read," she said, a full-out grin overtaking her features.
"Sorry?"
"Let's go!" she said, taking Harley by the hand as if to lead, though she had no idea where she was going, "Take me to the library!"
Harley, not trusting his mouth to form the words he commanded it, led Cassidy to the vast castle library.
He didn't learn to read that night. However, he did remember that night in the library being filled with laughter and a girl as incomprehensible as the words on the pages in front of him.
But, he was starting to understand both.
It was almost midnight when Harley mentioned the castle garden, immediately tearing Cassidy's attention from a book about tools and gadgets.
"It's my other favorite place in the castle," he admitted. "When it isn't too hot or too cold, I could sit there for hours. There's this family of ducks that live there, and there are other animals there, too. I haven't formally met them, though."
Cassidy laughed, as if she found the idea of the prince becoming acquainted with a family of ducks immensely amusing.
"Would you be so kind as to introduce me to them?" she asked, a glimmer of excitement returning to her blue eyes.
Harley nodded, then took her by the hand and led her towards the garden, the books laying forgotten on the table.
The garden wasn't too far from the library, but the two did encounter a small group of guards along the way, no doubt looking for the prince. Harley pulled Cassidy behind a wall, barely avoiding the guards and holding in their laughter. The rest of the trip was, unfortunately, not as eventful, but they continued their idle chatter as they made their way to their destination.
"I've never seen flowers before today," Cassidy suddenly confessed.
"Really?" Harley said, surprised, "How come?"
"My kingdom is in an icy climate. There is always snow on the ground, and in winter it falls so hard we can't go outside for fear of wandering too far and getting lost!"
"That's kinda sad," Harley said without thinking, "Not being able to see flowers. They are so beautiful."
"Yeah," Cassidy said, smiling sadly. Harley realized his mistake and in an attempt to make the princess feel better, he added, "Not as pretty as you, though."
Cassidy's eyes widened, as did Harley's, and for a moment Harley thought she was going to scowl and leave. However, what she did was worse.
She laughed.
Harley sputtered indignantly as she laughed that beautiful laugh of hers. He looked away, blushing madly. Now he had really done it. He had gone and embarrassed himself in front of that beautiful, kind, lovely girl. Again.
He was broken out of his stupor when he felt a soft pair of lips against his cheek.
He turned towards a red-cheeked princess, who was giggling slightly into her hand. The sight, along with his tingling cheek, was enough for a goofy smile to make its way along his face. He suddenly felt brave.
"Hey, I know I just did," Harley said to the girl, rubbing the back of his neck, "but can I tell you something crazy?"
The girl looked up at him, mischief coating every part of her body like a smooth, shiny glaze.
"I love crazy."
Harley grinned at the reply and began to sing.
"All my life I've never had someone to laugh with like this,
and then suddenly I bump into you."
Harley felt a little foolish at his sudden burst into song, but the feeling vanished as Cassidy joined in.
"I was thinking the same thing! 'Cause, like,
I've been searching my whole life to find my own place,
and maybe it's the books on hammers,
or the flowers' pink hue!"
Harley laughed as she sung along, her voice beautiful and as clear as glass, never missing a single note.
"But with you!"
"But with you! I feel safe!"
"My heart will race!"
"And it's something I, can't live without, anymore!"
With a final sprint, Harley led the princess towards the garden, throwing the doors wide open.
"Love is an open
do-o-or!
Love is an open-"
"Door!"
"Doo-o-or!"
"Wanna be forevermore-"
"With you!"
"With you!"
"With you!"
"With you!"
"Love is an open door!"
They made their way through the garden, the family of ducks quacking in greeting as they ran by, Harley and Cassidy responding with a wave. Harley then showed her the swing he used as a kid, and then familiarized her with the pulling mechanism that takes the swing all the way to the castle roof. At her eager insistence, he pulled the two of them up (with Cassidy holding tightly onto him, it took a great deal more effort than he expected to bring them to the top), the swing creaking in protest at the unexpected weight. But when the couple had finally situated themselves at the top of the roof, Harley deemed the ordeal worth it. He decided to take a mental picture of that moment. A man in a tux with messy, curly locks; a girl with a sapphire dress that seemed to be made of starlight;
a shooting star streaming across the sky.
"I mean it's crazy!"
"What?"
"We finish each other's-
"Caramel!" Cassidy reached into Harley's pocket and pulled out a piece of candy wrapped up tight in a napkin, before popping it into her mouth and standing up. Harley would have been annoyed that someone had taken his candy at any other time, but he was too ecstatic at the moment to care too much.
"That's what I was gonna say!"
The prince joined the princess a little ways away on the roof, grabbing her hand to help her keep balance (and maybe for other selfish reasons).
"I've never met someone-"
"Who's thoughts are so much like mine!"
"Jinx!" the two said at the same time, linking fingers.
"Jinx again!" they said, once again in perfect sync, linking fingers using their other hands. If Harley was told he would be behaving like a two year old girl a few hours ago, he would have laughed it off. But he hadn't cared too much about such trivial things such as dignity since he had met Cassidy. She was just so perfect. As long as she thought he was okay, how bad could he be?
"Our thoughts, our moves, and our singing
in sync can have but one meaning!"
"You!"
"And I are-"
"just meant-
"To be!"
They linked both of their hands together this time, and began a thrilling and highly dangerous dance on the roof. Harley suspected that he was becoming delusional, but isn't that one side effect of being hopelessly in love?
"Say goodbye!"
"Say goodbye!"
"To the pain of the past!
We don't have to feel it, anymore!
Love is an open
Doo-o-o-or!"
The two made their way back towards the swing, Harley gently lowering them down, his hands handling the rope to the beat of the music.
"Love is an open-"
"Door!"
"Dooo-o-or!"
They reached level ground once again, Harley practically flinging himself off the swing and raising an arm high in the air. Cassidy grabbed both of his hands again, locking them once again in their dance. They may not have been on the roof, but it was just as thrilling to Harley.
"Wanna be forevermore!"
"With you!"
"With you!"
"With you!"
"With YOU!"
As they finished up their song, the two sat on the lone bench that stood in the center of the garden that became their world.
"Love is an open
Door."
With their last note fading, the two held up their hands and placed them together, like two pieces of a puzzle, forming a heart that framed a flower bed consisting of blue and red flowers. At the conclusion of their song, Harley moved his hand so that it was caressing Cassidy's cheek, then moved to the back of her head, slowly bringing it closer to his. As they made eye contact once more, he thought he would never find a more beautiful shade of blue if his life depended on it.
Their lips met.
Evading the guards, dancing on the rooftop, even exchanging a few words with his brother after countless years, was not as amazing and terrifying as this. Never had Harley kissed a girl before, and he found the experience new and exciting. Cassidy hadn't wasted a moment in wrapping her arms around Harley's neck and responding eagerly. Soon, all thoughts of his brother, the kingdom, even the lyrics he had been singing a few minutes ago, all faded into oblivion as he shared his first kiss with the one he loved.
Because he loved Cassidy like he had never loved anyone before. He loved her with all his heart.
When the need for air called to them, they regretfully broke the kiss, both red in the face and smiling. Harley leaned in close to Cassidy and whispered into her ear.
"Can I say something crazy?"
Cassidy could only giggle and nod. Harley withdrawed from the beautiful girl, stood up, and then bent down on one knee. He knew that he would never find someone he loved as much as the girl in front of him, the girl who's eyes widened and who's hands made their way over her mouth in disbelief and joy.
"Will you marry me?"
Cassidy smiled back, looking more beautiful than ever.
"Can I say something crazier?"
She took the hand outstretched towards her, accepting the life he offered to her.
"Yes!"
Heartstring86: Thank you! I'm so glad you like it!
BlazingFlames22: They will never be as amazing as the original Team Rocket... and no, that was not the Cassidy I had in mind XD. That would be an epic plot twist, though!
I also want to give a shout out to a guest who told me that I had accidentally reposted the same chapter twice with different chapter names. All embarrassment aside, I really appreciated that! Believe it or not, I am a human being-
Everyone: *GASP*
SHUT UP AND LET ME SPEAK!
*clears throat*
Anyway, any constructive criticism is definitely welcome, as I am eager to improve my writing. Thanks again!
YOU ARE AWESOME!
Catsrawesome
