Promises Woven in Red and Gold

As said earlier, I'd originally intended for this story to pretty much be 100% fluff and WAFF. And then I started thinking about how Faye and Celica would interact together in a pairing, and... well, it kinda got away from me a little.

Still, I think it turned out okay in the end. I hope you all enjoy this too!

Part 4: Winter

Prompt: Ice

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

The problem with admitting your attraction to someone was that there was no way to put the genie back in the bottle. Once you realized you liked that person, any interaction with them created a feedback loop where you found even more things to like about that person and that just fuelled your desire to spend more time with them and become even more in love with them.

Celica was learning this lesson now as Faye sat at her work table, working on a handkerchief. For whatever reason, Celica found the way Faye stuck her tongue out ever so slightly when she was concentrating on something to be completely fascinating.

Just like she loved the way Faye's focus became razor sharp whenever she got a new idea for a sewing project and she managed to effortlessly shut out the world when working. Or the way she would puff her cheeks out just a tiniest bit before letting out a loud, explosive sigh when she was irritated at something. Or the way she gestured when trying to make a point, waving her hands in the air in a loop, once, twice before letting it flop to her side. Or the way she smelled, like flowers in a spring field, still wet with morning dew.

"And done!" Faye announced as she sat back with a nod of satisfaction and brushed her hair out of her eyes. Celica loved the way Faye brushed her hair out of her eyes, a quick irritated flip whenever it hung low enough to tickle at her brow. "I'd say this turned out pretty good! What do you think?"

"Huh?" It took Celica a long moment to realize that she was talking about the design on the handkerchief, and with a cough that she hoped would cover up her discombobulation, she took a closer look at the latest piece. "It's looks wonderful. But why doves?"

"Hm? I thought they looked pretty, is all." Faye shrugged as she put the cloth on the table. "And they're considered to be a symbol of love, you know?"

It took considerable effort for Celica to keep her face impassive.

"Anyway," Faye continued. "I'm sorry that I spent so much of the morning just... lost in my own world. I know I said I wanted your help with some ideas, but I guess I just ended up tuning everything out after a while."

"Oh, it's no bother." Celica waved the idea away. "I wasn't really busy this morning anyway, so I'm happy enough to spend time with you."

Did that sound strange? I think that sounded strange. Just 'spend time with you'? Was that too obvious?

But Faye simply nodded and smiled as she put the handkerchief down. "Sure! I like spending time with you too!" Then her face fell as she glanced at the clock. "Oh man, I gotta get to work! Sorry, Celica, would you mind locking up behind me?"

"Of course not." Faye was already dashing around the room, grabbing her wallet and stuffing it into her bag. She gave a hasty wave goodbye as she shrugged on her thick woollen jacket – it had snowed last night so it was even colder today – and her boots, and then she was gone, leaving the door open behind her.

Left alone in Faye's apartment, Celica drained the last of her coffee and took a glance at the blinding whiteness outside. With a shake of her head, she proceeded to wash her cup before leaving it to dry on the sink. And then she left the apartment, using the spare key Faye had given her to lock the door behind her.

"Well, so you're in love with Faye." Mae shrugged. "Congrats on being able to admit it to yourself, by the way. So, when are you actually gonna let her know?"

"I can't tell her!" Celica shook her head as she paced around the room. Ostensibly used for private parties in the Seafood Shack, in practical terms it was a meeting place for the gang because no one ever booked a reservation for the room anyway. "I mean, she... in the first place, she wouldn't see me that way."

"Well... not to say I don't believe you or anything, but how do you know?" Boey said.

Celica let out a frustrated sigh. "She used to date Alm. You remember the boy I told you about? The one who adopted the cat? That's how I know."

"Well, who knows? Maybe she swings both ways!"

"And if she doesn't?" The frown on her face disappeared, replaced by a pensive look. "If I tell her, and – and she doesn't feel that way, that could ruin what I already have with her." I'd rather keep the friendship we have than... risk destroying it completely over something like this.

"Okay, look," Boey took a deep breath and spread his hands, "nobody's saying you have to rush into this, and there's nothing wrong with taking it slow. Mae and I hung out for years before we ever started dating."

"Yeah, we did!" Mae laughed. "And eventually we just found out that we really liked spending time together and we started doing it more and... well, here we are!"

"It's okay to feel uncertain at first, but..." Boey scratched the back of her head. "Maybe just... be with her more. See if there're any indications that she feels the same way you do."

Celica didn't like that answer – it seemed too vague, too open-ended and with far too much chance of something going wrong.

But what choice did she have?

"Celica?" Genny's voice now, quieter than the others. But she clasped her hands and gave her an encouraging smile. "I... we all can tell that you share something really special with Faye. Whether it's love or friendship or both or... something in between. I know you're worried that you might damage it somehow. But... well, I think it's still worth a shot. Don't you?"

She took a glance at her friends, all looking at her with eager, hopeful expressions on her faces, and she found a weary smile coming up from within her.

"Yes," she nodded once. "I suppose it is."

The earlier sunsets meant that it was already dark by the time Faye arrived home, but that didn't mean they couldn't go out together for walks as normal.

Two or three times a week, they would head out into the streets, under the cold blanket of the vast night sky. Sometimes they would go down quieter paths, or even the park, and the silence would seem loud enough to swallow them. Faye would be bundled in at least three layers along with earmuffs and a wool cap, something that never failed to elicit a giggle from Celica. And when the chill got too much, they would hurry down the streets and duck into one of the cafés and diners that lined the roadside, stepping through the doorways that spilled warm orange light onto the dark streets.

Then they would sit together, sometimes eating their dinners, sometimes simply sipping from steaming hot drinks, and talk about their day, about the annoyances that had cropped up, about small personal victories in their lives, about their friends... anything and everything, really.

Celica didn't want to say that she was starting to get distracted, but of late she'd found herself paying more attention to Faye's mannerisms, trying to see if there was... well, something there. Matters were not helped by the fact that she didn't actually know what to be looking for, but even so Faye seemed to her to be the same as always.

Yes, the same as always. Cheerful, patient, thoughtful, cute, pretty, gorgeous, fascinating, wonderful, amazing-

Celica shook her head and returned her attention to her pumpkin soup.

"Heads up," Faye said as she glanced at her phone. "We shouldn't stay out too late. They say there'll most likely be a snowstorm coming later tonight."

"Do you think it'll knock out the power?"

"Probably not." She stuffed the phone back into her purse. "But I have a generator if worst comes to worst." Then she paused and nodded, as if an idea had just occurred to her. "You want to come join me in my apartment for a while? Maybe catch a movie together or something."

"Well, sure. Is there a special occasion?"

"No, not really..." Faye trailed off and bit her lip. "But it'll be extra cold and dark tonight so I figured the company would do both of us good!"

Celica smiled. "Then that sounds lovely."

Later, after they had returned to Faye's apartment, Celica headed to her bedroom to bring out the blankets while Faye went to handle the heating and to prepare some snacks.

By the time Faye had returned with a bowl of popcorn and a bottle of cheap wine, Celica had finished arranging the blankets into what was hopefully a comfortable arrangement on the couch.

"So, do you have any movie in particular you'd like?"

"I don't have anything in mind right now, no. What about you, Faye?"

"Let's see," she settled herself on the couch. "Let's go with some sappy love story. I'm in that mood tonight."

Celica's blinked and her eyes darted in Faye's direction, but she was focused on the remote and fiddling with the buttons.

Get a grip, Celica. That wasn't supposed to be a hint or anything. No way. I'm just reading too much into things. … Aren't I?

"That sounds fine."

Taking a deep breath, she settled herself down beside Faye, wrapped the blanket over herself, and started to watch the movie.

Outside, snow began to fall, thickly and in waves.

"That was a pretty good movie," Celica said as the credits began to roll.

"Uh-huh." Faye nodded, her movements slow and relaxed. As the movie had progressed, the two of them had shifted around on the couch to find more comfortable positions, and it had ended up with Faye half-leaning against Celica, their sides pressed together. Celica couldn't say she minded – in fact she found it rather pleasant. "Their relationship really got put through the wringer, huh? So many setbacks and challenges..."

"Well they ended up together in the end, and their relationship is all the stronger for it." Idly, Celica picked up the last piece of popcorn in the bowl and tossed it into her mouth.

"Mm." Faye's voice was a soft murmur as she leaned over even more, so that most of her body weight was now on Celica.

"You seem a bit more tired than usual today." Celica managed a wan smile, although of course Faye wasn't looking at her. "Hard day at work?"

"Oh yeah, the kids today really wore me out." Talking seemed to wake Faye up a bit and she sat a little straighter. "There's some new cartoon that just released the other day and they all wanted to play-act it during their lunchbreak. And of course they're not allowed outdoors because it's winter and they don't want the parents fretting about it being too cold." She laughed. "It's funny how such little kids can run you ragged in no time, huh?"

"Well," she reached over under the heavy blankets to pat Faye's hand. "If you're that tired, then I suppose I should leave you to get an early night."

A soft giggle from her sleepy friend. "It's funny. We live so close to each other anyway, and we gave each other our spare keys..." a slight yawn. "You know, maybe we should just live together."

Celica was certain that she had to have given something away by the way she had tensed up, not to mention how her heart was now hammering in her chest. "W... what?" she managed, and not at all gracefully.

"Oh, it was just a thought." Faye sat up even straighter, and Celica found herself missing the warmth of Faye's body. "But... well, it's true that one apartment would still be big enough for the both of us. The bedroom is plenty big, there's another room in the back I never use anyway..."

Is this a sign? Should I take the leap?

"Would you..." Celica began, and licked at lips that suddenly felt too dry. "Would you really be okay with that? With... me?"

And now Faye had sensed that something was up and she half turned to face Celica properly. "Well, why wouldn't I be? You're... well, you're you, Celica. I don't think I've felt as comfortable being around someone as much as I have with you."

"Faye, I..." She paused, suddenly unsure of what to say. Just looking at Faye like this now, eyes wide with an unspoken question, mouth still curved in an encouraging smile, her face lit only by the soft glow of the TV screen, seemed to dry up the words in her mouth.

She was so beautiful.

"I... You're an amazing person too, Fate. And I... I want to be with you."

It seemed as if a thick, deafening silence fell on the room. Even the raging snowstorm outside sounded distant and muted. Faye's eyes widened even further, and her mouth now hung open.

"Celica... what are you..."

Celica swallowed hard and pressed on. "I'm... not sure when I realized this exactly. But I do. I love... everything about you Faye. Your kindness, your smile, the way you talk, the way you laugh, the... everything. I love being with you, spending time with you, and... I need to know... Do you... feel that way too?"

Suddenly, she could see that even in the dim light, Faye was trembling. Her shoulders were shaking, and she was taking small, gasping breaths.

And Celica felt her heart turn to ice.

"I..." Faye's voice was strangled, as if she were fighting to force air into her lungs. "I can't love you."

Celica shut her eyes and took a deep breath at the words she had dreaded for so long. "I... understand." She was fighting to keep her voice even, not to let hurt or disappointment show on her face. If she could not have Faye's love, then at least she could still have her friendship – something precious, to be treasured and something she would always have to be grateful for. "Then I won't..." A frown crossed her face as her words came to a halt. Even with the pain of rejection, something about Faye's choice of words seemed odd. "You... can't love me?"

And now Faye appeared to be the stricken one, eyes darting nervously around the room, refusing to meet Celica's gaze. She stood and moved away, adding a physical distance to the separation between Celica and her.

Faye's voice was soft, barely audible as she half-turned away, to stare out the window. "I'd only hurt you."

And now there was something more than the simple pain of having her love turned down. Confusion and worry warred together in her mind, and Celica found herself scrambling out of the couch as well.

"Hurt me? Faye, what do you-"

"Please... Don't. Not tonight," Faye's arms were now hugging herself and she continued to focus steadfastly on the scenery outside the window. "Not now. Please..."

Seeing Faye curled up into herself, in pain, made Celica step forward, almost instinctively. But her approach only seemed to worry Faye more and she curled up even tighter into herself, somehow managing to look smaller and even more miserable.

"Celica... I..." Faye took a deep breath. "I'm sorry. But... could you leave me be for tonight? Please?"

She had turned to face her now, and the look in her eyes was of a desperate person seeking some form of escape.

"I..." What to do? How to handle this? Something about this picture wasn't adding up, but with this thrust upon her in the middle of the night, Celica didn't know how to respond without potentially making everything worse.

"Please."

Celica pursed her lips and nodded once, tried to offer an encouraging smile. "All right, Faye. I'll... come check on you in the morning."

Faye managed a single nod, but made no other reply as Celica gathered her things and left the room. The door closed behind her with a soft click.

Alone, Celica crawled into her bed which seemed colder and lonelier than ever, closed her eyes, and tried to ignore the icy chill that beat in her chest.

The next morning, Faye was still subdued and withdrawn. The questions that Celica had intended to ask Faye died on her lips as she saw her dishevelled appearance and bags under her eyes.

Instead she made small talk, tried not to touch on sensitive issues, and felt ridiculous for it the whole time she was there. Trying to pretend everything was normal, that nothing out of the ordinary had happened felt even worse than an ordinary, simple rejection.

But she wasn't sure what to do. She was on the periphery, looking in at Faye who had barely shown the tiniest piece of something dark and lonely in her soul before she had clamped down on it again and did her best to hide it away. She knew that trying to pry would just make Faye withdraw into herself even more.

And as she looked at Faye and felt helpless to breach the gulf between them, she began to wonder just how well she really knew her friend, anyway.

Several days passed like that, and Celica knew that Faye was avoiding her. It wasn't very effective – they lived on the same floor of the same building after all. And Faye seemed unwilling – unable? - to give her the cold shoulder and shut her out entirely, so they still shared scattered conversations. But she no longer kept the door to her apartment open, no longer rushed home from work to meet her and go out on their walks.

Sitting at home, staring out at the empty night sky, Celica pressed a hand to her forehead and wondered how everything had gone so wrong, and if there were some way to go back to before.

And then, one week after that disastrous night, there was a knock on her door. Celica blinked and looked up from the book she had been holding and not reading for the past half hour.

"It's open."

The door creaked open and she saw Alm enter the room.

"Alm?" Celica placed the book on the table and stood. "Is something the matter? Here, have a seat."

"No, I'm fine." His hands were in his pockets and looked over his shoulder – in the direction of Faye's apartment. "Hey... do you want to take a walk? I think we have things we might want to discuss."

It was obvious what he meant, and Celica nodded before following him outside. The air was still frosty enough that she sought the aid of a coat and scarf, but Alm seemed to make do with a denim coat thrown over his shirt.

"... It's about Faye." He said once they had walked a decent distance from the apartment. "We've all noticed she's... well, she's been down the past few days. Putting it mildly." One hand reached up to run a hand through his hair. "You're closer to her than most so I was wondering if you might know if anything had happened."

Celica sighed, her breath puffing out ahead of her in a visible cloud. "I..." Should she tell him? Well, she saw no real harm in it, and Alm was someone who might potentially help her with understanding the haunted look in Faye's eyes. "I... told her I loved her. I don't think she took it well."

"Oh."

Celica frowned at the response. "That's it? Just 'oh'?"

"Er, well, we figured it was only a matter of time until one of you confessed, so I guess this doesn't really come as a surprise." Alm managed a shrug and a bashful smile.

At any other time, Celica would have flushed red and wondered what she had done to be so obvious, but right now she was too worried about Faye to care.

"Wait, but if you told her..." Alm trailed off and closed his eyes. "Then that's why. I should have known. And I thought she'd moved past it..."

"She said that she couldn't love me," Celica recounted. This seemed the best chance to find out what was wrong with Faye, and she seized upon it, hoping to find something, anything to help fix this. "And... that she would only hurt me."

"Yeah, no." Alm shook his head. "I used to date Faye, so I know what it looks like when she's in love with someone. And she's in love with you, no question. But I guess she doesn't want to admit it to herself." He let out a long sigh.

"Why?" Celica could feel her heartbeat quicken. This had to be it. The reason behind Faye's behaviour. And if she could learn the truth, maybe she could figure out a way to help Faye work through it.

"All right then." Alm raised his head to stare at the sky, and his gaze was distant. "Faye and I, the end of our relationship was... messy. It took her a long while to... well, get her life back on track, and for her to move on. For a while it even looked like our friendship wouldn't last at first." A sigh. "Most likely she still blames herself for how it ended. And that's why she's afraid of starting another relationship. Even with someone – no, especially because it's someone she cares so much about, like you."

"I see." She remembered now when Tobin had carelessly brought up her previous relationship with Alm; Faye hastily saying that what was past was past, and that there was no need to dig it up again. She'd accepted the statement at face value then. Had she been naïve? "You said it was 'messy'? What happened, exactly?"

Alm opened his mouth, but then his gaze grew contemplative and he shook his head. "I think... it might be best if you asked Faye herself for the details. It's... well, I'm her friend, yes, but she still may not want me sharing them just like that."

"I understand." Celica smiled, feeling better than she had at any point in the last few days. At least now she had something to work off. "And thank you."

"Hey, we're all worried about her. She's our friend too." Alm smiled back. "I hope the both of you will be able to work your way through this. Good luck, Celica. I'm rooting for you. And Faye as well."

Celica stood and waved good bye to Alm as he continued to head down the street. And then, she turned back to face the apartment, and her gaze narrowed in determination.

Faye...

Chapter End

Author's Notes: So this chapter was kinda sorta a lot longer than anticipated. Aaand the theme got kinda stuck somewhere in the middle where the beginning and ending was more general setup for the overarching story.

One of my goals when writing this story was to show the idea that these are indeed snapshots. Even if they take place over a period of time, they're still just peeks into Faye and Celica's lives, and they have all sorts of things going on that we don't necessarily see.

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this!