itscurtains | Week Six

Entry tags:

act 3,
week 6

Week Six

[Last week, in It's Curtains, the weather changed, and with it your fortune in Dads. Discord took Salieri out - or perhaps Salieri took Discord out - and left the survivors with that much less impulse control. Nonetheless, a visit from a new friend might have provided a little bit of much-needed hope?

On Sunday morning, you'll find that the other side of the second floor has opened up - as well as the actual intended path to reach the roof garden. You can finally stop climbing up that rope every time you want to have a picnic or secret lover's rendezvous!

Outside, the weather seems to have calmed down. It's sunny again, with rather a lot of clouds. Though it's warm, the atmosphere seems very...still.]

Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday

(( Be sure to submit your memory regain and your AC for this week! As always, Hester's office hours and the merch booth remain available. ))

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[It's around lunchtime that Elsa will find Cass back in the kitchen, scrubbing away the food and grime from her plate. That spark in Elsa's eye slows her hands, and... Well, she can set cleaning aside for later. This must be important.]

Uhh, yeah. Of course. [Elle's judging gaze flashes in her mind.] Ask me anything.

[Cass remembers Elle's judging gaze. Elsa remembers how smug she seemed when subtly calling Elsa out. Sigh.]

With everything happening right now, it... seems like things are coming to a head, doesn't it?

[Not coming to an end, no. Elsa's not that optimistic. But there's something in the air now, after Nana's reveal, that Elsa can't ignore.]

If something big happens, I don't... I don't want to just hide behind you or Maya or the others. I want to be able to protect all of you, just as you've tried to protect me.

[Such a brave and valiant fighter, Cass is. But she's still a human, under all of that, and she can't shoulder everything.]

I want you to teach me how to fight. To at the very least defend myself, and others.

[It's either that, or Elle's bright smile in stark contrast to her telling Cass she needs to put on her big girl panties and make a choice. Hard to believe it was only a few days ago.]

...Really? You want me to teach you how to fight? [She's surprised, but pleasantly so.] Well... yeah, deal! I'd love to show you some moves - maybe even right now?

[That stern look in Elsa's eyes, radiating a proud, protective energy. She wants to be useful, and Cassandra deeply respects that.]

If that's alright, that is.

[Elsa's shoulders sag a little in relief. She honestly wasn't sure how Cass would react to the request; would she be annoyed? Would she think it's pointless? But... no. She seems almost excited. Impressed?

Good... that's good. That fluttering in Elsa's chest at the way Cass smiles... that's probably nothing, right?]

Yeah, of course it's okay. Maybe... should we go to the gym for this?

[Who wouldn't be impressed to teach someone like Elsa in the art of swordfighting? The Queen of Arendelle? Even though it's not really about that. It's about Elsa herself wanting to take a stand. To protect herself. And as much as Cass wanted to, she knew it was impossible to protect everybody.

The way Elsa seems to just beam at her. It's... Okay, okay. Stay cool.]

To the- Yeah! Yeah. Of course. Probably shouldn't be doing anything in here. I'll, uh, go grab my sword and meet you there in... five minutes?

[Elsa can't help but giggle; she's glad that Cass seems to be feeling as awkward as she does, but while Elsa's embarrassed about her own awkwardness, Cass's is...

Well. It's cute. There's no other word for it. Cute.]

Right. Um. Should I... find something a little more easier to move in in the costume room? I don't think a skirt is very... appropriate for weapon practice.

[The giggles. They'll ruin her... if the thoughts that suddenly flood Cassandra's brain when Elsa asks about her attire don't do the job for it.]

I think you look great. [!] I-I mean, you look fine. We're not going to do anything too crazy. But, uh, you can find a pair of shorts or tights if you want.

[Just gonna.... sliiiiiide past Elsa.]

I'll go... get ready.

[I think you look great.

You look fine.

Oh. Oh, okay. That's. Sure! That's totally fine and normal! There's no way Elsa's face is turning redder and redder with each word Cass stumbles over!]

Right. Sure!

[And then she just sort of. Stands there awkwardly until Cass leaves. After she does, Elsa lets out a defeated little sigh before tapping herself hard on the forehead.]

Stupid, stupid....

[And then she walks off, stopping by the costume room to dig through the clothes there. She finds a pair of pants that must have been part of a men's suit, throwing them on before grabbing the practice sword she'd dug up earlier and made her way towards the gym. She'll just sort of... stand there awkwardly until Cass arrives, moving her feet into the positions Maya had shown her earlier, trying to hold her sword up instead of letting it sag down...]

Stupid, stupid...

[Right! Right! Cass will just. Very quickly beat her head against a nearby wall in the cafeteria before rushing on her way.

It doesn't take long to prepare physically, but mentally? That's a hurdle in and of itself. There's no time for a pep talk with Owl or Fidella, though. Elsa's waiting. Barely any time to convince herself that she can do this because she's STRONG and BRAVE and is allowed to have feelings for someone whose already done so much for her and oh god she has to keep moving.

It's little surprise that Cassandra's the last to arrive in the gym, pushing quickly through the doors, her sword at her side. Half a second of looking for Elsa and she nods.]

Sorry! I'm not sure what happened.

The people here can be surprisingly distracting, aren't they?

[It's nice. Really. The people here are very strange, but... in a good way. They make Elsa realize that maybe making friends and connecting with people isn't as complicated as she thinks it is.]

So, um. Where should we start?

Uh, yeah. They're definitely... them.

[And good. Good people live here, and die here. Hopefully, they can do right by them.

For now, Cassandra sets her sword aside and moves beside Elsa.]

Well, how good are you at using a sword already?

[Oh. Okay. Cass is getting close already. That's... that's fine!]

... I had one brief lesson earlier today. [She laughs nervously, but shifts into the position Maya had shown her before.] I know a little about parrying, but that's about it.

[Yup! They're... they're close! It's fine though, right? Teaching Elsa is why they're here, even if Cass's mind keep straying to other things.]

I can see that. That's not a bad start. [She nods approvingly at Elsa's stance. Seeing Elsa take such initiative is really cool!!] We'll work on parrying. Now, how about your sword arm? Show me a basic attack.

[Elsa's heart flutters at the way Cass nods. It feels... good! That she's impressing her!

With a quick strike, Elsa slashes at the air in front of her; a little too off-center, but it's a good swipe and follow-through. Pretty decent for a beginner.]

Ha- There! Like that?

[Cassandra watches Elsa lash out, a quick strike and follow-through, a bit off - naturally for a beginner, but it's good! Quite good, in fact. It sends a flutter into Cass's chest.]

Hm! Not bad! Now, what you want to do is keep your wrist straight a you're swinging it. Like this-

[Cass moves without thinking. Shifting behind Elsa, she reaches around the queen's shoulders. Her hands come to rest atop Elsa's as Cass guides them.]

That way the blade will... shake less when it comes into contact.

[Oh, they are very close.]

[They are very, very close. Elsa freezes up - almost literally, because her hands are a bit chilly when Cass takes a hold of them. She's lost any sort of fluidity to her posture and movements, and it'll take a little bit of nudging from Cass to get her to move the right way.

She's so close. Every single point of contact between them, with Cass's front to her back and their arms brushing against each other, feels like fire. But it's not a harsh, angry fire... it's warm. Comforting. It makes Elsa's heart skip several beats, and the practice sword in her hands shakes ever so slightly.]

... Cass? [She's forgetting what they're supposed to be doing right now. All she can think of is Cass behind her, and the roar of her heartbeat in her ears.] Is, um... is this okay?

[The slight chill in her hands doesn't register in Cass's mind. It's fine; probably because her hands are warm and rough against smooth and cool. Just as she and Elsa usually were; opposites in some ways, but they could create a balance together. One that felt right.]

...Uh. [Her voice intones as though she's only just realizing their current positions - truth be told, Cassandra was near miles away, lost in the tangles of blonde hair that tickled her face. They are so very close... aren't they?] This? I mean...

[Elsa will feel Cass swallowing against her. Her fears, her anxiety.]

Is this... okay with you?

[It's comforting, in a way, feeling Cass freeze up in the same way she is. They're on the same page, then, realizing just how this position feels. Cass understands.

But it doesn't make it any less nerve-wracking.]

It's... [Nice. Comforting. A feeling I want to hold on to for a while.] Y-Yes. It's okay.

[Just! Say something!]

I, um. I wouldn't mind staying like this for a while.

[Nailed it.]

Oh.

[Oh!!! That's all she can say? With a woman as wonderful as Elsa in her arms, while they're on the verge of something??

God, she is so, so stupid.]

R-really?

[There's an understanding here, a feeling. Like the moments they spend in bed, wrapped in one another - Nothing serious, of course! But, if it was...]

Yeah, we can stay like this for a while. [Her chin brushes Elsa's shoulder.] I, uh. I wanted to ask you something, Elsa.

[If Cass is stupid, then so is Elsa. It's so... difficult to find words for this - for them. She doesn't understand how Anna can be so forward with Kristoff, to just... run into things without fear.

She doesn't understand that, but she does understand how things seem to click with such little effort. This... thing she has with Cass seemed to sneak up on her, and they grew so close without her even realizing it. So when Cass brings up wanting to ask Elsa something, she's not even worried.

Well... no. That's not true; there's a churning in her gut at those words, but she's not sure if it's worry or something else. Anticipation? Eagerness???]

Yeah? What did you want to ask me?

[Somehow, despite everything that's happened so far, things still find a way of falling into place. Call it fate, destiny - Cassandra would always believe that there was something meant for her, somewhere out in the world. Maybe not even in Corona.

Maybe... here. With her arms wrapped around a magical queen who she had just clicked with from the first moment their eyes met. Whatever it was... No. She knew pretty well what it was. This warmth, this strength that kept her going through these past few weeks.

Suddenly, the thought of losing Elsa in this horrible game almost made her sick.]

Do you... Do you remember when Elle was talking talking to you at the meeting, about whether you'd be interested in dating a royal guard, or... someone else? [This is killing her. She's gonna die. She just

has

to say it.]

Would you be interested in me?

[Elsa had known. She'd known since Elle interrogated her - maybe even before. She definitely knew since that stupid slip up during that conversation, mentioning ladies in waiting in the same breath as guards when it came to who she'd consider courting. She knew what her feelings for Cass were.

But she was scared. Scared of how Cass felt. Scared of being rejected. Scared of losing Cass to this terrible game. There were so many reasons for Elsa to be afraid, but... aren't they also reasons why she should push past that fear? In this time of uncertainty, when everything could come crumbling down around them at a moment's notice... don't they deserve at least one moment of happiness?

... She wants to take it. Elsa wants to be happy. She's denied herself happiness for so long. She can't keep denying herself any longer.]

I... [She can't turn around. Her face is too bright red to show Cass. But she shifts, ever so slightly, so that she's leaning back against that warm, solid presence behind her.] I am. I... I like you, Cassandra. A lot.

[On the opposite side of the coin, Cass couldn't point to the exact moment she knew her feelings for Elsa were what they are. Some point, early on. They had talked. They had danced. They shared secrets and gave each other comfort in the difficult times.

She knew what her feelings were. But she couldn't just commit to them, no. What if she was rejected? What if it only lead to hurting her and Elsa? The thought of was almost enough to scare her away forever, but... Never let it be said that Cassandra had never committed herself to anything.]

...Okay. I am too. I mean- You. I mean I like you.

[Just don't look at her, please. She doesn't want to be seen or acknowledged, if Elsa was red, she was aflame. Nothing left to do but bury her face in Elsa's hair to hide herself. The stance they were practicing now completely forgotten and shifted into a hug.]

I am SO bad at this.

[Cass's mumbled comment seems to break the tension in Elsa's body, and she lets out a bright, relieved laugh. The hand not holding the prop sword reaches back, threading her fingers through Cass's dark, curly hair as Elsa gently bumps the side of her head against the other woman's.]

You're bad at this??? I felt like I was about ready to fall apart. I've... never had feelings for anyone like this before, so I was so completely lost until Elle started prodding us.

[Cass thought that if she heard Elsa laugh it would be over for her. She'd be done. Laughing at a confession? Probably worse than a death sentence... Yet, Elsa's laugh is as musical and bright as ever. Add in Elsa's hand trailing up into her graying, kinked locks, and suddenly the scene is so, so relaxing.]

I've never acted on my feelings before! I didn't want to ruin what we had already, but then Elle found out over truth or dare, and then she started advocating for me, and then told me I had to live my life and I think she's actually right...

[She closes her mouth, but fills her cheeks with a quiet scream.]

So I guess... we're both bad at this.

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Week Six

Cassandra

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