Madalina stared at Vianola with wide eyes. 'We need to talk' echoed through her head again and again, even as she wordlessly moved aside so she could come in.
Vianola entered the apartment and closed the door, crossing her arms as she looked over to her friend.
"What was all that at the boutiques about…?" She asked, sitting on the couch and motioning for Madalina to join her.
"I'm sorry," Madalina said as her lip quivered, "I do not know what overcame me. Jealousy? Envy?"
Vianola's gaze softened and she took her hands, squeezing them lightly. She rubbed her thumbs over her palms, shaking her head.
"You know I'm not the type of girl to get held down by anything, Madalina. If you're feeling jealous over our friendship, I'm gonna have to ask you why that is."
Friendship. The word stung like ice had been stabbed into her. She swallowed thickly, nodding miserably as she thought over their interaction.
"I know," Madalina's voice trembled as tears threatened to fall from her eye, "I know you and I are just friends. I know that you are not the type to want to be tied down. What I do not know," She stated a little louder before Vianola could protest, "Is why you are helping me or what I am supposed to feel when I am around you."
There was a moment of panic that entered Vianola's eyes, but she was quick to get rid of it before Madalina could notice.
"I'm helping you because you are my friend." The answer was too simple. Too plain. Madalina pressed further.
"But before when I asked for your help, you said no. Vianola, be honest with me, please. Why are you helping me?"
Vianola's hesitation spurned her suspicions further. She leaned in further as tears began to fall down her cheeks. "Is it pity? Do you pity me?" Madalina asked, almost choking on her words, "Or is it because you think I am helpless?"
Vianola's eyes wrenched away from her face and she withdrew her hands, biting the inside of her cheek. Madalina could not know that she had been put here by circumstances that were beyond her control.
"I care about you." Vianola blurted out before she could stop herself, "I always have."
"What?" Madalina's eyebrows rose. That was the last thing she expected to hear, and she couldn't tell if it was the truth or a lie.
"I'm helping you," Vianola said slower, and arduously as though she were admitting to a deep, darker secret, "Because I care about your wellbeing."
"..." Madalina didn't know what to say in response. She twisted her hands into her skirts and then untwisted them, biting her cheek and fidgeting on the couch. She could trust Vianola, couldn't she? The way that her eyes darted across the room betrayed the anxiousness of her posture.
"If that's all, then I –"
"That isn't all. I want to go to the ball with you."
"Madalina, we can't." Vianola protested, crossing her arms over her chest. "You cannot go as my date, I don't do dates."
"Then go as my friend! Please. Just - Show up with me." Madalina pleaded, leaning forward to grasp onto Vianola's hand with one of her own. A spark jolted through the two of them and Vianola's expression became anxious, mirroring Madalina's.
"Fine, fine. If it'll mend our friendship, then I'll come along. But it's for friendship, nothing else."
Madalina smiled softly, feeling the weight of her heart shattering into a million pieces inside of her ribcage. "Of course," she answered meekly, "I would not have it any other way." Vianola withdrew her hand and stood up, heading for the door. Madalina did not stop her, even as the redhead turned her head to look back at her.
"I'll see you then, Bunny."
"See you, Vianola…"
The door creaked shut and Madalina waited for her to walk away before she threw herself onto the couch cushions and wept openly. She felt like her whole world had just ended, and she was the cause of it. Curse the heart for wanting what it could not have! She hugged the pillow closest to herself and cried herself into sleep, unmoving other than the heaving of her chest and the bitter tears that fell down her cheeks.
Vianola on the other hand returned to her own apartment and ran a hand through her hair, that was far too close, far too personal. She almost slipped up and gave Madalina the knowledge that she was spying on her. That she could still be trusted despite it all surprised Vianola. She wandered over to her alcohol cabinet and popped open a bottle of wine, taking a long sip from the mouth of the bottle.
Vianola had a lot to consider. Madalina wasn't the only woman to ask her to the ball, and she had rejected everyone who asked. The frivolous life she'd lead was beginning to catch up to her. She took another long sip before corking the wine and putting it back in the enchanted cabinet, going to the bathroom to look at herself in the mirror.
Vianola knew she was handsome. She turned her head to look at the curve of her jawline, trying hard to ignore the slight wrinkles beginning to form under her eyes. Though it was true that elves aged slower than orcs or dwarves or humans, the passage of time was relentless.
She stopped looking at herself to return to the living room, pacing about like a restless animal in a cage. There was so much on her mind … too much, but she couldn't get the image of Madalina alone in her own apartment, probably crying, out of her head. She felt guilty, almost as guilty as when the woman she'd loved had told her that she was in fact, the other woman in the equation.
That was the day that she'd sworn off of love. It was too messy. Too abrupt, too sudden. Too unpredictable. Vianola put the bottle back after a few more sips from it, swearing softly. Why, if she had sworn off of love, was she thinking so much about Madalina and the way that she smiled at her?
Her heartstrings tugged in her chest and she felt fear run across her spine, cold as the frigid snow outside. This couldn't be happening. She couldn't ever love again. Not so soon (it had been about 4 years now) and not her best friend. And yet, she couldn't help but think about running her hand through her moonlit hair, kissing the scars on her face and body, and holding her close as they fell asleep together.
Vianola shuddered. She had to get rid of this feeling. And there was only one way she knew how: By fooling around. She grabbed her keys and a scarf and headed out to the nearest pub.
She felt empty, scared, and uncertain of herself. The women at the pub picked up on this as she effortlessly flirted with them, and every attempt she made ended up unsuccessful. This made her even more miserable. She went home alone, lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. What was she going to do now?
She had to do something. She hated being wishy-washy, but … At this point, it would be better than stewing alone. She got up and knocked on Madalina's door ever so sheepishly.
She heard no answer. She knocked again – nothing. She figured she was asleep, it was pretty late at night. She'd talk to her in the morning, when they'd both rested. Turning to leave, she heard the door creak open softly.
Madalina peeked out of the doorway, exhausted, but surprised to see her friend.
"Vianola?"
"Bunny, hey … so I … I've been thinking, and I do really want to go to the ball with you as your date. I'm sorry about how I acted earlier. Will you forgive me?" Her tone was apologetic and soft, and Madalina's heart melted.
"What? You want to go with me as my date now? What would you do if I rejected you?" Madalina stated with a bit of a tease in her voice, "But yes, we can go as … a date. If that's all, I really must sleep off my migraine."
Vianola opened her mouth to protest, but she ended up taking her hand and kissing the knuckles instead. "I'd like that. See you then, Bunny."
Something was blossoming in between them, and it scared them both, the unknown depths of it all. And Vianola's heart hurt to know that she had to betray her, eventually. That time would come later, who said that she couldn't have some fun while she was spying on Madalina?
Unfortunately for her, this would have dire consequences later.
But for now? They were both happy.