Winter Festival Pt. 6

"Cress! Illia!" Vianna called from a bench inside the massive three-story library. Small bookcases and stands displaying best sellers and popular non-fiction books littered the atrium along with a display of crudely made clay sculptures that looked like they were made by children. "How was skating?"

"I-It was fun," Cress said, throwing on the most convincing smile she could. "You wouldn't believe how quickly Illia went from stumbling to stand to gliding around graceful as a swan."

"That quick?" Ian asked, cocking an eyebrow. "She must be a genius or something."

"Something of the sort," Illia replied. Her voice was icy and matched the steely glare Ian gave her. "My growth was a reflection of my mentor's prowess."

"Yeah? It's a shame we missed the show," Ian said snidely. "Not that watching people sculpt ice with chainsaws wasn't fun." He flinched as Vianna's nails dug into the back of his hand, the blood draining from his face when he felt Vianna's murderous aura.

"Did you manage to see the Icelandic sculptor?"

"We did!" Vianna replied, giving Ian a final, warning, scowl. "He ended up being a judge so he only did an exhibition piece. It was finished by the time we got there, but it was still a beautiful sculpture. He modeled it after that eccentric Icelandic singer."

Vianna leaned next to Cress to show her. The pictures were crystal clear, as expected of an entomologist's daughter, perfectly catching every ray of sunlight refracting through the sculpture. If science didn't pan out for Vianna, photography would be a solid fall back plan.

"Oh, Kir just text," Cress said as a series of text snippets covered half of Vianna's screen. "Oof. It looks like she and her boyfriend got in a fight."

"They seemed fine earlier. She really does have bad luck with dating."

"She's not the only one. The first person I confess to is an inhuman creature from another world who flatly rejected me."

"Babe." Ian walked next to Vianna and slid his arm around her waist. She feigned resistance when he pulled her closer, but didn't stop him from planting a loud kiss on her cheek. "You said we should start heading over to the tree area just before sunset."

"You're right! Here, hold my jacket while I run to the bathroom, that hot chocolate ran right through me. Come on, Cress. I know you aren't one to use a porta potty."

"Ugh. Did you really have to share that with everyone? I'm coming."

"Will Illia be alright here?" Vianna asked quietly as they hurried to the restroom. "She didn't seem to get along with Ian."

"Are you two going to be okay?" Cress asked over her shoulder. She didn't want to deal with any more drama that day and hopefully they would take the hint not to fight. Illia replied no and took a seat on the opposite side of the bench Ian was at. "I guess she's good."

"Good. Now tell me what happened!"

"What do you mean?" Cress whispered, less because they were in a library and more because she worried Illia could hear. "Nothing happened."

"Don't give me that, Croissant. You were happy as a peach before we split up and now you look like William died. What happened?"

"Nothing," Cress sighed, holding the bathroom door open for Vianna. "That's the problem."

They dropped to hushed tones until they were sure the four stalls were empty.

"So you confessed then?"

"Not anything as grand as that, but I told her about my feelings. She said that I'm 'a resolute young woman who brings joy to those around her'."

"That's it?!" Vianna slammed the door of her stall open, her protective latte eyes burning saying they were ready to slap Illia into submission. "What the hell does that even mean?"

"I don't know either! But it is what it is. She's made it clear she's not interested and she's going home soon anyways. It just wasn't meant to be." Cress's voice wavered, sabotaging the dismissive tone she tried to use. She would repeat the words in her head until she trained herself to accept them.

"Oh. When is she going back to Libya?"

"…As soon as she can find a flight. There's some political issues with immigration so she's not sure yet."

"Oof. My dad had to deal with something like that when he went to visit my Bà nội. It's dumb that she has to fight bureaucrats just to go home."

"I feel bad fibbing when she's being so nice, but I mean, it's not a total lie. Her flight just happens to be a magical item to send her to another world."

"So she's not interested in a long distance relationship? They're pretty common nowadays." Vianna flicked her wet hands after washing them and grabbed a paper towel to finish drying them. "Though I guess it would be expensive to see each other."

"And then things would get awkward and we'd lose contact. I don't want that. I'd prefer a clean break-up."

Cress dried her hands and followed Vianna back to the atrium. Several sections of lights had gone dark in other areas of the building.

"I thought they didn't close for a few hours? Why are the lights already going out?"

"They do it for the ceremony," Vianna said. "The woman passing out hot chocolate said the stores around the square all shut off their lights so it doesn't ruin the lighting."

"That's really cool! It feels so old fashioned to think of a community coming together like that. I-"

"…Then stay away from her! It doesn't take a genius to see she likes you, so if you don't feel the same, find somewhere else to live. Stop playing games with her."

"I would mind your tone, child." Illia and Ian were on their feet nearly chest to chest. Ian was shorter than Illia, but bulkier. Not that the distinction mattered in this case. "I have tolerated your insolence out of respect for your cousin, but you test my patience."

"You're really cocky for a—"

"Ian, Illia! Stop!"

Cress shoved herself (though it was more of a wiggle) between Ian and Illia, doing her best to push their golem-hard bodies apart. Thankfully neither of them resisted, though the animosity between them didn't wane at all.

"What is wrong with you two? We weren't gone but two, three minutes."

"I don't like her, Cress. She's hiding something dangerous. I don't know what, but it's something."

"Something? What does that even mean?!" "He's not wrong." "And why are you arguing about it in public?"

"My apologies, Cress. I let my emotions get the better of me."

"It's fine… Let's just all take a moment to breathe. The ceremony is starting in a few minutes and it'd be dumb if we let a fight ruin it."

"But—" Vianna tugged Ian's arm to cut him off and shook her head. She wasn't angry. If anything she looked like she was pitying Cress through him. "Fine."

"Is that alright with you, Illia?"

"Of course. I regret that my actions nearly ruined our evening."

"Good. Then let's get our shit and go."

With the armistice between Illia and Ian established, the two pairs bundled up and stepped outside. The temperature had plummeted during their short respite and an angry wind hit Cress's chest, throwing her off balance.

"Shiii—"

A thin arm stronger than steel caught Cress around the waist before she fell, and her heart leapt in her chest. Illia's green eyes were as dark as the night sky as she looked down at Cress's flustered face. She didn't dare to breathe, as if taking a single breath would turn the moment into passing dream.

"Are you alright?" Illia slowly raised Cress back to her feet and looked her over.

"Y-Yeah," Cress replied, avoiding Illia's enthralling eyes. "Thank you."

"Think nothing of it," Illia said. Her tone was apathetic, but Cress could still feel her eyes on her. She tried to step away, but Illia's solid grip around her waist refused to budge.

"Illia, your arm is…"

"My apologies. My senses fled me." Her arm relaxed and began to slide from Cress's waist, but just before it dropped Cress caught it, squeezing Illia's arm so tight she could feel Illia's hard skin through the sleeve of her jacket.

"Don't let— I'm worried I might trip again."

Swallowing her pride, Cress looked up to see Illia's reaction. She would understand if Illia was angry. Illia had drawn a clear line in between them that Cress had tried to accept, yet there she was letting her fickle feelings get the better of her. She knew she shouldn't, but she couldn't bring herself not to test the boundary.

Illia never answered, but her arm tightened around Cress and pulled her close, nestling her into the nook of her arm. Every breath they took pressed their bodies closer and Cress could hear Illia's heart racing in her chest. Or maybe not. How fast did a spider's heart normally beat?

"Do spiders even have hearts? When she held me earlier, I didn't hear anything. I really don't know anything about her… It's selfish of me to push my feelings on her when all she does is help me."

Cress's hand clutched the sleeve of Illia's coat. Her jaw clenched and she struggled not to scream in frustration. Why could nothing ever go the way she wanted?

"Cress, look."

Illia's green eyes sparkled with rainbow speckles as the black night gave way to the illuminating tree across the street. "Ooo"s and "Ah"s echoed in the frosty air carried away by a winter wind that sapped Cress's strength. She was tired. It was freezing. She didn't even care about the tree lighting anymore. All she wanted was to lay in her bed tucked under her favorite purple fleece blanket with…

The temperamental wind whipped around, shoving Cress against Illia until she was lifted into the air and spun around. Her heart raced, trying to understand how such a feat was possible until a darkness lit by speckles of rainbow light enveloped her. The scent of soothing spices wafting for a canopy of brown and white hair tickled Cress's nose, warming her frozen bones. All of her stress washed away with each hot breath that came from above her until she finally let herself relax.

"It's not fair for you to act like this," Cress muttered. Her voice cracked as she spoke and rested her head on the unbreakable shield protecting her while sniffling back tears. "You're so selfish."

"I know," Illia's voice, as soft as silk and grainy as sand, whispered. "But all princesses are selfish."