𝐮𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐲; 𝐚. 𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐱

××

"So, are you going to enlighten me on what happened?" Caroline asked, her arms crossing over her chest, the coat she was adorning had scrunched together with the pressure of her arms. Nero was silent, her eyes closed and her face holding an expression of uncertainty, not comprehending how to answer the question. 

The wooden floors beneath Caroline's feet squeaked with the lightest pressure as she stepped closer to her coven leader. An unneeded breath had left Nero's lungs when the other woman's presence was right next to her, a gentle hand being placed on her shoulder forced her eyes open. 

Ruby eyes stared into a parallel color, Caroline's aura was comforting and helpful as Nero finally released everything she had bottled up. "I met someone, someone like you are to Cesare." 

Upon hearing this, the woman's face lit up. Her eyebrows shot up and a small smile graced her lips. However, seeing Nero's annoyed facial expressions, Caroline second-guessed herself. "It was decades ago. I've decided not to act upon it and left her alone. But, she's here and I'm not entirely sure how to... accept it?" 

There was silence, quiet enough to hear the soothing patter of rain outside. It stayed like that for a couple of minutes, Caroline not exactly comprehending how the leader of their coven could be so confused and disheveled considering all that she had lived through. "Multiple battles, multiple wars, gaining power positioning in many different eras, and yet I am stumped. No, I am appalled at the idea of being with someone destined to be with me." 

Caroline removed her hand from Nero's shoulder, her feet backing up to give the woman space. Until the former decided it would be better for them to sit somewhere to talk about this. From the first meeting between the two women, Caroline was intimidated by her coven leader but quickly learned that she had nothing to be intimidated about. 

The two women had their fair share of talks and alone time with each other, finding comfort in each other of the same gender. They know how frustrating it gets when you spend too much time around the three men. Although Caroline loved Cesare very dearly, sometimes it was better to be with Nero as she could delve into meaningless conversations of femininity and how the two should be dressing, what to dress the men in, and so on. 

However, this conversation became more serious as Nero continued mindlessly ranting about how she shouldn't even be thinking the way she is and how she should just accept it. But, Caroline knows that this goes much deeper and it would be better for the brunette to speak about everything she's feeling and how her thoughts are becoming the way they are. 

Her soft hand gripped Nero's, noticing how she halted her ranting and understood the look she was being given. Before either of them could say something, a familiar figure burst through the door and he quickly ran over to Nero. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" Cesare's eyes stared deeply into Nero's, unfortunately, though, the man got a scoff and shook her head. "I hadn't told anyone, I apologize for keeping it a secret, but I've never felt comfortable with the idea." Before the former Roman could say anything, his significant other had chimed in. 

"Nero and I will be going out for a bit." The curtness in her voice made Cesare shrink as his heels dug into the flooring and the creaking of the wooden boards echoed loudly as he ran up the stairs away from his wife. "Let's go before the other two get here, I think I've held onto the raincheck in girls' night a little too long."