The Deck of Destiny - A Caraval Oneshot Collection

save me from my prison

Setting: part two of "too late to save her"
I rewrote this about a dozen times lol.
Warnings: abuse, mentions of sexual assault

"Scarlett," Julian called, causing Scarlett's head to whip around. Her hair blew around from the slight breeze, sun shining in her eyes as she stopped outside of the palace.

She was still unused to him not calling her Crimson. It was strange being strangers.

He spread his arms open, and Scarlett met him halfway into an embrace. Her heart pounded as his arms encased her. She hadn't felt this safe in so, so long. Even after all that time, Scarlett's mind still associated Julian's scent with safety.

"Take care of yourself," Julian whispered into her hair.

"You know me," Scarlett laughed as she pulled away. "I'm a very cautious person."

His lips curved into a smile, but his eyes told her he didn't believe her. Scarlett had always loved Julian's eyes. They always gave away what he was trying to hide.

Julian's thumbs hooked into his pants pockets idly. "I'll see you around, Scarlett. Don't be a stranger, stop by. Your sister misses you."

Scarlett wondered if what he meant to say was I miss you.

Nicolas had been gone for a week on a business trip, so Scarlett stayed at the palace with her sister and mother. She hadn't seen much of them in a while, and she figured instead of wallowing around her house by herself, she'd spend some time with Tella and Paradise.

Scarlett had wandered to the kitchen one night, finding Julian there as well. They ended up talking for hours, and Scarlett didn't get to bed until early in the morning. There, she cried so hard her eyes still hurt when she woke up.

Being around Julian confused her head and heart. When she was away from him, Scarlett was sure she was over him. When she was with Julian, all of her progress disappeared and she had to force herself to keep her distance.

     Eyes blurry from a nightmare, Scarlett stumbled her way to the kitchen. She craved tea, something comforting. But when she reached the room she was looking for, Julian sat on the floor with a bottle of wine and a glass. He didn't ask any questions, just raised the bottle and his eyebrows.

     Scarlett nodded, sitting herself across from him.

     "Nightmare?" He asked, handing her the bottle.

      "Mhm. Couldn't sleep?"

       "Couldn't sleep," Julian confirmed, watching her intently as she sipped wine.

      It was funny after so long spent apart, they still knew each other so well.

     Time passed by quickly, and soon Scarlett's head was buzzed from all the wine she had drunk. "Legend made you speak only through song?" Scarlett laughed uncontrollably.

      "I still say he was jealous of me."

       They both broke out into a fit of drunken giggles.

      "Tella had an obsession with mermaids?" Julian asked with his mouth hung open.

      "I never told her I knew. But she had a whole collection of mermaid and mermen cards."

     Julian snickered. "Mermen."

     Scarlett joined him, her head thrown back from laughter. Somehow they had both scooted so that their knees were brushing against each other.