Chapter XXV: A Plan to Unfurl
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There was a soft creak of the floorboards and rustling of discarded, moth-eaten papers as Fidèle stood up and brushed the crumbs off of her skirt and yawned.
“You’ve gotten boring. I’m going to bed.”
She announced bluntly.
Poète rested his head on his desk with an overly accentuated sigh.
“Oh my God. Finally.”
As Fidèle left the room a soft, raspy whisper shifted into his hearing.
“Pst… Poète? We have a wonderful idea, Petit Shakespeare. A grand idea indeed.”
A soft, trilling cackle echoed in the background.
“Oh goodnesses yes it is! A terrific plan, haha!”
A tall shadow shifted slightly into his line of vision, just enough so he could see it out of the corner of his eye, followed by a shorter one across from it.
“Shall we tell him our plan?”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCguadTVGhW
The shorter one giggled.
“Of course we are, little one! Why do you think we came all the way here?”
The taller one hissed sharply before turning back to Poète and chuckled.
“Oh you look so confused, Petit Shakespeare! Don’t worry you’ve spoken with us before.”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW46KK2KW6h
Poète leaned in curiously.
“Yes, yes, I’ve gathered. Now, mes chers, what is this tremendous plan you two are so anxious to unfurl?”
He half whispered conspiratorially.
The smaller one let out another series of chirping giggles as the larger one leaned in to whisper something in Poète’s ear.
“Our plan… Poe… is to… ignore reality. Runaway from it entirely, in fact. Completely and utterly!”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUtViCdqxE6
It suddenly sucked in a cold breath.
“We know that’s what you’ve wanted, Petit Shakespeare.”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQsLeKFIqes
The form purred.
Poète’s breath caught in his throat.
“O-Oh dear…”
He managed to croak out.
They were right.
It was a glorious idea.
A tantalizingly tempting offer indeed.
He sauntered over to the doorway and leaned on the doorframe.
“Mademoiselle?”
Fidèle looked up from swaddling herself in blankets on the couch.
“Mmh?”
“Would you… consider… staying for a while longer?”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwVUKtz8CBY
“Well, I’m not goin’ back to France anytime soon.”
“No, poupée, I mean-”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOniwKcwMq0
Fidèle grinned up at him from her lounge.
“Aw you want me to keep you company again, huh?”
She cooed sarcastically.
He turned away to hide his flushed face.
“No. I uh… I just want to be… fully there… when you get to go home.”
“That… was strangely sweet.”
She mumbled under her breath, her words betraying the fury in her voice.
“I-I just… want to be fully aware of when I can have my peace and quiet back.”
“Last I checked you were a bit more of an awkward extrovert, Poe.”
“The last time you ‘checked’ was nearly eight years ago, cherie.”
He reminded her.
Fidèle cleared her throat, turning to face her hands folded in her lap under the cocoon of blankets.
“Well, I just got comfortable so I’m not getting up.”
Poète perched himself on the armrest of the couch, sitting on his legs.
“If you insist.”
He said, holding his head slightly higher though his eyes were glassy.
“Are you sure you don’t mind, Fidèle?”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXJ7JsqkVl5
Fidèle let out a huff as she slowly closed her eyes.
“I don’t mind, Poe. I would mind even less if you stop talking though.”
Poète nodded slowly.
“That’s fair.”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZVaEUXXuu
A soft, white glimmer from outside caught his eye and he turned his head.
In the gap between the curtains the night sky was visible, dotted with glimmering diamonds that Poète could only assume were stars.
“Fidèle…?”
He breathed, cocking his head to the left.
“Oui…?!”
Fidèle grunted sleepily.
Poète ignored the daggers in Fidèle’s voice
“Is this real?”
Fidèle glanced over her shoulder to see what he was ogling over now.
“Haven’t you ever seen stars before?”
She asked, only partially joking.
“Well, yes. Of course I have, but what if it was all just some wonderful fever dream? Oh dear I haven’t seen them in so terribly long… seven years.”
He replied wistfully, folding his hands into his lap.
“Poète?”
“Oui, mon cher?”
“They’re real, Poe. Don’t worry. I checked.”10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEcTmF4ANUl
“That makes sense."10Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYL5FTvfzi3
and then Add to home screen.