❛ promise me you’ll still be here when i wake up. ❜
&. 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐬.
His head cranes to the side and his eyes lower beneath a curtain of thick, long lashes as he gazes down upon Marinette; Her words are half muffled considering the way her cheek presses against the desk she is fully leaning upon, already submerged into sleep's velvet veil, alas, Cardan understands her perfectly ― and, as though whispered into his ear, they bring a shiver to run down his spine, causing his inside to churn and his tail to rattle, as though startled.
And in a way he is, for no one in the past wished for him to stay, least of all begged to give his word to the binding contract that is a Faerie's promise ― not Nicasia, not his siblings, and certainly not his mother, with the latter going to extreme lengths to ensure he would be effectively removed from her close proximity until her merry ran out and she wished to remember of her son; and from the collection of scattered memories the Prince has of his mother, it was always him that sought her out, rather than the other way around, only to be chastised out yet again. Thus, the plea catches him by surprise, and for a brief, brittle moment, Cardan merely stares at the girl before him, standing still as though a deer caught in the headlights of Paris whilst her eyes grow heavier and heavier, until they have completely hidden behind the rose-coloured lids of her eyes and her lips part, finally having given into sleep.
There is a cacophony of emotions swirling within his torso, unbeknownst yet formidable enough to feel as though each holds an iron grip around his heart, alas, the Prince dwells in them no longer. Rather, he kneels, lowering himself to her level and collects her in his arms as effortlessly as a feather breezing through the wind before he just as gracefully stands and makes way toward the grand bed of her chamber, covered in pink, soft coverlets, fashion magazines and designs of fashion sets half-sketched into life. His tail gives one, lazy swing across the bed, pushing all clutter to its very edges and once cleared, Cardan carefully sets her upon it, tucked beneath layers and layers of coverlets before he climbs as well, occupying the other, significantly smaller side, where he rests with one ankle gracefully crossed over the other, his hands supporting his head as though a pillow, and his tail draped over the edge.
Everything is quiet which results in to the thoughts circling his head becoming all the more loud.
❛ I promise, ❜ The Prince breathes out despite the fact that Marinette is long asleep to hear the answer, his whisper a loud echo in the stillness of the room. It is not as though he wants to leave; Marinette's space is cluttered and easy on the eyes, her bed soft, and her mortal parents breathe an air of welcoming and warmth that his own always lacked. And like a stray cat fed to satisfaction, like a moth drawn to the light, does not wish to abandon such place ― at least, not yet. And so his stays, if not for his own, selfish reasons of drinking everything in until he becomes sated and drunk on it, then for the promise he made if not moments prior. ❛ Till the first ray of sunlight, I shall remain by your side, little bug. ❜