Strange things did happen here // No stranger would it be
Title: Never
Characters: Alyss Heart/Kyp Durron
'Verse: squarewarts
Rating: PG-13
Her hands are clasped in her lap, her posture rigid, uncomfortable, while he lounges in a seat across from her. As if this is okay. As if everything that they are is nothing to him as she speaks. It's his attitude that spurs her forward, allows her to keep eye contact with him. She knows it's a lie. He cares. He loves her.
And he's the only thing standing in their way.
“Kyp...” Her voice is low, thick with emotion. It practically borders on pleading. Don't leave me. Don't throw it all away. But she will never say these words out loud.
Alyss Heart has far too much dignity and pride in herself to beg him.
“I knew this day would come, but you just kept pushing,” he finally says, and she blinks rapidly.
“You can't... Kyp. You realize that I have to marry. There...” She pauses, bites back her words. There must be an heir, she almost says. A legitimate one. But he's already ready to bolt, she can read it in his body language. She brought up marriage, and it's broken the fragile relationship they have both worked so hard to keep.
“You're their queen. I'm sure you can do what you want, and they will fall at your feet.”
She grits her teeth, reigning in her burst of anger. “I am not going to break with traditions because you have a problem with the idea of marrying me!”
He leans forward, smiling at her, the look growing into more of a smirk at the spark of rage lighting up her eyes. “We've spent all these years together. You think they don't know what we've done?”
“I have a duty to Wonderland, Kyp!” Still, his comment stings, and her cheeks burn.
Kyp falls silent, sits back in his seat as he glances away from her. A sigh escapes his lips as he runs his fingers through his graying hair. Alyss watches him closely, but she's accepting it. Accepting that this is a battle she can't win. “What about a duty to yourself, Alyss?”
Her head shakes. “I am asking you to marry me, Kyp. To... spend your life with me. What did you believe would happen? That this relationship could continue the way it is without ever moving forward?”
Finally, he looks back at her. “I expected you to finally break it off and marry someone else more suitable for Wonderland.”
She's stunned into silence, and he knows it.
He stands, leans over her. His hands are on her face, tilting it so that she's looking up at him. A shiver runs through her body, one of anger and a sadness that she doesn't know how to explain to even herself. But she shoves him back and away from her, getting to her feet and squaring her shoulders.
“Then that's what I will do. Thank you, Kyp, for the last few years. I'll cherish what we had, but I understand.”
“Alyss...” He takes a step closer to her, and while she doesn't take a step back, the look on her face is actually enough to keep him from moving forward.
“You can't handle what I'm offering and what I need,” Alyss continues. “Please. I think it's time for you to leave. There's much to be done, and I would hate to keep you waiting here any longer. After all, there's nothing keeping you now.” She nods at him, smiling pleasantly before turning on her heel and walking out of the room.
She wants him to stop her. She wants him to run after her and tell her she's wrong, that he can be what she needs. But Alyss learned something important when she fell in love with Kyp. Fairy tales about true love didn't exist.
And he never chases her.
Characters: Alyss Heart/Kyp Durron
'Verse: squarewarts
Rating: PG-13
Her hands are clasped in her lap, her posture rigid, uncomfortable, while he lounges in a seat across from her. As if this is okay. As if everything that they are is nothing to him as she speaks. It's his attitude that spurs her forward, allows her to keep eye contact with him. She knows it's a lie. He cares. He loves her.
And he's the only thing standing in their way.
“Kyp...” Her voice is low, thick with emotion. It practically borders on pleading. Don't leave me. Don't throw it all away. But she will never say these words out loud.
Alyss Heart has far too much dignity and pride in herself to beg him.
“I knew this day would come, but you just kept pushing,” he finally says, and she blinks rapidly.
“You can't... Kyp. You realize that I have to marry. There...” She pauses, bites back her words. There must be an heir, she almost says. A legitimate one. But he's already ready to bolt, she can read it in his body language. She brought up marriage, and it's broken the fragile relationship they have both worked so hard to keep.
“You're their queen. I'm sure you can do what you want, and they will fall at your feet.”
She grits her teeth, reigning in her burst of anger. “I am not going to break with traditions because you have a problem with the idea of marrying me!”
He leans forward, smiling at her, the look growing into more of a smirk at the spark of rage lighting up her eyes. “We've spent all these years together. You think they don't know what we've done?”
“I have a duty to Wonderland, Kyp!” Still, his comment stings, and her cheeks burn.
Kyp falls silent, sits back in his seat as he glances away from her. A sigh escapes his lips as he runs his fingers through his graying hair. Alyss watches him closely, but she's accepting it. Accepting that this is a battle she can't win. “What about a duty to yourself, Alyss?”
Her head shakes. “I am asking you to marry me, Kyp. To... spend your life with me. What did you believe would happen? That this relationship could continue the way it is without ever moving forward?”
Finally, he looks back at her. “I expected you to finally break it off and marry someone else more suitable for Wonderland.”
She's stunned into silence, and he knows it.
He stands, leans over her. His hands are on her face, tilting it so that she's looking up at him. A shiver runs through her body, one of anger and a sadness that she doesn't know how to explain to even herself. But she shoves him back and away from her, getting to her feet and squaring her shoulders.
“Then that's what I will do. Thank you, Kyp, for the last few years. I'll cherish what we had, but I understand.”
“Alyss...” He takes a step closer to her, and while she doesn't take a step back, the look on her face is actually enough to keep him from moving forward.
“You can't handle what I'm offering and what I need,” Alyss continues. “Please. I think it's time for you to leave. There's much to be done, and I would hate to keep you waiting here any longer. After all, there's nothing keeping you now.” She nods at him, smiling pleasantly before turning on her heel and walking out of the room.
She wants him to stop her. She wants him to run after her and tell her she's wrong, that he can be what she needs. But Alyss learned something important when she fell in love with Kyp. Fairy tales about true love didn't exist.
And he never chases her.