My Precious Bird (Alma Peregrine X OC)

Chapter 14: An Old Discovery

Caroline rolled over on her side and looked out the window. Alma had let go of Caroline once she had fallen asleep. Caroline wasn't sleeping anytime soon, that nightmare worked hell on her psyche.

As she looked out the window she thought. Alma had kissed her, well it was a reaction to Caroline's peculiarity but still... She had actually kissed her. Caroline's peculiarity worked in strange ways that even she couldn't understand, why would she have that strong of a bond with Alma?

Caroline needed some sort of bond with a person to project her thoughts into their head and to read their mind. The fact that she had projected her thoughts into Alma's head was toying with her, something didn't seem right.

Caroline turned her head when she heard grumbling noises leaving Alma's mouth. She could see the disgruntle on her face, Caroline didn't know if it was her thoughts or Alma's that made her pretty face project such an ugly expression. All she knew is that she didn't want Alma to ever feel like that.

Against her better judgement, Caroline moved back to where she was previously. Alma's hands immediately started reaching for her and Caroline sighed before gently placing Alma's hands lightly on her back and placing her own in Alma's back.

Thinking was something morning Caroline could deal with.

Alma woke up quite early, and to her surprise Caroline was lead watching her. "Good morning, my precious bird." Alma seemed surprised and Caroline raised an eyebrow. "What?" "You stayed." "Yeah, even if you did let go of me long enough for me to leave, I doubt I would have wanted to." "i was grabbing onto you?" "Yes, you're apparently quite the cuddler." Alma turned bright pink and Caroline laughed.

Caroline lightly traced Alma's cheek with her thumb, Alma leaned into her touch and held her hand over Caroline's. "So, my dear bird, are we going to talk about last night?" another look of confusion crossed Alma's face "what do you? oh." "Yeah, oh." "I kissed you, didn't I?" "Yes, you did." "I'm sorry, my brain was jumbled and I couldn't think properly."

"Hey, I get it." "Really?" "Yes, the same thing happened to me when I was younger. Kissing Minera was an odd experience though." "you've kissed Minera!?" "Yeah. Even though she is quite pretty, she's not really my type." "What is your type?" "Brunettes and dark hair." "So, Jennifer?" Caroline's cheeks turned red. "She was a bitch, but she was also quite beautiful." "Selena?" "Pretty and cute."

Alma swallowed slightly before asking her next question. "What about me?" Caroline hesitated before answering. "Absolutely gorgeous with a stunning personality." Caroline's words were hesitant while she spoke. Alma sighed. "You really do like me, don't you?" "Yeah..." "I'm sorry Caroline I just-" "need time?" "Yes, ironic considering I'm an ymbryne."

"Hm, I hope you know I don't have a grudge because you want time to figure it out. I'm annoyed that things like last night keep happening, they make me not want to wait. But you have boundaries and I'm not going to overstep them, so if time is what you need then time is what you get. Don't feel pressured to do something as big as this if you're not sure you want it. You want to stay friends? Cool, it's going to hurt but I'll get over it eventually. Want to be more than friends? Even better. But, don't rush it."

Alma clung to Caroline desperately. Caroline was having a little difficulty breathing. "Thank you so much! You have no idea how much that means to me!" "Being a decent human being." Alma let go of Caroline. "a lot of people in your situation wouldn't be as kind as you are." "that's what friends are for, right?" "Yes, I'm just trying to say that I'm so glad that it's you that's here with me."

Caroline chuckled before moving closer to Alma. "what's the time, dear?" Alma glanced at her clock and sighed. "Ten minutes before we have to get up." Caroline looked hopeful. "Ten minutes of cuddles?" Alma gave her a disappointed mother look. "Really?" "One can hope." Alma let a gentle smile grasp at her mouth. "It would turn out that one hoped correctly." Alma cuddled in closer to Caroline's chest.

After ten minutes Alma tried to untangle herself from Caroline's limbs. "Dear, we need to get up." Caroline let out a noise of complaint and Alma smiled. "Come on, we need to make them breakfast." "They can make it themselves." "Do you want them to hurt themselves." Caroline thought for a few moments before moving away from Alma. "Time to get ready, I suppose."

Alma nodded before getting gup and walking toward her wardrobe. "Are you going to get changed?" "Yeah, give me a little bit of time to wake up properly." "Fine, I'm going to change in the bathroom. Once I am done you will go and changed, deal?" Caroline sighed. "Fine, deal." "Wonderful darling." Alma entered the bathroom and locked the door without another word.

Caroline led back down and ran a hand down her face. "Ugh, the things she does to me." Caroline lightly chuckled. "Though, I suppose that's why I like her. At least she knows now." Caroline rolled onto her side before getting up out of the bed.

She walked over to Alma's desk and ran her hand across the surface. Solid oak, she didn't expect anything less from Alma. As she looked at the items on the desk, she noticed a picture of Alma from when she was at school. She looked carefully at the picture while thinking, this couldn't be right.

Shock fell over Caroline as the picture fell from her hands and the glass in the frame smashed.

Alma rushed out of the bathroom dressed, but missing her jacket and shoes. "What happened!? Are you alright!?" Caroline turned to her and Alma could see the slight tear tracks down her face. "Caroline?" "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snooped around." "You weren't exactly snooping; you were just looking." "I'm sorry for breaking it." "it's fine, it will be fixed when the loop resets. Now, are you alright?"

Caroline looked down at where the photo was and lent down to pick it up, being mindful of the broken glass. "To be honest Alma, I don't think I am." "what do you mean?" "This photo." "What about it?" "Are you in it?" "Yes, I'm the one with glasses."

Caroline bit her lip before speaking again. "I was there that day." "What!?" Caroline's voice regained a little confidence. "I was there that day; I took the photo." "that's not possible, we would know each other." "Alma, I can name every person in this photo." Alma was quiet for a few moments before nodding. "This is Lucy, Samantha, Olivia, Melissa and that's Minerva."

Alma's looked turned serious for a few moments. "Full names?" "Lucy Pigeon, Samantha Parrot, Olivia Magpie and Melissa Robin." "You knew all of them personally." "I was at the school at the same time as them." "Which would mean..." "that I was also at the school at the same time as you." "Oh... I think I need to sit down." "So do I."

Alma offered Caroline her hand and she took it. They made their way over to the bed and sat down. "So, we've previously met." "Apparently." Alma thought for a few moments. "You know, I had a friend in that school. We would cause mischief together. I can't remember her face or name though." "Alma." Alma finally looked at Caroline properly.

"Yes dear?" "I had a friend like that as well." "Oh... You don't think?" "it's possible." "Hm, my first day of school I met her and she immediately tripped me. I got payback by-" "by spiking my drink at lunch." Alma's eyes widened. "that's right. Well one day when I was training on how to construct a loop, my watch-" "kept levitating away from you because it was payback for making me use disappearing ink on my last essay."

"Yes, that's right. Well, this is something only she would know about. My third year, there was a dance. I had been enjoying myself all night when she came up to me rather nervously and asked for a dance. I thought that it was some weird joke or prank but no, she genuinely just wanted to dance. Once it was over, we left the hall and went to one of the balconies at the back of the school where-"

"We held each other as the moon shone on us both, it was cold but neither of us cared because we were enjoying the moment. There were no arguing or petty pranks, just living in the moment. Your eyes were majestic, it's the only facial feature I could remember, and as I looked at them this spark that had festering inside me since day one was lit and it was burning brighter than ever."

"So, we turned away from the moonlight and looked at each other with adoration before..." neither wanted to say what came next but Caroline felt particularly brave in that moment. "Before we kissed and all our bottled-up emotions came out." "Before it turned into a full on make out session." "Yeah. And when you make out, God, do you make out amazingly."

Alma chuckled at Caroline's dreamy tone. "So, what do you suggest we do about this discovery?" "I hate to say it Alma, but I think we need to have a conversation with Minera."