Fragments of Ash Vol. 3 (Urban Fantasy)

Chapter Ten: Reminiscence

Ciel was sitting on a cosy sofa in the reading room of his particularly grand and extravagant library; Ada sat opposite him, her head in a book, she hadn't moved from that spot in god knows how long, and that pleased Ciel greatly. The fireplace was warm and comforting, the only thing that reminded Ciel that he wasn't looking at a static picture, that what sat before him was real. He was having an exceptionally good evening. Tonight would be the night, yes.

"So... Ada. Did you manage to find anything?" he asked nervously,

"Hm?" Ada said,

"Is there anything helpful in my library?"

"Oh, yeah, plenty. Loads." Ada smiled, "thanks."

"Oh, cool. Will you be staying for dinner tonight?"

"I don't want to get in the way."

"No no you wouldn't be intruding. The mansion is practically empty tonight."

"Well, alright then. Sure! Why not?" said Ada, she smiled.

Eventually it was dinner time. The two sat in Ciel's needlessly large and lavish dining room, a long table meant for at least ten people and decorations fit for... well... royalty. The dark lighting and candlesticks conveyed a particular mood which Ciel'd hoped Ada would catch on to.

"You really made this yourself?" said Ada, chomping down Ciel's spicy pork noodles,

"It's really not that impressive haha," said Ciel, "it's easy to make. I guess you've never had noodles before?"

"No, it's weird!" Ada slurped, "but nice!"

"It's cuisine from Abram, not very common here, but it would be nice if we had more foreign restaurants opening up in the area."

"Mmmm," Ada licked her lips, they were shiny, and pink. Ciel tried not to stare at them. So he looked somewhere else. Her eyes. They were like jewels, damn, look at something else then, he stared at the wall.

"Um. Are you ok Ciel?"

"Oh! Uh, yes. Of course, sorry, I thought I saw a mark on the wall, but obviously I-"

Ada sighed, "Ciel, if you're going to ask me out then just do it. It's been, like, a month since you kissed me, and you've been fidgeting around since then. I don't even know if you like me or not. Do you like me or not?"

"Why, do you like me?"

Ada crossed her arms and stared at Ciel, as if to say I'm not going to dignify that with an answer.

"Well then," Ciel paused, "yes. I like you, I like you a lot. I would love for us to go out on a proper date some time?"

"Sorry, but no. You're not very good at maintaining relationships. You're a person who likes to empathise and care for others but at the same time hate it when they come close to you. You're an unstable blend of introvert and extrovert that will make you a terrible ruler in the long ru-"

Wait. That wasn't what Ada said. She didn't say that at all. What was it she said?

"You're obviously insecure, and that makes other people feel extremely uncomfortable around you. Not to mention the fact that you're a prince, and yet you act like you're the same as everyone else. You've got so many creature comforts that we can't even hope to-"