STARRY NIGHT
“Carrot, I saw how you bristled when Marron and Gateau came over to our bench. Why do you have such a problem with them being together?”
Carrot stopped walking and looked at Tira strangely, “Wait, how did you know-”
“Carrot, you forget,” Tira said, smiling, “I have a sixth sense superior to none.”
Carrot looked down at his feet, “I guess I just am really uncomfortable with the fact that my brother is dating another guy.”
“So?”
“So, it’s just wrong, Tira!”
The pink-haired female shrugged, “How so?”
“I don’t know...” Carrot said, getting a little frustrated, “It goes against nature!”
“There’s nothing unnatural about love, Carrot.”
“That’s not love, it’s just sick! And why Gateau?” Carrot said, growling at the mentioning of THAT name, “And just look at Marron. He’s handsome enough to get as many girls as he wants, unlike me...”
“Aha!”
“What?!” Carrot leapt back in horror as Tira nearly pounced on him.
“The truth comes out!” She declared triumphantly, “You don’t really have a problem with Marron’s preferences. You’re just jealous of him!”
“JEALOUS!? Tira, I would not date Gateau if it doing so would grant me all the hos in the world...Well, maybe then, but-”
“I don’t mean it like that, you ignoramus,” Tira said, rolling her eyes, “I mean you have hard feelings coz Marron’s actually found love.”
Oh, gods, that was too much. Carrot raised his hand in protest and was about to argue, but his mind had drawn a blank. He lowered his arm and sighed, “I never could lie to you, Tira.”
Tira smiled slightly, “Nope.”
“Well, now that you mention it,” a very forlorn Carrot muttered, “I guess I am jealous that Marron has someone and I don’t.”
“You could, Carrot,” Tira suggested hopefully as she took his hand. Carrot looked up at her. Because Tira had ditched her specs like he’d asked her to, he could see the beseeching look in her ruby-red eyes. Carrot sighed guiltily, “I was afraid we’d have to have this talk someday soon...but now is as good a time as any...”
Tira waited with muted impatience. Carrot sighed, “Tira, I love you very much. I love Chocolate as well. We grew up together, the three of us. In fact, I feel closer to you girls than I do to my actual brother. But that’s what the two of you are to me; siblings. And even though we do not share the same blood, it would be wrong, at least to me, to be in love with my sister. I think Chocolate has to be the most adorable, and fun-loving person I could ever hope to know. And you, Tira...”
Tira’s heart leapt as Carrot tenderly touched her chin with his fingertips and looked at her with his warm, chestnut eyes, “I think you are the most kind and beautiful girl I have ever seen. And I’ve seen my fair share of girls, you should know...”
Tira managed a tiny nod, and Carrot continued, “I want to love you, or your sister, in the way you want me to, but there’s also the matter of Chocolate versus you. I know if I had to choose between you, one of you would get your wish, but I would break the other’s heart, and I could never to that to either of you... it kills me that I can’t love you like a boyfriend would...but never forget that, in different ways, I love the both of you very much...” Carrot looked up and was shocked to see tears eking down Tira’s angelic face, “Oh Carrot,” she breathed, and leapt into his arms, where he held her tightly, and kissed her forehead.
“Carrot...you know...it’s sad that people never see this side of you...” Tira said as she held onto Carrot, who was about to respond, but realized that the girl had more to say, “and what you did for Marron and Gateau was very sweet on your part.”
“What I did?”
“You let them go home ahead of us, and don’t tell me there was nothing intentional about it, because I know you did it on purpose.”
Carrot nodded, “Yeah, I did it on purpose. They need some time alone together, even though I’d rather not think about how they’ll be spending it... Plus I’ve been a real jerk to Marron lately. After how I’ve treated him...” Carrot sighed slightly, holding tightly to Tira, “...Marron deserves this.”
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