Unseen Scene - Book Two, Carousel Scene (Ava's PoV) (Patreon)

Streaks of blinding, vibrant colour cut through the darkness Ava had grown used to over the course of the evening. The sudden contrast of bright against shadow is enough to make her wince as it stings against her sensitive vision.

Yet the pain is worth it to see the way the lights play across [Name’s] excited face.

Ava swallows down her groan at having to approach the ride let alone alight it…but she does. She dare not stray from [Name’s] side. For safety reasons, of course.

She coughs to clear her throat after the thought and follows the detective onto the carousel.

Ava glances about the surprisingly detailed and richly painted carousel animals, the idea of being trapped upon one of them as it moves almost making her march them both from the ride right then. Yet she holds back the urge and instead looks at the Detective.

“I don’t think both of us should be seated for this ride. One of us should stay standing to cover us in case of issues.”

“All right,” the Detective replies, thankfully not urging for them both to sit. “I’ll sit and you stand.”

Relief pours through Ava.

[Name] takes a pearlescent unicorn, sitting astride the immovable creature in a way that makes Ava’s throat dry and her sskin warm. Once again, she ignores the sensation and steps in closer to the Detective, as though her presence alone will be enough of a barrier to always keep [name] safe.

Ava presses her feet into the ground as the carousel rocks to life and begins to sway and rotate.

The carousel around them swirls into nothing but flashes of motion and light. But as always, [Name] is a constant. Unmoving. An anchor.

Ava’s anchor in a world that has once more come to life.

The admittance stings within the team leader, and she grits her jaw to stay silent lest she admit something she should not.

She manages to remain stoically silent until [Name] suggests, “Maybe we should talk…or something? Help blend in with everyone else.”

“Talk?” Ava asks, gripping the pole of the animal the Detective is seated upon. She doesn’t need it for balance, so sways a little to give the effect it’s the reason she reached for it—she would never admit to herself, and especially not [Name], that she just wished for an excuse to almost bring their hands together. “Talk of what?”

 “Anything I suppose.” The Detective leans in a little closer to whisper, “We stand out because we’re so silent.”

Ava’s eyes almost fall closed as she inhales the wonderful scent of [Name], as though it’s a scent programmed to be irresistible only to her.

Annoyed at her inability to stop getting lost in the Detective’s mere presence, Ava’s words shoot out sharper and louder than she means them to be, “We’re on a job. Chatting isn’t a priority.”

“That was a little loud, Ava,” the Detective reprimands, glancing about the gathered crowds. Ava takes [Name’s] distraction to drop her hand down a couple of inches on the pole until their hands are almost within almost touching distance. “People might hear you.”

Ava softens as [Name] meets her gaze, and she leans down closer. “I’m not good at this kind of thing.”

“You don’t have to be,” the Detective replies. “You just have to try.”

The motion of the carousel pushes [Name] up towards where Ava is already leaning down, and once more she’s surrounded by the scent of their addictive presence.

Ava is used to people trying to break through her barriers, trying to rip them down, attempting to bash away at them.

But this human…it’s less an attack and more of an erosion that Ava cannot stop, as much as she tries to.

Soon she’ll be as vulnerable as everyone else.

As vulnerable as when she lost everything. Lost everyone.

But maybe—for tonight, beneath the magic of the carnival and the pretense of the mission—she can allow it.

“You are difficult to talk to,” Ava admits.

“Why?”

Words are impossible as [Name] is pushed up close enough that Ava can almost taste the promise of the kiss that sparks between them.

Ava has never yearned for anything more in her very long life.

Maybe just for tonight…

“[Name],” Ava breathes out.

And just as quickly as the moment had flooded Ava with hope and possibility—it is broken.

The music begins to fade from around them. The carousel and its audience come back into focus. [Name’s] unicorn falls and no longer rises.

And the gap between them reminds Ava of the safety of cowering behind her walls.

So she retreats there once more.

“We should move on,” she states, forcing her voice through her tight chest.

“I guess so,” [Name] replies, but Ava is already trying to find the strength to move away…a task that is almost impossible when her heart is so desperate to stay.

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The awesome idea for this scenario came from one of my $50 patron's personalised scenarios, and I loved getting to write it so much that they were kind enough to let me share it with you all! ❤️