A Rogue and A Royal

The Delicate Moments

Gala finally held Goth close as they shut the door behind them in Mack's apartment. They both stood in the entrance hall of the small Japanese apartment; Where Gala clung onto Goth's arm like an adorable little sloth. 

"You really couldn't wait five extra minutes?" Goth asked, "I didn't know it was possible to miss me that much. I thought I was a nuisance."

Gala covered Goth's mouth. 

"Mack!" Gala shouts, "call off the search team! She's already home!"

He walked in and looked Goth up and down. 

"Try not to get kidnapped again." Mack says, "you made Gala soak her bed in tears."

"Wow." Goth mumbles. "I didn't know it was possible to have that many tears."

Gala whacked Mack in the back of the head. She dragged Goth back to her room.

"Ohhh, sure!" Mack remarked. "I haven't seen her in months either! But I can last another day?!" He threw his hands in the air and fell asleep on the couch.

Goth and Gala finally separate. She sat on the bed against the wall while Gala sits next to her and clings to her arm again. Gala snuggled closer while trying to conceal her face. Goth cups her hand on her cheek and tilted Gala's head up, so they made eye contact. Gala looked at her with tear-filled eyes that finally started to spill.

"Cookie?" Goth asked before Gala hides her face in her chest. She sobbed and sniffled, with no end in sight. Goth rested her hand on her head; she gently stroked her soft, charcoal hair in an attempt to soothe her. 

"Why aren't you mad?" Gala said, rather muffled, "Why aren't you mad at me? I failed you again."

"Sweetie," Goth breathed, "you didn't fail me. What are you talking about?"

Gala looks up and Goth. Her eyes were bloodshot as tears dripped down her messy, red face. 

"I couldn't protect you," Gala answered. "It's literally my job to protect you, and I failed it." She said in a weak tone, "I'm just one big walking failure."

Goth wipes away her warm, somber tears. 

"You didn't do anything wrong, love," Goth whispered gently, "you did exactly what you were supposed to do. We all couldn't be more proud of you." 

"You mean leading in your place?" Gala asked, "that was just damage control, to try and fix such a massive mistake."

"No, sweetie." Goth breathed calmly, "that's part of your job too. When the Listener does go missing, the silencer leads in their place and tries to find them. You did that to the letter, despite the war going on and all the hate we're getting. That was you, right?"

Gala nodded and sniffled. 

"No one else your age could do that so bravely," Goth stated gently, "I couldn't be more proud of you."

"Really?" Gala asked.

"Really." She answered. 

Gala's head fell back onto her chest as she stroked her hair. Goth soon stopped, only to have her gaze meet a small sleeping Gala's face. She froze. 

After gaining the will and strength, she softly laid Gala down on the warm bed. She covered her with the blanket; and goes to leave the room.

"Where are you going?" Gala asked, making Goth stop just as she reached for the handle of the sliding door. "Please don't tell me you're leaving again."

Goth turned to look at her. Gala was still wrapped in the blankets on the bed. Her head still rested on the pillow as she looked at Goth with her wide golden yellow eyes.