The Deck of Destiny - A Caraval Oneshot Collection

I Swear

Setting: Pre Caraval
Inspo: Treacherous (Taylor's Version) by Taylor Swift
A/N: I can't lie, I ship Gavriel and Paradise way more than I should.

      Paradise loved snow. She loved the way it looked, the way it felt, even, perhaps, the way it smelled. She especially loved the first snowfalls each year in Valenda and the joy that came along with it. This winter, she was on her way to pick up a fashionable yet deadly practical coat from Minerva's shop.

     The bell rang cheerfully as the thief stepped inside of the one place she refused to steal from. She waved to Carl, a regular shopper of Minerva's, and the old man grinned back at her, happy to help keep the secret of Valenda's most loved outlaw.

     "Paradise, you're here, finally!" Minerva trotted out towards Paradise, her coat already draped along her arm. "I've been awaiting your visit all day, it's been so long."

     "It's lovely seeing you again, Minerva. And yes it has been, hasn't it?" Paradise plucked the coat from Minerva's arm, dropping a handful of gold coins into her hand in its place. "Happy first snowfall."

     "You and your snow," Minerva grumbled. "Stuff's always getting in the way of things, the damn slush."

     Paradise giggled while pulling her scarlet fur coat over her head. "What kind of pelt is this?"

     "The best black jackrabbits around. And the pockets we talked about, all convenient for your toys."

     Paradise was tempted to remove the dagger from her boot and try out some of her new pockets but refrained for the time being. "Well, I best be on my way. Thanks again for the coat, Minerva. You never disappoint."

     "Hope it keeps you warm on this cold winter. 'Ve heard it's gonna be a vicious one."

     "I know it will. See you around."

     "Take care, Paradise."

     The bell rang once again, and Paradise decided to start towards her cabin as the sun began to set. Heavy footsteps followed her, even as Paradise took a few unpredictable turns. But she was not scared.

     Only one man had as heavy footsteps as he did.

     Swiftly, Paradise removed the dagger strapped to her thigh from its place and spun around, pinning the man against the alleyway she was walking in. The dagger pressed gently against his neck, carefully placed so that it could not hurt him.

     "Hello, stranger," she grinned mischievously at him, her body slowly pressing against his.

     "And here I thought I could surprise you, I should have known." Gavriel looked at her as if she were the only thing in the world worth looking at, like she was the brightest star in the sky, and a warm feeling raked over her.

     "Mmm, you should have." Paradise dropped the dagger carelessly on the ground, she knew she would clean it later. All she wanted at that moment was to be close to him.

     "Is that a new coat? It looks marvelous on you." His fingers slowly tangled their way into her dark hair as Gavriel leaned his head closer to hers.

"I just bought it, actually." Paradise's cheeks warmed in the chilled wind from his compliment; a blush only he could work out of her.

"Would you like to kiss in the snowfall, my lovely thief? I know deep down how much of a romantic you are."

"Am not."

Though she proved his point as she slowly kissed him. His nose was warm against her cheek and she gently bit down on his lower lip. Gavriel made a low sound in response.

"How can you be so ruthless yet so gentle at the same time?" He murmured against her lips and his forehead rested against hers.

"I'm only like that with the things I love; my daggers, for example."

"And me?"

"And you," Paradise confirmed with a grin.

"Oh, my darling love, how you undo me."

She brushed a stray lock of gold and brown from his forehead. "I'm in the mood to cause a little trouble."

"Aren't you always?"

A breathy laugh erupted from Paradise and she took his hand. "There's a pretty necklace down the third block that has my name on it. Shall we slip it?"

Gavriel squeezed her hand. "We shall."

The path they took together was treacherous and doomed near the end, but Paradise loved every second.

🗡💫🔥

Firelight danced against Paradise's bare shoulders as she stood in front of the fireplace, back to Gavriel. His hands teased her as he took his time clasping the dazzling necklace they just stole around her neck.

Her breath hitched when he finished putting the necklace on her, Gavriel's hands roaming down her sides. "Somehow, Paradise, you manage to outshine even the prettiest of gems."

She leaned into him and whispered, "I love you."

Paradise could have sworn the fire burned brighter.

He pressed kisses to her neck and shoulders while murmuring, I love you too, against her skin. She wondered how she got so lucky; from living a loveless life in a damned palace to now loving as fiercely as she lived in a small, dreamy cabin on the outskirts of Valenda.

She could have never known that the next snowfall everything would fall apart.

"Swear," Gavriel pleaded hoarsely. "Swear that even if I was a monster, you'd still love me."

"I would love you if you were Evil itself and I would willingly stay by your side. So long as you swear to always love me back as strongly as I do you." The words she spoke were truth, she felt them in her heart and in the blood in her veins.

"I swear."

Paradise smiled and repeated him. "I swear."

She turned around, and as she always did, sealed the deal with a kiss. He kissed her passionately and her back arched into his hands. Brighter, the fire grew. Soon, a slow kiss turned needy and wanting and ruthless and he was on the ground begging for her.

"You needn't plead for I will always give into my sweetest temptation, you." She climbed on top of him, and the heat of the moment was hotter than a thousand suns.

And Paradise knew, that although she was lost before, she had found her home. What she didn't know was that their fire would eventually burn what they had built to the ground, leaving nothing left but ash, blood, and stolen kisses like these. Forgotten I love you's trapped inside a memory.

But Paradise didn't want to forget. She would never forget Gavriel, her home. Her true love, and their almost ending. The glimmer of their true ending, out of reach like a hazy dream.

But if their forever was only a minute, Paradise would have gave it all just for another moment. Even the stars leaned in to watch the beast falling in love with the beauty.

"Paradise."

She loved the way he said her name. Like a sacred prayer, something that held power over even the littlest of things.

"Let our love never end," Gavriel said.

"I swear."

"I swear."