✮⋆˙ 𝒅𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂

...i  wanna  argue,  but  you're  right.  touche,  juliet.  [  his  mind  distracted  by  the  burning  mess,  xavier  wasn't  necessarily  paying  attention  to  his  words  while  he  spoke.  silver  decorated  hands  wave  away  the  smoke  that  threatened  to  suffocate  him  while  his  expression  twisted  into  that  of  a  grimace,  the  burning  smell  suddenly  hitting  him.  ]  hopefully.  'cause  this  is  actually  pathetic.  :/
            
            ;  when they invented the trope  <3

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            that's why we try  !!   how're you meant to learn if you don't  ?    besides, you said the same thing about theatre and look where that got you, romeo.   [  the optimistic tease comes with her hip bumping gently against his side. however, her smile slowly turns into a half-hearted pout as she accepts his point. okay, maybe this wasn’t salvageable. ]    maybe not..  BUT that means next time can only go better. think of it like that.
            
            /  they're so sunshine stormcloud babies

i  haven't.  i  just  don't  know  how  to  do  things  like  this─  [  subtle  disappointment  is  placed  upon  a  once  stoic  expression,  a  small  frown  becoming  more  evident  the  longer  cerulean  irises  stare  at  the  burnt  catastrophe  in  front  of  the  two.  a  scoff  is  heard  from  the  grump  that  is  xavier  once  dorothea's  words  registered  in  his  mind.  his  eyes  met  hers,  and  once  they  did,  he  couldn't  help  but  smile  smally.  ]  i  admire  the  optimism,  but  we  cannot  save  this.
            
            ;  so real bc me too

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            [  she giggles out of awkwardness and to cover the surprise she still experiences upon talking to someone who doesn't mind her rambling on and on and on and on. not even that, he LIKES it  ???   it is unprecedented. dorothea cups her cheeks in her hands, pouting with awe. ]    it  -  that means a lot. a lot more than you think, probably.  ( .. )    you're tall dark scary xavier, after all. 

[  the  whole  time  dorothea  speaks,  xavier's  (  hopefully  )  subtle  look  of  fondness  never  fades  away.  he  was  listening  to  every  word  she  said,  and  he  was  actually  paying  attention.  anyone  who  cared  enough  to  get  to  know  him  knew  he  hated  when  people  rambled.  he  usually  stopped  caring  after  the  first  word,  but  not  with  her.  every  word  just  drew  him  in  more.  ]  ...you  could  talk  about  anything,  and  i'd  happily  listen.

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            yeahhhh that's pretty true. i guess that's why i'm into theatre. you can be weird, dramatic, whatever,, and it's called a hobby or talent. i'm still horrible at improv, though.   [  a breathy giggle accompanies the somewhat self-deprecation. dorothea wanted to be a star that everyone would look at with awe,, but with xavier, she doesn't need to shine so brightly for him to notice her. she dips her head, laughing a little louder. ]    gosh, i forgot what i was even talking about. 

i  do.  [  the  words  seem  to  leave  his  throat  without  a  second  thought.  xavier's  tone  held  a  hint  of  sarcasm,  but  he  wasn't  being  sarcastic  for  once.  that  subtle  trace  of  solemnity  was  hidden  behind  his  usual  snarky  self.  the  nosebleeds,  the  headaches—  this  was  probably  something  serious.  this  wasn't  normal.  but  he's  had  headaches  before.  he  had  insomnia.  and  the  nosebleeds...  it  was  probably  just  the  air.  xavier  knew  that  wasn't  the  case,  but  he  didn't  wanna  think  too  much  about  it.  he  didn't  care  if  he  lived  or  died.  that  was  unfortunately  evident  by  the  way  he  easily  brushed  all  of  this  off.  ]  it's  nothing.  just─ -  just  don't  worry.  nosebleeds  are  normal.  and  i'm  just  an  insomniac.  ...see?  i'm  fine.  [  while  he  speaks,  he's  pushing  the  one  thing  he  failed  to  tell  her  deeper  into  the  back  of  his  mind  :  the  hallucinations.  ]
            
            ;  do you want me dead...  be honest..

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            yet. yet  !!!   that is the keyword in your dismissal, xavier. i don't want yet to come.   [  she doesn’t like this. he doesn't need to be in so much pain, it isn’t what he deserves at all. of course she's gonna worry  !!   this is not normal. dorothea frowns deeply, troubled thoughts dimming her shine. ]    i know you totally hate any kind of attention, and i definitely can't see you trusting a doctor but—-  don't you think you should see one  ?    maybe something, anything could help.
            
            /  wh.. what if i got a little crazy and said she was with him when,, they realised…

it  hasn't  killed  me  yet,  so  i'd  say  i'm  fine.  [  xavier's  sarcasm  is  muttered,  and  his  expression  displays  that  of  a  little  boy  who  was  just  scolded  because  he  did  something  wrong.  his  pout  is  replaced  with  a  look  of  remembrance,  and  that's  when  the  realization  hit  him.  he  didn't  think  about  it  until  now,  but  the  nosebleeds  weren't  it.  ]  um,  headaches.  i  can't  sleep  for  shit,  and  i'm  always  really  tired.  but  that's  probably  just  a  me  thing.
            
            ;  i already know this is gonna rip my heart out

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            i  / guess /  that would be pretty funny to watch. we probably have a mother-nature-looking costume in the theatre department. dress up your worst enemy and use your imagination  !!!   [  dorothea throws her hands out, slowly creating a semi-circle shape above her head. the jacket drops from her shoulders, and she gasps lightly. ]     oops—-  sorry. i'm sorry.  [  quickly, she bends down and retrieves the jacket from the floor. this time, she slots her arms through the holes and allows the fabric to warm her fully. oversized as it is on her, it feels nicer than she'd ever admit. her mom won't be home from work yet. this is fine. dorothea finds herself without much care. mockingly, she bends into a bow. ]    aren't you a gentlemen, sir romeo  ??   :')

i  can  always  try.  [  the  confidence  in  xavier's  words  displayed  a  playful  undertone,  the  smile  on  his  visage  growing  ever  so  slightly.  resisting  the  urge  to  shiver  due  to  the  gentle  yet  sharp  wind,  he  just  crossed  his  arms  over  his  chest,  trying  to  be  subtle  with  his  movements.  ]  oh  no...  guess  that  means  i  gotta  walk  you  home.  ;/  not  that  i  mind.  means  i  get  to  spend  a  little  more  time  with  you.  [  as  always,  xavier  doesn't  even  realize  what  he  says.  he's  just  talking,  but  not  thinking  about  his  choice  of  words.  or  thinking  at  all.  nothing  new,  really.  ]

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            you can't fight mother nature, silly  !!    [  the brunette giggles, playfully rolling her eyes in response to his adorable dramatics. she leans over a little bit to bump her side against his. ]    deal, romeo. . .   uhm, you do know this was a biiiiiit of a mistake, right  ??    i mean, it's just very convenient i'm wearing this right now and it's gonna be too cold for me to take it off ‘til i get home…
            
            /  one of my fav cliches  !!

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            we love to know we're being thought about. i think.  [  or is that just her  ?   desperate to have a permanent shine in someone's mind. she commands a stage for attention from hundreds,, someday thousands if she is able to make it big. ]    baking isn't a necessity  !!   it's just an idea. i think something cute like jewellery or flowers is stereotypical but adorable. i'd die if i ever got given flowers. i got a few roses from my friends at camp but that does not count.   ( .. )    the most important thing is making it personal. ooh  !    you could handcraft something. handwrite something  …  the possibilities are endless  !!    you're a smart guy, you'll think of something and it'll be perfect.  :)     ohmygoshwait, is cassie's birthday coming up  ??   i should know better.
            
            /  little miss sunshine is so clueless rn

[  xavier's  nervous  hands  began  to  twist  the  multiple  rings  adorning  cold  hands,  a  normal  habit  of  his,  but  the  way  his  expression  looked  like  that  of  a  skittish  rabbit  almost  gave  him  away.  he  listens  carefully,  and  as  he  does  so,  his  mind  is  trying  to  come  up  with  something.  xavier  knew  absolutely  nothing  about  what  girls  liked,  and  it  annoyed  him.  only  because  this  girl  was  just  so  special  and  he  didn't  wanna  fuck  up.  ]  cookies  and  cupcakes?  oh,  shit.  i'm  gonna  have  to  ask  cass  to  help  with  that.  i  cannot  bake  to  save  my  life.  [  he  makes  sure  to  make  a  mental  note  for  later.  cassie  knew  about  this  girl,  so  he  was  confident  she'd  love  to  help.  no,  xavier  knew  nothing  about  baked  goods but  jewelry  and  flowers?  he  knew  enough.  ]  okay,  yeah.  i  think  i  got  it.  hopefully.
            
            ;  she's so precious  ⁉️  holding her so gently rn  ☹️ 

(  @miseriaes  )
            
            what do..   huh.  [  dorothea's expression almost mimics that of a puppy who doesn't understand. she does NOT connect the dots. it's funny for him to be asking her this, not someone like cassie  ??   whatever. ]    uhhmmmm, it depends on the girl, really  !!!    pretty notebooks, stationary, warm cookies or—-  ooh  !    freshly iced cupcakes  !!    if you wanna go all - out then, flowers. i think jewellery is always the best option, though. there's a lot that goes into it  -  does she prefer gold or silver  ??   things like that  !    us girls really like sentimental stuff so,, anything that reminds you of her, y'know  ?
            
            /  dorothea babygirl you are so stupid  <33

(  @Iuxsolaris  )     ohhhh, this little ol' thing  ??   yeah—- yep  !    i did.   ( .. )   d'you like it  ?

(  @Iuxsolaris  )      no  !!!   nonono, of course not. i am not a witch. i definitely do not have any kind of magic whatsoever. just little ol' me and i guess you could say my acting ability is kinda like magic. but not the type you're talking about, i mean—-  i wouldn’t /spell/ mister romeo even if i could  !    [  suddenly, she slaps her hand over her mouth, face turning a deeper shade of red. ]    did i just call him that  ???    hahahahahah wrong name  !!   silly me. uhmmmm. yeah. xavier is  ..  does he not smile around you  ?    he speaks VERY highly of you. it's adorable.  [  dorothea hugs herself, squeezing a little to suppress the pounding of her heart against her ribcage. ]    …   does he really  ?

{   cassie's    all-knowing   grin   widens    with    delight   as   the   other   girl's   words   sunk   in   her   mind.   she   clasped   her   hands   together   before   bright    eyes   glint   with   curiosity.   }    'm   just   curious!!   did   you   put   a   spell   on   him   or   something??   because   he...   smiles.   did   you   hear   that?   he  SMILES.   around   you.   or   if   he   hears   your   name.   it's   sweet    but   unsettling   because   i   didn't   know   he   could   smile.

(  @Iuxsolaris  )      oh come ooooon. he rarely actually looks like that when you get to know him  !!   you know that.   [  and so does she. fuck, she just blew it. dorothea places her hands over her cheeks, sighing. ]    okay fine, what's your point  ?