The coffee shop was quiet and decent, its shelves of vintage books lending the place a quiet nod to ancient history.

Julien had his coffee. Across from him, Purple was thoroughly occupied with her chocolate, the way she tended to be with things she enjoyed.

They sat beside the open glass window, and aside from the attendant moving somewhere in the background, the shop belonged to the two of them.

"I questioned your motives when you asked me out, but white chocolates? That confirms it; you’re definitely up to something. So... are you in love with me now?"

Julien sneered.

He hadn’t wanted to be here. That was the honest truth. But the conversation with Margaret had unsettled something in him that hadn’t settled back down. He wanted to know Purple more. And if nothing else, he wanted her to know that he’d always be there for her.

Tsk. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"Hey, go easy on the chocolates! They’re not going to disappear on us, you know."

Purple frowned.

"Why bother getting them for me if all you’re going to do is lecture me?"

He sighed. The sooner this was done, the better, that much he knew. What he didn’t know, despite spending several hours rehearsing it, was how to actually begin.

After an awkward, fleeting pause, Purple spoke:

"You spoke with my mother, didn’t you? And she told you everything about my childhood?"

Julien hadn’t seen that coming. He’d known she was sharp, that was never in question, but saying it outright was something else. Every carefully rehearsed approach he’d spent hours preparing dissolved on the spot.

"You saw us talking?"

Purple motioned negatively.

"You seem off, not like your usual self. My mother’s been acting oddly too, so I guessed that might explain it."

Now that the cat was out of the bag, Julien was ready to say what he actually felt.

"I’m certain you know your mom worries about you. Why cause her all that pain?"

Purple was silent for a moment before leaning back in her seat and locking eyes with Julien.

"What do you mean? As I said, dwelling on the past robs you of the future. Whatever I was before can only touch me if I let it, and I have no intention of letting it. Not even what happened yesterday."

It was the argument Purple always came back to, and Julien had never been able to stomach it. The past wasn’t something you discarded on the way to the future.

History shaped the present. It shaped what came after. Walking away from it wasn’t forward movement. It was just forgetting yourself and calling it progress.

He massaged his temples.

"What does that have to do with how your mother feels? She’s here in the present, isn’t she?"

Julien glanced through his mind for a moment.

"Oh, I understand. You believe your mother wants you to stay the powerless child you’ve always been. Hmph. But have you ever stopped to see what she actually desired? It seems to me you’re letting fear of the past control you."

Julien’s words sat in the space between them longer than he’d expected, and Purple left them there. No response.

Her expression gave nothing away as she finished her chocolate and, without any acknowledgment of what he’d said, asked for another.

It was clear enough. Purple had no interest in discussing her relationship with her mother, and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise. Julien let it go without much resistance. That hadn’t been the point of coming here anyway.

"Tell me about your childhood."

Huh?

Purple’s attention immediately shifted to Julien.

"You heard me. Had I not met you, I’d have found another way to reach my goal. But I did meet you, and now... only death can keep us apart. I’ll always be here for you. You owe me at least that much.

"Besides, you know way too much about me... even when I was sleeping on the streets and begging for food, while I know practically nothing about you. And we’re really supposed to get married?"

Purple immediately wore a teasing smile, blushing in the process.

"Does this mean you actually want to marry me? You’re stubborn as ever... I didn’t expect you to feel this way so soon."

Julien massaged his forehead in disbelief.

Purple was eager from that moment, weighing her thoughts for what exactly to tell.

"Honestly, my childhood was unremarkable. I barely played with anyone; their minds were too immature compared to mine. That all changed when Lovis came along. Four years older, yet he was my only equal, thanks entirely to his Inheritance."

"Uh-huh?"

"Tch, so bothersome. Are you not satisfied?"

Julien shrugged.

"Why should I? You’re meant to be my fiancé, yet I know nothing about you personally. Tell me, first of all, why you wear those locs."

Purple’s expression darkened. She stayed silent for a moment before speaking.

"What did my mother tell you?"

"Why does it matter? I’m more interested in what you have to say."

Purple ran a finger idly through her hair, and the disappointment on her face was quiet but unmistakable.

She had no desire to explain the locs to Julien, that wasn’t something she owed anyone. But she’d already said something to Scar about her father, pulled out by whatever it was about Scar that made concealment harder than it should be once in his presence. Given that, telling Julien this much felt like the least she could do.

"I’m sure she mentioned that I changed, became distant or cold when I began wearing locs. That’s not far from the truth. I was a child being bullied and wanted to look more confident. Maybe, in a sense, my ancestors decided that for me."

She exhaled.

"I would have let it go before I ever entered the academy or even years before that... if my Inheritance hadn’t come with something strange."

Julien furrowed his brow. It wasn’t unheard of. Some Inheritances changed appearance upon awakening. For some, it was the entire biology, restructured from the ground up. For others, just a few details, subtle enough to miss if you weren’t looking.

Purple’s eyes were supposed to shift to purple upon awakening. The problem was she’d been born with them already. If the Inheritance couldn’t alter what was already in place, and it had to have done something, then whatever it changed was somewhere else entirely.

"You’re close to the truth... but you remember that my Inheritance once disappeared for more than a century, right?"

Julien nodded positively.

"This is a secret not meant to be shared. However, you are now part of my family... or soon will be."

Purple wore a dry smile.

"Just wait a little longer. After we deal with the Heart and Vey families, I’ll explain everything to you."

Julien frowned.

He wanted to know what it was, badly. And now he had to wait until forever? If Purple was going to leave him hanging like that, the least she could do was compensate him for it.

"I don’t know why you feel this way, Purple. But if I could go back and have my parents worry over me again, scold me, or stay awake just to make sure I was safe, I’d accept it without hesitation. It only feels bothersome until they’re no longer there to care for you."

He exhaled deeply.

"If you can’t tell me everything yet, then let me ask for something instead. Spend some time with your mother. You don’t have to pretend to be who you were or say anything back. Just listen to her."

Purple began snacking on her chocolates once more.

"And if I don’t?"

Julien shrugged.

"I’m not forcing you into this. I’m only asking because I care about you. Whatever you choose is up to you."

A soft smile tugged on her lips.

"If I do this, will you treat me like I truly matter to you... like your fiancé?"

Tsk.

"There’s nothing to negotiate. Do as you please."

Purple chuckled.

"I will do as I please then."