Alone Together

Rosa Island was alive and blooming, pairs of flowerlings and beanlings all bustling about. Sprouting season was just around the corner, and the magic in the air of Prism Vale made itself readily apparent with the chatter and camaraderie around the islands. 

Even with the friendly feelings whirling around them, a pair of flowerlings managed to carve out a portion of solitude among the crowd. With all their ornaments, both of them made it hard to be missed- one, a petite galaxy that somehow sunk into the busy atmosphere as something simultaneously otherworldly and unremarkable, and the other a gruff ox who sometimes seemed as though the metal ornaments on his person were the softest thing about his personality. 

Ordinarily the two would never have ventured to the rainbow-colored city that was Rosa's capital-- least of all so near to sprouting time-- but necessity was enough of a push to get Cube to make the trip. And, of course, the tenacious astronomer had somehow managed to convince Titan to accompany her. 

If asked, he likely would have claimed not to know how she had goaded him into it. Luckily for them both, it seemed as though Titan's less-than-friendly attitude was projected well enough to get them through the crowd unbothered. And so, as Cube led the way with a bundle of newly attained supplies tied around her shoulder, the pair were an odd spot of silence in the noise around them. 

Cube glanced over her shoulder, as if to check if her escort was still behind her. Titan raised a brow in response, expression wordlessly asking Cube where exactly else she expected him to be. The white flowerling hummed, giving him an amused smile before turning and flitting up a staircase that led the two deeper into the shopping center. Titan sighed and followed. 

As they passed by the shops, the ox idly scanned over the advertisements plastered all around. Candy shops, bakeries, salons, toy stores- Kyupi had managed to amass a near amusement park level of attractions in the shopping center. Cube continued on assuredly, seeming not to notice the fortune tellers and sellers of good luck charms and trinkets they passed, many promising of chances at finding "the one" for whatever hapless beans could buy into it. If Titan rolled his eyes any harder, they might have been needing Cube to pull them back from orbit. 

"What garbage," He mumbled under his breath. 

"What is?"

Considering the sound in the mall had nearly drowned out his own voice, Titan couldn't help but give a slight start as Cube butted into his thoughts. His attention turned back to the flowerling to find that she'd moved closer, curious and knowing eyes sparkling and set on him. Titan glanced away, expression bordering on a scowl to hide his embarrassment.

"Nothing,"

"Liar~"

Titan frowned slightly, ear twitching in irritation at the singsong tone that the glittering flowerling spoke in. She giggled softly, taking his hand in hers to pull him along another stairway. He'd be glad for the apparent dropping of the topic, if he didn't know her better than he did. There was no way he was getting off that easily. 

Cube pulled him along, leading him through more than one door that made him idly question if they were meant to be allowed through them. With her confidence, it was hard to tell what she had planned and what was spur-of-the-moment; either way, the metallic flowerling found himself pulled out to fresh air. 

The rooftop of the building didn't seem to be set up for visitors. No other beans were in sight, and the clamour of the island was muted by distance and by the plants that had decided that the walls were their domain. Titan felt himself relax slightly, the fresh air helping to push away the defenses that the crowds had pulled up. 

"So," Cube turned to him, keeping that same knowing smile on her face, "What's garbage?"

Titan nearly groaned, giving an exasperated sigh as he ventured farther onto the roof. He put distance between himself and the smaller flowerling, though he could feel her gaze on him. 

"All the junk they're selling down there. Trying to get some poor sap to think that they're gonna be able to get a partner if they wear enough lucky clovers or whatever."

Cube hummed, amused, and drifted over nearer the edge of the rooftop.

"That's funny, coming from you." She lightly swatted the tassel of a knot hanging off of Titan's ear as she passed, just hard enough to get her point across.

Face flushing, Titan only huffed and looked away, not willing to get into an 'it's different' argument with her. The starry flowerling had a way of countering nearly any argument he could have, and he didn't feel like letting his pride take that hit at the moment. 

Cube was quiet for a long moment after, letting silence stretch between them as she looked up towards Rosa Island's pastel sky. Silent and still, Titan watched as her wings swayed only slightly, the galaxy inside them seeming out of place in the bright Rosa atmosphere. 

"Do you believe in soulmates, Titan?" 

"What?" The ox blinked when she finally spoke again, "What, like, the whole there's-a-perfect-match-for-everyone thing?"

"Something like that," Cube responded, not taking her eyes off the sky. 

Titan paused, brow furrowing for a moment. "Why would I- Wait." he stopped himself, knowing all too well that his question would be met with another. He drifted a little closer to her, considering as he looked out over the island below. 

Cube stayed patiently quiet, giving the red flowerling a moment to organize his thoughts. Not coming up with a concise response, he instead turned his eyes back to her. 

"Do you?"

A momentary flash of surprise flickered across Cube's face at the question. She looked toward Titan, considering, before smiling slightly.

"I don't know," She told him, matter-of-fact. He gave her an incredulous look- why was she asking him if she didn't know? Cube chuckled softly at his response, giving him a patient smile after. 

"I don't know what I believe, really. But I do find it interesting, looking at what we know here. You and I find each other by happenstance, without ever knowing our wishers. And Prism and Jericho did the same. And then we find that we have the same two wishers, and those two wishers are a couple," The smaller flowerling explained her thoughts, talking as if it was all simple facts, "And so, I don't know if I believe in soul mates. But it's interesting to think that maybe, there are some souls that are so drawn to each other that they'll always gravitate towards one another, no matter the distance or form."

Titan looked toward Cube, considering her words for a moment. As her gaze returned skyward, the ox let his eyes follow this time, tracing along the clouds that she seemed so fixated on. 

"... I think I could believe that."