Castielās gaze didnāt falter from the grandfather clock as Miraās profanity slapped him in the face and her petite hand shoved his shoulder. The eldest Santiagoās stoic visage seemed even colder underneath the marble mask. He stood still; a statue in both face and body. Throughout Miraās spiel, Castielās jaw tensed; his head rigid, and his entire being radiating bitterness in violent waves and although his frustration was not expressed through his facial expressions, but in his aura. The room just seemed colder the longer Castiel listened to Mira. He couldnāt just move on. He knew he should, but he justā¦just couldnāt do it. God knows he wanted to.
He tore his eyes from the clock and moved them to the floor. He tried to look at her, to force his ocean blues to meet hers, but he couldnāt do it. He was afraid. He didnāt want to be, but with Mira here, his past was staring him in the face and he hated it, hated feeling trapped and guilty.
āI canāt move on,ā he said, slowly in a low and almost menacing tone as he took off his mask, allowing her to see him fully. āYou have been gone for over a hundred years, Mirabelleā¦a hundred years. It felt so much longer to me. I was convinced that you were a decomposing corpse and it killed me when I couldnāt find you. It took over sixty years for me to mourn your loss and assent the fact that you were dead. Now that youāve returned, you expect me to accept it within the span of two weeks after feeling so guilty for so long? I need time. Time and spaceā¦grant me that much. You can have your bloody dance; I care not, but understand this.ā He finally looked at her, his cold gaze softening just a tad. āI am not the young lad that you used to know, anymore, Mirabelle, I have changed a great deal and so has our relationship. The sooner you comprehend that, the easier your stay here will be for the both of us.ā
Castiel backed away a bit more, āApropos, the gown does look flattering on you.ā He pulled his mask back onto his face, looking more intimidating than intended before he departed, meandering over to Demetri and brushing past him, but not before quickly whispering in his ear, āTry to entertain our sister, wonāt you? I need to establish some distance between her and I.ā He made his way to the exit to leave the parlor, making a beeline for his study. āSend for me when the ball has begun, Tanzy and not a minute before. I shall be in my study.ā And then he was gone.