Amaryllis: A Shoujo Parallels Headcanon Short

Alpha Belt
Silvas Estate, England
1800s

It had been a few years since Mary moved into the Silvas residence in England. Then younger, the dark-haired girl was now of eleven years, sporting hair that reached a little below her shoulders and sporting a crimson red dress.

“Mary!”

The girl blinked at the voice. “…Gabriel?”

On another hand, Gabriel Silvas, thirteen years of age, was taller and sporting a wicked grin on his face. The male, who towered over Mary, had burst into her room with a bang.

“Mary! I know it – I finally know it!” he exclaimed, proudly striking a pose in the middle of her room. The scarlet-eyed child regarded him with a blank stare.

“Know what?”

“Your name!” he told her excitedly. The once confused look on her face turned a little…smug. “Remember when mother and father told me that I’d find out when I turned thirteen? They told me just now!” Gabriel’s face fell, however, and this made Mary frown as well.

“So what’s the deal about it?”

Gabriel mumbled something under his breath.

“What?”

“Bloody – what is it with you French lot?” he asked exasperatedly, sitting next to her on the bed. Mary scooted away a little, but Gabriel didn’t notice at all. “I can pronounce your surname right. Coquelicot.” He said, Mary shaking her head (internally) at how badly he said it. But she didn’t say a word. “But your actual name…”

“Mary,” she replied. “Just call me Mary.” No need to mess up my birth name, she thought exasperatedly, wishing to tell him but not quite having the heart to do so.

“I’m going to call you by your real name,” he told her seriously. “Or I’ll die trying.”

An odd silence filled the room. Mary kept a blank look on her face yet again as Gabriel Silvas took a breath, a faint pink dusting his cheeks.

“Amaryllis.”

“You’re saying it wrong,” she interrupted suddenly. Gabriel blinked. “Too fast on the first syllable. Amaryllis. Like that.”

“Right, right. Amaryllis.”

“Now you’re saying it too slowly,” Mary protested, not sure if Gabriel really couldn’t say her name or if he was just pulling her leg. “Ama.”

“Ama.”

“Ryllis.”

“Ryllis,” he repeated. The brunette gave an approving nod.

“Now put it together and just say it.”

Gabriel made a face.

“Amaryllis.”

We’ll get there soon enough, she thought exasperatedly, watching (and dying on the inside) as Gabriel practiced her name over and over and over again.

“Amaryllis Coquelicot. Amaryllis Coquelicot. Seven hells,” he ended up laughing, to which the girl scowled and elbowed him in the ribs, “Your name is like some kind of tongue twister.”

“It is not!” she replied hotly, “It’s not my fault you can’t say my name properly – this is what I get in return?” Mary put on a fake tone, feigning her hurt. This made Gabriel’s eyes widen in shock. “I can say yours perfectly. Gabriel Silvas. And you can’t even pronounce Amaryllis Coquelicot properly. Some friend you are,” she faked, secretly enjoying the crestfallen look on his face.

“Amary – Mary,” he groaned. “Please don’t do this to me.”

Mary pretended to think. “Alright, then.” Gabriel looked at her curiously. “If you manage to say my name right – no stuttering, no pauses or awkward lengthening – I’ll let you do whatever you wish to do. Just as long as it doesn’t compromise my safety or sanity,” she added hastily upon seeing the delighted look come back to his face.

“Anything?”

“Anything,” she repeated firmly. A little amusedly, she added, “A Coquelicot doesn’t go back on her word.”

“A deal’s a deal,” Miles grinned. He extended his hand. “Shake on it?”

And they did.

Throughout the years, Mary eventually thought lesser of the deal and more on other things. As she reached an older age, more mature and blooming into a young woman, her mind was occupied by something else – something more serious than she ever thought of. She set her hair down (occasionally braided) and wore longer dresses, appeared more serious and firm than anyone else had ever seen her.

Gabriel missed the cheerful, mildly enigmatic Mary who tolerated his dry wit and humorless attempts at joking. Growing up, he shot up and formed himself into a charismatic man, a thick head of brown hair growing out wildly. His lime eyes drifted from Mary to something else, but he kept it hidden as he pretended to fancy other ladies.

Gabriel Silvas never forgot his promise to Mary, never realizing that the scarlet-eyed girl was merely joking. So one day he knocked on her door (an improvement from just barging in), and waited for her to come out. Finally, she did.

“Gabriel? I thought you were out.”

“I just came back,” he said sheepishly. “Do you…do you mind if we have a chat? Outside or something?”

Mary blinked. “What’s wrong with inside my room?”

“You know my parents, Mary.” He chuckled good-naturedly and even Mary rolled her eyes, masking her expression with one of exasperation. “Unless you’re doing something. I can wait.”

“No, let’s go out right now.” she closed the door and Gabriel escorted her out, the two descending the stairs and leaving the back doors of the Silvas estate, into the wide garden in the back. Mary glanced around. There was no doubt that the greenery was Gabriel’s favorite place. “So why did you bring me here, Gabriel?”

“I’ve accomplished something, see,” he told her. Gabriel led her to a stone bench and Mary sat down neatly, Gabriel standing in front of her with the same impish grin. “Something I thought I could never do.”

“Did you ask a girl out?” she teased. Gabriel thought her voice faltered but thought nothing of it. The Forest Original shook his head, and the curious look in Mary’s eyes returned. “No?”

“Nothing of that sort,” he admitted. “Just – just give me a moment.”

Bewildered, Mary could only agree as Gabriel spun on a heel, took a breath and muttered something to himself before looking back at her, he looking her straight in the eye.

“Amaryllis Coquelicot.”

“…yes?”

“Amaryllis Coquelicot,” he repeated.

“Gabriel, what are y–”

“I did it! I bloody did it – Amaryllis Coquelicot,” he said yet again, and Mary couldn’t understand until the brunette laughed warmly into the air. “Don’t you remember, Mary?”

“Not in the foggiest.”

“Well, you – you promised me. We shook on it, yes? I say your name right and you’d let me do anything,” he explained quickly. From confusion, realization dawned upon the female Coquelicot’s face. “A few years back.”

“Oh. Yes, I remember now…” running her fingers through her hair, Mary frowned to herself slightly. But it was a joke. Do I really have to break it to him? “Well, what do you want?”

“Haven’t got a clue,” he said cheerfully. “I’ll hold on to that wish, that favor until I finally get the chance to use it on something nice.”

“Now that’s not fair,” Mary complained.

“Just let me think over it, Mary.” He chided gently. “Took me years to finally get it right.” Folding her arms over her chest, Mary couldn’t help but roll her eyes yet again. Gabriel merely waited, not letting his smile slide away.

“Okay – fine. I’ll let you hold on to that stupid wish.”