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A FOREVER PROMISE
╰── ⋅ ⋅ ── ♡ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──╯

"GOOD HEAVENS GAMBIT!" AUNT Marge exclaimed, seeing the girl asleep on top a mountain of books. Her hair sprawled out on the pages, drool soaking her pillow,

"Up! Up!"

Gambit groaned, never wanting to wake up after reading fourteen books simultaneously in one week--and she had just closed her eyes a few seconds before Aunt Marge walked in through the door.

"What..? No--okay, I'm up! I'm up..." she dozed off, her eyes felt heavy and her body sore from all sorts of positions she had read in.

"You're reading again--nevermind that, when did you sleep?!"
Her voice itched Gambit's mind, letting her open her eyes for a moment,

"Just now."

"And when did you start reading?"

"Thursday--" she yawned, "--afternoon.."

Aunt Marge clicked her tongue, looking a bit disappointed.
"Alright, just this once! You can sleep in."

Gambit wasted no time closing her eyes, going back to her deep slumber.
⠀

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⠀
As Gambit slept, Quill and Belle haelped around with the chores--still a little bitter Gambit had gotten to sleep in.

"Why has she got a mountain of books about magic?"
Quill asked, mopping the floor up and down,

"I don't know, says it's from a friend. Those books look rather..." Belle paused, trying to find the right words, "Unique. I've never seen those types of books before,"

"Yeah right, these friends of hers aren't from here, remember? They're from someplace else so it's no wonder you've never seen those books."
Quill chuckled,

Aunt Marge passed them, talking to the other Aunties rather impatiently--Quill had gotten a wind of their discussion and heard the words Gambit.. start.. figuring..

Gambit start figuring? He's never heard such a complex sentence before, and he laughed softly. Gambit never changed, he thought, after all she was the one who made the Aunties panic because of all the trouble she's caused growing up.

Quill cringed as he remembered the time the three of them--Belle, Gambit and he--kneeled on a box of peas. Their knees had circle shaped bruises and their skin had turned purple and blue,

"D'you remember the time Gambit set the curtains on fire?"

Belle shuddered at the sudden memory jog,
"Ugh.. Yeah. Not a fun time, that one, my knees hurt like shit for a week after," she felt her knees buckle, "Jesus, the things we do for Gambit.."

Despite her bitterness, a small smile plastered on her face, unable to hide the fact she cares for Gambit like a little sister.

Their little bonding moment was broken when a boy from outside, called them and said a boy was looking for Gambit.

"Gambit's asleep--what should we do?!"
Belle panicked,

"Relax! It's just a boy--"

"What if it's her boyfriend?!"

"Her what--?! Alright no. It's not her boyfriend," he winced, "Just a friend that we can ask what he wanted from her."

"Alright, let's go then.."

The two dropped their things and tidied themselves up, seeing the same boy with glasses they saw at the market, standing at the end of the path alone,

"Hi.."

"Hello--erm... I suppose Gambit is unavailable?"
James asked, noticing the girl he wanted wasn't there.

"Nope. She's uh..."

Belle couldn't expose Gambit--to a very attractive boy--that she is currently drooling in her sleep, so she lied.

"Playing the piano."

Quill gave her a look--James noticed but didn't speak on it.

"Ah.. Well, could you tell her that we'll be leaving tomorrow and that we all hope she'd have a great birthday," he reached into his pocket, pulling out a letter, "Here, I'd appreciate if you could give this to her."

Quill grabbed the letter, admiring his handwriting.

"James Potter... Ah! You must be the owner of that notebook I assume?"

"That's right. Thank you for keeping it safe, I appreciate it,"
James smiled brightly,

"Right well, I'm Quill and this is Belle,"  Belle shook hands with James, "We're the only one's Gambit had, so it's nice she has more friends now.."

James nodded, putting his hands in his pockets. He had wanted to see Gambit one last time before he left, but he guessed he won't. His curly hair fell as he said good bye, turning around as he walked away. A little upset--

"Do you want to see Gambit?"
Belle yelled, causing Quill to hit her in the head.

"Ow--erm.. I'm sure she'd like to see you before you go.."

James sighed in relief, a smile crept up on his face.

"Yes, I'd like to see her.."
⠀

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⠀
Gambit had never expected to see James when she awoke, but here she is, embarrassed as he sat in front of her,

"Good morning princess," James teased, grabbing the neck of her shirt and wiping away her drool, "There's a little something on your face,"

"Thanks--I can do it now, thank you.."

The boy laughed softly, leaning back into the chair,
"So you weren't actually playing the piano?"

"We don't even have a piano," Gambit chuckled, a little confused.

Silence fell for a moment,

"So.. We're leaving tomorrow."
James exhaled, his eyes panned down, trying to analyze her expression.

It was still, but her mouth tuned slightly downwards. Her eyebrow slightly furrowed as she rubbed her eye,

"It'll be your birthday by then--Happy birthday! From all of us," he stood up, hugging the girl as she smiled slowly.

"Thank you.. And I guess we'll be seeing each other next year?"
Gambit pouted, arranging all her new books.

"We could still talk to each other, you know."

"Really? By what? Letters? As if a mail man can deliver all the way from Scotland--"

"Owls."
James smirked,

"Owls?"

"Yes. I have an owl, you know. He can deliver the letters to you," James paused, he hadn't thought about how Gambit will write to him back,

"You don't have an owl.. So, I guess my owl can wait while you finish your reply. I'm sure he won't mind,"
James grinned excitedly, helping Gambit fix her hair.

"That's nice... Also, I've read all fourteen book--first and second year. I'm amazed at how wizards don't have basic maths--"

"What's maths?"

Gambit froze, her eyes locked onto his.

"What--"

"I'm joking! I know what maths is--the basics of it anyways,"
James shrugged, remembering the times his father scolded him for not listening to his lessons.

Gambit looked at him warily,
"Right.. James?"

"Yes, love?"

Gambit sneered, then exhaled,
"Can you promise me that you'll never stop being my friend?"

"Just a friend?"

Gambit stiffened, what did he mean by this? She blinked rapidly, trying to mask the pink on her cheeks,

"I--erm.. Well, I hadn't really thought about--"

"I thought we were best friends!"
James tilted his head, leaning in as she turned away, avoiding looking at him.

"What did you think I meant?"

"Nothing! erm.. We are best friends--moving on," Gambit let out a breath, calming herself down as she failed to see the cocky smirk on James' face.

"Of course I'd never stop being your friend, are you mental?"
He held out his pinky,

"Swear on it?"

Gambit hooked her pinky around his, grinning as they made a promise to each other.

James noticed a few freckles on Gambit's neck and collarbone. As her sleeves reveal her shoulders, and her rosy pink knuckles. He gulped, his eyes trailed lower than it should but he stopped, blinked and looked at their hands.
Bound together by their pinky, creating a promise that will never be broken. Wrapping his fingers around her palm, he leaned down, pressing a kiss on her hand.

"Just to make it extra special."