#(I started with Zeld@ for a bit but I need to make or find more tr@nsparents)

[little-lemon-lattes]

The Set Up

🌜Zelda Spellman x fem! reader

—— Word count: 2.2k

—— Warnings: none, just a little bit fluffy 🥳

—— Summary: You are left home alone with Zelda one weekend and you’re full of nerves! She has been nothing but an ice queen since you met, and now seems like the perfect opportunity for her to tell you exactly what she thinks of you while everyone else is gone.

It was just the two of you in the house this weekend. Just Zelda, just you.

It shamed you to admit it, but when Hilda had told you that she was going to test the waters in staying the whole weekend with Dr C- followed closely by Ambrose and Sabrina’s revelations that they, too, would be spending the next few nights with their respective partners – it had been hard to contain the strange bubbly feeling that had ignited in your belly. Only you and Zelda in that enormous house, for two whole days and nights?! It would be an understatement to say that it was making you nervous.

Zelda Spellman was a formidable woman, to say the least. It had been close to three months now since Hilda had extended the Spellman hospitality to you, offering you a large and handsome room, along with all the usual luxuries everyone had grown so jealous of the Spellman cousins for. Hilda had never explained why she did it – you expected she had her reasons in there somewhere – but you were now, and in every essence, a part of the Spellman family. And it was no exaggeration to say that from almost the moment you had walked through their colossal front door (nothing but a rucksack in hand), all signs had pointed to Zelda’s utter disapproval of you.

You were desperate to gain even a simple ounce of her obviously hard-won trust. It was important to you that she see the magnitude of exactly how thankful you were for her hospitality at a point your life of Hades-bottom. You delivered blackcurrant-nightshade tea to her study, as she worked in her dressing gown to the late witching hour; astral travelling to the most obscure countries, to collect the newspapers for Zelda’s morning reading; and, on the odd occasion, hexing anybody you heard whispering unsavoury things about her in the hallways of the Academy.

And yet, for what? What had it all earned you?

Nothing but calculating scans and narrowed eyes.

Thus, you thought it seemed only natural to be nervous, alone in the mortuary with her. To be honest, it wouldn’t have totally shocked you if Zelda took the opportunity to finally tell you exactly what she thought of you, away from the ears of the other Spellmans. What the pair of you didn’t know, however, was that this was exactly what these ‘other Spellmans’ had in mind when vacating the house for that weekend.

At first, there had been an awful lot of plain staring coming from Zelda; and this alone had been enough to pique the interest of her sister Hilda. Hilda hadn’t been sure, at the time, if anyone else had noticed much out of the ordinary. But, having been by Zelda’s side for numerous centuries now, it almost immediately struck Hilda as strange the lack of comment supplied from her sister. She had always known Zelda to be a reasonably opinionated, and if she were caught looking for longer than usual at anything, it would be certain it was because she had something to say about it. Hilda supposed it was because her sister was unaware in those times that she even had an audience to provide commentary for. The younger Spellman sister had eventually cooked up a competition in her head of how many times a day she would look up from her little world at the stovetop and catch Zelda watching you. At first, it was all stoically and quizzically, as if analysing exactly what your every move meant; but later changing into something more girlish and slightly wistful, often with her cheek resting in the palm of her hand. Hilda would never dare mention it, of course. She suspected that Zelda wasn’t even aware that she was doing it.

Another such thing that Hilda suspected had emerged from her sister’s subconscious was the large percentage of conversation with Zelda that your name seemed to find its way into. Whether the younger witch was asking her if she wanted her pumpkin roasted, or her thoughts on the newest appointment of Transylvania’s High Priest, talk would always return to how illusive you were.

“ Do you mean to tell me, sister, that you don’t feel it every time she is in this damn house?”

“Erm... feel what, exactly, Zelds?” Hilda had peeped.

“I don’t know what it is, Hilda, you tell me!” she had exclaimed, “ some form of heaven-bent , wicked energy. Like electricity, one might say. Yes. I’m almost certain that y/n is slowly but surely cursing the entire mortuary, because – Hilda – it seems I can’t escape the nauseating feeling in my stomach, no matter what wing of the house we are in!”

Hilda had to draw on all the power of the mortal and immortal realms she could muster in order to keep a fit of laughter at bay. Her sister was definitely the smartest and most impressive witch she knew, but this little bout of oblivion where you were concerned totally provided some much-needed comedy to Hilda’s day. Her certainty at what was going on was only confirmed further, when Sabrina had come to her with interesting reports of a mystery master of hexes striking in the hallways of the academy.

“ - and naturally, I had to do a bit of digging,” Sabrina continued,

“ Naturally,” her aunt had agreed.

“ So I took it upon myself to do a bit of… ‘Q and A’ with the victims, let’s call them. And, once I’d persuaded them to loosen their tongues a little bit, a pattern begin to emerge: they all admitted to having a little word or two about Aunt Zelda. Interesting, huh? But just wait for it, Aunty, here’s the kicker. Guess when the hexing started?”

“Hmmm... I don’t know, my love, when?” Except, she was pretty sure she did know.

“ Three months ago! Right about the time that-“

“- Y/n started teaching at the Academy.��� Ambrose finished for her, as he materialised in the kitchen next to Sabrina and their aunt.

“ Forgive my interruption, cousin, Auntie. Coincidentally, I was looking for Sabrina to discuss with her whether Satan had finally removed my frontal cortex, or if I wasn’t the only one who had noticed the abnormal, puppy-like devotion for Aunt Zelda that constantly radiates from y/n?”

“YESSSS!” The women shouted together.

“ Ah good. My cortex lives to see another day.” Ambrose remarked.

“Well, to be fair though,” Hilda started, “I do think it’s partly because the poor dear feels as if she has to move Hell and Earth just to melt away even a teensy bit of that awful ice that Zelda has gone and put up around herself.”

“Yeah, what is with that? I swear I haven’t seen her so closed off, like... EVER. And what did y/n ever do to her?” Sabrina remarked.

“Why, isn’t it obvious, cousin? She’s put a spell on dear Aunt Zee. And not the kind that can be cast, if you take my meaning.”

You had finally arrived home for the evening. Shrugging your midnight-blue coat off and replacing it on the coat rack, you called into the open abyss of the house: “It’s just me, Zelda!”

Hilda, Ambrose, and Sabrina had all left that morning, meaning it was just you, Zelda, and Uncomfortable Tension left in the house.

There was no answer to your call, and it felt pretty chilly in the house on that midwinter’s evening. Pulling the pins from your French twist, you flicked a lazy hand at the hearth. Orange flames sprung to life where seconds before had been merely dust. You decided that Zelda was probably busy in her study, and wanted to be left alone. You would take a plate of food to her later. So, you began climbing the stairs to your room on the third floor, directly above the Spellman sisters’, unwinding your scarf as you went. Letting it dangle open around your shoulders, you turned the corner of the second floor staircase toward your chambers. Your eyes slid past the sisters’ door out of habit. As you raised your foot to continue your ascent, you stopped. Zelda was sitting on the edge of a meticulously perfect-made bed that you could only assume was hers, staring glassy-eyed into space. The expression on her face made your heart hurt for a moment; it looked as if she were in slight pain. She was gently biting her lip, and the outer corners of her eyes were tilted down. She fiddled nervously with her fingers.

You backed up a few paces, coming to rest outside her door. Crossing your arms, you leant your head against the frame, waiting to see if she would acknowledge you. But, it seemed as if she had no idea that you were even there.

“Zelda...? Is everything alright?” you ask tentatively. Suddenly, her obvious anxiety began to make you anxious. Though you seemed to have broken her from her trance, because at your words, her eyes flickered to your place at the doorframe, and her expression morphed into something a little nauseous. It was evident that something big was on Zelda’s mind. You had crossed the room in seconds to her, and sank into the mattress next to her.

“What is it? What’s wrong? I know you don’t trust me, Zelda, I get that... but just know that you can tell me anything you feel you need.”

The Spellman let out a tiny puff of air, as if she had been holding her breath. There was silence for a minute as you watched her. It was clear that was carefully choosing her words.

“It’s just...” she tried to begin, “I just... I have had something playing across the many facets of my mind lately, y/n, and-“ she sighed, “I have become briefly overwhelmed by exactly how unattainable to me it is.”

You were shocked. Something unattainable to THE Zelda Spellman? Impossible. And you told her as much.

She smiled at you ruefully.

“Unfortunately, y/n, I think this time that you are wrong.”

You frowned.

“Why? Why would I be wrong? Why is this thing so out of your reach?”

Your mind, as keen as ever, was desperate for answers.

Zelda swallowed, and glanced at you. You replied with an inquisitive raise of your eyebrows. She inhaled, expelling everything in her breath out: “Because my prime came and went centuries ago. I’m nothing but an old crone!” She buried her face in her hands.

That was it; that was all it took for your heart to break into a million pieces.

All reservations out the window, you took her hand fiercely and turned your body to completely face her. Your knees were touching hers.

“That is the most utter nonsense, you hear me? You’re easily the most powerful, awe-inspiring, shining witch in any given room, plus the fact that you’re definitely the most stunningly beautiful woman I’ve ever seen! You can-“ Your words were beginning to catch up with your brain, and it seemed that everything you felt for her that you had desperately tried to quash was deciding to make an appearance too, “-you can... do anything you put your mind to.”

The sentence ended on nothing more than a whisper. Shit. Well, that wasn’t exactly the way you would have appreciated being exposed.

You had convinced yourself that Zelda was something of a role model to you and that you were ongoingly gracious for her hospitality- when in truth, she had probably been the least hospitable to you of the family. That explanation had been easy to tell yourself- she was just SO great that you wanted to be her! Not be with her, right? Wrong. The time for a taste of reality had come.

Zelda looked gobsmacked. She frowned a little, as if trying to work something out. After a brief pause, she asked: “Does that mean what I think it does?”

You swallowed.

“What exactly do you think it means?”

The other woman looked a bit meek for a moment. You could tell that her inherently Zelda-ish fear of being wrong was toying with her.

“That maybe... it’s not so out of my reach after all?”

The way her voice raised at the end of the sentence had the astounding effect of transforming her into a scared little girl in a millisecond. Could she BE any more vague, though? She wasn’t addressing your slip of the tongue at all!

Oh hold on.

Unless...?

You chose your next words very carefully.

“That’s precisely what I’m saying.”

It seemed that you had thrown her! She let go of your hand and looked away from you to her feet, all while biting her lip again. She dug her nails into her palm.

When Zelda looked up at you again, she seemed ten times braver than she had moments ago, when she had looked to the ground.

“Would I be overstepping my place if I were to do this,” the High Priestess slid her hand up your thigh, “or this,” she placed her hand on your cheek, “or this?”

She finished by leaning in so close that your foreheads were touching.

By Hecate, she took your breath away. You stilled for a few seconds, just to really see her this close, and to admire every single pore of her being. You could feel Zelda’s laboured breath on your skin, dripping with want.

Finally, you spoke.

“Not at all.”

And it was you who closed the space between the pair of you, smiling against her lips. ✨

[krispytidalwavesheep]

Hi! I saw that you were interested in requests for Zelda x f!Reader, among others, so I decided to send something and I hope you don’t mind :) An idea based on „We all shipped them together before they made it official because she kept scoffing that she did not like her and yet she always looked at her first whenever someone told a joke just to see if she was laughing too” post I saw some time ago. Basically a reader who is much younger, more optimistic and affectionate than Zelda. Zelda initially maintains her facade, of course, and constantly denies being interested in her. However, everyone, and I mean really everyone, can see what it is really like and they are both just made for each other, despite their apparent opposites. Thanks in advance, have a nice day!

I was/am really nervous about this, but thanks for the prompt! I hope you like it, I wrote this in the middle of the night, while being absolutely sleep deprived. Hope you enjoy! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zelda disliked you from the very beginning, even though she wasn't quite sure why. Maybe it was your happy-go-lucky attitude or the fact that you were so damn affectionate with everyone, that it almost made her sick. Well, everyone except herself, but she made sure that you understood that you wouldn't stand for such foolish actions. It was kind of pathetic, you hanging of Hilda as you did, and the way you always cuddled up to Ambrose and Sabrina. Who did you think you were, anyway? Nothing more but a nuisance, that's for sure. Zelda couldn't believe that she caved when Sabrina practically begged her to take you in.

Where exactly you came from was still shrouded in mystery. One day you just appeared in the woods, wounded and with amnesia. Of course, Sabrina had to take you in and now everyone was all over you and it annoyed Zelda to no ends. As soon as you got better and more comfortable around everyone, you were practically all over everyone, like a bitch in heat. You even tried to hug Zelda himself a few times, but she made sure that those notions wouldn't occur again. Still, you were so unbelievably nice and cheery, even to her. Disgusting.

You stared at Zelda, who seemed deep in thought and annoyed about something. You were pretty sure that that something was the fact that you were cuddled up to Hilda for some comfort since your night was plagued by nightmares again. Hilda took care of you when Brina brought you to the mortuary and you felt very much thankful for that. You didn't remember a lot of your life before you appeared out of nowhere and with no memories. All that you knew was that you were deadly afraid and hurting all over. Your body was covered in smaller wounds and half of your face was swollen, but the moment you laid your eyes on Sabrina you knew that you would be okay. She had a chaotic but albeit calming aura so you went with her willingly when she took you to her aunts.

At first, you met Hilda and her aura told you all you needed to know about her. She was a protector and she took you in without questioning, taking care of you as if you were one of her own. You trusted her immediately and especially after she helped you through your first nightmare. You met Ambrose next and even though he was cautious of you, he took to you rather fast. You were simply fascinated by everything he told you about magic and mysteries and he liked the audience. Brina and you became fast friends too, even though you didn't agree with everything she did. But she was sixteen and some teenage drama was expected. Especially after what she went through in the past months.

Brina was rather direct and you quite liked that about her. She was like a little sister to you, and she was the first one to muse that you weren't used to affection, which was why she gave it to you willingly. It was kind of cute to see your reactions to physical affection. She knew that it was unusual to trust someone so fast after everything that happened, but you were practically a cinnamon roll and no one ever sensed any weird vibes from you. Except for Zelda of course. But Sabrina had her theory about that...

When you and Zelda first met, the morning after Hilda took you in, you were captivated. You couldn't remember ever seeing a creature more beautiful than her. Her behavior and her aura were completely at odds around you and you wondered why. Especially since her familiar loved you to bits and pieces from the very beginning. Wherever you went, Vinegar Tom was sure to follow and you couldn't sit down without him jumping in your lap and curling up, demanding to be pet. Of course, that was just one more thing Zelda disliked about you. Everything was just affectionate with you, as you were with them, and Vinny's betrayal didn't make it any better.

But still, every time Ambrose told one of his stupid puns her gaze wandered over to you to see you laughing. Although it made her feel weird, she couldn't stop watching you. Just to make sure that you weren't up to something, of course. But everyone, really EVERYONE, had the audacity to imply that she, in fact, liked you very much. Which wasn't true at all. Not in a thousand years.

Her gaze was drawn to you again, as you made cooing noises at Vinny and played with him in front of the hearth, smiling affectionately.

“You're smiling, Zelds,” Hilda smirked and Zelda gave her the patented death glare.

“Whatever you are implying Hilda, I can assure you that it is all in your head,” Zelda huffed and hid behind her paper. Hilda had the audacity to giggle and Zelda gripped the paper just a bit tighter. She tried to ignore you for the rest of the morning, although she wasn't very successful.

“You want some more coffee?” you suddenly asked and leaned over her shoulder, placing your hand between her shoulder blades.

“Remove your hand or I'll cut it off of you,” Zelda just said haughtily, not liking the tingling feeling your hand evoked.

“Sorry, sorry, won't happen again,” you said and held your hands up in a nonthreatening gesture. Which somehow ticked Zelda off even more.

“Remove yourself from the kitchen right now,” she said for good measure and glared you down. Why the heavens did you get so under her skin with just existing? But what happened next shocked everyone deep down to their core. You started yelling.

“What is your fucking problem? Is the fact that I exist that bothersome to you? Why do you hate me so much, what did I ever do to you?! I go out of my way to stay out of your hair and you still so fucking everything you can to make me feel unwelcome! You agreed to me living here, so what. Is. Your. Problem?!” you yelled and to the mortification of everyone, including yourself, you started crying. You stormed out of the house and into the woods, frantically rubbing at your eyes, and before you realized what was happening, you were lost and the sun was disappearing behind the trees...

“Zelda Phiona Spellman! Was that necessary?!” Hilda yelled and glared at Zelda.

“I-I wasn't-”

“That was cruel, even for you Aunt Z,” Sabrina said and grabbed her coat.

“Oh no darling, you stay here. Zelda can go after her and set this right again!” Hilda growled and ripped the paper from Zelda's hands. She was so shocked that she complied and grabbed two coats before she went outside. It was early spring, but it still got cold at night. And Night it would soon be.

Zelda was shaken to her core. You were right, what was wrong with her? Why was she behaving like this, even though you never gave her any reason to? You have been nothing but nice to everyone, helping out where you could, and yet... Zelda felt not like herself around you and that made her angry. Irrationally so. But why? Why did she feel this way around you, the last time she felt like this was when she first met Mambo...oh. Oh no. It couldn't be... her problem wasn't that she disliked you... The problem was that she liked you a bit too much.

Her sub-consciousness must have been so scared of the fact, that it made her dislike you so much. She walked a bit faster after that realization, she had to find you and set things right with you. Apologize.

Zelda was almost frantically running through the forest, using a spell to trace your footprints, but you were faster than her and she cursed her heels. It was getting darker and harder to see, but Zelda knew the forest almost better than her own house. You didn't though, and Zelda found herself sick with worry. She was such a horrible person...

You were shivering in the cold evening, curling yourself into a ball to conserve body heat. You should have taken your coat with you, but you were so angry when you left the house. What exactly was Zelda's problem with you? What did you ever do to deserve such behavior?

You always noticed Zelda looking at you when she thought no one was looking. You even caught the odd smile, unconsciously thrown in your direction when you laughed or played with Vinegar Tom. You always thought that she was shy or something like that, that she liked you but wouldn't be caught dead admitting to it. You heard Hilda and Ambrose talking about how head over heels Zelda must be over you, with all that secret glances and small smiles and you hoped. Hoped, that when enough time passes and you proved that you could be trusted, Zelda would come to like you. Not necessarily as you liked her, but one could hope, after hearing Ambrose and Hilda talk about it, right?

But all your hopes were dashed earlier, when the situation escalated. You were probably no longer welcome at the Spellman house, but you didn't care. No one ever wanted you. You still hadn't got back all your memories, but enough to realize that you were never loved by anyone. Maybe you were too much. Hilda, Sabrina, and Ambrose would come to that realization too. So you should leave now, as long as it is still kind of your choice, but it was so cold, that you couldn't move a muscle.

“Maybe it is better this way...” you mumbled to yourself and closed your eyes.

“Don't you dare to go to sleep, not when I just found you!” an all familiar voice growled and you opened your eyes in shock, looking at Zelda Spellman herself. You just huffed and closed your eyes again. It was just so much easier.

To your utter shock, you felt warm arms wrap around you and the shock was enough for you to open your eyes again. Zelda lied down next to you, pulling you flush against her and somehow you managed to blush.

“We need to get you warmer so that I can bring you back to the house...” Zelda whispered and put the extra coat around both of you. 'Fuck it' you thought and buried your face in Zelda's shoulder. She smelled so good, and you were so tired.

“Don't fall asleep y/n” Zelda urged you and you huffed in surprise.

“You never called me by my name” you whisper and smile. It sounded good coming from her lips.

“Listen y/n I am... I am sorry for how I treated you. It wasn't fair and I regret deeply that it had to escalate like this before I saw reason.”

“'s okay,” you mumble and snuggled a little bit closer. Zelda's hand started rubbing your back gently and she couldn't get over the fact of how right it felt to hold you like this. She was a horrible person for treating you with such resentment when you deserved so much more.

“What I will tell you now, I will tell you just one time, so you better listen, okay?” Zelda mumbled, still rubbing your back.

“Aaaahh there is the Zelda I know and lo-like,” you smile, almost slipping.

“We'll see how deserving of your affections I am when I told you what I need you to tell,” Zelda said, ignoring what you just said for now, even though her heart started to beat faster.

“I am no easy woman. I lash out when I feel vulnerable and my temper is the worst. I treated you like vermin, and you didn't deserve this. I lash out when I feel vulnerable, and I feel that around you, a lot. Even though I didn't realize that until now. I am not as happy-go-lucky as you are, and I am not an affectionate person. At least out in the open. I was told that I am a stone-cold bitch on more than one occasion and I can't help but to agree. I have been hurt y/n, and it pains me to admit, I am afraid that I will get hurt again.”

“Hilda told me what happened. With Blackwood and Mambo Marie. Don't be mad at her, she just wanted to help,” you whisper and Zelda scoffed. You had to smile at that. You two lay like this for a while longer, until you felt how the numb feeling left your extremities.

“I think I'm better now,” you say reluctantly but Zelda didn't let you go just yet, asking for just a little while longer. You wiggled your arms free and wrapped them around Zelda too, slowly and carefully, not to scare her away. Zelda melted instantly into your arms and you smiled. Seems like you weren't the only one starved of affection. Stone cold bitch my ass, you thought and nuzzled a little closer.

“I'm gonna be brave now, okay? I like you very much Zelda, and somehow I think you like me too, don't think I didn't notice the way you look at me when you feel like no one is looking. The point I am trying to make is, that I wouldn't dream of hurting you, at least not willingly. I can be a massive idiot sometimes, but I want to get to know the real you. The one that hides behind all those walls of fear and hurt and I want to... just be there,” you mumble and to your utter shock you heard small sobs coming from Zelda.

“Hey, it's gonna be okay... Sorry if that was too much, I just told you what felt right!” you say and leaned back to look at Zelda. You were panicking. Did you say something wrong? But Zelda just took your face into her hands and bestowed the softest kiss to your forehead. It felt like an absolution.

“No one ever told me that they wanted to get to know the real me. I can't promise you that I will be able to show you my true self, but I will try,” she whispered and buried her face in your neck.

“That's good enough for me.” You said and cuddled closer... ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Still taking prompts, and since schools are closed due to Covid I have a lot of time to write and imrpove!

[iamnotoriginalphil]

A Shot of Caffeine to the Heart (Zelda Spellman x f!Reader) - Part 2

Synopsis: You finally find out what’s in the back room of Spellman’s Coffee House

Words: 1788

Warnings: Pure smut

AN: This is a second part to the Coffees hop AU I wrote a while back for Zelda Spellman. Part one can be found here. I hope you like it!

The stockroom was full of all kinds of things. You glanced around, the bags of coffee beans and boxes of tea leaves giving the air an interesting scent, like nature but pleasant. You ran your fingers over one of the boxes, reading the name in a language you didn’t know. You thought it might be latin but you had no idea.

“Do you wish to do the stocktake for the store?”

You turned away from the tea, looking at the read headed woman on the other side of the room. She was sitting in a fold out chair, old and worn but it looked strong. You gave her a shy smile, pressing back against the shelving. Her eyes roamed over your body, settling on your lips.

“Shall we play?”

She reached a hand out to you, crooking one finger. You stepped forward until you came to stop in front of her. She lent back in the chair, tilting her head as she considered you. You flushed as her eyes continued to roam freely over your body. She reached out, tugging on the edge of your coat.

“Remove this.”

You pulled it off, folding it over one arm. She took it from your hands, dropping it on the floor beside her. She crossed one leg over the other, her tongue tapping on her top lip. You gulped.

“Take a seat.”

You looked around, wondering if she expected you to sit on the floor. She patted your lap, bringing your attention back to her. She gave you a piercing look, waiting for you to catch her meaning. You flushed again but sat on her lap. Her arms wrapped tightly around your waist, pulling your chest flushed against hers.

“I think you shall enjoy this.”

She pressed her lips against yours. You gasped, shocked at the speed of her actions but quickly melting against her as her tongue entered your mouth. She hummed, biting down on your lower lip hard enough to draw blood. The salty coppery tang filled your mouth and while you assumed that would not be something you were into, you moaned into her mouth. She curled her arms tighter around you.

Your fingers pushed into her hair as you kissed her back, wanting to hold her in place. Her hands grasped your ass, repositioning you on her until you were awkwardly straddling her lap. The metal was harshly digging into your knees but it was hard to care when her fingers were digging into the flesh of your ass and her tongue was sweeping into your mouth. You were tugging on her hair, enjoying the way her grip on you tightened in answer.

She drew back, pressing her lips to your neck, her teeth scraping over your skin. Your head fell back as you moaned into the quiet air. She chuckled against your neck, her tongue passing over the skin so recently passed over by her teeth. You shifted above her, a distracting throbbing starting up between your legs. She hummed again, pushing you back.

“Get up,” she ordered.

“What?” You blinked, trying to bring yourself back to the real world.

“Get. Up.”

She pushed you until you got your shaky legs underneath you and stood in front of her. She pointed behind you.

“Over there. Hands on the shelf above your head.”

You followed her orders, not sure what she was getting at. You stood, with your back to her, your hands above your head, the silence making your skin crawl.

“I do so enjoy pretty things,” she said.

“And I’m a pretty thing?” you asked, looking over your shoulder.

“You’re the prettiest thing that has come through my doors.”

Her hands landed on your hips, her breath ghosting over your neck. You inhaled sharply, your fingers tightening on the shelf above you. She put on foot between yours, shifting your feet apart. You made an odd noise in the back of your throat. She turned your head away from her once again.

“I’m going to make you feel wonderful,” she said, “I’ll show you what real magic is.”

You nodded. Her hands slipped around your body until they could reach your breasts. They slid up your shirt, her fingers leaving trails of sparks on your skin. Your eyes closed as she cupped your breast in warm hands, your nipples already pebbling just from the promises dripping from her lips. Her lips pressed to the pulse point on your neck, sucking sharply. You moaned.

Her other hand slipped down, running along the waistband of your jeans. Your head fell forward, pressing against the wood of the shelving as your knees trembled.

She sunk her teeth into your shoulder. You gasped, not expecting the pain. Her hand unbuttoned your jeans, cupping your heat. Your breath shuddered. Her other hand pinched your nipple, rolling it between thumb and forefinger. You arched into her touch, your hips pressing back into her. She chuckled into your skin.

Her fingers pushed past your panties, one finger running through your folds. You panted, your grip almost painful as you tried to keep yourself upright. She hummed, her tongue running over the bite mark on your shoulder. You made a strangled noise as her finger brushed over your clit.

She pressed down on it more firmly, a high keen coming from you. She began to circle it, leaving you whimpering, needing more from her. She ran her tongue up the column of your neck before taking your earlobe into her mouth. You took a deep breath, trying to keep your head above water as she played your body expertly. She nibbled on your earlobe.

“Tell me what you want,” she requested, her finger still running lazy circles around your bundle of nerves, not quite touching where you needed her most.

“More,” you breathed.

“Tell me exactly what you want.”

“You inside me.”

Her finger traveled to your entrance, waiting there a moment.

“Please,” you begged.

She sunk her finger into you, a strangled cry falling from your lips. She stilled. You shifted your hips, trying to get more. She tutted, removing her finger from you.

“Please,” you begged again.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

She slammed two fingers into you, stretching you pleasantly. Her palm brushed over your sensitive nub. Your hips bucked and you groaned, your head falling forward again, her teeth scraping as you pulled your earlobe from her mouth. She curled her fingers, pressing against your internal walls. Your legs trembled.

“Do you like that?” Her fingers continued to stroke within you.

You nodded, your breath stopping at her action.

“Use your words or this will be done.”

“Yes, I like it,” you breathed.

Her palm ground against your clit. Your legs buckled. She held you up, keeping you from collapsing as she didn’t let up the pressure. You were a gasping mess, strands of your hair beginning to stick to your temple as she began to thrust her fingers in and out of you. Her hand was still playing with your nipple, harsh and painful, but for reasons you couldn’t explain you loved it. You had never been with anyone who seemed to know your body so well. You’d never been with someone that didn’t treat you like you were made of porcelain. You hadn’t realised you’d enjoy it so much.

“You are not going to cum until I tell you,” she murmured, her lips brushing against your neck.

You hurriedly nodded, not wanting her to stop.

“Use your words.”

“Yes.”

Her palm was grinding against you without apology. Tears were beginning to gather in your eyes as your need was growing. She was relentless, her fingers coaxing you higher and higher, her lips trailing over the exposed skin of your neck. You were panting, rutting against her hand like an animal.

“Please,” you begged.

“Not yet. Just be a good girl a little longer for me,” she said.

She forced a third finger into you, the stretch turning painful mingling with the pleasure. Her teeth sunk into your shoulder again. A tear rolled down your cheek as the pleasure was almost unbearable. Her tongue soothed over the bite mark.

“Now, my sweet girl.”

Stars burst in your vision as you let yourself go. You sobbed, trembling in her arms, unable to stop as wave after wave of pleasure crashed into your body. You fell forward, caught in her arms as she helped you through the mind shattering orgasm she’d just put you through. Your body began to stop shuddering, her arms tight around you.

“You did so well, my good girl,” she murmured.

She pressed kissed to your cheek, pushing your hair out of your face. She turned your head, kissing you softly as you fought to get your breathing under control. You squeezed your eyes closed, wondering how this woman, this single woman, was able to make such magic in a small coffeehouse.

“That was magic,” you admitted.

She laughed, turning you round in her arms. You pressed back against the shelving, still shaky. She cupped your cheek, kissing you again. You wrapped your arms around her neck, pressing yourself against her.

She drew back, popping her fingers in her mouth. You flushed at the amount of slick from your body on them, shining in the yellow light. She laughed, seeing your look.

“So innocent,” she mumbled around her fingers, tucking some of your hair behind your ear, “I do so hope I see you again.”

“Can I know your name?” you asked, feeling like a teenager asking out their first crush.

“My name is Zelda,” she said, drying her fingers on your jeans. She buttoned them back up for you, her fingers lingering on the skin of your abdomen. You bit your lip, looking up at her from under your eyelashes.

“Zelds?” A knock sounded on the door.

You looked over, your eyes widening as you realised you were about to be caught with the owner, locked in the back room. Zelda patted your shoulder.

“One moment, Hilda,” she called.

Footsteps retreated from the door, leaving you with the enigmatic woman. She traced her finger down your cheek.

“I truly do I hope I get to see you again. You are great fun.”

You smiled at her. She pressed her lips to yours then drew back. She pulled the door open, ushering you out. You passed by the woman at the counter, flushing as she looked you over. You hurried from the store, wondering what would be in store for you next time you entered through the doors.

You hadn’t expected to find magic in Spellman’s Coffee House. You hadn’t expected to ever want to go back. Now you were counting down the minutes you could return.

[hallospaceboyy]

Hey, I'd like to request an one-shot with Zelda x Reader. Reader is a witch as well and has an incredible sweet tooth and is always eating Hilda's baked goods, but one day she accidentally eats her almond cookies with cyanide. I'd love to see your take on a poisoned reader and Zelds, but it's alright if this idea doesn't seem to be too interesting for you. Thanks a lot and have a nice day, love!

Sweet Tooth

AN: I'm not too keen on this one, I loved the idea I'm just not sure I did it justice! Hope people enjoy all the same.

Warning for blood, my recent studying of different poisons came in handy for this one lmao. Cyanide poisoning is actually rather gruesome and painful.

You sit in the kitchen, Zelda in her usual place at the head of the table, hidden behind her morning paper. You had found a box of cookies, pried off the red lid and bit into one with fervour. You have always had a sweet tooth, and Hilda's avid baking worked deliciously in your favour. Zelda was paying little attention to you after scolding you for eating cookies for breakfast, engrossed in her reading.

Suddenly, your throat begins to constrict, and you cough, hand clutching at your throat as you inhale a croaky breath.

“Stop shovelling them down so fast and you wouldn't choke, love.” Zelda snipes from behind her paper, and you claw at your throat desperately now, unable to breathe. Zelda slams her paper down, and her eyes immediately go wide as she takes in the colour of your face, turning a dark shade of purple. The redhead's eyes flit to the red lid, only now taking in the scent of almonds. “Shit. Cyanide.” Her voice shakes, and her eyes begin to water as panic sets in, tears burning at her eyes.

Red marks begin to blossom on your skin, and your eyes are turning bloodshot, a single bloody tear rolling down your cheek. Zelda jumps from her seat, grips firmly at your now rigid form, and tugs you to the ground, laying you there and pushing your hair from your eyes.

“Don't worry, sweetheart. We have an antidote somewhere. I just need to find it. I’ll be right back.” She reassures, but her voice is desperate, trembling, and she conveys none of the confidence she is trying to bestow upon you as she stands on shaking legs, sprinting in the direction of Hilda's greenhouse.

You are completely deprived of oxygen now, and your face is warm and wet, and when you manage to bring a trembling hand up to touch your face, it comes away soaked with blood. Your vision begins to blacken, starting with dark spots at the corners of your vision, and you begin to convulse against the hard tiled floor, losing control of your body entirely. Then there is nothing, only darkness.

*

You awaken to find yourself laying on the plush cushions of the sofa in the parlour, and your vision is hazy, throat dry and sore, stinging from the deep scratches you left there. You feel a cool cloth on your cheek, dabbing at your eyes, and when your vision focuses, Zelda is knelt beside you, clutching the blood caked material in pale hands. Her makeup is smudged, tracked down her cheeks with drying tears, and her eyes are red and puffy, bloodshot. Deep lines of concern etch her forehead, and you reach weakly for your throat, fingers grazing over the red lines there.

“You're okay, darling. You're okay.” Zelda murmurs, voice thick with unshed tears, blinking rapidly.

“D-Did I die?” You croak, squinting as a sharp pain stabs through your skull, and you groan.

“Only for a few seconds. I got the antidote just in time. Had to resuscitate you. Your heart only stopped for a short time.” Zelda replies softly, pulling the cloth away when she is satisfied that all traces of blood are gone from your skin and eyes.

“Cyanide?” You sit up, arms barely holding your weight, and turn your head to see Hilda standing to the side of the room, wringing her hands nervously, and she visibly recoils when Zelda fixes her with a glare.

“It had a red lid! Red means stop! Don't eat!” Hilda protests, eyes wide and she takes an alarmed step backwards when Zelda stands, shaking with fury. She stops only when you grip weakly at her wrist, knowing Hilda is in for the cain pit if you don’t stop her.

“It should have been labelled, Hilda! You can’t just leave cyanide cookies lying around unlabelled!” She shouts, and you tug at her arm, and she kneels back at your side without protest. You release a sigh of relief as she relaxes against the sofa, taking your hand in hers.

Hilda turns to you, tears in her wide eyes. “I'm sorry, love. I should have been more careful.”

“I-It's fine, Hilda. I’ll survive.”

“You barely survived.” Zelda's tone is cutting, and Hilda flinches. “Get out, sister. Now.” You close your eyes as she scurries from the room. Zelda takes a small bottle from the table at your side, holds it to your dry lips. “Drink this, Y/N. It will help the pain, reverse any lasting damage the poison may have done.”

You nod, drinking the bitter tasting liquid, every last drop, and then sink to lay back down, exhausted. “Go easy on Hilda, Zelds. It wasn’t her fault. I really shouldn’t make a habit of eating random baked goods I find lying around.” You laugh weakly, rubbing at your temple. The pain is already beginning to dissipate, the pressure behind your eyes lessening.

Zelda doesn’t argue, merely watches you with tenderness, sending you a small smile. “I thought I was going to lose you.” She sniffs, stroking your cheek.

“But you didn't. I’m fine, baby.” You grip her hand and kiss her wrist, her palm.

Zelda shifts and lays on the sofa beside you, takes you into her arms. Her warmth instantly relaxes you, her scent calming you as it fills your nostrils, and you curl into her, nuzzling into the crook of her neck.

“Just, no cain pit. Dying isn’t fun, Zelds.” You mumble against her skin, and she sighs, pressing a kiss to the top of your head.

“Fine. No cain pit. But she won't get away so easily if she does anything so stupid again.”

“I wouldn’t worry. I don’t think I like cookies very much anymore.” You laugh, and Zelda laughs with you, squeezing you gently in her strong arms. Your eyes drift closed, and you fall into a deep sleep almost instantly, to the earthy scent of Zelda, and her soft humming.

[tulip-mom]

Simple Mistakes

It all started out as a simple mission... 

Fairy Tail- Nalu [Angst]

Simple Mistakes

It seems like everything Natsu and his team faced starts off with a simple, innocent mission. It was a regular old day at the guild, a sunny July morning, and they took a job earlier that week. Team Natsu had set off for the mission via train earlier that day, much to Natsu's dismay. Once they arrived at the small town of West Zeld, the team got briefed by the Mayor. After they dropped their luggage off at a local hotel, they set off for the Dark Guild's last known location, in the forest.

They were going up against a rather large dark guild, even though they've been active for less than a year. The guild was called "Nightmares of the Hidden", and they didn't have much information on the guild, and it's strongest members. They were going in blind this mission, sadly. By the Mayor's debrief, it was run by a man named Ethel Umbra, who had started this guild less than a year ago, and have been kidnapping people from the local towns, and keeping them hostage.

Lucy panted heavily. After getting separated from her team early on, she's been fighting off a lot of dark guild members. She's exhausted the majority of her magic, after summoning Loke, Aries, Taurus, and Gemini in the span of 30 minutes. Though she's not relatively injured by the amount of people she faced, it didn't mean she was not hurting. Her body was covered in bruises and rather large cuts, and her cute new outfit she bought was torn in a few areas. Loke still had his gate open, as he appeared on his own magic, but her ears were ringing slightly from a member's explosion magic. It slightly reminded her of Jackal's magic, from when they fought Tartaros, but she quickly disregarded her thoughts before she got depressed on the battlefield from her losses that day. Just thinking about that entire scenario made her stomach drop in fear.

She was suddenly thrown out of her vision back to those dark times by Loke, who was yelling her name and had to result in shaking her shoulders. He had a look of concern, and worry written all over his face.

“ Lucy, are you alright? “ Loke asked, concerned, also lacing his voice. Lucy just mumbled a reply and peered around the forest. She needed to find her team again, find Natsu. Loke, seeming to read her mind, started to walk her towards the sounds of distant fighting

But this peace hanging over Lucy for a moment was shattered in an instant when Loke was struck from behind, and soon disappeared into a golden light. Lucy- taken aback, had staggered and fallen to the floor. With eyes like she was a deer in the headlights, she turned to face her attacker.

On the opposite side of the battlefield, the fiery Natsu was pummelling dark guild members, left and right. When he had the chance, he’d scan the field, in search of mainly Lucy, as he could see Gray off in the distance fighting alone. He could smell Erza behind him, deeper within the forest surrounding the mansion.

He suddenly saw Lucy, who was still wounded, was running straight for him. Natsu froze, only for a moment, as pure rage filled him. She’s hurt. Now- He was as well, but seeing her, more specifically hurt, killed him inside. It made a rage that burned more violent than anything else. “ Luc- “ As soon as her name was almost off his tongue, he seemed to freeze up. He couldn’t move an inch. His eyes widened in some sort of hidden horror, as he saw Lucy freeze up, just like him. Their eyes connected with each other, as Natsu stared into Lucy’s horror-stricken ones.

A man’s dark and sadistic laugh echoed off the walls of the large mansion beside them. A tall, darkly dressed man, wearing a coat that looked like Laxus’s, came from the treeline and approached the frozen pair. “ It’s amusing to see the horror on peoples’ faces when I freeze them. And to think that someone of Natsu’s caliber be stuck like this, and have such a vulnerable teammate is an opportunity I won’t miss out on... “ He said, as he stood beside Lucy, grabbing a bit of her hair, with that grin of his.

[Warning: Here, Things are gonna get a bit… descriptive. Violence Ahead]

A dark mage from this ‘guild’ came up and presented this man with a weapon. A metal pipe “ Here you are, Sir Umbra. “ This man was the leader of this dark guild, and he was right beside Lucy. Natsu feeblish struggled within this mysterious restraints, as Ethel turned towards Lucy “ Natsu- You got front row tickets to some… entertainment. “ Ethel said, as Natsu tried to call out to Erza, or Gray, but wasn’t able to find his voice. Ethel raised his rod and struck it down on Lucy. A horrifying scream came from Lucy, the spine-chilling kind of scream. She was suddenly released from this hold, and she felt to the ground, with a now broken right leg. He had completely shattered her tibia, and she was sobbing on the ground. Natsu kept trying to struggle- No no! This can’t happen. The one person he swore to protect was being attacked right in front of him and he can’t even move! But Lucy’s next words made him tear up. “Natsu! Help! Please help me!” Lucy begged as Ethel swung the rod down again, a loud and sickening snap echoed in the forest as her left arm was now broken from the impact of the rod. Her screams got louder and until her screams were cut off by a harsh hit to the head.

Natsu was screaming in his head, as he was unable to voice anything. He felt like this was just a bad nightmare, like the ones he’d get from the GMG,

With Lucy, now unmoving on the ground, Natsu believed Ethel would leave her alone, stopping this sickening attack, but he didn’t. Ethel continued to beat her senselessly until he suddenly stopped, discarding the rod to his right.

Ethel looked at his work. Lucy was a bloody mess, bruises, cuts, and mangled limbs. With a small laugh, Ethel walked away, while the harsh breathing came from Lucy. It wasn’t a normal sort of pant, but rather a deep painful wheeze.

The invisible bonds suddenly were gone, and Natsu staggered forward, caught off guard from the suddenness. Natsu caught himself, and ran forward to Lucy, collapsing beside him on his knees. “ Luce! Lucy! “ He cried, his hands hesitating to touch her, as he’s afraid of even touching her. Afraid of hurting his friend even more. His hands shook as he took in her form.

Lucy was beaten very badly. He could see the harsh lumps in her arms and legs where the bones were broken and making the skin poke out more. Her head was bleeding from a few cuts the rod gave her, and her left eye was already swollen shut. She was taking shallow and painful breaths, resulting in this horrifying wheezing

[For Referencing of the Wheezing, I’m picturing the wheezing the Morphling from Hunger Games: Catching Fire, when she saves Peeta from the monkeys (ik ik im very evil)]

“ Luce... Luce, it’s ok! I’m here... You’ll be ok “ He said, his voice shaking as Lucy’s tear-filled eyes were staring directly at him. They both knew deep down, she wasn’t going to make it.

Lucy’s eyes were fading, the light leaving, which reminded him of the time where they saw Future Lucy die, which had his stomach drop. He couldn’t lose Lucy- Not now, not ever!

“ Lucy, Stay with me ok! I-... I’ll find Wendy! An... And you’ll be alright! “ He said, tears now filling his eyes as he looked up and scanned the surrounding area for Wendy, but to no avail. Panic and fear were settling in his bones, as he looked back down to lucy.

no words were exchanged between him and lucy, as she was only trying to hold on for him. but by the time he looked down, he saw her glassy eyes and her far looking gaze. his heart stopped for a moment as he pulled lucy in closer, his mouth hanging ajar a bit.

“ n-no! lucy.. lucy.. oh god.. we still have… so many adventures together… “ he couldn’t hear her heart or her painful breathing. he kept staring down at her, his hands on her face, as he began to feel more tears rush down his face, blurring his view of his precious lucy.

“ i had so much to tell you.. s-so many adventures we had to go on.. no! don’t leave me... please lucy.. please “ his begs fell onto deaf ears, as he kept holding onto his lost lover, and the surrounding sounds were soon drowned out by a deafening silence.

With just one blink, Lucy was suddenly not there. She had disappeared. She was nowhere in sight, as he frantically looked around for his fallen partner. He only was able to spot one person, a few feet away. Ethel fucking Umbra. Ethel was laughing, almost hunched over with how hard he was. “ To see the Salamander from Fairy Tail cry over some blonde bimbo is a sight I never thought I would see! “ Ethel said, before breaking into laughter once more. Natsu, now filled with a dangerous fiery rage, jumped to his feet, and his fists burst into flames. His eyes burning with rage- looking square at Ethel “ Where the hell is she!? Where’s Lucy! “ He demanded, screaming at Ethel. Ethel had his smug smirk remaining on his face, as his laughs died off to Natsu’s screaming

“ It was all an illusion, Natsu. You must’ve thought that was all real! Seeing the one person you swore to protect... Die right in front of you, and you didn’t do anything to protect her… “ He said, smugly.

Natsu felt a rage he’s never had before. With his fists still ablaze, he charged right at Ethel, in a blind rage. Ethel dodged his attacks and suddenly disappeared from in front of him.

Two Ethel’s Stood, with Natsu in the middle of them. But one was different, one was holding a Lucy, who looked as hurt when he saw her at the beginning of the supposed illusion.

Natsu froze up again. Oh god- Not this again. He didn’t know what was real, and what was fake. The Ethel not holding Lucy began to speak. “ You really think you can win against me? You couldn’t even save her future self! “ Ethel said as fear went over him again, making him feel cold.

“ How the hell do you know about her- “ Natsu growled out, but stopped speaking as the Ethel holding Lucy now had his grasp on her neck, as her panic and fear-filled eyes connected with him.

Natsu’s expression hardened, as he turned, and attacked the one who wasn’t holding her. His fists ablaze, attacked the man, as he simply dodged all his attacks.

He soon landed his fists on Ethel, square in the jaw, and heard Lucy’s sudden gasps for air. He quickly had the chance to look back and saw that the Ethel holding her had disappeared.

Relief flooded him. He followed his gut and attacked the one who wasn’t holding his precious teammate, and it turned out to be the ‘real’ Ethel. Natsu didn’t stop his attacks then, but the anger and rage bubbled back, and he viciously attacked the illusion mage.

Punches, kicks, fiery attacks were all thrown at Ethel. He had a hard time dodging when Natsu had that killer intent in his eyes, the burning and seething rage filling him, consuming him. He got Ethel to the ground and showed him no mercy.

After a long and hard battle, Natsu had won the fight. Completely and brutally beating him to a near crisp, but, he was alive. With some urgency, Natsu went up to Lucy and made sure she was alright.

He knew, deep down, he wouldn’t ever forget the horrific sounds Lucy gave off while she died. He hugged her tightly, fighting the tears that were threatening to fall. This all reminded him of the incident with Future Lucy, but luckily, it was all an Illusion.

He pulled back, and with his usually cheery grin, looked at Lucy.

“ Let’s go home, Luce. “ He said to her, as Lucy teared up, and nodded. With Natsu’s assistance, was able to stand, and led the pair to the rest of Team Natsu, who were gathering by the front of the Dark Guild’s mansion.

Natsu knew then, Lucy would be okay. Natsu also knew he would never let anything happen to her again. Not on his watch.

[zilithlesbianing]

Hello! So...I’ve been thinking for a while about writing y/n stories, and when Miranda’s husband posted this picture from when Darcey was born, I got an idea.

I’ve been inspired to start these ff by wattpad one shots, but a lot also by @hallospaceboyy (hope you don’t mind ♡)

This is basically fluff where reader is married to Zelda and they decide to start a family. I’m such a sucker for Zelda finally being a mom, she totally deserves it!

Fingers crossed that my writing isn’t that bad..🖤

Our Little Family

You and Zelda have been discussing starting your own family for a while, the redheaded witch has always had it in her, merely cut out to be a mom. Of course she’s raised Sabrina, Ambrose and, for a short period of time, also Leticia, but a child of her own…that would change everything.

You make your way up to the bedroom you share with Zelda, finding her sitting on the floor, tears pouring down her cheeks. You immediately kneel in front of her figure, cupping her face so she can look at you. “What’s wrong Zelds?”

Your voice is full of concern, but when your eyes met, you’re surprised of the lack of pain in your wife. You rarely see Zelda being vulnerable, when it happens it’s because something has truly hurt her, so it is very strange for her to cry only ‘cause she feels like it.

“Nothing sweetheart, absolutely nothing’s wrong.” She aims a genuine smile through her tears, gazing down at her lap. You follow her gaze and the realisation suddenly hits you. A positive pregnancy test is laying in the witch’s shaking hands, and you can already feel tears threathing to spill from your own eyes.

“Yo-you’re...Zelda..”

“Yes. Yes, Y/N. We’re going to have a baby.” You’re definitely joining her crying now, what you two wanted so badly, what for the last month has been on your mind day and night, is finally coming true.

You throw your arms around her neck and hold her tight to your flesh, feeling her hugging you back with the same intensity. You both don’t say another word, eyes and touches speaking louder than ever, you simply keep the other one close, loving the intimacy of the moment.

~

Three months have passed since you’ve found out about Zelda’s pregnancy, and the swell on her stomach is definitely visible now.

She looks marvelous, it’s like it really is her destiny to be a mom and you cannot be more content to see her this happy. Every time she glares at herself in the mirror, gently touches her belly and smiles at it, your heart skips a beat. You wouldn’t want anybody else to have your children.

All of the Spellman’s are now in the living room, today the gender of the baby would have been revealed. You and Zelda stand in front of everyone else, look at each other tenderly and then hold hands. With your eyes closed you chant an old spell, used by witches and warlocks for decades.

You repeat the enchantment three times, each one louder than the previous, until you’re all looking at your hands shining with pink light.

“It’s a girl! I knew it...Ambrose, give me my 20$!” Sabrina yells, and her cousin rolls his eyes.

“Fuck, I really needed a boy around this house with all these women..”

“Aw, a baby girl! I’m so happy for you two!” Hilda excitedly exclaims, eyes wet from unspilled tears. She rushes to hug you both, making you giggle. She is so adorable.

“Did you see that, Zelds? We’re having a girl!” Deep down you’ve wished for a female, not that you would have loved a boy any less, but a daughter has always been your secret dream.

You see Zelda dry with her thumb a single tear streaming down her cheek, the cutest sigh you can ask for. “Yes darling...a little witch is really growing inside of me..”

“Auntie Zee, you’re going to make me cry too!” Sabrina shouts, getting up to hug her aunt as well. “I’m so happy for you auntie, you totally deserve it! You’re gonna be an amazing mom as you’ve been for me.”

~

Nine months have passed by and now you’re spooning Zelda on your bed, gently caressing her belly, as she’s starting to feel the first contractions. It’s 3:30 am, but you cannot care any less. You want to be with your wife through it all, you know it’s gonna hurt a lot and just wanna be present for her and your child.

“Y/N..”

You immediately grab her hand, assuming the pain is probably getting worse. “I’m here, Zelds.” Your lips softly brush on her temple and leave a sweet kiss there.

“I-I’d lie if I said I’m not a tiny bit scared..” She doesn’t want to sound vulnerable, but can’t really help it now. “I’ve been a midwife for many women, I know how everything works when you give birth, and maybe because of that I’m more aware of what is going to happen..”

“I know Zelds and it’s normal. Who wouldn’t be?” Your hand previously on her belly, starts to stroke her hair, something you know always calms her. “This may sound stupid or sugar-coating, but you won’t be alone for a second. I’m not going anywhere, even if not physically, I’ll do anything to help you emotionally, give you some strength when you feel like it is starting to fade away.”

Zelda turns to look at you, a genuine smile on her face, and she connects your lips in a soft kiss, which breaks when a vigorous contraction hits her. You let your foreheads touch, waiting for the witch to open her eyes again, and you place a hand on the swell on her stomach. “I cannot wait to meet her, Zelds.”

After hours and hours of painful labor, it is finally time for Zelda to push. Your hands are intertwined and you let her hold it to the point you can feel her nails scratching you, but you don’t care, just want to reassure her in any way possible.

Hilda has taken the role of the midwife for her sister, acknowledging anything she could from the redhead witch in those nine months.

Zelda is mid way through it, your child is about to see the world for the first time, but she’s clearly very worn out. “You’re doing wonderfully Zelds, you’re amazing.” You gently brush the hair glued to her forehead away, trying to transmit her some strength.

“Y/N...I don-don’t think I can take this anymore..” Her voice is barely a whisper, if you could take her place now, you wouldn’t think twice.

“Zelda, love, you’re almost there. You can do it!” This is one of the rare moments Hilda sees some type of vulnerability in her sister and, just as you, she wants to be there for her all the way.

“Hilda’s right, Zelds. I can see her, just think about her. We’re so close to finally hold our little witch in our arms.” You gently kiss her temple, stopping right next to her ear. “I love you endlessly, Zelda Spellman.”

Zelda takes a deep breath, gathering all the strength left in her body, and before you know it, a loud cry invades the room. The redhead witch falls limp on the mattress, finally feeling some relief to her pain.

“Y/N, come here love.” Hilda calls you, so you can cut the cord. When she places your child in your arms, tears of joy immediately pour from your eyes.

“Does she look like us?” Zelda’s low voice distracts you from your daydream, making you realize she still hasn’t seen your daughter. You go back to your place next to her, gently placing the tiny baby in Zelda’s arms. “She’s so beautiful..” It’s clear how happy to finally be a mom your wife is, it’s all over her face, and it makes your stomach flatter.

“She is. I’m so proud of you Zel-“ You cannot finish what you’re saying, as Sabrina’s voice resonates from outside the room.

“Is she born yet? Can we see her?”

You all chuckle and tell them they can enter. Sabrina and Ambrose make their way next to you, admiring their new cousin who’s now calm in her mom’s arms.

“She’s so tiny..” Ambrose softly says, gently caressing the baby’s little hand.

“Can I take her?” Sabrina asks, and Zelda slowly places the newborn in her niece’s arms. The little witch whines at first, already missing her mom’s scent, but immediately grows comfortable in her cousin’s embrace. “She’s the prettiest, auntie Zee!”

“Have you decided for a name yet?” Hilda softly asks, afraid to ruin this special moment.

You and Zelda look at each other and answer with one voice. “Darcey. Darcey Miranda Spellman.”

[beyondconfessor]

Principle Decisions [5/24]

Rating: Explicit

Pairing: Lilith/Zelda Spellman

Summary: “Zelda,” she purred, stepping forward as she bit her lip, drawing her eyes over her body. “Believe me, the idea of fucking you against the nearest surface is never far from my mind. Let me formally apologise for misleading you.”

N.B.: Also posted on AO3. This is pure fantasy, please suspend your disbelief.

Zelda flicked through her local morning newspaper, reading through articles as Hilda fussed around Sabrina for breakfast. Her niece was…avoiding her, and Zelda for the life of her, couldn’t work out why. At first, she thought that it was only paranoia that caused her to consider it, but no. Sabrina was definitely avoiding her.

She flicked through another page, drawing her eyes over the personal articles again as Hilda finally settled down with her own breakfast.

As Zelda went to fold the newspaper close, she noticed her sister and Sabrina having a silent communication with each other over something.

“Would somebody like to inform me as to what’s going on?” she asked.

Sabrina dropped her fork loudly on the plate before she was suddenly pushing off from the table and leaving, unusually surly for this hour of the morning and only providing further evidence to the fact that she’d somehow managed to upset her niece.

Zelda quirked an eyebrow and looked to her sister. “What on earth was that about?”

“Well, Zelds, you um, happened to have missed another one of Sabrina’s shows for cheerleading. She’s been feeling a wee bit…neglected by all the work you’ve been putting into your students over her.”

Zelda frowned, “It’s only early in the school year, I couldn’t have missed––“

“No, you haven’t missed the so-called big events, but you didn’t attend the volunteering they’re doing to raise money for  the pep rally that you promised you’d attend two weeks ago.”

“Has that occurred already?”

“Ah, yes, it did. Yesterday in fact when you were…off at a…meeting was it?”

Zelda drew in a breath. Yesterday had in fact been a legitimate meeting between herself and Prudence to run over the marking of recent essays of one of her classes. She’d noticed Sabrina had been rather sharp with her at the time when she mentioned it but had thought nothing of it. There was little time to book in the time to go over such things with Prudence on top of the girl’s own schedule, and Zelda had limited time as it was before she’d taken over the extra class of Shirley’s.

Looking back, however, she could see how it would come across as neglectful to Sabrina’s part, especially since she had promised.

“I’ll speak to her,” she agreed.

“She’ll appreciate it more if you attend. There’s a sporting event next Friday; perhaps you could take some time to see it?”

Zelda felt a defiance rise in her before she settled it back. “That is fair,” she agreed, though the idea of sitting on the bleachers, watching a game as Sabrina danced around was not in her top 10 things she wanted to do, especially since she couldn’t very well bring her laptop with her. “I’ll clear my evening for next Friday.”

As agreed, she moved a meeting with Prudence to an earlier day, ensuring her TA understood the guidelines of the marking she’d set out, and cleared the Friday evening to focus entirely on the event. If it was important to Sabrina, she could make time. Though her niece made a few snide comments to the effect that she doubted Zelda could afford to leave her work undone.

It was rather hurtful if she was honest, but not entirely untruthful. She had been placing more focus on her work as of late over her family.

When the time finally came, and the entire household was climbing into her car, her niece finally warmed back up to her. She began excitedly discussing the match against Riverdale, the importance it had, as well as talking about her own classes.

For once, the tension in the household had eased, and Zelda felt that maybe the worst of the last few weeks were over. There were only three more weeks left until Shirley was to return, giving her plenty of time to return to her previous schedule and actually spend more time with her family.

They parked near the stadium and made their way to the bleachers with a picnic basket (filled with snacks and hot drinks), and a blanket. Zelda ensured she sat with Hilda and Ambrose, watching as Sabrina ran off to the cheer squad with Roz and the others. It’d been some time since Zelda had seen Sabrina been social with anyone outside of her circle of friends. As she watched her niece excitedly chat with girls, Zelda didn’t recognise, a pleasing feeling of satisfaction fuelled her.

“It’s good that you found time,” Hilda commented as she opened up the picnic basket, taking out cups and the thermos filled with hot chocolate. “I think we’ve all noticed that you’ve been running yourself a bit ragged.”

“I’ve taken on an entirely new class,” she reminded, not unkindly, “Thankfully, Shirley is meant to return soon.”

“Is Prudence still your TA?” Ambrose enquired.

“She is and is doing surprisingly well,” Zelda admitted. In truth, she owed the fact that she was sleeping at all, to Prudence. The girl had surpassed her expectations and taken on the work diligently. Faustus had managed to wrangle together some funding, providing a nice stipend that meant that Prudence could reduce the shifts she had at her outside work to focus on her studies.

But if Zelda was honest, she was using her work as an escape as well. The Spellman household was loud and raucous at times, and Sabrina’s foul moods mixed with Hilda’s incessant needs of discussing her future departure only further caused Zelda to hide away in her office, which apparently seemed only to cause everything to become a vicious cycle.

Beside her, Ambrose sighed, shifting in his seat. “I don’t see why I needed to be here. I’ve attended the last two.”

“Because it’s a family event,” Zelda reminded. “And if I have to be here, we all do.”

Ambrose sighed loudly, and Zelda could feel him holding back something, but whatever it was, he thought better of it, leaning forward to rub his hand over his face.

“Have you spoken to Prudence?” Zelda asked.

“No,” he said. “I’ve been busy.”

“She asked about you.”

“She could make an effort to ask me,” he pointed out before his shoulders sagged. “I’m not avoiding her, I just…”

“Don’t want to get hurt again?” Zelda prompted.

“I don’t know,” he said. “What’s Aunt Hilda doing?”

Zelda turned, looking to where her sister was chatting on the very side of the bleaches with a group of parents, handing out the cookies she’d made before finding her way back, pushing around Zelda to get to her seat.

“Oh, there’s the new principal,” Hilda said, giving a wave to a sea of people Zelda didn’t care for.

“Sabrina’s quite taken by her, girl power and all that. She’s a bit scary in the PTA though, won’t let any of the parents walk over her. Reminds me a bit of you, actually, Zelds.”

“Fascinating,” Zelda sighed, washing her eyes over to where her niece was currently with the cheer squad, apparently stretching before the event began. “When does Sabrina’s part finish?”

“When it’s over. There’s a timer over there.”

Zelda looked to the scoreboard and noticed with a heavy heart that it was blank, apparently having not begun yet. They’d been here for an hour already, and all Zelda had done was stare blankly and politely smile at anyone who waved.

“When does it star––“ and then she was cut off as the crowd began to cheer as the sports players came onto the field. At last, she thought. But oh no, the other players had to come on the field, too. And then, finally, Sabrina and the cheerleaders were performing some sort of routine that Zelda clapped politely too before the game began.

They’d been here for over an hour by the time the game finally started.

The ball was…kicked, carried, tossed from one side then to the other and Zelda wasn't entirely sure which team was the correct team to cheer for, so she just clapped when Hilda yelled and hoped that it was the right thing to do.

Sports had never been something that she followed or cared to, for that matter. Any man she’d been with who even tried to get her involved in an understanding of that was politely reminded that she spoke over a dozen languages. If he expected her to understand what a play-off was, she expected him to have read Homer in Ancient Greek.

“Why don’t you stretch your legs,” Hilda said, prodding her. “We’re still some way off half-time, and you’ll probably want to use the bathroom before there’s a line-up.”

There was no way in hell that she was going to use the school’s public bathroom, but she made a vague response, agreeing to have a cigarette. At the same time, Sabrina and the cheerleaders just chanted the letters of the alphabet––or whatever it was that they were doing.

She climbed down from the bleaches, taking a cigarette and a lighter with her as she walked over to the parking lot (since that was the closest area she’d be allowed to smoke) and was promptly stopped when she saw Lilith walking from the parking lot, in the direction of the bleaches as she fixed the jacket she wore.

Zelda stared at her, feeling her heartbeat pound as once again, her two worlds seemed to be colliding.

“Zelda,” Lilith greeted, blinking twice in obvious surprise. “I didn’t take you for someone to be apart of school sports.”

“I wouldn’t usually, but my niece apparently feels I’m ignoring her,” she advised, still holding her unlit cigarette, lighter in her grip. “I…” she paused from commenting how she didn’t expect the same from Lilith when she realised the woman was likely there for the same reason she was.

“Well, we do what we can for those in our care,” Lilith said, “even if we don’t have any interest for the event.” There was a flippant way she said it, but Zelda noticed a tightness to her shoulders as if she was uncomfortable by the very sight of her.

Guilt rose in her chest. It’d been two weeks since she last saw Lilith, and yet every time she considered dialling the woman’s number, the way her face had pulled away from hers echoed in her mind over and over.

“I…” Zelda swallowed, “I’m sorry,” she found herself saying. “For making you uncomfortable.”

Lilith blinked, looking at her. “What do you mean?”

“The last session,” she said, feeling awkward even saying the words.

Lilith’s head tilted, eyes narrowing. “What do you think happened?”

“We…” and Zelda paused, taking a moment to see if anyone was within earshot as she stepped closer. “Engaged in the services I asked for, but at the end of the session, you seemed to withdraw back as if I pushed over the line. What I’m trying to say is that we don’t need to engage in sex. I don’t want that from you if you’re….not…interested,” she finished.

Lilith blinked at her, and then a bright smile filled her face. “Oh, no, I quite enjoyed that,” she said. “If I implied otherwise, I am very sorry and would like to make it up to you.”

“Are you certain? I was quite fine to continue the previous services, or…”

“Zelda,” she purred, stepping forward as she bit her lip, drawing her eyes over her body. “Believe me, the idea of fucking you against the nearest surface is never far from my mind. Let me formally apologise for misleading you.”

A warmth spread through her chest at the words. “And how would you do that?”

Lilith grinned and then turned around as she began leading her into the parking lot. It was quiet and empty, and Zelda followed, intrigued at the very least as to what was happening.

They walked past a dozen or so cars, before finally coming to stand by a black sedan. There, Lilith removed keys from her pocket and clicked the door unlocked. “In you get,” she said, opening the back door.  

Zelda paused. Had she not herself spoken the cautionary tales about getting into cars with strangers? And yet here she was, considering getting into the car of a woman she’d met only twice before.

“No one’s around, I assure you. And it’s too dark for them to see inside once you’re there.”

Her heartbeat pounded, and she watched as Lilith’s brows rose as if to say that she could leave…if that’s what she wanted (it wasn’t).

Swallowing, Zelda climbed into the backseat and slid across, allowing Lilith to climb in beside her, shutting the door. Immediately the interior light flicked off, and all Zelda could see in the dim light was Lilith looking at her with a hungry expression.

And then the woman was reaching up, her hand curling around the back of her neck, a hand on her thigh and all at once, Zelda felt very warm for what otherwise was a cool fall evening.

When Lilith’s lips pressed to hers, Zelda shivered and reached out, settling her hands onto the woman’s hips. And then Lilith was kissing her and Zelda was lying back as she felt the woman climb on top of her, her mouth drawing against her own, teasing and tugging and biting and sucking.

A hand slid up her thigh, set high on the skin, underneath her skirt as she felt Lilith grind purposely against her.

“So your way of apology is to seduce me?” she teased, feeling the friction rub against her underwear.

Lilith laughed against her mouth, and Zelda felt herself slip against the leather seat, one shoe pressing against the door as the other tried to press against the carpet of the interior.

And all she could focus on was the way that Lilith’s tongue stroked against her mouth as her hand raked against her thigh, flicking over the garter belt as Zelda began undoing her jacket.

“I saw the doctor,” Zelda said.

“Good girl,” Lilith said. “I assume it was good news?”

Zelda nodded earnestly and felt the woman’s mouth descend on her throat, “Have a copy for me,” she asked, and then the hand on her thigh slid over her underwear, and Zelda was trying to focus on if she was really doing the right thing. Suppose it was immoral to engage with a sex worker at your niece’s cheerleading practice.

“Mmhm,” she managed, before reaching into her jacket pocket and pulling out her phone. It wasn’t difficult to find the emailed report, type in the password and show it to Lilith. The woman took one glance before her face lit up.

“I’m going to enjoy ravaging you,” she said, and then Zelda found herself pinned to the backseat as Lilith kissed down her neck, tugging the jacket out of the way before she began stroking over Zelda underwear.

“Lilith,” she keened, pressing into the fingers. “If you don’t stop teas––“ she sighed, feeling the fingers slide over the edges.

“If I don’t…what?” she asked. “What will you do?” Lilith asked, dragging her fingers slowly, firmly over her slit until she was pressing against the clit through the material of her clothes. “You’re mine, now.”

Zelda hummed and nodded, a heat pulling in her lungs.

Lilith pushed the underwear aside, and suddenly she was pressing against her, sliding over her sex. “Do you want me to fuck you?” Lilith asked, “or should I just leave you like this?”

“For fuck’s say, just fuck me.”

Lilith laughed against her mouth, kissing her sweetly until Zelda was whining. “Say, please.”

Zelda pulled away, staring at her as she felt the fingers stroke firmer, pressing over her entrance. She tried to hold back the words, her nails pressing into Lilith’s back, but as the woman stared at her, slowing as she slowly began to pull away, Zelda canted her hips up, pressing firmer against her.

“Please,” she said.

“Please what?”

“Please fuck me.’

“Well, if you insist,” Lilith said, and then her lips were on hers again, fingers drawing over her clit and sliding down and down.

Zelda gasped as she felt the fingers enter her, thrusting inside of her. She squeezed around them, humming into Lilith’s mouth.

It’d been so long, Zelda realised. That to actually be fucked, truly fucked was having a larger effect on her than she expected.

Lilith’s fingers worked inside of her, thumb drawing purposely over her clit as she continued to kiss her and Zelda didn’t know how she was able to concentrate so well whilst Zelda could barely remember how to kiss, spending the entire time bucking against her as she moaned and keened into her mouth.

And yet, Lilith took great amusement in the effect she had, her kisses deepening, grounding Zelda as she continued to thrust inside of her, curling. Hence, she pressed against a spot that had Zelda squeezing her thighs over Lilith’s body, trying to press herself closer.

“Lilith,” Zelda keened, not sure what she was asking for––but knew it needed to be more. Faster or harder or something, but she needed more. “Stop teasing."

“Oh no, this is my apology. I can do it however I want.”

“Do it fast, or I swear I’ll take over.”

“Such a spoil-sport,” Lilith said, an entirely melodramatic sigh pulling from her before she returned to kissing her, and then finally her speed increased. Zelda could feel her self riding the fingers as Lilith’s mouth drew to her neck, kissing her with featherlight affection as Zelda moaned and bucked, trying to hold back in case anyone walked past…

But she didn’t care, so as long as Lilith got her off. It was all she could think as she squeezed her eyes shut, riding closer and closer to the moment. Please, please, please let me––

And then she was arching, and Lilith was kissing her again as she moaned and keened, feeling the wetness drip against her thighs, sliding against the leather seats. Every muscle seemed to clench.

And then spasm.

And then Zelda was clinging to Lilith as she felt it all come crashing down.

Finally, it stopped, and Lilith’s fingers slid from her, sliding the underwear back in place with a flick, her thumb dragging over the seam intentionally. Zelda jerked at the touch and glared in the dim light, watching as the woman sat back in the seat.

“There,” Lilith said, “I hope you see that I am very pleased to service you, should you ever wish to engage in that side of my services.”

Zelda panted, drawing her eyes up to the car’s ceiling as she tried to catch her breath back, watching as Lilith reached into the centre console and pulled out a set of tissues to clean at her hand before she grinned down at Zelda.

“At a loss of words?” she inquired.

Zelda swallowed, trying to find the moisture on her tongue again. “I…” she said, managing to push herself up into a sitting position, awkwardly moving her legs. “Can see why…” and she trailed off, honestly at a loss of words. Anything she said would be a filler. “Yes,” she answered, looking away.

Lilith adjusted, moving to sit properly, and then Zelda adjusted herself as she sat up properly, feeling a wave of dizziness wash over her.

“My demeanour the other day was not with regards to you,” Lilith said, handing her a tissue. Awkwardly, Zelda took it from her and wiped over thighs, cleaning up the wetness the best she could.

“It just seemed to happen after we engaged in…whatever you call that form of rope use,” Zelda said, uncertain if it could be described as sex or foreplay. What they had then was definitely sex, but the rope had been more like a challenge, a dare to see if Lilith could deliver on what she promised.

“It was situational, but had nothing to do with you.” Lilith turned and looked at her, and in the dim light, coming from the football field, she could see the woman was staring at her seriously. “If I have a problem with you, or with any services you want to engage in, I’ll be upfront. I don’t have a problem saying no, even to clients who look very lovely gasping my name.”

Zelda flushed, feeling how the name tasted on her tongue again as Lilith looked at her. A part of her wanted to press close and draw against her again, but she didn’t.

Instead, she asked, “Is it even your name?”

Lilith smiled at her. “Oh, you haven’t worked it out yet.”

“Haven’t worked out what?”

Lilith shook her head. “Gone are the days I could blend into the city, never seeing a client outside of sessions.”

“Why have a service here at all, then?”

“Why engage my services since you live here?” Lilith enquired, posing the question back at her with a sharp look. “Because you wanted to.”

Zelda looked away, not liking the intensity of the stare. It felt as if Lilith was peering into her soul, and she didn’t like how easily the woman read her whilst remaining an enigma herself. Besides, she’d been here for too long.

However long had passed, she knew it was too long, and Hilda was likely to send off Ambrose to search for her, and this was not something she wanted to explain to anyone, let alone a family member.

“Thank you for your honesty,” Zelda said, and then growing awkward as she wondered if payment would be required for services rendered, she paused, biting her lip as she tried to think about how to bring it up as a polite enquiry.

“You can return to your family now,” Lilith said. “If I come to you, like today, then I don’t expect payment. But if you come to me, I think it’s fair to say you’re requesting a paid service, don’t you?”

“Am I to expect this to be a repeat offence?”

“If I ever need to apologise, I’m sure we can work out a suitable arrangement.” She leant forward then, and taking a tissue, she wiped over Zelda’s mouth, cleaning off the ruined make-up. “Here,” she said, once again reaching into the centre console to pull out a lipstick. “It’s not the exact shade you were wearing, but I doubt anyone will notice.”

Before Zelda could take it, Lilith was uncapping the lid, and then with one hand holding her jaw steady as she used the other to draw the lipstick on her mouth. It was deeply intimate in a way that ached inside of Zelda as she longed for something from it. But then Lilith was using her thumbnail to fix up the line, and then her hands were dropping away.

Zelda watched her expression remain neutral as she capped the lipstick and then combed her fingers through Zelda’s hair. “There, now you look less like you were fucked in the backseat of a car, and more like you were wind tussled.”

“Thank you,” she said nodding. “I’ll…see you.”

“I look forward to our next session.”

Zelda paused, unable to help herself as she turned back and grinned at her. “Who said there was going to be the next time?”

Lilith only laughed at her, as if the idea Zelda wasn’t going to return was ridiculous. It caused a flare of annoyance to rise in her, but Lilith’s face softened before she made a shooing motion.

Zelda gave a last look to ensure there was no one else and then stepped out of the car, fixing her skirt as she closed the door and walked back.

If Ambrose of Hilda noticed anything, they didn’t say it as Zelda took her seat, fixing her coat around herself against. She hoped she didn’t smell of sex, but the truth was, all she could smell faintly was Lilith’s perfume. Light and intoxicating, as if she could feel the woman’s mouth drawing against her skin.

Shifting in her seat, she snatched the thermos from the picnic basket and poured herself a cup of cocoa.

It didn’t take long for the endorphins to fade in her bloodstream and boredom return as she watched the ball get moved from one side of the field to the other. To Sabrina’s credit, the cheerleaders made a decent effort of being entertaining, enough so that Zelda watched with her interest as they cheered and performed when the ball managed to make it over a certain marker on the ground.

By the time it was finished, Sabrina was bouncing excitedly, talking about how happy she was for Theo––who had either managed to kick a goal or block it from going somewhere, Zelda wasn’t entirely sure what a penalty kick was, but was nonetheless pleased to see Sabrina’s excitement.

“We’re going to go get pizza,” Sabrina said as she dragged Harvey and Roz beside her. “Theo’s going to get changed, and then Harvey’s going to drive us to Pop’s.”

Zelda nodded, “as you wish,” she said. “Do you need us to pick you up later?”

“No, Harvey will drop us home before midnight.” Sabrina bounced again, looking as if she was thinking about hugging her before she squealed and ran off. Zelda flinched at the noise, her brow furrowing as she tried to understand what her niece's enthusiasm was with regards to. It wasn’t surly, however, and whatever disagreement they had seemed to have blown away.

“Well,” she said, looking to Hilda and Ambrose. “Shall we?”

They nodded, and Zelda led them back to the car, finding herself glancing the black sedan that was parked. She didn’t know if Lilith sat inside of it, or if she sat on the bleaches, but Zelda hadn’t noticed her since she’d returned.

“You okay, Auntie?” Ambrose enquired.

Zelda blinked, snapping her thoughts away and nodded, opening the door of their car.

The drive home involved Hilda eagerly speaking about the match and the upcoming PTA meeting, explaining that they were helping to get some money for the football team. Ambrose politely spoke about his lack of interest in sport, whilst commenting that Theo had managed to be quite good on the field and seemed to have become better since the last match they’d watched.

“Zelds?” Hilda enquired as they got onto the main road, leading out of town to the Spellman Manor. “You haven’t said much.”

Zelda sighed. “I’m not sure what to say,” she admitted. “Sabrina looked very happy, and it’s good to see her widening her friend group.”

To that, Hilda murmured an agreement.

And then a silence pulled, and Zelda asked, “The PTA meeting, sister. Are all guardians welcome?”

“Are you looking to involve yourself?” Hilda asked.

Zelda paused, thinking on it realistically and realised that no she could not take on another thing such as a PTA meeting onto her otherwise full schedule. “I suppose not,” she said out loud. “I just happened to run into one of the parents and thought it…”

“Ooh, a single father? There are a few of those as Baxter. You should ask him out the next time you see him.”

“Or was it a single mother, Auntie?” Ambrose teased. “Can’t imagine any of the men would manage to get you curious enough.”

Zelda sighed. “I––no, nothing like that,” she said, feeling her cheeks heat. The idea of actually dating someone, anyone was too much to consider, let alone Lilith.

But whether Hilda and Ambrose believed her was another story, as she could see them sharing a look, eyebrows raised though their humour was stifled. She regretted asking. In truth, she was curious as to Lilith’s personal life, and despite her intrigue to the woman, she should respect her privacy.

Staying away from the PTA, as she always had, remained in her best interest. She didn’t have time in her busy schedule to set aside time to organise bake sales and whatnot for a few hundred dollars. She’d rather just open up her wallet and provide it to the charity herself.

The conversation shifted to the bookshop, and again Zelda found herself listening, anxiety filling her as Hilda hinted at once again that she was saving up to leave.

In fairness, with the inheritance from their parents and their business that had been sold off, Hilda probably could afford to move out, but if she did, she would likely be slowly living in a negative income, eating away at; what should tightly remain her retirement fund since she was unlikely to gain a decent one from the shop.

“Zelds?”

Zelda glanced to her sister. “Did you say something?” she asked, truly having been lost in thought.

“Well, no, it’s just the turn off was back there.”

Zelda looked around the main road. They had indeed past their turn off and were accidentally driving towards Riverdale.

“I was distracted,” she admitted, given there was no excuse.

Turning the car around, she drew the correct way, back home and felt the embarrassment swell inside of her.

Once they arrived, Hilda began making her way to the kitchen to fix a light dinner as Ambrose set the fireplace for the evening.

Zelda, instead, made her way upstairs and took a quick shower to clean herself off. Her body still hummed as she washed the slickness from between her legs, a rolling hunger growing inside of her again.

She hungered for her, deeply incessantly now. She’d thought that by finally engaging in the sexual side of Lilith’s services that that hunger would drop away and she’d better be able to manage herself. Still, it seemed that instead, the woman had fanned the flames and all Zelda desired was dropping to her knees and kissing between the woman’s thighs until it was her name on the woman’s lips.

She rolled her shoulders, feeling a tightness form.

Lilith hadn’t explained what had caused her withdrawal any further, but whatever it had been, was private. It could be remembering a client, it could be remembering an ex-paramour, or it could be that she was lying.

Zelda doubted the last part––although Lilith could be motivated by money, she seemed eager to draw Zelda to new depths of passion.

A pang of guilt laced in Zelda as she dressed again (in case she needed to pick up Sabrina). She shouldn’t have agreed in such a public space. Not only would it had reflected poorly on herself (especially when she was in such a prominent position with her work), but it would have affected Sabrina even worse at school.

Walking downstairs, she fixed herself a glass of whiskey and set in the living room as Ambrose seemed to flick through a new book of poetry.

A quiet settled over them as Zelda sunk in her armchair and returned to mulling over the mistake before Ambrose said. “You’re allowed to date.”

Zelda paused, turning to look at him. “What makes you think it’s not my choice?”

“You seem on edge. You don’t need to protect Sabrina or me from a myriad of people you have lined up at your door. You’re allowed to date.”

Zelda shook her head, taking a sip of whiskey. “My single status is not a reflection of my status as a guardian to either of you. I don’t have time to date.”

“And soon you won’t have any time,” Ambrose pointed out, though he wasn’t trying to be cruel. “I’m not saying that you should find someone and settle down. Life is more than just work.”

“My work is significant to me.”

Ambrose shrugged as if he disagreed but didn't want the argument. Zelda had spent decades on her work. Writing papers and journal articles and even a few books that sold enough to keep her comfortable. There was no way that she was going to give that all up, just for some person, no matter how good the sex was.

Zelda brought the whiskey to her lips and was thankful when the silence was interrupted by Hilda bustling in with bubble and squeak.

“I’ll need to go shopping tomorrow,” Hilda advised, handing out the plates of food. “Bit low on anything substantial.”

Zelda thought of Lilith, and of meeting her in the grocery store. The last thing she needed was to be pinned against the cereal aisle and have the woman have her way with her––not that Lilith was likely to do it in such a public place.

But it wouldn’t be awful if she did.

Zelda drew away from her thoughts, eating her food as she listened to Hilda fill the silence once again with talks of Baxter High, talking about the upcoming charity they were organising.

Zelda made the odd agreement to the conversation, but couldn’t deny that her focus wasn’t entirely there. It was around eleven when Sabrina arrived home. Her cheeks flushed as she set her bag down and excitedly spoke about her evening, that Zelda decided to draw away and exhaustion hit her.

It’d been a long day.

Still, her thoughts returned to Lilith, and in the privacy of her bedroom, she dug around for her vibrator to at least quell the growing desire before getting some rest.

________________________

[sustraiii]

TEAM ZRCN ARC 4 - CHAPTER 3

In the aftermath of the explosion, the team hurries to secure the school.

NEELA

As they waited for Belleza Rossi to show herself, Neela and the rest of her team found themselves separated, accompanied by one of the Mob Ops as they patrolled the grounds of the university.

Neela had been paired with Morgan, and sent off to the music department, which seemed oddly fitting given Morgan's semblance. As they walked, Neela noted he seemed a little tense and on edge, so in an effort to lighten the mood, Neela had started a conversation with him.

What had started off as small talk, had developed into a very informative discussion, with Morgan sharing more about his personal life than she had expected. Neela now knew that he was an only child, that his parents still lived in Atlas and both owned small businesses, and that could easily list off his impressive number of accolades from the academy prior to joining the military if anyone were to press him for such information.

Unfortunately, their little conversation was not to last, as Morgan had to frequently respond to messages coming through his earpiece. The last of which was one from Wren revealing she was about to speak with Belleza Rossi. Morgan and Neela waited quietly for any updates. Being stood close to Morgan, she could hear some faint mumbled chatter from his teammates, as they too waited for any news.

"Let's hope that-"

Before Neela had the chance to finish what she was saying about hoping the trade off would go well, the sound of a nearby explosion silenced her words. Both she and Morgan stared at each with a mix of confusion and horror in their eyes, neither knowing exactly what to say in that moment.

"What just happened?" Neela managed to croak out.

The lights in the hallway suddenly shifted from their bright white colour to a full shade of red. A warning announcement quickly followed the change in lights.

"Emergency evacuation procedure is now in full force," A robotic female voice, crackled through the intercom. "Please remain calm and make your way to the nearest evacuation point."

Despite the plea to remain calm, the students were anything but as they hurried from their classrooms. Neela couldn't say she blamed them for their panic. She knew of a few occasions where a Grimm attack had forced the school to evacuate, but an explosion was unheard of.

A group of students hurried past them, and had it not been for Morgan pulling her back towards a wall, she might have gotten swept up in the crowd. When they had passed, Neela breathed a sigh of relief, and looked over appreciatively at Morgan. He returned the smile, before quickly turning his head away, speaking into his earpiece. A moment later, a hand went into his pocket, and he pulled out another earpiece which he handed to Neela.

“You had another earpiece this entire time?”

“I always keep spares,” Morgan explained in a brisk tone. “Now quickly, put it in your ear. You’ll want to hear what Wren has to say.”

Neela nodded and did as he said, almost immediately being met by several voices all taking at once, all questioning what had just happened and if everyone was alright. It was Wren’s voice, which rang out clear and steady, that managed to cut through the confusion.

“I understand that what just happened came as a surprise, but I would remind you all to remain calm and focused during this situation,” Wren spoke calmly. “Now, can each of you confirm your location and that you are safe?”

One by one the Mob Ops did as Wren asked, all except for one - Parson. The lack of communication from him nor Zelde or Cordovan did not go unnoticed.

“Has anyone made contact with Parson since the explosion?” Wren asked.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news or anything,” Elio cut in, “but I’m pretty sure  Parson and the kids were heading in the direction of where that explosion was.”

“Are you certain?” Wren pressed.

“Not a hundred percent, no,” Elio admitted. “We don’t even know if Parson made it there or not.” He tried to sound a bit more optimistic with his last sentence but faltered near the end.

“I can go check if they’re okay,” Cherry offered. “Helia and I passed them not too long ago. I’m sure if we doubled back, we could find them."

Silence followed this statement, as though Wren was considering the offer, before Neela heard a small grunt in response. "Go. You have my permission," She responded swiftly. "Everybody else - help aid the evacuation procedure. Although our priority is to get the students and staff to safety, I will ask that you continue to remain cautious and on your guard. We still don't have any solid confirmation that Belleza Rossi - or at the very least none of her associates - are within the school grounds."

Elio and Cherry were quick to agree, followed by Morgan and Neela. With a plan now set in motion, Neela and Morgan began to move again, heading in the direction of where the group of students that had passed them earlier had been heading. Although said students had since moved on, they found a few other students lingering in the hall. Morgan was quick to take charge of the situation, urging them to move on in a calm yet authoritative tone. 

Once they were certain the department had been evacuated, Morgan suggested they head towards Parson's location to provide support for Cherry and Helia. As they turned to make their way to that section of the school, yet another explosion rang out. But with how the corridor seemed to shake, and a light fixture swung free, this second explosion was much closer.

"Was that another explosion?" Cherry asked with a worried tone.

"We'll find out," Morgan answered, whilst glancing at Neela. With a cock of his head, he gestured for her to follow him, and sprinted down the hall to where a row of windows looked out into the courtyard below.

Neela's eyes widened when she saw what had happened.

"The wall…" Her voice trembled. "They breached the wall."

As Elio had said, the first blast appeared to have struck near to where Parson had last announced he would be patrolling. She couldn't see the damage from this angle, but could still see the smoke rising in the distance. The second explosion had struck much closer to where Neela and Morgan were, blasting a large hole through the wall that was still smouldering even now. What made the second explosion even more damaging, was that part of the walls surrounding the town itself, also made up part of the wall that secured the university, and it was that part which currently had a gaping hole in it.

For the first time ever, Neela heard Morgan curse.

"Uh, guys, I might need some help down here."

At the sound of Elio's voice through the earpiece, Neela and Morgan peered outside, and down into the courtyard, where they knew Elio to be. Neela's blue eyes looked around, trying to find the source of the problem.

"Grimm." She said with a heavy tone, watching as little Krypterons began to make their way through the hole.

Morgan grunted in annoyance before tearing himself away from the window.

"Come on, let's go."

"Wait," Neela's voice halted his movements. "What about the evacuation procedure? Surely we can't abandon it."

"You're right," He frowned a little. "We'll have to split up, one of us can go help Elio, and the other can help keep the evacuation on track."

"I'll help Elio," Neela decided.

"You're sure?"

Neela nodded her head and Morgan shrugged a little in response. "Alright," He said, agreeing with her decision to help Elio. "Stay safe. I'll try and join you when I can. Good luck."

"You too."

The journey from the music department to the ground floor and by extension, the courtyard, did not take long and soon Neela was hurrying into the snow-covered courtyard, arriving just as Elio dealt with a Krypteron. In the time it had taken her to get there, Xanthos had also appeared to join him.

"Hey, you two," Neela called out as she jogged towards them. "Heard you needed some help."

"Neela." Elio turned to her and gave her a wide smile. By the way he said her name, it was clear he was relieved to see her and glad for yet another helping hand.

"You look like you've got a handle on things," Neela observed, looking around and not seeing any more Krypterons nearby. 

"Ahh, Krypterons are easy," He said with a lighter tone. "That is what concerns me." Elio pointed up at the sky.

Neela and Xanthos looked up where he was pointing, watching as a dark shape circled above, drawing nearer and nearer to the ground with every loop. Neela shielded her eyes with her hand and tried to determine what it was. "Is that a Nevermore?"

"Worse." Was Elio's response, readying his spear again. "Get into cover quickly before it lands."

Elio directed the three of them to a large bit of debris that had been blown out from the explosion, and they crouched down behind it for cover, as the large flying Grimm landed  on a sloping roof behind them. Peeking her head out of cover, Neela was able to get her first look at it. She hadn't been too far off when she had asked if it was a Nevermore - for the general shape of it was much the same. However, there were a few notable differences. This Grimm for instance was much larger and wider, and unlike the Nevermore which had wing-claws to grab onto things, this Grimm was capable of holding itself up with its large talons, which dug deeply into the small roof it was perched on. It hopped down from the roof, pausing to look around the area, before letting out a loud, piercing, screech, that forced Neela to duck back behind cover and shield her ears. So powerful was this screech a few windows nearby cracked and shattered.

"Damn," Elio said, once the screeching had ceased. "That Picolaton is going to be a bitch to take out without any ranged weapons."

Neela and Xanthos shared a glance with each other, before Neela gestured to her trident. "Triton's Maw has a harpoon function."

Elio nodded slowly before going silent for a moment, and Neela could see the gears turning in his head as he began to put the pieces together for a plan. "Okay, yeah, that might work," He mused. "Can your dust be channelled through it?"

Neela nodded, and Elio clapped his hands together in delight. He turned and put a hand on Xanthos's shoulder. "You up for a little distraction?"

Xanthos nodded. "Just tell me where you want me, boss man."

"That's what I like to hear," Elio responded, jumping to his feet. With a cock of his head, he gestured for Xanthos to follow suit before looking back at Neela. "Don't attack it until I give you a signal."

And with that, he vaulted over the debris, charging at the Picolaton, with Xanthos following close behind him. The two of them drew close to the beast, taking turns in striking at it with their weapons. With its large size, the Picolaton couldn't retreat in a hurry, but that didn't stop it from pecking and snapping at the heels of the two men, narrowly avoiding chomping down on Elio's ankle at one point as he rolled out of the way. As they went back and forth with the Grimm, it became apparent that is shared yet another trait with the Nevermore, being able to rain down an assault of quill-like projectiles on its attackers.

Elio stepped in front of Xanthos and jabbed his spear at it, forcing the Grimm to rear backwards. "Now!" Elio shouted, glancing back at Neela. At his signal, she quickly jumped over the debris and ran out. As she drew closer to the Picolaton she slowed her run, aiming her weapon, and proceeding to fire it as she came to a complete stop.

The spearhead soared through the air, over the heads of Xanthos and Elio, and directly into the chest of the Picolaton. It squawked loudly, before flapping its wings and trying to take off. Neela's eyes went wide, as she realised it was pulling her with it, unable to get a good footing in the snow.

"I can't hold it!" Neela cried out towards Elio and Xanthos. "I'm slipping!"

"Hang on, Nee," Xanthos said, as he rushed to her side. "I've got you."  He placed his hands on her hips, and stomped his feet, the familiar golden sheen of his aura encasing his body, indicating he had activated his semblance. Although this did work a little, even with Xanthos's extra weight from his semblance, the sheer strength of the Grimm trying to ascend, and the slippery surface were working against them. 

A spray of blue tinged bullets struck the Picolaton in its left wing, disrupting its attempt to fly away. Unable to support itself on one wing, the Picolaton crashed down onto the ground. 

“Hit it now!” Elio yelled.

Neela twisted the shaft of her weapon, making sure the channel for the lightning dust was appropriately lined up before she even thought about finishing her attack. 

“Eat. My. Dust.” 

Neela pressed the button on the shaft of her weapon, unleashing an electrical current that ran directly through into the spearhead currently lodged in the Picolaton’s chest. Although powerful enough to render the Grimm immobile for the moment, it was not strong enough to finish it off completely. Elio quickly saw to that, however, using one of its outstretched wings to climb onto its back and hit not once but three times with his weapon, before the Picolaton was finally defeated. As the remains disappeared, Elio landed with a soft thud on the ground, rising back to his feet with a small stretch. As Xanthos hurried over to him, Neela took a moment to sort her weapon out, before joining them.

“Nice job you two,” Elio complimented, looking genuinely proud as he spoke to them. “You handled yourselves well.”

“Thanks,” Neela returned his compliment with a smile.

“Well, we did learn from the best,” Xanthos said, which seemed to go down well with Elio. “I don’t think we could have managed it without whoever shot it.”

Elio smirked a little before raising a finger to his earpiece . “I have a feeling it's you I should be thanking for saving our asses, Morgan,” He said. “When this is all over, I might give you a kiss later.”

Nervous laughter echoed through the earpiece moments later. “Please...don’t do that.”

Neela, Elio, and Xanthos shared a moment of laughter between them, but their brief moment of peace was not to last.

“Hello?” Cherry’s voice came across the airway, a hint of urgency in her tone. “We’re going to need an emergency medical evac. I repeat, we need an emergency medical evac now!”

[frizz22]

prompt: a progression of hilda and zeldas relationship over the break btwn part 1 & 2 (extra points for actual conversations and the sisters helping each other through things)

Trigger warning: discussions of self-harm, attempted rape, and rape

Notes: Okay, this one was a bit hard since I cover this pretty thoroughly across multiple chapters in my You Always Say No fic. But I know 30+ chapter fics aren’t for everyone so I did what I could to change up the content and chop it down enough to be a one-shot. Read on ao3

 After the storm:

Zelda had just put Leticia down for her nap, a smile coming unbidden to her lips at how the babe’s mouth opened in a small yawn as she drifted off.

She stood there for several minutes, just watching Letty sleep when there was a soft knock on the door. Turning, Zelda round Hilda peeking her head into the room.

“She down?” When Zelda nodded, her sister gestured for Zelda to follow her. Frowning, Zelda cast a monitoring charm over Leticia so she’d be alerted if the girl woke, and followed Hilda down the hall to her new room.

Once inside, Hilda shut the door and started to worry at the cuffs of her cardigan. Not missing her sister’s nervous tic, Zelda sighed and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Spit it out, Hilda. You wouldn’t have brought me in here without the intention of some kind of lecture.”

Though Hilda’s lips twisted in displeasure, she didn’t deny the fact that she planned to lecture. There’d been enough of those to go around of late and it was no surprise to Zelda that it was finally her turn to be on the receiving end; likely it was about her impulsiveness in taking Letty.

“How long have you been hurting yourself?” 

The quiet question stunned Zelda, she’d been expecting any manner of topic, Leticia, her fight with Sabrina, the Greendale thirteen… but this? She’d thought she’d gotten away with it; especially since it’d been over a week since Hilda caught Zelda in the act of self-flagellation.

Dropping her eyes to her lap, Zelda spun her rings and gave a jerky shrug. “Does it really matter or make a difference?” She tried to sound bored, as though they were discussing nothing more important than the grocery list.

Hilda wouldn’t have it, though. “Of course it matters!” She stated emphatically, crossing the room to sit next to Zelda. “You saw fit to flog yourself, Zelds, I can’t let that go. You’re my sister. It’s my job to take care of you.”

A sniff undermined Zelda’s irritated huff; while she’d have preferred Hilda mind her own business, it was touching she’d reached out. Touching that despite everything going on—Sabrina’s antics, the Greendale Thirteen, the Red Angel, Leticia—Hilda found the time and emotional capacity to check on her.

Still, she was the head of the Spellman house, she was the one to take care of and protect everyone.

So, she snipped at her sister. “Please Hilda, I’m not one of the children. I can take care of myself.” She arched a brow and stood to leave, ready to brush this entire encounter under the rug and leave it there where it belonged.

A hand on her arm stopped her. “Zelda.” Hilda exclaimed in a slightly exasperated, but mostly concerned, tone. “How long? How often? Answer me.”

And there was a firmness in Hilda’s voice she usually reserved for Sabrina. Taken aback, Zelda sat back down. “Only the past year or so, and not often.

“What brought this on?” Before Zelda could reply, Hilda’s face suddenly contorted and she gripped the blanket underneath them. “Did Father Blackwood put you up to this? Lashes for punishment?”

A bark of laughter escaped Zelda at the suggestion. “Hardly. Faustus sees the act as something far different than punishment. It was actually quite nice the way he did it, not pain but certainly pleasure. When I normally use it my goal is to break skin. Our session barely left me with welts and they certainly weren’t where I normally aimed.”

Hilda’s nose scrunched in distaste, but she didn’t comment on Zelda’s sexual activities further. “Well,” she cleared her throat, “that’s doesn’t make what you’ve been doing okay. It’s harmful and I won’t let you—"

“Won’t let me?! You won’t let me do something?” Zelda cut in, incredulous. Though why she was fighting she didn’t know. She’d been aware for some time she’d been taking flagellation to the extreme, even in the eyes of the church. It wasn’t healthy, but it was the only coping method Zelda had…. she wasn’t sure what to do now when life all became too much, when she failed her family.

Standing, Hilda straightened her shoulders and tipped her chin up in defiance. “That’s right. From now on, if you ever feel the need to self-harm, you come to me.”

“Oh? So, I’m supposed to just bare it all to you, am I?” Zelda snipped, angry tears were forming in her eyes at Hilda’s persistence and care.

Lips trembling slightly, Hilda shrugged. “Would that really be so bad?” She asked softly, closing the distance between them. “To talk, to share, to let me shoulder some of the burden?” Apparently, she still appeared reluctant, because Hilda pressed on. “I can open up too.” Her sister tugged at the hem of her cardigan anxiously. “I, I kissed someone the other week.”

Nonplussed, Zelda blinked at Hilda, while others may not think the two confessions, her self-punishments and Hilda’s love life were equivocal, she knew how much it took for her sister to admit such a thing to her; especially when there’d been no one of interest for over a decade. “Did you? And who might that be?”

Still fidgeting, Hilda licked her lips. “Cerberus.” She mumbled, not quite meeting Zelda’s eyes.

And the weight of the admission increased. Schooling her face with some difficulty, Zelda inclined her head. “The, the mortal you work with.” She was proud she managed a fairly calm tone even if internally Zelda was panicking.

She’d already lost Edward because of a mortal… his insistence on marrying a mortal and the idea that mortals be equal to witching kind were what led him to being on that plane in the first place.

Zelda couldn’t lose her sister to a mortal as well.

“Yes. That Cerberus.” Hilda bit her lip but didn’t elaborate further.

Arching a brow, Zelda tossed a hand in the air. “And?”

The dam broke, Hilda smiled widely. “And I really like him, Zelda. And I think he really likes me. Cerberus is so kind, thoughtful—" as Hilda continued to enthuse about her budding romance, Zelda smiled softly.

She’d distracted her sister. This was meant to be a lecture, one delving into her reasonings for whipping, Hilda forcing her to stop. But this, this was much better.

And, if Zelda were honest, it was nice to discuss something lighthearted and good for once. Though the man was a mortal, he clearly made her sister happy and they needed to snatch what pieces of happiness they could these days.

So, Zelda settled more comfortably onto the bed and encouraged Hilda to share more about the first person to capture her interest in years. 

~~~

After Solstice:

Zelda muttered to herself as she dug through her trunk. “Where the blazes is it?” She spat, throwing another scarf over her shoulder. The bedroom door banging open had Zelda jumping and placing a hand over her heart. “For Satan’s sake, Hilda, what are you doing.” She automatically glanced over to the crib to see if the nose had disturbed Leticia only to be reminded the girl no longer lived with them. Which was why she’d been digging in her trunk in the first place.

Crossing her arms, Hilda pursed her lips. “You won’t find it.”

Brow creasing, Zelda just stared at her sister. “Find what?”

“The whip. I took it.”

Head snapping up from where she’d bent back over to search her trunk, Zelda scowled. “You went through my things. Took my things.”

Some of the hardness melted out of Hilda’s posture. “To keep you from hurting yourself? Absolutely, Zelds.” Hilda approached her, hand out as though to touch her shoulder.

Standing abruptly, Zelda shut her trunk while making deliberate eye contact with Hilda. “What I do in recompense for my failures is no concern of yours. You will return my possessions by morning.” She turned her back to her sister and peered into Leticia’s empty crib.

Undeterred, Hilda sighed and sat on Zelda’s bed. “Failures? Zelda, what could possibly warrant—"

Zelda spun, voice low and terse. “Sabrina killed a witch to resurrect a mortal boy. She conducted a seance on solstice welcoming in malevolent spirits. She dabbles in the darkest of magic as though it were of no consequence. That is my failure. To have not taught her better, guided her better, to not have at least monitored better.” Zelda speared a hand through her hair in frustration. “And now, I—” her eyes flickered to the crib once more, yet another little girl she’d failed.

Not that the babe would be have to worry about Zelda disappointing her, Letty wouldn’t even remember her most likely. “I should have kept an eye on the Yule log all night, I was sloppy. And then with Gryla… I should have prepared better, should have sent Sabrina and Leticia somewhere else while that witch was here. It’s my fault.” Her voice cracked and oh, how Zelda longed to lose herself in the repetition and cleansing pain flogging provided.

Eyes wet, Hilda tugged Zelda to sit down next to her. “So, that’s why you’ve been hurting yourself recently? These, these so-called failures?”

Mouth twisting, Zelda spun her rings. “I think anyone would perceive them as failures, sister. And ones with increasingly larger consequences.”

“But, Zelds, you’re not responsible for all of it. You can’t shoulder the blame for what others do.” Hilda laid a hand on her forearm.

“Can’t I?” She practically whispered, not meeting Hilda’s eyes. “How is Cerberus these days?”

A frown pulled Hilda’s lips and she blinked at the suddenly change in topic. “That won’t work this time. It took me a little bit to realize what you’d done last time I tried to talk to you about this.”

Zelda couldn’t help but glance at Letty’s empty crib again. Though Hilda refused to speak of her lover, she’d unmistakably brightened at the mention of the man. While her sister’s life was coming together, Zelda’s was falling apart.

She’d thought she’d been building a future too, with this little girl; one that would see her as and call her mom. But just as quickly as Leticia had come into her life, the babe was wrenched away. Well, wrenched was perhaps the wrong word, she willingly gave Leticia away for her safety. That didn’t make it hurt any less. In the short time she’d had Leticia, Zelda had come to love the girl dearly and now the thought of not being able to love and protect her as she’d planned was painful. Deeply so.

And here was her sister, clearly in the grasps of new love but pushing it aside for Zelda’s grief.

It wasn’t fair.

But then again, when had life ever been fair to her? Her hand itched for the flog now more than ever.

As if sensing this, Hilda softened, lips pressing together into a concerned line. “I’m sorry, Zelda. Here I am—"

Running a hand through her hair, Zelda exhaled slowly. “No, don’t apologize. My feelings shouldn’t keep you from feeling your own.”

Her sister sighed quietly and took Zelda’s hand between her own. “You’ve done nothing wrong, or deserving of punishment, Zelds. I know,” she sniffed and looked at the ceiling to discourage tears. “I know how easy it can be, to try and take the blame. Because it’s easier than letting the kids take responsibility. Especially,” Hilda shook her head but plowed ahead. “Especially when Sabrina never seems to claim responsibility or experience the consequences of her actions. Because if one of us shoulders it all, then it means only we failed and not us and the kids. Because if they mess up then somehow, we did too. But that is not the case, Zelda. So please, please, don’t hurt yourself anymore. Promise me, you swear to me you won’t hurt yourself in any way again.”

Tears slipping how her cheeks, Zelda leaned into Hilda’s side and rested her head on her shoulder; just as she had after the botched resurrection. “I’ll try my best. I’ll come to you first.”

Relief flooded Hilda and she wrapped Zelda into her arms tightly. “Let it out,” she breathed in sad encouragement. “Don’t bottle up your grief over Leticia.”

And, as if she’d been waiting for permission, sobs wracked Zelda’s body and she curled further into Hilda’s embrace.

~~~

Top Boy

Zelda paced the room anxiously, waiting for Hilda to come home from work.

Demon summoning.

And not any demon, a high demon. And not one, but three. Could their niece get any more reckless?

Sabrina and Nicholas had hastily connected their circles, there easily could have been a weak spot the three plague kings used to break free and attack the coven. Thankfully, Faustus has banished them in quick succession before they could more than lurch menacingly towards the crowd.

But that didn’t erase the danger of it all. Didn’t make Zelda think that she should have done more than give Sabrina blinding powder and an anti-demon whistle.

She should have done more… something. Something to prevent Sabrina putting everyone at risk. What she could have done… Zelda wasn’t sure. But the weight of her failure to do something to at least predict what her niece would do was becoming increasingly heavier as she paced the room. And her desire to scourge that failure from her with a whip growing stronger.

Lighting a cigarette, Zelda continued pace. While she may want to flog herself, she’d made a promise to her sister. And, as much as that rankled her at the moment, she was doing her damnedest to keep it.

Now if only Hilda would hurry up and get home so Zelda’s will power didn’t diminish further.

By the time Hilda walked in, that ridiculous wig tucked under her arm, Zelda had anxiously smoked through three cigarettes.

Waving her hand to magically dispel the smoke, Hilda arched a brow at her. “What’s got you all worked up?” She asked, setting the wig on her vanity and kicking off her shoes.

“Your niece summoned three high demons in the desecrated church today. Putting the entire coven at risk.” Zelda informed her, not stopping as she strode from one end of the room to the other.

Hilda blinked. “She, she what?!”

As Zelda filled her sister in on the last challenge to be Top Boy, she spun her rings. “And,” she swallowed, having finally gotten to the part where she needed to ask for help. “And I want to punish myself for letting this happen. But I’m trying to keep my promise and I’m coming to you first.” She finished in a mumble, averting her eyes and stopping pacing to stare at the floor.

Before she could process it, Hilda was practically tackling her in a hug. Stumbling back, Zelda’s arms came up automatically to embrace her sister. “Oh Zelds,” Hilda breathed, “I’m so proud and happy you came to me. Thank you.” She tightened her hug and then pulled back, wiping the corners of her eyes. “Right then, you’ve come to me, so now,” Hilda pulled at her fingers for one uncertain moment. “Now we’re going to change into our jammies, go down to the parlor, turn on your favorite jazz record, and drink some calming tea. And we’ll talk.”

Skeptical, Zelda furrowed her brow. “Talk. About what?” She really didn’t want to talk about punishing herself, she wasn’t sure if it’d trigger her or make the urge go away.

Already changing, Hilda smiled at her, though her eyes were slightly glazed still. “Well, Sabrina first. Try to come up with a game plan to prevent future summonings like this. And then,” she slipped into her nightgown and grabbed her robe, “anything you want.”

A small smile tugged at Zelda’s lips and she nodded. Turning to change, she couldn’t help but think that perhaps this was better than flagellation. Company, comfort, talking to her sister. It was certainly healthier if nothing else.

And calming tea never hurt anyone in any case.

~~~

Lupercalia

Zelda watched Sabrina’s embarrassed form retreat up the stairs. Honestly, they acted as though sex were something to be ashamed of. It was one thing to not be ready, it was another to look down on the act as though it were somehow dirty.

She just wanted Sabrina to be as informed as possible about the event. Wanted her to know it was wonderful and fun, she hadn’t meant to pressure, though Zelda thought Hilda was overreacting by suggesting she’d been doing just that.

Huffing softly to herself, Zelda turned back to her sister. “I know I’ve plans for Lupercalia,” she smiled wickedly to herself, knowing Faustus would try and test the boundaries she’d established and that she’d let him; happily. “Have you and the vampire any?”

When Hilda shifted in her chair, eyes firmly on her knitting, Zelda arched a brow and cleared her throat; letting her sister know she wouldn’t drop the subject.

Sighing, Hilda scrunched her nose, eyes still on her work in her lap. “I don’t know.”

Sitting up, Zelda leaned forward. “Has something happened between you and the mortal?”

Hilda finally out her knitting down and looked at Zelda in exasperation. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no. We’ve, we’ve not really talked since I kissed him.”

She blinked, surprised. “Really?”

“No need to sound so pleased,” Hilda muttered sourly, taking a large gulp of her drink.

Surprised, Zelda moved back to her previous spot next to Hilda and touched her sister’s arm. “I’m not pleased, Hilda. Just stunned. It seemed so… it had potential.” She settled on the word, unsure how else to describe her sister’s relationship.

Shaking her head, Hilda exhaled loudly. “I don’t know what’s going on with him.” She repeated glumly, then shot Zelda a glare. “And I know at least a small part of you is happy about this.”

Zelda bit her lip and decided honesty was the best policy. “Not for the reason you likely think. I’m not happy you’re not happy, Hildie. Far from it, it’s just… he is a mortal.” When her sister didn’t reply, merely tugged at the ends of her cardigan, Zelda leaned in a little closer. “You know it really couldn’t go anywhere, right?” She remarked softly, touching her sister’s knee this time. Knowing that while witches often had flings with mortals, Hilda’s situation was not that…. Her sister had never been one for flings.

Hilda brought her eyes up to meet Zelda’s. “It could,” she countered, eyes shining.

Zelda chewed the inside of her cheek and spun her rings. “Sister, you’re excommunicated, yes. But that doesn’t mean you’re above our laws. You can date him, there’s nothing expressly against that. You cannot marry him though, should it get that far. There is no long-term scenario where this works out.” Zelda squeezed Hilda’s knee comfortingly. “We don’t age as they do,” she reminded her gently. “And while you are not vain like most witches, Cerberus will age. Will you still want him when he’s old?” When Hilda remained stubbornly silent, Zelda continued. “And we cannot remain in Greendale forever. We’ve been here for almost two decades without an added wrinkle or grey hair between us. The mortals will start questioning why we don’t age. Cerberus likely won’t want to uproot his life only to have you leave him in years to come.”

Tears welled in Hilda’s eyes and she averted her gaze once more, focusing on the fire in the fireplace instead of Zelda.

“I don’t say this to be cruel, Hildie.” Zelda murmured earnestly, heart heavy. “I am glad this man makes you happy, even if you’re unsure where you stand. Just don’t invest too much of yourself in him. I don’t want you getting hurt when it must end.”

Hilda took her hand and gripped it tightly, a lone tear streaking down her cheek. “I know, Zelds. Thank you for looking out for me.” She smiled a little sadly at her. “But for now, I just want to pursue it, enjoy it if I can.”

Nodding, Zelda gripped Hilda’s hand back. “As you should,” she insisted, carefully wiping her sister’s tear away before pulling back completely and standing. “It has been ages since you’ve shown interest in anyone.” Her tone was lighter, trying to relieve the weight she’d unwilling placed on her sister’s budding romance.

Blushing at the observation, Hilda didn’t respond and turned her attention back to her knitting to hide her face.

“Of course, the first man to catch your eye has to be a knockoff vampire who peddles trash.” Zelda sighed dramatically, picking her drink back up and slumping back into her chair. And even with her head ducked, she didn’t miss the smile tugging her sister’s lips.

After a moment Hilda looked up. “See, sharing is a good thing.”

Unable to restrain an eye roll, Zelda lit a cigarette and took a drag before acknowledging her sister who was biting her lower lip and looking at her earnestly. The sight melted her heart a bit and had the caustic comment dying on her tongue. Hilda was trying to help; she didn’t always have to push her sister away.

Softening, Zelda nodded. “It can be.” She acquiesced, giving Hilda a small smile. “I will,” she ground her teeth for a moment, but managed to force out the rest. “I will try and share more often in the future. This has been nice.”

Hilda nodded, “it has,” she murmured, going back to her knitting, knowing when to not push further.

~~~

She’d gotten Hilda to stop sniffling, to get off the bed and act like the huntress she was.

Zelda knew she shouldn’t be encouraging this relationship with a mortal. It had already pushed Hilda to tears, and it would only cause more in the long run; when her sister was forced to end it least, she reveal they were witches, or when the man died.

But Zelda couldn’t stand to see Hilda in such a miserable state, especially when, from all she’d heard, this mortal returned her sister’s affections. No, he was holding back for some Satan forsaken reason, all he needed was a little… push.

Ushering Hilda to the closet, Zelda sat on the bed and waited for her sister to select a dress.

When Hilda emerged from the closet a second time, Zelda having vetoed her first choice because it was one of her everyday dresses, she spread her hands out. “What about this?” Hilda spun slowly, letting Zelda get the full view of the low-cut, form-fitting leopard print dress.

“Stunning. Bold. And very you.” She beamed, standing and smoothing out a few wrinkles and tucking the tag in.

“Very me?” Hilda squeaked in surprise, “oh, I don’t think—”

Catching her sister’s chin in her hand, Zelda lifted it until their eyes met. “Anything you wear is very you, Hildegard. You just have to like it and be comfortable and confident enough in your own skin to own it.” Hilda blushed and smiled shyly at her. Before she could respond with something soft and gooey, Zelda gave the dress another look. “How long have you had this, Hilda? And why hasn’t it made an appearance until now?”

The blush deepened. “It made an appearance.” And when Zelda looked at her skeptically, Hilda brushed past her and sat down at her vanity. “Once.”

“Oh, I will get that story out of you,” Zelda chuckled, coming to stand behind her sister. “But that is for another time. Now,” she leaned over, so her face was right next to Hilda’s as they looked in the mirror, “you have to tell me what you want to do with your hair.”

~~~

“Did you entrap the shopkeeper?” She asked eagerly, leaning in for details.

Pressing her lips together, Hilda swirled the remaining alcohol in her glass. “Um… not exactly.” Chewing her lip, Hilda blurt it out. “He’s an incubus. A sex demon.” She added in a low voice, though the definition was unnecessary.

A sigh escaped Zelda. “Hildie,” she murmured, unsure where to even begin. Her sister, likely one of the only witches to not lose her virginity on the night of her dark baptism—or any of the nights that followed—was now courting a sex demon.

Put out by her reaction, Hilda plowed forward. “Well, I’m reading up on how to, you know… tame him.”

Well, if nothing else, Zelda could at least help with that. “You’ll need chains forged from Damascus steel, strong enough to contain the most aggressive incubus. And, fair warning, he’ll need to be wearing them whenever you—”

Eyes going wide, Hilda reared back. “Oh! No, no, no, no!”

Honestly, how her sister expected to be in a relationship with a literal sex demon without being able to talk about intercourse, Zelda had no idea. But Hilda supported her in most things, she supposed she could assist her sister in this.

“You’ll be just fine.” Zelda reassured, even as Hilda squeaked when she revealed why she knew so much on the topic. “We both will.” She lifted a brow and allowed herself another smile.

Raising her glass in response, Hilda drank to the toast before starting to pull at one of the loose strings on the pillow next to her on the couch.

Easily recognizing the signs, Zelda leveled her with a look. “What else?” She deadpanned; unsure what Hilda could say that would top dating a sex demon.

“He said he loves me.” Hilda supplied, red spots blooming on her cheeks.

Zelda choked a little on her drink, she certainly hadn’t expected that. “Huntress indeed,” she managed when she regained herself. “You didn’t just go for the fun of the chase, you hunted to kill. Well done.” She smirked and gave her sister an appraising look.

Exhaling shakily, Hilda finished her drink and, to Zelda’s surprise, reached over the back of the couch and refilled her glass. “I love him too and I told him I’m a witch.” She added in a rush, eyes wide with might have been panic.

The confession startled Zelda. Fingers tapping the side of her glass, Zelda inclined her head, surprised to find she wasn’t as scared of this announcement as she might have been even an hour ago.

Cerberus wasn’t exactly mortal… so her previous anxieties about losing her sister to the mortal realm as they had Edward was no longer a concern.

And as for the coven’s opinion, well, dalliances with sex demons were commonplace among witches, so the backlash would be nonexistent; some might even be impressed. For those who disapproved for whatever reason, they’d hold their silence. She was to be the wife of a high priest, after all, no one would speak out against her sister’s choices when Hilda was so close to that kind of power.

As for her final concern about Hilda’s relationship with a mortal, that her sister would have her heart broken when the mortal aged and died, that wasn’t much of a problem anymore either. And she informed her sister of as much.

“I assume this means you’ll be keeping him?” Hilda ducked her head and nodded, making Zelda’s lips tug up into a smile. “Then prepare yourself for a long-term relationship, sister.” She arched a brow and took a drink.

Brow furrowing, Hilda shook her head. “What? What do you… he’s still mortal. Don’t tease me, Zelds. I’ve come to terms that our love will be short lived.” Her chin trembled as she stared into her cup.

Placing a finger under her sister’s chin, Zelda gently tipped it up so Hilda met her eyes. “It would have been. But now we know you have just entered a relationship with an incubus. Which means Cerberus will have a lifespan well into the late 100s, possibly the early 200s.” Hilda’s mouth opened in closed in her confusion, so Zelda elaborated. “Incubi are not like demons such as the devouring worm we encountered in Jesse Putnam. They are generally rather lazy in any aspect not related to sex. Once they’ve claimed a body, settled in, they don’t leave it. To prolong having to find a new body, the incubus extends the life of whatever vessel they inhabit; keeping it healthy. Your fling with a wannabe vampire has just turned into something with a much longer shelf life.”

Hilda’s face lit up. “Truly?”

Unable to prevent herself from smiling widely in return, Zelda nodded. “Truly. Now, I will leave you to your research, so you may tame your incubus and get to do all you please with him.” Hilda blushed, but nodded. Squeezing Hilda’s hand, Zelda stood, collecting the turtle-dove hearts as she did.

“You’re not mad I told Cerb I’m a witch?” The question came suddenly, and Zelda could see the concern written across her sister’s face.

Shrugging, Zelda topped off her own glass. “He’s already possessed by a demon, so witches existing likely wasn’t too big of a shock. I have a feeling he’ll want to be more ensconced in our realm than the mortal realm soon enough. Besides, this means I can threaten him properly with curses and hexes if he ever hurts you.” With a wink, Zelda turned and was heading towards the stairs.

~~~

Wedding Eve

With trembling hands, Zelda managed to change, Hilda sitting anxiously on the bed as she did; Faustus had promised he’d come get them and they’d all teleport over together.

“Ambrose didn’t do this, Zelds. He couldn’t have.” Hilda implored, tugging at the cuffs of her jacket.

Sniffing, Zelda turned to face her sister, doing up the last buttons of her coat as she slipped her shoes on. “An hour ago, I’d have agreed with you, but Hildie, he was standing over the man with a dagger in his hand and covered in blood. I think he did it—” she raised a hand to forestall Hilda’s interruption, “not willingly, of course. But unless we can prove he was under some magical influence, made to be a puppet assassin, we may lose our boy.”

Blanching, a few tears trekked down Hilda’s face. “We can’t let that happen.”

“I know.” Zelda strode forward and took Hilda’s hands in her own, squeezing hard. “We will do everything in our power to prove his innocence. While Ambrose’s body may have committed the deed, he never would have done it if he were in the right state of mind. I need you to start making a list of different potions that could reveal magical interference and I will do the same with spells. Understand?”

Hilda nodded, and she pulled one of her hands free to wipe the tears from her cheeks. “Are you okay?” She asked after a moment of silence passed between them.

Taken aback, Zelda looked at her sister blankly. “What do you mean? Of course I’m not. Neither are you, for that matter. Ambrose is—”

Waving her hand, Hilda pulled Zelda down to sit next to her. “I’m not talking about Ambrose. The, the Dark Lord came to claim…” she swallowed and wouldn’t meet Zelda’s eyes for a moment. “He came to hurt you.” The amendment, though a much more accurate depiction of what would have happened, was also a harder truth to stomach. “And you’d have let Him. You’d have let Him to protect us and I wish I hadn’t left the room. I should have stayed and—”

A bark of laughter escaped Zelda then. It wasn’t that she found the situation funny, far from it, but her nerves needed to release tension somehow and since flogging was off the table, laughter apparently was what her body picked. “Stayed and what, Hildie?” She asked incredulously, then she softened. “You did what you had to, just as I did. There wasn’t a choice, no letting anyone do anything. It was the Dark Lord; you don’t deny Him. Though I was stunned, and touched, when you came barreling in when the screaming started. What would you have done, if those screams had been mine?”

“Killed Him.” Hilda growled, looking Zelda dead in the eye and there wasn’t even a hint that Hilda doubted she’d have accomplished just that if Zelda had been the one in pain, in danger.

Unsure what to say, Zelda pulled her sister into a hug, holding on tightly until there was a knock on the door. Faustus poked his head in. “We’re ready to leave.”

Nodding, Zelda stood, keeping hold of Hilda’s hand as she reached for Faustus’; together they teleported to the house.

~~~

After the Dark Lord’s Defeat:

They straggled back into the house, shoes and masks dangling in their hands. As improbable as it had seemed… they’d defeated the Dark Lord. At the expense of poor Nicholas, and though Zelda would never admit it out loud, it was a trade she’d willingly make again if it kept Sabrina safe; kept her from being Satan’s child bride.

Bidding each the kids goodnight and checking on the students in the parlor once more, Zelda and Hilda trudged up the stairs and dropped the things next to the door once in their room.

Hilda yawned. “I don’t know if I’ve the energy to even change.” She eyed her bed longingly but turned towards her vanity anyway.

Unable to disagree, Zelda flicked her wrist and suddenly both of them were free from the elaborate gowns and hairstyles and in their nightgowns. Sighing in relief, Zelda massaged her scalp and plopped onto the edge of her bed.

Stunned, Hilda spun on her stool. “What’d you do that for? You don’t have the energy—”

“It took less to do that than actually change.” Zelda mumbled, slumping over the rest of the way over and melting partially into the mattress.

Laughing, Hilda climbed tiredly into her own bed. “We did it, we really did it, Zelds.”

Partially lifting her head off the bed, Zelda smiled. “I’m as surprised as you, especially given all the obstacles we’ve faced recently.”

Mirth drained from Hilda’s face and she picked at the blanket underneath her. “Obstacles, obstacles like Blackwood?”

The exhausted, relaxed and relieved sensation tugging Zelda towards sleep disappeared in an instant. Sitting up, Zelda pulled herself up the bed and threw the covers back. “Yes, well, he did us no favors in deciding to poison the coven.”

Still fiddling with her quilt, Hilda chewed on her lip. “Hmm? Well, no, he didn’t. But Zelda, I,” she cleared her throat and shifted on the bed, “I was talking about the Caligari spell.”

Ice flooded Zelda’s veins and she slowly lifted her gaze to meet her sister’s. “And what makes you think that did anything more than slow me down? Did you not notice that the second Faustus realized I was free he imprisoned me and then fled? Seems I was more an obstacle to his plans than he was to mine.” She arched a brow and was proud of how haughty she sounded as she climbed under her covers.

Hilda licked her lips and then suddenly moved to sit on Zelda’s bed. “You know what I mean, Zelds. I, I never should have let you go back after we broke it. You said it was torture. And I let you go back.”

Sniffing, Zelda tried to shoo Hilda off her bed to no avail. “I was bored out of my mind, if that’s what you mean. Having all the mental capacity yet unable to do a thing, it was infuriating.”

Her sister pulled at her fingers anxiously. “It was more than that. I know you, Zelda. Perhaps better than you’d like, but I know you. And I know when you’re upset and trying to hide it. Please, please talk to me.” Hilda reached out and took Zelda’s hands in her own.

She fought the tears pricking her eyes. “Must we discuss this tonight, Hildie? We’re both exhausted and tomorrow—”

“Tomorrow we have an entire house full of half-trained witches to deal with and I know you’ll use them as an excuse to avoid this.” Hilda remarked, and perhaps she did know Zelda too well.

Swallowing and knowing it would be better to talk about it, at least a little, than to hold it in, Zelda dropped her eyes to her lap. “I was so scared. I wasn’t safe, I wasn’t in control. I could have hurt…" A long silence followed, but Hilda patiently waited for her to continue. “I—” Zelda started hoarsely and licked her lips. “I’ve been dreaming about what would have happened had you or Sabrina gotten in my way when I came for Leviathan.” She whispered, picking at her nail polish. “Blackwood, he, uh, he’d instructed me to not let anyone get in my way.” Zelda murmured, tears starting to trek down her cheeks. “I prayed I wouldn’t encounter anyone. I knew I’d hurt Sabrina. Hurt you. And I wouldn’t be able to stop it.” Taking a shaky inhale, she continued. “In my dreams, you both try to stop me. And I kill you both.” Her voice cracked but she kept talking. “Which meant I condemned Ambrose and he lost his head. I kill you all every night and it is all my fault.” Zelda finished, gasping and clenching the comforter in her hands.

Carefully, and very deliberately, Hilda placed a finger under Zelda’s chin and lifted it so she would focus on her. “None of that happened. Our entire family is safe, whole. And none of what that monster made you do was your fault or under your control. None of it. You hear me?”  

It was the absolution she shouldn’t need, but desperately wanted and now that she had it, the dam broke. Sobs wracked Zelda’s body and she slumped against her sister, Hilda wrapping her up tightly in a comforting embrace.

“You can put on a brave face for Sabrina and Ambrose, but I know. I never should have let you go back. Never should have made you keep up that disgusting charade.” Hilda muttered, guilt washing over her face at the admission. “I thought nothing of it at the time, you acted so blithely about it, flipping your hair and making snarky comments…” Hilda curled around Zelda protectively, as if she would shield her from all harm. “It must have been so awful to march back into that situation and pretend.”

Shaking her head, Zelda tried to pull back, wipe her tears. “It was the only—”

“No.” Hilda clung to her harder, “I never should have let you go back. I should’ve gone and killed Blackwood right then and there. He’d have been caught completely off guard. And I could—” she faltered, tears slipping down her cheeks. “I could have protected you from some pain.”

More sobs wracked Zelda’s body and Hilda ran a soothing hand up and down her back.

Swallowing her own tears, Hilda rested her cheek on top of Zelda’s head. “Tell me the rest? Better out than in, yes?” She asked softly, as if sensing she might be pushing too far, but also knowing Zelda needed the prodding otherwise she’d internalize it indefinitely.

Zelda shuddered. “I was, was aware the whole time. Trapped. Trapped inside my head, banging against the sides, trying to speak, to control my body… but nothing was under my control. I had a front row seat to my life, to seeing myself used like a puppet. I was sealed inside, with no say in anything and Faustus he still, he—” she gulped, unable to finish and for several minutes they sat in silence. “He took away my choice, Hildie.” She managed, now picking at her cuticles, some of which were beginning to bleed. Hilda gently released Zelda from her hug and took her hands into her own to stop the action. Zelda blinked and looked at her hands, unaware of what she’d been doing, but nodded minutely in thanks before leaning heavily against Hilda once more and resting her head on her sister’s shoulder. “He took and took and took. We’d always, at least in the bedroom, same page. But then he took it all away and took what he wanted still.”

Spine stiffening, Hilda growled in realization. Though Zelda hadn’t formed completely coherent sentences, her sister understood what she was unable to say…. What she’d refused to truthfully label until now.

“Blackwood’s a dead man,” Hilda snarled, eyes sparking dangerously. “When we catch him, I’m going to make sure I get some alone time with my former brother-in-law before we put him to death.”

A small huff escaped Zelda and she nestled against Hilda. “That would make me feel better,” she admitted, and then she sat up as though struck. “You, you almost… but you killed him before…. Oh, Hildie, we never discussed it more, Methuselah, not with the prophecy and the impending apocalypse. Are you alright?”

Tears slipped down Hilda’s face. “He only suggested a, a transaction… for Ambrose’s life. He didn’t actually force himself—”

Vehemently shaking her head, Zelda clasped Hilda’s hands in her own. “Don’t compare. That doesn’t make it any less horrible. Was my almost encounter with the Dark Lord any less terrifying because nothing came from it? No. And your experience is no less meaningful because you think it could have been worse, because others have experienced worse. It’s all bad, it’s all, all,” her lips twisted and then she spat it out, “it’s all traumatizing.” Though Zelda hated that either one of them experienced this, it helped that Hilda understood on some level. And maybe, one day, she would talk about what happened to her in more depth; the pain, the shame, the anger it’d all caused. But, for now, it was enough to have voiced that it happened.

Chin wobbling, Hilda inhaled shakily, recapturing Zelda’s attention. “Oh Zelds, what a pair we make.” She breathed, hugging Zelda and pressing closer when Zelda tightened her own arms around her sister.

“How do we, how do we heal from this? Recover?” Zelda asked, desperate to know if her sister had an answer, because she was at a loss. The desire for vengeance and violence could only get her so far.

Pulling back, Hilda scrubbed at her cheeks and then gently cupped Zelda’s face and wiped her tears away before tucking some hair behind Zelda’s ear. “Well, tonight I’ll make us some tea with a little foxglove in it, we’ll get a good night’s sleep. And when we wake up in the morning, we’ll get to work fixing this coven, we’ll break up stupid teenage witch fights and then we’ll all eat dinner together, maybe read or do puzzles afterwards before going to bed. And we will talk about happy things and memories until we fall asleep. And the next day, we’ll do the same and it will hurt a tiny bit less. And the next day after that will hurt even less.

“Oh, Zelds, I hope that’s true, I do. I pray to Satan or Lilith or whoever we’re supposed to worship now that that’s true. But I don’t know,” Hilda breathed, hating that she couldn’t give her sister the definitive answer she likely craved; that Hilda craved herself.  

Zelda gave her sister a tremulous smile, “that’s alright. What matters is that we’re together.” She whispered, lacing her fingers with Hilda’s and exhaling shakily.

A few more tears leaked down Hilda’s face, “and we always will be.” She promised fiercely.

Nodding, Zelda scooted over so Hilda could fully climb onto the bed. “Always.” She repeated as they lay on the bed together, seeking and providing comfort to one another.

[heroesofhyrule]

Okay since seeing the trailer for the new Zelda game, I’ve been really wanting to read some more really good BOTW fanfic. Do you have any suggestions where they have some length to them? Also fics where link and Zelda are raising a family??

Truth be told, I haven’t read many BotW fics, if any, but I’ll compile some here after some searching! There are quite a few here that seem interesting to me or had plenty of kudos.

Please check all of the tags and heed the warnings before starting a fic! 

Super long fics (wc: 200k+)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 

T | Novelization | Slow Burn | wc: 473k | Complete

“But courage need not be remembered… for it is never forgotten.”Though struggling with both the loss of memory and the incredible weight of past failure, Link must find a way to recover what has been lost and bring hope back to the land of Hyrule.An epic fantasy-style novelization of Breath of the Wild.Complete, with afterword and deleted scenes!

Champions and Beasts

T | Series | 2 works | Slow Burn | Post-canon | wc: 311k | complete

Hyrule is a strange place, is it not? It has no history, only legends. It has no true heroes, only colossi who have wielded its fate in their hands. The Champions, and the Beasts; the wise, the strong, and the brave. And yet, we are always either recovering from war or preparing for it. How much longer can we endure, I wonder? How much longer can we step through this dance?

In a world this vast, being a hero isn’t always easy.

Champions and Beasts is a Breath of the Wild series that takes a darker and more political look at the world of Hyrule, both before and after the Calamity. Legends are long past, history is mostly lost, the wilds are dangerous but perhaps not as dangerous as the ambitions of its inhabitants; and with Calamity either just over the horizon or still a lingering nightmare, the Hyruleans must fight to attain peace.

This work is centered around Link and Zelda, and their evolving relationship both before and after the Calamity.

Currently there are only two Parts planned (From the Ground Up and The Ballad’s Beginning) but I am considering a third installment!

One Last Year

T | Post-canon | wc: 215k | Complete

Zelda vows to help Link remember the events that lead them to their hard-won victory. In doing so, they must delve together into a shared past and seek to untangle their feelings, their grief and their youthful frustrations to find the things they could control… and the things they couldn’t.

“I don’t know how to remember. Time passes, but nothing comes to my mind… Except you. You’re the key,” Link said, softly. “You have to be.”

A Breath of the Wild fic about Link, Zelda, and the memories that bind them.

Ironic Technology

Rating varies | Series | Contains both gen/romance | Canon/Post-canon | wc: 242k | Complete

Ironic Technology is a series where Link loses an arm after a tricky situation with two Guardians, luckily, he is able to receive a prosthesis made of Ancient Technology from his Sheikah allies. He continues on to complete all of the Shrines, meeting his friends from the four nations along the way, before he’s finally ready to take on Ganon with his tech upgrade. Moves into slice of life events with Link and Zelda living together working through their issues with each others support. Very little angst, mostly positive fluff and humour with Zelink throughout.

(A/N Originally I wasn’t going to have DLC2 content but it was a good ancient tech expansion, so expect that in ‘Trial and Error’ which will be rated ’M’ folks!)

The Destiny Collection

T | Series | Slow burn | Pre/Post-canon | wc: 225k | Complete

A collection for the little BotW universe I’ve created.

Not all stories directly follow one another! At least one spin-off is to be expected.

Long Fics (wc: 100k-200k)

Adrift in Time and Skyward Bound

E | Explicit language and sexual content | wc: 132k | Last updated 11/10/18

Link is her appointed knight. He will do anything and everything to protect her. Always. All ways. BotW. ZeLink. Loosely based on the original storyline.

Love in a Time of Calamity

M | Slow burn | Canon divergence | Post-canon | wc: 125k | Last updated 03/04/19

Zelda awakens her powers in time to defeat Ganon, but there are still major losses. With Central Hyrule in pieces, two champions dead, a king out of commission, and half a metropolitan city turned refugees, Zelda and Link struggle to come to grips with the aftermath of the Calamity. Though neither are prepared, they must nonetheless learn to navigate a turbulent political landscape while a snooping journalist, an overzealous artist, and a power-hungry nobleman’s machinations turn their already topsy-turvy world on its head. Though the Calamity has been defeated, recovery proves a battle all its own; and that’s not even considering the battle raging in both their hearts. BoTW ZeLink AU.

Trouble the Water

Rating varies | Series | Pre/During/Post-canon | wc: 156k | complete

Excerpt from the first entry:

An expansion of canon: a look at why the memories might have happened where and when they occurred (with one slight change in order) and an attempt to fill-in the events and conversations alluded to by diary entries and conversations in-game.“You were a comfort to her,” in particular, needed to be expanded upon, I thought.Begins shortly before the first journal entry in Zelda’s diary, and continues to the immediate aftermath of the last memory.First person: Zelda’s perspective

Still a bit long fics (wc: 50k-100k)

I’ll Walk With You

T | Post-canon | wc: 94k | Complete

‘The battle is over, the Calamity has ended, and everything you knew and loved is gone for good. And yeah, you can’t ever get it back, but… maybe we don’t have to. The path in front of us may be long and uncertain, but it leads to something new, and… Zelda, no matter how hard it gets, I’ll be right here. And I’ll walk with you.’

A collection of moments involving our favorite Hero and Princess as they struggle to adapt. Post-BotW.

It All Must Start With Us

M | Post-canon | Sexual tension/Implied sexual content | wc: 76k | last updated 09/06/19

Set immediately after BotW, this story explores Link and Zelda’s journey together to restore Hyrule. Along the way, a mysterious voice give them the task of reliving memories of a century before: some painful, but all necessary before they can fully move into the next step of their lives.

Since the DLC did not give us a post-Calamity world with Link and Zelda, I’m writing one for myself and anyone else wanting to know what might have happened after! ♪ UPDATES ON SUNDAYS!! ♪

The Golden Age

T | Slow burn | Post-canon | wc: 66k | Last updated 03/05/19

After a century of undisturbed silence, a forgotten princess emerges from the famous ruins of Hyrule Castle. Princess Zelda has returned, and an even greater task than containing Calamity Ganon arises before her; balancing a complex love life while rising her kingdom up from the ashes and restoring it to glory in an age of peace and prosperity.

Post Botw.

A Hundred Years in the Making

M | Pre-canon | Slow burn | wc: 65k | Last updated 05/20/19

The story before the story began. A hundred and one years before, to be exact.

star fragments

G | Post-canon | wc: 61k | Last updated 01/21/18

Being a princess is a life of sacrifice. After beginning their new journey to find their places and rediscover Hyrule after Calamity Ganon, Zelda begins to realize she’s missed out on several experiences her land has to offer. Fortunately for her, Link knows everything.

Rise

T | Canon compliant | Sexual tension | wc: 58k | Last updated 01/10/19

The chosen hero appears. The princess deals with it.

One way it all could have happened.

A Hylian Romance

T | Court poet | wc: 55k | Complete

As are many, I was intrigued by the Sheikah court poet and what his perspective on Link and Zelda’s relationship might be.

Fade to Black

E | Series | Pre-canon | wc: 55k | Complete

A collection of smutty “what could have happened after the memory faded” ficlets each tagged to a different BoTW memory. Every story contains varying degrees of canon alteration and canon divergence, but are for the most part in line with the BoTW universe as we know it.

General disclaimer:I do not advocate for underage drinking, unprotected or unsafe sex, or generally poor decision making. Be smart and safe in real life, y'all!

Okay fics (wc: 20k-50k)

Zelda’s Log

T | Post-canon | Domestic fluff | wc: 43k | Last updated 03/24/19

After defeating the Calamity, Zelda and Link embark on a journey: she wants to get acquainted with the new Hyrule, and find her place again in the world.

The World That We Lost

T | Post-canon | wc: 41k | Complete

After defeating Ganon, princess Zelda goes back to Hyrule, resolved to rebuild her kingdom and make it even greater than it was one hundred years ago. While she feels confident enough to face any challenge and confront any foe that stays on her way, a reality breaks her heart: Link remembers her, but not quite, and his new life has made changes in his personality that even the total recovery of his memories may not be able to revert.

Unconventional

T | Post-canon | Slow burn | Implied sexual content | wc: 40k | Last updated 06/12/19

In the wake of the victory over Calamity Ganon, Link and Zelda need time to heal and adjust. Unfortunately, with rising pressure for Zelda to rise into the role of Queen of Hyrule, they aren’t given much time. Couple that pressure with confusing feelings for the Champion of Hyrule, well, her life has never been simple.

A New Normal

M | Post-canon | Memory loss | wc: 30k | Complete

About two years after sealing away Calamity Ganon, Zelda comes down with the same mysterious illness that took her mother away. Purah and the other Sheikah work on revamping the Shrine of Resurrection, and manage to heal her in two years; but she is plagued by the same memory loss that Link went through. The two struggle in their relationship and responsibilities as they try to recover her memory and thrive in Hyrule as they know it.

What wouldn’t I do?

T | Pre-canon | Slow burn | wc: 30k | Last updated 03/10/19

Link is appointed Hylian Champion for saving princess Zelda’s life. She doesn’t seem very fond of him though. Despite his struggle to cope with carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, Link can’t help but wonder if he really is ready to give his life in order to save someone who doesn’t trust him.

Link’s Journal

T | Canon compliant | wc: 30k | Complete

Day 1

I’ve had a bit of a rough day. I don’t remember who I am, a girl keeps talking in my head, I’m supposed to slay Calamity Ganon, a blue bokoblin nearly beat me to death with a stick, and the old man still won’t give me his paraglider.

But, well, I’m still here, breathing and thinking and eating baked apples, so it could be worse. The old man (who is annoyingly enigmatic – I don’t know who I am, the least you could do is tell me who you are) showed me how to write in the Sheikah Slate. I want to keep a record of who I am, right now, because, well, I can’t remember who I was before. If I lose my memory again, this time I will be ready.

[What’s Happening: The author journaled her BotW play through. Every in-game night “Link” stops to write an entry in his journal.]

Observation Methods in Data Collection

No ranting | Pre-canon | First person pov | Diary/journal | wc: 27k | Complete

I read somewhere that it was obvious that Zelda was falling for Link because she treated him like a science experiment, which allowed her to talk and think about him without really acknowledging that she had feelings for him. I loved this interpretation SO MUCH! So, here is my attempt at filling in some of those details.

On Propriety and Unconventional Avenues of Communication

T | Post- canon| wc: 21k | Complete

(Post BOTW.) In which Link develops a very curious habit and Zelda is confused.

Short fics / oneshots ( - 20k)

Forgotten Knight

M | Post-canon | Sexual Tension | wc: 15k | Complete

Zelda and Link have defeated the Calamity but Link did not regain his memory. They return to Hateno Village to heal and recover, and to not only get to know each other again, but to learn how to love each other again as well.

Risk of Burn

E | Post-canon | Explicit sexual content | wc: 15k | Complete

Three weeks after the fall of the Calamity, Zelda changes her mind.

The Joys of Photography

G | Post-canon | wc: 14k | Complete

The Sheikah Slate has the remarkable ability to capture and archive true to life images. Such a remarkable piece of ancient technology is not something that should be taken for granted. But that doesn’t mean that the Princess of Hyrule and her appointed Knight have to be so serious about every image they capture. The story of five pictures taken on the Sheikah slate.

Son of The Wild

T | Post-canon | Family fluff | wc: 13k | 05/16/19

Link and Zelda’s son reflects on his unusual upbringing.

practical anatomy

E | Post-canon | Explicit sexual content | wc: 12k | Complete

Is the Goddess still testing him? Has he not suffered enough in this lifetime? Was killing the Calamity not enough—now he has to explain morning wood to the Princess of Hyrule?

(in which Zelda discovers an unsavoury image on the Sheikah Slate and Link must face the consequences)

Soldier’s Log

T | Pre/post-canon | wc: 11k | Complete

The events leading up to the return of Calamity Ganon as well as life after his defeat as recorded in the pages of a journal belonging to a knight who would be king.

By the fire

T | Ficlet collection | wc: 11k | Complete

A collection of Zelink ficlets in the BOTW universe. Some ideas were developed for my main fic, “The World That We Lost”, but had to be scrapped because they didn’t fit anymore. Others are explorations of different canon formulas and timelines that said fic doesn’t touch, and some more could come from prompts (send me one, if you want!)

On the Life of Queen and Consort

T | Memoir | Post-canon | First person pov | wc: 11k | Complete

Few know me. I was the Queen’s left hand and the Consort’s right. I was their first, best and last friend. But above all, I was their advisor, and now that my tenure has ended, it is time to write their story.

After 100 years apart, Link and Zelda finally unite to rebuild their Kingdom. Their reign together is long, with triumphs and heartbreaks as they navigate Royal life, raising children, conquering fears and growing old in a Kingdom beset by peace. Now at its end, their Chief Advisor Larella sits down to write the history of their reign, having beared witness to much of their lives.

Part of Zelink Week 2017 - this is a ten part series that looks into the partnership and later life of Link and Zelda as Queen and Consort of Hyrule.

[katedoesfics]

Shadows of Hyrule | Chapter 63

To Link's relief, the rest of finals week went off without further incident, and by the end of the week, Mipha's parents had made it back to Hyrule safe and sound. Summer vacation was officially in full swing, but Hyrule's Champions could not enjoy in their new found freedom, for they still had another portal to find. And with school no longer in the way, they had to dedicate themselves fully to the fast approaching war, and take every moment they had to prepare for Ganondorf's return.

When Saturday morning rolled around, the six Champions met at the edge of Lake Hylia in preparation for their trip to the Forgotten Temple. The largest lake in Hyrule and with forests that bordered one side, it offered them plenty of protection from prying eyes - Impa and Mipha’s parents, specifically - however, to their dismay, they would so learn that getting into the Forgotten Temple would be very difficult, and next to impossible to even get out.

“The entire temple is under water,” Paya informed them regretfully. “It sits in the Tanagar Canyon, just at the end to the north.”

“So,” Revali started. “Can’t you just bippity-boppity-boop us in there?”

Urbosa rolled her eyes, already exhausted with him.

Paya pursed her lips with a slight frown. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t have the same strength my grandmother has,” she reminded them.

“What’s the worst that could happen?” Daruk asked.

“Well,” Paya said softly. “I mean. It could kill me. It could kill you.”

Daruk sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Right. Of course.”

“Sheikah power is not something to be messed with,” Urbosa said. “Paya has only just begun her own training. We can’t expect her to be able to do everything for us.”

“Then what’s the plan?” Revali snarled. “Borrow a sub? Rent some scuba suits? I mean, come on.” He threw his arms in the air.

“I scouted out as much of the area as I could,” Paya said. “If we need to get inside, I think ,” - she emphasized this heavily as she spoke - “there may be a way to get in from the top of the temple.”

“But?” Zelda asked.

Paya shrugged. “But, any number of things could go wrong. For starters, the temple is thousands of years old. It could be completely demolished on the inside, getting us nowhere. Or, it could very well collapse on top of us. The temple is very large, and we could be so high up that we simply fall to our deaths.”

“You mean they didn’t have elevators?” Revali muttered under his breath.

“We don’t know where the portal is,” Urbosa said. “It might not be in the temple at all.”

“I didn’t see anything around, though,” Paya said. “But, I didn’t have a lot of time to go hunting around, either.”

“Fine,” Zelda said, growing anxious. “Let’s just get there and see where the day takes us.”

Paya nodded. “It would be best if we don’t take every car, though,” she said, looking at everyone’s cars around her.

“We’re driving,” Urbosa said, indicating to Daruk. “Our cars will handle the terrain best.”

Revali whined for a moment, then hurried to Daruk’s SUV. “Shotgun!” Once he was seated inside, he waved a hand at Paya. “Sheikah’s with us.”

Urbosa frowned. “I don’t want the two of them with me,” she said, thrusting a thumb at Link and Zelda. “What if we crash and die? Then it’s my fault that the Hyrule’s only heroes are dead.” Her tone suggested this was more of an inconvenience than a genuine concern.”

“Fine,” Revali said. “Let’s go, Zelds.”

Zelda’s brows furrowed. “Zelds?” She trudged toward the car as Daruk got in behind the wheel. “I don’t like that. Don’t call me that.”

Urbosa frowned. “Please take care of her,” she shouted to Daruk. “Don’t let anyone hurt my little bird.”

Zelda turned a desperate gaze in their direction. She mouthed the words ‘help me’ before climbing into the car.

“Aw, come on, Zelds,” Revali teased. “This is the fun car. This is the car without Link.”

Link rolled his eyes. He, Mipha, and Paya followed Urbosa to her Jeep.

“And we’re the car without Revali,” Urbosa said with a playful wink.

Though the drive to the Forgotten Temple was uneventful, it was also long, and it was well after noon when they finally arrived at the canyon, crossing the bridge as the rapids raged below. Over the years, the area had turned into a bit of a tourist attraction, and there were various cars parked along the edge in dedicated lots. It wasn’t particularly busy with tourists, but there were plenty of teens and young adults enjoying their summer, challenging each other as they dove into the calmer areas, despite the clearly marked signs that warned them of such dangers. The area was meant simply as a place to sightsee. From the dedicated lots, one had a great view over Hyrule, but otherwise, that was all that seemed impressive about the canyon. None knew of the temple that seemed to sleep beneath the surface and all the history it held.

The Champions navigated away from these lots, their eyes open for anything out of the ordinary, but they found no signs of a portal. They continued their drive north, away from the more active tourists spots, and soon away from the concrete, following the makeshift dirt road that continued to follow the canyon, even up through the woods. It was likely the path was carved by other rebellious teens over the years, looking for a place to escape reality. They drove as far as they could until the brush became to dense. They stopped and stepped out, looking around them for a moment before moving deeper still into the forest.

They were about to give up their search in the woods, none eager to get lost, when they heard the screams from somewhere close by. They hurried towards the screams until they came upon four teens, just around their age. The Champions did not recognize them, likely being from another school around Hyrule, but the teens definitely recognized them as they came to their rescue.

There was no direct sign of the portal, but the Champions were not surprised to see the Bokoblins that swarmed the teens as they cowered. The creatures were quickly dispelled by the Champions, and the moment the Bokoblin broke ranks, the four teens made their desperate escape, dashing through the woods without looking back at the short battle.

When the Bokoblins were defeated, the Champions decided to press on, for surely the portal would be close. And close, it was. It came upon them quite suddenly, in fact, as they plunged seemingly through the forest floor until they landed with a thud on the hard ground. The ground, however, was sloped downward, and they continued to tumble through until they dropped once more, landing in what had to have been a small, underground room where more Bokoblins waited.

The Champions sprang into action, quickly taking out the second small troop of creatures, but their presence had not gone unnoticed. From somewhere deeper underground, more Bokoblins waited, and upon hearing the battle, they quickly came to aid their fellow soldiers.

However, the force of their attacks quickly threatened the integrity of the room they were in, and the floor began to tremble. Cracks shot up the walls and the ceiling began to crumble. Zelda shouted to her friends, urging them to cease their attacks and simply escape while they still could. It didn’t seem likely that they would be able to return to the surface from where they came, the climb much to steep, but it didn’t matter as the opening began to cave in around them. Instead, they ran further, deeper through the tunnel as it continued to move deeper underground.

They quickly outran the rest of the Bokoblins, who’s battle cries quickly turned to panic screams, which were then promptly silenced as the cave in crumbled on top of them. The Champions didn’t stop running until they reached the end of the tunnel, which promptly opened up to the wide open insides of the Forgotten Temple.

They jumped out of the tunnel as it closed up behind them from the cave in. Bits of rock and dirt followed them into the temple before the cave in ceased completely, sealing their only way out of the temple. They took a moment to catch their breaths and look around them.

In the center of the temple, they could clearly see what they had come for. The open portal pulsed threateningly, as if feeding off of the energy of the temple. Though there were no other Bokoblins in the area, it seemed entirely plausible that this was where they had come from, and were making their way to the surface to launch their attack on the nearby cities and towns. But that wasn’t all that caught their attention.

Dark purple goo seemed to cover most of the inside of the temple, coating the walls, ceiling, and various areas on the floor around them. There were puddles of water around the edges of the walls where water had seeped in over the years in various cracks in the structure. It seemed a miracle that it didn’t crumble under the pressure of the water, or that it wasn’t completely submerged in the first place, but it seemed the goo played some sort of role in preserving the temple.

Or so they first thought.

“Malice,” Zelda said. “I read about it in one of Impa's old books.”

“I'm assuming it's not good news,” Revali muttered.

“Not at all,” she said. “We can't let it touch us.”

The malice dripped down the walls, the stone hissing as it burned and crumbled away beneath it. Water began to spurt through the weakened points of the temple in the wake of the malice as it continued to drip, moving slowly down the walls and across the floor, as if determined to trap Hyrule’s Champions.

One thing was clear to them: if the malice didn’t get to them first, they would surely be killed by the collapsing temple.

[little-lemon-lattes]

The Scheme

🌛Zelda Spellman x fem! reader

—Word count: 1.9k

— Triggers: Mention of murder and burning in a non-violent context

— Summary: We have part 2 to The Set Up! You and Zelda spend a blissful day together since kissing the night before, and make the most of being together before the mortuary fills with life- and typical Spellman scheming- again!

You were on Cloud-fucking-9.

The previous evening, you and Zelda had kissed. It had been truly extraordinary, even better than the few times you had allowed your mind to indulge in that kind of imagery concerning her. You had never felt that good with anyone before; well, minding that you had neither felt for anyone like that of which you had been trying to cover for the astonishing woman.

She currently lay in the grass next to you, cheek resting tentatively on your belly, as you both just watched each other in comfortable silence. Gosh, kissing Zelda had felt SO good that it had been hard to stop at just one. Like now. Her stunningly bright and beautiful green eyes were boring into yours, but you really couldn’t tell if she was trying to send you a signal or was just unwittingly that gorgeous on the daily. Probably the latter. You also had to remind yourself that, EVEN though you two already lived under the same roof, you would take things one step at a time together. The last 24 hours with Zelda had been like a dream, and the Spellman mortuary had a new air to it now that you knew where you stood.

That morning, you had woken just before dawn (which was much earlier than you preferred), likely still on a high from the feel of Zelda’s lips. Rather than lay there attempting to force yourself back to sleep, you rose from your pillow. Perhaps it was your always-lingering insecurity pulling some strings, but it suddenly seemed desperately important to you- then and there at 4:56am- that you find a way of proving to Zelda that she hadn’t made the wrong choice opening up to you the night before. Just one more bonus of Hilda’s disappearance that weekend being that the kitchen was inevitably free, within a few minutes you had decided to make a spot of breakfast to share. You would never admit it out loud, but you were also buzzing to showcase your culinary ability; of which had been somewhat hindered by the unspoken acknowledgement that Hilda was the kitchen witch of the house.

With that, you were out of bed and clothed in a black turtleneck and mom jeans, as you put the finishing touches on a French braid: all by 5:15. THe next two hours flew by as you whipped up black coffee, almond cake, black sausage, eggs, salmon, bagels, mushroom, and tomato. You were just laying out bloody-fleshed plums and yoghurt when you heard gentle footsteps on the landing above you. Smiling softly, you stopped to admire as the woman padded down the stairs, wrapped in a silky black robe and wiping bits of sleep from her eyes. She stopped dead as she spotted the food on the table, hand still raised to her eye.

“Surprise...?” you peeped.

Zelda’s hand flopped to her side as she tilted her head adorably, treating you to a giddy smile. And you were hopeless to try not to smile right back. That there was enough to have made the last two hours worth it. “

“What’s all this, y/n?”

“I, uh... breakfast?”

Zelda couldn’t help smiling a little more at the cute way you had made it seem like a question. “I see that,” she laughed, “but why?”

You forced an expression of mock pain onto your face.

“I am hurt, Spellman, hurt! Does there have to be a reason?”

All she did was raise her eyebrows in disbelief. You supposed it was probably best to build any chance you had together on honesty.

“Okay, FINE. I just... wanted to show you that last night wasn’t a mistake, in case you were having any doubts.”

Zelda trotted, cat-like, down from her post against the railing, and came to rest just half a metre in front of you.

“Why, there was absolutely nothing of the sort. I hardly slept a wink all night; your lips have something of a memorable feel to them, if I am honest.”

And this time, it was her that closed the space between you, snaking her arms around your waist to pull you closer. One long peck later, the bubblegum-pink shade of your cheeks matched hers in perfect unison, as if in competition.

Breakfast was sweet and long, spent thigh to thigh next to each other, chatting about all the things you had been too afraid to ask each other until that point.

The rest of the day was passed laying next to one another in the winter sunshine, beneath an age-old willow tree. After what felt like just minutes since you had arrived (but had really been hours), you pointed to the sky with the hand that wasn’t clasping Zelda’s.

“Look, the sun!”

You received a lazy “hmmm” in response. Twisting to face her on your left, you couldn’t fight your sigh of content. The High Priestess was laying with her eyes closed in utter bliss, the final rays of Sunday’s sunshine dancing across those glorious lashes.

“It’s setting, Zelda. Everyone will be back soon.” you murmured to her. It was as if you had thrown a bucket of ice over her. Cloud 9 disappeared with the snapping open of her eyes. The soft expression that had occupied her visage all day visibly hardened into her more familiar, stoic one. She leapt to her feet, snatching up the open novel beside her and swinging out her hand to you with force. Time and Space closed in around you the moment you took it, and, the next thing you knew, the two of you were outside the mortuary once more.

You turned to her sharply.

“What was that about?” you demanded. Standing silent for a moment, Zelda’s ears visibly pricked. After a few more moments, she seemed appeased, and swivelled to you. Her shoulders were tense, and you took note of her fingernails digging into her palm.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, “I didn’t mean to be so abrupt. I just... I am enthused about where you and I are headed, y/n, and I’m terrified that others may not share my enthusiasm. I want to enjoy things as they are at present for a while longer, before having to think about who needs to be involved in our business.”

It was understandable, you supposed, and admittedly: there was a certain appeal to keeping things 007-style, like that fantastic mortal film. You relaxed a bit, and instantly felt awful for raising your voice at her.

You reached for the woman’s shoulder.

“You’re right, Zelds. I understand.”

She looked unconvinced.

“Are you sure? You have every right to want to murder me right now, if you so wished. Although, only if you were to bury me in the Cain pit...” she added as an afterthought.

You had to giggle at that one.

“You’re safe for now, Zelda,” you teased, “now, come on! I need to find a good hiding spot for scaring the BANSHEES out of them when they get back!”

Hilda, Sabrina, and Ambrose literally stomped their feet in sheer disappointment when they arrived back at the house and hadn’t caught the pair of you locked in some form of intimate embrace.

“Aw man! What will I tell my friends?! I had Roz totally excited about y/n finally getting some action... Like, she seriously admitted that she had this big crush on her when she first met her; whiiiiich definitely earned a few looks from Harvey, to say the least. The take-away from it all is that we now know exactly how fragile that guy’s ego is, YIKES, is all I can say.”

All the while, Ambrose was muttering a consistent string of “fuck”s under his breath, and Hilda was deciding whether to scald Sabrina’s ass to Hades and back.

“Sabrina!” her aunt admonished in disbelief, “how could you be so careless?! If any of this gets back to your aunt Zelda, we should consider ourselves excommunicated from her presence for good!”  

All of them fought a cringe. Sabrina looked a bit sheepish.

Hilda turned to Ambrose.

“And what about you, mister? What’s with the constant profanities?”

Ambrose took a step back from his aunt, nobody was sure whether consciously or not. “Erm...hm. Yes. Well. I-” his sputtering was resembling a car trying to start up. Ambrose’s eyes suddenly seemed unable to reach past the witches’ knees.

  “-um. Damn. Hecate, yes, I have... just lost a particularly large sum of money to one Dorian Gray.”

Hilda’s eyes were ready to pop out of her head.   “I was so unequivocally certain that our plan would work! Now where I am supposed to come up with $1000?!”

He was a little manic. The only one of the three who seemed somewhat happy about Ambrose’s situation was Sabrina, sticking a finger at him. “HA! Now that makes what I did so much better!”

Her plum-coloured lips parted with glee, and without warning, her and her travel bag had disappeared. Ambrose made a furious mental note to pour formaldehyde in her evening tea for leaving him here alone. When he had finally built up the courage to look his otherwise cheery aunt in the eyes again, a flash of fear struck him at the murderous look in hers. A low growl exited her throat.

“Well,” she snapped, “I suppose there will be no more silly little attempts on our part to play Cupid.”

As quickly as it had started, her anger dissipated, and was replaced by a certain sadness. Her mouth raised just a fraction, into a tired little smile.

“ ’just thought that Zelds could do with something nice for once. We failed. It didn’t work.”

With that, she picked up her carpet bag and shuffled off up the stairs. Ambrose watched her go, now a lone silhouette in the entrance of their home.

Or so he thought. You waited until Ambrose had moodily trudged down to the embalming room before emerging from your spot in the broom closet. Sniffling a little from all the dust- those things hadn’t been flown for years, SO old fashioned- you felt a mix of emotion at what you had just heard. You hadn’t intended on becoming an audience to some type of scheme, and especially not one of which involved you.

At first, there was embarrassment. You hadn’t realised that your feelings were apparently so obvious! Paired with the fact that Zelda’s must have been too in order to warrant such a matchmaking scheme; along with that you had truly thought that you had done a superb job at keeping it all under wraps, you were left feeling a bit stupid. But then came the funny side of it all, imagining Hilda, Ambrose, and Sabrina sneaking about like the Pink Panther and holding secret meetings about your love life. And finally came the warmth, the realisation of exactly how much the Spellmans had grown to care for you- so much that they trusted you to love Zelda as much as they did.

The whole situation was entirely too much of an opportunity to just leave alone. Grinning with total delight and schemes cooking of your own, you rematerialised in Zelda’s study at the Academy. The loud CRACK that accompanied that particular piece of magic made the woman flinch. Her brow crinkled at the sight of you in front of her great oaken desk. She was a little taken aback, and (it delighted you even more) flustered to see you there.

“Y/n?”

“Zelda. I NEED to tell you what I just heard!”

A game was now afoot.

And your opponents weren’t finished yet either.

[ajaasiopaoo]

Green doesn’t suit you

Summary: A very close friend of Zelda comes to Greendale to congratulate her on her engagement. Lilith’s possessive side comes out while the other Spellmans sit back amused.

Zelda Spellman still couldn’t believe that she’s engaged, and to the mother of demons! Honestly, after living in this world for so long she thought that marriage wasn’t really meant for her, she have given up hope that she would find a lifelong partner but then came Lilith. The demon queen who stole her heart, who stuck by her when Zelda felt heartbroken after her baby brother’s death, who helped her get through all the pain and suffering, who helped her raised Sabrina to be the young witch she is now.

Their relationship wasn’t easy, it was hard at first. But Zelda slowly started to break down her walls around the demoness and Lilith did the same.

In their relationship, they had to face many bumps and trials but they all got through of them together. What they have encountered only made them stronger as a couple and Zelda is surprise that even with the craziness of her family, the demon queen still choose to stay.

After that night of celebration for their engagement, the next morning Sabrina bombarded her aunt with suggestions of wedding dresses and wedding themes. Zelda sat down beside her niece in the breakfast table looking amused at Sabrina’s excitement.

Zelda felt grateful to have Hilda, Sabrina and Vivian to help her with the preparation, because of the two women’s schedule it is hard for both of them to plan the wedding but with the help of the three, they didn’t have any problem.

Today though all of Zelda and Lilith’s works are set aside so that they only have one focus only and it is the preparation for their special day. “How about Carlotta Redirick, aunt Zee? Should we send her an invitation? Sabrina asked her aunt who was enjoying a cup of tea.

“Carlotta? Hmm, she’s always been a bitch and I couldn’t stand being near that woman so no. Don’t send her an invitation, she will only try to make the moment about her,” Zelda rolled her eyes as she remembered her old classmate from the Academy.

Sabrina nodded, “Okay then. So she’s cross out from the list.”

“Oh by the way, Viv, did you send the invitations already? The first batch that we made?” Sabrina asked her cousin who was yawning every now and then, clearly tired from whatever she did last night.

“Yes I did, Sabrina.” The redhead replied. “Oh and someone replied to one of the invitations already, I forgot to give it to you last night,” Vivian added.

“What were you even doing last night for you to be so tired,” Vivian only shrug in reply to Sabrina.

“The question is not what she was doing last night Sabrina, it’s who she was doing last night,” Ambrose gave his cousin a knowing smirk that made Vivian blushed in embarrassment. “Oh did you have a visitor last night, dear?” Lilith joined in, finding Vivian’s embarrassment amusing.

“That is quite enough. I’ll have you two know that the cain pit will gladly accept two new bodies if you won’t stop,” Vivian stated sharply. Ambrose raised both of his hands in surrender, chuckling at his cousin. “I think I’ll have to visit the cain pit some other time, Luke and I made plans for today.” Ambrose grinned, he stood up from where he was sitting and walked out of the house.

Vivian rolled her eyes and handed Zelda the letter, “I’m going upstairs to get more sleep,” she announced and before Zelda could even ask her daughter what Ambrose meant about what she did last night Vivian was already out of the kitchen. Leaving the three women alone.

Zelda scanned the letter in her hand and as she read who the letter was from, a smile curved into her lips as she eagerly open the letter.

“Who’s it from, aunt Zelda?” Sabrina eyed her aunt.

“It’s from Cassia, a very good friend of mine back when I was still a student from the Academy,” Zelda smiled brightly as she read the letter. “It says here that she will be coming here to Greendale tomorrow!” The ginger exclaimed making the demoness beside her raised an eyebrow.

“And how close are you with this Cassia woman?” Lilith cleared her throat, trying to sound neutral as if she wasn’t affected by her lover’s excited mood. “Did somebody say Cassia?” Hilda entered the kitchen with baby Letty in her arms.

“You know her, Hilda?” Lilith asked, “Oh yeah I do. She’s like Zelda’s best friend in the Academy, they were so close together to the point that they were always mistaken as lovers,” Hilda chuckled.

Lilith’s jaw began clenched at the idea of Zelda being so close to another woman and something inside the demoness wants to keep her lover away from this Cassia woman. Turning to look at Zelda, the demon queen inhaled sharply, “I don’t like her.” She blurted out.

Sabrina shared an amused glance with her aunt Hilda, knowing very well that the demon queen was jealous. The young witch had to bit her lip to contain her laughter at Lilith’s reaction, “Oh don’t be silly, Lilith. You haven’t met Cassia yet, I’m sure you’ll get along with her.” Zelda said which only made the demon queen huffed.

“Whatever. I don’t like her,” Lilith grumbled out. Zelda rolled her eyes and stood up, her newspaper in hand. “I don’t have time for your childish behavior,” Zelda walked out of the kitchen and went upstairs to her room.

Lilith mumbled some incoherent words before turning her attention to the two other Spellmans who were giving her amused looks. “What?” The demoness snapped.

Hilda snorted, “There’s no need for you to be jealous, dear. Cassia is just a close friend of Zelda.”

“I’m not jealous,” the demon queen denied. “Yeah right,” Sabrina mocked, still chuckling at the demoness. “Well enough of the talking already, we have work to do!” Lilith changed the subject and the two Spellmans let the subject be change. For now.

*

The next morning as Lilith entered the Spellman house, she was surprised to see everyone so busy. It was a first time for her to see Sabrina and Ambrose clean in the house while Vivian look after Leticia.

“What’s going on?” The demoness asked her lover’s daughter making Vivian look at her with a confused look, “I thought you knew that one of mom’s friends are coming here to visit?”

“I do know! What I don’t understand is why is everyone running around acting like the Dark Lord himself is coming for a visit.”

“Mother wants the house to be spotless before her friend arrives,” Vivian shrugged. Turning at her soon to be stepdaughter, she forced a smile on her lips “And where is your mother?” The demoness asked.

“In her room getting ready,” Vivian replied. Lilith nodded her head and dragged herself upstairs to the witch’s room. She knocked softly and after hearing her lover say “come in” she entered the room and stared at Zelda.

“This friend of yours must be so special for you to dress up so nicely,” Lilith muttered.

Zelda turn around to look at Lilith, slowly approaching the demon queen she held her face in her hands before giving her a small smile. “There’s nothing for you to be worried about. Cassia is just a friend of mine, one I haven’t seen for a very long time.” Zelda explained.

“Please behave when she arrives,” Zelda pleaded. Lilith gazed into Zelda eyes and sighed, she couldn’t really say no to the woman she love. “Fine.” Lilith muttered out, earning herself a peck in the lips. Before Zelda could walk away, Lilith pulled Zelda back into her arms for a proper kiss.

The witch sighed into the kiss as their lips move together in sync and also loving the feeling of Lilith’s warm body so close to her. “We should stop,” Zelda said softly, still kissing the demoness.

“Or we could just forget your friend that’s coming and stay here in your bedroom,” Lilith suggested as she slowly backed Zelda against a wall. The demon queen pulled away from the kiss and started to kiss her way down the witch’s pale neck, sucking and licking the soft skin.

Zelda gasped, “Stop distracting me.” Zelda softly pushed the demoness by her shoulders and gave her one last kiss before pulling away. “If you behave today, I’ll give you a reward in the end of the day.” Lilith smirked.

“I can’t wait for this day to end,” Lilith mumbled making Zelda chuckle. The two lovers got outside the room and made their way downstairs to the front hall then the doorbell rang, Sabrina opened the door and it revealed a petite woman with auburn brown hair and sparkling jade green eyes. Well Lilith had to admit, the woman is beautiful which made her even more cautious.

This woman in front of her could instantly take her Zelda away from her and she couldn’t let that happen. This witch had to fight her first and the demoness has no plan on losing.

“Cassia Morticia Bonavich, you still have a horrible taste in fashion I see,” Zelda said, a playful smile on her lips.

“Zelda Phiona Spellman, you haven’t changed at all. You’re still a bitch.” With that, the two women laughed and greeted each other with one tight hug.

Lilith’s eyes almost fell out of it’s sockets as she stare at her lover being hug by another woman. Lilith clenched her fist, trying to simmer down her burning rage towards Zelda’s friend.

Zelda was the one to pull away first from the hug, “Cassia, this is Hilda, my sister.” Hilda approached them and gave the brunette a smile, “Oh you don’t need to introduce us Zelds, we know each other already.”

Cassia gasped, “Hilda! Oh it’s so nice to see you again,” the woman pulled Hilda in for a hug. The blonde chuckled and returned the hug before pulling away. “And this is Ambrose, my nephew and Sabrina my niece,” Ambrose and Sabrina greeted their aunt’s friend with a smile.

Zelda waved at Lilith to come over and the demon queen approached them with reluctance. “And this is Lilith, the love of my life,” Zelda smiled softly at her lover and Lilith couldn’t help but return one back at the ginger witch.

“Hi I’m Cassia,” the woman in front of her smiled. “I’m Lilith. Mother of Demons, Dawn of Doom, first witch and also Queen of Hell,” Lilith introduced herself.

Cassia chuckled, “You’ve got one powerful wife-to-be, Zee.”

Zelda cleared her throat and motion for Vivian, who was holding Leticia that was busy sucking on her pacifier. “And this is my two daughters, Vivian and baby Leticia.”

Cassia gasped as her eyes landed on Vivian, “Zelda, your daughter looks like the younger version of you!” Vivian forced a smile. “Oh and this little one is so adorable,” Cassia cooed down at little Letty and the youngest Spellman began to cry out for no reason.

“Oh did I upset her?” Cassia asked, “Oh no, she’s just hungry.” Vivian said while rocking the crying baby in her arms to calm her down.

Lilith had to hide a smug smirk that was plastered on her lips. Looks like Leticia and I share the same feelings towards the woman. Lilith thought.

Zelda led her friend inside the living room. Ambrose, Sabrina and Hilda following behind and before Vivian, Letty and Lilith followed them the demoness cooed down at the baby that was in her stepdaughter’s arms.

“Who’s a very good girl? Yes you’re a good girl! That’s right Letty, we do not like mommy’s friend, yes we don’t.” Leticia babble back making Vivian raised an eyebrow down at the baby.

It’s like Letty just agreed, Vivian thought. “Let’s go before someone sees you and Leticia talking bad about Cassia,” Vivian chuckled and the trio entered the living room.

Lilith took a seat close to Zelda and seeing the other woman’s eyes on her lover, Lilith wrapped her arm around Zelda and pulled the witch’s body closer to her. A smug smirked started to formed on the demon queen’s lips as Cassia look away.

“So Cassia, how much trouble did auntie Zee caused in the Academy?” Ambrose asked, eager to find out some of his aunt’s adventures.

Cassia sent a smirked on Zelda direction before turning to look at Ambrose, “Your aunt was such a huge troublemaker when she was young. Always challenging our professors, picking fights with other witches, even warlocks. I remember one time, a warlock was being a jerk to Eddie and Zelda over here, being the protective older sister that she is, punched the warlock and broke his nose.”

“Oh and she didn’t stop there, didn’t she Cass. Before she could inflict further more damage to the guy, the headmaster stopped her. Well your aunt wanted to hurt the guy more so she curse him.” Hilda added while sipping her cup of tea.

“What kind of curse?” Sabrina asked, intrigued. “Let’s just say the poor guy’s little ‘friend’ is well, not functioning anymore.” Cassia smirked.

Ambrose burst out laughing, “That’s a good one aunt Zee.”

Zelda shrugged her shoulders, “Serves him right for hurting Edward.” The ginger witch smirked.

“What else did aunt Zelda do?” Sabrina asked.

“Sneaking out from the Academy way pass the curfew. She would beat up girls that are bullying Hilda and she was also quite the heartbreaker. She would go to parties and drink like there’s no tomorrow, and would hook up with a witch or warlock every now and then,” Cassia told them.

“So Zelda Spellman wasn’t always proper, hmm?” Lilith gave her lover a teasing smirk which caused the witch beside her to roll her eyes. “That was a long time ago, I was young and wanted to live life.” Zelda shrugged.

“I can’t believe my mother was that wild,” Vivian muttered. “Oh child, believe me. Your mother was the wildest person in the Academy when we were young.”

“Like mother, like daughter.” Ambrose coughed out, sending a smirk on Vivian’s direction. Vivian glared at Ambrose and with her powers she moved away Ambrose’s chair as he was about to sit down. He groaned in pain as his butt met the hard floor, making Vivian smirked.

“Hilda says that you and Zelda were very close, to the point where you two were always mistaken as lovers,” Lilith said, staring at the woman.

“Oh yes, Zelda and I were always together when we were at the Academy.” Cassia smiled at Zelda which the ginger return back. “Yes and Cassia over here was the clingy one between us. Always kissing and hugging me,” Zelda chuckled.

The flames of the fireplace roared as it grew bigger because of the demon queen’s rage. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she forced a smile on her lips.

“Whatever do you mean, dear?” Lilith asked, trying not to sound icy. Hilda, Ambrose, Sabrina and Vivian watched in amusement as Lilith’s possessive side came out.

“Because of Cassia’s clingy self over here, she would always hug me or kiss me in the cheek out of nowhere. That’s why some students of the Academy thinks that we’re a couple,” Zelda explained.

“We were even proclaimed as couple of the year, weren’t we Zelds?” Cassia chuckled.

And that was enough information for the demon queen to hear. She ignored Zelda laughter with her friend and she stood up, making her way to the kitchen taking in deep breaths to calm herself down. The demon queen shook her head and poured herself a glass of whiskey.

“Mind if I join you?” A voice behind her say, she turn around to see Cassia smiling at her. The witch entered the kitchen and stood besides Lilith. The room was filled into an awkward silence, both women just standing there until Cassia sighed and turn to glance at the demoness.

“I’m not a threat to your relationship with Zelda,” Cassia started.

“I can see the way you look at her and that look is not the way you look at a friend.” Lilith said before gulping down her drink. “You love her,” Lilith whispered.

“I do,” the witch whispered back but before the demon queen could snap at witch she continued, “but she doesn’t love me.” Cassia whispered and gave the demoness a small smile.

“When we were at the Academy, I confessed my feelings for her you know. But she told me that she didn’t feel the same. She only sees me as a friend,” Cassia sighed.

“I wanted to change her mind, to give me a chance but I realized that it’ll only hurt me more If I gave my everything to her and the result is still the same. That she will still see me as a friend and nothing more,” Cassia turned to look at the demoness who was staring at her. “I don’t have any intentions to take her away from you. I can see that Zelda loves you very much and she’s very happy to be with you. That’s the effect that you and only you can bring out from Zelda. I couldn’t compete with that,” Cassia chuckled.

Lilith stayed silent and stared at the witch in front of her. Before the demon queen could even say anything, Zelda entered the kitchen. “There you are! What are you two doing here?” Zelda asked, looking back and forth between her lover and her best friend.

“Nothing dear, we’re just getting acquainted.” Lilith smiled.

“Yes, and Zelda I love to stay longer and chat but I have to go. I’m meeting with my old relatives and I can’t skip our family gathering,” Cassia said with an apologetic smile on her lips.

“It’s okay, Cassia. We can talk more next time,” Zelda smiled and gave her friend one last hug. “I’ll walk you to the door,” Lilith offered.

The witch only nodded her head and followed the demoness to the front hall.

“You know, you really aren’t that bad,” Lilith said making the witch chuckle. “Looks like I’m slowly getting on the mother of demon’s good side.” The two women chuckled.

Lilith opened the door for Cassia, “You are coming to the wedding right? Zelda will expect you to be there,” Cassia smiled.

“Of course I’ll be there. I wouldn’t miss the special day of my best friend,” Cassia said and Lilith nod her head in response.

“Lilith, take care of her.” Cassia said and the demon queen smiled, “I will.” She promised.

The demoness watched as the witch smile and walked out of the house. Lilith closed the door and headed towards the kitchen where Zelda is, her lover gave her a smile as soon as Zelda’s eyes landed on her. Wrapping her arms around the ginger’s waist, she sighed hugging her lover close and Zelda hugged her back.

“What did you and Cassia talked about?” Zelda asked, “Nothing. We were just talking about your rebellious self when you were young,” Zelda rolled her eyes and before she could retort back, her lips were covered with Lilith’s red ones. Kissing her softly which she returned.

Lilith slowly pulled away, forehead resting against Zelda’s, “I love you, my sweet, sweet Zelda.” The demoness whispered close to Zelda’s lips.

“And I love you too,” Zelda whispered back. “Lilith next time, please stop wearing green. It doesn’t suit you,” Zelda said as she pulled away from the hug to walk out of the kitchen.

Lilith couldn’t help but laugh at what her lover said. She may be wearing a green dress today but she was sure as hell that the dress wasn’t what Zelda meant. Shaking her head in amusement, Lilith followed her lover behind towards the living room to enjoy the rest of the day with Zelda and the other Spellmans.

[iamnotoriginalphil]

Family Matters (Zelda Spellman x Reader) - Part 3

Synopsis: Zelda finds out something you’d rather had been kept secret.

Words: 1335

Warnings: homelessness

**GIF not mine**

You’d passed your test with flying colours. It helped that the day you were on trial was a quiet day. You were able to set up a working diary for the Spellman sisters, opting for times during each day they could sit down for meetings amongst their other commitments.

You passed the weeks answering the phone, making pots of tea, and comforting grieving people as they thought of what to do with their deceased loved ones. You’d passed out tissues and cake, doing your best to remain in the background while the sisters ran their business. It was fascinating to watch them work.

You tried to get out before they sat down to dinner, your heart hurting when you saw the four of them together. The difference between their lives and yours were so stark.

“Would you like to stay for dinner, love?”

You looked up from the diary, working through a scheduling conflict. Hilda was standing in the doorway to the kitchen. You smiled at her. Hilda was without a doubt your favourite of the two sisters. She was kind to you, encouraging. Unlike Zelda who spent most of her time watching you, making comments about your work, and generally causing anxiety within you.

“No, thank you, Hilda. I wouldn’t want to intrude,’ you replied with a smile.

“Oh no, you wouldn’t be intruding, dear. We would love for you to stay. Wouldn’t we, Zelds?”

Your gut clenched as you watched Hilda look over her shoulder. Zelda appeared from the shadows, her cigarette holder resting on one of her fingers, her arms crossed over her chest. You bit down on your lower lip, already able to feel the anxiety clawing its way up your throat.

“Of course we would,” Zelda said, her eyes staring intently at you.

“I really can’t,” you said, “but thank you.”

You hoped your voice didn’t sound as strained as you thought it might. You closed up the diary, figuring you could work out the problem tomorrow when your head wasn’t being made hazy from Zelda’s cigarette smoke. You pushed your hair behind your ear.

“Goodnight,” you said to the sisters.

You pulled your coat and scarf on, grabbing your bag from under your table. You waved to the two sisters and pulled open the door onto the dark night. The air was cold when it touched your skin. You shivered, looking up at the sky. Thankfully it was clear, meaning no rain while you slept.

You closed the door on the warm house and shoved your hands deep in your pockets. You hunched down in your coat, hopping down the stairs. You paused in front of the graveyard, looking over the graves. It was one of your favourite parts of working at the mortuary, being able to wander through the graves alone, thinking about the generations of families buried beneath your feet. It was beautiful.

You continued past it, through the mud of the drive. The air felt like ice, burning you where you were exposed. You hurried on, knowing you wouldn’t be warmer at home, but at least you could hunker down and hope for sleep before the sun rose.

You broke away from the main path, heading through the trees. A twig snapped somewhere in the distance. You paused, perking up, looking for the noise. You knew things stalked these woods you did not want to meet in the dark of night.

The shadows kept looking like something moving in the dark. The moon was waning, so far from full. Light was minimal and you had to rely on your other senses. After a few minutes with nothing but your own paranoia for company you continued on, glancing over your shoulder every so often.

You came upon your small camp, passing from behind a tree to enter the clearing. You sighed, sitting down on the tree trunk in front of the fire pit. You knew you should start a fire to warm yourself up but you were beyond tired, just wanting to curl up and sleep.

You unzipped the tent and crawled inside. You pushed your bag to the side, quickly changing into your pyjamas in the darkness. You slid into your sleeping bag, curling up in the foetal position as you tried to imagine yourself in your childhood bed, back home that was no longer home. You squeezed your eyes shut, imagining you could hear your little brother snoring in the room next to yours. You could almost mistake the whistling of the wind for the sound of the kettle your parents brewed every night.

Another twig snapped, like a gunshot going off so close to you. Your eyes snapped open, your body freezing as you tried to hear what was outside your tent. You held your breath, pretending that would help despite the blood pounding in your ears.

A step sounded closer to your tent, only audible due to the silence that had fallen over the woods. It felt as if it was holding its breath for you.

The zipper to the front of your tent began to rise, exposing you to whoever, or whatever, was coming to investigate your home. You should have readied yourself in case of a fight, but you were frozen, only able to watch as your demise drew closer.

“What in Hecarte’s name is this?”

You blinked, surprised at the face peering at you through the tent flaps. Zelda was crouched down, staring in at you. All you could do was blink at her, unable to do anything else. She waited but when it became clear you weren’t going to give her an answer she stood up.

“Get out of there,” she commanded.

You crawled out, doing your best to not look as pathetic as you felt. She was never meant to find out about this. None of them were. This was your shame to live with, the lack of proper house. This was the best you were able to do in your circumstances. You didn’t want to have to admit to any of them this was all you had. You let them continue thinking you went home to a warm house at the end of the day, not a dingy tent in the middle of the woods.

“What are you doing in there?” she demanded.

“Trying to sleep,” you replied with a shrug. You had thought it was pretty self evident.

“Why are you not at home?” she asked.

“I am.”

She looked at you. Her head cocked to the side, as if trying to work out a difficult math problem. You watched her, waiting for any kind of reaction. You couldn’t even begin to imagine what was going through her mind.

“Why?” she asked.

“I told you I needed the job. This is why. I can’t afford rent, I can’t afford a house, I can’t afford anything. Before my first pay check I couldn’t afford to buy even a cup of coffee. I have nothing. Miss Spellman, I can’t thank you enough for hiring me because now I have a chance.”

She considered you for a moment.

“I think you can call me Zelda, don’t you?”

You didn’t have an answer for her. She was not reacting the way you expected and you weren’t quite sure how to respond if it wasn’t on the defensive.

“Pack your things,” she said.

“Why?”

“This is no way for a young woman to live. We have more than enough room for you to sleep until you are back on your feet,” she said, looking you over. You flushed under her gaze.

You quickly packed up your camp site, glad to have so few possessions. Zelda Spellman was not a woman to be kept waiting.

You followed her through the forest, back to the mortuary. You looked up at the glowing windows and couldn’t help but wonder what your life had come to. You weren’t sure what to make of your new situation.

You knew it would please at least one person.

Tags: @theenglishwizard​ @eyesofanangeltongueofadevil​ @hallospaceboyy​

(If you wanna be tagged, let me know)

[urdbell18]

Madamspellman Teacher AU: Chapter 5: The One With the Date

Zelda Spellman was not prone to panic but she was in fact panicking. She didn’t think about her dinner date with Mary until Thursday when Mary blindsided her with a question. On Monday Mary knocked on her office door asking to join her for lunch. Zelda agreed and Mary has been showing up everyday with her lunch from the school cafeteria.

“So what time should I be ready tomorrow?” Zelda paused mid chew her brain racking on what Mary was talking about until it dawned on her. She promised to have dinner with Mary tomorrow. She swallowed her bite of chicken club, it went down hard and she took a sip of water to help it along.

“Seven.” Her voice sound a little horse but it hid her uncertainty. Mary nodded and smirked. The bell rang ending lunch, Mary left her office leaving behind a trail of perfume.

When Zelda got home she borrowed Ambrose’s laptop to see what was available but the choices were overwhelming. Did she go with Italian or seafood? Something in Greendale or Riverdale? And the atmosphere… it was too much. Her head was swimming with information that she didn’t even know how to use. It’s how Hilda found her slumped over the kitchen table and Ambrose’s laptop open but the screen had gone black.

“Zelds? Is everything okay?”

“No.”

“Anything I can help with?”

“Not likely.” Hilda didn’t respond. Instead she buzzed around the kitchen and in no time a pot of tea and biscuit were between them. Zelda didn’t touch the cup that was placed in front of her. Instead she stared at it, watching the tea swirl around in the cup. “Hilda?” Hilda hummed around her tea cup. It was her second cup and there was a half eaten biscuit on her saucer.

“Yeah?”

“If you were to go on a date how would you like it to go?”

“Well… I don’t know. I guess it wouldn’t really matter what happened if the company is good.” Zelda opened her mouth then shut it. She hadn’t thought of it like that. A plan was forming in her mind but she needed help. Luckily, she knew exactly who to ask.

“Hilda.”

“Yes?”

“I need a favor.” Hilda placed her tea cup down and gave her a soft smile.

At six fifty Friday evening Zelda pulled up to a small brick house that said was the address that Mary gave her that afternoon. Mary’s house sat secluded on a small hill about ten minutes from town. Zelda knocked on the door, balancing a picnic basket and the box that held the bottle of wine she picked up before driving over. Her arm was getting tired when Mary opened the door. Zelda’s mouth went dry. Mary looked stunning in a green cocktail dress that had a deep v which showed off her cleavage and deep slit that showed off her legs.

“Come on in.” Mary let her in with a smirk. After placing her coat in the closet Zelda looked around. Mary’s home was filled with wood furnishings giving it that old school feeling. There was no real lighting, just some bell lamps and the fireplace which burned a glowing orange. Zelda took the basket into the kitchen. Inside was everything she needed to finish the vegetable loaf that she asked Hilda to make. The loaf itself was finished, it just needed to be reheated. Figuring out Mary’s stove was a challenge of its own but Zelda got it on at least, she crossed her fingers and hoped for the best. “I’m getting the impression that we’re staying in.” Zelda looked from the stove where she was boiling the green beans to Mary who was leaning against the doorway.

“I hope that’s okay.” The clicks of Mary’s heels sounded like gunfire as they hit the  floor of the kitchen. Zelda held her breath as warmth spread through her back. Mary’s touch felt like fire as her hand started from her shoulder, down her arm, then stop at her hand fingers spread between hers.

“More than okay. It means I don’t have to share.” Even through the material of her dress Zelda felts Mary’s lips on her shoulder. Mary’s nails scratched her back as she pushed her hair away so that Mary’s lips had more access to the back of her neck. Zelda bit her lip, it was all she could do to prevent herself from moaning.

“Stop it.”

“Why?” A shudder went through Zelda when Mary’s hot breath hit her ear.

“If the food burns it’s on you.”

“We wouldn’t want that. I’ll set the table.” Mary left a single kiss behind her ear before leaving, heels clicking all the way. Zelda let out a shudder breath of relief. She didn’t know how much longer she would of lasted. The pot with the green beans started to overflow bringing Zelda’s attention back to the food.

By some miracle Zelda didn’t dry out the vegetable loaf. She set it on a silver platter that she found with the green beans and the beet puree. It didn’t look like much but it was delicious. The loaf was paired with the wine that Zelda brought, Mary took it out of the box and into a bucket with a little bit of ice.

“So, tell me. Who is Zelda Spellman.” Zelda raised an eyebrow. Mary was leaned back in her chair wine glass in her hand.

“I don’t understand.”

“Well, I know Ms. Spellman and I know mom but I don’t know Zelda. I want to know who Zelda is.” Zelda blushed around her fork. She never had someone express this interest in her. She didn’t know what she was comfortable telling Mary.

“I was a midwife.” It was the first thing that came to her mind. Out of all of her thoughts that was the one that made it out. Mary looked interested, she straightened back up and looked at Zelda completely open and ready to listen. “I did something selfish and as punishment I had to do what my mother said. Being a midwife wasn’t something that I wanted but when I stopped fighting it I grew to enjoy it in some ways. But life throws curve balls and you have to make sacrifices. I’ve grown to like teaching.” Zelda took a deep breath. There was a lot she was leaving out, a lot she just wasn’t ready to talk about. Mary seemed to understand. She didn’t promint or push, just smiled softly at her. Zelda didn’t find any judgment in Mary’s brown eyes, just deep pools of warmth. Zelda took a sip of wine from her glass and continued eating.

When the loaf was gone Mary handed Zelda a tumbler of bourbon, it wasn’t much just about two fingers worth, and they sat on the rug near the fire. The flames of the fire casted shadows from the grate that danced on Mary’s bare thigh. Zelda was compelled to touch, she followed the swirls and lines of the shadows, fingertips gliding over smooth soft skin. Mary hummed and scooted herself even closer so that their knees were touching. Mary’s hand made its way into her hair, nails scraping her scalp. Mary started to kiss her again, going along her jaw until she reached her lips. There was only a split moment of hesitation, Mary’s breath felt hot on her lips, before Mary’s lips met hers. It was soft, both the kiss and Mary’s lips, but it quickly grew heavier, more lips, tongue and some teeth. The feeling of the kiss became consuming, Zelda’s need to be closer, and the only place where Zelda could go was Mary’s lap. She spread her legs just enough to get her over Mary’s knees. Mary responded by leaning back but Zelda pushed to much. They fell with Zelda landing heavily on Mary and Mary bitting Zelda’s lip. Zelda pulled back, hand pressed to her swollen bottom lip.

“Sorry.” Mary just smirked. It irked Zelda that Mary looked composed with her face flushed and lipstick smeared.

“There is nothing to apologize for.” Zelda pulled away so that Mary could come back up. Mary crossed her legs a different way, test rolling her left ankle. The cuckoo clock on the wall went off eleven times.

“I should go.” Zelda used the end table behind her to steady her shaky legs.

“You don’t have to.” Zelda opened her mouth to protest but Mary cut her off. “You shouldn’t drive in your condition.” Zelda wanted to dispute that but couldn’t. The roads had no lights and the bourbon nightcap was hitting her hard.

“Fine. Where do I sleep?” Mary smirked and held out her hand. Zelda rolled her eyes but took the offered hand to venture further into the house.

“So, the bathroom is just down the hall and give me five minutes and I’ll give you something to sleep in.” Zelda just nodded as Mary disappeared through a door, the scrape of hangers told her that it was the closet. Mary returned with a pair of pajamas that she held out to Zelda. “You can take the bathroom first.” Zelda could only nod and mumble a thank you. In the bathroom she changed into the pajamas, the cotton shirt and deep blue silk pants fit enough, the pants felt a little tight. After removing her make up Zelda went back to Mary’s bedroom. Mary had changed from her green dress to a black silk robe that still showed off her cleavage and legs. Mary’s legs were crossed as Mary rubbed in lotion to her leg. It was too much for Zelda. The robe, Mary, sharing Mary’s bed with her. It was too much. Mary looked up then, her blue eyes were soft and she wasn’t sporting her usual smirk. She got up from the bed, her footsteps were silent this time as she stood in front of Zelda. She placed one hand on Zelda’s hip and the other cupped her cheek, thumb caressing her cheek. “Nothing is going to happen unless you want it to.” Zelda hummed and step further in, her arms wrapping around Mary’s waist.

“I just want to go to sleep.”

“As long as I get the privilege to hold you.” Zelda rolled her eyes but nodded. Zelda took the right side while Mary took the left. When the light went out Zelda moved to her side facing the window. A few minutes later she heard Mary move behind her. A warmth spread through her back and Mary’s arm felt solid at her hip. Before she knew it Zelda was in a dreamless sleep.

The next time Zelda woke the sun was out. It was still a pale yellow which meant it was still early. Mary was still asleep snoring lightly behind her. As carefully as she could Zelda slipped out of the bed, Mary mumbled but turned to lay fully on her stomach still asleep under her mane of brown hair. By the time the clock sounded six Zelda was dressed in her dress from the night before, the pajamas that Mary loaned her she folded and placed on the dresser. Her home was a welcome sight and it was quite other than the click of her heels.

“Zelds?” Zelda looked over the railing. Hilda was up and in her apron, the smell of bacon and coffee came from the kitchen. “You just getting in?”

“It’s not what you’re thinking Hilda.” Zelda didn’t mean to snap at Hilda, she just didn’t want to have this conversation with her sister of all people.

“Wasn’t thinking it. Though you’re glowing.” Hilda smiled and went back to the kitchen humming some love song. Zelda just scoffed and went upstairs. After checking on her daughter who was sound asleep Zelda went into the bathroom turning on the shower. As the room filled with was steam Zelda caught her reflection in the mirror and damn it her sister was right. She looked practically smitten.

[leoswritingcorner]

the cowboy and the hellion

to celebrate me finishing all my essays, i wrote moonray in the western au ft some ashley. it’s long, longer than what i intended lmao why am i like this

“Red!”

Zelda tries not to flinch at the Madam’s rough shout. She takes a breath, counts to five in a quiet whisper, and stops sweeping the floor. The fading bruise under her eye reminds Zelda to reply differently than with just a snappy ‘what’ like last time.

“Yes, ma’am?” Zelda calls back, keeping back a biting tone.

The Madam nearly barks over her reply with a “Get yer skinny-self over here!”

Setting the broom aside, Zelda turns down the hallway. The reeking scent of stale tobacco and liquor fills Zelda’s nose before she even reaches the wide double doors of Madam’s office. She knocks once before entering. It smells even worse inside, with odors Zelda did not even want to know what they were.

“Ya wanted to see me?” Zelda asks as she steps into the office. She tries to look anywhere else but at the Madam.

Madam was an old woman, edging close to sixty years old but vicious as a viper. Zelda learned that the hard way over the last couple of weeks, ever since her bastard of a dad sold her off for just a few dollars.

“M’puttin y’ to work.” Madam mumbles around a cigarette.

Zelda lifts her brows. “Ma’am, I already am workin’” She says, motioning back to the parlor room. “You got me cleanin’ this place from top to bottom.”

Madam scoffs. The wig of fake dark curls she wore on her head tilted to the side as she stands up. Her face overly done up in makeup, in some vain attempt to hold off on her aging, but it only made her look older. “I paid your daddy five dollars for your lanky ass, Red. I had y’ cleanin’ cause the fellers that visit like meat on the girls. But tonight, you’ll be really earnin’ that money I wasted on you.”

Zelda isn’t sure where her voice went. There was nothing more that she wanted to do than scream, or even run. But her legs seemed locked, stuck right there on the spot as Madam continues on

“Buncha cowboys came through. More than the girls I got.” She says, walking to Zelda. She tugs on a strand of her frizzy hair. “Go bathe in Clara’s room.” Madam orders. “Borrow one of her dresses, then get into room nine, your client will be in th-”

“I can’t.” Zelda blurts. “No, no I can’t…” She shakes her head. “I won’t!” She sees Madam’s hand strike out, but there’s not enough time. The slap stings hard against Zelda’s cheek.

“Do as I said or I’ll let them boys turn y’ for free. Do I make m’self clear?” Madam’s voice is gravelly, as she swears next to her ear. Zelda swallows back the own curses rising in her throat, and keeps the gathering tears in her eyes from falling.

“Yes, ma’am.” Zelda mumbles. She pulls away from Madam, and doesn’t look back as she leaves. Her fists tremble , she could only picture slamming them into the old woman’s face.

*

This was a mistake.

Garrett looks at the door and wonders if still he has time to leave. It’s a small room. Drafty, but covered in silk drapes. The bed was a decent size, and looked comfortable. Well, any bed would beat out sleeping on the cold, hard ground night after night. But it’s floral scented sheer sheets that were laid across the bed that made his stomach flip.

“What am I doing?” He questions himself, tugging off his hat. He covers his face with a hand before pushing his fingers through his hair. He could have blamed it on a spur-of-the-moment deal, or how he was practically dragged into the brothel by the other cowboys.

‘You need a little female company, White.’ One of them had encouraged, pulling him inside. ‘It’s been months. We all deserve this. Hell, I’ll even pay for yours’

Garrett stiffly followed a girl up to the room, barely able to stand her constant giggling and wandering hand. She pushed him into room nine and winked. ‘Your girl will be here soon.’ She said, her eyes wandering over him. ‘Lucky her.’

He eyes the door, and pulls on his hat. “That’s it.” He decides. Just before his hand could reach the handle, it swings open and a short young woman stumbles in. Her brown eyes wide with surprise.

“Oh s-.”

“Sorry.”

There isn’t much movement. In that time, Garrett takes a glance over her. Her red hair was in quickly twisted curls, her face was slender, just like her body that was barely clad in-

“Oh.” Garrett says again, ducking his head down quickly. He feels a warmth of a blush come across his cheeks.

The door shuts, and he glances up to see her hesitantly locking it. She rubs her elbows and clears her throat. “Were ya gettin’ impatient?” She asks. He doesn’t answer right away.

“I’m Zelda.” She supplies, hoping to get a response.

Garrett finally finds his voice. “Garrett. I’m Garrett.” He replies. “And no. No, I wasn’t. Sorry, I just…” He trails off with a sigh. “This wasn’t really my idea.”

Zelda scoffs, mumbling to herself. “Yeah, wasn’t mine either.”

She turns to the bed and feels her own face warming up. Where was she even suppose to start? What was she supposed to do? Suddenly the warming in her face gives away to dread, as her blood pratically drains. This was going to be her life now. Earning money on a mattress, only to lose it to some heinous old woman with a lousy wig. This moment would lead into it all. Her first time…

“Hey. Uh, Z-Zelda?”

She jumps at the sound of Garrett’s voice. She almost forgot the cowboy was there. She whips her head around to face him. That’s when she notices his dark hair poking out from underneath his hat. How sun kissed his skin was, and the warmest looking eyes she ever saw. In them, she saw him looking at her worried, and it’s only then that she realizes she’s shaking.

He takes a step toward her, but stops himself. “You look n-nervous.” He says.

“Was I that obvious?” Zelda asks, hoping the shaking didn’t reach her voice. Garrett comes over, nodding.

“Only cause I’m feeling the same way.” He says, hoping it would ease her a bit. Her shoulders seem to relax and a tiny smile pulls at her lips. “It’s uh…” He breathes out, and says quickly. “My first time, doing any of this.”

Zelda pauses, looking to Garrett. “You...you’ve never done this?”

Garrett looks every inch embarrassed, and Zelda winces. “I”m sorry! I’m sorry.” She says, gently patting his arm. “I didn’t mean it like that. Ya should probably know that, I ain’t ever done anything like this either.” She admits quietly.

“Wait, so I’m your first-”

“In every which way.” Zelda nods. She picks up one of the sheer sheets, sniffing at the floral scent before making a face, and tossing it back onto the bed. “Uhh, I don’t- I don’t think I’m gonna be worth the money.”

Garrett lets out a quiet chuckle, shaking his head. “No, I’m probably the one not worth the money.” He jokes. He hears her laugh dryly under her breath. She shoves the sheets aside and looks up to him.

“Guess we’re in a pickle.” Zelda says, shrugging her shoulders. Garrett doesn’t know if he should stay standing or take a chance and sit next to her, until she pats the spot next to her. He takes a seat next to her, careful to keep a decent space between them.

Zelda grins. “So, you’re a cowboy.” She reaches up, tipping his hat back. “Some of my older brothers are cowboys. They ain’t home all the time.”

“It’s not an easy job.” Garrett agrees. “I miss home a lot, but the money helps my mom and younger brothers…” He says, his voice going soft. He suddenly looks a hundred miles away to wherever home was. Zelda feels her heart nearly breaking for him.

“Can ya go home after this?” She asks, moving closer to him.

Garrett huffs. “One more month.” He pauses, feeling Zelda’s arms coming around his own. But she gives him a smile, one bigger and more genuine than before.

“I’ll be countin’ the days for ya then, cowboy.” She promises.

Garrett smiles back, the words he was about to speak are suddenly drowned out by the running footsteps outside the door. The sound of men and women laughing, with loud whooping echo in the hallway. Then they remembered exactly where they were.

Zelda pulls back slightly, her hold on his arm loosening. “I guess…” She starts, her eyes looks anxiously to the bed.

“We don’t have to do this.” Garrett says softly. He stands up, feeling himself missing her hold on him a bit. “I can just give you the money, you can lie, you know.” He tries.

Zelda looks at him stunned. “You’d really do that?”

Reaching into his pocket Garrett holds a few wrinkled dollars to her, nodding. “I wouldn’t want you to do anything you don’t want to.” He states, not looking at her. Zelda gets up, wandering up to him, her hands come over his and closes his fingers down on the money.

“That’s very nice of ya, Gar.” She whispers. “I’d be pretty wicked to make ya do anything ya don’t want to either.” She adds teasingly. He looks to her, to see that easy smile on her lips again. “Keep your money.”

“I can’t just do that, won’t you get in trouble?” Garrett questions. He only saw the Madam briefly but she looked every inch mean. Zelda snorts.

“I can handle it. Not like I’ve never been in trouble.” She states proudly, lifting her chin. “They didn’t call me the ‘hellion of Macon County’ for nothin’”

Garrett blinks. “They did?”

“No. But I raised enough hell I think.” Zelda laughs. This time it's not guarded or dry, and Garrett finds himself laughing along with her.

“Zelda, I’d feel bad, you gotta let me give you something at least…” He insists. He’d feel low if she were to really get into any trouble. Zelda sighs, tapping her lips in thought before pausing.

“Okay. One dollar, for one kiss.” She bargains. “Not too bad for either of us, right?” She looks to him.

Garrett nods. “One kiss.” He agrees, moving closer to her.

Zelda eases herself and leans up on her toes. Garrett leans down to meet her halfway, and both their eyes close at their lips touch. She didn’t want to pull away from him, and once she felt his hands shyly coming to hold onto her arms, she leans up further to him. Her arms slipping around his neck.

It was over a bit too soon for either of them. Zelda blinks her eyes a few time, and she feels Garrett’s lips just inches from her own. “One more kiss?” He mumbles. He’s surprised at the question he asks but doesn’t regret it once Zelda whispers a quick ‘yes’ and kisses him again, more fully.

Her hands grip tightly to his shirt, and his fall down to curiously shape the sides of her curves. They stumble backwards, the back of Zelda’s knees bumping against the bed. “O-One more kiss?” She gets out in a shaky breath. Garrett doesn’t answer verbally and instead presses another kiss to her lips, his hands gripping the curve of her waist.

Neither one of them mind the scented floral sheets one bit as they tumble back onto the bed.

*

Zelda holds onto Garrett’s hat, watching as he dresses. The shade of a blush still tints his cheeks as he gets ready. She smiles, placing the hat on her head when he turns to her, grinning at the sight.

“As cute as you look, I’m gonna need that.” He says.

Zelda leans back on the bed. “I know.” She hums, as Garrett leans down. Her places a few kisses around her cheeks. “I just wish I could, hold onto it for ya.” She pouts. He stops and looks to her.

They both had no idea where they would end up. Or if they’d even see each other again. Garrett holds onto her hand. Maybe, he could try and come back this way. Maybe, he might even have enough money to get her out of this place. But it was the thought of not knowing when that could be that scared him the most.

“Hold onto this for me instead, Zee.” He offers, tugging off the dark blue bandanna from around his neck. Zelda reaches for it, holding the small piece of cloth close to her chest. “Maybe…” He starts.

Zelda smiles sadly, sighing. “We don’t know when that might be, or even if we will.” She mumbles. She doesn’t look at him, her fingers toying with the edges of the bandanna. “You got a family that needs ya more than some prostitute in Macon County.” She finishes. Her hand quickly flicks up to her eyes, wiping away the tears before they could fall. Garrett feels his heart drop.

“ ‘Sides.” Zelda continues. “I’m the hellion, remember?” She adds, forcing a grin. “I’ll be okay. Maybe someday. Just maybe, I’ll give this back to ya.” She holds up the bandanna.

Garrett smiles slightly, and it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Maybe. I hope so…” He begins. The sound of the other cowboys yelling from outside breaks the quiet silence that began to fall on them.

“Any fellas still in there, finish up! We’re headin’ out!”

Garrett swears under his breath and looks to Zelda. He presses one more, one long kiss to her lips before slipping the hat off of her head. They whisper quiet goodbyes and he leaves with one last look to her. Zelda holds onto the bandanna, ignoring the money left on the nightstand.

*

A week drags on, and she’s able to avoid the new duties Madam gave her. But there’s always a flow of customers and clients coming through, and she knows she wouldn’t be able to avoid it much longer. When Ashley shows up one night at her window, a wagon and two horses hitched up. She’s grabs what little clothes she had, and the stash of money she never gave away to Madam, and leaves without a second though.

“Where are we gonna go?” Zelda questions. Ashley hoists his small friend into the wagon easily.

“Far away. I ‘aughta slaughter your damn dad.” He grumbles. “But we’re leavin’. I’m thinkin’ west...way out west.” Ashley says, flicking the reigns. The wagon takes off, and Zelda isn’t able to relax until the brothel is clean out of sight.

“What is that?” Ashley asks suddenly. He’s looking at the bandanna around her neck.

Zelda places a hand over it. “A bandanna.” She says simple. She doesn’t tell him about the cowboy it belonged to and who she hopes to see again one day.